'which neuer hitherto was, nor hereafter shall be, left off) 'you promised your allegiance and obedience vnto me.,"

After an appeal to their sense of duty as subjects, her Majesty proceeded to say: "As concerning the mariage, ye 'shal vnderstande that I enterprised not the doing thereof without aduice, and that by the aduice of al our priuy 'council, who so considered and wayed the great com'modities that might insue thereof that they not only 'thought it very honorable, but also expedient, both for the 'welth of the realme, and also of you subiectes."

And after further declaring that in this matter she was not following her own self-will, she added: "Certainly, if I 'either did thinke or know that this mariage were to the 'hurt of any of you my commons, or to the impeachment of 'any part or parcel of the roial state of this realme of Eng'land I woulde neuer consent thereunto, neither woulde Ieuer 'mary while I liued. And in the worde of a Queene I pro'mise you that if it shal not probably appear to al the nobility ' and commons in the high court of parliament, that this 'mariage shal be for the high benefit and commodity of al the 'whole realm, then I will abstaine from mariage while I liue."

This view of the "Spanish cloak" concealing other views and purposes is taken by the principal historian of Wyatt's rebellion2, who tells us :

1 Fox, vol. ii. p. 1289. Ed. 1596.

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2 The full title of the work from which I extract is, "The historie of Wyates rebellion, with the order and maner of resisting the same, wherunto in the ende is added an earnest conference with the degenerate and sedicious rebelles for the serche of the cause of their daily dis'order. Made and compyled by John Proctor. Mense Ianuarii, Anno '1555." It was Imprynted at London by Robert Caly within the precincte of the late dissolued house of the graye Freers, now conuerted to an Hospitall, called Christes Hospitall: The x. day of January 1555." Small 8vo, b. 1., containing N, the two last leaves blank. There is some account of the book in Brydge's Censura Literaria, (Vol. IV. p. 389,) where it is said, "Proctor was schoolmaster of the free school at Tunbridge, and from his vicinity to the scene of action must have had greater opportunity of knowing the particulars of the rebellion than many others." This is I suppose grounded on Anthony à Wood's account, Athence, Vol. I. p. 235. Lowndes, after mentioning several copies which have been sold (from the imperfect Roxburghe for 21. 16s. to Mr. Bindley's at 91.,) says, "According to Hearne, This rare book was much made use of by Ralph Holinshed in his Chronicle. It was always reckoned a book of great authority by such as are impartial and are well versed in English history."-Bibliogr. Man. in v. Proctor.

"Consideringe with hymselfe, that to make the pretence of his rebellion to bee the restoring or continuaunce of the new and newelye forged religion was nether agreable to the nature of heresie (whiche alwaye defendeth it selfe by the name and countenaunce of other matter moore plausible) neyther so apte to further hys wycked purpose, being not a case so general to allure al sortes to take part with him he determined to speake no worde of religion, but to make the colour of hys commotion, only to withstande straungers, and to aduaunce libertie. For as he made hys full reckninge that suche as accorded with hym in religion, wold wholly ioyne with hym in that rebellion. So he trusted that the Catholikes for the moste parte, woulde gladlye imbrace that quarel agaynst the straungers, whose name he toke to become odible to all sortes, by the sedicious and malicious report, which he and hys hadde maliciously imagined and blowen abrode agaynst that nation, as a preparatiue to their abominable treason. Hys Proclamation therefore published at Maydstone, and so in other places, persuaded that quarell to be taken in hande only in the defense of the realme from ouerrunnynge by Straungers, and for thaduauncement of libertie. Where in verye dede, hys onely and very matter was the continuaunce of heresye, as by hys owne wordes at sundrie times shal hereafter appeare.

"And to the ende the people should not thinke that he alone with a fewe other meane gentlemen, had taken that traiterous enterprise in hand without comfort and ayde of higher powers, he vntruely and maliciously added further to his proclamation, by persuasion to the people, that all the nobilitie of the realme, and the whole counsell (one or two onelye except) were agreable to his pretensed treason, and would with all their power and strength further the same, which he found most vntrue to his subuersion. And that the lord Aburgauenye, the lorde Warden, Syr Robert Southwell, high shyreffe with all other gentlemen wold ioyne with him in this enterprise, and set theyr fote by his to repel the straungers.

"This proclamation, and such annexed persuasions made at Maydstone on the market day, and in other partes of the shire, had so wrought in the heartes of the people, that diuers which before hated him, and he them, were nowe as it seemed upon this occasion mutuallye reconciled, and sayde vnto him. Syr, is your quarell onelye to defend vs ouerrunning by straungers, and to aduance libertie, and not agaynst the Queene?' 'No,' quod Wyat, 'we mynde nothinge lesse, then anye wyse to touche her grace: but to serue her, and honour her accordyng to our dueties.' 'Wel,' quod they, 'geue vs then youre hande, we wyll stycke to you to deathe in this quarell.' That done, there came to hym one other of good wealthe, saiyng: 'Syr,' quod he, 'they saye I loue potage well, I wyll sell all my spones, and al the plate in my house, rather than your purpose shall quayle, and suppe my potage with my mouthe. I truste,' quod he, you wyll restore the ryght religion agayne.'

3 That he was not mistaken in his calculations on this point may be seen by evidence which has been already adduced in these papers; as well as by the way in which he and his rebellion are spoken of by the leading men of the puritan party.

'Whiste' quod Wyat, 'you maye not so much as name religion, for that wil withdraw from vs the heartes of manye: you must only make your quarel for ouerrunninge by straungers. And yet to thee be it sayd in counsell, as vnto my frende, we minde onely the restitution of God's word."-Fol. 3. b.

That the good commons of England might at any time be worked upon by representations that they were being sold as slaves into the hands of strangers and foreigners, is very conceivable but that the match between the Queen and Philip of Spain was really disliked by the people in general, or considered by them as a national grievance, may very well be questioned. At the same time, we must not be surprised, that the matter has been represented in that light by modern historians, who have too generally and too implicitly followed the statements of the most violent agitators of the period, who had, as Mr. Proctor observes, "maliciously imagined and blowen abrode" a "seditious and malacious report" calculated to render the very name of the Spaniards "odible to all sortes." Thus Bishop

Burnet tell us :

"It was now apparent, the queen was to marry the prince of Spain; which gave an universal discontent to the whole nation. All that loved the Reformation saw, that not only their religion would be changed, but a Spanish government and inquisition would be set up in its stead. Those who considered the civil liberties of the kingdom, without great regard to religion, concluded that England would become a province to Spain, and they saw how they governed the Netherlands," &c.-Hist. of Ref. Vol. ii. p. 249.

And again—

"But great discontents did now appear everywhere. The severe executions after the last rising, the marriage with Spain, and the overturning of religion concurred to alienate the nation from the government."-Ibid. 268.

Of course it is very easy to talk of "universal discontent" and "the whole nation," and to tell us that "discontents" appeared "everywhere;" but perhaps it would not be easy to justify the use of such language by particular details. Certainly there were some discontents, and some attempts to create more. For instance, Stafford's

rebellion, which it may be worth while to refer to more particularly, because it not only illustrates our present subject, but is a good specimen of the manner in which history is too often made. Strype gives us (from that

curious miscellany the "Foxii MSS.") the proclamation which this rebel issued, and which begins thus:

"To all and every singular person and persons, of what estate or degree soever they be, that love the common wealthe, honoure, and libertie of this ower native countrye, and moste for the realme of England, the Lorde Thomas Stafforde, son to the Lorde Henry, rightfull Duke of Bockingham, sendythe greetinge. Knowe ye, most dearlye belovyd contrymen, that we travellinge in strange realmes, and forren nations, have perfectly proved owt manye detestable treasons, which Spanyardes shamfullye and wrongfullye have pretended, and at this present have indevered themselves to worke against ower noble realme of Englande; we therfore more tenderlye favouringe, as all trewe Englishmen owghte to do, the common commodity and weal publycke of this ower natyve contrye, than ower welthe, treasure, safegarde, health, or pleasure, have with all possible spede arived here in the castell of Scarborowe, levyng owr band, wherwith we thoughte to have proved in other affayers, comyng after us, bycause we had perfect knowledge by certaine letters taken with Spanyardes at Depe, that this same castell of Scarborow, with xij other of the moste chefest and principall howldes in the realme, shalbe delyvered to xij thousand Spanyardes, before the Kinges coronation: for the Spanyardes saye, it were but vaine for the Kinge to be crowned, onlesse he maye have certaine of our strongest castelles and holdes, to resorte to at all tymes, till he maye be able to bringe in a greate armye to withstonde his enemyes, that is, to overrun and destroye the wholle realme: for, so long as Englyshemen have anye power, we truste they will never submitte themselfes to vile Spanyardes. Which treason we have disappointed; trustinge, and firmelye belevinge, by the mighte of the omnipotente, everlastinge God, with the ayde and helpe of all trewe Englyshmen, to deliver owr country from all presente peril, daunger, and bondage, wherunto it is like to be broughte, by the moste develyshe devize of Mary, unrightful and unworthye Quene of England, who, both by the will of hir father, Kinge Henrye the viijth, and by the lawes of this noble realme of England, hathe forfette the crowne, for marriage with a straunger. And also hathe moste justlye deserved to be deprived from the crowne, because she being naturallye borne haulfe Spanyshe and haulfe Englyshe, bearythe not herselfe indifferentlye towardes bothe nations, but showinge herselfe a whole Spanyarde, and no Englyshe woman, in lovinge Spanyardes, and hatinge Inglyshemen, inrichinge Spanyardes and robbinge Inglyshemen; sending over to Spanyardes continuallye the treasure, gowlde, and silver of our realme, to maintaine them for owr destruction; sufferinge poore people of England to lyve in all carefull miserye, manye of them dyinge for verye hunger: and not contented with all thes myschyfes, she sekynge earnestlye by all possyble meanes to place Spanyardes in our castelles and howldes, contrarye to all statutes, customes, and ordinaunces within this realme, that they maye burne and destroye the countrye iij or iiij tymes yerelye, till Englyshemen can be contented to obeye all their vyle costomes, and moste detestable doinges, wherby the

whole commonaltie of Inglande shalbe broughte to perpetual captivitie, bondage, and moste servyle slaverye, as evidently shalbe proved before all men, at our fyrste assemble."-Mem. Vol. III. P. ii. p. 515.

This rebellious proclamation is given by Strype, in what he calls the "Catalogue" of documents, annexed to the Memorials; and, notwithstanding something almost tautologous, the passage of his history which refers to the matter, may amuse the reader as a specimen of the unsuspecting simplicity with which Strype received and adopted every statement proceeding from what he considered the right side. If it were not so mischievous, it would be merely ludicrous to see how the rhodomontade of this rebel proclamation is transmuted into mere matter-of-fact history.

"The Government by this time became very uneasy, not only in respect of the bloodshed for religion, and the rigorous inquisitions made every where, but for the domineering of the Spaniards, which was intolerable. The English were very much disregarded, and the Spaniards ruled all; the queen, half Spanish by birth, and still more so by marriage, shewing them all favour; hating the English, and enriching the Spaniard, and sending over her treasures to Spaniards. King Philip also had required twelve of the strongest castles here in England; which were to be put into the hands of twelve thousand of the Spanish soldiers, to be sent over against the time of his coronation, as was found by certain letters taken with Spaniards at Diep. This raised a great apprehension in the nation, that he intended to get this realm to himself by a conquest, and to reduce it under a tyranny. That nation also had carried themselves here very disobligingly to the English, and would say, that they would rather dwell among Moors and Turks, than with Englishmen ; who sometimes would not bear their insolencies and oppressions without resistance.

"This, together with a hope of restoring himself to the dukedom of Buckingham, made Thomas Stafford, of that blood, in April arrive in England out of France with forces, and possess himself of Scarborough castle; giving out himself to be governor and protector of the realms; intending to depose Queen Mary, whom he called, the unrightful and unworthy Queen of England, as forfeiting her crown by marriage with a stranger, and for favouring and maintaining Spaniards, and putting castles into their hands, to the destruction of the English nation. Stafford, with his party, (who were the remainders of those who made the insurrection the last year) put forth his proclamation. But the King and Queen, being greatly surprised herewith, April 30, sent out a proclamation against him and the other traitors with him; and they were soon quelled by the Earl of Westmorland and others in those parts. Stafford and four more were taken in Scarborough castle, April 28, and brought up to the Tower: and twenty-seven more, that assisted in that exploit, were prisoners in York. May 28, Stafford was beheaded on Tower