Elizabeth, to own a strength able, by rubbing off such dirt (especially where desert lies so thick upon her tomb) to gild her name, though the manner of doing it may stain mine own; since the few spots discernable in her government are hidden, like those this ages curiosity hath detected in the sun, from any farther notice, by the splendor of the rest. THE PRINCIPAL HEADS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMOIRES ON THE REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. 1. QUEEN Elizabeth, her moderate Carriage at first, till exasperated by the Pope's Rashness. Why the Infancy of her Reign continued quiet, notwithstanding so great a shake and turn in Religion— 2. To which she was in a manner necessitated. 3. How the Parliament confirmed it and her. 4. She breaks with Spain, assists the Dutch, makes Leagues Abroad, suppresses Conspiracies at Home: Papists prosecuted; the Pope's too late Concession-being refused-is seconded with an Interdict-which proves fatal to the Papists and Queen of Scots.-Her Death and the D. of Norfolk's, &c.-Censured. VOL. I. 5. Q. Eliz. galls the Spaniards: Cales Voyage under Essex-gets him Love and Envy. 6. The Queen foments Factions at Home, and what use she makes of them, and of-Her own Inconstancy. The Spanish Armado in 88. 7. The Queens Favour to Essex-How often by him hazarded his Quarrel with Blunt-designed for his Rival. : 8. His Enemies restless Endeavours to ruine himby setting him on high; his ample Irish Commission. A Character of the Q. Court, Majesty, Thrift: Provisions rated, Exactions of Purvoyers punished.9.-A witty Example thereof in Kent. 10. Her Household-Servants the goodliest of Person, &c. that could be got:-as, 11. Her Councel the choicest for Prudence:-apparent in her Marriage-Treaties with Spain and France. 12. Her Councels Integrity. Offices the Reward of Merit. Her exact Intelligence. B. Bancroft's Art in dividing the Jesuites and Regulars-afforded him Popish Intelligence. His Character. His Endeavours for Uniformity of Worship-hindred by the Influence of the two clashing Factions at Court upon the other Bishops, &c. 13. Letters of State writ in a plain Style-involving sometimes an obscure Sense, as those about her Marriages with France. 14. Court-Hospitality. 15. Her Prudence in receiving Treats from her more ambitious Subjects; how she diverted their Humour of Popularity. 16. She opposes the Declaration of a Successor, and why denies the Parliaments Petition for her Marriage. : 17. Contrary Reports about her Concupiscence. Her Art of Government and Choice of Ministers: why some of less Abilities were taken in afterwards: Earl of Notingham Admiral. His Character. The Queen sparing in giving Honours, or suffering her Subjects to accept them from Foreign Princes. Examples thereof in Sir F. Vere, Sir W. Rawley, Sir Mat. Arundel, Sir P. Sidney. 18. Her Modesty in point of Augmentation of Empire; refusing the Dutch as Subjects, though she took their Cautionary Towns, and Havre de Grace-to regain Calis. The Spaniard, by cutting off the Heads of the Dutch Nobility, makes way for the springing up of their Hydra of Popular Government. 19. Leicesters Hopes of marrying the Queen. His Freedom of Discourse with her about it, and otherwise. His Character. 20. In Foreign Injuries she never precipitated Revenge. 21. Parliaments frequent, and consequently moderate. She restrains their Debates about Succession and Religion. Keeps the Church humble, and carries fair with her Parliament. The Schismaticks leave England. How it might have been (safely) prevented. What hindered it. The fatal Inconveniences of those Proceedings. 22. Ireland neglected, and why. The Lord Mountjoy ends the War. The Baseness of the Natives-how much Priest-ridden. 23. Essex unfortunate Expedition thither-Cecils Artifice to fetch him back, to-his Death-from which, neither the Love of the People, nor of the Q. his Mistris, could bail him, and-after which she never joyed. The Occasion of her Death-reported to proceed from the Countess of Notinghams not delivering the Q. a Ring, sent her by Essex, (to whom she had formerly given it as a Pledge of her Affection and his Safety,) which the Countess on her Death-bed discovering to the Queen, was by her sent with Curses in stead of Forgiveness, into another World. 24. After Essex Death, Cecil, being left without Controll, not onely urges the Q. to declare James her Successor, but uses other Endeavours to effect the same. 25. The happy Condition Q. Eliz. left England in. No considerable Enemy. How we stood related to other Nations-Spain, Ireland, France, Netherlands, &c. 26. How at Home, as to Parliaments, Credit, Treasure, Debts, Justice, the Church. 27. The Conclusion. |