never would be drawn to â—he hazard of war for improbe Neptunum acâ—usat qui iterum naufragium facit he blames Neptune very unjustly who suffers shipwrack â—he second time until the French King conâ—ra juramentum formam pacis contrary to â—is oath and the form of peace had vexillis exâ—licatis with banners displayed invaded his doâ—inions in France and with a Fleet intended â—o attempt England ad ipsum Regem viribus subâ—ertendum utterly to undo the King by force of Arms. Richard the second whom as well he left Successour to his troubles as to his Kingdom â—ntred in the decline of his Grandsires fortune â—nd after many years of war and much loss had â—n the end an expectation of peace which opened â—o his Commons and Council in Parliament their longing affection was so much inclined hereto that they advised the King though it were â—n doing homage for Guien Callis and the rest he â—hould not let slip that opportunity Until Charles of France had received that â—angerous Rebel Owen Glendowr by the name â—f Metuendissimi Principis Walliae the most â—read Prince of Wales into a strict confederacy â—gainst his Master whom he vouchsafed no â—ther title than Henricus de Lancastria by â—ontract and had harrowed the Isle of Wight by â—he Duke of Orleans and Earl of Saint Paul â—ntred into Gascoign himself and prepared a Fleet and an Army to invade this Land Henry the fourth did never disquiet his peace and after many prorogued Truces would not break out again until Burgundy that had wrested into his hand the Government of France meanâ— with all his force to besiege Callis and annoy this Realm The Uncle and Chancellour to Henry the fifth declared in Parliament the desire his Master had to procure Peace and how the French King had refused all reason denying to render his prisoners or ransom those taken at Agin-Court battel so that the King was driven to his last hope which was by dint of sword to seek his peace concluding thus his speech Bella faciamuâ— ut Pacem habeamus quia finis Belli Pax est Let us fight that we may obtain peace for the end of war is peace Henry the sixth to save the expence of his people and treasure offered many large and liberal conditions but received in exchange nothing but scoffs he was contented to part with the Dutchy of Mayne to make up a peace with his uncle of France Against the Duke of Somerset it was objected by the Duke of York that he contrary to the Oath and Council by breaking the Amity between the two Princes was the only ground of the loss of Normandy There is extant in the Treasury a petition of 9 Hen. 7. from the Captains and military men propace habenda that they might have peace Neither interest of right nor jealousie of increasing power could draw Henry 8. unto the quarrel of France until the Church complained against Lewis 12. who neither esteeming â—f God good fame nor conscience detained â—he revenues of the Clergy supported the Cardiâ—al William to aspire to the Papacy aided in the â—ege of Boucy Alfonso of Ferrara and the Benivagli both Traytors to the Papal See where â—e intended to lay the foundation of his Empire â—o usurp all Italy and besought him for the pitty â—f our Saviour and by the virtue of his famous Ancestors for I use the words of the Popes Brief that never forsook the Church of God in diâ—ress and by his filial obedience the strongest â—ond to enter into that holy League they having â—lected him against Lewis Coput foeder is Italici Head of the Italian League Edward the sixth until urged with the touch of his honour being by his neighbours neglected â—n the marriage of their Mistress never attempted â—ny war against them The quarrels of France in the time of his sucâ—eeding sister after the marriage with Spain were â—either properly ours nor begun by us although â—n the end we only went away with the loss Her Sister of holy memory to effect the peace with France forbore the demand of Callis for â—ight years and neglected to urge a just debt of four millions from that Crown And the labours she â—pent to confirm amity with Spain by many â—riendly offices of mediation are apparent to the whole world though in the end of her desires she â—ailed whether happily in prevention of the Spaâ—ish Monarchy eternizing her memory or that â—his work of peace was by divine providence reâ—erved for him that could and hath best effected â—t I know not Only I conclude that as the first Monarch in Rome so the first in Britain might justly write Pace Populo Britanno terrâ— marique parta Janum clausi having setled Britaiâ— in peace by Land and sea I have shut up the doorâ— of Janus Temple Forraign arms the ground of trouble at home by the Enemy who to divert will attempt Subjects wearied with Toyl Taxation Feared with the effect of tyranny Inured to wars can never sute after to a quiet life It is evident by our own examples that for the moâ—â— part the Civil or Forraign Armies that have oppressed this State have been either bred out of our first attempting of others or out of the grievance of the Nobility and people either wearied with the toil and charge or feared with the effect of Tyranny which might corrupt the good fortune of their King or else aâ— plague no less of war that the better sort inured to command abroad have forgotten to obey at home and the inferiour by living there upon rapine and purchase unwilling here to tye themselves again to order and industry There is in the Register of State no time that so well expresseth either the danger or damage we underwent in making an adversary as that of Edward the third Out of many examples I will select some few beginning with the tenth of his reign at what time his intention was to attempt somewhat in France but diverted by Philip who mustring in partibus Britanniae ad invadendum Regnum Angliae in the parts of â—ritany to invade the Kingdom of England a â—uissant Army enforced Edward the third to fall â—rom his first purpose and insist upon his own â—uard for which cause to the infinite charge â—f himself and people he levied 80000. men â—ut of the Shires of this Kingdom To withdraw â—is forces from France in the thirteenth of his â—eign they invaded the Realm and burned the â—owns of Plymouth and Southampton places â—hat suffered from the same motive the like caâ—amity In the first of Richard the second after the â—attel of Cressy when they feared our too much â—ooting and we too much believed our own forâ—une for she cito reposcit quod dedit quickly â—alls for back what she gave us the Duke of Normandy to draw home our forces levieth an Army of forty thousand men at armes and forty â—housand
it hath blessed both us and that Kingdom with the benefit of Peace yet hath it not delivered himself from a large and yearly expence here for supportation of that State out of his own Treasure And thus far in answer of the Argument from increase of Revenue by forraign Dominions As to the Arguments of Honour by addition of Titles and forraign Territories it may suffice in answer That so long as this Crown was actually possessed of any such Signiory the Tenure and Service did ever bring with it a note and badge of Vassalage than which nothing to so free a Monarch as the King of England who is Monarcha in Regno tot tanta habet Privilegia quot Imperator in Imperio a Monarch in his Kingdom and hath as many and as large Priviledges therein as an Emperour in his Empire could be more in blemish or opposition To write Domino Regi nostro Franciae To our Lord the King of France as during the time we held the Provinces in France we usually did in all our Letters and publick Contracts with that Crown can be called no addition of Honour And whether upon every command to act in person those base services of Homage and Fidelity as first in putting off the Imperial Crown the kneeling low at the foot of that King and taking an Oath to become Homme liege du Roys de France a liege subject to the Kings of France c. we in performing so the duties of a subject do not much more disparage the dignity of a Soveraign is no question of doubt From these considerations of Reputation and Honour the greatest stayes that support Majesty and retain Obedience our Kings of England have as far as to the forfeit of those Signiories either avoided or refused the services As King John did Normandy and Edward the second resigned to his Son the Duchy of Aquitain to put off the act of homage from himself to whom it could not in respect of his Regality but be a dishonour As appeareth in Henry the second who having made his Son Consortem Imperii a King of England with him Homagium à Filio noluit saith the Record quia Rex fuit sed securitatem accepit would not receive Homage of him because he was a King but took his Security In the seventeenth of Richard the second the Lords and Justices would not consent to a Peace with France unless the King might not do Homage they held it so basâ— supposing thereby the liberty of the Kings Person and Subject wronged And thus much of the little Reputation that either in Title or Territory those subordiante Duchies in France added to this Crown As for the Kingdom of France the people of England were so little in love with that Title as any Honour to them that by Acts of Parliament 14 Ed. 3. and 8 Ed. 5. they provided that the Subjects of England should owe no Obedience to the King as King of France nor the Kingdom of England be in any wise subjected by such Union to that Crown And so much we have ever been in fear of that place lest it might leave this State to the misery of a Provincial Government as in 17 H. 6. the Commons urged to contribute for the recovery of that Crown answered that the gaining of any footing in France would induce the Kings aboad there and by such absence cause great decay and desolation in this State besides the transport of our money in the mean time which would inrich that Countrey and impoverish the Realm at home whereby we should justly again say Britannia servitutem suam quotidie emit quotidie poscit The Britains are every day begging to be slaves every day giving money for it THe last motive is the advantage we now have of greater Facility and assurance of Success in any forreign enterprise by this happy Union of both Kingdoms than ever any of our Ancestors had To which in answer nothing can be more full than laying down the motives and means that led on the Kings of this Realm to attempt and prosperously effect their undertakings in other parts weigh how they suit these times and whether that any or all the advantages we now have may be to them of equal worth and valuation The first consideration is in Place the next in Person In the wars of France whether those for the defence of particular Signiories or competition of the intire Kingdom we had ever Ports to land at and Forts to retire to which now we have not The coast of Normandy was our own by which we might enter the midst of France And Edward the third when he intended to annoy the East part sided with Montfort against Charles de Bloys whom he invested with the Duchy of Britain that so he might have there an easie footing Thus by leave of his Confederates in Flanders he had safe entrance for all his Army to invade the other side and a sure retreat when upon any occasion he would come back as he did to Antwerp And wheresoever any Army may have a quiet descent the greatest difficulty is overcome for the rest consisteth in Chance wherein Fortune is rather wont to prevail than Vertue But ibi grave est Bellum gerere ubi nullus est Classâ— Portus apertus non ager pacatus non Civitassocia non consistendi aut procedendi locus quocunque circum spexeris hostilia sunt omnia There 't is a hard task to wage war where there is no Port open for our Navy the Countrey our enemy no City our Confederate no place to make a stand or to march out from but whithersoever a man looks he can see nothing but hostile intentions against us And this must be now our case which was never our Ancestors Advantage personal was either A Party found made For the Persons considerable the aâ—… the Subjects to our enemies or our own Confederates Of the first our Kings heretofore did either work on the opportunity of any dissention ministred or by Pension and Reward either make a fraction in Obedience or Neutrality in Assistance with the Subjects of their Adversary The Dukes of Burgundy Earls of Britain Dreux and others in France offended with their Sovereign Confederati erant Comiti Britanniae Henrico Regi Angliae became Confederates with Henry Earl of Britain and King of England and thereupon drew him over into Britain The same King by yearly Pensions of 7000 l. kept divers in Poictou in fraction against their Lord and their own Loyalty Edw. 3. had never undertaken the conquest of France if Robert de Artoys displeased with the Sentence of Philip his Master for that Earldom had not incited and complotted for him as Godfrey of Harecourt did after Nor Henry 5. if the unsound memory of the French King the jealousie of those Princes and Orleantial Faction had not made his way and Fortune Confederates THe
Confederates our Kings held formerly for mutual Aid were of such consequence in all their affairs that those so best strengthened atchieved ever the greatest and most glorious victories As the first and third Edwards the fifth and eighth Henries Whereas Henry the sixth that was of all the rest left most naked to himself although the greatest otherwise in opportunity lost all the purchase of his Ancestors in the end It is not amiss in such a foundation of Greatness as Confederacy to lay down successively first with whom we tyed that knot of love then what were the motives or assurances and lastly whether the same in both is left to our occasions and will now or no. Henry the first but to assure his own possessions beyond Sea adscivit in praesidium Comitem Britanniae Theobaldum Comitem Blesensem called to his aid the Earl of Britain and Theobald Earl of Bloys Henry the second did the like with Robert Earl of Flanders And again cum Theodorico Comite Flandriae Baronibus Castellanis caeteris hominibus Comitis with Theodoric Earl of Flanders the Barons Governours of Castles and other the Subjects of the said Earl who stood bound to serve him in summonitione sua sicut Domino pro feodis quae de ipso teneant upon a summons as well as their own Lord for the Fees which they held of him Baldwin Earl of Flanders contracteth under Bond mutui subsidii quod sine Rege Richardo Angliae non componeret cum Rege Francorum of mutual aid that he would not come to agreement with the French King without Richard King of England And the Britains relicto Rege Franciae Regi Richardo adhaeserunt forsaking the King of France did joyn with King Richard Between King John and the Earl of Flanders there was a Combination mutui auxilii contra Regem Francorum of mutual assistance against the French King The like with the City of Doway and Earl of Holland Hen. 3. anno 11. drew Peter Duke of Britany into Confederacy against the French and Fernand Earl of Flanders with a Pension annual of five hundred Marks And anno 38. Alfonsus King of Castile combineth with him and his heirs contra omnes homines in mundo against all the men in the World To whom he remained so constant that an 8. and 10 Edw. 1. he would not grant a Truce to the French King but ad preces instantiam at the instant suit of the King of England Edward 1. an 13. by a pretence of intermarriage drew Florence Earl of Holland from the French to his party and the year following by the mediation of the Lord of Black-mont the Earl of Flanders who in an 20. assisted him in the wars of Gascoign In the 22. he combined with Adolph King of the Romans and the Earl of Gueldres tying the Nobility of Burgundy with a yearly donative of 30000 l. Turonensium to aid him contra Regem Francie against the French King He had Guido Earl of Flanders and Philip his son for 100000 l. Turonensium in pay against the French King an 24 25 and 31. of his Reign retaining the Earl of Gueldres by pay of 1000000 l. the Duke of Lorrain by 1600000 l. the Nobility of Burgundy by a Pension of 30000 l. and Wallerand Lord of Montay by 300 l. Turonensium in his service the same year And in anno 34. Reginaldum Comitem Montis Beliardi alios de Burgundia contra Regem Franciae Reginald Earl of Mont-Belliard and other Burgundians against the King of France Edward the second had auxilium tam maritimum quam terrestre à Genoesibus assistance as well by Sea as by Land from the Genoeses And in anno 18. besides his Alliance with Flanders John Protector of Castile aideth him contra Gallos cum 1000. equitibus peditibus Scutiferis 10000. against the French with 1000. horse and foot and 10000. other armed men Edward the third had by the Marriage of Philip the Earl of Henault and Holland her Father assured to him and retained John of Henault and his Followers qui venerunt in auxilium ad rogatum Regis who came to assist the King at his call with a Salary of 14000 l. yearly Before he adventured to avow and maintain his Challenge to the Kingdom of France he made up to his party Lodowick the Emperour who the better to countenance his enterprise elected him Vicarium Imperii Vicar of the Empire Reginald Earl of Gueldres Lewis Marquess of Brandenburg Conrade Lord of Hard who served him with fifty men at Arms the Cardinal of Genoa and his Nephew who aided him with Gallies the Magistrates of Colen Bruxells Lorrain and Mechlin and Jaques de Artevile head of the Gantois Faction who having quitted all duty to the banished Earl submitted themselves and most of Flanders to the service and protection of Edward the third who to free them of two Millions of Crowns wherein as a Caution of obedience to the Crown of France they stood bound as well by Oath as Obligation took upon him the Title of King of France and imployed John Duke of Brabant and Lorrain William Marquess of Juliers and the Earl of Henault and Holland his assured Friends Procuratores suos ad vendicandum Regnum Franci◠his Procurators to claim the Crown of France These his Allies not long after meeting him at Tournay with one hundred thousand men as Robert de Artoys did with fifty thousand at S. Omers against the French King And thus he attired and furnished his first enterprise weaving into his Faction and support more and more as often as either pretence or just occasions would give him leave By colour of Marriage he drew in the King of Sicily in the eighteenth year the Duke of Millain and the King of Castile for mutual aid and Simon Butangre Duke of Genoa and his Subjects for hire and reward In the ninteenth year the questionable Title of the Duchy of Britain assured him of John de Montford against whom the French King maintained Charles de Bloys for that Duchy In anno 24. he renewed the Contract with the Genoeses and in the thirtieth made a convention of Peace mutui auxili cum Rege Navarre and of mutal aid with the King of Navarre In the thirty seventh with Peter King of Castile and in that and the one and fortieth an alliance of Aid and Amity he entred with the Duke of Britain and anno 45. again with the Genoeses and Lewis Earl of Flanders and Duke of Brabant and an 46. with Ferdinand King of Portugal Richard the second reneweth in anno 1. the confederation that his Grandfather had with the Duke of Britain and with whom anno 3. he contracted anew as he had done anno 2. with Lewis Earl
of Flanders In the sixth year he combineth with the Flemings contraâ—nimicos communes against the enemies of them both with the Kings of Naples Sicily Navarre and Arragon de mutuis auxiliis for mutual aid and with Winceslaus the Emperour Contra Carolum Regem Franciae Robertum Regem Scotiae against Charles King of France and Robert King of Scotland In anno 8. with the Kings of Jerusalem Sicily and Portugal In the tenth with Portugal who at his own charges aided this King with ten Galleys And with William Duke of Gueldres de mutuis auxiliis for mutual aid And anno 12. 18. and 19. with Albert Duke of Bavaria And an 20. with the Earl of Ostrenant de retinentiis contra Regem Franciae against the King of France And Rupertus Count Palatine of the Rhene anno 20. became a Homager for term of life to this King Henry the fourth entred alliance of mutual aid in two years with William Duke of Gueldres and Mons. In the twelfth with Sigismund King of Hungaria And in the thirteenth by siding with the Factions of the Dukes of Berry and Orleans laid the basis upon which his Son that succeeded reared the Trophies of his Renown For Henry the fifth going forward upon the Advantage left and daily offered strengthened himself anno 4. by a League perpetual with Sigismund the Emperour renewing that of Richard the second with John King of Portugal as his Father had done He entred a contract with the Duke of Britain and with the Queen of Jerusalem and Lewis her Son for the Duchy of Anjou and Mayn and with the King of Portugal and Duke of Bavaria for supply of Men and Munition by them performed And the year before the Battel of Agincourt sendeth the Lord Henry Scrope to contract with the Duke of Burgundy and his Retinue for Wages in servitiâ— suo in Regno Franciae vel Ducatu Aquitaniae in his service in the Kingdom of France or the Duchy of Aquitain esteeming the alliance of that house the readiest means to attain his end Henry the sixth i so long as he held the Amity of Britain for which he contracted and the confederacy of Rurgundy his friend of eldest assurance and best advantage which he did to the sixteenth year of his Government there was no great decline of his Fortune in France But when Burgundy brake the bond of our assurance and betook him to the Amity of France and dealt with this Crown but as a Merchant by way of intercourse first at the Treaty of Bruges 1442. then at Callis 1446. the reputation and interest we held in France declined faster in the setting of this Son than ever it increased in the rising of the Father And Edward the fourth who succeeded sensible of this loss wooed by all the means either of Intercourse or Marriage to win again the house of Burgundy which in anno 7. he did to joyn for the recovery of his right in France And drew in the year following the Duke of Britain to that Confederacy In the eleventh year he renewed with Charles of Burgundy the bond of mutual Aid and contracted the next year the like with the King of Portugal And in an 14. pro recuperatione Regni Franciae contra Ludovicum Usurpantem for the recovery of the Kingdom of France out of the hands of Lewis the Usurper as the Record is entred a new Confederacy with the Dukes of Burgundy and Britain And in the end wrought from them a round Pension of money though he could not any portion of land Henry the seventh anno 5. 6. entertaineth an Alliance with Spain against the French King The like in the eighth with the King of Portugal and in the tenth with the house of Burgundy for Intercourse and mutual Aid Henry the eighth in anno 4. reneweth the Amity of Portugal and the next year combineth with the Emperour Maximilian against Lewis the French King who aideth him out of Artoys and Henault with four thousand horse and six thousand foot whereupon he winneth Tournay Consilio Auxilio favoribus Maximiliani Imperatoris with the advice assistance and countenance of the Emperour Maximilian In anno 7. to weaken the French King he entreth league with the Helvetian Cantons by his Commissioners Wingfield and Pace and with Charles of Spain for Amity and mutual Aid into which Maximilian the Emperour and Joan of Spain were received the year following In an 12. with the Emperour Charles and Margaret Regentess of Burgundy he maketh a Confederation against Francis the French King as the common enemy quia Rex Angliae non possit ex propriis Subditis tantum equitum numerum congerere the King of England could not furnish such a quantity of Horse of his own Subjects as was mentioned in the contract the Emperour giveth leave that he levy them in any his Dominions in Germany And the Pope in furtherance of his intendment interdicteth the French Territories calleth in aid Brachii Seculdris of the Secular power those two Princes appointeth the Emperour Protectorem advocatum Ecclesiae the Churches Advocate and Protector and stileth their Attempt sancta expeditio an holy expedition And this is by the Treaty at Windsor the next year confirmed and explained Renewing in the years twenty one thirty five and thirty eight the association and bond of mutual aid with the same Princes and against the French King if he brake not off his Amity with the Turk And although Edward the sixth in the first year of his Reign made the Contract between the Crown of England and the house of Burgundy perpetual yet forbore he to aid the Emperour in the wars of France disabled as he pretended by reason of the Poverty the troubles of Scotland had drawn upon him And therefore offered the Town of Bullen to the Imperial Protection During the Reign of Queen Mary there was no other but that of Marriage Aid and Entercourse with the Emperour Spain and Burgundy and besides that tripartite bond at Cambray of Amity and Neutrality Our late Renowned Mistris entertained with the Prince of Conde about New-haven and with Charles the ninth 1564. and at Bloys 1572. with the King of Navarre before the accession of the Crown of France to him and after Britain and lastly by the Duke of Bullen in ninety six And with the States of the Netherlands in the years eighty five and ninety eight divers Treaties of Amity Confederation and Assistance By all these passages being all that well either our Story or Records can discover it appeareth manifest the Kings of England never to have undertaken or fortunately entertained any Forreign Enterpize without a party and confederate Amongst which by situation those of best advantage to us have
should become Homager to Henry the eighth as to his Soveraign But after that Bourbon had advanced his Army and distressed the French King he in his answer to Master Pace the Kings Ambassadour refused that assurance of duty and gave a just suspicion that he by help of his Party intended to usurp upon that State himself which the Emperour never meant to the King of England left by such footing in France he might grow so great as to give Law to his neighbours And to fall off upon such grounds hath ever been excusable howsoever the bonds of Alliance were Thus did Henry the eighth as often change his hand of help as either Princes of Spain and France got ground of the other And the Spaniard now to keep the States in Italy disunited compoundeth differences at his pleasure or taketh part with the weaker not suffering any though his own dependant to grow too strong which was lately seen in patronizing the D. of Mantua against Savoy according to the Rule of Quinctius in Livy Non tantum interest Aetolorum opes minui it doth not stand us so much in hand to break the strength of the Aetâ—lians yet they were enemies quantum non supra modum Philippum crescere as it doth to see that Philip grow not too potent who was their friend The difference in Religion may bring likewise a twofold danger The one with our Confederates the other with the Subjects of this Crown For whensoever we shall attempt upon a Catholick Prince as France where we have the fairest pretences for with any other we are like to have no question then is all Contract of mutual aide left to the election of our Confederate who may with all easiness procure from the See of Rome a discharge of all Contracts although they were by Oath For if in Leagues where either party have been Catholicks as that between Edward 3. and John King of France and that between John of Gaunt and the King of Castile they ever out of such suspect inserted this Clause That neither side should procure dispensationem c. either per Ecclesiam Romanam vel per aliquam aliquam a Dispensation either by the Church of Rome or any other way to do contra formam Tractatus contrary to the form of Agreement How much more must their jealousie be to us And therefore in a Consultation in Henry the eighths time whether with best security we should Confederate with France or Spain it was resolved that either of them may slip of their advantage by colour of our Separation from the Church of Rome if there be no better hold in their Honesties than in their Bonds For it will be held not only worthy dispensation but merit to break all Leagues with the enemies of that Church by the Doctrine of that See which teacheth all Contracts with any Catholick Prince to be instanti dissolved because we are by them ranked in the list of Hereticks which holds proportion with the Rule and Direction that Urban the sixth sent by Bull to Wenceslaus King of Bohemia and Charles the Emperour before the Council of Constance declaring all Confederations Leagues and Conventions to be Lege Divina temerariae illicitae ipso jure nullae etiamsi forent fide data firmatae aut Confirmatione Apostolica roboratae to be by the Law of God invalid void and in Law null although confirmed by the plighting of faith nay though strengthned by confirmation Apostolical if the parties were separati ab Unitate sanctae Ecclesiae separate from the Unity of Holy Church when the league was made or si postea sint effecti if they become so after What assurance can there then be either with France who is received by his Rebenediction into the Bosome of the Church and his son made Adoptivus Filius Ecclesiae an adopted Son of the Church or against him with Spain who being Protector and Champion of that See Apostolick submitteth himself as he hath ever done to the Popes pleasure and design and must not only forsake but aide against us in any war we should there undertake Besides it is considerable howsoever all sides of our own will joyn in point of defence to a mutual aide whether they will so in a forraign Invasion especially when the party assailed shall be of their own Religion For when the Interdiction of the Pope could draw against John King of England and Lewis the twelfth a side of their own Subjects as it did after in the same Kingdom against Henry the third though all three conformable in points of Religion to that See how much more will it work with the people devoted to their opinions in a State divided from their obedience For amongst us the Catholick Church hath many Jesuits to raise Faction and divert people from duty the Recusants many and Malecontents not few all which with war will discover themselves but now by this happy calm unassured of assistance lock up their riches in security and their hearts in silence And therefore by any enterprize it is not with the rule of Seneca safe concutere felicem statum For by provoking of some adversary in respect of Papal protection they pick advantage to ground a quarrel of Religion and then the sancta expeditio the holy expedition against Lewis will be made Bellum Sacrum a holy War against us But admitting no less than in former times an easiness to attempt it is not a meditation unnecessary to think in general of the dangers and impossibilities to retain For first we must more than transgress Limites quos posuerunt Patres the Bounds which our Fathers owned and relinquish that defence of Nature wherewith she hath incircled divided and secured us from the whole world Te natura potens Pelago divisit ab omni Parte orbis tutaut semper ab hoste fores From all the Earth Nature hath parted thee With Seas and set thee safe from Enemy and commit our Frontiers had we never so much upon the next Continent to the protection of an Army which besides the continual Charge if we give Ambitious and able Commanders as unable for our Interest we will not how ready shall it be in such a Leader and so backt if he please to give Law to his own Countrey For Trifles will be quarrels good enough for such as can make them good by Power And whensoever means and Ambition leads any to trouble the State he will be sure to colour his pretext with honest Titles Alii sicuti Jura populi defenderent Pars quo Senatus authoritas maxima foret bonum publicum simulantes some declaring to maintain the rights of the People others to uphold the authority of the Senate all pretending to act for the publick good Hence was it that Augustus refused to add any more of the Barbarous Nations to the body of his Empire which with great facility he might have
two Millions and eight hundred thousand pounds by Subsidies Tenths and Fifteens she hath spent of her Lands Jewels and Revenues an infinite proportion As for the imaginary Profit grown by thâ—… many rich Spoils at Sea and Attempts in Spain it may be well cast up by two examples of oâ—… best Fortunes The Journey of Cales defrayed not the Charge to her Majesty by 64000â—… And our times of most advantage by Prizes between anno 30 and 34 of the Queen wherein we received but 64044 l. defrayed not the Charge of her Navy arising in the same yeaâ— to 275761 l. As to the greatest Loss expence of Christian Blood it may well susfice to bemoâ—… with Horace Parumne Campis atque Neptuno superfusum est Latini sanguinis Neque hic Lupis mos nec fuit Leonibus Unquam nisi in dispar feris Is there as yet so little Latine Blood Spilt on the Fields and Floods Nor Wolves nor Lions do we ever find So cruel to their kind THe last motive from Utility is increase of Revenues to the publick Treasury by addition of Forreign Dominions Which can receive no answer so full of satisfaction as to instance the particular Summs exhausted in every Age to retain them Beginning first with the Duchiâ— of Normandy For retention whereof William the Conquerour from hence as the Author saith laden Thesauris innumeris with unaccountable Treasure exacted sive per faâ— sive per nefas in Normanniam transfretavit gathered together by hook or by crook wafted over into Normandy His Son ad retinendam Normanniam Angliam excoriavit to retain Normandy flayed off Englands skin To the same end by Henry the first Anglia fuit bonis spoliata England was despoiled of its Goods His Grand-child took Scutagium pro Exercitu Normanniae a Scutage for his army in Normandy three times at a high rate and was inforced then against incursions of the French to build and man thirteen Castles de novo integro intirely new Richard the first exacted heavily upon his people ut potentes homines Regis Franciae sibi conciliaret ut terram propriam Normanniae tutaretur therewith to make himself friends amongst the most powerful Courtiers of France so to keep quietly his possessions in Normandy King John as wearied with the Charge neglected it And his Son feeling a burden more than benefit resigned his interest there for a little Money When it was again reduced by Henry the fifth the judgement in Council was That the keeping of it would be no less of expence than to war forth for all France In the quiet possession of his Son Henry John Duke of Bedford then Regent this Duchy cost the Crown of England 10942 l. yearly In an 10. â—…t appeareth by the Accompts of the Lord Cromâ—…wel Treasurer of England that out of the Kings Exchequer at Westminster the entertainâ—…ent of the Garrison and Governour was deâ—…rayed the Rents of the Duchy not supporting â—…he charge ordinary When Richard Duke of York was in the fifteenth year of Henry the sixth â—…egent the certain Expence over-ballanced the Receipt 34008 l. And an 27. the Lord Hastings Chancellour of France declareth in Parliament that Normandy was not able to maintain it self But thus it continued not much longer for this Crown was both eased of the Duchy and Charge shortly Of the Principality of Aquitain the Duchy of Gascoign Guien and the Members I find the state thus in record In the twenty sixth of Henry the third there was issued from the Treasurer and Chamberlains at Westminster 10000 l. for payments in Gascoign besides an infinite proportion of Victuals and Munition thither sent To retain this Duchy in Duty and possession this King was inforced to pawn his Jewels being are alieno graviter obligatus Thesauris Donativis Tallagiis extortionibus in Anglia consumptis very much indebted and having spent all his Treasures Grants Tallages and other Extortions in England Besides the people there at his departure extorserunt ab eo confessionem quadraginta millia Marcarum forced an acknowledgment from him of 40000 Marks And a Story of that time saith of anno 38. Ille per multos labores expensas inutiliter recuperavit Castra sua propria Vasconiae with a great deal of toile and expence he unprofitably recovered his own Castles in Gascoign of which the Labour was more than ever the Benefit could be And thus it appeareth to have continued for an 17. of Edward the second the money disbursed out of England to defray the surcharge there came to 46595 l. 9 shillings 7 d. besides 29660 Quarters of Grain and of Beeves and Bacons an infinite proportion In the first of Edward the third the issues of Gascoign were 10000 l. above the Revenues The Signiories in Aquitain cost in eight years ending the thirty sixth of this King 192599 l. 4 shill 5 d. de receptis forinsecis only it was delivered in Parliament an 1 Rich. 2. that Gascoign and some few other places that were then held in France cost yearly this Crown 42000 l. And in the seventeenth of this King a Parliament was summoned for no other cause especial than to provide money to clear the annual expences of those parts The charge of Bordeaux but one Town surmounting in half a year all Rents and perquisites there 2232 l. As Fronsack in Aquitain 5787 l. for double that time when the intire Duchy exceeded not 820 l. in yearly Revenues The Charge of Guien all the Reign of Henry the fourth was 2200 l. annually out of the Exchequer of England By accompt Aquitain besides Guien 6606 l. was the first of Henry the fifth in surplusage of charge 11200 l. and the Town of Bordeaux the five first years of the same King 6815 l. In the eleventh of Henry the sixth Sir John Ratcliffe Steward of Aquitain received from the Treasury of England pro vadiis suis c. 2729 l. and for expence in custody of Fronsack Castle only he payed 666 l. 13 shill the profits of the Duchy no wayes able to clear the Accompts The Benefit we reaped by any footing in Britany may in a few Examples appear Henry the third confesseth that ad defensionem Britanniae non sufficiebant Angliae Thesauri quod jam per triennium comprobavit that the Treasure of England would not suffice to maintain Britany which he had found to be true upon three years tryal and left in the end tam laboriosis expensis amplius fatigari to tire himself farther with such toil some expences The Town of Brest cost Richard the second 12000 marks a year and it stood him in an 9. in 13118 l. 18 shill For Callis I will deliver with as much shortness as may be from the first acquisition until the loss in every age the Expence for the