CHAPTER III
OF GARDENS AND ORCHARDS
[1587, Book II., Chapter 20.]
After such time as Calais was won from the French, and that our
countrymen had learned to trade into divers countries (whereby they
grew rich), they began to wax idle also, and thereupon not only left
off their former painfulness and frugality, but in like sort gave
themselves to live in excess and vanity, whereby many goodly
commodities failed, and in short time were not to be had amongst us.
Such strangers also as dwelled here with us, perceiving our
sluggishness, and espying that this idleness of ours might redound to
their great profit, forthwith employed their endeavors to bring in the
supply of such things as we lacked continually from foreign countries,
which yet more augmented our idleness. For, having all things at
reasonable prices (as we supposed) by such means from them, we thought
it mere madness to spend either time or cost about the same here at
home. And thus we became enemies to our own welfare, as men that in
those days reposed our felicity in following the wars, wherewith we
were often exercised both at home and other places.
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