prouinces So that I conclude it were both folly and impietie for them to make any such peace or for vs to drawe them to it yea more folly in vs then euer was committed in any state For what will not the enemie be able to doe vpon vs when besides the forces he now hath he shall haue a countrey in his handes able to find him 60000. or 80000. souldiers 500. shippes of warre besides insinite numbers of transporting vessels and commodious Portes that are but a dayes sayling from the very heart of England But the low countries shall be giuen to the Infant shee marryed to the Archduke Albert and so that state deuided from the crowne of Spaine in a farte safer hand For the disuniting of them I answere the Infant is if the Prince of Spaine haue no children to be heire to her brother and her brother in like case to her and then are the states vnited the onely likelihood of their remayning seuered is if they both haue children and yet since none of that house doe marry farther of then cosen Germaines I see nâ—t why we shuld not suspect their coniunction by such a match But allowe them â—euered is not Albert sonne in lawe to the late king and brother in lawe to the presentâ— is he not to be backed by the force of Spaine and maintained by the purse of Spaineâ— will hee not serue the Spanish kings turne aswell to ioyne in warre against England as the Duke of Sauoy that marryed the other sister did in war against Fraunce Nay hath he not a suspected strengâ—â— of his owne by being brother to the present Emperor and in no vnlikely hope to bee Emperour himselfe hereafter 〈◊〉 Nay is not the Infant the person whose title to the croâ—â— of England Parsons so laboured to prooue Is not the lowe countries the rise by which hee must leape into England Is not such a peace as this in hande the meanes to assure her of all the Iowe Countries Is not the armie which is nowe vnder her newe husbande the force on which the enemie for his enterprize of England must set his rest yes yes this cohaerence is manifest and their designe clearely discouered And it is too plaine what is to be expected of our peace if we include the lowe countries Now let vs consider how good it may be if we abandon them I haue euer thought that such a peace might bee good for vs if they that perswade vnto it câ—â— prooue three thinges First that they of the lowe Countries will haue both will and strength to maintaine thâ— warre though we make peace and forsake them Secondly so we leaue them wee may haue good conditions 〈◊〉 our selues And thirdly that as our affaires nowe stand a neutralitie can be possible kept by vs while the vnited prouinces and the enemie are in warre In the will of 〈◊〉 Iowe Countries to continue warre and to refuse all conditions that the enemie shall offer I vnderstande the resolution and counsell of the gouernours of the state 〈◊〉 the conformitie of the people to such a resolution In tâ—â— strength I meane aswell the strength of the gouernours to force the people if they bee aduerse as the strength and sufficiencie of their meanes to endure so great and so sharpe a warre as will fall vppon them Of the chiefe gouernours resoluing there may be these doubtes that they shall be tempted by the enemies offers who if he can wil purchase the seuerally that he may reduce them vniuersally And that they shall be terrified with the danger of counsell for it soundes both harshly aforehand and is â—â—e to fal out vnsuccessinely at the first the enemie being so much maister of the fields as some place will be caried I know they doe pretend to be resolute one way and protest against giuing eare to treatie but that may be eyther to moue vs by example or to make vs to leaue pressing of them to a treatie or to seeme to hold out to the last that we may seeme rather to haue vndone them then they to vndoe themselues But if they vpon mature deliberation should chuse the continuance of the warres as the lesse of the two euils yet that they people will be like affected it is not probable for when a people that hath been long â—yted with the miserie of the war shall heare the pleasing name of peace when they that had two mightie Princes ioyned with them in a straight defensiue and offensiue league shall see themselues abandoned first by Fraunce and then by England when one the one side for the maintenance of the warres they shall haue newe and great contributions demaunded of them and one the other side they shall be offered all plausible conditions of peace nay when they shall see England by making peace get the trade of Spaine from them and they alone by standing out shall be barred of that Nauigation which hath made them so mightie in shipping and so encreased in wealth and riches what then the multitude is like to chuse is it not easie to iudge And if the people be not conformable of themselues how by the authoritie of the gouernours of the state which are called the generall states they may be forced I doe not see First because it is not an absoluteÌ„ and necessary but a limited and voluntarie obedience which they yeelde Secondly because the state hath not as the state of Rome had and the state of Venice hath one place that as the head doth commaund and direct all the partes of the body but is compounded of equal parts Zealand is as absolute as Holland Friseland as eyther of them yea not onely the least prouince but the least town holdes it selfe to haue a kinde of Soueraigntie and will haue as free a voyce as the greatest Thirdly because of the former manner of proceedinges which hath not byn to send commaundementes to binde but deputies to perswade not to resolue and conclude in the greatest causes in any one counsell or assembly but to sound and feele the disposition of euery prouince and so to winne them to like of that they haue deuised of And lâ—stly because that euen amongst themselues they are for the time generall states there is not like to be vnanimitie in opinion and then though they that dissent being sewe will not beare the enuie to stande in counsell against the greater parte yet it is easie for them when they come home to worke in the particular prouinces and townes such a distrust of that which shall be generally propounded to all as the resolution will sticke and the whole businesse bee ouerthrowne it being vnsafe for them to denie libertie of voyce to any such libertie being the true cause of their taking armes and standing out against the common enemie But admit both by the gouernours of state and people it were resolued that the low Countries alone should remaine in war how are their meanes or is their strength like to
liued a yeere till the opinion of the worlde obraided mee with more retirednesse then was fit for my yeares or the present time And to haue gone to trauell when my country sent out so great an armie had bin as much as to haue turned ouer bookes onely to gaze at the babies and pictures whilst others were studying the sence For to iustifie my going into Portugal I must plead these circumstances First of the person with whom I went A poor distressed exiled king whom I had herd of tentimes repeate the storie of his owne oppressions Secondly of the enemies against whom I went An insolent cruell and vsurping nation that disturbâ—d the common peace aspired to the conquest of my countrey and was a generall enemie to the libertie of Christendome Thirdly of the cause in which I went to deliuer the oppressed out of the handes of the oppressors and by giuing the Spaniard his handfull at home to free both mine owne countrey and our confederats from the feare and daunger of his attempts And lastly of the time in which I went A time when mine eyes full of disdaine had so lately seene their falsly called inuincible Armado saile by our shores when all the braue heartes of this kingdome boyled till they sawe that insolent enemie taught both to knowe himselfe and to value vs. And when my heart was perswaded by both these circumstances I engaged my meanes kinsfolkes friendes and followers else neither the aduenture had beene made vp nor the iourney perfourmed It being no allowed action of her Maiesties but a mere aduenture of priuate men And when I was so farre in I confesse I was not of their humour that loue to wager vpon other mens hances or sit at home like merchants whilst their hopes and goodes are ventured abroad For my going without charge or leaue I must auowe the one as out of counsell and excuse the other as by necessity I chose to goe without charge that I might bee free to execute the lesse I commanded not that I might not be obnoxious to the successe and because I had ouerthrowne the vioage If I had stood vpon the commission And I could take no second place hauing before the same time and in the same army had place aboue the generall But though I had no chardge yet I made my brother generall of the horse and my faithfull friend Syr Roger William s colonell generall of the infantry 7. or 8 of my fast friendes colonels and 20. at the least of my domestickes captaines so as I might haue authoritie and party enough when I would For my want of leaue I must plead necessitie her Maiestie hauing resolued to sende none of my qualitie and many at home shewing enuie inough to those poore gent that were named which made me foresee with what successe I should haue sued for leaue For my conducting her Maiesties forces to the French King in 92. I must alledge that the sending of the succours was resolued on before my name was in question And if I had not offered myselfe to the iourney some other noble man that neuer had place in the warres might as the phrase is in the common law haue beene promoted pâ—â— Salium and so I that neuer had her Maiesties commission to commaunde in chiefe should haue seene my puisâ—â—â— leape ouer my head Also I felt that my fortune had bred mee enuie and that enuie procured mee strong and dangerous opposition and this opposition would not be ouer-caryed but by her Maiesties great fauour and that the greatnesse of her Maiesties fauour must growe out of the greatnesse of her seruantes merite and I sawe no way of merite lie so open to me as by my seruice in the warres the times themselues and my owne beginning fitting vnto it and at that time none of my countrey of my rancke disposing himselfe that way If besides all this it be conâ—idered that I went to a king who for his admirable valour and often fighting with his owne handes was not onely the most famous king but also the most redoubted Captaine of all Christendome That the inteâ—ded seruice was to free the maritine partes of Normandy from the handes of the league or power of the Spaniard that therby the common enemie should finde lesse succour or fauour in these Seas If these thinges be well considered I doubt not but my French iourney will be thought sufficiently iustified But perhaps in these actions wherein either I had no charge at all or was commaunded by others or offered myselfe to the seruice when the imploiment was before resolued on I hauing no parte or interest in that counsell my Apologie will be the better allowed of then in my two last Sea iourneyes wherein I am charged to bee the authour of the counsell aswell as the executor of the seruice wherefore first for the first For the counsell of going into Spaine I protest I had no more parte in that then my L. Treasurer my L. Admirall and master Secretary who were all priuie from the beginning and did assent and aduice to the iourney as much as I did her Maiestie did first moue for the defensiue vppon intelligence that the king of Spaine did both purpose and prepare to assaile her finding that she did strengthen the low countries and fortisie against him molested him in his Indies choaked him by Sea So that his counsell resolued that to be the shortest and easiest way to all his ends to begin with England And when her Maiestie was armed and able to take the starte it was thought both a wise and safe counsell not to lease so great and so faire an opportunitie For the proiect of going to Cadz I haue euer confessed it was my Lord Admirals my colleagues If any man will single me out to chardge me alone with any thing it must needs be that whè all the charg of preparation was past the armie leauied marching to the Randeuous and the low countrey fleete that was to ioine with vs in the way that then I was as constant in the iourney as I had bin all the while before when I might haue sold the honour of my Soueraigne the securitie of my countrey the contentment of our confederates the hopes and almost whole fortunes of hundreds of my friendes that I had drawne into that iourney for some priuate gaine vnto myselfe If any man will vse so base a speach as that wee offended the kinge of Spaine so deepely in that iourney as that he is nowe implacable and further from peace I answere vana sine viribus ira wee brought away and burnt his shipping and destroyed his Sea prouisionâ— yea we put him to such chardge and losse as he shorteâ—â— after played banckrupte with all his creditours Let mee euer see his strength decrease though his malice increase â—ather then beleeue in his faith and good nature when his strength is great If any man will on the other side obiect that though â—e had good
concluded this shewes that he meaneth to treate But remember howe heretofore the Spanish kings Lieuetenant and other ministers haue pretended commission when they had none yea haue drawne vs to treatie before they had there power from Spaine to conclude Remember also howe that king hath sent a commission from Spaine to bee openly shewed that treatie might be entertained when it is notorious to the world he neuer meant to conclude any peace witnesse of all this the Duke of Parma his want of commission when by his letters he drew my Lord of Darbie Cobham and other commissioners to the treatie of Berborch And afterwardes that comming of a commission when their great Nauie did presently appeare vpon our coastes for the conquest of England But doe they offer to treate and meane no peace What is then their meaning If you will haue me to interprete I will tell you Their first maine attempt against England was in 88. from that time to this present is full tenne yeares the iust time of the siege of Troy Anâ— now they see open force cannot preuaile they in shewe retire and giue ouer armes but they haue prepared a Sinons horse which cannot enter if we â—ast not downe our walles But because we are thought more credulous then the Troâ—an were the bare letter of a base beggerly traiterous fugitiue assuring vs that good faith is meant is the vttermost stratagem they vse to deceiue vs with but though some beleeue it yet I say Timeâ— Danâ—â—s dona serentes If they appeale from my expositioÌ„ let their actions expound themselues will they charge vs at Berborch with fayling to agree to peace or wil they haue vs to allow that the Duke of Medina came with that huge fleete and armie onely to be witnesse to the contract Oâ— if they had rather their owne woâ—ds should expound their meaning then their actions Here Emanuell Lewes the Portugal that brought Lopuâ— and Stephano Ferrara assurance of the 50000. Crownes to be paid so soone as their diuelish conspiracy against the life of our precious soueraigne should tâ—ke effect heare him I say who at his arraignement in Guild hall London coÌ„fessed at the bar that in their Cipher and Targon when they wrote of peace they intended the murther and death of her Maiestie Or if the peace must not be condemned to be insidious but vnder two witnesses here also Anthonie Rowles nowe prisoner in the tower of London who comming hither out of Spainâ— with a pretence of making a nouerture of peace and for better colour bringing letters to her Maiestie to your self and me from Teswell the Iesuite to that end confessed vpon his examination taken by maister Secretarie and my selfe that his true etrand giuen him by some of the king of Spaines chiefest ministers was to discouer the state of our preparations to assure the Papistes of England that they might shortly expect their deliuerance to win some counsellors about her Maiestie or noblemen in this kingdome to fauour their case and to offer me from the Spanish king what euer portion or summe of money I would desire so as I would be wonne to take their part Nowe iudge worthy maister Bacon out of the clearenesse of your owne iudgement how I should vnderstand their offer and speach of peace and thinke â—ut of the worthineâ— of your owne heart what peace my heart could take with them that haue attempted to conquer my countrey practized to murder my Soueraigne and sought out me aâ— a fitte man to be tempted to betray both my Queene and countrey But if God had not put me backe and arrested by contrary winds this last sommer I should haue taught that proud king what effect his offers had wrought in me And that the longer the will of God and my Soueraigne doe restraine me with the greater interest I hope to pay him in the ende But our peacemakers may alleadge that times are chaunged and with the times the humours of princes and affaires do commonly chaunge So although heretofore their were no trust to be giuen to the enemies word or faire shewes yet now his humour or the consideration of his owne affaires may dispose him to make peace For my part erel can beleeue that he is of a peace able humour I must know how his ambitious and reuengfull humours are satisfied and quenched Satisfied they cannot be for he hath receiued ouerthrowe in encounters ill successe in all attemptes and losse and scorne in all the warre hâ— hath had with our Maiestie Quenched they are not like to be for if apprehension of death would haue quenched them he would not the last yeare when he came newly out of that traunce which was thought would had been his dead sound had asked the first worde that he spake whether the Adelaniado were gone for England Or if remorse of conscience would haue quenched them he would not in his deuotions being at masse haue vowed to be reuenged on England though he sould all the candlestickes vpon the altar before him Of the first of these speaches my selfe and some of my fellow commissioners haue seene very credible aduertisement out of Spaine And the second was deliuered both to you and to me by the mouth of a principall Iesulte newly come out of Spaine But we may well conclude that his humour is not like to be chaunged for he will neuer thinke he hath sufficient parte of the earth till his mouth â—e full of earth And some of his ghostly fathers the Iesuites will as well perswade that the inuasion of other princes kingdomes is a worke of pietie as they doe teach desperate conspirators that to murder princes is the way to heauen And if he should die to morrow his sonnes bloud is hotter and his humour of ambition is like to be greater he hath bin breede in domo Regnatriâ—i and his minde shewes to be already swollen veteri atque insita Austriacae samiliae superbia So as in their peaceable humours there being no hope let vs see what is the present state of their affaites Princes and states when they do enter into consideration of their owne affaires may dispose themselues to peace for vtilitie conueniencie or necessitie For vtilitie if they can get aduautage For conueniencie if peace be sittest to conserue them in the state they are For necessitie when they haue no longer meanes to make warre That it is like the king of Spaine will make peace with vs because he shall get aduantage our peacemakers will not agree and if they doe it is their owne fault if we fall into the pitte which they shew vs so plainely That he should not be inclined to peace with England for conueniencie if neither aduantage intice him nor necessiue inforce him I reason thus All states doe stand as much by reputation aâ— by strength especially where there dominions are deuided farre and where a fewe of one nation giue the law to great multitudes of many Now let the Indies the