to it,
whether we consider the nature of our situation or the quality of our
enemy's forces. As we are an island, it concerns our very being to
have store of ships to defend us, and also our well-being by their
trade to enrich us. This Association for the West Indies, when it
shall be regulated and established by act of parliament, and thereby
secured from the violence and injury of any intruding hand, will
certainly give many men encouragement and confidence voluntarily
to bring in large and liberal contributions towards so noble and so
profitable an enterprize; so that, in short, we shall see many new
ships built, many brave men employed, and enabled to act for the
service of their country. None of this money shall be carried out of
the kingdom, but laid out in shipping, which is the defence of it, and
bestowed upon our own men, who must be fed and maintained though they
stay at home. For this, we shall reap the fruit of whatsoever benefit
plantation, traffic, or purchase can procure us, besides honour and
security.

"Now, let us a little consider the enemy we have to encounter, the
king of Spain. They are not his great territories which make him so
powerful and so troublesome to all Christendom. For it is very well
known that Spain itself is but weak in men, and barren of natural
commodities, and as for his other territories, they lie divided and
asunder, which is a weakness in itself. Besides, they are held
by force, and maintained at an extraordinary charge; insomuch, as
although he be a great king, yet he is like that giant who was said
to have an hundred hands, but had fifty bellies to feed, so that,
rateably, he had no more hands than another man. No, sir, they are
his mines in the West Indies which minister fuel to feed his ambitious
desire of universal monarchy. It is the money he hath from thence
which makes him able to levy and pay soldiers in all places, and to
keep an army on foot ready to invade and endanger his neighbours, so
that we have no other way but to endeavour to cut him off at the root,
and seek to impeach or to supplant him in the West Indies; by part
of which course that famous queen, of glorious memory, had heretofore
almost brought him to his knees. And this our undertaking, if it
pleases God to bless it, most needs affect it sooner and quicker, the
whole body of the kingdom being united, and concurring in a perpetual
supply to this action, so that he shall have no free time given him to
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