and so not having their Judgment clear they are deceived and brought to inconveniences Which Guiceiardin did observe in Peter de Medices seeking Council and Advice from the Venetians who endeavoured therein to serve their own ends Also the Council of Ludovick Sforce may be observed whereby he moved the French King to undertake that Neopolitane expedition against the Arragons Great Judgment therefore is needful not only in choosing Councellors whether they are so qualified as we have spoken of formerly whether they have born any publick charge and whether they have shown Diligence and Fidelity in the administration thereof whether they are the heads of any faction left under pretence of Justice they revenge private Quarrels with publick Arms but also in following Councils It 's the greatest prudence in humane life says Aristotle to make good use of advice The words of Mutianus to Vespasian are to be observed †Tacitus lib. 2. Whosoever enters into deliberations of great and weighty Affairs ought to examine whether what is begun be profitable to the Common-wealth honourable or feisible He also who Councels must be considered whether he adds his own danger to his advice or to whom the chief praise redounds Let him therefore who is to consult consider diligently whether what is consulted concerns the Councellor directly for all Councels in a mans own cause are to be suspected or whether it be honest or lawful for if it deviate from honesty it is bad whether it doth principally regard the publick good or private profit let him hear patiently what is spoken by contrary parties and disagreeing opinions and observe with what Reasons and Arguments they are confirmed If the business seem difficult let him deliberate better or defer it to another time There is no greater Enemy to Consultations says Livius than too much hast Too late and unprofitable repentance doth follow such Councels Therefore the Author of the Utopian Common-wealth says That nothing is disputed there †Sir Tho. More lib. 2. de Magistra the same day it 's propounded in the Council but defer'd till the next Council-day lest any should babble out what comes first in his Mouth but that he may 〈◊〉 leisure excogitate with what Arguments he may defend his Opinion lest through a perverse and preposterous shame he should rather destroy the publick safety than the fame of his own abilities by his precipitated rather than considerate Opinion This precept or advice seems to be taken from the Emperour Severus who after the business propos'd did give time to his Councellors to deliberate with themselves touching all Particulars and Circumstances lest they should have been forc'd to speak of great Affairs without mature deliberation which has also been the destruction of many who despising slow yet secure Councels did embrace contrary ones †Tac. lib. 2. annal Laurentius Medices Duke of Florence did vary when he consulted his Friends whose Fidelity or Constancy he suspected Whom he resolv'd to admit into his consultation he did consult them not together but severally so when he found many opinions to agree in one he thought that the best It is requisite also for a Prince to know every thing done relating to the State in his Dominions left he be deceived by bad Councellors But he must take heed in the mean while that he give not too much credit to malicious detracters and tale-bearers For mere lyes and calumnies are often buz'd in the Princes ears thereby from whence do proceed the danger yea destruction of the innocent It 's observ'd by wise-men that such persons are never faithful Says Tacitus †lib. 4. an they are a sort of People found out for Publick Destruction A Prince should suffer his Councellors to give their opinion freely so as in the mean while they be joyn'd amongst themselves by mutual concord Factions amongst States-men are ever fatal The pertinacy of private hatred says Tacitus †lib. 1. hest doth often draw on Publick Destruction And in another place †lib. 5 annal The hatred of the Consuls tends to the Destruction of the Common-wealth Those great Men have many followers to whom they easily joyn themselves by whose help they exercise their hatred to the undoing of many and sometimes of their Prince and Country to boot I add also that Princes should choose Councellors not through recommendations and friendship but such as he knows well-qualified and able for such employment And finally a Prince ought not to discard or turn off without great cause the good and faithful Councellors of his predecessors from whom he might learn much very profitable to good government Louis the eleventh King of France advised his Sonne Charles not to innovate any thing in the Government of the Kingdom and to retain his Ancient Favorites and Servants For he had found by experience that his banishing from the Court Men of approved vertue was the only cause that he had fall'n into so many and so great dangers and of the War and manifold Conspiracies which did soon after break forth CHAP. V. Of Affairs deliberated in Councils VVE have already spoken of the Persons in a Council it follows that we speak something of Affairs and Debates deliberated therein Such only are to be agitated in this great Consistory which belong to the greatest Affairs of the Common-wealth and to the State it self As those of Religion and of the Laws and Magistrates Peace and War of Publick Fidelity of keeping the Publick Peace of entring into Leagues and defending the same of the Controversies of the Grandees of the Negligence of Magistrates and Officers of State of the Secrets of Embassies and the like †Bod. lib. 3. c. 1. For the Council of Princes ought to be busied with grand Affairs and not with trivial Matters or the small Controversies of private Persons Whoso assembles a Council of great and learned men for matters of small moment may be compared to Apion who having call'd Homer from the dead did only inquire who were his Parents But if you desire to know where other business should be handled such as belong to the Revenues and Treasury of the Prince to the punishment of delinquents and the like I answer there ought to be more Councils appointed dissering in Offices Business and Ministers The Spaniard has seven separated by so many Courts within the Kings Palace that he may easily go to any as Affairs call him The first is that of the Exchequer which has the care of the publick Treasure and of the Revenues of the Empire of the Tributes and Customes of the Subjects of what is imported and exported of the Lands of the Crown of the spoils of Enemies of Merchandise c. The second is the Court Military which is employ'd about the fortification of Towns the Custodie of bordering places the provision for Camps and Armies and the like The third is for the Provision of Victual and has a care that so much abound
THE WAY TO HONOUR In three PARTS First Part of Councils and Councellors Second Part Of the well-qualified Courtier Third Part Of Martial Prowess and Learning Illustrated and adorn'd by many famous Examples as well Ancient as Modern By B. B. Gent. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1678. To the Illustrious and Magnanimous Prince Christopher Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington Baron Monk of Potheridge Beaucamp and Teys Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter one of the Gentlemen of His Majesty's Bed-Chamber one of the Lords of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy-Council and Lord Lieutenant of the County of Devonshire and Essex May it please your Grace IF I should present you with what is contain'd in this Concise Treatise of The Way to Honour as binding Rules to your Grace I should be like to that ridiculous Philosopher who not knowing any thing of War more than some few Martial Axiomes presum'd to read Military Lectures to Hannibal one of the greatest Captains ever Nature produc'd Your Noble Soul being endued with such principles of true Honour that it comprehends all Laws in it self that direct and manage you I only assume the boldness my Lord to throw these my Labours at your Grace's Feet humbly begging that they may be shrouded under the Wings of your Grace's most noble Patronage and I hope your truly Heroick Generosity is such that it will not disdain the meaner and obscurer as well as more Glorious and Resplendent Objects For I am confident I could not chuse a more Glorious Patron of The Way to Honour than your Grace the very Mirrour of true Honour and Epitome of Worth But if my Presumption in this present Dedication be great yet I hope your Grace's greater goodness may be pleas'd to pardon the same And though I am not ignorant that your Grace may be averse from all addresses of this Nature yet could not such an apprehension beat me from my design being forc'd to the attempt by the ardent desire I had to show my humble and profound respects to your Grace's grand as well Hereditary as Personal Merits which are of such a transcendent Quality as that all your Noble and brave Inclinations and Deportments show you to be the Generous Son of that incomparable Hero that miracle of Men that Wonder of future Ages the happy restorer of lawful Monarchy and Loyalty But here I must acknowledge my own insufficiency to give due Praises to such eminent Virtue which has rais'd it self upon the most solid Foundation of true Honour that ever by-past Times could produce Forreign Nations boast of or Ancient or Modern Story mention and leave it to a more able Pen to do your Grace if possible and the World that right but as it is beyond all former example so I think it is above all real Character wishing to see your Grace's Ensigns flourish where the Roman Eagles never flew Generous Prince the Subject of this ensuing Discourse dis-agrees so much with my present condition that it may with some shew of Justice give occasion to Criticks to upbraid me with Presumption but when they know that neither my Condition or hopes have formerly been so despicable or desperate but that I might with some reason have aspired to something else then what I am and consider that Fortune takes delight to display upon the Theater of preferment the most remarkable tricks of her malice they will be no more censorious but commend the endeavour though weak as aiming at the publick good As that Glorious Lamp of the World distributes Light Heat Life and motion to inferiour bodies without the least diminution of its Splendor or inherent virtues so may this our Rising-Sun send down benevolent influences on our rising hopes before he reach the Meridian of his Glory Then will we cry out with Themistocles we had been undone if we had not been so I for my part will court occasions to merit the least favourable Aspect and always acknowledge my self to be Brave Prince Your Grace's Most humbly devoted Servant B. B. Licensed September 20. 1677. Roger L'Estrange OF COUNCILS AND COUNCELLORS PART I. The PROEME SEEING it is most certain that in Private Affairs the wisest of Men stand in need of the Advice of others how much more can such want the Counsel of prudent Men who reign over multitudes of People * Tac. ◠4. an 〈◊〉 incumbred with almost infinite troubles such I say whose least errours are prejudicial to the whole Kingdome and sometimes to the whole World Therefore as Tyrants hated Faithful Councellors and did confer great Honour and Riches the just rewards of vertue on wicked Men by whose Flagitious Impiety their Empires were often brought to destruction So on the contrary we read that the best Princes were always accompanied with Honest and Faithful Ministers Cajus Caesar had Quintus Pedius Augustus Maecenas and Agrippa Adrian had Celsus Salvius and Neratius Marcus Antoninus Scaevola Mutianus and Volsianus and Severus had Pompinianus You shall hardly find says Vellius that eminent Princes did not make use of vertuous Councellors to govern their Fortunes Great things says Cicero * Cic. in Cat. majere are not done through Strength or Celerity of the Body but through Council and Authority And I says Salust have found by much reading and hearing that all Kingdoms and Common-wealths were prosperous so long as Good Council had Authority amongst them but when Favour Fear and Voluptuousness did corrupt the same then incontinently their riches were diminished their command taken from them and last of all they endured the Yoke of Bondage and Slavery which was understood when Pericles to gain the favour of the Common-people * Plutar. did take away the Authority of the Areopagitae or Athenian Judges and did give the same to the Vulgar For not long after that Common-wealth did begin to fall being shaken with Forreign and Civil War * Dionys Hal. l. 2. And Judicious Men do think that the only cause that made Rome flourish so long was that they did not follow their own but the Counsel of their Senate There is no greater Instrument of a well govern'd Kingdom says Tacitus * Lib. 4. Hist. than a Good Councellor And to speak it in a Word the Mind and Understanding are not more necessary in an humane body than Council is in a Prince It was a saying of one of the Sages of Greece that in the Assembly of wise men Princes themselves grow wise The Prince becomes good says Capitolanus if he make use of good Men for his Councellors And let it be granted that the Prince's Commands were sometimes hard yet they will seem just for this only cause that they were done with the consent of prudent Men neither can a Prince show a greatee evidence of a good Nature according to Cominus than to choose Councellors famous for their Virtue For every one will presently judge that
freedom of good counsel is obstructed when the Prince is angry and does manifest that he hears more willingly what pleaseth than what is profitable The safety of that Prince says the Historian is desperate to whom what is profitable is harsh and who hears nothing with patience but what is smoothing VVhen it was debated in the Roman Senate whether the Corn brought from Sicily should be given gratis or sold for a small price to the Common-people Coriolanus stood up and told That they ought not to have any thing by way of Gift that thereby they should be the more petulant and lascivious that it was better to hold them low with want and penury whereby they would of necessity be more modest and more ready to go about their duty that thereby they should employ themselves * Dionys Halicar l. 7. Liv. l. 2. Plin de Viris illust with manuring their Lands and not with raising and somenting seditions and that idleness and luxury which proceeds from abundance would make the Laws contemned A noble and Aristocratical opinion but not at all popular Therefore the Tribunes who heard the same in the Senate did relate it to the people by whom incontinently a day is appointed to Coriolanus But he did easily free himself of his accusation though the people were very much incensed against him They acknowledged that Coriolanus had done nothing but his duty VVhere is there any liberty of speaking if not in deliberations and giving of counsel King Lysimachus did show great favour to Philippides the Athenian because he did speak freely and sincerely and did lead a good and honest life free from adulation Hieron * Plin. used to say That there was no man troublesome to him who spoke freely Severus did not only shew himself courteous and affable to all men but he desired them also to speak freely what they thought and would argue with them without disdain * Aelius Lamprid in Alex. or bitterness Messala Valerius being enquired by Tiberius †Tacit. lib. 1. annal whether he did give his opinion by his command or not did answer that it was of his own accord and that he would never use an other Opinion than his own in things belonging to the Common-wealth And I would advise a Prince not to trust those who use to praise †Tacit lib. 2. annal what is either good or bad in him But here a Councellor ought to shun two extremes The one lest he confound his freedom of speech with boldness and immodesty which comes to pass when any obstinate in their own opinion under colour of freedom doth reflect on others which ought rather to be called petulancy than ingenious and innocent freedom For that which is innocent has only regard to the publick good says Tacitus The other is lest under pretext of well-doing he fall into plain flattery We shall find an Example of such adulation in Plutarch Hear O Tiberius * De descrip amicorum adulator Caesar for what we do all tacitly reprehend you though no man dare do it publickly you destroy your body with continual cares for the Republick Behold the flattery of some base parasite to a Bloody Tyrant SECT I. Of his Attention and Diligence It is also requisite for a Councellor to give an attentive ear to what-ever is spoken in Council and by what arguments they confirm their Opinion lest he erre in his answers which Lycurgus desiring to show of what moment this was commanded there should be no pictures in Councel-rooms lest the thoughts of Councellors should be diverted but that they might be wholly taken up with what they had in hand Out of Council let him be diligent in meditating reading arguing and considering the end of every thing every circumstance and the various contingencies in humane actions which is a practical knowledge and very profitable in the administration of Affairs * Plut. in moral It is most requisite in our Councellor to use this exact diligence in consultations that he may conjecture by observ'd experiments what is the evil consequence of every bad deliberation and what are the causes of obstructions which may be found out by a diligent foresight And seeing many inconveniences do arise from his ignorance of that Common-wealth wherein he serves and whereof he has the care it is requisite that he know the least thing belonging thereto but especially such as pertain to the commnnd in which he is Let him consider the nature of his own and Neighbouring People Some things are to be regarded in an old and firmly settled Common-wealth which is not so much expos'd to Envy and Sedition and other things are more properly to be regarded in a new ill-grounded one He should also know the nature of the Prince and Court thereby to understand perfectly the dispositions of other Ministers and Councellors what the Command of the Prince is what Provinces Cities Towns and Forts are under his Subjection the Scituation of Places c. What is controverted in the Principality with whom and for what causes wherein the People are most delighted by what they are fustain'd how they are affected toward their Prince what the customes and subsidies of the people are what are imported and exported what his Treasury is whether his Subjects are oppressed with Taxes or other Burthens whether they are rich or poor what number of Souldiers can be raised in particular Provinces what Leagues Affinities and Confederacies his Prince has with other Nations what can be expected thereby And finally let him confer all his study care thoughts and diligence in every thing which neglected might prove detrimental to the Republick Who knew the Nature of the Vulgar says Tacitus * Lib. 2. hist and the Inclinations of the Senate were esteemed knowing and wise Men. It 's the part also of a vigilant and diligent Councellor to catch hold of any suddain occasion Wherefore we see great men have come to that greatness by prudently laying hold of good occasions The Popes of Rome used to implore the aid of the Constantinopolitan Emperors upon any eminent danger from a Forreign Enemy for whose negligence Charles the great was called by Pope Leo the * Paulus Emtlius lib. 2. third and he by knowing prudently to lay hold on the occasion and taking the patronage of the Roman Church upon him did purchase the Empire to himself and his posterity Upon the like accompt the French at the instigation of the Pope of Rome did become Masters of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily Alphonsus King of Arragon being call'd to the Kingdom of Naples by Queen Johanne and he not neglecting so good an occasion did obtain that Kingdom with the great applause of the Neopolitanes and consent of the Pope There could be more examples produc'd but let these suffice to excite the diligence of a Councellor to lay hold on occasions where great prudence is needful But it may be inquir'd in this place