FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91  
92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   >>   >|  
Bingham, Yorke, or Carlisle, in those ports, he would keep them during the Spanish King's life." But the true way to attack Spain--a method soon afterwards to be carried into such brilliant effect by the naval heroes of England and the Netherlands--the long-sighted Welshman now indicated; a combined attack, namely, by sea upon the colonial possessions of Philip. "I dare be bound," said he, "if you join with Treslong, the States Admiral, and send off, both, three-score sail into his Indies, we will force him to retire from conquering further, and to be contented to let other princes live as well as he." In particular, Williams urged rapid action, and there is little doubt, that had the counsels of prompt, quick-witted, ready-handed soldiers like himself, and those who thought with him, been taken; had the stealthy but quick-darting policy of Walsingham prevailed over the solemn and stately but somewhat ponderous proceedings of Burghley, both Ghent and Antwerp might have been saved, the trifling and treacherous diplomacy of Catharine de' Medici neutralized, and an altogether more fortunate aspect given at once to the state of Protestant affairs. "If you mean to do anything," said he, "it is more than time now. If you will send some man of credit about it, will it please your honour, I will go with him, because I know the humour of the people, and am acquainted with a number of the best. I shall be able to show him a number of their dealings, as well with the French as in other affairs, and perhaps will find means to send messengers to Ghent, and to other places, better than the States; for the message of one soldier is better than twenty boors." It was ultimately decided--as will soon be related--to send a man of credit to the Provinces. Meantime, the policy of England continued to be expectant and dilatory, and Advocate Buys, after having in vain attempted to conquer the French influence, and bring about the annexation of the Provinces to England, threw down his office in disgust, and retired for a time from the contest. He even contemplated for a moment taking service in Denmark, but renounced the notion of abandoning his country, and he will accordingly be found, at a later period, conspicuous in public affairs. The deliberations in the English councils were grave and anxious, for it became daily more obvious that the Netherland question was the hinge upon which the whole fate of Christendom was slowly turni
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91  
92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

affairs

 

England

 

number

 

French

 

policy

 
attack
 

credit

 

Provinces

 

States

 
decided

message

 
twenty
 

soldier

 

ultimately

 

honour

 

humour

 

people

 

dealings

 

messengers

 

acquainted


related

 

places

 

attempted

 

public

 

deliberations

 

English

 

councils

 

conspicuous

 

period

 

country


abandoning

 
anxious
 

Christendom

 

slowly

 

obvious

 
Netherland
 

question

 

notion

 

renounced

 

Protestant


conquer

 

influence

 

expectant

 

continued

 

dilatory

 

Advocate

 
annexation
 

moment

 

contemplated

 

taking