THe malignant disposition of some ill affected persons to the Common wealth, like some Diseases in mans body, which by a kind familiarity, and consent with nature, fasten and get the possession of the body, and by degrees doth subvert and ruine the whole structure in man. None are of a more dangerous nature then those which seeme to comply with our constitution, and which by a pleasing sympathy work themselves into custome and consent. Of our enemies, the Civill enemy is most dangerous, and as his practice hath the least suspicion, so have they the most danger, by this means working his designs from all means of preven­tion. Since the last desire sent over unto the Lady E­lizabeth, for the prevention of the accesse unto the Queens Majesty, of all such persons, which may be by any means suspected to be evill Counsellors, and ad­visers unto her Royall Person, and therby strive to divert the good opinion of the proceedings of this Kingdome; wherby much danger and hazard hath ac­crued unto this Kingdome: Religion hath bin in its power perverted, the passage of the Gospell much [Page] hindred, the Lawes of the Kingdome in many points subverted, the execution of justice upon many Male­factors prohibited, and the small peace of this Realme drawn into many most strange distractions and di­stempers, and His Majesties good opinion of his most Loyall Subjects good intentions hath bin much abu­sed; so that the proceedings concerning the affairs of this Realm have taken very small or none effect. The Catholique Faction, perceiving their malicious pra­ctises to be hindered, did well hope that now her Ma­esty being in those remote Parts, that they might have the more reall accesse unto her privacy, and by that means, the better opportunity to execute their divellish counsels, and malicious intentions, have of­ten attempted their accesse unto her Majesty: but by the care and vigilancy of that most religious and ver­tuous Princesse, complying with the desires of this Realm now to be hindred, have endeavoured by most execrable, and irreligious attempts to remove all ob­stacles, which they apprehend, did hinder the pro­secution and execution of their wills and de­sires.

Whereupon, upon the 5. of March last, two Priests, and some others of that Hellish Confederacy, having often attempted accesse unto her Maj. (without que­stion, their aym not being ingenuous, or faithfull) but being often prevented, now did begin to expresse their venome, in the removall of all hinderances that did re­tain and hinder their ayms, and came unto the Prin­cesse Court, now being at the Hague, their persons were vailed in a strange disguise, and their pretence [Page] was to prefer a Petition unto her Highnesse, concer­ning the distresses of themselves, and their Families, which they have suffered by the long and tedious wars in those parts; and for which they did suppli­cate unto Her Highnesse for some relief. Thus no Cheat never wants a fair dissimulation, to cloak and cover their base intentions, and Vice as yet could ne­ver want any excuse for its deformity.

Being thus come to the Court, without a very te­dious stay, her goodnesse not being jealous of any e­vill intentions, as vertue is not suspitious; gave them admittance unto her person, after which admittance they delivered unto her hands and consideration a Pa­per, which while her Grace was perusing one of the disguised persons, drew forth from under his Coat a Pistoll, charged with a brace of ballets, and with the cock drawn up, and withall endeavoured to discharge it: but by the mercy of God who doth still preserve his elected, & doth bring to naught the naughty coun­sels, and attempts of the wicked; the Pistoll would not go off, another of the Conspiracy drew out a Pon­yard, and when he saw that, the Pistoll did not per­forme what they intended, with the Ponyard hee of­fered to finish, what the Pistoll did not execute; but Her Highnesse did escape away into her private Chamber, and so by the mercy of Her Creator, and Her flight escaped the intended danger and destru­ction.

Immediately, being forced in by Her Highnesse cryes, for which there was just occasion many of her Attendants, who waited not far off, issued in, and did lay hands upon those base and Trayterous [Page] villany, and incontinently conveyed them away into safe Custody, which were the next day put upon the Rack, and enforced to confesse as followeth. That they having oftentimes essayed their accesse unto the Qs. Majesty, for what end they would not confesse, and be­ing by the strict Guard alwayes kept about her Maje­sty, prohibited and forbidden, that they now made this attempt upon her sacred Person, supposing by her Removall to accomplish their ends, and one of them Tho. Earnie did make confession, that he was sorry he did misse his opportunity, and wished a Curse upon himself, for failing in his enterprise. This was the sum that they would at the first confesse, and so for that present they were released from the wrack, and com­mitted unto the prison again, where now they re­main in the Dungeon, and will ere long, be cal'd again into a second Confession, where untill then, let them rest, untill that Iustice shall further determine of them. I thought it also fit for the satisfaction of the Reader, and the credit of the Relation, to set down the Names of these Traitors, which might otherwise nei­ther gain belief, nor give the Buyer any content.

The Names of the two Iesuits, were Iohn Brown, Anthony Taylor, both English-men, and born in Der­byshire, by their own Confession.

The Names of the other three, were, Patrick Orny an Irish man, Lewes Antony, an Italian, and Tho. Earny an Italian also, who have discontinued their Country, and lived in Holland this eight years, during the time of those warres.

FOr although the Calamitie of Ireland hath been very great, yet still in their greatest extremitie, the Relieving power of the Almighty hath not been deficient in their utmost extremitie. The Citie of Cork of late, was much vexed, and grie­ved with a most terrible and sharp famin, wherein was such a violent dearth, and scarcitie of all provision necessarie for their sustenance, that the poor distressed inhabitants within the limits of that Ci­tie, were constrained (for their daily preservation) to eat and devour their horse-flesh, and so by the extremitie of that necessitie, those beasts which they did keep and preserve for their defence against the persecution of their enemie, they were enforced to make use of, for their sustenance, a pound whereof was sold within the walles of that Citie, for sixe pence. You may by this, without any further addition, imagine their extremitie, but now in this their greatest ne­cessitie, the Lord did make his power appear unto them, and being in a most desperate case, they found the power of God to be beyond the conceit of apprehension of mans expecta­tion. [Page] Being thus encompassed by two great extremities [...] violence of the enemie, and the famine within themselv [...] by the generall consent of the High powers within the C [...]tie, it was determined to send forth three hundred and fift [...] souldiers out of that Citie, which should give the Enem [...] Battail, who lay not then above half a league from the Citie, whose forces were not of strength and number above five hundred. According to the Order of the Magistrate, the distressed soules issued forth of the Citie, under the com­mand of Sergeant Major Rawlins, and being resolved rather to die with honour and glory, then to be starved up by the insolence of their insulting enemie; gave them so fierce and violent an encounter, that what by reason of the unexpected onset, and their disordered troupes, they slew, on a suddain, of the Rebels, eightscore; and did enforce Captain Blunt their Ringleader, to save himself by flight, not daring to stand the prosecution of the skirmish: and so by this means, they took and drove away at the least two hundred Cartle whereby the City was relieved, and delivered from the ex­tremitie of the famine, which did so much hazard the lives of many poor Protestants, and the libertie and continuance of that Citie.