a general amazement," was allowed at the time to pass without reply or remark. Next day "the article of the Instrument concerning Naturalization was read" in the House by the Speaker; and the debate opened with a speech against it from Nicholas Fuiler, who seems to have been recognized as leader of the opposition, in so far as that office can be said to have been recognized in those days; in which the apprehensions that so readily suggest themselves to Englishmen when invited to alter anything found fluent and forcible utterance. England, it seems, was already full to overflowing in all her departments: there was no room for a Scotchman anywhere. The universities had more men who deserved preferment than could find it. London was so pestered with new buildings, that they had a bill then before the House to restrain them. The merchants had made no profit for three years past. Trades were all overstocked. And so forth. His argument appears to have occupied the whole day, and it was not till the 17th' that it received a reply; when Bacon delivered a speech, of which he was afterwards at the pains to set down a full report and of which the text is here taken from two independent manuscripts, both having corrections in his own hand. It was first printed in 1641, along with two other speeches relating to the Union; and afterwards in the Resuscitatio. But the manuscripts are the best authority." : A SPEECH USED BY SIR FRANCIS BACON, IN THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, CONCERNING THE ARTICLE OF NATURALIZA It may please you (Mr. Speaker) preface I will use none, but put myself upon your good opinions, to which I have been accustomed beyond my deservings; neither will I hold you in suspense what way I will choose, but now at the first declare myself, that I mean to counsel the house to naturalize this nation: wherein nevertheless I have a request to make unto you, which 1 The 15th was a Sunday, and the 16th was spent in discussing a motion for the censure of the Member for Bucks for his speech on the 13th: which resulted in his expulsion from the House. ... "Three speeches of the Right Honourable Sir Francis Bacon, Knight, . concerning Post-nati, Naturalization of the Scotch in England, Union of the Laws of England and Scotland. Published by the author's copy, and licensed by authority. London: 1601." 3 The King's MS. (which I have called R) is a fair copy, revised and corrected by Bacon himself; but the Harleian (which I have called H) has corrections which must have been made subsequently. King's MSS. 17 A. 56, fo. 62 (K); Harl. MSS. 6797, fo. 93 (H); Ib. fo. 182 (H 2): Rawley's Resuscitatio.' (R.) 5 Naturalization of the Scots, 5° Jacobi: H 2; the General Naturalization of the Scottish Nation: R. is of more efficacy to the purpose I have in hand than all that I shall say afterwards, and it is the same request, which Demosthenes did more than once in great causes of estate make to the people of Athens, ut cum calculis suffragiorum sumant magnanimitatem reipublicæ, that when they took into their hands the balls, whereby to give their voices (according as the manner of them was), they would raise their thoughts, and lay aside those considerations which their private vocations and degrees mought minister and present2 unto them, and would take upon them cogitations and minds agreeable to the dignity and honour of the estate. For, Mr. Speaker, as it was aptly and sharply said by Alexander to Parmenio, when upon the recital of the great offers3 which Darius made, Parmenio said unto him, I would accept these offers, were I as Alexander: he turned it upon him again, So would I, saith he, were I as Parmenio. So in this cause, if an honest English merchant, (I do not single out that estate in disgrace, for this island ever held it honourable, but only for an instance of a private profession,) if an English merchant should say, Surely I would proceed no further in the Union, were I as the King; it mought be reasonably answered, No more would the King, were he as an English merchant. And the like may be said of a gentleman in the country, be he never so worthy and sufficient, or of a lawyer, be he never so wise and learned, or of any other particular condition of persons in this kingdom. For certainly, Mr. Speaker, if a man shall be only or chiefly sensible of those respects which his particular vocation and degree shall suggest and infuse into him, and not enter into true and worthy considerations of estate, he shall never be able aright to give counsel or take counsel in this matter. So that if this request be granted, I account the cause obtained. But to proceed to the matter itself. All consultations do rest upon questions comparative; for when a question is de vero, it is simple, for there is but one truth; but when a question is de bono, it is for the most part comparative; for there be differing degrees of good and evil, and the best of the good is to be preferred and chosen, and the worst of the evil is to be declined and avoided. And therefore in a question of this nature you may 1 request om. R. 5 case: H 2. 2 represent: H 2. 3 offer: H 2. 4 it om. H 2. 8 aright om. H 2. not look for answer proper to every inconvenience alleged; for somewhat that cannot be specially answered may nevertheless be encountered and over-weighed by matter of greater moment. And therefore the matter which I shall set forth unto you will naturally receive this distribution of three parts. First, an answer unto those inconveniences which have been alleged to ensue, if we should give way to this Naturalization; which I suppose you will find not to be so great as they have been made; but that much dross is put into the balance to help to make weight. Secondly, an encounter of the remain of those inconveniences which cannot properly be answered but by much greater inconveniences which we shall incur if we do not proceed to this Naturalization. Thirdly, an encounter likewise, but of another nature, that is, of the goods and benefit which we shall draw and purchase to ourselves by proceeding to this Naturalization. And yet, to avoid confusion, which evermore followeth of too much generality, it is necessary for me (before I proceed to persuasion) to use some distribution of the points or parts of Naturalization, which certainly can be no better, nor none other, than the ancient distinction of Jus Civitatis, jus Suffragii vel Tribus, and Jus Petitionis sive Honorum. For all ability and capacity is either of private interest of meum and tuum, or of public service. And the public consisteth chiefly either in Voice, or in Office. Now it is the first of these (Mr. Speaker) that I will only handle at this time and in this place; and reserve the other two for a committee, because they receive more distinction and restriction. To come therefore to the inconveniences alleged on the other part. The first of them is, that there may ensue of this Naturalization a surcharge of people upon this realm of England, which is supposed already to have the full charge and content: and therefore there cannot be an admission of the adoptive without 1 3 by the gain: R. 4 2 but om. R. answers: R. upon: H 2. In K it had been written a necessary forme. A mark of separation has been made between for and me, probably by Bacon himself, but a has not been struck out; no doubt by accident. Up to this place K is probably the best authority for the text; being a fair copy revised and corrected by Bacon himself. For the rest I prefer H (which begins at "proceed"--the first leaf being lost-), and has corrections which must have been made afterwards. 6 noe: K. 7 distribution: R. 8 to: K. A correction in Bacon's hand for of, which had been written first. a' diminution of the fortunes and conditions of those that are native subjects of this realm. A grave objection (Mr. Speaker) and very dutiful: for it proceedeth not of any unkindness to the Scottish nation, but of a natural fastness to ourselves. For that answer of the Virgins, Ne forte non sufficiat vobis et nobis, proceeded not out of any envy or malign humour, but out of providence, and the original charity, which begins with ourselves. And I must confess (Mr. Speaker) that as the gentleman said, when Abraham and Lot, in regard of the greatness of their families, grew pent and straitened, it is true that, brethren though they were, they grew to difference, and to those words, Vade tu ad dextram, et ego ad sinistram, etc. But certainly, I should never have brought that example on that side. For we see what followed of it, how that this separation ad dextram and ad sinistram caused the miserable captivity of the one brother, and the dangerous though prosperous war of the other, for his rescue1 and recovery. But to this objection (Mr. Speaker) being so weighty and so principal, I mean to give three several answers; every one of them being, to mine understanding, by itself sufficient. The first is, that this opinion of the numbers of the Scottish nation, that should be likely to plant themselves here amongst us, will be found to be a thing rather in conceit than in event. For (Mr. Speaker) you shall find those plausible similitudes, of a tree that will thrive the better if it be removed into the more fruitful soil; and of sheep or cattle, that if they find a gap or passage open, will leave the more barren pasture, and get into the more rich and plentiful, to be but arguments merely superficial, and to have no sound resemblance with the transplanting or transferring of families. For the tree, we know, by nature as soon as it is set in the better ground can fasten upon it, and take nutriment from it and a sheep, as soon as he gets into the better pasture, what should let him to graze and feed? But there longeth more, I take it, to a family or particular person, that shall remove from one nation to another. For if (Mr. Speaker) they have not stock, means, acquaintance and custom, habitation, trades, countenance, and the like, I hope you doubt not but they will starve in the midst of the rich pasture, and are far enough 1 the: K. 4 : 2 that: R. spelt rescous in all the copies. off from grazing at their pleasure. And therefore in this point, which is conjectural, experience is the best guide; for the time past is a pattern of the time to come. I think no man doubteth (Mr. Speaker) but his Majesty's first coming in was as the greatest spring-tide for the confluence and entrance of that nation. Now I would fain understand, in these four years' space, and in the fulness and strength of the current and tide, how many families of the Scottishmen1 are planted in the cities, boroughs, and towns of this kingdom. For I do assure myself, that, more than some persons of quality about his Majesty's person here at the Court, and in London, and some other inferior persons that have a dependancy upon them, the return and certificate, if such a survey should be made, would be of a number extremely small. I report me to all your private knowledges of the places where you inhabit. Now (Mr. Speaker) as I said, Si in ligno viridi ita fit, quid fiet in arido? I am sure there will be no more such spring-tides. But you will tell me of a multitude of families of the Scottish nation in Polonia; and if they multiply in a country so far off,2 how much more here at hand? For that (Mr. Speaker) you must impute it of necessity to some special accident of time and place that draweth them thither. For you see plainly before your eyes, that in Germany, which is much nearer, and in France, where they are invited with privileges, and with this very privilege of Naturalization, yet no such number can be found. So as it cannot be either nearness of place or privilege of person that is the cause. But shall I tell you (Mr. Speaker) what I think? Of all the places in the world, near or far off, they will never take that course of life in this kingdom, which they content themselves with in Poland. For we see it to be the nature of all men that they will rather discover poverty abroad than at home. There is never a gentleman that hath overreached himself in expense, and thereby must abate his countenance, but he will rather travel, and do it abroad, than at home: and we know well they have good high stomachs, and have ever stood in some terms of 7 emulation with us and therefore they will never live here, except they can live in good fashion. So as I assure you (Mr. Speaker) I am of |