The Fourth Book: Essays and Discourses 127 



XXXIII 



That many laws do rather entrap than help the subject. 



xxxiv 

 That no martial law should be executed, but in an army. 



xxxv 



That the sheriffs in this kingdom of England have been so 

 expensive in liveries and entertainments in the time of their 

 sheriffalty, as it hath ruined many families that had but 

 indifferent estates *. 



xxxvi 



That the cutting down of timber in the time of rebellion 

 has been an inestimable loss to this kingdom, by reason of 

 shipping ; for though timber might be had out of foreign 

 countries that would serve for the building of ships, yet there 

 is none of such a temper as our English oak ; it being not 

 only strong and large, but not apt to splint, which renders 

 the ships of other nations much inferior to ours : and that 

 therefore it would be very beneficial for the kingdom, to set 

 out some lands for the bearing of such oaks, by sowing of 

 acorns, and then transplanting them : which would be like a 

 storehouse for shipping, and bring an incomparable benefit to 

 the kingdom, since in shipping consists our greatest strength 

 they being the only walls that defend an island 2 . 



1 In 1647 Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper was Sheriff of Wiltshire. He says, in his Diary, 

 that, when the judges came to Salisbury during his term of office, ' I had sixty men in 

 livery and kept an ordinary for all gentlemen, four shillings, and two shillings for blue 

 men. I paid for all.' Sir Hugh Cholmley also, in his Memoirs, states, that being Sheriff 

 of Yorkshire in 1625 cost Sir Richard Cholmley £1000. Cromwell endeavoured to put 

 a stop to this expenditure. It was ordered by the Council of State on February 13, 

 1656, ' that, as for many years complaints have been made of the excessive charges 

 burdening the office of sheriff, through the example of some, which discourage those 

 employed, the Major-Generals appoint in their respective counties a troop of horse to 

 attend the sheriff at the assizes, to wait on the judge, and perform the services that have 

 been required of the sheriff's men, and to demean themselves with all respect and dili- 

 gence. That no gratuity be given by any sheriff to the judge's clerks or officers, nor 

 any table or entertainment kept for them or for the justices of the peace at the assizes, at 

 the sheriff's charge.' — Calendar of Domestic State Papers, 1655-6, p. 175. Heath says that 

 it was pretended indeed that this substitution of troopers for men in livery was to lessen 

 the charge of the place, ' but in truth, the Protector, knowing he could not be served 

 faithfully by the gentry, would name such, no matter whom, as he could confide in, and 

 the expense of retinue and treating the judges being taken off, a yeoman or tradesman 

 of the well-affected might serve the turn and make profit of his place, as in all other 

 offices of the Commonwealth.' — Heath, Chronicle, p. 730, ed. 1663. 



2 ' This ', says Mr. Lower, ' is the first allusion I have met with to the " Wooden 

 Walls of Old England ".' 



