of the king's sons 100,000 crowns a year out of the duchy of Milan, desiring withal that the duke of Orleans might accompany him in the conquest of Algiers; than which, and than any of these marriages, he never meant any thing less. And doubting that the king would not bite at any of these baits, he also offered to invest the duke of Angoulesme in the duchy of Milan.

These goodly offers the king could not refuse, though he had experience enough of the Spanish treachery; but while the emperor held the king in this treaty, he got time to levy an army in Germany, to prepare his fleet by Andrew Dorea at Genoa, to make a confederacy in Italy, and to draw thither all the Spanish garrisons out of Sicily commanded by Gonsalvo. After which, he never spake word of these marriages, nor of any pension, nor restitution of Milan.

Now for conclusion, we will remember the goodly marriage between king Philip II. and queen Mary of England, formerly promised to his father Charles; for after that Charles had failed in his design to make England a province, and subject to Spain, he drew the good queen into a war against the French; but after his turn was served, and the victory at St. Quintin's, he, Philip, concluded a peace with France, not so much as including the queen his wife; who, being abandoned by her husband, she lost the good town of Calais, which had remained in the possession of the crown of England from the year 1347 to the year 1558.

Neither had king Philip's second wife, the lady Elizabeth of France, the daughter of king Henry II. any great cause of joy in that her advancement; for she died in Spain after a strange manner, as it was suspected.

Now, methinks, I hear some Englishmen Hispaniolized say unto the king, that seeing the kings of France, but especially of Spain, have often matched themselves with the dukes of Savoy; why should not his majesty also accept of their alliance? But his majesty, being of an universal understanding, will easily find the difference. For though the kings of Polonia found it greatly to their advantage to match with the dukes of Lithuania; yet if such an overture

were made to our king, he would find it exceedingly ridiculous. For the French king, and the kings of Spain, who have often quarrelled for Italy, Naples, and Milan, and who are like hereafter so to do, have great reason to make the dukes of Savoy theirs: France in respect of a passage into Italy, Spain in respect of a bulwark against France.

But our kings of England, who have no business over the Alps, and who pretend no title to Milan or Naples, but as kings of France, (which if ever God restore unto them, they shall as easily beat the Savoyan as the French hath done,) can make no use of that alliance other than to draw them into a war for the defence of those dukes. But let us somewhat, amongst these other respects, enter into the due consideration of the person of this excellent young princess, the only daughter of our sovereign, the dear beloved sister of our prince, and one of the precious jewels of this kingdom; let us, I say, but indifferently examine what increase of honour and dignity, what great comfort and contentment she can expect or hope for by the benefit of this match.

For the first, to wit, honour and dignity; as she is born the eldest, and now the only daughter of one of the mightiest kings of Christendom, so is she thereby of higher place and state than the wife of a duke of Savoy; besides, in her birth and blood, both of father and mother, descended of such royal races as Savoy cannot add any greater grace or glory unto; and by nature and education endowed with such princely perfections, both of body and mind, as may well deserve to be reputed a worthy spouse for the greatest monarch of Christendom; especially considering the possibilities of the daughters of England, whereof we have had many precedents, and at this time is happily manifested in the king's majesty, our sovereign, being descended of a daughter of England; whereby the island, formerly divided, is again now made one Great Britain, to the mutual strength of either.

Now to confer the possibility of such a fortune upon a poor popish prince of Savoy, that can return no recompense of benefit to this state, were greatly for his glory, though

little for the advancement of this noble princess, and less for the safety of this kingdom, considering the dangers it may draw upon our worthy magnanimous prince, and the noble duke of York, if the ambition of this match should tice the Savoyan to look after possibilities; wherein there would want neither means, persuasions, nor pardons from Rome to practise any villainy in that behalf, whereby to benefit or strengthen an appendix of Spain, and so devoted a son to the Romish see.

For the second, namely, the comfort and contentment of this young lady by this match; as there is little in appearance presently, so is there less to be hoped for in the future. For at first she must be removed far from her nearest blood both by father and mother, into a country far estranged from our nation as any part of Christendom, and as far differing from us in religion as in climate.

And what true correspondency or matrimonial affection there can be maintained between those persons, whose minds are different and opposite in the religious points of their Christian faith, is greatly to be doubted. Moreover, it is no less to be feared, with what safety and security she can long live free from secret practices and treacheries in a country so near the pope's jurisdiction, environed with the plots of the Jesuits, who, we see, do daily traffick the lives and fortunes of all princes that are not wholly devoted to the Romish obedience; and therefore how they will entertain or tolerate one of the race of our king were too great an error and presumption to trust unto.

So as when the worthy lady hereafter, by her children or otherwise, hath furnished their desire, and fully served their turn, she shall be then either forced to wound her conscience by forsaking her faith, or else to undergo the scorns and dangers which shall be daily cast upon her and her family, for the exercise of their religion.

And this also we may be well assured of, that if she should have any issue by the prince of Piedmont, they must all be bred and brought up contrary to her conscience; which can be no small grief to a virtuous and natural mo

ther, and as little comfort to our most religious king, their grandfather.

Lastly, the very binding cause of amity between all kings, princes, and states, is their trade and intercourse of their subjects.

Now there is not any prince or state of Europe, (the inland counties of Hungary and Transylvania excepted,) but the English have trade withal; yea, even with the Turk, Barbarian, Persian, and Indians: only with the subjects of Savoy I do not know that we have any meddling or interchange at all. For the duke hath no port, (his ditch of Villa Franca excepted, which is only capable of a few galleys,) either to furnish ships from, or to receive them being strangers. And therefore, for his majesty of England to match his eldest and only daughter with a prince which hath his dependance upon other kings; a prince jesuited, which can neither stead us in time of war, nor trade with us in time of peace; a prince, by the situation of his country, every way unprofitable unto us, and no less perilous for his child to live in; I resolve myself, that his majesty is of too excellent a judgment ever to accept of it, and his honourable council too wise and provident to advise the prosecution thereof.

Now if his highness should be pleased to ask my opinion, with what Christian prince he should match his sister, were it in his own power and choice to make election? I humbly desire to be excused herein, nor would it become me to presume so far.

It is true, I have heard it, that some overtures have been made for the prince palatine of the Rhine. Certainly he is as well born as the duke of Savoy, and as free a prince as he is. The nation is faithful; he is of our religion, and by him we shall greatly fasten unto us the Netherlands. And for the little judgment God hath given me, I do prize the alliance of the palatine of the Rhine, and of the house of Nassau, more than I do the alliance of ten dukes of Savoy.

9 JACOBI.

A DISCOURSE

TOUCHING

A MARRIAGE BETWEEN PRINCE HENRY OF ENGLAND, AND A DAUGHTER OF SAVOY.

THERE is nobody that persuades our prince to match with Savoy, for any love to the person of the duke, nor, as I hope, for his religion; neither will any man oppose it for any particular dislike: for as there hath never been quarrel between our nation and his, so hath he, for ought I have heard, never given offence to any of ours. It should therefore seem, that it is for the good of England that he that desires it, desires it; and for the same good it is, that he that desires it not, dissuades it.

The points in it, which are considerable, are these:

The first, wherein it concerns the duke to seek the alliance of England.

The second, that the pretences of marriages between princes are seldom the same with their intents that propounded them; and what hidden danger may lie under the alliance presently desired.

The third, wherein it may concern us to match with Savoy; and against whom he can assist us.

The fourth, that Savoy and Spain are inseparable, and that Savoy dare not offend the pope nor the emperor.

The fifth, against whom the English shall need his assistance.

The sixth, of the inconveniences in general.

The seventh, of the inconveniences in particular to the prince.