reuenged of him or because they loue the other and desire greatlie to haue him to be their King Certaine Cities in Asia did rebell by reason of y e hatred which they bore against Laodice and his sonne Seleucus and because of the affection with which they loued Bernice and his Sonne This pollicie Fernandus Cortes vsed in the Conquest of the Kingdome of Mexico making warre against King Motesuma with his owne Subiects that could not abide him 5 Many Princes haue atchiued many famous and excellent victories through the estimation credit and reputation of their own persons Alexander the great published that he was Sonne vnto Iupiter though he knew it was not so that those Nations vpon whō he made warre should yeeld and giue ouer their Countries vnto him If the Captaines and Generals of Armies be valiant and renowned they procure and obtayne freends and alliance and easilie atchiue victorie but if they be not famous they can hardly attaine good successe in theyr enterprises they are alwaies crossed with vnfortunate euents Some coūsaile Princes to see whether those Captaines which they choose for their warres be fortunate in those Martial enterprises which they vndertake for it is thought that Fortune as Salust saith preuaileth much in warfare But seeing that the people commonly call that fortune which by chaunce happeneth well or ill for which no reason can be giuen and this is vncertaine and variable no man can perswade himselfe that he shall alwaies haue prosperous lucke and for this cause was Fortune painted vpon a wheele which is euer turning Manie times Captains haue excellent good luck in one thing and verie badde fortune in another as Hanniball tolde Scipio and as Hanniball himselfe had tryed by experience Seeing that the euents of warres are so vncertain and variable wise and valiant Captaines ought to encrease the fame which is bruted abroade of their good lucke and prosperitie in theyr Martiall endeuours that they may encourage their souldiers to fight and they that are not fortunate ought to shewe vnto their Souldiers how inconstant and variable Fortune is and to perswade them that thence-forwarde all matters wyll succéede more happilie for the aduenture of war is vncertaine 6 The first thing that all Princes which make war ought to doo is to iustifie that warre which they take in hand that all men may knowe that they are bounde to fight by the necessitie which compelleth them to defende themselues and although their cause be good and grownded vppon reason and iustice yet they ought to accept any honest and lawfull condition of peace which their enemies doo offer them Againe Princes ought to consider that warres are commonly made either to recouer that which hath béene taken from them or to reuenge some iniurie that hath beene offered vnto them or because they desire to atchiue glorie and renowne or for ambition the first and seconde causes are iust the thirde is vniust and the fourth is tyrannie The Romans were alwaies verie carefull in iustifying the warres which they made with all dilligence possible which may be seene by this that the Embassadour of the Ile of Rhodes when he went about to praise the people of Rome saide in a certaine Oration which he made to the Senate that the Romans did not so much esteeme the conquest as the equitie of their cause and because in my booke of Militarie discipline I haue largely writtē how Princes ought to iustifie their wars I meane not heere to stand vpon it 7 They that consult vpon Martiall affaires ought to enquire when they be ouercome with their enemies whether the faulte was in the Captaines or in the common Souldiers or because it pleased God that though euery man did his duetie yet they shoulde be put to the worse and after the cause is knowne they ought to thinke vpon the remedie and to doe all things that are expedient to atchiue victorie of their enemies And if they vnderstande y t their enemies are stronger and that they must continue their warres it is better for them to defer the field as Fabius Maximus did then to enter battell to the manifest daunger of their whole Armie For with delaying the time they may ouercome and with giuing a rash onsette they shall be put to flight and as we of olde say in Castile Diez aunos de guerra y no vn dia de pelea that is Warres for tenne yeeres assay And battell but one day And because no Captaine howe wise soeuer he be can imagine and forecast all inconueniences which may fall out in war it is conuenient that euery Captain take counsaile with faithfull prudent and wise men and well experienced in warfare which may tell him the trueth without any deceite The Carthagenians did estéeme so much of counsaile in Militarie actions that they hanged those Captaines and Generals which ouer came their enemies without taking aduise The Venetians did not permitte their Generals to pitch a fielde with their enemies vnlesse the Prouisors which were sent to the wars with them did consent vnto it 8 Captaines and Generals shall obtaine the fauour and good will of the people if they minister iustice vnto them and permit not any one to offer them any iniurie or to take awaie their substance vniustly or to dishonor and discredit thē wrongfullie And as for the good will of the Souldiers the Captains may obtaine that by béeing valiant and liberall for these two vertues make a Captaine to be beloued And though it seeme a thing impossible that a Captaine shoulde be fauoured bothe of the people and his Souldiers also because the people wishe to keepe their goods and substaunce and the Souldiers desire to pill and robbe yet notwithstanding this hindereth not for they may well enough deale vprightlie with the people that are their owne freends and alliance and the Souldiours may rob pill slay and spoyle those that dwell in their enemies Countries Furthermore if by chaunce the Captaine be compelled by necessitie to aske some newe tribute to pay the charges of the warre he ought with moeke wordes and good reasons first to shew as Tullie saith the necessitie which at that instant vrgeth him to demaunde it and then he ought to let them vnderstand that it concerneth the whole Common-wealth and whē oportunitie serued he woulde repay that which they doe lende him Generals and Captaines of Armies ought to see that no idle persons and such as are vnapt for warre doo loyter in the Campe that each souldier imploy himselfe in all such things as are thought to be necessarie for the atchiuing of victorie 9 The Counsellers of Princes ought to examine whether it be more profitable for the Common-wealth to stay till the enemie come to make warre vppon them at home or whether it be better to assaile them in their Countrey This beeing disputed vppon in the Senate of Rome Fabius Maximus affirmed that it was better for them to
spilling of the bloode or the tearing and vnlacing of his members they gessed and diuined of that which should happen concerning those things about which they consulted In a certaine part of the kingdome of Persia they vse this When they that dwell in that Countrey goe to aske counsell of the Priestes vpon that which they determine to doo the Priests hold in their hands the booke which is commonly called the booke of Lots or Fortune and according to that which they find written in that booke they answer them that come to consult with them It séemeth that the Booke of Lots or Fortune wherewith they deceiue the ignorant Comminaltie was brought out of Persia wherefore the Inquisitors did with great reason forbid the same Booke of Fortunes to be read that they which are of little vnderstanding might not be deceiued by it 6 Séeing that counsels and the successe of those thinges which are consulted proceede as we haue saide from the holie Ghost it is conuenient that all Counsellers before they beginne to consult should humblie request and beséeche the holie Ghost with great deuotion and humilitie to direct them in their way and leade them in their consultations saying that seruice which is properlie belonging vnto the holie Ghost And if the shortnes of the time permit it not they ought to sing the Himne of the holy Ghost as it is rehearsed in the Church Come holie Ghost c. And unitating King Dauid saie Lord mine eyes looke vp and trust in thee thou shalt deliuer me out of the snares c. King Dauid saith not that he looked to his féete to deliuer them from the snares but that he lifted his eyes vp to the Lorde that he should deliuer him and found himselfe not deceiued as he afterwarde mentioneth O Lord my soule hath escaped as the byrd out of the snares of the Hunters and the snares were broken in péeces Plato dooth counsel vs that we should continuallie beséech God that it wold please him to direct that which we shall doo vnto his holie seruice For it is he that by the means of the Angels sheweth vnto vs what we ought to doo For this is an euerlasting truth confirmed with perpetuall experience that in the most harde and difficult things of all mans life where the wit of man is most blind and doth most want counsell and forces there dooth the diuine wisedome of the Lord shew it selfe most cléerely wonderfullie That great Iudith with a noble and excellent mind said vnto those that were besieged in the Cittie of Bethulia And now who are you that haue tempted GOD this day and will bind the counsels of the Lord our God And so she rebuked the faintnes of the Gouerners of Bethulia For it is a token signe of great weakenes and ignorance in a man to doo all matters according to his own wisdome and humane counsels It were better and safer to desire the Lord that he wold be our guide in all our actions and counsels for he will direct vs in the readie path shew vs which waie is best séeing that he neuer fayleth to aide those y t powre forth their praiers vnto him Those Angels that by the commaundement of God aide and helpe men in their waies and rule the actions of vertuous Princes are comprehended vnder those companies which are called Dominions and Principalities as Dionysius Arcopagita saith 7 And the better to bring this to passe which we saie we ought to doo according to the commaundements of our Sauiour and Lord Jesus Christ who neither deceiueth himselfe nor can not deceiue them vnto whom he giueth counsell For from him floweth the spring of vnderstanding and knowledge and he is the author and cause of all goodnes From him doth it proceede that Counsellers be good he is the cause why Kings gouerne their kingdoms well and minister iustice And this did King Salomon aske of the Lord saying Lord send me thy wisdome downe out of thy holie heauens and sende her from the throne of thy Maiestie that she may be with me and labour that I may know what is acceptable in thy sight If those that in olde times past worshipped Idols asked counsell of them and the deuil to deceiue them used many kinds of Oracles and prophecies as I wrote more at large in my Bookes of pollicies and Common-wealths it is more theÌ„ reason that we which serue and worship Christ the redéemer of the worlde should humblie offer our prayers to his holines and request him that it wold please him of his goodnes to fauour helpe vs in all our counsels And no doubt seeing the holie Ghost is he that beadeth vs in all our actions he will choose that for vs which shall best please his holines And that counsell which we choose through his inspiration is the best and which most appertaineth vnto vs. 8 The night time is very fit to consult And for this cause did the Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be wise For when the Counsellers assemble together to confer about matters in the night time those things in which men be commonly occupied by day doo not hinder or trouble them and with the stilnes of the night as Virgil saith all things are quiet Homere to she we that the silent night time was most commodious to consult said that it did not become Princes to sléepe all the night who ought to consult vpon matters concerning the Common-wealth And for because y t when a man is not withdrawne from his booke neither by his busines nor by any other meanes it greatly confirmeth his memorie and profiteth him much for the inuention and contemplation of that which he searcheth and learneth no doubt but the quiet still night which cutteth of all occasions that may hinder a man is the fittest and best time to studie in especially because the minde at that tune is more frée and readier to muse and consider of euerie thing 9 First of all before the Counsellers beginne to consult they ought to sée that no man be in place that may heare that which is spoken off in their consultations After that the Ambassadors of King Tarquinius had conspired with the Sonnes of Brutus and other young Gentlemen to restore Tarquinius to his kingdome they solemnized their conspiration with the death of a man whose bloode they dranke and touched his enentrailes that they might by that ceremonie binde theÌ„selues to keepe counsell and helpe one another And to doo this they assembled together in a desert house where no body did dwell But as it fell out by chaunce a certaine Seruant called Vindicius was in the same house who séeing them enter in on the suddaine in great haste could not gette â—ut but spying a large Larget in one of the corners of the Chamber presentlie fell to the ground and couered himselfe with its and so he lay verie secretlie and saw
all what passed betwéene them and hearde how they determined to slay both the Consuls and cast downe the Cittie gates for the Tarquinians to enter and take possession of the kingdom which he presently reuealed vnto Publicola béeing one of the Consuls Don Alfonso King of Castile béeing in the Courte of Almenon King of Tolido Went into the Kings Orchard and espying the King comming thether to walke and enjoy the pleasure of the Garden beeing accompanied with his Noble men and Counsellers he hid himselfe behind the Arbour where the king was woont to walke in that he might heare what talke there shold be had between the King and his Counsellers The king being come and hauing his Counsellers by him he asked them whether they thought that the same Cittie of Toledo beeing so great and so strongly built might be taken of the Christians or no. All of them answered that it was impossible that such a strong Cittie should be ouercome by Christians except one that was of opinion that it might be taken if the Christians should burne their Corne and barre them from receiuing any fruite of the lands about them for the space of seuen yeres and so they should be compelled to render vppe their Cittie into the handes of the Christians vnlesse they would sustaine hunger and famine And after the King of Tole do had ended his talke he chaunced to looke on the other side of the Arbour where he espied Don Alfonso the King of Castile lying on the grasse as if he had beene a sléepe Which thing he tooke verie gréeuously fearing leaft he had hearde all their talke and to try whether he slept they cast melted lead in his hand which pearced quite through and for this cause he was called El de lamano horadada that is he of the hand-bored through He was also called so because he was verie francke and liberall Many other examples might I alledge of counsels that were discouered by such as were secretly in place where the matter was handled and heard all what was said but because they be all well night known vnto all men I mean not to stand vpon them This may suffice that it is a common prouerbe with vs in Castile Tras parred o soto no digas tu secreto a otro Behind a hedge a mounde or wall No secrete see thou say at all The twelfth discourse what Counsellers of Princes ought to doe when they be assembled to consult PAulus Iurisconsultus saith that those contracts which are called Contractus immominati depend vpon giuing and dooing After the same manner may we saie that all humane affaires depend vpon saying and doing These are the two ballances of deede and word which S. Isidorus saith that all men carrie about them This as Homer writeth did Phaenix Maister to Achilles teach his Scholler Our Sauiour and Lord Jesus Christ as S. Luke saith began to doo and teache his most holy doctrine Therefore if those matters which are in consultation depende vppon dooing and saying it is necessaire that all Counsellers before they determine consider that sâ—me things ought to be said and doone and some ought neither to be said nor doone other some ought to be said but not doone and some ought to be doone but not said Metrodorus said vnto Sextus Pompeius that if he would be Lord not onelie ouer all Sicil but ouer the whole worlde also he should let him cut the gables of the Ankers of that shippe in which he himselfe was Mar. Anthonius Pompey answered thou mightest haue doone this without I had known of it But now since I know it I am content with y t which I haue and I wil not breake my oath promise made vnto Anthonie that he should come safe to my shippe without any danger 2 Those Counsellers whom Princes take to giue them counsell ought to doo as Aristotle counselled Calisthenes his Cosin to doo viz. that when he spake to great Alexander he should be short and speake to the Kinges contentment But Calisthenes not regarding his counsell openlie rebuked Alexander for his follie in embracing the pride of the Persians and commaunding the Macedons to worship and honour him and to call him the sonne of Iupiter Wherefore Alexander béeing incensed with anger against Calisthenes because he reprehended him in the face of all the world and thereby incited styrred vp others to despise him and sette nothing by him and because he prouoked many to kill him he commaunded his hands and feete to be cut off and his eares nose and lips also and to be throwne into a Dungion where euery one might looke vppon him whose gréeuous paines and deformâ—tie one Lysimachus a valiant Gentleman pittying sent a cup of poyson vnto him that he might drink of it and die Which thing béeing told vnto Alexander he coÌ„maunded that Lysimachus should be cast without a weapon to be deuoured of a fierce Lyon But he like a noble and couragious Knight wrapped his cloake about his arme and without any feare at all stepped to the Lyon and thrusting his hand into his mouth caught holde of his tongue and pulling it out of the roring Lyons heade killed him For which acte Alexander estéemed much of him and did not onlie pardon him but also largely rewarded him aduauncing him to great honour 3 Out of that which happened to Calisthenes may cléerely be séene that the same is true which Euripides the Greeke Poet saith I set little by that wise man that hath no wit for himselfe These be they that take vpon them to giue counsaile to euerie one and can giue themselues none not much vnlike the Signes of Innes which shew the waie into the house vnto all men but they neuer enter themselues and Whetstones which sharpen kniues but remaine blunt themselues and cannot cut and the Hearneshawe that can giue counsell to euerie one and for himselfe he can giue none This is said of the Hearneshaw because the Pigion hauing built her nest vppon a tree and béeing threatned by the subtile Foxe that he would eate her if shée woulde not consent to giue him part of her young ones the Hearneshawe tooke pittie on her and counselled her to giue the Foxe none saying that she should not discourage herselfe nor feare the Foxe for he could not clime vppe to the trée where she was So that the Pygeon after that time wold giue the Foxe nothing who asking why she answered because y e Hearnshaw had told her that he could not clime vp to the Trée and therefore counselled her to giue him no more The Foxe vnderstanding this went to y t Hearnshawe and began to praise his wisedome saying that of all byrds none could gouerne their liues and liue so wisely as he and among other matters he asked him how he was woont to doo when he would sléepe The Hearneshaw answered that he laid his heade close to his bodie and couered it with
so profitable for the Common-wealth and though they know not or vnderstand not what he saith nor what they gaine-saie As one did who chaunced to sléepe in the Counsaile-house when the Counsellers should giue their voices and béeing awaked by the other Counsellers asked what he thought of that vpon which they consulted rose vp béeing halfe a sléepe and not knowing what he said vttered these words My Lords I say the contrarie vnto all what soeuer Alimani hath sayde for he was his aduersarie But Alimani answered I haue said nothing Why then replyed the other I gaine-say al what euer thou shalt say Such men are very hurtfull to the Common-wealth 9 Though in witnesses the person that beareth witnes is more regarded then the testimonie which he giueth yet in counsaile we ought not so much to regarde the Counseller as his counsaile for the persons be in authoritie by reason of the counsails and not the counsails by reason of the persons And though it be true that they which are more experienced know better what is necessarie in euery thing then they which haue no skill at all yet ought euery prudent and wise man to heare the opinion and liking of manie For no one man as we haue said can know al that is required and oftentimes a simple fellow his aduice is as good as euer any was heard As I writt more at large in my booke of craftie prudent counsails And for this cause it is said of olde among vs in Spayne So elsayal ay al. that is Oft a ragged cloake Doth hyde a silken coate And Athenaeus sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And often simple men we see Speake things that to the purpose bee There was a certaine Prince that deuised how he might enter into Italie to make war and a Foole said vnto him Lord I beseech your maiestie to looke how you shall get out againe if neede force you to come backe out of the Countrey for there be many waies to get into it If Charles king of Fraunce had considered this he had not béen so troubled in fléeing out of Italie when his Armie was ouerthrown in the Riuer of Tarro The counsaile which the Foole gaue was like vnto that of the Foxe who would not enter into the Lyons Denne because he sawe the steppes of many that went in but of none that came forth againe Horace Quia me vestigia terrent Omnia te aduorsum spectantia nulla retrorsum Because I feare these foote-steps what they meane All tending towards thee none backe doe turne againe 10 The Lacedaemonians consulting vpon a matter of great importaunce a certaine Cittizen called Demosthenes béeing a wicked and vicious man gaue an aduice which was very conuenient and much to the purpose but they reiected it and elected one of the Elders to pronounce the same opinion in the verie same wordes as if one should powre out the liquour that was in a foule vessell into a pure and cleane vessell because it should be the better liked of the people And that they which were to giue their voices after him should allow and approoue that counsell séeing it was giuen by a sage and vertuous man 11 Counsellers ought to shew their mindes freely concerning that which is consulted though they know that the other Counsellers wil not approoue y e counsaile which they giue for as Tullie saith counsails ought not to be rebuked for the successe but for the reasons which are alledged to haue them folowed And they ought not to excuse themselues saying that they shall loose their credite if they counsell anie thing which will not be approoued so that it is more profitable and better for the Common-wealth to haue them accounted prudent and wise then mightie and puissant and they that wil haue theyr counsels followed seeme not so much to counsaile as to commaund 12 Many thinges though they doo no harme at the beginning neuerthelesse at the end they become very hurtfull and dangerous to the Common-wealth if they be suffered to take roote as Caâ—o Censorius saide in one of his Orations which he made in the Senate against the superfluous expenses of the women of Rome For there is no estate of men who if they be suffered to assemble and consult together secretly but they will shrâ—wdlie endomage the Common-wealth And as the same Caâ—o said in an Oration which he pronounced against those that were assembled together in Rome to celebrate the Feastes which they called Bacâ—hanalia those secrete méetings and congregations which when they beginne haue no forces and are very weake if they be dissembled and not looked to in time increase and growe in strength more and more and in such order augment dailie that it is a very difficult and harde matter â—â— repaire the harme which they doo especially in matters concerning Religion This is manifestlie séene in those which bring in newe sects which if they be not exâ—inguished and quenched at the first beginning as the fire when it beginneth to burne in time will gather so great forces that they quite disturbe and disquiet the whole Common-wealth Therfore it is necessary that before they take roote great care and diligence be taken to raâ—â— them out quite and not suffer them to take roote For they be easily remedied when they beginne but with much adoe when they grow dailie and encrease As Ouid affirmeth saying Principiis obsta sero medicina paratur Cum mala per longas conualâ—ere moras At first resist or els in vaine thy medcin comes too late When mischiefes gotten haue by long delayes a perfect state 13 Young men because theyr naturall complexion is hote and haue had but small experience of Fortunes gutles as Hanniball said to Scipio in consultation â—asilie incline to that which is more magnificent then sure not regarding what may succéede and follow But olde men because theyr naturall complexion is cold and haue oftentimes béene crossed with euents contrary to theyr expectation follow surer counsels then magnificent or honourable We ought therefore to temperate the vehemencie of youth with the wisedome of olde men and consider and examine what is said both of olde and young choosing that counsell which is safest and most profitable for the Com-wealth and when there is any doubt which counsell ought to be allowed then ought the olde mens aduice be approoued and put in practice Roboam King of Ierusalem lost the kingdome and dominion which he had ouer the twelue Tribes of Israell and onely two of them obeyed him the Tribe of Iuda and the Tribe of Beniamin and that because he had refused y e counsaile of the ancient Francis the King of Fraunce because he folowed the counsell of his Admirall who was a young man refusing the aduice which his aged Counsellers gaue him was ouerthrowne and taken prisoner in the battell of Pauia by the souldiours of the Emperour Charles the fift his
Armie 14 They which consult about any matter ought to follow that counsell which is least hurtful to the Common-welth for it is impossible in great enterprises to be deliuered from all dangers that are like to fall And for this cause it is commonly said Periculum periculo vincitur One danger is wonne by the other As wee haue in the beginning of this Treatise in more ample manner declared And he that neuer dooth aduenture can neuer loose nor gaine For after the danger commeth the profit and cowards because they greatly feare the euents of matters neuer atchiue haughtie enterprises If a man thinke that he may execute a thing without aduenturing he shall neuer bring any thing to passe For many times the successe faileth not onely of those things which we confidently and not without good reason hope for but also of those things which we thinke to haue wel prouided for as well in great and honorable enterprises as in smal and particular actions They therfore that coÌ„sult ought not to delay the execution of the same which is coÌ„cluded because there is danger in it if the profit be greater then the danger which is like to follow after the execution thereof 15 The Persians vsed to consult vpon all matters in theyr banquets when they did caâ—e and drinke and after they had ended theyr banquet they determined what they would haue put in execution And this they did because the Counsellers should freely shew their minds concerning that whereon they consulted For wine causeth men to speake the truth according to that In Vino veritas Alexander the great commaunded that those Ambassadors which came vnto him should be welcommed with great banquets made drunk because he might learne or sift out the right cause of their comming and about what matters they were sent vnto him The Germans assemble together to consult béeing all Armed and if they approoue that which was determined they shaked their Pykes and Launces for this was a token of agréement and consent and contrariwise if that which was consulted liked them not then they murmured and made a noyse and a confused cry Besides they consulted in banquets vpon matters concerning peace and warre because they thought that at such times they were not troubled with other cares they thought that at such times they were hotter and readier to take any enterprise in hande The people were not craftie nor malicious and the next day after they turned againe to consult vpon their affaires that they might conclude and determine what they should doe when as they could not faine or inuent They that liue in the Country of Phrigia eate and drink together vpon the cost and charges of the Common-wealth before they begin to consult for they are of opinion that eating and drinking in publique assemblies dooth reconcile them together that are at discord one with another and that it doth take away seueritie pride arrogancie and melancholie as things estranged from the ende for which banquets and feastes were ordained The Countie Ribadeo answered a certain Captain which came vnto him from his enemies to entreate him that they might eate and drinke together before the day which was appointed for the fielde that if he did eate and drink with him the desire which he had to buckle with him wold he taken from him 16 They that thinke that men ought in consultation to deliberate vpon on onely matter are greatly deceiued For often-times matters be of this qualitie that the one dependeth vpon the other and it is necessarie to consider the inconueniences which may follow that which is determined in the counsel and if they that consult know what is past and vnderstand what is present they may the better coniecture diuine what may fail out Demades saide that the Athenians resembled those that make no account of their health before they be sicke Demades saide this because the Athenians in their deliberations alwaies varied about that which was past not endeuouring to prooue what was necessarie to be doone It is said that they of Genoa in their counsels dispute vpon that which is past and the Florentines vpon that which is past and that which is present and the Venetians both vppon that which is past present and to come 17 It chaunceth many times when men consult that that thing which seemeth to be profitable for the Common-wealth doth happen to be very hurtfull preiudiciall As for example The Emperors of Greece called the Turks to ayde who afterward destroyed them and tooke the Empire from them In the yeere of our Lorde GOD 1513. foure Monarches entred league against the Venetians viz. Iulius Secundus Pope the Emperour Maximilian the Catholicke King Don Hernando and Lewes King of Fraunce And the Venecians though they were driuen to great necessitie yet would they neuer accept of the helpe and ayde which Selim the King of the Turks offered them who had sent them worde that he would defende them with all the power that he had But they feared least if he had once entred into Venice he would haue doone as his predecessours dealt with the Emperors of Constantinople Francis King of Fraunce in those warres which he made against the Emperour Charles the fift who as he often protested pretended no other thing then to conserue those estates patrimonies which by right and iustice were his owne tooke a great companie of Germains to helpe him and payed wages to all such as woulde come to helpe him against the Emperour which Souldiers afterward did him wonderfull much harme The same King of Fraunce brought the Armie of Soliman King of the Turkes to helpe him in those warres which he made against the Emperour Charles the fift and thereby did Christendome farre more harme then he did good to the kingdome of Fraunce Don Alonso King of Naples said that men were so hote to be reuenged on their enemies that they were like to the birds which for fighting one with another sawe not them that came to take them 18 The Counsellers of Princes ought in such manner to say their minds that they séeme not to contende in wordes but ought to séeke and pick out waies and meanes which they suppose to be more fitte and better to perswade that which they thinke to be profitable for the Common-wealth Some vppon subtiltie though they knowe what ought to be doone and what is best and most profitable yet they propose it after such a maner as if they doubted of it to the ende that they which heare them should not cease to enquire and examine what were conuenient to be doone and that if they happilie say any thing they might contrarie them and crosse that which they alledge Plinie counselleth them that would willinglie perswade any thing to imitate the Phisitions who with fine speeches swéet words and pleasant reasons perswade their Patients to take those medicines which they giue them Quintilian admonisheth
men are very vnfortunate for if they contrarie and gainsay that which the other say they incur manifest daunger that the other ill Counsellers will spoile them and vndoe them And if they consent and agrée with them then they lay all the faulte of ill gouernment in them so that their liues honour credite and estimation is subiect to the will and pleasure of those that rule naughtilie And they that gouerne béeing men of small wisedom and knowing not what is belonging to the Common-wealth meruaile greatlie how the matter shoulde fall out infortunatlie whereas they might with greater reason maruell how it should fall out prosperously The people of Rome was so great and mightie that the Batani a fierce and hardie people though they were greatlie burthened and ouercharged by the Romans yet they durst not rebell But they that were in authoritie and did beare rule ouer them séeing that the Romaine Captaines offered theÌ„ great iniurie in ouercharging them with too much tole and tribute in the time that the forces of the Romaine Empire were deuided by reason that the Emperors of Rome waged wars against diuers Nations and whereas they ought to haue béene contented with the vnreasonable tributes which according to theyr owne pleasure were paid vnto them they were so vnwise and dealt so vnaduisedlie that they did not onelie more and more continually ouercharge them but also gaue them occasion to assemble together and séeke meanes to reuenge the iniuries which they offered vnto them by choosing olde and feeble men to be Souldiers that they might pay money to be dismissed and pressing faire boyes to satis-fie their execrable beastlines by abusing them whereuppon the Bataui determined to rebell against the Romans and deliuer theÌ„selues from the iniuries and mischieues that the Romaine Captaines did them and choosing a famous Captaine to be their Generall they fought against the Romans and did them much harme and so they did cast off that troublesome yoke of subiection and recouered their former libertie The Iewes had not forces enough to withstand the Romans as king Agrippa shewed in his OratioÌ„ which he made vnto them to perswade them that they shoulde not rebell But they not able to suffer the tyrannie greedines of the Romaine Captaines rebelled and so Ierusalem was destroied wherein God shewed his iust iudgment vpon the Iewes that they should receiue the punishment deserued by crucifying the Redéemer of the wolrd 17 Many thinke that the estate of the gouernment consisteth in hauing many Townes Places and Citties and therfore to reserue and keepe some place of their kingdome when their enemies sette vpon them they agrée to most vnreasonable conditions which are very harmefull and preiudiciall vnto them which they would not doo if they knew that the preseruation of their estate consisted in the gouernment authoritie and reputatioÌ„ that they haue and that though they loose some Fortresse Towne or Castle they may easilie recouer them againe from their enemies if they can tell how to defend themselues as the Romans did when they did driue Hanniball out of Italie notwithstanding that hee had possessed the Countrey and had béene Lorde ouer it sixteene yeeres long And they did not onely driue him out of Italie but also waged warre against Carthage and sent fresh Souldiers to their Arme which they had in Spayne and denounced newe warres against King Antiochus And they bought and sold those grounds lands and possessions which Hanniball had taken for the selfe-same pryce that they were rated at before So Charles King of Fraunce recouered his Countrey from the Englishmen who had almost taken his whole Kingdome from him The Venetians defended themselues against Iulius Secundê° Pope Maximilian the Emperour Lewes King of Fraunce and Hernando King of Castile They therefore that gouerne estates ought to imitate theÌ„ that playing at Chesse loose some one man or other thereby to win the Game and take the check to giue the mate This is to be vnderstood if the estate haue sufficient forces to defend it selfe for if it haue not it is better to make some honest agréement as our Lord and Sauiour Jesus Christ teacheth vs then to be quite destroied and loose all as it happened to the renowned Cittie Ierusalem and other famous Citties which by reason that their Gouernours did not knowe their weakenes were ouerthrowne and leuied with the ground 18 If they that gouerne any Common-wealth think that to defend themselues from their enemies least they should be subdued by them consisteth more in the forces that the CoÌ„mon-wealth hath then in the particular and priuate goods of those that liue in it they are farre deceiued For the goods haue their foundation in the Common-wealth and if they doo not help it both the goods and Common-wealth also goeth to wrack euen as that bodie in which each member onely procureth the conseruation of it selfe Therefore it is conuenient that as eache member doth put it selfe into danger to saue the head so those that liue in a Common-wealth should aduenture both life and goods to defend her séeing she is the head of all them that liue in her They ought moreouer to consider that many times CoÌ„mon-weales be ouerthrowne subdued by the enemie because the Cittizens béeing rich and the Common-wealth poore they will not succour and ayde her with their substaunce and as Titus Liuius saith nothing greeueth them but as farre as it toucheth their owne particular interest for that is it that all men most regard and we find by experience that men commoÌ„lie set more by their substaunce then by their credit and reputation as may be seene in y e Noble men of Rome who alwaies without any extraordinarie displeasure suffered the profite of the Common-wealth to be preferred before their owne honour and credite but concerning their wealth they did with great vehemencie and stiffnes resist against the Lawe Agraria for the distribution of the Landes among the people and wold not by any meanes permit that it shoulde be established whereby they wrought the ruine and destruction of Rome which began from the sons of Gracchus and continued thrée hundred yeres till Iulius Caesar tyrannised Some holde opinion that Common-weales to the ende they might be well gouerned ought to be rich and welthy but the Cittizens and people that liue in them poore The Marquis of Pescara going about to perswade the Emperor Charles the fift to take vppon him to be Lorde ouer all Italie tolde him that he had the King of Fraunce in his power and because the Common-weales of Italie were but poore he might easilie subdue it because they that liued in it would not spend theyr substaunce to defend their Countrey But the Emperour woulde not doo that which the Marquis requested of him because he alwaies did more respect the peace of all Christendome then his owne profit whereof he shewed a most liuely example in that he rendered the Dukedome of Milan vnto Frauncis Sforcia To the
desend thēselues at home then to inuade their enemies Countrey But Scipio said that it was more conuenient for the Common-wealth to warre in Carthage then in Italie Furthermore they that consult ere they determine to maintaine warre either at home or abroad ought to consider whether it be profitable for the estate of the Countrey to make war at all For though it lie in the power of men to beginne warre yet cannot they obtain victorie at their pleasure and y t commonly many thinges fall out in warfare which men can neither sée nor imagine and yet the warre it selfe the enemies and the successe shew teach what ought to be doone and for this cause it is said that counsaile is taken in the field And though the matters that concerne warre may be communicated and talked of among many yet they ought to be deliberated vpon but by a fewe for els they would be discouered before they were determined Also they that consult vpon matters touching warre ought to consider whether it be profitable for the Common-wealth that their Generals Souldiers should be strangers or naturall borne Subiects The Carthagineans did not onely take strange Souldiers into their seruice but did also elect strange Captaines as they did in the warres which they waged against the Romans choosing Xantippus a Lacedaemonian to be the Generall of their Armie Many Common-weales after that their Captaines were ouercome they vanquished their enemies by the seruice of strange Captaines as the Chalcedonians did with Brasidas the Sicilians with Gylippus the Asians with Lysander Callicratides and Agathocles Captaines of Lacedaemonia And if it chaunce y t any strange Captains doo tyrannise ouer the Common-weales which they ayde as they of the house of Othoman did that happeneth héerof that they which requested them to helpe them are not able to withstand their forces and to defend themselues against thē The Romans to shunne this inconuenience would not consent that they which came to succour or helpe them should be mightier then themselues 10 Princes ought not to committe the administration of the warre vnto any person whom they haue offended for such a one to reuenge the inturie offered vnto him wold cast away the Armie Marius had after such order compassed Hasdruball a noble Captain of Carthage that he was driuen either to fight with disaduantage or die for hunger but Hasdruball did hold him so cunninglie with certaine parleyes of agréement that he gotte out of his reache and so Marius was frustrated of the occasion which was offered him to ouerthrow his enemie which thing when it was knowne in Rome did redownd to his great discredit both with the Senate and the people and euery one through all the Cittie spake verie much euill of him Within a while after Marius béeing made Consull and going to make warre vpon the enemie Fabius Maximus saide vnto him that before he came to the day appointed for the field he shoulde see what forces the enemies had and that he should not rashlie hazard the Armie and aduenture the libertie of Rome Vnto whō Marius answered that as soone as he came by the enemie hee had fullie determined to encounter with him and béeing asked why he said because he knew that if he ouercame the enemy he should recouer the glorie which he had lost in Spayne and if that his owne Armie were ouerthrowne dispersed and put to flight he shoulde be reuenged of the iniurie which was offered him by that Cittie and those Cittizens which so vnthankfullie had offended him Princes ought also to consider the necesitie which they haue to make warre and to vnderstande what prouision they ought to make against occasion be offered them to make warre that if any strangers goe about to molest them they may defend thēselues by force of Armes and not be vanquished for there is no Prince so great mightie and strong but some or other may set vpon him And as our olde Castilian prouerbe goeth Muchas vezes chicas piedras aballam grandes carreras Little stones oft times we see Way downe the greatest Apple tree And if a Prince be of so little vnderstanding that he must be ruled by that which the Captaines say he is their seruaunt and putteth himselfe into daunger either that the Captaines know not what they doo or that they doo not so faithfully dilligently as they ought 11 Those Princes that determine to make warre ought to imitate the Catholicke King Don Hernando the first of that name King of Castile who as it were standing on hie in his Towre a farre of espied and watched the successe and euent of the wars which the Christian Princes made among thēselues to succour and ayde them that were weakest and not to suffer their power to increase in Italie that pretended to make themselues Lordes ouer it neither did hee enter league with those Princes that were confederated together if he could reape no profit thereby and for this cause he would not wage war with Lewes King of Fraunce when Pope Iulius the Emperour and the Zwitcers warred against him for he thought that he should receiue no profit by weakning the Kingdome of Fraunce with the augmentation of those that did persecute it But when hée saw that the King of Fraunce would increase his estate and inlarge his kingdome by making warre against the kingdome of Naples he entered league with the Emperour and the King of England against the King of Fraunce Finally such Princes as enter league with other Kings ought to consider whether it be better for them to maintaine that peace which they enioy or to wage warres as King Mithridates wrote to King Arsaces and whether the warres be iust and such as thereby they may haue profit and atchiue honour glory and renowne The Romans as Appian reporteth woulde not accept many Subiects that offered themselues vnto thē because they were pore and if could not any way redounde vnto their profit to haue thē vnder their subiection Many other examples precepts rules considerations and instructions coulde I giue and aleage but because I writte of them in my bookes of Militarie discipline I willinglie heere omitte them The fifteenth discourse concerning peace WE haue said that the Counsell of estate is called the Counsell of peace because their principall intent that assemble in that Counsell is to procure that y e people may liue in peace and if they make warre if is to defend themselues from the iniurie of those that trouble molest them And to signifie this the Romans accustomed to were the Millitarie ring on the left hand in which they did beare their shielde and not on y e right hand in which they held their sworde for they thought it more necessarie for a well instituted Common-wealth to defende themselues then to offend others The Spartans demaunded of those that returned from warres whether they had lost theyr shielde for they thought it more not to loose
rule their Subiects in peace ought not to suffer their people so to giue themselues to ease that they neuer be exercised or trained vppe in Armes for an vnarmed peace is very weake Gelon King of Sicilie being perswaded that those Common-weales in which the people were not exercised in Militarie practises could not long continue for peace vacation from labours and idlenes spoyle and consume them hee commaunded that it shoulde be published through all his Countrey that great necessitie vrged him to make warre and there withall commaunded that the people should presently be mustered and taught how to vse their weapons and after they had béene trained and some thing exercised in handling them he commaunded that they shoulde all of them be placed in order that they might goe with him to seeke the enemie but when they were all gone and asked where the enimies were with whem they should fight the King shewed the fieldes hils and valleys vnto thē saying that if they wold atchiue victory ouer their enemies they should labour in those groundes felling downe the Trées and digging out the stones that were in them for so dooing they shoulde vanquishe those deadly enimies Sloth and Idlenes which woulde ouerthrowe and destroy the whole Common-wealth if they were not in time expelled and no Nation durst make war vpon them seeing that they were practised in exercises of warre and accustomed to labour For as Titus Liuius saith the enemies themselues doo not the Common-wealth so much harme as delight and wantonnes Anncient olde men in their time painted the Goddesse Pallas in Compleate harnesse because they would haue men to vnderstand that the Artes and Sciences which florish in peace little profit vnlesse they be defended by Armes The Emperour Iustinian saith that Princes ought to be adorned with Armes and armed with Lawes that they may well gouerne the people that is committed vnto them The sixteenth discourse Howe and wherewith Common-Weales be augmented and wherewith they doe decay COunsellers of Princes especially they of the Counsell of the estate ought to vnderstande and know wherwith Common-weales be augmented and by what means they decaie again The famous S. Augustine saith that as the Phisitions cure sicke bodies by purging letting of blood and searing so God cureth the sinnes and vices of men with famine as dyets with plagues as purgations and with wars as letting of blood and searing The Prophet Esay saith God will chastice the people of Ierusalem with taking away the staie of bread and the staie of water The strong man and the man of warre the Judge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged the Captaines of fiftie and the honourable and the Counseller and the cunning Artificer and the eloquent man and hee will appoint children to be their Princes and babes shall rule ouer them and the people shal be oppressed one by an other and euery one by his neighbour the children shall presume against the auncient and those that are contemptible against those that are honourable God dooth also chastice Cōmon-weales and bringeth them to decay by suffering Pharaoes Nabuchadnezers Caligulaes Neroes Dyoclesians to gouerne because of the sins of the people and they stand him in stéede of Tormentors Attila was called the rod of God and Tamberlaine the wrath of God Those Princes which God will haue to serue him in stéed of Tormentors to punish the people who with their haynous sins offend him are as Cardinall Reginald Poole saith in the Oration which he made vnto Charles the fift concerning peace those that persecute the Church of God For GOD placeth not Christian Princes in authoritie to the ende they shoulde serue him in steede of Tormentors but that they should minister iustice equallie vnto al men and be as S. Paule saith Ministers of God imitating him and following him in vsing clemencie and béeing mercifull to the consolation and comfort of all the people but because the people repent not themselues of theyr sinnes and leaue not their wickednes and because as the holie Scriptures saie the measure of the Amorites is filled GOD sendeth them Princes that stand thē in steede of Tormentors but if they amēded their liues and enclined their harts to repentaunce as Niniuie did he wold pardon them For it is the propertie of his diuine Maiestie to pardon and shewe mercie vnto those that from the bottome of their hart doo cal vnto him and repent themselues of their sinnes And vnto those people which are iust and vertuous God giueth good Kings and such as doo the Common-wealth much good and are as Angels sent from heauen to conserue and defend her Therfore those Princes that doo not this accomplish not their dutie and cannot be properlie called Princes but equiuocally as a painted man is called a man The holie Scriptures call those Princes that doo not minister iustice vnto euery man according to the commandement of God hypocrites for they haue no princely thing in them but onely the name of Princes and béeing most cruell Wolues they be masked and disguised with tokens onelie and shewes of most mercifull Princes 2 God doth oftentimes permit that Princes should suffer many troubles and aduersities to turne them from their wicked liues and to shewe them that God dooth punish chastice Princes Kings Monarches and Emperours when they gouerne not their people as they ought according to the will and pleasure of the highest Monarch of the world After this manner saith the Prophet Daniel that God did shew vnto Nabuchadnezzar King of Babilon how that God is Lord of all kingdomes giueth them vnto whom he will and euen as Schoolmaisters correct their Schollers to make them to applie theyr bookes and duelie come to schoole so GOD dooth chastice the Princes of the earth that they may performe their duetie and vnderstand that the true beginning to gouerne well as well in time of peace as war consisteth in knowing that God Almightic is the Lord of all kingdomes and that the beginning of all knowledge and wisedome as King Salomon saith is the feare of the Lord and this is y e first lesson which they ought to learn that will follow him and the first shewe and token which they make in the schoole of his doctrine The feare of the Lorde is glorie and gladnes and reioycing and a ioyfall crowne And the feare of the Lord maketh a merrie hart and giueth gladnes and ioy and long life and who so feareth the Lord it shall goe well with him at the last and hee shall finde fauour in the day of his death The Prophet Dauid beeing taught by the holie Ghost saith Be wise now therefore ye Kinges be learned ye Judges of the earth serue the Lord in feare reioyce in trembling Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and ye perrish in the way when his wrath shall suddainlie burne blessed are al they that put their trust in him And those
Cittie yet they could not bring it to passe for the Cittie was quite alreadie marred and spilt by reason of the dissentions and warres of Sylla and Marius and of Caesar and Pompey and the Romans were now as it were accustomed to liue in bondage Besides this they that labour or endeuour to set any Common-wealth at libertie find partiall enemies but no partiall freendes for all they become to be their partiall enemies that were the better by y e Prince his estate and reaped great profite by him and his substaunce For they will be loth to haue the Prince depriued of his kingdome least they should fare the worse by it or if by happe the Prince be deposed of his gouernment they séeing the Kings authoritie to be decaied by reason whereof they are depriued of the commodity which they were wont to haue cannot liue contentedlie but continuallie seeke meanes to attaine to the authoritie and fauoure which they enioyed before And on the otherside they that endeuour to sette any Common-wealth at libertie finde no partiall freendes because to liue at libertie seemeth to be nothing els then to aspire to honor rewardes by meanes of some honest and lawfull causes for otherwise no man is either honoured and rewarded And when any person receiueth those preheminences profits and cōmodities which he thinketh that he deserueth then he confesseth not that hée is bound to him that honoureth and rewardeth him Moreouer the common profit which is gotten by liuing in a frée Common wealth is not knowne by any one as long as he dooth not enjoy it which is to enioy the vse and commoditie of hys owne substance and to dispose of it at his pleasure And they that will goe about to remedie redresse these inconueniences and dysorders ought to doo as Brutus did killing all those that oppose themselues against that newe gouernment which they wyll bring in to the Common-wealth Which Brutus well might doo for when he expelled the Kinges the people of Rome were not so vicious nor so full of dissolute manners nor so wickedlie giuen as when Brutus Cassius slew Iulius Caesar And when Augustus Caesar vsurped the Monarchie of the Romaine Empire there was not one in Rome as Cornelius Tacitus saith that knewe what it was to liue in a free Common-wealth 3 Those Princes vnto whom the Common-weales are committed as vnto Protectors which should defend them and yet exercise crueltie vpon them destroying killing and seysing vpon theyr goods that hinder them from béeing absolut Lords haue much adoe and incurre great daunger to maintaine the tyrannie or kingdome which they vsurpe For they must destroy all those which may resist them which they may easilie doo Arming thēselues with the lawes to iustify their intention as all those haue doone which haue tyrannized ouer those Common-weales which were committed vnto them The popular Regiment is reformed vnto the gouernment of a fewe and that gouernment in which a few haue all the authoritie is chaunged into the Monarchie and the Monarchie into the tyrannie or out of one extreame into the other without passing by the meane gouernments Euen as betwixt the North and the South there be many windes which take part with the chéefe and vttermost winds and as betwirt black and white there be many diuersities of colours so betwixt the Democracie and the Tyrannie which is a cruell or violent rule or gouernment for a priuate commoditie and not a publique weale there be many diuersities of gouernmēts which are mixed with both y e two extreames to passe out of y e one extreame into the other they neede not passe through those gouernmēts which haue the place in a meane betwéene them Albeit in naturall things no transinutation can be made out of the one extreame into the other without passing through y e means which are betwixt both the extreames Yet this doth not hold in those things which depend vpon mans will which easily passe out of one extreame into the other without passing through y e means which are betwixt both the extreames 4 It were needles to dispute of all the alterations of gouernments in the Common-wealth and howe easily they be chaunged out of one forme into another They that are desirous to vnderstande this matter more exactly let them reade Bartholomew Caualeante who handleto it verie largelie examining and sifting the opinions of Plato Aristotle and Polibius concerning the trans-formations of Common-weales which somtimes alter quite change that kind of gouernment which they had before sometimes enlarge it and sometimes diminish it These alterations are made as Aristotle saith either out of ill gouernments into good or out of good gouernments into better or out of ill gouernments into worse This is verified in the Democracie Oligarchie Aristocracie Monarchie which béeing in themselues good gouernments if they be ruled according to reason and iustice may be chaunged thus The Democracie into the Oligarchie and the Oligarchie into the Aristocracie and y e Aristocracie into the Monarchie and so one good gouernment into another gouernment as good or better Also a good gouernment is chaunged into an ill and that ill gouernment either into one of the same kind or into one of an other kind As for example into the same kind as the kingdome into the tyrannie the Democracie and Aristocracie into a good or bad administration and out of one kind into another as the Aristocracie and Democracie into any one of the other cōtrary kinds of gouernments Notwithstanding that which some say that the badde and good gouernments are contraries which is prooued because those things are contrarie which béeing of the selfe same kind doo much differ the one from the other and yet are apt and disposed to be produced out of the selfe same subiect according to the doctrine of Plato and Aristotle but that the contrarie gouernments are vnder the selfe same kinde considering them according as they be good and badde and are in dysposition to be produced in the same subiect may manifestlie be seene in the Monarchie or tyrannie and in all other gouernments whose subiect is the people in which they be produced and therfore if such gouernments be cōtraries it seemeth that no trans-formation or alteration can be made out of a good gouernment into an ill gouernment without passing through the meane gouernments that are indifferently betwixt bothe the extreames 5 Vnto this obiection some answer that contraries are not very distant one from the other and doo not much differ for they be very neere ioyned both in the kind vnder which they be and in y e subiect in which they be produced And those things which any way whatsoeuer are differing which are called opposita diuersa differentia are far more distant one from the other then those thinges which are contrarie and seeing contraries are ioyned very neere together the one contrarie may easily be changed into the other
Roboam King of Ierusalem should not returne againe vnto theyr Lord to serue him That newe sects and herisies might not disquiet the Common-welth Mecenas counsailed Augustus Caesar that he should not permit any new Religion to be brought into the Common-wealth and Plato said that they which goe about to alter any thing concerning Religion and thinke not well of it ought to be put in prison and seuerely punished and no man ought to be suffered to communicate with them 18 Lastly King Salomon saith that Common-weales are translated from one people to another because of vnrighteous dealing and wrongs and riches gotten by deceit He saith also that when the righteous are in authoritie the people reioyce but when the wicked beareth rule the people sigh and when the wicked rise vp men hide themselues but when they perish the righteous increase And in the prosperitie of the righteous the Cittie reioyceth and when the wicked perrish there is ioy If therfore many Princes succéede in the Kingdome either because of the sins of the people or because they that beare rule are slowe and negligent in ministering iustice that Prince which doth iustice equallie vnto all men without exception of persons shall make his inheritance perpetuall for iustice is the foundation of euerie Kings throne and royall seate Finallie GOD doth often permitte that kingdomes be translated out of one gouernment into another by lawfull succession bothe for his owne glorie and augmentation of his holie seruice and also for the reparation and amplification of Christian Religion FINIS Esay 11. 2. Zacharie 3. 9. Matth. 21. 42 Psalme 118. 22. 1. Corin. 10. 4. Exodus 17. Zacharie 3. Nic. de lira supra 3. Zacha. Wisdom 9. Esay 3. Prouerb 3. 2. Regum 15. â— Regum 16. Gene. 41. Polienus sâ—ratage 19. In proaemio Catelin Lib. 10. cap. 11. Saturnal lib. 6 Lib. 1. Aeneid Sansouinus de dictis fac Imprat Car. 5. Garim prob 99. â— Regum â—â— Garim prob 99. Lib. 5. conâ—ilium cui impar est â—ato permittere Cap. 3. Iudith 8. Tob. 3. Esdras 4. Pâ—â—lâ—â— 32. Proâ—â—rb 21. Esay 8. â—â—b 5 Tob. 4. Psalme 54. Genesis 15. Franciscus Lotimus Considerat 319. Cornelius Tacit. Lib. 18. Publius Mimius nunquam periculum sine periculo vincitur Salust in Catelin Polidorus Virgilius in adagiis Prouerb 11. Lotimus considerat 330. Psalme 136. Lotimus considerat 331. Cornelius Tacitus Lib. 1. Lucan Lib. 1. Cor. Tacitus Liber 17. Dec. 3. lib. 3. Frasmus in adagâ—s Hernam de Pulga Epist 2. Antonius de Gauara 1. part Epistol Franciscus Lotinus 336. consideratione In illiad Ouid. in Metamorph. Libro 1. Aâ—ncid Lib. 1. â— tit 2. pâ—â—ti 3. In tractatu de 〈…〉 principâ—… Cap. 1. Eth. 3. mâ—gnorum morahum Lib. 2. Lib. 5. cap. 13. Histor Rom. In annotationibus add cap. 13. Platâ—r de virtut mor. In tractâ—â— conditionum impossibilium â—at quasi In tract Epit. mor. Iacob Fabr. i◠〈…〉 Arist lib. in cap. de pradentia Arist bb 1. Rhet. 3. Eth. lodoc Cli. vbi sup Arist vbisâ—p Arist Eth. 3. Author 40. cantronum ponitâ—o regulas quas sequi debet qui sit futurus prudens P. 2. cant 4. Plato Epist 1. Lib. 20. â— Seneca de beneficiis lib. 6. ca. 13 Lib. 10. interpre Plutarchus in libro quo pacto possis adulatorem ab amito cognoseere Gariuai lib. 15. Capit. 4. Lib. 1. Officio Salust in principio Catelin Herodorus lib. 7. Consilio 13. lib. 1 Consilio Saepe est olitor opportuna loquutus Lib. 3. de institut princip Franciscus Sansouinus de dictis fact Car. v. looper Lactantius Tirmianus lib. 5. cap. 10. Baldouinus ad edicta principium de Christianis Marsilius Patauinus alii quibus respondit Albertus Tigurius lib. Hierar Ecclesiast Cagnolus in procemio digastorum 9 Itaque in 131. Aelius Spattianê° in vita Antoni Matth. 10. Psalme 114. Capi. 4. de inre inâ—ando Lib. 1. de Clementia cap. 16. Suetonius Tran. in vita Augusti Dion Lib. 3. Aulus Gellius lib. 4. cap. 11. In titulo de controuersia â—eâ—â—h apud par cap. 1. Eccle. cap. 3â— Rhet. lib. 1. In tractatu de consilio consiliariis principum Seneca lib. 1. de benefici cap. 6. Nemo gratis bonus est Salust in Catelin Videant Consules nequid detrimenti respub capiat et potestas per Senatum more Romano magistratui max ima permittitur Cap. 9. de Institutione Christiani principis Rhet. Lib. 1. Lib. 6. Moral Lib. 6. capit 31. Antiq. lect Ecclesiast 19. 1. Iohn 4. Dempst Epist 1. Praeferri debet consilium quod cum Dei voluntate congruit Super. Math. 4. Roma 11. Psalme 35. Heâ—odot lib. 7. Erasmus in Apothekâ—â—a Pleâ—umque omnium temiretati c. Titus Liuiâ—s Lib. 38. In oâ—aâ— Ma. Seneca de beneficiis lib. 6. Capitulo 11. Tullius in oâ—â—t pro Rabit pâ—sth in Epistl ad Lentul Boaetius quem citat Accuitius in L. sed an vlâ—ra in sine â—â— Psalm 126. Ecclesiast 18. In libro 4. Virtut Aristo lib. 1. cap. 8. magn moral Discretio mater est omnium virtutum Aristo Eth. Libro 6. Seneca lib. 9. Epistl 68. Seneca lib. 1. Epistol 86. Anton. in sum part 4. tit cap. 14 Iodoc. Clichtouc ' in Introduc tionc Iacob Fabii in Ethic. Arist Ecclesiast 21. Capitulo 4. Ecclesiast 33. Claud. Cotor Lib 1. cap 2. de disciplin milit In 6. Ethic. alâ—isque in cocis Vbi supra Tit. 3. Lib. 2. in prolo statut Politic. Lib. 5. Capitul 8. In tractatu de constlio consiliariis princip Ff. de minorib 25. annis Plutarchus in vita Licurgi Aulus Gellius Lib. 1. cap. 23 Vbi supra Luke 6. Erasmus in Apothegma 1. Coâ—nt 13 In Libro â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch num seni gerenda sit Respublica Vbi supra Iacobus Gracianus in prologo declaratione omniuÌ„ Plutarchi operum Moral Cicero in Catone Maiore Iliad 4. Odissi 2 Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Menalipe vetus hoc dictum est opera quideÌ„ juniorum consilia autem senioâ—uÌ„ vim habert Diuus Ambrosius officiorum Lib. 2. cap. 2. Seniores consilio praeualeuâ— iuniores ministerio Phillippus de la Torre in Libro de institutione regis Christiani 1. Regum 18. Genesis 14 1. Regum 13. 4. Regum 5. 4. Regum 12. 2. Esdras 8. 2 â—sdras 5. Luke 10. Nicolaus de Lora in caput 10. Lucae Ecclesiast 30. Prouerb 17. Prouerb 11. Seneca in Libro de benefi velox consilium sequitur paenitentia Secundae curae sapientiores Nouerca consilij praecipitatio Lib. 22. Festinatio improuida est caeca Canis festinans caecos parit catulos Erasmus in Adagijs Anton. de Gueuara in Episto Prouer. 4 25 In lib. cui titul Dux itinerant In problemat â—â—ouerb 12. Lib. 2. capit 2. de officijs Ecclesiast 8. Prouerb 27. Polienus libro 1. stratage Libro â— Ecclesiast 27 Fredericus Furi vbâ— supra Erasm in Panegir