OP THE TRUE GREATNESS OF BRITAIN. 321 



overwhelmed the Roman empire in one age of the 

 world, which a man upon the sudden would attri 

 bute to some constellation or fatal revolution of 

 time, being indeed nothing else but the declination 

 of the Roman empire, which having effeminated and 

 made vile the natural strength of the provinces, 

 and not being able to supply it by the strength 

 imperial and sovereign, did, as a lure cast abroad, 

 invite and entice all the nations adjacent, to make 

 their fortunes upon her decays. And by the same 

 reason, there cannot but ensue a dissolution to the 

 state of the Turk, in regard of the largeness of 

 empire, whensoever their martial virtue and dis 

 cipline shall be further relaxed, whereof the time 

 seemeth to approach. For certainly like as great 

 stature in a natural body is some advantage in 

 youth, but is but burden in age ; so it is with great 

 territory, which when a state beginneth to decline, 

 doth make it stoop and buckle so much the faster. 



For the fourth and last, it is true, that there is 

 to be required and expected as in the parts of a 

 body, so in the members of a state, rather propriety 

 of service, than equality of benefit. Some provinces 

 are more wealthy, some more populous, and some 

 more warlike ; some situate aptly for the excluding 

 or expulsing of foreigners, and some for the annoy 

 ing and bridling of suspected and tumultuous sub 

 jects ; some are profitable in present, and some may 

 be converted and improved to profit by plantations 

 and good policy. And therefore true consideration 

 of estate can hardly find what to reject, in matter of 



VOL. v. Y 



