And here I must crave your patiences for a little space to give me leave to discourse more particularly of the benefits that do arise of that union which is made in my blood, being a matter that most properly belongeth to me to speak of, as the head wherein that great body is united. And first, if we were to look no higher than to natural and physical reasons, we may easily be persuaded of the great benefits that by that union do redound to the whole island. For if twenty thousand men be a strong army, is not the double thereof, forty thousand, a double the stronger army? If a baron enricheth himself with double as many lands as he had before, is he not double the greater? Nature teacheth us that mountains are made of motes, and that at the first, kingdoms being divided, and every particular town or little county, as tyrants or usurpers could obtain the possession, a seigniory apart; many of these little kingdoms are now in process of time by the ordinance of God joined into great monarchies, whereby they are become powerful within themselves to defend themselves from all outward invasions, and their head and governor thereby enabled to redeem them from foreign assaults, and punish private transgressions within. Do we not yet remember, that this kingdom was divided into seven little kingdoms, besides Wales? And is it not now the stronger by their union? And hath not the union of Wales to England, added a greater strength thereto? Which though it was a great principality, was nothing comparable in greatness and power, to the ancient and famous kingdom of Scotland. But what should we stick upon any natural appearance, when it is manifest, that God by his almighty providence hath preordained it so to be? Hath not God first united these two kingdoms, both in language, religion, and similitude of manners? Yea, hath He not made us all in one island, compassed with one sea, and of itself by nature so indivisible, as almost those that were borderers themselves on the late borders, cannot distinguish nor know or discern their own limits? These two countries being separated neither by sea, nor great river, mountain, nor other strength of nature, but only by little small brooks, or demolished little walls, so as rather they were divided in apprehension, then in effect, and now in the end and fullness of time united, the right and title of both in my person, alike lineally descended of both the crowns, whereby it is now become like a little world within itself, being entrenched and fortified round about with a natural, and yet admirable strong pond or ditch, whereby all the former fears of this nation are now quite cut off: the other part of the island being ever before now, not only the place of landing to all strangers that was to make invasion here, but likewise moved by the enemies of this state, by untimely incursions, to make enforced diversion from their conquests, for defending themselves at home, and keeping sure their back-door, as then it was called, which was the greatest hindrance and let that ever my predecessors of this nation got in disturbing them from their many famous and glorious conquests abroad. What God hath conjoined then, let no man separate. I am the husband, and all the whole isle is my lawful wife; I am the head, and it is my body; I am the shepherd, and it is my flock. I hope therefore no man will be so unreasonable as to think, that I that am a Christian king under the gospel, should be a polygamist, and husband to two wives, that I being the head, should have a divided and monstrous body, or that being the shepherd to so fair a flock, whose fold hath no wall to hedge it but the four seas, should have my flock parted in two.
