46*2 THE FELICITIES OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. 



of war, and unwillingly bowing to peace) any impe 

 diment to her, but that she enjoyed and maintained 

 peace all her days : and this desire in her of peace, 

 together with her fortunate accomplishment thereof, 

 I reckon to be one of her chiefest praises. For this 

 was happy for her times, comely for her sex, and 

 comfortable to her conscience. Indeed, about the 

 tenth year of her reign, there was an offer of a com 

 motion in the northern parts, but it was soon laid 

 asleep and extinguished; but all her reign beside 

 was free from the least breath or air of civil broils. 

 Now I judge the peace maintained by her to be the 

 more eminent for two causes, which indeed make 

 nothing for the merit of that peace, but much for 

 the honour : the one, that it was set off, and made 

 more conspicuous by the broils and dissentions of 

 neighbouring nations, as it were by so many lights 

 and torches : the other, that amidst the benefits of 

 peace she lost not the honour of arms ; insomuch, 

 that the reputation of the English arms was not only 

 preserved, but also advanced by her upon many 

 glorious occasions. For the succours sent into the 

 Netherlands, France, and Scotland, the expeditions 

 by sea into both the Indies, whereof some circled 

 the whole globe of the earth ; the fleets sent into 

 Portugal, and to annoy the coasts of Spain : and 

 lastly, the often suppressions and overthrows of the 

 rebels in Ireland, did both shew the warlike prowess 

 of our nation to be no whit diminished, and did 

 much increase the renown of the queen. 



There was another thing that did greatly ad- 



