Verily it is a most laudable use and profitable custome, to find means to reward the worth and acknowledge the valour of rare and excellent men, to satisfie and content them with such payments as in no sort charge the commonwealth, and put the prince to no cost at all…If to the prize, which ought simply to be of honour, there be other commodities and riches joyned, this kind of commixing, instead of encreasing the estimation thereof, doth empaire, dissipate and abridge it.

Since all men confesse (that be not barbarously bred) that men are borne as well to seek the common commodities of their Countrey, as their owne private benefite, it may seeme follie to perswade that point, for each man meaneth so to doe. But wherein men should seek the common commoditie, and what way, and by what meane that is to bee brought about, is the point or summe of the matter, since every good man is ready to imploy his labour. This is to be done by an infinite sort of meanes, as the number of things bee infinite that may be done for common benefite of the Realme. And as the chiefe things so to bee done be divers, so are they to bee done by divers men, as they bee by wit and manner of education more fit, or lesse fit, for this and for that. And for that many things that tend to the common benefite of the State, some tend more, and some lesse, I find that no one thing, after one another, is greater then Clothing, and the things incident to the same…Ample and full Vent of this noble and rich commoditie is it that the common weale of this realme doeth require. […]