a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1589. 



honest serving men, by perswading them to the warres 

 when I see the profession thereof so slenderly esteemed ? 

 For though all our hope of peace be frustrate, and our 

 quarels determinable by the sword : though our enemy 

 hath by his owne forces and his pensionaries industry, 

 confined the united Provinces into a narow roume, & 

 almost disunited the same : if he be now in a good way 

 to harbor himselfe in the principall havens of France, 

 from whence he may front us at pleasure: yea though 

 we are to hope for nothing but a bloodie warre, nor 

 can trust to any helpe but Armes ; yet how far the 

 common sort are from reverencing or regarding any 

 persons of conduction, was too apparant in the returne 

 of this our journey, wherein the base and common 

 souldier hath bene tollerated to speake against the Cap- 

 taine, and the souldier and Captaine against the Generals, 

 and wherein mechanicall and men of base condicion doe 

 dare to censure the doings of them, of whose acts they 

 be not woorthy to talke. 



The ancient grave degree of the Prelacie is upheld, 

 though Martin raile never so much, & the Lawyer is 

 after the old maner worshipped, whosoever inveigh 

 against him. But the ancient English honour is taken 

 from our men of war, & their profession in disgrace, 

 though never so necessary. Either we commit idolatry 

 to Neptune, and will put him alone stil to fight for us 

 as he did the last yeere, or we be inchanted with some 

 divelish opinions, that travell nothing more then to 

 diminish the reputation of them, upon whose shoulders 

 the burden of our defence against the enemie must lie 

 when occasion shall be offred. For whensoever he shall 

 set foote upon our land, it is neither the preaching of 

 the Clergie that can turne him out againe, nor the 

 pleading of any Lawyers that can remoove him out of 

 possession : no, then they will honour them whom now 

 they thinke not on, and then must those men stand 

 betweene them and their perils, who are now thought un- 

 woorthy of any estimation. 



524 



