Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	better_a	force_n	great_a	51	3	2.0871	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57590	The secrets of government and misteries of state plainly laid open, in all the several forms of government in the Christian world / published by John Milton, Esq.; Cabinet-council	Raleigh, Walter, Sir, 1552?-1618.; Milton, John, 1608-1674.	1697 (1697)	Wing R187; ESTC R226476	78,208	248

other State for that the Party injured doth oft by indirect means though with hazard of his Country and himself seek satisfaction Example The Complaint which the Galli made against the Fabii who sent Ambassadors in favour of the Tossani not being heard nor any punishment inflicted upon them for Fighting against the Law of Nations was the cause that the Galli were offended with the States whereof followed the sack of Rome and the delay of Justice in Philip of Macedon for not revenging the incestuous oppression of Attalus to Pausanias was the Motive to murther that King Whoso endeavours the alteration of any State must of necessity proceed with all severity and leave some memorable Example to those that shall impugn the Ordinance of Government newly setled Example When Junius Brutus had by his great Valour banish'd the Traquins and sworn the People that no King should ever reign in Rome within short time after many young Nobles among whom was Brutus's Son impatient of the equality of the new Government conspired to recall the Tarquins but Brutus thereof informed caused his own Son not only to be condemned to death but was himself present at the Execution As Health and soundness of the Hands Legs and other outward Members cannot continue Life unless the Heart and vital Spirits within be strong and sirm so Fortifications and Frontier-desences do not prevail unless the whole Corps of the Kingdom and People be well armed Example When the Emperor came into Italy and had with some difficulty past the confines of the Venetians well near without resistance his Army march'd to Venice and might doubtless have possest the City had it not been defended with Water Likewise the English in their assault of France excepting a few Encounters on the Frontiers found no puissant resistance within the Realm And Anno 1513. they forced all that State and the King himself to tremble as ost before they had done but contrariwise the Romans knowing that Life lay in the Heart ever held the Body of their State strongest For the nearer the Enemy approach'd Rome the better they found the Country armed and defended The desire to command sovereignly is of so great Force as doth not only work in those that are in expectation of Principality but also in them that have no Title at all Example this Appetite moved the Wife of Tarquinius Priscus contrary to all natural Duty to incite her Husband to murder her own Father Servius and possess his Kingdom as being persuaded it were much more honourable to be a Queen than to be the Daughter of a King The violation of ancient Laws Orders and Customs under which People have long time lived is the chief and only cause whereby Princes hazard their Estate and Royal Dignity Example Albeit the deflowring of Lucrece was the occasion yet was it not the cause that moved the Romans to take Arms against Tarquin for he having before that fact of Sextus his Son governed Tyrannically and taken from the Senate all Authority was become odious both to the Senate Nobility and People who finding themselves well-governed never seek or wish any other liberty or alteration A Prince that desires to live secure from Conspiracy hath cause rather to fear those on whom he hath bestowed over-great Riches and Honors than those whom he hath greatly injured because they want Means to offend the other have many opportunities to do it Example Perrenius the prime Favorite of Commodus the Emperor conspired his Death Plautianus did the like to Severus and Sejanus to Tiberius for being advanced to so great Honors Riches and Offices as nothing remained desirable but the Imperial Title they conspired against the Persons of their Sovereigns in hope of the Dignity but in the end they endured that Punishment which to such Disloyalty and Ingratitude appertaineth An Army which wants Experience albeit the Captain be expert is not greatly to be feared neither ought an Army of well-train'd Soldiers to be much esteemed whose Captain is ignorant Example Caesar going into Africa against Afranius and Petraeus whose Army was full of old Soldiers said he feared them little Quia 〈◊〉 ad exercitum sine duce Contrariwise when he went to Pharsalia to encounter Pompey he said Ibo ad ducem sine exercitu A Captain General commanding an Army ought rather to govern with Curtesie and Mildness than with over-much Austerity and Severity Example Q. and Appius Claudius being Consuls were appointed to govern the War To Q. was allotted one Army which served very dutifully but Appius commanding the other with great Cruelty was by his Soldiers unwillingly obeyed Nevertheless Tacitus seems of contrary Opinion saying Plus Poena quam obsequium valet Therefore to reconcile these different Conceits I say that a General having power to command Men either they are Confederates or Subjects If Confederates or Voluntaries he may not proceed to extream punishment if Subjects and his power absolute they may be governed otherwise yet with such respect as the insolence of the General inforce not the Soldiers to hate him Honour may sometime be got as well by the loss as gaining of Victory Every Man knoweth Glory is due to the Victor and we deny not the same Priviledge to the vanquished being able to make proof that the Loss proceeded not from his Default Neither is it dishonourable to violate those Promises whereto the necessity or disadvantage of War inforceth And forced Promises which concern a whole State are not binding and rarely or ever kept nor is the Breaker thereby to receive Disgrace Example Posthumus the Consul having made a dishonourable Peace with the Samnites was by them with his whole Army sent home disarmed Being arrived at Rome the Consul informed the People they were not bound to perform the base Conditions he was compelled to yield unto albeit he and those few that promised were bound to perform them The Senate thereupon concluded to send him Prisoner to Samno where he constantly protested the Fault to be only his own wherefore the People by that Peace incurred no Dishonour at all And Fortune so much favoured Posthumus as the Samnites were content presently to return him to Rome where he became more glorious for losing the Victory than was Pontius at Samno for having won the Victory Wise Men have long observed That who so will know what shall be must consider what is past for all worldly Things hold the same course they had at first The Reason is that as long as Men are possest with the same Passions with former Ages consequently of these doings the same effects ensue Example The Almains and French have ever been noted for their Avarice Pride Fury and Infidelity and so in divers Ages experience hath proved even to this present For perfidious Dealing the French have given sufficient proof not only in ancient times but also in the time of Charles VIII who promised to render to the Florentines the Forts of Pisa but having divers times

Persons of Authority and Reputation for he that hopeth no Good feareth no Evil Yet true it is that dangerous Enterprises the more they be thought upon the less Hope they give of good Success for which reason Conspiracies not suddenly executed are for the most part revealed or abandoned All People do naturally imitate the Manners of their Prince and observing his Proceedings resolve to Hate or Love him But if they happen once to Hate the Prince then his Doings Good or Evil are afterwards not Good but if at the beginning he gained the Love of the People then every bad Action is reputed a Vertue as though he could not be induced to do amiss without good Cause or Reason Greatly are Princes deceived if in the Election of Ministers they more respect their own particular Affection than the Sufficiency of the Person elected A Prince having conquered any new Dominion is thereby rather incumbered than strengthened unless the same be after well governed and seldom is it seen that a Principality by ill means gotten hath been long enjoyed As to the Perfection of the whole Body soundness of Head only sufficeth not unless the other Members also do their Office even so it is not enough that a Prince be Faultless but it behoveth also that the Magistrates and Ministers should perform their Duty Great Princes rarely resist their Appetites as for the most part private Men can for they being always honored and obeyed do seldom with Patience indure the want of any thing reasonable as being perswaded that what they desire is Just and that their Commandment hath power to remove all Difficulties All Men are naturally good when no respect of Profit or Pleasure draws them to become Evil. But this Worlds Corruption and our Frailty is such as easily and often for our particular Interest we incline to the worst which was the cause that wise Law-makers found out Reward and Punishment the one to incite Men to Good the other to fear them from being Evil. A Tyrant indeavoreth to maintain his Estate by three means First He practiseth to hold all Subjects in extreme Awe and to be basely minded to the end they should want Courage to take Arms against him Secondly He kindleth Diffidence and Discord among the Great Men thereby to remove occasion of Conspiracy and Combination Lastly He holdeth them Disarmed and Idle so as they neither know nor can attempt any thing against him To govern is nothing else but to hold Subjects in Love and Obedience for in respect of the end they ought not and in regard of the other they cannot attempt any thing contrary to the Governor's Will and their Duty The Laws and Ordinances of a Common-weale made at the beginning thereof when Men were good do often prove unprofitable when they are become evil and therefore new Laws are made according to the Accidents which happen The Discontent and Disorder of People is ever occasioned by the Inequality of their Goods because the Poorer sort would be made equal to the Rich but the Offence that grows among great Men is the desire of Honor for they being equal do endeavor to aspire to equal Authority A Prince that desireth by means of his Ambassador to deceive any other Price must first abuse his own Ambassador to the end he should do and speak with more Earnestenss being indeed perswaded that the Intent and Meaning of his Master is Simple which happily would not were he privy that his Prince's Meaning were to Dissemble This course is also commonly holden by those that by Imployment of a third Person would perswade any thing Feigned or False For the Performance of Conditions of Treaty of Peace or League of Amity the Promises Vows and Oaths of Princes are of great Effect and because Fidelity in a Man is not ever certain and time doth daily offer Occasions of Variation there is no Assurance so Secure and Good as to stand so prepared as the Enemy may want able means how to offend To resolve in Matters Doubtful or answer Requests which we are not willing to grant the least offensive way is not to use direct Denial but by delays prolong the time and so in effect afford good Expectation The old Proverb faith Magistratus virum ostendit which is no less true than Ancient for Men in such Fortune are occasioned not only to make proof of their Sufficiency but also to discover their Affections and the more their Greatness is the less respect they have to contain those Passions which are natural Albeit great Troubles and continual Adversity seem Insupportable yet is there nothing more Dangerous than overmuch Prosperity and being pressed by new Appetites they disturb their own Security In speaking of Occurrents doubtful it is always Wisdom to feign Ignorance or at least alledge that we believe them not for most commonly they are utterly untrue or far other than vulgarly is believed The Actions of Men are commonly liked or disallowed according to the bad or good Success attributing that to Council which sometimes is due to Fortune The Multitude of Men were wont to be more pleased with sudden than slow Resolutions and many times account those Enterprises Generous which are rashly and inconsiderately attempted Great Difference there is between Subjects Desperate and others which are only Discontented for the one desire nothing but present Alteration which they endeavor with all Hazard the other wish for Innovation inciting any Motion or Practice because their Intent is to attend time and that occasion may present it self A Benefit bestowed on him who thinketh himself greatly injured doth not suffice to raze the same out of his Memory chiefly if the Benefit be given at such time as no mere Motion but Necessity may seem the occasion thereof That Peace ought to be desired which removed Suspition which assureth us from Peril which bringeth Quiet certain and acquitteth us of Expences but when it worketh contrary Effects it may be called a dangerous War covered with the name of Deceitful Trust not unlike a perilous Poyson ministred in lieu of a wholsome Medicine The Effect of things and not External show or seeming ought to be regarded yet it is credible what great Grace is gained by courteous Speech and Affability the reason whereof is as I suppose that every Man believeth he doth merit more than indeed he is worthy and consequently holdeth himself injured whensoever he findeth Men not to afford him like Estimation Men ought in any wise to refrain to do or say any thing which may offend for which respect it were great Folly either in presence or absence to utter displeasing Speech unless necessity inforceth The Matters whereof Counsellors are chiesly to consider are five The Prince's Revenue Peace and War Defence Traffick and what Laws are to be made In giving Council divers things are to be observed but amongst them are two of most Importance First It behoveth that he who is counselled should be Wise for seeing Counsel