Volume 4

The works of Sir Walter Ralegh, kt. political, commercial, and philosophical; together with his letters and poems. The whole never before collected together, and some never yet printed. To which is prefix'd, a new account of his life / by Tho. Birch ... Volume the first [-second].

  • Raleigh, Walter, Sir, 1552?-1618.
Date:
1751
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The works of Sir Walter Ralegh, kt. political, commercial, and philosophical; together with his letters and poems. The whole never before collected together, and some never yet printed. To which is prefix'd, a new account of his life / by Tho. Birch ... Volume the first [-second]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    felves, and the other with as good Pikes and Mufkets as England hath. Of which War, I know no other Profit arifing, than the Expence of two Millions, the itnpoverifhing of this Kingdom, and the training and arming of the Jrijh, who have now, and ever had, their Lands and Lives reitor’d, when they have been brought to the laft Gafp. and Point of Subjection. And therefore, if this truly be fo of the former Government, Slultum eft eos invader e quos nequeant in officio re liner e *, Nis a foolifh ‘Thing to ajjault thofe whom we cannot keep in hub- jehlion when overcome. And a Council indeed far out of Courfe, which doth neither retain the Mind, nor reftrain the Mighty. But he that Governs by Difcourfe of former Times, fhall but take counfel of the Dead *, for the Natures of all Things under the Sun are fubjecl to change, but the Nature of Reafon only. And it is certain, that in the Times of Alteration, the Wifdom of Nature is better than of Books ; Prudence being a wife Election of thofe Things which never remain after one and the felf-fame Manner. To reafon by Comparifon ; and to prove by the Ar¬ gument a Minori ad Majus, how much the Trade of England may be endanger’d by the Netherlands ; your Majefty may pleafe to remember, that Dunkirk is but a fifliing Town, a bad Haven, and hath not above a dozen Sail of fmall Ships *, before which Port alfo there is continually maintain’d a firong Fleet of Hol¬ landers, and Zealanders to reftrain them lo, as they can neither come forth, nor pafs in, but in a dark Night, tor fear of their Enemies, and at a Spring-tide for want of Water ; and it is true, that thofe few Dun- kirkers have taken from the Weft-Country Merchants, within two Years only, above three thoufand Vefifds, befides all that they have gotten from the reft of the Ports of England, and from the Netherlands ; info- much as they have fo impoverifh’d all thofe Weftern Merchants*