A Description of the Famous Kingdome of Macaria: Shewing its Excellent Government: Wherein The Inhabitants Live in Great Prosperity, Health and Happinesse; the King Obeyed, the Nobles Honoured; and All Good Men Respected, Vice Punished, and Vertue RewardedPlattes, Gabriel
History
A Description of the Famous Kingdome of Macaria: Shewing its Excellent Government: Wherein The Inhabitants Live in Great Prosperity, Health and Happinesse; the King Obeyed, the Nobles Honoured; and All Good Men Respected, Vice Punished, and Vertue Rewarded
Plattes, Gabriel
Utopias -- Early works to 1800
_Sch._ How can that be?
_Trav._ Very easily: for they have a law, that if any Divine shall
publish a new opinion to the Common people, he shall be accounted a
disturber of the publick peace, and shall suffer death for it.
_Sch._ But that is the way to keep them in errour perpetually, if they
be once in it.
_Trav._ You are deceived; for if any one hath conceived a new opinion,
he is allowed everie yeere freely to dispute it before the Great
Councell; if he overcome his Adversaries, or such as are appointed to
be Opponents, then it is generally received for truth; if he be
overcome, then it is declared to be false.
_Sch._ It seemeth that they are Christians by your relation of the
Parochiall Ministers, but whether are they Protestants or Papists?
_Trav._ Their Religion consists not in taking notice of severall
opinions and sects, but is made up of infallible tenets, which may be
proved by invincible arguments, and such as will abide the grand test
of extreme dispute; by which meanes none have power to stirre up
Schismes and Heresies; neither are any of their opinions ridiculous to
those who are of contrarie minds.
_Schol._ But you spoke of great honour which the Governours have in
the Kingdome of _Macaria_.
_Trav._ They must needs receive great honour of the people, by reason
that there is no injustice done, or very seldome, perhaps once in an
age.
_Sch._ But how come they by their great riches which you speak of?
_Trav._ It is holden a principall policie in State to allow to the
ministers of State, Judges, and chiefe Officers, great revenues; for
that, in case they doe not their dutie, in looking to the Kingdomes
safety, for conscience sake, yet they may doe it for feare of loosing
their owne great Estates.
_Sch._ But how can the King of _Macaria_ be so rich as you speak
of?
_Trav._ He taketh a strict course that all his Crown lands be improved
to the utmost, as Forrests, Parkes, Chases, &c. by which meanes his
revenues are so great, that hee seldome needeth to put impositions
upon his Subjects, by reason hee hath seldome any warres; and if there
bee cause, the Subjects are as ready to give, as hee to demand: for
they hold it to bee a principall policie in State, to keep the Kings
Cofers full, and so full, that it is an astonishment to all Invaders.
_Sch._ But how cometh the Kings great honour which you speak of?
_Trav._ Who can but love and honour such a Prince, which in his tender
and parentall care of the publick good of his loving Subjects, useth no
pretences for realities, like to some Princes, in their Acts of State,
Edicts, and Proclamations?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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