OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 449 



being accepted, would have wrought greater con~ 

 tentment and satisfaction both to her people and 

 theirs, being countries for the site, wealth, commo 

 dity of traffic, affection to our nation, obedience of 

 the subjects, well used, most convenient to have been 

 annexed to the crown of England, and with all one 

 charge, danger, and offence of Spain ; only took 

 upon her the defence and protection of their liberties; 

 which liberties and privileges are of that nature, as 

 they may justly esteem themselves but conditional 

 subjects to the king of Spain, more justly than 

 Arragon : and may make her majesty as justly 

 esteem the ancient confederacies and treaties with 

 Burgundy to be of force rather with the people and 

 nation, than with the line of the duke ; because it 

 was never an absolute monarchy. So as, to sum up 

 her majesty s proceedings in this great action, they 

 have but this, that they have sought first to restore 

 them to Spain, then to keep them from strangers, 

 and never to purchase them to herself, 



But during all that time, the king of Spain kept 

 one tenor in his proceedings towards her majesty, 

 breaking forth more and more into injuries and con 

 tempts : her subjects trading into Spain have been 

 many of them burned ; some cast into the galleys ; 

 others have died in prison, without any other crimes 

 committed, but upon quarrels picked upon them for 

 their religion here at home. Her merchants, at the 

 sack of Antwerp, were divers of them spoiled and put 

 to their ransoms, though they could not be charge*} 



VOL. v. G G 



