OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 425 



rich by merchandising 1 : and a man may speak within 

 his compass, and affirm, that our prizes by sea have 

 countervailed any prizes upon us. 



And as to the justice of this realm, it is true, that 

 cunning and wealth have bred many suits and de 

 bates in law. But let those points be considered : 

 the integrity and sufficiency of those which supply 

 the judicial places in the queen s courts; the good 

 laws that have been made in her majesty s time 

 against informers and promoters, and for the better 

 ing of trials ; the example of severity which is used 

 in the Star-chamber, in oppressing forces and frauds; 

 the diligence and stoutness that is used by justices 

 of assizes, in encountering all countenancing and 

 bearing of causes in the country, by their authorities 

 and wisdom ; the great favours that have been 

 used towards copyholders and customary tenants, 

 which were in ancient times merely at the discretion 

 and mercy of the lord, and are now continually re 

 lieved from hard dealing, in chancery and other 

 courts of equity : I say, let these and many other 

 points be considered, and men will worthily con 

 ceive an honourable opinion of the justice of Eng 

 land. 



Now to the points of levies and distributions of 

 money, which he calleth exactions. First, very 

 coldly, he is not abashed to bring in the gathering 

 for Paul s steeple and the lottery trifles : whereof 

 the former, being but a voluntary collection of that 

 men were freely disposed to give, never grew to so 

 great a sum as was sufficient to finish the work for 



