The Lift rf Mafler John Fox, through all Seas and Havem from Eaft to Weft, the Sun might fti\1 behold the Englifh and Spa11ijh Navies fighting for their Lives, Honours or Eftates. Never till then had that Sea, which was accuftomed to no other command but ours, frothed with O:rokcs of foreign Oars. Nor would a large Volume contain the difcourfe, if I fhould rebtc the number and O:atdineG of ~~!rpr~~~fi~~e~~t~icgu~l~· ~~o~~~n~~~r~~s:t ~:v~~~~i~~e~fit~~~~t~~~~~%,gk~~g~~T;:S:, G;~~ intention to raze out the Englifb name, fcnt hither m the year of our Redemption, 1588. Let this fuffice, That never was any preparation by Sea comparable to this Fleet, made by any the mort powerful Princes or States to be .fhewed in all the Records of Antiquity:' Yet that fo ~;~~~~0~~~~~~~~01!ft~;~:f;~i~:~~~~~dst,t~::~f.1c~~n~~:;~::r~it;e~~:~e~~pe of Viltory, was The Navie5 met together, for number and tl:rcngt h unequ.1l: But the manner of the fight was to the Sp.miardJ difadvantage, becaufc the Englifb Ve!fels being for bulk much let'S, and lower ~~~~r~at~r~f,e~0S~~ ~~~e:~~e~:f:d%~ ~~Otu~~i~:~i~~~:i~gyi~:;~~;e!~erra~~;m~;~~haa~~~Y levelling at the broad.fide5 of the Spanifb Gal!tons, bellowing their fuot with a more certain and fuccefsful aim. To this, our Captains in the skill of Sea-fighr, and knowledge of the Tides, far excelled the SpaNijb Comrn:mders, who now taught by the formu days experience, that they could no way, but in a fct fight bear the Englifh Encounters, c afl:in~ their Anchors near CaOict, there expeCted new Forces out of FlandtrJ, and · fended themfelves. This laid them open to the &glijh filled fame Ships with Tow, Pitch, Brimfl:one, and all forts ofmat and fetting them on fire, with a f.wourableTide, they drove them direllly upon the Enemies; who were by this afrion fo exceedingly terrified, that the whole Fleet, cutting thei r· Cables as bll: as they could, betook themfClvcs headlong to flight. In which flight fomc of their Ships were burnt, fame fimk, fame forced to run themfelves on lliore, fomc fplit 11\:on the Rocks, and fome for halt ~~~~ t~,0~o~h~~r~~~~:~:n~1[k :yl~n ra:e b~~~e~he;e:.~~: t~~tt~r~u~i~~~~~~~;av~r:t~h~; Sea and Land, returned at kngth into Spain, by the Co:l{h of Scotland~ and the lfkmds of the Orc.tdu, through thofc Seas, which in no age had been failed on, but by fuch as were very good at Hying. Where fo great Vertues .:~nd Vitl:ories met together in one perfon, of neCeffity Envy would be an Attendam, followed by hatred and treacher ies ; which could nor, by this moll: innocent Qlleen, be fo avoided, but that her fafety (upon whom the fafcty of almo!t all Nations in &rupe depended) was through all her life d~i l y indangered. Which maketh me the rather wonder, what rare DoCtrine of our Adverfanes this may be, for pieties fake which they pretend, per· fecuting even vertue it felf, whereas (not only in no Heathen, but in none the moO: barbarous Nation, which doth at all ~cknowledge any Deity ) it was never thought jull: to take revenge upon Vertue (which ccrtamly cometh nearefl: to the Nature of God) even in their Enemies: uo.lcG it be fo that the indulgence. of the Chrifli;m Religion may be fo f.u extended, that although we are commanded to forgtve our Enemies, either the}' mutt not be vertuous, or they mutt not be forgiven. Bm evident enough it is, that in humane aff.1irs, the defires of men 3.re often employed to one end, anrl the Will of God to another. By him was Queen Eli'Labeth ~fo~~~d~~~h!:·H~~~u:~:;~~u;~~~;~~itbi~:;~h;~r~r~~;~:nr;!t~:d ~~e~~~;e~~'!v~f~~~: !~~ upon Earth, Envy now in vam barking at her after death, whofe caufe all Pofterity doth Patronage. Now let us return to our Story. · Mafl:er Fux, when by his Friends he undcrfl:ood the happy News in Bngland, That Q9een Bliubeth reigned, and th:~t th.c !late of 1\eligion was fure, and fo like to continue, about the end of that year, in which thts was in hand, came back to his Country: So much fpace he had taken to bethink himfclf, Iell ( if by any inconflancy of the people, they fhould grow weary of their prefcnt ettatc) he .fhould agai~ be forced, to feek his Femmes abroad : befides (his Family being then incrcafed wnh two Chtl~rcn) he was f.1in to fiay, till money might from home be fent him, to bear his charges in travellmg. But before he could get from thence, he was informed that fame hard Speeches had paffed of him, as if through Pride he had delayed to come, thereby fceking a lliort.er and more fpcedy way to preferment, as being due to him, when he fuould be fent for: Thts he knew to be a cafl: of their cunning, who themfelves with all earneftncfs firiving for Honours, feared Ma!ler Fox,as a man deferving, and like (ifhe would) to be preferred before them. Yet he thought it nOt worth hi9 labour, to make any excufe for fuch a Crime? as wo_uld .of it felf co~c t<>. nothing:. but equally defpifing Injuries, and neglc&~ ing his own nghr, h1d h1mfelfwholly m ht5Study. As in our Bodies it is commonly feen, that thofc men arc more healthful, which ufe moderate diet and exercife, than thofe which exceed in either: So [ fuppafe doth the cafe fiand with our Minds , that he, who if FortUne hath given him no rule, prefcribeth none ro him(elf, can hardly perfifi in the foundnefs of his duty ; whereas he who ufeth modefiy in his Fortunes, is always more frefh and vigorous for any illull:rious undertakings. For Ma!lcr F11x. being
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