OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 385. 



good fame ; to be such enemies of common society 

 as are not to be cherished, no not by enemies. For in 

 the examples of times, which were less corrupted, we 

 find that when in the greatest heats and extremities 

 of wars, there have been made offers of murderous 

 and traitorous attempts against the person of a 

 prince to the enemy, they have been not only re 

 jected, but also revealed : and in like manner, when 

 dishonourable mention hath been made of a prince 

 before an enemy prince, by some that have thought 

 therein to please his humour, he hath shewed him 

 self, contrariwise, utterly distasted therewith, and 

 been ready to contest for the honour of an enemy. 



According to which noble and magnanimous kind 

 of proceeding, it will be found&quot;, that in the whole 

 course of her majesty s proceeding with the king of 

 Spain, since the amity interrupted, there was never 

 any project by her majesty, or any of her ministers, 

 either moved or assented unto, for the taking away 

 of the life of the said king : neither hath there been 

 any declaration or writing of estate, no nor book 

 allowed, wherein his honour hath been touched or 

 taxed, otherwise than for his ambition; a point 

 which is necessarily interlaced with her majesty s 

 own justification. So that no man needeth to doubt 

 but that those wars are grounded, upon her ma 

 jesty s part, upon just and honourable causes, which 

 have so just and honourable a prosecution ; con 

 sidering it is a much harder matter when a prince is 

 entered into wars to hold respect then, and not to 



VOL. v. c c 



