OF THE TRUE GREATNESS OF BRITAIN. 327 



been employed and waged, but their alliance sought 

 and purchased, by the greatest kings and states of 

 Europe. So as though fortune, as it fares sometimes 

 with princes to their servants, hath denied them a 

 grant of lands, yet she hath granted them liberal 

 pensions, which are made memorable and renowned 

 to all posterity, by the event which ensued to Louis 

 the twelfth ; who, being pressed uncivilly by mes 

 sage from them for the inhauncing their pensions, 

 entered into choler and broke out into these words, 

 &quot; What ! will these villains of the mountains put 

 a tax upon me ? which words cost him his duchy of 

 Milan, and utterly ruined his affairs in Italy. Neither 

 were it indeed possible at this day, that that nation 

 should subsist without descents and impressions upon 

 their neighbours, were it not for the great utterance 

 of people which they make into the services of 

 foreign princes and estates, thereby discharging not 

 only number, but in that number such spirits as are 

 most stirring and turbulent. 



And therefore we may conclude, that as large 

 ness of territory, severed from military virtue, is but 

 a burden ; so, that treasure and riches severed from 

 the same, is but a prey. It resteth therefore to 

 make a reduction of this error also unto a truth by 

 distinction and limitation, which will be in this 

 manner : 



Treasure and moneys do then add true greatness 

 and strength to a state, when they are accompanied 

 with these three conditions : 



First, The same condition which hath been an- 



