The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

OF A WAR WITH SPAIN. 201
by so many employments in such vast territories causes of poverty and consumption. The nature
as they possess, so that it hath been counted a of this war, you are persuaded, will be matter
kind of miracle to see together ten or twelve of restorative and enriching; so that, if we go
thousand native Spaniards in an army. And al- roundly on with supplies and provisions at the
though they have at this time great numbers of first, the war in continuance will find itself.
miscellany soldiers in their armies and garrisons, rThat you do but point at this, and will not enyet, if there should be the misfortune of a battle, large it.
they are ever long about it to draw on supplies. Lastly, That it is not a little to be considered,
They tell a tale of a Spanish ambassador that that the greatness of Spain is not only distracted
was brought to see their treasury of St. Mark at extremely, and therefore of less force; but built
Venice, and still he looked down to the ground; upon no very sound foundations, and therefore
and being asked the reason, said,," he was look- they have the less strength by any assured and
ing to see whether the treasure had any root, so confident confederacy. With France they are in
that, if that were spent, it would grow again; as competition for Navarre, Milan, Naples, and the
his master's had." But, howsoever it be of their Franche County of Burgundy; with the see of
treasure, certainly their forces have scarcely any Rome, for Naples also; for Portugal, with the
root, or at least such a root as putteth forth very right heirs of that line; for that they have in their
poorly and slowly; whereas, there is not in the Low Countries, with the United Provinces; for
world again such a spring and seminary of mili- Ormus, now, with Persia; for Valencia, with the
tary people as is England, Scotland, and Ireland; Moors expulsed and their confederates; for the
nor of seamen as is this island and the Low East and West Indies, with all the world. So
Countries: so as if the wars should mow them that, if every bird had his feather, Spain would be
down, yet they suddenly may be supplied and left wonderful naked. But yet there is a greater
come up again. confederation against them than by means of any
A second reason is, and it is the principal, that of these quarrels or titles; and that is contracted
if we truly consider the greatness of Spain, it by the fear that almost all nations have of their
consisteth chiefly in their treasure, and their trea- ambition, whereof men see no end. And thus
sure in their Indies, and their Indies, both of much for balancing of their forces.
them, is but an accession to such as are masters For the last point, which is the choice of the
by sea; so as this axle-tree, whereupon their designs and enterprises, in which to conduct the
greatness turns, is soon cut a-two by any that war; you will not now speak, because you should
shall be stronger than they at sea. So then you be forced to descend to divers particulars, wherereport yourself to their opinions, and the opinions of some are of a more open, and some of a more
of all men, enemies or whosoever; whether that secret nature. But that you would move the House
the maritime forces of Britain and the Low Coun- to make a selected committee for that purpose; not
tries are not able to beat them at sea. For if that to estrange the House in any sort, but to prepare
be, you see the chain is broken from shipping to things for them, givingthem power and commission
Indies, from Indies to treasure, and fromn treasure to call before them, and to confer with any martial
to greatness. men or others that are not of the House, that they
The third reason, which hath some affinity shall think fit, for their advice and information:
with this second, is a point comfortable to hear in and so to give an account of the business to a
the state that we now are: wars are generally general committee of the whole House.
CONSIDERATIONS
TOUCHING A WAR WITH SPAIN.
INSCRIBED TO PRINCE CHARLES,
ANNO MDCXIxV.
YOUR highness hath animperial name. It was a if the king shall enter into it, is a mighty work:
Charles that brought the empire first into France; it requireth strong materials, and active motions.
a Charles that brought it first into Spain; why He that saith not so, is zealous, but not according
should not Great Britain have its turn l But to lay to knowledge. But, nevertheless, Spain is no such
aside all that may seem to have a show of fumes giant, and he that thinketh Spain to be some
and fancies, and to speak solids: a war with Spain, great overmatch for this estate, assisted as it is
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