OF THE TRUE GREATNESS OF BRITAIN. 333 



wardships should be yours, where a tenure in chief 

 is, of lands held of your subjects ; that all confisca 

 tions and escheats of treason should be yours, though 

 the tenure be of the subject ; that all actions popular, 

 and the fines and casualties thereupon may be in 

 formed in your name, and should be due unto you, 

 and a moiety at the least where the subject himself 

 informs. And further, he that shall look into your 

 revenues at the ports of the sea, your revenues in 

 courts of justice, and for the stirring of your seals, 

 the revenues upon your clergy, and the rest, will 

 conclude, that the law of England studied how to 

 make a rich crown, and yet without levies upon your 

 subject. For merchandizing, it is true, it was ever 

 by the kings of this realm despised, as a thing ignoble 

 and indign for a king, though it is manifest, the 

 situation and commodities of this island considered, 

 it is infinite, what your majesty might raise, if you 

 would do as a king of Portugal doth, or a duke of 

 Florence, in matter of merchandise. As for the 

 wealth of the subject* : 



To proceed to the articles affirmative, the first 

 was, 



That the true greatness of an estate consisteth 

 in the natural and fit situation of the region 

 or place. 



Wherein I mean nothing superstitiously touching 

 the fortunes or fatal destiny of any places, nor philo 

 sophically touching their configuration with the 



* Memorandum, Here was a blank side left to continue the 

 sense. 



