Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n
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A28061
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Certain miscellany works of the Right Honourable Francis Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban published by VVilliam Ravvley ...; Selections. 1670
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Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.
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1670
(1670)
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Wing B275; ESTC R21950
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51,907
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63
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quam loquitur Here I would pass over from Matter of Experience were it not that I held it necessary to discover a wonderful Erroneous observation that walketh about and is commonly received contrary to all the Account of Time and Experience It is that the Spaniard where he once getteth in will seldom or never be got out again But nothing is less true than this Not long since they got footing at Brest and some other parts in French Britain and after quitted them They had Calais Ardes and Amiens and rendred them or were beaten out They had since Verseilles fairly left it They had the other day the Valtoline and now have put it in deposite What they will do with Ormus which the Persian hath taken from them we shall see So that to speak truly of later Times they have rather poched and offered at a Number of Enterprizes than maintained any constantly quite contrary to that idle Tradition In more antient times leaving their Purchases in Africk which they after abandoned when their great Emperor Charles had clasped Germany almost in his fist he was forced in the end to go from Isburg and as if it had been in a Masque by Torch-light and to quit every foot in Germany round that he had gotten which I doubt not will be the Hereditary Issue of this late Purchase of the Palatinate And so I conclude the Ground that I have to think that Spain will be no Over-match to Great Britain if his Majesty shal enter into a War out of Experience Records of time For Grounds of Reason they are many I will extract the principal and open them briefly and as it were in the Bud. For Situation I pass it over though it be no small point England Scotland Ireland and our good Confederates the United Provinces lie all in a plump together not accessible but by Sea or at least by passing of great Rivers which are Natural Fortifications As for the Dominions of Spain they are so scattered as it yieldeth great choice of the Scenes of the War and promiseth slow Succours unto such Part as shall be attempted There be three main parts of Military Puissance Men Money and Confederates For Men there are to be considered Valour and Number Of Valour I speak not Take it from the Witnesses that have been produced before Yet the old observation is not untrue That the Spaniards Valour lieth in the Eye of the Looker on But the English Valor lieth about the Souldiers Heart A Valor of Glory and a Valor of Natural Courage are two things But let that pass and let us speak of Number Spain is a Nation thin sown of People Partly by reason of the Sterility of the Soil And partly because their Natives are exhausted by so many Employments in such vast Territories as they possess So that it hath bin accounted a kind of Miracle to see ten or twelve thousand Native Spaniards in an Army And it is certain as we have touched it a little before in passage that the Secret of the Power of Spain consisteth in a Veterane Army compounded of Miscellany Forces of all Nations which for many years they have had on foot upon one occasion or other And if there should happen the Misfortune of a Battel it would be a long work to draw on Supplies They tell a Tale of a Spanish Ambassador that was brought to see the Treasury of St. Mark at Venice and still he lookt down to the ground And being asked why he so lookt down said He was looking to see whether their Treasure had any Root so that if it were spent it would grow again as his Masters had But howsoever it be of their Treasure certainly the Forces have scarce any Root Or at least such a Root as buddeth forth poorly slowly It is true they have the Wallons who are tall Souldiers but that is but a Spot of Ground But on the other side there is not in the world again such a Spring and Seminary of brave Militar People as in England Scotland Ireland and the United Provinces So as if Wars should mowe them down never so fast yet they may be suddenly supplyed and come up again For Money no doubt it is the principal Part of the Greatness of Spain For by that they maintain a Veterane Army And Spain is the onely State of Europe that is a Money grower But in this Part of all others is most to be considered the tick lish and brittle State of the Greatness of Spain Their Greatness consisteth in their Treasure their Treasure in their Indies And their Indies if it be well weighed are indeed but an Accession to such as are Masters by Sea So as this Axeltree whereupon their Greatness turneth is soon cut in two by any that shall be stronger than they by Sea Herein therefore I refer me to the Opinions of all Men Enemies or whomsoever whether that the Maritime Forces of Great Britain and the United Provinces be not able to beat the Spainard at Sea For if that be so the Links of that Chain whereby they hold their Greatness are dissolved Now if it be said that admit the Case of Spain be such as we have made it yet we ought to descend into our own Case which we shall finde perhaps not to be in State for Treasure to enter into a War with Spain To which I answer I know no such thing The Mint beateth well And the Pulses of the Peoples Hearts beat well But there is another Point that taketh away quite this Objection For whereas Wars are generally Causes of Poverty or Consumption on the contrary part the special Nature of this War with Spain if it be made by Sea is like to be a Lucrative and Restorative War So that if we go roundly on at the first the War in continuance will find it self And therefore you must make a great difference between Hercules Labors by Land and Jasons Voyage by Sea for the Golden Fleece For Confederates I will not take upon me the knowledge how the Princes States and Councels of Europe at this day stand affected towards Spain For that trencheth into the secret Occurents of the present Time wherewith in all this Treatise I have forborn to meddle But to speak of that which lieth open and in view I see much Matter of Quarrel and Jealousie but little of Amity and Trust towards Spain almost in all other Estates I see France is in competition with them for three noble Portions of their Monarchy Navarre Naples and Millain And now freshly in difference with them about the Valtoline I see once in 30 or 40 years cometh a Pope that casteth his eye upon the Kingdom of Naples to recover it to the Church As it was in the minds of Julius 2. Paulus 4. and Zistus 5. As for that great Body of Germany I see they have greater reason to confederate themselves with the Kings of France and Great Britain or Denmark for the