if the father had not bene vertuous and the childe sage But the Senate would haue done this and more also for Valentinian because he did deserue it well of the Romaine people For it is reason in distributing of the offices that princes haue more respecte to the desertes of the fathers then to the tender age of the children This young Gracian began to be so temperate and was so good a Christian in fauouring the churche that it was muche quiete and great pleasure to the Romaine people to haue chosen him and greater ioye to the father being aliue to haue begotten hym so that he lefte for him after his death an immortall memorie of his life For the childe that is vertuous is always the memory of the father after his death In the yeare of the foundation of Rome a thousand a hundreth thirtie and two she said Gracian the younger was created sole heire of the whole empire his vncle Valent and his father being departed the worlde After Gracian came to the empyre many Byshoppes whiche were banished in the t me of his vncle Valent were restored to the curche againe and banished al the sect of the Arrians out of his region Truly he shewed him selfe to be a very religious and catholike prince For there is no better iustice to confounde humaine malice then to establishe the good in their estate In the first yeare of the reigne of Gracian emperour all the Germaines and the Gothes rebelled against the Romaine empire for they would not only not obey him but also they prepared an huge army to enuade his empire Imagining that sithe Gracian was young he neither had the wytte nor yet the boldnes to resiste them For where the prince is young there oftimes the people suffred muche wrong and the realme great misery Newes come to Rome howe that the Gaules and Germaines were vp the emperour Gracian wrote to all the catholike byshoppes that they should offer in their churches great sacrifices with prayers vnto God and in Rome likewyse it was ordeined that generally processions should be had to the ende almighty god shoulde moderate his ire against his people For good Christians first pacifie god with praiers before they resiste their enemies with weapons This good prince shewed him selfe to be no lesse warlike in his outward affaires then a good Christiā in his religion For god geueth victories vnto princes more through teares then through weapons These thinges thus finished and his affaires vnto god recommended the noble emperour Gracian determined to marche on and him selfe in persone to giue the battaile And truly as at the first he shewed him selfe to be a good christian so nowe he declared him selfe to be a valiaunt emperour For it were a great infamie and dishonour that a prince by negligence or cowardnes shoulde lose that whiche his predecessours by force of armes had gotten The army of the enemies exceaded far the Romain army in nombre and when they met togethers in a place called Argentaria the Romaines being inferiour to their enemies in numbre were afraide For in the warres the great multitude of ennemies and their puissaunte power maketh oft times the desired victorie to be doubtfull This thing seene of the Romaines and by them considered importunatly they besought the Emperour not to charge the battayle for they saide he had not men sufficiente And herein they had reason For the sage prince should not rashely hazarde his person in the warre nor yet should lightely put his life in the handes of fortune The Emperour Gracian not chaunging coūtenaunce nor stopping in his wordes to al his knightes which wer about him answered in this wise ¶ Of the godly Oration which the Emperour Gracian made to his souldiours before he gaue the battaile Cap. xxvi VAliaunt knightes and companions in warre moste thankefully I accept your seruice in that you haue solde your goodes and doe offer your liues here to accompanie me in the warres and herein you shewe your duties for of right you ought to lose your goodes and to venture your liues for the defence suertie of your countrie But if I geue you some thankes for your company knowe you that I geue much more for your good counsell which presently you geue me for in great conflictes seldome is founde together both good counsell and stoute hartes If I haue enterprised this battaile in hope of mans power then you had had reason that we shoulde not geue the battaile seing the great multitude that they haue and the smal numbre that we are for as you say the weightie affaires of the publike weale should not vnaduisedly be committed to the incertaintie of fortune I haue taken vpon me this daungerous and perillous warres firste trusting that on my part iustice remaineth and sith god is the same onely iustice I truste assuredly he will geue me the victorie in this perillous conflict For iustice auaileth princes more that they haue then the men of warre do whiche they leade Wherfore sith my cause is iuste and that I haue god the onely iudge thereof on my side me thinketh if for any worldly feare I shoulde cease to geue the battayle I should both shew my selfe to be a prince of small fayth and also blaspheme god saying he were of small iustice For god sheweth moste his power there where the fraylenes of man hath leste hope Then sithe I beginne the warre and that by me the warre is procured and for me you are come to the warre I haue determined to enter into the battaile and if I perishe therein I shal be sure it shal be for the memory of my personne and the saluation of my soule For to die through iustice is not to die but to chaunge death for life And thus doing if I lose my life yet therefore I lose not my honour and all this considered I doe that whiche for the common wealth I am bounde For to a prince it were great infamy and dishonour that the quarell being his owne should by the bloud of others be reuenged I wyll proue this day in battaile whether I was chosen Emperour by the deuine wyll or not For if god this day causeth my life to be taken from me it is a manifest token he hath a better in store for me and if through his mercy I be preserued it signifieth that for some other better thing he graunteth me life For in the ende the sword of the enemie is but the scourge of our offences The best that I see therfore in this matter to be done is that til three daies be passed the battayle be not geuen and that we confesse our selues this night and in the morning prepare our selues to receiue our redemer besides this that euery man pardon his christian brother if he haue had any wrong or iniury done him For oftimes though the demaunde of the warre be iust yet many mishaps befall therin through the offences of those which pursue and followe the same
take to their custody we are bouÌ„d to defend it is not lawfull for vs to diminish their credite Suppose that this my worke were not so profound as it might be of this matter nor with such eloqueÌ„ce set out as many other bokes are yet I dare be bolde to say that the prince shal take more profit by reading of this worke than Nero did by his loue Pompeia For in the end by reading and studieng good bookes men tourne become sage and wise and by keping il company they are counted fooles vitious My meaning is not nor I am not so importunat and vnreasonable to perswade princes that they should so fauour my doctrine the it should be in like estimacion now in these partes as the amber was there in Rome But that which only I require demaund is that the time which Nero speÌ„t in singing telling the héere 's of his loue Pompeia should now be employed to redresse the wrongs faultes of the common wealth For the noble worthy prince ought to employ the least part of the day in the recreation of his person After he hath giueÌ„ audience to his counsaylours to the embassadours to the great Lordes prelates to the riche and poore to his owne countrey men and straungers after that he be come into his priuy chamber then my desire is that he would reade this treatise or some other better than this for in princes chambers oftentimes those of the priuie chaÌ„ber and other their familiares loase great time in reciting vayne and trifling maters and of small profit the which might better be spent in reading some good booke In al worldly affaires that we do in al our bookes which we compile it is a greate matter to be fortunate For to a man that fortune doth not fauour diligence without doute can little auaile Admitte that fortune were against me in that this my worke should be acceptable vnto your maiestie without comparison it should be a great grief dishonor vnto me to tel you what should be good to reade for your pastime if on thother parte you woulde not profite by mine aduise For my mind was not only to make this booke to the end princes should reade it for a pastime but to that end in recreating theÌ„ selues somtimes they mought thereby also take profit Aulus Gellius in the. 12. chapter of his thirde booke entituled De nocte attica said that amongs al the schollers which the diuine Plato had one was named Demosthenes a man amongest the Gréekes moste highly estemed of the Romaynes greatly desired Because he was in his liuing seuere and in his tonge and doctrine a very saâ—ire If Demosthenes had come in the time of Phalaris the tiraunt whan Grecia was peopled with tirau tes and that he had not bene in Platoes tyme when it was replenished with Philosophers truelye Demosthenes had bene as cleare a lanterne in Asia as Cicero the greate was in Europe Greate good happe hath a notable man to be borne in one age more then in any other I meane that if a valiaunt Knight come in the tyme of a couragious and stout prince such one truly shal be estemed and set in great authoritie But if he come in the time of an other effeminate and couetous prince he shall not be regarded at al. For he wil rather esteme one that wil augment his treasour at home than him that can vanquishe his enemies in battayle abrode So likewise it chaunseth to wise and vertuous men which if they come in the time of vertuous and learned princes are estemed and honoured But if they come in tyme of vayne and vitious princes they make small accounte of them For it is an auncient custome amonge vanities children not to honor him which to the common wealth is most profitable but him whiche to the prince is most acceptable The ende why this is spoken Most pusant Prince is because the twoo renoumed philosophers were in Grece both at one time and because the diuine philosopher Plato was so much estemed and made of they did not greatly esteme the philosopher Demosthenes For the emineÌ„t and high renoume of one alone diminisheth the fame estimacion amoÌ„g the people of many Although Demosthenes was such a one in dede as we haue sayd that is to witte eloquent of tonge ready of memory sharpe and quicke of witte in liuing seuere sure and profitable in geuing of counsaile in renoume excellent in yeres very auncient and in philosophie a man right wel learned Yet he refused not to goe to the scholes of Plato to heare morall philosophie He that shall reade this thinge or heare it ought not to merueile but to folow it and to profit likewise in the same that is to vnderstande that one philosopher learned of an other and one wise maÌ„ suffered him selfe to be taught of an other For knowledge is of such a qualitie that the more a man knoweth dayly there encreaseth in him a desire to knowe more All thinges of this life after they haue bene tasted and possessed cloyeth a man wearieth and troubleth him true science onely excepted which neuer doth cloy weary nor troble them And if it happen we wery any it is but the eyes which are weried with lokinge and reading and not the spirite with féeling and tastinge Many Lordes and my familiar friendes doe aske me how it is possible I shoulde liue with so much study And I also demaunde of them how it is possible they should liue in such continuall idelnes For considering the prouocacion and assaultes of the flesh the daungers of the world the temptacions of the deuil the treasons of enemies importunities of friendes what hart can suffer so great and continual trauaile but onely in reading comforting him selfe in bookes Truely a man ought to haue more compassion of a simple ignoraunte man than of a poore man For there is no greater pouerty vnto a man than to lacke wisdome whereby he should know how to gouerne him selfe Therefore folowinge our matter the case was such one day Demosthenes going to the schole of Plato sawe in the market place of Athens a greate assembly of people which were hearing a philosopher newely come vnto that place he spake not this without a cause that there was a greate companye of people assembled For that naturallye the common people are desirous to heare new and straunge things Demosthenes asked what philosopher he was after whome so many people went and when it was aunswered him that it was Calistratus the philosopher a man which in eloquence was very swéete and pleasaunt he determined to staie and heare him to th ende he woulde knowe whither it were true or vayne that the people tolde hym For oftentymes it happeneth that amonge the people some gette them selues greate fame more by fauour than by good learninge The difference betwixte the diuine Philosopher Plato and Calistratus was in that Plato was exceadinglye well
armies ioyned together and fought betwene Verona Trento wher king Syndual was conquered and taken aliue and the same day without any delay was hanged openly And because that Narsetes was not accustomed to vse such cruelty against those that were ouercome especially against kings and worthie Knightes he commaunded his title to be set on the gibbet wheron the kinge hanged which said this ¶ A simple corde here stopt king Synduals breath By fautles doome of hye Narsetes hest Not that he sought by warlike deedes his death But that in peace he dyd a Traitor rest Such and many other battailes and victories had this aduenturous and good captaine not only in the borders of Italye but also in Asia where for many yeres he had the gouernement of the country And as he was a good christian so almighty god in all his affaires did prosper him After all these warres past Iustinian the younger sent him to the kyngdome of constantinople to be chiefe gouernour of al those prouinces and although he dyd wel in warlike affaires yet he did much better in the administracion of the common wealth For men that are accustomed to trauaile in warres haue a good lerning howe to gouerne the people in peace For this occasion amongest all mortall men Narsetes was praysed and estemed that is for his valyauntnes in the batailes which he ouercame for his riches through the spoyles that he toke and for the iustice he ministred to all men where he ruled Narsetes because he was a Gretian borne was enuied of the Romaines chiefly because he dayly encreased both his honour and riches For truly vertue honour riches in a mā are but a brond to light enuy to al the world And thus was the case One daye ther came many noble Romaines to the emperour Iustinian to the Empresse Sophia Augusta to complaine of Narsetes and of his behauiour gouerning said these words vnto them We let you to wete most noble prince soueraigne lady that we had rather of the two to serue the Gothes then to obey the Greekes we speake this because that the Eunuch comaunded vs more to his owne seruice then hee dooth to that of yours and the worst is that you know it not if you know it at the lest you do not remedie it Chose therfore one of these two things whether you wil deliuer vs frō the gouernment of the greke or suffer that we put Rome our selues into the hands of the Gothes For it is lesse griefe for the Romaines to be subiect to a puisant king then to an effeminate Eunuch a tiraunt Narsetes being present hearing these quarelles as they say said thus O noble prince if I haue committed any euil it is vnpossible for me to find one that wil do me good but if I haue done wel no man shal be able to do me wrōg The empresse Sophia of long time before had hated Narsetes some saide it was because he was an Eunuch other thinke it was because he was rich some other iudge because he was in greater authoritie in the empire then shee Wherfore perceuing she had good occasion oportunitie for the same she spake a word much to his reproche which was this Sith thou art an Eunuch Narsetes not a man it is not fit for the to haue a mans office therfore I cōmaund the to worke with my handmaidens and ther thou shalt serue to spin and weaue clothes Narsetes toke this word heauily truly it was with great spight spoken Wherfore he stoutly couragiously spake vnto the Empresse Sophia these words said I had rather most excellent Princesse thou haddest chastised me as a noble dame then to haue reproued me with a word as a simple womā but since it is so that you haue liberty authoritie to comaund me know you also that I haue the selfe same to obey you and therfore I take my leaue now I go to weaue my webbe which perhappes your self whilest you liue shal neuer vntwine Narsetes immediatly went his way came into Italye into the citye of Naples chiefe and head of Campagnia and from thense he depeached his imbassadours immediatly to the king of Hungarie wher the Lumbardes at the time had their mansion place coūsailing them to forsake that land so euyl tilled so barren cold and litle that they shold come enhabite Italye which was a plaine countrie fartile ample temperat very riche and that now or neuer they should conquere it And Narsetes therwith not contented but to prouoke his frends the more make them the more couetous sente theym part of euery good thing that was in Italy that is to wete lyght horses riche armour swete pleasant dainty fruits fine mettailes many kinds of oyntments very odiferous silkes marchaūdises of many diuers sortes The embassadors ariued in Panony which now is called Hungarie were honorably receiued the Lumbardes seing that ther wer suche so many goodly things in Italie determined to leaue Pannonia go spoile conquere Italy although it belōged to Rome were at the season frends with the Romaines yet notwithstanding they had litle respect to this And hereat no man ought to merueile for in the place ther is neuer perfite frendshippe wher he that commaundeth is cōstrained to demaund helpe of others The Lumbards determined to passe into Italy at the time ther was sene of the Italians visibly in the ayer sondry armies of fire the one cruelly killing the other Whiche thinges greatly feared the hartes of the people For by this they knew that with in a short space much of their bloud of their enemies also should be shed For it is an old auncient custome that when any great matter doth chaunce to anye Realme first the planetes elements do declare the same by secret tokens The ingratitude of the Emperour Iustinian against Narsetes his captaine the euyll words which Sophia spake vnto him wer thoccasiō that the Lumbardes inuaded destroyed al Italy which thing valiant Princes ought wel to note to kepe them selues from ingratitude towards their seruauntes who hath don them great seruice For it is a general rule that the ingratitude of a great benefit maketh the seruaunts dispaire of recompence or of a faithfull seruaunt maketh him become a cruel mortal enemy And let not Princes trust men because they be natife of their realmes brought vp nourished in their palaces alwaies haue bene faithful in their seruices that therfore they wil not of good subiectes be turned to euill nor yet of faithful become disloyall For suche imaginacion is vaine For the Prince that in his doings is vnthankefull cannot keape nor reteyne anye honest man longe in his seruice One thynge the noble Iustinian did with Narsetes whereof all noble and sage Princes ought to beware that is to know he did not onely giue eare vnto his enemyes and beleued them
After the thre daies are past and eche thing according to my saiynges before accomplished in euery point as behoueth then let god dispose thinges as he shall see good for nowe I am fully determined to aduenture my life in battaile Wherfore my valiaunt and stout warriers doubt not at all for this day I must either vanquishe mine enemies or els suffer death and if I die I doe that whiche nedes I must Wherfore I will now cease to exhorte you any more desiring you to consider that wherunto your dutie leadeth you remembring that you are come as knightes and in the defence of your countrey you wage battayle for nowe we are come to that pinche that dedes must more auayle vs then wordes For peace ought to be mainteyned by the tongue but warres ought to be atchieued by the sworde All these wordes then ended and the three dayes past the emperour Gracian in parsone gaue the battayle where the conflicte and slaughter on both sides was marueilous terrible yet in the end the emperour Gracian had the victory ouer his enemies and there died in that conflicte .xxx. thousande Gothes and Almaines and of the Romaines there were not slaine but fiue thousande For that army onely is preserued whiche to the deuine will is conformable Let all other princes take example by this noble prince let thē consider howe muche it auayleth them to be good Christians and that in great warres conflictes they nede not feare the great nombre of their enemies but they ought greatly to se that the wrath of god be pacified For the harte is more dismayde with the secrete sinnes then it is feared with the opē enemies ¶ That the captaine Theodosius which was father of the great Emperour Theodosius died a good Christian And of the king Hismarus and the bishop Siluanus and of a councell that was celebrated with the lawes whiche they made and established in the same Cap. xxvii THe two brethren being emperours that is to wete Valentinian Valent in the costes of Affryke and the realme of Mauritania a tyraunt vsurped the place of a kinge against the Romains Who was named Thyrmus a man hardy in trauailes in daungers stout For the aduenturous hartes oftimes doe commit many tyrannyes This tyran Thyrmus by much crueltie came possessed of the realme of Mauritania not contented therwith but also by tyrāny possessed a great part of Affrike prepared as Hānibal did an huge army to passe into Italy to die in chalēging the empire of Rome This was a renowmed tyraunt that neuer toke pleasure in any other thing so muche as to spoyle robbe others of their goodes The Romaines that in all their doinges were very sage of the tyranny of tyrauntes sufficiently monished immediatly prepared a great army to passe into Affryke to spoyle the realme and to destroy the tyrante by the cōmaundement and decre of the Senate and that for no pacte or couenaunt the tyraunt shoulde lyue And without doubte this commaundement was iust For to him that is a destroyer of the common wealth it is not punishement enough to take awaye his lyfe At that tyme there was a knyghte in Rome whose name was Theodosius a man well stryken in yeares and yet better approued in warres but he was not the richest howbeit he vaūted him self as truth was to be of the bloud of Traian the great Emperour vpon which occasion he was greatly honoured and feared in Rome for the commons were so noble and gracious towards their princes that all those whiche from the good and vertuous Emperour descended were of the whole common wealth greatly estemed This noble Theodosius was of yeares so auncient and so honoured in his olde age for his graye heares so noble of linage and so approued in warres that he was by the authoritie of the Emperour Valentinian by the consent of all the Senate and by the good wylles of the whole people chosen to goe to the conquest of Afrike and truly their reason was good For Theodosius desired much to fight against that tyraunt Thirmus and all the people were glad that such a captaine led the armie So this Theodosius imbarked with his armie departed from Rome and in fewe dayes arryued at Bona whiche was a citie greatly replenished with people situated in a hauen of the sea in Afrike And as he and his armie were landed the tyran Thirmus forthwith encamped his armie in the fielde in the face of the Romaines and so all beinge planted in the plaine the one to assaulte and the others to defend immediatly the two armies ioyned and the one assaulting the other fiercely on bothe sydes was great slaughter So that those whiche to daye were conquered to morowe did conquere and those whiche yesterday were conquerours afterward remained conquered For in long warres fortune chaungeth In the prouince of Mauritania there was a strong citie called Obelista and as the captaine Theodosius by his force occupied all the field the tyran Thirmus fortified him selfe in that citie the which valiauntly being assaulted of the captaine Theodosius almost with his men entring into the same the tyranne Thirmus because he would not commit hym selfe vnto the faith of other men slew him self with his proper handes For the propertie of proude and disdainfull hertes is rather to die in libertie then to liue in captiuitie At that tyme the Emperour Valent by the arte of Nigromancie wrought secretly to knowe what lucke should succede in the Romaine Empire And by chaunce a woman being an enchauntresse had aunswere of the deuill that the name whiche with these letters should be wrytten should be successour to the Empire and the letters were these T.E.O.D. The Emperour Valent diligently enquired of all the names which with these foure letters could be named and they found that those signified the Theodotes the Theodores and the Theodoses wherfore Valent furthwith put all those to the sworde that were of that name Suche was the wickednes of the Emperour Valent supposing thei would haue taken the Empire from him being alyue For the tyranous Prince lyueth euer in gelousie and suspition The excellent captaine Theodosius the tyranne Thirmus being dead and hauing subdued all Affrike to the Romaine Empire was burdened that he was a secret traytour to the Empyre and that he compassed to wynne the same by tyrannie for this cause therefore the Emperour Valent gaue sentence he shoulde be beheaded And this was done he neuer hearyng of it and muche lesse culpable thereof for all Prynces that be wylfull in their doynges are very absolute of their sentence This come to the eares of Theodosius and seyng that he was condemned to be beheaded he sent incontinent for the Byshoppe of Carthage to whome he demaunded the water of the holy Baptisme and so being baptised and in the fayth of Christ instructed was by the hangeman put to execution Of this so greuous outtragious and detestable facte euery man iudged this Theodosius to suffer
whan they had no ambition nor couetousnes they knewe not what battaile mente It is reason therfore that in this wrytinge we declare the cause why the first battaile was fought in the worlde to the ende princes may therof be aduertised and the curious reader remaine therin satisfyed The maner was thus that Bassa being king of Sodome Bersa kyng of Gomorrhe Senaab kyng of Adamee Semebar king of Seboime and Vale king of Segor were al fyue tributaries to Chodor laomor kynge of the Aelamites which fyue kynges conspired agaynst hym because they woulde paye hym no tribute and because they woulde acknowledge no homage vnto hym For the Realmes payeng tribute haue alwayes rebelled and sowed sedicions This rebellion was in the 13 yere of the reigne of Chodor Laonâ—or king of the Aelamytes and immediatly the yere following Anraphel king of Sernaar Arioch kinge of Ponte and Aradal kinge of the Allotali ioyned with Chodor-Laomor The which altogether beganne to make warres to destroy cities countreys vppon their enemyes For the olde malice of the warre is that where they cannot haue their enemyes whiche are in the faulte they put to sacke and distroy those which are innocent and giltlesse So the one assaulting and the other defending in the end all come to the field they gaue battayle as two enemyes and the greatest part was ouercome of the fewest and the fewest remained victorious ouer the greatest which thing GOD would suffer in the first battaile of the world to the end princes might take example that all the mishappes of the warres come not but because they are begon of an vniust occasion If Chodor Laomor had held himselfe contented as hys predecessours dyd and that he had not conquered Realmes in makinge theym subiect and had not caused theym to paye trybute neither they vnto him woulde haue denied reason nor he with theym woulde haue waged battaile For throughe the couetousnes of the one and the ambition of the other enmyties grewe betwene the people This considered whiche we haue spoken of sygnorye and of those which came into contentions for signoryes Let vs now se from whence the first oryginal of seruitude came and the names of seruauntes and lordes whiche were in the olde tyme and whether seruitude was by the discord of vertuous men firste brought into the world or els inuented by the ambytion of Tyrauntes For when the one commaundeth and the other obeyeth it is one of the nouelties of the world as the holy scripture declareth vnto vs in this maner The patriarche Noah had 3. sonnes which wer Shem Ham and Iaphet and the second sonne which was Ham begotte Cush and this Cush begot Nimrod Nimrod made him selfe a honter of wild beastes in the woodes and mountaines he was the first that began to play the tyraunt amongeste men inforcynge theyr personnes and taking theyr goodes and the scriptures called him Oppressor hominum which is to say an oppressor of men For men of euyl life alwayes coÌ„mit much euill in a common wealth He taught the Chaldeans to honour the fyre he was the first that presumed to be an absolute lorde and the firste that euer requyred of men homage and seruice This cursed tyraunte ended his lyfe in the golden world wherin al thinges were in common with the common wealth For the auncientes vsed their goodes in common but their willes onelye they reserued to them selues They ought not to thinke it a lighte matter for his person to haue bene a Tiraunt but they ought to thinke it a greater mater to haue bene a rebell in a common wealthe And muche more they oughte to take and esteame it as an euill matter in hym whyche hathe bene as he was a disturber of the good customes of hys countrye but the moste vniuste of all is to leaue behynd hym anye euyll custome brought into the common wealthe For if hee deserue greate infamye whyche woorketh euyll in hys lyfe trulye hee deserueth muche moore whych trauayleth to bryng that euyl in vre after hys death Eusebius semeth to affirme that after this Nimrod had destroyed the realme of Chaldea by his plagues he came to dwel in Italy with viii sonnes built the citie of Camesa which afterwards in Saturnes time was called Valentia in the time of Romulus it was called as it is at this present Rome And sithe this thinge was thus a man ought not to maruaile that Rome in auncient time was possessed with tyraunts and with tirauntes beaten downe since by so famous renowmed tyraunts it was founded For euen as Hierusalem was the doughter of the pacient the mansion of the quyet kinges in Asia so was Rome the mother of proude princes in Europe The histories of the gentiles which knew not the holy scripture declare in an other sort the beginninge of Signorye and seruitude when they came into the worlde for the Idolatrers not onlye did not know the creatoure of the world but also they were ignoraunte of many things which beganne in the world They therefore say that the Tyranne Nimrod amongest the others had a sonne called Belus that this Belus was the first the raigned in the land of Syria that he was the first that inuented warres on the earth that he set vp the first monarchie among the Assirians in the end he died after he had reigned 60 and 5. yeres in Asia left the world in great warres The first monarchie of the worlde was that of the Assirians continued 132. yeres The first king was Belus the last king was Sardanapalus whom at that tyme when he was slaine they found spinninge with women hauing a distaffe in his hand wherwith they vse to spinne truly this vile death was to good for such a cowardly king For the prince ought not to defend that with the distafe that his predecessours had wonne with the sworde As we haue said Nimrod begat Belus who had to wife Semyramis which was the mother of Ninus which Ninus succeded his father in tyranny in the empire also and both the mother the sonne not coÌ„tented to be Tyraunts inuented statues of newe gods For mans malice poursueth rather the euil which the wicked do inuent then the good which vertuous men begine We would haue shewed you how the graundfather the father the mother the sonne were Idolatrers warlicke to the end princes and great Lords might se that they beganne their Empyres more for that they were ambitious parsonnes then for that they were good paciente or vertuous men Albeit that Nimerod was the first that euer committed anye tyranny whether it be true or not that Belus was the firste that inuented warres and that Chodorlaormor was the first that inuented battayles and that ther be others wherof the writinges make no mencion euery man taking for himselfe afterwards all togethers those were occasions of euyll enough in the world to agre vnto those things Our inclinacion is greatly
only they are made euil This worthy woman kepyng alwaies such a faythful gard of her chyld that no flatterers should enter in to flatter him nor malicious to tel hym lyes bychaunce on a day a Romaine sayd vnto her these words I thinke it not mete most excellente princesse that thou shoulde be so dyligente aboute thy sonne to forget the affaires of the common wealth for prynces ought not to be kept so close that it is more easye to obtaine a sute at the gods then to speake one word with the prince To this the Empresse Mamea aunswered and said They which haue charge to gouerne those that do gouerne withoute comparison oughte to feare more the vyces of the kinge thenne the ennemyes of the Realme For the ennemyes are destroyed in a battaile but vyces remayne durynge the life and in the end enemyes do not destroy but the possessions of the land but the vycious prince destroyeth the good maners of the comon wealth These wordes were spoken of this worthye Romaine By the histories which I haue declared and by those which I omitte to recite al verteous men may know how much it profiteth them to bring vp their children in trauailes or to bring them vp in pleasures But now I ymagine that those which shall read this will praise that which is wel writen and also I trust they wil not giue their children so much their owne willes For men that read much worke litle are as belles the which do sound to cal others and they theim selues neuer enter into the church If the fathers did not esteame the seruice they do vnto God their owne honour nor the profite of their owne children yet to preserue them from disseases they ought to bring them vp in vertue withdraw them from vices For truly the children which haue bene brought vp daintely shal alwayes be diseased and sikely What a thinge is it to se the sonne of a labourer the cote without pointes the shyrte tottered and torne their feete bare their head without a cappe the body withoute a girdle in sommer without a hat in winter without a cloke in the day ploughing in the night driuing his herd eating bread of Rye or Otes lyeng on the earth or els on the strawe and in this trauaile to se this yong man so holy vertuous that euery man desireth and wisheth that he had such a sonne The contrarie commeth of noble mens sonnes the which we se are nourished brought vp betwene two fine holland sheetes layed in a costly cradel made after the new fashion they giue the nourse what she wil desire if perchaunce the child be sicke they chaunge his nource or els they appoint him a diet The father and the mother slepe neither night nor daye all the house watcheth they let him eate nothing but the broth of chyckins they kepe hym diligentely that he fal not downe the stayres the child asketh nothing but it is geuen him immediatly Finally they spend their time in seruyng them they waste their riches in geuyng them their delights they occupie their eyes but to behold them they imploye not their harts but to loue them But I sweare that those fathers whiche on this wise do spend their riches to pomper theim shal one day water their eyes to bewaile theym What it is to se the wast that a vaine man maketh in bringinge vp his child specially if he be a man sumwhat aged that at his desire hath a child borne He spendeth so muche goodes in bringing his vp wantonly whyles he is yong that oft times he wanteth to mary him when he commeth to age And that which worst of al is that that which he spendeth and employeth he thynketh it wel bestowed and thinketh that to much that he geueth for gods sake Though the fathers are very large in spendinge the mothers very curious and the norces ful of pleasures and the seruauntes very dilygente and attentiue yet it foloweth not that the children should be more hole then others For the more they are attented the more they be disseased the more they eate the more they are weake the more they reioyce the worse they prosper the more they wast and spend soo muche lesse they profite And all this is not without the secret permission of God For God wil not that the cloutes of children be of greater value then the garments of the poore God without a greate misterie toke not in hande the custodye of the poore and doth not suffer that the children of the rich men should prosper For the good bringeth vp his children without the preiudyce of the rich and to the profit of the comon wealth but the rich bringeth vp his children wyth the swet of the poore and to the domage of the common wealth Therfore if this thyng be true as it is it is but reason that the wolfe whych deuoureth vs do dye and the shepe which clotheth vs do lyue The fathers oft times for tendernes wyl not teach nor bryng vp their children in doctrine sayeng that as yet he is to yong and that there remayneth time enough for to be learned and that they haue leysure enough to be taught and further for the more excuse of their error they affirme that when the chyld in his youth is chastned he ronneth in daunger of his health But the euil respect which the fathers hath to their chyldren God suffereth afterwards that they come to be so slaunderous to the common wealth so infamous to their parents so disobedient to their fathers so euyl in their condicions so vnaduised and light in their behauiour so vnmeate for knowledge so vncorrigible for disciplyne so inclined to lies so enuyeng the truth that their fathers would not only haue punished them with sharpe correction but also they woulde reioyce to haue them buryed with bytter teares An other thyng ther is in this matter worthy to be noted and much more worthyer to be commended that is that the Fathers and mothers vnder the couller that their chyldren should be somewhat gracious they learne them to speake to bable to be great mockers and scoffers the which thing afterwards redoundeth to the great infamye and dishonour of the Father to the great peril of the sonne and to the greatest griefe and displeasure of the mother For the child which is brought vp wantonly without doctrine in his youth of necessity must be a foole when he is old If this which I haue sayd be euil this which I wil say is worse that the Fathers and mothers the gouernours or nources do teach them to speake dishonest things the which are not lawful and therfore ought not to be suffered to be spoken in that tender age nor the grauitie of the auncients ought not to lysten vnto them For there are no men vnlesse they be shamelesse that wil permit their children to be great bablers Those which haue the charge to gouerne good mens children ought to be very
say that ye were men withoute reason beinge not contented with the sweete and fertyle Italye but that throughe shedynge of bloude you should desire to conquere al the yearth In that ye say we deserue to be slaues because we haue no prince to commaund vs nor senat to gouerne vs nor army to defend vs to this I wil aunswere That since we had no enemies we neded no armies sith euery man is contented with his lotte and fortune we had no necessitie of a proude senate to gouerne vs we being as we are all equall it nede not we should coÌ„seÌ„t to haue anye princes amongest vs. For the office of princes is to suppresse tyrants to mainteine the people in peace If ye saye further that we haue not in our couÌ„trey a coÌ„mon wealth nor pollicy but that we liue as the brute bests in the mountaines in this also you haue but small reason For we in our couÌ„trey dyd suffer noe lyers neyther rebels nor sedicious persons nor meÌ„ that broughte vs froÌ„ strauÌ„ge couÌ„treis any apparaile for to be vicious so that sithe in apparaile we were honest in meat very teÌ„perate we neded no better behauiour For although in our countrey there are noe merchands of Carthage oyle of Mauritania marchaÌ„ts of Tire Steele of CaÌ„tabrie odours of Asia gold of Spaigne siluer of Britaine Amber of Sidonie silke of Damasco corne of Scicill wine of Candy purple of Arabye yet for al this we are not brutishe neyther cease to haue a coÌ„mon wealth For these such other like things geue more occasioÌ„ to stir vp many vices theÌ„ for verteous meÌ„ to liue accordiÌ„g to vertue Blessed happy is that coÌ„moÌ„ welth not where grete riches abuÌ„deth but where vertues are highly coÌ„meÌ„did not where many light angrie meÌ„ resort but where the pacieÌ„t are resideÌ„t therfore it foloweth that of that coÌ„moÌ„welth of Rome for being rich we should haue pitie of the coÌ„mon welth of Germany for being poore ye ought to haue enuye Would to god that the conteÌ„tacion we haue with our pouerty ye others had the same with your riches For then neyther ye had robbed vs of our couÌ„treis nor we had not comen hither now to coÌ„plaine in Rome of your tyraÌ„nye I se romaines that the one differeth much from the other For ye others thoughe ye heare our opressions yet thereby ye loase not your pastime but we others can neuer dry the teares of our eies nor cease to bewaile our infinite misfortunes ¶ The villaine concludethe his oration against the iudges which minister not iustice and declarethe howe preiudiciall suche wycked men are vnto the publyke weale Cap. v. YE woulde thinke I haue saide al that I can say but certainly it is not so For there remaineth many things to speak which to heare ye will be astonied yet be ye assured that to speak then I wil not be afrayed sith you others in doing theÌ„ are not ashamed For an opeÌ„ offence deserueth not secret correction I meruaile much at ye Romaines what ye meaned to send vs as you did such ignoraÌ„t iudges the which by the imortal gods I sweare can neyther declare vs your lawes much lesse they can vnderstaÌ„d ours And the cause of al this euil is that ye seÌ„t not those which be best able to minister to vs iustice in Germany but those which haue best frindes with you in Rome presuppose that to those of the senat ye geue the office of censourship more for importunitie theÌ„ for abilitie It is litle that I can say here in respect they dare do there That whiche ye coÌ„mauÌ„d theÌ„ here I know not but of that which they do there I am not ignoraunt which is Your iudges take all bribes that are brought vnto theÌ„ opeÌ„ly and they powle shaue as much as they can secretly They greuously punish the offeÌ„ces of the poore disseÌ„ble with the faultes of the riche they coÌ„seÌ„t to manye euils to haue occasion to coÌ„mit greater theftes they forget the gouernemeÌ„t of the people to take their pleasure in vice And being there to mitigate sclaunders theye are those which are most sclaunderous wtout goods it auailethe no man to aske iustice And finally vnder the colour that they be iudges of Rome they feare not to rob all the laÌ„d of Germany What meanethe this ye Romaines shall youre pride neuer haue end in coÌ„maÌ„ding nor your couetice in robbing Say vnto vs what ye wil in words but oppres vs not so in dedes If you do it for our children loade theÌ„ with yroÌ„s make theÌ„ slaues For ye caÌ„ not charge theÌ„ with more theÌ„ they are able to cary but of coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts tributs ye geue vs more theÌ„ we are either able to carye or suffer If you doe it for our goodes go thither take theÌ„ all For in our countrey we do not vse as ye Romaines do nor haue such coÌ„dicions as ye haue here in Rome For you desire to liue poore because ye desyre to dye riche If ye say that we wil rebel I marueile what you shoulde meane to think so sith ye haue spoiled vs robbed vs handled vs yll Assure me ye Romaines that ye wil not vnpeople vs I wil assure you we wil not rebell If our seruice do not contentye strike of our heads as to euil men For to tell ye the truth the knife shal not be so fearful to our necks as your tiranies be abhorred in our hartes Do ye knowe what you haue done ye Romaines ye haue caused vs of the miserable realme to sweare neuer to dwell with our wiues to sley oure own children rather then to leaue them in the handes of so wicked and cruel tirants as ye be For we had rather they should dye in libertie theÌ„ liue in bondage As desperate meÌ„ we haue determined to suffer eÌ„dure the beastly mocioÌ„s of the flesh during the time we haue to liue to the end we wil not get our wiues with childe For we had rather liue chast .20 or .30 yeares theÌ„ to leaue our childreÌ„ ê‘petual slaues If it be true that the children must endure that which the miserable fathers do suffer It is not only good to sley theÌ„ but allso it shoulde be better not to agree they should be borne Ye ought not to do this Romains for the laÌ„d takeÌ„ by force ought the better to be gouerned to the inteÌ„t that the miserable captiues seing iustice duely administred preseÌ„tly should therby forget the tiraÌ„ny passed coÌ„teÌ„t theÌ„selues with ê‘petual seruitude And sithe it is true that we are come to coÌ„plain of the oppressions which your officers do here vpoÌ„ the riuer of Danuby ê‘aduenture ye which are of the se nat will here vs though you are now determined to here vs yet ye are slow to remedy vs so that before ye begin to refourme an euil custome the whole coÌ„mon welth is all redy vndon I wil tel ye of some things therof to
in nothing delighted so much as by straunge hands to put men to death and to dryue away flies wyth his owne hands Smal is the nomber of those that I haue spoken in respect of those which I could recite of whom I dare say affirme that if I had bene as they I cannot tel what I would haue done or what I should haue desired but this I know it would haue bene more paynes to me to haue wonne the infamy that they haue wonne then to haue lost the lyfe that they haue lost It profyteth hym lytle to haue his ponds ful of fish his parkes ful of deere whych knoweth neyther how to hunte nor how to fysh I meane to shew by this that it profiteth a man lytle to be in great authority if he be not estemed nor honored in the same For to attayne to honour wysedome is requisite to kepe it pacience is necessarye Wyth great consyderacions wyse men ought to enterpryse daungerous thyngs For I assure them they shal neuer winne honour but wher they vse to recouer slaunder Returnyng therfore to our matter Puisaunt prynce I sweare durst vndertake that you rather desyre perpetual renowne through death then any idell rest in this life And hereof I do not merueile for ther are some that shal alwayes declare the prowesses of good prynces others which wyl not spare to open the vyces of euyl tiraunts For although your imperial estate is much your catholike person deserueth more yet I beleue wyth my hart se with these eyes that your thoughts are so highly bent vnto aduenturous dedes your hart so couragious to set vpon them that your maiestie litle estemeth the inheritaunce of your predecessours in respect of that you hope to gaine to leaue to your successours A captaine asked Iulius Cesar as he declareth in his commentaries why he trauailed in the winter in so hard frost in the sommer in such extreme heate He aunswered I wyl do what lyeth in me to do and afterward let the fatal destinies do what they can For the valiaunt knyght that gyueth in battayle thonset ought more to be estemed then fickle fortune wherby the victory is obtayned sins fortune gyueth the one aduenture gydeth the other These words are spoken like a stout valyaunt captayne of Rome Of how many prynces do we read whom trulye I muche lament to see what flatteries they haue herd wyth their eares being aliue and to redde what slaunders they haue susteyned after their death Prynces and great lords shold haue more regard to that whych is spoken in their absence then vnto that which is done in their presence Not to that whych they heare but to that whych they would not heare not to that whiche they tel them but to that which they would not be told of not to that is wryten vnto them being aliue but to that which is wryten of them after their death not to those that tell them lyes but to those whych if they durst would tel them trouth For men manye times refrayne not their tongues for that subiects be not credited but because the prince in his auctority is suspected The noble vertuous prince shold not flit from the trouth wherof he is certified neyther with flateryes lyes should he suffer himselfe to be deceiued but to examine himselfe se whether they serue him with trouth or deceiue hym with lyes For ther is no better witnes iudge of truth lyes then is a mans owne conscience I haue spoken al this to thintent your maiesty myght know that I wil not serue you wyth that you should not be serued That is to shew my selfe in my wryting a flaterer For it wer neither mete nor honest that flateries into the eares of such a noble prynce shold enter neither that out of my mouth which teach the deuine truth such vaine tales should issue I say I had rather be dispraysed for trew speaking then to be honoured for flatery lieng For of truth in your highnes it shold be much lightnes to heare them in my basenes great wickednes to inuent them Now againe folowing our purpose I say the historyes greatly commend Licurgus that gaue lawes to the Lacedemonians Numa Pompilius that honoured and adourned the churches Marcus Marcellus that had pitye on those whych were ouercome Iulius Cesar that forgaue his enemyes Octauius that was so welbeloued of the people Alexander that gaue rewards and giftes to al men Hector the Troyane because he was so valiaunt in warres Hercules the Thebane because he emploied his strength so wel Vlisses the Grecian because he aduentured himselfe in so many daungers Pirrhus king of Epirotes because he inuented so many engins Catullus Regulus because he suffered so many torments Titus the Emperour because he was father to the Orphanes Traianus because he edified sumptuous goodly buildings The good Marcus Aurelius because he knew more thē al they I do not say that it is requisyte for one prynce in these dayes to haue in him all those qualyties but I dare be bold to affirme this that euen as it is vnpossible for one prince to folow al so likewise it is a great slaunder for him to folow none We do not require princes to do al that they can but to apply themselues to do some thing that they ought And I speake not without a cause that whych I haue sayd before For if princes did occupy themselues as they ought to do they shoulde haue no tyme to be vycious Plynie saith in an epistle that the great Cato called Censor did were a ring vpon his fynger wherin was wryten these wordes Esto amicus vnius inimicus nullius which is be frend to one enemy to none He that would depely consider these few words shal find therin many graue sentences And to apply this to my purpose I saye the prince that would wel gouerne his common weal shew to al equal iustyce desire to possesse a quiet lyfe to get among al a good fame that coueteth to leaue of hymselfe a perpetual memory ought to embrace the vertues of one and to reiect the vices of al. I alow it verye wel that princes should be equal yea surmount many but yet I aduise theym not to employ their force but to folow one For oftētimes it chaunseth that many which suppose themselues in their life to excel al when they are dead are scarcely found equal to any Though man hath done much blased what he can yet in the ende he is but one one mind one power one byrth one life and one death Then sithen he is but one let no man presume to know more then one Of al these good princes which I haue named in the rowle of iustice the last was Marcus Aurelius to thintent that he should weaue his webbe For suppose we read of many prynces that haue compyled notable things the whych are to be redde and knowen
but al that Marcus Aurelius sayd or dyd is worthy to be knowen necessary to be folowed I do not meane this prynce in his heathen law but in hys vertuous dedes Let vs not staye at hys belyef but let vs embrace the good that he did For compare many chrystians wyth some of the heathen loke howe farre we leaue them behynd in faith so farre they excel vs in vertuous works Al the old prynces in times past had som phylosophers to their familiars as Alexander Aristotle King Darius Herodotus Augustus Pisto Pompeius Plauto Titus Plinie Adrian Secundus Traian Plutarchus Anthonius Apolonius Theodotius Claudius Seuerus Fabatus Fynally I say that philosophers then had such authority in princes palaces that children acknowledged them for fathers and fathers reuerenced them as maysters These sage meÌ„ wer aliue in the coÌ„pany of princes but the good Marcus Aurelius whose doctrine is before your maiestie is not aliue but dead Yet therfore that is no cause why his doctrine shold not be admitted For it may be paraduenture that this shal profit vs more which he wrate with his hands then that which others spake with their tongues Plutarche sayth in the time of Alexander the great Aristotle was aliue and Homere was dead But let vs see how he loued the one reuerenced the other for of truth hee slept alway with Homers booke in his hands waking he red the same with hys eyes alwayes kept the doctrine therof in his memory layed when he rested the booke vnder his head The which priuiledge Aristotle had not who at al times cold not be heard much lesse at al seasons be beleued so that Alexander had Homere for his frend and Aristotle for a maister Other of these phylosophers wer but simple men but our Marcus Aurelius was both a wyse phylosopher and a valiaunt prynce and therfore reason would he should be credited before others For as a prince he wyl declare the troubles as a phylosopher he wil redresse them Take you therefore Puisaunt Prince this wise phylosopher and noble emperour for a teacher in your youth for a father in your gouernment for a captayne general in your warres for a guide in your iourneys for a frend in your affayres for an example in your vertues for a maister in your sciences for a pure whyte in your desyres and for equal matche in your deedes I wil declare vnto you the lyfe of an other beinge a heathen and not the lyfe of an other being a chrystian For how much glory this heathen prince had in this world being good and vertuous so much paynes your maiestie shal haue in the other if you shal be wicked and vycious Behold behold noble prince the lyfe of this Emperour you shal se how clere he was in his iudgement how vpright in hys iustyce howe circumspect in hys life how louing to his frends how pacient in his troubles how he dissembled with hys enemies how seuere agaynst Tyraunts how quyet among the quiet how great a frend to the sage and louer of the simple how aduenturous in his warres and amyable in peace and aboue al thinges how high in words and profound in sentences Many tymes I haue bene in doubt with my selfe whether the Eternal maiesty which gyueth vnto you princes the temporal maiestie to rule aboue al other in power and authorytie did exempt you that are princes more from humaine frayltye then he did vs that be but subiects and at the last I knew he did not For I see euen as you are chyldren of the world so you do lyue according to the world I see euen as you trauaile in the world so you can know nothing but things of the world I se because you liue in the fleshe that you are subiect to the myseryes of the fleshe I see though for a tyme you prolong your lyfe yet at the last you are brought to your graue I see your trauaile is great and that within your gates there dwelleth no rest I se you are cold in the wynter and hote in the sommer I se that hunger feeleth you and thirst troubleth you I se your frendes forsake you and your ennemyes assault you I se that you are sadde and lacke ioy I se you are sicke and be not wel serued I see you haue muche and yet that which you lacke is more What wil ye se more seyng that princeâ— die O noble princes great Lordes syns you must die and become wormes meat why do you not in your lyfe tyme serche for good counsayle If the prynces and noble men commit an â—rroure no man dare chastice them wherfore they stand in greater nede of aduyse counsaile For the trauailer who is out of his waye the more he goeth foreward the more he errethe If the people do amisse they ought to be punyshed but if the prince erre hee shoulde bee admonished And as the Prynce wyl the people shoulde at his handes haue punyshment so it is reason that he at their hands should receyue counsayle For as the wealthe of the one dependeth on the wealthe of the other soo trulye if the prince bee vycious the people can not be vertuous If youre maiestie wyl punyshe your people with words commaund them to prynt this present worke in their harts And if your people would serue your hyghnes with their aduise let them likewyse beseche you to reade ouer this booke For therin the subiectes shal fynd how they may amende and you Lordes shal se al that you ought to do wdether this presente worke be profytable or noo I wyll not that my penne shal declare but they whyche reede it shall iudge For we aucthours take paines to make and translate others for vs vse to giue iudgement and sentence From my tender yeres vntil this present I haue liued in the world occupieng my selfe in reading and studieng humaine deuyne bookes and although I confesse my debilitie to be such that I haue not reade so much as I might nor studied so much as I ought yet not withstandinge al that I haue red hath not caused me to muse so muche as the doctrine of Marcus Aurelius hath sith that in the mouth of an heathen god hath put such a great treasor The greatest part of al his workes were in Greke yet he wrote also many in latin I haue drawen this out of greke throughe the helpe of my frends afterwards out of latin into our vulgare tongue by the trauaile of my hands Let al men iudge what I haue suffred in drawing it out of Greke into latin out of the latin into the vulgar and out of a plaine vulgar into a swete and pleasaunt style For that banket is not counted sumptuous vnlesse ther be both pleasaunt meates and sauory sauces To cal sentences to mynd to place the wordes to examine languages to correct sillables what swette I haue suffred in the hote sommer what bytter cold in the sharpe wynter what
reproueth him of his small reuerence towardes the temples Chap. xvii The Emperour procedeth in his letter to admonishe Princes to be feareful of their gods and of the sentence whyche the senate gaue vpon this kynge for pullinge downe the churche Chap. xviii How the Gentiles honored those whiche were deuoute in the seruyce of the goddes Chap. xix For fiue causes Princes ought to be better Christians then their subiectes Chap. xx Of the Philosopher Bias and of the .x. Lawes whyche he gaue worthie to be had in mynde Chap xxi How God from the beginning punysshed euill men by his Iustice and specially those Princes that despise his churche and mansion house Chap. xxii The auctour proueth by .xii. examples that Princes are sharpely punyshed when they vsurpe boldlye vpon the churches and violate the temples Chap. xxiii How Valentine the Emperour because he was an euill christian loste in one daye both the Empire and his lief and was burned aliue in a shepecoote Chap. xxiiii Of the Emperour Valentinian Gratian his sonne whiche because they were good Christians were alwayes fortunate and that God geueth victories vnto Princes more throughe teares of them that praye then throughe the weapons of those that fyght Chap. xxv Of the godlye Oration which the Emperour Gratian made to his souldiours before he gaue the battaile Chap. xxvi That the captayne Theodosius which was father of the great Emperour Theodosius died a good Christian of the kynge Hysmarus and the byshop Siluanus and the holye lawes whiche they made and established Chap. xxvii What a goodly thing it is to haue but one prince to rule in the publike weale for theyr is no greater enemye to the comon weale then he whyche procureth many to commaunde therin Chap. xxviii That in a publike weale there is no greater destruction then wher Princes dayly consent to new orders and change old customes Chap. xxix When Tyrauntes begame to reigne and vpon what occasion coÌ„maunding and obeing fyrst began and how the authoritie the Prince hathe is by the ordinaunce of God Chap. xxx Of the golden age in tymes past and worldly myserie at this present Chap. xxxi What the Garamantes sayed vnto king Alexander the great when he went to coÌ„quer India and how that the puritie of lief hath more power then any force of warre Chap. xxxii Of an Oration which one of the sages of Garamantia made vnto king Alexander a goodlye lesson for ambitious menne Chap. xxxiii The sage Garamante continueth hys Oration and amonge other notable matters he maketh mencyon of seuen lawes which they obserued Chap. xxxiiii That Princes ought to consider for what cause they were made Princes and what Thales the Philosopher was and of the questions demaunded him Chap. xxxv What Plutarke the philosopher was the wise words he spake to Traâ—an the emperour how the good Prince is the head of the publyke weale Chap. xxxvi The Prince ought to heare the complayntes of all his subiectes and to knowe them all to recompence theyr seruice Chap. xxxvii Of a solempne feaste the Romaynes celebrated to the God Ianus and of the bountie of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius the same daye Chap. xxxviii Of the Emperours answer to Fuluius the senatour wherin he peynteth enuious men Chap. xxxix Of a letter the emperour Marcus Aurelius wrote to hys frend Pulio wherin he declareth the opinions of certayne Philosophers concernynge the felicitie of man Chap. xl That Princes and great Lordes ought not to esteme them selues for beyng fayer and well proportioned of bodye Chap. xli Of a letter whiche Marcus Aurelius wrote to his neuew Epesipus worthie to be noted of all yonge Gentlemen Chap. xlii Howe Princes and noble menne in olde tyme were louers of sages Chap. xliii Howe the Emperour Theodosius prouided wyse menne at the hower of hys deathe for the education of his sonnes Chap. xliiii Cresus kynge of Lidya was a great louer of sages of a letter the same Cresus wrote to the Philosopher Anacarses and of the Philosophers answer agayne to the kyng Chap. xlv Of the wisdome and sentence of Phalaris the Tyraunte and howe he put an Artisan to death for Inuenting newe tormentes Chap. xlvi That sondrye myghtye and puyssant Princes were louers and frendes of the sages Chap. xlvii The ende of the Table of the firste Booke The table of the seconde Booke OF what excellencye mariage is and wher as common people mary of frée wil princes and noble men ought to marye of necessitie Chap. i. Howe by meanes of mariage manye mortall ennemyes haue béene made parfitte frendes Chap. ii Of the sondry lawes the auncients had in contracting matrimony of the maner of celebrating mariage Chap. iii. How princesses great ladyes ought to loue their husbandes and that must be without any maner of witchcraft or sorcerye but onlye procured by wysedome and obedience Chap. iiii The reuenge of a Greciane Ladye on him that had slayne her husbande in hope to haue her to wyfe Chap. v. That pryncesses and greate Ladyes should be obedient to their husbands and that it is a greate shame to the husband to suffer to bee commaunded by his wyfe Chap vi That women especiallye princesses and great ladies shold be very circumspect in goinge abrode out of their houses and that throughe the resort of them that come to their houses they be not ill spoken of Chap. vii Of the commodities and discomodities which folow princesses and great Ladies that goe abroade to visite or abide in the house cap viii That women great with childe namely princesses and great Ladyes ought to bée very circumspect for the danger of the creatures they beare wherein is layed before you manye knowen sorowful mysfortunes hapned to women in that case Cap ix A further rehersal of other inconueniences and vnlucky chaunces happened to women great with child Chap. x. That women great with child chieflye princesses great ladies ought to be gently entreated of their husbands Chap. xi What the Philosopher Pisto was and of the rules he gaue concerning women with child Chap. xii Of thre couÌ„sels which Lucius Seneca gaue vnto a secretary his frende who serued the emperour Nero. And how Marcus Aurelius dsposed al the howers of the day Cap. xiii Of the Importunate sute of the empresse Faustine to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius her husband concerning the key of his closet Chap. xiiii The Emperours aunswere to Faustine touchinge the demaunde of the key of hys closet Chap. xv The Emperour followeth his matter admonishinge men of the plagues great daungers that follow those whych haunt to much the company of women And reciteth also certayne rules for maried men which if they be matched with shrowes and do obserue them maye cause them liue in quyet with their wiues Chap. xvi The Emperour aunswereth more particularly concerning the key of hys closet Chap. xvii That princesses noble women oughte not to bée ashamed to giue their children sucke with their owne breasts
The fifthe was that they whiche had charge of bringinge vp of children shoulde not be vicious For there is nothinge more monstruous and more sclaunderous then he that is maister of children should be subiecte and seruaunt to vyces How thinkest thou my frende Pulio whan al these thinges were obserued in Rome Thinkest thou that the youthe was so dissolute as at this present thinkeste thou in deede that it is the same Rome wherin in times past were so notable good and auncient men beleuest thou that it is that Rome wherin in the golden age the olde men were so honest and the children so well taught the armies wel ordered and the iudges and Senatours so vpright and iuste I call God to witnes and sweare to the that it is not Rome neyther hath it any likenes of Rome nor yet anye grace to be Rome and he that would say that this Rome was the old Rome knoweth lytle of Rome The matter was this that the auncient and vertuous Romaynes being dead it semeth to the gods that we are not yet woorthye to enioye their houses So that eyther this is not Rome or els we be not the Romaines of Rome For considering the prowesse and vertuous deedes of the auncient Romaines and wayeng also our dissolute lyues it wer a very great infamy for them to call vs their successours I desier my frend Pulio to write vnto the all these thinges to th end thou mayest se what we were and what we are For great things haue neede of great power and require a long tyme before they can growe and come to their perfection and then afterward at one moment with one blow they fal downe to the ground I haue bene more tedious in my letter than I thoughte to haue bene and now I haue told the that which wyth dyligence by reason of my great affayres in thre or foure tymes I haue wryten of that that wanteth in thine and is to much in myne we shal make a reasonable letter and since I pardon the for being to briefe pardon thou me also for being to long I saw the ones enquire for vnicornes horne in Alexandry wherfore now I send the a good peece and likewise I send the a horse which in my iudgement is good Aduertise me if thy doughter Drusilla be alyue wyth whom I was wont to laugh and I wyll healpe her to a mariage The immortall gods kepe the O my Pulio thy wife thy stepmother and thy doughter and Salut them all from me and faustine Marke of Mounte Celio Emperour of Rome with his owne hand wryteth vnto the. ¶ Of the excellency of christian religion whych manyfesteth the true God and disproueth the vanitye of the auncyents hauyng so many Gods And that in the olde tyme when the enemyes were reconcyled in their houses they caused also that the gods should embrace eche other in the Temples Cap. iiii HE that is the onely diuyne worde begotten of the Father lorde perpetuall of the Hierarchies more aunciente then the heauens Prince of all holynesse chiefe head from whom all had their begynning the greatest of all gods and creatore of all creatures in the profundnesse of his eternall sapience accordeth all the harmony and composition of Christian religion This is suche a maner of sure matter and so well laid that neyther the miseries which spring of thinfections of naughty Christians can trouble nor yet the boysterous windes of the heretiques are able to moue For it wer more likely that heauen and earthe shoulde both perishe then it should suspend for one daye and that ther sholde be no Christian religion The auncient godds whyche were inuentours of wordly thinges as the foundacion of their reproued sectes was but a flienge sande and an vnstable ground ful of daūgerous erronious abuses so some of those poore wretches lokyng perhappes lyke a shippe ronning vppon a rocke suspectynge nothyng were drowned Other like ruyned buildynges were shaken in sonder and fell downe dead finally these gods whiche onely bare the name of gods shal be for euermore forgotten But he onely shal be perpetual whiche in god by god thorough god hath his beginninge Many and sundry were the multitude of the nacions whiche haue bene in times past That is to wyt the Sirians the Assirians Persiās Medians Macedoniās Grecians Cythians Arginians Corinthiās Caldeās Indiās Athenians Lacedemonians Africans Vandales Svveuians Allains Hongarians Germaignes Britons Hebrevves Palastines Gentiles Iberthailides Maurians Lucitanians Gothes and Spaniardes And truely in all these loke howe greate the difference amongest them in their customes and maners was so much diuersitie was of the ceremonies which they vsed and of their gods which they honoured For the gentiles had this errour that they sayd one alone was not of power sufficient to create suche a multitude as were created If I were before al the sages that euer were they would not say the contrary but without cōparison the gods whome they worshypped and inuented were greater in multitude then the realmes and prouinces whiche they conquered and possessed For by that folie the auncient poetes durst affirme in their writinges that the gods of one nation and countrey wer mortal enemies to the gods of another prouince So that the gods of Troye enuied the gods of Grece more then the princes of Grece enuied the princes of Troye What a strange thinge was it to see the Assirians in what reuerence they worshypped the god Belus The Egiptiās the god Apis. The Caldeans the god Assas The Babiloniās the deuouring dragon The pharaones the statue of gold The Palestines Belzebub The Romaines honoured the god Iupiter The Affricās the god Mars The Corinthians the god Apollo The Arabians the God Astaroth The Arginians the Sonne Those of Acaia the Moone The Cidonians Belphegorn The Amonites Balim The Indians Baccus The lacedemonians Osiges The Macedonians did sacrifice to Marcury The Ephesians to their goddesse Diana The Grekes to Iuno The Armenians to Liber The Troiās to Vesta The Latins to Februa The Tarentines to Ceres The Rhodians as saieth Apolonius Thianeus worshypped the God Ianus and aboue all thinges wee oughte to meruaile at this That they striued oftentimes amongest them selues not so muche vpon the possessions and signories of Realmes as vppon a certaine obstinacie they had to maintaine the gods of the one to be of greater power then the others For they thoughte if their gods were not estemed that the people should be impouerished vnfortunate and persecuted Pulio in his second booke De dissolatione regionum orientarum declareth that the first prouince that rebelled againste the Emperour Helius Adrianus which was the fiftenth Emperour of Rome was the land of Palestine against the which was sent a captaine named Iulius Seuerus a manne of great courage and verye fortunate and aduenturous in armes This captaine did not only finishe the warres but he wrought such an outragious destruction in that land that he besieged 52. cities and raced them to the ground
put to destruction and brought to noughte but with greate diffyculty they are remedyed and repayred againe And further I demaund what God of the gentiles was so puissaunt to do this which the god of the Hebrues dyd in that auncient and opulent realme of the Egypcians That is to witte when he would and when it pleased him he made the ryuers runne bloud infected the fleshe darkened the ayer dryed the seas slew the first begotten obscured the sōne and did wonders in Chanaan other wōderful thinges in the read sea Finally he cōmaunded the sea to drowne the prince aliue with al his Egypcians that it should let the Hebrues passe dry Yf one of these false gods had done any one of these thinges it had bene to be maruailed at but the true god doing it we shold not meruaile at al. For according to our lytle vnderstandyng it semeth a great thing but in respect of that the deuyne power can do it is nothing For wher God putteth his hande there are no men so myghty no beastes so proude nor heauen so highe nor sea so deape that can resyst his power For as he gaue them power so can he take it from theym at hys pleasure Further what God of the gentyles altough they were assembled together could haue had the power to haue destroyed one man only as the true God dyd the which in the tyme of kyng Zedechias made an hundreth and foure score thousande of the campe of the assiryans dye the Hebrues being a sleape which were their mortal enemyes And truly in this case god shewed to princes and greate lordes howe lytle their monnye and their subtyle wyttes preuayle them in feates of warre when god hath determined another thinge for their desertes For in the ende the first inuencion of warres proceadeth of mans ambicion and worldlye malyce but the victorye of them procedeth of the deuine pleasoure What god of the gentyles could haue done that which our true God dyd when he brought vnder the feete of the renowmed Captayne Iosue two and thirty kynges and Realmes whom he depryued not only from their lādes but also bereft theym of theyr lyues in tearing them in pieces and deuydyng the myserable realmes into 12 Tribes Those realmes which in old time belonged vnto the Hebrues were more then 2000 yeres kept of them in tiranny wherfore God would that by the handes of Iosue they should be restored And though god differred it a long tyme it was to gyue theym greauous tormentes and not for that god had forgotten them And althoughe princes do forget manye wronges and tirannies yet notwithstandynge riuers of bloude cease not to runne before the face of the dyuine Iustice If all the auncient goddes hadde had power woulde not they also haue holpen their princes since the goddes lost no lesse in losinge theyr temples then menne loste in losing their realmes For it touched more the case of the auncyentes to lose one lytle Temple thenne for men to lose a noble Realme We see that the goddes of the troians could not resist the greekes but that both men and gods gods men came into Carthage from Carthage in to Trinacrie and from Trinacrie into Italie and from Italie tino Laurentum and from Laurentum into Rome So they went about flieng declaring that the gods of Troy were no lesse conquered of the gods of Greece then the Dukes and captaynes of grece were vanquished of the captaynes of Troy the which thing is hard to them that presume to be gods For the true god doth not only make himselfe feared but also beloued and feared both That we say of the one the same we may wel say of the others That is to know that al the gods in the realmes and temples wherin they honored and serued but wee see th one destroyeth the other as it is declared by the Hebrues which were in bondage of the Assirians the Assirians of the Persians the Persians of the Macedonians the Macedonians of the Medes the Medes of the Grekes the Grekes of the Penians the Penians of the Romaines the Romaines of the Gothes the Gothes of the Moores So that that ther was no realme nor nacion but was conquered Neyther the wryters can deny but they would haue exalted their gods and ceremonies that the gods their worshippers shuld not haue end But in the end both gods and men had al end except the christian religion which shal neuer haue end For it is founded of that which hath neyther beginning nor ending One of the things which comforteth my hart most in the christian religion is to see that since the time the churches wer founded the kinges and princes most puissant haue ben alwayes theyr enemyes and the most feble and poore alwayes greatest helpers and defenders of the same O glorious militaunte church which now is no other then gold amongest the rust a rose amongest the thornes corne amongest the chaffe marye amongest the bones Margarites amōgest the peble stones a holy soule amongest the rotten flesh a Phoenix in the cage a shippe rokking in the raging seas which the more she is beaten the faster she sayleth And there is no Realme soo litle nor no manne of so litle fauoure but when other doo persecute him hee is by his frendes parentes and defendoures fauoured and succoured so that manye times those whiche thinke to destroye are destroyed those which seme to take their part were their chiefest enemies Doth not that procede of the great secret of god For though God suffred the wicked to be wicked a while god will not therfore suffer that one euil man procure an other to do euil The Palestines and those of Hierusalem had not for their principall enemyes but the Caldeans and the Caldians had for their enemyes the Idumeans the Idumeans the Assirians the Assirians the Persians the Persians the Arginians the Arginians the Athenians the Athenians had for their principal enemyes the Lacedemonians and the Lacedemonians the Sydonians the Sydonians the Rhodians and the Rhodians the Scithians the Scithians the Hunnes the Hunnes had the Alaines the Alaines the Svveuians and the Svveuians the Vandales the Vandales the Valerians the Valerians the Sardinians the Sardinians the Affricanes the Affricanes the Romaines the Romaines the Daciās the Dacians the Gothes the Gothes the Frenchmen the Frenchmen the Spanyardes and the Spanyardes the Mores And of all these realmes the one hath persecuted the other And not al one but our holy mother the church hath alwayes ben oppressed persecuted with those realmes and hath bene socoured of none but of Iesu Christ only and he hath euer succoured and defended it wel For the things that God taketh charge of although al the world wer agaynst them in the end it is impossible for them to perishe ¶ How ther is but one true God how happy those Realmes are which haue a good christian to their king and how the gentils affirme that the good princes
be estemed for it is the chiefest thinge that belongethe to Prynces that is to wete for their gentle conuersacion to be beloued and for their vprighte iustice to be feared This Emperour Iustinian had a wyfe whose name was Sophia Augusta whyche was beautifull and sage and as touchynge her person of good renowme sufficient For women must take great respect least they giue strangers occasion to speake of them but notwithstanding al these thinges thys dame was noted of couetousnes For she toyled alwayes to hourde vp monye and delighted to see and tell it but to spende or giue it was alwayes her greatest griefe For couetous parsones lytle regarde to shorten their lyfe so that they maye augment their ryches Tiberius Constantine as gouernour of the Empire seinge the Empresse Sophia Augusta ryche and desiring more the profite of the common wealthe then the enrychement of hym selfe or of any other did nothyng els but builde monasteryes repayre hospytalles marye Orphanes and redeme captyues For speakynge accordyng to the Christian lawes that that a man hath more then necessarye oughte to be employed to the vse of the poore and to workes of mercy Finally this vertuous prince did that whiche Christian Princes shoulde doe and not as tirauntes do whiche made him of great excellencye For the propertie of a tyraunte is to heape great treasours of other mens goodes and afterwarde to spend and consume them viciously but Tiberius founde them gathered together by one and he disparsed them to many Sophia Augusta seing Iustinia become a foole and not knowynge how to get more mony of the people nor how to robbe the riche and that Tiberius spente her ryches withoute compassyon partelye to satisfie her sorowfull hart partly to see if in time to com she could remedy it called one day Tiberius a part spake vnto him these wordes in secret ¶ Of the woordes the Empresse Sophia spake vnto Tiberius Constantinus then beyng gouernour of the Empyre whyche only tended to reproue hym for that he lauishely consumed the treasure of the Empire gotten by her Cap. xiiii THow remeÌ„brest wel Tiberius that though thou art now after Iustinian gouernour of the Empire yet whan thou waste in Alexandrie thou thoughtest litle to deserue it and if thou diddest thou thoughtest thou couldest not attayn vnto it For thou art a wise man the sage man according to the litle or muche which fortune giueth him doth rayne or slacke alwayes the brydell of his thoughtes Those whiche haue a vaine hope and thoroughe power onely wyll enforce fortune to be fauourable vnto them shall lyue alwayes a troublesome life For there is nothynge that shorteneth more the life of man then vayne hope and ydle thoughtes Thou beinge such a man as thou arte and so wel willed and beloued of Iustinian my husband art demaunded of the Romaine people and chosen by the Senate receiued by the souldiours and al the Empire reioyce at thy election And thou oughtest not a litle to regarde it For the willes of all doe not alwaies fauour one I let the to vnderstand Tiberius that it did not displease me thou shouldest be Emperour of Rome sith Iustinian was deposed and if I had perceyued that whiche I doe perceyue or had knowen that which I doe knowe I am certaine that I had neyther sayd with it nor againste it For we wemen are of so litle credite that it preuaileth vs more to approue the leaste of that which other saye than it doth to speake very well our selues Sith fortune hath brought the to so high estate I beseche the admonish the and aduise the that thou knowe howe to keape and gouerne thy selfe therein For to arise to honour it sufficeth the bodye to sweate water but to mainteine it it is necessary that the hart weepe bloude Thou knoweâ—t righte well that to commaunde more to doe more and to haue more then other as touching the affayres of Princes oftentimes is giuen more thoroughe worldly care then for the deserte of the personne And this God suffereth very ofte to the ende we may see those discende and fall through infamy whom we saw mounte and prosper by pryde Thou art a man and I a woman Thou hast wisedom and knowledge but I haue large and long experience and if thou knowest much I haue seene in the worlde enough but in faith for that I haue sayd I tell the that men of thy sorte are vndone in the palaice of princes by 2. waies The one if they thinke they deserue much and they can doe litle For hauty mindes brynge alwayes alteration in the harte The other is that one alone will commaund the Emperour and the empire whereunto if any man come it is by greate trauayle and he shall sustayne it with daunger and shall possesse it but a shorte time For it is impossible that to a man of muche arrogancie fortune should be to long faithful Though thou be wyse and sage I counsell the alwayes to profite with an other mans counsaile chiefely in thinges concerninge the gouernemente of the state For to know to obey and to know to commaunde differ much For to know to obey commeth by nature but to knowe to commaunde commeth by long experience Take this of me for a generall rule that wheras thou seest they praier to be acceptable neuer take vpon the commaundement for by commaundement thou shalte be feared and by prayer thou shalte be beloued Know thou Tiberius the thinges that content theÌ„ worste which ar in the court of Princes are to do litle to haue litle to be litle worth For the man that is without fauour in his heart is halfe dead For the contrary the thing whiche most perilleth the fauored of Princes maketh them loase their frendshipp is to be of great power and great in autoritie more ouer than this to profite more of will then of knowledge of auctoritie than of reason For a man can not lyue long in frendshyppe whych dothe what he wyll in the common wealthe I haue spoken all thys to th ende thou shouldest knowe that I greatlye maruayle at thy prudence and haue no lesse wonder of my pacience To see that the treasours whych Iustinian heaped together by great trauaile kept and preserued with great care thou wastest without respect what thou doeste And doe not maruaile at this For ther is no pacience can suffer to se the proper gods wasted and spent by the hands of an other which with so great care hath ben gathered together I let the know Tiberius that now we haue neyther money to kepe nor to gyue to others which thing is very peryllous for the palace of Princes For the fame to haue great treasours causeth Princes to keape their enemyes in feare It is necessarie for princes to bee stoute and also riche for by their stoutnes they maye gouerne their owne and by their riches they may represse their enemyes It is not only necessarie that the Prince be not
poore but also it is requisitie that his common wealth be rych For where the people are poore of their enemies they are nothinge regarded and where the common wealth is riche the Prince can not be greatly poore I will not denay but that it is wel done to help the poore and succour the needy But yet I say that no man ought to giue the treasour to any one particulerly which is kepte for the preseruation of al. For oftentimes the prince which is to lyberal in geuing his owne is after wardes through necessitie compelled to be a Tyranne and take from others I let the wete Tiberius that thou shalte finde few Princes but are proude maglignaunt or vicious For of a trouth wantonnesse lybertie youthe and riches are cruell enemyes to honestie I wyll not say that all princes haue bene euil but I wil say ther hath bene but few good and those which are or wil be good ought to be greatly honoured For no time ought to be called happie but that wherin vertuous Princes do reygne And I say to the further Tiberius if Princes become Tyrants for want of riches so do they become vicious through aboundaunce of treasurs and in this case vicious princes are chastened in the same vyce For auarice hath such power ouer them that it suffereth them not to taste their owne delight And I let the wete Tiberius that there are many Princes whiche are of good nature and yet become Tyrants for nothing els but because they be oppressed with pouertie .. For truly the noble hart refuseth no daunger seing him selfe assaulted with pouertie Therfore I demaund of the which is better or otherwise which of these two euilles is leaste that the Prince be poore and with that a Tiranne or that he be riche and therwith vicious In mine opinion it wer much better to be riche and viciouse then a tiranne and poore for in the end if he do euil by vyce he should be euil to no man but to himselfe by riches he should profit al the people And if he be poore and a tyranne he should do great euil to many and by pouertie he could profit no man For the poore prince cannot maintaine the riche and much lesse succour the poore without comparison it is more profitable to the common wealth and more tollerable to men that the Prince be an euil man and therwithall a good prince than an euil Prince and therwithal a good man For as Plato saithe the Athenians wold alwayes rather seeke a profitable then a stoute Prince and the Lacedemonians dyd erre in willing rather a stoute Prince then profitable Therfore see Tiberius it is more sure and profitable for the common wealthe that Princes haue treasours to giue lyberalye amonge their seruantes then that they should be poore and enforced to oppresse their people with taxes and subsidies For princes oftetimes throughe pouertie take occasion to leauy great subsedies in their realmes and seignories ¶ The aunswere of Tiberius vnto the Empresse Sophia Augusta Wherin he declareth that noble Princes neade not to hourd vp great treasures And of the hidden treasure this good Emperour found by reuelacion in the Palace wher he remayned Cap. xv TIberius heard very paciently the admonicion of the Empresse wherfore with great reuerence he aunswered and with swete gentle words he spake to her in this sorte I haue hearde and vnderstode what you haue tolde me moste noble Princesse Sophia alwayes Augusta and do receyue your gentle admonicions moste humblye thankinge you for your louing counsayle which principally you giue me in so hyghe a style For oftentimes sicke men abhorre meates not for that the meates are not good but because they are not wel dressed If it were gods pleasour I would I knewe aswel how to do these thinges as you know how to speake theim And do not maruaile though I make hereof a doubt for we greatly desyre to praise vertuous workes but to put them in vre we are very slow Speaking therfore with such reuerence as is due vnto so hyghe a Ladie to euerye one of these things which your excellencie hath tolde me I wil aunswere in one word For it is reason sithe you haue spoken that which you perceyue of my deedes that I speake that which I gather of your words You tell me that when I was in Alexandrie I thought not to be gouernour of the empire after Iustinian and that I thought not my selfe worthy to deserue it nor yet loked to come vnto it To this I aunswere that thoughe by reason I gouerned my selfe at that tyme yet I ought not to thinke to deserue such a dignitie nor to come to so highe an estate For those whiche by vertues deserue great dignities are but few and fewer are those which attayne vnto them though they deserue them But if this matter be iudged accordyng to sensualitie I tel you truly dame Augusta that I thought not only to deserue it but also I thought to come vnto it And hereof marueyle not for it is an vnfallible rule wher leeste desert is ther is most presumption You saye you estemed me for a wise man and that by wisedome I could ouercome any disordinate appetite To this I answere that you knewe my wisedome eyther in mine owne busines or els in other mens affayres Yf in other mens affayres where it dyd coast me nought I was alwayes a louer of iustice For there is no man in the world so euyl that doth not desire if it be without his owne coast to be counted lyberall But if you iudge me Dame Augusta on mine owne busines giue not to lyghte credite For I will that you know ther is no man so iuste nor of so clere a iudgement that doth not shew him selfe frayle in matters which touche his owne interest You say that men which haue their thoughtes hyghe and their fortune base lyue alwaies a pensife lyfe Truly it is as you say But in mine opiniō as the membres of the bodyes are but instrumentes of the mind so is it necessary for men to haue quicke and sharpe wittes if they wil not be neglygente For if Alexander Pyrrus Iulius Cesar Scipio and Hanniball had not bene hyghe mynded they had not bene as they were so noble and stout Princes I let you vnderstand most noble Princesse that men are not lost for hauing their thoughtes hygh nor for hauing their hartes couragious neyther for being hardie and stout but they are vndone because they begin thinges throughe folie pursue them without wisdome and atchieue them without discression For noble men enterprising great things ought not to employ their force as their noble hart willeth but as wisedome and reason teacheth You say you meruaile why I wast the treasours without care which Iustinian and you gathered togethers with great paine To this I aunswere you oughte not to meruayle if all the treasours you heaped together of so longe tyme were spent and consumed in one day For ther is
an auncient malediction on riches hydde and treasours buried which Epimenides casteth out sayinge these words All the treasours hurded vp by the couetous shal be wasted by the prodigall You say through that I wast in few dayes you shall haue neither to giue to wast nor yet to eate at the yeres ende To this I aunswere most gracious princesse that if you had bene as ready to releue the poore as you Iustinian were dilygent to robbe the riche then you should iustly haue complayned and I worthely might haue repented Tyll now we haue not sene but that of the riche you haue made poore notwithstanding this yet you haue not gotten enoughe to buyld an Hospital for the poore You say the Princes to resist their enemyes haue neede of greate treasours To this I aunswere if Princes be proud gready and of straunge realmes ambicious it is most certaine that they nede great treasours to accomplishe their disordinate appetites For the end of a tyraÌ„nous prince is by hooke or by crooke to make him selfe riche in his lyfe But if the Prince be or wil be a man reposed quyte vertuous paciente peaceable and not couetous of the good of an other man what nede hath he of great treasours For to speake truly in princes houses ther is more offence in that that auaunceth then in that that wanteth I wil not wast many words in aunsweringe sithe I am muche more liberal of dedes then of wordes but I conclude that ther is no Prince which in vertuous dedes wasteth so much but if he wil he may spend much more For in the end princes become not poore spending their goodes vpon necessaries but for wasting it vpon things superfluous And take this word for al that for this he shal not be the porer but rather the richer For it is a general rule in Christian reglion the god wil giue more to his seruaunts in one houre theÌ„ they wil wast in 20. yeres Iustinian was Emperour .11 yeres who being a foole and obstinate in the heresye of Pellagien died to the great offence of the Romaine people whose death was asmuch desired as his life abhorred For the tirannous prince that maketh many wepinge eyes in his life shall cause many reioysing harts at his death Iustinian being dead Tiberius was elected Emperour who gouerned the empire through so great wisedom and iustice that no maÌ„ was able to reproue him if the histories in his time did not deceiue vs. For it seldoÌ„ hapeneth to a prince to be as he was vpright in iustice pure in life clene in conscience For few are those princes which of some vices are not noted Paulus Diaconus in his 18 boke of the Romain gestes declare a thing merueilous which be fell to this emperour at that time and very worthy to know at this present And it is that in the Citie of Constantinople the Romaine Emperours had a palace very sumptuous and besemyng the auctoritie of the imperiall maiesty which was begonne in the time of Constantine the greate and afterwardes as the succession of good or euyll Emperours was so were the buildings decayed or repayred For it is the deede of a vertuous Prince to abolyshe vices of the common wealth and to make greate and sumptuous buildinges in his country This Emperour Tiberius hadde spent treasours to redeme poore captiues to build hospitalles to erect monasteries to marie and prouide for the Orphanes and widowes in this he was so prodigall that it came almost to passe that he had nothing to eate in his palaice And truly this was a blessed necessitie For catholike Princes ought to thinke that well employed which in the seruice of Christ is bestowed And hereof the Emperoure was not ashamed but thought it a great glory and that which onely greued him was to see the Empresse reioyce so much at his miserye For the high and noble hartes which feele them selues wounded do not so much esteme their owne paine as they do to see their enemyes reioyce at their griefe God neuer forsoke theym that for his sake became poore as it appeareth by this It chaunced one day that euen as the Emperour Tiberius walked in the middest of his palace he saw at his feete a marble stone whiche was in fourme of the crosse of the reademer of the world And because it had bene to vniuste a thing as he thoughte to haue spurned that with his feete wherwith we trust from our enemyes to be defended he caused the stone to be taken vp not thinking any thing to be ther vnder and immediatly after they found an other wherin likewise was the forme of the crosse and this beyng taken vp they founde an other in lyke maner and when that was pluct vp from he bottome there was found a treasor which conteyned the some of 2. millions of Duckettes for the which the good Emperour Tiberius gaue vnto all mighty god most high thankes and wheras before he was lyberal yet afterwardes he was much more bountiful For all those treasours he distrybuted amongest the poore and needye people Let therfore mighty princes and great lords see reade and profit by this example and let them thinke them selues assured that for geuing almes to the poore they nede not feare to become poore for in the end the vycious man caÌ„not cal him self rich nor the vertuous man can counte him selfe poore ¶ How the Chefetaine Naâ—setes ouercame manye battailes only for that his whole confidence was in god And what happened to him by the Empresse Sophia Augusta wherin may be noted the vnthankefulnes of Princes towardes their seruauntes Cap. xvi IN the yere of the incarnacion of Christ 528 Iustinian the great being Emperour who was the sonne of Iustines sister his predecessour in the Empyre the histories say in especially Paulus Diaconus in the 18. booke Degestis Romanorum that ther was a knighte of Greece in Rome who from hys tender yeres hadde bene broughte vppe in Italye He was a man of meane stature of a colericke complexcion and in the Lawe of Christe verye deuoute whyche was no small thinge For at that tyme not onelye manye knightes but almoste all the Bishoppes of Italye were Arrians This knightes name was Narsetes and because he was so valliant in armes and so aduenturous in warres he was chosen Chefeteyne generall of the Romane Empire For the Romaines had this excellency that when they had a valiaunt and stoute captaine although they might haue his weighte of gold giuen them they would neuer depart from his person He enterprised so great thinges he ouercame such mighty realmes and had suche notable victories ouer his enemyes that the Romaines said he had in him the strength of Hercules the hardinesse of Hector the noblenes of Alexander the policye of Pirrus and the fortune of Scipio For many of the vaine gentils held opinion that as the bodyes dyd distribute their goodes in the lyfe so did the soules parte their giftes after the deathe This
Narsetes was a pitefull captaine and very constant in the faith of Christ lyberall to giue almes effectuous to build new monasteries and in repairing churches a man very carefull And truly it was a rare thing For in great warres vpon smal occasioÌ„s captaines vse to beate downe Churches and that which was greatest of all was the hee serued god deuoutlye visited the hospitalles saide his deuocions wyth great teares and aboue al resorted very oft to the churche in the night And this excellency was no lesse then the other For that captaynes in suche an houre are readier to kyll men in their campe then to be waile their sinnes in the church Fynally he was a christian and so deuoute that god gaue hym the victories more through the praiers which he vsed than through the weapons wherwith he sought For there was neuer man that sawe him shedde the bloud of his enemyes in bataile before he had shedde the teares of his eyes in the temple And to the end Christian princes and captaynes may see how muche better it is â–ª to pacifye god by teares and prayers then to haue their campe ful of souldiours and riches of many of his doinges I wyll declare part as here foloweth Iustinian the Emperour being in Alexandrye Totila king of the Gothes dyd many mischeues and great domages through out all Italy so that the Romaines durst not go by the way nor could be in safegard in their houses For the Gothes in the day kept the wayes and in the night robbed and spoyled all the people wherfore Iustinian the Emperour not knowinge the matter sent the noble Narsetes as captaine generall against the Gothes who beinge arryued in Italye immediatly confedered with the Lumbardes the which at that tyme had their mansion in Hungarie and sente his messangers to kyng Alboinus at that tyme their king for ayde against the Gothes and in so doinge he saide he should see howe faithfull a frende he would be to hys frendes and how cruell an ennemy to his ennemyes Alboinus hearinge the message of Narsetes was very glad and without delay immediatlly armed a great puisant army which by the Adriaticale sea came into Italy so that the answere and the offer came both at one time with effect and so together arriued in one daye for the succour of Narsetes the 2. armies that is to say that of the Romaines and of the Lumbards the which assembled al in one marched vnder the banner of their captaine Narsetes Wherfore Totila king of the Gothes being aduertised as one that had not proued the happie fortune of Narsetes nor the force of the Lumbardes sent to offer them the battayle which was giuen in the fieldes of Aquileia and it was of bothe partes so fierse and cruel that infinyte were they that dyed but in the end Totilla kynge of the Gothes was ouercome and neyther he nor any of his host escaped aliue The good captayne Narsetes after the battaile gaue manye noble giftes to the Lumbardes and so with riches and vyctorie they returned into Huâ—â—â—rie towards their king Alboinus And truly this Narsetes did as he was bound to do For the frend cannot be recompenced by ryches when for his frend he putteth his lyfe in ieopardy When the Lumbardes wer gone Narsetes caused al the spoyle of his campe to be deuided amongeste his souldyers and that which belonged vnto him he gaue it wholy to the poore monasteries so that by this vyctorie Narsetes gotte triple renowne That is to wete very bountifull in that he gaue to the Lumbardes charitable in that hee gaue to the poore and valyant in that he vanquished so puissant enemyes Dagobert king of Fraunce beyond the alpes beyng a coragyous younge Prince and verye desirous of honor for no other cause but to leaue of him some memory determyned him selfe in parson to passe into Italie althoughe he had no iuste title therunto For the hartes puffed vp with pried lytel passe though they warre of an vniust quarrell His myshape was suche that the same daye he passed the riuer of Rubico wher the Romaynes in old time limyted the marches of Italye newes came to him that his owne countrye was vp and those which were there one rebelled against the other the whiche was not without the greate sufferaunce of God For it is but reason that that king shoulde loase his owne realme by deuine iustice which wil take other mens only through mans folly The kyng Dagobert assembling all the chiefeste of his realme to counsayle it was agreed and concluded by all that hee alone in personne should returne into Fraunce and for his reputacion should leaue all the armye in Italy Wherof remayned captaines Buccelinus and Amingus For it is better for a prince to defend his country by iustice then to conquere another by tiraÌ„ny As this armie of Buccelinus was great so was he couragious and wrought many great domages in Italie especiallye in the land of Campagnia And worse then that al the riches that he had sacked al the captiues he had takeÌ„ he wold neyther restore nor yet suffer them to be raunsoÌ„med but so sone as he toke them he sent theym vnto the king as one that shewed him selfe more desirous to robbe and spoile then to fight and wage battaile This captaine Buccelinus theÌ„ being in Campagnia retired into a place called TareÌ„tum with al his army because of winter Narsetes sodainly came vpon him gaue him battaile That was betwene theym very cruell wherin Buccelinus was vanquyshed and left deade in the field amongest the other captaynes of the Gaules Which newes brought to Amingus eares being the other captaine of the Gaules And seing his companion dead he confedered with Auidinus captaine of the Gothes they together came against the Romaines which thing was not vnknowen vnto Narsetes to giue the battaile neare to Gaietto wheras those captaines were conquered and taken alyue Of whom Amingus was beheaded by the comaundemeÌ„t of Narsetes and Auidinus was sent by him prisoner to the emperoure to Constantinople The captaine Narsetes wanne another battaile against Syndual king of Brytons which came into Italye with a huge multitude of people to recouer the Realme of Partinopolis which now we call Naples for he sayde it apperteyned vnto him of righte as to one of the lynage of Hercules who in aunciente tyme was kynge of that Realme This king Synduall within a while became frend vnto Narsetes and behaued him selfe outwardly as a frend and confederate but in secrete conspired against the Romaines and would haue bene king of the Romaynes and rained alone in Italye through the whiche there sprange betwene hym and Narsetes cruell warres wherin fortune was a long time variable For ther is not so aduenturous a captaine to whom in long warres fortune is alwayes prosperous Finally the king Syndual and Narsetes agred to hasard their men and also their liues in one day vnto the discrecion of fortune soo that both the
is costly and without profite and in seruing God great profite ensueth For those goddes require great and ryche sacrifices and our God demaundeth nothinge but pure and cleane hartes Secondarely princes shoulde be better Christians then others because they haue more to lose then all And he that hath more to lose then any other ought aboue al other to serue god For euen as he alone can gyue hym so likewise he alone and none other can take from hym And if a subiecte take any thynge from his neighbour the prince whom he serueth maketh him render it agayne but if the Prince be iniuried with any other tyraunte he hath none to complayne vnto nor to demaunde helpe of but onely of his mercifull God For in the ende one that is of power can not be hurt but by an other that is lykewyse mighty Let princes beholde howe the man that wyl make any great assaulte first commeth running afarre of as fast as he can I meane that the prynce whiche wyll haue God mercifull vnto him ought to be content with his onely god For he in vayne demaundeth helpe of him to whome before he neuer dyd seruice Thirdly princes ought to be better Christians then others and this shal be seen by that they succoure the poore prouyde for those that are vnprouided and visite the temples hospitalles and churches and endeuour them selues to heare the diuine seruice and for all these thinges they shall not onely receiue rewardes but also they shal receyue honour For through their good example others wyll doe the same Princes not fearinge God nor his commaundementes cause their Realmes and subiectes to fall into great misery For if the fountayne be infected it is vnpossible for the streames that issue therof to be pure We see by experience that a brydell maistereth a horse and a sterne ruleth a shippe I meane that a prynce good or bad wyll leade after him all the whole Realme And if he honour God all the people doe likewyse if he serue God the people also serue him if he praise God the subiects also praise him and if he blaspheme god they likewise will doe the same For it is vnpossible that a tree should bring forth other leaues or fruites then those whiche are agreable to the humour that are in the rootes Princes aboue all other creatures haue this preeminence that if they be good Christians they shall not onely receiue merite for their owne woorkes but also for all those whiche others shall do because they are occasion that the people worke wel And for the contrarie they shall not onely be punished for the euill whiche they shall doe but also for the euill whiche by occasion of their euill examples others shall commit O ye princes that nowe be aliue howe greatly do I wyshe that ye should speake with some one of those princes whiche nowe are dead especially with those that are cōdemned to the eternall firie flames then ye should see that the greatest tormentes whiche they suffer are not for the euils that they did commit but for the euils whiche through their occasion were done For oftentimes princes and prelates sinne more because they dissemble with others then for that they do committe them selues O howe circumspect ought princes and great lordes to be in that they speake and howe diligently ought they to examine that whiche they doe For they serue not God onely for them selues but they serue hym also in generallye for their subiectes And contrariwyse princes are not only punished for their owne offences but also for the sinnes of their people For the sheaperd ought greuously to be punished when by negligence the rauening woulfe deuoureth the innocent lambe Fourthly princes ought to be better Christians thē others because that to God onely they must render accompt of their estates for as muche as we are sure that god to whom we must render accompte is iust so muche the more we should trauaile to be in his fauoure because whether he finde or not finde in our life any faulte yet for loue pities sake he may correcte vs. Men one with another make their accomptes in this life because they are men and in the ende counte they well or euill all passeth amonges men because they are men but what shall the vnhappy Princes do whiche shall render no accompte but to God onely who wyll not be deceiued with wordes corrupted with giftes feared with threatninges nor aunswered with excuses Princes haue their Realmes full of cruell iudges to punishe the frailtie of man they haue their courtes full of aduocates to pleade against them that haue offended they haue their pallaces full of loyterers promoters that note the offences of other men they haue throughe all their prouinces auditours that ouersee the accomptes of their rentes and besides all this they haue no remembraunce of the day so streighte wherein they must render accompte of their wicked life Me thinkes since all that whiche princes receiue commeth from the handes of God that the greatest parte of the time whiche they spend should be in the seruice of God and all their trade in God and thei ought to render no accompt of their life but vnto God then sithe they are gods in thauthoritie whiche they haue ouer temporall thinges they ought to shewe them selues to resemble god more then others by vertues For that Prince is more to be magnified whiche reformeth two vices among his people then he which conquereth .x. realmes of his enemies But we will desire them from henceforth they presume not any more to be gods on the earth but that they endeuour them selues to be good Christians in the common wealth For all the wealthe of a Prince is that he be stoute with straungers and louing to his own subiectes Fiftly Princes ought to be better Christians then others For the prosperitie or aduersitie that chaunceth vnto them commeth directly from the handes of god onely and none other I haue seen sondry times Princes whiche haue put their whole hope confidence in other princes to be on a sodeine discomfaited and for the contrary those which haue litle hope in men and great confidence in god haue alwayes prospered When man is in his chiefest brauery and trusteth most to mens wisedome then the secret iudgement of God sonest discomforteth him I meane that the confederates frendes of princes might helpe succour thē but god will not suffer them to be holpen nor socoured to th end they should see that their remedie proceadeth not by mās diligence but by deuine prouidēce A prince that hath a realme doth not suffer any thing to be done therin without his aduise therefore sithe god is of no lesse power in heauen then princes are on the earth it is reason that nothing be done without his cōsent sins he taketh account of al mēs deades as he is the end of al things so in him by him al thinges haue their beginning O Princes if you
Prince a house should abounde for his pleasours and to the immortall God there should wante a temple for his relickes The daye therefore appointed when they should carie the relicke of Gibeah to Bethleem there mette thirty thousand Israelites with a great nombre of noble men which came with the king besyds a greater nombre of straungers For in such a case those are no which come of their owne pleasure then those which are commaunded Besides al the people they say that all the nobilitie of the realme was there to thend the relicke should be more honoured his persone better accompanied It chaunced that as the lordes and people wēt singing and the king in persone dauncing the whele of the chariot began to fall and goe out of the waye the whiche prince Oza seing by chaunce set to his hand and his shoulder against it because the Arcke wher the relick was should not fall nor breake yet notwithstanding that sodainly and before thē all he fell downe dead Therfore let this punishmēt be noted for truly it was fearfull and ye ought to thinke that since god for putting his hande to the chariot to holde it vp stroke him with death that a prince shoulde not hope seking the destruction and decaye of the churche that god will prolong his life O princes great lordes and prelates sith Oza with suche diligence loste his life what do ye hope or loke for sith with such negligence ye destroy and suffer the churche to fall Yet once againe I doe retourne to exclaime vpon you O princes and great lordes syth prince Oza deserued such punishement because without reuerence he aduaunced him selfe to staye the Arke which fell what punishement ought ye to haue whiche through malice helpe the churche to fall ¶ Why kyng Balthasar was punished DArius kyng of the Perses and Medes besieged the auncient citie of Babilon in Chaldea wherof Balthasar sonne of Nabuchodonosor the great was kinge and lorde Who was so wicked a childe that his father being dead he caused him to be cut in .300 pieces gaue him to .300 haukes to be eaten because he should not reuiue againe to take the goodes and riches from him which he had left him I knowe not what father is so folishe that letteth his sonne liue in pleasures afterwardes the intrelles of the hauke wherewith the sonne hauked should be the wofull graue of the father which so many men lamented This Balthasar then being so besieged determined one night to make a great feast and banket to the lordes of his realme that came to ayde him and in this he did like a valiaunt and stoute prince to th ende the Perses and Medes might see that he litle estemed their power The noble and high hartes do vse when they are enuironed with many trauayles to seeke occasions to inuent pleasours because to their men they may giue greater courage and to their enemies greater feare He declareth of Pirrus kynge of the Epirotes when he was besieged very streightly in the citie of Tharenta of the Romain captaine Quintus Dentatus that then he spake vnto his captaines in this sort Lordes frendes be ye nothing at al abashed since I neuer here before sawe ye afraide though the Romaines haue compassed our bodies yet we haue besieged their hartes For I let you to wete that I am of such a cōplexion that the streighter they kepe my body the more my hart is at large And further I say though the Romains beate down the walles yet our harts shall remaine inuincible And though there be no wall betwene vs yet we wyll make them knowe that the hartes of Greekes are harder to ouercome then the stones of Tarentine are to be beaten downe But retourninge to king Balthasar The banket then being ended and the greatest parte of the night spent Balthasar the kyng being very well pleased that the banket was made to his cōtentation though he was not the sobrest in drynking wyne commaunded all the cuppes of golde and siluer with the treasour he had to be brought and set on the table because all the bidden gestes shoulde drinke therin King Balthasar did this to that ende the princes and lordes with all his captaines shoulde manfully helpe him to defende the siege and also to shewe that he had muche treasour to pay them for their paynes For to saye the truthe there is nothing that encourageth men of warre more than to see their rewarde before their eies As they were drinking merily at the banket of these cups which Nabuchodonosor had robbed from the temple of Hierusalem sodenly by the power of God and the deserte of his offences there appeared a hand in the wal without a body or arme which with his fingers wrote these wordes Mane Thetel Phares which signifieth O kinge Balthasar god hath sene thy life and findeth that thy malice is nowe accomplished He hath commaunded that thou and thy realme shoulde be wayed and hath found that ther lacketh a great deale of iust weight wherfore he comaundeth that thy life for thine offences be taken from thee and that thy realme bee put into the handes of the Perses and Medes whiche are thine enemies The vision was not frustrate for the same night without any lenger delay the execution of the sentence was put in effect by the enemies The king Balthasar died the realme was lost the treasours were robbed the noble men takē and al the Chaldeans captiues I would nowe knowe sith Balthasar was so extreamely punished only for geuing his concubines and frindes drinke in the sacred cuppes what payne deserueth princes and prelates then which robbe the churches for prophane thinges How wicked so euer Balthasar was yet he neuer chaunged gaue sold nor engaged the treasours of the Sinagoge but wat shall we say speake of prelates whiche without any shame wast chaunge sell and spende the churche goodes I take it to be lesser offence to giue drinke in a chalice as king Balthasar did to one of his concubines then to enter into the churche by symony as many do nowe a daies This tyraunt was ouercome more by folie than by couetousnes but these others are vanquished with foly couetousnes and simony What meaneth this also that for the offence of Nabuchodonosor in Hierusalem his sonne Balthasar shoulde come and be punished For this truly me thinke not consonaunt to reason nor agreable to mans lawe that the father should commit the theft and the sonne should requite it with seuen double To this I can aunswere that the good child is bounde to restore all the good that his father hath lefte him euill gotten For he that enioyeth the thefte deserueth no lesse punishement then he that committeth the theft For in th end both are theues and deserue to be hanged on the galowes of the deuine iustice ¶ Why Kyng Ahab was punished IN the first booke of Malachie that is to wete in the third booke of kinges the .viii. chap. It is
him afraide in the night And Xerxes which was the sonne of kyng Darius when he passed into Italye to wage battaile before all other thinges he sente fower thousand horsemen to Delphos wher the Temple of God Apollo was to beate it downe for the pryde of Xerxes was so great that he would not onlye subdue men but also conquere the gods It chaunsed that euen as they approched nere the Temple to beat it downe a sodaine tempest fell vpon them so that with stones and thunder boltes they were al killed in the fields and so dyed Brennus was one of the renowmed Captaines of the Gothes who sithe he had conquered and subdued the Greekes determined also to robbe the treasours of the temples saying that gods should gyue vnto men and not men vnto gods and that it was greate honoure to the goddes that with their goodes men should be made riche But as they beganne to robbe the Temple there fell a multitude of arrowes from heauen that the Captaine Brennus dyed there and all his men with him not one left alyue After that Sextus Pompeius was vanquished in the battaile by sea neare vnto Scicile by Octavus Angustus he retired him selfe into the Arkes Lacinii where there was an auncient Temple consecrated to the godesse Iuno endewed with maruelous treasours And it chaunsed one day that his souldyers asking him money and he beinge then withoute he commaunded theym to beate downe the Temple of the goddesse Iuno and to paye them selues with the spoile of her treasure The historiographers saye that within a whyle after it chaunsed Sextus Pompeius to be taken of the knightes of Marcus Antonius and when he was broughte before Titus generall of the armye he spake vnto him these woordes I wil thou know Sextus Pompeius I do not condemne the to dye for thoffences thou hast committed against my Lord Marcus Antonius But because thou hast robbed and beaten downe the Temple of the Goddesse Iuno For thou knowest that the good Captaynes oughte to forget the offences against men and to reuenge the iniuryes done vnto the Goddes ¶ How Valentine the Emperoure because he was an euyll Chrystian loste in one day both the Empire and his lyfe and was burned alyue in a shepecote Cap. xxiiii WHen Iulian the Apostate was Emperour of Rome he sente to conquere Hongarie of no iust title hee had to it more then of Ambicion to vnite it to the Romaine Empire For tyrannous princes vse all their force to vsurpe others realmes by crueltye and lytle regard whether they maye do it by iustice And because the Romaine Empire was of great force this Ambicious Emperour Iulian had in that warres a mighty and puysant Armie which did wonderfull muche harme throughe al the countryes they came For the fruites of warres is to bereue the enemyes of lyfe and to spoyle the men of their goodes It chaunsed one day as 5 knyghtes wente out of the campe to make a rode they found a young man that caried a halter in hys hande and as they would haue taken it awaye from hym to haue tyed their horses to let them feede he was so hardy and stout that he defended hym selfe from them all so that he had more strength alone then they fyue altogethers The Romayne knyghtes amazed to see this younge man defend hym selfe from them all so stoutly very instauntly desired him to go to the Romaine campe with them and they promised him he should haue great interteynment For the Romaines were so dyligent that they woulde omit no good thinge for want of money so that it wer for the publike weale This yonge man was called Gracian and was borne and brought vp in the country of Pannonia in a citie they called Cibata his lynage was not of the lowest sort of the people nor yet of the most estemed Citizens but were men that lyued by the swete of their browes and in loue of the common people And truly it is no small benefite that God had made him of a meane estate for to be of base linage maketh men to be despised and not regarded and to come of a noble bloud and high synage maketh men to be proud and lofty This yonge man being come into the Romaynes campe the fame was immediatly spred how that he alone had vanquished fiue knyghtes And his strength and courage was so highely estemed that wythin a while after he was made Pretour of the armie For the Romaynes not according to fauour but according to the habilytie of men deuyded the offices and degrees of honoure in warres Tyme therfore working his nature and manye estates beinge decayed after thys yonge Gracian was made Pretour of the armye and that he was sufficiently tryed in the warres fortune which many times bringeth that to passe in a day that mans malyce cannot in many yeres raised this Gracian to be Emperoure of Rome For trulye one hower of good successe is more worthe thenne al worldly fauour This Gracian was not onlye singuler in strengthe couragious in battaile fortunate in all his affaires but also he was luckye of children That is to wete he had two sonnes which were Emperours of Rome the one was called Valente the other Valentinian In this case the children mighte glorye to haue a father so stout but the glorie of the father is greater to haue sonnes of such nobilytie For there is no greater felicitie in this world then duringe life to come to honour and riches after death to leaue good children to enioy them The eldest of the two sonnes was the Emperour Valente who ruled in the Orient for the space of .iiii. yeres was the xxxix Emperour of Rome from Iulius Cesar though some do beginne at the time of Octauian sayeng that he was vertuous and that Iulius Cesar vsurped the Empire lyke a tiraunt This Valente was beautifull of personne but poore of vertues so that he was more beautifull thenne vertuous more couragious thenne mercifull more riche thenne charitable more cruell then pitefull For there are manye Princes that are verye expert to deuise newe orders in a common wealthe but there are few that haue stoute hartes to put the same in execution In those dayes the sect of Arrian the cursed heretike florished and the Emperour Valente was greatly blinded therin in somuch that he did not only fauour the Arrians but also he persecuted the Christiās which was shewed for somuch as he killed caused to be killed for that occasiō many lay men toke many clerkes banished many Bishopps ouerthrew many Churches robbed the goods of the Chrishiās dyd infinite other mischeues in the comcomon wealth For the prince whych is infected wyth heresy liueth without feare of the Church ther is neyther mischiefe nor treasō but he wil comit In the desertes of Egipte in the mountaynes of Armenia and in the cityes of Alexandrie there was a greate multitude of fryers and relygious men amongest whom were many wise men and pure
of lyfe constant in the defence of the Church and pacient in persecutions For he is a true relygious man that in tyme of peace is charitable to teache the ignorant and bold in the time of Scismes to confound the heretyques The Emperour Valente was not only not a frend to the Arrians an enemye to the Christians but also he was a persecutour of the deuoute and religious fryers For he commaunded proclamacyons to be had through all his realmes and domynions that all the relygious that were yonge in yeares hole of their bodyes and sound of their lymmes should immedyately cast of their cowles and hoodes leauyng their monasterye and take souldiers wages in the campe For he said Monasteryes were inuented for nothynge els but to maintaine those that were deformed blynde lame and maymed and vppon this occasion he shewed great tyrannye For many monasteryes were left naked many notable constitucions were broken manye hermites were martyred manye friers whypped many notable barons banyshed and many good men robbed of their goodes For the vertuous men desired rather the bytter lyfe of the monastery then the swete and pleasaunt lybertie of the world This Emperour yet not contented with these thinges as by chaunce his wife commended vnto him the beautye of a Romaine called Iustina without any more delaye he maried her not forsaking hys first wyfe and immedyatly made a lawe throughout all his Empire that without incurring any daunger eche Christian myght haue two wyues and mary with them by the lawe of matrymony For the tyrannous Princes to cloake their vyces make and enstablyshe the lawes of vices The shame was not litle that the Emperoure Valente against the commaundement of the Churche would marie wyth two women at one time but the lesse shame he had the greater was his iniquytye to put it in excucion and to cause it to be publyshed through hys realme as a law For a perticuler vyce corrupteth but one alone but a general law distroyeth al. At that tyme the puissaunt Gothes were in the parties of the orient the whych were in feates of armes very valyaunt and couragious but in thynges of faith they were euyl broughte vp althoughe the greateste part of them were baptysed For then the Churche was very poore of prelates howbeit those that they had were very notable men After the Gothes were baptysed and the furie of the warres somewhat appeased they sente Embassadours to the Emperour Valente desyring hym that immedyatlye and forthwith he would sende them holy catholyke Bishoppes by whose doctrine they myght be instructed and brought to the christian fayth For it was thought that the Emperoures of Rome coulde haue no byshoppes in their countryes vnlesse they were vertuous This wicked Emperour sythe he was now entangled with heresye and that he had peruerted the customes of the good Emperours that is for hauing about hym euil Bishoppes as he was enuyronned with all euills and myscheues so he sent to the Gothes a bishoppe called Eudoxius the whych was a ranke Arrian and brought with hym many Bishoppes which were heretyques by the whych the kynges and Princes of the Gothes were Arrians for the space of 200 yeares The catholyke Princes ought to take great care to watch and in watching to be ware and circumspect that they their Realmes neyther their subiects should in their time be defiled with heresie For the plague of heretykes and heresyes is not of lyght occasion bannished the place wher ons it hath reigned We haue declared of the small fayth that thys Emperoure had in Iesus Christe and of the greate myscheues he dyd to the Churche Let vs now see what was the ende of hys myserable life For the man of wycked lyfe seldome commeth to good ende The matter was this that as the Gothes were dryuen out of the Realme by some of the Hunnes they came immedyately to the Realme of Thracia which then was subiecte to the Romaynes And the Emperour Valente without anye couenaunte receyued theym into hys lande wherin he commytted great folye and vsed lytle wisedome For it is a generall rule wher rebelles vacabondes and straungers come to inhabyte there alwayes the Realme and dominions is destroyed The Gothes remayned certaine yeres amonge them without any discencion or quarrellynge against the Romaynes but afterwardes through the couetousnes of Maximus chiefe Captaine of the Romaines that denied the Gothes of their prouysion whyche so longe tyme remayned frendes arose betwene them so cruell warres that it was the occasion of the losse and vtter vndoing both of Rome and of all Italye For truly ther is no enmetye doth so much hurte as that of frendes when they fawle out once at dyscorde The warre now being kindeled the Gothes were scatered throughe the Realme of Thrace and they left no forte but they battered they came to no villagyes nor cytyes but they sacked they toke no women but they forced they entred into no house but they robbed Finally the Gothes in short time shewed the poyson that they had agaynst the Romaynes And let no man maruel that the Gothes committed so many cruell and heynous factes sith we that are Chrystians do commyt dayly greater offences For among rebelles it is a common errour that that whyche they robbe in the warres they saye they are not bound to restore in peace The Emperour Valente was then in the cytie of Antioche and sith he had assembled there a great army had greate ayde out of Italy he determyned hymselfe in person to go into the campe of the Romaynes and to gyue thonset against the Gothes wherin he shewed himselfe more bold then wise For a Prince in battaile can doo no more then one man nor fighte more then one man and if he die he is the occasion of the death and destruction of them all When both the hostes of the Romaynes and the Gothes ioyned ther was betwene theym a cruell and mortall fight so that in the first brunt the Gothes shewed them selues so valiaunte that they put to flight the Romaines horsemen leauing their fotemen alone in great ieopardy the which in short space after were discomfited and slaine not one left aliue For the barbarous sware that that day the Gothes should al dye or els vtterly they would destroy the name of the Romaynes And in this first charg the Emperour Valente was mortally woūded who perceiuing he had his deaths wound that the battaile was lost he determined to fire and saue himselfe But when fortune beginneth to persecute anye man she leaueth hym not vntill she se him dead or beaten downe without recouer Therfore as this wicked Emperour thincking to saue himselfe came into a shepecotte the enemyes seyng him in the end set fier on the shepecote and burnt him alyue So in one day he lost his person his lyfe his honoure and his empire It is mete that princes and great lordes should lift vp their eyes to consyder well thys historie of Valente that they straye not from
the Catholicke Churche that they dyshonour not Gods mynisters and maintayne heresyes For as this accursed Emperoure Valente for his wicked doinges was condignely punished by the hands of the almighty God So let them be assured the selfe same god wil not pardon their offences For it is a rule infallible that the prince which is not a good christian shall fall into the hands of his cruell enemyes ¶ Of the Emperour Valentinian and Gracian hys sonne whych reigned in the time of saynte Ambrose whyche because they were good Christians were alwayes fortunate and that god gyueth victorye vnto Princes more throughe the teares of them that pray then through the weapons of those that fyght I Valentinian and Valent were brethrene and the eldest of them was Valentinian who succeded in the Empire after the death of his father to be pretor of the armies For amonges the Romaines there was a lawe in vre that if the father died in the fauour of the people of right the sonne without any other demaunde was heire This Valentinian was a lusty yong man of a sanguine complection and of his body well shaped and aboue al he was a good Christian and of all the people generallye welbeloued For nothynge adorneth the noble man more then to be counted ciuill and corteous of behauior At that time wher the Emperoure Iulian persecuted moste the chrisstians Valentinian was pretor of the armies and when Iulian was aduertised that Valentinian was a christian he sent vnto him and bad hym do sacrifice to the idols of the Romaine Emperour or els to forsake the office of his pretorship Iulian would gladly haue killed Valentinian but he durst not For it was a law inuiolable amonges the Romaynes that no citizen should be put to death without decre of the Senate Valentinian receyuing the message of this Emperour Iulian aduertised of his will which was to renownce his faith or to leaue his office he dyd not only resigne his office but therwithal forgaue the Emperour all the money he ought him for arreragies of his seruyce And because he woulde lyue with a more quyete conscience he wente from Rome into a cloyster where he bannyshed hym selfe for two yeares and a halfe and for this he was hyghlye estemed and commended For it is a good signe that man is a good Christian whyche of his owne free will renounceth worldlye goodes Shortlye after It happened that Iulian the Emperoure wente to conquer the Realme of Persia wherein a battaile he was very sore wounded and fell downe deade in the presente place For to the mishappes of fortune the Emperour with all his estate pleasours is asmuch subiect as is the poorest man that lyeth in the streates When the newes came to Rome that Iulian was dead by the consent of all Valentinian was created Emperoure so that he beinge bannyshed for Christes sake was called againe and crowned Prince of the Romaine empire Let no man care to lose al that he possesseth let no man way to see him selfe despised for Christes sake For in the end no men can in a thousand yeares so much abase vs as god in one houre can exalt vs. In the same yere which was from the foundation of Rome a thousand a hundred and .xix. in a citie called Atrobata it rained very fine wull so that all the citie became riche In the same yeare in the citie of Constantinople it hailed suche great stones that they killed many men left no herdes in the fieldes aliue At the same tyme there came an earthquake throughout Italy so likewyse in Scicille that many housen fell and slewe sundry persons and aboue all the sea rose in suche sorte that it drowned many cities nighe thereunto Paulus Diaconus in the .xi. booke De gestibus Romanorum saieth that the emperour Valentinian was of a subtile witte of graue coūtenaunce eloquēt in speache yet he spake litle stoute in his affaires and diligent in his busines in aduersities pacient and a great enemy of the vicious temperat in eating and drinking a frend of religious persons so that they saide he resembled the emperour Aurelius For after that the emperour Marcus Aurelius died with whom the felicitie of the Romaine empire ended they euer vsed thenceforth in Rome to compare and liken the young and newe come princes to the auncient emperours their antecessours That is to wete if the prince wer couragious they said he was like Iulius Caesar if he were vertuous they saide he was an other Octauian if he were fortunate that he was Tiberius if he were rashe they sayde he was Caligula if he were cruell they compared him to Nero if he were merciful thei sayde he was like to Traian or Antonius Pius if he were beawtifull they likened him to Titus if he were idle they compared him to Domitian if he were paciēt they called him Vespasius if he were tēperat they likened him to Adrian if he were deuoute to their gods then he semed Aurelianus finally he that was sage and vertuous they compared him to the good Marcus Aurelius This emperour Valentinian was a good Christian and in al his affaires touching the empyre very wyse and circumspecte and yet he was noted for one thynge very muche and that was that he trusted and fauoured his seruauntes so muche and was so led by his friendes that through their occasion they abusinge his loue and credite there arose manye dissentions emonges the people Seneca sayde once to the Emperoure Nero I wyll that thou vnderstande Lorde that there is no pacience can suffre that twoo or three absolutly commaunde all not for that they are moste vertuous but for that they are moste in fauour with thee O princes and great Lordes if you were as I am I knowe not what you would doe but if I were as you be I woulde behaue my selfe in suche sorte to them of my house that they should be seruauntes to serue and obeye me and not boste themselues to be in suche fauour to commaunde me For that prince is not sage that to content a fewe getteth the hatred of all The Emperour Valentinian died in the fiue and fifty yeare of his byrthe and eleuen yeare of his Empyre of so longe sickenesse that his vaynes were so dried vp that they could not drawe one droppe of bloude out of his body And at the daye of his funeralles where the dead corps was greatly bewayled Saint Ambrose made anexcellent sermon in commendation of him for in those dayes when any prince departed that fauoured muche the Churche all the holy Byshoppes mete at his buriall The two brethren being Emperours that is to wete Valentinian and Valent through the desire of the father in lawe of Gracian that was father to his wyfe and desirous to haue one of his doughters children chose Valentinian to bryng vp who had a sonne named Gracian whiche was created emperour so young that as yet he had no berde And truly the Senate would not haue suffered it
as an innocent and that the Emperour Valent had iudged euill and like a tyraunt For the innocencie of the good is the great enemy of the euill At the same time when Theodosius demaūded baptisme according to the saying of Prosper in his cronicle he sayd vnto the bishop whiche should baptise him these wordes O byshop sainct Roger I doe coniure thee by the creatour whiche made vs and doe desire thee for the passion of Iesu Christe who redemed vs to geue me the water of baptisme for I haue made a vowe to become a Christian if god graunted me victory Wherefore I wyll accomplishe my vowe for those thinges whiche necessitie causeth vs to promyse our owne free wyll ought to accomplishe I am sory with all my heart that beynge a Christian I can liue no longer and sith it is so I offer my life for his sake and into his mercifull handes I commende my soule I leue a sonne of myne who is called Theodosius and if the fatherly loue begile me not I thinke he wyll be a vertuous and stoute young man and besides that he wil be wise and sithe by thy handes he hath bene baptised I require thee holy father that thou through thy wysedome wilt bring him vp in the true faith for if he be a good Christian I trust in god he will be a great man in the Empire This Theodosius was the father of the great Emperour Theodosius so that the father was a Christian and the sonne a Christian Not longe after the Emperour Valent had caused Theodosius which was father to the great Emperour Theodosius to be executed Valent by the commaundement of God was by the Gothes persecuted and in th end put to death and truly this was the iust iudgement of god For he of right should suffer death him selfe whiche vniustly procureth the death of others Rufinus in the seconde booke of his histories saith that after the tyraunt Thirmus was put to death by the captaine Theodosius and that the Emperour Valent had caused this Theodosius to be put to death and that the same Valent was slaine of the Gothes the Romains created a king in Afrike whose name was Hismarus called for a right Christian in that time which was from the buylding of Rome .377 There was in the citie of Carthage a holy byshop called Siluanus a man in humaine and deuine letters excellently well learned and sithe the kyng was so iuste and the byshop so holy both the faith encreased and also the affayres of the common weale prospered For commonly the warres beginne rather through the pride of the highest then through disobedience in the lowest Therefore this holy byshop and good Christian king being desirous in their tyme to geue good example to the subiectes and for the time to come to leaue good preceptes they celebrated in the citie of Bona a counsaile with all the byshoppes of Affryke in the whiche kyng Hismarus was in persone For in auncient coūselles the kynges were not onely there in persones but also al the lordes and hie estates of their Realmes Amongest many excellent thinges which Rufinus mentioneth that were ordayned in this place it semed good vnto me to remember here these few to the ende christian princes nowe present may see what deuout christians those kinges were in times paste ¶ A collection or Purport of the counsell of Hyponense THese were the thinges which in the sacred counsayle of Hyponense were ordeined where there was in persone the catholyke kyng Hismarus and the relygious byshoppe Siluanus and in that whiche was ordeined the kinge spake in some of theym and dooth counsaile in other some Because in suche semblable affayres it is both mete and requisite that the royall preheminens be reuerenced and the auctoritie of the Churche not diminished We ordeine that from two yeares to two yeares all the Byshoppes Abbottes and prelates of our Realme doe assemble and celebrate a prouintial counsaile and that in this counsayle there be no temporall matters spoken of but of the disorders and misgouernaunce of Churches for the Churche is not lost for the lacke of scarsitie of money but for the to great aboundance of riches We ordeine and all prelates which are now and shal be here after we desire that when they will cal any counsaile in our Realmes that before the celebracion of the same they certifye vs leste that vnder the couler or cloke of a holy counsaile there shoulde some suspicious assembly be had We ordaine that from henceforth the Princes and great Lordes be bounde to repaire to the sacred counsaile wyth all the company of the holy Bishoppes For it were more mete they should come to destroye false heretikes in winning their soules then to fyght agaynst their enemyes in losinge their lyues We ordeine that the Prince whyche commeth not to the counsailes through negligence that vnto hym the Sacrament of the body of Christe be not ministred vntyll the next counsell be celebrated And if perchaunce he refuse not to come throughe negligence but throughe malyce we will that thenne they proceade against him as a suspect parson in the faith of Christe For the Christian Prince that of malyce onely committeth an offence is not parfitte in the holy catholyke fayth We ordaine that at the firste assemblie of the counsaile all the prelates togethers openlye and afterwardes eche one by hym selfe priuatelye shall saye the crede singynge the whyche thinge finished the Kynge hym selfe alone shall saye the crede lykewise For if the prince be suspected of the holy catholyke fayth it is vnpossible that hys people should be good Christians We ordaine that in thys counsaile the prelates haue lybertye and aucthoritie to saye vnto the kyng that that is comelye and decente and the kynge likewise to saye in the counsayle what hee thinke best soo that the prelates might tell the king without feare of hys lytell care he hath in destroyenge the heretikes and heresies of his realme and likewise the king might tell the prelates their neglygence that they vse in the charge of their flocke For the end and intencion of counsayles oughte not to be any otherwise then a scourge for offences paste and a reformacion of the euils to come We ordaine that all the princes of Affricke immediatly before they do any other thinge in the morning do openly and dilygently come to morning prayer and we wil also that ther be present al his courtiers and priuate counsellours which with them ought to enter into counsaile For that creature can not giue any good counsaile who hath not reconsiled himselfe vnto god before We ordaine that the Archbishoppes Bishoppes and Abbottes continually duringe the time of the counsaile do euery daye confesse them selues to almighty god seruing him deuoutly and that one of them do preach to the people gods word For if euery prelate be bound to giue good example alone then being altogether they shal giue it much better We ordaine the princes asmuch as lyeth in
to be blamed for those which haue credit for their euil are many and those whych haue power to do well are very fewe ¶ Of the golden age in times past and worldly miserie which we haue at this present Cap. xxxi IN the first age golden world al liued in peace ech man toke care for his owne lands euery one planted sowed their trees corne eueryone gathered his frutes and cut his vynes kned their breade and brought vp their children and finally all liued by their owne proper swette trauaile so that they all liued without the preiudice or hurt of any other O worldly malice O cursed wicked world that thou neuer sufferest things to remaine in one estate and thought I cal the cursed maruaile not therat for when we are in most prosperitie then thou with death persecutest vs most cruelly Without teares I say not that I wil say that 2000 yeres of the world wer past before we knew what the world ment god suffering it and worldly malice inuenting it ploughes were turned into weapons oxen to horses goades to lances whippes to arrowes slinges to crosbowes simplycitye into malice trauaile into Idlenes rest to paine peace to warre loue to hatred charitie to crueltie Iustice to tyranny profite to domage almes to theft aboue al fayth into Idolatrie And finallye the swete they had to profite in their owne goods they tourned to bloud sheading to the domage of the comon wealth And herein the world sheweth it selfe to be a world herein worldly malice sheweth it selfe to be malicious in somuch as the one reioyceth the other lamenteth the one reioceth to stomble to the end the other may fall breake his necke the one reioyceth to be poore to the end the other maye not be riche the one reioyseth to be dispraised to the end the other may not be honored the one delighteth to be sad to the ende the other shoulde not be merye to conclude we are so wicked that we banishe the good from our owne house to the end that the euill might enter in at the gates of an other man When the creator created the whole world he gaue to eche thinge immediatly his place that is to wete he placed intelligence in the vppermoste heauen he placed the starres in the firmament the planettes in the orbes the byrdes in the ayre the earth on the center the fyshes in the water the serpentes in the holes the beastes in the mountaines and to al in generallye he gaue place to reste them selues in Now let princes and great Lordes be vaine glorious sayenge that they are Lords of the earth for truly of all that is created god only is the true Lord therof because the miserable man for his part hath but the vse of the fruit for if we thinke it reasonable that we should enioy the profite of that which is created then were it more conuenient we should acknowledge god to be the Lord therof I do not deny but confesse the God created al things to the end they should serue man vpoÌ„ condicion that maÌ„ shold serue God likewise but wheÌ„ the creature riseth against god immediatly the creator resisteth against man For it is but reason that he be disobeyd who one only coÌ„maundemeÌ„t wil not obey O what euil fortune hath the creature only for disobeying the comaundement of his creator For if man had kept his coÌ„maundement in Paradise god had conserued to the world the signorie but the creatures whome he created for his seruice are occasion to him of great troubles for the ingratitude of benefit heapeth great sorow to the discret hart It is great pitie to behold the man that was in paradise that might haue bene in heauen now to se him in the world aboue al to be interred in the intrailes of the earth For in terrestiall paradise he was innocent in heauen he had bene blessed but nowe he is in the worlde enuirouned with cares and afterwardes he shal be throwen into hys graue and gnawen of the wormes Let vs nowe see the disobedience wee hadde in the commaundemente of GOD and what fruite we haue gathered in the world For he is very simple that dare commit any vice taking no delight nor pleasure therof in his body In my opinion through the sinnes whiche our forefathers committed in paradise the seruitude remaineth in vs their children which are on the earth For so much as if I entre into the water I drowne if I touche the fire I burne if I cone neare a dog he biteth me if I threaten a horse he casteth me if I resiste the wynde it bloweth me downe if I persecute the serpent he poysoneth me if I smite the beare he destroieth me and to be brief I saie that the man that without pitie eateth men in his life the wormes shal eate his intrailes in the graue after his death O princes great lordes lode your selues with cloth of gold heape vp your great treasours assemble many armies inuente Iustes Torneis seke your pastimes reueÌ„ge your selues of your enemies serue your selues with your subiectes marrye your children to mighty kinges set them in great estate cause your selues to be feared of your enemies imploye your bodies to al pleasures leue great possessions to your heires rayse sumptuous buildinges to leaue memory of your persons I sweare by him that shal iudge me that I haue more compassion to see your sinfull soules then I haue enuy to see your vicious liues For in the end all pastimes will vanishe away and they shal leaue you for a gage to the hungry wormes of the earth O if princes did consider though they haue bene borne princes created norished in great estates that the day thei are borne death immediatly commeth to seke the end of their life and taketh them here and there when they are whole when they are sicke now tombling then rising he neuer leaueth them one houre vntill their woful burial Therfore sith it is true as in dede it is that that whiche princes possesse in this life is but small that which they hope in the other is so great truly I marueile why princes the which shal lie so straight in the graue dare liue in such so great largenes in their life To be riche to be lordes to haue great estates men should not therof at al be proude since they see how fraile mans condicion is for in th end life is but lone but death is enheritage Death is a patrimonie heritage which successiuely is inherited but life is a righte which daily is surrendred For death counteth vs somuche his owne that oftimes vnwaâ—es he coÌ„meth to assault vs life taketh vs such straungers that oftetimes we not doubting therof it vanisheth away If this thing theÌ„ be true why wil princes great lordes presume to coÌ„maunde in a straunge house which is this life as in their own house which is the
loued of his subiectes cannot liue in peace nor quyet and the realme that is not feareful of their king can not be wel gouerned The realme Sicilia had alwayes mightye Princes and gouernours for in auncient time it was gouerned by vertuous princes or els by cruel malicious tirauntes In the time of Senerus the Emperour ther reigned in Cecil a king called Lelius Pius who had so many good things in him that throughout al the empire he was very wel estemed and chiefly for foure lawes amongeste others hee ordayned in that Realme whiche were these folowing We ordaine that if amongeste equall persones there bee anye iniuries offered that they be punished or els that they be dissembled for wher enuye is roted betwene two it profiteth more to reconsile their good willes then to punish their persones We ordaine that if the greatest be offended by the least that such offence be litle reproued wel punished for the audacite litle shame also the disobedience of the seruaunt to the maister ought not to be reformed but by greuous punishment We ordaine that if any resist or speake against the comaundement of a prince that presently without delay he suffer death before them al for they may boldly by the way of supplycacion reuerently declare their grieffes and not by slaunder rebellyously dysobeye their lordes We ordaine that if anye rayse the common wealthe agaynste the Prince hee that canne fyrste strycke of hys heade maye lawefullye wythe oute fearynge anye daunger of punyshemente for hys heade is iustelye taken frome hym that woulde there shoulde be manye heades in the common wealthe Of all this before spoken Herianus is the authoure in hys fourthe booke of the kynges of Sicille where hee putteth manye and singuler lawes and customes which the auncientes had to the great confusion of these that be present For truly the auncientes did not onlye exceade these that be present in their workes and doings but also in speaking profound wordes Therfore returning to our matter mans life greatly trauaileth alwayes to defend the head in such sort that a man would rather suffer his hand to be cut of then to suffer a wound to be made in his head By this comparison I meane that a fault in a common wealth is a cut which cankereth festereth but the disobedyence to a prince is a wound which forthwith killeth Yf a man did aske me what vnion princes shoulde haue with their common wealth I would answere them in this sort that the wealth of the king realme consisteth herein That the king shold accompany with the good bannishe the euil For it is vnpossible that the king should be beloued of the common wealth if the companye he hath about him be reputed vicious He should also loue his Realme without dissymulacion the realme should serue him vnfainedly for the common wealth which knoweth it to be beloued of their Prince shal not find any thing to hard for his seruice Further that the kinge vse his subiectes as his children and that the subiectes serue him as a father for generallye the good father can not suffer his children to be in daunger neyther the good children wil dissobeye their father Also the king ought to be iust in his commaundementes and the subiectes faithful For if it be a good thinge in their seruices to liue vnder a iust law it is much better to lyue vnder a iust king Also the king ought to defende his subiectes from enemies they ought wel to pay him his tribute for the Prince who defended his people from enemyes and tirannye worthely deserueth to be lord of al their goodes Also the king ought to kepe his common wealth in quiet and ought not to be presumptous of his persone so the prince whych is not feared wel estemed shal neuer be obeyed in his commaundement Finally I say that the good king ought to do his Realme pleasure and the faithfull subiectes ought to endeuour them selues neuer to displease their kinge For that prince cannot be called vnfortunate who of his common wealthe is loued and obeyed ¶ As there are two sences in the head smelling and hering So likewise the prince whiche is the heade of the common weale oughte to here the complaintes of al his subiectes and should knowe them al to recompence their seruices Cap. xxxvii WE haue shewed how the prince is the common wealthe and nowe we wil let you vnderstand another notable thing which is this that as all sences are in the heade so oughte all estates to be in princes For the verues which are in many spred and skattered should be in one prince founde and gathered The office of the feete is not to se but to goe the handes office is not to heare but to labour the shoulders not to feele but to beare all these offices are not semely for the membres which are his subiectes but apperteineth to the king alone to exercise them For the head to haue eyes and no other members meaneth nought els but that onlye to the prince and to none other apparteyneth to know all for Iulius Cesar knewe all those of his host and named them by their proper names I counsel and admonishe you O you princes which shal heare see or read this thing that you do reioyce to visite and to be visited to see to be sene to talke to be talked with for the thinges whych wyth your eyes you se not you cannot perfectly loue A man ought also to know that the head only hath eares to note that to the king and to none other apperteyneth to here all and to kepe the gates open for them that haue any sewtes for it is no small matter to a common wealth to haue and obtaine of the prince easye audyence Helius Spartiahus commendeth highly Traian the Emperour that when he was on horsebacke to go to the warres alyghted againe to here the complainte of a poore Romaine which thing was meruelously noted amongest al the Romaines for if men were not vaine they should geue a Prince more honoure for one worke of iustice then for the victorye of many battayles Truly to a king it is no pleasure but rather paine and griefe and also for the common people auoyaunce that the prince alwayes should be enclosed and shut vp For the prince which shutteth hys gates agaynste his subiectes causeth theym not to open there hartes wyllynglye to obey hym How many and great slaunders doth their arise in the common wealth only for that the prince somtime wil not speake Iulius Cesar was Emperoure and the heade of all the empyre and because he was musing of weighty matters would not herken to him which would haue reueled the treason conspired agaynst him was that same day with .33 wondes in the Senate murdered The contrarye is red of Marcus Aurelius the Emperoure who was so famyliar with all men that howbeit he was chiefe of al and that the affaires which
I wold not yester daye aunswere to that that the Senatour Fuluius spake vnto me because it was somewhat late and for that we were long in sacrifices I thought that neyther time nor place was conuenieÌ„t to aunswere therunto For it is a signe of a lytle wisedome of great folye for a man to aunswere sodainly to euerye question The libertie that vndiscret men haue to demaunde the selfe same priuiledge hath the sage for to aunswere For though the demaund procede of ignoraunce yet the aunswere oughte to procede of wysedome Trulye wise men were wel at ease if to euery demaund they shoulde aunswere the simple and malicious who for the most part demaund more to vexe other men then for to profyte themselues more for to proue than to know wherfore wise men ought to dissemble at such demaundes For the sages oughte to haue their eares open to heare and their tongue tyed because they should not speake I let you know auncyent fathers sacred senate that the lytle whyche I knowe I learned in the yle of Rhodes in Naples in Capua and in Tharente And al tutors told me that the Intencion and end of men to study was only to know to gouerne them selues amongest the malicious For scyence profiteth nothing els but to know how to kepe his lyfe wel ordered his tongue wel measured Therfore I protest to god that which I will say before your sacred preseÌ„ce I wil not speake it of any malice or ill wil but only to aunswere vnto that which toucheth the auctoritie of my person For the thynges which touch the honour ought first by word to be aunswered afterwards by sword to be reuenged Therfore now beginning my matter addressing my words to the Fuluius and to that which thou spakest vnto me asking why I shew my selfe so to all men I aunswere the. It is because al men shold giue themselues to me Thou knowest wel Fuluius that I haue bene a Consul as thou art and thou hast not bene an Emperour as I am Therfore beleue me in thys case that the prince being dispised caÌ„not be beloued of hys people The gods wil not nor the lawes do permyte neyther the common wealth wyllyngly should suffer that al princes should be lordes of many and that they should not communicate but with a few For princes which haue bene gentile in their lyues the auncients haue made them gods after their deathes The fisher to fish for many fishes in the riuer goeth not with one bote alone nor the Mariner to fish in the depe sea goeth with one net only I meane that the profounde willes which are deepely enclosed in the hartes oughte to be wonne some by giftes other by promises other by pleasaunt words and others by gentle enterteynement For princes should trauaile more to winne the hartes of their subiectes then to conquere the Realmes of straungers The gredy and couetous hartes care not thoughe the prince shutteth vp his hart so that he open his cofers but noble and valiaunt men litle esteme that which they locke vp in their cofers so that their hartes be open to their frendes For loue can neuer but with loue againe be requited Sith Princes are lords of many of necessitie they ought to be serued with many being serued with many they are bound to satisfie many and this is as generally as perticulerly they cannot dispence with their seruaunts For the prince is no lesse bound to pay the seruice of his seruaunte then the maister is to pay the wages of the hired laborer Therefore if thys thing be true as it is how shal poore princes do which kepe many Realmes in keping them they haue great expenses and for to pay such charges they haue lytle money For in this case let euery man do what he will and let them take what counsaile they like best I would counsaile all others as I my selfe haue experimented that is that the prince shold be of so good a conuersacion among those which are his and so affable and familiar with all that for his good conuersacion only they should thinke them selues wel paid For with rewardes princes recompence the trauaile of their seruantes but with gentle wordes they robbe the hartes of their subiectes We se by experience that diuers marchauntes had rather by dearer in one shoppe because the marchaunt is pleasaunte then to â—ye better chepe in an other wheras the marchaunt is churlishe I meane that there are many which had rather serue a prince to gaine nothing but loue only thaÌ„ to serue an other prince for money For there is no seruice better imployed then to him which is honest good and gracious and to the contrary none worse bestowed then on hym which is vnthankfull and churlyshe In princes pallaces there shall neuer want euil and wicked men malicious deuelishe flatterers which wil seke meanes to put into their Lords heades howe they shall rayse their rentes leauye subsidies inuent tributes and borow money but there are none that wil tel them how they shal winne the hartes and good willes of their subiectes though they know it more profitable to be wel beloued then necessarie to be enriched He that heapeth treasure for his prince and seperateth him from the loue of his people ought not to be called a faithfull seruaunt but a mortall enemy Princes and Lordes ought greatly to endeuour themselues to be so conuersant among their subiects that they had rather serue for good wil then for the payment of money For if moneye wante their seruice will quaile and hereof procedeth a thousand inconueniences vnto princes which neuer happen vnto those that haue seruauntes whiche serue more of good wil then for moneye for he that loueth with al his harte is not proude in prosperitie desperate in aduersitie neither complayneth he of pouertie nor is discontented being fauourlesse nor yet abashed with persecution finallye loue and life are neuer seperated vntill they come vnto the graue We see by experience that the rablemeÌ„t of the poore labourers of Scicil is more worth then the money of the knightes of Rome For the labourer euery time he goeth to the fielde bringeth some profit from thence but euery time the knight sheweth him selfe in the market place he returneth without money By that comparison I meane that princes should be affable easie to talke with all pleasaunt mercifull benigne and stoute and aboue all that they be gracious and louing to the end that through these qualities and not by money they may learne to wynne the hartes of their subiectes Princes should greately labour to be loued specially if they will finde who shall succour them in aduersitie and kepe them from euill will and hatred whiche those princes can not haue that are hated but rather euery man reioyceth at their fall and miserie For eche man enioyeth his own trauaile and truly the furious and sorowfull hartes taketh some reste to see that others haue pitie and
to morow the rust of diseases taketh him and afterwardes by aduersitie he is writhen and by infirmities he is diseased by riches he is whetted by pouerty he is dulled agayne and finally oftentimes it chaunseth that the more sharpe he is whetted so muche the more the lyfe is put in hasarde It is a true thinge that the fete and handes are necessary to clyme to the vanyties of youth and that afterwardes stumblynge a lytle immediately rowling the heade downewardes we discende into the miserie of age For to oure seamynge yesterdaye we knewe one that was yonge and beautifull and with in shorte tyme after we heare that he is dead and rotten When I consider manye men aswell frendes as enemyes whiche were not long a goe florisshyng in beautye and youth and presently I see them to be olde and drye sycke and foule truly I think that as then I dreamed of them or that they be not nowe as they were then What thynge is more fearefull or more incredible then to see a man become miserable in shorte space that the fashion of his visage shoulde chaunge the beautie of the face shoulde be loste the beard waxe whyte the heade bauld the cheekes and forheade full of wrynckelles the teethe as whit as Iuorye become blacke the lighte feete by the goute to seme crepeled and afterwarde waxeth heauie the palsey weakeneth the strong arme the fyne smothe throte with wrinckelles is pleated and the bodye that was streight and vpryghte waxeth weake and croked Aboue all that I haue spoken I say to the Epesipus which presumest to be faire that he which through hys propernes in youth was the mirrour of all becommeth to be such a one that he douteth whether he be the selfe same now in his age that he was in his youth Doe what thou wilte prayse and gloryfye thy beautie asmuch as thou thinckest good yet in the ende the beautie of men is none other but as a veile to couer their eyes a payre of fetters for the fete manacles for the handes a lyme rodde for the winges a these of tyme an occasion of daunger a prouoker of trouble a place of lecherye a sinke of all euill and fynallye it is an inuentour of debates and a scourge of the affectioned man Since thou haste forsaken thy studye I am not bound to send the any thing chiefely wasting thy monye in childysh and youthfull toyes but notwithstandyng all those thinges I sende the by Aulus Vegenus two thousande crounes for thy apparaile and trulye thou shalt be very vnthankfull if thou dost not knowe the benefite done vnto the. For a man ought to giue more thākes for that which is done of curtesie then for that which is offered of necessitie I cannot tell what to let the vnderstande in these partes but that thy sister Anania Salaria is maried who sayeth she is contente I praye God it be so for with money men maye be holpen to mariages but it lyeth in the gods to contente the parties If thou wilte know of Toringa thy cosen thou shalte vnderstande she is imbarked in the fleete whyche went to Spaine and in dede I neuer thought otherwise on her after she had hene .3 dayes hydde in the waye of Salaria For maydes that will betimes gather their grapesi t is a token that they will goe on warfare with souldyars Of Annius Rufus thy frende and companion I certify the that he is gon into the I le of Helespont and he goeth by the authority of the senate to vnderstand the gouernement therof and albeit he be yong yet he is wise and therfore I suppose he will render a good accompt of his commission For of these two extremities the aged that do decline or the yong that are wise I had rather holde my selfe to the wisdom of the yong then to the white berdes of the aged My wife Faustine saluteth the and be thou assured that in thy affaires at the least to my seming she is very fauourable vnto the and dayly she instauntely requireth me not to be angrye with the sayenge that sage men oughte not to esteme the lyghtenes of youth and that there is no olde man that is sage but he which in all thinges was lighte and youthefull I say no more to the in this case but if thou wylte be good I cannot denaye that thou art not my nepheue my old scoler and seruaunte For if in the I se amendment I wil withdrawe mine ire For trulye amonge the louing hartes there is nothing that plucketh vp the euill will vnles it be the good lyfe At the request of my wife Faustine I haue writen the this worde and I saye no more but that of her parte and mine thou commende vs to all the vniuersitie The Gods haue the in their custodye to whom it may please to gyue the amendement of lyfe Marcus Aurelius the romaine emperour to the Annius Epesipus wryteth with his owne hand How princes and great Lordes in olde time were louers of wise men Chap. xliii ONe of the chiefest thynges that wanne reputacion and eternall memorye to the auncient princes and Gouerners was that they sought wyse men to be alwayes couersaunt about them whose graue counsaile their realmes alwayes obserued and obeyed It profiteth a king litle to leade with him a greate nomber of sages to gouerne him and his realme if his subiectes are armed with malice not to obey hym Let princes knowe whiche esteme not the counsaile of sages that their commaundement of other shall not be regarded For the lawe whiche by will is made and not of right ordeined deserueth not to be obeyed We which turne and tosse the leaues of the auncient histories cannot denay but that the romaines naturally were proude Yet we muste confesse that as they haue ben stout in thinges touching warres so they haue shewed them selues temperate in the affaires of the publike weale And truly herin Rome declared her wisedom might for as by hardye and stoute captaynes the enemies were destroied in warre so by sages and wise men the common wealth was gouerned and mainteined in peace Ofte tymes with my selfe I muse whereuppon all these discordes grew betwene lords and subiectes princes and vassalles and my count being made I finde that they haue both reason For the subiectes complaine of the litle loue of their lorde and the lordes complaine of the great disobedience of their subiectes For to say the truth disobedience is so much augmented and the desier of commaundement is become so licencious that it semeth to the subiectes that the waighte of a fether is lead and on the cōtrary it semeth to princes that for the flieng of a flye they should draw their swordes All this euill and damage commeth not but because the princes haue not with them wise men whiche maye counsaile them for there was neuer any good prince that credited euil counsaile There are two thinges in princes and prelates whiche gouerne the soule th one is the
patched and peced wherof the peces that were sowen on of new are in more quantity of clothe then the olde whyche before they had when they were first made Beware king Cresus and be not as the barbarous princes are which vse good wordes and euill dedes For they go about with faire wordes to couer the infamie of their cruel dedes Meruell not though we philosophers readers in scholes desire not to liue with you Princes gouernours of Realmes For euil Princes for none other intente seke the companye of wyse menne but onelye because they woulde throughe them excuse their faultes For doinge as thou doest of wyll and not of ryghte you will that the vulger people thincke you doe it by the coūsayle of a wyse man I let the vnderstande Kynge Cresus that the Prince which desireth to gouerne his people wel oughte not to be contente to haue one only sage in his palace For it is not mete that the gouernement of many doe consiste in the aduise of one alone Thy imbassadour hath sayde by worde and the selfe same thy letter testifieth that thou arte certified that I am counted for sage throughout all Greece and that this presupposed I woulde come to thee to gouerne thy common wealthe And for the contrary thou doyng thus as thou doest condemnest me to be an Idiote for thou thynkyng that I woulde take thy golde is nothyng els but for to rayle vppon me as a foole The chiefe poynte wherein true philosophie is knowen is when he dispyseth the thinges of the worlde for there neuer agreeth together the lybertie of the soule and the care of goodes in this lyfe O kyng Cresus I let thee vnderstande that he whiche knoweth moste the course of the elemente is not called sage but it is he whiche leaste knoweth the vices of this worlde For the true Philosopher profiteth more by not knowynge the euyll then by learnyng the good I let thee vnderstande I am three score and seuen yeares olde and yet neuer before this tyme there reigned Ire in me but whan thy embassage was presented to me and that I sawe layde at my feete suche treasure and ryches For vppon this deede I gather that either wysedome lacketh in thee or that great couetousnes aboundeth in me I doe sende thee thy golde againe which thou sendest me and thy embassadour shall declare as witnes of syghte how greatly it hath sclaundered all Grece For it was neuer sene nor heard of that in any wyse they shoulde suffer golde to enter into the vniuersitie of Athens For it should not onely be a dishonour to the philosophers of Grece to haue ryches but also it woulde turne them to great infamy to desire them O king Cresus if thou knowest it not it is but reason thou know it that in the scholes of Grece we learne not to commaunde but to obey not to speake but to be silent not to resist but to humble our selues not to get much but to cōtent vs with litle not to reuēge offences but to pardon iniuries not to take from others but to giue oure owne not to be honored but to trauaile to be vertuous finally we learne to despise that which other men loue and to loue that which other men despise which is pouertie Thou thoughtest that I would accept thy golde or els that I would not If thou thoughtest I would haue taken it then thou haddest had reason not to haue receiue me afterwardes into thy palace for it is a great infamy that the couetous man shuld be acceptable to a prince If thou thoughtest that I would none of it thou were not wyse to take the paynes to sende it for princes ought neuer to take vpon them thinges wherein as they thinke the subiectes should lose their honestie in receiuing them See king Cresus and behold that by diligence it litle auaileth to serche for the phisition afterwards to do nothing of that which by him is ordeined I meane that it shall not profite but rather it shabe harme that I come into thy common wealth that afterwardes thou wilt not doe that whiche I shall ordeine therin for great daungers ensue to alter the humors with siropes vnlesse they take afterwardes a purgation to purge away the same For to redresse thy barbarous realme to satisfie thy good desier I am determined to condiscende vnto thy request and to accomplishe thy commaundement vpon condition that thou shalt ensure me of these thinges folowing For the labourer ought not to sowe his sede before the ground be plowed tilled The firste thou shalt forsake the euill custome which ye barbarous kings doe vse that is to wete to heape vp treasures and not to spende them For euery prince whiche is couetous of treasures is scarsely of capacitie to receiue good counsayle The seconde thou shalt not only banishe out of thy place but also out of thy courte all flatterers for the prince that is a frende of flatterers of necessitie must be an enemy of the truthe The thirde thou shalt ende the warres whiche thou at this present doest mainteine against the people of Corinthe for euery prince that loueth forayne warres must nedes hate the peace of his common wealth The fourth thou shalt bannishe from thy house all those Iugglers comediantes and minstrels for the prince which occupieth him selfe to heare vaine and trifling thinges in time of necessitie shall not applie him selfe to those whiche be of weight and importaunce Fiftly thou shalt prouide that all loiterers and vacaboundes be expulsed from thy persone and bannished thy palace for idlenes and negligence are cruell enemies of wysedome Sixtly thou shalt banish from thy court and palace al liers and sedicious men for when liers are suffered in the palace of princes it is a signe that the kyng and the realme falleth into vtter destruction The seuenth thou shalt promise that in al the daies of thy life thou shalt not presse me to receiue any thing of thee for the day that thou shalt corrupt me with giftes it is necessary that I corrupt thee with euill counsailes For ther is no counsel that is good but that whiche procedeth frō the man that is not couetous If on these conditions the king Cresus desireth the philosopher Anacharsis that philosopher Anacharsis desireth the king Cresus if not I had rather be a disciple of sage philosophers then a king of the barbarous people Vale felix rex Sith this letter doth declare it it is nedeles for my penne to write it that is to wete what was the humanitie goodnes of king Cresus to write vnto a poore philosopher howe great the courage of a philosopher was to despise the gold to say as he did in this behalfe Therefore let princes note here that such ought the sages to be they shold chose and let Sages note heare also vppon what conditions they oughte to enter into the pallace of princes For this is suche a bargayne that it seldome tymes
realme but that first he had bene brought vp in the studies of Grece I will not denie that all the renowmed tyrauntes haue not bene nourished in Scicile but also thou shalt not deny me that they were not borne in Grece Therfore see and beholde to whom the fault is from the mother whiche bare them or froÌ„ the nurse which gaue theÌ„ suck I do not say that it shal be but I say that it may wel be that if I were there in Grece I should be a better philosopher than thou if thou were here in Agrigentine thou wouldest be a worser tyraunt thaÌ„ I. I would thou shouldest thinke that thou mightest be better in Grece where thou art and that I might be worse in Agrigentine where I am For thou dost not so muche good as thou mightest doe and I do not so much euil as I may do The conning man Perillus came into these partes and hath made a Bul wherin he hath put a kind of torment the most feare fullest in the world and truly I caused that that which his malyce had inuented should be of none other than of himselfe experimented For there is no iuster law that when any workeman haue inuented engins to make other men dye then to put them to the torments by them inuented to know the experience in them selues I beseche the hartely to come and se me and be thou assured thou shalt make me good For it is a good signe for the sicke when he acknowledgeth his sicknes to the Physitian I saye no more to the but that once againe I returne to solicite the that thou faylest not to come to se me For in the end if I do not profite of the I am sure thou shalt profite by me and if thou winnest I cannot lose ¶ How Philippe kyng of Macedonia Alexander the great the king Ptolomeus the king Antigonus the king Archelaus and Pâ—rrus kynge of the Epirotes were all great louers and frendes of the sages Cap. xlvii IF Quintus Curtius deceiue me not the great Alexander sonne to kyng Philyppe of Macedome dyd not deserue to be called great for that he was accompanied with thousands of men of warre but he wanne the renowne of great for that he had more philosophers on his counsaile then all other princes had This great prince neuer toke vpon him warres but that firste the order of executyng the same shoulde before his presence be examyned of the sages and wise philosophers And truly he had reason For in affaires wher good counsaile haue proceded they may alwayes loke for a good end These Historiographers whych wrote of great Alexander as wel the Grecians as the Latines knowe not whether the fiersnes wherwith he stroke his enemyes was greater or the humanitie wherewith he embraced his counsayle Though the sage philosophers whych accompanied the great Alexander were many in nombre yet notwithstandyng amongest all those Aristotle Anaxarcus and Onosichrates were his most familiars And herein Alexander shewed hymselfe very wise For wise princes ought to take the counsaile of many but they ought to determine and conclude vpon the opinion of few The greate Alexander did not contente himselfe to haue sages with hym neyther to sende onlye to desire those whiche were not his but oftentymes himselfe in personne woulde goo see theym vysite theym and counsayle with theym Saying that the Princes whiche are the seruauntes of sages come to be made maisters and Lordes ouer all In the time of Alexander Magnus Diogenes the philosopher lyued who neither for entreatye nor yet for any promises made would come to see Alexander the great Wherfore the great Alexander went to se him and when he had desired him to go with him and acompany him Diogenes aunswered O Alexander since thou wilte winne honoure in keapinge of menne in thy companye it is not reason that I shoulde loose it to forsake my study For in folowing the I shall not folow my selfe and being thyne I shal cease to be myne Thou arte come to haue the name of the greate ALEXANDER for conqueringe the worlde and I haue attayned to come to renowme of a good Phylosopher in flyeng the world And if thou dost ymagine that thou hast gotten and wonne I thinke that I haue not erred nor lost And since thou wilt be no lesse in aucthoritye then a king do not thinke that I wil lose the estimacion of a philosopher For in the world there is no greater losse vnto a man then when he looseth his proper lybertie When hee had spoken these wordes Alexander said vnto them that were about him with a loude voyce By the immortall gods I sweare and as god Mars rule my handes in battaile if I were not Alexander the greate I would be Diogenes the Philosopher And he sayd further in myne opinion there is no other felycitie vpon the earth then to be Alexander king who commaundeth al or to be Diogenes to commaund Alexander who commaundeth all As king Alexander was more familyar with some philosophers then with others so he estemed some bookes more then others And they say he read oftentimes in the Iliades of Homere which is a booke where the storye of the destruction of Troy is and that when he slept he layde vnder his head vpon a bolster his sword and also his booke When the great king Alexander was borne his father King of Macedonie did two notable things The one was that he sent many and very riche giftes into the I le of Delphos wher the Oracle of Apollo was to the end to present theym with him and to praye him that it would please him to preserue his sonne The other thing that he did was that immediatly he wrote a letter to the greate Philosopher Aristotel wher in he sayd these words ¶ The letter of king Philippe to Aristotle the philosopher PHilippe king of Macedonie wisheth healthe and peace to the Philosopher Aristotel which readeth in the vniuersitie of Grece I let the vnderstand that Olimpias my wife is brought to bedde of a goodly man child wherof both she and I and all Macedonie do reioyce For kinges realmes ought to haue great ioy when there is borne any sonne successour of the naturall prince of the prouince I render thankes vnto the immortall gods haue sent many great giftes to the Temples and it was not so much for that I haue a sonne as for that they haue giuen him vnto me in the time of so great and excellent philosopher I hope that thou wilt bringe him vp and teache him in such sort that by heritage he shal be Lord of my patrimonye of Macedonie and by desert he shal be lorde of all Asia so that they should call him my sonne and the his father Vale foelix iterumque vale Ptolomeus father in lawe who was the viii kinge of the Egiptians did greatly loue the sages as wel of Caldea as of Grece and this thinge was estemed for a great vertue in king Ptolome
foure times Censor and in the end he was with much shame banished from Rome wherwith to reueng this iniury he came with a great power army against Rome for the proud hart wounded with iniury is neuer quiet in his life time vntyl he se his enemyes destroyed or that on them he hath taken vengeance Quintus Marcius being very nigh to the gates of Rome was most instantlye requyred that he wold not distroy his mother Rome but he toke no regard nor would condiscend to any request vntil such time that his mother issewed with a niece of his whom he loued entierly At whose intercession teares he left his anger raised his siege from Rome for many are ouercome soner wyth teares then wyth importunate reasonable requestes The ladies of Rome vsed much to haue their heares long and yellowe and to weare their wastes high and streight And as the Niece of Quintus Marcius was great bigge with child the day that the peace was made betwene Quintus Marcius Rome lacinge her selfe to hard in her attire to seme more proper comely she long before her time was delyuered of a creature the case was so woful vnfortunate that the creature deliuered dyed the mother lost her lyfe and the mother losyng her lyfe sodainlye her graundmother fel dead to the ground through which occasion al the ioy and mirth was turned into sorow sadnes For it is commenly sene when the world is in the greatest ioy then fortune sodainly turneth it into sorow The aucthors hereof are Tibulus and Porphirius both Grecians ¶ The aucthour foloweth and declareth other inconueniences and vnluckye chaunces which haue happened to women with child Chap. x. THe warres of Tarent being ended immedyatly begonne the warres of Carthage of whych so long tedious warres the possession of the Isles of Maiorica Minorica were occasion forsomuch as the one would take it and the other defend it This warre endured wel nyghe the space of 40. yeres for oft tymes the wastes and domages which are done in the warres are greater then the profite for which they contend The first captayne in this warre of the Romaines was Gaius Duellus and the fyrst of the Carthaginiens was Hammon the whych wyth their shyppes fought on the sea of Sicili the whych was very cruel for there they feared both the fury of the sea and also the cruelty of the pike the which two things put mans life in great daūger Of thys cruel battaile the Romaine captaine remayned victorious forasmuch as he drowned 14 shippes and toke other 30. he slew 3. thousande men and brought 3. thousand Carthaginiens prysoners and thys was the first victory that the Romaynes had by sea And that that the Romaynes most reioysed at was that by sea also they remained conquerers The captaine Gaius Duellus departyng from Sicili came to Rome wher he had a sister no lesse vertuous then rych and beautifull in whose house he lodged where he made a costly supper to al the senatours of Rome to al the captaines whiche came wyth hym from the warres for the vicious men knew not wherin to shew their loue to their frendes but by inuiting them to costly bankettes The sister of the captaine Gaius Duellus for ioye of his comming and for the pleasure of the banquet feast which was made in her house did eate more then she was accustomed also more then it behoued one in her case so that in the presence of al she began to annoy the bidden gestes for she not onely vomited out the meate of her stomake but also the bloud of her vaines and therwithal most vnluckely brought forth her fruite which she had in her intrailes wherwith immediatly after the soule departed from the body and so died Truly this case was no lesse lamentable then the others for so much as Gaius lost his sister the husband lost his wife his child the wife the child lost their liues and for that that Rome lost so noble and excellent a Roman aboue al for that it so chaunced in such a time of so great ioy and pleasure For there can come no vnluckier newes then in the time of much mirth to heare tel of any great mischaunce Of this matter mention is made in Blundus in the booke of the declination of the Empire The second warre of Afrike which was betwene Rome and Carthage was the. 540. yeres after the foūdation of Rome wherin were captaines Paulus Emilius and Publius Varro the which two consulles fought the great and famous battaile of Cannas in the prouince of Apulia I say famous because Rome neuer lost such nobilitie and Roman youth as she lost in that day Of these two coūsulles Paulus Emilius in the battaile was slaine and Publius Varro ouercome and the couragious Hannibal remained conquerour of the field wherin died .xxx. senatours and 300. officers of the senate and aboue .xl. thousand fotemen thre thousand horsemen finally the end of al the Romain people had bene that day if Hannibal had had the wit to haue folowed so noble a victory as he had the corage to giue so cruel a battaile A litle before that Publius Varro departed to goe to the warres he was maried to a faire young Romain called Sophia with in seuen monethes she was quicke as newes was brought her that Paulus Emilius was dead her husband ouercome she died sodenly the creature remaining aliue in her body This case aboue al was very pitiful in that that after he him selfe was vanquished that he had sene his compaignion the consul Emilius slaine with so great a numbre of the Romaine people fortune would that with his owne eies he should beholde the intrailes of his wife cut to take out the child likewise to se the earth opened to bury his wyfe Titus Liuius saith that Publius Varro remained so sorowful in his harte to see him self ouercome of his enemies to see his wife so sodainly so vnluckely strikē with death that al the time that his life endured he neither comed his beard slept in bed nor dined at the table hereat we ought not to marueile for a man in his hart may so be wounded in one houre that he shal neuer reioyce all the daies of his life If we put no doubtes in Titus Liuius the Romains had long tedious warres against the Samnites which indured for the space of .lxiii. yeres continually vntill suche time as the consull Ancus Rutillus which was a vertuous man did set a good appointment of peace betwene the Samnites the Romains for the noble stout harts ought always by vertue to bring their enemies to peace These warres therefore being so cruell obstinate Titus Venurius Spurius Posthumius which were Romain captains were ouercom by Pontius the valiant captain of the Samnites who after the victory did a thing neuer sene nor hard of before That is to
in dede that youre tonges are none other but the stynges of serpentes for ye doe condempne the good men and defame the Roman women And thynke not yf you speake euill of other women to excuse your owne for the man that by his tonge dyshonereth straunge women doeth not so much iuel as he doeth by defamyng his owne wyfe by suspytion For the husbande that suspectith hys wyfe geueth all men licence to accompt her for noughte Sythe we women goe lytell oute of the house we trauayle not farre and sithe we see fewe thinges thoughe we woulde we cannot be euill tonged but you menne heare muche you see muche you know muche you wander abrode muche and continually you murmure All the euill that we selye women can do is to listen to our frendes when they are vexed to chide oure seruauntes when they are necligent to enuye our neighbours if they be faier and to cursse those that doeth vs iniurye finallye thoughe wee speake euill we cannot murmure but at those that dwelleth in the same streate where wee dwell But you menne defame youre wyues by suspition you dyshonoure youre neyghbours in youre wordes you speake agaynste straungers wyth crueltye you neyther keape faythe nor promyse to youre wyues you shewe youre selues extreme agaynste youre enemyes you murmoure bothe at those that bee presente and also at them that be absente finally on the one parte you are so doble and on the other parte you are so vnthankefull that to those whom you desire you make faire promyses those whose bodyes you haue enioyed you littel esteame I confesse that the woman is not so good as she oughte to be and that it is necessarye that she should be kepte in the house and so she shall leade a good lyfe and beyng of good lyfe she shall haue good renowme and hauing good renowme she shal be wel willed but if perchaunce any of those do want in her yet for all that she oughte not to be reiected of her husbande For the frailenes that menne finde in women is but litell but the euils that women tast in men is veraye great I haue talked lenger then I thought and haue sayed more boldly then I ought but pardon me my lord for mine intentioÌ„ was not to vexe the but to perswade the. For in the end he is a foole that taketh that for iniury whiche passeth betwene the man and the wyfe in secreat I sticke alwayes to my first poynt and if it neade once againe I require the that thou wilte geue me the key of thy studye if thou do otherwise as thou mayst thou shalt do such a thyng as thou oughtest not to doe I am not angry so much for that thou doest as for the occasioÌ„ thou geuest me Therefore to auoyde the peril of my deliuery and to take from me all susspition I praye the my lorde deliuer me the key of thy study for otherwise I cannot be perswaded in my harte but that you haue a woman locked in your study For men that in their youth haue bene vnconstant thoughe the apparell that they haue be not worne yet notwitstandynge they desire to haue new Therfore once againe to preserue me from perill in my deliuery and to lyghten my hart of this thought it shal be well done that you let me enter into your studie The aunswere of the Emperour to Faustine concerning her demaunde of the key of the studdie Chap. xv THe Emperour hearing the wordes of Faustine and seyng that she spake them so ernestly that she bathed her wofull wordes with bitter teares determined also to aunswere her as ernestlye and sayd vnto her these wordes Wife Faustine thou hast told me all that thou wouldest and I haue heard al thy complaint Therfore I desire the now to haue asmuch pacience to here my aunswer as I haue had paine to heare thy demaunde And prepare thy eares to here my wordes as I haue listned mine to heare thy folly For in like matter when the tong doth applie it selfe to speake any word the eares ought immediatly to prepare them to heare it for to make aunswere For this is most sure that he that speaketh what he would shall here what he would not Before I tell the what thou arte and what thou oughtest to be I will first tel what I am and what I ought to be For I wil thou vnderstaÌ„d Faustine that I am so euil that that the which mine enemyes doth report of me is but a trifle in respect of that which my familiers frendes woulde say if they knew me To the end the prince be good he ought not to be couetous of tributes neither proud in commaundementes nor vnthanckefull of seruices nor to be forgetfull of the temples he ought not to be deaffe to here griefes coÌ„plaints quarells nor cruel to orphanes nor yet necligeÌ„t in affaires And the man that shall want these vices shall be both beloued of men fauoured of the gods I confesse first of all that I haue bene couetous For in dede those which with troubles annoy princes lest with money serue them most are of all other men beloued best Secondarily I confesse that I am proude For there is no prince at thys day in the world so brought vnder but when fortune is most lowest he hath hys harte very haughtie Thirdly I confesse that I am vnthankful for amongest vs that are princes the seruices that they doe vnto vs are greate and the rewardes that we geue vnto them are litell Forthly I do confesse that I am an euill founder of temples or amoÌ„ngest vs princes we do not sacrifice vnto the gods very oft vnlesse it be when wee see our selues to be inuironned with enemies Fiftly I confesse that I am necligent to heare the plaintes of the oppressed for flatterers haue towardes their princes more easy audience by their flattery then the poore pleadyng to declare their complaintes by truth Sixtly I confesse that I am carelesse for the orphanes for in the courtes and pallaces of princes the riche and mightie are most familiar but the miserable and poore orphanes are scarcely hearde Seuenthly I confesse that I am necligent in dispatching poore mens causes for princes ofte times not prouidyng in time for their affaires many and great perilles ensueth to their Realmes Mark here Faustyne how I haue told the what according to reason I ought to be what accordyng to the sensualitie I am and meruayle not thoughe I confesse mine errour For the man that acknowlegeth his faulte gyueth hope of amendement Let vs now come to talke of the and by that I haue spoken of me thou maiest iudge of thy selfe For we men are so euill coÌ„ditioned that we behold the vttermost the offences of an other but we wil not heare the faultes of our selues It is a true thing my wife Faustine that when a woman is mery she always speaketh more with her â—ong then she knoweth in her harte For women light of tong
this good Emperour sucking her dugge but a while was constrained to passe all his lyfe in paine Thirdely Princesses great Ladies ought to know and vnderstand the complexion of their children to the end that accordyng to the same they myghte seke pitieful nources that is to wete if the child wer cholorycke flegmaticke sanguine or melancolye For looke what humour the child is of of the same qualitie the milke of the nource should be If vnto an old corrupted mā they ministre medecines conformable to hys diseases for to cure hym why then should not the mother seeke a holesome nource to the tender babe agreable to his complexion to nourish hym And if thou sayest it is iuste that the flesh old and corrupted be susteined I tel the likewise that it is much more necessary that the children should be curiously well nourished to multiplye the world For in the end we do not say it is time that the yong leaue the bread for the aged but contrarye it is time that the old leaue the bread for the yong Aristotle in the booke De secretis secretorum Iunius Rusticus in the .x. boke de gestis Persarum say that the vnfortunat king Darius who was ouercome by Alexander the great had a doughter of a merueilous beautie And they saye that the nource which gaue sucke to this doughter all the time that she did nourishe it did neither eate nor drinke any thing but poison and at the end of .iii yeares when the child was weyned plucked from the dugge she did eate nothing but Colubers and other venemous wormes I haue heard say many times that the Emperours had a custome to nourish their heires children with poysons when they were yong to the entent that they should not be hurt by poyson afterward whē they wer old And this errour commeth of those which presume much and know litel And therfore I say that I haue heard say without sayeng I haue read it For some declare histories more for that they haue heard say of others then for that they haue read them selues The truth in this case is that as we vse at this present to were Cheynes of gold about our necks or Iewels on our fingers so did the Gentils in times past a rynge on their fingers or some Iewel in their bosome replenished with poison And bycause the Panims did neither feare hel nor hope for heauen they had that custome for if at any times in battaile they should find them selues in distresse they had rather end their liues with poison then to receyue any iniury of their enemies Then if it were true that those Princes had bene nourished with the poison they would not haue caried it about thē to haue ended their lyues Further I saye that the princes of Persia did vse when they had any child borne to geue him milke to sucke agreable to the complectiō he had Since this doughter of Darius was of melancholye humour they determined to bring her vp with venim and poyson because all those which are pure malancolye do liue with sorow dye with pleasure Ingnacius the Venetian in the life of the .v. emperours Palleolus which wer valiaunt emperours in Constantinople saieth that the second of the name called Palleolles the hardie was after the .xl. yeares of his age so troubled with infirmities and diseases that alwayes of the .xii. monethes of the yeare he was in his bed sycke ix monethes and beyng so sicke as he was the affaires and busines of the empire were but slenderly done loked vnto For the prince can not haue so small a feuer but the people in the commen wealth must haue it double This Emperour Palleolus had a wyfe whose name was Huldouina the which after she had brought all the Phisitions of Asia vnto her husbande and that she had ministred vnto him all the medecins she could learne to healpe him and in the end seyng nothing auaile ther came by chaunce an olde woman a Gretian borne who presumed to haue great knowlege in herbes and sayd vnto the empresse noble Empresse Huldouina If thou wilt that the Emperour thy husband doe liue longe see that thou chafe angre and vexe him euerye weeke at the least twyse for he is of a pure malancoly humour and therfore he that doth him pleasure augmenteth his disease he that vexeth him shal prolong his life The empresse Huldouina folowed the counsel of this Greeke woman which was occasion that the emperour lyued afterwardes sounde and hole many yeres so that of the .ix. monethes which he was accustomed to be sicke euery yeare in .xx. yeares afterwardes he was not sicke .iii. monethes For wher as this Greke woman commaunded the empresse to angre her husbande but twise in the weeke she accustomeablye angred hym .iiii. times in the daye Fourthly the good mother ought to take hede that the nource be verye temperate in eatyng so that she should eate litell of diuerse meates and of those few dishes she should not eate to much To vnderstand that thyng ye must know that the white milke is no other then blod which is soden and that whiche causeth the good or euill bloud commeth oft tymes of no other thyng but that eyther the personne is temperate or els a glutton in eating and therfore it is a thyng both healthfull and necessary that the nource that nourisheth the child do eate good meates for among men and women it is a general rule that in litle eating ther is no daunger and of to much eating there is no profit As all the Philosophers saye the wolfe is one of the beastes that deuoureth most and is most gredyest and therfore he is most feared of al the sheppardes But Aristotle in his third booke de Animalibus sayeth that when the wolfe doth once feele her selfe great with yong in all her lyfe after she neuer suffereth her selfe to be couppled with the wolfe againe For otherwyse if the wolfe should yearely bryng forth .vii. or .viii. whealpes as commonly she doth and the shepe but one lambe there woulde be in shorte space more wolues then shepe Besides all this the wolfe hath an other propertie whyche is that though she be a beast most deuouryng and gredy yet when she hath whealped she eateth very temperately and it is to the end to nouryshe here whealpes and to haue good milke And besydes that she doth eate but once in the day the whych the dogge wolfe doth prouide both for the byche and her whealpes Truly it is a monsterous thyng to see and noysome to heare and no lesse sclaunderous to speake that a wolfe whyche geueth sucke to .viii. whealpes eateth but one onely kynde of meate and a woman whych geueth sucke but to one chylde alone will eate of eyght sortes of meates And the cause hereof is that the beast doth not eate but to susteine nature and the woman doth not eate but to satisfie her pleasure Princesses and great Ladies ought to
that the doughters should inherit the goodes for to mary them selues with all Truly this law was very iust for the sonne that hath alwayes respect to the enheritaunce will not haue to his father any great confidence For he ought to be called a valiant Romaine knight that with his life hath wonne honour and by the sword hath gotten riches Since you are in straung realmes I praye you hartely that you be conuersaunt with the good as good brethren remēbring alwayes that you wer my children and that I gaue you both sucke of myne owne propre breastes And the daye that I shall here of your disagrement the same day shal be the end of my life For the discord in one citie of parentes doth more harme then a hole armie of enemys It is good for you my childrē to liue in loue concord togethers but it is more requisit to kepe you with the Romaine knightes The which with you you with thē if you do not loue together in the warres you shall neuer haue the vpper hand of your enemies For in great armies the discordes which rise emongest thē do more harme then the enemys do against whō they fight I think wel my children that you wold be very desirous to know of my estate that is to wete whether I am in health whether I am sick whether I am poore whether I am pleased or whether I am miscontented In this case I know not why you shold desire to know it since you ought to presuppose that accordyng to the troubles which I haue passed the miseries that with mine eyes I haue sene I am filled with this world for wise men after .50 yeres and vpwarde ought rather to apply their mindes how to receiue death thē to seke pleasurs to prolong life When mans flesh is weake it always desireth to be wel kept euen vnto the graue And as I am of flesh bone so I do feale the troubles of the world as al mortal men do But for al this do not think that to be pore or sick is the greatest misery neither thinke that to be hole riche is the chefest felicity for ther is none other felicity of the old fathers but for to se their childrē vertuous In my opiniō it is an honour to that countrey that the fathers haue such children which wil take profit with their counsell contrary wyse that the children haue such fathers which can giue it them For the child is happy that hath a wise father more happy is the father that hath not a folish sonne I do write oft times vnto you my children but there is a law that none be so hardy to write to men of war in the field except first they inrowle the letters in the senate Therfore since I write vnto you more letters then they would they do send lesse then I desire Thoughe this law be painefull to mothers which haue children yet we must confesse it is profitable for the weale publik For if a man should write to one in the warre that his family is not well he would forsake the warres to remedye it Yf a man wryte vnto him that it is prosperous he hath then a desire to enioye it Be not displeased my children thoughe all the letters I do sende vnto you come not to your handes For all that I do not cease to visite the temples for your owne health nor yet to offre sacrifices to the Gods for your honour For if we do please the gods we haue not cause to feare our enemies I say no more in this case my children but that I beseche the immortall Gods that if your lyues maye profyte the common wealth then they shorten my dayes and lēgthen your yeres but if your lyues should be to the domage of the common wealth then those immortall gods I desire that first I may vnderstand the end of your dayes before that the wormes should eate my flesh For rather then by your euill lyfe the glory of our predecessours should be bleamished it were much better both your liues wer ended The grace of the Gods the good renowme amongest men the good fortune of the Romains that wisedom of the greekes the blessing of Scippio of al other your predecessours be alwayes with you my children Of the education and doctrine of children whiles they are yong Wherein the auctour declareth many notable histories Chap. xxxii ALl mortall men which will trauell and see good fruite of their trauell ought to do as the chefe artificer did that painted the world For the man that maketh god the head of his workes it is vnpossible that he should erre in the same That whych we beleue and reade by wrytinge is that the eternall created the world in short space by his mighte but preserued it a lōg time by his wisedome Wherof a man may gather that the time to do a thing is short but the care and thought to preserue it is long We see daily that a valiaunt captaine assaulteth his enemies but in the end it is god that giueth the victorye but let vs aske the conquerour what trauell it hath bene vnto him or wherin he hath perceaued most daunger that is to wete either to obteine the victory of his enemies or els to preserue them selues amongest the enuious and malicious I sweare and affirme that such a knight wil swere that ther is no comparison betwene the one and the other for by the bloudy sweard in an houre the victorye is obteined but to kepe it with reputation the swete of al the life is required Laertius in the booke of the lyfe of the philophers declareth and Plato also hereof maketh mention in the bookes of hys common wealth that those of Thebes vnderstandyng that the Lacedemonians hadde good lawes for that whych they were of the godes fauoured and of menne greatly honoured determined to send by common assent and agreement a wise philosopher the beste esteamed amongest them whose name was Phetonius to whome they commaunded that he should aske the lawes of the Lacedemonians and that he shoulde be verye circumspecte and ware to see what their rules and customes were Those of Thebes were then very noble valliant and honest so that their principal end was to come to honour renowme to erect buildinges to make them selues of immortall memory for beyng vertuous For in buildyng they were very curious and for vertues they had good Philosophers The philosopher Phetonius was more thē a yeare in the realme of the Lacedemonians beholding at sondry times all thinges therin for simple men do not note thinges but onely to satisfye the eyes but the wise menne beholdeth them for to know and vnderstand their secrettes After that the philosopher had well plainely sene and behelde all the thinges of the Lacedemonians he determined to returne home to Thebes and beyng arriued all the people came to see him and here him For the vanitie of the common people is
chose the good for lack of force cannot resiste the euil which is the cause that noble mens children ofttimes cōmit sondrye heynous offences For it is an infallible rule that the more a mā geueth him selfe to pleasures the more he is entangled in vices It is a thing worthy to be noted and woful to see how politike we be to augmente thinges of honour how bolde we be to enterprise them how fortunate to compas them how diligent to kepe them how circumspect to susteine them and afterwarde what pitie is it to see how vnfortunate we are to lose all that whiche so longe time we haue searched for kept and possessed And that which is moste to be lamented in this case is that the goodes and honour are not lost for wante of diligence trauaile of the father but for the aboundaunce of pleasures and vices of the sonne Finallye let the riche man knowe that that which he hath wonne in labour and toyle waking his sonne being euill brought vp shall consume in pleasures sleaping One of the greatest vanities that reigneth at this day among the children of vanitie is that the father can not shew vnto his sonne the loue which he beareth him but in suffering him to be brought vp in the pleasures and vanities of this life Truly he that is such a one ought not to be called a pitifull father but a cruel stepfather for no man wil denie me this but that where there is youth libertie pleasure and money there will all the vices of this world be resident Lycurgus the great king geuer of lawes and sage philosopher ordeined to the Lacedemonians that all the children whiche were borne in cities good townes should be sent to bringe vp in villages till they were .xxv. yeares of age As Liuius saith that the Lygures were which in olde time were confederate with those of Capua and great enemies to the people of Rome They had a lawe amongest them that none should take wages in the warres vnlesse he had bene brought vp in the fieldes or that he had bene a heard man in the mountaines so that through one of these twoo wayes their flesh was hardned their ioyntes accustomed to suffer the heate and the colde and their bodies more mete to endure the trauayles of the warres In the yeare of the foundation of Rome a hundred and fourty the Romaines made cruell warres with the Lygures against whome was sent Gneus Fabritius of the which in the ende he triumphed and the day folowyng this triumphe he spake vnto the Senate these wordes Worthy Senatours I haue bene these fiue yeares against the Ligures and by the immortall gods I swere vnto you that in al this time there passed not one weke but we had either battaile or some perilous skermiche And that whiche a man oughte moste to marueile at is that I neuer perceiued any feare or cowardlynes to be in those barbarous people whereby they were constrained to demaunde peace of the people of Rome These Lygures pursued with suche fearcenes the warres that oftetimes they toke awaye from vs all hope to winne the victory for betwene armies the great might of the one doth put alwayes the others in feare And I wyll tell you fathers conscript their brynging vp to the ende the Romaine youth should take hereby example When they are young they are put to be shepeheardes because they should accustome their fleshe in the mountaines to endure trauaile by the whiche custome they are so much maisters of them selues the countrey being alwayes ful of snowe Ise in the wynter also noisome through the extreame heate in the Sōmer that I sweare by the god Apollo in al this time of fiue yeres of those we haue not sene one prease to the fire in the winter nor couet the shadow in the sommer Do not ye thinke worthy Senatours that I was willing to declare vnto you these thinges in the Senate for any desire I haue that you should esteame any thing the more my triumphe but I doe tell it you to this ende that you may haue an eie and take heade to your men of warre to the ende they may alwayes be occupied and that you suffer them not to be idle For it is more perilous for the Romaine armies to be ouercome with vices then to be disconfited with their enemies And to talke of these matters more at large me thinketh they should prouide commaunde that riche men should not be so hardy to bring vp their children to delicatly for in the ende it is vnpossible that the delicate persone should winne with his handes the honour of many victories That which moued me to saye so muche as I haue sayed worthy Senatours is to the end you may know that the Ligures were not ouercome by the power of Rome but because fortune was against them And since in nothing fortune sheweth her selfe so variable as in the thinges of warre me thinketh that though the Ligures are nowe vanquished ouercome yet notwithstanding you ought to entertaine them in loue to take them for your confederates For it is not good councell to hazarde that into the handes of fortune which a man may compasse by frendship The authour of this whiche is spoken is called Iunius Pratus in the booke of the concorde of Realmes and he saith in that place that this captaine Gneus Fabritius was counted no lesse sage for that he spake then esteamed valiaunte for that he did In the olde time those of the Iles Balleares whiche nowe are called Maiorque and Minorque though they were not counted wyse yet at the least in bringing vp their children they shewed them selues not negligent Because they were brought vp in hardnes in their youth and could not endure all painefull exercises of the warres Those of Carthage gaue fiue prisoners of Rome for one sclaue of Maiorque Diodorus Siculus saith in those Iles the mother did not geue the children bread with their own handes but they did put it on an high pole so that they might see the bread with their eies but they could not reache it with their handes Wherefore when they woulde eate they should firste with hurling of stones or slinges winne it or elles faste Though the worke were of children yet the inuention came of a high wyt And hereof it came that the Balleares were esteamed for valiaunt mē as well in wrastling as in slinges for to hurle for they did hurle with a slinge to hit a white as the Lygures shoote nowe in a crosse bowe to hitte the prick Those of great Britayne whiche nowe we call Englande amongest all the Barbarous were men most barbarous but you ought to knowe that within the space of fewe yeares the Romaines were vanquished of them many tymes For tyme in all thinges bringeth such chaunge alteration that those which once we knew great lordes within a while after we haue sene them sclaues Herodian in his hystory of Seuerus
of Athens no vycious man could enter nor idle word be spoken neither they dyd consent that any ignoraunt philosopher should come in to read there As by chaunce many phylosophers were come from the mout Olimpus amongest the residue ther was one came to se the phylosophers of Athens who was natife of Thebes a man as afterwards he declared him selfe in mortal natural Phylosophy very wel learned and since he desired to remayne in Athens he was examined and of many and dyuers thyngs demaunded And amongest the others these folowing were some of them Firste they asked him what causeth women to be so frowarde since it is true that nature made them shamefast and created them simple the Philosopher aunswered A Woman is not frowarde but bycause she hath to much her wil and wanteth shame Secondarily they asked him why yong men are vndone he aunswered bycause time aboundeth them for to do euil and maysters wanteth to enforce them to do good Thirdly they asked him why are wise men deceyued aswel as the simple he aunswered The wise man is neuer deceyued but by him that vseth faire words and hath euil condicions Forthly they asked him of whom mē ought most to beware he aunswered That ther is to a man no greater enemye then he which seeth that thing in the which he desireth to haue in him selfe Fifthly they asked him why many princes beginne wel and end euil he aunswered princes begin wel bycause their nature is good they end euil bycause no man doth gaine say them Sixtly they asked him why do princes comit such follyes he aunswered Bicause flatterers aboundeth that deceiue them true men wanteth which should serue them Seuenthly they asked him why the auncients were so sage men at thys present so simple he aunswered Bycause the auncients did not procure but to know they present do not trauaile but for to haue Eightly they asked him why so many vyces were nourished in the pallace of princes he aunswered Bycause pleasures abound and councel wanteth The ninth they asked him why the most part of mē liued without rest few without paine he aunswered No man is more without suffereth more paine thē he which dieth for the goods of another litle estemeth his owne The tenth they asked him wherby they myght know the common wealth to be vndone he aunswered There is no comon wealth vndone but where the yong are light and the old vicious The xi they asked him wherwith the comon wealth is mainteyned he aunswered The common wealth cannot decay wher iustice remayneth for the poore punishment for the tiraunts weight and measure plentiful chefely if ther be good doctrine for the yong lytle couetousnes in the old Affro the historiographers declareth this in the x boke De rebus attheniensium Truly in my opinion the words of this philosopher were few but the sentences were many And for none other cause I dyd bring in this history but to profite me of the last word wherin for aunswere he saith that al the profite of the commō wealth consisteth in that ther be princes that restrayne the auarice of the aged that there be maisters to teach the youthful We se by experience that if the brute beasts were not tied the corne seedes compassed with hedges or ditches a man should neuer gather the fruite when they are ripe I meane that strife debate wil rise continually amonge the people if the yonge men haue not good fathers to correct them wise maisters to teach them We cānot deny but though the knife be made of fyne steele yet sometimes it hath nede to be whet so in lyke maner the yong man during the time of his youth though he do not deserue it yet from time to time he ought to be corrected O princes great lords I know not of whom you take councell when your sonne is borne to prouyde him of a maister gouernour whom you chose not as the most vertuous but as the most richest not as the most sagest but as the most vile euil taught Finally you do not trust him wyth your children that best deserueth it but that most procureth it Againe I say O princes great lords why do you not wtdraw your childrē from their hands which haue their eyes more to their owne profite thē their harts vnto your seruice For such to enrich themselues do bring vp princes vyciously Let not princes thinke that it is a trifle to know how to find chose a good master the lord which herein doth not employ his dyligence is worthy of great rebuke And because they shal not pretend ignoraunce let them beware of that man whose life is suspicious and extreame couetous In my opinion in the palace of princes the office of tutorship ought not to begeuen as other comon offices that is to wete by requestes or money by priuyties or importunities eyther els for recompence of seruices for it foloweth not though a man hath ben imbassadour in straunge realmes or captaine of great armies in warre or that he hath possessed in the roial palace offices of honour or of estemaciō that therfore he should be able to teach or bring vp their children For to be a good captayne sufficeth only to be hardy and fortunate but for to be a tutour and gouernour of princes he ought to be both sage and vertuous ¶ Of the ii children of Marcus Aurelius the Emperour of the which the best beloued dyed And of the maisters he prouided for the other named Comodus ▪ Chap. xxxv MArcus Aurelius the xvii Emperour of Rome in that time that he was maried with Faustine only doughter of the Emperour Antonius Pius had only ii sonnes wherof the eldest was Comodus and the second Verissimus Of these ii chyldren the heyre was Comodus who was so wycked in the 13 yeres he gouerned the empire that he semed rather the disciple of Nero the cruel then to descend by the mothers syde from Anthonius the mercifull or sonne of Marcus Aurelius This wicked chyld Comodus was so light in speach so dishonest in parson so cruel with his people that oft tymes he being aliue they layed wagers that ther was not one vertue in him to be found nor any one vyce in him that wanted On the contrary part the second sonne named Verissimus was comely of gesture proper of personne in witte verye temperate the most of al was that by his good conuersacion of al he was beloued For the faire and vertuous princes by theyr beauty draweth vnto them mens eyes by their good conuersacion they winne their harts The child Verissimus was the hope of the comon people the glory of his aged father so that the Emperour determined that this chyld Verissimus shold be heyre of the Empire and that the prince Comodus should be disherited Wherat no man ought to maruaile for it is but iust since the child
and more profyte of the scoller he maye be soner vertuous then vitious For there is more courage required in one to be euil then strenght in another for to be good Also the maisters commenly haue another euill property worse then this whyche is they beare with their scollers in some secreat vices when they are yong from the whiche they cannot be withdrawen afterwarde when they are olde For it chaunceth oftetimes that the good inclination is ouercome by the euill custome and certainly the maisters whych in such a case should be apprehended ought to be punished as traitors pariured For to the mayster it is greater treason to leaue his disciple amongest vices then to delyuer a forte into the handes of the enemyes And let no man maruaill if I call such a mayster a treator for the one yeldeth the forte whych is but of stones builded but the other aduentureth hys sonne who is of his proper body begotten The cause of al this euill is that as the children of Princes ought to enherite realmes and the children of greate lordes hope to inherite the great estates so the maisters are more couetous then vertuous For they suffer their puples to runne at their own willes whē they be yong to thend to winne their hartes when they shal be olde so that the extreame couetousnes of the maisters now a dayes is suche that it causeth goodmens sonnes commonly to be euil and vitious O tutors of princes and maisters of great lordes I do admonyshe you and besides that I counsell you that your couetousnes deceiue you not thynkynge that you shal be better estemed for being clokers of vices then louers of vertues For there is none old nor yong so wicked but knoweth that good is better then euill And further I say to you in this case that oftetimes God permitteth when those that wer children become old their eyes to be opened wherby they know the harme that you haue done them in suffering them to be vitious in thier youth at what tyme your dutye had bene to haue corrected their vices You thought by your goods to be honored for your flattery but you find the contrary that you are despised worthely For it is the iust iudgement of god that he that committeth euill shall not escape without punyshment and he that consealeth the euill committed shal not liue vndefamed Diadumeus the Historiographer in the lyfe of Seuerus the .xxi. Emperour de clareth that Apuleius Rufynus who hadde ben consull twise and at that tyme was also tribune of the people a man who was very aged and likewise of greate aucthoritie thoroughe oute Rome came one daye to the Emperour Seuerus and sayed vnto him in this sorte Moste inuicte Prince alwayes Augustus know that I had .ii. children the whiche I committed to a mayster to bring vp and by chaunce the eldest increasinge in yeares and diminishing in vertues fell in loue with a Romaine ladye the which loue came to late to my knowledge for to such vnfortunat men as I am the disease is alwayes past remedy before the daunger thereof commeth to our knowledge The greatest grefe that herein I fele is that his mayster knew and consealed the euill and was not onely not a meanes to remedye it but also was the chefe worker of the adultery betwene them to be committed And my sonne made hym an oblygation wherin he bounde hym selfe if he woulde bryng hym that romaine lady he would geue hym after my death the house and herytages whych I haue in the gate Salaria and yet herwith not contented but he and my sonne together robbed me of much money For loue is costlye to hym that maynteineth it and alwayes the loues of the children are chargefull to the fathers Iudge you now therefore noble Prince thys so heinous and slaunderous cause for it is to muche presumption of the subiecte to reuenge any iniury knowyng that the lorde hym selfe will reuenge all wronges When the Emperour Seuerus hadde vnderstode this so heynous a case as one that was both in name and dede seuere commaunded good inquisition of the matter to be hadde and that before his presence the shoulde cause to appeare the father the sonne and the mayster to the ende eche one should alledge for his owne right for in Rome none could be condemned for anye offence vnlesse the plainetife had first declared the faulte before hys presence and that the accused shold haue no tyme to make hys excuse The trueth then knowen and the offenders confessyng the offences the Emperour Seuerus gaue iudgement thus I commaunde that this mayster be caste alyue amonge the beastes of the parke Palatine For it is but mete that beastes deuoure hym whyche teacheth others to lyue lyke beastes Also I doe commaunde that the sonne be vtterly dysinheryted of all the goodes of hys father and banyshed into the Iles Balleares and Maiorques For the chylde whiche from hys youth is vitious oughte iustlye to be banyshed the countrey and dysherited of hys fathers goods This therfore of the maister and of the sonne was done by the complaint of Apuleius Rufinus O howe vnconstant fortune is and howe oft not thynkyng of it the threde of lyfe doth breake I saye it bicause if this maister had not bene couetous the father hadde not bene depriued of his sonne the childe hadde not bene banished the mother had not bene defamed the common weale had not bene slaundered the master of wylde beastes hadde not bene deuoured neyther the Emperour hadde bene so cruell agaynst them nor yet their names in Hystories to their infamies hadde alwayes continued I doe not speake thys without a cause to declare by writyng that whyche the euyll do in the world For wyse menne ought more to feare the infamye of the litle penne then the slaunder of the bablyng tongue For in the ende the wicked tongue can not defame but the lyuynge but the litle penne doth defame them that are that were and the shal be To conclude thys my mynde is that the mayster shoulde endeuour hym selfe that hys scooller shoulde be vertuous and that he doe not dispayre though immediately for hys paines he be not rewarded For thoughe he be not of the creature let hym be assured that he shal be of the creatour For God is so mercyefull that he ofte tymes takynge pitie of the swette of those that be good chastneth the vnthankfull and taketh vpon him to require their seruices Of the determination of the Emperour when he committed his childe to the tutours whyche he had prouided for his education Chapter xxxviii CInna the Hystorien in the first booke of the times of Comodus declareth that Marcus Aurelius the Emperour chose .xiiii. masters learned and wise men to teache hys sonne Comodus of the whyche he refused fyue not for that they were not wyse but for that they were not honeste And so he kepte these nyne onely whyche were both learned in the sciences and also experte in bringyng vp the chyldren of
they winne it and as I think the reason hereof is for the dissembling with them by lytle and little they gather together dyuers thinges and afterwardes whē they thinke least thereon it is taken from them all at once For the iust iudgement of the gods is that since without reason they haue done euyll to others others by reason should come in lyke maner which doe euyll vnto them It is vnpossible that the valyant and sage man who in his deedes presumeth to be wise should take any taste in an other mans good for if he dyd he woulde neuer content him selfe with anye thinge sith he hath not a conscience in that which is euil gotten I know not Romaines whether you vnderstande mee but because you shall vnderstād me better I say that I maruaile I should rather wonder how the man keping another mans goods can sleepe or rest one hour sith he knoweth he hath done iniury to the gods slaūdered his neighbours pleased his enemies lost his frendes endomaged those that he robbed woorst of all that he hath put his personne in perill And I saye that he hath put his person in peryl for the day that any man determineth to take my goods he wyl also the same day if he can take my lyfe It is an odyous thing to the gods and very slaunderous amōg men that men should haue so much thorough theire fleshly desyres vertue bounde and the raine of theire euill workes so much at lybertie that another mans misery seemeth to him riches and that his owne riches semeth to hym selfe pouertie I care not whether he be Greke barbarous Romaine present or absent I say and affirme that he is and shal be cursed of gods and hated of men whiche without consideracion wil change his good fame into shame iustice into wronge right into tiranny trouthe into lyes the certaine for the doubtful hatyng hys owne proper and syghing for that of other mennes He that hath his chiefe intencion to gather goods for his children and seketh not a good name among the renowmed it is iust that such one doe not onely lose the goods whych he hath gathered but also that wythout good name he remaine shameful among the wicked Since you other Romaines naturally are proud pryde doth blynd you you thinke your selues happy that for hauing so much as ye haue more then others that therfore you should be more honored then al the which truely is not so For if presently you wyl not open your eies cōfesse your own errors you shal se that wheras you auaunt your selues to be lords of strāge prouinces you shal fynd yourselues made slaues with your own proper goods Gather asmuch as you wyl let them doe all you do commaund them yet as I thynk it lytle auaileth to haue Plebeians houses wyth goodes and contrarywyse the hartes to bee possessed wyth couetousnes For the ryches which are gotten with couetousnes and are kept wyth auarice doe take away the good name from the possessour and do nothyng auaile to maintein his lyfe It cannot be suffered many dayes and much lesse hidde many yeares that one man should be coūted bothe for riche among the ryche and for honoured among the honorable for it is vnpossible that he whych is a great louer of temporall goods should be a frynde of hys good name O if the couetous men were of theire own honor as gredy as they are of the goods of an other desyrous I swere vnto you by the immortall gods that the lytle woorme or moth of couetousnes would not gnawe the rest of theyr lyfe nor the canker of infamy shoulde destroy they re good name after theire death Herken you Romaynes herken what I wyll saye and I beseche the gods that you may vnderstande it For otherwise I should lose my labour and ye others should take no fruite of my wordes I se that all the worlde hateth pryde yet there is none that will folow humanitie Euery man condemneth adultery and yet I se no man that liueth chaste Euery man curseth excesse and I se no man lyue temperatly Euery man praiseth pacience and I se no man that wyll suffer Euerye manne blameth slouth and I se no man but those that are ydel Euery one blameth auaryce and yet euery man robbeth One thyng I saye not wythout teares in thys senate openly I doe declare it whych is that wyth the tonge euery man prayseth vertue and yet they them selues with all their lymmes are seruants vnto vyces Do not thynke that I saye thys onely for the Romaynes whych be in Illiria but for the Senatours whych I se here in the Senate Al you Romaynes in your deuyses about your armes haue this for your word Romanorum est debellare superbos parcere subiectis Truelye you shoulde better haue saide Romanorum est spoliare innocentes reddere subiectos For you Romayns are but destroyers of the people that be peaceable and robbers of the swette laboures of strangers ¶ The vyllayne argueth againste the Romaynes which without cause or reason conquered theire countreye and proued manifestlye that theye thoroughe offending of their goddes were vanquished of the Romaynes Cap. iiii I Aske ye Romaines what occasion ye haue that are brought vp nigh to the ryuer of Tyber against vs that liue in peace nigh to the riuer of Danuby Peraduenture ye haue seene vs frendes to youre foes or els we haue shewed our selues your enemies peraduenture you haue hard say that forsaking our owne land we should go conquere forein realmes peraduenture ye haue bene aduertised that we rebelling against our owne lordes should become obedient to the crewell barbarous peraduenture ye haue sent vs some imbassadour to desire vs to be your frendes or els there came some from vs to rome to defye ye as our enemies peraduenture some king died in our realme whiche by his testament made ye heirs to our realme wherby you claime your title and seke to make vs your subiectes peraduenture by some auncient lawe or custome ye haue founde that the noble and worthy Germany of necessitye is subiecte to the proude people of Rome peraduenture we haue destroied your armies we haue wasted your fieldes sacked your cities spoiled your subiectes or fauored your enemies so that to reuenge these iniuries ye should destroy oure lād if we had ben your neighbours or you ours it had ben no maruel though one should haue destroied the other For it chaūseth oftentimes that through controuersy of a litle pece of ground tedious warres betwene people arise Of a trouth none of all these things which I haue named hath chaunsed betwene ye Romaines and vs Germaines For in Germany we felte youre tyrannie so sone as we hard of your renowne If ye be greeued with that I haue saide I pray you be not offended withe that I wil say whiche is that the name of Romaines the crueltie of tyrants arriued together in one day vpon our people
mye letter wherewithe thou mayest comfort thy sorowfull harte I saye no more to thee in this case but that thoroughe the gods thou maiest haue contentacion of all that thou enioyest healthe of thy person and comfort of thy frindes the bodely euels the cruel enemies the perilous destenies be farre from me Marke In the behalfe of thy wife Rufa I haue saluted my wyfe Faustyne she and I both haue receiued with ioye thy salutaciōs and withe thankes we sent them you agayne I desire to see thy person here in Italye and wyshe my feuer quartene there with thee in Scicile ¶ An exhortacion of the autcour to Princes and noble men to embrace peace and to eschewe the occasions of warre Cap. xij OCtauian Augustus seconde Emperour of Rome is commended of all for that he was so good of his persone so welbeloued in al the Romayne Empire Suetonius Tranquillus saieth that whē any man dyed in Rome in his time they gaue greate thankes to the gods for that they toke theire life from them before theire Prince knewe what deathe ment And not contēted onely with this but in their testaments they commaunded their heires children that yearely they should offer great sacrifices of their propre goodes in al the temples of Rome to the end the goddes shoulde prolong the daies of theire prince That time in deede myghte be called the golden age and the blessed land where the prince loued so well his subiectes and the subiectes so muche obeyed their prince For seldome times it happeneth that one will bee content with the seruices of all neyther that all wil be satisfyed withe the gouernement of one The Romaines for none other cause wished for that good prince more thē for thē selues life but because he kepte the cōmon wealth in peace The vertue of this prince deserued muche praise and the good will of the people merited no lesse commendation he for deseruinge it to them and theye for geuinge it to him For to saye the truethe there are fewe in nomber that so hartely loue others that for their sakes will hate them selues There is no mā so humble but in thinges of honour will be content to goe beefore saue onelye in deathe where hee can be content to come behinde And this semethe to bee verye cleare in that that nowe dyethe the father nowe the mother nowe the husbande nowe the wyfe nowe the sonne and nowe his neigheboure in the ende euerye man is content withe the deathe of an other so that he with his owne life maye escape him selfe A prince whiche is gentle pacient stout sober pure honest and true truelye hee of righte oughte to be commended but aboue all and more then all the prince whiche keepeth his common wealthe in peace hathe greate wronge if hee be not of all beloued What good can the common wealthe haue wherein there is warre and discencion Let euery man saye what hee will wytheoute peace noe man can enioye hys owne noe man can eate wytheoute feare noe man sleapeth in good reste noe man goethe safe by the waye noe man trustethe his neighboure finallye I saye that where there is noe peace there we are threatened daylye withe deathe and euerye houre in feare of oure lyfe It is good the prince doe scoure the realme of theeues for there is nothynge more vniuste thenne that whyche the poore wythe toyle and laboure doe gette shoulde wyth vacabondes in idlenesse bee wasted It is good the prince do weede the realme of blasphemers for it is an euidente token that those whiche dare blaspheme the kynge of heauen will not let to speake euill of the princes of the earthe It is good the prynce dooe cleare the common wealthe of vacaboundes and players for playe is so euill a mote that it eatethe the newe gowne and consumethe the drye woode It is good that the prynce doe forbydde his subiectes of prodigall bankettes and superfluous apparell for where men spende muche in thynges superfluous it chaunseth afterwardes that they want of their necessaries But I aske nowe what auailethe it a prynce to banishe al vices from his common wealthe if otherwise he keepeth it in warre The end whye prynces are prynces is to folowe the good and to eschewe the euill What shall we saye therefore sins that in the time of warre prynces cannot refourme vyces nor correcte the vycyous O yf Prynces and noble men knewe what domage theye doe to theire countreye the daye that they take vppon them warre I thinke and also affyrme that theye woulde not onelye not beginne it nor yet anye pryuate persone durste scarsely remember it And hee that dothe counsaile the prynce the contrarye oughte by reason to be iudged to the common wealthe an ennemy Those whiche counsayle prynces to seke peace to loue peace to keepe peace wythout doubte they haue wronge yf they be not hearde yf they be not beeloued and yf they be not credited For the counsailer whyche for a lyghte occasyon counsayleth hys prince to begynne warre I say that vnto hym eyther color surmountethe or els good conscience wanteth It chaunsethe oftentymes that the prynce is vexed and troubled beecause one certyfyethe hym that a prouynce is rebelled or some other prince hathe inuaded his countrey and as the matter requirethe the counsaile is assembled There are some to rashe counsailours whyche immediatelye iudge peace to be broken as lyghtlye as others doe desire that warres shoulde not begynne Whan a prynce in suche a case asketh counsayle they oughte forthewithe not to aunswere hym sodaynely for thinges touchinge the warres oughte withe greate wysedome firste to be considered and then withe as muche aduisement to be determined Kynge Dauid neuer toke warre in hande thoughe he weare verye wyse but fyrste he counsayled withe Godde The good Iudas Machabee neuer ētred into battaile but firste he made his prayer vnto almightye godde The Greekes and Romaynes durste neuer make warre againste theire enemies but first they would do sacrifice to the goddes and consulte also withe their Oracles The matters of iustice the recreacions of hys persone the reward of the good the punishment of the euill and the deuydynge of rewardes a Prince maye communicate wythe anye pryuate man but all matters of warre he oughte fyrste to counsayle withe God For the prynce shall neuer haue perfyte vyctorye ouer his enemies vnlesse he firste committe the quarell thereof vnto Godde Those whiche counsaile princes whyther it bee in matters of warre or in the affaires of peace oughte allwayes to remember thys sentence that theye geeue hym suche counsayles allwayes when hee ys whole in hys chamber as theye woulde if theye sawe hym at the poynte of deathe verye sycke For at that instaunte noe manne dare speake with flatterye nor burden hys conscience thoroughe bryberye Whenne theye entreate of warre theye whyche moue it oughte to considre that if it came not well to passe all the blame shall bee imputed to they re coūsaile And if that
his substaunce be not presently able to recōpence the losse let him assure him selfe that hereafter hys soule shall suffer the payne Men oughte so muche to loue peace and so muche to abhorre warre that I beeleue that the same preparacion a prieste hath in his conscience with God before he presume to receyue the holye communion the same oughte a counsayloure haue before to his Prynce he geeueth counsayle in warre Synce Princes are men it is no merueile thoughe they fele iniuries as men and that theye desire to reuenge as men Therefore for this cause they oughte to haue wise men of their counsaile whereby they shoulde mittigate and asswage their griefes and troubles For the counsaylours of prynces oughte neuer to counsaile thynges they being angry wherw t after they may iustly be displeased whē they be pacified Folowing our matter in counting the goodes which are lost in loasyng peace and the euilles which encrease in winning warres I say that amongst other thinges the greatest euil is that in time of warre they locke vp closely al vertues and set at lyberty all vyces During the time that Princes and great Lordes maintaine warre thoughe they be lordes of theire realmes and dominions by right yet for a truethe theye are not so in deede For at that time the lordes desire more to content their souldiours and subiectes then the souldyers and subiectes seke to content the lordes And this they doe because theye thoroughe power myght vanquishe their enemies and further thorough the loue of their money relieue their necessities Eyther princes are gouerned bye that whereunto by sensualitie they are moued or els by that wherewith reasō is contented If they wil follow reason they haue to much of that they possesse but if they desire to followe the sensuall appetite there is nothing that wil content them For as it is vnpossible to dry vp all the water in the sea so it is hard to satisfye the harte of man that is couetouse If prynces take vppon thē warres saying that their ground is taken from them and that thereof theye haue a conscience let them beware that suche conscience be not corrupted Form the worlde there is no warre iustified but for the beginninge thereof the princes at one time or an other haue their conscience burdened If princes take vpon them warre for no other cause but to augment their state and dygnytye I saye that this is a vaine hope for theye consume and lose for the most parte more in one or twoe yeares warres then euer theye gette agayne durynge theire life If princes take vppon them warre to reuenge an iniurye as wel for thys allso it is a thinge superfluous For manye goe to the warres beyng wronged onelye with one thinge and afterwardes they returne iniuried with manye If princes take vppon them warre for none other cause but to wynne honour me thynkethe also that that is an vnprofitable conqueste For me thinketh that fortune is not a person so famous that into her handes a man maye commytte hys honoure hys goodes and lyfe If prynces take vppon them warre to leaue of them in the worlde to come some memorye thys no lesse thē the other semethe to me vaine For withoute doubte if we examine the histories that be paste we shall finde those to be more in nomber whiche for beginnynge of warres haue bene defamed then those whiche for vanquishynge of theire enemies haue ben renowmed If prynces take vpon thē warre supposyng that there are in an other countreye more pleasures and delightes then in their owne I saye that to thinke this procedethe of lytle experyence and of lesse conscience For to a prynce there can bee noe greater shame nor conscyence then to beginne warres in straunge realmes to maineteyne his owne pleasure and vyces at home Let noe princes deceiue them selues in thinkynge that there are in straunge countreyes more thinges thenne in theire owne For in the ende there is noe lande nor nation in the world where there is not winter and sommer nighte and daye sickenesse and healthe riches and pouertye myrthe and sadnesse friendes and enemies vitious and vertuous aliue and deade Fynallye I saye that in all partes all thinges agree in one saue onely the disposicions of menne whiche are dyuers I woulde aske prynces and great lordes the whiche doe and will liue at they re pleasures what theye wante in theire realmes yea thoughe theye bee litle If theye will hunt they haue mountaines and parkes if theye will fishe theye haue pondes if theye will walke theye haue riuers if theye will refreshe them selues theye haue baynes if theye will bee merye theye haue musitians if theye delighte in apparaylinge them selues theye haue cythe clothes if theye will geeue theye haue moneye if theye desire weomen theye haue wiues if they will take theire reste theye haue theire gardeines if winter annoye them theye haue whote countreis and if theye will eate theye wante no meates Hee that wythe peace hathe all these thynges in hys owne dominion whye thenne withe warre dothe hee seeke them in a straunge countreye Menne oftentymes flye from one countreye to another not to bee more deuoute nor more vertuous butte to haue greater libertie and opportunitie to haunte vices And afterwardes whenne theye see the endes of theire deedes theye cannot refraine theire hartes from sighes since theye mighte haue enioyed that at home withe peace whyche in straunge countreyes they soughte with trouble There are so fewe thynges wherewythe wee are contented in the worlde that if perchaunce a manne fynde in anye one place anye one thing wherewithe to contente him let him beeware that the deuill doe not deceyue him sayinge that in suche another place hee maye recreate himselfe better For whyther so euer we goe wee shall finde suche penurye and wante of true pleasures and comfortes and suche coppie and abundaunce of troubles and tormentes that for to comforte vs in a hundrethe yeares wee scarcelye finde one and to tormente vs we finde at euerye foote a thousande ¶ The auctoure recytethe the commodities which come of peace declaring how diuers princes vppon light occasions haue made cruell warres Cap. xiij DImo an auncyente kynge of Ponto sayde vnto a phylosopher whyche was wythe hym Tell mee phylosopher I haue helthe I haue honoure and I haue ryches is there anye thinge more to bee desyred amongest menne or to bee geeuen of the Goddes in thys lyfe The phylosopher aunswered hym I see that I neuer sawe and I heare that I neuer hearde For healthe ryches and honoure the goddes seldome tymes doe truste in one personne hys tyme is so shorte that possesse them that theye haue more reason to praye that theye myghte bee quyted of them thenne for to bee proude for that theye possesse them And I tell thee further kynge Dimo it lytle profytethe that the goddes haue geeuen thee all these thynges if thou doest not contente thye selfe therewythe the whyche I think theye haue
not geeuen thee nor neuer will geeue thee For the goddes are so iuste in deuydynge theire giftes that to them to whom theye geue contentacion theye take from them ryches and to those whom theye geeue riches they take their contentacion Plutarche in the fyrste of hys pollytike puttethe this example and he declareth not the name of thys phylosopher O howe greate a benefyte is that whiche the goddes geeue to prynces and greate lordes in geeuinge them theire healthe in geeuynge them ryches and in geuinge them honour but if besides those hee geueth them not contentacion I saye that in geeuynge them the goodes hee geuethe them trauaile and daunger For if the trauaile of the poore bee greater thenne the trauayle of the riche wytheoute comparison the discontentacion of the ryche is greater then the discontentacion of the poore Menne lytle regardynge theire healthe beecome sicke lytle esteeminge theire riches beecome poore and beecause theye knowe not what honoure is theye become dishonoured I meane that the rashe prynces vntill suche time as theye haue benne well beaten in the warres will alwayes lytle regarde peace The daye that yowe prynces proclayme warres agaynste youre enemies you set at lybertye all vyces to your subiectes Yet yowe saye youre meanynge is not theye shoulde bee euyll I saye it is true Yet all thys ioyned togethers ye geeue them occasion that theye bee not good Let vs knowe what thynge warre is and then we shall see whyther it bee good or euill to followe it In warres theye doe noughte els but kyll menne robbe the temples spoyle the people destroye the innocentes geeue lybertie to theeues seperate friendes and rayse stryfe all the whiche thynges cannot bee done wytheoute greate hurte of iustyce and scrupulosytie of conscyence The sedycious manne hym selfe canne not denaye vs that if twoe Prynces take vppon them warres beetweene them and that bothe of them seeme to haue ryghte yet the one of them onelye hathe reason So that the prynce whyche shall fyghte agaynste iustice or defende the vniuste cause shall not escape oute of that warre iustifyed Not issuynge oute iustifyed hee shall remayne condempned and the condemnation shall be that all the losses murders burnynges hangynges and robberies whiche were done in the one or other common wealthe shall remayne vppon the account of hym whyche tooke vppon hym the vniuste warre Allthoughe hee dothe not fynde an other prynce that will demaunde an accoumpte of hym heare in thys lyfe yet hee shall haue a iuste iudge that will in another place laye it to hys charge The prince whiche is vertuous and presumethe to be a christian beefore hee beeginne the warre oughte to considre what losse or profyte will ensue thereof Wherein if the ende bee not prosperous hee loseth his goodes and honoure and if hee perchaunce attaine to that he desyred peraduenture his desire was to the domage of the common wealthe and then hee oughte not to desire it For the desire of one should not hurte the profite of all When GOD oure lorde dyd create prynces for prynces and people accepted them for their lordes it is to beleue that the goddes neuer commaunded suche things nor the men would euer haue excepted such if they had thought the princes would not haue done that they were boūd but rather that whereunto they were enclined For if men follow that whereunto theire sensualitie enclinethe them they do alwaies erre Therefore if they suffer them selues to bee gouerned by reason they are always sure And besides that princes should not take vppon them warres for the burdening of theire conscience the mispendinge of their goodes and the losse of their honour they ought also to remember the dutie that they owe to the common wealth the which they are bounde to kepe in peace and iustice For we others nede not gouernours to search vs enemies but princes which may defend vs from the wicked The diuine Plato in his .4 booke de legibus sayeth that one demaunded him why he did exalt the Lidians so much and so muche dispraise the Lacedemonians Plato aunswered If I cōmend the Lidians it is for that they neuer were occupied but in tilling the field and if I do reproue here the Lacedemonians it is because theye neuer knewe nothinge els but to conquere realmes And therefore I saye that more happie is that realme where men haue their handes with labouring full of blysters then where theire armes in fightinge are wounded withe sweordes These wordes whiche Plato spake are verye true and woulde to god that in the gates and hartes of princes they were written Plinius in an epistle sayethe that it was a prouerbe muche vsed amongest the Grekes that he was kyng whiche neuer sawe kynge The lyke maye we saye that he onelye maye enioye peace whiche neuer knewe what warre meant For simple innocent though a man be there is none but will iudge him more happye whiche occupyeth his handekerchiefe to drye the sweate of his browes then he that breakethe it to wipe the bloude of his heade The princes and greate lordes which are louers of warre ought to consider that they do not onelye hurte in generall all men but also specially the good and the reason is that allthoughe they of their own willes do abstaine from battaile doe not spoile do not rebell nor sleye yet it is necessarie for them to endure the iniuries and to suffer theire owne losse and damages For none are meete for the warre but those whiche litle esteeme theire life and muche lesse theire consciences If the warre weare onely with the euill againste the euill and to the hurte and hinderaunce of the euill litle shoulde theye fele whiche presume to be good But I am sory the good are persecuted the good are robbed and the good are slaine For if it were otherwyse as I haue sayde the euill againste the euill we would take litle thought both for the vanquishinge of the one and muche lesse for the destruccion of the other I aske nowe what fame what honoure what glorye what victorie or what riches in that warre can be wonne wherein so manye good vertuous wyse men are loste There is suche penurye of the good in the worlde and such nede of them in the common wealthe that if it weare in oure power wee wythe oure teares oughte to plucke them oute of theire graues and geeue them lyfe and not to leade them into the warres as to a shambles to be put toe deathe Plinie in one epistle and Seneca in an other saye that when theye desyred a Romayne captain that with his army he should enter into a greate daunger whereof greate honoure shoulde ensue vnto hym and lytle profyte to the cōmon wealthe He aunswered For nothynge woulde I enter into that daunger if it were not to geue life to a romayn citizē For I desire rather to go enuironed with the good in Rome then to go loden with treasures into my coūtreye Comparinge prince to prince and lawe
to lawe and the christian wyth the pagan without comparison the soule of a christian oughte more to be estemed then the lyfe of a Romayne For the good Romaine obseruethe it as a lawe to dye in the warre but the good christian hathe this precepte to lyue in peace Suetonius Tranquillus in the seconde booke of Cesars sayethe That amonge all the Romayne prynces there was noe prynce so wellbeloued nor yet in the warres so fortunate as Augustus was And the reason hereof is beecause that prynce neuer beganne anye warre vnlesse by greate occasyon he was thereunto prouoked O of how many prynces not ethnicks but christians we haue hearde and reade all contrarye to thys whyche is that were of suche large conscience that theye neuer tooke vppon them anye warre that was iuste to whom I sweare and promyse that since the warre which they in thys worlde beeganne was vniuste the punishemente whiche in an other theye shall haue is moste righteous Xerxes kynge of the Perses beynge one dayeat dynner one broughte vnto hym verye faire and sauourye fygges of the prouince of Athens the whyche beeinge sette at the table he sweare by the immortal goddes and by the bones of his predecessours that he would neuer eate fygges of hys countreye but of Athens whych were the beste of all Greece And that whyche by woorde of mouthe kynge Xerxes sweare by valiaunt dedes withe force and shielde he accomplished and wente foorthwith to conquere Gretia for noe other cause but for to syll him selfe wythe the sygges of that countreye so that he beganne that warre not onelye as a lyghte prynce but also as a vicious man Titus Liuius sayethe that when the Frenche men did cast of the wine of Italy immediately they put them selues in armes and went to conquere the countreye witheout hauinge anye other occasion to make warre againste them So that the Frenchemen for the lycorousnes of the pleasaunt wynes loste the deare bloude of theire owne hartes Kyng Antigonus dreamed one nighte that he sawe kinge Methridates withe a fyeth in hys hande who lyke a mower dyd cut all Italy And there fell suche feare to kynge Antigonus that he determined to kyll kynge Methridates so that this wicked prince for credytinge a lighte dreame set all the worlde in an vprore The Lumberdes beeinge in Pannonia herde saye that there was in Italy sweete fruites sauowry fleshe odoriferous wynes faire women good fish litle colde and temperate heate the whyche newes moued them not onelye to desire them but also theye toke weapons to goe conquere Italye So that the Lombardes came not into Italye to reuenge them of theire enemies but to bee there more vicious and riotous The Romaynes and the Carthagiens were friendes of longe time but after they knew there was in Spaine great mynes of golde and of siluer immediatelye arose betweene them exceadynge cruell warres so that those twoe puissaunt realmes for to take eche from other their goods destroyed their own proper dominions The authors of the aboue said were Plutarchus Paulus Diaconus Berosus Titus Liuius O secret iudgements of god which suffreth such thyngs O mercyful goodnes of thee my Lord that ê‘mitteth such things that through the dreame of on price in his chaÌ„ber another for to robbe the treasures of Spayne another to fly the colde of Hungary another to drinke the wines of Italy another to eat figges of Grece shoulde put al the countrey to fire bloud Let not my pen be cruel against al princes which haue vniust warres For as Traianus said Iust warre is more worthe then fayned peace I commend approue and exalt princes whiche are carefull stout to kepe and defende that which their predecessours lefte them For admit that for dispossessing them hereof cometh all the breache with other Princes Loke how much his enemy offendeth his conscience for taking it so much offendeth he his common wealth for not defending it The wordes whiche the diuine Plato spake in the first booke of his laws dyd satisfye me greatly which were these It is not mete we should be to extreme in coÌ„mending those which haue peace nor let vs be to vehement in reprouing those whiche haue warre For it may be now that if one haue warre it is to the end to attaine peace And for the contrary if one haue peace it shal be to the ende to make warre In deede Plato sayde verye true For it is more worthe to desire shorte warre for longe peace then short peace for longe warre The philosopher Chilo being demauÌ„ded whereby a good or euil gouernour might be knowen he auÌ„swered There is nothing wherby a good and euill man maye be better knowen then in that for the which they striue For the tyranous Prince offrethe him selfe to dye to take from an other but the vertuous prince trauaileth to defend his own WheÌ„ the redemer of this worlde departed from this worlde he sayde not I geue ye my warre or leaue ye my warre but I leaue ye my peace and geeue you mye peace Thereof ensuethe that the good christian is bounde to keepe the peace which Christ so muche commaunded then to inuent warre to reuenge his proper iniurye which god so much hated If princes dyd that they oughte to doe and in this case woulde beleue me for no temporall thing they shoulde condescend to shed mans bloud if nothinge els yet at the leaste the loue of hym whiche on the crosse shed hys precious bloude for vs shoulde from that cleane disswade vs. For the good Christians are commaunded to bewaile theire owne sinnes but they haue no licence to shed the bloude of their enemies Fynally I desire exhorte and further admonishe al princes and great lordes that for his sake that is prince of peace they loue peace procure peace kepe peace and liue in peace For in peace they shal be rich their people happye ¶ Themperour Marcus Aurelius writeth to his friend Cornelius wherein he dyscribeth the discomodyties of warre and the vanitie of tryumphe Cap. xiiij MArcus Emperoure wysheth to thee Cornelius hys faithful frend helth to thye person and good lucke against all euill fortune Withein fiftene daies after I came from the warre of Asia whereof I haue triumphed here in Rome remembrynge that in times paste thou weare a companyon of my trauaile I sent immedyatly to certyfy thee of my triuÌ„phes For the noble harts do more reioice of their friÌ„ds ioy theÌ„ they do of their own proê‘ delights If thou wilt take pains to come wheÌ„ I seÌ„d to cal thee be thou assured that on the one part thou shalt haue much plesure to se the great abuÌ„daÌ„s of riches that I haue brought out of Asia to beeholde mye receiuinge into Rome on the other thou canst not kepe thy selfe from weepinge to se suche a sorte of captiues the which entred in before the triuÌ„phant chariotes bounde naked to augment to the coÌ„querours most glory also to them vanquished to be a greater
our men of warre are gone out of Rome they neyther feare the gods neither honour the temples they reuerence not the priestes they haue no obedience to their fathers nor shame to the people dread of iustice neither compassion of theire countrey nor remēber that they are children of Rome and yet very fewe of them thinke to end theire lyfe but that all shame layde asyde they loue the condemned ydlenes and hate the iuste trauaile Therefore harke I will tell thee more and though it seemeth much that I speake I ensure thee it is but lyttle in respecte of that they doe for so muche as some robbe temples others spread rumours these breake the dores and those robbe the Gods Somtymes they take the free somtymes they lose the bond The nights they passe in playes the daies in blasphemies to daye they fight lyke lyons to morrowe they flye lyke cowardes Some rebell against the Captaines and others flye to the enemies Fynallye for all good they are vnhable and for all euyll they are meete Therfore to tell the of theire filthynes I am ashamed to describe them They leaue they re owne wyues and take the wyues of others they dyshonour the doughters of the good and they begile the innocent Virgines there is no neyghbour but they doe couet neyther hostesse but that they do force they breake theire olde wedlocke and yearely seeke a newe mariage so that they doe all thinges what they list and nothinge what they ought Doest thou think presently my frend Cornelius that there are few euils in Rome sith so many euyl women do go to the warre Here for their sake men offend the gods they are traytours to theire countrey they denye theire parentage they doe come to extreme pouerty they lyue in infamy they robbe the goods or others they waste theire owne they neuer haue quiet lyfe neither remaineth anye trueth in theire mouthes fynallye for the loue of them oftentymes warre ys moued agayne and manye good menne lose theire lyues Let vs leaue the reasons and come to hystoryes Thou knowest right well that the greatest parte of Asia was conquered and gouerned more with the womē Amazones then with any barbarous people That yong noble and valyaunt Porro kinge of Iudea for want of menne and aboundans of women was ouercome of the great Alexander Hanniball the terrible captaine of the Carthagiens was alwaies lorde of Italy vntill hee dyd permitte women to goe to the warre And when he fell in loue with a mayden of Capua they sawe him immediatlye tourne his shoulders to Rome If Scipio the Affricane had not skoured the Romayne armyes of lecherye the inuincible Numantia had neuer beene wonne The Captayne Silla in the warres of Mithridates and the couragious Marius in the warre of the Zimbtes hadde ouer theire enemyes so manye victories because in theire campes they suffred no women In the tyme of Claudius the Emperour the Tharentines and Capuans were verye mortall enemyes in so muche as the one agayne the other pytched they re campe and by chaunce one daye in the campe of the Capuans two Captaynes fell at varyaunce because they bothe loued one woman and when the Tharentines perceyued theire dissensyon immediatlye with they re power gaue them the onset Whereof it ensueth that throughe the naughtynesse of one euyll woman was lost the lybertie of that goodlye citye I hadde in this warre of Parthes 16. thousande horsemen and .24 thousand footemen and .35 thousand women and the disorder in this case was so greate that from the hoste I sent my wife Faustine and the wyues of dyuers other Senatours home to theire houses that they shoulde kepe the olde and nourishe the yonge Our forefathers led women in the olde tyme to the warre to dresse meate for the whole and to cure the wounded but nowe wee leade them to the ende cowardes shoulde haue occasyon to be effeminate and the valyaunt to be vicious And in the ende theire enemies doe breake their heades but the women doe wound theire hartes I will that thou knowe other thynges my Cornelius and they are that the Gawles the Vulcanes the Flaminii the Regii the whyche are priestes of the mother Sibilla of the god Vulcane of the god Mars and of the god Iupiter the feare of the gods set asyde leauynge they re temples desert laying of theire honest garmentes not remembringe they re holye ceremonies breakynge theire streight vowes an infinite nomber of them goe to the campe where they loue more dishonestlye then others for it is a common thynge that those whyche once presume to bee solytarye and shamefaste after that they are once fleshed exceede all other in shame vyce It is a dyshonest thinge and also perillous to carye priestes to the warre for theire offyce is to pacifye the gods wyth teares and not to threaten men wyth weapons If perchaunce Prynces woulde saye it is good to carye priestes to the warre to offer sacrifices to the gods To thys I aunswer that the temples are buylt to praye and the fyeldes for to fyght so that in one place the gods woulde bee feared and in an other honoured and sacrifyced In the yeare of the foundacion of Rome .315 the consull Vietro passed into Asia and went agaynst the Palestines the whych there rebelled against the Romaynes and by the waye he passed by the temple of Apollo in the yle of Delphos and as there hee made a prayer vnto the god Apollo verye longe to the ende hee woulde reuele vnto hym whether hee shoulde returne victorious from Asia or not The oracle aunswered O consull Vietro yf thou wilt retourne victorious from thy enemies restore our priestes whiche thou takest from oure temples For wee other goddes will not that the man whome wee choose for oure deuyne seruyce ye others shoulde leade to the vyces of the worlde If it bee true as it is true in deede that the god Apollo sayde vnto the consull Vietro mee thinketh it is no iuste thynge to co condescende that priestes shoulde goe to loose them selues in the warre For as thou knowest my Cornelius wythout doubte greater is the offence that they committe in goynge to vndooe them selues then is the seruyce whyche they doe to princes beynge desyrous to fyght Let vs haue the pristes in the Temples to praye and let vs see howe the captaynes are wont to gouerne them selues and in this case thou shalt fynde that the daye that the Senate doe appointe a Senatour for captayne they proue hym if hee can playe at the weapons in the Theater The Consull leadeth hym to the hygh capitoll wyth hym the Egle is hanged at hys brest they cast the purple vppon hys shoulders they giue him money of the common treasour immediatlye hee groweth into suche pryde that forgettinge the pouertie past whyche hee suffered in hys countrey hee thinketh one daye to make hym emperour of Rome It is a common thynge that when fortune exalteth menne of lowe estate to hygh degree they
presume muche and knowe lyttle and muche lesse what they are woorthe So that if theire feeble force were coequall to their high mynde one alone should suffise to ouer come their enemies and also to winne many realmes The Captaines haue taken a custome nowe in Rome and they tell mee that it is an inuention of Mauritane that is that they tease theire beardes they curle theire heares they clippe theire woordes they chaunge their garmentes they accompanye wyth murderers they goe the moste part armed they goe verye faste to seeme fierce and to conclude they lyttle esteeme to bee beloued and take it great glorye to bee feared And to th entent thou shouldest knowe my Cornelius howe muche they woulde bee feared I will recyte thee an historye whyche is that I standyng one daye in Penthapolyn a captayne of myne I hearinge him and hee not seeing mee for so muche as they woulde not let hym doe all that hee woulde haue done in the house hee sayde vnto an hostice of his Ye other villaynes dyd neuer knowe captaines of armies therefore know it if thou doest not knowe it mother that the earthe doth neuer tremble but when yt is threatned wyth a Romayne Captaine and the gods doe neuer suffer the Sunne to shine but where wee others are obeyed Sins thou hast nowe harde that hee saide heare also the valiauntnes that hee hath doone Within shorte space after the captayne went vnto a battayle in Arabia where hee was the firste that fledde and lefte the standerd alone in the fielde the whiche had almoste made mee lose the battaile But I in recompence of his valyaunt deede commaunded to cut of his great head For in giuing the onset vppon the enemies the flyenge of one manne doth more hurte then the fightinge of two thousande doth profite I haue often tymes heard the emperour Traian my lorde saye that the menne whiche in peace seeme moste fierce in warres commonlye are moste cowardes It chaunceth that dyuers thynges are compassed for hauing onely a good eloquence others for hauinge wytche crafte others for being verye diligent others for opening theire purse and truely this is the moste and best meane that is occupied in Rome But the affayres of warres do not consiste in talkinge many wordes before they re friendes but in fightinge manfullye in the fielde against their enemies For in the ende men most full of wordes are for the moste parte cowardes in dedes What wilt thou I tell the more my Cornelius of the iniuries which the captainez do in the cities wherby they passe of the sclaunders whiche they rayse in the prouinces where they abyde I let thee weete that the little woorme doth not so muche harme that gnaweth the wood the moth to the garmentes the sparke vnto the toae the locust vnto the corne neither the wyuell to the garners as the captaines doe to the people For they leaue no beast but they kyll nor orchyarde but they robbe nor wine but they drinke nor doue house but they clime nor temple but they spoile nor chase but they hunt no sedicion but they rayse no villany but that they committe And they do more then they ought to do for they eat wtout meaninge to paye and they will not serue vnlesse they be well payed and the woorst of all is that if they haue theire paye immediatly they change or plaie it If they bee not paied they robbe and mutine forthwith so that with pouertie they are not content and with ryches they waxe vicious and insolent The matter is nowe come to such corrupcion and there is at this daye men of warre in Rome so carelesse that here no captaine seemeth but an example of murderers a sturrer vp of sedicious persons an enuyer of the good a partaker wyth all euyll a theef of theeues a pirate of rouers and fynally I doe not say that they seeme to bee but I doe affirme that they are the scourge of your vertuous and refuge of the vicious I woulde not say this but yet not withstandyng I ought to saye it because it is a thing so farre out of order and so much to bee laughed at that these wicked menne though they are our familiar enemies there is no prince that ruleth them nor Iustice that correcteth them nor feare that doth oppesse them nor law that subdueth them nor shame that refraineth them nor parents that correct them nor punishement that doth abase them nor yet death that doth end them but now as menne which are without remedy wee let them eat of all ¶ Marcus Aurelius Emperor pursueth his letter shewyng the great dammages that haue ensued for the warres begonne wyth straunge realmes Cap. xvi O Vnfortunat Rome who was not wont to haue such euill lucke but the older thou art the more vnlucky I see thee For by writings wee read and also with our eyes wee see that the more fortunat a citye or personne hath been in the beginning the more froward fortune is vnto him in the endyng Truely in those auncient tymes and in those glorious worlds I say when they were peopled wyth true Romaynes and not as now they which haue no children but bastardes the armies were so well taught that came frō Rome as the philosophers which were in the schooles of Greece If the greeke writinges do not lye vnto mee Phillip the greate king of Macedony for this is so renowmed in histories and his sonne the great Alexander for this was so fortunate in the warres that they had their armies so well correct that it rather seemed a Senate which gouerned then a camp which fought In that wee can gather out of Titus Liuius and other wryters from the tyme of Quintus Cincinnatus dictator vntill the noble Marcus Marcellus were the most prosperous tymes of the Romayne empire For before kings dyd trauail and afterwards it was persecuted with tyraunts In these so happy tymes one of the greatest felicities that Rome had was to haue the warrelyke discipline well corrected And then Rome began to fall when our armyes began to doe dommage For if those of the warre haue truce with vyces the others of the common wealth can not haue peace with vertues O cursed bee thou Asia and cursed bee the day that with thee wee had conquest For wee haue not seene the good that haue folowed vs of thy conquest vntill this present and the losse and dommage which from thee came vnto vs shal bee lamented in Rome foreuer O cursed Asia wee spent our treasures in thee and thou hast geeuen to vs thy vyces In chaunge of our valyant menne thou hast sent vs thy fine mineons wee haue wonne thy cities and thou tryumphest of our vertues Wee battered thy fortes and thou hast destroyed our maners Wee triumphe of thy realmes and thou diddest cut the throtes of our friends Wee made to thee cruell warre and thou conquerest from vs the good peace With force thou were ours and with good will wee are yours Wee are vniust
I wyll saye that there was neuer anye Romayne Captayne that dyd kylle tenne thowsande Asians with the weapons he brought into Asia but that hee lost a hundreth thousand romaines with the vyces they brought to Rome So that the Asians by the handes of theire enemies died with honour and lefte vs Romaynes alyue full of they re vyces with infamye I aske nowe what they were that inuented to dyne in common places to suppe in secrete gardeines to apparaile the women as menne in the theatre to colour the fleshe of priestes with yellow to noynt the women as menne in the bathe the Senatours goyng smellyng to the Senate Prynces to bee apparanied with purple agaynst the auncient decree to eate twise in the daye as the Tyraunt Dennys did to keepe harlottes and concubines as they of Tyre doe to speake blasphemyes agaynst the goddes whyche were neuer heard of before in the empire These sayde vyces of Asia Asia hath presently sent to Rome At the same tyme when in those partyes of the Oriente the warre was kyndeled tenne valyant capytaynes brought these vyces to Rome whose names my penne shall pardone to tell because theire vyle offences shoulde not obscure theire valyaunt deedes Before that Rome conquered Asia wee were ryche wee were pacyent wee were sober wee were wyse wee were honeste and aboue all wee lyued contented But synce that tyme wee haue geeuen our selues to forgeat the polycyes of Rome and to learne the pleasure of Asia so that nowe all vyces may be learned in Rome as all sciences maye bee hearde in Greece By the aboue rehearsed all warlyke prynces maye see what profyte they haue to conquer straunge realmes Let vs nowe leaue the vyces whyche in the warres are recouered and talke of money whyche the princes couet and loue And in this I saye that ther is no prince brought into so extreme pouertie as hee whyche conquereth a straunge countrey O Cornelius thou haste not seene howe Prynces more of a wyl then of necessitie doe waste theire treasoures howe they demaunde that of another mannes and howe theire owne doth not suffyce them they take those of churches they seeke greate lones they inuent great tributes they demaund grete subsidies they geeue straungers occasion to speake and make them selues hated of theire subiectes fynallye they praye theire subiectes and humble thē selues to theire enemies Synce I haue declared the dommages of warre I wyll nowe declare what the originall of warre is For it is vnpossible that the phisition applye vnto the sicke agreable medecyne if hee knowe not of what humour the sickenesse doth proceede Prynces synce they came of menne are noryshed with menne doe counsayle with men and lyue with menne and to conclude they are menne Sometime through pryde whyche aboundeth in them sometyme through want of counsayle they them selues imagine and other flatterers telleth that though they haue muche in respecte of other prynces yet they can doe lytle Also they saye vnto them that yf theire substance bee great their fame ought to be greater Further they tell thē that the good prince ought litle to esteeme that hee hath inherited of his predecessors in respect of the greate deale more hee ought to leaue to his successors Also they tell thē that neuer prince left of him any great memory but inuēting see cruel warre agaīst his enemy Also they tel thē that the houre that one is chosen emperour of Rome he maye boldly conquere all the whole earth These vayne reasons being hearde of the princes afterwardes as theire fortune is base and theire myndes high immediatly they defye their enemies they open theire treasures they assemble great armies and in the end of all the goddes suffer that they thinkinge to take an other mannes goods they waste and lose theire owne O princes I knowe not whoe doth deceyue ye that you whyche by peace maye bee riche and by warre will bee poore O princes I know not who doth deceiue you that you whiche may be loued doe seke occasions to bee hated O princes I knowe not who doth begyle ye that ye whiche maye enioye a sure lyfe doe aduenture your selues to the mutabilitie of fortune O princes I knowe not who doth deceiue you that you so little esteeme and wey your owne haboundaunce and so greatlye set by the want of others O princes I knowe not who doth deceiue you that all hauīg nede of you you shoulde haue nede of others I let thee to wete my Cornelius thoughe a prince bee more quicke and carefull then all other his predecessors haue beene in Rome yet it is vnpossible that all thinges touchynge warre shoulde succede vnto him prosperousely For in the greatest neede of warre either he wanteth money or his subiectes doe not succour him or tyme is contrarye vnto hym or hee fyndeth perillous passages he lacketh artillarye or the Captaines rebell or els succour commeth to his aduersaries so that hee seeth hym selfe so miserable that thoughtes doe more oppresse his harte then the enemyes doe harme his lande Though a prince had no warre but for to suffer menne of warre yet hee ought to take vppon him no warre I aske thee my Cornelius what trauaile so greate to his parsonne or what greater dommage to his realme can his enemies doe then that whiche his owne men of warre doe The enemyes to doe the worste they canne will but robbe oure frontiers but our menne of warre do robbe all the whole countrey The enemyes we dare and maye resist but to oures we cannot nor dare not speake The enemies the worst they can do is once in a moneth to robbe runne theyr ways but ours dayly do robbe remayn stil The enemyes feare their enemies only but ours do feare their enemies haue no pitie on their frids The enemies the further thei go on the more thei diminish but ours the further thei go the more they encrease I know no greater warre that princes can haue then to haue men of warre in their realmes For as experiēce doth shew vs before the gods they are culpable to princes importunate to the people troublesome so that they lyue to the dommage of all and to the profite of none By the God Mars I sweare vnto thee my frende Cornelius as hee maye directe my handes in the warre that I haue mo complaintes in the Senate of the theftes whyche my captaynes doe committe in Illiria then of all the enemyes of the Romayne people Bothe for that I saye and for that I keepe secrete I am more afrayde to create an ensygne of twoe hundred menne of warre then to geue a cruell battaile to thirtye thousande menne For that battaile fortune good or euyll forthwith dispatcheth but with these I can bee sure no tyme of all my lyfe Thou wilte saye vnto mee Cornelius that since I am Emperour of Rome I shoulde remedy this since I knowe it For that prince which dissembleth with the fault of another by reason hee wyll condempne hym
if thou be euill lyfe shal bee euyl imployd on thee and if thou bee good thou oughtest to die imediatly and because I am woors thē all I liue lōger then all These woordes which Adrian my lord sayed doe plainely declare and expresse that in short space the pale and cruel death doth assaulte the good and lēgthneth life a great while to the euil The opinion of a philosopher was that the gods are so profound in their secrets high in their misteryes and so iust in their woorks that to men which least profit the common wealth they lengthen lyfe longest and though he had not sayd it we others see it by experience For the man which is good and that beareth great zeale and frendship to the common wealth either the gods take him from vs or the enemies do sley him or the daungers doe cast him away or the the trauailes do finish him When great Pompeius Iulius Cesar became enemyes from that enmite came to cruel warres the cronicles of that time declare that the kings and people of the occidental part became in the fauour of Iulius Cesar and the mightiest most puisaunte of al the oriental parts came in the ayd of great Pompeius beecause these two Princes were loued of few and serued and feared of al. Amongst the diuersity and sundry nations of people which came out of the oriental part into the host of the great Pompeius one nation came maruelous cruel barbarous which sayd they dwelled in the other side of the mountayns Riphees which go vnto India And these barbarous had a custome not to liue no longer then fifty years therfore when thei came to that age they made a greater fier and were burned therin aliue and of their owne willes they sacrificed them selues to the gods Let no man bee astoined at that wee haue spoken but rather let them maruel of that wee wyl speak that is to say that the same day that any man had accomplished fifty years immediatly hee cast him self quick in to the fier and the parents children and his freends made a great feast And the feast was that they did eat the fleash of the dead half burned and drank in wyne and water the asshes of his bones so that the stomak of the children beeing aliue was the graue of the fathers beeing dead All this that I haue spoken with my toung Pompeius hath seen with his eies for that some beeing in the camp did accomplish fifty years bycause the case was straunge hee declared it oft times in the Senate Let euery man iudge in this case what hee will and condemne the barbarous at his pleasure yet I wyll not cease too say what I think O golden world which had such men O blessed people of whom in the world to come shal bee a perpetuall memory What contēpt of world what forgetfulnes of him self what stroke of fortune what whip for the flesh what litell regard of lyfe O what bridell for the veruous O what confusion for those that loue lyfe O how great example haue they left vs not to feare death Sithens those heeare haue wyllingly dispised their own liues it is not to bee thought that they died to take the goods of others neither to think that our life shoold neuer haue end nor our couetousnes in like maner O glorious people and .10 thousand sold happy that the proper sensuallyty beeing forsaken hath ouercome the natural appetyte to desire to liue not beeleeuing in that they saw and that hauing faith in that they neuer saw they striued with the fatall destines By the way they assalted fortune they chaunged life for death they offred the body to death and aboue al haue woon honor with the gods not for that they should hasten death but because they should take away that which is superfluus of life Archagent a surgiō of Rome and Anthonius Musus a phisition of the Emperor Augustus and Esculapius father of the phisick shoold get litel mony in that country Hee that thē shoold haue sēt to the barbarous to haue doone as the Romaynes at that tyme did that is to wete to take siroppes in the mornings pylls at night to drynk mylk in the morning to noynt them selues with gromelsede to bee let bloud to day and purged to morrow to eat of one thing and to abstein from many a man ought to think that hee which willingly seeketh death wil not geue mony to lengthen lyfe ¶ The Emperor concludeth his letter and sheweth what perilles those old men lyue in which dissolutely like yong children passe their days and geeueth vnto them holsome counsell for the remedy therof Cap. xxii BVt returning now to thee Claude to thee Claudine mee thinketh that these barbarous beeing fifty years of age and you others hauing aboue thre score and 10. it should bee iust that sithens you were elder in years you were equal in vertue and though as they you wyl not accept death paciently yet at the least you ought to amend your euel liues willingly I do remember that it is many years sithens that Fabritius the yong sonne of Fabritius the old had ordeyned to haue deceiued mee of the which if you had not told mee great inconueniences had hapned and sithens that you did mee so great a benefit I woold now requite you the same with an other like For amongst frends there is no equal benifit then to deceyue the deceyuer I let you know if you doo not know it that you are poore aged folks your eyes are soonk into your heads the nostrels are shutt the hears are white the hearing is lost the tonge faltreth the teeth fall the face is wrincled the feete swoln the stomak cold Finally I say that if the graue could speak as vnto his subiects by iustice hee myght commaund you to inhabit his house It is great pity of the yong men and of their youthfull ignorante for then vnto such their eyes are not opened to know the mishaps of this miserable life when cruell death doth end their dayes and adiorneth thē to the graue Plato in his book of the common wealth sayd that in vaine wee geeue good counsels to fond light yongmen For youth is without experiēce of that it knoweth suspicious of that it heareth incredible of that is told him despising the counsayl of an other and very poore of his own Forsomuch as this is true that I tell you Claude and Claudine that without comparison the ignorance which the yong haue of the good is not so much but the obstinacion which the old hath in the euel is more For the mortal gods many times do dissemble with a .1000 offeces committed by ignorance but they neuer forgeeue the offence perpetrated by malice O Claude and Claudine I doo not meruel that you doo forget the gods as you doo which created you and your fathers which beegot you and your parēts which haue loued you and your frends which haue
the prince all their goods but also they must them selues in parson hazard their lyues If they tell vs that that they keepe is to geeue and dispose for their soules at their dying day I say it is not only want of wisdome but extream folly For at the hour of death princes ought more to reioyce for that they haue geeuen then for that at that time hee geeueth O how princes and great lords are euyll counsailed since they suffer them selues to bee slaundered for beeing couetous only to heap a lyttle cursed treasure For experience teacheth vs no man can bee couetous of goods but needs hee must bee prodigal of honor and abandon liberty Plutarche in the booke which hee made of the fortune of Alexander sayth that Alexander the great had a priuat seruaunt called Perdyca the which seeyng that Alexander liberally gaue all that which by great trauel hee attayned on a day hee said vnto him Tell mee most noble prince sithens thou geeuest all that thou hast to others what wilt thou haue for thy self Alexander aunswered The glory remaineth vnto mee of that I haue wonne gotten the hope of that which I wil geeue winne And further he said vnto him I wil tel thee true Perdyca If I knew that men thought that all that which I take were for couetousnes I swere vnto thee by the god Mars that I woold not beat down one corner in a town and to winne all the world I woold not go one days iourney My intention is to take the glory to my self and to deuyde the goods amongst others These woords so high were woorthy of a valyant and vertuous prince as of Alexander which spake thē If that which I haue read in books do not begyle mee that which with these eies I haue seene to become rych it is necessary that a man geeue for the princes and great lords which naturally are geeuen to bee liberall are alwaies fortunat to haue It chaunceth oft tymes that some man geeuing a little is counted liberall an other geeuing much is counted a nigard The which proceedeth of this that they know not that liberality nigardnes consisteth not in geeuing much or lytle but to know well how to geeue For the rewards and recompences which out of tyme are distributed do nother profit them which receiue them neither agree to him which geeueth them A couetous man geeueth more at one tyme then a noble and free hart doth in .20 thus saieth the common prouerb it is good comming to a niggards feast The difference beetwene the liberality of the one and the mysery of thother is that the noble and vertuous doth geeue that hee geeueth to many but the nigard geeueth that hee geeueth to one onely Of the which vnaduisement princes ought greatly to beware For if in such case one man alone shoold bee found which woold commēd his liberality there are ten thousand which woold condemne his couetousnes It happeneth oft times to princes and great lords that in deed they are free to recompence but in geeuing they are very vnfortunat And the cause is that they geeue it not to vertuous persons and well cōdicioned but to those which are vnthankfull and do not acknowledge the benefit receyued So that in geeuing to some they haue not made them their frends and in not geeuing to others they haue made them their enemies It suffyseth not to princes great lords to haue great desire to geeue but to know when how or where to whom they ought to geeue For if they bee accused otherwise to heap vp treasures they ought also to bee condemned for that they do geeue When a man hath lost all that hee hath in play in whoors in bankets and other semblable vyces it is but reason they bee ashamed but when they haue spent it like noble stout and liberal men they ought not to bee discontented for the wise man ought to take no displesure for that hee loseth but for that hee euil spendeth and hee ought to take no pleasure for that hee geeueth but for that hee geeueth not well Dion the grecian in the lyfe of the Emperor Seuerus saith that one day in the feast of the God Ianus when hee had geeuen dyuers rewards and sundry gifts as well to his own seruaunts as to strangers and that hee was greatly commended of all the Romains hee said vnto them Do you think now Romains that I am very glad for the gifts rewards and recompenses which I haue bestowed and that I am very glorious for the praises you haue geeuen mee by the god Mars I swere vnto ye and let the god Ianus bee so mercifull vnto vs all this yere that the pleasure I haue is not so great for the I haue geeuen as the grief is for that I haue no more to geeue ¶ The auctour foloweth his intencion and perswadeth gentlemen and those that professe armes not to abase them selues for gaines sake to take vpon them any vyle function or office Cap. xix PLutarche in his Apothemes declareth that king Ptolomeus the first was a prince of so good a nature and so gentle in conuersation that oft times hee went to supper to the houses of his familiar frinds and many nights hee remayned there to sleap And truly in this case hee shewed him self to bee welbeeloued of his For speaking according to the trueth a prynce on whose lyfe dependeth the hole state of the common wealth ought to credit few was the table and allso fewer in the bed Another thing this Ptolomeus did whych was when hee inuited his frends to dinner or supper or other straungers of soome hee desired to borow stooles of thothers napkins of others cups and so of other things for hee was a prodygall prince For all that his seruaunts in the morning had bought beefore the night folowing hee gaue it away One day al the nobles of his realm of Egipt assembled togethers and desired him very earnestly that hee woold be more moderat in geeuing for they said through his prodygality the hole realm was impouerished The king aunswered You others of Egipt are marueylously deceiued to think that the poore and needy prince is troubled In this case I dare say vnto you that the poore and needy prince ought to think him self happy for good princes ought more to seeke to enrich others then to heap vp treasures for them selues O happy is the common wealth whych deserueth to haue such a prince and happy is that tongue which coold pronounce such a sentence Certainly this prince to all princes gaue good example and counsel that is to weete that for thē it was more honor and also more profit to make others rich thē to bee rich them selues For if they haue much they shal want no crauers and if they haue lytle they shal neuer want seruaunts to serue them Suetonius Tranquillus in the booke of Cesars sayeth that Titus the Emperour one night after supper
had robbed the wydows All the auncient princes I say those that haue beene noble and valiaunt and that haue not had the name of tiraunts though in some things they were noted yet they always haue been praysed estemed and commended to bee gentle and mercifull so that they recompensed the fiersnes and cruelty which they shew to their enemies with the mercy clemency which they vsed to the orphans Plutarch in his politikes sayeth that the Romayns among them selues ordeyned that all that which remayned of bankettes feasts which were made at mariages and triumphs shoold bee geeuen to wydows and orphans And this custome was brought to so good an order that if any rich man would vse his profit of that which remayned that orphans might iustly haue an accion of felony against him as a thing robbed from them Aristides the philosopher in an oration hee made of the excellencie of Rome sayeth that the princes of Persia had this custom neuer to dyne nor sup but first the trumpets shoold blow at their gates the which were more loud then armonious And it was to this end that al the widows orphans shoold cōe thither for it was a law amongst them that all that which was left at the royal tables should bee for the poore and indigent persons Phalaris the tyrant writing to a freend of his said these woords I haue receued thy brieef letter with the rebuke likewise which thou gauest mee therin more bitter thē tedyous And admit that for the time it greeued mee yet after I came to my selfe I receyued thereby great comfort For in the end one louing rebuke of his freend is more woorth then a fayned flattery of his enemy Amongst the things wherof thou accusest me thou sayst that they take mee for a great tiraunt beecause I disobey the gods spoyl the temples kil the priests pursue the innocents rob the people and the woorst of all that I doo not suffer mee to bee entreted nor permit that any man be conuersaūt with mee To that they say I disobey the gods in very deed thei say true For if I did all that the gods would I shoold doo litle of that men doo ask mee For as much as they say I robb the temples therunto also I graūt For the immortal gods doo demaund rather of vs pure harts then that wee shoold buyld their temples For that they say I kil priests I confes also that it is true For they are so dissolute that I think I doo more seruices to the gods to put them to death then they doo in dooing their sacrifices whiles they liue For that they say I rob the temples I also confes it for I defending it as I doo frō enemies it is but meete and resonable they finde mee and my seruants Fo◠that they say I suffer mee not to bee entreated it is true For dayly and hourely they ask mee so many vniust vnreasonable things that for them and for mee it is better to denay them then for to graunt them For that they say that I am not conuersant with any I confesse it is true For euer when they come into my pallace it is not so much to doo mee seruice as to ask mee some particuler thing for their profit For that they say I am not pitefull amongst the miserable will not heare the wydows and orphans in no wise to that I will agree For I swear vnto thee by the immortal gods that my gates were neuer shutt to widowees and orphans Pulio in the life of the Emperor Claudius sayth that on s a poore widow came before Claudius the Emperor with weeping eies to desire him of iustice The good prince beeing mooued with compassion did not onely weepe as shee but with his own hands dried her teares And as there was about the emperor many noble Romains one amongst them sayd vnto him For the authority grauitye of Romayn princes to heare their subiects in iustice suffiseth onely though they dry not the teares of their faces This emperor Claudius aūswered Good princes ought not to bee contented to doo no more than iust iudges but in dooing iustice a mā must know that they are pitefull For oftētimes those which come beefore princes doo returne more contented with the loue they shew them then with the iustice they minister vnto theym And furder hee sayd For asmuch as you say that it is of small aucthoryty and also of lesse grauity that a prince doo weepe with a widowe and with his hands wype her eyes I aunswer thee that I desire rather to bee partaker of the griefes with my subiects then to giue them occasion to haue theyr eyes full of teares Certeynly these woords are worthy to bee noted and no lesse followed Admit that clemency in all things deserueth to bee praysed yet much more ought it to bee commended when it is executed on weemen And if generally in all much more in those which are voyd of health and comfort For weemē are quickly troubled and with greater difficulty comforted Plutatche and Quintus Curtius saie the good intertainment which Alexander the great shewed vnto the wife and chyldren of kyng Darius after hee was vtterly vanquished exalted his clemency in such sorte that they gaue rather more glory to Alexander for the pity and honesty which hee vsed with the children then for the victory hee had of the father And whē the vnhappy king Darius knew the clemency and pity which the good Alexander vsed to his wyfe and his chyldren hee sent vnto him his embassadours to the end that on his beehalf they shoold thanke hym for that that is past and shoold desire hym that hee would continew so in tyme to come saing that it might chaunce that the Gods and fortune would mitigat their wrath against him Alexander aunswered to the imbassadours these words Yee shall say in my beehalf to your king Darius that hee geeue mee no thankes for the good and piteful woork that I haue doon to his captyue weemen since hee is certain I did it not for that hee was my frend and I would not cease to doo it for that hee is myne enemy But I haue doon it for that a gentle Prince is bound to doo in such a case For I ought to employ my clemency to weemen which can doo nought but weepe my puissaunte power Princes shal feele which can doo nought els but wage batayle Truly these woords were worthy of such a prince Many haue enuy at the surname of Alexander which is great And hee is caled Alexander the great because if his hart was great in the ēterprises hee took vpon him his courage was much more greter in cities realmes which hee gaue Many haue ēuy at that renowme which they geeue Pompeius beecause they cal him great for this excellent Romayn made him self cōqueror of .22 realmes in times past hath been accompanied with 25. kings Many haue enuy at the renowme of Scipio the Affricā
the troubles disceits of this world If I bee not deceiued if I vnderstand any thing of this world the remedy which the world geeueth for the troubles certainly are greater trauailes then the trauailes them selues so that they are salues that doo not heal our wounds but rather burn our flesh When the diseases are not very old rooted nor daungerous it profiteth more oftentimes to abide a gentle feauer then to take a sharp purgacion I mean that the world is such a deceyuer and so double that hee dooth contrary to that hee punisheth That is to weete that if hee doo perswade vs to reuenge an iniury it is to the end that in reuenging that one wee shoold receiue a thousand incōueniences And where as wee think it taketh from vs it encreaseth infynite So that this cursed guide making vs to beeleeue it leadeth vs vpon the dry land among our frends causeth vs to fall into the imbushment of our enemies Princes and great lords in the thoughts they haue and in the woords that they speak are greatly esteemed and afterwards in the woorks which they doo and in the affaires they trauaile are as litle regarded The contrary of all this dooth the wicked world who with al those hee companieth in his promisses hee is very gentle afterwards in his deedes hee is very proud For speakyng the trouth it costeth vs deare and wee others doo sell it good chepe I say much in saying that wee sell it good chepe but in manner I shoold say better that wee geeue it willingly For few are those in number which cary away wages of the world and infinite are those which doo serue it onely for a vayn hope O princes and great lords I counsaile and require you that you doo not trust the world neither in word deede nor promise though hee sweare and sweare agayn that hee will keepe all hee hath promised with you Suppose that the world dooth honor you much flatter you much visit you oft offer you great treasures and geeue you much yet it is not beecause hee wil geeue it yee by lytle lytle but that afterwards hee might take it all from yee again in one day For it is the old custome of the world that those whych aboue all men hee hath set beefore now at a turn they are furdest beehinde What may wee haue in the world and in his flatteries since wee doo know that one day wee shall see our selues depryued thereof and that which is more hee vseth such craft and subtilty with the one and the other that in old men whom reason woold shoold not bee vicious hee the more to torment their parsons hath kyndled a greater fyer in their harts so that this malicious world putteth into old ryches a new couetousnesse and in the aged engendreth cruell auaryce and that in that tyme when it is out of tyme. Wee ought greatly to consyder how by the world wee are deceyued but much more wee ought to heede that wee bee not by it distroyed For where as wee thynk to bee in open lyberty hee keepeth vs secret in pryson Wee thynk wee are whole and hee geeueth vs sicknesse Wee thynk wee haue all things yet wee haue nothing Wee thynk that for many yeares long shal bee our life when that at euery corner wee are assaulted of death Wee think that it counteth vs for mē that bee wise when hee keepeth vs bond like vnto fooles We think that it encreaseth our good when that in deede it burdeneth our cōsciens Fynally I say that by the way where wee thynk to contynue our renowme and life wee lose without recouery both lyfe and fame O filthy world that when thou doost receiue vs thou doost cast vs of when thou doost assēble vs thou doost seperat vs when thou seemest to reioice vs thou makest vs sad when thou pleasest vs how thou displeasest vs when thou exaltest vs how thou hūblest vs when thou doost chastice vs how thou reioicest Fynally I say that thou hast thy drynks so impoysoned that wee are without thee with thee and hauyng the theefe within the house wee goe out of the dores to seeke hym Though men bee diuers in gestures yet much more are they variable in their appetites And sith the world hath experiēce of so many years it hath appetites prepared for all kynd of people For the presumptuous hee procureth honors to the auaricious hee procureth riches and to those which are gluttons hee presenteth dyuers meats The fleshly hee blindeth with women and the negligent hee letteth rest and the end why hee dooth all these things is that after hee hath fed them as fysh hee casteth vpon them the nettes of all vices Note princes and great lords note noble men though a prince doo see him self lord of all the world hee ought to thynk that of no value is the seignory onles hee him self bee vertuous For litle it profiteth that hee bee lord of the vicious which is him self the seruant of all vices Many say that the world dooth beeguile them and other say that they haue no power against the world To whō wee may aunswere That if at the first temptacions wee woold haue resisted the world it is vnpossible that so oftentimes it durst assault vs. For of our small resistaunce commeth his so great audacity I can not tell if I shall dissemble I shal hold my peace or whither I shal say that I woold say since it greeueth my hart so much onely to think of it For I feele my eyes redyer to lament it then my fingers able to write it It is so that euery man suffereth himself to bee gouerned so of the world as if god were not in heauen hee had not promised to bee a good christian here in earth For all that hee will wee will that which hee followeth wee follow and that which hee chooseth wee choose And that which is greatest sorow of all if wee doo refrayn our selues from aduersity it is not for that of our own nature wee woold cease from it but beecause the world will not commaund vs to doo it Litle is that which I haue spoken in respect of that I will speak which is that the world hath made vs now so ready to his law that from one hower to another it chaungeth the whole state of this life So that to day hee maketh vs hate that which yesterday wee loued he maketh vs complayn of that which wee commended hee maketh vs to bee offended now with that which beefore wee did desire hee maketh vs to haue mortall enemies of those which before were our speciall frends Fynally I say that the world maketh vs to loue that in our lyfe which afterwards wee beewaile at the hower of death If the world did geeue vnto his minyons any perfect and accomplished thing it were somewhat that for a time a man should remayn in the seruice of his house But since that in the world all things are graunted not
good Plutarche sayeth further If thow wilt noble Prince trust thyne own vnderstanding in my poore counsayl in few woords I woold recite vnto thee al the auncyent laws I wil send thee very brief sweete laws not to th end thow shooldst publysh them in Rome but to the end thou keepe them in thy house For synce thow hast made laws for all I wyll make laws for thee The fyrst law is that thow beehaue thy self in such sort that thow bee not noted of any notable vice For yf the prynce bee vertuous in hys pallace none dare bee dyssolute in hys house The second law is that equally thou keepe iustice as well to him which lyueth farre of as to him which is neere about thee for it is much better that thou depart of thy goods to thy seruants then that thou shooldst geeue that iustice which apperteineth to others The thyrd law is that thou delyght in woord and deede to bee true and that they take thee not in this default to speak too much For prynces which in their woords are vncertayn and in their promyses doubtfull shal bee hated of their frends and mocked of their enemies The fourth law is that thou bee very gentle of condicion and not forgetful of seruices doon For vnthankful princes are hated of god despised of mē The fift law is that as a pestilence thou chase from thee flatterers For such with their euill lyfe doo disturb a whole common wealth and with their flatteries doo darken thy renowne If thou most noble prince wilt obserue these .v. laws thou shalt neede to make no moe laws For there is no neede of other law in the common wealth but to see that the prince bee of good life This wrote Plutarche to Traian and euery vertuous man ought to haue them written in his hart I was willing to touch this history onely to shew the profyt of this last law where it sayth that princes admit into their conuersation no flatterers of whom it is reason wee talke of now For so much as there are dyuers men with whom they lose their time and spend their goods When Rome was well ordered two officers were greatly estemed to the Romains The one was the maisters of fence which were as men that fought and turned and many times in that fyght they were slaine And the cause to inuent this play was to the end yong men not expert in warre shoold see the swords drawen sharp speres shootyng of crossebows to geeue blows with their sword to shed blood to geeue cruell wounds and to sley men For in this sort they lost feare and in goyng to the warre they recouered courage The man which hath once past a fourd in the water though it bee in the night dare pas it again But hee which hath neuer passed it ouer though it bee in the day dare not auenture it I mean that the Romains were very sage to shew vnto their children the daungers beefore they did put them therein For this is the difference beetwene the fearefull hart and the couragious stomack in that the one flyeth from a distaffe and the other is not afrayd of a sweord The second office which was esteemed in Rome was that of the iugglers iesters comediants and of such others which inuented playes and pastimes and the romayns deuised these sports to reioyce the people and in especially men of warre whom they feasted at their goyng foorth and much more at their comming home For the Romains thinking that they shoold bee wyth such glory receyued went with determinacion eyther to winne the victory or to dye in battaile The auncient and true Romains had such care for the common wealth of their people that they consented that iesters shoold iest iugglers shoold iuggle and the players of enterludes shoold play But this was not through abundaunce of vanyty nor for want of grauity but to take from the Plebeians occasion of idlenes and to keepe them occupied in other particuler playes they woold that all the pleasures shoold bee taken togethers Not without cause I say that the pleasures were taken in commen that is to weete that no romayn could play any playes particularly make any bankets represent comedies nor make any feasts beeside those which they made to reioyce the whole people so that in Rome they trauayled seuerally and reioyced togethers I would to god that such and so excellent a romain custome were obserued in our christian common wealth But I am very sory that indifferently rich and poore great and small doo play comedyes roune the bulles make iust ordein bankets weare deuises feast the ladyes spend in bankets and inuent feasts The which things altogether doo redound to the domage of the common wealth to the wast of the goods and to the corrupcion of the maners for the particuler pastimes doo encrease new vices to breede in mè These players did serue in rome to make pastime at the great feasts of their Gods For since Romayns were great worshippers of their gods and so careful of their temples they sought to feast them al the ways they could inuent Truly this was doon by the deuine sufferance for their gods beeing laughing stocks as in deed they were the liuing god would they should bee serued honoured and feasted by iestures and mocks Blondus in the third booke de Roma triumphante mencioneth the which I haue haue spoken and sayth That the Romayns were no lesse curious to giue laws to the iudglers and iesters which went mocking vp and down Rome then to the captayns which were fighting in the warre For though they did permit iesters players and iuglers to exercise their offices yet they did commaund theim that their liues might bee vpright and iust Amongst others such were the laws which the romayns ordeyned for these iesters iuglers players and tomblers The first law was they commaunded that they should all bee knowen and examined to see if they were honest men wise and sage For the more their offices were vaine so much the more they prouided that they were geeuen to wise men The second law commaunded to examine them to see if they were able and comly to exercise their offices and in deed in this case as well as in the other they had reason as very a foole is hee which for harkneth to a foole not pleasant as the foole him selfe The third law was that they did not permit any Romaine iugler to exercise such feats oneles hee had some other craft So that if they occupyed the holy days to play and shew pastyme in the streats the other days they should woork at home at their houses The fourth law was that no iugler nor vice should bee so hardy in his ostentacions to speake any malices and in deede it was a law very necessary For often times they are few which doo reioyce at their mockryes and many which complayne of their malices The fift law was that no iugler or iester should bee so
with lyes With our frends wee are shamelesse in their life and also bashfull at their death The which ought not to bee so For if our fathers were not dead and that wee did not dayly see these that are present dye mee thinketh it were a shame and also a fear to say to the sick that hee alone shoold dye But since thou knowst as well as hee and hee knoweth as well as thou that all doo trauell in this perillous iurney what shame hast thou to say vnto thy frend that hee is now at the last point If the dead shoold now reuyue how woold they complayn of their frends And thys for no other cause but for that they woold not geeue them good counsell at their death For if the sick man bee my frend and that I see peraduenture hee will dye why shall not I counsell him to prepare him self to dye Certeinly oftentimes wee see by experyence that those which are prepared and are ready for to dye doo escape and those which think to liue doo perish What shoold they doo which goe to vysit the sick perswade them that they make their testaments that they confesse their sinnes that they discharge their conscience that they receiue the Communion and that they doo reconcile them selues to their enemies Certeinly all these things charge not the launce of death nor cut not the threed of lyfe I neuer saw blyndnes so blynd nor ignoraunce so ignorant as to bee ashamed to counsell the sick that they are bound to doo when they are whole As wee haue sayd heere aboue Princes and great Lords are those aboue all other that liue and dye most abusedly And the cause is that as their seruaunts haue no harts to perswade them when they are mery so haue they no audacity to tell them trueth when they are in peril For such seruaunts care lytle so that their maisters beequeath them any thing in theyr willes whether they dye well or lyue euyll O what misery and pity is it to see a Prince a Lord a gentleman and a rych person dye if they haue no faythfull frend about them to help them to passe that payn And not wythout a cause I say that hee ought to bee a faythfull frend For many in our lyfe doo gape after our goods and few at our deaths are sory for our offences The wyse and sage men before nature compelleth them to dye of their own will ought to dye That is to weete that beefore they see them selues in the pangues of death they haue their consciences ready prepared For if wee count him a foole whych will passe the sea without a shippe truely wee will not count him wise which taketh his death without any preparacion beefore What loseth a wise man to haue his will well ordained in what aduenture of honor is any man beefore death to reconsile him self to his enemies and to those whom hee hath born hate and malyce What loseth hee of his credit who in his lyfe tyme restoreth that which at his death they will commaund him to render wherein may a man shew him self to bee more wise then when willingly hee hath discharged that which afterwards by proces they will take from him O how many princes great lords are there which only not for spending one day about their testament haue caused their children and heirs all the days of their life to bee in trauerse in the law So that they supposing to haue left their children welthy haue not left them but for atturneis and counselers of the law The true and vnfained Christian ought euery morning so to dyspose his goods and correct his lyfe as if hee shoold dye the same night And at night in like maner hee ought so to commit him self to god as if hee hoped for no lyfe vntill morning For to say the truth to sustein life there are infinit trauels but to meete death there is but one way If they will credit my woords I woold counsell no man in such estate to liue that for any thing in the world hee shoold vndoo him self The rich and the poore the great and the small the gentlemen and the Plebeians all say and swear that of death they are exceeding fearfull To whom I say and affirm that hee alone feareth death in whom wee see amendment of lyfe Princes and great lords ought also to bee perfect beefore they bee perfect to end beefore they end to dye beefore they dye and to bee mortified beefore they bee mortified If they doo this with them selues they shall as easely leaue their lyfe as if they chāged from one house to an other For the most part of men delight to talk with leisure to drink with leisure to eat with leisure to sleep with leisure but they dye in haste Not without cause I say they dye in haste since wee see thē receiue the sacrament of the supper of the lord in haste make their willes by force with speed to confesse and receiue So that they take it and demaund it so late and so without reason that often times they haue lost their senses and are ready to geeue vp the spirit when they bring it vnto them What auaileth the ship maister after the ship is sonk what doo weapons auayl after the battell is lost What auaileth pleasures after men are dead By that I haue spoken I will demaund what it auaileth the sick beeing heuy with sleep and beereft of their senses to call confessors to whom they confesse their sinnes Euill shal hee bee confessed whych hath no vnderstandyng to repent him self What auayleth it to call the confessor to vnderstand the secret of his conscience when the sick man hath lost his speach Let vs not deceiue our selues saying in our age wee will amend heereafter make restitution at our death For in myne oppinion it is not the poynt of wyse men nor of good christians to desire so much tyme to offend and they wil neuer espy any to amend Woold to god that the third part of tyme which men occupy in sinne were employed about the meditations of death and the cares which they haue to accomplish their fleshly lusts were spent in beewayling their filthy sinnes I am very sory at my hart that thei so wickedly passe their life in vyces and pleasures as if there were no God to whom they shoold render account for their offences All worldlings willingly doo sinne vppon hope only in age to amend and at death to repent but I woold demaund him that in this hope sinned what certeinty hee hath in age of amendment and what assuraunce hee hath to haue long warning beefore hee dye Since wee see by experience there are mo in nomber which dye yong then old it is no reason wee shoold commit so many sinnes in one day that wee shoold haue cause to lament afterwards all the rest of our lyfe And afterwards to beewail the sinnes of our long life wee desire no more but one
destroy thy selfe For men which haue not the gods mercifull and the men frendly doo eat the bread of grief and drink the tears of sorow I am sure thy sorow is not so great to see that the nyght dooth end my life as is the pleasure which thou hast to see that in short space thou shalt bee emperor of Rome And I doo not maruell hereat For where sensuality reigneth reason is banished constrayned to fly Many loue diuers things beecause of trouth they know them not the which if they did know without doubt they woold hate them Though men loue in mockry the gods men hate vs in earnest In al things wee are so doubtfull and in all our woorks so dysordered that at some tyme our vnderstanding is dull and loseth the edge an other tyme it is more sharp then it is necessary Thereby I mean that the good wee wil not here and much lesse wee will learn it but of the euil wee know more then beehoueth vs or necessity requireth I will counsaile thee my sonne by woords that which in lxii yeares I haue learned by scyence and experience And since thou art as yet so yong it is reason that thou beleeue him which is aged For since wee prynces are the mirrour of all euery man dooth beehold vs wee other doo not beehold ourselues This day or to morow thou shalt enherit the Romain empire think that inheriting the same thou shalt bee lord of the world Yet if thow knewst how many cares and perilles cōmaunding bringeth with it I sweare vnto thee that thou wooldst rather chose to obey all then to commaund one Thou thinkest my sonne that I leaue thee a great lord for to leaue thee the empire which is not so For all they haue neede but of thee and thou alone hast neede of all Thou thinkest that I leaue thee much treasure leauing thee the great reuenews of the empire the which also is as litle For though a prince haue treasures in aboundance yet if hee want frends hee hath great want of tresures Thou thinkest also my sonne that I leaue thee that thou bee obeyed of all and that none dare gayn say thee Truly it ought not to bee so For it is more meete for the prince which desireth to preserue his lyfe and augment his honor to bee conformable to the will of all then to desire that all shoold bee agreable to him For thou my sonne that knowest not what truth is lies wil not greeue thee For asmuch as thou knowest not what rest is the broyls and mocions of the people shall not vex thee For that thou knowest not what frends meane thou shalt esteeme it litle to haue enemies For if thou were pacient reposed true a louing man thou wouldst not only refuse the empire of Rome but also the wooldst curse the father which woold leaue thee such inheritance I will thou know if thou knowest it not that in leauing thee the empire I leaue thee not riches but pouerty not rest but trauayle not peace but warr not frends but enemies not pleasures but displeasures finally in place I leaue thee where alwayes thou shalt haue somwhat to beewayle And though thou wouldst thou shalt not laugh I aduertise admonish and also exhort thee my sonne to think that all that which I leaue thee is vanity lightnes and folly and a disgised mockry And if thou beeleuest it is in mockry from hensforth I know thou art deceyued I haue liued longer then thou I haue read more than thou and with great payne haue gone further than thou And sins that with all these aduertisements in the end I find my selfe mocked hopest thou to liue surely and escape without fraud or guyle When thou shalt think to haue the empire in rest then shall there arise a prouince in Affrica or in Asia the losse of the which should come to a great inconuenience and for to recouer it great charges would ensue When thou thinkest to recouer frends then shall straunge enemyes inuade thee So that in flattering and reioysing our frends wee can not keepe theym and in flying and reiecting theym wee can not defend our selues When thou shalt think to bee in gretest ioy then shall some care oppresse thy hart For princes which haue and possesse much the news which geeue them pleasure are very seldome but the thinges which annoy them come hourely When thou shalt think to haue liberty to doo what thou wilt then shalt thou bee most restrayned For the good and well ordered princes ought not to go whither their wanton desires moueth theym but where it is most lawful and decent for the honour of their estates When thou shalt think that none dare reproue thee for that thou art emperour then oughtst the most to beeware For if they dare not threaten euell princes with woords they haue the hardines to sell them by treason If they dare not punish them they dare murmour at them and these which can not bee their frendes doo procure to bee their enemies fynally if they lay not hands on their persons thei let their tong runne at large to prate of their renoune When thou shalt thynk to haue satisfyed thy seruants then wyll they demaund recompence for their seruices For it is an old custome among courtyers to spend freely and couet greedily Therefore if thou doost credit these things I know not who is so foolish that for his enherytaunce desyreth such sorow For admit that any man come to the empire without comparison the rest is more woorth which the empire taketh from him then the pleasures which it geeueth him If the empire of Rome were as well corrected and ordred as in old time it was accustomed to bee though it were great payne to gouerne it yet it were more honor to keepe it but it is so rooted in vices and so many tirāts are entred therin that I woold tak thē more wise to iudge it a mockry then those which embrase it as an honor If thou knewst what Rome is woorth what Rome hath what Rome may and what Rome is I sweare vnto thee that thou wouldst not labor much to be lord therof For though Rome with walles bee strongly compassed yet of vertuous Citezins it is greatly vnprouided If the inhabitants bee great the vices are without nomber Finally I say that the stones which are in the buyldings in one day may bee counted but the euils which are therin in a .1000 yeres can not bee declared By the faith of a good man I sweare vnto thee my sonne that when I beegan to reygne in 3. yeres I repaired the decayed walles that were of Rome fallen and one onely streete to liue wel in xx yers I could not refourme The deuine Plato said very well That much more ought the great cityes to glorify to haue vertuous citezins then to haue proud sumptuous buildings Beeware beeware my sonne that the inconstancy of youth and the liberty which thou
hast to possesse and gouerne the empire cause thee not to vndoo thy selfe For hee is not counted free with in liberty is borne but hee that dyeth in liberty O of how many I haue red hard also seene which are borne slaues and afterwards haue dyed free and this for that they were vertuous And how many I haue seene die slaues beeing bornfree only for beeing vicious so that there liberty remayneth where noblenes is resident Princes which haue great realmes of necessity shall haue occasions to punish many excesses wherfore it is requisite that they bee couragious And beeleue mee my sonne that they ought not to take corrage vpon them beecause they bee mighty and puissaunt but beecause they are vertuous For to punish these excesses of others the good life is more requisite then is the great auctority of the empire A vertuous prince ought to leaue no vice vnpunished for the good to folow good the euil for feare of his correction dare not commit any offence in the commō wealth Hee that lyueth like a wise man is hardy to geeue punishment but hee that liueth in feare dare not almost speak For the man which dare bee so hardy to punish an other for the self same fault for the which hee deserueth to bee punished of the gods hee is iustly hated of men despised Let princes take it for an assured thing that they shal neuer haue the loue of the people the liberty of the commō wealth the order of their house the contentation of their frends the subiection of their enemies and the obedience of their people but with many tears shed on the earth and with many prowesses doone of his person To a vertuous prince all doo render against the vicious prince all the earth doth rebell If thou wilt bee vertuous heare what thing vertu is Vertu is a castle which neuer is taken a riuer which is not passed ouer a sea which is not sailed a fire that neuer is quenched a tresure that neuer is wasted an army that neuer is ouerthrowen a chaunge which neuer wearieth a spy which alwaies returneth a signe which beegilesh no man a way very streight a frend that succoureth al necessities a surgion that immediatly healeth a renowne which neuer perisheth If thou knewest my sonne what thing it is to bee good thou wouldst bee the best of the world For the more vicious a man is so much the more hee is entangled in vices how much more a man is vertuous so much more to vertues hee cleaueth If thou wilt bee vertuous thou shalt doo seruice to the gods thou shalt geeue good renowne to thy predecessors for thy selfe thou shalt prepare a perpetual memory Thou shalt doo pleasures to straungers get the fauor of thine owne people Finally the good will honor thee with loue the euil wil serue thee with feare In the histories of the warres of the Charentines I found the renowmed Pirrus king of Epirotes did weare in a ring these woords writen It is too litle punishmēt for a vicious man to take his life from him it is too smal a reward for a vertuous man to geeue him the seignory of the whole earth Truly these woords were woorthy of such a man What thing can bee beegon of a vertuous man wherof wee hope not to see the end come to good proofe I am deceyued if I haue not seene in my days many mē which were base borne vnfitt for sciences void of vices in the cōmon wealth poore of goods vnknowen of birth which with all these base condicions haue learned so many vertues that it seemed great rashnes to beegin them afterwards for beeing vertuous only they haue found the effects such as they thought it By the immortal gods I sweare vnto thee so the god Iupiter take mee into his holy house confirme thee my sonne in mine if I haue not knowen a gardner a potter in Rome which for beeing vertuous were occasion to cast fiue rich senatours out of the senate And the cause to make the one to gayne the other to loose was that to the one they would not pay the pots and to the other his appels For at that time more was hee punished which tooke an apple from a poore man then hee which bet down a rich mans house All this I haue told thee my sonne beecause vice abaseth the hardy prince vertue geeueth courage to the bashfull From .ii. things I haue always kept my selfe That is to weete not to striue against open iustice nor to contend with a vertuous person ¶ The Emperor Marcus Aurelius followeth his purpose among other holsome counsailes exhorteth his sonne to keepe wise and sage men about him for to geeue him counsayle in al his affayres Cap. lv HItherto I haue spoken to thee in generally but now I will speake vnto the particulerly by the immortal gods I coniure thee that thou bee very attentiue to that I will say For talking to thee as an aged father it is reason thou heare mee as an obedient chyld If thou wilt enioy long life obserue well my doctrine For the gods will not condescend to thy harts desires oneles thou receyuest my holsome counsayles The disobedience vnfaithfulnes which children haue to their fathers is al their vndooing For oftentimes the gods doo pardon the offences that are doon vnto them doo not pardon the disobediences which the children beare to their fathers I doo not require thee my sonne that thou geeue mee mony sins thou art poore I doo not demaund that thou trauaile sins thou art tender I doo not demaund the reuengement of mine enemies since I haue none I doo not demaund that thou serue mee sins I dye I doo not demaund the empire sins I leaue it vnto thee Onely I doo demaund that thou gouerne thy selfe well in the common wealth and that the memory of my house bee not lost through thee If thou esteeme much that I leaue vnto thee so many realmes I think it better to leaue thee many good counsayls wherwith thou maist preserue thy selue susteyne thy parson mayntayne thine honour For if thou hast presumption not to profit with my counsayle but to trust to thine owne mind beefore my flesh bee eaten with wormes thou shalt bee ouercōe with thy enemies My sonne I haue been yong light bold vnshamefast proud enuious couetous an aduoulterer furious a glutton slouthful ambicious for that I haue fallen into so great excesses therfore I geeue thee such good aduise For the mā which in his youth hath been very worldly from him in age proceedeth ripe counsaile That which vntill this time I haue coūsailed thee that which to my death I wil counsayle the. I desire that ons at the least thou proue it And if it doo thee harme leaue it if it doo thee good vse it For there is no medecine so bitter that the sick dooth refuse
thousand sexterces Trauaile to augmēt them for her not to dymynish them I commend vnto thee Drusia the Romain wydow who hath a proces in the Senat. For in the times of the cōmotions past her husband was banished proclamed traytor I haue great pyety of so noble worthy a widow for it is now .iii. moneths since shee hath put vp her cōplaint for the great warres I could not shew her iustice Thou shalt find my sonne that in .xxxv. yeares I haue gouerned in Rome I neuer agreed that any widow should haue any sute beefore mee aboue .viii. dayes Bee carefull to fauour and dispatch the orphanes and wydows For the needy wydows in what place so euer they bee doo encurre into great daunger Not which out cause I aduertise thee that the trauaile to dispatch thē so sone as the maist to administer iustice vnto thē For through the prolōging of beautiful womēs suites their honor credit is diminished So that their busines being prolōged they shal not recouer so much of their goods as they shal lose of their renowm I cōmēd vnto thee my sonne my old seruaunts which with my long yeares and my cruell warres with my great necessityes with the combrance of my body and my long disease haue had great trouble as faithfull seruaunts oftentimes to ease mee haue annoyed them selues It is conuenient since I haue preuailed of their lyfe that they should not loose by my death Of one thing I assure thee that though my body remaine with the wormes in the graue yet beefore the gods I will remember them And heerin thou shalt shew thy selfe to bee a good child when thou shalt recompence those which haue serued thy father well Al princes which shall doo iustice shal get enemies in the excucion therof And sith it is doone by the hands of those which are neere him the more familiare they are with the prince the more are they hated of the people al in generally doo loue iustice but none doo reioyce that they execute it in his house And therfore after the Prince endeth his lyfe the people will take reuenge of those which haue beene ministers therof It were great infamy to the empire offence to the gods iniury to mee vnthankfulnes to thee hauing found the armes of my seruants redy xviii yeares that thy gates should bee shut against them one day Keepe keepe these thinges my sonne in thy memorye and since particulerly I doo remember them at my death cōsider how hartely I loued them in my life ¶ The good Marcus Aurelius Emperor of Rome endeth his purpose life And of the last woords which hee spake to his sonne Commodus and of the table of counsels which hee gaue him Cap. lvii WHen the Emperor had ended his particuler recommendacions vnto his sonne Commodus as the dawning of the day beegan to appeere so his eies beegan to close his tong to faulter his hands to tremble as it dooth accustome to those which are at the point of death The prince perceiuing then litle life to remaine commaunded his secretory Panutius to go to the coffer of his books to bring one of the coffers beefore his presence out of the which hee tooke a table of .iii. foot of bredth and ii of length the which was of Eban bordered al about with vnycorne And it was closed with .2 lyds very fine of red wood which they cal rasing of a tree where the Phenix as they say breedeth which dyd grow in Arabia And as there is but one onely Phenix so in the world is there but one onely tree of that sorte On the vttermost part of the table was grauen the God Iupiter on the other the goddesse Venus in the other was drawen the God Mars the goddesse Diana In the vppermost part of the table was carued a bull in the neythermost part was drawne a kyng And they sayd the paynter of so famous renowmed a woork was called Apelles The Emperor takyng the table in his hands casting his eies vnto his sonne sayd these woords Thou seest my sonne how from the turmoyls of fortune I haue escaped how I into miserable destenies of death doo enter where by experience I shall know what there is after this lyfe I meane not now to blaspheme the gods but to repent my sinnes But I would willingly declare why the gods haue created vs since there is such trouble in life such paine in death Not vnderstāding why the gods haue vsed so great cruelti with creatures I see it now in that after .lxii. yeres I haue sayled in the daunger peril of this life now they commaund mee to land harbour in the graue of death Now approcheth the houre wherin the band of matrimoni is losed the thred of life vntwined the key dooth lock the slepe is wakened my lyfe dooth end I go out of this troublesome paine Remembring mee of that I haue doone in my lyfe I desire no more to liue but for that I know not whyther I am caryed by death I feare refuse his darts Alas what shal I doo since the gods tel mee not what I shal doo what coūsail shal I take of any mā since no man will accompany mee in this iourney O what great disceite o what manifest blindnes is this to loue one thing al the days of his life to call nothing with vs after our death Beecause I desired to bee rych they let mee dy poore Bycause I desired to lyue with company they let mee dy alone For such shortnes of life I know not what hee is that wyl haue a house since the narow graue is our certain mansiō place beeleeue mee my sonne that many things past doo greeue mee sore but with nothing so much I am troubled as to come so late to the knowledge of this life For if I could perfectly beeleeue this neyther should men haue cause to reproue mee neither yet I now such occasion to lament mee O how certaine a thing is it that men when they come to the point of death doo promise the gods that if they proroge their death they will amend their life but notwithstanding I am sory that wee see them deliuered from death without any maner of amendment of life They haue obteyned that which of the gods they haue desired haue not perfourmed that which they haue promised They ought assuredly to think that in the sweetest time of their lyfe they shall bee constreyned to accept death For admit that the punishment of ingrate persons bee deferred yet therfore the fault is not pardoned Bee thou assured my sonne that I haue seene enough hard felt tasted desired possessed eaten slept spoken and also liued inough For vices geeue as great trouble to those which follow them much as they doo great desire to those which neuer proued them I confesse to the immortall Gods that I haue no desire to lyue yet I ensure thee
good turns I haue receiued at your hands I was also willyng to compyle and dedicate this my lytle treatise to you the which I present you wyth all my desyres my studyes my watches my swett and my troubles holding my self fully satisfyed for all the payns I haue taken so that this my simple trauell bee gratefull to you to whom I offer yt and to the publyke weale profitable Beeing well assured if it please you to trust mee and credyte my wrytyng you shall manifestly know how freely I speak to you and lyke a frend and not deceiue you as a flatterer For if the beeloued and fauored of princes chaunce to bee cast out of fauor it is beecause euery man flattereth hym and seeketh to please him and no man goeth about to tell him troth nor that that is for his honor and fittest for him Salust in his booke of the warres of Iugurtha sayth that the hygh heroycall facts and noble deedes were of no lesse glory to the historiographer that wrote them then they were to the captayn that dyd them For it happeneth many tymes that the Captayn dying in the battell hee hath woone lyueth afterwards notwythstandyng by the fame of his noble attempt and this proceedeth not only of the valyaunt deedes of armes hee was seene doo but also for that wee read of him in woorthy authors which haue amply written thereof Wee may well say therefore touching this matter that aswell may wee take hym for a true frend that geeueth good counsell as hee whych dooth vs great pleasure and seruyce For according to the oppinion of the good Marcus Aurelius who sayd to his secretary Panutius that a man with one pay may make full satisfaccion and recompeÌ„ce of many pleasures and good turns shewed but to requyte a good counsell dyuers thanks and infinite seruices are requisite If wee wil credit the auncient historiographers wee shall fynd it true that the vertuous emperors the fortunate kyngs and the valyaunt Captains when they shoold enterprise to goe conquer their enemies either they sought for some philosopher or they choose some other honest learned man of whom they tooke councel touching all their affayrs beefore they prest any soldiers Comparing the tymes past with the tymes present wee think that haue read some what that the tyme past was as pure grayn and this now as chaffe and straw the one as the tyme calme and still in the sea and this as wauering and tempesteous that then the fyne and pure mettall and this now the drosse thereof The other the marie and this the bones the one the cleer day and the other the dark night For in these days in princes courts and noble mens houses they glory more to haue a scoffing knaue or iester to make them laugh then they recken of a graue and wyse man to geeue them counsell Alexander the great in all hys warres woold always bee accompanyed with the wyse Aristotle Cyrus kyng of Persia with the philosopher Chilo Kyng Ptolomie wyth Pithinus the philosopher Pirrhus kyng of Epyre wyth Zatirus Augustus themperor wyth Symonides Scipio thaffrican wyth Sophocles Traian themperor wyth Plutarche Antonius themperor wyth Gorgias now all these famous princes caried not with theÌ„ so many learned philosophers to fyght in battell with armed weapon in hand like other their soldiers but only to vse their couÌ„cel aduice So that the great battels they ouerthrew and the woorthy victories they wanne with the noble tryumphs doon was as much by the graue counsell of these good and wise Philosophers as by the force of their army and prowes of their Captayns The greatest good turn and benefit one frend can doo for an other is to know to geeue good counsell to his frend in his greatest neede and not without cause I say to know to geeue counsell For it happeneth oft tymes that those that thought to haue geeuen vs good remedy by their counsell wanting in deede discrecion and iudgement in the same haue caused vs to runne into further daungers And therefore Seneca beeing once demaunded of themperor Nero what hee thought of Scipio thaffrican Cato the censor answered him in this maner I think it was as necessary that Cato was born for the comon wealth as Scipio for the warres for the good Cato wyth his prudent counsell expelled vice out of the wealth publike and the other with his noble courage and great armies did euer wythstand the force of the enemies According to the saying of Seneca let vs also say after him that hee is very arrogant that presumes to geeue an other counsell but with all wee say agayn that if the counsell bee found good hee hath geeuen to his frend in his neede and necessity asmuch praise deserueth hee that gaue it as hee that knew how to take it Now after thexample of the auncient philosophers which went to the warres not to fight but only to geeue counsell I will syr for those things that pertayn to your seruyce and profit take vppon mee the offyce of a philosopher and for the first doctrin of my philosophy I say that if it please you to receiue these counsels whych my penne dooth write to you at this present I promise you and by the faith of a christian man I swear that they shal bee such excellent helps to you for the preseruation of your credyt and fauor you are now in as you may bee enriched by the true and diligent seruice of your seruaunts For if a man woold with an oth ask the trueth of Plato Socrates Pithagoras Diogenes Licurgus Chilo Pittachê° and of Apolonius and also of all the vniuersity and company of the other philosophers they woold swere and affirm that the felicity of man consisteth not in great might in great aucthority and possessions but only in deseruing much For the honor fauor and dignityes of this mortall lyfe are more to bee praised and had in veneratioÌ„ when they are placed in a condigne and woorthy person then they are beeing possessed of an vnwoorthy and graceles man allotted to hym not by vertue but by fortune And therefore your aucthority beeing great at this present exalted thereto by gods diuine will and prouydence and now in the hyghest degree of prosperity I woold wish you my good lord lesse then any other courtier to trust to fortunes impery For yf the earthquakes sooner bryng to ground the proud and stately Pallaces then the mean and low howses if ofter fall on the highest mountayns the dreadfull lightnings and tempests then on the lowest hilles if among the greater multitude of people the plagues bee rifer then amongst the fewer nomber yf they vse rather to spread their netts and lay the byrdlyme on the green and thickst bows then on the dry and wythered sticks to snare the sely byrds withall If always the stillest seas doo foreshew to vs a greater tempest following and if that long health bee a watch vnto a great and daungerous sicknes ensuyng by this
beloued fauored of the court and that the tresorer dooth not dispatch him the coferer keepe back his wages it is a misery to see him on the other syde a pleasure and pastime to heere what hee sayes cursing the wretched life of this world And euen then in his heat and rage hee teareth and blasphemeth god and sweares accursedly that thenceforth hee will forsake the vaine abuses of court and leaue also the trompries of the deceitful world auowing to enclose him selfe in precinct of religious wales to take vpoÌ„ him also religious habit Alas if I fetched as mani sighes for my sinnes as courtiers doo for their mishaps and disgraces what a nomber would they come to For a courtier incontynent that hee feeleth him selfe sicke that hee is alone and reiected of his freends in court hee beecometh so heauy and pensiue that with his deepe sighs hee priceth the heauens on hye and with his flowing teares hee moysteth the earth beelowe So that a man might more easely nomber the trobles of the stowt and harby Hercules then those which the courtier dayly suffereth And beesides those many wee haue recited yet further these also wee can recite that theire seruants robbe them their purseberers consume their mony iesters and counterfet knaues ly euer vpon their reward woomen pick their purses and strompets and bawds spoyle them of all But what shall I say more to you If the poore courtier bee full of feathers euery man plumes him but if hee want whings there is no man hasty to plume him and to coÌ„clude in princes court you shall find no such trade of life wherby you may satisfy euery man For if the courtier speake litel they will say hee is but a foole if hee bee to large of tong they will say hee is a glorious foole if hee bee free in expences they wyll say hee is a prodigall foole yf hee bee scarse of his purse they will say hee is a couetous miser yf hee bee alone and solitary at home they will account him an hypocrite and if hee visite others oft they will say hee is a bold and troblesome man if hee haue any trayne of men following on him they will say hee is a prowde man and if hee go without coÌ„pany that hee is poore and miserable So that of court this may rightly bee sayd That it is a very theather wheare one mocketh and grinneth at an other and yet in the end they al in maner fynd them selues scorned and deceiued Nowe discursing also of sleepe doth the courtier alweys sleepe asmuch as hee wil no suer but asmuch as hee may And touching his meate hath hee alwayes that hee lyketh no truly but hee is forced to bee contented with that hee hath And as for his apparel is hee clothed according to his wise no no but according to others fansies O vnhappy courtier that spendith the most parte of his myserable life in coming his head washing his beard wearing faire and braue hose varnishing his sword dagger blacking his bootes prouiding him of clokes bying him cappes furring him gownes and sitting him self with other small needefull trifles wasting in them all his owne goods and that of his frends I am not of that mynd opinion that others are that say there are none in so greate liberty as courtiers bee which should not bee sayd much lesse credited sith wee see by dayly proofe if they bee in seruice they are as sclaues If they bee not in seruyce with the kyng or other nobleman they lyue in poore estate Nowe let euery man say what hee will wheare pouerty reigneth there liberty can haue no place And there is nothing in the world herer theÌ„ that wee buy with intreaty not with mâ—ny And therfore wee must confesse that princes courts are meeter to exercyse the youth then for the aged to lyue there without rest For yong men haue more hardines to away with the paines and trobles of the courte then they haue yeares to seeke the greefes and displeasures they receiue therby Now goe to the court that list procure office auctority that wil for hither to I neuer met or spake with man that was contentid with the court For if hee bee crept in fauor hee feareth euery hower to fall and lose his credit if euer hee bee once out of fauor in disgrase hee dispayreth hee shall neuer returne againe into fauor and if hee that goeth to the sea committeth him selfe first to god beefore hee take shyppe much more ought hee to doo yt that goeth to dwel in court For in the sea of a C shippes there doo not perish teÌ„ne but in the court of a .1000 courtiers there cometh not three in fauor ¶ Of courtiers brawles and quarells with the harbingers for ill lodging Cap. ii AFter Lucullus the roman his retorne from Asia in an oration hee made beefore the senat hee sayd thus I sweare vnto you by the Imortal gods fathers conscript that in all this my iorney I felt no payne nor troble nether for the conduct and gouernment of myne army nor for the rebellion of the people nor for the absence of my freends nor for the warr of the enemies nether for the long tyme nor yet for the perill of my life For all these things are incident to soldiors and men of warr and comon to rulers in peace But if you bee desirous to know what was my troble and that that greeued mee most yt was on the remembrance of the quiet rest I had at home For as you know right wel sacred senat during the time a man lodgeth in other mens howses hee is neuer at liberty And this woord of Lucullus mee thinketh euery courtier might well apply to him selfe for that hee is alwayes bound to doo seruice to the master of the howse wheare hee lodgeth yea although hee receyue a 1000. iniuries of him yet therfore it is not lawfull for him to anger or displease him in any thing Therefor in very il and vnluckye hower is the courtier arriued when hee must take his iourney in steade of rest trauaile for quietnes mysery for aboundance bondage for liberty and payne for pleasor and albeeit courtiers abide many paines and trobles yet this mee thinketh is the greatist and lest tollerable when they must bee lodged resoning of the paines displeasures fortunes and mishappes that meÌ„ suffer litell is that my penne dooth write heerin and much lesse that my tong doth speake in comparison of that the wofull hart dooth byde O how many things are there that are felt euen as the very bottome of the hart and yet dare not the tonge once vtter them Truly how poore a howse so euer the courtier hath in the contry hee should more esteeme yt then the best lodging that euer hee met with in court or els wheare For at home hee dooth and comaundeth all that hee wil But in an other mans howse hee must take that is geeueÌ„
wise heads and beeloued courtiers greatly esteemed and reputed of And this for their own good demerits and by meanes also of the others wicked abuse and disorder Suetonius tranquillus reciteth that Scilla the consull beeing mortall enemy of the Marians of which faction was also Iulius Cesar sayde that from Cesars infancy his wisdome made him more to bee feared and wondered at then euer his stoute and valiaunt corage hee showed Plutarke writing to Traian sayd I assure thee Soueraigne prince I doo more esteeme honor thy parson then I doo care for al thy empire beesyds For I haue seen thee doo a thousand good things to deserue yt but I neuer saw thee once desirous to haue yt And suer in my opinion I think there is no better alchemye in court to grow to sodeyne wealth and to acquire the princes fauor thē that the same of his good life should rather resound his prayse to the prince therby to make him knowen vnto him then the respect of his noble house or progenye That courtier also that craueth his princes grace must take heede in any wise hee bee not consorte or companion with rashe hasty persones whose vnstable heads mislike of euery state still deprauing all others vertues Such felow mates and compagnions the wise courtier must in any case refuse to bee conuersant with I must aduise him also hee beeware hee bee not rash of speche nor that hee speake ill of any man For it is a right kynd of tresō to detrect and backbyte our frends and much more the prince to whom wee wholly owe our duty and allegeance And therfor the wyse and vertuous courtier must fly from this company as farre as hee can that are possessed with such vaine humors and passions of mynde For such kynde of mē wil neuer councell vs to sarue well nor to beeware of liberal speaking but will rather infect vs and bring vs to their naughty vaine humor and make vs to bee demed as bad as them selues though wee bee not so only for keeping them company Like as in comon weales there are seditious heads which moue and stirre the poore comons to rebellion euen so in princes courtes there are the like factious heads that seeke to wynne good wil of courtiers so to stirr vp their mynds also to tumult sedition which beecause they haue no way to come vp and grow in fauor doo detract and speake ill of those that are in fauor and autority One of these abiects inferior sorte shall go to the howse of an other in like disgrace and discredit that him selfe is in and there these companions shall open theire throtes against the prince and his court saiyng the king careth not for his subiects talking of the high minds and countenances of the beeloued and fauored of court of the affections of the counsell of the parciality and enmyty of the court of the want of munition for warres and of the fall and decay of the comon wealth and thus with theys lewde and vncomly discorses they spend the long and dolefull nights of wynter season and ther withall also the long and whot sunny days of sommers tyme. Adrian the emperor beeing once informed that there met and assembled togethers daily at the house of one Lucius Turbon a nomber of the seditious and factious sort of Rome which were offended with him and conspired against him to preuent them of insurrection proclaymed presently through Rome and enacted yt for a law that all courtiers that assembled there should lose their heads and al the Romaines should bee banished All this wee haue spoken to banish vice from princes courts if yt may bee for now a dayes as there are many houses of ordinary tables and nombers of disyng houses for all maner of play so is there also in the court beesides the groome porters other chambers where they meete to murmure at ech mans dooings And as there are some that say gowe let vs go to such a mans house and there wee shall fynd play enowgh and good fellowshipp to passe the tyme away as wee will euen so these others say gow wee will go to such a chamber and there wee shall meete with our compaignions and good fellowes wheare wee may talke liberally and at our pleasure without check or controll of any Infamous bee that house wheare there is no other exercyse but play and ryot and accursed bee that wheare they can not occupy them selues but in defamyng and backbiting theyr breethern and neighbors For to conclude it were lesse euel to play and lose theyr mony then to robb and spoyle his neyghbor of his good name Now to get into the princes fauor it helpeth much to consider wherin the prince takethe cheefe delyght and wherto hee is best affected whether to musick hunting fliyng riding of horses or fishing running or leaping or any other actiuity what so euer it bee And his affect and desier once knowen and obserued hee must geeue him selfe wholy to loue that the prince loueth and to follow that that hee followeth And as princes comonly are geeuen to theyr willes to leeke soome pastymes better then others so doo they shew them selues more fauorable and gratious to soome of their seruants then others and rather to those whome only they see conforme and agreeable with their affections then to such as are alwey most dilygent and paynefull about them to doo them the best seruice they can The curious courtier may account him selfe happy if hee can frame him selfe to comend that the prince alloweth and lykewyse to dissalow of that the prince mislyketh and though perhappes hee were many tymes of the contrary opinyon hee may well thinke and beeleeue to him selfe what hee lyketh best but in no case to vtter that hee thinketh nor to make any countenance to the contrary The emperor Aurelius neuer dranke other then redd wyne and beecause hee was infourmed that Torquatus the Roman for his sake dyd not onely refrayne from drinkyng white wyne but did also plant all his vynes with red grapes hee made him censor of Rome and gaue him the warde of the gate Salaria in the sayd city In eating and drinking in hunting and tilting in peace and in warre in youthfull sportes and graue matters the wise courtier must alweyes follow the steppes and will of the prince and imitate him in the same the best hee can And if yt bee beneficiall for the courtier to haue the princes fauor and to bee esteemed of him let him in no wise enterprise to talke too much to him For by continuall frequenting the prince yt can not otherwise fall out but hee shall both troble him and bee thought a proud arrogant and an importunat foole of him And if the courtier hath no graue and weyghty matters to moue the prince in to what purpose dooth hee seeme to molest and importune the kyng Wee say in weighty matters to communicate with him For to talke with the prince and to
will dispatch mee quickly but wheare you say that you haue a great desire to keepe my right and iustice I vtterly appeale from that sentence For I come not syr and yf it please you to folow your heeles and to wayte vpon you to solicite my cause to the end you should keepe my ryght and deteigne yf from mee but that you shoold geeue yt to mee For I ê“mis you this syr if you once geeue it mee I mean neuer to trouble your woorship hereafter with the keeping of it agayn but wil discharge you quite And now after al these things we haue spokeÌ„ I coÌ„clude that who so euer curseth his enemy seeketh reueÌ„ge of an iniury doon him let him not desire to see hym poore and myserable neyther hated nor ill willed of any other dead nor banished but let him onely beeseech god to plague hym with some ill sute For a man cannot deuise to take a greater reuenge of his enemy theÌ„ to see him entangled in a vile sute to follow the court or to attend in chauncery ¶ The auctor chaungeth his matter and speaketh to the beeloued of the court admonishyng them to bee pacient in their troubles that they bee not partiall in thaffaires of the common weale Cap. xi THe courtier shall doo well and wysely and cheefely if hee bee noble beeloued to passe ouer the iniuries doone hym and to beare them pacyently neuer to geeue any woords to any that shall offend him For the officers of princes can by no other means so well assuer their offices and autority they haue as by dooyng good continually to some and to suffer others no way makyng any countenaunce of displeasure for the iniuries doone hym by others And yf yt happen as many tymes yt dooth that a folower and hanger on of the court hauyng spent all that hee hath and dryuen now to seeke a new banck chaunce to speak dyshonest woords and frame great quarells against the kyngs officers in thys case the courtier and wise offycer should neuer aunswer him wyth anger and displeasure and much lesse speak to hym in choller For a man of honor and respect wyllbee more greeued wyth a dishonest woord that is spoken agaynst him then hee wil bee for the denyall of that hee asketh Those that are beeloued and beelyked of prynces aboue all other thyngs ought to bee very pacient courteous and gentle in all things For all that the followers of the court and suters can not obteyn in the court let them not lay the fault to the prince that denyed yt them but onely to the fauored of the prince and those about him for that they neuer mooued yt to the kyngs maiesty nor once thought of the matter as the poore suters supposed they had The payns and troubles of court are infynyt and insupportable For how quyet so euer the courtier bee they wyll trouble and molest him if hee bee pacyent they willbee impacyent and in stormes saying that such a man spake ill of hym and seekes contynually to defame hym Whych things wee wyll the courtyer heare wyth paciens and dissemble with wisedome For the wise courtyer should not bee angry for the ill woords they speak of hym but onely for the vile and wycked actes they doo to hym Let not the courtyer and beelyked of the prynce bee deceyued in thynkyng that dooyng for this man and for that man and in shewyng them fauor that for all hee can bynd or stay their tongues that they speak not ill of hym and their harts that they hate them not extreamly For the enemy receyueth not so much pleasure of that the courtyer geeueth hym as hee dooth greef and dyspleasure for that that is beehynd yet in the courtiers hands to geeue hym Now in the pallace of prynces it is a naturall thyng for eche man to desire to aspire and to creepe into the princes fauor to bee able to doo much and to bee more woorth then others and to commaund also and as there are many that desire it so are they very few in number that by their vertues and demeryts obteyn that fauor It is a thing most suer and vndoubted that one alone enioying his princes grace and fauor shal bee hated in maner of the most part of the people The more they bee rych noble and of great power that are beeloued and accepted of princes so much the more ought they to bee circumspect and to lyue in feare and doubt of such disgraces and mysfortunes that may happen to them syth euery mans eye is vppon them and that they are enuyed for that they can doo much and desire also to take from them that autority and credit they haue and to spoyle them of such treasure as they possesse or haue gotten by the princes fauor And in this case the beelyked of the court must not trust in the pleasures hee hath doone them neyther in the fauor hee hath shewed them much lesse in the fayned frendshyp they seeme to beare hym and that hee thinks hee hath gotten of them neyther must hee must to much hys frends neighbors and kynsfolks no nor hys own brethren But let hym bee assured that all those that are not in lyke fauor and estimation that hee is bee hee of what degree or parentage hee willbee yea and as neere a kynne as may bee they wyll all bee in that his very mortall foes Authoryty to coÌ„maund beeyng the cheef and hyghest poynt of honor and whereto euery man seekes to aspire and whych was cause that Pompey beecame the deadly enemy of Iulius Cesar hys father in law Absalon of Dauid hys naturall father Romulus of his brother Remus Allexander of Darius who shewed hym self to fore a father in loue in bryngyng on hym vp and Marke Antony of Augustus Cesar hys great frend So that I say yt may well bee sayed that after dysdaigne and cankered Ire haue once possest the delycat brest of man onely concernyng honor and commaundement it is neuer thencefoorth recured of that infested sore neyther by gyfts and promisses and much lesse by prayers and requests It is true the accepted of the prynce may well bee free from all thirst and hunger colde and heet warres plague and pouerty and from all other calamytyes and troubles of thys our wretched lyfe but hee shall neuer bee free from detractions of venemous and wycked tongues and from spyghtfull and enuyous persons For no lesse ys enuy ioyned to fauor then is thirst to a burnyng ague In this case yt is impossible but that the courtier should receyue many tymes displeasure and disgraces in the court but not to geeue eare to these detracters and yll speakers of men To remedy these things the courtier must needes seeme to let them know by hys lookes and aunswers that hee is more offended with them that come tell him these lewd tales then with those that indeede did truely report theÌ„ of hym This couÌ„cell would I geeue the courtier that
prynce endeuor hym self al hee can possible to please content euery man in court yet of all impossibylities it is a thyng most impossyble euer to attayn to it to wynne all mens good wylles Neuerthelesse hee must so trimly and wisely beehaue hym self in all his dooings that those at least whom hee can not with all his pollicy deuise make his frends haue not yet any iust occasion geeuen them to bee his enemyes I see there is no mean no reason no deuise or pollycy of man fauor nor dilygence that can defend the honored and esteemed of court from detraction and enuy Therefore I will boldly geeue him thys aduise with him that in matters of iustice and other publike affaires hee beare him self so vpright that notwithstanding they repine at his autority and credit yet that they haue no cause offered to complayn of him The courtier is forced to complayn when his own familiar companions and fellow seruants of the prince in his matters of contention or quarell step beetween them not to part them but rather to the contrary to contend with them and ioyne in demaūd of that they striue for which the lucles courtier is very apt to know although hee dare not discouer yt For many times hee supposeth yt lesse euill to suffer the persecucion of the enemy then to fall into the disgrace of the beeloued and esteemed about the prince For the reputed of the prince cōmonly think they doo much for the cōmon weale in bearing and fauoring some and in punishing and persecuting others For those of great autority professing honor and reputaciō and that feare shame would rather them selues to bee defamed and reiected then to see their enemies aduaunced or preferred to the fauor of the prince or of them that bee in fauor and credit with the prince And the beeliked or officers of the prince may not think that the fauor they geeue to one against an other can be kept secret and that it cānot come to light for in so dooing they are deceyued For in deede there is no thing so manyfest or knowen in the common weale then the dooings and practises of those that are in fauor and autority yea euen to the very woords they speak Those that are aggreeued and haue to complayn of some iniury doone them or also those that are euen the familiars of the fauored that doo but aspire dayly to grow in greater credit with their prince then others doo not see any thing sayd or doon to others that are in better credit then them selues bee it in eating drinking watching sleeping in play beeing quyet or buysy but they sodeinly goe and report it and tell it to some other that ys in fauor to enter and to encrease always into greater fauor trust with them If there happen any discention or enmity amongst the people in the common weale or realme the esteemed of the court must beeware in any case they put in their hand if they doo at all that it bee but to pacify them to make thē good frends again not to discouer them woorse then they were beefore For if hee doo otherwise all these quarels in the end shal cease they beeing reconciled togethers and now made parfet frends and to him they will all shew them selues open enemies And therefore it beehooueth the fauored of princes to bee haue them seleus so wisely towards them that are at discord variaunce togethers that both the one syde and the other shoold bee glad and well pleased to make him arbitrer beetweene them to decide both their causes without any suspicion that they haue of him bee it neuer so litel of parciality of eyther part The same day that the fauored of the court shall take vppon him to beare any priuat affection to any of the common weale and that hee rather lean to one party or to an other the self same day and hower hee shall put in great hasard his person and not without great daunger to lose his goods together with the fauor and credit of his prince And the secret enemies hee hath through the enuy they beare him should suffice him yea rather to much by reason of his fauor and credit without seekyng any new enemies for that hee sayth or dooth Such as are great with the prince the flye the passions affections and partialities of the common weale may bee assured they shall bee beeloued serued and honored of all but if they shal doo the contrary they may trust to yt likewise that their enemyes wil bee reuenged of them beecause they dyd pursue them And their frends also will complayn of them beecause they dyd not fauor their cause as they ought Therefore let not the beelyked thynk if hee dare beeleeue mee that by hauyng onely the fauor of the person of the prince it is inough for hym to gouern and rule the whole realme at his pleasure For although yt can not bee denyed that to haue so great a frend as the person of a kyng it is a great aduantage commodity and that hee may doo much yet wee must graunt also that many enemies are able to hurt vs and doo vs great iniury And therefore my aduise should bee that euery wise man hauing one a frend should bee ware to haue an other enemy ¶ That the officers and beeloued of the court shoold bee very dyligent and carefull in the dispatch of the affaires of the prince and common weale and in correcting and reforming their seruants they shoold also bee very circumspect and aduysed Cap. xii SVrely it is a great seruitude and trouble to lyue in court contynually but it is a farre greater when it is enforced of necessity by reason of suytes and troubles and yet greatest and most intollerable when they can not obteyn a short and breef dispatch according to their desire For weying well the manner and condicions of the court that suiter may recken him self happely dispatched euery time that hee is quicly dispatched although his dispatch bee not according to his mynd And I speak it not without a cause that hee may recken him self well dispatched when hee hath his aunswer For wythout comparyson it is lesse ill of both for the poore suyter that attends on the court to bee presently denyed hys suyt then to continew hym long wyth delayes as they doo now a dayes the more is the pitty If the poore suiters tgat goe to the court dyd know certaynly that the delay made in their suyts were for no other occasion but for to dispatch them well according to they re desire although it were not so reasonable yet were yt tollerable the payns and trouble that they abide But if the poore myserable and wretched creatures haue great trouble in trauersing the law and abyding their orders obteyning it neuerthelesse in the end with great labor and toyle yea and contrary to their expectacion haue they not yet matter inough trow yee to complayn of yes
those wee hate Therefore the fauored of princes shall doo great seruyce to God and much profitt to the common weal if they geeue order to dispatch all suters high or low speedely Since it is to the kyng only that they impute the denyall of their suites but for the delay and prolongation of them they only lay it to the charge of the fauored and beeloued of princes And those that are great with the Prince may not excuse them selues by reason of the nombers of matters they haue in theyr hands For if hee bee alone and that it lye in his hands only to dyspatch all and that hee is not able to satisfy them all yt cannot bee but that some one of his frends wyll aduertise the kyng that hee cannot doo all and how the people complain and the poore suters fynd them selues agreeued whych purchase him great enemies and yll willers by reason the common wealth ys so altered So that hee shall not tarry long but the Prince vnderstandyng of these complaynts will ioyn a companion with him to ease hym of some part of his paine And therefore the good Princes shoold admonish and warne the officers well whom they take to help to dispatch matters that they bee wise and learned men and of good lyfe and that they bee not too partiall in their dooings nor too sharp rough in their aunswers For many tymes there happen more troubles and sinister chaunces to Prynces and noble men for the vncurteous language of their offycers and deputyes then for any yll that they them selues doo commit And therefore those that are in fauor and auctority wyth the prince must of necessity foresee to choose vnder them such persons to whom they geeue the care and charge of theyr affayrs and busynes to dispatch mens matters and suyts that they bee liberall of condition pleasant in their conuersation curteous in aunswers true in their wrytings easy and dyligent in their dispatches very honest and modest in that they geeue or take and sincere and perfitt in all their other vertues if it bee possible So that they may euer bee more carefull to gett frends for their maisters then money For lyke as the lyfe of the maister of the ship consisteth and dependeth in the only guyde and iudgement of the Pilot and the consciens of the iudge in hys constitute the goods of the marchant in his factor and the victory of the prince in his Captayn Euen so likewise dooth the honor of the fauored consist in those hee hath chosen officers vnder him for the dispatch of mens affairs And although the seruaunt of the beelyked bee no partaker with his maister of his fauor with the prince yet is hee a coadiutor to him to support his credit and fauor and many tymes also a ready mean vtterly to vndoo his maister and to dishonor him for euer The lyke watch and care the good bishop hath ouer his flock to preach vnto them the Gospell of Ihesus Christ the self same ought the magistrats and higher powers haue to their officers that are vnder them in taking heed that they bee not slow and negligent in dispatching such busines as they haue in charge that they bee not dishonest of lyfe presumptuous in demaunding and false in their writing For the least of these faults suffiseth vtterly to vndoo the seruaunt and also to defame the maister And therefore so soone as the beloued of the court haue any suspition in the world or ynkling bee it neuer so little that his seruaunt is growen to bee proud dishonest and of a naughty consciens hee ought not only immediatly to correct him for it but to put hym out of his seruyce forthwith and to turne his coat ouer his ears Otherwise they will murmure so much at the seruaunt that dooth all these faults as at the maister that will not see them and suffereth them Therefore the reputed of court must first see and peruse ouer the writings and dooings of their seruaunts and secretaries before they dispatch them out of their hands and to moderat their gayn with reason that is due to them Otherwise their enemies might iustly say that they keepe not such vnder them to dispatch poore men that sue to their maisters but rather to spoyle robbe them And therefore they were better augment their wages they geeue those officers and seruaunts then to confent or dissemble with their theft For so dooing the seruaunt can neuer ryse in wealth but the maister must needes diminish in honor It may happen many tymes that the esteemed of the court shal bee so occupied in thaffairs of the comonweal that hee cannot though hee woold geue audiens to the suters But when they are thus occupied that they cannot in deede they must then commaund their seruaunts and officers that they curteously entreat them and heare them and not check or rebuke them and call them importunat suters For it is no reason that for dispatch of their busines the poore soules shoold bee laden with iniurious woords ¶ That the derelings of the court beware they bee not proud and hygh mynded For lyghtly they neuer fall but through this wicked vyce Chap. xiii WE read that Hieroboham succeeded his father in xii realmes that were his although they were but small realms Who being requested and exhorted by the graue aged men of his realm to bee curteous and temperat and not gredy nor auaricious in recouering the tribuis subsidies the other realms gaue him mercifull pittifull in punishing the offences cōmitted aunswered them thus My father beat you only with simple whips but I wil not scurge you with whips but plague you with scorpiōs for my litle finger is greter thā was his whole arm Which happened very yl to him that for to chastise the proud arrogant woords he spake to thē to punish him for his wicked doīgs enormities cōitted they afterwards reuolted agaīst him took frō him .xi. of his realms al his frēdz forsook hī so that as he augmēted ī greatnes of hys fyngers hee diminished as much in hys realms and riches So gret was the pride likewise of king Pharao that not contented that god had pardoned him his sinnes and with the tenne plagues that hee had sent him did yet notwithstanding resist and pursue the people of Israell Wherefore the sea that was made a plain passage and high way for the sauegard of the children of Israell his enemies was prepared a sepulture for him and hys Pompey the great also beeing in Asia when it was told him that hee shoold leuy his power and prepare his men to bee in redines to resist the battel the Iulius Cesar came to geeue him with a great fury hee stamped his foote vppon the ground and proudly spake these woords Next to the gods I fear no man no not all mortall men although they all were bent against mee my power beeing so great that I am able to destroy Iulius Cesar
Rhodian iesting wyth Eschines the philosopher sayd vnto hym By the immortall gods I swere to thee O Eschines that I pity thee to see thee so poore to whom he aunswered By the same immortall gods I swere to thee agayn I haue compassion on thee to see thee so rytch Syth ryches bring but payn and trouble to gett them great care to keepe them displeasure to spend them peryll to hoard them and occasion of great daungers and inconuenyences to defend them and that that greeueth mee most is that where thou keepest thy treasure fast lockt vp there also thy hart is buryed Surely Eschines woords seemed rather spoken of a christian then of a philosopher In saying that wher a mans treasure is there is also his hart For there is no couetous man but dayly hee thinks vpoÌ„ his hid treasure but hee neuer calleth to mind his sinns hee hath coÌ„mitted CoÌ„paring therfore those things wee haue spokeÌ„ with those things wee wil speak I say that yt becoÌ„meth the fauored of princes to know that it is lesse seemly for theÌ„ to bee couetous then others For the gretnes of their fauor ought not to be shewed only in beiÌ„g rich but also in beiÌ„g noble worthy Plutark sheweth that Denis the Siracusan commyng one day into the chamber of the prince hys sonne and fyndyng gryat ryches of gold and siluer that hee had geeuen hym hee spake very angerly to hym and sayd thou hadst beene farre fytter for a marchaunt of Capua then to bee as thou art the kynges sonne of Scicilla syth thou hast a wyt to gather but not to spend Which is not fyt nor lawfull for thee if thou wylt succeede mee after my tyme in my kyngdome And therefore I doo remember thee that kyngdomes and hygh estates are not maynteyned with keepyng of ryches but onely wyth geeuing and honorably bestowyng them well And to this purpose also recyteth Plutarke that Ptholomeus Philadelphus was demaunded why hee was so slow and with so great difficulty receyued the seruices of others and was so liberall and noble in geeuing and grauntyng fauors hee aunswered I wil not get reputacion amongst the gods nor good renowne amongst men for beeyng rych but onely I will bee praysed and esteemed for makyng of others rych and hauyng vnder mee rich subiects These woords that Tholomee sayd to a frend of his those that Denis spake to his sonne mee thynks the beloued of the court should not onely bee contented to read them but to seeke to keepe them styll in mynd syth by them wee may manifestly see that ryches are euer more profytable for a man that oweth them and geeueth them bountifully then to haue them and with couetousnes to hoord lock them vp in their coffers And the fauored of prynces should not bee enuyed for the goods that they can get by their fauor and credit but onely for the good that thereby they may doo to their frends and kynsfolk For they are those that wyth others goods make the people slaues to theÌ„ What greater nobility can there bee in thys world then to make others noble what greater ryches then to make others rich and what more lyberty then to make others free The glory that the princes and those that they esteeme and haue in their sauor ought to haue should not consist in getting together much goods but in winnyng many seruaunts and frends Great are the priuileges that the noble and lyberall men haue for their chyldren are obedient to them their neyghbors loue them their frends doo accompaigne them their seruaunts serue them faythfully straungers vysyt them and the enemies they haue dare not speak against them for although they spight at their greatnes and fauor yet they dare not once presume to rebuke or reproue their lyberalyty Phalaris the Agrigentine Denis the Siracusan Catelyne the Romayn and Iugurth the Numidian These fower famous tyraunts dyd not mayntayn their states and roial kingdoms with the vertues they had by only but force ample gifts they gaue So that wee may well say that in the world there is no stone so phylosophicall nor hand so liberal as treasor riches syth that in geeuing it good men become great tyraÌ„ts therby are supported I would those that are princes familiars woold note wel this woord that is that great fauor ioined with much couetousnes is a thing vnpossible to continew long in any For if hee mean to keepe him self in fauor he must needes flye auarice and if hee wil needes stick to auarice hee must of necessitie lose his fauor There is no better means for hym that seekes the princes fauor to get into fauor then to serue him dilygently and to trouble him seldomly The kyngs officer that serueth him in his house must endeuor to make the kyng know that hee serueth him more for the loue hee beareth him then for any gayn or profyt he hopeth at his hands For in dooing so the king wil not only with his fauor benefits bestowed on him treat handle him as one hee loueth maketh account of but also loue hym as if hee were his own sonne It is most iust the beloued of the prince loue honor the prince with al his hart sence hee loueth him needeth not Those that are beloued made of fauored in princes courts should make great account of yt therefore they shayld serue willingly For the loue wee beare to princes cometh coÌ„monly rather of the necessity wee haue of them then of our own proper willes But the loue of princes to vs coÌ„meth of meere good will not of necessitie If any man doo company mee speak to mee serue mee yt ys onely in that respect that I euer geeue him for that hee hopeth I wil geeue him in tyme to come And to such a man I might truely say hee rather flaterith then loueth mee The esteemed of the court must note if it please theÌ„ that though the prince haue others about him whoÌ„ hee fauoreth loueth as well as him self that hee bee not therefore offended nor displeased a whit For els all those hee seeth accepted into fauor with the prince hee woold make theÌ„ his enemies because they may auoid this incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce they must take it in very good part For albeit the prince geeue his fauor to one alone yet hee imparteth his gifts to diuers Those that newly begun to rise in the court to doo much may not euen vpon a soden show them selues to bee rich but onely study dayly to increase in fauor For euery time that the courtier dooth assure mee hee dooth not diminish in fauor I will bee bound to him hee shal neuer bee poore The way they must obserue in the court to bee great to bee able to doo is this That is to visit oft to suffer to present to ê‘seuer to bee beloued to continew in the princes fauor Which I assure you is a great secret right alchimyne of court
chamber Adrian the Emperor hys onely fauored Ampromae Dioclesian hys frend Patritius whom hee loued as hym self and always called hym frend and compaignion Diadumeus Pamphilion hys great treasorer For whose death hee was so sorowfull that hee would haue made him self away beecause hee caused him to bee so cruelly slayn All these aboue named and infynyt others also some were maisters some lords some kyngs and some of great autority and fauor about princes by whose tragicall histories and examples wee may plainly see that they did not onely lose their goods fauor and credit but also vpon very light occasions were put to death by sweord Therefore mortall men should put no trust in worldly things syth that of lytle occasion they become soone great and of much lesse they sodeinly fall and come to woorse estate then before And therefore kyng Demetrius askyng one day Euripides the philosopher what hee thought of humayn debility and of the shortnes of this lyfe aunswered Mee thinks O Kyng Demetrius that there is nothyng certayn nor suer in this vnstable life syth all men liuing and al things also that serues them indure dayly some clipse and hereunto replied sodainly Demetrius sayd O my good Euripides thou hadst sayd better that all things vegitiue and sensitiue and ech other liuing thyng dooth not onely feele the eclipses efforce and chaunge from day to day but from hower to hower and minute to minute Meaning kyng Demetrius by these woords hee spake that ther is nothing so stable in this world bee it of what state or condicion yt will bee but in a twyinkling of an eye is ready to runne into a thousand daūgers and perils albeit wee bee all subiect of what state or degree so euer wee bee to sundry diuers thrales mishaps yet none are so neere neighbors to them as those that are in highest autority and greatest fauor with princes For there are many that shoots to hit down the white of their fauor but few that beyng down will once put it vp agayn and restore yt to his place For to lyue a contented life a man had neede to want nothing neither to haue any occasion to trouble him But the things that trouble vs in this vale of misery being so many and of such aboundaunce and those things contrarily so few rare to come by that wee neede and want wee may iustly account this life wofull and myserable aboue all others For sure farre greater are the greeues and dyspleasures wee receyue for one onely thing wee want then the pleasures are great wee haue for a hundreth others whereof wee haue aboundaunce Besides that the familiars of princes cannot think them selues so mighty and fortunat that any man may presume to cal them blessed or happy For if some serue and honor them others there are that persecute them and if in their houses they haue that flatter them and make much of them there wāt not in the court others that murmur at them and speak ill of them And yf they haue cause some times to reioyce that they are in fauor so haue they likewise continuall trouble and feare that they shal fall and bee put out of fauor And if they glory to haue great treasure they sorow also to haue many enemies And if the seruices and company they haue doo delight them the continuall buysines they haue doo vex them So that wee may say of thē as of plaistering of houses which are neuer so faire but they become black with some spot in time and woormes and other vermine do eat and wast them If there bee none that dare once admonish these great men in authority and tell them their faults by woord of mouth yet I will take vppon mee to doo yt wyth my wrytyng and say that they speake nothyng but it is noted their steps they tread are seene euery morsell of meat they eat ys marked they are accused for the pleasures they take and all thyngs that they haue are obserued All the pleasures that is doone them is regystred and all ill that that they know by them is published And fynally I conclude that the fauored of prynces are a game at tables whereat euery man playeth not wyth dyce nor cardes but onely with serpents tongues And therefore I haue sayd it and once agayn I returne to say That all those that are accepted of prynces must lyue contynually very wisely and aduysedly in all their dooyngs for it is trew and too trew that euery mans tongue runnes of them and much more yf they had tyme and opportunity like as they defame them with their tongues so would they offend them with their hands Wee doo not speak thys so much that they should looke to defend their lyfe but to foresee that they may preserue their honor and goods from perill and to geeue them by thys precept a good occasion to looke about them For to put them in disgrace wyth the Kyng all the days of they re lyfe to their vtter vndooyng and ouerthrow the kyng neede but onely geeue eare to his enemies ¶ The aucthor admonisheth those that are in fauor and great with the prynce that they take heede of the deceipts of the world and learne to lyue and dye honorably and that they leaue the court beefore age ouertake them Cap. xvi WHan kyng Alderick kept Seuerine the Romayn consull prisoner otherwise named Boetius that consull complayned much of fortune Saying alas fortune why hast thou forsaken mee in my age since thou dyddest fauor mee so much in myne youth and that I had serued thee so many years why hast thou left mee to the hands of myne enemyes To which complaynts fortune made aunswer thus Thou art vnthankfull to mee O Seuerius sith I haue vsed my things with thee in such maner as I neuer vsed the like with any other Romayn And that this ys trew I tell thee Consider O Seuerius that I made thee whole and not sick a man and no woman of excellent wyt and vnderstandyng and not grosse and rude rych and not poore wyse and not foolysh free and not bond a Senator and no plebeyan noble and valyaunt and not cowardly a Romayn and no barbarus or straunger born in great and not mean estate a graue man and no light nor vayn person fortunat and not vnlucky woorthy of fame and not obliuyon to conclude I say I gaue thee such part in the common weale that thou hadst good cause to haue pyty of all others and all others cause to haue spight and enuy at thee Agayn replyed Seuerius to this aunswer and sayd O cruell and spightfull fortune how liberall thou art in the things thou speakest and resolute in the things thou disposest sith always thou doost what thou wilt and seldome that thou oughtst And thou knowest there is no such myshap as to remember a man hath once been rich and fortunat in his tyme and to see him self now brought to extreame mysery Heare
court to chaunge that seruile trade of lyfe for quiet rest at home Thinking assuredly that enioying rest at home in his own house hee myght easely bee damned and abyding the payns and seruyce of court hee beleeued vndoubtedly hee shoold bee saued Surely wee may aptly say that thys old courtier was more then a dotard and that hee had mard the call of his conscyens since hee beleeued it was a charge of conscience to depart the court The ābition to doo much the couetousnes to haue much maketh the miserable courtiers beleeue that they haue yet tyme enough to lyue to repent them when they will So that in the court thinking to lyue two yeres only in their age good men they lyue fifty and three score yeres wicked naughty persons Plutarch in his Apothegmes saith that Eudonius that was Captain of the Greekes seeing Xenocrates reading one day in the vniuersity of Athens hee being not of thage of eyghty fyue yeres asked what that old mā was it was aunswered him that it was one of the philosophers of Greece who followed vertue and serched to know wherein true philosophy consisted Whereuppon hee aunswered If Xenocrates the philosopher tell mee that hee being now eyghty fyue yeres old goeth to seeke vertue in this age I woold thou shooldest also tell mee what tyme hee shoold haue left him to bee vertuous And hee said more ouer in those yeres that this philosopher ys of it were more reason wee shoold see him doo vertuous things thā at this age to goe and seeke it Truely wee may say the very lyke of our new courtier that Eudonius said of Xenocrates the philosopher the which if hee did look for other three score yeres or three score yeres and tenne to bee good what time shoold remain for him to prooue and shew that goodnes It is no maruel at al that the old courtiers forget their natiue countrey and bringing vp their fathers that begat them their frends that shewed thē fauor the seruants that serued them but at that that I doo not only woonder at thē but also it geeueth mee cause to suspect them is that I see they forget them selues So that they neuer know nor consider that they haue to doo till they come afterwards to bee that they woold not bee If the courtiers which in princes courts haue been rich noble in auctority woold counsel with mee or at least beleeue my writing they shoold depart from thence in time to haue a long tyme to consider before of death least death vnwares sodeinly came to take executiō of their liues O happy thrise happy may wee call the esteemed courtier whom god hath geeuen so much wit knowledge to that of him self hee doo depart frō the court before fortune hath once touched him which dishonor or layd her cruell hands vpon him For I neuer saw courtier but in the end did complain of the court of their yll lyfe that they lead in court And yet did I neuer know any person that woold leaue it for any scruple of conscience hee had to remain there but peraduenture if any did depart from the court it was for some of these respects or altogether that is to say Either that his fauor credit diminished or that his money failed him or that some hath doon him displeasure in the court or that hee was driuen from the court or that hee was denyed fauor or that his syde faction hee held with had a fal or for that hee was sick to get his health hee went into the countrey So that they may say hee rather went angry displeased with him self then hee dyd to lament his sinnes If you ask pryuatly euery courtier you shal find none but will say hee is discontented with the court either because hee is poore or afflicted enuyed or yll willed or out of fauor hee wil swere reswere again that hee desyreth nothing more in the world then to bee dismissed of this courtiers trauel painfull life But if afterwards perchaunce a lytle wynd of fauor bee put stirring in the entry of his chāberdore it wilsodeinly blow away al the good former thoughts frō his mynd And yet that that makes mee wonder more at these vnconstant courtiers vnstable brains is that I see many buyld goodly stately houses in their countrey yet they neither dwel in them nor keep hospitality there They graffe set trees plant fruits make good gardeins and ortchyards and yet neuer go to enioy them they puchase great lands and possessiōs and neuer goe to see them And they haue offices and dignities geeuen them in their countreys but they neuer goe to exercise them There they haue their frends and parents and yet they neuer goe to talk with them So that they had rather bee slaues and drudges in the court then lords and rulers in their own countrey Wee may iustly say that many courtiers are poore in riches straungers in their own houses and pilgrimes in their own countrey and banyshed from all their kinreds So that if wee see the most part of these courtiers bakbyte murmure complayn and abhorre these vyces they see dayly committed in court I dare assure you that this discontentation dyslyking proceeds not only of these vyces and errors they see committed as of the spight and enuy they haue dayly to see their enemies grow in fauor and credit with the prince For they passe lytle of the vyces of court so they may bee in fauor as others are Plutarch in his booke de exilio sheweth that there was a law amongst the Thebans that after a man was fyfty yeres of age if hee fell sick hee shoold not bee holpen with phisitians For they say that after a man is once aryued to that age hee shoold desire to lyue no lenger but rather to hast to his iorneys end By these exāples wee may know that infancy is till vii yeres Childhood to .xiiii. yeres youth to xxv yeres manhod till .xl. and age to three score yeres But once passed three score mee think it is rather tyme to make clean the nets and to content themselues with the fish they haue til now then to goe about to put their nettes in order again to fish any more I graunt that in the court of princes all may bee saued and yet no mā can deny mee but that in princes courts there are mo occasions to bee damned then saued For as Cato the Censor saith the apt occasions bring men a desire to doo yll though they bee good of them selues And although some do take vppon them and determyne to lead a godly and holy lyfe or that they shew themselues great hipocrits yet am I assured notwithstanding that they cannot keepe their tongue from murmuring nor their hart from enuying And the cause heereof proceedeth for that there are very few that follow the court long but only to enter into credit and afterwards to waxe rich
another beside her self for shee ceaseth not to defaÌ„e him to follow the other to rayse a sclauÌ„der amoÌ„gst her neighbors to coÌ„plaine to his freÌ„ds to bewray the matter to the iustice to quarel with officers alwayes to haue spies for hym in euery place as if hee were one of her mortal enemyes O I woold to god the courtier would as much esteeme of his coÌ„scieÌ„s as his louer maketh accoÌ„pt of his parsoÌ„ happy were hee For I dare assure him if he know it not that shee spieth out al the places hee goth so couÌ„ts euery morsel of meat hee eateth becoÌ„meth ielious of al that hee dooth of all those whose coÌ„pany hee frequeÌ„teth yea shee deuiseth imagineth all that hee thinketh So that hee that seeketh a cruel reueÌ„ge of his enemy cannot doo better theÌ„ ê‘swade induce him to loue one of these wel coÌ„ditioned womeÌ„ Now let him think that hee hath great warres that by his euil hap hath made her his enemy which heretofore hee so eÌ„tierly loued For any maÌ„ that exteemeth his honor reputacioÌ„ dooth rather feare the euil tongue of such a womaÌ„ theÌ„ the sweord of his enemy For an honest maÌ„ to striue coÌ„teÌ„d with a womaÌ„ of such quality is eueÌ„ asmuch as yf hee woold take vpon him to wash an asses head Therefore hee may not set me to make accoÌ„pt of those iniuries doon him or euel words shee hath spoken of him but rather seeke to remedy it the best hee caÌ„ that shee speak no more of him For womeÌ„ naturaly desire to enioy that persoÌ„ they loue wtout let or interruption of any to pursue to the death those they hate I woold wysh therfore the fauored of priÌ„ces such as haue office dignity in the court that they beware they incurre not into such like errors For it is not sitting that meÌ„ of honor such as are great about the prince shoold seeme to haue more lyberty in vice theÌ„ any other neither for any respect ought the beloued of the prince to dare to keepe coÌ„pany much lesse to haue freÌ„dship with any such coÌ„moÌ„ defamed womeÌ„ syth the least euel that can coÌ„e to theÌ„ they caÌ„not bee auoided But at the least hee must charge his coÌ„scieÌ„s trouble his freÌ„ds wast his goods coÌ„sume his ê‘son lose his good fame ioyning with al these also his coÌ„cubine to bee his mortal enemy For there is no womaÌ„ liuiÌ„g that hath any measure in louiÌ„g neither end in hatiÌ„g Oh how wareli ought al meÌ„ to liue specialy wee that are in the court of princes for many womeÌ„ vnder the color of their autority office goe oft tymes to seek theÌ„ in their chaÌ„bers not only as huÌ„ble suters to sollycyte theire causes but also liberaly to offer theÌ„ their ê‘soÌ„s so by that colour to coÌ„clude their practises deuyses So that the decisioÌ„ coÌ„clusioÌ„ of processe which they fain to solycite shal not goe with him that demaunds there goods of theÌ„ but rather with him that desires but their parsoÌ„s to spoile theÌ„ of their honor Now the princes officers must seeke to bee pure clene froÌ„ al these practises of these comoÌ„ struÌ„pets much more froÌ„ those that are suters to theÌ„ haue maters beefore theÌ„ For they should highly offeÌ„d god coÌ„mit great treasoÌ„ to the King if they should send those weomeÌ„ froÌ„ theÌ„ that sued vnto theÌ„ rather dishonored defamed theÌ„ honestly dispatched of their busines And therfore hee bindeth him self to a maruelous inconuenieÌ„ce that falleth in loue with a woman suter For euen froÌ„ that instant hee hath receued of her the sweete delights of loue eueÌ„ at the present hee byâ—deth him self to dispatch her quickly to end al her sutes not wtout great greefe I speake these woords There are many women that come to the court of princes to make vnreasonable dishonest sutes which in the end notwtstaÌ„ding obtaine ther desire And not for any ryght or reasoÌ„ they haue to it saue only they haue obtained that thorough the fauor and credit they haue won of the fauored courtier or of one of his beloued So as wee see it happeÌ„ many tymes that the vniust fornication made her sute iust resonable I should lye and doo my selfe wrong mee thinks yf I should passe ouer with silence a thing that happened in the emperors court touching this matter in the which I went one day to one of the princes cheefe officers best beeloued of hym to sollycyte a matter of importauÌ„ce which an hostes of myne should haue before him And so this fauored courtier great officer after hee had hard of mee the whole discourse of the matter for full resolution of the same hee axed mee yf shee were yong fayre I auÌ„swered hym that shee was reasonable fayre of good fauor Well than sayth hee bed her com to mee I wil doo the best I can to despatch her matter with speade for I wyl assure you of this that there neuer caÌ„e fayre woman to my hands but shee had her busines quickly dispatcht at my haÌ„ds I haue knowne also many womeÌ„ in the court so vnhonest that not conteÌ„ted to folow their owne matters would also deale with others affayrs gaine in soliciting their causes so that they with their fyne words franke offer of there parsons obtayned that which many tymes to men of honor great autorytye was denyed Therfor these great officers fauored of priÌ„ces ought to haue great respect not only in the coÌ„uersatioÌ„ they haue with these womeÌ„ but also in the honest order they ought to obserue in hering theyr causes And that to bee done in such sort that what so euer they say vnto theÌ„ may bee kept secret prouided also the place where they speake with them bee open for other suters in like case ¶ That the nobles beloued of princes exceede not in superfluous fare that they bee not too suÌ„ptuous in their meates A notable chapter for those that vse too much delicacye and superfluity Chap. xviii ONe of the greatest cares and regard the nature layd vpon her self was that men could not lyue wtout sustinaÌ„ce so that so long as wee see a maÌ„ eat yea if yt were a thousaÌ„d yeares wee might bee bold to say that hee is certainly alyue And hee hath not alone layd this burdeÌ„ vpon meÌ„ but on brute bests also For wee see by experience that some feedeth on the grasse in the fyelds some liues in the ayre eating flyes others vpon the wormes in carin others with that they fynd vnder the water And finally ech beast lyueth of other and afterwards the wormes feede of vs al. And not oÌ„ly reasonable meÌ„ brute beasts lyue by eating but the trees are norrished therby wee see it thus that they in stede of meat receyue into theÌ„ for nutriture the heate of the sunne the teÌ„perature of the ayre the moysture
his booke De exilio saith that the Lydians had a law that as they sent the condemned murtherers to row in the gallyes so they confyned those that were detractors and yll tongued men into a secrete place farre of from all company the space of half a yere Inso much as many tymes these lewd mates chose rather to row in the galley iii. yeres then to bee exempt from company and speaking with any but syx moneths Much lyke vnto this law dyd Tiberius the emperor make an other and condemned a great talker and rayler of hys tongue and commaunded straightly that hee shoold neuer speak woord the space of a whole yere And as the history saith hee remayned domme neuer spake during the whole terme but yet that hee did with his domnes more hurt with nods signes with his fingers then many other woold haue doon with their yll tongues By these two exaumples wee may see that sith these naughty tongs are not to bee repressed by sylence in secret nor to entreat them as frends nor by doing them good nor by sending them to galleys nor to make them hold their peace and to bee as domme men by my aduyce I woold haue them banished by generall counsell out of al colleges counsels chapters townes and common wealths For wee see daly by experience that let an apple haue neuer so lyttle a broose that broose is enough to â—ott him quickly if hee bee not eaten in tyme. Demosthenes the philosopher was of great auctority for his person graue in maners condicion very sentencious profound in his woords but with these hee was so obstinate wylfull such a talker in all his matters that all Greece quaked for fear of hym Whereuppon all the Athenians one day assembled in their hall or common house there they appointed him a great stipend of the goods of the common wealth telling him that they gaue him this not that hee shoold read but because hee shoold hold his peace Also this great and renowmed Cicero that was so valyaunt politike in martiall affairs so great a frend to the commoÌ„ weal of Rome more ouer a prince of eloquence for the latin tong though hee was cruelly put to death by Mark Antony it was not for any fact committed against him neither for any wrong or iniury hee had doon him saue only for that hee enueied against him and spake euyll of him Also the noble poet Salust and famous orator of Rome was not hated of strangers and not beloued of his own neighbors for no other cause but for that hee neuer took pen in haÌ„d to write but hee euer wrote against the one neuer opened his mouth to speak but hee alwais spake euil of the other Plutarche touching this maiâ—er reciteth in his books de republica that amongst theÌ„ of Lidia in their publik weal it was holden an inuiolat law that they should not put a murderer to death for kylling of any but that they should only execut put him to torture that would defame his neighbor or in any one woord seeme to touch him in honor or estimation So that those barbarous nation thought it more execrable so defame a man then to kill murder him And therefore I say hee that burneth my house beats my person robbeth mee of my goods must needes doo mee great dommage but hee that taketh vpon him to touch my honor and reputacioÌ„ with infamy I wil say hee offendeth mee much that so greatly as hee may well stand in feare of his life For there is not so litle an offence â—oon to a maÌ„ of stout courage but hee carieth it euer after imprinted in his hart till hee haue reuenged the villany doon him euen so in princes courts there the more quarells debates through euil tongues dishonest reports then there dooth for any play or shrewd turnes that are doon I know not what reason they haue to strike of his hand the first draweth sword fauoreth leaueth him vnpunished that draweth blood with his ill tongue O what a happy good turn were it for the common weale if as they haue in al townes well gouerned policies penal laws prohibiting to weare or cary weapon they had like laws also to punish detractiue wicked toÌ„gues Surely there caÌ„ bee none so great a blot or vice in a noble man knight or gentleman of honest behauior countenance as to bee counted reputed a tatler of his tongue there wtal a detracter of others But let not such deceiue them selues thinking that for they re countenaunce or estates sake they bee priuileged aboue others at their willes and pleasure to enlarge their tongues on whom they list in such manner but that their inferiors farre will as liberally speak of them yea and asmuch to their reproche as they before had doone of them reputing asmuch of their honesty and credit for their calling being inequiualent in estate or degree to theÌ„ as they doo of their dignitie reputacion At that tyme when I was a courtier and lyued in princes court there dyed out of the court a woorthy knight who at his noble funeralls was recommended of vs all and praysed in hys lyfe to bee a noble valyaunt woorthy and wise man and a good and deuout christian cheefely aboue all his noble heroycall vertues hee was only landed and renowmed for that they neuer hard him speak ill of any man So one of the company that was present hearing this great prayse of him tooke vpon him to say this of him If hee neuer spake ill of any then did hee neuer know what pleasure those haue that speak ill of their enemies Which woordes when wee hard though wee passed them ouer with silence yet was there none but was greatly offended at them and good cause why For to say truely the first degree of malignitie is for a man to take a felicyty in speakyng ill of his neighbor Kyng Darius being at dinner one day there were put foorth of the weighters and standers by certayn arguments of the acts and dooings of Alexander the great in whych dispute one Mignus a Captayn of the kynge and greatly in fauor with him was very earnest against Alexander went too farre in speach of him But Darius perceiuing him thus passioned sayd to him O Mignus hold thy tong for I doo not bring thee into the warrs with mee that thou shouldst infame Alexander and touch his honor with thy tongue but that thou shouldst with thy sweord ouercome him By these examples wee may gather how much wee ought to hate detraction ill speaking syns wee see that the very enemies theÌ„ selues can not abide to here their enemies ill spoken of in their presence and this is always obserued of the honorable graue and wise men that are of noble mynds For suer ech noble hart dysdaigneth to bee reuenged of his enemy wyth his tongue for his iniures doon hym if
hee cannot bee reuenged on him with his sweord It is syttyng for all in generally to bee modest and honest in their speach but much more yt is dew for hym that embraceth the fauor and credit of his prince For it is hys profession to doo good to help euery man and to speak ill of no man They haue such Centinells of spies vpon them continually which are officers in court and about the prince to mark what they speak and doo that treading once awry how litle so euer it bee it is straight blowen into the princes eares and they perhaps accused of that that they neuer thought delyghtyng and takyng great pleasure to tell openly what they hard them say Such therefore as are dayly courtiers attendyng vppon the prince and infauor wyth him must if they mean to continew that fauor and credit bee gentle and courteous in their woords and bountifull to those that stand in neede of them Also the esteemed courtier must beeware hee doo not onely speak ill of no man but also that hee be not too great a talker For commonly these great talkers besides that they are not esteemed bee also reputed of small iudgement and of simple counsell Pithias that was the great gouerner and Duke of the Athenian nation was a noble prince beloued and feared hardy and valyaunt and yet in the end as sayth Plutark the aboundaunce of woords obscured the glory of his heroicall deedes Although these great talkers and men too full of woords bee of noble byrth or woorship wealthy in possessions and otherwise of auctority and estimacion yet neuerthelesse all that time they spēd in speaking too much others that here them occupye the same in deriding scornyng of them I beseech you what greater reproche could a courtyer haue then to bee called a babbler a prater of his tongue and a lyer For when hee thynks euery man is attentiue and listening to hym it is quyte contrary for euen at that instant doo they laugh him to scorne and yet this is nothyng to the shame they doo him afterwards For those that talk to hym whilst hee is thus babblyng pots at him wyth their mouthes behind his back nodde with their heads holds down their eyes and soothes him in all that hee sayes and all this not to prayse or commend hym but to bee meery afterwards at the matter when they are togethers And it is a sport to note and here one of this great talkers if any man talk of warre of the liberall sciences of hunting or of husbandry hee will straight leap into the matter allthough hee bee vtterly ignoraunt in the thing preponed takyng vppon hym to reason of the matter as if hee were very skilfull or maister of the facultie And to make the herers beleeue that that is trew hee sayeth hee bryngeth in an example saying that hee hath seene yt read yt or hard yt and all perhaps a stark lye that hee neither saw yt read yt nor hard yt of any but onely deuised of hys own head on a sodeyn vnder the colour of troth to make a false lye Acaticus the philosopher being one day at a feast where hee neyther spake nor offered once to speak asked after dinner what was the occasion of his sylence answered them thus It is better for a man to know his tyme whan to speak then it is to know to speak For to speak wel is geuen vs by nature but to choose time to speak procedeth of wisedō Epimenides the painter after hee had dwelt long time in Asia retorned to Rhodes frō whence hee first departed because none of the Rhodians euer hard him speak any thing either of that hee had seene or doon in Asia they marueiled very much and prayed him to discourse vnto thē some part of that hee had seene and suffered in Asia To whom hee made this aunswer Two yeares I sulked the seas abydyng the perill of the water and tenne other years I was resient in Asia to learn the perfection of a paynters ark syx other yeares I studied in Grece to accustome my self to bee silent and now you would I shoold feede you with tales and newes O Rhodians come to mee no more with any such motion for you should come to my house to bye pyctures and not to here newes Albeit in so many yeares and in such farre and straunge contreis yt could not bee but Epimenides had seene many things woorthy to bee recounted and pleasaunt to here yet hee woold neuer tell thē nor shew them suer herein hee did like a good philosopher and aunswered like a wise and graue person For in tellyng of straunge things and of dyuers countreys there are few that wil beleeue them and many that will stand in doubt whether they bee trew or no. And therefore touching this matter also Pithagoras the philosopher was one day asked vpon what occasion hee made his scholers vse so great silence in his colledge that in two yeres after they were entered they might not speak He aunswered thus In other philosophers schooles they teach their disciples to speak but in myne there is taught nothing but to hold their peace For in the whole world there is no better nor higher philosophy then to know to brydel the tongue It is a maruelous thing to see a man that with tyme his beard and heares of his head become all white his face wythered his eares deaf hys legges swollen his breath stynk his spleene stopt and his body faint and feeble with age and all the parts thereof consumed saue onely the hart and tongue which wee neuer see waxe old in maner how aged or impotent so euer hee bee but rather dayly become green and that that is woorst of all is that what euell the wretched hart thinketh in that crooked and myserable age that dooth the accursed tongue with all celeritie vtter There ys a company of courtiers in the court that presume to bee eloquent and wel spoken of courtly enterteignement which when they will talk of some pleasant matter they must first tell you a lye and surely these kynd of courtiers wee may better cal them detracters of others then cyuil enterteigners Accursed bee hee that to the preiudice of his neighbor maketh profession to bee a courtly interteigner and you shall hardly see none of these recyted courtiers iest of any but they haue in secret spunne the threede to weaue a great cloth of mallice And yet wee doo these men great honor reuerence not for any good wil wee beare thē but for that wee are afrayed of their ill tongs And although to dissēble otherwile it is a graue wise mans part yet for al that wee may not iudge il of thē since wee see the best mans honor credit cōmōly to bee no greter nor lesse then a malignāt person shal seeme to vse his tongue to speak of him I remember there was in the court in my tyme a noble man noble of byrth and