Magnae Britanniae notitia: or, the present state of Great Britain. With diverse remarks upon the ancient state thereof / by John Chamberlayne.

  • Chamberlayne, Edward, 1616-1703.
Date:
1737
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Magnae Britanniae notitia: or, the present state of Great Britain. With diverse remarks upon the ancient state thereof / by John Chamberlayne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    68/808 (page 50)
    To England Henry II. annexed Ireland, being ftiled only Lord of Ireland, till the 3 3d of Henry VIII. although they had all Kingly Jurijdiftion before. Edward l. annexed all Wales, and Edward IIL the Right, tho’ not the Pojfejjion, of all France ; but Henry V. added both, and his Son Henry VI, was Crowned and Recognized by all the States of the Realm at Paris. King James I. being King of Scotland before* upon his Acceflion to the Crown of England, the whole ifland was united under one Head, and flnce that Time fundry confide- rable Plantations in America have been peopled by the Sub¬ jects of the Crown of England. The Dominions of the Kingof England at this Day in Pof- fellion, are Great-Britain and Ireland, and all the Seas adja¬ cent. Moreover, the I (lands of Jerfey, Guernfey, Aldernay ,awd Sark, which are a Parcel of the Dutchy of Normandy, the Port of Gibr alter and the Ifland of Minorca in the Mediterranean . Sea; befides thofe profitable Plantations of New-England, [Nova Scotia or New-Scotland,] New-Tork, Eajl and Wejl Jerfey, P'enfylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Barbados, Jamaica, Florida, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Berfmdos,with feveral other Ifles and Places in thofe Quarters, and fome in the Eaft-lndies, and upon the Coaft of Africa ; alfo upon the North Parts of America, by Right of fii’ft Difcovery ; to Efioitland, Terra Cor- terialis, Newfoundland, and to Guiana in the South ; to all which the King of England hath a Legal Right, tho’ not Pof- fejfion of the Whole. And let our Sovereign be confldered abftraCtly as King only of England, which is like a huge Fortrefs, or a garrifon’d Town, fenced not only with ftrong Works, and a wide and deep Ditch, the Sea, but guarded alio with excellent Out-works, the ftrongefl: and bell built Ships of War in the World: It is fo abundantly furnifhed with Men and Horfes, with Victuals and Ammunitions, with Cloaths and Money, that if all the Potentates of Europe fhould confpire (which God forbid !) they could hardly conquer it, provided it be at Unity in itfelf. This for the DefenjtveStrength of the King of England$ now for the Offenfive. How formidable mult He be to the World, when they fhall underftand that a King of England is well able, whenever he is willing, to raife of Englijh Foot two Hundred Thoufand, and of Englijh Horfe fifty Thoufand (for fo many, during the Civil Wars, were computed to be in Arms on both Sides.) And when they fhall confider the Valiant and Martial Spirit of the Englijh, their natural Agility of Body, their Patience, Hardinefs and Stedfaftnefs is luch, and their Fear of Death fo little, that no Neighbour-Nation, upon equal Number and Terms, fcarce ever beat them, either at Sea or Land: