OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 421 



simplicity of any foreigner ; yet to an Englishman, 

 or any that heareth of the present condition of Eng 

 land, he will appear to be a man of singular audacity, 

 and worthy to be employed in the defence of any 

 paradox. And surely if he would needs have de~ 

 faced the general state of England, at this time, he 

 should in wisdom rather have made some frierly de 

 clamation against the excess of superfluity and deli 

 cacy of our times, than to have insisted upon the 

 misery and poverty and depopulation of the land, as 

 may sufficiently appear by that which hath been 

 said. 



But nevertheless, to follow this man in his own 

 steps : first, concerning the nobility ; it is true, that 

 there have been in ages past, noblemen, as I take it, 

 both of greater possessions and of greater command 

 and sway than any are at this day. One reason why 

 the possessions are less, I conceive to be, because 

 certain sumptuous veins and humours of expence, as 

 apparel, gaming, maintaining of a kind of followers, 

 and the like, do reign more than they did in times 

 past. Another reason is, because noblemen now-a- 

 days do deal better with their younger sons than 

 they were accustomed to do heretofore, whereby 

 the principal house receiveth many abatements. 

 Touching the command, which is not indeed so 

 great as it hath been, I take it rather to be a 

 commendation of the time, than otherwise : for men 

 were wont factiously to depend upon noblemen, 

 whereof ensued many partialities and divisions, 

 besides much interruption of justice, while the great 



