OF A WAR WITH SPAIN. 255 



ticulars,by reconcilements, and confessions, and secret 

 promises, and cared not for any head of party. And 

 this was the true reason, why after that the semina 

 ries began to blossom, and to make missions into 

 England, which was about the three and twentieth 

 year of queen Elizabeth, at what time also was the 

 first suspicion of the Spanish invasion, then, and not 

 before, grew the sharp and severe laws to be made 

 against the papists. And therefore the papists may 

 do well to change their thanks ; and whereas they 

 thank Spain for their favours, to thank them for 

 their perils and miseries if they should fall upon them : 

 for that nothing ever made their case so ill as the 

 doubt of the greatness of Spain, which adding reason 

 of state to matter of conscience and religion, did 

 whet the laws against them. And this case also 

 seemeth, in some sort, to return again at this time ; 

 except the clemency of his majesty, and the state, do 

 superabound ; as, for my part, I do wish it should ; 

 and that the proceedings towards them may rather 

 tend to security, and providence, and point of state, 

 than to persecution for religion. But to conclude ; 

 these things, briefly touched, may serve as in a 

 subject conjectural and future, for to represent how 

 just cause of fear this kingdom may have towards 

 Spain : omitting, as I said before, all present and 

 more secret occurrences. 



The third ground of a war with Spain, I have set 

 down to be, a just fear of the subversion of our 

 Church and religion : which needeth little speech. 

 For if this war be a defensive, as I have proved it to 



