ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1589. 



seas, and which would harbour a greater Fleete agaynst 

 us, then the Spaniard shall need to annoy us withall, who 

 being now distressed by our common enemie, I thinke it 

 [II. ii. 152.] most expedient for our safetie to defend them, and if it 

 may be, to give them a reentrie into that they have of 

 late yeeres lost unto him. The one without doubt her 

 majestie may do without difficultie, and in so honorable 

 sort as he shal never be able to dispossesse her or them 

 of any the townes they now hold. But if any man thinke 

 that the Spaniard may be expelled from thence more 

 speedily or conveniently by keeping an armie there, then 

 by sending one against him into his owne countrey : let 

 him foresee of how many men and continuall supplies 

 that armie must consist, and what intollerable expenses 

 it requireth. And let him thinke by the example of the 

 duke of Alva, when the prince of Orenge had his great 

 armie agaynst him ; and of Don Juan, when the States 

 had their mightie assembly against him, how this wise 

 enemie, with whom we are to deale, may but by pro- 

 ' longing to fight with us, leave us occasions enough for 

 our armie within few moneths to mutine and breake ; or 

 by keeping him in his townes leave us a spoyled field : 

 where though our provision may bee such of our owne 

 as we starve not, yet is our weaknesse in any strange 

 countrey such, as with sicknes and miserie we shall be 

 dissolved. And let him not forget what a continual 

 burthen we hereby lay upon us, in that to repossesse 

 those countreys which have been lately lost, wil be a 

 warre of longer continuance then we shall be able to 

 endure. 



In the very action whereof, what should hinder the 

 king of Spaine to bring his forces home unto us ? For 

 it is certaine he hath long since set downe in councell, 

 that there is no way for him wholy to recover those Low 

 countries, but by bringing the warre upon England it 

 selfe, which hath alwayes assisted them against him : and 

 that being determined, and whereunto he hath bene 

 vehemently urged by the last yeeres losse he sustained 



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