excused himself to the Queene? I would to God it were so.

[Sidenote: The conspiracie of the King of Spaine against the kingdoms of
England and Ireland 1570.]

But goe to, let these witnesses passe. May hee be taken for a man of a
good spirit, & of no poysoned minde against her Maiestie? Let then
_Guilielmus Cataneus_, the Popes Secretarie that now is be produced: let
his worke of the life of _Pius Quintus_ sometime bishop of Rome be read.
The saide _Cataneus_ in that booke of his reporteth, that Philip the
king of Spaine complained bitterly and with great griefe to the
Cardinall of _Alexandria_, sent vnto him into Spaine in the yeere 1572.
because the conspired practise, as wel against England as Ireland, not
long before entred vpon by his authoritie and aduise, had not that
successe that he looked for.

[Sidenote: Ships and forces twise sent into Ireland by the King of
Spaine.]

Adde hereunto the ships and forces sent twise out of Spaine into Ireland
vnder the pretext of the Popes name. As for the late treatie of peace
with the Duke of _Parma_ in Flanders, entred into vpon the mediation,
and request of the good prince the King of _Denmarke_, how smoothe & how
slie a tuche was that? for her Maiestie, being wholy bent to that
treatie, with a sincere minde and vnfayned desire, beholde as then at
her doores, that huge & mightie Fleete of Spaine, beholde a sort of
Armies brought out of Italie, and Germanie into Flanders, labouring and
prouiding for nothing els but the desolation of the kingdome of England,
and the destruction of the Queene: for the Conspiratours had as it were
with their fingers, appointed euery one of vs to the slaughter: they had