OP GENERAL NATURALIZATION. 65 



this point of imparting naturalization to their confe 

 derates. But what was the issue of it ? After they 

 had held them in a kind of society and amity for 

 divers years, upon the first occasion given, which was 

 no more than the surprisal of the castle of Thebes, 

 by certain desperate conspirators in the habit of 

 maskers, there ensued immediately a general revolt 

 and defection of their associates ; which was the ruin 

 of their state, never afterwards to be recovered. 



Of later times let me lead your consideration to 

 behold the like events in the kingdom of Arragon ; 

 which kingdom was united with Castile and the rest 

 of Spain in the persons of Ferdinando and Isabella, 

 and so continued many years ; but yet so as it stood 

 a kingdom severed and divided from the rest of the 

 body of Spain in privileges, and directly in this point 

 of naturalization, or capacity of inheritance. What 

 came of this ? Thus much, that now of fresh me 

 mory, not past twelve years since, only upon the 

 voice of a condemned man out of the grate of a pri 

 son towards the street, that cried &quot; Fueros, Libertad, 

 &quot;Libertad,&quot; which is as much as,liberties or privileges, 

 there was raised a dangerous rebellion, which was 

 suppressed with great difficulty with an army royal. 

 After which victory nevertheless, to shun farther in 

 convenience, their privileges were disannulled, and 

 they were incorporated with Castile and the rest of 

 Spain. Upon so small a spark, notwithstanding so 

 long continuance, were they ready to break and 

 sever again. 



The like may be said of the states of Florence 



VOL. v. F 



