OF RECEIVING THE KING S MESSAGES. 43 



For the point of the speaker. First, on the king s 

 part, it may have a shrewd illation : for it hath a 

 shew, as if there could be a stronger duty than the 

 duty of a subject to a king. We see the degrees 

 and differences of duties in families, between father 

 and son, master and servant ; in corporate bodies, 

 between commonalties and their officers, recorders, 

 stewards, and the like ; yet all these give place to 

 the king s commandments. The bonds are more 

 special, but not so forcible. On our part, it con 

 cerns us nothing. For first it is but &quot; de canali,&quot; of 

 the pipe ; how the king s message shall be conveyed 

 to us, and not of the matter. Neither hath the 

 speaker any such dominion, as that coming out of his 

 mouth it presseth us more than out of a privy coun 

 sellor s. Nay, it seems to be a great trust of the 

 king s towards the house, when the king doubteth not 

 to put his message into their mouth, as if he should 

 speak to the city by their recorder : therefore, me- 

 thinks, we should not entertain this unnecessary 

 doubt. It is one use of wit to make clear things 

 doubtful ; but it is a much better use of wit to make 

 doubtful things clear; and to that I would men 

 would bend themselves. 



