This Iland amongst the rest, our next neighbors the French and Germanes, may be a sufficient witnesse, that in a short time by that prudent policy of the Romans, was brought from barbarism: see but what Cæsar reports of us, and Tacitus of those old Germans, they were once as uncivil as they in Virginia, yet by planting of Colonies and good laws, they became from barbarous outlaws, to be full of rich and populous cities, as now they are, and most flourishing Kingdoms.

Even so might Virginia, and those wild Irish have been civilized long since, if that order had been heretofore taken, which now begins, of planting Colonies, &c. I have read a discourse, printed Anno 1612. Discovering the true causes, why Ireland was never intirely subdued, or brought under obedience to the Crown of England, untill the beginning of his Majesties happy reign. Yet if his reasons were throughly scanned by a judicious Politician, I am afraid he would not altogether be approved, but that it would turn to the dishonor of our Nation, to suffer it to lye so long waste.

Yea, and if some travellers should see (to come neerer home) those rich, united Provinces of Holland, Zealand, &c. over against us, those neat cities and populous towns, full of most industrious artificers, so much land recovered from the Sea, and so painfully preserved by those artificial inventions, so wonderfully approved, as that of Bemster in Holland, ut nihil huic par aut simile invenias in toto orbe, saith Bertius the Geographer, all the world cannot match it,

so many navigable chanels from place to place, made by mens hands, &c. and on the other side so many thousand acres of our fens lie drowned, our cities thin, and those vile, poor, and ugly to behold in respect of theirs, our trades decayed, our still running rivers stopped, and that beneficiall use of transportation, wholly neglected, so many Havens voyd of ships and towns, so many Parks and Forrests for pleasure, barren Heaths, so many Villages depopulated, &c. I think sure he would finde some fault.

I may not deny but that this Nation of ours, doth bene audire apud exteros, is a most noble, a most flourishing kingdom, by common consent of all Geographers, Historians, Politicians, tis unica velut arx, and which Quintius in Livy said of the inhabitants of Peloponesus, may be wel applied to us, we are testudines testâ suâ inclusi, like so many Tortoises in our shels, safely defended by an angry Sea, as a wall on all sides;

Our Iland hath many such honorable Elogiums; and as a learned countrey-man of ours right well hath it, Ever since the Normans first coming into England, this country both for military matters, and all other of civility, hath been parallel’d with the most flourishing kingdoms of Europe, and our Christian world, a blessed, a rich countrey, and one of the fortunate Isles:

and for some things preferred before other countries, for expert seamen, our laborious discoveries, art of navigation, true Merchants, they carry the bel away from all other Nations, even the Portugals and Hollanders themselves; without all fear, saith Boterus, furrowing the Ocean Winter and Summer, and two of their Captains, with no lesse valor then fortune, have sailed round about the world.

We have besides many particular blessings, which our neighbors want, the Gospel truly preached, Church discipline established, long peace and quietnesse free from exactions, forraign fears, invasions, domesticall seditions, well manured, fortified by Art, and Nature, and now most happy in that fortunate union of England and Scotland, which our forefathers have labored to effect, and desired to see: But in which we excell all others, a wise, learned, Religious King, another Numa, a second Augustus, a true Iosiah, most worthy Senators, a learned Clergy, an obedient Commonalty, &c.

Yet amongst many roses, some thistles grow, some bad weeds and enormities, which much disturb the peace of this body politick, eclipse the honour and glory of it, fit to be rooted out, and with all speed to be reformed.

The first is idlenesse, by reason of which we have many swarms of rogues and beggers, theeves, drunkards, and discontented persons (whom Lycurgus in Plutarch calls morbos reipub. the boils of the commonwealth) many poor people in all our Towns, Civitates ignobiles, as Polydore calls them, base built cities, inglorious, poor, small, rare in sight, ruinous, and thin of inhabitants.

Our land is fertile we may not deny, full of all good things, and why doth it not then abound with cities, as well as Italy, France, Germany, the Low-countreys? because their policy hath been otherwise, and we are not so thrifty, circumspect, industrious; Idleness is the malus Genius of our nation. For as Boterus justly argues, fertility of a countrey is not enough, except Art and Industry be joyned unto it, according to Aristotle, riches are either natural or artificial; natural are good land, fair mines, &c. artificial, are manufactures, coines, &c.

Many kingdoms are fertile, but thin of inhabitants, as that Dutchy of Piedmont in Italy, which Leander Albertus so much magnifies for Corn, Wine, Fruits, &c. yet nothing neer so populous as those which are more barren: England, saith he (London only excepted) hath never a populous City, and yet a fruitfull Countrey.

I finde 46 cities and walled towns in Alsatia, a small Province in Germany, 50 castles, an infinite number of Villages, no ground idle, no not rocky places, or tops of hils are untilled, as Munster informeth us. In Greichgea a small territory on the Necker, 24 Italian miles over, I reade of 20 walled towns, innumerable villages, each one containing 150 houses most part, besides castles and Noblemens Palaces.