which treacherous overthrow of these two noble Captains by don Consolis de Cordua called the great Captain Commander of the Spaniards in these parts they wrested from the French most of the places in Italy which they keep untill this day And therefore howsoever other men be opinionated of the Spanish faith and fidelity with your Majesty and State yet for my part I will think of them and their promises as a Noble man of Athens thought of a certain Oratour Your words quoth he my friends are like the Cypresse which although great and high bear no fruit And truely as they are Spaniards I cannot well blame them for they well know that the Crown of Spain is at stake and all the Indies and his other Signiories and therfore will not fail to put in practise all tricks that may win the game though it be by foule play For if he haue not peace with England at this time it is not unknown unto him that the foundation of his Monarchy will be shaken in peeces And we cannot but see this and yet will take no advantage therof wherby we may secure our selues both for present and future times we may be compared to the Athenians of whom I haue spoken before who by Titus Livius report were men who knew what to doe but would not doe it which is a fault so ominous to all states that it not onely presenteth it selfe against but likewise followeth disasters and ruin to the Common-wealth that refuseth For opportunitie doth not attend upon Captaines and Councellours pleasures but sheweth it selfe on a suddain and if not imbraced passeth away without returning And therfore the advantages that one State that are enemies hath of another happen so seldom to the Globes as Saturn finisheth his course but in 30 yeares But our enemy is free and I speak it to his honour from this base and earthly resolution for it is reported of them by this speciall vertue they haue raysed their state to so high a pitch which is that no people can readier finde the occasion or sooner take or resolue it when it is offered And doubtlesse to say the truth I am much more fearfull of the Spanish proceedings for that he goeth by precedent which is an excellent kind of discipline as well in Martiall as civill actions especially when the action is grounded upon a sure foundation And as all Kings and Captaines which desire to attain to great things doe imitate some one Prince or Generall that hath preceded them so doubtless haue the Kings of Spain for these many yeares imitated in all their actions as neer as the time and States with whom they haue contended would giue them leaue that noble valiant and politick Captain Phillip of Macedon who indeed laid the foundation of his sons Monarchy and this was his Maxime That where force could not prevail he alwaies used bribes and mony to corrupt the principall of the inhabitants Insomuch that at a certain time at the assault of a Citie which to a Captain of his seemed impregnable and therfore thought to divert his purpose in the besieging therof Then art a fool quoth he for I will haue this great Citie notwithstanding the walles and ramparts if the Gates be so big that an Asse laden with gold can but enter And questionless if your Majestie would but search into the Spaniards proceedings since he had the Indies you should acquaint your selfe with many such presidents of their part to be a warning to you to look at this time advisedly to your own safety lest you fall into the like misfortunes And although I could alledge many which for brevities sake I omit yet I will recite one lest it should be thought I knew none which is viz. When Ferdinand of Aragon saw by the sword he could not get the country of Rowsâ—â—ton and Perpignan out of the hands of Charles the French King which as they say had been ingaged to Lewis the 11 he fell to practise with them of Religion wherfore he corrupted with a great summe of mony one Oliver Maillandor as some say Iohn de Madron a Franciscan Frier Confessor to the Lady Brawnen the Kings sister who under the root of Religion cloaking his hypocrysie and coveteousnesse perswaded this simple Lady that unlesse restitution was made of those Territories to the King of Spain his government could not prosper nor please God she being moved in conscience with this Friers perswasions brake this matter to Lewis of Amboise Bishop of S. Albie the Kings Schoolemaster who together with her so terrified the Kings conscience that hee not onely made restitution of the said Territories by the said Bishop but likewise freely released to the King of Spaine the said Ferdinand all the mony that Lewis his father had paid for them Marry with condition that the said King and his Successors should ever loue and honour the King of France that he should make no warres against it nor aide with mony victuals nor counsell any enemies therof nor permit them to haue passage through their Dominions And thus were the countries restored to the Frenchmens griefe But the French King misreckoned himselfe in the Spanish fidelity for having occasion to warre in Italy shortly after he was no sooner past the Mountains but the King of Spaine forgat all his kindness and began to practise a leagu with his enemies So as I inferre mighty Prince that either by shew of Religion or subtle and sophisticall Arguments or in desire you haue to trust some about you on whose shoulders ever in regard of your opinion of their wisedomes and fidelities you cast your selfe and your care of your estate in all or either of these you are like without the more grace of God to receiue disadvantage in this your peace-making and yet perhaps no fault in them For it seemes to me wonderfull that the truth of things being one yet may falshood be so apparelled with the habits of likelihood and truth as changing countenance it is often retained in stead therof As for as much as upon this Treatie now in hand not onely dependeth your own happiness the happiness of your noble Issue States Kingdoms Subjects or whatsoever else is deer unto you but likewise the happiness or unhappiness of all the Princes of Europe So most gracious Lord in respect of these great and mighty dependances as well in regard of your own particular as generall good of the Christian Common-wealth which so long hath groaned under the fear of the Spanish greatness digest and distinguish every particular and in a point in your own person without trusting of any man with a matter of great importance which although it will be very intricate by the diversitie of so many things as will offer themselues to be considered yet renoumed Soveraign it will be very profitable to your Highness and most acceptable and pleasing to the people when they shall hear and see the great care the King hath of them and their
is necessary for the warres yet say I all this is nothing when the quality and condition is wanting which giveth form and essence to all enterprises which is mony which the Kingdom of England no lesse through the scarcity of Revenues as by the charge of ordinary expences is brought unto which they shall never be able to recover by their Trades and Commerce if the use of the sea be taken from them and therfore will never be able to supply expence of a defensiue Army Royall when it hath scarcely enough to supply their own necessaries especially against so great and magnificent a Prince as your most Catholike Majestie who embraceth within the circuits of your Dominions the whole Diamemeter of the earthly Globe and possesseth more land at this day then all the Monarchs and Republiques of the world haue A most opulent Prince in Armes Men Mony Souldiers Captains Shippes Victuals and all other provision of warre and a Prince who like a Moderator or Arbitrator seemeth to hold in his hands the bridle of Empire both of the sea and land And wheras it may be objected that the Gallies which doe you no service in that expedition being vessels of great consequence in battels by sea your enterprise of Portugal and of the Iland if it did not quite remoue it yet did it much abate the superstitious credulity of ours that those Vessels are not good at any time to passe the Ocean withall as if there were no faire wether in that sea in the Summer or that fair weather were abortiue in shipping there is no doubt but that Gallies may securely passe and hazard themselues in that Sea in the Summe for three moneths And those that will object the contrary by the overthrow of the Sea there let them be contented to obserue well that the same Anchor met not with no inward but outward occasion in the sea of that overthrow For Caesar ignorantly could not discern the time of the Moon which was then in the full and being mistaken by reason of her 100 much humidity doth use to disturb not onely the Ocean but all the coasts and the dominion shee holdeth of the salt waters And therfore in respect of the great honesty and equity accompanying the cause with it so honourable and godly life as the planting the Christian faith and religion no obstacle can be sufficient to stay the force of divine power serving under the standerd of Christ and therfore most weake and but a shadow shall all humane helpe bee which shall oppose it selfe against the will of the great Arbitrator But such are the pretentions of your Majestie over this Kingdom and such the obligations wherin you stand bound for the recovery of your own the title of Grandfather and Predecessours of famous memorie as there is no enterprise so peculiar and proper for you to undertake as this for that you goe not onely to possesse your selfe of the right which you haue to this Kingdome but likewise to make your selfe the most famous King that ever was in the memory of all the Princes of the world adding by this meanes unto the Crowne of Spaine a Kingdom so illustrious so mightie and so famous By the relation of this Spanish project against this State of England most Illustrious Prince may well appeare unto your Highnesse that the Spaniard himselfe well knows that there is no way for the expectation of his further Greatness no great possession of the high Monarchy which he himselfe alledgeth that he already enjoyeth but the conquering of this I le and adding it to the Crown of Spain and therfore if he had any other meanes to attain to this by him so violently longed for then by a peace why should not your Majestie thinke that the peace hee meanes to make with you at this time is for that purpose and for no other intent And therfore my good Lord I cannot as one standing upon the firme land gaze upon the shipwrack of my Countrie being so doubtfully tossed and floting in the dangerous sea of dissention betwixt peace and warre with one that will make a peace with you for no other end and purpose but that hee may bee the better able to make warre heerafter against you But to cast out the last anchor hold of my selfe which is boldness and freeness of speech to you my most renouned Soveraign to prevent if I can these extreme and certain dangers wherein both your Selfe your States and glory of the English and Scottish names are likely to be plunged when the Spaniards ability shall be such as there shall bee no let but his good nature to insult over you which howsoever your Highness or others think contrary will in foure or fiue yeares if he enjoy his Indies be brought to passe Surely my gracious Soveraign I am of opinion against Phillip of Spain in the behalfe of my Countrie as that noble Common-wealths man Demosthenes against Phillip of Macedon in behalfe of the Athenians which no doubt hath much affinity with our case at this time For Phillip seeing whilst he had warre with Athens at which he principally aimed hee could never overcome the other Provinces of Thebeans Lacedemonians Thessaliars Phocians O intans and the rest and till they were overcome he could never get Athens began to take another course which was to bribe with mony and gifts Councellours or Orators of that State to be of his side and by that means to be secure from the forces of that Republique or Commonwealth till he had by one and one overcome the rest But good Demosthenes perceived him by and by and warned the Thebeans of that Treason but these traitors of Phillips Faction being grown great in the Citie by meanes of the bounty they had daily received for rewards of their treason as also the Athenians were then as we are now not willing to hear of any warres or change to be brought against them which alwaies these Traitors joyn with the multitude in assuring them that Phillip of Macedon meant them no harm was the onely cause that all the other Provinces aforenamed were overcome but also the noble and stately Citie by him and Antèpator his successour And therfore since that like examples whilst the world doth last will bring forth like effects I will be of Demosthenes minde if since we cannot shunne the warres with Spain either at this time or hereafter when he hath made himselfe more strong either by the conquest of his neighbours or otherwise that you should begin with him whilst you haue the advantage of him and then you shall by proofe finde how profitable it will be unto you when you must needs doe a thing to doe it with a courage and cheerfulness And forasmuch as there is no man of another minde but that we shall haue the King of Spaine by so much more our mighty enemy the greater Princes suffer him to be Oh why be we so backward or why linger you oh noble King the
conclude I will inferre some of the Reasons that perswade to the undertaking of his design the policy of Spain hath troden more bloudie steps then any State of Christendome look into his Treaties and his Negotiations of his Ministers abroad you shall finde as much falshood in them as bloud in the other He never paid debt so truely as those he imposed in corrupting of the Ministers of other Princes He holds league with none but to haue neerer accesse to doe him harme a Match in kindred shall not hinder it when he apprehends his advantage He disturbes all Christendom with his Alarums and Armadoes yearly and yet doth lesse hurt to Infidels and Pirats then any unlesse it be to get wherwithall to arm himselfe the better against other Christian Princes and he hath an ambition to the whole Empire of Christendome These are motiues wherin all Christian Princes are interessed so as with reason they cannot oppose the designe nor will I thinke the most of them he hath brought himselfe into such an hatred with them Let us between his Majestie and the Vnited Provinces consider how the particular causes of both Nations doe importunate us both to the undertaking thereof Who hath been so thirsty of our bloud as Spain And who hath spilled so much as he Who hath been so long our enemy And who hath corrupted so many of our Nation as Spain And that all with the help of gold which by reason of the neglect of this Designe he doth still enjoy tempting our weak ones and our false ones withall Would you finde a Traitor on a suddain Balaams Asse will tell you where at the Spanish Embassadours dore And when when they come from Masse and otherwise When to when they Match with us For his malice is so great he cannot hide nor will God I hope suffer it Yet let us examine in reason now if we be so charitable as to forget what is past whether we may promise our selues assurance of his amity for the time to come or not Because peace with a true neighbour is a condition to be embraced nothing more certain then the contrary We cannot promise it his ambition to the Empire so long as he holds the Indies shall never die The Vnited Provinces is an Object which though he hath an eye to yet he likes not What other thing so ever we communicate with him in we shall never be assured of him such is the nature of his Religion so long as we differ in matter of faith he knowes verie well the perill he stands in if hee be attempted by his Majestie and the Vnited Provinces Consider what suggestions these are to keep him thinking upon and imagine then what his own part will prompt him to doe vvhen he sees a time for it He then to the end hurts that hee may not be prevented by the Enterprise Now of the fitnesse and honour of it to be in that undertaking of his Majestie who is the greatest Ilander in Christendome and therfore a Navie most proper to him He is a Defender of the Faith as well in understanding learning and godlinesse as in title therefore in the planting of the true Church there is a sacred work that even by office as it were belongs unto him He is of a great liberall minde the Indies will affoord him meanes to exercise it These Considerations and the great multitude of his subjects doe seem to invite him and in every part considerable in the Designe we may finde something to perswade us that it seems to be a kind of offer both in Religion Policy and Nature preferred unto his Majestie as the Prince for maintaining of it FINIS