Kernell or Nut, but to a Graine of Mustardseed; which is one of the least Graines, but hath in it a Propertie and Spirit, hastily to get up and spread. So are there States, great in Territorie, and yet not apt to Enlarge, or Command; And some, that have but a small Dimension of Stemme, and yet apt to be the Foundations of Great Monarchies.

Walled Townes, Stored Arcenalls and Armouries, Goodly Races of Horse, Chariots of Warre, Elephants, Ordnance, Artillery, and the like: All this is but a Sheep in a Lions Skin, except the Breed and disposition of the People, be stout and warlike. Nay Number (it selfe) in Armies, importeth not much, where the People is of weake Courage: For (as Virgil saith) It never troubles a Wolfe, how many the sheepe be. The Armie of the Persians, in the Plaines of Arbela, was such a vast Sea of People, as it did somewhat astonish the Commanders in Alexanders Armie; Who came to him therefore, and wisht him, to set upon them by Night; But hee answered, He would not pilfer the Victory. And the Defeat was Easie. When Tigranes the Armenian, being incamped upon a Hill, with 400000. Men, discovered the Armie of the Romans, being not above 14000. Marching towards him, he made himselfe Merry with it, and said; Yonder Men, are too Many for an Ambassage, and too Few for a Fight. But before the Sunne sett, he found them enough, to give him the Chace, with infinite Slaughter. Many are the Examples, of the great oddes between Number and Courage: So that a Man

may truly make a Iudgement; That the Principal Point of Greatnesse in any State, is to have a Race of Military Men. Neither is Money the Sinewes of Warre, (as it is trivially said) where the Sinewes of Mens Armes, in Base and Effeminate People, are failing. For Solon said well to Cræsus (when in Ostentation he shewed him his Gold) Sir, if any Other come, that hath better Iron then you, he will be Master of all this Gold. Therfore let any Prince or State, thinke soberly of his Forces, except his Militia of Natives, be of good and Valiant Soldiers. And let Princes, on the other side, that have Subiects of Martiall disposition, know their owne Strength; unlesse they be otherwise wanting unto Themselves. As for Mercenary Forces, (which is the Helpe in this Case) all Examples shew; That, whatsoever Estate or Prince doth rest upon them; Hee may spread his Feathers for a time, but he will mew them soone after.

The Blessing of Iudah and Issachar will never meet; That the same People or Nation, should be both The Lions whelpe, and the Asse betweene Burthens: Neither will it be, that a People over-laid with Taxes, should ever become Valiant, and Martiall. It is true, that Taxes levied by Consent of the Estate, doe abate Mens Courage lesse; As it hath beene seene notably, in the Excises of the Low Countries; And in some degree, in the Subsidies of England. For you must note, that we speake now, of the Heart, and not of the Purse. So that, although the same Tribute and Tax, laid by Consent, or by Imposing, be all one to the

Purse, yet it workes diversly upon the Courage. So that you may conclude; That no People, over-charged with Tribute, is fit for Empire.

Let States that aime at Greatnesse, take heed how their Nobility and Gentlemen, doe multiply too fast. For that maketh the Common Subiect, grow to be a Peasant, and Base Swaine, driven out of Heart, and in effect but the Gentlemans Labourer. Even as you may see in Coppice Woods; If you leave your staddles too thick, you shall never have cleane Underwood, but Shrubs and Bushes. So in Countries, if the Gentlemen be too many, the Commons will be base; And you will bring it to that, that not the hundred poll, will be fit for an Helmet: Especially as to the Infantery, which is the Nerve of an Army: And so there will be Great Population, and Little Strength. This, which I speake of, hath been no where better seen, then by comparing of England and France; whereof England, though farre lesse in Territory and Population, hath been (neverthelesse) an Overmatch; In regard, the Middle People of England, make good Souldiers, which the Peasants of France doe not. And herein, the device of King Henry the Seventh, (whereof I have spoken largely in the History of his Life) was Profound, and Admirable; In making Farmes, and houses of Husbandry, of a Standard; That is, maintained with such a Proportion of Land unto them, as may breed a Subiect, to live in Convenient Plenty, and no Servile Condition; And to keepe the Plough in the Hands of the Owners, and not meere Hirelings. And thus indeed, you

shall attaine to Virgils Character, which he gives to Ancient Italy.

-Terra potens Armis atque ubere Gleba. Neither is that State (which for any thing I know, is almost peculiar to England, and hardly to be found any where else, except it be perhaps in Poland) to be passed over; I meane the State of Free Servants and Attendants upon Noblemen and Gentlemen; which are no waies inferiour, unto the Yeomanry, for Armes. And therefore, out of all Question, the Splendour, and Magnificence, and great Retinues, and Hospitality of Noblemen, and Gentlemen, received into Custome, doth much conduce, unto Martiall Greatnesse. Whereas, contrariwise, the Close and Reserved living, of Noblemen, and Gentlemen, causeth a Penury of Military Forces.

By all meanes, it is to be procured, that the Trunck of Nebuchadnezzars Tree of Monarchy, be great enough, to beare the Branches, and the Boughes; That is, That the Naturall Subiects of the Crowne or State, beare a sufficient Proportion, to the Stranger Subiects, that they governe. Therfore all States, that are liberall of Naturalization towards Strangers, are fit for Empire. For to thinke, that an Handfull of People, can, with the greatest Courage, and Policy in the World, embrace too large Extent of Dominion, it may hold for a time, but it will faile suddainly. The Spartans were a nice People, in Point of Naturalization; whereby, while they kept their Compasse, they stood firme; But when they did spread, and their Boughs were becommen too great, for their Stem, they

became a Windfall upon the suddaine. Never any State was, in this Point, so open to receive Strangers, into their Body, as were the Romans. Therefore it sorted with them accordingly; For they grew to the greatest Monarchy. Their manner was, to grant Naturalization, (which they called Ius Civitatis) and to grant it in the highest Degree; That is, Not onely Ius Commercij, Ius Connubij, Ius Hæreditatis; But also, Ius Suffragij, and Ius Honorum. And this, not to Singular Persons alone, but likewise to whole Families; yea to Cities, and sometimes to Nations. Adde to this, their Custome of Plantation of Colonies; whereby the Roman Plant, was removed into the Soile, of other Nations. And putting both Constitutions together, you will say, that it was not the Romans that spred upon the World; But it was the World, that spred upon the Romans: And that was the sure Way of Greatnesse. I have marveiled sometimes at Spaine, how they claspe and containe so large Dominions, with so few Naturall Spaniards: But sure, the whole Compasse of Spaine, is a very Great Body of a Tree; Farre above Rome, and Sparta, at the first. And besides, though they have not had that usage, to Naturalize liberally; yet they have that, which is next to it; That is, To employ, almost indifferently, all Nations, in their Militia of ordinary Soldiers: yea, and sometimes in their Highest Commands. Nay, it seemeth at this instant, they are sensible of this want of Natives; as by the Pragmaticall Sanilion, now published, appeareth.