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 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 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 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.