The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

OF A WAR WITH SPAIN. 297
religion from Spain is the more just, for that all bravely and furiously at the first; but after a fight
other Catholic princes and states content and con- maintained by the space of a whole day, was retain themselves to maintain their religion within pulsed, and forced to a retreat, with great slaughtheir own dominions, and meddle not with the ter of his men; and the course of his farther
subjects of other states; whereas the.practice of enterprises was wholly arrested; and this chiefly
Spain hath been, both in Charles the Fifth's time, by the prowess and virtue of the English and
and in the time of the league in France, by war; Scottish troops, under the conduct of Sir John
and now with us, by conditions of treaty, to inter- Norris and Sir Robert Stuart, colonels: which
meddle with foreign states, and to declare them- troops came to the army but the day before, haselves protectors-general of the party of Catholics, rassed with a long and wearisome march; and, as
through the world. As if the crown of Spain had it is left for a memorable circumstance in all
a little of this, that they would plant the pope's stories, the soldiers being more sensible of a little
laws by arms, as the Ottomans do the law of heat of the sun, than of any cold fear of death,
NMahomet. Thus much concerning the first main cast away their armour and garments from them,
point of justifying the quarrel, if the king shall and fought in their shirts: and, as it was geneenter into a war; for this that I have said, and all rally conceived, had it not been that the Count of
that followeth to be said, is but to show what he Bossu was slack in charging the Spaniards upon
may do. their retreat, this fight had sorted to an absolute
The second main part of that I have propounded defeat. But it was enough to chastise Don John
to speak of, is the balance of forces between Spain for his insidious treaty of peace, wherewith he
and us. And this also tendeth to no more, but had abused the States at his first coAming. And
what the king may do. For what he may do is the fortune of the day, besides tile testimony of
of two kinds: what he may do as just; and what all stories, may be the better ascribed to the serhe may do as possible. Of the one I have already vice of the English and Scottish, by comparison
spoken; of the other I am now to speak. I said, of this charge near Rimenant, where the English
Spain was no such giant; and yet, if he were a and Scottish in great numbers came in action, with
giant, it will be but as it was between David and the like charge given by Don John half a year
Goliath, for "c God is on our side." But to leave before at Glemblours, where the success was cor.all arguments that are supernatural, and to speak trary: there being at that time in the army but a
in a human and politic sense, I am led to think handful of English and Scottish, and they put'i
that Spain is no overmatch for England, by that disarray by the horsemen of their own fellows.
which leadeth all men; that is, experience and The first dart of war which was thrown from
reason. And with experience I will begin, for Spain or Rome upon the realm of Ireland, was
there all reason beginneth. in the year 1580; for the design of Stuklely blew
Is it fortune, shall we think, that, in all actions over into Afric; and the attempt of Saunders and
of war or arms, great and small, which have hap- Fitz-Maurice had a spice of madness. In that
pened these many years, ever since Spain and year Ireland was invaded by Spanish and Italian
England have had any thing to debate one with forces, under the pope's banner, and the conduct
the other, the English upon all encounters have of San Josepho, to the number of seven hundred
perpetually come off with honour, and the better? or better, which landed at Smerwick in Kerry. A
It is not fortune, sure; she is not so constant. poor number it was to conquer Ireland to the
There is somewhat in the nation and natural pope's use; for their design was no less; but
courage of the people, or some such thing. I will withal they brought arms for five thousand men
make a brief list of the particulars themselves in above their own company; intending to arm so
an historical truth, no ways strouted, nor made many of the rebels of Ireland. And their purpose
greater by language. This were a fit speech, you was, to fortify in some strong place of the Nwild
will say, for a general, in the head of an army, and desolate country, and there to nestle till
when they were going to battle: yes; and it is greater succours came; they being hastened unto
no less fit speech to be spoken in the head of a this enterprise upon a special reason of state, act
council, upon a deliberation of entrance into a proper to the enterprise itself; which was by the
war. Neither speak I this to disparage the invasion of Ireland, and the noise thereof, to
Spanish nation, whom I take to be of the best sol- trouble the council of England, and to make a
diers in Europe; but that sorteth to our honour, division of certain aids, that then were preparirng
if we still have had the better hand. from hence for the Low Countries. They chose
Inthe year 1578, was that famous Lammas day, a place where they erected a fort, which they
which buried the reputation of Don John of Aus- called the Fort del Or: and from thence they
tria, himself not surviving long after. Don John bolted like beasts of the forest, sometimes into
being superior in forces, assisted by the Prince of the woods and fastnesses, and sometimes bckls
Parma, Mondragon, Mansell, and other, the best again to their den. Soon after siege was laid
commanders of Spain, confident of victory, to the fort by the Lord Gray, then deputy, with a
barged the army of the States near Rimenant, smaller number than those were within the fort