Drake, Nelson and Napoleon | Page 8

it would otherwise be used for the purpose of
murdering her Protestant subjects. Sir Arthur Champernowne, a noted
vice-admiral of Elizabeth's reign, in writing to Cecil of the vessel that
had put into Plymouth through stress of weather with the needy Philip's
half-million of ducats on board, borrowed, it is said, from a Genoa firm
of financiers, said it should be claimed as fair booty. Sir Arthur's view
was that anything taken from so perfidious a nation was both necessary
and profitable to the Commonwealth. No doubt a great deal of pious
discussion would centre round the Vice-Admiral's easy moral but very
logical opinions. The main thing in his mind, and in that of everybody
else who was free from poisoned cant, was that the most shocking
crimes were being openly advocated by Philip, King of Spain, against
all European Protestants, rich or poor, who came within the clutches of
the savages that administered the cruelties of the Inquisition. The
canting crowd shrieked against the monstrous impiety of such notions,
but their efforts to prove purity of motive were unavailing.
After considered thought by a committee of men of high rectitude, it
was decided to act without fear or favour in a strictly impartial manner,
so Philip's half-million of bullion was divided between the Prince of
Orange and the rigid moralist, Elizabeth, who is credited with having
spent her share on the Navy, a very admirable way of disposing of it.
This act was the cause of a deluge of reprisals on the part of Spain. But,
from all accounts, Elizabeth's corsairs had always the best of it in
matters of material importance. The Spanish are naturally a proud,
brave race. In the middle of the sixteenth century their power

dominated two-thirds of the universe, and had they stuck to business,
and not so feverishly to the spreading of their religious faith by violent
means, they might have continued a predominant nation.
Their civil, naval, and military position was unequalled. The commerce
and wealth of the whole world was pre-eminently in their hands, and in
common with other nations who arrive at heights of power, prosperity,
and grandeur (which last sits so easily on the Spaniard), they gave way
to pleasures and to the luxury of laziness which invariably carries with
it sensuality. Wherever they found themselves in the ascendancy, they
intrigued to impose the Roman faith on the population, and if that
method did not succeed with felicity, whenever the agents of their
governing classes, including their king, met with opposition from
prominent men or women, their opponents were put to the rack, burnt,
or their heads sent flying. In this country no leading Protestant's life or
property was safe. Even Elizabeth, during the reign of her half-sister,
Mary, was obliged to make believe that her religious faith was Roman
in harmony with that of the Queen. It was either adoption, deception, or
execution, and the future queen outwitted all their traps and inventions
until Mary passed on, and Elizabeth took her place on the throne.
Meanwhile, Spain, as I have indicated, was tampering with abiding
laws. Catastrophe always follows perilous habits of life, which were
correctly attributed to the Spanish. As with individuals, so it is with
nations; pride can never successfully run in conjunction with the
decadence of wealth. It is manifestly true that it is easier for a nation to
go up than to realize that it has come down, and during long years
Spain has had to learn this bitter lesson. It was not only imperious pride
of race and extravagant grandeur that brought the destruction of her
supremacy of the seas, and the wealth and supremacy of many lands,
but their intolerable religious despotism towards those who were not
already, and refused to become, as I have said, adherents of the Roman
Catholic creed. Poor wretches who were not strong enough to defend
themselves had the mark of heretics put on them; and for nearly thirty
years Spaniards carried on a system of burning British seamen
whenever they could lay hands on them. They kept up a constant
system of spying and plotting against the British Protestant Queen and
her subjects of every position in life. The policy of the Spanish King
and government was to make the British and other races vassals of the

Pope. Philip, like all powerful monarchs and individuals who are put
into power without any of the qualities of fitness to fill a high post,
always believed that his presence on earth was an act of supreme
Providence. Philip, in proclaiming his glorious advent for the good of
mankind, explained it with a decorum that had a fascinating flavour.
Unlike some imitators of great personalities, he was never vulgarly
boastful in giving expression to the belief that his power came from