152 A DISCOURSE IN PRAISE 



For contempt of profit, consider her offers, con 

 sider her purchases. She hath reigned in a most 

 populous and wealthy peace, her people greatly 

 multiplied, wealthily appointed, and singularly devo 

 ted. She wanted not the example of the power of 

 her arms in the memorable voyages and invasions 

 prosperously made and atchieved by sundry her 

 noble progenitors. She had not wanted pretences, 

 as well of claim and right, as of quarrel and revenge. 

 She hath reigned during the minority of some of her 

 neighbour princes, and during the factions and divi 

 sions of their people upon deep and irreconcilable 

 quarrels, and during the embracing greatness of 

 some one that hath made himself so weak through 

 too much burthen, as others are through decay of 

 strength ; and yet see her sitting as it were within 

 the compass of her sands. Scotland, that doth as it 

 were eclipse her island ; the United Provinces of the 

 Low Countries, which for wealth, commodity of 

 traffic, affection to our nation, were most meet to be 

 annexed to this crown ; she left the possession of 

 the one, and refused the sovereignty of the other : 

 so that notwithstanding the greatness of her means, 

 the justness of her pretences, and the rareness of her 

 opportunity, she hath continued her first mind, she 

 hath made the possessions which she received the 

 limits of her dominions, and the world the limits of 

 her name, by a peace that hath stained all victories. 



For her merits, who doth not acknowledge, that 

 she hath been as a star of most fortunate influence 

 upon the age wherein she hath shined ? Shall we 



