Flanders. Notwithstanding the vehement perswasions you vsed with me to the
contrary, the grounds whereof sithence you receiued them from others, you
must giue me leaue to acquaint you with the error you were led into by
them, who labouring to bring the world into an opinion that it stood more
with the safetie of our estate to bend all our forces against the prince of
Parma, then to folow this action by looking into the true effects of this
journey, will iudicially conuince themselues of mistaking the matter. For,
may the conquest of these countries against the prince of Parma be thought
more easie for vs alone now, then the defence of them was 11 yeeres ago,
with the men and money of the Queene of England? the power of the Monsieur
of France? the assistance of the principal states of Germanie? and the
nobilitie of their owne country? Could not an armie of more then 20000
horse, and almost 30000 foot, beat Don Iohn de Austria out of the countrey,
who was possessed of a very few frontier townes? and shall it now be laid
vpon her maiesties shoulders to remoue so mightie an enemie, who hath left
vs but 3 whole parts of 17 vnconquered? It is not a iourney of a few
moneths, nor an auxiliarie warre of fewe yeeres that can damnifie the king
of Spaine in those places where we shall meet at euery 8 or 10 miles end
with a towne, which will cost more the winning then will yeerely pay 4 or 5
thousand mens wages, where all the countrey is quartered by riuers which
haue no passage vnfortified, and where most of the best souldiers of
Christendom that be on our aduerse party be in pension. But our armie,
which hath not cost her maiestie much aboue the third part of one yeres
expenses in the Low countries, hath already spoiled a great part of the
prouision he had made at the Groine of all sortes, for a new voyage into
England; burnt 3 of his ships, whereof one was the second in the last yeres
expedition called S. Iuan de Colorado, taken from him aboue 150 pieces of
good artillerie; cut off more then 60 hulks and 20 French ships wel manned
fit and readie to serue him for men of war against vs, laden for his store
with corne, victuals, masts, cables, and other marchandizes; slaine and