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._ But you Travellers must take heed of contradictions in your
relations; you have affirmed, that the Governours in _Macaria_ have
not halfe so much trouble, as they have in these European Kingdomes,
and yet by your report they have a Great Councell, like to our
Parliament in England, which sit once a yeare: besides that, they have
five Under Councels, which sit once a yeare, then how commeth this
facility in government?
_Trav._ The Great Councell heareth no complaints, but against
Ministers of State, Judges, and chiefe Officers; these, being sure to
bee trounsed once a yeare, doe never, or very seldome offend: So that
their meeting is rather a festivity, than a trouble. And as for the
Judges and chiefe Officers, there is no hope that any man can prevaile
in his suit by bribery, favour, or corrupt dealing; so that they have
few causes to be troubled withall.
_Sch._ I have read over Sr. _Thomas Mores Vtopia_, and my Lord
_Bacons New Atlantis_, which hee called so in imitation of _Plato_'s
old one, but none of them giveth mee satisfaction, how the Kingdome of
England may be happy, so much as this discourse, which is briefe and
pithy, and easie to be effected, if all men be willing.
_Trav._ You Divines have the sway of mens minds, you may as easily
perswade them to good as to bad, to truth as well as to falshood.
_Sch._ Well, in my next Sermon I will make it manifest, that those
that are against this honourable designe, are first, enimies to God
and goodnesse; secondly, enimies to the Common-wealth; thirdly,
enimies to themselves, and their posterity.
_Trav._ And you may put in, that they are enimies to the King, and to
his posterity, and so consequently, traitors: for hee that would not
have the Kings honour, and riches to be advanced, and his Kingdome to
bee permanent to him, and to his heires, is a traitor, or else I know
not what treason meaneth.
_Sch._ Well, I see that the cause is not in God, but in mens fooleries,
that the people live in misery in this world, when they may so easily
bee relieved: I will joyne my forces with you, and wee will try a
conclusion, to make our selves and posterity to bee happy.
_Trav._ Well, what will you doe towards the worke?
_Sch._ I have told you before, I will publish it in my next Sermon,
and I will use meanes that in all Visitations and meetings of Divines,
they may bee exhorted to doe the like.
_Trav._ This would doe the feat, but that the Divines in England,
having not the skill of Physick, are not so highly esteemed, nor beare
so great a sway as they doe in _Macaria_.
_Sch._ Well, what will you doe toward the worke?
_Trav._ I will propound a book of Husbandry to the high Court of
Parliament, whereby the Kingdome may maintaine double the number of
people, which it doth now, and in more plenty and prosperity, than now
they enjoy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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