154 A DISCOURSE IN PRAISE 



where shall we begin in such a maze of benefits as 

 presenteth itself to remembrance ? Shall we speak 

 of the purging away of the dross of religion, the 

 heavenly treasure ; or that of money, the earthly 

 treasure ? The greater was touched before, and the 

 latter deserveth not to be forgotten. For who be- 

 lieveth not, that knoweth any thing in matter of 

 estate, of the great absurdities and frauds that arise 

 of divorcing the legal estimation of moneys from the 

 general, and, as I may term it, natural estimation of 

 metals, and again of the uncertainty and wavering 

 values of coins, a very labyrinth of cousenages and 

 abuse, yet such as great princes have made their 

 profit of towards their own people. Pass on from 

 the mint to the revenue and receipts: there shall 

 you find, no raising of rents, notwithstanding the 

 alteration of prices and the usage of the times ; but 

 the over value, besides a reasonable fine left for the 

 relief of tenants and reward of servants ; no raising 

 of customs, notwithstanding her continual charges 

 of setting to the sea ; no extremity taken of forfei 

 ture and penal laws, means used by some kings for 

 the gathering of great treasures. A few forfeitures, 

 indeed, not taken to her own purse, but set over to 

 some others for the trial only, whether gain could 

 bring those laws to be well executed, which the 

 ministers of justice did neglect. But after it was 

 found, that only compassions were used, and the law 

 never the nearer the execution, the course was 

 straight suppressed and discontinued. Yea, there 

 have been made laws more than one in her time for 



