great Consequence with Candor and Sinceritie I finde that Men of great experience for Warre doe holde opinion contrarie to this beeing of the mynde of King Francis the first who saide that longsome VVarres and small Armies served rather to exercise Men in the Artes Militarie than to daunt the Enemie and that without grosse Armies and quicke dispatch it was not possible to compasse great Enterpryses saying with-all that the Maintainance of small Armies and longsome VVarres was much more chargeable than the other They tell vs that the Empyre of the Turke beginneth to decline for his Pretermission of two thinges which his Predecessours did obserue and follow One that hee goeth not in person to bee over his Armies as they did another that they are not so numerous and grosse as they had them and that light exploits and often leading of small Armies to and froe doeth but teach the Milice to his Enemies and spoyle his owne Countreyes thorow vvhich his Souldiours so frequentlie doe passe Where-of they giue vs this Example Amurat the third kept vnder the commandement of his Bussaes a lingering VVarre of more than twelue Yeares employing not verie great Armies against the Persian vvhere-by al-be-it hee conquered great partes of his Countreyes yet vvere his Losses knowne to bee greater because hee spended the Flowre of his Forces of young Souldiours and lustie Horses 200000 Horses and more than 500000 Men from the beginning to the ende and made desolate the Countreyes that hee tooke in so farre that Osman Bassa alone besides what vvas done by others did cast to the ground and burne 100000 Houses besides that the Persians their Enemies during that great length of tyme did become more skilfull Warriours than themselues The Spanish Warres against Holland Zealand and Friezland haue vvrought the same Effects Agesilaus King of Lacedemonia in his longsome Warres against the Thebaus having one day received a dangerous Blow in his Person was tolde by one of his Friends that hee deserved vvell to haue it because hee had taught his Enemies to bee good Souldiours I confesse indeede that in this point of teaching the Arte Militarie to Enemies vvee can lose nothing beeing rather to learne from them but whether the employing of small or grosie Armies against them shall bee most hurtfull to them before vvee say to that wee must consider vvhat parts of his Dominions doe lye most open for our Invasion and most easilie and profitablie brooked for I take it also as granted that as there must bee Warres so they must bee with-out our Countrey and into that of the Enemie Never an actiue Prince was knowne to looke on vntill the Enemie should bee seene with-in his Bowels There be thousands of Examples of Ignorants who by so doing haue cast away their Kingdome from them-selues Antiochus Persius Iuba Ptolome the last of Aegypt Darius some of the French Kings as King Iohn taken vvith-in his owne Countreyes by Edward the Blacke Prince of England And for this cause Philip of France called the Conquerer vnderstanding that the Emperour Otho the second and the King of England were to assault his Kingdome hee fortified sundrie strong places and led his Armie without the Frontiers vvhere hee did combate and defeat them Wee reade in our Scottish Histories how frequentlie Armies haue bene convoyed beyond our Marches to find the Enemie before he should enter amongst vs. So long as a Countrey is free from open Hostilitie as long it doeth not feele extreame Calamitie sayeth Scipiâ— Afric for putting of Armies into Africke Plus animi est inferenti periculum quam propulsanti ad hoc major ignotarum rerum est terror c. The Assaulters of anie Countrey must haue greater cowrage than the Defendants who having moâ— things and more deare in perill their Houses their Ritâ—â—es VVyues and Children are more taken with feare besides being with-in the Enemies Countrey yee doe discover all his weaknesses whylst your strength and possibilities the more they bee vnknowne to him they doe the more encrease his terrour But to speake of places in generall most proper for this VVarre there is none more honourable than the Palatinate al-be-it most difficill to come vnto by reason of remotenesse from the Sea without the restitution where-of there can remaine no credite with the parties and Princes of the League I heard a Scottish Captaine of good experience in those Countreyes latelie say to mee that it was impossible to recover the Palatinate but by Sea Advantages over the Spanyard because it was so farre remooved from Friends and I did aske him how the late Prince of Parma did leade 10000 Men to Paris in the Teeth of a mightie King amidst his Armies hee answered mee that those were carried as in Trenches and the way was easie without impediment of Mountaines or Rivers Againe I demanded how did the Christian Kings ancientlie of England Scotland and France convoy their Armies to the holie VVarres of Hierusalem and most part over Land or how Alexander the Great an Armie of with-in 40000 from Macedon to the Easterne Occean and did subjugate all the Nations by the way or how Iulius Caesar a smaller by the one halfe from the occident of France to Pharsalia in Greece or Hanniball from Carthage by the way of Spaine and France thorow so manie alpestiere and precipitious Mountaines even to Naples and brooked Italie fifteene Yeares Although themselues were excellent and incomparable Captaines and of extravagant Fortunes yet their Souldiours appearinglie haue beene but such Men as doe yet liue in the VVorld the difference and ods of Tymes excepted for softnesse and Delicacie in some and contemplation and loue of Letters in others haue so daunted and as it were emasculate the cowrage of Men who now are that none is able to endure that austeritie and hardnesse of living with Hanniball him-selfe let bee his Souldiours The next Fielde fitting for this VVarre is that which were most easie to come vnto and likelie to bring the Businesse to a short and prosperous Ende and this is the Countrey of VVest Flanders if this fatall Iealousie of Neighbour-Princes which hath beene so manie tymes contrarious to the best Designes and Enterpryses of Christendome did not heere with-stand that is to say if the French King did not call to mynde how that was the Port where-at ancientlie the English did so often enter to trouble his Predecessours It is a wonderfull thing if Kings so nearelie allyed and so nearelie touched by one Common Danger cannot bee assured from mutuall Iealousies in the meane tyme Nulla fides regni sociis Therefore leaving that to the Event which GOD shall grant I will speake of putting Armies into Spayne by Sea wherevnto it may bee yee will object the small Successes now of a second Navigation of the English to Portugall and that His Majestie had better kept his Navie at home Careat successibus opto quisquis ab eventu facta not and a putet
I answere to you that Counsels and Designes are not to bee weighed from the Event that was so good a purpose as in my judgement will not yet be left But yee will say Wee haue wakened the sleeping Dog and made spoyle of our best Occasion I confesse that is more considerable than anie losse and yet who doubteth for the Dog but hee was a-wake before Diabolus non dormit How can he sleepe that lyeth in Ambush for all the World As touching the credite of the Enterpryse it is so farre from bringing vnder question the Reputation of our Soveraigne that by the contrarie both that and his personall going to Spaine are things where-of wee should rejoyce as being infallible Arguments of his Royall Magnanimitie and Preambles of much greater things King Philip of Macedon being brought for the first time to see the noble Horse Bucephalus commanded his best Horse-man to ryde him which when hee could not doe by reason of his fiercenesse the King did set another to him and the third who in lyke manner did not suffice vntill at length Alexander his Sonne being but a young Stripling did adventure him-selfe to it and did performe it which when his Father behelde shedding Teâ—res for joy hee apprehended there-by the greatnesse of his Spirit saying that Greece was too small for him Where such Sparkles breake foorth before the Fyre of a young Prince his cowrage bee well kindled it is like enough once to spreade manie Flames abroad Yea I will say farther that the successe of that Businesse went better than if it had beene to our Wishes for that it is not good that Fortune should bee too indulgent to the beginninges of a young King or should lay the Reignes vpon his Necke but rather that he runne his first Cariers with a borne head to the ende that hee may learne the wayes of true Wisdome and Fore-sightfulnesse in Matters of greater Consequence The ancient Theologues amongst the Gentiles did never introduce their Goddesse Fortune in the Counsell of the Gods There is nothing that doeth more rectifie the judgement to Action than Experience where-of one Tricke in our Youthhead is more worth to vs than twentie in our Age. Besides that wee are certainlie but ignorant to thinke that great things can bee gone about or compassed but by adventuring somethings also of the lyke kynde but lest wee bee anie way discowraged by those two fruitlesse Voyages of the English to Portugall wee may reade in the Stories how that Nation ancientlie hath beene no lesse victorious in Spaine than in France al-be-it not so often because they were olde and long Inheriters and Inhabiters of diverse parts of France Edmund called De Langley Duke of Yorke and Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Langcaster both Sonnes of Edward the third King of England having obtained diverse glorious Victories against the Castilians in favours of the Kinges of Portugall sought to bee ejected by the saide Castilians not-the-lesse where-of they did at length marrie the two Daughters of Peter King of Castile who dying without other Children the saide Iohn of Gaunt who was married to the eldest did stile him-selfe King of Castile and passe from Gascoigne then being vnder the English Dominion into Castile with 8000 Footmen 2000 Horse where he did quickly make himselfe Master almost of the whole Countrey but partlie by Famine then in Castile and secondlie because of new Troubles betwixt the English and French then in Gascoigne and thirdlie by reason of hote Broyles in England which was likelie to cut him from succourse of his Friends hee did transact with most honourable and advantagious conditions even at his owne option that his onelie Daughter and Chylde should marrie the eldest Sonne of the Castilian King that him-selfe should haue the present Possession and profites of foure chiefe Townes of Castile with sixtie hundreth thousand Frankes in Argent Content to defray his Charges and fourtie thousand Franks of yearlie Rent What then shall wee thinke but the English who are the naturall Off-spring of those generose Stockes haue also braue Mindes and aboundance of Cowrage to invade by way of just and necessarie VVarre their olde and sworne Enemies of Castile if they were once set on edge after this long Intervale of Peace Haue they not all the whyle bene exclayming agaynst the dayes of Peace And was it not much for a pacificke King to contayne them Did they not yearne after the Spanyard as Hounds long kept vp after Hares And may we not hope that Armies which bee not verie grosse well disciplined vvell armed and vvell mayntayned can doe great thinges in Portugall being of so easie accesse and recept when wee reade of Scanderbeg or of the late Prince of Transylvania or in our owne Annals of VVilliam VVallace what Miracles were done by small numbers against worlds of Men It is the LORD who stirreth vp the Heart to persecute Pryde and punish Tyrants it is Hee who doeth deliver into the Hands of Israel their mightie Enemies 2000 Men that Charles the eight of France gaue to his Cosin Henrie Earle of Richmond were sufficient for him to passe into England and giue Battell to Richard the third the Tyrant and to slay him The Kingdome of Spaine was once alreadie as I haue related taken from Roderico a licentious Prince by 12000 Moores But to returne to the particular Navarre or Portugall shall bee the first Revolters from Spayne when-so-ever the tyme shall come where-in GOD hath appoynted to dissipate that Empyre there shall the Stone bee first moved which rolling along shall bruise and breake the Hornes there-of Portugall must bee the chiefe Port of our Hopes in Spayne The World holdeth that His Majestie of Great Britane and the Hollanders his protected Confederates haue more Shipping than will command the whole Occean let bee to get footing in Portugall or to stop the Trafficke of the West Indees And if wee would make a likelie Conjecture what they are able to doe in Portugall let vs but call to mynde what great Conquests were made by the Portugals them-selues with no great numbers of Ships as is showne in the former part of this Discourse There bee manie yet alyue who know that when those few of England and Holland did last invade and tooke the Towne of Cales King Philip did presentlie sende for his Galleyes of Naples and Sicilia and would haue borrowed from Genua and Malta hee called his Forces out of Britanie and had beene compelled to call Home all that hee had anie where if the English had remayned longer It is greatlie to bee marveled why the Ritches of the VVest Indees should not before now haue allured both English Flemmings and others who are powerfull by Sea those beeing the Treasures that doe fortifie and assure the Spanish Tyrannie The Romanes and Carthagenians when they began to flowrish and to haue mutuall Iealousies fore-seeing that Sicilia beeing a Store-House of fyne Cornes and People was
everie Man doeth fill his own Spheare and everie Man's estate is a Kingdome to him-selfe Perseus that mightie King having beside him infinite Treasures and refusing to bestow some of them to Gentius a Neighbour-prince and others who offered to combate the Romanes in Italie he suffered them to over-throw him-selfe in his owne Countrey Darius cōmitted the lyke Errour with Alexander and Stephanus King of Bosna the lyke with Mabomet the second as I haue remembered before wee may prayse GOD that wee haue not such avaricious Kings What is it that good and naturall Subjects will not doe for the safetie of the Sacred Persons of their Kings Let bee of their Kingdomes vvhere-in wee haue our Portion and common Interesse with them We may reade in the Histories of France what domage that Countrey did sustaine for the liberation of their King Iohn taken by Edward the Blacke Prince of England at the Battell of Poiteou and of King Francis the first taken at the Battell of Pavie and in our owne Histories what our Predecessours did for the redemption of King David Bruce led Captiue in England and there detained eleven yeares Liberatus sayeth the Historie undecimo ex qu◠captus est anno numeratis quingentis millibus Mercarum Sterlingarum in presenti moneta Hee was redeemed vpon payment of fiue hundreth thousand Marks Sterling in argent contant A thing most admirable the scarcitie of Moneyes in those dayes considered If a Physition should cōmand vs in time of a dangerous Sicknesse to take a little Blood for preservation of the whole Bodie wee should bee glad to obey him why not by the like reason when our King who cureth and careth for the Bodie of the Common-wealth doeth command vs to bestow some of our Goods for safetie of our whole Estate ought wee not to obey if wee were versed in the French Annals to know what innumerable spoile of Goods was there before the Spanyards could bee pyked out of the Nests which they did build vpon their Coasts and with-in their Bowels wee would bee content to spende to our Shirt as it is saide before they should plant their Tents amongst vs. I haue alreadie told you how they are of Melancholious and fixed Mindes not easilie raysed or remooved where once they are set downe where-of wee see the present experience into the Palatinate To take and then to giue backe againe is not the way of their Designe to vniversall Empyre over their Neighbours If anie would object that the Palatinate is detayned for Reparation of the Wrongs and Injuries done in Bohemia hee hath little skill in the Effaires of the VVorld for why these might haue bene long since composed or redressed but it is done to facilitate their Conquest in Germanie to enclose the Nether-Landes from Succourse of their Friendes there and to open a Gate into England by length of Tyme vvhen they shall finde the Occasion fitting So that if the Kings of Great Britane and France together with their Confederates of Germanie the Netber-Lands doe not joyne their Forces to banish them tymouslie from the Palatinate as the Romanes did the Carthagenians from Sicilia vvhich I did note in the beginning here-of doubtlesse they vvill bee vpon their owne Neckes at the length There vvas a great Intervale of Tyme betwixt the first and second Warres of the Romanes against the Carthagenians and yet the last did come to passe and there-with the vtter over-throw of the Carthagenian State And here I must recount a thing vvhich I haue often called to mynde since His Majesties comming from Spayne and that the Treatie of his Marriage did there expyre how I my selfe the yeare of their Pacification vvith Holland beeing in the Towne of Brussels in familiar discourse touching our late Soveraigne his cōming to the Crowne of England vvith a Scottish Gentle-man of a fine Wit Experience In-sight in the Spanish Designes and vvho had beene long tyme a Coronell and Counsellor of Warre amongst them Coronell Semple hee sayd to me That al-be-it King Iames vvas an aged wise Prince vvho had providently practized his peaceable Entrie to England that yet he vvas much beholden to that Tyme so fortunate as it vvas for him vvhen Spayne being so broken vvith longsome VVarres had al-most begged their Peace frō Holland And how-so-ever sayd he your King may be free of vs during his lyfe yet if ye shall surviue him ye shall see no more Peace betwixt England and Spayne adding vvith-all this Speach Laus non solum hominum est sed etiam temporum Where-vnto I did answere that by these it seemed that the Spanyard intended to conquer England Then he rehearsed to me the manie notable Injuries done to them by the English Nation by their prowde and fascuous ejection of King Philip before the death of Marie by their fostering of their Rebels in Flanders by their protection of Don Antonio King of Portugall and ayding of him vvith Sea Armies but namelie by their ordinarie Sea Rapines and insolent Navigation vvithout the controlling and coercing vvhere-of Spayne could not be in so good Case as vvas hoped for to be in progresse of Tyme And in the ende hee did subjoyne thus farre If your Catholicke Noble-men of Scotland with whom my selfe sayd he did negotiate from Spayne had bene wyse and constant your Countrey might haue bene long before now in a twentie-folde more happie Condition vnder the Dominion of Spayne than ever it can be vnder the Crowne of England the Yoake of whose Servitude and Tyrannie shall questionlesse become intollerable to you so soone as that King shall be gone who doeth so well know you for why by reason of their Vicinitie and nearnesse vnto you they shall be ever preassing to draw great Rents from you into England which cannot fayle to impoverish your Countrey where-as by the contrarie the Spanyard should not only spend it amongst your selues but should also yearlie send in great summes of Money to you according as he doeth here in Flanders in his other Provinces This Storie did I after my returning to London relate to His Majestie who is nowe with GOD and who having heard it did answere me That Semple was an olde Traytor and dangerous companie for his Subjects which went beyond the Seas Thus the Spanyardes know not when the Fish will swimme but they doe keepe their Tydes diligentlie and haue their Nets hung in all Mens Waters so that if anie of vs would thinke that the present Quarrell against Spayne is more sibbe to the King our Soveraigne than to vs by reason of the Palatinate it were absurd ignorance also For first granting it vvere so yet there can bee no Separation betwixt the Head and the Members whome GOD and Nature haue knit together there is none can loose Next agayne it is well knowne that our late King of blessed memorie could haue gotten to marrie his onlie Daughter greater and the greatest of Christian Princes if it
Dominions The second thing to bee observed by the former Discourse is the prowde Designe and large Extent of the Spanish Ambition when this King of whom I treat Philip the second durst together and at once adventure to set him-selfe a-worke for the purchase of Portugall France the Netherlands England and Scotland who should doubt or call it in question that by length of Tyme they intende not to subjugate the whole Estates of Christendome Wee finde it written by them-selues that when hee was about the taking in of Portugall being demanded by one of his greatest Favourites what was the reason why hee did neglect his thinges of East India and suffer Friezland and so manie good Townes to bee invaded and possessed of Heretickes his Enemies and all to maintaine the League and Civill Warres in France Where-vnto hee aunswered That those might bee forgotten for a tyme because the setling of Portugall did import no lesse to him than the securitie of his whole Empyre which once done hee would easilie make all those his Neighbours to become his Homagers and Tributaries yea it was the common Theame of Discourse amongst his Captaines and Souldiours both in Italie Flanders and France or where ever they were That since Portugall was now theirs that France and England could not escape them And more which is a publicke Testimonie the Wryters of the Spanish Storie affirme thus farre That if it had not beene that the saide King Philip had resolved before anie thing to brydle Portugall hee should haue before then sufficientlie daunted France and haue put strong Armies in England Farther the Extent of this Ambition of Spayne is clearlie seene by their Authoritie vsurped over the Consistorie of Rome where they haue made them-selues perpetuall Dictators which is one of the surest Fundaments of the encrease of their Grandour now-a-dayes that Consistorie being as the Alembicke where-in are fyned all the Counsels Projects and Designes of Christendome and the Pope arrogating to him power at his pleasure to excommunicate and consequentlie depose Christian Princes and to transferre the Succession of their Crowns where-of onlie the Riches must belong to that Catholicke King as of England and Yreland to Philip the second by Pius Quintus who did excommunicate Queene Elizabeth of â—England and of Navarre to his Predecessours by the same Title of beeing Heyre and Successour to excommunicate Princes keeping still in their owne hand the raygnes of the Papall Election and invading of their Patrimonies as that of Sicilie and being in effect Popes them-selues governing at their will the Church Rents thorow-out their Kingdomes exacting a verie great part vniversallie of all for their owne vse The third point of Observation vpon the preceeding Discourse is the Iusidiation and Latent Attempts of this Ambition by godlesse Perfidies and Treacherie where no Fayth is kept nor Conscience nor Religion nor Humanitie nor Vereâ—unditie where Neighbour-Princes cannot brooke their lyues by reason of the excessiue Rewards and Honours promitted to trayterous Executioners of Claudestine Murthers What shall I say of Enemie Princes no I say of what-so-ever persons publicke or private suspected Enemies to their prowde Tyrannie sparing neither Papist nor Protestant Pope nor Cardinall Bishop nor Priest nor nearest Kinsfolkes nor their most faithfull Counsellers or most fortunate Generals if they but once vpon the lightest Occasion become jealous of them no not their owne Children when their blood may bring the smallest accession vnto the strength of that diabolicke Ambition they doe murther poyson embotch and bewitch at their pleasure So that this same Philip of whom I speake hee caused to bee made away in his tyme as Wryters haue observed more than 200 nominablie recorded in diverse Histories whereof I will remember but seaven of the most abominable Paricidies I will call them all so ever heard of and yet best knowne King Henrie the third of France a Christian Prince of equall qualitie with him-selfe to whome hee was bound by that Fraternitie and by the vnion of one Fayth besydes some degrees of Blood yet it is well knowne that hee did contryue the death of this King as truelie as hee did plot the League against him Pope Sextus the fift whome hee professed to bee Head of the Church and his holie Father because that Pope fearing the Spanish Tyrannie if his Conquest of France had proved good hee did favour the said Henrie the third in his last Distresses Philip made him away by Poyson a thing so well vnderstood that they haue it for a common speach yet at Rome which I haue heard with mine eares That if a Pope doe enter without the approbation of Spaine hee will goe the way of Sextus the fift Hee did betray to the Eyes of the World Don Sebestian King of Portugall his Cousin Alexander Farnesse Duke of Parma his Kins-man and Generall in Flanders that valiant and renowned Captaine who had done him so great Services immediatelie after the misfortune of his Armada set out for England 1588. which hee did impute to the slownesse of the saide Duke hee fell into a lingering Disease and died by Poyson ministred from Philip the World doeth know it Don Bartholomew Carenzae Arch-Bishop of Toledo who had beene the Preceptor and Father of his owne Youth-head as Seneca to Nero because hee would not publicklie maintaine his Title to the Crowne of Portugall hee also did dispatch him His Brother Don Iohn de Austria whose great and ambitious spirit hee began to suspect hee was stricken with the Plague of Pestilence immediatelie after the receit of a Letter from Spaine whilst there was no Post in the Countreyes about and where-of hee died But aboue all that most deplorable and nefarious Paricidie publicklie committed avowed by himselfe authorised by the Church the murthering of Prince Charles his owne eldest Sonne Hee did price the life of Don Antonio at 100000 Crownes and of Elizabeth Queene of England and of the late Prince of Orange at as-much a-piece Hee was not ashamed to receiue certaine Townes from the King of Moroco vpon Bargaine to betray as hee did Don Sebestian King of Portugall his Cosin nor to render vnto those Infidels Arzilla which his Predecessours had noblie conquered vpon condition they should not furnish in preste to Don Antonio 200000 Crownes as they had promised to doe at the Intercession of the saide Queene of England These are not mine Assertions but taken and collected from Spanish Wryters Of all the fore-sayde Perpetrations the killing of his Sonne Prince Charles being in it selfe most fearfull and execrable of the whole it is also most clearlie verified not onlie by the Histories of Neighbour-Countreyes as by the French recordes of Majerne of Matthew of Paris of Thuanus but so stood to by the Church of Rome that into that deede they doe place the Triumph and Glorie of the Pietie of the saide King advancing his Fayth aboue that of Abraham who did onelie offer to sacrifice his Sonne and comparing
to liue with that Pompe and Dignitie which is requisite to conserue Majestie that wee doe know and see That they must bee at hudge Charges by sending out and accepting in of Ambassadours that wee also see That they must giue Pensions and Fees to Counsellours Statesmen Noble-men Captaines and serviceable Gentle-men that wee see Lyke-wise the exorbitant debursment vvhich is in Warre But vvhat secret Bountie must bee bestowed through the VVorlde amongst sure Friendes in the Courtes of other Princes by which kynd of practising they doe often-times best assure their Affaires when all men thinke them in greatest perill that and manie such wee doe not know neither must wee enquyre but when after their death the Histories of their lyues come to bee devulgate then wee finde and reade what these policies of having latent Friends abroad haue imported to the greatest Kings Doe not wee reade of King Francis the first that to Almanes Italians English Spanish Switzers he payed during all his life-time great yearelie Pensions vnknowne to the world for the tyme And of Lewes the eleventh who was a sort I may say of Sorcerer or Enchanter in that kynd of subtiltie to make mercinarie the Counsels of Neighbour-Princes so farre that there was none of them free from his corruption by which doing hee did render himselfe a Miracle to the World for dexteritie of wit to dissolue the strongest Leagues of his Enemies without the drawing of a Sword hee did pay by publicke paction to King Edward the fourth of England 50000 Crownes yearelie but with-all secretlie to his Counsellours and Domestickes 17000 also yearelie which sayeth the Wryter of the Historie was the truest Meanes of the two for the continuance of that Pacification In consideration of these necessarie and weightie Charges ancientlie Subjects were wont to giue freelie to their Princes and frequentlie a Portion of Money that they called Oblations Augustus did leaue behinde him in Testament eleven Millions to bee distributed amongst the People of Rome where-into hee did subjoyne this Testimonie of the mutuall benevolence of the Romanes towards him saying that with-in few yeares preceeding his death hee had gotten of voluntarie Donatiues to the availe of 35000 golden Crownes But now-a-dayes Subjects haue for borne these voluntarie Gratuities in time of publicke indigence to their Princes by reason that some avaricious Kings haue preassed to convert the same to an annuall and ordinarie Duetie as Philip le Long of France having in his â—necessities granted by his Subjects the first impost vpon the Salt of foure Denieres on the pound with this Condition to stand but vntill his Debts were defrayed Yet Philip de Valois there-after did incorporate the same to the perpetuall Domaine of the Crowne saying that there could not bee a more competent thing to come vnder Tollage than Salt where-of all sort of People poore and ritch young and olde had the necessarie and daylie vse Or as King Philip the second of whom I haue spoken having of before annexed to the Crowne Patrimonie the third part of the Ecclesiasticall Rents yet for the support of the Warres where-with hee was greatlie charged had granted to him by the Prelates a certaine summe of Money also of the two-part which they called Subsidie on condition to stand but some few yeares hee also did perpetuate the same to the Crowne But to returne to the purpose of Cases of Weaknesse to bee found into the Empyre of Spaine wee cannot thinke but to bee feared of all and hated of the greatest part is a Weaknesse if it were of the mightiest that ever haue beene Passimus custos diaturnitatis metus sayeth the great Statesman Cicero That Feare can never make diuturnitie of Greatnesse And all men know it to bee true that the Spanyard is feared of all I proue it shortlie by the Church of Rome the Iesuites excepted hee is feared vniversallie to whom hee is most nearlie linked of anie forraigne Amitis Ergo much more by anie other Neighbour-Prince or State the trueth of mine Antecedent is showed by two famous and infallible Testimonies one of the Historie of the Counsell of Trent where a Man shall clearlie see how this Feare did make the Sea Apostolicke directlie to oppose the Grandour of Charles the fift where-of I haue alreadie discoursed For the second I take mee to Cardinall Baronio the most learned and most sincere that hath beene amongst them in these late Ages in his Treatise written against the Spanish vsurpation of the Kingdome of Sicile where hee wryteth thus of Philip the second in whose dayes hee lived in one place Sub vocabulo inquit Monarchiae praeter vnum Monarcham quod vnâ—m visibile caput Ecclesiae est cognitum aliud in Monarchia Siciliae obortum pro monstro ostento caput Ecclesiae that is to say Aboue one Monarch over Sicilia who is the onlie one visible head of the Church having right vnto it there is risen an other monstrous head and Monarch of the same And in another place there-after Ista sunt quae manus audax ad sacrilegium promptâ— abstulit à recitato Papae diplomate Those things haue that bad and bolde-hand readie to sacriledge rest from the Papall Title This Cardinall had an offer of the Papall Diademe made him from Philip the second if hee would call in this opinion but did refuse it preferring his Conscience to what-so-ever Palinodie Next vnto the Pope the nearest Neighbour allyed to him is the French King his Brother in Law of whose daylie Feares and Iealousies of the Spanish Ambition I were ydle to treate heere it being so well remarked of the World Since it is so with his most entire Confederates I neede not neither I hope to call it in question whether the other Potentates and States of Christendome doe much more feare him Therefore leaving those I come to try what probablie is the disposition of his owne People towards him Portugall is of all his thinges in Spaine of greatest importance betwixt whom and the Castilians there hath beene from all Antiquitie not onlie Neighbour Emulation but inveterate malice and as it were a fundamentall and naturall Antipathie of myndes and manners as their owne Histories doe confesse The heate where-of no doubt must bee greatlie encreased by this Castilian Tyrannie so latelie and vnlawfulie throwne vpon them There bee yet manie aliue there who did spende their Blood to haue withstood that Castilian pryde It is an ordinarie speach of the Portugals to say That the Castilians bee worse thâ—n the Moores who did first inhabite Castile The Portugals are sayde to bee descended of the Gaules their language approaching vnto the Latine The Castilianes againe of the Vandales Iewes and Moores their accent annearing to the Morasque where-of it is saide that the Castilians being amongst the Turkes are easilie induced to deny the Christian Fayth And in this point appeareth to bee a noteable Weaknesse of that Empyre Portugall accoasting to the Sea so
Kings did lose in Battels yea and frequent Battels ten or twentie or thirtie thousand Men when Scotland was not so populous What should wee then doubt nor wee bee able now to make great numbers and that is alwyse easilie tryed by Rolles of Weapon-showes if they bee diligentlie noted and so what doe wee lacke of Warre but Armour Discipline and Mayntaynance And certainlie it is strange that in this great appearance of Warres the two or three yeares by-gone no order hath bene given to bring able men vnder Discipline Wee heare and haue read that even in Spaine when the Countrey-Youthes of vulgar kinde are in-rolled for the Milice and brought to Cities for Discipline they doe looke as most vile and abject Slaues if one haue Sockes hee wanteth Shooes and manie doe want both if another haue Breaches hee wanteth the Doublet pitifull Bodies and our of countenance but when they bee exercised during two Moneths and once put into Apparell then they are seene of most haughtie Carriage and to walke as Captaines in the Streets Why then are wee not to expect the lyke of our People if lyke paines were taken and if in everie Shyre 〈◊〉 Men expert in the Souldierie were set a-worke to in-roll and bring vnder Captâ—ines and Discipline those who were most fitting for the Warres no doubt but our basest Clownes should grow both to civill conversation and cowrage There hath never beene yet anie great State carelesse of the Militarie Seminaries not in times of most solemne and sworne Peace As for Allyance Leagues or Confederacio in Warres they are indeede not onelie necessarie but as I haue saide before even naturall to bee for the safetie of smaller States or Princes from the tyrannie and violence of the mightier But with-all they haue beene often-times subject to one of two great Inconveniences either to Pryde for Preferment or Prioritie of place during Warres where-thorow what dangers did ensue in that famous Confederacie for the Battell of Lepanto because of emulation betwixt Don Iohn de Austria and Vinieri the Admirall of Venice the Storie doeth beare it at length and al-be-it it pleased GOD in His mercie to favour the present action yet the rememberance of that Contestation did debrash all farther prosecution of that glorious and holie Enterpryse and vtterlie dissolue that Christian Vnion Neyther is it a new thing al-though I bring this late Example for it The Romanes in their beginnings being confederate with the Latines in a League offensiue and defensiue the Latines did challange Paritie of Governement Si societas aequaâ—io juris est sayeth Livius cur non omnia aequantur cur non alter ab Latinis Consul datur vbi pars vivium ibi imperij pars Tum consul Rom audi Iupiter baec scelera perigrinos Consules c. If societie bee an equalitie of things Why are not all things made equall to vs and why should not one of the two Consuls bee a Latine Where-vnto the Romanes did answere by attesting Iupiter that it was an impious demande to haue a stranger Consullover them Or againe Leagues are subject to fraudfull desertion of some of the Sociation in time of greatest Danger Wherof the World is full of daylie experience I will remember that of Lodowicke Duke of Milan who vpon malice against the Aragones of Naples did procure King Charles the eight of France pretending some Title to Naples to bring a great Armie into Italie joyned with him a Confederacie of divers of his Friends in Italie But seeing the said King to passe thorow so fortunatelie and to behaue him-selfe as a Conquerour in manie of their Townes and to enter peaceablie in Naples without that anie Teeth were showed against him as the King returned from Naples home-ward the same Duke did negotiâ—te a League of the greatest PoteÌ„tates against him who did constrayne him to fight a Battell at Forum Novum vnder the Apennine where hee did hardlie escape with his lyfe although hee over-threwe them I haue tolde you alreadie how Philip the second of Spayne did desert Don Sebastian of Portugall and betray him by a League but of all Examples for this Purpose that is most remarkable of the Confederacie drawne by Charles of Burgundie with the whole Princes of France agaynst Lewis the eleventh where-vnto they were so bended and willing that they did call it Bellum pro Rep. A Warre vnder-gone for the Common-wealth Which Confederacie that subtill King did dissolue as Clowds dispersed with the Wind before they could grow to Raine where-vpon sayeth the Wryter of the Historie De Comines That hee holdeth one partie stronger for him-selfe who doeth command absolutelie over 10000 than are ten Confederates against him al-be-it everie of them doeth command over 6000. To come to our Purpose There are as manie Christian Princes and States true Enemies to the Spanyard as are able to devoure him in two or three Yeares if it were possible to contract amongst them a Confederacie or League of Salt that is to say which might endure without Corruption of Fraude or Emulation And therefore heere must I say that all the Actions belonging to a King are of light importance compared to this to maturelie deliberate both of his owne Forces and of the trustinesse of Confederates before hee doe enterpryze VVare Alwyse when wee take but a single view of our Associates against Spayne wee should thinke it strange why they may not stand vnited beeing al-readie conjoyned by Viâ—initie of Neighbour-hood by Consanguinitie Affinitie communion of one Cause against a Common Enemie communion of one Fayth connected I say everie one of them by diverse of these Bandes our Soveraigne the King of Great Britane the French King his Brother-in-law the King of Denmarke his Vncle the Princes of Germanie all knit to the Prince Palatine eyther in Blood in Religion or participation of one Feare of the House of Austria the Duke of Savoy who lyeth nearest to the Thunders and Threats of Spayne having a great part of his Territories circumscribed by them the Venetians who beholde his Garrisons daylie vpon their Frontiers gaping for some good oportunitie of Assault Holland and her Estates who haue beene so long protected and as it were fostered in the Bosome of the Crowne of England now who would not conjecture that this Tygers VVhelpe might bee surelie impailed amidst those mightie Hunters and that it were easie for them to bring him to his latter sweate I scorne heere to call in question what invincible Armies they might assemble by Sea and Land sufficient to robbe him of all that hee hath for it is thought that if after the taking in of Portugall England France Holland and other Confederates had then put into it amongst them all but 30000 Men with sufficient Shipping and Munition they had beene bastant to recover it and King Philip had beene forced to forbeare from the farther troubling of France or Holland And yet to treat this Point of so
had not beene to prevent the falling of our Crowns Succession into the person of some Papisticall Prince to the dangering of the Libertie Evangelicall and Vnitie of this Kingdome of Great Britane of both which the LORD hath made Him-selfe the Instrument to establish them Our latest Histories doe record that Scotland England and Ireland haue alreadie beene almost devoured by Forraigne Ambition by way of Marriages with Papall Kings as of Queene Marie the Grand-mother of our present King with the Dolphin of France of Marie Queene of England to Philip the second King of Spayne vvhere-of vvhat Blood-sheeding Cruell Warres and Persecution of the Professors of the Gospell did follow even to publicke Martyrdome the Stories doe mention at length vvhich moved our Proto Reformator Iohn Knoxe to publish that Treatise agaynst the Regiment or Reignes of Women If so be that the onlie Daughter of Great Britane and of that King capable of the greatest Marriage in Christendome vvas couched in so narrow Bounds out of the holie Projects of her Father to assure the Peace and Liberties of this Kingdome to vs our Successours then can anie Quarrell in the World be so deare to vs more pricke our Consciences and Honour nor the Restitution of her Estate although the Spanyard were resolved to march his Ambition there and come no farther Having treated thus farre concerning VVarre or the necessitie of Warre with Spaine I come now to speake of things that may breede into vs Distraction of Myndes or Coldnesse of Affection towards this Businesse And first because it is most easilie answered vnto I vvill remember how it did sticke in manie Mens Teeth and could not at the first bee digested that vvee did not know no not the Lords of our Counsell vvhat vvas the Course of His Majesties Navie that a publicke Fast and Praying vvas enjoyned for the successe of vvee know not what and that this Fast vvas not limitated but during the King's vvill contrarie the Custome of the Scottish Church and diverse from anie Example to bee found in Scripture The last of these two being a Question Theologicall and impertinent to this Discourse I will not touch But for the first I say and it is approved in all Ages that nothing doeth more advance great Enterpryses than Secrecie so farre that Secrecie is the verie Soule of the Actions of Kings and their Secrets once published are but lyke vented Wyne which can no more be drunken And most actiue Princer haue brought to passe amongst puissant Enemies most noteable Exploits onlie by meanes of Secrecie as wee doe finde speciallie in the lyues of Iulius Caesar Charles the fift Emperour Lewis the eleventh of France whose cover Plots secret Friendes Voyages Dyets and Dayes of Battell were kept in their Breasts vnto the time of present Execution which kinde of doing was the chiefest thing that made them so redoubted and feared of all their Enemies as the Spanyard even to this day delighteth to holde his Neighbours in perpetuall feare by this secrecie of Counsels and Courses Withall I doe confesse that such doing requireth a solide wisdome in Princes and that other-wise it vvere verie dangerous in the meane time it is sure that wee who bee private Subjects are not to craue a Compt of their Counsels no more than the Members of the Bodie doe question for that which they are commanded to doe by the intellectuall Reason that lodgeth in the Head The next Point shall bee to consider of our Doubts and Feares Domesticke as I did terme them in the beginning and first touching the Reformation or Innovation of Counsell and Session intended by His Majestie It is certaine that Princes both may and ought to reforme and if they please innovate where there is neede there being no meanes in this corruptible World to keepe things in due temper but after long progresse of Time and growing of Abuses to reduce them to their first Institution Plato holdeth that an the length GOD shall reforme the Worke of the whole World and reduce it to the first Puritie and that other-wise it is not able to endure and stand I know not how that accordeth with Sainct Iohn Apoc. who sayeth That wee shall see new Heavens and a new Earth And a great Politicke saide That if some late reformed Franciscan Friers and the late Order of the austere Caputchines bad not risen to maintaine some credite to the Pope's Church that it had beene before now disgustfull even to all the World by reason of his obstinate denyall to reforme his Church against the nature of thinges But to the Purpose◠There is indeede no small importance in the Auncietie of Senators long experienced in the Mysteries of a State and with the Humours and Conditions of a People◠and these are onelie they who can bee called Olde Counsellers And diverse of the wisest Emperours sayde it was more dangerous to haue an olde King and a young Counsell nor a young King and an olde Counsell Where of wee see the good experience in the Spanish Government where the death of a King doeth no more interrupt the Course and prosperitie of that Empyre than it were of anie private person The verie Name it selfe of a Senator doeth signifie Agednesse as a Senectute The Greekes called the Senate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to show that both Greekes and Latines did choose aged Men to their Counsellers yea suppose they could haue found numbers of young Men Wyse Graue and of good Experience yet they would not haue them to bee Senators because that were said they to turne their Senate into a Iuvenat Solon and Lycurgus did prohibite by a Law the comming of anie vpon the Senate with-in the age of 40 although they were never so sufficient But to leaue them the Scripture telleth vs which is a Warrand infallibl◠that in the setling of the Iewish Governamēt GOD commanded to choose 70 not of the best nor the most learned nor of greatest experience but sayeth the text Of the most Aged to whom Hee gaue the Spirit of Wisdome in aboundance Yet whilst it is so even good Politickes of the latter Tymes and consequentlie of greater Experience will holde the Opinion that it is expedient for the Common-wealth to change and innovate Magistrates and for it they doe bring this Reason They tell vs that the ende of good Governament is Vertue and the scope of everie prudent Prince should bee to render his Subjects Vertuous and therefore the Rewards of Vertue which are publicke Offices of the State ought to bee patent to everie vertuous Mynde and the Hopes of them set before it as the Marke where-at it must aime which cannot bee if Offices of State be lyfe-rentallie established in the Persons of a Few who whilst they and onlie they doe enjoy the publicke Honours and Emoluments it doeth beget an Heart-burning and Envy into other good Spirits who finde themselues neglected and so doeth breede
of Christendome haue beene so Blinde-folded or Hood-winked that they could not perceiue the Fearfull Encrease of the Church Rents and Ritches with the Pernicious Evils bred and brought in with them vnto the time that things were past remedie almost and that the Church had nearlie devoured the State in everie part We reade in the Histories that before the Separation of the Church of Rome made by LUTHER tryall being taken and Explorations by Kings and States who began to bee jealous of the Church Ritches it was found that through all the Christian Countreyes of Europe the hundreth part of the People did possesse the tenth part of the Revenewes of all at least aboue the Fisque of Testaments of Lands and Mooueables largelie legaced to them Wee finde againe in the French Wryters that the Yeare 1513 the like Search beeing curiouslie made in France it was proved that the whole Rents and Emoluments of that Countrey being set to twelue parts the Ecclesiasticall Persons did possesse seaven there-of there being found by this Disquisition with-in the Provinces of France 12 Archbishoprickes 104 Bishopricks â—40 Abbayes 27400 Curiesâ— and danger to haue beene hudge manie moe Curies if Pope Iohn the twentie two had not abolished the Decreet of Pope Nicolaus who permitted that all Mendicant Religious should enjoy the Fruits of Lands left to them by Laicke Persons the propertie of the Land being sayde to belong to the Popes them-selues An impudent Subtiltie to cover the Violation of the Mendicant his oath of Povertie seeing as the Law sayeth The Proprietie is vnprofitable to one where the Vsu-fruit is perpetuall to another So that Kings and States perceiving that if this kind of Claudestine Purchase of the Church and the daylie growing of her Ritches were not interrupted their People Territories would by tyme be stollen away They begaÌ„ everie-where almost to intercept it King Edward the first of England prohibited by a Law that anie Church-Man should conquish Lands or succeed to Legacies King Henrie the eight tooke from the Church King Charles the fift of Spayne made the lyke Prohibition to the former in the Low-Countreyes agaynst Church-Conquishes and Legacies And at this day the Venetians besides the Exterminion of the Iesuites haue done the same and so haue Florence and other Princes of Italiâ— done the lyke Otherwise it had come to passe with-in few Yeares that whole Italie had bene as one Closter But wee are not to bee jealous of this point here our Church is plagued with the contrarie Extreame Comming now according to the Order proposed in the beginning of this Treatise to speake of our Conceived Feares for the Reformation intended of Tythes first it is a Question of Theologie and I am no Doctor there next it belongeth but per accidens to this Purpose lastlie it is a Subject vnplausable to treat of in this Tyme by anie who would speake vprightlie But as Sainct Iohn sayeth The Trueth shall make thee Free I shall neede no other Apologie but to follow the Veritie in that I meane to write where-of I shall make no long Discourse which were both impertinent and vnnecessarie in a thing so current well vnderstood alreadie and so largelie learnedlie written of by manie both Scottish English but restraining my selfe to two or three Circumstances where-of some haue not beene remarked by anie that I haue yet read vpon this Argument The Originall Mention of Tythes in the Scripture by the Practise of AbrahaÌ„ in Genesisâ— The devoting of theÌ„ by GOD'S own Mouth to Moses in Leviticus the End Vse of theÌ„ in Deuternomie And the ExecratioÌ„ Cursing of things once devoted made sacred by GOD Himselfe in Numbers in Ioshua are Texts so cleare indisputable that at least for the tyme of the Law no Man doth questioÌ„ All that we goe about who be Opponents to Evangelicall Decimation is to enforce that Tenthes were ceremoniall in the Mosaicke ending with Consummatum est and haue no warrand in the Gospell where CHRIST in two places only doth speak of Tythes of the Mint and Annise These ought yee to haue done and not omit the other And againe in Luke comparing betwixt the Publicane and Pharisee who vaunted of the just Payment of his Tenthes CHRIST did blame onlie his Ostentation not his Payment of the Tenthes To both which Places wee make this Answere That at that time the Ceremoniall Law was in full strength and aye vntill Consummatuâ—â—est And for that respect CHRIST did suffer the Payment of Teâ—â—es And wee say Seeing CHRIST hath changed both the Priesthood and the Law and supplied their Rowmes and hath given no Order for the Church Revenewes of Tenthes therfore he hath abolished the same Againe CHRIST about the sending foorth of His Apostles and speaking of their Mayntaynance Matth. 10. Provide neither Silver nor Golde in your Purses for the Worke-man is worthie of his Meat Here he maketh no MeÌ„tion at all of Tenthes as the Place did require in Case the Tenthes had bene due to the Church Thus wee cast it over to the Apostles and there wee doe also pretend the same Argument That where Sainct Paul 1. Cor. 9. doth pleade at large for Mayntaynance he keepeth him-selfe vpon Generall Termes without anie Mention of Tenthes who feedeth a Flocke doeth not eate of the Milke thereof If we haue sowne Spirituall things to you is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne. And so we say albeit CHRIST and His Apostles haue allowed Livinges for Preachers yea let theÌ„ bee never so ample yet they haue not tyed vs to a nuÌ„ber wherevnto the Answeres are made that Sainct Paul in the same Chapter hath included the Tenthes by the Generall in these wordes Hee that ministreth about holie thinges must liue of the Temple and the Wayters on the Altar on the thinges thereof That by the things of the Temple and the Altar are signified the Tenthes albeit hee did not expresse it in regarde they vvere then in the Hands of the Pharisees and could not be challenged nor gotten by Law by Private and Poore Men as the Apostles were but contrarie should haue increased the Malice of the Iewes agaynst them in Case they had beene sought Farther we studie to proue that Tythes were Ceremoniall First by reasoÌ„ of an Absolute Only Place whervnto they were broght to Hierusalem Secondly because of the Number whereby speciallie we contend to exclude the Moralitie of Tenths astrict them to a Ceremonie seeing Naturall ReasoÌ„ would as wel alow the Eleventh as the Tenth Portion or the Twelft rather because the Levites were one of the xij Tribes And lastly for their Employment at HierusaleÌ„ as we haue it Deut. 14. If the way be long that thou art not able to carrie thy Tenthes where the Lord hath chosen to set His Name then thou shalt turne
States of Germanie against Charles the fift 33. Cardinall Baronio against Philip the second ibidem Why the Nobilitie of Spaine doe hate their King 34. A Weaknesse supposed in Spayne for want of Armes and why it is so 36. Their naturall Pryde a Weaknesse ibid. Description of the Spanish nature 37. Spayne to bee opposed by making Warre with-in their owne Dominions 38. Plantation of Nova Scotia 39. When a Kingdome is perfect and naturallie compacted in it selfe then to bee slow to Warres 41. The definition of a just Warre and our Warres against Spayne proved to bee just 42. Emulation of the Romanes and Carthagenians for vniversall Empyre 43. Agesilaus being but a poore King did invade the Persian Empyre ibidem First confederacie of the Scots with the French sought by Charles Mayne 44. How the Spaniard is proved to bee our enemie ibid. How Scotland is furnished of Men for Warre 46. Nature of leagues with examples auncient and moderne 47. Confederates against Spayne 48. Whether small or grosse Armies to bee sent to Enemie-Countreyes shewed by contemplation of the Turkish Warres 49. The Palatiâ—â—te the most honourable seat for Warres against Spayne 51. King Alexander Hannibell and Iulius Caesar did leade their Armies to more remote Countreyes ibid. Going of His Majestie in person to Spaine 52. The English auncientlie victorious in Spaiâ—e 53. The VVest Indees in the possession of a great Monarch proved to bee an infallible meanes of vniversall Empyre by length of tyme 55. Money the Nerue of Warre and greatest Monarches and States much distressed for want thereof 56. The hudge Moneyes gotten by Charles the fift in Peru 57. The naturall humours of the French Nation ibid. Speculation of Neighbour Calamities during our Peace in this Age going and of our Predecessours troubles many Ages by-gone 58. More of Money and of Men in Scotland now than in the dayes of our Antecessours and the proofe thereof 61. A wicked People doe make a wicked King 63. A Bridge of Golde to bee made for Enemies to passe out vpon ibid. Great Ransome payed by our Predecessors for King David Bruce 64. The Palatinate detained to make a Way for the conquest of Germanie and England 65. A remarkable Conference of Coronell Semple with the Author of this Treatise ibid. Iohn Knoxe against the Regiment of Women 67 The going of His Majesties Navie to Portugall and what a great point is Secrecie in great Enterpryses and the Examples thereof ibid. The Reformation or Innovation of Magistrates and the Commodities or Inconvenients following thereon 68. Plato holdeth That after the current of that great Yeare GOD shall reforme the whole worke of Nature and reduce it to the first puritie ibid. Vtilitie of the Censor amongst the Romanes 70. Commission for Grievances ibid. Great Men not to beare Offices where they dwell 76. Two of one Familie not to bee of one Session of Iudges 77. Reformation of Advocates most necessarie of anie thing with the Examples of Kings and States Enemies to the Trade of Advocation 78. Lewis the eleventh of France did revoâ—ke and annull Heritable Shyreâ—â—ships 81. Abuses of late erected Lordships of Church Landâ—s necessarie to bee reformed 82. If the Domaine of Regall Crownes or of Republickes bee allienable 83. Noble Men are the Shadowes and Reflects of Kings 84. Why the Lyues of Kinges are so precious 85. The last Convention of the Estates of Scotland and His Majesties Revocation 86. The first Donation of the Crown Lands and division of them in Baronies ibid. Ritches did spoyle the Pietie of the Church 89. Before the separation of the Church of Rome made by Luther the hundreth part of Christian People did possesse more than the tenth part of the Revenewes 90. The number of Ecclesiasticall Prelasies Benefices Churches Curies of France ibid. The nature of Tenthes 91. The first Dedication of Tenthes in Scotland 94. Puritanes foolishlie opposed to the Pope's Church in good things 96. Mysterie of Number 98. The Vnitie doeth represent GOD 99. The Number 7 is proper to the Creation Induration and finall Glorification of the World 100. The Novenarie doeth comprehende the whole Species of Nature Man excepted 101. Ten is the Quotient or fulnesse of Nature 102. Man was the first Tenth ibid. CHRIST was the second and perfect Tenth 103 Two sort of Puritanes opponents to Episcopall Rents and Governament discordant amongst themselues 106. Persecution of Iulian worse than of Dioâ—lâ—sian 107. Plantation of our Northerne Yles and Hielards a most Royall and most necessarie Policie 108. Battell of Hare-law 109. Abuses and Oppressions by way of Tenthes to bee reformed 110. Discourse of the Nature and Course of Moneyes 112. What Benefite or Inconvenient vpon the heighting of Money 113. What Order to bee taken with Moneys kept vp in the Hands of Merchands 117. Decay of our Shipping how to bee restored 118. Prodigall Persons ancientlie interdicted and punished by Lawes 119. Against the vse of Silver Plate and guilding 120. Ferdinandus Magnâ—s of Spayne Charles the ninth of France and manie great Princes did sell their Silver Plate or reduce it in Coyne 121. Prescription for Dyet and Apparell practised by great States in time of publicke Distresses 122. Speach to the King's Majestie 123. Wisdome of Augustus in making away of his Enemies 124. Who are Enemies to His Majesties Person or to his Governament ibid. Vigilance necessarie over the admission of Bishops and Ministers in the Church 126. Honour done by Augustus to the Romane Senate ibid. Condition of Senaters chosen by Augustus 127. Great Affection of King Darius to an olde faythfull Counseller 128. Mechanicke Vertues and Diligence of Augustus 129. Watchfulnesse of the Parsian Monarches over their Finances ibid. Supplication in Favours of the Subjects of Scotland 132. The admirable Magnanimitie of Alexander the Great whilst he wanted Moneys 133. Finis Tabulae Death of our late Soveraigne His late Majesties death followed with great feares of his Subjects Causes of our feares what these be The King of Spayâ—e and the Pope troublers of Christian Princes Ambition of Spaine different from that of the Romanes Different from that of their Predecessours The origine and Antiquitie of the present house of Spayne Notable punishment of Lust in Princes Pelagius Pelagius honoured of the World Ferdinandus Magnus Ferdinando Santo Charles the fift Emperour Contrapoyse of Christian 〈◊〉 warranded in Naâ—ure Hieron King of Syras Philip the second King of Spaine his first action his Marriage in England Spanish Inquisition his second action His third action the betraying of the King of Portugall his Cosin His fourth action was to plot the holie Leâ—gue in France against Don Antonio Philip did also practise the Protestants of France Elizabeth Queene of England The Voyage of the English Navie to Portugall vnder Queene Elizabeth Antonio Peâ—es wrongeth the English in in his relation of that Voyage Too strict limitation of Generals in VVarre hurtfull The Patience and Wisdome of Fabius Maximus The first thing to bee observed of the former
extende it selfe to the glorie of GOD the encrease of their owne Dominions and their immortall Fame This Globe of the World lyeth abroad by 360 degrees in Longitude and as manie in Latitude The English haue made Navigation to within 77 toward the North and the Portugals and Castilians to within 56 toward the South so there doe rest 228 to discover and what a fairer Field or richer Spoyles can bee wished for Christian Ambition or Avarice than this Yet what shall I say of this Emulation of neare and Neighbour-Princes It seemeth to bee fatall in effect and what is fatall is necessarie for fatall wee call Quasi fatum sive dictum a DEO A thing pronounced by GOD to bee For if wee shall take a view of His whole Works wee shall see nothing but a temperament and contrapoysing of naturall Extremities in such equalitie of Ballance that none bee able to excrease to the over-throw of the other The Heavens are placed into that Equilibrie that everie side is jumpe with the other and may not over-shoot it The contrarie motions of the Heavens doe not confound nor impede one an-other The coldnesse of Saturne and the heate of Mars doe not eate vp one another because Iupiter commeth betweene as the Axiltree of their Contrapoyse by the serenitie of his temperature So is it in the Elements the Fyre and Water are kept from desperate conflicts by the Ballance kept by the Ayre attempered to both So it is amongst Beastes where-of those that bee of fierce and savage kindes least vsefull vnto Man as Lyons GOD hath made them more barren Those agayne of the weaker sort which be more necessary and serviceable for Man He hath made more broodie and foecund to the end the Stronger should not be able to destroy that which is more infirme but the multitude of weake ones should bee sufficient to contrapoyse the paucitie of the mightier There is no Beast which is not afrayd of the Lyon trembleth at his presence yet some-thing hath he to contrapoyse his awfulnesse for he may not abide himself the crying of the Cocke but is astonied there-by So the Bellicose Elephant whom all the terrors of Battell cannot make afrayde he may not endure the cry of a Swyne but presentlie fleeth as is said in Eccles Intuere opera omnia Altissimi videbis semper unum contra aliud Doe contemplate all the workes of the most High you shall find aye one against another Even amongst the intellectuall Creatures the good Angels agaynst the bad GOD this way showing the Height and Deepnesse of His vnsearchable Wisedome by lodging and ruling of so manie contrarie things peaceablie within this one House of the Vniverse Shall wee not thinke then but the LORD who hath so moderated and brydled everie extreame contrarietie who hath placed Mountaines and steepe Shores to keepe in the raging Sea that shee rise not over her Marches and ordinarie Bankes but hee hath like-wise in the governament of the World by severall great Kingdomes and Monarchies appointed and allowed the same Contrapoyse that no Prince become so mightie as to devour his Neighbour that no Pryde or Insolencie doe excrease without Limitation certaynlie I thinke it hath a Warrand in Nature and Reason telleth vs That as it is lawfull to with-stand Force by Force it is also lawfull to provide if we can that no Case come that may constrayne vs to doe so or that may put vs to the employing of Force or Violence So that it seemeth lawfull to Princes or States to impede so farre as they can suspected Neighbour Grandour lest it become at length to master them Hieronimus King of Syracuse beeing demaunded as Polibius wryteth why in the meane-tyme of his beeing Confederate and Friende of Rome hee did ayde and supplie the Carthagenians against them Hee aunswered That it was to the ende hee might brooke the friendship still of the Romanes whome if hee shoulde suffer to over-throw the Carthagenians then of his Friends they should become his Masters Or will a wyse King within his owne Dominion permit a particular States-Man to carrie away the whole sway of Governament by too much of Authoritie no but he will contrapoyse him with a Colledge of a contrarie Disposition to keepe him in order Hence is it that the LORD GOD in all Ages hath suffered one Nation to combate with an-other one King to beate an-other and one man to holde in the Hornes of an-other that nothing should shoot out aboue that just proportion which doeth corresponde to the communion of Nature yea if wee should come to consider and weigh the particular Fabricke of everie one man's Bodie if the like equilibrie of Contra-Ballance did not attemper our contrarie Humours of Complexion certainlie our Constitution were not able to subsist but either the Choller shall burne vp the Flegme or the Flegme extinguish the Choller if the interjection of these median Humours of Sanguinean and Melancholicke did not impede that Conflict And hence are all the Leagues of Mutuall Defences amongst weaker States contracted against the more mightie Having thus shortlie shewed how the Ambition of Castile and Portugall was vertuous and laudable vnto the death of Charles the fift I come now to Philip his Sonne and Successour who did spot the Glorie of his noble Predecessours by turning his Thoughts to the Conquest of Christian People Hee it was who did complot and conduct all the Tragedies which thence-foorth haue beene acted in Christendome This King finding him-selfe debouted of his designe to the Crowne of England by the death of Marie Queene thereof who was his Wyfe returning into Spaine his first Practise was for excluding the Light of the Gospell which then began to breake foorth over all to strengthen against Christians that fearfull Inquisition which his Antecessours had erected against the Infidels Iewes and Moores where-of this farre may bee affirmed that if Satan him-selfe had beene King of Spaine hee could not haue brought from the bottomlesse Pit a more horrible Plague more cruell more Barbarous and beyonde all Humanitie the wicked Invention where-of no Words can suffice to expresse in sort that it doeth rather resemble Hell it selfe than that wee can finde anie Example ever heard of the like vpon the face of this Earth where innocent Men yea Good and holie Men after being straitlie incarcerate diverse Yeares spoiled of their Lands and Goods afflicted with Famine rent with Tortures and in ende falselie and vnjustlie condemned to the number of 800 in one Yeare vnder that King were brought to publicke Spectacles to bee burnt with Buckels and Bullets in their Mouthes to stop all Apologeticall speaches and againe and againe casten in the Fyre and taken out of the Fyre It is hard that anie Christian should thinke of it without Trembling and Teares the farther Discourse where-of were but vnpleasant heere al-be-it most necessarie for Demonstration of that hatefull Tyrannie and who so is curious to