OF A WAR WITH SPAIN. 28 1 



from Isburg, and, as if it had been in a mask, by 

 torchlight, and to quit every foot in Germany round 

 that he had gotten ; which, I doubt not, will be the 

 hereditary issue of this lae purchase of the Pala 

 tinate. And so I conclude the ground that I have 

 to think that Spain will be no overmatch to Great 

 Britain, if his majesty should enter into a war, out 

 of experience, and records of time. 



For grounds of reason, they are many ; I will 

 extract the principal, and open them briefly, and, as 

 it were, in the bud. For situation, I pass it over ; 

 though it be no small point : England, Scotland, 

 Ireland, and our good confederates the United Pro 

 vinces, lie all in a plump together, not accessible 

 but by sea, or at least by passing of great rivers, 

 which are natural fortifications. As for the domi 

 nions of Spain, they are so scattered, as it yieldeth 

 great choice of the scenes of the war, and promiseth 

 slow succours unto such part as shall be attempted. 

 There be three main parts of military puissance, 

 men, money, and confederates. For men, there 

 are to be considered valour and number. Of 

 valour I speak not ; take it from the witnesses that 

 have been produced before : yet the old observation 

 is not untrue, that the Spaniard s valour lieth in the 

 eye of the looker on ; but the English valour lieth 

 about the soldier s heart. A valour of glory, and a 

 valour of natural courage, are two things. But let 

 that pass, and let us speak of number : Spain is a 

 nation thin sown of people ; partly by reason of the 

 sterility of the soil, and partly because their natives 



