The Pope would more willingly permit its dissolution than its falling into the hands of a prince not of his profession.

All that we have to do in this conjuncture is to attend the best we can to our own affairs, and afterwards to strengthen the good alliance existing among us, and not to let ourselves be separated by the tricks and sleights of hand of our adversaries.

The common cause can reckon firmly upon the King of Great Britain, and will not find itself deceived." Excellent commonplaces, but not very safe ones.

Unluckily for the allies, to attend each to his own affairs when the enemy was upon them, and to reckon firmly upon a king who thought it furious madness to resist the enemy, was hardly the way to avert the danger.

A fortnight later, the man who thought it possible to resist, and time to resist, before the net was over every head, replied to the Secretary by a picture of the Spaniards' progress.
"Since your letter," he said, "you have seen the course of Spinola with the army of the King and the Archdukes.