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A COLLECXON OF RECORDS: Of the great Misfortunes that hath hapned unto Kings, that have joyned themselves in a neere allyance with forreigne PRINCES.
I May seeme presumptuous what is well intended, I am more the confident will not be either offensive to any, or prejudiciall to me.
I shall therefore in the first place give some instances, wherin it doth appear what inveterate malice, and deadly hatred the Papists beat towards the Protestants; for if they murdred the last L. Henries of France, because they but suspected them to favour the Protestants, how will they turne their malice against the Protestants themselves, which professe to be so, And it is as unsafe for men, as displeasing to God, to rely upon them.
Hen. of Barbon, K. of Nava [...], Father of H [...]n. 4 drawn by an im [...]ginary Crown of Sardinia, and the Provinces of the Spaniard, left the Protestants both in profession and person, and became a persecutour of those whose Protector he was, but whilst he cast his hopes upon Spain, hee was deprived of his owne Crown, and was shot with a bullet in his own trenches, besieging the poor Protestants in Rome.
Hen. 4. his Sonne, what battels did he fight, what dangers did he escape, even to admiration, when he was at defyance with the Pope and Spanyard. But when in a politique and worldly respect, he tasted the same sower grape, which set his Fathers teeth on edge. First a young Jesuite strooke him on the mouth, and then a Popish Rabseka stabbed him to the heart. Wheras Q. Elizabeth, notwithstanding the few friends she had abroad, and division at home when she came to the Crown being a loan woman, yet she refused the K. of Spain, and notwithstanding the thundering of the Popes Bulls, &c. they were never able to cut so much as the lap of her Coat, or to diminish one hair, much lesse the Crowne of her head. And his late Maj. King Iames of famous memory, continuing constant in the same Religion, that she professed, and though there were but one Protestant Prince in Christendome then besides himself, chose rather to match with her then with all the wealth of Spain, or any other Popish Prince and none can bee too circumspect in this particular, especially since not a Somerset, or a Suffolk, or a Secretary only: but the first, the strongest, and the wisest man that ever was, though they were all [Page] good men, and Types of Christ, yet they were here by tempted and seduced. And although it is mor [...] dangerous for Kings to marry with one of a contrary Religion then for any other, yet are they most subject hereunto, because few men dare be so bold, either to counsell or advise a King in this businesse, and though they command Nations, as they are Kings, yet are they subject to passion as they are men. Abrahams Injunction is a good direction, not to take her amongst the Cananites, Princes in respect of their happinesse, and other mens miseries, seeme placed in an Earthly Paradice, hauing power to tast of every Tree in the Garden, where having many Royall Branches, if they shall onely meddle with the forbidden fruit, how dangerous and wofull is their condition; for the Serpent will not onely beguile the woman, but the Philistins will inteate Dalilah, and she will bettay Sampso, So while they plow with our Heifer, they will unfold our Riddle and undo our State.
And wheras Christs Church is like his coat, closely woven, and at peace within it self, though some ignorant Separatists seek to make a hole in our coat and Church, and the Papists labour to make the rent worse, and the desperate Jesuite will if hee can make it past mending, for wheresoever they come, they turn Christs into Dejaniraes garment, which as it set Hercules on fire, so it set others in combustion; the reason is, their first Founder was a souldier, and ever since the way of Peace, they have not knowne, at least not loved.
To instance in a particular, not unfit for the present purpose, wee have not heard of any Protestant King that ever marryed with a contrary Religion, since the last Henrie of Navar with the best Marie of France, which marriage was so unfortunate to the Parties, having never Issue, and being afterwards, div [...]c't, was also fatall to our Religion, so that there was more bloud spilt in those Nuptials then wine spent; for whilest the Protestants dream't of the glory and security they should have by the Match, they were most miserably massacred: And who doubts but what the French Papists committed in their own Country, they would be glad to see done in this Kingdome, for without b [...]each of charity, we may doubt of their sincere meaning, though there be a Treaty of Peace, for in 88. when there was a Treaty with Spain, their Armado came upon us.
If therefore wee ever live, or are led by example, or precept, we sh [...]ll find it was forbidden the best People of the world to marry with a different Religion.
The Injunction, the Reason, and the effect are laid down in Deutronomie to the Jewes, that they should not take any daughters of the neighbouring Nations (though greater and mightier then themselves) to be wives for their Sons, to turn from God and serve other Gods, then will the Lord waxe hot against them, and destroy them suddenly.
All which are verified in Solomon, the wisest King that ever was, who married one of the greatest Kings daughters that then was, yet we see the weakest Sex withdrew the wisest man. So Sollomon became an [Page] Idolator, his Son a foole, his Subjects rebelled, and the best part of his Kingdome rent from his Posterity. And now wee have seen the danger and unlawfulnesse of matching with strangers, so if we discend to our Books of Chronicles, we shall find that God hath crost if not curst our Allyance and Association with forrein Nations. The Prince of the greatest performance that this Kingdom or Christendome ever had, was the black Prince, yet our Chronicles Record, that going into Spain to settle Don Pedro in that Kingdom, besides the monstrous ingratitude and perfidiousnesse of the Spanyard, who fayled in the performance of those Conditions he had promised, which caused the miserable Revolt in France to the losse of our Inheritance, the Prince was poysoned in that Country, that he never had his health af [...]erwards.
But to come neerer to our own times, all the marriages for the last 130. years (except the severall second Marriages of Hen. 8. and our Gracions King that now is) have bin with Spaine, and with how little good the Successe shewes, Prince Arthur marryed with the Spanish Kings Daughter, and God took him away suddenly without Issue.
King Hewrie afterwards marryed with the same Daughter, and God tooke away all the Male Children of this Match, and left only a Daughter, in whose short Reign was shed more bloud for the true Religion then for the false ever since.
Then Queen Marie marryed with Spain, which was so discontenting to the People, that it caused Wyats Rebellion, & so discomfortable to the Queen [Page] that it broke her heart, so dishonorable to the Kingdome, that meerly for that cause we lost Callis in few days, which had bin above twenty years in our possession, so that we may see that whatsoever the occasions or necessites of the Crowne bee, it will find more support by casting it selfe into the Armes of the Subjects, which are the two Houses of Parliament, then by seeking to any forreign Foe, or Envious Enemy, wherunto whensoever we leave and trust, we shall find the Egyptian Reeds, and their Intentions, rather to supplant then to support us.