alwayes in confusion she enuyeth the riche and malliceth the mightie seeking how to betraye the nobilitie she is of so base and vile condition as she can not applie her selfe vnto any kinde of good gouernement she is ignorant of all thinges and yet she thinketh to know euery thing In few wordes she is no better then an vniuersall confusion a horrible monster of many heddes without reason a tempestuous Sea tossed with boysterous windes in euery place at euery season Betwene the gouernement of the best and that of the mightiest there is this difference Those of the best haue no other ende prefixed vnto them but vertue and honestie They refuse no traualle or paines The difference betwene Aristocratie and Oligarchie for the benefit of such as are committed vnto their charge they loue and cherish the poore people procuring to make them liue in good and plentifull estate defending them also from being iniured of mightier and richer then they and aboue all thinges they seeke to traine vp their citizens and subiectes as they would doe their owne proper children vnder a continuall discipline of vertue and good education These of the mightiest studie onely how to pull from their subiectes all the wealth vnto them selues by laying intollerable taxes and tributes vpon them All profites honors pleasures and commodities they thinke to be due vnto them onely All charges labours troubles and dangers postinge ouer vppon the people whome neuerthelesse they hate deadly inuenting by all meanes how to intrappe them and that with all kind of insolencie Betwene a good Kinge and The difference betwene Monarchis Tyrannie a Tyrante there is this difference The one is courteous mercifull endewed with all vertue the other is hautie and cruell defiled with all vice The one embraceth equitie and iustice the other treadeth both Gods lawe and mans lawe vnder his feete The one hath his minde and all his care vpon the health and wealth of his subiectes th' other estemeth his owne pleasure more then their profit his owne wealth more then their good willes The good Kinge taketh pleasure to be freely aduertised and wisely reprehended when he doth amisse the Tyrante can abide nothing worse then a graue free spoken and a vertuous man The good Kinge punisheth publicke iniuries and pardoneth those which are done vnto him selfe the Tyrante reuengeth most cruelly his owne iniuries neglecting those which are done vnto others The good King hath an especiall regarde vnto the honour and good name of chaste matrones the Tyranttriumpheth in abusing and shaming of them The good Kinge deliteth to be seene and other whiles hard of his subiectes the Tyrant Hideth himselfe from them as from his enemies The good Kinge loueth his people and is beloued of them againe the Tyrant neither loueth them that are like vnto himselfe fearing lest they being as wicked as he will be ready to betray him for euery light cause he hateth and pursueth all those that haue any valor or vertue in them as men whome he knoweth to be by nature contrarie and enemies vnto his tyrannie Againe the one chargeth his people as litle as he can and but vpon publicke honorable and necessarie occasions the other gnaweth the bones and sucketh out the very blood and marowe of them with vnlawfull taxes towles and confiscations The one maketh choise of the best and most sufficient persones about him to imploye in the publicke affaires the other imployeth none but ruffianes and cutthrotes such as he may best serue his owne turne withall The one vseth the assured fayth and forces of his owne subiectes in time of warre against his enemies the other calleth in forreinc nations whome he can not safely trust as LONOVIKO SFORZA duke of MIDANE did to warre against his owne contreymen The one hath no garde nor garrison but of his owne naturall people the other but of strangers The one liueth in assured hope merrie voide of suspition alwayes enioying the sweete rewarde of his vpright conscience the other hath the pointe of a sworde hanging ouer his head alwayes languishing in continuall feare The one looketh for euerlasting ioye the other can hardly escape euerlasting paine The one is honored in his life time and wished for after his death the other is hated in his life time and torne in peeces after he is deade so that liuing and dying he is in a continuall hell of all miserie VVherefore as the gouernement of a Tyrant is of all other the most odious and of Which is the best common weale the three ill common weales the worst So is a Lawefull kingdome of the three good the best the happiest and that which I desire to preferre in this my Treatice before all other Not ledde therunto onely by bonde of duetie as subiecte and seruant vnto so worthy a Prince Nor moued by affection onely as borne in so quiet and prosperous estate of countrey But moued ledde and drawen by force of good reason grounded vpon the naturall excellenoie and excellent properties therof as it shall at large appeare after that I haue first shewed of what especiall kinde and qualitie this best common weale of kindome is Sundry kindes of Monarchies For there are diuers kindes of kingdomes according vnto the diuersitie of countryes and of their lawes and customes though all good lawfull yet not all of like excellencie though all pertakers of soueranitie yet not all in equall proportion though of like nature and essence Kingdomes by Gifte yet differing accideÌ„tally For some kingdomes go by gifte as IVBA was by OCTAVIVS made of a slaue kinge of NVMIDIA now called Barbarie and as the kingdomes of NAPLES and SICILE were giuen first vnto CHARLES Earle of Prouence in the yeare 1266 and after vnto LEWIS the first Duke of Anioue brother vnto the french kinge CHARLES the fifth surnamed the wise and as some haue written that VVILLIAM the Conquerour by the gifte of his Nephew kinge EDWARD sonne of king EGELRED pretended and attained vnto the Kingdomes by Testamente Crowne of England Others are lefte by will of testament as CHARLES Nephew and heire vnto RENALD Duke of Anioue bequethed all his estates and dominions vnto the french Kingdomes by Customes kinge LEWIS the leuenth Some descende by the vertue of a Lawe as the Realme of Fraunce in practise of late descentes doth by the Lawe which they call SALICKE Others goe by adoption as Eâ—EVS kinge of ATHENES adopted Kingdomes by AdoptioÌ„ THESEVS MICIPSA kinge of the Numidians adopted IVGVRTHA SCIPIO th' elder adopted the sonne of PAVLVS AEMILIVS CAESAR the dictator his Nephew AVGVSTVS th' Emperor adopted TIBERIVS CLAVDIVS NERO NERVA TRAIAN TRAIAN ADRIAN who after adopted ANTONINVS surnamed the Pityfull so were AELIVS VERVS and MARCVS AVRELIVS also adopted vnto th' Empire Likewise of late yeares ANNE and IANE Queenes of NAPLES and SICILLE adopted LEWIS and RENALTE Dukes of Anioue and in the yeare 1408. MARGARIT Queene of Demnarke
and Swethlande adopted HENRY Duke of Pomerane for their heires and successours in all their dominitions So in king HENRY the fifth of England byside the interest of his auncesters and his owne interest vnto the Crowne of France was added an adoption by his father in law the french kinge CHARLES the sixte Some kingdomes are Kingdomes by Lotte translated from one to an other by lotte or Pâ—ouince of fortune as it happened vnto DARIVS one of the seuen Lordes of PERSIA who was made kinge because his horse first neyed Kingdomes by Pollicie Some estates are gotten by Pollicie as in olde time CECROPES HIERON GELON PISISTRATVS gotte theirs and as of later yeares COSMVS of MEDICES added the state of SIENNA vnto his Dukedome of FLORENCE Kingdomes by CoÌ„quest A number of kingdomes also are gotten by conqueste As FERDINAND of ARAGON the first king of Spaine got the kingdomes of NAPLES NAVARRA SICILE and after him his daughters sonne CHARLES the fifte got the kingdome of THVNES the dukedome of MILAN the Soueranitie of Artois and Flanders Kingdomes by Election Others go by Election as the kingdome of POLONIA doth And of this kinde there are diuers sortes For some are chosen kinges for their Noblenesse of birthe As CAMPSON kinge of Caramania was by the Mammelucs chosen for their SOVLDANE the Vycountes of ANGLERIE were for their noble birth made Lordes of MILANE Some for their Iustice as NVMA POMPILIVS was by the Romaines Some for their olde age as the auncient ARABIANS did choose alwayes the eldest Some for their great possessions and mightie power AS HARAVLDE sonne to GOODWINNE Earle of Kente was after the death of kinge EDWARD surnamed the Sainte because of the good and wholesome lawes which he in this our countrey instituted chosen the last SAXON kinge in Englande Some for their strenght of body as MAXIMINVS Others for their beautie as HELIOGABALVS Others for their greatnesse and tallnesse of stature As they were wonte to doe in AETHIOPIA All which are kindes of kingdomes and they may be good and lawfull according as they are well and lawfully vsed But they are not of that excellencie which is required in our best kingdome For there is yet an other kinde farre more excellent then any of them more commendable more sure lesse subiect to corruptioÌ„ more capable of perfection VVhich is when a Which is the best kinde of Kingdome kingdome descendeth by right of Succession vnto the next of the blood royall In the which point we are coÌ„tent to swarue from him whom hitherto in the waye of Philosophie we haue most followed who was of opinion that kinges were rather to be chosen calling them people Barbarous which did take their kinges by way of Succession preferring therefore the Carthaginians That Succession is to be preferred before Election before the Lacedemonians because these receiued their kinges by Succession those by Election But perhappes ARISTOTLE would haue differed herein from him selfe if he had liued a litle longer for to haue sene how the MONARCHIE of Macedone hauing continued fiue hundreth yeares from the father vnto the sonne in the right Line of HERCVLES was after for want of Royall and Lineall Succession brought vnto vtter confusion Or if he had liued in these dayes of ours to haue seene how kingdomes goe now how they florish how amplie they disteÌ„de them selues he would doubtlesse haue changed his opinion and neuer haue called Barbarous so many goodly countryes and so diuers sondry sortes of nations both of ASIA as the Persians Medians Parthenians Turkes Tartarres Arabians of AFRICA the Aethiopians Barbarians Numidians of EVROPE England Scotland Fraunce Spaine Naples Sicile preferring before all th'afore saide riche and florishing Estates a few colde countryes of Polonia Demnarke and Swethland because these haue their kinges by Election those by Succession But he neuer needed for to haue liued so long for this matter For if he would but haue looked backe with an indifferent eye into his owne countrey of Greece the which he commended to be so ciuill he should haue found that th' Athenians Lacedemonians Sicyonians Corinthians Thebanes Epirotes Macedonians for the space of sixe hundreth yeares neuer had any other gouernement but of kinges and those by the right and lawfull waye of Succession vntill such time as ambition pride and priuate Interest blinded their vnderstanding and made them change their kingdomes into DEMOCRATIES and ARISTOCRATIES missterming the same by the false name of libertie The like may be said of the auncient Toscanes and of the olde Latines who many hundreth yeares before the building of ROME had their kinges and gouernours descending lineally one vnto an other As we reade that AENEAS by the right of his wife succeded vnto LATINVS TIBERIVS of whome the riuer of Teuer or Tyber which runneth by ROME was so named vnto AENEAS and so forth vntill the kingdome came to ROMVLVS by the waye of his mother RHEA daughter to NVMITOR and Nece to AMVLIVS kinges of the Latines VVhereby we maye gather that in those dayes neither Election was vsed nor yet any exception made of kinde or Gender But some man will say O how happy is that couÌ„trey where the estates of the people do make choise of a iust and righteous Prince who feareth God aboue all thinges honoreth vertue oppresseth vice giueth rewarde vnto the good and punishment vnto the wicked that hateth flatterers keepeth his fayth and his promisse banisheth out of his Courte the Inuentours of new exactions reuengeth the iniuries that are done vnto others forgiueth those that are done vnto him selfe These are faire speeches and they seeme to cary with them great good apparences Sed lates anguis in herba they shew not id manticae quod in tergo est But as we are wonte to carie alwayes two sachelles about vs one before to put other mens faultes in and an other behinde wherin to hide our owne So they make no mention of the daungers and discommodities which are incident vnto such kinde of Elections As what What IncoÌ„ueniences do proceede from Elections a monsterous Inconuenience is that when Sede vacante after the Prince is deade and before a new can be chosen the whole state remaineth in a very ANARCHIE without kinge or any kinde of gouernement like a shippe without a Pilote in hazarde to be cast awaye with euery winde Then may you see all lewdnesse and licentiousnesse set at libertie Theeues robbe by the highe way side without punishment Murderers commit their treasons without controllment For the first thing that is done Sede vacante is to breake open the prisons kill the iâylors reuenge iniuries oppresse the poore with all insolent and vniust meanes As we reade that the MAMMELVCS were wont to doe sacking and spoiling the poore people of EGYPTE whilest their SOVLDANE was a choosing And this Impunitie of vice for the most parte lasteth vntill such time as the ELECTORS doe fall to agreement which happeneth not some times in
a yeare or twaine otherwhiles not in tenne The Empire of Germanie laie voide 18. yeares together after the death of th' Emperor VVILLIAM Earle of Holande The Sea of ROME after the death of CLEMENT the fifte remained two yeares and a halfe without any Pope after NICHOLAS the third three yeares after Pope IOHN fiue yeares and sometimes the Sea hath bene vacant tenne yeares together In all the which time a Romane coulde not stirre out of his dores without daunger a stranger could not trauaile on the highe wayes without perill of his life And at this daye there are so many FVORVSCITI vpon the borders as that no man will ryde betwene ROME and NAPLES without the PROCACCIO and 40. or 50. horse in his companie VVheras in euery other parte of ITALIE that I haue bene in and I haue bene in the most parte a man may ryde safly with his purse in the palme of his hande But you will saye that there may be therefore in time of vacation A gouernour apointed to administer Iustice and to punish vice So shall all this tempestuous Sea be quieted all those mischiefes remedied I graunt well but yet with a greater How daungerous a gouernour is Sede vacante mischiefe For if the gouernement be committed vnto one only with absolute power and authoritie to rule and commaunde vntill the Prince be elected let me aske you who shall lette such a one as hath the lawe in his owne handes to make him selfe if he liste of a gouernour a king as GOSTAVVS father vnto IOHN kinge of Swethlande did If he haue Legions of souldiers at his commaundement who shall let him from making him selfe of a Consull for a time a Dictator for euer as IVLIVS CAESAR did Againe if the gouernement be laide during th' Election vpon sundry persones as it is now vsed in POLONIA and as it was wonte to be some times in ROME The daunger is no lesse lest the mightiest of them that haue such power laie not handes vpon the Fortresses and strongest holdes of the Countrey As POMPEIO COLONNA and ANTONIO SAVELLA did who in the like case seazed vpon the CAMPIDOLLE crying vnto the people of ROME Libertie Libertie So we see that the woundes are well nighe incurable which such countries receiue at the death of their Princes The paines are no lesse and the daungers as great or greater which they sustaine in choosing of their new kinges As what a worlde of trouble was that Troubles and daungers incidente vnto Elections of late yeares in the kingdome of POLONIA about th' Election when the Pollackes were faine to sende into Fraunce so many miles thorough so many countryes for the Duke of Anioue now HENRY the third of Fraunce to be their king and what successe all their paines and trauailes had who knoweth it not Did not the Duke so soone as his brother CHARLES dyed that a greater kingdome fell vnto him leaue them and retourne into his owne countrey as right and reason would that a man should be more carefull of his owne Nation then of strangers And the like did LODOVIKE kinge of Hungarie before him who being chosen and crowned kinge of Polonia retourned straight after into his owne countrey leauing a Lieftenante behinde him to gouerne the Polonians withall A thing odious vnto men of valour and greuous vnto all free people when they can not see the face and countenance of their Soueraine Prince but must be controlled with the pride and ouerlayed with the couetuousnesse of inferiour Magistrates The which burden how vnwillingly it is borne MILAN NAPLES SIENA SICILE and FLANDERS to their cost and paine haue knowen But let vs imagine that a Prince hauing two kingdomes one by succession an other by Election and being lothe to leaue either of them will make what shifte he can to be personally residente vpon them both the which he can hardly doe excepte they be very neere adioyning one to the other who doubteth then but that he will make if he can one kingdome of them both or of both kingdomes one MONARCHIE AS CHARLES the fifth would haue done with the countryes of Germanie hauing brought his sonne PHILIPPE purposely into those partes for to haue made him king of the Germanes if the french kinge HENRY the first had not by aiding of them distourned him from that his pretended and commenced course But though th'Emperour was of that his purpose so disapointed and could not be suffred to vnite the countryes of Germany vnto his other kingdomes yet it is well knowen that he lost not all the benefitte of his Election nor all his labour and time in vaine which he bestowed in those partes But so long as he liued and sate in the seat of th' Empire their are many that can yet remember how he made his Haruest of them and rept what commodities he could of the said countryes drawing forth of them from time to time both men money and Munition to serue his other priuate purposes withall As in his Italian warres against the French king FRANCES the first he had at one time vnder the conducte of CHARLES of BORBONE his Lieftenant 18. thousand at the lest of the Dutch Nation By meanes of whome and of a few Spagniardes more he droue the French men out of all their possessions in Lombardie he impatroned him selfe of the Dukedome of MILANE he impropriated to his one vses the Cities of PARMA and PIACENZA he altered for his owne aduantage the states of FLORENCE SIENA and of GENOVA he sacked ROME and in briefe by meanes of the Germaines he subdued and brought all Italie vnder his yoke In like maner when he went to ALGIERS An enterprise which could no kinde of waye benefit the Germaine Nation no nor yet any whit the Estate of Christendome but tending altogether vnto the benefit and aduancement of his owne countryes of Spaine he vsed not onely the bodies but the goods and substance also of the Germaines causing them by waye of a Counsell or Diette which he called purposely to the same end to contribute vnto the Glorious in the setting forth therof though not in the fequelle successe of the same charges of that his glorious voiage He was therefore a Prince if you regarde the greatnesse of his minde the hautinesse of his Enterprises the number of his victories the hugenesse of his possessions his valour his wisedome and his temperance he was I say a Prince most worthie of that fame and great name which he caried in the mouth and th'opiniō of the world But if you looke into his doinges and whereto they tended you shall finde and I haue heard an honorable personage that knew him well and most of his proceedinges affirme the same that he was the lest beneficiall Emperour vnto the common weale of Christendome and the most hard and heauy Prince vnto the states of Germanie of a great many others that went before him and of any that as yet are come after
the ballances the kinge of BOEMIA And yet for all that the Electours were neuer so few the factions and ciuill discordes Difficulties and dissentions in the choosing of Princes that ensued were neuer a whit the lesse LEWIS of BAVIER and ALBERTE of AVSTRIKE were both chosen Emperours at one time whervpon they continued 18. yeares in warres one against the other In like maner the Colledge of the Cardinalles haue bene as is before saide sometimes two sometimes three yeares together in choosing of one Pope And at an other time they haue chosen three at a clappe and often times two together VVherfore they are now faine to shutte them selues into the CONCLAVE of Saint Peters Pallaice there to remaine vntill the two thirdes of them do fall to agreement As it is also more straightly obserued at MALTA now called VALETTA in the choosing of the great Maister of the order of Saint IOHN For there the 24. Electours appointed by the KNIGHTES of the great Crosse are walled into a strong place where within a certaine time limited vnto them they must without all delaye choose one that is not of their number So we see that the difficulties A number of Popes Emperour murdered about their Election and dissentions which proceede from such Elections are infinite The Murders also and massacres that do insue of them are no lesse frequent both amongest th'Ecclesiasticall Prelates and temporall Princes Of Popes there haue bene at the least 22. beheaded about their Election as the Registers of the VATTICANE doe certifie besides a number of Cardinalles and of common people that for the like cause haue gon the same waye with them VVe reade that in the Primatiue Church there were 600. Romanes slaine at one time about the choosing of DAMASVS and VRSINVS Of temporall Princes there haue bene within these 360. yeares since th' Empire fell into the subiection of the Lordes Electours eight or nine EMPEROVRS slaine and poisoned Of 15. SOVLDANES that haue bene chosen kinges of EGYPTE seuen of them dyed with the sworde Of Romane Emperours after the death of AVGVSTVS there were seuen all in a rowe murdered and three of them in one yeare It would greeue me to rehearse and weary you to heare all the piteous examples which might be recited in this behalfe wherof both English Latine and Italian histories are euery where full These few may suffice to shew what slaughters Murders Massacres haue bene cōmitted about The benefit of Succession the choosing of Princes Neither could there any order be found either for the sauftie of a kinge or for the quietnesse of a kingdome vntill such time as a lawfull sonne or sonne made by Adoption succeded vnto his father without Kingdomes assured by meanes of Succession any further Election As TIBERIVS TITVS TRAIAN ADRIAN ANTONINVS PIVS MARCVS AVRELIVS who all succeded prosperously one vnto th' other in the Romane Empire The Germaines also for all their great Titles of Election are faine at the last to flye vnto this refuge and to fetche their sauftie and quietnesse from Succession Suffering the house of AVSTRIKE these hundreth and three skore yeares solely and successiuely to possesse th' Empire As after SIGISMONDE FREDERIKE then MAXIMILIAN then CHARLES the fifth then FERDINANDE then MAXIMILIAN the seconde and so vnto RADVLPHE who now raigneth In POLONIA likewise BOHEMIA HONGARIE DENMARKE where the states stand so much vpon their Priuileges they are glad and faine of later yeares for the auoiding of ciuill warres and other of the aforesaid inconueniences to acknowledge the benefit of this Succession choosing for the most part him that is next of the blood Royall and next of kinne vnto the predecessed kinge So precious a thing it is as they that hate it are constrayned to seeke it And they that haue it are glad to holde it SPAINE NAPLES CICILLE NAVARRA SCOTLAND and FRAVNCE also whose Lawe SALIKE for ought that I can see is nothing else but a limited or nice kinde of Succession haue not for these many yeares knowen any other kinde of gouernement But of all nations there is none that more amplie How Succession is tendered in England hath enioyed it and which doth more willingly reteine it then our owne Seeing therefore that Lineall Succession is so sure a foundation as all good kingdomes both do and may boldly builde theron And contrarily ELECTION so weake a sande or rather so daungerous a Sea as it is able to sinke the tallest shippe of Citie or Countrey that saileth therin it is good reason that in this our discourse of ROYALL MONARCHIE as we desire to frame the same the best and the most perfecte common weale we embrace the one as a sure grounde and shunne the other as a most daungerous sande preferring Succession before Election and consequētly before all the other forenamed kindes of kingdomes the which all are either kindes of Election or else they are of lesse importance and such as are not to be estemed for their owne worthynesse but for some Necessitie sake As where Succession faileth that there is none lefte of the bloode Royall mall nor femall to inheritte the Crowne then men are faine to goe to drawing of Lottes to Neyinge of horses to choosing the Noblest the wisest the Eldest the Mightiest the Richest But the best and most Royall Prince is not to receiue his Scepter by any such happe or hazarde of fortune as DARIVS did his Nor to come to his kingdome by the vncertaintie of voices as all chosen Princes doe Nor yet by Gifte by Custome by Pollicie or by Conquest as it hath bene saide that kinge IVBA Duke COSIMVS and many other Princes did come to theirs But he is to come vnto his Crowne and kingdome first and principally by the grace of GOD and secondarily by the waye of lawfull and Lineall SVCCESSION It followeth that we speake of the maner of estate of this most ROYALL MONARCHIE and best kinde of kingdome Come sta how and in what case it standeth as touching the Power and authoritie appertaining thervnto For it is not sufficient that so ROYALL a Prince be descended Lineally and lawfully into his kingdome But he must also possesse and exercise such ROYALL and princely Power therin as is most fitte for his worthynesse and for his subiectes happynesse Neither in so extreame maner as to make A god of him selfe as ALEXANDER the great would haue done and slaues of his vassalles as the Great TVRKE at this daye doth Neither yet in so slender sorte as to haue the sworde caried after him as the Duke of VENICE hath and to be but a litle better then a sipher or shadowe of a Prince What power appertaineth vnto a Royall Prince He is for to haue therefore by the grace and Permission of Almightie God that Power which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines MAIESTATEM Th' Italians SIGNORIA The Frenchmen SOVVERAINETE That is Power full and perpetuall ouer all
his subiectes in generall and ouer euery one in particular Not to rule for a yeare onely as the Consulles of ROME did Nor for two yeares as the Dukes of GENOVA doe Nor for three as the VICEROYES of NAPLES or for nine or ten yeares as the great Archon of ATHENES did Not to be DICTATOVR for a daye onely as MAMERCVS A Royall Prince is to rule without limitatiō of time was Nor for eight dayes as SERVILIVS PRISCVS or for fifteen as CINCINNATVS No nor yet for fifteen yeares as SILLA had gotten it graunted vnto him by a Lawe to be Dictatour foureskore yeares although he raigned but foure and then after the terme of yeares expired to render vp his gouernement vnto an other perhappes vnto a stranger perhappes vnto his enemie But his Power shall last by Gods grace perpetually first during his owne life in him selfe and then after his death in his sonnes and successors Neither is he countable of such his gouernement A Royall Prince is not Countable vnto Any sauing to God and his Conscience else not vnto any other in such forte As LEGATES LIEFTENANTES PRESIDENTES REGENTS are who though they haue authoritie sometimes during their liues yet are they to render accoumpte vnto those which gaue them the same The DOGES of VENICE if they gouerne not well are deposed by the SIGNORIE of the gentlemen as TEODATVS and GALLA of MALOMOCCO were banished and had their eyes putte out because they ruled to Lordly the Gouerners of BOLOGNA LA GRASSA when they goe out of their office are bounde to render accoumpte vnto two SYNDICI The Dictators of ROME were forced by the TRYBVNES to render reason vnto the People The Regentes of SCOTLANDE the Lordes Protectors of ENGLAND although they rule neuer so highly during the minoritie of their Princes Yet we see that after they are out of their Offices they are constrained to aunswere vnto many oppositions There was neuer greater and more absolute Power graunted vnto any subiecte then was by CHARLES the ninth vnto his brother HENRY Duke of ANIOVE when he made him his Lieftenant Generall and perpetuall ouer all his dominions And yet was there in th' ende of his letters patentes this Clause apposed Tant qu'il nous plaira to signifie that the Dukes authoritie was both countable and reuocable at the will and pleasure of the kinge the giuer Our Prince A Royall Prince is not to depende vpon any therefore is not to receiue his power from any excepte from God the giuer of all Power For if he receiue it from any other higher Prince then is he not the Principall and supreame Magistrate but there is an other higher and greater then he For as honour dependeth more of the giuer then of the receiuer So likewise that Power is greatest from whence the others are deriued But our Prince who is the Image of God on Earth and as it were Vn minor essempio of his almightie Power is not to acknowledge any greater then him selfe nor any authoritie greater then his owne VVherefore as he is A Royall Prince is not subiecte vnto any of his owne Countrey not to receiue his Power from any so is he neither to be subiect vnto any higher Power either at home or abroade Though some doe mainteine that a Prince ought to be subiect vnto the states and Peares of his Realme as the kinges of LACEDEMON were to the EPHORI An Opinion if it be not well tempered and conueniently limited most preiudiciall vnto th' estate of a MONARCHIE peruerting and conuerting the same into a meere ARISTOCRATIE Much lesse is he subiecte in any thing vnto the Multitude of the common people who as they haue more authoritie are for the most parte more insolente and more disposed vnto rebellion VVherefore in all wel ordained kingdomes these haue no other then a voice SVPPLICATIVE those a voice DELIBERATIVE and the Prince onely a voice DEFINITIVE But some will aske if this great MONARCHE of ours shall not be subiecte vnto the Lawes Customes and Priuileges of the Countrey where he gouerneth vnto the othe which he taketh at his entrance vnto such couenantes and promises as he maketh vnto his people Vnto whome we aunswere that our Prince is subiect vnto lawes both ciuill and common How a Prince is subiect vnto the Lawes to customes priuileges couenantes and all kinde of promises So farre forth as they are agreable vnto the lawe of God Otherwise we thinke that he is not bounde to obserue them VVherein we neither diminishe the libertie of the subiecte supposing all lawes to be good or ought to be good Neither doe we inlarge to much the Power of the Prince as to make him lawlesse subiect neither to God his lawe nor mans lawe As some flaterers persuade the POPES and EMPEROVRS that they are aboue all lawes and may vse the bodyes and liues of their subiectes at their luste and pleasure taking from them their landes goodes and liberties without right or reason a thing expressely contrarie vnto the worde of God Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house c. and a doctrine most pernicious vnto Princes who puffed vp with such opinions should take their course vnto a Tyrannicall kinde of puissance making their couetousnesse confiscation their loue Adulterie their hatred Murder and as the lightening goeth before the thunder so they depraued with such corrupted Councellers should make the accusation to goe before the faulte and the condemnation before the tryall From the which kindes of libertie or rather licentiousnesse our ROYALL Prince shal be as farre of as he is free from all kinde of subiection both domesticall and forreine For it is not An absolut Prince is not subiecte vnto any stranger enough for so worthy a kinge to be obeyed of his owne people at home but he must be also well estemed of strangers abroade not onely beloued of his freindes but honoured of his neighbours and feared of his enemies VVherfore as we haue saide already that he is not subiect or inferiour vnto any of his owne Nation So is he neither to acknowledge any greater then him selfe abroade Kinge EVMENES though he was but a poore Prince and had but one onely Castell of PERGAMON vnder his power yet when he came to capitulating with ANTIGONVS the greate kinge of ASIA he would not yeelde one iote vnto him in prerogatiue of honour saying that so long as he had his sworde by his side he knew no man greater then him selfe and yet by his leaue he fetched his fier from the Romanes who mainteined him in all his quarrelles both against ANTIGONVS and against PHILLIPPE kinge A Royall Prince needeth no Protection of MACEDONES But our ROYALL Prince is not to shrewd him selfe vnder the shadow of an other as EVMENES did vnder the Romanes Nor to shield him selfe vnder any buckelar of Protection as FERRARA doth vnder FRANCE BOLOGNA vnder the POPE FLORENCE and LVCCA vnder the kinge of A
Royall Prince is not tributarie vnto any SPAIGNE Neither shall he paye tribute vnto any forreine Prince as the Common weale of CARTHAGE after it was subdued by SCIPIO AFRICANVS did vnto the people of ROME Neither yet any annuall pension is he to paye as some great Princes of Christendome haue done vnto the greate Turke The Common weales of VENICE GENOVA RAGVSA for the countreyes they haue confining vpon him doe yet the like And as not long since LEWIS th'leuenth of FRANCE payed 50. thousand crownes a yeare vnto kinge HENRY the eight of noble memorie for to haue peace with him and with our Nation Much lesse shall he be Liege Vassall vnto any as the kinges of SCOTLAND were wonte to be vnto the kinges of ENGLANDE The Dukes of BRITANNIE vnto the kinges of FRANCE Neither shall he The most Royall Prince holdeth not in Fee or in Fealtie of any holde in Fee or Fealtie of any as most of the Cities in ITALIE doe of th' Empire and the kingdomes of NAPLES and SICILLE doe of the Pope The Knightes of MALTA of the kinge of SPAINE these giuing yearly a Faulcon those a white amblinge Geldinge some one thing some an other VVhich all are certaine kindes of subiections and spyces of Seruitude carying with them a number of rightes duties honours and reuerences vnworthie of the dignitie of a ROYALL Prince VVho must be as the Gramarians saye a Noune Substantiue able to stande of him selfe without the helpe or aide of an other without paying Tributes doing Homages swearing Fealties and Inconueniences proceding from Subiectiōs Loyalties vnto any forreine Prince COSMVS Duke of FLORENCE of late remembrance might not be made kinge of TOSKANE although Pope PIVS the fourth had a good will to make him Because he helde his Cities and Tounes of the Empire VVherefore the Emperour hearing of his sute saide Italia non habet Regem nisi Casarem The French kinge FRANCES the first of that name for to let CHARLES the fifth as then Archeduke of AVSTRIA from being chosen Emperour shewed vnto the Electours how that the Imperiall Maiestie should be to much imbased if they made of his vassall their chiefe and Souueraigne VVhich made the saide CHARLES hauing after taken FRANCES prisoner at the famous battaile fought in the Parke of PAVIA that he would neuer condescende vnto his deliuerance vntill he was first exempted by FRANCES from all kinde of Seruices and Subiections which he owed vnto the Crowne of FRANCE for the Countreyes he helde of ARTOYS and FLANDERS It seemeth so base a thing vnto the Maiestie of a ROYALL Prince to become the Liege man of an other to sweare Fayth and Loyaltie vnto an other ioyning his handes within the handes of an other to fall downe on Seruices annexed vnto the foresaide Subiectiōs his knees as TIRIDATES kinge of ARMENIA did before NERO to kisse the Thresholde of the dore as PRVSIAS kinge of BITHINIA did when he entered into the Senate house of ROME to call him selfe the Seruant of an other as ASDRVBALL called him selfe the FACTOR and PROCVRATOR of the people of ROME These I saye and such like Indignities proceeding from Protections Tributes Fealties Loyalties and the other kindes of the forenamed Subiections are so much abhorring vnto the Soueraignitie of a ROYALL and absolute Prince as he will choose rather to parte from whole Countreyes then to incurre and indure such indignities VVherefore quarells were made against the kinges of England her MAIESTIES most ROYALL predecessours touching the Dukedomes of GVYENNE and NORMANDIE The Earldome of POITOV and MVTTRELL and many other goodly Possessions which they helde in FRANCE because they vouchesaued not to be bounde to doe Honours and Homages for the same But no meruaile though great kinges can not abide Subiections whē the Prince of ORANGE this mans father refused of the French kinge LEWIS th' eleuenth tenne times so much as his Principallitie was worth because he would not be subiecte to Seruices and Vassallties CALISTENES also the Nephew of ARISTOTLE being but a priuate man chose rather to dye then he would according to the maner of the Persians fall downe prostrate and adore ALEXANDER as a God aboue the estate of man And I haue harde how an Imbassadour for the VENETIANS at CONSTANTINOPLE when he was to haue audience of the Great TVRKE vnto whome he coulde not haue accesse but thorough a litle lowe place made of purpose because men should come stoping and kneeling vnto him The VENETIAN Imbassadour supposing in him selfe the reuerend Hienesse of that estate creeped thorough the hole with his backe forewardes A thing which the GRAN SIGNOR can in no maner of waye abide to see a mans taile towardes him But for to retourne vnto our most ROYALL Prince we will conclude that he is not to doe Homage or Honour vnto any not to paye Tribute or Pension vnto any not to be subiect either at home or abroade vnto any not to holde in Fealtie or in Loyaltie by Protection or by Commission nor for a shorte time or season But to rule really fully and perpetually Conclusion of the Treatice according as we haue in a generall maner hitherto discoursed I coulde wishe to speake more particularly of the ROYALTIES and prerogatiues belonging vnto the Maiestie of a Soueraine Prince as of his power and authoritie in allowing and disallowing of maters propounded to be Lawes in proclaming of warres and concluding of Peace in choosing and refusing of Magistrates in coyning and rating of money in erecting of Fortresses in graunting Pardons Licences Liberties and Priuileges c. But because they are matters of more waight and therefore doe require good aduisement and better authority I thinke good to suspende them vntill a more conuenient time or else to commende them vnto those that are of more approued Iudgement and better warranted to deale with them In the meane while I hope that these fewe lines of ours concerning the maner and forme of the best Common weale shall not seeme altogether impertinent to shew the Excellencie and Dignitie the Power and Maiestie of ROYALL MONARCHIE VVhereby all good subiectes seeing the greatnesse which God hath indued Princes withall to be as it were his LIEFTENANTES to gouerne vs here vppon Earth may respecte and reuerence them with all humilitie Serue and obaye them with all Loyaltie heare and speake of them with all honour PROVERBI VVLGARI RACCOLTI IN DIVERSI LVOGHI D'ITALIA ET LA maggior parte dalle proprie bocche de gl'Italiani stessi PER Carlo Merbury Gentil'huomo Inglilese ILQVALE NE FA PRESENTE DI COSÌ FATTA SVA INDVSTRIA à gl'amici patroni suoi honorati della lingua Italiana studiosi A I NOBILI ET ILLVSTRI SIGNORI DI CORTE ET ALtri gentil'huomini honorati della lingua Italiana intendenti IO non sò Signori Illustri che luogo habbia trouato ne ' vostri cortesi concetti quel mio precedente discorso se riguardando all'altezza
him For it appeareth that he directed all his actions vnto the stablishing and stengthning of those Estates onely which he knew should necessarily descend vnto his lawfull and lyneall heyres after him litle or nothing regarding the succession of them which were to be elected at the will and pleasure of others VVherefore as he fetched both men and money out of Germanie for to serue his other tournes withall abroade so tooke he from thence also A thing which I my selfe haue hard much lamented by the Germaines the best parte of all their Munition As out of VVITTEMBOVRGE a citie of the Duke of SAXON he tooke two hundreth and twentie peeces of great Ordinance a hundreth out of GOTTA from the LANGRAVE also he had 200. peeces and out of STRAVSBOVRGH he tooke all the best that they had Sending thereof 50. peeces vnto NAPLES other 50. to MILANE and 400. into FLANDRES he did the like also with many other their Dutche Commodities transporting them either into SPAINE or into his countries of AVSTRICH for to inlarge and make riche his owne house and posteritie withall And this is a thing common vnto all elected Princes that haue Estate but for terme of Life carelesly to cōsume the Treasores of the countrey dissipating the publicke demaines and conuerting them into priuate menshandes either of their owne fauorites or of their kinsefolkes How countryes are impouerished by Princes elected As of the Cities and Prouinces belonging vnto the Sea of ROME the Popes haue made awaye almost the one halfe for the aduauncement of their owne priuate houses Pope SIXTVS the fourth of that Name after the death of GVIDIBALDO DE MONTEFELTRO Duke of VRBYNE procured the dukedome vnto his kinseman de ROVERE The which dukedome not long after Pope LEO the tenth translated from FRANCESCO MARIA DE ROVERE vnto his Nephew LORENZO DE' MEDICI Pope ALEXANDER the sixte gaue REGIO and MODENA two good Townes in Italie in dowrie with his daughter vnto ALFONSO Duke of FERRARA CLEMENT the seuenth aduanced his Nephew ALEXANDRO vnto the Dukedome of Florence And PAVLVS tertius the Romane exalted his house of FARNESE vnto the Dukedome of PARMA and PIACENZA All which Estates were either conueyed out of the Ecclesiasticall Monarchie or by the meanes and charge therof procured As GVICCIARDINE in his storie of the warres of ITALIE reporteth that the forenamed LEO the tenth what with warring against the duke of VRBYNE and with mainteining the costlinesse of his sister MAGDALENA and his owne pride and prodigalitie he left the Church worse by 40. thousand Dueates a yeare then he found it besides the iewells and ornamentes of the pontificall treasor which he engaged In the like maner all Temporall Princes I meane such as are elected when they see that they can not leaue their estates vnto their Children they seeke by sale or by gifte to make the best commoditie of them during their owne liues As RODVLPHVS th'Emperour for a summe of money exempted all the Cities of TOSCANE out of the subiection of th' Empire And ROBERT OF BAVIER gaue three Imperiall cities at one time vnto his sonne FREDERIKE he gaue also the Liberties vnto NVRENBOVRGE As OTHO the third did vnto ISNE LODOWIKE of BAVIER did the like vnto the citie of EGRE HENRY the first soulde what he coulde whereby th' Empire was brought so low as that CHARLES duke of Burgony was able to make warre against the whole bodie of the same If then an Italian will not sticke to weaken the Popedome the pride and strength of his Nation nor a Germaine to deminish the power of th' Empire a Dignitie which the Germanes pretende to be dewe and proper vnto them onely Much lesse may we thinke that a Hungarian will obserue any more respecte in Polonia being chosen vnto that kingdome or a Spagniarde vse any more courtesy in Italy being elected vnto the Popedome But rather it is to be thought that they seeing them selues called by this vnorderly way of Election vnto new gouernementes will seeke for the better stablishing of the same to alter in what they can the state and course of the countryes whervnto they are so called tourning their lawes into theirs their customes into theirs their Religion into their owne Religion For commonly we see that all men are of that nature to thinke alwayes their owne religion best their owne customes commēdablest their owne lawes soundest desiring to bring and induce al others vnto the same lawes customes religiō that they them selues are of The Turke would haue all his people to acknowledge MAHOMET The kinge of Spaine all his subiectes to holde with the POPE The Greekes thought all other nations barbarous in respecte of them selues The Italians likewise in these dayes are not ashamed to call all Oltramontani vs that are on this side the Alpes barbari as though none knew what Ciuilitie mente but they The Venetians will say when they heare a man speake in a language which they vnderstand not Mo parlate Christiano as though no language were good or christianlike but theirs So VVILLIAM the Conquerour sought to surpresse and extinguish our English speeche commaunding all our lawes to be writtē in his owne language as it appeareth also by the termes of our pastimes of hawking hunting karding dycing Tennis and such like which for the most parte doe yet remaine in the NORMANE tongue VVherfore it is euident that all elected Princes which come out of forreine Countryes in the maner as we here meane to the ende to rule and raigne onely and not for loue alliance or freindship sake will in what lyeth in them both for their greater glorie for the better strength of their Estates seeke to change the Religion lawes customes and language of the places whervnto they are so elected But you will say that your meaning is not to fetch your Prince so farre of but to haue him neerer home euen of the same countrey wherof he is to reigne because you will be sure that he shall neither change customes not bring in any language You say well but let me aske then who shall haue the choosing of him there at home in his owne countrey If the common people choose him you may looke for nothing else but factions seditions Tot capita tot sententiae so many men so many kinges If he be chosen by the Souldiers as the Emperours were otherwhiles of ROME then shall he not be allowed of by the Senatours if elected by the Senatours then can he not be receiued of the Souldiers VVhich inconueniences being of later yeares better wayed of by the wiser It was thought expedient that the Election of th' Empire should be reduced vnto a certaine number of seuen Princes who because the Pope as then GREGORIE the fifth was a SAXON borne were all appointed of the Germaine nation Namely the duke of SAXON the Counte PALLATINE the Marchese of BRANDINBOVRGE the three Bishoppes of MAGANZA COLLENE and TREVERIE and the seuenth to waye downe