OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. 157 



by her ; and he will conclude, that her royal mind is 

 far above her means. The other benefits of her 

 politic, clement, and gracious government towards 

 the subjects are without number ; the state of justice 

 good, notwithstanding the great subtilty and hu 

 mourous affections of these times ; the security of 

 peace greater than can be described by that verse ; 



&quot; Tutus bos etenim rura perambulat : 

 &quot; Nutrit rura Ceres, almaque Faustitas.&quot; 



Or that other, 



&quot; Condit quisque diem collibus in suis.&quot; 



The opulency of the peace such, as if you have re 

 spect, to take one sign for many, to the number of 

 fair houses that have been built since her reign, as 

 Augustus said, &quot; that he had received the city of 

 brick, and left it of marble ;&quot; so she may say, she re 

 ceived it a realm of cottages, and hath made it a 

 realm of palaces : the state of traffic great and rich : 

 the customs, notwithstanding these wars and inter 

 ruptions, not fallen : many profitable trades, many 

 honourable discoveries : and lastly, to make an end 

 where no end is, the shipping of this realm so ad 

 vanced and made so mighty and potent, as this island 

 is become, as the natural site thereof deserved, the 

 lady of the sea ; a point of so high consequence, as it 

 may be truly said, that the commandment of the sea 

 is an abridgement or a quintessence of an universal 

 monarchy. 



This and much more hath she merited of her 

 subjects : now to set forth the merit of her neigh 

 bours and the states about her. It seemeth the 



