THE LAST FIGHT OF THE REVENGE' a.d. 



1591. 



lated into English and many other languages, intituled 



The Spanish cruelties. Who would therefore repose 



trust in such a nation of ravenous strangers, and especially 



in those Spaniards which more greedily thirst after 



English blood, then after the lives of any other people of [II. ii. 175.] 



Europe, for the many overthrowes and dishonours they 



have received at our hands, whose weakenesse wee have 



discovered to the world, and whose forces at home, 



abroad, in Europe, in India, by sea and land, wee have 



even with handfulles of men and shippes, overthrowen 



and dishonoured. Let not therefore any English man, of 



what religion soever, have other opinion of the Spaniards, 



but that those whom hee seeketh to winne of our Nation, 



he esteemeth base and trayterous, unworthy persons, or 



unconstant fooles : and that he useth his pretence of 



religion, for no other purpose but to bewitch us from 



the obedience of our naturall Prince, thereby hoping in 



time to bring us to slavery and subjection, and then none 



shall be unto them so odious, and disdayned as the 



traitours themselves, who have solde their Countrey to 



a stranger, and forsaken their faith and obedience con- 



trarie to nature & religion ; and contrarie to that humane 



and generall honour, not onely of Christians, but of 



heathen and irreligious nations, who have alwayes sus- 



tayned what labour soever, and embraced even death 



it selfe, for their countrey, Prince, or common-wealth. 



To conclude, it hath ever to this day pleased God to 



prosper and defend her Majestie, to breake the purposes 



of malicious enemies, of forsworne traytors, and of injust 



practises and invasions. She hath ever beene honoured 



of the worthiest kings, served by faithfull subjects, and 



shall by the favour of God, resist, repell, and confound 



all whatsoever attempts against her sacred person or 



kingdome. In the meane time let the Spaniard and 



traytour vaunt of their successe, and wee her true and 



obedient vassals, guided by the shining light of her 



vertues, shall alwayes love her, serve her, and obey her 



to the end of our lives. 



53 



