"There reigned in this land, about nineteen hundred years ago, a king,
whose memory of all others we most adore; not superstitiously, but as
a divine instrument, though a mortal man; his name was Solamona: and
we esteem him as the lawgiver of our nation. This king had a large
heart, inscrutable for good; and was wholly bent to make his kingdom
and people happy. He therefore, taking into consideration how
sufficient and substantive this land was to maintain itself without
any aid (at all) of the foreigner; being five thousand six hundred
miles in circuit, and of rare fertility of soil in the greatest part
thereof; and finding also the shipping of this country might be
plentifully set on work, both by fishing and by transportations from
port to port, and likewise by sailing unto some small islands that are
not far from us, and are under the crown and laws of this state; and,
recalling into his memory the happy and flourishing estate wherein
this land then was; so as it might be a thousand ways altered to the
worse, but scarce any one way to the better; thought nothing wanted to
his noble and heroical intentions, but only (as far as human foresight
might reach) to give perpetuity to that which was in his time so
happily established. Therefore amongst his other fundamental laws of
this kingdom, he did ordain the interdicts and prohibitions which we
have touching entrance of strangers; which at that time (though it was
after the calamity of America) was frequent; doubting novelties, and
commixture of manners. It is true, the like law against the admission
of strangers without licence is an ancient law in the kingdom of China,
and yet continued in use. But there it is a poor thing; and hath
made them a curious, ignorant, fearful, foolish nation. But our
lawgiver made his law of another temper. For first, he hath preserved
all points of humanity, in taking order and making provision for the
relief of strangers distressed; whereof you have tasted."