One would have thought the King addressing a tourist just starting on a little pleasure-excursion.

And this was precisely the moment when Alexander had been writing those affectionate phrases to the Queen which had been considered by the counsellors at Greenwich so "princely and Christianly," and which Croft had pronounced such "very good words." If there had been no hostile, fleet to prevent, it was to be hoped, said Philip, that, in the name of God, the passage had been made.

"Once landed there," continued the King, "I am persuaded that you will give me a good account of yourself, and, with the help of our Lord, that you will do that service which I desire to render to Him, and that He will guide our cause, which is His own, and of such great importance to His Church." A part of the fleet would soon after arrive and bring six thousand Spaniards, the Pope's million, and other good things, which might prove useful to Parma, presupposing that they would find him established on the enemy's territory.
This conviction that the enterprise had been already accomplished grew stronger in the King's breast every day.

He was only a little disturbed lest Farnese should have misunderstood that 14th November letter.
Philip--as his wont was--had gone into so many petty and puzzling details, and had laid down rules of action suitable for various contingencies, so easy to put comfortably upon paper, but which might become perplexing in action, that it was no wonder he should be a little anxious.

The third contingency suggested by him had really occurred.
There had been a composition between the foreign mercenaries and the French King.