DUTCH MERCHANTS. CCXXV 



politics. So certain is the injury to the administration of 

 justice, from the attempt to blend the irreconcileable 

 characters of judge and politician; the judge unbending 

 as the oak, the politician pliant as the osier : (a) the 

 judge firm and constant, the same to all men; the 

 politician, ever varying, 



&quot; Orpheus in sylvis, inter delphinas Arion : v 



It was, about this time, discovered that several Dutch 

 merchants of great opulence had exported gold and silver 

 to the amount of some millions, (b) There are various 

 letters extant upon this subject, exhibiting the King s 

 pecuniary distresses, his rash facility in making promises, 

 and the discontent felt by the people at his improvidence, 

 and partiality for his own countrymen. 



(a) See Advancement of Learning, vol. ii. p. 33, for instances of this sort 

 of compliance. 



(6) &quot; My very good Lord, The discovery I think very happy : for 

 if it be true, it will be a great benefit to his majesty ; it will also content 

 his people much, and it will demonstrate also that Scotland is not the 

 leech (as some discoursers say) but the Netherlanders that suck the 

 realm of treasure: so that the thing is very good. But two things I 

 must represent to his majesty : the first, that if I stay merchants from 

 their trading by this writ, I must do it either ex officio, or by special 

 warrant from his majesty. If ex officio, then I must have more than 

 a bare surmise to grant the writ upon, so as I must be acquainted with 

 the grounds, or at least appearance of proofs. If by special warrant, then 

 I desire to receive the same. The other is, that I humbly beseech his 

 majesty that these royal boughs of forfeiture may not be vintaged, or 

 cropped by private suitors (considering his majesty s state as it is), but 

 that Sir Thomas Vavasor or Sir John Britten may have a bountiful and 

 gracious reward of their discovery, but not the prime, or without stint. 

 In sum, I would wish his majesty to refer the whole business and carriage 

 of the same for his honour and profit to the commissioners of treasure, or 

 because it is a legal forfeiture to myself, Mr. Chancellor, Sir Edward Coke, 

 and my Lord Chief Justice of England, and by us his majesty shall be 



VOL. XV. q 



