The glory of England, or A true description of many excellent prerogatiues and remarkeable blessings, whereby she triumpheth ouer all the nations of the world vvith a iustifiable comparison betweene the eminent kingdomes of the earth, and herselfe: plainely manifesting the defects of them all in regard of her sufficiencie and fulnesse of happinesse. By T.G.

CHAP. XV. ENGLAND compared, with the probable reasons, why she is neerer the example of CANAANS happinesse, then any o∣ther nation.

WIthout preface or circumloquution, you shall finde the Kingdome of England in * 1.1 geographicall dimension equall to the country of Canaan, and the people pray∣sing of God, in regard of their great and extraordinary blessings. For begin where you will, wee shall come so neere the comparison, as a close order in ranging a battalion. Concerning the generall view of the same, did you euer heare or read of any so well diuided in∣to shires and hundreds, with Lords, Lieutenants, Sheriffs,

Iustices, and other inferiour officers: insomuch, that it hath layd an imposition on the endeauours of a prin∣cipall scholler, and hee (according to the secret of satisfa∣ction) hath most worthily vnclasped the records of anti∣quity, and with such sufficient ampliation, that our aduer∣saries haue beene silent in excepting against it. But to my first purpose: I say, that to match all the particulars, wher∣with I haue stored Salomons magnificence and the coun∣tries prosperity, there is not at this houre any Kingdome in the world, so ready, apt, or worthy to take him by the hand, to pace out the measures of true glory and happi∣nesse, as the Kingdome of England.

Concerning our glory abroad, what worthy voyages haue we made? I hope no people or nation euer equalled vs, witnesse S^r. Iohn Mandeuill into India by land; Stafford ouer Europe, much about the same time; Ienkinson, Wil∣loughby, Borogh, and many others into Russia and Muscouia; Forbisher and Hawkins to discouer the northerne passages: the Fenners, Ralph Lane, Iohn Clarke, and diuers into Ame∣rica; another voyage, where of S^r. Walter Raleigh was the proposer; our setling in Virginia; our traffique to the West Indies, Brasill, Peru, Caribana, and Guiana; Captaine Drake round about the world, twice or thrice; Thomas Candish the like, our trauels to the East Indies, or Philippines; the Earle of Cumberlands worthy voyages, & amongst others, that to Santo Port-Ricco; the Portugall voyage; Cales voy∣age; the Iland voyage, and sundry others; as in Master Hackluits booke about this subiect only. Besides moderne trauellers, both of Noble-men & Gentle-men, although euery man is not a free Denizon of prosperities Kingdom, nor can boast of natures bounty in the gifts of vnderstan∣ding, or fortunes liberality in disposing her treasures. If

you would see how our marchants are bestowed, look into all the Ports of the world, you shall find them setled, & our shipping in harbour? If you could view all the countries of the earth, where men dare or can come, we are nobly dispersed, & I beleeue might be pull'd out of the center of the same, if such a passage did euer excite man to explore for secrets, marchandize, or wealth. If you were admitted into the remotest palaces of Emperours & Kings; yea Tar∣tary it selfe, English-men would salute you, and speak your owne language: and if you haue a purpose to affright idle∣nesse with any enterprize in the world, especially to make them beleeue, that the hand of profit will fill their laps with plenty, English-men dare set endeauours on their best feet, and can tell how to tumble all blockes and hindran∣ces aside, which may either terrefie them from such enter∣prizes, or detaine them from the glory of the actions: only heere lies a secret of traducing them, that a supposition of the wants of others, or feare of cumbersomnesse, when they meet with an indigent countrey-man abroad, hath debarred free conuersation, and doth make the mutuall supplying the necessity of strangers, a harsh-kinde of wel∣come; yea, an absolute leauing them to misery, if they haue not bills of exchange or letters of credit, to ouer∣beare mischances.

But our glory abroad is truely expatiated, when you shall know how helpefull wee haue beene to other nati∣ons, both with purse and forces; yea, contrary to the opi∣nion of the world, concerning our penury, opened the en∣closures of riches, and hononrably supplyed the defects of other Kingdomes. Wee haue made peace betweene Denmark and Sweden, and pacified those troubles long a∣goe. We haue releeued the Estates of Holland with men,

money, and munition, vnderpropping them, as if a man should vndershore a ruinous wall, vntill the foundation were repaired. We haue assisted the Protestant Princes of of France in their first ciuill warres, and beene auxiliary to many noble houses of Germany, we setled the last King in his greatnesse, and lifted him vp to that honour, that none of his Predecessours had their crownes shining with such a lustre. We playd the Physician with Geneua, and admi∣nistred her such an antidote, that no aconite of Pope or Sauoy could envenom her to death, or contriue her destru∣ction. We brought the distressed Prince Antonio to knock at the gates of Lisbone, and had he not found a fatall vicissi∣tude of times and occasions; yea, the minds of inconstant men corrupted with by-respects, and priuate following the stronger side, we might questionlesse haue preuailed in the proiect, and vpon the least filling the sailes of our ex∣pectation with the winde of home assistance, brought re∣couery to receiue the fulnesse of life. Wee haue made Spaine weary of the warres, and at last desire a peace, which I would be loth to resemble to still waters, wherein are the deepest gulphs and most dangerous places to ad∣uenture. We returned the Polish Ambassadour, with ad∣miration at our Princes greatnesse and magnanimity. We haue setled the good opinion of the Muscouite. Wee haue emboldned the Venetians in their last dissentions against the Pope. Wee haue accorded the Arch-Duke, who not onely admitteth vs into entertainment, but giueth way vnto such, as yet maintaine the cause of the contrary. We haue welcomed the Prince of Moldauia, and as farre as po∣licy or charity could goe, brought him along into the faire fields of expectation to regaine his enheritance. We haue lately ouerlooked the fields of Sweden and Russia; yea,

thought it befitting to send a martiall supply into Den∣marck, and howeuer the Polander repine, must in the end (I beleeue) determine those controuersies. To conclude, (though it shall be no cause of ostentation) wee haue pro∣spered in so many glorious thriuings, that the Spanyard in his prophanation hath sworne IESVS CHRIST to become a Lutheran, and railed on report, for filling the world with the sound of so many memorable actions.

Concerning our glory at home, lay abroad our exam∣ple * 1.2 and spare not, and marke the emptiest place, which we will not fill vp with comparison. First, the best manner of gouernment from Gods own mouth, which is monarchal; and philosophicall principles, which is a King; and morall enstructions, which is a distributer of Iustice; and peoples desires, which is an honourable preseruer of Common-wealths: all vnited in one person, from a continuall de∣scent of princely ancestours, gaining the loue and obedi∣ence of many nations, by excelling induments of nature, as wisdom, learning, iudgment, peaceable desires, honora∣ble liberality, magnanimity, & such like. And did it please him to add some glorious repairing, or rather magnificent quadrant, to his palace at White-hall, being the principall place of entertainement, and the eye to ouerlooke such a city, as is not in the world, it would come neere our ex∣ample indeede. For the Kings house in Ierusalem was thir∣teene yeere a building, and no one thing addes more ho∣nour to a nation, then regardable edifices, and eminent workes of Maiesty, being the very fruit of peace, and (as it were) the birth-right of prosperity, whether it bring forth sumptuous structures or adorning monuments. And (if it were not a pride & elation of hart to number the people, looke how many nations and languages are vnder subie∣ction:

namely English, Scottish, Irish, Welch, Cornish, Ments, Ilanders both Hebrides and Orchades, & the French of Gersy and Iersy: so that if the honour of a King consisteth in the multitude of his subiects, what Prince hath more, and such variety? If you looke on his palaces, where are so ma∣ny, and so good, belonging to any Kingdome in the world? If you will behold his court; I hope for state, good order, expences, entertainment, and continuall attendan∣cy, other places come farre short? If you will view his shipping and nauies, I am sure you passe away with asto∣nishment, when you are enstructed in the secrets of their seruice and strength? If you will behold his armours and munition, they exceede report, and the Arsenalls of other countries haue neither such equipage nor sufficiency; but when you shall finde euery Noble-man and Gentle-mans house so well furnished, euery Hall and Company so well prouided, euery Shire so willing to continue their prepa∣ration, euery Master so cheerefull in storing himselfe, and euery man so ready to giue eare to any martiall summons, and prepare with ioy to attend the seruice; you must needs returne, not louing vs with feare and trembling, but affe∣cting vs with triumph and well wishes, for our preuailing against the proudest aduersary? If you will number vs at sea, I know there is not so many good Mariners and Say∣lours in Europe, excepting the Low Countries. If you will muster vs at land, who can shew such companies of foot? such troopes of horse? so many worthy seruitours? and so well appoynted? Insomuch that I know diuers Gentle-men of England, who can conduct 3000. men into the field (in their King and Countries name) of their owne tenants, seruants, and friends. If you will examine our Nobility, I confesse they doe not boast of factious greatnesse, as in

France, & the Princes of Germany: but their number, noble disposition, & willingnes to be obedient, may passe in the best items of Fames account. If you would see our Coun∣cellors, prepare a reuerence, and settle your estimation to∣ward them for their orderly life, probity of manners, inte∣grity in deciding controuersies, & affability in admitting suters: & though you come from the Grandes of Spaine, the Principalities of Italy, the Electors of Germany, the Dukes of France, & the States of other Countries, yea, the osten∣tous pomp of Cardinals: yet bee not too preiudicate, nor transported with selfe-conceited wilfulnes; for you shall see as great brauery, retinue, & obseruation amongst vs, as any subiects in the world dare challenge or put in practise, for outward glorious ostentation: nay more, the order of our Garter, and the ceremonies of enstalling, are continued with that triumph and maiesty, that no one celebration of petty Princes dare lift vp a countenance of such iollity & regardable honor. And if you will behold the other Cour∣tiers, they are generally so many, so handsome, so seruicea∣ble, & of their own retinues so well prouided, that I protest they so farre exceede other places, both for gracefull shewes and sufficient estates, that I wonder, how such a corner of the world should haue such a generall conflu∣ence of all happinesse and courtship, as if a raised winde should beat the swelling sea of prosperity to one shore.

But if you will be rauished indeede, or transported with the loue of the world, come and behold the beauty of our Ladies, and the disposing them at a night of solemnity, to which if you adde the generall contentment, which our English women affoord generally, without sophisticate and adulterate additions, either to comelinesse or fauour, there is no man can hold his peace, but proclaime our pre∣eminence.

Againe, if you would see Iustice proud of her entertainment, and how shee presents both praemium and poena to the seuerall attendants on her throne of equity; looke into our Starre-chamber, and view the Sunne in most perspicuous splendour, without so much as the least clow∣dy respect of persons. If you will enter our Gentle-mens houses, I hope, there is no such cupbords of plate, beds of of veluet and embroidery, hangings of tapistry, variety of roomes, duty of seruants, order of house-keeping, store of pastime, and all that man can desire in any countrey in the world. If you will search our cities and townes, what they want in outward deceit of formality (and yet I cannot so extenuate our buildings) is supplyed in sweetnesse and de∣licacy, and within doore surpasseth the best of them for wealth and furniture. As for expences, I am sure some Citizens of London are at more annuall charge of diet, then the Dukes of Venice, Florence, or Genoa, for their own palaces. If you will examine our marchants, howeuer some great Foulker or agent for a whole Kingdome, in Genoa, Antwerp, Brussels, or other citties may surpasse vs for vsury, venting commodities, or supposition of wealth: yet I am sure, there died not two such in one yeere, out of one towne in the world, as Spencer and Sutton. As for the rest, they surpasse for curious fare, statelinesse, follow∣ing their pleasures, handsome education, comely enter∣tainment, and orderly contribution, Besides, they liue at home in ease, purchase land with security, bring vp their children in daintinesse, maintaine their families in obedi∣ence, and cannot be matched by any forraine opposition. Would you be acquainted with the Trades-man, Artezan, and others of mannuall occupation, looke how hee liues, looke how he fares, looke where he dwels, looke what he

weares, looke whether he goes to buy his meat, to such markets and shambles, that the very sight astonisheth all strangers, and once made acquainted with their variety and goodnesse, they are amazed at our blessings, and won∣der, how so much prouision can bee orderly deuoured. Would you be refreshed with the pleasant countrey aire; our Yeoman and Husbandman liueth in such delight and sweetnesse of situation, that you may repine at his health and prosperity: but if you consider in what comelinesse and decency, in what peace & tranquility, in what neatnes and hospitality, in what wealth and good condition; you will fall to praising of God, for imparting his blessings to our nation, and wishing the like to your owne deficient countrey in this kinde: For beleeue it (as you shall heare heereafter) whether he be Purchaser or Farmer, our ene∣mies haue repined at our prerogatiues in this kinde, and our friends embtaced our noble customes with desire of imitation. I could adde many things to the ampliation of our glory, as our hauens and harbours, especially in Ire∣land, our riuers, high wayes, secure trauelling, vniuersities, castles, bathes, mines, and honorable orders of watchings, trainings, and musters: but I referre them to their due pla∣ces, when I shall prooue our excellency and transcending prerogatiues beyond other nations. And thus much for our glory.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The glory of England both abroad and at home.
• * 1.2

  The glory of England at home.