The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

246 OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL.
many bishops of Rome. Yea, every state in the King of Spain withdrawn his ambassadors
Christendom, except Spain, have received sundry here residing; neither had her majesty received
successions. And for the King of Spain, he is into protection the United Provinces of the Low
waxed so infirm, and thereby so retired, as the Countries,) and the aid of France; they have
report of his death serveth for every year's news: not occupied in time a third part of her majesty's
whereas her majesty, thanks be given to God, reign; nor consumed past two of any noble
being nothing decayed in vigour of health and house; whereof France tookl one, and Flanders
strength, was never more able to supply and sus- another; and very few besides of quality or aprain the weight of her affairs, and is, as far as pearance. They have scarce mowed down tile
standeth with the dignity of her majesty's royal overcharge of the people within the realm. It is
state, continually to be seen, to the great comfort therefore true, that the kings aforesaid, and others
and heart-ease of her people. her majesty's progenitors, have been victorious
Secondly, we will mention the blessing of in their wars, and have made many famous and
health: I mean generally of the people, which memorable voyages and expeditions into sundry
was wanting in the reign of another of these parts; and that her majesty, contrariwise, froi
kings; which else deserved to have the second the beginning, put on a firm resolution to content
place in happiness, which is one of the great herself within those limits of her dominions
favours of God towards any nation. For as there which she received, and to entertain peace with
be three scourges of God, war, famine, and pesti- her neighbour princes; which resolution she
lence; so are there three benedictions, peace, hath ever since, notwithstanding she hath had
plenty, and health. Whereas, therefore, this rare opportunities, just claims and pretences, and
realm hath been visited in times past with sun- great and mighty means, sought to continue.
dry kinds of mortalities, as pestilences, sweats, But if this be objected to be the less honourable
and other contagious diseases, it is so, that in her fortune; I answer, that ever amongst the heathen,
majesty's times, being of the continuance afore- who held not the expense of blood so precious as
said, there was only, towards the beginning of Christians ought to do, the peaceable govern
her reign, some sickness, between June and Fe- ment of Augustus Caesar was ever as highly esbruary, in the city; but not dispersed into any teemed as the victories of Julius his uncle; and
other part of the realm, as was noted; which we that the name of "pater patri ae" was ever as
call yet the great plague; because that, though it hononrable as that of " propagator imperii."
was nothing so grievous and so sweeping as it And this I add further, that during this inward
hath been sundry times heretofore, yet it was peace of so many years in the actions of war begreat in respect of the health which hath followed fore mentioned, which her majesty, either in her
since; which hath been such, especially of late own defence or in just and honourable aids, hath
years, as we began to dispute and move questions undertaken, the service hath been such as hath carof the causes whereunto it should be ascribed, ried no note of a people, whose militia hath
until such time as it pleased God to teach us that degenerated through long peace; but hath every
we ought to ascribe it only to his mercy, by way answered the ancient reputation of the Engtouching us a little this present year, but with a lish arms.
very gentle hand; and such as it hath pleased The fourth blessing is plenty and abundance:
him since to remove. But certain it is, for so and, first, for grain and all victuals, there cannot
many years together, notwithstanding the great be more evident proof of the plenty than this:
pestering of people in houses, the great mul- that whereas England was wont to be fed by
titude of strangers, and the sundry voyages by other countries from the east, it sufficeth now to
seas, all of which have been noted to be causes feed other countries; so as we do many times
of pestilence, the health universal of the people transport and serve sundry foreign countries; and
was never so good. yet there was never the like multitude of people
The third blessing is that which all the politic to eat it within the realm. Another evident proof
and fortunate kings before recited have wanted; thereof may be, that the good yields of corn
that is, peace: for there was never foreigner since which have been, together with some toleration
her majesty's reign, by invasion or incursion of of vent, hath of late time invited and enticed men
moment, that took any footing within the realm to break up more ground, and to convert it to tillof England. One rebellion there hath been only, age, than all the penal laws for that purpose
but such a one as was repressed within the made and enacted could ever by compulsion
space of seven weeks, and did not waste the effect. A third proof may be, that the prices of
realm so much as by the destruction or depopula- grain and victual were never of late years more
tion of one poor town. And for wars abroad, reasonable. Now, for arguments of the great
taking in those of Leith, those of Newhaven, the wealth in all other respects, let the points followsecond expedition into Scotland, the wars of ing be considered.
Spain, which I reckon from the year eighty-six There was never the like number of fair and
or eighty-seven, (before which time neither had stately houses as have been built and set up from