of them as in a popular state the one and in an Optimatie the other is vsed Which so euer of them doth claime right of electio must of necessity disdaine the other for the people doe affect liberty the noblemen desire authority Wherefore eyther they fall into sedition one against the other 〈◊〉 agree by law or consent that eyther of them shall enioy the liberty of election And though it so doe â—â—â—ne to passe yet will if not be long before they returne to their former discention For euery one knowing he hath gotten a partiall iudge of his vertue wisdâ—â—â— beleeuing himselfe to be disdained of the contrary faction practiseth â—aâ—red conspitacy in the state reiecting the ornaments of verâ—ue trusting to â—oâ—â—ed friends studieth ambitously by followers corruption to aspire unto authority what cannot be attained vnto by vertue he extorteth by force and violence So as good subiectes are by euill oppressed and in place of iustice vertue and wisedome deceipt fraud vice iniustice doe gouerne all Surely it is a thing most perilous that the magistrates of any state should be chosen by the multitude which is no reasonable of indifferent iudge of menworthines For many times eyther it enuieth or fauoureth those vnto whome they giue their libertie not iudging according to reason but is often moued by fauour or drawen with desire to honour those that ambitiously labour to aspyre And to conclude whensoeuer the multitude doe make choise the same is not performed according to discretion knowledge and iudgement but fury and rashnes There is not as Tully saith any Counsell Reason Iudgement or diligence in the base people and wise men haue euer thought good to suffer those things which the people doe but not euer to commende their doings The multitude haue alwaies had the desire but not the iudgement to bestow the dignities for their voyces are wonne by flattery not gained by desert This custome being by lawe or vse allowed in other common-weales shall not be admitted in our state forwe recommend the election of our Counsellor to one alone being of all men iudged for vertue wisdome knowledge most worthy thinking that one may more easely then many eschew those perils which happen in chosing Counsellors But let him to whome this authority belongeth receiue the same as giuen him by lawe or consent of the people not aspyre therto by force corruption or Tyranny The custome of free people in the election of their Senators vnto whome they commit their welfare is to chose them among themselues or else to giue that authoritie of election to an other which we reade the Romaines sometimes to haue done who did not theÌ„selues choose the Senate as they did other magistrates but committed the doing thereof to one man alone of most excellencie good life manners authoritie wisedome and iudgement Romulus the first father of that Citie elected a hundred Senators which custome was vsed by the other kings succeeding But when the kings through the insolent gouernment of Tarquintus were remoued this power of election according to the qualitie of time was somewhat altered yet not giuen to many For till the state returned to a Monarchie the Senators were chosen eyther by the Consuls the Censor the dictator or cheiftaine Our ancestors haue most discretely brought that custome of the Romaines into this commonweale giuing vnto the Kinge power and authority to make choise of Counsellors and be an onely iudge of each mans vertue electing those whome for age wisedome and nobilitie he thought worthie We therefore doe determine the power and right of electing Counsellors to appertaine onely vnto the king wherein his greatest wisedome and iudgement ought be employed not calling any to Counsell for skill in domesticall affaires for riches gained by agriculture nor for skill in architecture but for wisedome in gouernment of the commonweale for preseruation of Subiects and knowledge in good and wholsome lawes If our bodies be diseased with sicknes we consult with learned Phisitions or if we want garments or howses we seeke for skillfull Artificers why should we not also as a thing of most importance looke out and choose such men to gouerne the people and commonweale whose wisedome can conserue the same in peace and tranquilitie It therefore behoueth a Prince in the choise of such men to vse the whole force of his capacitie wisedome and diligence For he is not onely to see that in the Counsellor there be those partes whereof we haue spoken to wit that he be a naturall subiect well borne and bred and indued with those artes and disciplines which are thought worthy a ciuill man destined to gouerne the state but he must also consider the quality of his manners fame famelie age and vertue It is moreouer to be knowen in what office or seruices the Counsellor before his election hath bene vsed and with how much endeuour fidelity wisedome and diligence he hath serued For from some other place of imployment the Counsellor ought be chosen which the Romaines vsed electing their Senators onely out of that number whome they called Patres which was as it were the nourserie of Counsellors To be short whosoeuer choseth Counsellors ought aboue all to lay before his eyes the profit of the commonweale whereby he shall easely conceiue what men and Counsellors the state wanteth and how much or little euerie one can helpe how great a burthen each man can beare and what is to waighty for his force Let vs hereafter discourse wherein all these thinges consist what good the state receiueth by a Counsellors wisedome and what dueties he is bound vnto By that which hath beene alreadie saide the King may sufficiently conceiue what things are considerable to knowe a perfect Counsellor and likewise a Counsellor shall finde what is to be obserued and vsed in gouerning But lest the discourse of this institution should seeme ouer long we thinke fit to speake of those qualities in one other booke following for not werying the readers minde with many wordes and thereby become ouer tedious Finis Libri Primi ⧠The second Booke WE haue as I hope in the former Booke sufficientlie at large discoursed of the first principles appertayning to the Counsellors dignitie how many kindes of commonweale there is and which of them ought be accounted most perfect We haue also laide the foundation of ciuill felicitie which is in the societie of men a thing most notable and diuine Nowe our entent is in this booke to set downe those vertues which are required not onely in a newe magistrate but an olde and expert Counsellor so shall the science of gouernment be complete perfect and fully finished First it behoueth a Counsellor to know the forme of that common-weale wherin he is to giue counsell and be a minister what people what lawes liberties are therunto belonging what manners are there vsed by what discipline vse and custome the state is gouerned
becommeth thereby diuine noble wise and prouident But happilie some man may demaunde what common weale that is which shoulde bee committed to this wiseman or Diuine Philosopher which doubte doth not arise from the name of common weale being a certaine order among the inhabitants abiding in one cytie but of the diuersitie and difference of the common weales For as mens manners delightes and estates bee diuers so also is the gouernment of common weales manifould And though the end of euery of them is but one thinge that is to say good or wel beeing which consisteth in the felicitie of men and euery state doth labour to attaine yet are the meanes of aspiring to that happines diuers and so consequently lawes and customes of sondry sortes are by them vsed For who so shall conferre the lawes of Hippâ—dâ—mus framed for the Miletians with those of Miâ—â—s made for the Candians or will compare the ordinances of â—icâ—rgâ—s with the decrees of Solon the one writing the gouernment of the Lacedemonians the other of the Athenians shall easily conceiue their lawes to be most diuers their Magistrates vnlike and the forme of their states farre discrepant The seauen wife men also Thales except who refused to intermedle in the common weale brought in sundry exercises sundrie lawes and sundry gouernments according to the qualitie of the peoples capacitie and their owne fancies by sundry orders and â—ses did execute them Which varietie of gouerments haue ministred matter of much controuersy contrarietie of opinions In so much as the learned men both in our vniuersities forraine schooles haue presumed to dispute how many sortes of common-weales there are and which of them ought deseruinglie to be mostâ— commended and imbraâ—â—ds Plato and Aristotle in that matter do seeme to haue excelled all others For they with great iudgement and respect to the nature of men and the Regions of the world haue learnedlie allotted lawes and gouerments agreable with the disposition and humor of the places Following therefore the opinion of these Philosophers we will first frame three sortes of common weales The first is called Monarchia the second Aristocratia and the third Democratia The Latines haue named them Râ—gnum Optimatum principatus and Popular is respâ—â—â— God by his heauenly prouidence hath appointed that the powers of mans minde shoulde rest in three sundry partes of his bodie seeming thereby to represent three Idaeas or formes of commonweales appointing reason as King to haue his abiding in the heade hiest part as onely Lorde and Prince to commaund all The second part as vigilant and readie to obey hee hath placed neere vnto it in the breaste making the same as a companion and helper vnto the heade Plato calleth it vis irascendi and affectuum sedes The thirde resembling a multitude witlesse frowarde and full of sensuall desires hee hath harboured beneath the hearte secluded farre from both the other In these parts of our soule as in an image wee may beholde three formes of commonweales The highest hath the place of king as destined and appoynted to commaunde all the seconde though in place inferiour yet in quality is of no lesse regarde beeing well obeyed For where reason ruleth without the guarde and ayde of the affections all actions are weake and without force Euen so a Senate not assisted by reason which partlie as Captayne and partly as Soldiour in all actions and consultations is vsed becommeth fearefull and effeminate Aristotle hath therefore deuided the power of reason making one parte absolute and standing vppon it selfe the other as it were depending and seruing like vnto a sonne that obeyeth his Father Which Titus Liuius hath well expressed in setting forth the error of Minutius in his vnaduised fight against Hanibal which Fabius doth reprehend in these wordes O souldiours quoth hee I haue often hearde that who so can by himselfe rightly iudge is to be moste honoured next vnto him are they that obey the good aduise of others But hee that can neyther councell himselfe nor knoweth howe to followe an other mans aduise is of all others of least wisedome and capacitie As touching the Optimatie it hath not onely the force of reason but in all actions is helped and incouraged by the affections as the Poets haue written Non hic â—ine numine diuum furit The thirde parte of mans minde resembleth a popular gouerment wherein the multitude hath authoritie to heare all matters and determine all lawes many contentions and discordes doe there ensue like vnto the nature of men licentions and proane to lust containing such life as accordeth with reason and vertue Aristotle doth also write that the image of commonweales may be found in priuate families For the authoritie of the father ouer his children may be likened to principalitie because the children are the fathers charge He alone must prouide for them all and their faultes are by him rather chastised then seuerely punished In like manner ought a good king to behaue himselfe towarde his subiectes Therefore Iupiter the God of Gods and men is by Homer called Father The husbandes authoritie ouer his wife may be compared to the Optimatie For the husband ought to gouerne his wife according to iustice and commaunde her to doe thinges honest The populer state is likened to brotherly societie For they ought to liue in equality differing onely in the degrees of age But as the Father that vseth his children wickedly cruelly and vnnaturally is reputed a tyrant and no father Euen so a king that studieth for priuate commodity oppressing his subiectes contemning his lawes and liuing dishonorably doth lose the name of a King and is called a Tyrante Also a husband and wife liuing in discorde eyther through negligence or wilfulnesse reiecting the care of their children and householde doe thereby abuse their authoritie and become vnworthy the name of naturall parentes In like manner brethren disagreeing and quarrelling neglecting the common profite and giuing themselues to slouth or lasciuious life are not to be accounted brethren Thus it appeareth that through the default and imperfection of gouernours true commonweales be conuerted into false and contrarie gouerments The Monarchie or kingdome becommeth a Tyrannie The Optimatie is reduced vnder the authoritie of a fewe The popular common weale is conuerted into plebeiall insolencie Pollicie which the Graecians call Politeia and is by Plato and Aristotle sometimes called Respublica popularis may be referred to all kindes of commonweales well gouerned because that worde is vniuersall and includeth all ciuill gouernment Plato addeth a seuenth kinde of gouernment that is to witt A King subiect to his lawes making a Monarchie of two sortes and consequently framing two Kinges the one bounde and confined the other free and not restrayned to anie lawe This is the opinion of Plato touching Monarchie The power authoritie saith he of one Prince gouerning with good lawes is among the sixe kindes of commonweales the best
happen in popular states For if any good man liuing there shall happen to mislike the plebeyall life and doth labour by admonishing reprehending and correcting the Citizens to reduce them to honesty and vertue he is forthwith iudged an enemie to liberty and by the law Ostracismo arested and many times put to death With this kind of persecution many notable Citizens inhabiting the popular states of Graecia were afflicted as Cymon Aristides Thucydides Socrates Themistocles and Damon also in Rome Camillus and Scipio were in like manner handled The fame of Aristides is of all posterity worthy to be remēbred he being a man singularly vertuous wise for his integrity of life honest cōuersatiō was with the assent of all men surnamed Iustus At such time as the law Ostracismas was vsed in Athens a certaine rude rustical felow bearing a scrol of paper in his hand hapned to mete him with great earnestnes required that the name of Aristides might be therin writtē Aristides much marueiling thereat asked whether any man had euer beene by him iniured no quoth hee but I cannot in anye wise indure thy surname of Iustus Cicero reporteth that at such time as the Ephesi banished their Prince Hermodorus they pronounced this sentence Let none of vs excell an other but if anye so doe let him no longer heere dwell but inhabite elsewhere O moste straunge customes of popular commonweales Plato vseth that speach before of vs remembred that no state doth continue beeing gouerned with Iron or Brasse that is to say by foolish men borne rather to obey then commaunde For they after some fortunate successe of warre taking vnto them loftie mindes haue at hande tutors and popular Captaines to extoll and commende their vertue Then after long hunger allured with the sweete baite of glory they reiect the authoritie of their leaders and all wise men taking the gouerment wholy into their owne handes directing the same by their owne willes and discretion which is the cause that such common-weales are not of long continuance For through diuersitie of minds those men become voyde of councell and after much insolencie contention and faction they yeelde their obedience eyther to a fewe or some one mightie personage So did the people of Athens which beeing author of the victorie by sea against the Medians puffed vp with pride of that fortune stirred greate troubles and seditions in that state and all good Citizens laboured in vaine to preuente that mischiefe Also the originall of popular states doth sometimes proceede of Rebellion attempted against the nobilitie as it many times happened in Rome when the people tooke armes against the Kings and Senate Sometimes also the cause of such popular gouerment proceedeth through good successe of some action enterprised by the people Who taking vppon them the minde of Lordes doe vsurpe the state as did the Athenians when they had vanquished the Medians and as the Romaines hauing ouerthrowne the Carthaginenses The same also otherwhiles chanseth when the people is made desperate by tyrannie of their Prince and gouernours for then by force of armes or oppression of their king they frame a forme of gouernment among themselues which in our dayes the Swisseis haue done A popular state established with good lawes is manie times gouerned iustlie and poletiquelye but the same wanting lawes or consente of the people doth not merite the name of a commonweale Of the Oligarchia or Tyrannie I meane not to entreate because such gouerment is in all respectes vniuste contrarie to vertue and ciuill life The excellencie of euerie people or commonweale may be knowen by the gouermente lawes and liberties thereof For those people are accounted the beste which within a good commonweale doe liue with iustice and libertye and they deserue the more commendation that doe continue the same with most constancie and longe preseuerance which thinges are thought chiefly to appertaine to the antiquity of men liuing in honour and nobilitie The Lacedemonians are highly praised for hauing continued seauen hundred years without any alteration of their customs their lawes or their gouerment But the Venetians haue in that respect deserued greater glory because they till these our daies haue cōstantly liued in one forme of gouerment by the space of a thousand years or more Thus haue we discoursed the diuers formes of commonweales with the natures disposition of men there liuing Among them as easely appeareth the Principalitie and Optimatie are the best This for that therein most good men doe exercise the publique functions and that because the publique commoditie is preserued by one with generall consente of minde So as if any doe excell the reste to him the commonweale is committed In these two states men doe liue best because the order of them doth not onely preserue Cities but also make the Citizens happie Some men haue thought the moste perfect commonweale should be tempered and framed of all the three estates Which is the cause that they preferre the Lacedemonian gouerment being compounded of the nobilitie which was the Senators of the authoritie of one which was the King and of the people which were the Ephori For they were alwaies chosen among the number of popular men Polibius extolleth the Romane state because it consisted of the King the Nobilitie and the people supposing that the king for feare of the people coulde not become insolente and the people durste not disobeye him in respecte of the Senate Which forme of commonweale was with good reason accounted most iust For as perfect harmonie is compounded of treble meane and base tewnes euen so a good commonweale and the surest agreement amongest men is as Cicero saith made by mixture of the best the meane and the base people We are also of opinion that commonweale is perfect which containeth good and vertuous subiectes and is gouerned by a king a Senate and consent of the people wishing the King should obserue his lawes and doe those thinges which be honourable and agreeable to the aduise of his councell For the lawe is most perfect reason whereunto whosoeuer obeyeth doth seeme a God among men Wee wish likewise that all Councellors should be men of much vertue for they being a meane betwixt the king and people may the rather giue councell by what meanes the state may be safely gouerned The authoritie of Councellors consisteth in consulting iudging and commaunding The king vseth these men as friendes and Councellors imploying their vertue and aduise in matters of most difficulty which is the cause that men say the king hath many hands many eyes and many feete Moreouer for that it seemeth a thing rather diuine their humaine that one man alone should gouerne the whole state it is necessary to haue the aide of many others yet referring the determination to the king alone all things are like to proceede well But he that doth manage all matters without Councel trusting only to
he ought likewise to know not onely those meanes wherby the state may be ornified increased preserued but also how the same may be weakned hindred or subuerted For as that Pilot is not accounted perfect skilfull who knoweth only how to sayle keepe course in quiet seas but he that by his Art vnderstaÌ„deth the nature force of tempests winds storms how to eschew perils by his art saue the ship tormented with fury of wind water leading hir to haâ—borow hauen of safetie euen so the wisdome of a Counsellor gouerning a quiet and peaceable state deserueth praise yet much lesse then he who finding the same wrought with windes of sedition and afflicted with stormes of great dissention restoreth it vnto good and desired pacification making the people contented tractable peaceable and voyde of perturbation Themistocles is much commended for reducing the Athenians being then sauage and simple to liue in the Citie and subiect themselues to lawes But much more ought Solon to be praised who finding the Citie disturbed with rebellion and ciuill warre reduced it to vnion reestablishing the lawe and confirming the Magistrates Neyther doe I thinke that Camillus for hauing deliuered Rome from the Galli is lesse to be honoured then Romulus that first builded the Citie Or is not Cicero to be preferred before the Fabii he hauing recouered Rome from the wicked hand of Catiline and they vndertaking a domesticall warre against the Veienti Pompeius loued the commonweale but Cicero preserued it so as Pompeius might say that vnlesse Cicero had preserued the state he should haue wanted place where to triumph Therefore Cicero would sometimes gloriously say that others had done things honorably but the thanks for conseruation of the state was due vnto himselfe Who thinketh the vertue of Caesar or Pompeie to be compared with the vertue of Scipio Africanus yet did they most notable actes for their countrie but he finding the same broken weake and as it were within one daies space to become subiect to the Armes of Haniball did not onely rescue and recouer it but also increased and inlarged it which proueth the saying true Non minor est virtus quam querere parta tueri Cyrus in conquering kingdomes was happy but in holding them vnhappy he knewe the arte to winne but was ignorant how to keepe And surely those daies wherein we are preserued ought be to vs more deere then that wherein we were borne Likewise they doe better deserue of mankinde whose wisedome hath deuised the welfare of men then they from whome their generation or conception proceedeth I doe therefore wish the Counsellor to be indued with such knowledge as consulteth not onely vpon things present but also foreseeth things to come comprehending in minde the whole state diligently considering all the chances perils mutations and inclinations thereof wherby he shall with more facilitie conceiue the mischieues which happen and eyther by foreseeing diuert them or being growen extirpe them Neyther doe I thinke fit that our Counsellor should be igorant in the gouerment of other states for by such examples he may conceiue the lawes wherewith they are gouerned the manners they haue vsed in what sort they haue beene altered amended and preserued Likewise with what authoritie each lawe is made what is the order of their publique Counsels with the duetie belonging to euery of them what libertie dignitie authoritie and iurisdiction appertaineth to euerie common-weale In this our state for so much as the Senate is a meane betwixt the king and people it behoueth euery Senator to know what is the maiesty of a king his greathes and iurisdiction and likewise what is the right and libertie of subiectes because the king and people many times contende one against the other the one desiring immesurable libertie the other affecting oppression The intemperate contention of those humors doe greatly afflict the commonweale For if the one doth preuaile he putteth on the person of a Tyrant or if the other be victorious thereof are engendred as many thousande Tyrantes as heads of men The tyrannie of many is alwaies more cruell then of one For the one taketh ende eyther by death or by sacietie of commaunding but the insolent and insatiable licentiousnes of the multitude doth feede the vaine of tyrannie the venome whereof doth long after infecte their posteritie Therefore the Senate ought be exceeding diligent in preseruing the libertie due and common to euerie one and from that meane place as from a watching house or tower to foresee the welfare of all and take order that through sedition or contention the commonweale be not indemnyfied For the Senate is a iudge betwixt force and feare libertie and seruitude the king and people Tyrantes were wonte to vse certaine sleightes in arming themselues against the liberty of people First by remouing all good and wise men with euerie other person hauing power in the state because the vertue of good men is to Tyrantes suspected and that one compell the rest eyther by feare or force to become seruile and they themselues to doe all things according to their owne lust and pleasure Such counsell Periander gaue vnto Thrasibulus perswading him to cut of the highest spikes of corne meaning be should put the most noble Athenians to death The like subtiltie was followed by Sextus Tarquinius the sonne of Lucius He being suborned by his father pretending to be banished fled fraudulently vnto the Gabii where hauing so much acquaintance and friendship as he thought suffized sent secretly vnto his father to knowe what his pleasure was shoulde be done who leading the messenger into the garden there walked and in his presence with his staffe strake of the heads of all the Dazles which being reported to his sonne he put the chiefe noble men of Gabia to death by force and iniustice vsurping the commonweale and liberty The Tyrants doe also oftentimes inhibite the societie of Subiects their meetings their conferences conuentions feastings and the studie of honest disciplines Tyrantes also many times doe sowe discord among the people to the ende that filled with hate and priuate displeasure they may dispose themselues to warre and sedition and thereby be impouerished and being poore and the warre ended the offenders are forced to pay for pardon so that euery way fleesed of their riches and made needie they doe become base minded and vnsit to defende both liberty and well doing These and many such like things the Counsellor ought indeuor himselfe to knowe and by foresight prouide that the commonweale be not by those meanes afflicted Let him likewise vnderstand that the office of a king is not to care or studie so much for his owne priuate profit as the common commoditie of his subiectes to obserue his lawes to preserue the rights and liberty of the people and to maintaine the authority and reputation of his counsell For kings were instituted to aid good men against the wicked and vngodly and to
them was giuen absolute power to reuenge iniuries preserue liberty and beiudges of each mans vertues and vices A good king ought therefore to haue no lesse care of those he gouerneth then hath the shepheard of his flocke that is to make them blessed and happy Homer calleth king Agomemnon the sheepheard of people whom Plato doth imitate calling him sheepheard and keeper of mankinde Moreouer a king ought to gouerne his people Not as maisters doe their seruants but as the father ruleth his children Wherefore as it is the part of good parents sometimes to rebuke their children sometimes to admonish and cherish them and sometimes also to correct and punish them So shoulde a Prince behaue himselfe towardes his subiectes as well for the peoples preseruation as the safetie of the commonweale shewing himselfe sometimes seuere sometimes gentle and placable defending and enlarging the common profit with no lesse care then a father prouideth for the sustentation of his children Thus appeareth the difference betwixt kinges and Tyrantes the one doth care for the common commoditie the other studieth onely for priuate profitte The ende of the Tyrants indeuour is voluptuousnes but the ende of a kinges studie is honour To excell in riches is proper to Tyrants but a kings chiefe desire is honour A Tyrant desireth the ayde of strangers but a king is garded with his owne subiectes Alfonsus king of Arragon being asked which of his subiectes he helde most deare answered I loue them better that wish me well then those that feare me which seemeth reasonable because feare is accompanied with hatered A King therefore should be no more safe by defence of Armes then loue good will and fidelitie of subiectes He is also to be honored as the minister of publique Counsell the defender of lawes and conseruer of common right and liberty For better performing of all which offices he shall doe well to harken to the aduise of his Counsellors and as his parentes loue and honour them Traianus that great Emperour of the world vsed continually to call the Senate his father For like as the father doth foretell his sonne of those things he thinkes profitable so doth a Senate Counsell the king howe the state may be preserued and by what lawes and orders it shoulde be gouerned Of these and other thinges appertayning to the office of a king or that haue beene receiued by lawe vse or custome a Counsellor ought to be fully enformed The popular sorte of men is for the most parte mutable by reason of the diuersitie of their ages For of them some being young some olde and some of middle age it must needs be that great dissentions should arise euery man hauing a will and opinion diuers from others and because they are all free men each man frameth his life and manners according to his owne fancie supposing there is libertie where all men doe that which they lust and like The diuersitie of manners doth breede among them varietie of mindes and thereof doth followe sundry iudgementes touching the state lawe and liberty whereof hate displeasure and seditions doe ensue so as all men are not equallie affected to the common-weale Those that be honestlie brought vp naturally good and well trained in learning not surious nor voluptuous not womannish or licentiously giuen are most willing obseruers of lawes rights concord and ciuill society not sweruing as men say one inch from the rules of vertue fidelity glory of their ancestors because they keepe and retaine all those things as inheritance descended from their forefathers That sorte of men is in the commonweale to be reputed good subiectes But they whose follie hath bene nourished by domesticall libertie being borne at home and not trained vp abroad wherby they haue neuer seene done or heard any thing notable magnificent or noble are to be thought persons seditious crastie and perilous subiectes yet would they be called and thought good honest quiet and modest notwithstanding the contempt they haue to imitate honestmen And to the ende they shoulde not be thought blockheades and fit for nothing deuise some new practise to gaine themselues fame glory and commendation And it commeth many times to passe that pretending the patronage of liberty by publique perswasion and furie they take matters in hande in apparance godlie but in trueth profane And if any of them be by birth or education apt for sedition and excell the rest in witt and eloquence they offer themselues vnto the ignorant sort to be captaines and reformers of lawes religion and order conspiring against the King the Counsell and all good subiectes as men that had taken in hand the renouation of the whole commonweale Such men were of the Romanes called Plebicolae who to saue themselues from some punishment which before they deserued doe take vpon thē the name of defending libertie stirring newe troubles and alterations in the state eyther else moued by some sodaine furie of minde doeperswade the people to discorde and sedition or else hauing intangled or rather prodigally consumed their inheritance and substance desirous to haue fellowes in miserie and perish rather publiquely then alone were alwaies wont to attempt rebellion Of such disposition were the Romaines called Gracchus Clodius Catiline And in Athens Calistines with many others As the bodie of our commonweale consisteth in the coniunction of three estates whose vniuersall consent and temperature doth make it most perfect and happy so if the same bodie be deuided or dismembred that state becommeth of all others the mostlame imperfect and infortunate For all other commonweales are subiect to one onely mutation because they rest vpon one onely simple gouernment But our state being mixed and made of three must of force be subiect to as many conuersions and inclinations If the king abuseth his office the state hath one Tyrant if the Senate so doe there are diuers Tyrants But if the power of people doth surpasse the authority and force of both the other then the commonweale is afflicted with an infinite number of most pernicious Tyrants Wherefore if in such a State the office libertie dignitie authoritie and iurisdiction of euery of them be not confined and bound by lawes certaine so as both by feare and punishment they be compelled to obserue lawe and liue honestlie all good men shall there in vaine looke for quietnes The proper office of a Consellor as Cicero saith is to imagine he beareth the person of the state the reputation whereof he is bound to maintaine to obserue the lawes set forth the proceedinges and be mindfull of things committed to his fidelitie Also it becommeth him as a priuate man to liue in equality with other subiects neither debasing nor extolling him selfe and to desire onely those things in the common-weale which be peaceable and honest so shall euerie one performe the true duetie of a good and loyall subiect It also becommeth subiects moderately to vse their libertie For as Quintius saide temperate
THE COVNSELLOR Exactly pourtraited in two Bookes WHEREIN THE OFFICES OF Magistrates The happie life of Subiectes and the felicitie of Common-weales is pleasantly and pithilie discoursed A GOLDEN WORKE REPLENISHED with the chiefe learning of the most excellent Philosophers and Lawgiuers and not onely profitable but verie necessarie for all those that be admitted to the administration of a well-gouerned Common-weale Written in Latin by LAVRENTIVS GRIMALDVS and consecrated to the honour of the Polonian Empyre Newlie translated into English LONDON Imprinted by RICHARD BRADOCKE Anno Salutis Humanae M. D. XC VIII ⧠TO THE MOST excellent and most mightie Prince Augustus King of Polonia c. AS euerie man well knoweth those commonweales be most blessed where men do liue in peace so are those countries miserable where people are not maintained in securitie And as euerie commonweale is happie wherein subiects are good so in good commonweales no subiect can be vnfortunate yet what doth worke the welfare of commonweales and people is and hath beene euen among the most learned long disputed Some suppose it proceedeth of goodlawes others haue thought that ciuill education doth enforme it others imagined that the temperature of the heauens doth make men apt for ciuill life some also do thinke it proceedeth from the endeuour of good kings because subiects by imitation of their Princes vertue do for the most part become like vnto them Which opinion I verelie thinke to be most true so perswaded by obseruation of your Maiesties example Neither do I iudge the great quietnes and blessednes of this commonweale and kingdome doth proceed from other cause then the excellent splendour of your princelie vertues which are such and so great as doe not onelie incite all subiects to behold them but also with exceeding admiration and imitation to loue them Sith euerie man endeuouring aboue all things to honour your Primcelie example your iustice and your clemencie is no lesse enforced to obey then to loue and the greatnes of your authoritie is such as your maiestie is not onelie a moderator and disposer of lawes but also which in a free state is most a iust iudge of each mans vertue praise and dignitie and therewith also haue framed a kingdome so perfect as on earth none more perfect can be Moreouer this kingdome is come to your maiesties hands not by inheritance not by blood nor by vsurpation as are many â—thers but by publique consent of all the Polonian Nation thereunto perswaded by the auncient vertue and wisedome of your Maiestie and your most noble auncestors For to confesse truth the house of Iageloni hath beene a Seminarie of Kings so plentifull as not onely our common-weale but also diuers other nations did desire to be thereby gouerned and would to God that most noble raze had still in Bohoemia and Hungarie continued For by the valour thereof the Turkish empyre should haue beene restrained of that greatnes whereunto it is now aspired All which things as they are admirable so are they also the more noble that holding in hand the Raines of so great a gouernment your Maiestie by your own iudgement hath called vnto you a Counsell both for nobilitie wisedome excellent by whose moderation prudence the quiet glorie of our kingdom hath bene greatlie preserued I Omit to speake of other magistrates by whom the felicitie of our commonweale is not onely ornified but also enlarged so as Polonia may be well called the habitation of libertie and seate of iust gouernment And that your highnes is author and doer of these things who doth not see I in my youth did behold them in mine elder age found them agreeable vnto the rules of excellent philosophers and auncient well gouerned common-weals which moued me to thinke it were no lost labour if by mine owne endeuour or the obseruation of other mens workes I should somewhat say of that matter to the profit of all posteritie This worke therefore I determined to dedicate vnto your Royall Maiestie as chiefe causer of mine endeuour Not meaning therby to enforme you for such is your excellent wisedome as needeth not the instruction of anie but that by reading your Maiestie may be delighted to behold your owne vertues and as a Prince of that gouerment be glad that the same is most iust and respondent to other auncient and praiseable commonweales Yet do I well knowe that to discourse of qualities appertaining to an excellent Counsellor is not onely of great importance but also accompanied with manie difficulties But my hope is that albeit my skill cannot therein merit praise yet as I hope my earnest desire of publique vtilitie shall hold me excused assuring my selfe that your maiesties wisedome and princelie Counsell a vertue proper to all the house of Iageloni will take my humble endeuour in good and acceptable part ⧠THE FIRST BOOKE WHO so wholy applieth himselfe to those studies which concerne not onely priuate pleasure but also publique commoditie doth as I thinke seeke a knowledge perfect and most worthie commendation For to be skilfull in that whereof others receiue profit doth aboue all thinges best become a wise man Among such sciences as were wont to bring with them both profit and pleasure there is not in my iudgement any more profitable or pleasing then is the skill of gouernment beeing a guide of humaine happinesse and tutresse of publique commoditie and common life Which I by the example of many others and no small experience knowing to be true beeing also assured that the knowledge whereby commonweales be gouerned is certaine and the proceeding of all thinges directed by reason and iudgement not by fallible conceipt chaunce or fortune haue determined to discourse what ought be the duetie vertue and dignitie of a perfect Councellor to the ende that those that shall be called to gouernment or take delight in such wisedome may be thereof partakers For peâ—forming of which entent I haue thought good to sounde the depth of ciuile knowledge and with greate diligence haue serched the secrets of most excellent Phylosophers not meaning to set forth any fained conceipt but that which accordeth with authoritie of wise law makers and graue Councellors I doe therefore thinke expedient that in the person of our Councellor there shoulde be such ripenesse of age as might exercise the vertues beseeming so honourable a personage and in his calling holde so greate a grauitie and reputation as all other Citizens and subiectes may hope at his hande to receiue comfort quiet councell profitable to the whole commonwealth My intent is not to frame an Idaea or Councellor imagined such a one as cannot be seene but onely in conceipt or that the heauens haue skantly any so perfect or the earth doth not containe any shadowe of such a man as did Plato in his common weale and Cicero in his Orator but our speach shall tende to thinges possible not exceeding the ordinarie vse of men Yet my meaning is to gather into this booke
whatsoeuer hath heeretofore beene spoken knowen or founde eyther by learning of schooles by Councels in commonweales by pollicy in gouernmente by forraine experience by the Histories touching the qualitie and perfection of a Councellor And as Plato hath set downe those things which he thought fittest for the felicitie of his Citie the like will we doe in the discription of our Councellor and imagining to haue mett with wise men of all nations Cities and common-weales repayring to a market of wisedome we will take from euery one such vertues customes lawes and dueties as seemeth to vs most excellent and therewith furnish our Councellor But for so much as through the diuersitie of commonweales it seemeth that the quality and offices of Councellors be diuers we haue iudged that forme of commonweale to be of all others most iust and indifferent where the Kinges authoritie and the peoples power by the councellors wisedome and aduise is qualefied We haue therefore thought fitt first to discourse the diuersitie of commonweales as well in kinde as forme of their felicitie of the happinesse of subiectes of the education and instruction of a Councellor to the ende he may the rather vnderstand the state where he gouerneth and be skilfull in the precepts of vertue So as in that sort furnished he may direct his life in all honesty and deseruingly be aduanced to a charge of so greate honour and reputation And we will that the vertues of our Councellor be such as are not onelie profitable for the gouerment of one state but shall be of that excelencie as the same may be practised in the proceedings of all others For we haue learned of Plato that those commonweales be moste happy which are gouerned by Phylosophers or where the gouernours are wholy disposed to the studie of Philosophie Therefore from such a wise man and such a ciuill science wee haue determined to take matter whereof to frame our excellent Councellor Among all creatures contayned within the circle of the earth that which we call man is the chiefest and of most reputation For he alone of all other liuing thinges of what nature so euer is made not onely an inhabitant and Citizen of the world but also a Lorde and Prince therein Which authoritie honour and greatnesse from God the supreame gouernour of heauen and earth is giuen who hath also vouchsafed to receiue him as it were a companion in the gouerment of this vniuersall Citie common to God and men adorning him with diuine vnderstanding to the end that through his godly reason and councell this worldly Empyre might be wisely holily and iustly gouerned The cause of this societie betwixt GOD and men proceedeth from reason which beeing perfect doth make men like vnto God and seeme as it were mortall Gods whereof may be conceiued that betwixt God and men some affinitie aliance or kinred remaineth Notwithstanding without the presence of God no reason is good and perfect for the diuine seedes beeing sowen in mens bodies so much thereof as happeneth into the handes of good till-men doth bring forth fruite according to him that did sowe them but of the rest beeing handled by euill husbandry doth like vnto corne sowen in barren soyle become brâ—mbles and within short space decay and die Man therefore knowing himselfe and conceiuing that within him all things are diuine shall be perswaded that his minde and reason doth represent an holy Image and must therefore continually indeuour to doe and imagine thinges worthie so heauenly a grace Thus beeing made of God his societie and reputed of his race and progenie it must needs be that in the gouernment of this world we haue from him him the authoritie of rule and commaunding Sith then he is the author and director and that our beeing proceedeth from him as the creator of all thinges euery councell lawe and ordinance is at his handes to be required to the ende that this diuine worlde may be knowen and gouerned not by men but the will wisedome and prouidence of God For as brute beastes cannot without a heardman of other beastes be gouerned Euen so men by men without the guiding of GOD cannot be ruled For if it so happen that any man doth take in hande to gouerne without GOD that is to say without his diuine will wisedome and knowledge It must needs be that euery commonweale so gouerned and the life of euery priuate Citizen therein shall become vnhappy and miserable For in vaine it were to studie the welfare of any state if God be not the defendour and keeper thereof It may then be conceyued that all vertue and wisedome of man proceedeth from God which was the cause that our auncestors in times past were wont to dedicate publique temples to vertue faith concord wisedome and peace But are the Councels of gouermente to be asked of God or ought all requestes and prayers aswell for small as greate graces ascende vnto his heauenly hearing Yea surely So that our suite and prayers doe not discente form reason Good lawes therefore are obtayned at Gods handes by intercession of wise men and not by holding vppe the handes of fooles or be their lowde cries or prostrating their bodies vppon the earth For God is onely present with wise men and as Ouidius saith well Est Deus in 〈◊〉 agitante calescimus illo Spiritus hic sacrae lumina mentis habet The wisedome of GOD doth enter and possesse their mindes and as they doe honour it so dooth it honour them whereby they are made as it were Gods Without GOD no good or wise man liueth For hee onelye is prouidente politique and full of councell The wise man by his vertue resembleth the likenesse of God which proceedeth of perfect reason It behooueth vs therefore not as some men teach onely to be men and vnderstand things humaine and mortall but also if possiblie it may bee excell all mortalitie and liue according to that parte which is in vs moste excellente But what is that which in man is moste excellente surelye reason by meane whereof wee knowe God vse vertue imbrace good and eschewe euill This is that which maketh men perfect wise valiant and iust Thus it appeareth that through diuine reason the worlde is gouerned by man It shall therefore behooue him in all his proceedings of gouerment to follow the direction thereof and as of a diuine Oracle in all his councels lawes cogitations to pray for the grace and assistance of the almighty wherby he shal gouern all things wisely godly iustly For as the reason in God is the law most supreame So the reason of a wise man being perfect may be called God or law In respect wherof the Lacedemonians called those men Gods whom for wisedome iustice they thought to excell all others And as such a one Homer describeth Hector saying Non hominis certe mortalis filius ille Esse videtur sed diâ—â— semine natus Who so therefore obeyeth reason and by
same is preserued by Councell Therefore to Soldiours and Councellors the conseruatition and authoritie of gouernment ought to bee committed To the inferiour officers which wee call Popularis ordo wee giue power to electe the greate Magistrates with other rightes belonging to publique libertie and felicitie Yet not to all men in generall but to euerye one in particular according to his vertue and office The younger sorte shall be imployed in warre because they are the strongest and of most force and the elders muste gouerne and directe as men of more wisedome and experience Of such distribution this good will ensue which in euerie commonweale is commendable and holie that men of grauitie and wisedome shall without iniurie to others exercise the soueraigne offices and the yonger sorte wanting experience shall not in those places intermeddle nor deale in the affayres of moste weight and greatest importance Amonge these degrees and sundrie sortes of men the order of Priesthoode hath the precedence because the same is imployed in the administration of diuine ceremonies The dignitie of that office hath alwayes beene holden moste holie for in AEgypte it is vnlawefull for anye Kinge to gouerne vnlesse hee bee also a Prieste Their duetie was to sacrifice to GOD for the peoples wellfare and pray for those thinges which were profitable aswell for priuate persons as the weale publique When Alcibiades was condemned by the Athenians order was taken that the religious people of eyther sexe shoulde curse him which one of them refused to doe saying they had entered Religion not to make vniuste but iuste prayers Plato in his common weale willeth that the election of Priestes shoulde be lefte vnto GOD to the ende that those whome hee thought fittest mighte by lotte and fortune aspyre vnto that dignitie Hee commaunded moreouer that those which were in election to bee chosen shoulde bee examined whether they were persons honeste sounde of good education and borne of noble parentage and whether they were free from murther and all other vices contrarye to Gods commaundementes Hee ordayned likewise that no Prieste shoulde exercise that function longer than one yeare nor be of lesse age then thirtie yeares These and such like ordinances of priesthoode Plato the wise Philosopher as it were by diuine inspiration hath written For they seeme to haue beene gathered rather from the Lawe of Moses then the discipline of Socrates This Phylosopher had his education among the Priestes of Egypte where hee learned such instructions as made his Philosophie so perfect that whatsoeuer proceeded from the mouth of Plato was accounted diuine Aristotle excludeth this spirituall minister from the administration of ciuill polecye giuing that authoritye to the well deseruing Citizens Seeing then it is nessarie that GOD shoulde bee serued and that the Citizens of authoritie as is aforesaide are of two sortes that is to witte Soldiours and Councellors it appeareth no bondeman Artizan Marchante or other person of base profession oughte be receiued into the ministerie but that euerye Prieste shall bee elected amonge the number of Soldiours or professors of learning and that with respecte of age and qualitie of bodie to the ende they maye bee fitte to exercise the office of that diuine callinge For it seemeth reasonable that those who in their youth haue carefully manfully employed themselues in the seruice of their commonweale beeing become weried and vnable for action should in their age be admitted to liue contemplatiuelie and die in Gods seruice Among those kinde of men therefore he commaundeth that the ministerie shoulde be distributed Of the Athieste we will say nothing neyther will we discourse of the Philosophers religions who though not so impiously yet otherwise then we do honour God Because ours is the true God the true religion and our ministers farre vnlike to theirs It hath beene also determined in schooles and Vniuersities that the most ancient and sincere religion shoulde be knowen to all men But in what sorte the Priestes of our commonweale ought to be chosen our intent is not heere to discourse neuerthelesse let vs consider whether they ought to be admitted to gouerne in the state or no. It seemeth apparantly that the Priestes in most ancient time were made by the author all good and first lawemaker Iesus Christ who beeing himselfe before all others a Priest according to the lawe of Melchisedech did thereby declare he was the head and foundation of that order that nothing was in heauen more holy nor in earth more diuine nor in the whole worlde better and to those men he gaue the knowledge and iudgement of that diuine lawe and ordinance It was therefore thought expedient profitable and necessary that the Princes of euerie commonweale should be accompanied and councelled with spirituall ministers and that not without cause For what is more worthy or in gouerment more iuste and godly then that those who be indued with wisedome not learned in the temple of Delphos but receiued from the heauenly spirite should execute the lawes thereof iustlie and holily Who so then doth banishe those men from the commonweale seemeth vniust barbarous vnexpert and no Citizen of our Christian state And iâ— euerie commonweale be conserued by the religion of God wherein the ministers haue moste knowledge those states seeme to doe most godly and iustly that in their gouerments haue imployed such councell as the Romanes the Egyptians the Iewes and many other haue heeretofore done To such men therefore God hath committed the welfare and felicitie of men Who is then so simple or sencelesse that thinketh not their councell necessary for the conseruation of libertie goods and fortune Heetherto wee haue declared which is the best commonweale and what order of life the Citizens thereof ought to embrace A commonweale then so framed accustomed to vertue and plentifully furnished with fortunes giftes doth seeme of all other thinges to be most noble most holy and most fortunate In the description whereof least we be thought to haue one selfe conceit with Plato so as what hath bene said of his commonweale may be likewise affirmed of ours that neuer any such thing is hath bene or can be it seemeth necessary to produce examples of those formes of gouerment And although our intent is not to abandon the reason of Philosophers yet wheÌ„soeuer they rely ouer much to their own wisedom as sometimes they doe esteeming more their priuate iudgement then the opinion of others our meaning is not to beleeue them For there be many things in their bookes and sayings which with the times present and vse of ciuill life are not in any wise conformable For if the Venetians the Scoises or Geneâ—oies should imitate the gouerment of Plato his commonweale in vaine they should doe it or if we did follow the ordinances of Cyrus written by Xenophon happely the same should not much informe our Princes Of other commonweales I speake not The description of that state which we intend to frame shalbe
that all occasions of ciuill discention and subuersion are remooued Of good commonweales let this we haue sayde suffice and consider what are those thinges that doe chiefly make them perfect and happie In euery good and perfect commonweale three thinges are specially required that is to say Magistrates lawes and ciuill discipline for without these no Citie nor societie of men coulde euer be preserued The office of Magistrates is to rule and commaund the people to doe those thinges that be iust profitable and agreeable to lawe and reason Cicero no lesse learnedly then eloquently saith that as the lawes gouerne the Magistrates so the Magistrates ought to gouerne the people and the Magistrate may be iustly called the liuing lawe and the lawe a dombe Magistrate Hee therefore in all commonweales is of greate necessitie for without his wisedome councell fidelitie and discretion no state can stande nor be gouerned whereof also the state and order of euerye commonweale may be knowen As the shippe in tempestious seas is endangered and many time drowned vnlesse by the labour and industrie of the mariners it be saued So the commonweale tormented with tempest of seditions and discord must perish if through the diligence and wisedome of the Magistrates it be not preserued Or as mans bodie is ruled by reason so euery Citie and societie of men must of necessitie containe a soule which is the lawe to be thereby gouerned and that lawe proceedeth from the reason councell and iudgement of wise men For where no lawes nor Magistrates are there no God no men nor no society can be continued The true law of man is reason which wisemen doe giue vnto themselues others receiue from the Magistrates perswading them to eschue things forbidden by law no lesse then if the same were contrary to reason They therfore that in wisdom discretion do excell others are as is aforesaid made of golden or siluer nature because they can deserue best of mans society are to be aboue others aduanced For as Cities well walled and fortefied are thereby defended from the fury of enemies So tranquilitie and happie life is by the councell of wise men preserued Therfore it behooueth them first to be indued with such vertues as may make the commonweale happy then that they be affectionate to the state and liue therein contented to the ende they attempt no innouation and lastly that they be authorised to execute those thinges which they thinke profitable for the commonweale For so shall they commaund with more reputation and the subiectes more willingly obey them Surely whosoeuer shall without indignitie aspyre to the place of supreme gouerment hath neede to vse great art and singular wisedome For such a one is to gouerne not one onely house not one onely famely not one onely wife not one onely rase of children but the commonweale deuided into infinite and contrarie humors of men which by his wisedome must be reduced to one consent equality and concord Moreouer for somuch as in commonweales there are three degrees of magistrates among whom the king holdeth the most supreame place next vnto him is the Senate and the third is distributed to the people what profit may be reaped of euery of them let vs now consider The kinges authority contayneth great vertue high vnderstanding and diuine wisedome for as God is prince of the vniuersall world so is the King Lord of the whole commonweale It behooueth him therefore to gouerne iustlie and godlie because in the commonweale he is accounted the Lieuetenant of God For the Councell wisedome and knowledge of kinges is not their owne but giuen them of God Also for somuch as no king can with his diligence and onely wisedome equally gouerne the whole state for it is rather the vertue of God then man exactlye to know all thinges apperteyning to good gouerment they haue therfore vsed to call vnto their assistance some wise men whereby the common-weale might be the better gouerned Those men beeing as a meane betwixt the king and the people doe on the one side know the office of the king and on the other what are the customes and lawes belonging to the people thereof conceiuing what ought be done for preseruation of the kinges honour and what apperteyneth to the profitt of the commonweale people We thereof inferre that these magistrates or councellors are of all other most able to stand the coÌ„monweale in stead The king being but one onely man cannot looke vnto all thinges and sometimes it happeneth that eyther by giuing liberty to his appetites or yeelding to his affections hee is seduced from true reason and the ignorant multitude being as they say without head or discretion cannot be capable of that knowledge Yet the Senate being chosen and made of vertuous wise and expert men may from their place as from a watch-tower looke about and prouide thinges needefull for the state preuenting all seditions tumultes and perils that can be attempted which is the respect there is not skantlie any commonweale which vseth not to commit eyther the whole or the greatest charge of gouernment to the Senate For albeit they were indeede called Kings who first assembled the habitation of men into Cities liuing before sauagely dispersed in woods and fieldes yet with that course of gouernment the kings could not alone retayne them in obedience Neyther did the authority and wisdome of one Prince suffise when the mindes of men were reduced to ciuilitie and their wonted bestialitie reiected It therefore behoued kings to be accompanied with the Councell of wisemen to the ende the commoweale might be the better gouerned which we reade was done by Romulus For he supposing that the gouernment of one without aduise of Counsell would proue eyther perilous odious or without grauitie did call vnto his assistance a hundreth Senators whome eyther in respect of their age or wisedome he named Fathers The like was done by Theopompus king of Sparta who appoynted the Ephorâ— giuing them great authoritie in the state whereat his wife offended and saying that he â—ad thereby diminished the power of his posteritie in that kingdome answered that it was enlarged and strengthened being perswaded that thorough Counsell and authoritie of the Senate the state wold be exceedingly encreased and inforced Whereby it appeareth that the aduice of Counsellors were from the beginning by kings embraced and all men haue thought those resolutions to be most firme and assured which were by Councell and wisedome of the Senate digested I call that a Senate which is the chiefe magistracie appoynted to giue Counsell and gouerne the state And consequently the Senator is a man lawfully elected into the number authorised to counsell gouerne the commonweale It hath therefore alwaies beene that the order of Counsellors was framed of the most discreet wise and noble sort of subiectesâ— because there is not any society of men so barbarous but desireth the gouernment should
make warre at home Certainely it standeth the commonweale vpon to prouide by lawe that soldiers may be compelled to honest life and feared from offending others For there is nothing more terrible then iniurie armed The boldnes of soldiers not bridled by lawe doth passe on so farre forward as may eyther subuert the state or inforce the good and modest subiectes yea iustice it selfe to obey Armes which we read heeretofore happened among the Romaines where the soldiers for diuers yeares hauing authoritie to choose the Emperours vsurped the State when neyther the Senate the people nor the lawe coulde by any meanes resist their insolency But of soldiers we haue perhappes to long discoursed That commonweale is temperate and iust where the Prince and Citizens therein doe liue temperately iustly which things are brought to passe by the execution of lawes For they onely are the directors aswell of life as honest liuing From this fountaine are sprong lawes to reforme superfluitie in building apparrell and festing with all others apertaining to excesse Also from temperancie other ordinances doe proceed belonging to iudgements whereof the foundation is iustice a vertue giuing to euery man that which is his owne As touching the goods of body and fortune they shall be plentifull in those common-weales where the subiectes be healthie strong valiant rich honourable and glorious Of all which things in the ende of this worke we will more at large entreate Thus haue we alreadie discoursed what a commonweale is and wherein the felicitie thereof consisteth It remaineth now to speake of the Citizens happie life whereby shall be conceiued in what artes and sciences our Counsellor ought be instructed to enioy both priuate and publique felicitie To the perfection of man three things as the Philosopher affirmeth are required that is to say Nature Custome and Reason As touching Nature to be thereby good and happy it resteth not in our power but in the gift of God For whomsoeuer he blesseth is by the instinct of Nature good wise and of perfect iudgement It many times also happeneth that as one man begetteth an other one beast an other so of wise and good ancestors wise good posterity doth desceÌ„d which nature alwaies indeuoreth to bring to passe but not therin preuailing appeareth how corruptible our nature is either through education or to speake in Christian wise through the sin of our forefathers whoÌ„ the bad Angel diuerted corrupted Wherfore nature hath only left in vs certain sparks wherwith to kindle our inclinatioÌ„ to vertue become apt for all things the rest is performed by reason art vse It behoueth man therfore to cleaue fast vnto that nature which is good at his hand desire felicity perfectioÌ„ The chife duty of man is to know that his originall proceedeth froÌ„ God froÌ„ him to haue receiued reason wherby he resembleth his maker But for that the reason of man is shut vp within the body as a prison wherby it knoweth not it self It behoueth the minde to breake forth from that place of restrainte and winne libertie whereby it may behold know and perceiue howe much it resembleth God For man is most properly so called when he liueth according to that part of the minde which is partaker of reason and is furthest remoued from pleasing obedience of the bodie Learning therefore is to be desired of men sith thereby reason and the perfection thereof is chiefly obtained For as nature vnlesse it be perfect wanteth her good so the good of man is not absolute vnlesse therein be perfect reason which being in man is called God Nature Lawe Vertue and goodnes Whereupon may be inferred that such learning is requisite as bringeth with it vnderstanding and knowledge of God Nature Lawes Vertues and all good things This learning is called Philosophy the eternall and immortall gift of God instructing vs in the knowledge of all things both diuine and humane and conteyneth the skill whereby to know the beginning of vertue and vice with the nature of all other things So that whosoeuer shall as in a glasse looke therein may see the formes the Images and Idaeas of euery thing â—hal well neere behold the counterfeit of his owne body and minde It was therfore not without cause of Cicero called the vniuersall knowledge the guide of life the sercher of vertue the expulser of vice the medicine and health of the soule For there is nothing in this worlde to be done or thought eyther in Court or Iudgement be it great or small which proceedeth not from Philosophie as mother of all Counsels actions and resolutions whom if in all thy wordes and workes thou doest followe whatsoeuer thou shalt speake or doe will be wise discreete diuine and in all respects perfect For in whatsoeuer commonweale the Prince that raigneth is a Philosopher or counselled by Philosophers there is seldome any warre sedition hate discord or violence of euill men But now me thinks I heare some one saying doest thou Sir Philosopher think that the felicitie of commonweales and the wisedome of Kings Princes doth proceede from thy lasie discipline For that arte of thine is rather to be tearmed the science of prating then a knowledge whereby men attaine vnto felicitie How doest thou dare infect the common-weale with those things which will be the destruction thereof and as thou hast filled the scholes with contention and scoulding so wilt thou deuide the state into sundrye seditions which discorde in scholes may be without bloode disputed yet thinkest thou that in a commonweale they can bee without blowes determined Howe shall the happinesse of commonweales be conserued by Philosophers whose opinions are diuers doubtfull and contrarie Whether shall our state trustvnto the Epicuâ—e the Peripateticke or the Stoicke Who contend not onely for the confines but the very possession of felicitie And they that are not agreed what is the chiefe good do they not discent vpon the whole substance of Philosophy For who so knoweth not what is the chiefe good must of force be ignorant what course oâ— life to leade I doe therefore thinke that the teachers of such doctrines who trust onelie vnto Philosophie as the Tabernacle of their life are rather to be remoued then receiued to gouerne the commonweale For what doest thou thinke will be said or done where Philosophers consulte of warre and peace of lawes and iudgementes Surely they will imagine themselues to sit in Counsell of Cyclops and Giantes and thinke Armes alreadie in hande so soone as they heare the warâ—â— consulted vppon Is it reasonable that he shoulde be a lawe-maker that obeyeth no lawe but that which he prescribeth to himselfe vsing onely his owne reason or rather his owne priuate opinion accounting all others as beasts himselfe onely excepted Iâ— not this the guise of your philosophicall flocke What thinke ye of Diogones Zeno Epictetuâ— and many others would you wish such wise men to be Princes
to discouer secrets he must be most warie for therein they vse great cunning to vent our thoughts by coniectures and gather our meaning by signes In those actions therefore a Counsellor must haue a setled minde shewing the constancie thereof in iesture countenance words and mouing of his eies For they are the bewraiers of mens thoughts He must be also nothing hastie in beleeuing other mens words for there is nothing more profitable for a wise man then incredulitie Yet let him so vse the matter as not to seeme hard of beliefe or be altogether incredulous vnlesse the reputation or troth doth otherwise require For against apparant trueth to maintaine any thing is very vnseemely Neither would we haue him so silent as thereby to be thought dull or effeminate for the one is imputed to want of kuowledge the other to a certaine maidenly bashfulnes which in men is alwaies to be reproued Therfore a certaine meane is to be used aswell in silence as speach yet so as he be a greater hearer then speaker which was the respect that nature gaue vnto man two eares one tongue Surely it is a singular wisedome to know in what sort to be silent euery man ought to consider wel what how where to whom in what place to speake Also in all negotiatiōs buisines counsels great cawtion is to be vsed which may be done by such as search wisely what is in euery thing comely or vncomely what profitable or vnprofitable Let his counsell be sound prouident and prudent and in vtteting thereof he must vse great sagacitie and be warie How necessarie warines and cawtion is in warre needeth not here to be discoursed for our intent is frame to a Counsellor of state in counsel in court in iudgement and in peace gowned not in warre armed Yet this I say that warrs haue not beene better gouerned nor armies more safely preserued nor the subteltie enemies of more wisely discouered then by the vertue of caution which if a chieftaine wanteth he is ignorant in all other vertues belonging to a Captaine generall We will also that our Counsellor should be quicke witted to conceiue and search out the reason of matters propounded to consultation For in deede sagacitie is a sharpe and present conceipt and as it is the propertie of a wise man to consult well So is it the property of a quicke spirit wittily to vnderstand and soundly to iudge of that which an other man speaketh Moreouer I wish him to be not onely sharpe in conceiuing but also craftie and subtill in searching what subiects doe thinke what they desire what they hope for and what they aspect By that meanes he shall retaine the multitude in obedience and by knowing their counsels and cogitations direct those things which be in them euill Some lewde subiectes doe vse to conspire the destruction of good men eyther induced thereunto by hate furie or insolencie sometimes also they so doe of will hauing the gouernment in their hands sometimes for that they finde themselues inferiors to others in riches honour authoritie and sometimes because they thinke themselues disdained lightly regarded in the state So as for these causes they beare displeasure to others mouing warre and sedition practise their death if their force doth so suffice they aduenture to bring the state into apparant hazard In suppressing of these motions and cogitations of euill men the counsellor must shew himselfe warie and subtle not euer dealing openly or by direct opposition but rather charging the force of such men eyther behinde or on the side and by perswading admonishing desiring and courteously chastising reduce them to be better more tractable and more perswasible He must also at occasions threaten them with authoritie by seueritie diuert thē from such wicked execrable enterprises alwaies cōsidering deeply pōdering in mind by what art and meanes the quiet and tranquility of subiects may be preserued and how sedition discord with their causes should be extirped For that is a thing which appertaineth chiefly to the conseruatiō of cōmonweales For bringing of which thing to passe prudent consultatiō deliberation must be vsed because consultatiō is the scholler of good counsel It therfore behoueth a Coūsellor in this all other things to be carefull that whatsoeuer is determined may before execution with great wisedome and found iudgement be considered and examined The force of all consultation consisteth in those things which appertaine to the common life of men and conseruation of a commonweale He ought not therefore to consult of things eternall or celestiall as of the world or of things which cannot happen or of them that doe happen by nature chance or fortune as of findings treasure and such like neither shall he consider of trifles as of emptines nor of things past for what is done cannot be againe to doe But all consultation should be of things to come and that which may happen or not happen after this or that sort the reason whereof seemeth to belong vnto the profit of men Of which things Aristotle rekoneth fiue kindes Of getting money of peace and warre of conseruation of our countrie of commodities to be brought in or caried out and making of lawes If consultation be for leuying money then must the reuennues customs and imposts of state be seene and knowen to the ende they may be increased or diminished Yet vnlesse great necessitie so requireth the imposts would not be inlarged For all new impositions although reasonable are commonly offensiue to the subiects and breede much occasion of trouble Tiberius the Emperor being perswaded to increase the tributes of his people said it was the propertie of a good shepeheard to shere his sheepe but not to fleae them He shall also perswade necessary charges of state to be continued and remoue superfluous expences For the better knowing whereof let him aswell imitate the examples of other nations as his owne country wherein the knowledge of histories will greatly helpe him If consultation be of warre and peace it is to be considered of what force the enemie is or may be what kind of warre is to be made and against whom It is also good to know the strength of neighbours whether their force consisteth in footemen or horse whether it be equall or vnequall to ours in what respect they be stronger or weaker to the end that peace may be made with the stronger and warre with the weaker which thing must be performed with great iudgement sound deliberation Moreouer he shall consider whether the cause of warre be iust and whether without armes our desire may be brought to passe For a wise man ought to proue all meanes before he taketh armes because honest peace is euer to be preferred before cruell warre Touching the defence of our countrie it behoueth to know how much force is required how it is garded and what places of strength
that the Counsellor should speak to the wiser sort eloquently nor to the foolish truely Others there be swelling with priuie grudge anger and hate so soone as they haue caught occasion to speake doe forthwith fall into blaming and slaundering others hoping by that meanes to win good will and reputation Which kinde of men doe no waies profit the commonweale but rather by hatred displeasure and discords hinder the state For if they were good men in causes concerning their countrie they eyther would not or should not be angrie hate or grudge at others Some also being scarse of counsell in pronouncing their sentence doe follow the footesteps of other Counsellors saying after them and therfore were among Romaines called Pedarâ—j Senatores Yet iâ— they so doe not through ignorance ought be allowed for it is reasonable and profitable for the state to imitate and follow the opinion of wise and good Counsellors And sometimes it happeneth that all Counsellors are of one minde and meaning which so being it is better to affirme that which was spoken by others then with many wordes as it were of one effect consume the time A Counsellor must also beware that in speaking his sentence there appeareth in his speach not selfe liking or ostentation And albeit diuersitie of opinions will sometimes occasion contention in Counsell yet therein all slaunder offence and other perturbation which may peruert or disturbe the state ought be eschewed And in reconciling of opinions let the greater number preuaile for that which seemeth good to most men must be thought iust and most agreeable to reason The order of speaking in Counsell is in diuers states diuersly vsed for in some the eldest men do speake first in other the yonger Counsellors and in some also they that are of most experience and wisedome are preferred In that matter the custome of euerie place is to be obserued and that order to be reputed good iust profitable conuenient which reason common vse among men froÌ„ time to time hath receiued Yet doth it seeme best that the opinions of the most aged and experienced men should be first hard to the end the yonger sort may haue the more time to deliberate of their speach Besides that the younger Counsellors opinion being first pronouunced doe sometimes deuide the elder and drawe them into sundrie conceipts Therefore the best is that euerie one should speake not when he would but when he is asked For by such meanes order shall be obserued and all occasion of contention remoued In speaking it is lawfull sometimes to speake doubtfully because the difficultie of the matter may excuse the speaker also by the diuersitie of other mens opinions the minde is distracted not knowing to which side to yeeld wher in the suspicion of rashnes must be eschewed least of set purpose or affection more then of iudgement we yeeld to the opinions of other men For the censures of other men are to be pondred not numbred and â—eede must be taken that the greater part doe not oppresse the truer Aristotle doth permit that a man in saying his sentence may twise speake doubtfully But if the third time he trip or fayle he shall not aster be suffered to speake in that cause We must also take heede least our speach be ouer long for therein a double fault is committed by making our selues wearie with speaking and others with hearing Which error Caesar sometimes reproued in Cato Let the Counsellors speach therefore be short sincere and not obscured with inticing termes not vnaduised not doubtfull or deceiptfull but graue simple holy and true And it is fit each man should speake sworne to the ende God may be the witnes of his minde It importeth not much whether his sentence be written or rehearsed in words yet the reasons written are commonly set downe with more diligence chiefly if the matter requireth a long oration His voyce would be manly and framed rather to grauitie then effeminacie cleare and audible not soft nor so low as cannot be well heard In conclusion the Counsellor ought to obserue three things by Cicero prescribed that is to be present in counsell for the ordinarie meeting of Counsellors doth adde thereunto a grauitie to speake in place vnto that is asked and in good sort or vse measure which is that this speach be not infinite That the Counsellor which absenteth himselfe is blameable wherefore being called he must obey Neither is it fit that any Counsellor should goe into forraine nations vnlesse he be publiquely sent as Ambassadour Gouernour or Commaunder in warre least by such absence the commonweale be damnified The chiefe substance and ground of a Counsellors wisedome is that in all his wordes and workes he performe the part of a good and iust man which chieflie consisteth in the comlinesse of his life For it suffiseth not that we be wise vnlesse we are also good For prudence without iustice is meere subtiltie and holden rather a vice then vertue By the benefit of vertue we are made good that is iust courteous and honest but by wisedome we become onely wise Besides that in respect of vertue we are called good but for wisedome alone we are not Therefore he is indeed as Plato also affirmeth to be named a good man that embraceth the vertues liuing accordingly and feareth not to die for his countrie whensoeuer the same is assaulted or oppressed and be content to suffer all things rather then that the state should be changed which is commonly brought to passe by men of the worst condition Wherefore the Senator must be carefull to be no lesse good and iust then prudent or wise For wisedome without iustice is euill sith of iustice men are called good Some men in authoritie doe prooue themselues eloquent and wise but therewith full of subtiltie and dishonest sleight For they hauing in hand the patronage of libertie and lawe doe in speach and apparance seem carefull therof but their actions well examined dee detect them for men vniust vnworthie and dissembling And being indued with a false kinde of wisedome hauing their tongues but not their mindes instructed doe commonly indeuor to alter and not amend the publique pollicie There is not in anie commonweale a worse mischiefe then the authoritie of such men For they doe alwaies aduance persons licentious subtill deceiptfull vniust and seditious and in practising subtiltie doe somewhat whereby to be thought good men But as a man come to his perfection is of all creatures the best So if he forsake iustice and lawe is of all other accounted the worst For extirpation of which sortes of subiectes we ought pray vnto God and euery Counsellor carefull that his life be well exercised and employed But men being wise must also be iust therefore what iustice ought be in a Counsellor we are now to discourse Whosoeuer will with an attentiue minde behold and search the condition of things diuine and humaine shall see that nature
the Senate doth assemble is accounted holy sith euerie Senator ought with reuerence to lay a side all vnlawsull counsels and euill cogitations The Romanes going to Counsell offered Frankensence to that God in whose temple the Senate was assembled But the Christians ought obserue other customes for all their praiers and supplications should be to obtaine grace and goodnesse from the almightie God because their praiers onely are holy and religious Thus it appeareth that false or vnsetled religion in Counsellors is not onely accounted euill and vnworthie but also impious and wicked But of diuine Iustice let this we haue said suffice The knowledge of humaine iustice which is also called ciuile is a thing secrete and hidden For albeit hath originall from naturall Iustice and therefore the precepts and vse of it seemeth easie and common yet is it not truely conceiued or exercised but of such men as are eyther indued with some diuine nature or that haue bene employed in all kindes of vertue and good studies For that Iustice requireth a learned and wise man who endeuoureth himselfe therein not casually or against his will but aduisedly reasonably constantly and willingly Such a one we will our Counsellors should be possessed with so noble and experienced a iudgement All force and vse of ciuill iustice consisteth partly in the preseruation of societie among men and is partly exercised in court and place of iudgement And there is no vertue more fit or profitable to establish conserue or amende the Senate then this All other vertues are referred to their particuler endes and may be well without man exercised but Iustice resteth in the tuition of mans societie which is the cause we call it Reconciler and conseruer of mankinde This vertue alloweth of no foule cruell barbarous or vnseemely thing but embraceth things honest quiet and peaceable caring for nothing more then that men should liue together louingly free from iniuries seditions hate and enmitie not desiring the goods of others but giuing to euerie one that which to him appertaineth With this vertue we will that our Counsellor should be indued for thereby he becommeth the defender of common profit the protector of innocents weake and humble persons a repressor of proude men a louer of the good an obseruer of trueth an enemie to euill men and so to vice The foundation of this vertue is fidelitie which Cicero defineth it to be a constant and true performing of more and promise A iust Counsellor therefore doth affirme things true not doubtfull obserueth his promises standeth to compactes restoreth what he boroweth and to the performing his faith is not compelled by lawe by witnesse or oath but by his owne willing consent freewill and word which he accounteth as a lawe Moreouer being called from the priuate life to gouerne in state he laboureth by counselling caring and prouiding that iniustice be kept vnder and that by the stronger the weaker sort be not oppressed euer eschewing the desire of riches Whatsoeuer ought be giuen for vertue or well deseruing he bestoweth vpon honest and well deseruing subiectes Furthermore he iudgeth valiant men worthie to be rewarded and slouthfull subiectes to be punished For by these two paines and preferment the welfare of euerie common weale is preserued In the bestowing of offices he declareth himselfe vpright reputing those worthie of most honour that are men of most merit And in euery state I thinke it fit that care should be had of the distribution of offices because honour is the reward of vertue and euery good man accounteth it the fruite of his labour and seruice Neither ought that state be commended where offices and honours are giuen without respect aswell to the euill as the good the fooles as the wise men It ought therefore be prouided by lawe that the honours may be made due to those whose vertue and industrie is recommended by good men In the commonweales of ancient time Images of metall arches tryumphall publique sepulture open praise and such like honours were giuen to men of seruice and good deseruing In company and conuersation regard must be had to each mans age degree and condition and diligent consideration what is in euery man of necessitie vertue or vse We account those most worthy honour who are men well borne vertuous in authoritie and rich because they are most profitable for other men and the state also We likewise vse to honour reuerence our elders by bowing our bodies giuing them place Moreouer for so much as the good in men is of three sortes that is goods of the minde of the bodie and of fortune they are all in the bestowing of honours to be iustly respected Therefore the goods of minde must be preferred next vnto them the goods of body and last the goods of fortune ought be regarded To euery of these somewhat belongeth according to the worthines thereof and each man ought to haue his right and honour due All these things a Counsellor ought to know and in bestowing offices honours and gifts obserue equalitie for that is the ballance of iustice wherewith each mans manners vertues and actions are waied and examined In which heede must be taken that by ouermuch leaning towards one side we seeme vnequall iudges aud esteemers of other mens vertue For he that giueth ouermuch to him that deserueth it not doth giueto little vnto him that is of better desart and consequently no rightfull or iust iudge Whereupon this iustice is defined by the Philosophers to be an habit of the minde destined to common vtilitie giuing to euerie man the honour he deserueth Among the vertues which chalenge interest in the conuersation of humaine societie equalitie is not the last beingthe handmaiden seruant and follower of iustice because it doth not as men say remoue one haiâ—e bredth from her This equalitie in iust pondering and esteeming things and persons vseth a double manner of proceeding the one ordinarie and common iudging by number waight and measure the other more difficile and secret that is waying euery thing by reason and iudgement Which knowledge is onely vnderstood of wise men and those that are practised in great affaires and the other chiefly knowen to such as are occupied in barrating buying and selling Let the Counsellor therefore haue the skill of that equalitie which proceedeth from reason and iudgement whereby he may conceiue what is due to each man what honours should be giuen what giftes bestowed what offices dstributed what is iust indifferent good and wise in all things in all persons and in all places This equalitie is assuredly a notable thing and for the seruice of euerie state exceeding necessarie And in deed we see many therein dull and incapable whereby matters are handled at all aduentures and contentiously greatly disturbing not onely the societie of men but the commonweales also Thus much we hope shall suffice to haue beene said of Iustice which consisteth in vse societie and conuersation of
lande houses houshold stuffe sheepe slaues and such like things which are imployed in honest and liberall labours There was a custome in many commonweales and chieflie populer states to create the Senators according to their wealth and for that purpose a valewation was made of each mans substance Solon deuided his valewation or cesments into foure The first was of â—00 Medimnâ— the second of 300 the third of 200. and in the fourth were the poore men artificers and mercinarie people Those that were rated at the second valewation were called Equites They that were rated in the third valewation were termed Zeugitae as men that deserued one horse and in the first valewation all Senators Magistrates and great noble men were included Among the Lacedemonians no man was admitted a magistrate that had not of wealth sufficient to contribute to the publique feast called Phidicia Plato likewise deuided his commonweale into foure valewations so as the whole number of Citizens were included in the first second third and fourth valewation In like manner the Romaine state had a certaine diuerse valewation for in the one the Senators and in the other the Citizens were valewed It seemeth therefore necessarie in all common-weales for thereby order of state is obserued that customes and taxations be continued the famelies numbred the peoples manners reformed all excesse extyrped and men made diligent in defending their countrey The Censors or valewers of Rome were the tutors for good manners and conseruers of ciuill and honest discipline as were the Nomophilaces among the Graecians Notwithstanding it seemeth not good to me be it spoken without offence the Counsellors should be chosen onely in respect of their riches For to giue the gouernment into the handes of the most wealthie sort doth seeme as though the charge of a ship were deliuered not to the best saylor but the richest passenger whereof perils and shipwracke will ensue Plinius finding fault with the Romaine magistrates their errours and euill manners doth attribute the cause of all their iniquitie to the respect they bare towards the wealth of men saying thus after Senators were created for their riches Iudges promoted for substance magistrates aduanced for money and chieftaines elected because they were rich the price of mans life was troden vnder foote True it is that riches without vertue it little worth but being ioyned to vertue doth increase a happie life Therefore Counsellors ought be both rich and vertuous and if any tich and good man being of sufficiencie to gouerne in the commonweale do refuse the dignitie of a Counsellor he ought by the law of Sensures to be therunto coÌ„pelled for it is a shamefull thing not to serue that state which begot him that couÌ„trey which gaue him life honour substance education But here heed must be taken that witlesse rich men fit for nothing should not in any sort be made magistrates for honour giuen to such persons doth transforme them froÌ„ fooles to mad men It is very reasonable that rich men of good desert should haue some preferment in the state because they haue most substance chiefly if they be iust prudent and learned Otherwise to aduance men for riches only is against Iustice for they are apt to iniurie the poore and proane to sedition and innouation We are now to declare what rewards are due to Counsellors what fruit belongeth to their labour and what recompence the commonweale ought giue to their excellent wisedome and worthines For we are all allured and drawen by hope of reward to exercise the actions of vertue The opinion of Solon was that commonweales were preserued by two things that is to say by reward and punishment which not being bestowed according to the vertue and vices of men the state might be accounted vnhappy and miserable It is therefore fit that Counsellors should receiue rewards not only of vertue but also of honour authority The reward bestowed by coÌ„monweales as Cicero thinketh do consist either in fauours in profit or in honour These are therefore to be looked for eyther at the hande of the commonweale or of God But the most noble reward is glory for vertue desireth none other recompence of her labour but the glory and praise thereunto due All honest trauell of Senators ought be rewarded with honour glory and renowne There is no pleasure among men as Xenophon saith which approcheth so neare the nature of God as to enioy honour and glorie The graces which God hath bestowed on men are so great as neyther in word or thought can be expressed Yet doe we giue vnto him honour praise and glory as that which is thought greatest and most notable As therefore in all other things so therein let the Counsellor imitate God esteeming that reward for his vertue dignitie and labour to be greatest which consisteth in commendation glorie and exaltation of his name And euerie good man setteth his chiefe glorie in vertue As the soldier in fight and the captaine in victorie So the whole glorie and honour of a Counselor is discerned by preseruing the people wel gouerning the state and doing things worthy commendation He must also account the office of a Senator to be the greatest reward of his vertue For as dignitie in a person vnworthie is indignitie so the same in a man worthie is a signe of greatest honour and glorie For indeed to greate men greate honours are due Our Senator therefore shalt repute himselfe to be best honoured and rewarded for his vertue When he is applauded of the people of all men highly esteemed and by publique consent pronounced to be a father preseruour and defendour of his countrie The badges due to such honour are not vaine or mortall but immortall and eternall for they remaine for euer impressed in the Poeples mind extant in the memory of posteritie and in mouthes and the eares of the whole commonweale Of that praise and honour our children our neighbours and friends doe participate supposing it their duetie to imitate such actions to be equall vnto such ancestors and if it be posble surpasse them in glory so as all good men by this desire of praise and glorie doe deserue well of their commonweale and countrey The houses of Senators must be as it were nurseries of vertue where the commonweale may as a field replenished with vertue reape good fruit The Senators ought therefore to be highly honoured and reuerenced of other subiectes not onely in respect of their age which is due to all aged men but for their authoritie dignitie wisedome fidelitie and diligence in gouerning the commonweale Who so therefore shall dishonestly or irreuerentely abuse them is with great seueritie to be punished In Rome the respect and reuerence to magistrates was so great that to offer them iniurie was accounted a crime capitall For by lawe it was enacted that his head that did iniurie to a Tribune an Edile a Iudge or a Decemuirat should be sacrificed
What kinde of lotting is best VVhat considerations the Romans had in the electioÌ„ of Senators The euill example of magistrates worse then their vices Lysander Lycurgus VVhat election of Magistratesis most perfect VVhether Senators ought be chosen by one or diuers The multitude no 〈◊〉 iudge 〈…〉 The election of Counsellors appertaineth to one What things are to be respected in choise of CouÌ„sellors The knowledge of commonweales necessary in a Counsellor The knowledge of sundry states very profitable The state of Polonia The art of Tyrantes The office of Kinges The differeÌ„ce betwixt kings and Tyrants The popular sort inconstant VVho are good subiectes Seditious subiectes The office of Counsellors The duetie of priuate persons Great states most subiect to trouble In appeasing sedition what order is to be taken Precepts of Plato Equalitie of commonw of great necessitie Wherein equalitie consisteth Equalitie Arithmeticall Equalitie Geometrical Wherin law and populer libertie consisteth Sedition the poâ—son of Commonw What to be considered in appeasing sedition In preuenting of sedition what the Counsellor ought doe In a perfect Counsellor fower vertues chiefly required Prudence What Prudence is Theoricall wisedome differeth froÌ„ Prudence Contemplatiue Philosophers called rightly Sapientes but not Prudentes The originall of Prudence Prudence of two kindes A wise man What is to be eschewed in Prudence The end of Counsellors wisedome The felicity of common-weales Law the conseruer of vertue What is to be considered in making of lawes Occasion of offending to be remoued by law The comodities and discommodities of commonâ— Knowledges necessary in Counsellors Loue to our country Companions to Prudence Witt. VnderstaÌ„ding Circumspection The circumspection of a Senator By what meane the felicitie of subiectes is preserued Prouidence Prouidence diuine Humaine prouidence Demâ—nium Socratis Caution VVhat is to be obserued in speaking Silence Sagacitie Wilines The meanes to suppresse sedition Consultation VVhereof to consult Consultation touching mony Consultation of warre Consultation of defence ConsultatioÌ„ of marchandize Consultation of lawes Counsell Matters consultable of three sortes The ende of good counsel The qualitie of counsell Hastie counsell daÌ„gerous Sentence Old men most apt to vtter sentence The ende of sentence The order of pronouncing sentence Sentences to be pondered by waight not by number The 〈◊〉 of the Counsellors speach The voice of a Counsellor Three things specially to be obserued by Counsels Who is a good man Abuse of authoritie Iustice Naturall 〈…〉 Iustice of three sortes Iustice naturall Iustice diuine What teligion is Ciuil Iustice The office of a iust Counsellor To whom honour ought be giuen Equality to be obserued in the bestowing of honor Equalitie of two sortes Fortaine Iustice Iustice to be sought in heauen VVhat is Iustice The ende of lawes Law commaundeth three things The Aegyptian law against idlenes The law of Draco SoloÌ„ Imperiall lawes Discipline of warre and peace in euerie common-weale Change of lawes dangerous The ordinance of the Locrensi against the change of lawes The princes life a lawe to the people Lawes are made for two endes Qualities required in a Iudge Cambises correction of Iudges The office of a Counsellor In Rome viii sortes of punishments VVhat is to be obserued in punishing Companions of Iustice Pietie VVhat to be eschewed in Pietie Goodnes Innocencie Courtesie Benignitie Clemencie 〈…〉 In what sorte things ought to be coÌ„mon In what sort to be liberall VVhat to eschew in liberalitie VVhereof to be liberall Lawes of liberalitie Magnificence VVhat to be eschewed in magnificence How mony ought be vsed Excesse iâ— commonw ought be restrained by lawe VVhat Magnificence is in a senator Friendship VVhat friendship is Ciuill friendship 〈…〉 The best kind of friendship Friendship requireth three tgings How to imploy friends Friendship of senators Hospitalitie Concord Discord of Couns daÌ„gerous Fortitude 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 vertues VVhat to eschew in fortitude Domesticall Fortitude Fortitude militarie The properties of Fortitude Followers of fortitude The properties of a magnanimious Counsellor Taxilis How to take quarrell The Counsellor no follower of each mans fancy Constancie VVhat to be eschewed in Constancie Papyrius Patience VVhatto be eschewed in Patience Confidence Genius vitator VVhat to eschew in confidence Securitie Publike secuâ—ritie VVhat to be eschewed in securitie VVhat moueth men to be valiant The rewardes due to soldiers VVhat to be eschewed in fortitude Anger Fortune Hanniball Temperance How perfection of man is attained Temperance the preserued of ciuill felicitie The followers of TeÌ„perance Modestie Bashfulnesse Two sorts of bashfulnes Honestie Continencie abstinency Order and rule of mans life How perfection of mind and bodie is attained Perfection of bodie Health VVhat temperature of bodie is best Comlines of person required in a coun Philopemen How a Counsellor should be apparrelled Latus clauus Cal ceilunats The degrees of men ought be knowen by their apparrell Badges of honour Strength of bodie The age of a Counsellor Critici vel iuditiarii dies The common weale chieflie to be gouerned by olde men The qualitie of decrepit age Goods of Fortune requisite for a Counsellor The felicitie of Alexand. and Diogenes diuers Good parentage required in a Counsellor New nobility How new nobilitie is CoÌ„mendable Honour and glorie rewards of vertue Glorie Fame The losse of Fame of all others greatest Friendes Children Riches Valewation of wealth Valewation necessarie Riches without vertue nor worthy honor Reward due to Counsellors Rewards of vertue diuers VVherein the glorie of a Counsellor consisteth Counsellors ought be honoured Iniurie of 〈◊〉 counsellors to be punished Ornaments and rewards of the Senators of Rome How much the Emperours esteemed their Senators Adrianus
vertue is assuredly most requirable in a Counsellor for without it he shall neuer imagine nor performe any thing noble or worthie memorie Yet therein we must take heede neither to be foolish hardie proud rash timersome slouthfull or cowardlie Who so would be valiant it behoueth him to be so affected as to do all things for loue to vertue and in attempting perils be lead by reason and not by hazard chance or desperation All commendation due to Fortitude consisteth partlie in Domesticall and partly in Publique and militarie actions Domesticall Fortitude doth ornefie the happines of life and the qualitie thereof is to remooue all perturbation of mind desire feare sorrow voluptuousnes anger and euery other affection possessing our mindes with tranquillitie constancy and comelinesse of life Fortitude militarie consisteth in suffering all labour and perill and chiefly in disdaining death for cause of honestie and the quarrell of our countrey It is therefore the office of a valiant Counsellor not to be dismaid in time of danger induring and suffering all things which to be done are thought honourable and not doing them seemeth vile and reprochfull The chiefe properties of a greate and valiant minde are to feare nothing to contemne all worldlie thinges and be perswaded to suffer whatsoeuer befalleth Moreouer it behoueth a Counsellor to be so couragiously affected and disposed that all his gifts of wit minde together with his vertues be as with a certaine sauce tempered with Fortitude For as our meats without salt so all vertues wanting fortitude are iudged vnsauerie This is that which defendeth both bodie and minde from all furies of misfortune This is that which maketh vs in Prudence quiet in Temperance constant and in Iustice stout valiant and inuincible Wee ought therefore be alwaies valiant in minde in enterprises resolute in disdaine magnanimious and in suffering neuer dismaid This vertue called fortitude wanteth not a flocke of meane vertues companions and followers As magnanimitie constancie patience confidence and securitie It is the propertie of men nobly minded to doe and aspyre to those things which in euery vertue are thought greatest most honourable This vertue is chiefly knowne by aspyring to honours for it disdaineth those whome she thinketh inferiours in vertue The noble minded man ascendeth to honour by the stayrs of vertue and as it were imitating the course of Marcellus who of the Siracusan spoyles builded a temple consecrated to honour making the passage thereunto in such sort that no man could enter it vnlesse he first passe through the house of vertue to it adioyning beeing perswaded there was no way open to honour but by vertue which the noble Senator in aspiring and seeking his honour ought assuredly to beleeue Moreouer let him contemne small imaginations for to men of so notable vertue no blot or touch of infamie can be imputed He must aswell in aduersitie as prosperous fortune beare one selfe same minde declaring the nobilitie of his valiant and honourable heart in great and extreame dangers and not in any wise to faint though death should therof follow for to such men honest death is the beginning of life whereunto a valiant Counsellor must giue himselfe willingly for honour and immortall glories sake The fame of Codrus shall liue for euer because he to saue his armie and countrie sacrificed himselfe Also the names of Curtius and Sceuola the one casting himselfe hedlong into a deuouring pit to deliuer Rome from plague the other burned of his owne hand to make the enemies know that the Romaines were resolute in the defence of their libertie The memorie of valiant men is hallowed with immortall honour and by record of all Chronacles are preserued aliue for euer It is also the part of a noble Senator to iudge truely and constantly of all things not following the opinion of common people who determine by chance or as present occasion requireth He shal likewise willingly take vpō him the defence of trueth and therin not dissemble protesting himselfe an open enemie to all euill men vnlesse he sometimes thinke good to disguise as wise men do being therto forced by necessitie respect of persons and time Let him willingly and freely bestow his benefits vnwillingly bashfully and discretly receiue of others following the aduise of Hesiodus who willed that a good turne receaued should be reacquited with encrease for he that receaueth is therein inferiour to him that giueth Taxilis one of the Indian kinges meeting with Alexander the great as Plutarchus reporteth saide vnto him I challenge thee not to warre nor combat but vnto an other kinde of contention if thou be our inferiour receiue a benefit or if thou be our superiour bestow a good turne vpon vs to whom it is written Alexander answered thus it becommeth vs to contend not who should receaue but who can excell ouercome an other in well deseruing and with those words imbraced him suffered him to enioy his kingdome with encrease The Counsellor must also be liberall of his authority indifferent to all men but chiefly to those that be of meane fortune Among great personages he shalbe magnanimious high minded for in that presence to extoll himselfe and discretly speake in his owne glory is the qualitie of a generous mind but in companie of inferiours to do so would be accounted a light part for of the one glory and of the other hatred groweth In taking quarrell or offence he shall attend iust cause honest occasion therin shewing himself neither secret nor craftie but plaine and open For it is the propertie of a great mind to hate apparantly without disguising or dissembling countenance to cloke displeasure The magnaminious Counsellor shall rather repulse then offer iniurie disdaining those wrongs that be done him for it is the qualitie of great spirits to set light and contemne small iniuries and a womannish thing it is to feare with anger sith some beasts are so silly and of so small force as neither Elephant nor Lion will vouchsafe to offend them Let our Counsellor also be an earnest delighter in things honest and a moderate seeker for profit His life must be gouerned rather to his owne content then the fancy of others and trust rather to the counsell of friends then the examples of other men Let him be no euill conceiuour or speaker nor willingly heare any man euil spoken of Neither should he be without iust cause angry or offended for anger is a seruile thing as the Poet saith Quo quisque est maior magis est placabilis irae Et faciles motus mens generoso capit Some men through a haughtie and proud arrogancie haue obscured the brightnes of their magnanimious mindes which are chiefly those that doe not rightly examine the duetie of their owne vertue or honour arrogating to themselues more then becommeth good and wise men which vice our Counsellor shall in any wise eschew following that precept
of Tullie which saith that the higher we are in authoritie the more lowlie we ought behaue vs. For indeed arrogancy is both odious and offensiue to all men In like manner lightnes viletie and cowardice must be auoided for he that putteth vp iniuries and for feare or want of knowledge doth beare them doth seeme a slaue or bondman Some there are who being good and wisemen yet through faint heart and cowardice doe thinke themselues vnfit to performe great enterprices and stand in feare to take in hand the defence of their countrie and friendes Therefore are to be reputed fooles and slothfull It also becommeth a valiant Counsellor in all speeches actions and aduersities if any happen to be constant for a moueable and vnconstant minde more mutable then Proteus is in such a man no lesse vnseemely then fraud or deceipt True it is that things are praisable which be taken in hand with iudgement and reason notwithstanding if thereunto perseuerance be not ioyned they be accounted discommendable The constancie of Aristides meriteth high commendation for when Dionisius desired his daughter in mariage he answered that he had rather see her dead then the wife of a Tyrant and hauing slaine her was againe asked whether he continued in that minde said he was sorie for the fact but glad that he had so spoken Who would not also admyre the constancie of Cato In whom notwithstanding the affliction of his countrie was neuer seene any alteration but had alwaies one cheere one countenance aswell being repulsed and accused as when he was Pretor continuing the same constancie in countrey in counsell in warre in time of his death and in that terrible feare when the state was vanquished Caesar armed and as victorious vsurped the commonweale Xantippe was wont to say that Socrates her husband returned alwaies home with the same countenance he went forth for indeed such was the minde of that Philosopher as neither with aduersitie or prosperitie it could be disturbed It behoueth vs therefore in suffering sorrow and griefe to be firme and stable repressing all perils of bodie and cares of minde like vnto Regulus who rather then the prisoners should be restored deliuered himselfe to the Carthagenienses It is reported that when Anaxarchus was beaten by Nicorontus Tyrant of Cyprus he said vnto him thou maist for thy pleasure persecute and torment this bodie but my constancy of minde cannot not be harmed Notwithstanding the Counsellor shall aboue all things take heede not to be ouer constant in matters vniust for constancy should onely accompanie vertue Moreouer to defend any conceipt obstinately against reason and the opinion of good and wise men or to perseuere in trouble for an vniust cause is the qualetie not of a constant but a selfe willed stubborne foolish and peruerse minde Constancie is also required in the choise of mans life for who so perseuereth not in that course and trade he hath chosen and embraced is thought in all other things worthy to want the praise of constancy Constancie is the conseruer of all good counsels and actions for vaine were our wise consultations if the same should ebb and flow like the riuer of Eurippus Also great constancie ought be to keepe secret matters of counsell for many things there spoken are neither to be told to strangers nor domesticall friends It is the propertie of a light and vnconstant head to blab out mysteries done or spoken in counsell which was the respect that the Romaines consulting of great matters would not admit the Pedarij Senators nor any of the Clerks to be present but they themselues performed that office At the beginning the Senate house was open to all young men that were discended of the number of Patritii til after that noble memorable part of Papirius they were forbiddē least through inconstancie of youth the secrets of state should be discouered and thereby the commonweale damnified Papirius being one day asked by his mother of what matter so long disputation was held in Counsell dissembling the trueth answered merely whether it were more profitable for the state that one man should haue two wiues or one wife haue two husbands Moreouer in fortitude patience and a certaine suffering is looked for which Tullie defineth saying patience is a voluntarie and continuall induring of aduersitie for honour or commodities sake the vse thereof is in warre greatest For they that be soldiers doe often aduenture their liues and patiently suffer all dangers for the loue they beare to honour and profit This vertue is also at some times necessarie for the Counsellor when he is wearied with domesticall and publique busines for many troubles and cares doe happen in the commonweale which of force must be borne with patience Surely if Coriolanus in his repulse aspiring to the consulship had vsed patience he had thereby done more wisely and his life should not haue beene followed with so many misaduentures The olde saying is assuredly true that patience is a remedie against all griefes for things past and not recouerable may be endured but not amended Our Senator indued with this suffering shall easely finde a meane to disgest and contemne both priuate and publique sorrowes he that cannot endure griefe is soft and effeminate but who so can is rightly called patient yet in the vse of patience we must take order least through the multitude greatnes of iniuries we become distraught for patience oftē offended moued prouoketh furie Therefore griefe must be qualified with moderation of mind and whatsoeuer necessarily must be borne becommeth euery man to endure sith all sorrows are ouercome by patience There is also a certaine assurance of mind orcōceipt of good successe which many times doth make vs valiant That vertue is called Cōfidence encouraging vs to hope well in great honorable enterprices Which conceipt proceedeth of wisedome counsell perfect hope For whensoeuer we haue gotten the knowledge opinion of somthing not hastely assenting to reason that imagination doth draw vs on as that which we thinke honest without feare resolutely we performe it because he that is cōfident feareth not It is reported that Iulius Caesar seeing Caius Crastinus prepared with good hope to fight in the Pharsalike warre asked of him what as he thought would be euent of that battell wherto Crastinus holding vp his hand armed said Caesar thou shalt be victorious haue cause eyther to commend me aliue or dead which indeed came to passe for fighting most valiantly in that exployte he was slaine and Caesar assembling all his armie made an oration in his praise Aristotle saith that men accustomed to victorie doe therby conceiue a cōfident hope of happie proceeding The like hope we haue by fortunate successe in other actiōs Plutarke writeth that Antonius was alwaies accōpanied with an Aegyptiā Philosopher who onely by mens aspect knew the nature felicitie desteny of each mā he vsed to cōmend much the fortune of Antonius