I

service at home she knew least gratefull to the people: contrary to a false maxim, since practised with far worse successe, by such princes who thought it better husbandry to buy off enemies than reward friends; which once observed, it tempted some that were ambitious to lay out the strongest of their endeavours against their prince only in hope to be brought off. And for such as desired a farther recoyle from the pope than was thought fit to be made, they were not so numerous or well agreed yet, as to actuat any disturbance, being for the most part poore; and, as all schismatiks doe at first, glorying more in suffering, than in any other opposition but what they are able to raise with their pennes or tongues, in which they were no less lavish than bold and in

* Osborne plainly intimates, that, in both these points of politics, Charles I. had been very unsuccessful. And indeed he was too often reduced to the unpopular and desperate extremity of interposing his own negative, as well as eminently unfortunate in his attempts to make friends of his enemies, by raising them to stations of trust and importance.

discreet yet meeting from the most in power only blame and contempt, they sought out new habitations for themselves, and vents for their opinions in Amsterdam, where the Dutch alowed a generall mart for all religions, (the papacy excepted,) without any nicer limitation than obedience to the magistrate in things purely civill: And by this they did not only draw much of our coyne thither, but our manifactures of weaving, dying, fulling, spinning, and dressing of cloth, stuffe, &c. easy to have been prevented, by affording them an Amsterdam in England, some small city of refuge, over which her majesty might have set a discreet governour with a garrison, whose charge they would willingly have borne, besides the payment of a large excise for their folly. Nor was there any danger in this, it being unpossible to make them unanimous; but the hierarchy had been so bitten already by the covetousnesse of princes, and the sharp and discerning learning of the layity, who, uninterested in the generall contro

versies, might have moderated to their disadvantage, or set on foot a farther and more rigid reformation, (which, though a terror to those in power, is most delightfull to the eares of the people.) That they perswaded the queene, it was against prudence and piety to give them harbor; yet, in the mean time, connived at lecturer and weekly preaching, through which they let in more by the posterne, than they could croud out at the great gate. Wherefore, this found out, wisdome should rather have left the attempt in the hands of time, the 'moderator of all things disputable, than rendered them incorrigible through opposition, the promoter of error. I am the larger in this, lest posterity should be to seek for the foundation of the most destructive revolution the sun ever held light to, which was begun by thousands who never intended it, and wrought the ruine of that both sides labour'd to preserve, with an excessive advantage to such as could neither expect or deserve it.

22. Amongst the greatest things laid to her charge, as cast behind the dore of neglect, was the conduct of the affaires of Ireland; a place lying, all her halcion daies, under so great a contempt, (before England's lesse future felicity had brought it to esteeme,) that wise Walsingham thought it no treason to wish it buried in the sea, considering the charge it brought: yet she kept the pale in good order, not suffering the Spanish party to grow more potent in the north, than was convenient to consume his forces, and divert him from neerer and more dangerous attempts. It being unpossible for her, without appearing grievous to her people, (a rock she chiefly studied to avoid,) at one time to maintaine so dreadfull a navy at sea, and foment the Dutch and French, towards whose assistance she was called by a louder necessity, then to render a nation quite desolate: none being willing during her life to exchange the present government of a naturall princesse, for the lesse happy tyranny of a viceroy; of which the most did

study more their respective grandure by extending the warre, then the ease of the inhabitants, and lessening the queenes expence: till the noble Lord Mountjoy was imploy'd, who had no other designe then the conclusion of the work; which he had not yet so easily brought about, but that the Spaniards found themselves betrayed through the covetousnesse and cowardise of the natives, that, for small sums, would sell not only such forraigners as came to help them, but their nearest relations: Wherefore, unlikely to keep faith with their prince, being of so false and unconstant a nature, as, by a continuall relapsing into seditious practises, they did with the same breath demand pardon, and yet panted to accomplish something worthy of death. Nor was it possible to reduce them to more civility, (the inhabitants being of such an amphibious education,) but by curing the boggs and fastnesses, or building more castles and garrisons then she could spare mony or men from her other occasions to