OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 433 



himself in a letter of the device, saying, that it was 

 a point the counsel of England would never dream 

 of, who would imagine that they should practise 

 with some nobleman to make him head of their 

 faction ; whereas they took a course only to deal 

 with the people, and them so severally, as any one 

 apprehended should be able to appeal no more than 

 himself, except the priests, who he knew would 

 reveal nothing that was uttered in confession : so 

 innocent was this princely priestly function, which 

 this man taketh to be but a matter of conscience, 

 and thinketh it reason it should have free exercise 

 throughout the land. 



IV. Of the disturbance of the quiet of Christen 

 dom ; and to what causes it may be justly assigned. 



It is indeed a question, which those that look 

 into matters of state do well know to fall out very 

 often ; though this libeller seemeth to be more 

 ignorant thereof, whether the ambition of the more 

 mighty state, or the jealousy of the less mighty 

 state, is to be charged with breach of amity. Hereof 

 as there may be many examples, so there is one so 

 proper unto the present matter, as though it were 

 many years since, yet it seemeth to be a parable 

 of these times, and namely of the proceedings of 

 Spain and England. 



The states then, which answered to these two 

 now, were Macedon and Athens. Consider there 

 fore the resemblance between the two Philips, of 

 Macedon and Spain : he of Macedon aspired to the 

 monarchy of Greece, as he of Spain doth of Europe ; 



VOL. V. p F 



