The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

226.OF THE TRUE GREATNESS OF BRITAIN.
decided not by the sharpest sword, but by the estate, doth generate faster than it can sustain.
greatest purse. And that very text or saying of In which people it well appeared what an authorMutianus which was the original of this opinion, ity iron hath over gold at the battle of Granson,
is misvouched, for his speech was, 6 Pecuniwe at what time one of the principal jewels of
sunt nervi belli civilis," which is true, for that Burgundy was sold for twelve pence, by a poor
civil wars cannot be between people of differing Swiss, that knew no more a precious stone than
valour; and, again, because in them men are as did _/Esop's cock. And although this people
oft bought as vanquished. But in case of foreign have made no plantations with their arms, yet we
wars, you shall scarcely find any of the great see the reputation of them such, as not only their
monarchies of the world, but have had their foun- forces have been employed and waged, but their
dations in poverty and contemptible beginnings, alliance sought and purchased, by the greatest
being in that point also conform to the heavenly kings and states of Europe. So as though forkingdom, of which it is pronounced, s" Regnum tune, as it fares sometimes with princes to their
Dei non venit cum observatione." Persia, a servants, hath denied them a grant of lands, yet
mountainous country, and a poor people in com- she hath granted them liberal pensions, which are
parison of the Medes and other provinces which made memorable and renowned to all posterity,
they subdued. The state of Sparta, a state by the event which ensued to Louis the Twelfth;
wherein poverty was enacted by law and ordi- who, being pressed uncivilly by message from
nance; all use of gold and silver and rich furni- them for the enhancing their pensions, entered
taure being interdicted. The state of Macedonia, into choler, and broke out in these wTords,
a state mercenary and ignoble until the time of "What! will these villains of the mountains put
Philip. The state of Rome, a state that had poor a tax upon me?" which words cost him his
and pastoral beginnings. The state of the Turks, Duchy of Milan, and utterly ruined his affairs in
which hath been since the terror of the world, Italy. Neither were it indeed possible at this
founded upon a transmigration of some bands of day, that that nation should subsist without
Sarmatian Scythes, that descended in a vagabond descents and impressions upon their neighbours,
manner upon the province that is now termed were it not for the great utterance of people which
Turcomania; out of the remnants whereof, after they make into the services of foreign princes and
great variety of fortune, sprang the Ottoman estates, thereby discharging not only number, but
family. But never was any position of estate so in that number such spirits as are mnost stirring
visibly and substantially confirmed as this, touch- and turbulent.
ing the preo-eminence, yea, and predominancy of And, therefore, we may conclude, that as largevalour above treasure, as by the two descents and ness of territory, severed from military virtue, is
inundations of necessitous and indigent people, but a burden; so, that treasure and riches severed
the one from the east, and the other from the west, from the same, is but a prey. It resteth therefore
that of the Arabians or Saracens, and that of the to make reduction of this error also unto a truth
Goths, Vandals, and the rest: who, as if they had by distinction and limitation, which will be in this
been the true inheritors of the Roman empire, manner:
then dying, or at least grown impotent and aged, Treasure and moneys do then add true greatness
entered upon Egypt, Asia, Grncia, Aftic, Spain, and strength to a state, when they are accompaFrance, coming to these nations, not as to a prey, nied with these three conditions:
but as to a patrimony; not returning with spoil, First, The same condition which hath been
but seating and planting themselves in a number annexed to largeness of territory, that is,
of provinces, which continue their progeny, and that they be joined with martial powers and
bear their names till this day. And all these men valour.
had no other wealth hut their adventures, nor no Secondly, That treasure doth then advance
other title but their swords, nor no other press but greatness, when it is rather in mediocrity than
their poverty. For it was not with most of these in great abundance. And again better, when
people as it is in countries reduced to a regular some part of the state is poor, than when all
civiiity, that no man almost marrieth except he parts of it are rich.
see he have means to live; but population went And, lastly, That treasure in a state is moere or
on, howsoever sustentation followed, and taught less serviceable, as the hands are in which
by necessity, as some writers report, when they the wealth chiefly resteth.
found themselves surcharged with people, they For the first of these, it is a thing that cannot
divided their inhabitants into three parts, and one be denied, that in equality of valour the better
third, as the lot fell, was sent abroad and left to purse is an advantage. For like, as in wrestling
their adventures. Neither is the reason much between man and man, if there be a great overunlike, though the effect hath not followed in match in strength, it is to little purpose though
retrald of a special diversion, in the nation of the one have the better breath; but, if the strength be
S wisses, inhabiting a country, which in regard near eqlal, then he that is shorter winded will,;t the mountainous situation, and the popular I if the wager consist of many falls, in the end have