IN the sacred Temple of the Almightie Ie­houa, a place of residence of his faithfull seruants, there is no persō on earth, more deuout then a Signor of Spaine, but in the middest of his Contemplations diuine, or making shewe of diuine, tending to the true seruice of God, it is his assiduate vse (if his sight be guilty of any ladies alluring bewtie) to gaze, and afterwards to cast amourous glaunces, yet Guarda los oios fuera fuera la temptatie, Bridle the sight, Banish temptation ther is no such mat­ter: for Sig. his vital powers are all occupied in deuotion. What with crowching, knéeling, and millions of crosses, he makes an excéeding good outward shewe: After which, with a singular grace, kissing his thumbe he endeth: although he haue knéeled but on the one knée, be it no scandall, for it is his fashion. Then for the last act of the Church matter to confirme the peace, Si­gnor bids Signor as buenas Dias. Bids the Gentlewo­men good-morrow.

AS Signior is an Angell in the Church, so to the contrary, in his lodging, he is a raging Diuel or Furie, séemeth ra­ther the Hoaste then the guest, what his Signory desires, must be the Hoastes liking the fairest Chamber, the best bed and all else, is his to commaund, he thinkes it but the dutie of the Flemings which he estéems as beggars, and the Wallons as Théeues, A la Horca ladromis. To the gal­lowes with these thee­ues, But Signor is a Cauallie­ro, he must be reuerenced, Guarda su Signoria, Respect his worship. he must be soo­thed and flattered. You need not any way to mistrust him, for he wil neither filch nor steale, but you must indéed preuent him with giuing. Moreouer, you ought to know he is a Hidalgo, A Gentle­man. although he haue no patents thereof, euen whose name and race, doth terrifie the Moores, Honorada sta la Casa, The house is honored. which a­lodgeth such persons. All mandado de su Signoria, At his wor­ships com­maund.

SIgnior at his dyet, is as a rauenous Woolfe, with the one elbow leaning on the Table, openeth his Mawe like a Iu­das purse. He layeth his tallants on the meat, like a Woolfe that gripeth a Lambe: he estéemes it no shame to turne the dish, and tumble the cates topsie turuie, to seeke De buena gana with a good heart.los buenas boccades, The good morcels. the which, Ell Ventro del Ʋno, To the bel­ly of one. he purpo­seth to send: what a Signior doeth not eate, he sleaeth, or vn­séemly mangleth. A more lickorish wretch earth doth not pro­duce, his fare must daily be fresh, both roasted and sod, besides this, he is a wonderfull deuourer of Olia podridos, and Carbo­nadoes, togither with an infinit quantitie of fruites, Comfites, and Succados, yet it is a hard matter, if a man hath not one good qualitie, No es barachono, you must not thinke so, except it [Page] were a chance. This is a Signiors dyet at anothers cost, but a­las if you finde him at his owne Table, you may sée it stately furnished with a Sardinia, Or a crust of bread, a pot of Aqua, and perhaps a bone, yet abroad, if there be a Woolfe at the Ta­ble, Signior is one.

SIgnior in his Chamber, is as a Hogge in his stye: with filth and filthie sauour he payeth his Hoaste, euen the same which procéedeth from his pockey selfe, Las donas, 1 The Wen­ches. vse him so kindly, that he is wholy infected, De los boubes.2 The pockes.La mala ca­nera,3 The Cham­ber. sticks in his buttocks. It is a Diauolos life, alwaies to be troubled with those clisters and pilles, sirropes and conserues, how is it possible Signiors daintie bodie can endure? but indéed the Apothecaries drugges are to ease the belly, Signior being stopped like a bottomlesse barrell. Although he were honoured with the fairest and neatest Chamber in the house, he wil with­out respect, file it with his head or tushe. What matter is that, the Messima must conuey it fuera. The Mayd must carry it out.

SIgnior being in the stréete, or any other publicke place, his first gestures, are to bend the head, turne the eye, and Pea­cocke-like to behold himselfe if nothing be amisse, his gate is like one who treades the measures, he scarce takes thrée steppes, but the fourth, he againe contemplateth, Su Signoria, His Signory. sometime he wil cast a léering eie a side, to espie if the beholders admire him not, his minde stil giues him, that euery speculator saith, Ah mira ell Canalioro, Os beheld the knight. then he rowseth himselfe and ex­pecteth a reuerence of euery one that passeth, he twisteth his moustachoes, and strokes his beard. His Trade in Spaine [Page] perhaps was to sowe hand-baskets, or to blow glasses in the Furnaces, scarce trusted to guard a flocke of Cabritoes. And here we wil beare the name of a Hidalgo or don, yet the Asse is knowne, though he weare a Lyons skinne.

SIgnior is stuffed with all maner of subtil deuices to deceiue women, which is his continuall studie. As the Foxe often (not by force, but by subtiltie) catcheth a praie, lo Sig. where he can espye one to his liking, presently his head is filled with a common wealth of subtil stratagems, although he sée no likelihood, yet like a valiant Champion, he stands to his sute very importunately, whereby he shewes them what mettal is in him, for he trieth in Loues scorching flames like a firie Fur­nace. Si la Dona eschoucha: If she listen, he intices her further to come, Fue­ra bowing his knées, Conquingentos suspiros, with 500. sighs and other fained adulations, he protesteth to be a deuoted Seruidor de las Do­nas, Seruant vnto women. and with a Besa los manos de vostra Signoria, los ciueros cō Cortesia & buena Compagnia, Kissing his hands, and presenting her with al dain­ties. he intices her to his entent, if so be for all this she continue obstinate, and wil not pittie this a­mourous Squire, he betaketh his farther suite to a cunning Bawde, and doth in such sort, that many a Lambe must voyd his Lodge.

IN a Towne where a Spanish Signior lies in Garrison, he rules like a Lyon, posing all vnder his subiection, a Signior alone is wise inough of himself to do and leaue what he list, any others (great or small) he maketh no account of, estéeming them all as Nada. Nothing. Signior is the Cocke, he wil ouercrow all. If any one contrary his doings and sayings, then one shal sée him swear & swagger, Villain tradidor del Re, Lutheriano, Villain, Tray­tor to the king. Hereticke. he stands so much on his owne reputation, that none (besides himself and his) are Seruidors del Re, The kings ser­uants. he supposeth none may gainsay him, [Page] for he is maister of the place: Guarda la cabecca. Beware thy head. He sweares by God. If you abuse him, Boto a Dios, he wil reuenge it with his blood: at least he wil make you beléeue it. In fine, Signior wil be Signior, as long while as Signior is himselfe.

IN a place of garrison, where nothing is to be don but brag­ging and dominéering, there turn a Signior loose, he wil play his part, he estéemes his skil, far to surpasse all others, but no sooner doth he heare the thundring rumor of Los Ennemi­gos, or sée them plant their Tents and standards with any ad­uantage, before his residence, he is in a moment wholly meta­morphosed, his heart shrinkes like a péece of wet leather by the fire, all his Lyon like courage vanisheth like smoake, for that from a Lyon he becomes a Hare, yet he wil séeme to cloake it, but neuer so wel, but you shal sée him making of vowes to Sig­nior Iago & nostra dona de lorretto, S. Iames and our Lady of Loretta. the one vows a pilgrimage a foote, and the other rich gifts, his braine and sences are so af­frighted with the noyse of the Artillery, that like a Hare he fea­reth euery cracke and blast of winde.

NEuer was there any man more vnresolute to die, then a Spaniard, especially if his fortune be to be hanged, no soo­ner doth he fal into y^e hand of a Iustice, but Signior looseth his téethe, he is a forlorne man, vale mee Dios, God defend me. from such a lot, for Signior standeth more in awe of la Horca, The Gallows. as also la Stropa­da, Mercy. then the diuel doth of the Crosse: insomuch that in that re­spect Signor nō va le nada, Is worth no­thing. he cries Misericordia, he vtters ma­ny gréeuous laments: but most, O dios de materra, O mal, auenturado, O thou Spa­nish God. in this sort to caper aboue grounde, Signi­or had rather goe to Rome bare-foote, then to be hanged, [Page] it is such a hard morcell, and of so bad disgesture, it is as good as Stibbium, to make him vomit vp al his vilanie to the Fryer that cōfesseth him, which done, he recommends his soule, (with a thousand crosses) to some Saint, and then leapes at a Dasie, neuer was a Lambe more méeke then a Signior vnder a Gal­lowes.

Some faults in particular persons, are in some sort to be tollerated, and other some not, in any wise, espe­cially in case of gouern­ment. IN case that Signior had but these aforesaid vices, he were to be borne withall, although to many a ones cost, but he is moreouer so wrapped and intangled in auarice, that for mo­ney he would almost fight with the diuel, as appeares by the writing of their owne Historiographers. The auarice of the late Romanes, Turks and Heathens, were but toyes to his, not only for money, but also to scrape to himselfe euery thing else, and to tyrannize ouer all the worlde, the which they also shewe in the Indies, where aboue the Spanish Armies, at S. Domingo is written, Toth es nuestro toth es mio: The Bishops of Chiapa Pe­dro de chiefe Francisco lo­per, and other their writers. As also thereon standeth a Horse, with his hinder féete in the worlde, and sée­meth with his fore féete, to leape out of the same, and out of his mouth this Motto. The world doth not suffice me, whereby they shewe their insatiable couetousnesse. The Indians also say, that gold is Signiors God, but as he thinks the worlds con­taines not pillage inough for him, so vndoubtedly, one day he shalbe made pilladge to the world.

Sign. of Spaine is so blinded in ambition, that he enuies at anothers honor, fret­ting excee­dingly, to see that any one besides him­selfe should bear any sway, and scornes them for his seruants, whō himselfe is vn­worthie to serue. The reiected Letters of an. 1589.IN ambition, Signior also is not behinde hand, he reputes himself such, as none but he may be reuerenced (he witlesse) thinkes himselfe farre to surmount others manners, he vn­skilfull, thinkes his learning and doctrine greater then any others, his clownish and base discent, he extols higher, then others doo their true Nobilitie: and his beastly and sencelesse opinion, before any reasonable iudgement: he is so loftie, that [Page] if any other will shewe his skill and experience, in instructing him in any thing, he both scornes the Teacher, and reiecteth his willing instruction, he will not sticke (in his humor) to re­uile and defame, with the name of Traytors, those which to serue him, haue left and abandoned God and their Countrey, as well appeared by the Letters of the Spanish Commaun­dor Tepeda, who durst presume to miscall the states of y^e other side, Traytors, which notwithstanding were of their factions, In sum, where Signor doth rule, he shews his diuellish actions.

This appea­reth most ma­nifestly to be true, by the report of their owne Bishops and other wri­ters, which say that their bloodines and tyrannie, sur­passeth all na­tions of the world, as also that his dis­cent is from the most bar­barous & cru­ellest people in Europe. SIgnior hath at sundry times through his crueltie, without mercy, tyranized and suppressed whole Countries & King­domes, whereby many thousands haue lost their liues: his crueltie and inhumanitie is so extraordinary, that his minde is alwaies in suspence, deuising and inuenting what new and greater torments he may vse vnto them which he hateth, cut­ting & hewing off, of armes and legges, killing babes in their mothers armes, yea in the wombes, and such like are common things. Moreouer, he wil take the dead bodies of the little In­fants, tearing them by péecemeale, throw them to the dogges, to be enterred in their bowels. If he be victorious, all his vallor he sheweth in surh like déeds: insomuch, that he is neuer glut­ted with blood, he farre surpasses Pharaoh in crueltie, Herod in tyrannie, and Antiochus in bloodthirstinesse. It is inough, yea too too much knowne in our Netherlands, and not only in Eu­rope, Asia and Affrica, but also in the farthest part of America, whereby he sheweth himselfe to bee sprung from the cruell Goths and blood-thirstie Wandals.

If a man be ambitious, it followeth that he is greedie of reuenge. This hath the Spaniard she­wed in many sorts and pla­ces, especially in his owne Countrey, and on his owne Country men, viz. in the Ci­tie of Saragos­sa, where he beheaded a Duke, an Earl, the head Of­ficer, and ma­ny of the chief Citizens, only because they defēded their priuiledges in the cause of an imprisoned man. To execute his reuenge, he must needs break his oth, for he hath not the heart to do it vali­antly and re­ally, for he had not only sworn vnto those of Saragossa, as to all the realme, to keepe, pro­tect and de­fend their pri­uiledges, but moreouer according to the formal words and articles which were pro­nounced at his coronation, was to loose his right by default thereof, he then that in such sort vsed his own country men, and those which in Idolatry are as superstitious as himselfe, what would he, nay what ought he to do vnto those which are proclaimed he­retickes rebels, and were so long since, by the holy Inquisitiō damned to the pit of hell.ANy iniury which Signor may haue receiued or conceiued, how small soeuer, he wil alwaies remember it in minde, [Page] (though he shewe neuer so good semblance) vntill he finde some fit opportunitie, which if he cannot effect to his will, vnlesse to his discredit, yet notwithstanding, he wil neither respect ho­nour nor oath, and therefore wil execute it after the most rigo­rous sort possible. He will finde occasions inough to accuse one, and those commonly such, wherof y^e Woolfe accused the lambe, saying that he troubled the water whereof he drunke. The In­dians to their cost knew it full well, as also the chiefest of Ar­ragon and our Netherlanders the Nobler sort whereof which he could not conuict nor accuse, amongst the number of male­factors, he hath sought by all subtil meanes (some at one time, some at another) to make them all away by deceitfull strata­gems, vnder the colour of pure loue, shadowed with the robes of true friendship, which he defileth.

TO effect and execute this his insatiable desire of reuenge (in a periurous sort) he abandoneth all faith, the which in any accord or agréemēt, he may haue sworn or promised, for although his peruerse nature be of it self too much that way inclined, yet he is strictly bound by the papal doctrine, and by the decrées of the counsel of Constans, that to the hindrance and dammage, not only of the offenders of his Maiestie, but also of Los Lutherianos, they néed not keepe any oath or promise, but with all their might procure their vtter ruine and destruction. Such his déeds are not only exempt from sin, but are moreo­uer reputed holy workes, in respect that they are done to the furtherance and in the behalfe of the Romish Church. And by Gods helpe when he most trusts theron, seeking to rock others a sléep, through his fraudulent adulations, his deceit and faith­lesse intent, shall be manifest, and he punished for the same: for there is no conueyance of sinne, from the knowledge of God. But he that putteth his trust in him, shall euer be blest.

Those which know not the error wherein they liue, haue not only desi­red the same aboue alworldly things: but also preferred the same a­boue their liues, they e­steeming it such a felicity, that they stil seeke and pro­cure al other to be of the like religion, frō the which God keepe vs all, Amen. In stead of a tyrant, to be gouerned and ruled by a true and careful father, to serue God accor­ding to his ho­ly institutions, and to conti­nue in his Countries li­bertie, are the highest things which a Christian in this worlde may wish, which to attaine and defend: no worldly things nor life it selfe is to be spared, beseeching God through his mercie, to aide and assist vs alwaies in the same, to his honor and glory, the aid of the oppressed, and our soule a saluation. Amen.FInally, it is a most detestable slauery to be vnder a Spani­ards subiection, worse then death it selfe, being hurtfull, not only to the bodie, but to the soule. Although he sometimes dissemble his nature, yet is he therefore not to be trusted: wher­fore we beséech his diuine maiestie through his goodnesse, to be mercifull vnto those which are yet stooping vnder Signior his cruell and tyrannicall yoke, giuing them patience to endure it, vntill such time as thou O Lord shalt find good to giue them a ioyful deliuerance, which vnto thée is easie, but aboue al, vouch­safe vnto those (which by his false doctrine, liue in obscuritie, from the diuine light) more grace and discretion, with a better conscience, then to entice those which are at libertie to the like error, therby both (to their repentance) to glut themselues with his tyrannical superioritie: for it is far better to be slaues vnto Turkes and Moores, then to be molested with the gnawing worme of Conscience.

BVt to the contrary, to be frée from his tirannie, and in stéed of a Signior, to haue as cullars in our Countrey, our owne kindred & Countrey men, is (according to euery ones cen­sure) the happiest estate, and the greatest felicitie in this teresti­all orbe, yea a preparatiue & foundation of an ensuing fréedom, and a strong defence against all enemies. God through his cle­mency and goodnesse, grant vnto them a perpetuall fréedome, and blesse them with his celestial gifts, of wisedome, foresight and discretion, that they may vnmoueably as a sturdie rocke, withstand the violent & raging assaults of the Spaniards vntil the end, and for guerdon of their paines, remaine in a frée and happie estate with continuation. To the honor of God, and their soules saluation. Amen.