I Think there is no man so far estranged from civil humanity, which knoweth not, how much every one of us is indebted to his native country. For all be it the duty that we owe to our parents,1 kinsfolk, friends &c, be great even by the very law & instinct of nature, yet the debt, where with we are obliged to our country, seemeth to be greater and of much more valour, than we may at any time be able to set our selves frank & free from it. Our parents only give us this gross, rude and mortal body. Our country doth ⟨image 3⟩not only receive and joyfully sustē tate it, but also opulently adorn & garnish both that and the mind with most goodly and godly virtues. It engrafteth in us the true knowledge of our selves,2 the fear of God, the love of God and of our neighbour, the true faith in Gods promises, the unfeigned obedience toward our superiors. It tilleth our hearts with the plough of painful diligence. It eradicateth all unfruitful weeds. It ejecteth all unprofitable clods, and maketh the earth of our hearts so fine, pure, pregnant & fertile, that it is ready to receive any manner of good seed, that may be sown thereupon, and to produce innumerable increase.3 It soweth also in the •elde of our breasts many precious seeds, as modesty, gravity, gentleness, honest behaviour, affability, commit, liberality, frugality, ⟨image 3⟩patience, long sufferance, moderation, temperance, obedience, fortitude, magnanimity, justice, equity, continence, humility, erudition, prudence, learning, wisdom, probity of manners, with an whole see of good things mo. All this doth our country for us through the diligent exercise of wise and sage teachers. So that it may appear right well, men be not only much indebted to their native country, but also allured unto the love and desire of the same even by a certain inspiration both of God and nature. For how glad is an English man being in France, Germany, or Italy or else where, to know by the transmission of mutual letters, what is done in England, in what case the public weal consisteth, how it prospereth, how Gods word is set forward, after what manner virtue is maintained, ⟨image 4⟩and vice detested. &c? Again, is not the French man, German, or Italian, being herein England very desirous to know likewise, what is done in his native country?
I Thynke ther is no man so farre estrasiged from ciuile humanite, whiche knowethe not, howe moche euery one of vs is endetted to his natiue coū trey. For all be it the duty that we owe to oure parentes,1 kynnesfolke, frendes &c, be great euē by the very lawe & instincte of nature, yet the det, wher wt we are obliged to oure contre, semeth to be greater and of moche more valour, than we maye at ony time be able to set our selues francke & fre from it. Our parētes onely gyue vs this grosse, rude and moortall body. Our countrey doth ⟨image 3⟩not only receaue and ioyfully sustē tate it, but also opulently adourne & garnysh both that and the mynde wyth moost goodly and godly vertues. It engraffethe in vs the true knowledge of our selues,2 the fear of God, the loue of God and of oure neyghbour, the true fayth in Gods promises, the vnfayned obediēce toward our superious. It tylleth our hartes wyth the plough of paynful diligēce. It eradicateth all vnfruytful wedes. It eiecteth all vnprofitable cloddes, and maketh the earthe of our hartes so fine, pure, pregnāt & fertile, that it is ready to receaue ony manner of good seed, that may be sowne therupon, and to produce innumerable encrease.3 It sowethe also in the •elde of our brestes many precious seedes, as modesty, grauite, gentlenes, honest behauour, affabilite, comite, liberalite, frugalite, ⟨image 3⟩pacience, long sufferaunce, moderacion, temperaunce, obedience, fortitude, magnanimite, iustice, equite, continence, humilite, erudicion, prudence, learnynge, wysdome, probite of manners, wythe an whole see of good thynges mo. All this doth our countrey for vs thorow the diligēt exercyse of wyse and sage teachers. So that it may appeare right wel, men be not only moche endetted to theyr natiue coūtrey, but also allured vnto the loue and desyre of the same euen by a certayne inspiraciō both of God and nature. For howe glad is an Englyshe man beynge in Fraunce, Germany, or Italy or els where, to knowe by the transmissiō of mutuall letters, what is done in Englōd, in what case the publique weale consisteth, how it prospereth, howe Gods word is set forward, after what manner vertue is mayntayned, ⟨image 4⟩and vice detested. &c? Agen, is not the Frenche man, Germayn, or Italion, beyng herein England very desyrous to knowe lykewyse, what is done in his natiue contre?
- 1Howe greatly we are bound to our country.Howe greatly we are bounde to our countrey.
- 2Our country is to be more regarded thē our parents.Our countrey is to be more regarded thē oure parentes.
- 3What great commodities we receive of our country.What great commodities we receue of our countrey.
