_Beam._ In the first place, you shewed your ambition when you began to
be a state: For not being gentlemen, you have stolen the arms of the
best families of Europe; and wanting a name, you made bold with the
first of the divine attributes, and called yourselves the High and
Mighty: though, let me tell you, that, besides the blasphemy, the
title is ridiculous; for High is no more proper for the Netherlands,
than Mighty is for seven little rascally provinces, no bigger in all
than a shire in England. For my main theme, your ingratitude, you have
in part acknowledged it, by your laughing at our easy delivery of your
cautionary towns: The best is, we are used by you as well as your own
princes of the house of Orange: We and they have set you up, and you
undermine their power, and circumvent our trade.

_Fisc._ And good reason, if our interest requires it.

_Beam._ That leads me to your religion, which is only made up of
interest: At home, you tolerate all worships in them who can pay for
it; and abroad, you were lately so civil to the emperor of Pegu, as to
do open sacrifice to his idols.

_Fisc._ Yes, and by the same token, you English were such precise
fools as to refuse it.

_Beam._ For frugality in trading, we confess we cannot compare with
you; for our merchants live like noblemen; your gentlemen, if you have
any, live like boors. You traffic for all the rarities of the world,
and dare use none of them yourselves; so that, in effect, you are the
mill-horses of mankind, that labour only for the wretched provender
you eat: A pot of butter and a pickled herring is all your riches;
and, in short, you have a good title to cheat all Europe, because, in