418 OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 



as he also terms them, on the other, have almost 

 bandied away between them all the duke of Parma s 

 forces ; and I suppose the very mines of the Indies 

 will go low, or ever the one be ruined, or the other 

 recovered. Neither again desire we better confede 

 racies and leagues than Spain itself hath provided for 

 Us : &quot; Non enim verbis fcedera confirmantur, sed 

 &quot; iisdem utilitatibus.&quot; We know to how many states 

 the king of Spain is odious and suspected : and for 

 ourselves we have incensed none by our injuries, nor 

 made any jealous of our ambition : these are in rules 

 of policy the firmest contracts. 



Let thus much be said in answer of the second 

 branch, concerning the number of exterior enemies : 

 wherein my meaning is nothing less than to attribute 

 our felicity to our policy ; or to nourish ourselves in 

 the humour of security. But I hope we shall de 

 pend upon God and be vigilant ; and then it will be 

 seen to what end these false alarms will come. 



In the third branch of the miseries of England, 

 he taketh upon him to play the prophet, as he hath 

 in all the rest played the poet; and will needs 

 divine or prognosticate the great troubles whereunto 

 this realm shall fall after her majesty s times ; as if 

 he that hath so singular a gift in lying of the present 

 time and times past, had nevertheless an extra 

 ordinary grace in telling truth of the time to come ; 

 or, as if the effect of the pope s curses of England 

 were upon better advice adjourned to those days. 

 It is true, it will be misery enough for this realm, 

 whensoever it shall be, to lose such a sovereign : but 



