Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (07 of 12): Iohn the Yongest Sonne of Henrie the SecondHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (07 of 12): Iohn the Yongest Sonne of Henrie the Second
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- John, 1199-1216; Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
Here therefore we sée the issue of domesticall or homebred broiles,
the fruits of variance, the game that riseth of dissention, whereas
no greater nor safer fortification can betide a land, than when the
inhabitants are all alike minded. By concord manie an hard enterprise
(in common sense thought vnpossible) is atchieued, manie weake things
become so defended, that without manifold force they cannot be
dissolued. From diuision and mutinies doo issue (as out of the Troiane
horsse) ruines of roialties, and decaies of communalties. The sinewes
of a realme is supposed of some to be substance and wealth; of other
some policie and power: of other some conuenient defenses both by
water and land: but a most excellent description of a well fortified
countrie is that of Plautus, set downe in most pithie words and graue
sentences: no lesse worthie to be written than read and considered. The
description is this.
[Sidenote: _Plaut. in Pers._]
Si incolæ bene sunt morati pulchrè munit[=u] regn[=u] arbitror:
Perfidia & peculatus ex vrbe & auaritia si exulent,
Quarta inuidia, quinta ambitio, sexta obtrectatio,
Septimum periurium, octaua indulgentia,
Nona iniuria, decima quod pessimum aggressu scelus:
Hæc nisi inde aber[=u]t c[=e]tuplex murus reb. secundis par[=u] est.
And therefore no maruell though both courtiers and commoners fell from
king John their naturall prince, and tooke part with the enimie; not
onelie to the disgrace of their souereigne, but euen to his ouerthrow,
and the depopulation of the whole land; sith these maine bulworks
and rampiers were wanting; and the contrarie in most ranke sort and
detestable manner extended their virulent forces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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