48 OF GENERAL NATURALIZATION. 



degrees might minister and represent unto them, and 

 would take upon them cogitations and minds agree 

 able to the dignity and honour of the estate. 



For, Mr. Speaker, as it was aptly and sharply 

 said by Alexander to Parmenio, when upon their 

 recital of the great offers which Darius made&amp;gt; Par 

 menio said unto him, &quot; I would accept these offers, 

 &quot;were I as Alexander:&quot; he turned it upon him 

 again, &quot; So would I,&quot; saithhe, &quot;were I as Parmenio.&quot; 

 So in this cause, if an honest English merchant, I do 

 not single out that state in disgrace, for this island 

 ever held it honourable, but only for an instance of 

 a private profession, if an English merchant should 

 say, &quot; Surely I would proceed no farther in the 

 &quot; union, were I as the king ;&quot; it might be reason 

 ably answered, &quot; No more would the king, were he 

 &quot; as an English merchant.&quot; And the like may be 

 said of a gentleman of the country, be he never so 

 worthy or sufficient ; or of a lawyer, be he never so 

 wise or learned ; or of any other particular condition 

 of men in this kingdom : for certainly, Mr. Speaker, 

 if a man shall be only or chiefly sensible of those re 

 spects which his particular vocation and degree shall 

 suggest and infuse into him, and not enter into true 

 and worthy considerations of estate, he shall never 

 be able aright to give counsel, or take counsel in this 

 matter. So that if this request be granted, I ac 

 count the cause obtained. 



But to proceed to the matter itself : all consul 

 tations do rest upon questions comparative; for when 

 a question is &quot; de vero,&quot; it is simple, for there is but 



