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Title: A treatise of treasons against Q. Elizabeth, and the croune of England diuided into two partes: whereof, the first parte answereth certaine treasons pretended, that neuer were intended: and the second, discouereth greater treasons committed, that are by few perceiued: as more largely appeareth in the page folowing.
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Print source: A treatise of treasons against Q. Elizabeth, and the croune of England diuided into two partes: whereof, the first parte answereth certaine treasons pretended, that neuer were intended: and the second, discouereth greater treasons committed, that are by few perceiued: as more largely appeareth in the page folowing.
Leslie, John, 1527-1596, attributed name.
[Louvain]: Imprinted [by J. Fowler], in the moneth of Ianuarie, and in the yeare of our Lord. M.D.LXXII. [1572]
Subject terms:
R. G. -- Salutem in Christo.
Burghley, William Cecil, -- Baron, 1520-1598 -- Controversial literature.
Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626 -- Controversial literature.
Elizabeth -- I, -- Queen of England, 1533-1603 -- Early works to 1800.
Catholic Church -- Great Britain -- Early works to 1800.
Great Britain -- History -- Elizabeth, 1558-1603 -- Early works to 1800.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A21247.0001.001
How to cite: For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents
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title page
The Argument of this Treatise diuided into two Partes.
The Preface to the Englissh Reader.
Allusio ad praesentem Angliae con∣ditionem, ex Aeneid. Lib. 2.
A TREATISE OF TREASONS against Q. Elizabeth and the Crowne of England: partly answering certaine Treasons pretended, that neuer were intended: and partly discoue∣ring greater Treasons commit∣ted, that are by few perceiued.
1. GOod men and euil delight in contra∣ries. The good in seking for truth, and maintenance thereof: euil, in hiding of truth and oppressing thereof. And so consequently to publissh truth, is to please the good, and to displease the euill.
2. Wherefore, hearing, that emongest the common sortes of men at this time it is not certainely knowen, what is the cause, that the Duke of Northfolke is newly committed to the Tower, and sundry others: and knowing that good men il be wel satisfied to vnderstand the truth, which euil men would couer and oppresse: I could not but in con∣science, to satisfie the good, and bridle or stoppe the lying and open slaunde∣rous mouthes of the euill and sedi∣tious, notifie thus muche vnto yow, whereby you may also cōmunicate the same to others: for that it is likely, that false and slaunderous reportes wil be readily made hereof, to serue the ap∣petites of the euil disposed.
3. First, it is not vnknowen, the Duke of Northfolke did of late yeares secretely practise to haue maried with the Scotish Q. without the knowlege of the Q. &c.
4. It is also knowen (saith he) that the Q. of Scotland hath bene the moste daun∣gerous enemy that liued, against your Q. in that she sought to haue the Croune of England (as he saith) from her immediately after Queene Maries death. &c.
5. It is also knowē (saith he) that when she could not get it by force nor cunning, shee solemnely promised to acknow∣legde her errour, and to recognise the Right of your Queene, &c.
6. It is knowen (saieth he) that she so∣lempnely promised to acknowledge her error, and to recognise the verie trewe right to be iustly in your Q &c. as laufull daughter and heire to kinge Henrie the eight. &c.
7. It is also knowen (saieth he) that she hath not perfourmed her promise, but with friuolous answers hath delaied it. Neither is it of any force to be deman∣ded, nor woorth the hauing, if she would yeelde to performe it. For that, she that could not neither gette this realme &c. nor keepe her owne, &c. can not amende your Q estate, &c. nor yet is her promise in any thing to be holden fyrme or durable. &c.
8. It is said (saith he) and credibly auow∣ed. that the Q. of Scotl. was the grea∣test cause of the rebellion lately in the North: wherby some honorable hou∣ses &c. by her cunning practise were inticed to ouerthrowe them selues and their families with a multitude of mo English subiects, then she could haue done by armes in the field, if she had bene in possession of her king∣dome.
9. And it is knowen (saith he) that your Q. as one voide of a reuenging nature, did labour to haue restored her to her Coū∣trey, and saued her life after the death of her Husband, and laboured to put an ende to the Ciuil warres in her Realme, &c.
10 It is also knowen (sayeth he) that the Q. of Scotl. did by writing vtterly re∣nounce the Dukes mariage vpon his first apprehension, &c. with some note, that of her sele she did not first moue it, nor yet like of it. Also that the Duke did the like at that time both by messa∣ges and writings, and acknowleged his offense in seeking it: and vnder his hande and seale did firmely promise, neuer to deale therein an further, or in any other matter with the Q. &c.
11. And now it is certeinly found (saieth he) that the former practise betwene the Q. and Duke (notwithstanding their euerall renuntiations and pro∣mises) hath had continuance without interruption, &c. till now his last com∣mitting, &c.
12. But now appeareth it (saith he) how daungerous the intention of that ma∣riage is to your Q. by other daunge∣rous practises that haue accompained and followed this attempt (if you wil beleue him) which almighty God hath merueilously discouered, to the preser¦uation, both of your Q. person, and the Realme. &c.
13. It was deuised and determined (sayth he) that a new Rebellion should haue bene moued nigh London. The Citie should haue bene taken by force, fo∣raine Souldiours in great numbers should haue come out of the Lowe Countreis by Sea vnto a notable Port of the Realme. So should Rebelles and foraine enemies haue ioyned and pro∣ceded to further things not expedient yet to be spoken of. &c.
14. These deuises saith he) were not onely talked of, put in writing, and fully con∣cluded: but the Messengers were also sent ouer Sea in Lent last with sufficient authoritie of commission and writings, to testifie the determination of them, that should be the Heads and Condu∣ctours of this Rebellion, as the same beeing imparted on the other side the Sea was well accepted and allowed: and thereof seuerall Letters were spee∣dily written to the saied Queene, to the Duke of Northfolke, and special∣ly, to that vngracious Priest the Bis∣shoppe of Rosse, the instrument of all the Dukes calamitie, and the feed man of al treason against England: that this enterprise must be kept secret namely from the Frenche, for causes of great moment, vntill the Messenger should poste to the Pope for money, and to the King of Spaine for order and direction for menne and shippes. & caet.
5. The Messenger had his letters of cre∣dit from the Scottish Queene, th Duke and others to the Pope, and the king of Spaine. And so comming to Rome he returned letters from th Popes gratious Holinesse in the begin∣ning of Maie, to the sayd Q and to th Duke, and others. The letter to th Duke was in Latine beginning: Dilecte fili, Salutem. But in deede the Duke might well say, he sent not Salutem, but perniciem. The Duke had them, and redde them, by the intercession of that aforesaied vngracious Priest. The con¦entes in some parte were, that the Pope well allowed of the enterprise: he would write also to the King of Spayne to further it, but his present busines of the charitable warres than in preparing against the Turke was the cause, that money could not then be had for that sommer: and yet his vngratious Holynes after his accusto∣med sorte comforted them all not to despaire.
16. It was also by the deuisers of these Rebellions and inuasions determined, that the Realme of Ireland should be assailed at the same time, thereby to weaken the Queenes Maiesties forces, or to diuert them from defense of her selfe and her good subiects.
17 Now were it best to leaue with these former branches: for it is credibly said, that this tree of treason and rebellion hath a number of other branches of the very like nature: that is, in deuising how the Scottish Queene should haue ben conueyed away, sometime by dis∣guising, sometime by plaine force and raising of rebellion, and so put to liber∣tie and proclaimed Queene of England nd Scotland: but to encrease the er∣rour of her stile, shee should haue ben proclaimed King and Queene of Eng∣land and Scotland.
18. It might be also reported, how her Sonne should haue ben stolen out of Scotland, to be sent into Spaine, with suche like deuises tending to mooue troubles in the Realme, that was, and yet is (thanked be God) quiet.
19. And now it may be, that some will say, that many of these thinges are doubt∣full, and percase wrested in reporte, either by malice, or by ouermuch cre∣dulitie. But truely in such credible sorte are all the thinges aboue mentio∣ned with sundry others to me repor∣ted to be verie true, by such as haue cause to knowe them, and vse not to report vntruthes, as I do boldly auow them to be true.
20. And if they shalbe found otherwise, than it is likely, that somme of the Q. Maiesties Counsel wil cause them to be reprehended: who vpon this my wri∣ting shall reporte them, and thervpon I will patiently suffer correction for my hasty credit. For it is most likely, that such matters of Estate as these are, will not be suffered to be communica∣ted without reprehension.
21. On the other side, if they be true, as I haue reported, and yet not fully y∣nough reported than time wil shortly enlarge and confirme them, when her Maiestie shall cause the parties now imprisoned to answer openly thereto, by order of her lawes, as there is no doubt she wil obserue to all maner of subiects that course, that hitherto she hath done &c.
Synce I wrote this, I am the more em∣boldened to thinke al these things true, for that this present day the Lord Maior of the Citie of London with a number of his Brethren were at the Starchāber with the Q. Maiesties Councel: where I vnderstood by the reporte of some of them, that heard what was said by the Councel to them concerning the pre∣sent case of the Duke of Norf. that the substance of al, that is by me before reported, is very true, with muche more, &c.
The Second Parte.
Faultes escaped in the Printing.