OF TRUE GREATNESS OF KINGDOMS 75 



and their boughs were becomen too great for their stem, 

 they became a windfall upon the sudden. Never any state 

 was in this point so open to receive strangers into their 

 body as were the Romans. Therefore it sorted with them 

 accordingly; for they grew to the greatest monarchy. 

 Their manner was to grant naturalisation (which they 

 called jus civitatis\ and to grant it in the highest degree ; 

 that is, not only jus commercii, jus connubii, jus haereditatis ; 

 but also jus suffragii, and jus honor um. And this not to 

 singular persons alone, but likewise to whole families ; yea 

 to cities, and sometimes to nations. Add to this their 

 custom of plantation of colonies ; whereby the Roman 

 plant was removed into the soil of other nations. And 

 putting both constitutions together, you will say that it was 

 not the Romans that spread upon the world, but it was the 

 world that spread upon the Romans ; and that was the 

 sure way of greatness. I have marvelled sometimes at 

 Spain, how they clasp and contain so large dominions with 

 so few natural Spaniards ; but sure the whole compass of 

 Spain is a very great body of a tree ; far above Rome and 

 Sparta at the first. And besides, though they have not had 

 that usage to naturalise liberally, yet they have that which 

 is next to it ; that is, to employ almost indifferently all 

 nations in their militia of ordinary soldiers ; yea and some- 

 times in their highest commands. Nay it seemeth at this 

 instant they are sensible of this want of natives ; as by the 

 Pragmatical Sanction, now published, appeareth. 



It is certain, that sedentary and within-door arts, and 

 delicate manufactures (that require rather the finger than 

 the arm), have in their nature a contrariety to a military 

 disposition. And generally, all warlike people are a little 

 idle, and love danger better than travail. Neither must 

 they be too much broken of it, if they shall be preserved 

 in vigour. Therefore it was great advantage in the ancient 

 states of Sparta, Athens, Rome, and others, that they had 

 the use of slaves, which commonly did rid those manu- 

 factures. But that is abolished, in greatest part, by the 

 Christian law. That which cometh nearest to it, is to 

 leave those arts chiefly to strangers (which for that purpose 



