320 OF THE TRUE GREATNESS OF BRITAIN. 



Roman empire, then dying, or at least grown impo 

 tent and aged, entered upon Egypt, Asia, Graecia, 

 Afric, Spain, France, coming to these nations, not 

 as to a prey, but as to a patrimony ; not returning 

 with spoil, but seating and planting themselves in a 

 number of provinces, which continue their progeny, 

 and bear their names till this day. And all these 

 men had no other wealth but their adventures, nor 

 no other title but their swords, nor no other press 

 but their poverty. For it was not with most of these 

 people as it is in countries reduced to a regular civi 

 lity, that no man almost marrieth except he see he 

 have means to live ; but population went on, howso 

 ever sustentation followed, and taught by necessity, 

 as some writers report, when they found themselves 

 surcharged with people, they divided their inha 

 bitants into three parts, and one third, as the lot 

 fell, was sent abroad and left to their adventures. 

 Neither is the reason much unlike, though the effect 

 hath not followed in regard of a special diversion, in 

 the nation of the Swisses, inhabiting a country, 

 which in regard of the mountainous situation, and 

 the popular estate, doth generate faster than it can 

 sustain. In which people, it well appeared what an 

 authority iron hath over gold at the battle of Gran- 

 son, at what time one of the principal jewels of 

 Burgundy was sold for twelve pence, by a poor 

 Swiss, that knew no more a precious stone than did 

 JEsop s cock. And although this people have made 

 no plantations with their arms, yet we see the repu 

 tation of them such, as not only their forces have 



