and pride and then, if your majesty shall leave the Low Countries, and he find us by ourselves, it will not be long ere he remembers his old practices and attempts.

And your majesty having divers nations, and divers humours to content, he will not doubt to find a great advantage by our neglecting the reformed Netherlands abroad, and from the hardships the Roman catholics complain of at home.

Moreover, this advantage the Spanish king shall ever have; that whensoever they shall think fit to make a pretence, they may find a time, once a year, to stay, and confiscate a hundred sail of our merchants' best ships and goods in his own ports; and your majesty shall not find any of theirs in all England.

If then a peace give him time to repair and fortify himself, and increase his treasure, your majesty can have no assurance, but that when he is repaired, he may take your majesty at all advantages.

The king being a catholic, and a child of the pope's, he can never in any respect affect you, or any other prince or state of the reformed religion.

It is very considerable, whether the way of war or the way of peace were the way of safety, yea or no; especially as peace may be dangerous, and the war profitable.

But for my own opinion, (which is little worth,) I do consent, that the Netherlands will not be drawn, without a most forcible extremity, to yield themselves to the Spanish king.

The king of Spain takes himself to be their natural lord; the injury which he conceiveth hath been done him by the Netherlands is an unquenchable fire; for he hath been by them both wasted, prevented, and dishonoured, and therefore it will be hard to persuade these people to put their necks under the Spanish sword.

Marshal Montluc, speaking of the death of Castilian, useth these words; Nous perdons l'entendement, ne songeans pas, que les roix ont plus de cœur que nous, et qu'ils oublient plutost les services que les offences: "We must 66 excuse the inconsiderateness of those who do not think

"that princes have a greater heart and stomach than we, " and that they may forget a great many services, but never "one injury."

Francis the II. never forgot the tumult at Amboise.

Charles the IX. the enterprise at Meaux.

Richard the II. of England, the earl of Arundel, who forced him to take the Tower for refuge.

It is not very likely that a king of Spain will forget a rebellion of thirty years' continuance; in which he hath spent one hundred millions of ducats, lost so much honour, and so many worthy men; and if an accommodation were agreed on betwixt the Netherlands and Spain, yet I cannot believe that the Netherlands will think themselves secure upon any simple agreement, but that they will ever stand upon their guard.

And if the Spanish king should require their assistance (at any time after composition) against this kingdom, yet they would be well advised in this point, knowing right well that England is the rampire and defence of their estates, and cannot but believe, that although your majesty do not hastily enter into a war for them, yet your majesty will always have an eye to their subsistence.

Furthermore, it will be very fearful to both sides, how they may trust one another in joint forces; remembering this precept, Non utatur dux militum opere nec persona offensi; "That generals must not take into their service "the persons of those that are disgusted."

Again, the States, that have found the sweet of commanding, will not easily make themselves servants to the will of another. And an estate once established is not changed but by violence.

The States have moreover banished and put from them all their nobility, but very few poor ones, and have shared all their inheritance among them; therefore they know if they render themselves to the Spaniards, those great persons will be restored and revenged; besides, where the religion is in question, when the Spaniards will stand on so

many points of honour, and the Netherlands on so many conditions of safety, the dispute will not be ended in haste.

It is true, that the French are most observed to concern themselves, of all other, in this affair; for both count Maurice, and such of the nobility and gentry that remain, are most addicted that way.

France is already one of the greatest kingdoms in Europe, and our farthest friend.

They know your majesty's right to all, and to Normandy and Aquitaine without dispute.

Your majesty hath not now a duke of Burgundy, and of Britain, to assist you, as your predecessors had; France hath all yours, and the countries of Provence, Anjou, Burgundy itself, and a great part of Picardy also; and your majesty not so much as Calais, or any place of strength of your own, on that side, in your possession.

It may be said, that your majesty shall have the assistance of the numerous reformed French, if need require; who are supposed to be friends to England, because enemies to the Roman catholics: and it may be, to get themselves good conditions, these may move, they may agree for the beginning, but not for the end: Newhaven may put your majesty in mind what may be hoped from the French, of what religion soever.

The advantage which your majesty hath over the French is only in shipping. If the French get the Low Countries, that advantage is also lost.

And although it be probable that the Netherlands will remember Monsieur's attempts upon Antwerp, Dunkirk, and other places, after he was elected duke of Brabant; yet I hope I shall never live to see the day wherein the French shall be masters of the Netherlands, upon any conditions; for they may serve the French to infinite purposes, although they suffer them not to be absolute in their cities and fortified places.

For if the army of the States shall march on the one side,

and that of France on the other side, the archduke will soon be crushed between them; France having a good title to Flanders, Artois, &c.

And then your majesty finding how dangerous it will be for yourself to suffer France to be the master of the Netherlands, and so many ships, and to possess so many of the inland provinces withal, cannot, for your own safety's sake, assist the archduke; whereas by assisting the Netherlands, your majesty might have made the war profitable, and by their shipping commanded all the trade in the world.

Then your majesty, by taking part with the archduke, shall but waste yourself, and impoverish all your people and commonwealth.

But your majesty well knowing, that consiliis nulla res tam inimica est quam celeritas, "that nothing is so great "an enemy to counsel as too much haste," will, as I think, be first resolved, what the estates will contribute towards the war upon Spain and the Indies.

Secondly, in what places they will make the war in the Low Countries, in Flanders or Dunkirk; that your majesty may thereby have equal profit, and that your majesty's people be not spoiled as heretofore.

Thirdly, how your majesty shall be paid your great debts already owing.

And lastly, how your majesty shall be assured both of the cautionary towns, and of their assistance for the future, when your majesty shall further enable them; seeing, by your majesty's late goodness, they are already made so forcible, that as you are either driven to defend them or to fear them, so your majesty may in some part be assured of their dependance.

Your majesty will also understand how difficult a thing it is to be assured of the Spanish king and the archduke.

If you abandon the Netherlands, how to free your people from the inquisition of Spain, enlarge their trades, and be secured not to have your ships stayed in his ports at his pleasure.

There are many considerations which ought to forerun a

war: Possunt arma facile sumi, sed, eis sumptis, eorum difficilis est depositio: "It is an easy matter to take up arms "and go to war; but to carry it on with that vigour and success as to obtain a happy conclusion is exceeding ha"zardous and difficult.”

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Your majesty will further know the quantity of your treasure, and how a war may be as well supplied as begun : Prudens militum præfectus bellum sine pecunia non constituat; quoniam ea, si defuerit, difficillimum est exercitum convenire, aut conventum conservare: "A prudent prince "will consider his treasure and revenues before he goes to “war; for if money be wanting, it is impossible to get an army together; or when they are so, to preserve them; "for money is the only cord and sinew that can draw men "into his service, or keep them fast when they are there: "for princes that think to be served for nought will have "their business come to nothing."

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There are many other provisions to be made towards a safe and honourable management of a war, which are not so soon gathered together. It is in vain to expect to see a workman build a house before he hath materials; Nullum movendum est bellum nisi ad illud paratis necessariis: "Nobody will engage in a war, before all things necessary "to support and carry on that war be provided."

The affair is great which your majesty is at present to consider of, and the greatest that ever king of England had; for the branches are many, and most weighty; the eyes of all the world behold your majesty herein; and as your majesty shall deal like yourself, so shall your majesty be valued of all nations: if any persuade your majesty to pass it over slightly, he is ignorant, and understands it

not.

If any persuade your majesty to a hasty conclusion for either part, I should suspect him to be more concerned for his own, or some others, than for your majesty's interest, and that he were partial to the one or the other; for in every particular that shall be handled, many mischiefs may be folded up, which will not appear at the first; and, on