ad: THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1589. 



Notwithstanding the vehement perswasions you used with 

 me to the contrary, the grounds whereof sithence you 

 received them from others, you must give me leave to 

 acquaint you with the error you were led into by them, 

 who labouring to bring the world into an opinion that 

 it stood more with the safetie of our estate to bend all 

 our forces against the prince of Parma, then to folow this 

 action by looking into the true effects of this journey, 

 will judicially convince themselves of mistaking the 

 matter. For, may the conquest of these countries 

 against the prince of Parma be thought more easie for 

 us alone now, then the defence of them was 1 1 yeeres 

 agoe, with the men and money of the Queene of 

 England ? the power of the Monsieur of France ? the 

 assistance of the principal states of Germanie ? and the 

 nobilitie of their owne country ? Could not an armie 

 of more then 20000 horse, & almost 30000 foot, beat 

 Don John de Austria out of the countrey, who was 

 possessed of a very few frontier townes ? & shall it now 

 be laid upon her majesties shoulders to remoove so 

 mightie an enemie, who hath left us but 3 whole parts 

 of 17 unconquered ? It is not a journey of a few 

 moneths, nor an auxiliarie warre of few yeeres that can 

 damnifie the king of Spaine in those places where we shall 

 meet at every 8 or 10 miles end with a towne, which will 

 cost more the winning then will yeerely pay 4 or 5 

 thousand mens wages, where all the countrey is quartered 

 by rivers which have no passage unfortified, and where 

 [II. ii. 135.] most of the best souldiers of Christendom that be on our 

 adverse party be in pension. But our armie, which hath 

 not cost her majestie much above the third part of one 

 yeres expenses in the Low countries, hath already spoiled 

 a great part of the provision he had made at the Groine 

 of all sortes, for a new voyage into England ; burnt 

 3 of his ships, wherof one was ye second in the last 

 yeres expedition called S. Juan de Colorado, taken from 

 him above 1 50 pieces of good artillerie ; cut off more 

 then 60 hulks and 20 French ships wel manned fit and 



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