spilling of the bloode or the tearing and vnlacing of his members they gessed and diuined of that which should happen concerning those things about which they consulted In a certaine part of the kingdome of Persia they vse this When they that dwell in that Countrey goe to aske counsell of the Priestes vpon that which they determine to doo the Priests hold in their hands the booke which is commonly called the booke of Lots or Fortune and according to that which they find written in that booke they answer them that come to consult with them It séemeth that the Booke of Lots or Fortune wherewith they deceiue the ignorant Comminaltie was brought out of Persia wherefore the Inquisitors did with great reason forbid the same Booke of Fortunes to be read that they which are of little vnderstanding might not be deceiued by it 6 Séeing that counsels and the successe of those thinges which are consulted proceede as we haue saide from the holie Ghost it is conuenient that all Counsellers before they beginne to consult should humblie request and beséeche the holie Ghost with great deuotion and humilitie to direct them in their way and leade them in their consultations saying that seruice which is properlie belonging vnto the holie Ghost And if the shortnes of the time permit it not they ought to sing the Himne of the holy Ghost as it is rehearsed in the Church Come holie Ghost c. And unitating King Dauid saie Lord mine eyes looke vp and trust in thee thou shalt deliuer me out of the snares c. King Dauid saith not that he looked to his féete to deliuer them from the snares but that he lifted his eyes vp to the Lorde that he should deliuer him and found himselfe not deceiued as he afterwarde mentioneth O Lord my soule hath escaped as the byrd out of the snares of the Hunters and the snares were broken in péeces Plato dooth counsel vs that we should continuallie beséech God that it wold please him to direct that which we shall doo vnto his holie seruice For it is he that by the means of the Angels sheweth vnto vs what we ought to doo For this is an euerlasting truth confirmed with perpetuall experience that in the most harde and difficult things of all mans life where the wit of man is most blind and doth most want counsell and forces there dooth the diuine wisedome of the Lord shew it selfe most cléerely wonderfullie That great Iudith with a noble and excellent mind said vnto those that were besieged in the Cittie of Bethulia And now who are you that haue tempted GOD this day and will bind the counsels of the Lord our God And so she rebuked the faintnes of the Gouerners of Bethulia For it is a token signe of great weakenes and ignorance in a man to doo all matters according to his own wisdome and humane counsels It were better and safer to desire the Lord that he wold be our guide in all our actions and counsels for he will direct vs in the readie path shew vs which waie is best séeing that he neuer fayleth to aide those y t powre forth their praiers vnto him Those Angels that by the commaundement of God aide and helpe men in their waies and rule the actions of vertuous Princes are comprehended vnder those companies which are called Dominions and Principalities as Dionysius Arcopagita saith 7 And the better to bring this to passe which we saie we ought to doo according to the commaundements of our Sauiour and Lord Jesus Christ who neither deceiueth himselfe nor can not deceiue them vnto whom he giueth counsell For from him floweth the spring of vnderstanding and knowledge and he is the author and cause of all goodnes From him doth it proceede that Counsellers be good he is the cause why Kings gouerne their kingdoms well and minister iustice And this did King Salomon aske of the Lord saying Lord send me thy wisdome downe out of thy holie heauens and sende her from the throne of thy Maiestie that she may be with me and labour that I may know what is acceptable in thy sight If those that in olde times past worshipped Idols asked counsell of them and the deuil to deceiue them used many kinds of Oracles and prophecies as I wrote more at large in my Bookes of pollicies and Common-wealths it is more theÌ„ reason that we which serue and worship Christ the redéemer of the worlde should humblie offer our prayers to his holines and request him that it wold please him of his goodnes to fauour helpe vs in all our counsels And no doubt seeing the holie Ghost is he that beadeth vs in all our actions he will choose that for vs which shall best please his holines And that counsell which we choose through his inspiration is the best and which most appertaineth vnto vs. 8 The night time is very fit to consult And for this cause did the Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be wise For when the Counsellers assemble together to confer about matters in the night time those things in which men be commonly occupied by day doo not hinder or trouble them and with the stilnes of the night as Virgil saith all things are quiet Homere to she we that the silent night time was most commodious to consult said that it did not become Princes to sléepe all the night who ought to consult vpon matters concerning the Common-wealth And for because y t when a man is not withdrawne from his booke neither by his busines nor by any other meanes it greatly confirmeth his memorie and profiteth him much for the inuention and contemplation of that which he searcheth and learneth no doubt but the quiet still night which cutteth of all occasions that may hinder a man is the fittest and best time to studie in especially because the minde at that tune is more frée and readier to muse and consider of euerie thing 9 First of all before the Counsellers beginne to consult they ought to sée that no man be in place that may heare that which is spoken off in their consultations After that the Ambassadors of King Tarquinius had conspired with the Sonnes of Brutus and other young Gentlemen to restore Tarquinius to his kingdome they solemnized their conspiration with the death of a man whose bloode they dranke and touched his enentrailes that they might by that ceremonie binde theÌ„selues to keepe counsell and helpe one another And to doo this they assembled together in a desert house where no body did dwell But as it fell out by chaunce a certaine Seruant called Vindicius was in the same house who séeing them enter in on the suddaine in great haste could not gette â—ut but spying a large Larget in one of the corners of the Chamber presentlie fell to the ground and couered himselfe with its and so he lay verie secretlie and saw
be set in reckoning bookes which Merchants call bookes of account then in the booke of rewards The Common-wealth that is well gouerned hath great néede of this counsell of rewards that each one may labour and doo his best to conserue and augment it for the reward inticeth and stirreth vp men to labour whereas no man as Salust saith wold be good if he hoped not for some reward King Nabuchadnezzor had bookes in which he commaunded the seruice that was doone him to be written to reward them that serued him 3 Although Aristotle and Fredericus Furius set down the counsels which are necessarie in a Common-wealth after that order as we haue said yet it séemeth that the principall counsell and on which the Common-wealth doth chéefly depend is the counsell of estate For in that counsell that is appointed and ordayned which is to be doone in all the other counsels This did the Senate of Rome commend vnto the Consuls that they should haue a regard that the Common-wealth shold take no harme The power which the Dictator had differed from the power which was giuen to the Consuls in this that the Dictator was superiour to all the Magistrates and as long as his dictatorship continued he was absolute King But the Consuls could not commaund any Cittizen to be put to death vnlesse the Senate approued it Besides also these counsels which Aristotle and Fredericus Furius set downe two others are necessarie to haue the Common-wealth well gouerned The one of Censure or Manners as the Romaines had that none might be suffered in the Common-wealth to offend publiquelie and so disquiet and slaunder her and that all such as doo commit anie offence openly might not remaine vnpunished as I wrote more at large in the Treatise of decrées concerning manners The other of Religion or Inquisition for no Common-welth can be maintained or augmented if there be not a speciall regard of Religion and worshipping of God had in it to maintain and uphold it as I shew more at large in the small discourse of this booke 4 All these Counsels are reduced as Phillippus de la Torre saith vnto flue viz. The first vnto the counsell of warre The second vnto the counsell of iustice The third vnto the counsell of estate The fourth vnto the counsell of mechanicall or handicrafts Officers and the fift to the counsell of Religion This is gathered out of that which the Prophet Esay saith That God might punish the people of Israel for the sins which they committed by taking away the valiant and hardie men that are experienced in matters concerning warre the Judges that minister iustice the Prophets and Elders that haue authoritie to giue counsell the handicrafts men that are skilfull in that which they professe and the learned men that can declare the misteries of God In this God sheweth vnto vs how necessary these coūsels are to euery Common-wealth For if they haue not these counsels be not gouerned as they ought great confusion and discord must necessarily folow after It is therefore required that the Counsellers of Princes vse all the diligence they possibly can in looking to the publique and common profit séeing that they be the verie gates and doores through which all good ill entereth into the Common-wealth The fift discourse how that in all Counsels the meanes and ends of those things which are in counsell ought to be required and examined IN all Counsels as Aristotle saith ought not onely to be examined and enquired whither that which is in consultation be necessary and profitable to the Common-wealth but also the means and ends of that which is in deliberation ought to be considered The meanes are the waies by which y t which in the counsels is determined may and ought to be put in execution The end is that which chéeflie is inquired and sought if the meanes be naught the counsell must be naught if they be good the counsell is good also The Greekes call good counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and naughtie counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle dooth finelie handle and Celius Rodiginus declare wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth differ from science opinion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to diuine and coniecture out of hand what may be doone without spending much time in discoursing vpon that which is consulted But I meane not heare to repeate it seeing that such subtilties are fitter to be disputed of in Schooles then to be treated of in counsels of Princes 2 Those counsels are naught in which is consulted howe to bring wicked and vnlawfull things to passe and those are bad counsels also in which vnlawfull meanes are sought to put that in practise which is lawfull and honest Therfore it is méet and conuenient that they who deliberate and consult vpon matters doo enquire not onely whether the beginning and meanes wherwith they will accomplish that which in y e counsell is determined but also whether the end of it be good and lawfull Folowing this rule they that goe about some matter which of it selfe is contentious and slaunderous ought not to regard the present occasion which is offered to aduaunce it but to consider whether the ende be like to be good or naught Besides they ought not to allow anie bad and dishonest thing though of it come good and lawfull things According to that Non sunt procuranda mala vt eueniant bona King Salomon sayth That he that is hastie to giue credit is lightly minded and shal neuer prosper For he that rashly takes a thing in hand before he haue throughly considered it is an enemie to good counsell The glorious Apostle S. Iohn doth exhort vs that we should not beléeue euery spirit nor be mooued with euery winde but try the spirit whether it be of God This is known eyther by the end vnto which it tendeth or by the meanes by which it is aduaunced or by the affections which mooue vs to doo it If it be cléere that neither the glory of God nor the edifying of the holy Catholicke Church nor the spirituall profit of our next Neighbor but some humane pretence be in it respected and regarded then is it not the counsell of God séeing it is not directed vnto the seruice of the Lord. For as Saint Ierome saith that voice that perswadeth any thing that offendeth God is the voice of the deuill As it is séene by the temptations wherwith he tempted our Redéemer Lord Jesus Christ in the Deserts saying that he should worshippe him and cast himselfe downe from the Pinacle But the voice of God is that which encourageth and perswadeth vs to the same which he commaundeth vs. 3 Although sometimes those things which with great prudence are deliberated and consulted vpon and in which lawful meanes are vsed to put them in practise haue not the same successe and euent which was hoped for for the counsails of Fortune as
THE COVNSELLER A Treatise of Counsels and Counsellers of Princes written in Spanish by Bartholomew Phillip Doctor of the Ciuill and Cannon lawe Englished by I. T. Graduate in Oxford LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolse 1589. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE M. IOHN FORtescue Esquier Maister of her Maiesties great Garderobe and one of her most honorable prinie Counsell Iohn Thorius wisheth health and honor with accomplishment of all Heroicall desires I Present vnto your honor the very Idaea of a Counseller not shadowed in truth with curious eloquence of wordes but in his kind absolute and perfite Such an Orator Tullie such a king Patritius such a wise man Salomon commendeth vnto vs as fit and needfull to be propounded like a master-peece for example though hard to be expressed in full perfection The booke written in the Castilian tongue by Barthol Phillippus D. of the lawes was commended by manie my good friends men of great iudgement and thought worthie for desert and profitable for vse thereof to be imparted to our Nation and diuerse of them whose will is sufficient commandement and request perswasion for me earnestly entreated mee to imploy some time in translating thereof for the seruice of such Noblemen and Gentlemen whereof they said there is no small number as not wel seene in the Castiliā language are desirous to vnderstand what this Spaniard doth bring vnder so glorious a title for the direction or furniture of their estate Which vndertaken and ended I was soone resolued to whom I should and ought to addresse it For the booke intreating of Counsell Counsellers which Plato worthily calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not more properly be submitted to any then your honnor whom her Maiestie a Prince of so excellent iudgement hath after her long experience of your rare perfections called to her honorable priuie Counsell in this time which requireth extraordinarie habilitie and wisedome And to whom might I without iust note of great ingratitude offer my labour in this kind before him to whose honorable fauour both my parents and my selfe haue bin and are infinitely beholding For although I am not ignorant that your honor vnderstandeth the Author in his owne tongue and neede not to bee endebted to any Spaniard for precepts or directions in your estate yet I trust you will not be displeased that vnder your fauour and protection he may enforme those young Gentlemen whose vnexperienced yeares and want of knowledge in this language will be content to conferre with him and serue themselues of me for an interpretour To your honour therefore I leaue this booke as yours if you please to auow it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theirs to whom such helpes be not superfluous The Method which the author vseth hath receiued contrarie censures of diuerse iudgements but I meane not here to defende him who in truth hath no neede of so meane a Patron for that my end onely is faithfully to deliuer his meaning in such order as himselfe had disgested it Which my labour I shall thinke abundantly rewarded and besides my selfe much bound vnto your honour if you shall accept it as a signe of my thankefull minde which honnourable courtesie your former fauours make mee hope for at your handes Thus I leaue your honour to your affaires of greater moment with my prayers to God to direct all your counselles and aduices to the maintenance of the Church without scisme and the common-wealth without trouble A Catalogue of such authors as are alleaged in this Treatise A Abbas Panormitanus Accursius Aelius Spartianus Aelius Lampridius Aesopus Albericus Albertus Pighius Alexander d'Imola Alexander ab Alexandro S. Ambrosius Ambrosius de Morais Ammianus Marcelinus Andreas Alciatus Angelus de Perusio Angelus de Aretio Angelus Clauasio Antonius Sabellicus F. Antonius de Gueuara S. Antoninus Archiepiscopus Florentinus Antonius Gerardus Archidiaconus Aristeas Aristoteles Athenaeus Auerrois S. Augustinus Aulus Gelius Ausonius B Baldus Baltesar Cossa Bartolus de Bartholinis Bartholomaeus Cassaneus Bartholomaeus Socinus Bartholomaeus Caualcanti Bartholomaeus de Albornos S. Basilius S. Bernardus Bernardus Mendes Boëcius Brisonius Brunellus C Caelius Rodoginus Cassiodori Tripartita Chronica Petri Regis Castellae Chronica Iohannis secundi Regis Portugaliae Chronica Ducis Xlunnaluares Pereira Claudius Cotoreus Cornelius Tacitus Cujacius Contarenus D Demosthenes Didacus de Covas Rubias Diego Garejan Diogenes Laërtius Dion Dionysius Areopagita E Egesippus Emanuel Soares Erasmus Roterodamus Euripides Eustachius F Filinus Flauius Vopiscus Franciscus Fiontanus Franciscus Sansouinus Franciscus Patritius Franciscus Poletus Franciscus de Villalobos Franciscus Conanus Franciscus Balduinus Francus de Euzinas Francus Tamara Franciscus Aluares Fredericus Furius G Gallenus Gaspar Contarenus Gaspar de Cruce Giofranciscus Lotinus Gaginus Gregorius Alëander S. Gregorius Guido Papa Guillihelmus Postellus Guilihelmus Mainerius Guilihelmus Budaeus H Hadrianus Iunius Hermolaus Barbarus Hernando Nunnez Hernando de Pulgar Herodotus Hesiodus Homerus Honcalla Horatius S. Hyeronimus Hieronymus Francus Hieronymus Angest Hieronymus Gigas Hieronymus Cagnolus Hieronymus Garimbertus Hippocrates Hippolitus I Iacobus Faber Iacobus Papiensis Iacobus Ispiager Iacobus Philippus Bergomensis Iacobatius Iason Iodocus Clichtoueus Iohannes Gerson Iohannes Bocatius Iohannes Andreas Iohannes Franciscus de Ripa S. Iohannes Chrysostomus Iohannes Montalonius Iohannes Montagnus Iohannes Broideus Iohannes Bodinus Iohannes Igneus Iohannes Monachus Iohannes Montana Iohannes Eckius Iohannes de Mena Iohannes de Bairios Iosephus S. Isidorus Isocrates Iulius Clarus Iulius Capitolinus Iustinus Iuvenalis L Lactantius Firmianus Latinus Pacatus Laurentius Syluanus Laurentius Grimaldus Libanus Sophista Lambertus 3. Hortensius Lucius Florus Ludovicus Gomesius Ludouicus Granatensis Ludouicus Dulcis M Macrobius Mambrinus Roseus Marcus Mantua Marsilius Ficinus Mainerius Martialis Martinus Laudensis Martinus ab Azpilcoëta Martinus Goringius Melchior Canus Mimus Publianus N Nicolaus de Lira Nicolaus Bocrius Nicolaus Leonicus Nicolaus Machiauellus O Ouidius P Paleotus Paulus Emilius Paulus Castrensis Paulus Iovius Persius Petrus Iustinianus Petrus Bembus Petrus Fontidonius Petrus Cremensis Petrus Rebufus Petrus Galatinus Petrus Loriotus Petrus de Apono Petrus Calefactus Petrus de Labrid Phillippus Probus Phillippus Decius Phillippus Deroaldus Phillippus de la Torre Philostratus Philippus Bergomates Plato Plinius Senior Plinius Iunior Pierius Valerius Pius secundus P. M. Plutarchus Polidorus Virgilius Polienus Postellus Q Quadraginta cantionum author Quinquaginta Cantionum author Quintus Curtius Quintinus Quintilianus R Raphael Fulgosius Restauras Castaldus Reginaldus Polus Robertus Brittannus S Salustius Sebastianus Herizo Seneca Speculator Speculum tristium Speculum consolationis Stanislaus Osius Strabo Stephanus Gariuai Suetonius Tranquillus T Tabiana summa Terentius Theophrastus Thucidides S. Thomas Thomas de Vio Titus Liuius Tullius V Valerius de historiis Ecclesiasticis Valerius Maximus Virgilius Wolphangus Lazius Vlticus Zanzius X Xenophon FINIS In this treatise of Counsellers of Princes there be eighteen discourses the contents whereof here followeth THe first discourse from whence Counsellers do proceede and of the execution of that which
is determined in Counsels Fol. 1. The second discourse what Counsell is and vpon what matters men ought to consult 9. The third discourse how needfull and necessary it is that Princes should haue in their seruice such Counsellers as freely would tell them what they thinke to be profitable to the common-wealth 11. The fourth discourse what Counsels are expedient for the gouernment of a common-wealth that is well instituted 16. The fift discourse how that in all Counsels the meanes and endes of those things which are in counsell ought to be enquired and examined 19. The sixt discourse what qualities Counsellers ought to haue 22. The seuenth discourse of priuiledges prerogatiues and exemptions which the lawe and right doth grant to the Counsellers of Princes 57. The eyght discourse what punishment they deserue that do not counsell their Princes sincerely and faithfully without deceite 68. The ninth discourse whether it be better for the common-wealth that the Counsellers of the Prince should be learned or vnlearned 79 The 10. discourse whether it be more profitable to the common-wealth to haue a good Prince and ill Counsellers or an ill Prince and good Counsellers 85. The 11. discourse Of the Counsellers and of that which the Counsellers ought to do before they begin to consult 90. The 12. discourse what Counsellers of Princes ought to do when they be assembled to consult 97. The 13. discourse Of the Counsell of estate and of the ordinances and lawes that appertaine to the same Counsell 127. The 14. discourse touching warre 147. The 15. discourse concerning peace 156. The 16. discourse how and wherewith common-weales be augmented and wherewith they do decay 161. The 17. discourse how and wherewith common-weales be encreassed 166. The 18. discourse from whence it doth proceede that the common-weales are changed out of one estate of gouernement into an other 171. The printer to the Reader GEntle Reader whereas some small faults remayne perhaps vncorrected if thou light of any such I beseech thee with thy pen to amend them and especially such as are contayned in the Errata which are generall faults through the impression And if chance any of the authors names in this booke alleaged haue escaped correction thou shalt find them in the Catalogue as they be commonly written in other books Errata The first number signifieth the page the second the line this lettern betokeneth the marginall note and this word Item before a number betokeneth the same page and without a number the same line 4 2. read Vencejo Item 4. to passe 6 2. error Item 2. note Lotinus Item the fift note Antonium 10. 33. Clichtoueus 12. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Item 12. would 14. n. 5. digestorum Item § Itaque 19. â— enquired 25. 29. en platica Item n. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 27 3. tosse Item 6 quiereis Item Pide lo. Item 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Item 32. then 29. 11. blindeth item 29. And then that friend 31. 1. ought to be 34. n. 3. discursu 5. Petrus c. 35. n. 1. Petrus 38. 12. 14. Thucidides 43 n. 1. § 6. 48. n. 1. Menâ— 57. 36. Counseller 58. n. the last locum in summi 59. n. 9. § Plebei 60. note the last pristinae 63. 12. Conanus Item 23. Mittendarij Item note the first accidere 64. 12. they ought to item n. 1. § hoc 81. 7. serue 85 â—0 and moouing of their bodies maruail at their subtiltie of wit and greatdesse of iudgement and that c. 88. 9. so accustomed 94 30. noâ— can deceiue 131. 34. oppose 140. 10. share them 151. n. 4. timere 152. 33. y vn dia. 155. 29. axeltrâ—â— 167 4. Aquei and Etholi ⧠A Treatise of counsell and Counsellers of Princes â— The first discourse from whence Counsels doe proceede and of the execution of that which is determined in counsels THE holie ghost who is light vnto them that follow him mercie vnto them that feare him ioy vnto them that loue him visiteth our soules as the Prophet Esay saith with seuen diuine gifts which are The spirit of wisedom of vnderstanding of counsell of fortitude of knowledge of pietie and of the feare of the Lord. These seuen gifts of the holie Ghost are the seuen eyes which the Prophet Zacharie saw set vpon a stone The stone whereon Zacharie sawe the seuen eyes placed is our Redéemer and Lord Jesus Christ as the glorious Saint Ierome declareth For in the holie Scripture the stone signifieth our Redéemer and Lord as he himselfe taught when he declared that which king Dauid said That the stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner which closeth all the whole worke and giueth perfection to the building Saint Paule following this interpretation saith That the stone out of the which the Water did spring of the which the people of Israell did drinke in the desert signified our Redéemer and Lord. The Prophet Zacharie saith that he saw seuen eyes placed in a stone for to shew that the blessed soule of our Redéemer and Lord Jesus Christ was most perfectlie indued with the seuen gifts of the holie Ghost as well in the morrall vertues as intellectuall and in all the other graces which through the vnion with the diuine essence are communicated with the soule of our Redéemer and Lord as I more at large haue shewed in the Treatise which I wrote vpon the Créede of the Apostles 2 Among those gifts with which the holie Ghost doth lighten our soules the Prophet Esay putteth the spirit of Counsell and Fortitude The spirit of Counsell as Saint Thomas declareth it is a certaine light wherewith the holie ghost illuminateth our vnderstanding that so we may be able to choose that which we ought to doo in humane affaires For the wisedome of man faileth in manie things which it cannot reache nor attaine vnto especially if they be particular things which in sundrie places at diuers times may fall out diuerslie and when we folow our own humane wisdom we run into great danger of our life And therefore Salomon saith That the discourses of men are weake and their prouidence verie vncertaine and that to assure our selues in this life wherein we liue so full of danger and darknes we ought in no case to trust vnto our owne wisedome but desire God to lighten our vnderstanding For as the Prophet Esay saith GOD is a meruailous Counseller This dooth king Salomon teach vs when he saith Trust in the Lord with all thy hart and trust not to thine own wisedome and set God before thee in all thy waies and he wil direct thy steps c. And because the wisedom of man is not sufficient to attaine to the truth of each thing in matters concerning counsell it is commonlie said that God is he which sheweth that which is to be doone 3 Well did king Dauid vnderstand this when in the war which he waged against his
which was so couered that no man could perceiue in which place of the boxe the voices were cast because they would not haue any one to know to whom they gaue their voices in election of Officers 16 Plutarch asketh why Pythagoras did forbid that any man should kéepe Swallowes in his house and he answereth because they be very vnthankfull byrdes and will not become tame howe much soeuer a man maketh of them But Piâ—rius Valerius saith because they bring no profit at all vnto those houses in which they build their nests And the Author Ad Herennium affirmeth because after the same order as fayned and false Friends in time of aduersitie forsake them whose fréends they professed themselues to be in time of prosperitie so the Swallowes come in the beginning of the Sommer as soone as the Winter draweth on they leaue vs and flie vnto other Countreyes But I thinke that the same which Pythagoras said may be vnderstood as Aristotle tooke it because it is good for no man to haue talkitiue persons in his house Many other examples could I shew both of men and women that smothered in silence such things as were committed to their secrecie but because they be knowne vnto all men and I haue set them down in the Booke which I wrote of wise and craftie counsels I will not heare stand vpon them 17 The tenth qualitie which king Salomon would haue a Counseller to haue is that he be not enuious or owe any man ill will for how is it possible that he shold giue good counsell to a man whom he hateth and cannot abide Of the enuious this prouerbe in Spayne is vsed El cauallo Argel ni en el ni cabe el The enuious Horse call'd Argel none Will let on him to ride Nor any neere him for to come The same Horse can abide for the conuersation of the enuious is so contagious and infectious that the Spanyards vsed this old saying Ni el embidioso medro ni el que cabe el biuio An enuious man could neuer prosper well Nor any one that neere by him doth dwell And to be bréefe hatred is a vice that came foorth of hell and it was the cause wherefore the deuill deceiued Adam and Eue councelling them to eate of the fruite of that Trée which God forbad them to touch King Salomon saith that we ought to choose one Counseller out of a thousand he would haue only to take counsell but of one man for that among a thousande wee should choose one For that is farre better vnderstood which is enquired of by many then by a few and in déede it is thought that foure are many It lyeth and dependeth vpon euery Prince his pleasure to haue more or fewer Counsellers The Emperour Alexander Seuerus as we haue said before he published or proclaimed any Lawes which he had ordained to be kept he deliuered them to twenty most learned Lawyers and fifty most excellent men to consult of them This cannot in any case be denied that it is safer to consult with a great many then with a few for as Aristotle saith when many gather together if they be not rude and grosse felowes the one doth confer with the other and that which one knoweth is ioyned with that which the other knoweth For GOD did put a light in euery mans vnderstanding whereby he might know the trueth The qualities which Plato would haue a Counseller to haue PLato saith that Counsellers which will consult well ought to be frée from affections and passions For delight and greefe are two contrarie and foolish Counsellers And as Virgil saith loue and anger ouerthrow mans vnderstanding Salust affirmeth that all men that deliberate vpon doubtfull matters ought not to be mooued with fréendship anger or mercie for in those matters where they varie and contende the minde can hardly perceiue the truth Neither was there euer any one that did attend both his owne disordered will and the publique profit also for whereunto a mans will is most enclined to that doth his wit most apply it selfe if the will ouercome it ruleth and reason hath no power for the desire that a man hath to attaine vnto that which he pretendeth blindeth his vnderstanding And so doth feare also as Cornelius Tacitus affirmeth so that fearefull men cannot gouerne well nor counsell that which is profitable to the Common-wealth for feare doth not let them iudge fréely And as those that stande by and sée others play can better iudge of the Game then they that play themselues for as the gaine which they that play hope to get by their game blindeth them not euen so they that iudge and counsell ought to be frée from passions which trouble the vnderstanding and suffereth it not to picke and choose out that which is best When the Areopagites in Athens assembled together to iudge the Crier called vnto them with a loude voice that they should iudge without any respect of affection at all The Emperour Charles the fift wished that his Counsellers should lay aside all dissimulation respects which might moue them before they entred to consult that they might fréely vnderstand iudge what were most profitable for the Common-wealth Plato writing vnto the freends of Dion affirmeth that they which vse theÌ„selues to eate much cannot be wise though they be neuer so ingenious and wittie King Salomon saith A wofull kingdome is the same where he that ruleth it is a child and the Princes that are with him are belly-maisters or as some interpret it Sorrowfull is that Countrey where he that ruleth it is a childe and they that gouerne it are drunkardes The reason is because Gluttons and drunkards are not wise and that as Plutarch saith they that accustome themselues to haue their bodies filled with meate corrupt mar their iudgment in such manner that they are profitable neither to gouerne the affaires of the Common-wealth nor yet to doo any other good thing but euen as brute beastes to loose the vse of reason and abuse the gifts of GOD which ought to be taken with great deuotion and reuerence The qualities which Thucidites said that a Counseller ought to haue THucidites ascribeth foure things vnto Counsellers which they ought to haue to be able to giue good counsell in matters concerning the Common-wealth The first is that they vnderstand that which is consulted For hardly can blinde men as Aristotle saith iudge of coullours Plato saith that this is the most important thing that a Counseller ought to haue Socrates said that euery man was eloquent in the Aâ—te which he knew And king Salomon affirmeth that euery man is skilfull in the Arte which he vnderstandeth The seconde qualitie which Thucidites saith that a CouÌ„seller ought to haue is that he be not ouercome either with money which is giuen him or promises which are
the people is greatly pleased with francknes and loueth liberalitie yea and admireth it But the couetous man is alwaies detested and abhorred for he dooth all for money and to fulfill his greedines setteth all things to sale nay he dooth not so much as speake without interest and is ready to committe any treason whatsoeuer so he be no looser by it Salust writeth that Iugurtha going out of Rome said O Cittie thou wouldest soone be sold if thou haddest a Chapman The Counsellers of Princes ought to take a pleasure in dooing well This vertue consisteth not in giuing of money or bestowing any of their substance or riches as liberalitie doth but in helping the Common-wealth and ayding each member of it with good counsell admonishing warning aduertising praising and dispraising and fauouring by their authority and protection not onely those that craue fauour aide helpe or succor of them but those also that deserue it without asking Counsellers ought also to be meeke and gentle gracious in wordes curteous and swéete in language gentle in hearing of all men great and small rich and poore and not to vse slaunderous spéeches and ill words vnto them that speake vnto them For many men are sooner mooued to cast away themselues and lose life and goods for a reprochfull answer then for some heauier and greater iniurie offered in other sorte Moreouer a Counseller ought as it were to sette open his doore for all men to enter of what condition or kind soeuer And he ought also to be of great sufferance and patience in hearing and giue no man occasion to fall in desperation 23 The Counsellers of Princes ought to be valiant this valiantnes is not meant of strength and forces of the body but of the inward fortitude and of the courage of the mind by reason of which men be called noble and heroicall that is more then men As for the other corporall strength that is common to many as to swash bucklers Roysters and other rascall felowes that care not for their liues and passe not if they sell it for a button A â—aliant man loueth the trueth he is an enoâ—â—e vnto leasings he cannot away with saucie fellowes and scurilitie he is graue constant he is alwaies of one temperature he hateth the comiersation of babling and talkatiue persons he speaketh fréely he speaketh graueâ—â— he sheweth his mind vnto his Prince with as great libertie as he would doo to any priuate person he cannot nor will not dissemble It is not inough that a Counseller be valiant but it is also necessary thatâ— his valiantnesse be accompanied with prudence for euen as feare hindereth one from choosing that which is most honourable to his Prince and profitable to his Countrey so valiantnes or courage of the mind if it be not moderated with prudence and iudgement it dooth not permit a man to shunne and eschew any danger And if Princes haue any néed or necessitie of men of good vnderstanding and expert iudgment to giue counsaile in matters concerning the profit of the Realme it is a great deale more profitable and farre more expedient for the Common-wealth that the Prince haue warie and circumspect Counsellers then such as be strong valiant Fredericus Furius saith that the Counseller of a Prince ought to be of a Chollericke or sanguine complexion and not of any other For they that are of this mixture and temperature are wittie they haue a notable memorie they can discourse brauely they haue an excellent iudgment they are iust and vpright they are louing gentle in talke loyall beneficiall and liberall honorable and sumptuous valiant and of noble courage their bodies be light and nimble and of a good temperature They that are Melancholicke as they are by nature sorrowfull and of the selfe same complexion as the earth so they be rusticall base and heauie scarce able to lift themselues one handfull aboue the ground vaine and delighting in trifles enemies to noble thoughts malicious superstitious in so much that men of this complexion haue wasted and vtterly spoyled all the Regions of y e world with their dreames foolish imaginations and vaine visions They are wonderfull superstitious and the more they grow in age the lesse they knowe they are very hatred it selfe and when they are angred straight without any occasion either they fall to blowes or rattle out a thousand cursses vsing all the iniurious and slaunderous words that euer were heard among men Finallie it is a strange thing to see howe wonderfully all Philosophers and such as studie the speculations of Astronomie detest and flie from those that be borne vnder the Planet of Saturne In so much that it is thought to be most certain that the great Appolonius Tyaneus founde a melancholicke person in the Cittie of Ephesus who with his presence onely had corrupted the whole Cittie and infected it with a great plague To conclude they that are of a melancholicke complexion be dull and drowsie heauie vnskilfull vnlearned and they haue no one vertue in them that excelleth and all theyr qualities are lesse then meane 24 Although the Mellancholicke complexion be not so good as the Chollericke and sanguine yet it is by many called the heroicall complexion because they that are of that complexion refuse not to tell the truth making no account of any danger at all and after the same manner as wine causeth them that be drunke to vtter all what euer they thinke euen so melancholie maketh them that are full of blacke choller to speake the truth and often-times they diuine tell of thinges to come There haue béene many excellent men as Aristotle saith that were melancholicke And though those inclinations be natural that cause the complexions in men yet be they not as those that studie Astrologie say ordinances and decrees of Pretors Inclinationes non sunt edicta praetorum and therfore it is commonlie said Vir sapiens dominabitur astris Euery wise man may coÌ„maund the starres and beare rule ouer them For though the starres and Planets encline to one thing or other yet can they not force men to it that be wise and circumspect and of iudgement howe to gouerne themselues No inclination of starre or Planet can force such men to doo that which they will not nor take away from them depriue them of the frée-will that God hath giuen them as I haue in more ample manner declared in my Bookes De Amore diuino humano Casto Plutarch writeth that Socrates was shewed to one that affirmed he could iudge of any mans conditions and wit by the phisiognomie of his face who when he saw Socrates he said that he was dulheaded and that he had a very rude witte and that he was a great freende vnto women and that he did men great iniurie and that he was much giuen to wine and that he was very incontinent When Socrates his freends heard this they became very angry with
mooue any doubts or interrupt his speech with vain questions for all the profit that commeth thereof is onelie to trouble him that speaketh and cause him to erre and digresse from the purpose And therefore they ought not to be troublesome vnto them that are in the Counsaile asking them often about one and the selfe same thing for such as Plutarch sayth are like those little byrdes that cannot yet flie and yet be alwaies gaping at other birds bils to receiue theyr foode alreadie champed and chewed by them To conclude it is the point of foolish and simple fellowes and such as haue no witte to be asking of questions at euery word and to be still enformed vpon euery point 47 They that consult vpon matters of great importaunce ought to consider as Cornelius Tacitus saith whether that which they determine vpon be profitable vnto their Princes and whether it may be put in execution without harming or endomaging the Common-wealth They ought also to consider whether they that giue the counsaile are like to come into into trouble if it fall not out prosperouslie and who shall gaine the credit and honour if all thinges succéede happily And aboue all they ought to haue a regarde what the people talke if the Prince doo as they counsaile him for though all other men vse to follow those counsailes which are most profitable for them though they be not altogether iust yet Princes ought to doo nothing as the Emperour Tiberius saith that passeth the boundes of iustice greatly regarding their fame reputation and what would be saide of them if they should followe counsailes that were hurtfull to the Common-wealth The thirteenth discourse Of the Counsell of estate and of the ordinaunces and lawes that appertaine to the same Counsell THe Counsell of estate as Plato saith is the anker whereon dependeth the safetie or losse of all the Common-wealth For this Counsell looketh to the whole Common-welth and as Isocrates saith it is the soule thereof and it is like to prudence in man which hath a care of the estate of the whole bodie All other counsailes depend vpon this one Counsell and it is called the Counsel of peace because the cheefe and principall intent of this Counsell is to procure that euery one may liue in peace and quietnes for this is the ende for which the Counsell of estate was ordeined For as Plato saith warres are not made for any other cause then to procure peace This Counsell of estate doth oftentimes change the gouernments into tyrannies and quite destroy the Common-weales and as Hesiodus saith one ill counsaile giuen by some wicked man causeth the decay and ruine of many Citties and therefore it is commonly said that all the welfare of the Common-wealth lyeth all in all in the counsaile of estate And because in my Bookes of Common-weales I writte of al the other Counsels in their proper places I mean in this place to entreate of the Counsell of estate which is as the Emperor Charles the fift saide the knowledge power and vnderstanding yea the verie eyes handes and féete of euery Prince 2 Fredecicus Furius saith that the charge of the Counsell of estate is Ciuill as the Lawes terme it and whether the kingdomes be gotten by force of Armes or by inheritaunce it is pertaining to the Counsell of estate to sée what Viceroyes Gouernours and Generals be created as well for peace as for warre what mariages be contracted and what Embassadors be sent into strange Countries and whither all other Officers discharge their duetie or no and what prouision ought to be made and not made The Counsell of estate ought also to take heede that no prouisions voyages and expeditions be made by stealth to the domage of the Common-wealth and commoditie of the enemie It appertaineth also to the Counsell of estate to sée that all ordinarie expences charges be discharged in due time as well in peace as in warre and to giue bils for the receite of the money out of the Counsell of substaunce and Reuenewes which Counsell ought to be as a Cosfer to keepe the money which is to be distributed and deliuered out by y e Commission and authoritie of those that are belonging to the Counsell of estate It is also belonging vnto this Counsel to sée with what Nations they ought to make peace and against what Nations to wage warre with what people they cught to be confederated and with whom to vse faire wordes and large promises but accomplish nothing and such other like thinges publique or priuate This holdes in that which generallie pertaineth to the other counsels for if this Counsell of estate should meddle with euery particular thing that belongeth to the other Counsels it should vsurpe the Office of them all 3 The Counsell of estate hath all iurisdiction both Ciuill and Criminall And what euer is determined in it ought to be put in execution as if the Prince himselfe had commaunded it For this counsaile aboue all others dooth chéefely represent the person of the Prince and for this cause the Prince ought to be personally in those consultations which are made in the Counsell of estate to the ende that nothing be ordained which may harme the Common-wealth So that euery Prince ought to consult with his Counsellers and with the learned men of his Realme whether such ordinaunces as he meaneth to publishe be good and profitable for the Commen-wealth For there is nothing that is more contrarie to a good Prince and proper to a Tyrant than to saie Sic volo sic iâ—beo stat proratione voluntas Thus I commaund thus shall it be For reason will shall stand with me 4 Séeing that in the Counsell of estate it is cheefly consulted what ought to be doone for the preseruing and maintayning of the Common-wealth it is necessarie that the Counsellers of that Counsell be well practised and experienced in Militarie discipline and very skilfull and prudent in ruling Common-wealths so that they ought to knowe howe to enquire examine and iudge all things concerning pollicie and gouernment both in peace and warre Further more they that consult vpon peace whither it he profitable it should be established or no ought to know what is belonging to war seeing peace and warre he two contraries and the nature of contraries is such that the one is knowne by the other In auncient times past many Senators entred into the Senate of Rome to consult and they that had triumphed for victorie ouer their enemies sate with the Crownes on their heads which they wore wheÌ„ they triumphed as tokens and shewes of their vertue and excellencie And this did Cyneas the Ambassadour of Pyrrhus declare wheÌ„ he béeing asked of Pyrrhus what he thought of the Senate of Rome he answered that it séemed vnto him to be a counsell of many Kings that were assembled together to consult Liuie reporteth that Cyneas in this aunswere shewed the
reuenged of him or because they loue the other and desire greatlie to haue him to be their King Certaine Cities in Asia did rebell by reason of y e hatred which they bore against Laodice and his sonne Seleucus and because of the affection with which they loued Bernice and his Sonne This pollicie Fernandus Cortes vsed in the Conquest of the Kingdome of Mexico making warre against King Motesuma with his owne Subiects that could not abide him 5 Many Princes haue atchiued many famous and excellent victories through the estimation credit and reputation of their own persons Alexander the great published that he was Sonne vnto Iupiter though he knew it was not so that those Nations vpon whō he made warre should yeeld and giue ouer their Countries vnto him If the Captaines and Generals of Armies be valiant and renowned they procure and obtayne freends and alliance and easilie atchiue victorie but if they be not famous they can hardly attaine good successe in theyr enterprises they are alwaies crossed with vnfortunate euents Some coūsaile Princes to see whether those Captaines which they choose for their warres be fortunate in those Martial enterprises which they vndertake for it is thought that Fortune as Salust saith preuaileth much in warfare But seeing that the people commonly call that fortune which by chaunce happeneth well or ill for which no reason can be giuen and this is vncertaine and variable no man can perswade himselfe that he shall alwaies haue prosperous lucke and for this cause was Fortune painted vpon a wheele which is euer turning Manie times Captains haue excellent good luck in one thing and verie badde fortune in another as Hanniball tolde Scipio and as Hanniball himselfe had tryed by experience Seeing that the euents of warres are so vncertain and variable wise and valiant Captaines ought to encrease the fame which is bruted abroade of their good lucke and prosperitie in theyr Martiall endeuours that they may encourage their souldiers to fight and they that are not fortunate ought to shewe vnto their Souldiers how inconstant and variable Fortune is and to perswade them that thence-forwarde all matters wyll succéede more happilie for the aduenture of war is vncertaine 6 The first thing that all Princes which make war ought to doo is to iustifie that warre which they take in hand that all men may knowe that they are bounde to fight by the necessitie which compelleth them to defende themselues and although their cause be good and grownded vppon reason and iustice yet they ought to accept any honest and lawfull condition of peace which their enemies doo offer them Againe Princes ought to consider that warres are commonly made either to recouer that which hath béene taken from them or to reuenge some iniurie that hath beene offered vnto them or because they desire to atchiue glorie and renowne or for ambition the first and seconde causes are iust the thirde is vniust and the fourth is tyrannie The Romans were alwaies verie carefull in iustifying the warres which they made with all dilligence possible which may be seene by this that the Embassadour of the Ile of Rhodes when he went about to praise the people of Rome saide in a certaine Oration which he made to the Senate that the Romans did not so much esteeme the conquest as the equitie of their cause and because in my booke of Militarie discipline I haue largely writtē how Princes ought to iustifie their wars I meane not heere to stand vpon it 7 They that consult vpon Martiall affaires ought to enquire when they be ouercome with their enemies whether the faulte was in the Captaines or in the common Souldiers or because it pleased God that though euery man did his duetie yet they shoulde be put to the worse and after the cause is knowne they ought to thinke vpon the remedie and to doe all things that are expedient to atchiue victorie of their enemies And if they vnderstande y t their enemies are stronger and that they must continue their warres it is better for them to defer the field as Fabius Maximus did then to enter battell to the manifest daunger of their whole Armie For with delaying the time they may ouercome and with giuing a rash onsette they shall be put to flight and as we of olde say in Castile Diez aunos de guerra y no vn dia de pelea that is Warres for tenne yeeres assay And battell but one day And because no Captaine howe wise soeuer he be can imagine and forecast all inconueniences which may fall out in war it is conuenient that euery Captain take counsaile with faithfull prudent and wise men and well experienced in warfare which may tell him the trueth without any deceite The Carthagenians did estéeme so much of counsaile in Militarie actions that they hanged those Captaines and Generals which ouer came their enemies without taking aduise The Venetians did not permitte their Generals to pitch a fielde with their enemies vnlesse the Prouisors which were sent to the wars with them did consent vnto it 8 Captaines and Generals shall obtaine the fauour and good will of the people if they minister iustice vnto them and permit not any one to offer them any iniurie or to take awaie their substance vniustly or to dishonor and discredit thē wrongfullie And as for the good will of the Souldiers the Captains may obtaine that by béeing valiant and liberall for these two vertues make a Captaine to be beloued And though it seeme a thing impossible that a Captaine shoulde be fauoured bothe of the people and his Souldiers also because the people wishe to keepe their goods and substaunce and the Souldiers desire to pill and robbe yet notwithstanding this hindereth not for they may well enough deale vprightlie with the people that are their owne freends and alliance and the Souldiours may rob pill slay and spoyle those that dwell in their enemies Countries Furthermore if by chaunce the Captaine be compelled by necessitie to aske some newe tribute to pay the charges of the warre he ought with moeke wordes and good reasons first to shew as Tullie saith the necessitie which at that instant vrgeth him to demaunde it and then he ought to let them vnderstand that it concerneth the whole Common-wealth and whē oportunitie serued he woulde repay that which they doe lende him Generals and Captaines of Armies ought to see that no idle persons and such as are vnapt for warre doo loyter in the Campe that each souldier imploy himselfe in all such things as are thought to be necessarie for the atchiuing of victorie 9 The Counsellers of Princes ought to examine whether it be more profitable for the Common-wealth to stay till the enemie come to make warre vppon them at home or whether it be better to assaile them in their Countrey This beeing disputed vppon in the Senate of Rome Fabius Maximus affirmed that it was better for them to
be a King that vnder y e colour and pretence they might fréelie robbe and spotle or because the desire of rule as Cornelius Tacitus saith is the greatest desire of all And it maketh them that pretende to be Kinges as Euripides saith not to regard any thing that either the diuine or humane Lawes commaund affirming that to obtaine a Kingdome they may violate any Lawe according to the Castilian prouerbe Por ser rey se quiebra toda ley To winne a crowne All Lawes goe downe Not much vnlike vnto that which Euripides saith Si violandum est ius imperii causa violandū est If the Law may he transgressed it may be trans-gressed for a kingdom Which sentence of Euripides liked Iulius Caesar so well that hee repeated it oftentimes and in tirannizing the Common-weale did folow it 13 The ambitious which pretende to gouerne against reason and iustice doo commonlie imitate Absolon when he conspired against his father Dauid Which Absolon to bring that to passe which he desired founde no better meanes nor readyer way then to heare the complaints of the people to prouide for their necessities Hee receiued and entertained them very curteoustie that came to speake with him and salute him and hee asked them whence they were yea he embraced and kissed thē And to reconcile them vnto him and alienate them frō his Father he said vnto them your cause is iust but my Father is so negligent and carelesse in gouerning his people that hee hath not yet appointed any man to heare you he said also if it pleased God that I should raigne in Israell I would heare al your causes and decide your controuersies and I woulde doo iustice vnto euery man Such men take aduantage by the ignorance and small skill of the rude people who are alwaies readie and prompt as Cornelius Tacitus saith to followe the worst and wish that he shold liue who goeth about to kill them and that he should die that meaneth to saue their liues as the Jewes did when they cried to Pilat that he shoulde crucifie our Lorde and Sauiour Jesus Christ and deliuer Barabas vnto them These and such like pollicies are vsed by the ambitious when they tirannouslie vsurpe any kingdome with which wicked sleight they winne the fauour and harts of the Common people that with their helpe they may execute that which they wickedlie pretend gréedilie wish for for the malice of a fewe and the ignoraunce of many haue alwaies disquieted the Common-weales 14 There is no reason why Aristotle should reprehend his Maister Plato because in writing howe gouernments are changed he sette not downe the especiall and particular cause for the best gouernment of all is changed into another and the reason which Plato vseth to wit that all created thinges doe alter in time doth not proue the especiall proper cause of the alteration of the best gouernmēt into an other That Aristotle hath no reason in this may be manifestly séene in y t it was not Plato his intent in his bookes De repub to entreate of y e particular and especiall causes why gouernments alter but of the vniuersal and common causes for as strong healthful bodies fall sicke for common causes so Common-weales which are mixed bodies are trans-formed and changed by common causes The reuolutions of the heauens suffer nothing to continue still without corruption that are vnder the Orde of the Moone but all are subiect to alteration and corruption especiallie because those that rule and gouerne Common-weales are frée agents though notwithstanding some saie that séeing that those which gouerne the Common-wealth are not necessary but frée Agents the naturall Agents ought not to be respected for this doth not hinder that some gouernments are more easily transformed changed into others because they be more readie and more disposed to be trans-formed into some then into others whether the causes for which they be trans-formed and chaunged be vniuersall or particular And that Plato in his Bookes De Repub did not set downe the particuler causes why Common-weales were changed it was because hee imagining and sayning a certaine Common-wealth the Idea whereof is that which he writte in his bookes De Repub. he needed not to sette downe the particuler causes why Common-weales doe alter seeing that the vniuersall cause suffiseth So that as in healthfull and sound bodies the generall causes suffice to alter their health and soundnes so in a perfect Common-welth the reuolutions of the heauens doo suffise to alter and change them and Plato seeing he intreated not particularlie of one especiall kind of gouernment but generally of the Idaea or example of all Common-weales he needed not to sette downe the especiall and particular causes why the gouernments change and alter for seeing as we haue said that those which change them are free Agents it suffised to sette downe the generall and common causes for to shew how they are chaunged because the particular speciall causes of the alteration of gouernments though they procéede from frée Agents yet they be reduced vnto common and vniuersall causes By this is concluded that though the Kingdome and Tyrannie be contraries and as Aristotle saith differ greatlie yet neuerthelesse a kingdome is sooner trans-formed and changed into a Tyrannie then into an Aristocracie or Democracie for they are more distant and seperated from the kingdome then the Tyrannie which is vnder the same kinde in which the kingdom is Héereby may we cléerlie perceiue that Aristotle would rather find sault with his Master Plato as he doth in many other things then to solow and declare that which hee learned of him in the space of twentie yeres in which time he was his Scholler 15 And that all men may vnderstande that there was no cause why Aristotle should reprehende his Maister Plato touching the kinds and diuersities of Common-weales they ought to presuppose that Plato in his Bookes De republica setteth down the Idaea and forme of a well instituted Cōmon-wealth and in his Dialogue De regno he setteth down an Idaea or example of a good and iust King and conformable vnto y t which he treateth he doth distinguish the kindes or diuersities of the Common-weales respecting both the subiect and the intent of those that gouerne them The subiect is that those which gouerne be one a few or manie the end is that the Common-wealth should be well gouerned and the intent is that thing which they which rule them doo principallie pretend And the more these kindes of Common-weales doe imitate the Idaea which Plato setteth downe the better they be and the lesse they imitate them the worse they be Plato saith that they be the worse because he speaketh not of corrupt Common-weales and naughtie gouernments but of good Common-weales and those which imitate the Idaea which he setteth down respecting those Common-weales which are well gouerned of which be spake he erred not in saying