OF GENERAL NATURALIZATION. 69 



engines and machinations, to the disturbance of this 

 state ? As for that other inconvenience of his ma 

 jesty s engagement to this action, it is too binding 

 and too pressing to be spoken of, and may do better 

 a great deal in your minds than in my mouth, or in 

 the mouth of any man else ; because, as I say, it 

 doth press our liberty too far. And therefore, Mr. 

 Speaker, I come now to the third general part of my 

 division, concerning the benefits which we shall pur 

 chase by this knitting of the knot surer and straiter 

 between these two kingdoms, by the communicating 

 of naturalization : the benefits may appear to be 

 two, the one surety, the other greatness. 



Touching surety, Mr. Speaker, it was well said 

 by Titus Quintius the Roman, touching the state of 

 Peloponnesus, that the tortoise is safe within her 

 shell, &quot; Testudo intra tegumen tuta est ;&quot; but if 

 there be any parts that lie open, they endanger all 

 the rest. We know well, that although the state at 

 this time be in a happy peace, yet for the time past, 

 the more ancient enemy to this kingdom hath been 

 the French, and the more late the Spaniard ; and 

 both these had as it were their several postern gates, 

 whereby they might have approach and entrance to 

 annoy us. France had Scotland, and Spain had 

 Ireland ; for these were the two accesses which did 

 comfort and encourage both these enemies to assail 

 and trouble us. We see that of Scotland is cut off 

 by the union of these two kingdoms, if that it shall 

 be now made constant and permanent ; that of Ire 

 land is cut off likewise by the convenient situation af 



