OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. 109 



Scotland, might have proved a dangerous neigh 

 bour : by how strange an accident was he taken 

 away ? The king of Spain, who, if he would have 

 inclined to reduce the Low Countries by lenity, 

 considering the goodly revenues which he drew 

 from those countries, the great commodity to annoy 

 her state from thence, might have made mighty and 

 perilous matches against her repose ; putteth on a 

 resolution not only to use the means of those coun 

 tries, but to spend and consume all his other means, 

 the treasure of his Indies, and the forces of his ill- 

 compacted dominions there and upon them. The 

 Carles that rebelled in the North, before the Duke 

 of Norfolk s plot, which, indeed, was the strength 

 and seal of that commotion, was fully ripe, brake 

 forth, and prevented their time. The king Sebastian 

 of Portugal, whom the king of Spain would fain 

 have persuaded that it was a devouter enterprise to 

 purge Christendom, than to enlarge it, though I 

 know some think that he did artificially nourish him 

 in that voyage, is cut a-pieces with his army in 

 Africa : then hath the king of Spain work cut out 

 to-make all things in readiness during the old car 

 dinal s time for the conquest of Portugal ; whereby 

 his desire of invading of England was slackened and 

 put off some years, and by that means was put in 

 execution at a time for some respects much more to 

 his disadvantage. And the same invasion, like and 

 as if it had been attempted before, it had the time 

 much more proper and favourable ; so likewise had 

 it in true discourse a better season afterwards : for, 



