422 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Philip the Second ; there remained but this third 

 and last union, for the counterpoising of the power 

 of these three great monarchies ; and the disposing 

 of the affairs of Europe thereby to a more assured 

 and universal peace and concord. And this event 

 did hold men s observations and discourses the more, 

 because the island of Great Britain, divided from the 

 rest of the world, was never before united in itself 

 under one king, notwithstanding also that the 

 uniting of them had been in former times indus 

 triously attempted both by war and treaty. There 

 fore it seemed a manifest work of providence, and a 

 case of reservation for these times ; insomuch that 

 the vulgar conceived that now there was an end 

 given, and a consummation to superstitious prophe 

 cies, the belief of fools, but the talk sometimes of 

 wise men, and to an ancient tacit expectation, which 

 had by tradition been infused and inveterated into 

 men s minds. But as the best divinations and pre 

 dictions are the politic and probable foresight and 

 conjectures of wise men, so in this matter the provi 

 dence of King Henry the Seventh was in all men s 

 mouths ; who being one of the deepest and most 

 prudent princes of the world, upon the deliberation 

 concerning the marriage of his eldest daughter into 

 Scotland, had, by some speech uttered by him, 

 shewed himself sensible and almost prescient of 

 this event. 



Neither did there want a concurrence of divers 

 rare external circumstances, besides the virtues and 

 condition of the person, which gave great reputation 



