The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

262 NEW ATLANTIS.
the Chinese sail where they will or can; which of victuals, and good quantity of treasure to reshoweth, that their law of keeping out strangers is main with the brethren, for the buying of such
a law of pusillanimity and fear. But this restraint things, and rewarding of such persons, as they
of ours hath one only exception, which is admi- should think fit. Now for me to tell you how the
rable; preserving the good which cometh by vulgar sort of mariners are contained from being
communicating with strangers, and avoiding the discovered at land; and how they that must be
hurt; and I will now open it to you. And here I put on shore for any time colour themselves under
shall seem a little to digress, but you will by and the names of other nations; and to what places
by find it pertinent. Ye shall understand, my these voyages have been designed;, and what
dear friends, that amongst the excellent acts of places of rendezvous are appointed for the new
that king, one above all bath the pre-eminence. missions, and the like circumstances of the pracIt was the erection and institution of an order or tique, I may not do it: neither is it much to your
society which we call Solomon's House; the desire. But thus you see we maintain a trade,
noblest foundation, as we think, that ever was not for gold, silver, or jewels; nor for silks; nor
upon the earth, and the lantern of this kingdom. for spices; nor any other commodity of matter;
It is dedicated to the study of the works and crea- but only for God's first creature, which was light;
tures of God. Some think itbeareth the founder's to have light, I say, of the growth of all parts of
name a little corrupted, as if it should be Solo- the world. And when he had said this, he was
mona's House. But the records write it as it is silent; and so were we all. For indeed we were
spoken. So as I take it to be denominate of the all astonished to hear so strange things so probaKing of the Hebrews, which is famous with you, bly told. And he perceiving that we were willand no stranger to us; for we have some parts of ing to say somewhat, but had it not ready, in
his works, which with you are lost; namely, that great courtesy took us off, and descended to ask
Natural History which he wrote of all plants, us questions of our voyage and fortunes, and in'from the cedar of Libanus, to the moss that the end concluded, thatwe might do well to think
groweth out of the wall;' and of all things that with ourselves what time of stay we would dehave life and motion. This maketh me think, mand of the state; and bade us not to scant ourthat our king, finding himself to symbolize in selves; for he would procure such time as we
many things with that king of the Hebrews, desired. Whereupon we all rose up, and presentwhich lived many years before him, honoured ed ourselves to kiss the skirt of his tippet, but
him with the title of this foundation. And I am he would not suffer us; and so took his leave.
the rather induced to be of this opinion, for that I But when it came once amongst our people, that
find in ancient records this order or society is the state used to offer conditions to strangers that
sometimes called Solomon's House, and some- would stay, we had wvmork enough to get any of
times the college of the six days' works; where- our men to look to our ship; and to keep them
by I am satisfied, that our excellent king had from going presently to the governor to crave
learned from the Hebrews, that God had created conditions. But with much ado we refrained
the world, and all that therein is, within six days; them, till we might agree what course to take.
and therefore he instituting that house for the find- We took ourselves now for free men, seeing there
ing out of the true nature of all things, whereby God was no danger of our utter perdition; and lived
might have the more glory in the workmanship most joyfully, going abroad and seeing what was
of them, and men the more fruit in the use of to be seen in the city and places adjacent within
them, did give it also that second name. But our tedder; and obtaining acquaintance with many
now to come to our present purpose. When the of the city, not of the meanest quality; at whose
king had forbidden to all his people navigation hands we found such humanity, and such a freeinto any part that was not under his crown, he dom and desire to take strangers as it were into
made nevertheless this ordinance; that every theirbosomaswasenough tomake us forgetallthat
twelve years there should be set forth, out of this was dear to us in our own countries; and continukingdom, two ships appointed to several voyages: ally we met with many things right worthy of obthat in either of these ships there should be a servation and relation; as indeed, if there be a mirmission of three of the fellows or brethren of So- ror in the world worthy to hold men's eyes, it is
lomon's House; whose errand was only to give, that country. One day there were two of our
us knowledge of the affairs and state of those company bidden to a feast of the family, as they
countries to which they were designed; and es- call it. A most natural, pious, and reverend cuspecially of the sciences, arts, manufactures, and tom it is, showing that nation to be compounded
inventions of all the world; and withal to bring of all goodness. This is the manner of it. It is
unto us books, instruments, and patterns in granted to any man, that shall live to see thirty
every kind; that the ships, after they had landed persons descended of his body alive together, and
the brethren, should return; and that the brethren all above three years old, to make this feast,
should stay abroad till the new mission. These which is done atthe cost of the state. The father
ships are not otherwise fraught, than with store of the family, whom they call the Tirsan, twc