ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



I59 1 * 



all nations, are themselves devoured. A manifest testi- 

 mony how injust and displeasing, their attempts are in 

 the sight of God, who hath pleased to witnes by the 

 successe of their affaires, his mislike of their bloody and 

 injurious designes, purposed and practised against all 

 Christian princes, over whom they seeke unlawfull and 

 ungodly rule and Empery. 



One day or two before this wracke happened to the 

 Spanish fleete, when as some of our prisoners desired 

 to be set on shore upon the Ilandes, hoping to be from 

 thence transported into England, which libertie was for- 

 merly by the Generall promised : One Morice Fitz John, 

 sonne of olde John of Desmond, a notable traytour, 

 cousin german to the late Earle of Desmond, was sent 

 to the English from shippe to shippe, to perswade them 

 to serve the King of Spaine. The arguments hee used 

 [II. ii. 174.] to induce them were these. The increase of pay which 

 he promised to be trebled : advancement to the better 

 sort : and the exercise of the true Catholique Religion, 

 and safetie of their soules to all. For the first, even 

 the beggerly and unnaturall behaviour of those English 

 and Irish rebels, that served the King in that present 

 action, was sufficient to answere that first argument of 

 rich pay. For so poore and beggerly they were, as for 

 want of apparell they stripped their poore Countrey men 

 prisoners out of their ragged garments, worne to noth- 

 ing by sixe months service, and spared not to despoyle 

 them even of their bloody shirtes, from their wounded 

 bodies, and the very shooes from their feete ; A notable 

 testimonie of their rich entertainment and great wages. 

 The second reason was hope of advancement if they 

 served well, and would continue faithfull to the King. 

 But what man can bee so blockishly ignorant ever to 

 expect place or honour from a forraine King, having no 

 other argument or perswasion then his owne disloyaltie ; 

 to be unnaturall to his owne Countrey that bred him ; to 

 his parents that begat him, and rebellious to his true 

 Prince, to whose obedience he is bound by oath, by 



