8/18 1588.)] Nothing could be more replete, with sound common sense than this simple advice, given as it was in utter ignorance of the fate of the Armada; after it had been lost sight of by the English vessels off the Firth of Forth, and of the cold refreshment which: it had found in Norway and the Orkneys.

But, Burghley had a store of pithy apophthegms, for which--he knew he could always find sympathy in the Queen's breast, and with which he could answer these demands of admirals and generals.

"To spend in time convenient is wisdom;" he observed--"to continue charges without needful cause bringeth, repentance;"-- "to hold on charges without knowledge of the certainty thereof and of means how to support them, is lack of wisdom;" and so on.
Yet the Spanish fleet might have returned into the Channel for ought the Lord-Treasurer on the 22nd August knew--or the Dutch fleet might have relaxed, in its vigilant watching of Farnese's movements.

It might have then seemed a most plentiful lack of wisdom to allow English sailors to die of plague in the streets for want of hospitals; and to grow mutinous for default of pay.

To have saved under such circumstances would, perhaps have brought repentance.
The invasion of England by Spain had been most portentous.