Magnæ Britanniæ notitia: or, the present state of Great Britain. With diverse reflections upon the ancient state thereof / By John Chamberlayne.

Chamberlayne, Edward, 1616-1703.

Date:: 1741

Credit: Magnæ Britanniæ notitia: or, the present state of Great Britain. With diverse reflections upon the ancient state thereof / By John Chamberlayne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$To England, Henry 11. annexed Ireland, being ftiled only Lord of Ireland, till the 33d of Heary Vill. although they had all Kingly Furifaittion before. Edward \. annexed all Wales, and Edward III. the Right, tho’ not the Poffefion, of all France ; but Hezry V. added both, the States of the Realm at Paris. King Fames 1. being King of Scotland before, upon his Acceffion to the Crown of En:laad, the whole Ifland was united under one Head; and fince that Time fundry confide- rable Plantations in America have been peopled by the Sub-_ jects of the Crown of England. The Dominions of the King of Exgland at this Day in Pof- feflion, are Great-Britain and Ireland, and all the Seas adja- cent. Moreover, the iflands of Ferfey, Guernfey, Aldernay, and Sark, which are a Parcel of the Dutchy of Normandy, the Port of Gibraltar, and the Ifland of Minorca in the Mediterraneax Sea; befides thofe profitable Plantations of New-England, Penfylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Barbados, Jamaica, Florida, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Bermudos, with feveral other Ifles and Places in thofe Quarters, and fome in the Eaft-Indies, and upon the Coaft of 4/frica; alfoupon the North Parts of America, by Right of firft Difcovery; to Effoitland, Terra Cor- ferialis, Newfoundland, and to- Griana in the South; to all which the King of England hath a Legal Right, tho’ not Paf- feffion of the Whole. ¢ am Strength.}] And let our Sovereign be confidered abftra&ly as King only of England, which is like a huge Fortrefs, or a garrifon’d Town, fenced not only withftrong Works, and a wide and deep Ditch, the Sea, but guarded alfo with excellent Out-works, the ftrongeft and beft built Ships of War in the. World: It is fo abundantly furnifhed with Men and Horfes, with Viuals and Ammunitions, with €loaths. and Money, that if all the Potentates of Eurcpe fhould confpire (which, God forbid!) they could hardly conquer it, provided it be at Unity initfelf. . This for the Defenfive Strength of the King of Exglaxd snow for the offenfive, How fordimable muft He be to the World, : whenever he is willing, to raife of Exglifh Foot two Hundred Thoufand, and of Englifh Horfe fifty Thoufand (for fo many, during the Civil Wars, wete computed to be in Arms on both Sides.) And when they fhall confider the Valiant and Martial Spirit of the Englih, their natural Agility of Body, their Patience, Hardinefs and. Stedfaftnefs is {uch, and. their . Fear of Death fo little, that no Neighbour-Nation, upon equal ~ '$