be assembled where I may suppose hee spake in this manner TO conquer people and not to know how to make the victory beneficiall to win subjects and not be able to keepe them in subjection is a losse both of men and time Providence is necessary and 't is laborious Meanes are not wanting but those meanes are full of difficulties were there any infallible rule found whereby to secure ones selfe from the rebellions of such as are under him I beleeve the world ere long would belong to one onely man but in politike affaires there is no rule but fortune To captivate mens mindes with rewards is impossible servitude cannot be rewarded with any other recompence than being set at liberty to tye them by an oath is no way safe they are not subjects whose power is only subject to will Liberty is naturall servitude violent what is violent needes somewhat which from without may withstand it if its beginning be not occasioned from some internall cause To raze the walls of strong Cities when subdued encourageth strangers to make themselves masters of them to leave them standing facilitates the insurrection of Citizens and say it were a good advice for places that are within the body of the State it is undoubtedly bad for frontier places where it is hard so to doe as that they may be of defence against the enemie and not subject to the rebellion of friends hee leaves mens mindes apt to commotions who takes not from them all meanes of defence Those who send Garrisons thither or build Castles there endevour to maintaine them by force and often-times lose them voluntarily they secure themselves from strangers and put themselves into the hands of their owne people over whom they lose the authoritie of command because they lose the power of punishment they free themselves from the danger of citizens they submit themselves to the fidelitie of a Captaine and he though he may thinke it ignominious to deliver up the Citie to an enemie may thinke it may bee borne withall if hee keepe it for himselfe He who builds Fortresses in weake Cities depends also too much upon the too mutable faith of the Captaine nor can they much hinder him that is master of the field as being only usefull to curbe unarmed Citizens of no use against armed enemies To send Colonies to worke this effect more incenses the ancient inhabitants and protests the nâ—…w ones but for a small time they are plants transplanted they soone accommodate themselves to the Country from whence their roots receive nourishment They forget their originall in all things save in their desire to be no more subjects but companions Men who goe from their own homes to plant themselves in new places goe not thither to be servants to them who send them thither but companions and equals to those who remaine behind To keepe Armies stil on foot to suffocat sullevations in their cradle is the greatest and would be the best remedy if then it were not in the Generals choyce to make a Common-wealth a Monarchie and himselfe Lord thereof He that were alwayes sure to returne victorious needed no other meanes to secure himselfe if enemies be vanquished friends are tardie because their feare is greater and their shame lesse but the successe of war is uncertaine and it is almost certaine that rebellions succeed overthrowes I should thinke the best course for the present is to send abroad Colonies by so doing the Citie will be free from beggars nor will any couragiously minded man leave Rome while shee is bent upon glorious actions and the people round about our walls being subjected unto us by keeping an Armie alwayes on foot we shall secure them from their enemies our selves from rebellions According to Romulus his opinion Colonies were appointed for such places as were won This meane while the Sabins waged war against the Romans a war the more to be feared by how much the later it was undertaken being governed by reason deprived of its first cholerike violence nor sooner taken notice of than in the field The Sabins seeke rather to secure their State than to vent their anger they assault the Citie not the Citizens that they may bring it in subjection without intention of revenge The feare of Romes greatnesse causes them to move their rage for the committed violence the originall thereof STates that enjoy rest and quiet because they are in league and friendship with all their Neighbours have great good fortune if they meet with any occasion of offence and wise men in such like occasions seeke after them for the common people will not be perswaded to more than what they see they judge by the eye not the understanding nor is there any argument with them of force enough to gain-say appearance To keepe friendship with neighbours is exceeding good but hereupon to build the securitie of a State is passing bad they are well held for friends if they bee considered as enemies that so they may bee bound to love and not able to hurt the height of that building which is delightfull and pleasing when one thinkes to enjoy it for an habitation is displeasing if he looke it shall fall upon his head The Sabins by deceit get into the Citadel of Rome having by gold corrupted the daughter of Spurius Tarpeius Captaine thereof not without the death of the treacherous young woman whether it were out of hatred of the treason or did they feare mischiefe by the example or were it for that they did expect great glory by making men beleeve they had wonne it by force and not by fraud THE obligation which remaines sowres the sweet of a benefit which either is rewarded and then as good a turne is done to the benefactor or else the badge of ingratitude remaines which is equall shame to the benefit received those benefits seeme sweet which are received by treason which is a thing so hatefull as it takes all merit from whatsoever action A traytour cannot finde fault without accusing himselfe ingratiâ—…de becomes praise reward blame and thus depriving men of hope a new benefit is received from being ingratefull The Capitoll being possest the next day they give battell in the plaine betweene the hill of the Capitoll and the Palatine hill where by the death of Hostilius who opposed himselfe to Mutius the upholder of the Sabine squadrons the Romans began to give backe Romulus borne along by them that fled made a stand upon the Palatine hill he vowes a Temple to Jupiter and prayes to him for victory wherein he is not wanting in his owne endevours IN vaine doe men call to Heaven for helpe when they withstand the helpes of Heaven many doe invoke it and yet doe hinder it they require help from others and doe abandon themselves and by their deeds contrarying their words they shew not to desire what they have intreated and to have intreated that they might not be heard Romulus gives on where the danger is greatest
for if she were likely to be lost if set on only by the Sabine forces what thinke you would have become of her when they should have been assisted by so many other confederates SUndry people assembled together to worke the same end doe not alwayes endevour it with the same end lines which meet all in one point go not al the same way they often meet and yet differ These men will overthrow this frame but because each one puts it upon anothers backe none move it WHere there is store of pates there is store of confusion many stones of not above three inches thicke may raise a height of a thousand yards but the uniting of many wits serve not to the advancement of one understanding they helpe not they hinder one another nor is it true that two eyes joyned see more than one if one see more than both disjoyned when the greatest spheare of the eyes motion is understood to be the greatest distance In such an assembly there cannot be so good a resolution had but will become bad if observed but by a few nor so bad which may not prove exceeding good if observed by all wise men ought alwayes to counsell the best yet sometime follow the worst if the worst be the opinion of the most The Cernetians Crustumanians and those of Antenna depart no waies contented with the Sabins slow resolutions and the Cernetians more impatient than the rest enter the Roman territories to ransacke them THe desire of revenge is more eager than any other affection yea more than love it selfe for that the bloud is more active in the arteries than in the veines Choler hath no commerce with Wisdome she is companion to audacitie she levels precipices makes mountaines valleyes The cholericke man feares not because hee lookes upon the object only how he may offend it not how he may by it be offended his eyes are alwayes on the extremes hee sees not the middle and oft-times fals because he knowes not that he can fall all his spirits flocke to assist him making him beleeve he is able to doe more than indeed he is and hindering one another hee oft-times is of lesse ability than usuall he thinkes upon nothing but how to quench that fire that burnes nor findes he other water to quench it withall than that of revenge he runs for remedy to him that first did kindle it that by his bloud he may extinguish it nor doth he stop till it be thus fed or by feare quite put out Romulus makes towards them teaching them how vaine that Anger is which is not sustained by forces He overcomes them treads them under foot kills their Leader takes their Citie and brings home his victorious Armie Romulus was no lesse daring in his actions than eloquent in his speech valiant in doing brave things wary in assisting them with faire appearances GReat actions have need of helpe else they will be suffocated by simplicity when wonder is conceived thence proceeds reverence It is easie to adde to the greatnesse of actions by words to truth by appearances and it is not amisse A Prince obliges himself to things greater than he hath yet done if he make them not seeme lesse than what they are beleeved to bee to adde to petty actions moves laughter and merits the name of vanity to assist actions of a middle condition causes admiration and immortall fame Hee caused the enemies spoiles bee erected and from top of the Capitoll did dedicate them together with a Temple to Jupiter Feretreus Whilst the Romans were busied about such solemnities those of Antemna did in hostile manner forrage their Country the Romans without delay bring forth a Squadron of men against them and easily defeated them who of spoilers became a spoile and they which lay in wait for the goods of other men lost their owne Castle but Ersiglia Romulus his wife solicited by the teares of those women which had beene violently detained by profitable intreaties perswaded her triumphing husband to pardon those who were their parents and kinsfolke and to receive them into the City THis manner of making the conquered companions to receive for citizens those whom the same day they had seene as enemies did make the waging of war more easie to other people but made it more difficult to overcome in warre it increased the desire of combat but tooke from the heat of fighting where it was a question whether were the greater reward to overcome or be overcome whilst they who lost acquired the honour of being a Citizen of Rome Whosoever shall read the Roman Histories considering their wayes of growing greater will either beleeve that they did ill or else will blame those who now adayes having Monarchies and needfull of people doe rather drive away former forrenners than they are perswaded to receive in new ones whereunto they have by some beene solicited but the diversitie of circumstances hath not given applause to such counsâ—…ls The Romans by taking people of the same Province may be rather said to have framed one body out of many members than out of many bodies there being under the selfe-same clime of the same language and little or nothing differing in manners freed them from tumults their union was the more secured by their being all new and tender easie to bee joyned together as it fals out in young childrens bones their love was the more secured by calling them to Senators places and other commands in the Citie for being straitned by warres they were easily perswaded to accept of their enemies company when being come to a greater growth they refused the societie even of their friends Strangers may be received for companions where there is a forme of Common-wealth or bodie of a Senate but where there is an absolute Monarchie they cannot be accepted of but as servants They therefore doe wisely who having passed their younger yeares in which it was necessary to receive into their body people of different language climate and manners doe not call in strangers to enjoy or without all peradventure to trouble what they have with their sweat wonne Those of Antemna being vanquished the Crustumanians take armes and were soone overcome fighting more out of feare than out of hope disheartned and made weak by their neighbours losses THe glory of the first warres had its rise from honour of the rest from reputation to have overcome in these availes as much as to overcome in those An armie which feares to lose the day is already beaten by its owne beleefe each noise the enemie makes seemes victory each motion of its owne men flight such an armie is more prepared for what it feares than for what it hopes and oft-times it leaves the field more for that it feares to lose than for that it hath lost he who alwaies thinks to overcome fights alwayes but he that doubts defends himselfe but fights not Romulus knowing that things wonne by valour must bee maintained by wisdome caused the Senat
quiet it would argue great wisdome to passe by them but without any other profit it makes the injured parties be esteemed or foolish or cowards as if they either wanted wit to know them or courage to revenge them whence men lose both compassion and feare affections onely able to refraine affections in worldly men Rome had her beginning in the midst of us and wee despise her shee augmenteth and wee nourish her we give her life she threatens our death those who saw her in her beginning foreseeing the danger that might ensue to their posterity left the care thereof to their posteritie and as a thing which thâ—…ned all every one fâ—…ll to bâ—… her none to hinder her in common evils private men feare not and in future events men looke for helpe from Time and Fortune The eye which beholds noveltie leaves no space for the understanding to judge the danger till it be so farre advanced as there is no remedie for it the errours of slothfulnesse are then discerned when all diligence is bootlesse It is a false opinion held by melancholy men to give the title of Wisdome to delay most businesses suffer shipwrack because occasions are hasty and men slow men talke of the present time when 't is already past moments ought not to be neglected when upon these moments an eternitie depends In things which are arrived at full perfection if not their finall end at least their decaying â—…ge may in time be expected but in things which but begin to increase to expect is as much as to give time that they may increase If a traveller meet with a River at its head when it is yet but a small brooke he should doe ill to travell further along it till he must ferry it over where it is become a large streame Rome is a little Rivelet our people like torrâ—…nts flocke thither wee must fight not discourse and fight with Romans before that Romans become a Race of Sabins before our enemies be our kinsfolke haste is the best remedie where time is the greatest enemie This man having ended his discourse wee may beleeve that Titus Tatius answered in this manner YOU ought either to have granted women to the Romans or else have fought against their Citie and gone unto their sports with troopes of armed men not of young girles I expected they should have come within our walls to take them from us by force had not you gone within their walls to offer them to their rapine hee who denyes another what of necessity he must have having gain-said intreaties ought prepare for violence To endevour Romes ruine by force was a wise consideration but dangerous for your owne more safeties sake you resolved to deny them women Good resolutions are seldome taken all together in all things dangers doe appeare and to secure our selves from evill good is done by halfes and the halfe of that good is not good which consisting in the whole admits of no division To renew things now irreparable and which cannot bee diverted is to beleeve ones selfe greater than the gods and a labour without profit or rather accompanied with losse since thereby wee call to minde those things the chiefest happinesse whereof consists in forgetfulnesse Rome may be said to have its rise and its increase from us and it is fatall that fathers should lose in the having of children drawing neerer to death by giving life to others if it be true that the generation of one be the corruption of another 'T is true there ought a remedy be had for the appearing danger but I not commend the repairing of past errours caused by delay with new and greater caused by impatiencie Injuries received tend to the ruine of men who with the zeale of honour doe not accompany wisedome they run upon revenge for past wrongs and throw themselves headlong upon new miseries they would amend one errour and produce a thousand Too much haste is as much before time as too much delay is out of time Errours of impatience are worse than errors of delay for it is better to shâ—…n precipices than to run upon them if they be not hindred they are retarded Justice is not beleeved to be there where violence is observed to be nor can it be accounted wisdome where there is no argumentation Argumentation is not had in an instant Time is not measured by instants Wisedome is the daughter of Cold Violence of Heat things which have not beene done in times past may well be effected in times to come but things alreadie done cannot be undone againe occasions are never wanting to men but men are wanting to occasions they may bee expected they ought not be prevented He who fights egged on by Fury begins his warre for having lost he satisfies his affection not his dutie and is sooner beaten by his owne weaknesse than by anothers valour Our forbearance is to be feared not despised the world is his who hath patience when it proceeds from sagacitie not timiditie Generous spirits addresse themselves to endure present injuries out of hope of future revenge they reserve their anger to vindicate offences not to evaporate passion Dissimulation is not to be blamed when by the injury of Time it is not transformed into oblivion dissimulation is never worse than when it becomes forgetfulnesse never better than when it resembles it It is more safe to hinder the increase of Rome than her subsistancie for it is easier to let her wax old than cause her dye increase is not there had where there is no motion nor can Cities in peace increase and receive nourishment new Plantations are augmented by the ruine of old ones and tender plants which are hindered by the shade and roots of neighbouring trees want force to grow up Rome cannot grow greater without the ruine of our Cities nor can they ruine our Cities without warre to wage armes to destroy her may afford matter for her increase All fires are not supprest by ruines nor quencht by bloud that fire which wanteth nourishment wanteth life and where of it selfe it must needs goe out it needs not the ruine of others All industry ought to be used to have peace with a people who can never have a worser war than peace faire pretences are not wanting to cloake our received injuries Necessity commits no offence kindred are not enemies matrimony is no rape let injuries done unto the gods be left unto the gods 't is they were injured not man and if men not Cities and though Cities recourse ought not therefore be had to armes to revenge injuries to reward good turnes love and hatred are the affections of private men Common-wealths and States have selfe interest for the spheare of their actions beyond the which they neither see nor heare it is the object of their senses the mover of their affections the ruler of their passions The discord caused between Titus Tatius his slacknesse and the peoples impatiencie was good harmony for Romes increase
the most hardy follow him they drive Metius into a moorish ground where both parties meet with all their forces the one to succour their Captain the other to oppresse the enemie THe death of valiant Leaders is the losse of battels the danger of death is the cause of Victory all run to the battell as well out of hopes of reward by freeing of him as feare of losse in losing of him all dangers ought to be shunned when the State is in safetie The businesse was doubtfull when amidst bloud and dead bodies the Sabin women came running forth treading underfoot their own feare with the feare they had of others with haires about their eares their garments rent and turned towards their brethren towards their parents TOo late said they is Rape revenged now when Violence is turned to Love Rape to Matrimony and by that Matrimony children are had we are mothers we are wives who is it you will revenge if there be none that suffer offence but in being revenged You cannot redresse our losses and you take from us our recompense you revenge our long agoe lost virginitie by bereaving us of the fruits we have thereby received you revenge your sisters Rape with the slaughter of your brethren in law if you desire revenge pardon the innocent let them only suffer death who are the occasions of so great evils Though we be without fault it may in some sort bee termed a fault to have beene the occasion of great mischiefe Wherefore endevour you with your weapons to pierce our husbands bowels they love your sisters but we your enemies Cut off these armes which have so oft served for chaines about their neckes pierce these breasts which give suc◅e unto your enemies let the injuries of kisses and embraces be cancelled by wounds and bloud O how much more unhappie are we in being revenged than in being ravished deare husbands cast away your weapons suffer your selves to bee slaine in a warre where it is more glorious to lose than to overcome where victory is parricide Such like and more ardent passions proceeded from the mouths eyes of the grieved Sabine women when both sides made a stand either inchanted by their laments or induced thereunto by danger which being equall they stood more in need of interposal than perswasion THere hath alwayes beene a scarcitie of men who love to interpose themselves in businesse the shame of yeelding hath ruinated more Princes than the coveting to overcome how many are there that have cast away themselves for want of some that would disswade them Heat and cold meet together in luke-warme for contraries often joyne if they have a meane But those who want a meame never unite but consume one another In the already wearied affaires and dangerous to all sides wise men doe willingly intercede and are rather the occasion than the cause of accommodation for hee easily suffers himselfe to bee perswaded by another who was already perswaded by himselfe contrary Elements when they are weary of fighting appease themselves in mixture FOrc'd mariages amongst Strāgers begin with warre and end in peace because they have those women alwayes as mediatours for peace who first caused the warre Voluntary marriages amongst friends are worse they serve for ballance to some present accōmodatiō they begin in laughter and end in teares but they are worst of all when they are violent inforst betweene enemies for such matches having not any one good moment the tyes of love serve for incitements of hatred The uprore being ceased the one and the other Captaine meet in the midst to become friends and as not hatred alone but rather desire of rule had share in the warre so had it also place in the peace OH the deceitfulnesse of man which makes the desire rule seeme necessitie of revenge there is too great a difference betweene the true and pretended cause the formers thoughts are wholly bent upon the State the latters upon particular persons the one after a little vent having anger for its ground vanisheth the other keeps still its station beco◅es hereditary in our posterity by acquiring what it desires it increaseth the end serves for a beginning and sometime serves for the occasionall meanes and for such a covetous desire the world is too narrow wee doe destroy our owne desires wee hinder our end whilst we doe endevour it and as most inhumane in the most humane affection we kill those out of a desire of rule which being dead cannot be ruled What other passion is there in man by seeking to satisfie the which part of that is lost which is able to satisfie This affection was placed in all men to tender the rule over al difficult to one alone nor would this peradventure suffice did not every one hinder it in himselfe facilitating his being overcome by overcomming our very body it selfe whilst we endevour that it may live wee bring it nearer death so as we cannot so much as therein overcome our enemies without losse of our friends The victory which by Physicke we obtaine over our diseases weakens us more and more and at the last we lose at once with as much facilitie as at another time wee were with violence victorious we have need of as much force to keepe a State as to win it People which are overcome by bloud in being subjected make the Conquerour subject to service by their losse they hinder his rule they put a period to his victory things sublunary are not eternall because all who are actors by winning lose and suffer by working Those Princes may be called fortunate who inherit their States those wise who finding them full of malecontents winde themselves smoothly into them those most happy who wi◅hout losse of bloud by reputation only or some such like meeanes make themselves masters of them these like Rivers the further they goe the greater they become whereas they who have need to use force in conquering lose it by using it and like Bees whilest they hurt another lose their sting These end the warre joyning together with their minds their Cities a more profitable agreement for Rome because she thereby grew greater than would have beene the victory which would have lessened her The Sabins would free their Country of one infirmitie and drawing from out of her her best bloud they expose her to death by every little accident they would extinguish Rome and they make her greater they bring stones to stone withall and they use them for building the chiefe Sabins become Senators Titus Tatius partner with the King HE might well enough have knowne by the example of Rhemus that it was safer to be Romulus his enemie than his companion Examples if they be of actions which have had good successe they make us more fervent in them and though of such as have had bad events they make us notwithstanding cease to goe on because men have greater hope of good fortune than feare of bad they feigne a likelihood
grow hot as if to terme them fortunate were a badge of infamie Wherefore ought daring bee praised in a man and not fortune he hath no greater share in being â—…old than in being fortunat belike men beleeve her to be without man because we see her not within him but shee is borne with us as are other qualities and if shee be not an operation of the understanding shee is at least somewhat that moves the understanding to worke in due season she is a kind of Enthusiasme shee makes him speake well that knowes not why he speakes she makes him worke to purpose who knowes not why he workes a might and power of the last individuation of a temper which workes not only in the subject but transmit her qualities forth thereof whence are caused operations in us useful to others caused by somewhat which what it is wee doe not know and it is that mans fortune she is an incantaâ—…ion of that temper as Rhetoricke is of the tongue and makes her selfe be waited upon by all the other parts of man shee is called fickle not because she ceases to be good but because shee gives way to a better The Veientanians slept in quiet whilst their neighbours were together by the eares not unlike men oppressed with a Lythargie who sometimes waken at the houre of death THe splendour of that fire which burnes our neighbors deceives the eye it seemes faire because it shines it seemes good because it gives light the harme thereof is not felt till losse bee thereby occasioned They begin to ransacke the Country they tarry not the comming of the enemie and returne home The Romans when they found them not in their Territories goe to the Citie Veia the enemie comes forth to meet them and to their losse give battell the Romans forrage their Countrey and finally at the Veientanians request grant them peace for an hundred yeares Whilst Romulus to call the Armie to a Rendevous made an Oration in the sield next to the Caprean fenne a great and sudden storme of wind and thunder arising hee was no more seene but being covered with a thicke obscuritie vanisht from the sight of those who heard him The people did suspect that the Senatours whom he had deprived of their authority had slaine him TOuching the ends of men of might Fame is alwayes sinister as if death her selfe did feare to affront them if not inforced or because they have offended many that is beleeved to be mans revenge which is caused by Natures selfe it may be likewise they beleeve that art may have powerfull remedies against death and that Princes being thereby taught cannot dye naturally but by excesse of old age The people make a tumult their choler boyles apace but leapes not out of the vessell they shew themselves readie to follow any who wil revenge him some Senator who at that time had made himselfe the peoples Leader might doubtlessely have made himselfe Master of the Citie Julius Proculus came in affirming that he saw Romulus ascend up into heaven and that his will was to be called the god Quirinus the people beleeve him appease the tumult and in stead of revenging him prepare to offer sacrifice unto him THey detract from the merit of Romulus his actions whilst they augment his nature they lessen the wonder and increase the reverence they abase Divinitie if they thinke it of so small esteeme they vilifie humanity if they think it not of so much worth the common people doe easily deifie Princes him whom they see greater than many men they thinke him greater than Humanity they apprehend their Genus to be above that of other individuals they beleeve Infinity to bee there where they cannot reach unto with their eye and from the superiority of power argue the superiority of Nature These are the actions which were by Romulus done in warre and in peace who wanted not spirit to recover a Kingdome for his Grand-father not counsell to build one to himselfe nor wisdom to strengthen himselfe in Peace which facilitated by his so many Victories might be long injoyed by his posteritie Romulus lived glorious by reason of his great atchievements and failing in the midst of them before he had made triall of adverse fortune he dyed fortunate Fortune is not sufficient to raise a man to greatnesse if shee be not accompanied with worth and worth is vaine where fortune wanteth they are perhaps more unfortunate than others that are more fortunate they are accustomed to see good events ensue yea even upon bad advice and counsel and because they can give no reason of their good effects they alwayes addresse themselves unto them without reason as if their past good fortune were a cleare demonstration of future felicitie and not rather an argument of approaching miseries in a world where the star which in the morning is the Zenith to our head is at night found to be the Nadir to our feet Vertue when unaccompanied is not discerned counsell is only approved by the event and if vertue unaccompanied be discerned it is either despised as unusefull or pitied as unhappie If God should make the effects of all things succeed contrary to our wisdomes reason men might perhaps beleeve the world were governed by chance and if all things did succeed according to wisdome I am afraid such is humane weaknesse as it would deifie her whereas now through the only light of Nature it is forced to beleeve that there is somewhat without or forth of us in which all things are Those who have Vertue coupled with Fortune ascribe all actions to their wisdome nor will they acknowledge Fortune to have any share therein and indeed it behoves them to know that she hath a great share in affaires which makes them feare that instability which cannot be apprehended from else-where Romulus was made great by Vertue guarded by Fortune till hee became great Vertue though faire useth to be accused of fruitlesâ—…esse Fortune though fruitfull of instabilitie the ones labours usually faile of fruit the others gifts of beleefe Romulus may well be termed happy whose vertue was fruitfull and whose fortune permanent To compare him with any of the Ancients the resemblance betwixt him and Moses is not to bee let slip the one and the other in their births exposed to the waâ—…ers Moses for Pharaos feare Romulus for that of Amulius both of them fortunately saved Moses past his youths under sheepherds attire Romulus was educated amongst shepheards Moses is the cause of Pharaos death Romulus killeth Amulius The one and the other were Leaders of People the Introducers of Senats Law-givers and as they were alike in the beginning of their lives so were they in their ends The Lord takes Moses from the sight of the Israelites hee leads him into a Mountaine where hee ends his dayes he buries him his death not being knowne Romulus was taken from the eyes of the people was led into some solitary place was slaine by the Senators
even unto such as reape benefit by their wickednesse Reward no for the rewards which other men promise for the death of a Tyrant are alwayes greater than those which hee himselfe giveth for the preservation of his life An Oath no for an Oath which is a good thing partakes not of any thing that is evill and ◅othing can bee worse than to defend a Tyrant Shame no for it is no shame to foule ones hands in his blood whose death would make paricide be commendable Good God! If Princes did but consider how easie and safe a thing it is to governe well how difficult and dangerous it is to governe ill Souldiers might well serve to adorne their Majesty not to defend it A good ◅rince may distaste but not offend hee may purchase ill willers but not enemies and hee needs but a slender guard because he distastes but a few and those out of necessity If malecontents issued onely from the tribunall of Justice and not elsewhere Officers would bee a better defence than Souldiers But a Prince is in worse condition in bestowing his favours than in administring Justice in the one necessity defends him in the other liberality makes him odious If Justice goe amisse it acquires equall number as well of friends as enemies whereas reward be it never so well bestowed pleaseth but one and causeth the hatred of all others that are unrewarded which is so much the greater because it proceeds not onely from losse but from a disregard the Prince seemes to put upon those that share not equally of his favour declaring them to bee inferiour to him hee hath made choyce to bestow it on A Prince cannot then be termed a Tyrant whilest hee requires a small guard that hee himselfe may guard many hee rather deserves that name when he indevours to secure himselfe from the hatred occasioned by his wickednesse but howsoever it bee a Princes guard is not pleasing to the Senat they imagine it to be invented to offend them not to defend the Prince wi◅h whom they alwayes are at variance for that liberty which is already servitude when it falls into the hands of such as may safely use violence To make his power greater and himselfe more terrible Tarquin himselfe alone takes cognizance of all causes yea criminall whence hee hath opportunity afforded him to condemne such from whom hee may either hope for profit or feare dammage He hates the vertues of other men hee covets their riches which at such a time is an enemy to the possessor nor can there be a greater happinesse under a Tyrant than to bee unfortunate IT is held as a necessary Maxime amongst Princes that all things may have their dependancy upon one alone 't was strengthned by the testimony of an approved Counseller who is thought to have put it amongst his first instructions for the preservation of an Empire But either I am deceived or he did not intend such private affaires as properly belong to justice whose errors can cause but small harme to the Prince He surely intended such as belonging to government are apprehended under that point of determination upon which depends the being or not being of a Principalitie It behoves a Prince as well to abstaine from all things which not become him as to doe those things which belong unto him Hee who either too much slackneth or too much inhaunceth his power abandoning the degree of a Prince doth either too poorely serve the Common people or doth too arrogantly command the Nobles the one of which errors springs from too much familiaritie the other from too much pride All men though never so wise or of never so meane understanding when they heare the lives of past Princes recounted bee they good or bad praise the goodnesse of the one and blame the wickednesse of the other Yet are there some who afterwards arriving a supreme authoritie leaving tho◅ things which they though◅ praise worthy betake themselves to those which in former times they had blamed Wherefore many thinking this to happen out of meere election cease not to wonder that when Princes may live with safety and honour they chuse to live in feare and diff◅mation whereas if they had considered how that men doe seldome imbarque themselves in evill actions but are led thereunto not of their owne will nor yet against their will but of somewhat beside their will they would have had more occasion to inquire into the reason than to continue wondring I verily beleeve that all Princes would be good but that many are hindred by their Subjects some miss-led by the times Fortune hath likewise a great share if not in making a Prince good at least in making him appeare so C◅sar might happily have beene exceeding good if he had met with Cyrus his Subjects or Trajans times It behoves not to meet with great resistance where any great worke is to bee well brought in the comparisons of the worst are sometimes necessary to make the best knowne all Princes may bee good but not all seeme good The subjects complaints are of power enough to dazle the writers eyes so as he see not cleerely those actions which he writes the Prince is left alone to speake against all whereas all speake against him and injustice is beleeved to be alwayes on the more powerfull side Subjects are so desirous of liberty as he that would governe them well must not governe them at all He is not accounted a good Prince amongst them who doth not la◅ downe his principality Cities where the more powerfull trample upon the Plebeians can never be well governed but through ill government If he defile his hands in the blood of the Nobility they cal him Tyrant they hate him as a Tyrant and oft times make him become one If he suffer the common people to be trod under foot he is no Prince that dignity is conferd upon him that he may defend them most that are least able to defend themselves I had almost said it is as hard to know who hath beene a good Prince as it is to be a good Prince Had it fallen to the common people of Romes share to give their vote they would have proclaimed some one for an excellent Ruler who by the Senate was declared a Tyrant I deny not but acknowledge that Princes sometimes run voluntarily into evill wayes being deceived either by a false good or false glory they finde it more troublesome to make good a Tyranny than a principality they thinke it likewise more glorious they betake themselves unto it as if that were more praise worthy which is more difficult than that which is more convenient Tarquin reduceth the Senators to a small number that they may bee lesse esteemed of by others and more observant of him THe sinewes are taken from the authority of a Senate when it is reduced to a few the authority of one Senator is hinderd by the extēding of it to many particular men grow lesse esteemed of
because that one man is not so much esteemed of for arriving at that degree whereunto so many come and the reverence of the common people by how much it is extended by so much it is lessened one man in a small assembly either by his worth or fortune may easily make himselfe umpire and inequality preserves a Prince if it be of many but if it be of one alone it ruines him That Prince which is not a Tyrant ought augment his Senate because great men are more dangerous than great Magistrates A Prince who is a Tyrant hath good fortune if hee finde it lesned whether his intention bee to curbe it or quite extinguish it Those who augment the number of Senators if they doe it with an intention of weakning the Senate by how much more they increase it the more they strengthen it how great soever it be 't is alwayes in a possibility of becomming little and the authority of a great many may be managed by the brains of a few If they doe it with an intention of introducing their well willers whilest they thinke to make Senators partiall in their behalfe they lose those subjects which were formerly partiall unto them Such things are not reall but rationall they are not found in realities but onely in the understanding The same path which mounts from the foot of the hill descends from the top hee who from the Tyrants palace lookes upon the Senate miss-likes the Senate but if from the Senate house hee looke upon the Tyrant he miss-likes the Tyrant Hence it proceeds that many Magistrates of a refin'd judgement have sometimes brought into the Senate factious people to make them change their mindes Hee is the selfe same which was in the market place and which is in the Senate-house but the prospect is not the same from the Senate to the market place as from the market place to the Senate Who changeth the prospect of necessity changeth likewise the point That which noâ—… possest appeared evill producing envie and malice being possest and so those removed is acknowledged for very good the greatest and most wonderfull metamorphosis that is is that which presents it selfe to the eye of any one when hee layeth aside envy and malice Tarquin marrieth his daughter to the Latines hee thinkes to shun the danger hee might have run in marrying her amongst his owne friends to augment his forces that hee might tyrannise over the Romanes and to prepare meanes that hee might in time subdue the Latines 'T Is true a neighbour friend was more usefull to him than a thousand friends or kindred a farre off Who sees not the Tyrant cannot aid him his defence is of no further extent than his voyce the chances which befall him are conspiracies and conspiracies are sudden If hee have friends a farre off he may bee said to have a place whereunto to fly when he is driven out not a stay to keepe him from being driven out But Tarquin did rather aspire to the winning of the Latines kingdome than feare the losse of the Romane besides in so hard a businesse he reapes profit enough who receives no dammage and he is sufficiently defended who is not offended He was a good example to himselfe of the bad examples which marriages into the blood Royall doe produce the first thing they conceive withall is the desire of government the first birth which they would bring unto their husbands is a kingdome Matrimony requires equality which if it finde not it causeth Principality in its owne essence covets inequality A Princes kindred are they who first shew dislike unto the government as they who are likeliest to desire it aptest to compasse it Kindred in a private estate are not alwayes friends they pretend equality grow to emulate and what they cannot compasse by emulation they endevour by malice which mischiefe it is impossible to allay either by benefits or wisedome or goodnesse or any thing whatsoever death excepted The world would bee much obliged to an Author who would shew the means how a man might shun envy and malice when the subject is capable thereof Tarquin had already won great power amongst the Latins and perhaps that hee might make it greater was the cause why he desired them to assemble themselves together in the Ferentine wood to treat of publique affaires They came as appointed hee delaied his comming and Turnus who together with a great deale of libertie had but small store of understanding not able to suffer so long delay we may imagine spoke in this manner in the midst of them TARQVIN O you Latins is not to be ranked amongst the unwary nor numbred amongst the unadvised This action proceeds not from pride and if from pride 't is done that bee may governe not through neglect He who is wont to make his companions become his servants will have his friends become his subjects hee trieâ—… our patience by the same meanes by which â—…ee once won the kingdome to assemble a Councell is the authoritie of a Prince not to appeare there the pride of a Tyrant to indure it the patience of subjects Tarquin is too great to be any other member of our body than the â—…ead the harmony of many good voyces is marred by one though better if it bee too great and loud If you bring in a Lion into your Common-wealth prepare likewise to obey his will humane power is as the winde which though it stands faire for whither we are bound yet if it bee too great it drownes us Those who are by much greater than wee ought to bee kept as farre off as may bee or at least where they are Wee ought endevour to have them not our enemies but not desire to have them our friends their conversation is not company it is servitude if it become not enmity Hee who would see a large figure at the best advantage must not see it neere to his eye the sight thereof requires a great distance Princes become Tyrants because they are never satiated with governement they will bee Lords of our honour goods and persons They hold all which they possesse not their enemy they thinke all lost which they get not no man is content with what he possesseth our felicity which is never found consists more in getting than in having got for in the one men take delight out of a beleefe of attaining to it whereas in the other they are vext finding they have not attained ther unto I pâ—…de mâ—… sâ—…lfe that if ere were Lord of the whole world and had what ever he could desire yet cloyd with worldly delights hee would despaire seeing hee had not found out felicity nor knew no other place to looke her in There is nothing so averse to a Tyrant as liberty nor is there any worse liberty to him than what is nearest him his people learne by example when they are not fomented by force If a stranger take upon him the authority to assemble a Councell hee will
already revenged it is neither wisdome nor fore-sight for a Citizen so to embroile himselfe the stranger is gone the Citizen remains If the businesse succeed not the former hath the glory to have attempted the other remaines in danger because he hath attempted and suffers scorne for that it hath not succeeded such kind of people would not bee found in Cities were there not many in all Cities who wanting experience and discourse abound in nothing but ignorance and malice The next morning Tarquin assembles together many of the chiefe of the Latins in the midst of which we may imagine he spoke thus MY yesterdayes delay oh yee Latins hath delayd all our deaths Turnus was grieved at it because his hopes were thereby prolonged hee that day thought to make himselfe Master over you he deferd his thought because be on whom his thoughts were chiefly bent deferd his comming I know this to bee true and such is his untamed pride as might make you know it also but it will appeare plaine unto you when searching into the most secret places of his house you shall finde them filled with weapons A fierce and proud Citizen is the Lion of the Citie if he tarry there hee will be King fiercenesse makes him rashly seeke for that which pride makes him covetously desire such a one 's greatest enemy is he who is the Cities chiefest friend Your owne eares filled with so many opprobrious lyes utterd against me may be a witnesse of this he never sought for glory but by detracting from others he is one of those who terme themselves free and are so indeed in as much as they are not subject to reason a people who see nothing but faults because they seeke after nothing else they blame the Sunne because it offends their eyes and know not that the fault is in their eyes not in the Sunne a wicked generation whose fame lies onely in diffamation their praise in blaming their greatnesse in detraction They say whatsoever comes next to mouth so it bee bad enough they are proud envious arregant and malicious they seeke for applause through evill speaking and because they meet with it in the weaker sort they make the better Citizens grow desperate and under a false shew of libertie they first confound the true one then oppresse it they have no meanes to raise themselves but by taking from others that they may rise they put him under-foot whom they detract and so 〈◊〉 they may appeare great like women they care not whether it be by flesh or a chopine this kinde of people most pernitious to the whole world sow confusion make Princes become Tyrants raise discords in Senats fill Cities with calumnies and finally with dead men Turnus sayes I aspire to the government of you he brings for example that I am hatefull to mine owne people an enemie a Tyrant to them O miserable condition of Princes when as necessitie inforces them to oppose themselves to the ambition and hatred of great ones they call them Tyrants They cannot make good the reasons they have of putting them to death unlesse the Princes will suffer themselves to be stâ—…ine conspiâ—…acies â—…e 〈◊〉 trickes and inventions when they end it not in a Tragedie with the death of the Prince they are held impossible though their truth â—…e seene eâ—…ery dâ—…y it is lawfull to beat backe force by force if private men doe so they are borne withal if not commended in Princes it is blamed necessity is termed cruelty the weakest seemes alwayes to have the justest cause though true justice consists only in such as are powerfull who have it in their choice to doe what the others are inforst to doe And who is it that hates me unlesse it be the Senate which cannot brooke Princes nor be brooked by Princes it was a friend to Servius because it took not from him that Authority it tooke from the Kingdome though it belonged not unto him but it hath taken both the one and the other from me to whom of right they did belong Right is not by them weighed but numbred and is there beleeved to be where it is cryed up by the major partie A Senate is ordained for free Cities where such freedome is not it corrupteth Government and makes Monarchie turne Tyrannie Doe not beleeve O Latins that the faults which they object unto mee proceed from any vice of mine they 〈◊〉 caused through the necessity of government they who desire a mediocrity in liberty desire it not as meaning to rest there but that they may the easier compasse what yet remaines behind if a rider put a rough bit in a horses mouth which will not bee governed no man blames him for severity they blame the horse because he will not be ruled and yet they cal the Prince cruell who would câ—…rb the Senate and call not the Senate head-strong which will not obey the Prince where there iâ—… such a magistracie the Prince must either heare himselfe called Tyrant or suffer his Principality be taken from him or give it up himselfe this name of Tyrant which is so frequent in every mans mouth what is it but his command who forceth himselfe to be obeyed which if it be true every one that commands is a Tyrant since there are very few or indeed none at all who all other impediments taken away doe naturally affect servitude for my part I will rather reâ—…ounce than prejudice government quit the Principality rather than lessen it But allow it though voyd of all truth that I be hatefull an enemie and a Tyrant to my people who knowes not that if I have enemies it behoves mee seeke for friends that hee who is hated of his subjects cannot subsist without the love of forrenners that he cannot by violence hold in the Romans who hath not the Latins for his faithfull confederates In briefe Truth is a precious liquor it will not be kept under by the waters of falshood but will float above and falshood is a viper which wounds with her teeth and beares the cure in her belly You see now the words which Turnus made use of to falsifie truth are the selfe-same by the which I prove the truth you shall see the same man who hath offended mee stand up in my defence I will then shew you what Tarquin is when you shall know what Turnus is Truth hath no such enemie as likelihood and oft-times one truth is an utter enemie to another More beleefe ought to be given to things which appeare impossible than to those which admit of likelihood who would make a lye bee beleeved delineates forth a seeming truth and not the impossibilitie I was about to say and am almost of the opinion that he is in a worse condition in the worlds respect who is loaded with calumnies than hee who is infested with accusations There is no lye so dangerous as that which most resembles the truth many likly propositioÌ„s seeme to conclude a necessary truth and many
And so ties the hearts of the people to him as his authoritie amongst the Gabins is not inferiour to Tarquins amongst the Romanes THis Estridge which seeme◅ as if hee would cut the ayre with his fethers hath wings to cousin not to fly withall he swallowes Iron disgests it not but renders it up againe He like a stage-Player puts on the semblance of doing like a Prince not of being a Prince and if of being a Prince in no other manner than as the picture of a man may bee said to be a man 'T is true hee knew how to bee good he might have beene good but would not Those who value daring more than wisedome thinke nothing glorious but what they have with their daring won The reputation of a good Prince relisheth not with them they cover the sharpnesse which Tyranny brings with it and honour most what makes most noyse they thinke that braines are made for contemplation not for government This is the ruine of youth the most of them beleeve that true wisedome consists in being couragious and are not aware that whilest they seeke after the fame of valiant they purchase the title of foole hardy and no greater misfortune can befall a man than to have a heart and to want braines He sends a messenger to his father to let him know what hee hath done and to heare from him what hee would have him doe The counsell which Tarquin gave his sonne was the same which Periander gave Trasybulus He leads the Embassadour into a garden where with a wand hee tops off the heads of the highest flowers AL men walking in the fields or disporting themselves in gardens cast their eyes suddenly upon such a flower or simple as is higher than the rest and breake it off or for that the hatred of pride is so naturall as it makes not only him who is endued with it insufferable but whatsoever represents it or by vertue of an exquisite imagination which making it appeare to us dissonant and deformed will not permit us with patience to suffer it or else it may proceed from the easinesse of cutting it shorter for all such things as doe eloigne themselves from the equality of the others eloigne themselves also from their defence It is not good in gardens for any plant to bee greater than the rest unlesse it bee a Tree whose bulke makes it not easie to be snapt in two A flower which is higher thā another is topt off a taller Tree is seene with admiration so in Cities hee who will bee esteemed and not cut short must if a Citizen be equall if Superior a Prince He whose fortune or valour hath made him higher than others let him stoope till they be equall Let him not expose himselfe to eyes if hee will shun hands otherwise hee causeth envie in those who ought to be his equals because he hath out stript them feare in him who should be his Superiour because he equals him Such a flower is easily topt off All great men are enemies to a greater and so much the more implacable by how much neerer him they are But the Common people which hate the Magistracy of great men reverence a great man or rather because they hate the former they love a greater man and suffer him not willingly to be cut off because they admire his beauty injoy his shade and by his leaves grow fat To banish to transplant him and not cut his ◅oots to make him lose the Citie and not lose his power is a businesse ill undertaken hee loseth not his reputation amongst his friends if hee wins credit amongst strangers he is desired in the City and he desires the City whereinto not able to returne a Subject he sometimes endevours to returne Master Sextus understands his wicked fathers counsell and by sundry meanes he banisheth some of the chiefe Citizens puts some to death and leaveth way for some to escape and dividing all their goods amongst the common people by the sweet of profit hee luls them into a lethargie from which they never did awake till the Gabines liberty was at an end CRuell actions are so many bolus which are never better taken than when wrapt up in gold Tyrants who being wise are likewise liberall have a good stocke to leane unto but they seldome take that way and if they doe they keepe not long in it for cruelty is seldome without avarice by which if it bee not caused it causeth it The publike good is a specious name it is sought for with relation to the private otherwise men would cooperate as well under a good Prince as under a common wealth That doctrine of Philosophers that private good may bee preferd before the common good is as pernicious when it beares with it such a proportion as the allowing wine to the sicke of a Fever When sence is the incitor things granted are alwayes exceeded all rules enlarged and an easie passage is made from things conditionall to things absolute who will take away the pravity of feeling must not give way to the pleasure of seeing Where liberty is if great men bee Magistrates they are hatefull to the people they willingly see them abased nor are they aware that they are banks reared up which though they hinder the sight yet withstand inundations The Common peoples hatred to the Senate is so naturall that they continue it yea under Princes and Princes in my opinion at least in this respect ought to cherish a Senate as a fit place for Subjects to vent their complaints on who alwaies more willingly-complaine of the Senate than the Prince either because they envie them more as being nearer them or fear them lesse as being lesse powerfull The Senat matters not much yet feares to breake off the peoples blowes who passionately run their lances against a Saracin of wood it is like fortune which doth just nothing in the world and yet is alwaies curst for doing mischiefe Tarquin makes peace with the Equi renewes his league with the Tuscans and betaking himselfe to City affaires will finish the Temple of Jupiter Tarpeius TYrants are wicked yea in the building of Temples they build them not so much for worship as to be worshipped 't is rather policy than religion A wicked peece of Piety to build great Temples out of a desire of becomming great to seeke worldly honour by things divine to make God a cloake to hide ambition and nourish our desires The scum of the people partake of the Chyromancer they will see the hand to judge the heart but how many are there who present themselves before God with hands of gold and hearts of clay Monuments of stone are fading what is exposed to the injuries of time cannot defend us from being thereby devoured Good men need not to have their names written in Marble whose actions live in t◅e memories of men bad men should not seeke to eternise their memories by Monuments since oblivion is the greatest happinesse can
befall them The Temple being built wherein he had imployed the people he fell to the causing of certaine common Shores be cleansed TO set people accustomed to warre about sorâ—…id businesses doth irritate them against the â—…etter on and imbaseth them in the eyes of their enemies The first and principall secret of Tyranny is to keepe friendship with the people which the oppression of great folkes hinders not but augments 't is the nature of all things that one part rise as another falls if it bee not raised 't is eased the people covet quietnesse plenty safety to live and suffer others live That which is hardest to a Prince is easiest to a Tyrant whilest the latter practiseth upon the Nobility the other is by the Nobility hindred which oft times doth tyrannize when not tyrannized I hold it ever a difficult thing to maintaine a Principalâ—…y in a City where the people and great men doe both agree in the desire of liberty unlesse it bee done without weapons 'T is evidently seene that Tarquin was no Tyrant by Art but Nature not for his safety but delight the people like better of a Tyrant than of liberty when liberty is not popular and the Tyrant wise A Tyrant hath none on whom more to trust nor whom more to feare hee hath no better friend no worser enemy he was therefore wise as I beleeve who thought the government of a bad Prince and an uncorrupted people profitable for a Citie the one is a curb to the Tyrant the other to the Nobility A Prince kept within bounds a people not corrupted and an humbled Nobitity makes an excellent composition Whilest the Romanes were intent upon their affaires a great prodigie appeares A Serpent is seene to come out of a Columne of wood which frightens and puts to flight all the Court. PRodegles which are fore-runners of things to come are seldome regarded before the things bee come to passe and if they be sometimes regarded yet are they not understood Many have beleeved that in man also there are certaine seeds of Divination of future things not knowne till they be past I grant it and should beleeve them to bee the motives of our tutelary Angels were it not that they are unusefull either for provision or prevision I feare me the Devill is the framer of prodigies it seemes to bee the aime of one proud and envious He shewes us things to come that hee himselfe might reape honour hee suffers us not to know them that wee may not thereby reape profit or shall we say that those Starres which threaten or promise good or bad influences whilest they dispose the matter endevour to introduce the forme and whilest they doe introduce it doe produce in such a place such a thing such a man many things which precede which accompany and which follow which though they be not alwaies the same things yet come they alwayes from the same things That constellation which moveth the Serpent to enter the Court is the same which moveth Brutus to drive out Tarquin from thence Great alterations require great influences which when they cause great diversity in their working happen not because the influences are divers but because they are divers who receive them Actions are not done by their agents in an instant dispositions precede them the truth of whose effects we doe not know because the vertue of causes is unknowne to us Moreover men of themselves understand not things to come because while they seeke the helpe of Reason they lose the assistance of the Starres they with their disputes confound the motives of Nature it is perhaps to punish our rashnesse which willing to make use of the understanding to arrive at that where the understanding cannot sometimes arrive goes not thither whither Nature would lead it its motive is on the sudden whilest there is neither thought nor dispute about it it is not minded because not disputed and therefore good because not disputed Hence it is that women advise well on the sudden and that children and fooles prophesie they say what heaven not reason dictates to them Tarquin sends his two sons Titus and Arons to the Oracle who take along with them Junius Brutus their sisters son whom he had not onely suffered to live after having slaine his brother but for his fate permitted him to keepe company with his sonnes WIcked men doe often ruine themselves through Gods not permitting them to be wholly wicked otherwise the world would be destroyed It seldome happens that together with the feare of God they lose the shame of infamie all wickednesse would succeed wel to them were they not many times hindred by a desire of honesting them and so whilst they will be wicked and appeare good they either undertake no greater wickednesse or else it succeeds not but be it as you please let the Tyrant have strayed from reason in whatsoever manner he hath not lost the desire of glory it is true though that he who erres in â—…e generall as he perswades himselfe that what is bad is good so knowing no other difference in the atchiving of renowne than the greatnesse or poorenesse of the undertaking he indevours sometimes a great fame though purchased by never so great anâ—… inâ—…mie This Brutus who knew no greater safety under the Tyrant than scorne and neglect where a greatly good and greatly bad fame are equally dangerous where Iustice is not regarded where knowledge is pernicious betakes himselfe to madnesse and assisted by his being naturally given to melancholy by counterfeiting secures himselfe leaving nothing for the Tyrant either to desire or feare MElancholy men doe so resemble mad-men that wheâ—… they are not busied about any thing but idle I cannot distinguish them from mad men I had almost said from beasts but when they doe any thing I know them to be very wise I had almost said they contend with the intelligences No other cloud save Brutus his melancholy humour could have shaded the Sun-beames of a great understanding all other humours would either not have long deferd revenge or for ever forgotten it Long use of meats may change the habit of the body long counterfeiting may shape a new habit in the understanding for custome hath power to make that become naturall which is not so Melancholy which is not the dregs but purest part of the bloud which is no cole but pretious â—…ewell is that which produceth Heroes since bounding upon madnesse it brings men to a sublimity out of which one cannot passe and within which all our wisedomes â—…atitude extends it selfe He is greatly wise who under a Tyrant can counterfeit a fooles part it is a good peece of cunning if the cunning be not discovered for it is harder to play the foole than to be wise and I should hold it to be a very safe way were not one onely action sufficient to take off the disguise having no meanes of ever resuming it againe Brutus who was Master of this Art with
but it doth almost secure him from the ambition of such as seeke after Principality But bee the effects of Senates good or bad to Princes it is apparant that Princes cannot endure them and that they endevour to destroy them Some of which leaving the Titles to Magistrates have taken away from them the substance and these have augmented authority but not secured dominion others have assayd to extinguish the Senate by suffering the old Senatours to dye by course of nature and not substituting new ones in their places but this being too tedious a way requiring the life of more than one Prince it hath seldome succeeded well because seldome doe two Princes succeed of the same minde Tarquin had likewise this intent and to free himselfe from the difficultie caused by the length of time hee put them to death nor yet did this cause good successe unto him A long cruelty is by the speech of men too long remembred and the Prince sooner ends his life than his cruelty Moreover by reducing the Senatours to a small number where the forme of a Senate is corrupted the forme of a conspiracie is initiated There was one who on the contrary part did in his first entrance into government at one clap put downe a whole magistracie and he had good successe in living quietly amongst his citizens and likewise in subduing of strangers till such time as he met with greater forces than his owne this mans case because it succeeded well hath beene by some wicked men in their writings commended and his example by some lewd Princes imitated it was neither well written nor well imitated the one hath reaped little honour by teaching it the other little profit by following it This did not damnifie Cleomenes for he did not extinguish that Magistracie to tyrannize but to reforme the Citie and shewing that the Ephori would have hindred his right end being of themselves wicked that act bore rather the face of Justice than cruelty it is not cruelty when a good Prince puts wicked men to death because they may not hinder his goodnesse and if it bee cruelty it is not mis-becomming but then it is crueltie when a bad Prince puts good men to death that they may not hinder his wicked proceedings He left no desire of revenge because it was calmly executed nor did hee afterwards give any occasion of revenge for that to a severe beginning hee added a pleasing progresse and as small present occasions have no great operation if they be not preceded by weighty past causes so weighty past causes have no operation at all if they want a present occasion Tarquin did not onely exasperate the Senate but made the common people value him but a little by his imploying them about buildings which in my opinion was a great cause of his ruine A Prince who hath the people for his friends let him take heed of treachery for he may almost secure himselfe from insurrections hee may be slaine never driven out I know that people though never so much bound unto their Prince will sometimes be provoked by a sudden scorne or perswaded by a man of worth But let him take heed of tumults caused by hatred for such are not to be withstood whereas those that are occasioned by a flash of anger or fitly applied eloquence may be remedied by discretion In such a case the people doe nought at all if not in an instant he who hath beene assisted by them in the act let him feare them when 't is done for the act is no sooner done than by them repented and often times they turne thēselves against him that did perswade them either because they will revenge their Prince or else cancell their owne shame Water which contrary to its nature is heated no sooner parts from what did heat it but it returnes to it first condition the witchcraft of Rhetorique being ended which is not long a doing or the fire of anger being over which suddenly vanisheth nothing remaines in the common people but shame for having appeared against a benefactor He who writ of so many things and writ so masterlike in all for the maintaining of Tyranny praises the imploying of the people about building and yet this was perhaps the cause why Tarquin lost his nor was this only caused by their being rather sordid than magnificent but likewise by the difference betweene taking people from a chargeable idlenesse imploying them in a usefull labor and the taking of them from the molestations of warre imploying them in the labors of the mattock Nothing makes the troubles of war more supportable than the rest and quiet which is hoped for at home nor is there any thing encourageth more to fight against enemies than hope of acquiring glory amongst friends 't is strange then that rest after war should bee greater labour and the glory thereof turned to shame The examples alledged by that author are either of barbarous people their Princes slaves and who know no other glory than their belly or els of Tyrants who having usurped the liberty wherin the people had a large share had reason rather to feare the peoples leasure times than the hatred of the great ones But the Romanes were civilized subjects not slaves accustomed to war wonted to victory lovers of repose when it did not repugne their glorie but Tarquin had not usurped the peoples liberty but had rather freed them from the oppression of great ones over whom till then he was onely Tyrant Pride likewise had her share in Tarquins losse by pride Princes thinke to shun contempt and they meet with hatred they thinke thereby to become majesticall and they become detested majestie requires mildnesse not pride which is signified by them who did assigne both these as inseparable qualities to the Easterne beames of Iupiter But this is a vice almost not to bee seperated from great ones there is nothing makes us more beleeve that the sin of the cheefest angel in heaven was pride than because he was cheefest Astrologers suppose their art be vaine have notwithstanding united pride to greatnesse whilest they make the Sunne in regard of manners the infuser of pride which in regard of dignity they make the dispenser of principalities But to what end doe I continue numbring up his errors if his whole life was one compact error He could not maintaine Tyranny by goodnesse accosting it to monarchy nor yet by craft keeping it farre distant from monarchie he was more rash than politique more wicked than warie he lived ill himselfe hee brought up worse sons and being himselfe a wicked king he left no hopes of a good successour I deny not but that he was a valiant Captaine but to what purpose If war be to a Tyrant pernicious either hee commits the trust thereof to others and incurs danger of him who commands the army or else hee goes himselfe in person and runs in danger of those who stay behinde He who praiseth a warlike Tyrant would it may be understand it of one that had beene so or at least of one that did not only wage war with city armes but likwise with those of strangers wherewithall hee might bridle a tumultuating Army or oppresse a City that should rebell I cannot conclude this my discourse better than by calling to minde to all those that read it the thankes due to Almighty God for having caused us be borne in times abounding with good Princes when Christianity lives happy void of Tyrants The most holy most wise and most loving head whereof exalted above others like to the brasen Serpent is of power and force to free us from the bitings of such Serpents if they should arise and because God doth sometimes permit Tyrants for the chastisement of mankinde to see that all his people are this day governed by excellent Princes makes me beleeve that the world whatsoever others thinke is not now worse than it hath beene and that if there be some wicked men that irritate his Justice there be likewise some good that excite his mercy The which mercy I pray and humbly turne to pray againe that it will please his divine goodnesse to make us partakers of now and in the houre of death FINIS Ministers to execute corporall punishment amongst the Romans