78 A SPEECH ON THE MOTION OF A SUBSIDY. 



or occurrents of state ; things published and known 

 to you all ; by every one whereof it seemeth to me, 

 in my vulgar understanding, that the danger of this 

 realm is increased : which I speak not by way of 

 apprehending fear, for I know I speak to English 

 courages; but by way of pressing provision : for I 

 do find, Mr. Speaker, that when kingdoms and 

 states are entered into terms and resolutions of hos 

 tility one against the other ; yet they are many 

 times restrained from their attempts by four im 

 pediments. 



The first is by this same &quot; aliud agere ;&quot; when 

 they have their hands full of other matters, which 

 they have embraced, and serveth for a diversion of 

 their hostile purposes. 



The next is, when they want the commodity or 

 opportunity of some places of near approach. 



The third, when they have conceived an appre 

 hension of the difficulty and churlishness of the 

 enterprise, and that it is not prepared to their 

 hand. 



And the fourth is, when a state, through the age 

 of the monarch, groweth heavy and indisposed to 

 actions of great peril and motion : and this dull 

 humour is not sharpened nor inflamed by any pro 

 vocations or scorns. Now if it please you to ex 

 amine, whether by removing the impediments, in 

 these four kinds, the danger be not grown so many 

 degrees nearer us by accidents, as I said, fresh, and 

 all dated since the last parliament. 



Soon after the last parliament, you may be 



