208 A REPORT OF THE SPANISH GRIEVANCES. 



dies upon no great ground. Whereof, towards the 

 end of his speech he brought an instance of one 

 trading into the Levant, that complained of an arrest 

 of his ship, and possessed the council-table with the 

 same complaint in a vehement and bitter fashion ; 

 desiring and pressing some present and expostula- 

 tory letters touching the same. Whereupon some 

 counsellors, well acquainted with the like heats, and 

 forwardness in complaints, happened to say to him 

 out of conjecture, and not out of any intelligence, 

 &amp;lt;: What will you say if your ship, which you com- 

 &quot; plain to be under arrest, be now under sail in 

 &quot; way homewards ?&quot; Which fell out accordingly : 

 the same person confessing, six days after, to the 

 lords, that she was indeed in her way homewards. 



The third general observation which his lordship 

 made was this, in effect ; that although he granted 

 that the wealth and welfare of the merchant was not 

 without a sympathy with the general stock and state 

 of a nation, especially an island ; yet nevertheless, it 

 was a thing too familiar with the merchant, to make 

 the case of his particular profit, the public case of 

 the kingdom. 



There follow the particular observations, which 

 have a reference and application to the merchants 

 that trade to Spain and the Levant ; wherein his 

 lordship did first honourably and tenderly acknow 

 ledge, that their grievances were great, that they 

 did multiply, and that they do deserve compassion 

 and help ; but yet nevertheless, that he must use 

 that loving plainness to them as to tell them that 



