438 OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 



whereby they might receive in at pleasure any forces 

 of Almaigns, to annoy and offend either kingdom. 

 The impediment was the inclination of the people, 

 which, receiving a wonderful commodity of trades 

 out of both realms, especially of England ; and having 

 been in ancient league and confederacy with our 

 nation, and having been also homagers unto France, 

 he knew would be in no wise disposed to either war: 

 whereupon he resolved to reduce them to a martial 

 government, like unto that which he had established 

 in Naples and Milan ; upon which suppression of 

 their liberties ensued the defection of those provinces. 

 And about the same time the reformed religion 

 found entrance in the same countries ; so as the 

 king, inflamed with the resistance he found in the 

 first part of his plots, and also because he might not 

 dispense with his other principle in yielding to any 

 toleration of religion ; and withal expecting a shorter 

 work of it than he found, became passionately bent 

 to reconquer those countries ; wherein he hath con 

 sumed infinite treasure and forces. And this is the 

 true cause, if a man will look into it, that hath made 

 the king of Spain so good a neighbour ; namely, 

 that he was so intangled with the wars of the Low 

 Countries as he could not intend any other enter 

 prise. Besides, in enterprising upon Italy, he doubted 

 first the displeasure of the see of Rome, with whom 

 he meant to run a course of strait conjunction ; also 

 he doubted it might invite the Turk to return. 

 And for Germany, he had a fresh example of his 

 father, who, when he had annexed unto the domi- 



