I Am not altogether unsensible of this businesse, wherein I am now called to give my advice, I know I shall suffer some disadvantage, being an English­man by Nation and Education, and the best bloud that runs in my veines I have extracted thence, be­sides, my fortunes have their scituation within these confines. What I shall now speak, is not meerely ex animo, sed ex corde: some may haply impute it as proceeding from strength of affection to that place and people from whence I came; but I doe protest, my zeale to your Majesty shall at this time suspend the agitation of such principals, and I will set aside all particular relations, and looke upon the question as it is, and not as passion and affection may set it forth.

The question is concerning Wars, an unknown [Page 2] subject, sweet to those that have not tryed it, yet the worst of war is usuall in the close: And if the conclusion of the most advantagious war that ever was waged, when all reckonings bee cast up, the Conquerour hath had little whereof to glory. But this is not a warre betweene a King and a stranger, but between a Soveraigne and his Subjects, a neare relation, and they had need to be weighty motives that shall dissolve this knot; subjects are easily lost, we see the worke is every day, but once lost, are hardly regained. Affections are like to cry­stall glasses, which broken, are hardly set together againe.

But these are not subjects, as the kingly Pro­pher speaketh of, A people that I know not are sub­ject unto mee; but your Majesty may say of them, as Adam of Eue, that was found out of his rib, Flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone; or rather as David of his subjects in the day of his Inaugura­tion, For my brethren and companions sake; for your Majesty being theirs, and they yours by a double tye, you are not only Rex factus, but Rex natus: And therefore the union being so straight, the mo­tive had need be weighty, that shall cause a man to set his owne house a fire, and to destroy the worke of his owne hands.

Now let us consider two things: first, the ne­cessity of Warre, secondly, the motives unto it, whether they be Tanti, and of such moment, that a King should hazard the uncertaine chance of warre, and the miseries that accompany it, rather then to forgo the same.

[Page 3] For the first, it is a good note of Tacitus, that Bellona should be ultimum refugium, because it is the worst refuge. And if we consider of the wisest Kings that ever ware Scepter in the latter times, how willing they were to deliver the stroake of warre almost upon any termes.

If your Majesty consider but the practise of King Lewis the eleventh, and Henry the seventh, which of England and France in the large List and Catalogue of all their Kings, cannot point forth two of more deepe and profound judgement, and better versed in the mystery of Government; yet what meanes they use (or rather did use) to divert the course, if at any time it did come within their Channell; they counted it no dishonour to yeeld to their Subjects demands, though sometimes un­just and unreasonable, nay, themselves to bee the first seekers, and propounders of Peace. And so by this meanes, when the storme was over, and things come to be debated upon the great Corpit, they were masters of their own ends, and their subjects affections, and so obtained the victory without striking a stroke.

These wise Kings considered the end of war was uncertaine, and the event various, and he that com­mitteth one Errour in the warre, especially when the seat of it is in his owne Kingdome, seldome times to commit a second: wee need not to goe far for instances, Richard the second, and Edward the second will be fresh presidents for any that shall endevour to buy the experience hereof upon such deare termes as they did. It should be in the body [Page 4] Politique, as it is in the body naturall. Phleboto­mies should never be used, but when the humours are so predominant, that no other course will re­move them, and that unlesse they be expelled, they will occasion desolation.

But blessed be God there is no such necessity in the case, there are some rough humours in the bo­dy Politique, it cannot[?] be denyed, and some it may bee that worke obstruction in some of the lesser pipes of government, but when your Vena Basili­ca, and Vena Cava, are full of the royall spirits in them, have their proper influence and motion without any opposition. What is now to be done by force is not fit for every subject[?], some humours are to be expelled by lena [...]ines, when all purgati­ons make them malignant. There are three means to be used that have not been tryed, any of which are better then the meanes prescribed. The first removes the occasion; this can bee no impeach­ment to the Scepter, the wisest Kings have had their oversight in government, which a wiser day have taught them to recall.

Your Father reigned gloriously, and comman­ded the affections as wel as the body of the English, yet he never sought the obtruding of minimus infi­mis, and yet none more zealous of a Kingly Go­vernment then he: it is an act of the extreamest fol­ly to hazard the substance for a shadow, not worthy to be contended for: And if your Majesty were Master of your own desires, it would not adde one cubit to your stature.

Secondly, if this like not, let time work it forth, [Page 5] and by this meanes swallow up the hooke or In­duxor, the proposall of it left, recreets distastefull things, works most at first, least afterwards; by de­grees your Majesty may work them to that (which for the present) they wil rather dye then embrace: We see how by degrees the Romans brought a Royall slavery upon the world, which if they had at first propounded upon down-right termes, had hardly been accomplished: If ever Norman Wil­liam by degrees brought the English to weare the yoke, which if he had at the first tendred, he either must have missed his ayme, or Norman no people to employ; so impatient then were the English Nation to heare of a Conqueror, and we see it is sometimes costly.

What if your Majesty should seem to yeeld to the demands of the English now, and give the ad­vantage of a faire game, cannot your Majesty re­move the objects by degrees, turne the humours some other way for a more seasonable opportuni­ty, to scrue in things by instruments more fit and lesse subject to exception; the proposall of the course I hold more certain, more safe, more secure, which knowes no law, but devoures all the other. And I hold that Kingdome most miserable which is forced to make use of a remedy worse then the disease.

Thus much for the first, there is no necessity of Warre, Rebus sic stantibus.

Secondly, these things in agitation are not Tan­ti, of such consequence as should require such a de­sperate adventure, as to hazard a kingdom at a cast. [Page 6] Plutarch wisely compared those that know onely to propose the means to such as fish with a golden hooke, the losse of which hooke is of more conse­quence then the fish they can take; truly to speake plainly what I think, they that advise war in this case, know not what it is to get, nor greatly care for the losse of a Kingdom, so they may play their own games, and fish in troubled waters; suce coun­sellours as these were the Bishops of Rosse to the late Queene of Scots, and the Bishop of Brookes to that miserable King of Hungary, who was the cause and occasion to bring the Turke into Hungary, and the French into Scotland, both which Nations have cause to wish that they never knew the way thither againe.

Three Reasons have been given to perswade to war, I will not now Answer, but leave to him that is better able, and instructed to such a purpose; whereof considering nulla salus Bello, nulla necessi­tas Belli.

My Advice to your Majesty is not to use warre, but when the end of it is a certaine or probable peace, and when there is no way left but that only to obtaine it.