256 OF A WAR WITH SPAIN. 



be, no man will doubt, tbat a defensive war against 

 a foreigner for religion is lawful. Of an offensive 

 war tbere is more dispute. And yet in that instance 

 of the war for the Holy Land and sepulchre, I do 

 wonder sometimes, that the schoolmen want words 

 to defend that, which S. Bernard wanted words to 

 commend. But I, that in this little extract of a 

 treatise do omit things necessary, am not to handle 

 things unnecessary. No man, I say, will doubt, but 

 if the pope, or king of Spain, would demand of us 

 to forsake our religion upon pain of a war, it were 

 as unjust a demand, as the Persians made to the 

 Grecians of land and water ; or the Ammonites to 

 the Israelites of their right eyes. And we see all 

 the heathen did style their defensive wars, &quot; pro aris 

 &quot; et focis ;&quot; placing their altars before their hearths. 

 So that it is in vain of this to speak farther. Only this 

 is true ; that the fear of the subversion of our religion 

 from Spain is the more just, for that all other catholic 

 princes and states content and contain themselves 

 to maintain their religion within their own dominions, 

 and meddle not with the subjects of other states ; 

 whereas the practice of Spain hath been, both in 

 Charles the fifth s time, and in the time of the 

 league in France, by war ; and now with us, by con 

 ditions of treaty, to intermeddle with foreign states, 

 and to declare themselves protectors general of the 

 party of catholics, through the world. As if the 

 crown of Spain had a little of this, that they would 

 plant the pope s laws by arms, as the Ottomans do 

 the law of Mahomet. Thus much concerning the 



