AS soone as the House of Austria had incorporated it selfe with Spaine, and by their new discoveries had gotten themselves the wealth of the Indies, they began to affect and have pursued a fifth Monarchy.

The Emperour Charles who laid the foundations, ought in Italy by surprising Rome be from this he was thrust by force and respect of Religion, H. 8. being made caput foeder [...] against him, he then attempted it in High Germany, practising by fa­ction and force to reduce those petty States to his absolute power, this H. 8. againe prevented him by tying the Lutheran Princes under his confederacy and assistance: his son the second Philip pursued the same ambition in the Netherlands of Germany, by reduction whereof hee intended to make his way further into the other: this the late Queen of England interrupted by siding with the afflicted people on the one part▪ and making her selfe that head of the Protestant League, the Prin­ces and others drawne in as a secret of State, the countenance of France to give reputation and assistance to them, and security to it selfe. Spain seeing his hopes thus fruitlesse by those unions and strength, began first to breake if he may the unity of France and England, but finding the common danger to be a fast tye, he raiseth up a party in that kingdome of his Crowne, by which the French King was distressed, that had not the English Councell and assistance releeved him▪ Spaine had then re­moved that great & next obstacle of his ambition: his Councell now tels him from these examples, that the way to this great worke is im­passible, so long as England lay in let in his way, and that the remove of that matter be the first of his intents: these drew on those secret practices often against the Queene, and his open fury in 88. which [Page] they following the advice of her free Councell would never after ad­mit of peace, winning thereby the hearts of her loving people, and ever found hands and money at home, and helping secretly her Allian­ces abroad, securing to her confederates all her time freedome from feare of Spanish slavery, and so ended her old and happy dayes in glo­ry: Spaine then by the wisedome and power of that great Lady dispoi­led, sole of his meanes to hurt, though not of his desires, makes up witst her peacefull Successor of happy memory, that golden League, that disarming us at home by opinion of security, and giving them a power in our Councell, by beleeving their friendship and pretended marriage, gave them a way to cherish among us a party of their owne, and bereft us of power abroad to lead us into jealousie, and sow dissen­tion betweene us and our Confederates, by which wee see they have swallowed up the fortune of our Mrs. brother, the rest of the Imperi­all States distressed, the King of Denmarke by that quarrell diverted, the Swedens assistance by the warres with the Poland, and moving them now with the offer of the Danish Crowne, and whether from the plot or our fatality, it hath cast such a bone betwixt France and us, as made themselves by our quarrell of Religion, a fast confederate un­to us, a dangerous enemy, so that now we have left no assurance against their malice and ambition: but the Netherlands where the tye of mu­tuall safety is weakened by daily discontents, bred and fed betweene us by some ill affected by both our securities, that from the doubtful­nesse of friendship as we now stand, we may rather suspect from our domesticke actions, if they grow too furious they will rather follow the example of Rome in her growing, that felt it equall, honourable, and more easie, dare Regem quam subjugare provinciam, considering the power they have in their hands, then to give any friendly assistance to serve the private condition of our State, you may therefore see in what termes we stand abroad, and I feare me at home, for resistance in no better state, there must be to withstand a forraigne invasion, a pro­portion both of Sea and Land forces, for to give an enemy an easie pas­sage and a port to releeve him in▪ is no lesse then to hazard all at one shocke. It is to be considered that no march by Land can be of that speed to make head against the landing of an enemy, nor no such pro­vision as to be master of the Sea: to this point of necessity there can be no lesse then 240000. pounds for the Land force, if it were of an [Page] offensive warre, the men of lesse livelihood were the best spared, and were used formerly to make such war purgamento Reipub: if we made no further purchase by it: but for the safety of a Commonwealth, the wisedome of all times did never interest the publique cause to any o­ther then such as had a portion in the publique adventure, and that we had in 88. when the care of the Queene and of the Councell did make the body of that large Army, no other then of trai [...]ed bands, which with the Auxiliars of this Realme amounteth to no lesse then 24000 men: neither were any of those drawne forth of their Coun­tries and proper habitations before the end of May, that there may be no long agrievance to the publique such discontentments being given to [...], a more fataller enemy then any forraigne forces, the carefull di­stribution and direction of the Sea and Land forces being more fitting for a Counsell of Warre, then a private man to advise of, (I passe over) yet willing when I shall be called humbly to offer up such observations as I form [...]rly gathered by the former like occasion in this Realme, to make up this preparation, there is requisite two things, money and af­fection for they cannot be severed. It was well and wisely said of that great Chancellor Lord Burleigh, in the like case, to the late Queene, winne hearts and you have their hands and purses. And I finde that of late diffidence hath beene a defect in the one it hath unhappily pro­duced the other, in gathering then of money for this present need there are requisite three things, speed, assurance, and satisfaction, and the way to gather as others in the like cases have done much by the path which hath beene formerly called Via Regia, being more sound and speedy, for by unknowne and untroden wayes it is both rougher and more tedious, and seldome succeedeth, this last way although it take place as it were by a supply at first and receive no generall deniall: yet since it hath drawne many to consult with themselves and others in the consequence, and now I conceive pressure on their liberties and against Law, I much feare that if now againe it be offered, either in the fame forme or by privy Seale, it will be refused wholly, neither finde I the restraint of these refusaly have produced any other effect then a stiffe resolution in them and others to forbeare: besides, although it went at first with your assurance, yet when we consider the commissi­ons and other formes incident to such like services as that though long it hangs in hand, the many delayes that were, wee may easily see that [Page] such a summe by Parliament granted is farre sooner and more easily gathered, if any will marke the succession of times to produce inevi­table necessity to enforce, if it be denyed either in generall by excuse of impositions, or in particular of some select persons, which is the customes of some Countreyes, and so conclude it for the King, as for the publique State, summa Regal. he must looke for this to be told him, that seeing necessity must conclude alwayes to gather money, as lesse speedy or assured then that so practised, which cannot be fitter then by Parliament, the successe attendeth the humour of the headlesse multi­tude, that are full of jealousie and distrust, and so unlike to comply to any unlawfull course of levy but by force, which if used, the effect is fearfull, and hath beene fatall to the States, whereas the Parliament resteth principally, or the Regall person who may with ease and safety mould them to his fit desires, by a gracious yeelding to their just pe­titions: if a Parliament then be the fittest and most speediest assurance and a safe way, it is fit to conceive what is the best way to act and worke.

First, for the time of the usuall Summons, reputed to be forty daies, be too large for this present necessity, it may bee by dating the Writ lessened since it is no politique Law, so that a care might bee had that there may be a County day after the Sheriffe hath received the Writ before the time of sitting, if then the summe to be levied bee one a­greed of for the time, there may bee in the body of the Grant an As­signment made to the Knights of every County respectively, who un­der such assurance may safely give security proportionable to the receits of such as shall advance in present for the publique service any summes of money.

The last and weightlest consideration, if a Parliament be thought fit, is how to remove or comply the differences betweene the King and Subjects in their mutuall demands: and what I have learned among the rest of the multitude, I will freely declare, that your Lordships may be the more enabled to remove and answer those distrusts that ei­ther concerne Religion, publique safety of the K. and State, or the just liberty of the Commonwealth: for Religion is a matter that they say nearest to their consciencs, and they are led by this ground of jea­lousie to doubt some practice against it: first for that against the Spanish match which was broken by the gratefull industry of my Lord of Buc­kingham, [Page] out of his religious care, as hee there declared, that the Ar­ticles there demanded might lead some such sufferance as might indan­ger the quiet, if not the state of the Reformed Religion here, yet there have (when he was an actor principally in the conditions of France) as hard, if not worse to the preservation of our Religion passed, then those with Spaine, and the suspect is strengthned by the close keeping of the agreements in that point there concluded, it is no lesse an argu­ment of doubt to them of his affections, in that his mother and many other his ministers of neare employments about him, are so much af­fected, they talke much of advancing men popishly devoted, some pla­ced in the Campe of nearest service and chiefest command, and that the Recusants have got these late yeares by his power more of courage and assurance then before; if to cleare these doubts which perhaps are worse in fancy then in truth he take a course it might much advance the publique service against the Spanish humour, that have more of violent passion then setled judgement, and are not the least of the op­posite number in the Commonwealth.

2. The next is the misfortune and losses of men and munition in all our late undertakings abroad, which the intemperate spirits impute to want of counsell and the more sublime wils to practice.

Thirdly, they began with the Palatinate, and lay the fault of the losse there on the imputed credit of G [...]ndemore, distrusting him for the [...]aying of supply to Sir Horace Vere, when Colonell Cicil was cast on that imployment, by which the King of Spaine is become the master of the Kings childrens intelligence; and when Count Mansfield had a royall supply of forces to assist the Princes of our part for the recove­ry thereof, either plot or error defeated the enterprise for us, for Spains advantage.

Fourthly, that Sir Robert Mansfields expedition to Argiers should purchase onely security and guard of the Spanish coasts.

Fifthly, to spend so many thousand pounds in Ca [...]es voyage against the advice of the Parliament, onely to warne the king of Spaine to be in a readinesse, and so weaken our selves, is taken for such a signe of ill affection to him amongst the multitude.

Sixth [...]y, the sending of so much munition and victuals and mon [...]y in my Lord VVillowbies journey, is conceived an unthrifty error in the director of it to disarme our selves in fruitlesse voyages made, to some [Page] over curious seemes a plot of a danger to turne off our quarrell of Spain, an ancient enemy, that the Parliament petitioned and gave supply to support upon our ally of France, and so after a new and happy tie gave much talke that we were not so doubtfull of Spaine as many wished, since it was held not long agoe a fundamentall rule of their and our security by the Lord Burleigh, that nothing can prevent the Spanish Monarchy, but a fastnesse of the two Princes to make head against his ambition, and we see by this disunion a fearfull defeat hath happened to Denmarke and that party, to the advantage of the Austrian family.

And thus far of the wasts of the publique treasure in fruitlesse expe­ditions, an important cause to hinder any new supply in Parliament.

Next another feare that may disturbe the smooth and speedy passage of the kings designes in Parliament is the late waste of the Kings live­lihood, whereby is like, as in former times, to raise this jealousie and feare, that when he hath not of his owne to support his ordinary ex­pence, for which the lands of the Crowne were setled unalterable, and called Sacrae patrimonium Principis, that then he must of necessity rest to those assistances of the people which ever were assigned for the be­nefit of Commonwealth, from hence it is like there will be no great labour and stiffenesse to endue his Majesty to an act of resumption, since such desires of the State have found an easie way in the will of all Princes from the third Henry to the last: but that which is like to passe the deeper into their disputes and care, is the late pressure they suppose to have beene do [...] upon a publique liberty and freedome of the subject commanding their goods without assent by Parliament confining their persons without speciall cause declared, and that made good against them by the Judges lately, and pretending a writ com­manding their attendance in forraigne war, all which they are like to enforce as repugnant to maine positive Lawes and customary immuni­ties of this Commonwealth and these dangerous distrusts of the people are not a little improved by this unexampled course, as they conceive, of retaining any Land Army in winter season, when former times of greatest feare produced no such, and makes them in their distracted feare to conjecture idlely, it was raised more to subject their fortunes to the will of power, then of Law, and so make good some former breach upon their liberties at home, then defend us from any force a­broad, how far such jealousies if they meet with any usuall disorders of [Page] lawlesse souldiers, or an apt-distemper of the loose and [...]eady multitude which will easily turne away upon any occasion in the State that they consider whats to a glorious pretence of Religion and publiqu [...] safety, when the true end will be onely rapine of the rich, and the ruine of all, is worthy a provident and preventing care.

I have thus far delivered with what freedome you were pleased to admit such difficulties as I have taken up among the multitude, which may arrest if not remove impediments to any speedy supply of Parlia­ment at this time, which how to facilitate may better become the care of your Lordships judgements, then my ignorance, onely I could wish to remove away a personall distrust of my Lord of Buckingham among the people, he might be pleased if there be a necessity of Parliament to appeare an advisor thereunto.

And what satisfaction it shall please his Majesty of grace to give at such time to his people, which I could wish to be grounded by presi­dent of his best and most fortunate Progenitors, and which I conceive will largely satisfie the desires and hopes of all, if it may appeare in some sort to be drawne downe from time to the people by the zealous care and industry that my Lord of Buckingham hath to the publique unity and content of which there is no doubt but he may remaine not onely secure, but merit a happy memory amongst them of a Realmes Patriot for to expiate the passions of the people at such times with sacrifice of any of his Majesties servants, I have ever found, as Ed 2. R. 1. H. 6. no lesse fatall to them after, then to the minister in the end.

1 THat every Shire in England should be enjoyned to set forth at the charge of the County one ship well manned and victualled for seven moneths, and to be of the burthen of 500. 400. or 300. 200. 40. Tunnes at the least, according to the ability of the Shire, in the opinion of the State.

2. Th [...] every Port or Sea Towne according to the ability enjoyned to doe the like, London may well furnish out 10. Bristol 3. and the rest accor­ding [Page] to their ability; and such of the Sea Townes as are not of ability to set out Ships of the burthen aforesaid, to furnish out Pinnaces of 60. or 80. Tuns for light horsemen or Intelligencers.

3. Those Ships will arise to about 80. sayle, and to be divided into foure squadrons, adjoyning to every squadron one of the Kings-Ships for their Admirall.

4. The first squadron to lye off and on the westerne Ilands, and as high as Ca [...]arde for Brasil men, the Caracke, the Plate Fleet, and all other tra­ding that way.

5. The second squadron to lye-off the Southerne Cape, and so low as the Groyne, for here such shipping as shall goe out of Spaine or Portugal, and [...]f occasion be to joyne with the former squadron.

6. The third squadron to lye betweene the Groyne and the mouth of the Sleeve, or Silley, to stop such shipping as trade in those costs.

7. The fourth squadron to keepe the narrow Seas, awe the Dunkirker, take all the French trade, and so northward, and this squadron to bee still releeved with fresh Ships, as the other shall grow foule, or come unto any mischance, so that the squadron may continually keepe the most part of the yeare.

8. That no master of any of those Ships be owners, or have any part in her that he goeth out master of, for they will bee unwilling to bring their ships into any sight or danger, and use many trickes and devices, especially if there be any ignorant Captaine, therefore it is expedient likewise that every Shire shall nominate a Captaine for the Ship it furnisheth out, for the avoiding of ignorant and insufficient Captaines.

9. That in London, Portsmouth, or where else the State shall think fit, there be store-houses appointed for the receipt of such prises as shall be ta­ken by any of the foure squadrons.

10. That every County and Sea towne that furnisheth out the said ship­ping, may nominate and have a Commissioner of their owne election that may have power in behalfe of the Counties and Sea-townes as the other Officers that shall be appointed for the King and the Lord Admirall for the opening of deckes of the prize, receiving the goods into the said store-house, and for the dividing and disposing them accordingly.

11. That what prizes soever any of the foure squadrons shall take, [...] brought unto the Fort Townes where those store-houses are appointed, and the benefits of all prizes what squadron soever of the foure sendeth them in [Page] to be divided, the Kings part and the Lord Admirals being deducted to the severall Counties and Sea Townes of the Kingdome of England accor­ding to the burthen of their shipping: and not particularly to such Coun­ties or Sea Townes unto which the squadron of ships belongeth, that shall send in the said prises.

12. That it shall not be lawfull for any of the said ships to breake bulkes or open the deckes of any prises they take, but naile them downe fast untill they be brought in at one of the port Townes and then the Officers for the King with the Comissioners for the Counties to open them.

13 That after the Kings part and the Lord Admirall is se [...] with such allowance over and above as shall bee proportionable for the Kings shipping, being Admirall, the rest to be distributed as aforesaid to the use and benefit of all the Counties and Sea Townes in generall, and not parti­cular to each Counties unto which any of the foure squadrons belongeth that sends in the said prizes, the pillage above decke onely excepted, which doth belong to the Officers, Saylers, and Souldiers of the squadron that tooke the said prize.

14. That for the present and speedy execution hereof, every County or Sea Towne that is not furnished with shipping, shall hire untill they can build them, which to be limited to performe within a certaine and conve­nient time.

15. The charge that will fall on the subjects well [...] for the first yeare to 200000. pounds, which God blessing them within the yeare these will re-imburse, and by the benefit of the prizes afterwards they will have stocke sufficient, with increase for new victualling and setting forth the ships the second yeare, and so from time to time.

16. The kingdome will hereby increase their shipping, and breed and make good store of good Sea men, and we shall hereby be masters of the sea, so as our Merchants shall travell safely, and we shall much prejudice the French and Spanish Nations, or any other that are enemies, or not in league with us.

VVhereas I have set downe the full charge of these foure squadrons of ships for 7. monthes to amount to the summe of 200000 pounds, it is not to be vnderstood that the subiects shall disburse so much more by two parts, for they shall need to lay out no more for setting out of their Ships, then for the well victualling of them, which will come but to a third part of this [Page] former sum 66666. pounds for the Saylers, Officers, and Owners of the Ships will expect neither wages nor fraught untill the comming in of the Ships, (and God blessing our designes)

There may be taken in Shipping and Goods in 7. months space ten times that value, before one penny be distributed.