que hiziere para la grey Let the King that law keepe which he makes for his sheepe Lastly that they bee very carefull and watchfull ouer the whole kingdome but more particularly ouer the Court for from thence is diffused all the good or ill as likewise in curtalling the excesses of apparrell the superfluities of feasts and banquets of gaming of sports and pastimes of lightnesse in behauiour of licentiousnesse in courting of women and of those wastefull expences which might very well be excused in weddings in iewells and dressings both in the women and the men Then began Rome to grow ranke in Luxurie and prophanenesse when your gilded bed-steds your costly pauilions your stately canopies your ritch hangings your curious tables your glorious cupboords of plate your gybing Iesters and your various Instruments of Musicke were brought in which were then in great vse and request for to prouoke and stirre vp the appetite in those their tedious and sumptuous suppers as if for to go to hell there were neede of such a wind-lace or wheeling about the way being as it is so easie and direct that a man may go it blindfold Causes all of them of iust feare and fore-runners likewise of the ruine and perdition of any Monarchy whatsoeuer as they haue beene heretofore of others that haue been ouerthrowne by the like meanes But to conclude with this sense and to shut vp the doore likewise to all the rest wee are to presuppose that which is very common both in diuine and humane Letters That by the hands wherein particularly consists the Touching are vnderstood workes because they are the Instruments by which they are done Moses deliuering vnto vs that the Hebrewes did see the wonders which God had wrought in their fauour saith Viderunt manum magnam quam exercuerat Dominus They saw that great worke which the originall renders that great hand which the Lord exercised vpon the Aegyptians And besides this it hath another signification as is obserued by Pierius Valerianus an open hand being the Symbole of eloquence expressing that efficacy and perswasiue power that lies in well couched words Works and words being both very necessary in Kings Execution in the one and Elocution in the other And because all Princes cannot performe these offices of doing and saying by themselues they must haue another tongue and other hands by which they must speake and doe and the tongue whereby they must speake and the hands whereby they must touch and handle all things for their owne are not able to doe it must bee their fauourites Policratus in his booke directed to Traiane saith That your great Lords in Court and Kings fauourites are the hands of the kingdome And as in mans body they are naturally disposed and ready prepared for to succour and assist all the other members so they should be at hand for to helpe and reliue all the necessities of the kingdome and to be the formost in all dangers and a thousand other occasions that will offer themselues which neither are nor can bee wanting to Kings and kingdomes And therefore the Philosopher said of the hands that they are the Instrument of Instruments For without them nothing can be done neither can Kings of themselues do all They haue need of their Ministers and Fauourites which are their feet and their hands In the subsequent Chapters we shall discourse somewhat a little of them God grant that little or somewhat what ere it bee may worke some good And first of all we will treate whether it be fitting to haue Fauourites CHAP. XXXI Whether it be fit for Kings to haue Fauourites FAuourites being as they are the workmanship of Kings receiuing their forme and fashion from their good liking which creatures of their making wee haue mentioned in the former Chapter We shall handsomely fall here vpon that which in this is put to the question Nor is the answer thereunto very easie For a Fauourite being of the same nature as a particular friend and friendship being to bee inter aequales betweene those that are of equall condition it seemeth that those that are Subiects and seruants to their King and Master can not hold it with him whom they are to behold and treate with with a great deale of reuerence respecting alwayes his royall Maiestie which according to that other Poet No cabe en vn saco con el Amor is not in one and the same sacke with loue And without loue there is no friendship True it is that Aristotle and some other Philosophers affirme that this difference may easily bee reconciled forasmuch as hee that is in the higher and more eminent place may stoope so low and fashion himselfe in that euen measure to his Inferiour that they may both remaine vpon equall tearmes But this can hardly square and suite well with Kings towards their Fauourites For as it were an indecorum and vnseemely thing in a humane bodie that the head should abase it selfe and become equall with the shoulder so were it prodigious and monstrous that Kings which are Heads and hold that Soueraigntie which God hath giuen them should stoope so low to their Subiects that the eminencie should not appeare they haue ouer them And that other meanes which may be vsed in raysing a subiect or Fauorite to that hight that hee may be equall with his King bringeth with that a great inconuenience For a Crowne Scepter royall cannot endure any fellowship with equality And therefore these two meanes may pare and fit well with friends that hauing professed friendship when their estates were equall the one growes inferiour to the other eyther good fortune or good diligence hauing preferred his fellow and friend But with Kings there cannot be held this correspondency and equality And it is King Salomons counsaill who saith That it is not fitting for any man to entertaine friendship and communication with those that are too mighty Ditiori te ne socius fueris Quid communicabit cacabus ad â—llam Quando enim se colliserint confringetur Haue no fellowship with one that is mightier and richer then thy selfe For how agree the Kettle and the earthen Pot together For if the one bee smitten against the other it shall be broken And againe if you will but diligently obserue the sacred history of the Kings which were ouer Gods people you shall there finde little mention of Fauorites On the other side it will likewise seeme vnreasonable that kings should be debarr'd that without which to all mens seeming mans life cannot bee well past ouer â—Nemo sine amicis spectet viuere said the said Philosopher Let no man looke to liue without friends And the holy Scriptures are full of the commoditie and benefit which faithfull friends afford being as necessary for the life of man as fire and water and for no estate so important as for that of Kings who for that they haue so many so weighty and so secret businesses their estate were
your meaner sorte of people are gouerned more by their owne vnruly appetites and womanish longings then by reason and discretion And your base and cruell Vulgar which vpon the least occasion suffers it selfe to be led away by hatred and reuenge presently falls to taking of stones in their hands tearing vp the pibbles in the streetes as Cicero sets downe vnto vs that in the popular assemblies of Rome it so fell out that oftentimes they drew their naked swordes that the stones were seene to flye about their eares on all sides And when this head strong multitude hath once broken the reines there is no keeping of them in nor can the wit of man deuise how to bridle them In a Monarchy the Monarke In an Aristocratia your Noble men are supreme Iudges and Arbitrators and by this their supreme and absolute power they many times compose the differences of the subiects But in a Democratia and Popular Estate they are the supreme power and they themselues bandy one against another the fire of faction setting them in a consuming flame without acknowledging any superiour to decide the quarrell and compose their differences And therefore Aristotle sayd That there was not any Tyrannie either greater or more pernicious then that of an intire Communaltie which of it selfe is inclined to crueltie The Monarchy or Kingdome is freer from these burning feuers and by all is ranked in the best place and is stiffely maintained by the grauest Authors Of this onely shall I treate at this present It is called a Monarchy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Greeke signifieth One and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with Prince which is as if we should say a Principalitie or a Kingdome where one alone is hee that commands and gouernes and the rest all obey All these three kindes of Popular Aristocraticall and Monarchicall gouernments were vsed in Greece and more particularly in Rome But Rome neuer came to be Mistresse of the World till shee was reduced to a Monarchie in the time of Caesar Augustus There are found therein 8. differences of States Husbandmen Trades-men Merchants Souldiers Iudges Cleargie-men the Nobility and the King which to speake more properly and as in diuers places it is deliuered by the blessed Apostle S. Paul is a Misticall Body which we call a Kingdome with it's Head For a king is the supreme Lord subiect onely vnto God That in S. Augustines and Diuus Thomas his opinion as also sundry other Authors of diuers faculties amongst which are Aristotle and Plato the most excellent gouernment is that which acknowledgeth a Superior one King and one Head For all naturall and good gouernment proceedeth from One and that which comes neerest vnto Vnitie hath most similitude with that which is diuine and is by much the most perfect By God Kings reigne according to that of the wise man Per me reges regnant Per me Principes imperant By me Kings reigne and Princes decree iustice And God being one and most simple in his Being and Nature the Head of all the whole Vniuerse by Whom and Which all is gouerned with admirable and ineffable prouidence and is the Idea of all good and perfect gouernment it is not a thing to be doubted but that that shall be amongst vs the best which is most agreeable with his And if the Members of the body being many and bearing different Offices therein admit to be gouerned by a Head and that God and Nature hath so ordained it Why should not a Monarchicall gouernment be the best Most certaine therefore is it that it is mainely to be preferred before the other two Some will haue this Monarchicall gouernment to be the most ancient and that it had it's beginning from Cain Adams eldest sonne who was the first that did gather people together built Cities and did shut them vp and fortifie them with walls After the stood Nimrod the sonne of Chus and nephew vnto Cham a man of valour and amongst those of those times the most able and strongest man was the first that reduced men to liue in a Communitie and to be obedient to one only King possessing himselfe of the Kingdome and Signorie of the World And before these euen in the very beginning of the Creation God began to establish this gouernment forme of a Commonwealth For as S. Paul saith God would that all Mankinde should descend from one Man And Gods chosen people did euermore maintaine a Monarchie and did ordaine that the Supreme power should reside and remaine in One. The first gouernours of the world were Monarkes did gouerne with this Title all the Common-wealthes of the World haue generally desired to be gouerned by one king As appeareth by those of the Gentiles euery particular state hauing his peculiar King And were it not a great monstrousnesse in nature that one body should haue two Heads Much more were it that one kingdome should be gouerned by two persons Vnitie is the Author of much good and Pluralitie the causer of much ill The Roman Commonwealth did suffer much miserie and calamitie not because all would not obey One but because many would command All. And therforein their greater necessities they did create a Dictator so called because all did obay whatsoeuer he dictated and sayd vnto them For they knew well enough and did clearely and plainely perceiue That in the Empire of One the authoritie was the greater greater the obedience freer their determinations firmer their Councells speedier their resolutions and more prompt the execution of their designes In a word Command Signorie and Supreme power does better in one head then in many And therefore all doe vnanimously and vndoubtedly conclude That the Monarchie is the ancientst and the durablest of all other and it 's gouernment the best yet would I haue it to helpe it selfe with the Aristocratia in that which may be vsefull for it's aduantage That in regard of it's strength and execution doth by it's greater Vnion and force excell the rest This other which is composed of a few noble wise and vertuous persons because it consistes of more hath the more intirenesse prudence and wisedome and by conioyning and intermixing the one with the other resulteth a perfect absolute gouernment So that a Monarchy that it may not degenerate must not goe loose and absolute for Command is a madd-man and power Lunaticke but must be tyed to the Lawes as far forth as it is comprehended vnder the Law And in things particular and temporall must haue reference to the body of the Councell seruing as the brace or ioyning peece of timber betweene a Monarchie an Aristocracie which is the assistance and aduise of the chiefer and wiser sort For from a Monarchy not thus well and orderly tempred arise great errours in gouernment little satisfaction to the State and many distastes amongst those that are gouerned All men that haue had the
and for this cause the whole Kingdome doth so freely and liberally contribute vnto them Which is specified by S. Paul in a Letter of his which hee wrote vnto the Romans Idâ—ò tributa praestatis c. For this cause pay you Tribute also For they are Gods Ministers attending continually vpon this very thing c. Kingdomes doe not pay their taxes idly and in vaine So many sessements so many Subsedies so many impositions so many great rentes so much authoritie so high a Title and so great a Dignitie is not giuen without charge and trouble In vaine should they haue the name of Kings if they had not whom to rule and gouerne And therefore this obligation lyes vpon them In multitudine populi dignitas regis The honour of a King is in the multitude of his People So great a dignitie so great reuenewes such a deale of Greatnesse Maiestie and Honour with a perpetuall Cense and rate vpon his Subiects Lands and Goods binde him to rule and gouerne his States conseruing them by Peace and Iustice. Let Kings therefore know that they are to serue their kingdomes being they are so well payd for their paines and that they beare an Office which tyes them necessarily to this trouble Qui praeest in solicitudine saith S. Paul He that ruleth with diligence This is the Title and name of King and of him that gouernes Not of him that goes before others onely in his Honour and his pleasure but of him that excells others in his solicitude and his care Let them not thinke that they are Kings onely in name and representation and that they are not bound to any more but to bee adored and reuerenced and to represent the person royall with a good grace and to carry themselues with a soueraigne kind of State and Maiestie like some of those Kings of the Medes and Persians which were no more then meere shadowes of Kings so wholy neglectfull were they of their office as if they had beene no such manner of Men. There is not any thing more dead and of lesse substance then the image of a shadow which neither waggs arme nor head but at the Motion of that which causeth it God Commanded his people that they should not make any grauen Image nor any feigned Pictures or counterfeit paintings which shew a hand where there is none discouer a face where there is none and represent a body where there is none expressing therein actions to the life as if the Image or Picture did see and speake For God is no friend of feigned figures of painted men nor of Kings that are onely so in shape and proportion being in fashion like vnto those of whom Dauid sayd Os habent non loquuntur oculos habent non videbunt c. They haue mouths but speake not eyes haue they but they see not They haue eares but heare not and hands haue they but handle not And to what vse I pray serues all this They are no more then meere Idolls of Stone which haue no more in them of Kings but onely an externall representation To be all name and authoritie and to be Men in nothing else doe not sute well together Woe to the Idoll Shepheard saith Zacharie that leaueth the flocke The sword shall be vpon his arme and vpon his right eye His arme shall be cleane dryed vp and his right eye shall be vtterly darkeneds it is written in the Reuelation Nomen habes quod viuas mortuus es Thou hast a name that thou liuest and art dead The names which God setteth vpon things are like vnto the Title of a Booke which in few words containeth all that is therein This name of King is giuen by God vnto Kings and therein includeth all that which this their Office tyes them to doe And if their workes and actions doe not answer with their name and Title it is as if one should say yea with his Mouth and by making Signes say no with his head What aiest and mockerie is this How shall such a one bee truely vnderstood It were Cosenage and deceit in that Golde beater who writes vpon his Signe Heere is fine gold to be sold when indeed it is but Orpine and base gold for Painters The name of King is not an Attribute of Idlenesse A person regall must haue reall performance As his name soundeth so let him serue in his place it is the people that proclaime the King but it is the King that must proclaime his loue to the people Hee that hath the name of ruling and gouerning a Gods name let him rule and gouerne They are not to be Reyes de anillo as it is in the Prouerb that is to say nominall Kings only praeter nomen nihil hauing nothing else in them In France there was a time when their kings had nothing but the bare name of Kings their Liuetenants Generall gouerning and Commanding all whilest they like so many beastes did busie themselues in nothing else but following the delights and pleasures of Gluttonie and Wantonnesse And because it might be known and appeare to the people that they were aliue for they neuer came abroad once a yeare they made shew of themselues on the first day of May in the Market-place of Paris sitting in a chaire of State on a throne royall like your kings amongst your Stage-players and there in reuerence they bowed their bodies vnto them and presented them with giftes and they againe conferred some fauours on such as they though fit And because you may see the miserie whereunto they were brought Eynardus in the beginning of that Historie which he writes of the life of Charles the Great says That those Kings in those dayes had no valour in them in the world made no shew of Noblenesse nor gaue so much as a tast of any inclination thereunto but had onely the empty and naked name of King For in very deede they were not Kings nor had actually and effectually any hand in the gouernment of the State or the wealth and riches of the Kingdome for they were wholly possessed by the Praefecti latij whom they called Seneshalls or Lord high Stewards of the Kings House Who were such absolute Lords and of that vnlimited power that they ruled the roste and did what they list leauing the poore seely King nothing saue onely the bare Title who sitting in a Chaire with his Perriwigge and his long beard represented the person of a King making the world beleeue that hee gaue Audience to all Ambassadours that came from forraigne parts and gaue them their answers and dispatches when they were to returne But in very truth he sayd no more vnto them saue what hee had beene taught or had by writing beene powred into him making shew as if all this had beene done out of his owne Head So that these kinde of Kings had nothing of the Power-Royall but the vnprofitable name of King and inutile
and the good will and loue of all men And of Dauid it is sayd Erat rufus pulcher aspectu facieque decora That hee was ruddy and withall of a beautifull countenance and goodly to looke to He was of a louely and gracious aspect milde affable and aboue all a great friend vnto goodnesse and well doing onely with his pleasing presence hee drew the eyes of all the people after him who ioyed in the fight of him And with this did he winne their hearts got their good wills and gayned the kingdome When by a good and painefull industrie and a sweet behauiour the hearts are first seazed on it is an easie matter to conquer Kingdomes In the sacred Historie of the Machabees are recounted the heroyicall Acts which that great Captaine Iudas and his brethren atcheiued in Spaine the Kings and Kingdomes which they subdued the nations which they conquered and made tributary to their Empire and the great treasure of gold and siluer which they purchased And all this they effected by their good Counsayle gentlenesse and patience giuing Kings thereby to vnderstand that if they be of a meeke peaceable and noble condition they shall be Lords and Masters of mens wealths and hearts And this made Polibius to say that a courteous and peaceable King conquers all with quietnesse euery man being willing to yeelde and submit himselfe to a soft and generous disposition that is free from anger and full of clemencie And this is that Legacie which God allotted and left vnto them long agoe in the olde Testament Mansueti haereditabunt terram The meeke shall inherit the earth And afterwards in the new Testament he renewes this promise Ipsi possidebunt terram They shall inherit the earth They shall be Lords of the earth That is of the men vpon earth and of their possessions For by this earth which God promiseth vnto them S. Bernard vnderstands the same earth whereof men are formed And it is vsuall in Scripture to call men earth And thereby is likewise vnderstood that of this world which wee heere inhabit the possessions thereof it 's gouernment Scepter and Monarchie for all this is but a Patrimonie bequeathed to a kinde smooth and louing nature The best Titles that a King can present before God for to pretend the preseruation and perpetuitie of his Kingdome are meekenesse and gentlenesse These Dauid represented vnto him when hee petitioned him that hee would be pleased to continue and confirme his kingdome in his sonne Memento Domine Dauid omnis mansuetudinis eius Lord remember Dauid and all his lowly carriage Whose heart was not haughty nor his eyes lofty but behaued and quieted himselfe as a childe that is weaned of his Mother And presently God collated this benefit vpon him saying Com cumpleti suerint dies tui suscitabo semen tuum post te firmabo regnum eius When thy dayes be fullfilleâ— and thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy bowells and I will establish his Kingdome Such effects doth the smooth breast and soft heart of a King worke And this is so sure a Tenet that for to keepe a Kingdome secure and to be Lord of many moe there needeth no other claime then that which Loue and Gentlenesse maketh For in regard that the heart of man is generous it will not be led by the necke with a halter nor will subiects long indure the yoake of a Tyrannizing and proud Lord whereas on the contrary they are easily led a long by a smooth and gentle hand And reason teacheth vs as much for by how much the more easily is the heart of man moued by conueniences then by menaces by faire meanes then by foule by so much the better is it to gouerne by meekenesse and gentlenesse then by force and rigour Whence we draw this Conclusion That too much sharpnesse and excesse of rigour in a Prince procuteth hatred and affabilitie and clemencie Loue. Which is that which Kings ought most to seeke after as by and by we shall shew vnto you when wee come to tell you that these two qualities of blandure and clemencie so befitting a supreme Lord are quite contrarie to that good expedition of Iustice and that integritie which God doth require in a Iudge whom hee willeth and commaundeth That in matter of iudgement hee shall not pittie the case of the poore According to which Instruction it of force followeth that a King must represent two contrary persons that of a kind and pittifull Father and that of a iust and angry Iudge For if in his owne nature hee be kinde and tender hearted there is not that offender which will not be set free by the power of Intreaties and Teares weapons wherewith the hardest and cruellest hearts suffer themselues to be ouercome And if he be otherwise what can the delinquents hopes end in but death and despaire Againe if he be vertuous and seuere it is impossible that he should not hate the vicious and grow into choller when hee shall heare of their cruell outrages and insolencies Now what remedy in this case is to be vsed Saint Ierom and Saint Austen are of opinion that a King by his owne person is to punish and premiate to execute chasticement with iustice and to mitigate it with mercy Nor is it vnworthy our consideration nor lyable to inconueniencie that a King should represent two persons so contrary in shew as iudging with Iustice and Mercie For two vertues cannot bee contrary And as the Saints and holy Doctors say and they are in the right Mercie doth not hinder the execution of Iustice but it moderateth the crueltie of the punishment And it is very necessary in a good Iudge that hee should haue a true and faithfull paire of balance in his hands and in either scale to put rigor and equitie that hee may know how to correct the one by the other The Kings of Portugall especially Don Iuan the third did vse to iudge Capitall crimes accompanied with his Councell and were alway accounted fathers of the people because with them Iustice and Mercie walked hand in hand shewing themselues iust in punishing the fault and mercifull in mitigating the punishment By which meanes they were of all both feared and beloued And let not Kings perswade themselues that this doth lessen their authoritie and take of from their greatnesse but giues an addition and the oftner they sit in iudgement they shall doe God the more seruice and the Kingdome more good And in conscience the surest and safest course for that reciprocall obligation which is between the King and his subiects For they owe obedience seruice and acknowledgement to him as their Lord and Master And he vnto them Iustice Defence and Protection For to this end and purpose doe they pay him so many great Tributes and Taxes Nor is it enough for him to doe it by others but
or otherwise For these doe rather dispeople and desolate then correct and amend a kingdome And as it is a signe of bad Physitians or of a corrupt and infectious aire to see many fall sicke and dye so likewise is it of carelesse Ministers and ill preuention and of a contagious corruption of vices and euill manners when there are many criminall iudgements many punishments and cruell chastisements And who is he that knowes the principall cause thereof it may bee this or it may bee that or all together howsoeuer I am sure it is all ill And in a word so great so vniuersall and so pernicious an ill that if Christian Kings carry not a very watchfull eye ouer their Subiects manners in not suffering them to flie out they shall not when they would be able to refraine them and remedie what is amisse for euill custome being once habituated according vnto Galen and others is an acquired nature and engendreth an habite which being mans naturall inclination carries him along after it and so great is his inclination to delights and so many the prouocations and ill examples which draw him thereunto and poure oyle as it were vpon that fire that if there be not the more diligence and care vsed in the quenching of it it must necessarily spread it selfe abroad and extend it selfe daily more and more and more especially into those Cities and countries where there is much commerce and trading in Merchandise and in the Courts of Kings where there is such a concourse of diuerse and sundrie nations there being not any one of them which hath not it's proper and peculiar vertues as also it 's proper and peculiar vices Their vertues men hardly take hold on but their vices those cleaue easily vnto them of themselues and by this their Commerce and Trading remaine engrauen in their hearts And what was before but an inclination being now become a custome vice engendreth vice and one appetite maketh way for another Lycurgus saith That it more importeth a State to see that it's Cities bee not infected with the ill customes and manners of Strangers then to preserue them from the plague the pestilence or other the like contagious diseases For these Time asswageth and consumeth but those are with time increased and augmented Three Embassadours of the Cretans each of them being of a different Sect made their ioynt entrance into Rome The Senate gaue them audience And Cato being there whom for his great authoritie they did much reuerence and was indeed as an Oracle amongst them gaue his vote and opinion that hee would haue them dâ—spatcht thence with all possible speed before the corruption of their manners should corrupt the Romane Common-wealth This care ought Kings to take and so much the rather for that they haue neuer a Cato that will tell them neuer a Councellour that will aduise them that in no kinde of manner nor vpon any occasion whatsoeuer ought they either in their Court or kingdome suffer any man no though hee be an Ambassadour to reside there being different in his Religion manners and Ceremonies For their treating and conuersing with vs serues to no other purpose but to bring in vices and banish vertues to worke vpon weake and wauering mindes and to draw the naturall Subiects of another Prince from Gods true worship and due obseruance of his diuine Law And this was the care of the Ancients of those times who would neuer giue consent and allowance that there should bee any thing intertained or receiued into their commonwealths whereby mens mindes might grow cold or be withdrawne in any one point or tittle from the worship and adoration of their Gods And very fit for these times were that Law of the Persians which did punish him with death that should bring in any new vse or strange custome And the Cretans did in their ordinarie Letanies desire that no new custome might enter into their city which is as a contagious disease and cleaueth as close as the plague or pestilence Nor did the Lawes of Egypt permit any new tune in their Musicke or any new kinde of song vnlesse they were first examined by those that were in place of gouernment For as Plato affirmeth a Commonwealth as well as Musicke admitteth changes And that for the auoiding of this mischiefe it ought not to be permitted that there should be introduced any new kinde of tunes or Musicke together wherewith mens mindes receiue some change and alteration Aristotle did aduise those that would bee vertuous that they should not vse Musicke nor musicall instruments to incite them to be vicious For Musicke being a diuine gift and very powerfull to moue the hearts of men and to perswade the thing that is sung if they accustome themselues to play and sing holy lessons honest songs they therby accustome themselues to be honest and vertuous And therefore anciently your Kings as Dauid the Prophets and Priests the better to apply themselues to contemplation did vse Musicke wherewith they suspended their senses and remained as it were swallowed vp in God In a word many men haue therewith beene robbed of their soules and of their honours and daily much hurt doth ensue thereby For it is able to doe much and greate is the force and power which it hath ouer mens manners And if you will not beleeue me obserue but the hurt which your new wanton tunes together with the lasciuious wordes and gesticulations vsed in them haue wrought of late amongst not onely the common but better sort of people Now to shut vp all that hath beene said in three points First of all I say that it much importeth that a Prince bee good in himselfe for that all men make their Imitation after that patterne that hee sets before them And for this cause God placed him in so high and eminent a place to the end that by the resplendour of his vertues hee should giue light to the whole kingdome and that both by his life and example he should exemplifie and indoctrinate his Subiects for it is not onely included in the name and office of King to rule and gouerne the kingdome by good and wholsome Lawes but likewise to teach and instruct the people by his vertues This ought to bee say Socrates and Plato the end and ayme of Kings to direct their Subiects in the truth they practising it first themselues which is the strongest and forciblest argument to perswade it For the execution of that which is perswaded and commanded doth secure the passage doth make the worke sauourie and doth facilitate the trouble Secondly to the end that the Lawes may bee the better kept Kings must obey and keepe them for it will seeme an vniust thing in them to establish and ordaine that which themselues will not keepe and obserue They must doe as Lycurgus did who neuer enacted any thing which he himselfe did not punctually performe And it was a Romane Edict Vse el Rey de la Ley
the arrogancie of one of his Fauourites and not being able longer to endure it caused him to be staked and the stake to be set on the top of an high hill giuing him a death answerable to his vanitie For although Kings loue them and in some sort acknowledge a kinde of beholdingnesse yet they vsually withdraw their fauour quite from them and are oftentimes ashamed of their choice whereunto being added the complaints of the people and other principall persons offended with the iniuries offered vnto them remoue that scandall by remouing their Fauorite and make them satisfaction by making him be punished neuer in this case aduising with any nor so much as hearing what the Fauourite in his owne discharge can say for himselfe for in such desperate cases when things are brought to that extremitie Kings vse to take that course as your Protâ—medici and skilfuller sort of Physitians doe with their inferiours who in weightie and vrgent occasions fall speedily to worke themselues without any further consultation but in ordinarie diseases heare resolue and consult with others Againe let Fauourites for their learning reade the Histories and peruse the generall booke of Time and they shall there finde a thousand of these examples and other as many faire warnings worthy their sight and knowledge for the admonishing of men for to feare their priuacie with Kings and to tremble at humane prosperitie and the securitie wherein they liue And hee that shall diligently reade these things will seeke to come fairely off from these his high fortunes and fauours For ordinarily from a prosperous and high-raised estate great disasters haue had their beginning as from your highest places come your greatest falls And peraduenture because this desenganno and dis-deceiuing of our selues doth so much import mankinde and that men might liue in this feare God hath and doth permit of such like examples and admonitions And it may likewise be beleeued that such violent and sudden accidents haue not onely happened through the default of those that fall or for want of wisedome but by a diuine prouidence and permission for their owne particular sinnes or for that God was wiâ—ling as being the master workeman and onely Potter of these our earthen vessells to breake these with a rodde of iron and to choose others for vessells of honour through which the holy liquor of his Gospell and other good graces might be poured forth and diffused throughout the world CHAP. XXXIII Whether it be fit for Kings to haue any more then one Fauourite THe name wherewith the Greekes named God is deriued from a word which signifies to see So that to say God is to say Hee that sees For as the Apostle Saint Paul and faith teacheth vs all is subiect to Gods view and vnto Kings who are his Lieutenants here vpon earth nothing can conuene so well with them as to seéme to the world to haue so quicke and large a sight that they may see all whatsoeuer mans capacitie is able to reach vnto And because they cannot doe this alone by themselues Xenophon said very well and wisely that it was needfull that they should haue other eyes whereunto to trust as much as vnto their owne and to see as it were by spectacles for Kings are so vnhappy that they cannot come to see all without them And those as the same Philosopher said are those friends and Fauourites who are to see and know that which passeth in the world as also what is needfull in common-wealths and to giue notice thereof vnto their Kings and to helpe them to ordaine and execute that which is fitting and conuenient And Fauourites being intertained as we said before for this end and for the publike good of the common-wealth it is requisite that Kings should not haue one onely but many One day some about the person of Alexander the Great shewed him a maruellous faire Pomegranate which being cut in two discouered a great company of kernels and one of them asking him of what he would wish to haue such store as of those Pomegranate kernels which appeared vnto him He answered that he would wish that hee might haue so many Zâ—piri This Zopirus being a Fauourite of his and one that was very faithfull vnto him and of great abilities For it is not contrary to royall greatnesse to haue many but very necessary for the better dispatch of businesses For if they should passe onely through the hands of the Prince their dispatch would bee very slow and subiect likewise to many errours whereinto they would ordinarily runne for want of their care and assistance Darius King of Persia tooke three Fauourites vnto him to whom the rest of the Princes rendered an account of all the affaires of the kingdome And from the beginning of the world euen to this present time Kings haue had some more and others lesse For this must be regulated and ordered according to the greatnesse of the kingdomes For by how much the more they are in number and greatnesse so much the more increase haue those weightie affaires which are necessarily to haue their recourse to their royall persons and according to the measure of them is there an addition to be made of those that are to assist and attend businesses to passe through all to prouide for all and in all places The people of Israel when Moses gouerned them were all ioyntly together in one body in forme of an Armie and all that made not vp so much as a meane kingdome and they remaining as then they did without possessions incamped in a desart and being all Israelites it seemeth in all likelihood that their ordinary businesses could not be either so many or so great as those which are incident to a King who is Lord and Master of diuers kingdomes and Prouinces and of sundry seuerall Nations And yet notwithstanding that great Gouernour Moses by negotiating from morning vntill night without diuerting himselfe could not giue conuenient dispatch vnto all but was forced as is before specified to take vnto him no lesse then seuenty assistants all chosen men and endewed with those good qualities whereof we now treate Let Kings therefore haue many for to aide and helpe them and let them be the Ministers of his minde and the Conducts whereby to conuay his will and pleasure to his Subiects For in the administration of publike affaires it is euermore to bee indeauoured that many beare a part therein As well for the common satisfaction that shall thereby be giuen vnto all as also for that they may be able to make the better account of all businesses bee they neuer so many And likewise for that few being instructed and experienced in them occasion may not bee giuen that those failing the commonwealth and publike gouernment may thereby incurre any danger This was Augustus his conceit deliuered by Suetonius which that he might the better execute and that his bounty might inlarge it selfe towards the more persons he inuented new publike
in the same streake or line with his Master For if God who surpasseth in glory and from whom it is impossible to take the least atome thereof and is able to turne all that he hath created into dust will not admit of a companion in matter of adoration and worship How much more will Kings of the earth bee offended and how ill must they take it that any Subiect should equall his shoulder or share with him in his greatnesse being his honour is so shortned and his power so limited For if out of their loue to the person of the Fauourite they beare with him for a while either for to shew themselues thankfull for his good seruices or haply to make him the instrument to worke their reuenge on others Yet these affections and proofes which I speake of being once passed ouer there enters presently in the place thereof a naturalâ—â—â— are and iealousie of their authority and greatnesse which doth much more sway with them then the loue and affection which they beare to the Fauourites person Enuie likewise she comes in and playes her part which is a neare neighbour and still ready at hand in Princes Courts and Pallaces as if she were Attorney generall of all those great places and â—omes forth her venome secretly lying in waite and watching her time to doe mischiefe stabbing suddenly deaths wound being giuen before it be dream't on and great is the hurt which this so neare a neighbour to the Kings elbow doth and out of an in-bredspleene aymeth at nothing more then the downfall of Fauourites Complaints and grieuances they also make their appearance in Court being the maine witnesses that Enuie and Passion bring into the Court to make good their plea. Next after these comes in the respect not to say the feare of those that are discontented in all states for no King will be willing that their Subiects vpon this ground should build their rebellion and cause an alteration in the kingdome and will be as loath to bee ball'd on by grieued and discontented persons vpon iustly pretended complaints nor will he be so vnwise for feare of other claps to fauour one to offend many All of them being shrewd blowes for to allay if not quell the courage of the most passionate King towards his dearest Fauourite and are such fierce and terrible conflicts that they tosse his iudgement to and fro with farre greater violence then a strong raging winde doth the waues of the Sea Gouernours and such as sit at the sterne of a Common-wealth and such vnto whom Kings haue deliuered vp the keyes of their heart and hold the rudder of the Monarchie in their hands to steare and shape their course as they will themselues there is no question to bee made of it but that they are in great danger vpon euery storme thâ—t shall arise for looke what misfortune shall befall the Commonwealth the blame shall be laid vpon them and the fault imputed either to their ill counsell or their ignorance or their passion For ordinarily nay I may say continually the misfortunes and ill successes of Kings and kingdomes I say the cause of them is attributed to those that are nearest and dearest about the Kings person and possesse the highest places And euery one running along with the common opinion and few are they which haue not a smacke or taste thereof laboureth to lay the fault on his neighbour though he be of his owne proper flesh and bloud And this is an inheritance which wee haue from our father Adam And no man is ashamed thereof for we are all of vs his heires and therefore ought to endeuour as much as in them lies that the peace and quiet of the kingdome bee not disturbed or troubled in the time of their gouernment As well for their glorie and reputation to haue in all their proceedings carried themselues in such sort that no ill accident hath betided them or any maine disgrace as also for the not subiecting of themselues to the vncertaine chances of fortune which are ordinary vpon euery alteration and may serue to worke their ruine and perdition Let therefore those haue an eye I say it and say it againe that are Priuie-Councellours to their King and more particularly the Fauourite to whom hee shall haue deliuered vp the possession of his heart that the aduice and counsell which they shall giue vnto him bee good pure and cleare water issuing from forth a pure cleane and disinteressed bosome Such is the water saith Aristotle as is the earth through which it passeth if through mynes of brimstone it scaldes and burnes if through craggy rocks it cooles and stupefies and if through salt-pits it is brinish and brackish The like iudgement may wee make of counsell if it proceed from a breast and heart that is foule and filthy it teacheth filthinesse if from a pure and cleane honestie and cleannesse if from a libeâ—â—ll it doth good vnto all if from a couetous it aduiseth nothing but gripping and wring ng of the Subiect So that counsell is figured forth vnto vs in water which in it's softnesse sauour colour and sent is perfectly knowne whether the myne be good or bad through which it passeth And such is their opinion and that which they aduise as is the humour that is predominant in their stomacke Euerie one casts his eye vpon his owne particular approuing and accounting that for iust which tends to his profit and condemning the contrary God deliuer Kings from such Councellours and let them take heed that they doe not erre in their aduise and in those medicines and remedies which â—hey prescribe vnto their Kings for it is as it were a remediâ—â—â—â—nd irrecouerable errour and theirs must bee the fault and many times the punishment but alwayes the note and infamie of their Kings erring Nor let those that haue the Kings eare make a mockerie of my words for it is a very dangerous and ticklish place that they possesse Where to erre is an easie thing but to hit right hard and euen then when they least thinke of it their preciousest Iewells their richest Mettalls and their greatest treasures are turned into coales and the like trash like those moneyes of your Hobgoblins Fairies and Robin good-fellowes It is an old thred-bare saying That ill counsell turnes to the Councellours owne hurt Consilium malum consultori pessimum saith Plutarch And the holy Ghost That the first with whom ill counsell meets is it's Authour Facienti nequissimum consilium super eum deuoluitur For as he that casteth a stone on high it shall fall vpon his owne head And as hee that smiteth with guile woundeth himselfe And whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein And he that layeth a stone in his neighbours way shall stumble thereon And he that layeth a snare for another shall be taken in it himselfe so whoso giueth a wicked noysome counsell it shall come vpon himselfe and he shall not know from whence Wicked counsell
should be made and that the King should take notice of this or that misdemeanour it shall be dawbd vp so handsomely such a faire varnish set vpon it and so ful of excuses that it will be all one as if he had neuer heard of it or any such thing bin at all Presuming that Kings rather then they will be troubled with businesses of clamour and noyse will for their owne ease slightly passe them ouer Wherein as they haue oftentimes found themselues so it is fit they should still be deceiued And truly to no man can with better Title his Entrance be giuen nor this golden key to the Kings Chamber be committed then to him who with the integritie and zeale of an Elias should trample and tread these Monsters vnder foote and roundly and throughly to take this care to task which without al doubt would be one of the gratefullest and most acceptable seruices which can be done vnto God both in matter of pietie and of pitie But what shall I say of the Kings happinesse in this case With nothing can he more secure his conscience then with this As one who is bound out of the duty of his place to haue a watchfull eye ouer all his Ministers but more narrowly and neerely to looke into the water of those that are the great Ones being likewise obliged graciously and patiently to heare those that shall complaine of them it not proceeding out of spleene and malice but out of a desire to iustâ—fie the truth to make good a good cause and that the fault mâ—y be punished with whom the fault is truly found For when the subiects iust Complaints are not heard besides that his conscience is charged and clogg'd therewith the Ministers themselues become thereby much more absolute and more insolently Imperious Insomuch that the subiect seeing that they are neither heard nor eased of their grieuances they grow desperate And what fruites despaire bring forth I neede not tell kings that know either men or bookes There is not in holy Scripture any one thing more often repeated then the particular care which God hath of the oppressed In the seuenty second Psalme where the Greatnesses of King Salomon are set forth but more particularly those magnificencies of that true King Salomon Iesus Christ whose figure he was amongst other his Excellencies for the which he ought to be much estemed beloued and adored of all the Kings of the earth and serued by all the nations of the world this which followeth is not the least Adorabunt eum omnes reges terrae omnes gentes seruient ei quia liberauit pauperem à potente paâ—perem cui non erat adiâ—tor All Kings shall worship him all nations shall serue him For he shall deliuer the poore when he cryeth the needy also and him that hath no helper And in another place he makes the like repetition Eâ— vsuris iniquitate redimet animas eorum Propter miseriam inopâ—m etgemitum pauperum nunc exurgam dicit dominus Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighes of the poore I will vp sayth the Lord and will set at libertie him whom the wicked hath snared And in the first Chap. of Esay it seemeth that God doth proclaime a plenary Indulgence and full Iubile vnto those Kings and Gouernours who apply themselues to the easing of the oppressed Subuenite oppresso iudicate populo defendite viduam et venite arguite me dicit dominus si fuerint peccata vestra vt coccineum quasi nix dealb ab untur at si fuerint rubra quasi vermiculus velut lana alba erunt Relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widowe though your sinnes were as crymson they shaâ—l be made white as snow though they were red like skarlet they shall be as wool you see then that all sinnes are forgiuen that King that is a Louer of Iustice and a friend vnto the poore and needy that takes paines in relieuing the oppressed and in defending the widowe and protecting the distressed They may stand with God in iudgement alleage for themselues his Iustice his righteousnesse who haue dealt iustly vprightly with their subiects and mantained the weake and needy against those powerfull Tyrants which seeke to swallow them vp as your greater fishes doe the lesser Qui deuorant plebem meam siâ—ut escam panis Who eate vp my people as they eate bâ—ead And howbeit Iustice ought to be one and the same both to poore and rich yet God doth more particularly recommend vnto their care and charge that of the poore For as it is in the Prouerb Quiebra sa soga por lo mas delgado Where the corde is slendrest there it breaketh soonest For a powerfull man will defend himselfe by his power and great men by their greatnesse And would to God that they had no more to backe them then a iust defence for then the poore should not neede to stand in feare of them But that is now to passeable in these times which the Apostle Saint Iames found fault with in his Quod diâ—ites per potentiam opprimunt vos et ipsi trahunt vos ad iudicium That the rich oppresse the poore by tyrannie and draw them before the iudgement-seates When Kings doe cumply with this their obligation when they free the oppressed and defend the wronged Orphane and Widowe Godsends downe vpon them his light his grace and other extraordinary gifts whereby they and their states are conserued and maintayned Whose ruine and perdition doth euermore succeede through the default of him that gouerneth for if Kings would gouerne according vnto equitie and iustice they and their kingdomes should be as it were in a manner perpetuall and immortall For as it is in the Prouerbs of Salomon Rex qui indicat in veritate pauperes Thronus eius in aeternum firmabitur A King that iudgeth the poore in truth his throne shall be established for euer Whereas on the contrary most certaine it is that the King and kingdome haue but a short continuance where the Iudges and Ministers are swayed by passion and thereby the subiects abused It is the saying of the holy Ghost Regnum à gente in gentem transfertur propter iniustitias et iniurias et contumelias et dolos Because of vnrighteous dealing and wrongs and riches gotten by deceit the Kingdome is transferred from one people to another No one thing drawes such assured and apparent perils of warre vpon kingdomes as the wrongs that are done to the poorer sort of subiects Clamor eorum in aures domini Exercituumintroiuit The cryes of them haue entred into the eares of the Lord of Hosts And there before his Counsell of Warre they present their Memorialls and their Petitions with such a loud language and discomposed deliuery that they pierce through his eares when they call vpon him saying since thou art the Lord God of Hoasts raise thou Armies both in Heauen
greatnesse and authoritie on that as did your Heathen Kings and those that were without the light of faith Who pretended nothing else in their gifts and fauours but vaine-glory and the idle applause of the world According to that saying of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Reges gentium dominantur eorum quipotestatem habent super eos benefici vocantur The Kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them and they that beare rule ouer them are called Bountifull True authoritie and Greatnesse doth not conâ—ist in Magnificencies and Prodigalities which are not regular and ruled by reason Which requireth to cumply first with what is due and that neither Kings nor their subiects should thrust themselues into necessity and want to satisfie the ambition and couetousnesse of those who as Salomon sayth like vnto Horse-leaches Semper dicunt Affer Affer still cry Giue Giue That which distributiue Iustice requireth is That Kings should repart the common goods of the Republicke conformeable to the meritts and seruices of euery one preferring alwayes the publicke before any particular good and ioyntly with this that they goe clinching the hand for a while that they may afterwards stretch it out more at large when it shall be fitting for them so to doe And this is Liberalitie that vertuous and noble Meane betweene those vicious Extreames Auarice and Prodigalitie When our Sauipur Christ had sufficiently fed that great multitude which followed him into the desert they no sooner found themselues full but they presently resolued amongst themselues to make him their king And this their determination grew from two things which they saw to bee in him The one his noble disposition in affording them such free and plentifull intertainment The other for his great prudence and good gouerment in giuing order that the peeces of bread and other the fragments that were left should be gathered vp Colligite quae super auerunt fragmeta ne pereant Gather vp the broaken meate which remayneth that nothing be lost Nor did he doe this that he had neede to set it vp or keep it to serue at some other time vpon the like occasion for he could as often as he would haue made bread of stones but to instruct and teach Kings to knowe both to spend and saue to giue and hoord vp where how and when it is fitting in regard that their power is limited Moreouer Kings are to consider that they who at one clap receiue much from them grow so fat and purâ—ie that they are not able to serue and follow them as they were wont and sometimes they retire themselues and nere returne againe to see either King or Court vnlesse meere Couetousnesse and greedinesse of gaine draw them thither to beg more and more to cramme their purses Being like vnto that Crowe which Noah sent out of the Arke who as soone as he had found firme footing and whereon to feede his fill neuer came back again Kings Palaces are like Noahs Arke where there is a great diuersitie in the Conditions of men and generally you shall meete there with more Crowes then Doues And here I will with your good leaue take a little libertie to diuert my selfe from the Testimonies of Holy Scripture to those of Great Kings and Monarckes some of one nation and some of another And the first that I shall begin withall shall be king Don Alonso of Sicily who walking along by the Sea-side caused many gobbets of flesh some great and some small mingled one amongst another to be brought vnto him and still as the Crowes which were many came about him to some hee threw out the lesser to other the larger morsells Those that went away with the great gobbets came no more in sight but fled their way but those that had but a small pittance and were not so full gorged they followed the King whether so euer he went and neuer forsooke him Who tolde those that were then about him In this my Masters yee may see how much it importeth Kings to distribute their fauours with moderation and temper Philip King of Macedon did much reprehend his sonne Alexander for being too lauish of his fauours and too excessiue in his giftes Telling him that thereby hee peruerted the mindes of those that were to serue him who in stead of seruing him with that loue loyalty which in duty they were bound vnto they would now onely serue him for their owne particular interest and proper commoditie making by this meanes affection and fidelitie become a kinde of trading and merchandizing And certainely so it is that when mens mindes make interest their Aime and daily to get more and more they become saleable and tender their seruice to those that wil giue them most And they which doe thus accustome themselues to craue and take the loue of friendship and that thankefull acknowledgement which is due to the Doner is turned into interessed Loue which is called by the name of Concupisence And are as the Comicke Poet saith like vnto those lewd huswifes which Amoreâ—carent munâ—â— amantis amant Loue not so much the man as his money nor his person as his purse You shall seldome see a man that is as they say a Pediguenâ—â— a crauing Companion one that is still begging one thing or other that hath not some touch of Couetousnesse and some tincture more or lesse of vnthankefullnesse For in regard that these men loue themselues and their owne interest so well they haue not one drop of loue left for others and if any doe remaine they conferre it on a third person through whose hands that which they pretend is to passe And the King and Prince to whom all is due rest depriued of two things that are the most substantiall and of most importance for the conseruation perpetuation and augmentation of his Kingdome which are their subiects Loue and Thankes For the truest kinde of Raigning and the likest to Gods kingdome is to gaine the heartes of their subiects and to make themselues as much as in them lyes Lordes and Masters of their good Wills And it is our dayly experience to see persons that haue beene highly and richly gratified and extraordinarily well rewarded to haue proud very vnthankfull For this fault great benefits haue with them and such as are dis-equall to the deserts of those persons that receiue them that they are not thankfully accepted of And those that are benefitted to the end that they may not bewray this their imperfection being such as it is no lesse then so great a sinne as ingratitude they soone learne to forget them but those that are conferred on others neuer slip out of their remembrance In a word of all that that is begg'd and of all them that begg few there are that forbeare to goe this way In confirmation whereof we may alleadge heere that question which Christ made to one of those ten Leapers which hee healed shewing himselfe not halfe well pleased with the rest of his
fellowes Nonne decem mundati sunt Et nouem vbi sunt Non est inuentus qui rediret dares gloriam Deo nisi hic Alienigena Are there not ten cleansed But where are the nine There is none found that returned to giue God prayse saue this stranger In Kings Pallaces your strangers and those that are newly come to Court are your onely thankfull men For those that are well acquainted with the Court familiarly attend the person of the King and are still assistent vnto him vpon all occasion neuer acknowledge the fauours that are done them bee they neuer so great They are alwayes crauing but are neuer satisfied they swallow downe whole riuers and wonder not at it they thinke all Iordan is too little for them and that they shall no soner open their mouth but they must presently sup it vp And the reason hereof is because they verily perswade themselues that all whatsoeuer you giue them be it neuer so much is due vnto them for their seruices and their dayly Assistencies I therefore say and therein say but the trut That one of the greatest happinesses that can befall Kings is to be serued by noble persons and men of honour gente granada as the Spaniards tearme them iolly strong lusty people proper comely men and persons of best and most account both for riches and honour But this is the mischeife of it that this golde which should make such a glorious shew in Court and shine both in honour and goodnesse is canckred and rusted by Auarice and Ambition which eates into all mens mindes and wholly possesseth them So that from the highest to the lowest they are all well read in the Schoole of Couetousnesse Dissimulation and deceit And your Priests and those that weare Miters on their heads are not in this kinde the meanest Schollers amongst them All complaine they are not rewarded that they haue nothing giuen them if they haue any thing giuen them they thinke it is all too litle And betwixt this their complayning their thankefull acceptance there is set vp such a strong partition that it neither suffereth them to acknowledge a benefit nor to intertaine it with that thankfullnesse as they ought All now a dayes attend their own interest and not their kings seruice Who may say that of them which God spake by Malachie Who is there euen among you that would shut the doores of my house or kindle but a coale on mine Altar in vaine Not one I assure you but will be well payd for his paines There is not that Sexton that Cloyster Cleanser nor scullion of the Kitchen but will haue good wages other ayudes de costa or by-helps This great traine saith Seneca of seruants and Attendants seeke not so much after a Master as Money a friend as a fortune Miserable is the condition of kings whom none loue for themselues but for their owne ends and the good they expect from them so that this their priuate interest fayling them their seruices faile with it likewise faileth so says S. Isidore that loue Loyalty which is due vnto them Non sunt fideles quos munus non gratia copulat nam citò deserunt nisi semper accipiant Those whom Lucre not Loue linketh cannot bee faithfull For vnlesse they be still on the taking hand they vanish and are quickly gone Yet is it not my intent and purpose in that which I haue sayd to condemne those who demaund their pay and satisfaction for their seruices to relieue their necessities For therein they doe but vse that lawfull course which is appointed for them by way of petition Howbeit Aristotle Plato and other Philosophers would haue subiects to be solicitous not in sueing but in seruing And I farther affirme that Princes are to take it to their charge to content those that haue done them good seruice it being the principall Office of distributiue Iustice carefully vigilantly to distribute riches and honours to those that haue deserued them And this vndoubtedly is one of the most effectuall meanes for the good gouernment of a Common-wealth For as those three diuine vertues Faith Hope and Loue are increased and augmented by praying vnto God so on the contrarie are they lessned and diminished by sueing vnto Men. For when subiects serue and not sueing obtaine that which they deserue humane Faith Hope and Loue is augmented in them because thereby they are taught to rely on the vertue and wisedome of their Soueraigne who applyes himselfe to euery mans meritts and the iustnesse and vprightnesse of his cause For which cause they will loue him much but much more when he giues without being importuned with petitions And it seemeeth vnto them that hee giues not more willingly then he doth wisely in applying himselfe onely to reason and Iustice and not to the importunate Petitions of Pretenders And therefore Kings are not to content themselues onely with paying that which they owe and to doe mercedes and fauours to them that serue them but that these should likewise goe accompanied with Loue and Good Will for with remuneration are the seruices requited and with Loue are they obliged to doe them still more and better seruice In that Case which the Scripture recounteth of King Assuerus who one night being not able to sleep and take his rest commanded Lights to be brought in and some that were about him to take that booke and read vnto him wherein were written the notable things that past in his raigne and amongst the rest there was mention made of a great peece of seruice which Mardochee did him freeing him from that death which two of his Eunuches had plotted against him by discouering this their treason demanded of those there present What honour and dignitie hath beene giuen to Mordochee for this his fidelitie towards me and the good seruice he hath done mee And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him sayd There is nothing done for him Whereupon he presently bestowed vpon him such great honors and dignities that vnlesse he should haue giuen him his kingdome he could not well haue giuen him more Thus was this good seruant rewarded honoured and graced by his Lord and Master who without being importuned gratiously called his good seruices to remembrance and honoured him aboue all the Princes of his Kingdome And I could wish that all that are rewarded by their Kings might receiue their recompence vpon the like good tearmes of Reason and Iustice. But now a dayes poore and slender seruices the more is the pitie finde copious and plentifull rewards and those ordinarily accompanied with ingratitude A thing which Nature it selfe abhorreth And which tyes Gods hands from giuing who is so liberall and so rich and dryes vp that ouerflowing fountaine of his boundlesse mercies from affording vs any farther fauour or Comfort CHAP. XXIIII Of the repartment and Diuision which is to be vsed in the Conferring of Offices And of the knowledge of such persons as
seruos suos cum eo et vniuersum Israel et vastauerunt filios Ammon et obsederunt Rabâ—a Dauid autem remansit in Hierusalem Dum haec agerentur accidit vt surgeret Dauid de strato suo post meridiem et deambularet in solario domus regiae viditque mulieremse lauantem ex aduerso super solarium suum c. And it came to passe that after the yeare was expired at the time when Kings goe forth to battel that Dauid sent Ioab and his seruants with him and all Israel and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah But Dauid tarryed still at Ierusalem And it came to passe in an Euening tyde that Dauid arose from his bed and walked vpon the roofe of the Kings house and from the roofe hee saw a woman washing her selfe and the woman was very beautifull to looke vpon c. What a companie of aggrauating circumstances did heere precede the sinne of Dauid It fell out about that time of the yeare when Kings vsed to goe into the field against their enemies and to muster vp their souldiars But instead of going himselfe in person hee sent forth his Captaine Ioab with all the choyse men of Israel himselfe remaining in the meane while sporting and recreating himselfe in his princely Pallace And not thinking on those cares which so dangerous a warre did at that time require hee rose one day after dinner from his Table and went to walke in a gallerie or Tarras that lay open to the Sunne and from thence it was his chance to espie Vriahs wife washing and bathing of her selfe in a place of the like nature right ouer against him who likewise on her part gaue occasion to this sinne for that her husband being abroad in the warres and exposing himselfe to so many troubles and perills she should take pleasure in washing her hayre and in the curious decking and dressing her person in a place from whence shee might be so easily seene Whom he no sooner saw but coueted and no soner made loue vnto but he inioyed her And that he might possesse her with the more safety and cloake the adulterie the better and the childe wherewithall shee went hee gaue order for the making away of her husband vpon the neck whereof an infinite number of other euills did insue When Kings wage warre and their subiects fight their battailes hazarding therein their liues or when any other common calamities happen as of Famine or Pestilence in their Kingdomes they are not then to follow their pleasures and intertainments but to abstaine from them and to shew and make knowen to the world that they haue a fellow-feeling of these common euills and generall afflictions For so did the King of Niniue as soone as hee was informed what the Prophet Ionas had preached in his Court threatning them with the punishment which God would send vpon that Citie And the holy Scripture saith That the King himselfe was the first man that forsooke his pleasures layd his roabe from him and couered him with sack-cloath and sate in ashes and caused it to be proclaimed through Nineue saying Let neither man nor beast heard nor flocke tast any thing let them not feede nor drinke water But let man and beast be couered with sack-cloath and cry mightily vnto God yea let them turne euery one from his euill way and from the violence that is in their hands c. And this was the Course that hee tooke for to appease Gods anger When King Dauid heard of the great slaughter which the Pestilence had wrought in his Kingdome sorrowing exceedingly that the Plague was so hot amongst his people and shewing that it grieued his very heart and soule hee cryed out vnto the Lord and sayd Ego sum qui peccaui ego qui iniquè egi c. Vertatur obsecro manus tua contra me et contra domum patris mei I haue sinned and I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done Let thine hand I pray be against me and against my fathers house King Ioram reigning in Israel there was so great a Famine and so fore a Death in that Kingdome that two women by consent did agree to kill their children and to eate them by turnes Which the King had no sooner heard of but that he was so inwardly grieued therewith that in expression of his sorrow he rent his garments according to the custome of the Hebrewes on such like sad occasions and put on sack-cloath within vpon his flesh Because Prince Ionathan did but dip the tippe of his rod in the hony-combe when as his father King Saul and all his men of warre were fighting against the Philistins God was much offended with it Thereby teaching Kings that on the like occasions they ought to be the first that should abstaine from their pleasures and delightes signified by the Hony-combe That valiant Captaine Vrias was a good master of this doctrine who being returned from the Armie to the Court called thither by the King would by no meanes be perswaded to goe home to his owne house to refresh himselfe and make merry with his wife though his Maiestie willed him so to doe And the reason which he rendred why he would not doe it was this Arca Dei et Iuda habitant in papilionibus c. The Arke and Israel and Iudah abiding in Tents and my Lord Ioab with the whole Army lying incamped in the open fields without any other shelter and being in that great danger that they are shall I then goe into mine house to eate and to drinke and to lye with my wise Per salutem tuam et per salutem animae tuae non faciam rem hanc As thou liuest and as thy soule liueth I will not doe this thing And not only in the common calamities of a whole Common-wealth but also in those particular ones of great persons that haue beene seruiceable to the state it is fit and requisit and well will it become Kings that they make shew of their sorrow by laying aside their feastings and all other kinde of solacings and mirthfull Intertainments When King Dauid vnderstood of the death of that braue Commander Abner he wept bitterly before the people and commanded that none should taste bread or ought else till the Sunne were downe saying vnto his seruants Num ignoratis quoniam princeps et Maximus cecidit hodiè in Israel Know yee not that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel But some will say that we do not well in aduising Kings or the Common people on sad occasions to forbeare their sports and pastimes it seeming vnto them that they ought rather then to seeke after them for the diuerting of melancholy and banishing of sorrow Vrging Plutarkes authoritie who reprehendeth those men who when they are already merrily disposed hunt after intertainments and pastimes wishing them to doe that when they finde themselues sad and heauie for then
their nature and disposition then on the Law of obligation and thankfulnesse for these are but weake bonds and easily broken And because I know not whether I shall hereafter come to light vpon the like occasion I will here propose that Question which is disputed and doubted of by some and may likewise serue for an Auiso vnto Kings whether it be better that the great Lords should be farre off from them or neare about them The Emperour Charles the fifth of famous memory amongst other Aduertisements which hee gaue to his sonne Philip one was That he should not let the great offices of the kingdome nor places of great command rest any long time in one mans hands nor should put his Grandes and great Lords into them but Gentlemen of good qualitie such as were creatures of his owne making And as for his Grandes hee should honour them with some places and offices neare about his person which would be a greater grace both to himselfe and his Court. Others are of a quite contrary opinion and alledge reasons for the maintenance thereof Great men they say if they be not like those little ones which Christ speaketh of are ordinarily of an extraordinary spirit and endeauour all they can increase of honour till they come to occupie the highest place And then will it bee seene of what little esteeme are those great fauours which they haue already receiued There is not that friendship that kindred nor any other bond be it neuer so strong which is not broken through the greedy ambition of ascending to some higher throne For to bee a King saith Euripides all Law is broken For this Appetite is of that force and strength that it breaketh all Lawes both Diuine and Humane For proofe whereof they cite many examples which I purposely omit that I may not offend and tire out the Reader All of them admonishing Kings that they should throughly weigh and consider where and in what places they put them For if they be neare about their royall person it is the torment of Tantalus vnto them to see the water and the fruit so neare their mouth that greatnesse and power I meane and not to enioy it Which will but prouoke a more hungry appetite in those which doe not possesse it and will breake through hedge and ditch and runne as they say through fire and water transported with this so faire and beautifull a prize as is set before their eyes neuer being at quiet till they come to enioy it For there is not that loue to any thing here vpon earth which doth so much alter suspend and seaze on the minde and hâ—art of man as that of ruling and commanding and to grow great therein And when they see things succeed not according to their minde yet at least in satisfaction of their enuie they will be well content that the waters should be troubled and the world be turned topsie-turuy taking pleasure therein though it be to their owne hurt And what King can secure himselfe that such ambitious persons being neare about him will not at one time or other attempt their ends For greatnesse say they after that it is once possessed quits the memory of the meanes whereby it came to bee so great and findes a thousand excuses for it's weaknesse in offending And the rather for that ill vse hath taught all men this lesson That the reputation of an honest man is not to be preferred before his proper profit and greatnesse Lastly they say That he that ouercommeth and makes good his clayme by his sword needeth not to study excuses and to make Apologies let those doe that that haue the worst end of the staffe and stand at the mercy of the Conquerour In conclusion they resolue this question thus That it is very fit that your great Noble-men should rather liue farre from Court then neare about their King For all of them will be of good vse for the gouernment of Prouinces and Armies whereby both the one and the other will be secured And when they cannot content them in all that they would haue they may entertaine them with these which will be a good meanes to diuert their thoughts and to bridle those Prouinces that are committed to their charge with whom the Maiestie and greatnesse of their Gouernours will be able to doe much And there they are not of that danger For in kingdomes by succession and well setled and where there is no colour of wresting the Scepter out of the bloud-royall there is no feare of trusting the Grandes and great Noblemen with these kinde of Gouernments but it is rather requisite that it should be so For like vnto starres in heauen and their influences on earth they serue for ornament and conuersation in those kingdomes and Prouinces wherein there are ancient and noble Houses for which they are to seeke out men of Noble bloud and good qualitie and of knowne greatnesse to bee conuersant amongst them For the Nobilitie of those kingdomes and Prouinces will thinke themselues not well dealt withall if they shall haue but an ordinary man set ouer them to be their Gouernour be he neuer so wise or neuer so valiant For being that they are to attend all at the gates of him that holdeth that place they may esteeme it as an iniurie to see themselues obliged to acknowledge homage vnto him whom out of that place they would scarce vouchsafe him their companie Besides that greatnesse and largenesse of minde and heart that knowes not how to shrinke or be deiected with aduerse fortune a thing so necessary in him that gouernes will sooner bee found in these then men of meaner ranke For as Saint Ierome saith hee that owes much to his bloud and familie will alwayes beare that obligation about him and neuer faile therein Againe he that is borne to command will be lesse insolent in his gouernment as hauing that noble qualitie from his cradle And the people on the other side will more willingly obey him whom they haue alwayes knowne to haue liued in honour and greatnesse And his example will bee of greater importance to reforme the disorders and abuses that shall there be offered Ouer and aboue they further adde That your Grandes and great Noblemen may and haue obligation to content themselues with their present estate if they will but weigh the difference of that it was with that which it is now did not men that are now in honour grow forgetfull of their former meane condition That grieuing them more which falls short of their desire then that doth please and content them which fortune hath with so liberall a hand bestowed on them For no man rests contented with his present estate and condition nor doe we esteeme that so much which wee possesse as the lacke of that we desire doth torment vs. And therefore doe they say that they are not so good to be about Kings and more particularly those which are so qualified for they
Lord and Master thereof if it lye diuided through diuers parts of the world by seas and enemies in the midst thereof should striue and indeauour by all possible meanes to make himselfe likewise Lord and Master of the sea for thereby shall he come to bee Lord and Master of the Land And an absolute dispenser of those things wherewith we sustaine our selues and liue For by the helpe of Nauigation we passe from one part to another and communicate of what they haue by way of commerce or otherwise And by this meanes is made of many Prouinces and kingdomes yea euen of the whole world one sole Citie and commonwealth This was the counsell of Themistocles and Plutarch makes it good saying Let no man deceiue himselfe in imagining with himselfe that Armies will suffice for to conserue himselfe and to make himselfe Lord of those kingdomes and Prouinces that haue the Sea to friend For if he be not likewise prouided and well furnished with a strong fleete at Sea howbeit hee may with a Land-armie ouercome the naturalls of those kingdomes or Prouinces yet it is impossible for him without the other to make an intire conquest and to go through with that which hee pretendeth That disposeth the Land to his will and giueth Lawes thereunto The Carthaginians saith Polibius were not ignorant of what great consequence this was for all kinde of businesses and therefore aduiseth That that which a Prince ought to procure whereby to come to be a great Monarch is by a strong Nauy to make himselfe Lord of the Sea For there are not any forces that worke such strange and great effects or so much import as these And all your Ancients held it for a Maxime that without the command at Sea there was nothing safe or secure on the Land Archidamus a great Captaine and King of the Lacedemonians was wont to say That those that are to deale with a strong enemie being powerfull at sea need not to put themselues vpon the ficklenesse of fortune but to place all their care in maintaining their Nauie for with this alone will they be able to wearie out the enemie to quit him of the succour of their friends to debarre him of Nauigation and of the commodities thereof and vtterly by this to vndoe him And which may seeme a thing impossible be able to beleaguer and girt in a whole kingdome and to take it forcing it by famine and other wants as if it were onely one single Citie that were besieged For that as Tacitus saith a strong fleete at sea is the Castle and Magasine of victualls And therefore the Empire and Signiorie of the Sea by a powerfull and commanding Nauy is held to bee of much more power and safetie then your Land-armies or Citie-garisons which of force must in the end yeeld vnto him which shall become Master of their ports and thereby hinder them of all commerce and traffique and humane communicatâ—on And this was the aduice which that great Monarch and Emperour Charles the fifth gaue likewise vnto his sonne to whom hee left so many and such great kingdomes so farre distant and diuided one from another with such large and deepe seas Hee saith he that is or will bee Master of them must haue his fleetes still in a readinesse well fitted and furnished as well with good tall ships well rigg'd and mann'd and all other necessary prouision as with store of Gallies for the safeguard and defence of his subiects as also to resist and offend Turkes Moores and Pyrats because he cannot repose any confidence or assurance in those Leagues and Truces which he shall make with them With this shall hee keepe them all in awe when they shall see his great forces at Sea by which he may as it were in an instant from all parts send succours and reliefe and whatsoeuer else shall bee needfull And it will bee no lesse then a hard rayne and cruell strong curbe for to bridle and restraine the sinister intents and vaine pretensions of such as shall plot strange proiects dangerous designes and scandalous attempts And vtterly to discourage them from vndergoing any enterprise or to vndertake any action of aduenture with hope of recouering such Townes or Prouinces as they haue lost or by landing of their men to encroach vpon new And say they should serue for no other vse saue to hinder the excursions of Pyrats and Sea-rouers in these our seas onely in regard of that it could not choose but bee a matter of mighty consequence and of wonderfull great importance considering the daily incursions losses flaughters the continuall captiuatings and robberies which they vsually commit vpon these our Coasts so that if there were not a fitting preparation and sufficient defence of ships and Gallies it were impossible for vs to occurre against those necessities and to bee prouided against those new and strange accidents which may offer themselues in those Estates kingdomes and Signiories Seas Coasts frontiers ports promontories Castles and forts which we hold in them Which by this our continuall nauigation and prouision of good shipping are well man'd and victualled and sufficiently prouided of armes munition and whatsoeuer else is necessarie in fit and conuenient both time and manner against all occasions Whereby the enemie perceiuing how well they are prouided for them dare not approach those places nor touch vpon them Besides this easie and short aduice there are many other causes that may moue vs not to be wanting herein In a word it will put the enemy into a continuall care and driue him to take a different resolution in those his ill-grounded motiues and pretensions And howbeit it be true that the charge is great so likewise great losses are thereby excused and some such sometimes as can neuer bee repaired So that there is no passing to and fro without nauigation and the vsing and maintaining of these fleetes They are the words of that victorious Emperour which no King for want of experience should dis-esteeme And for the better and fuller prouision in this kinde it is very fit that these Fleetes should haue their particular rent approprietated vnto them and that it should not vpon no occasion whatsoeuer be spent or laid out in any other thing For a set and deputed treasure for this purpose or the like is that which most importeth for the good dispatch of businesses and that they may bee done in their due time and with lesse charge and more profit This course did the Grecians take and after them the Romanes And of Augustus Caesar both Suetonius and Dyon report that he was the first inuenter of a perpetuall militarie treasure raised out of a certaine kind of Tributes which out of his owne curiositie he had sought and found out For Souldiers and warlike prouisions in your great Empires require a particular treasure wherewith to be payed which must not in any hand be otherwise imployed nor go intermixed with those other expences Hauing persons of much
to foresee that also which is to come And this prouidence circumspection or prudencie sound alike and are in a manner one and the same thing The Ancient did so artificially paint prudencie that shee seemed to looke euery way and to haue her eyes fixed on whatsoeuer did behold her For prudence as it is silent so it is searching nothing escapes her knowledge And it is a vertue that maketh Kings like vnto God For as hee by his diuine prouidence doth foresee all and gouerne all and hath all things present before him so they by their humane prudence which participateth of the diuine behold things past dispose of things present and prouide for things to come Some call her Filiam Dei Gods daughter because it seemed vnto them that shee had something of the Deitie in her that shee was his Minister in the creation of the world and disposition of all things and ought likewise to be the Mistris of Kings vpon all their occasions For as Aristotle and Plato avouch no man can gouerne well that is not prudent In ancient times the Common people were of opinion that Prudence was annexed vnto Kings and that they had a particular gift to fore-see that which was to come And such as were prouident and prudent they held to bee Diuine True it is that wisedome is the gift of God and wee must craue it of him as did Moses Ioshua Dauid Salomon and other wise Kings Which to obtaine wee must shunne and flye from sinne for it is impossible that hee should bee prudent that is not vertuous And so much hath a man of prudence as hee hath of vertue And according to this measure shall the authoritie credite and opinion bee which hee shall hold with the people The Offices and effects which Prudence doth and causeth are many And some of them are collected out of the many and various expositions which the Doctors attribute to this Tower and nose of the Spouse which we will goe disposing by it 's Paragraphes in this chapter §. I. Of the Magnanimitie of minde which Kings ought to haue BY this high Tower and nose of the Spouse some vnderstand the Pope Quia in facie Ecclesiae eminet Because he is an eminent man in the face of the Church But Rabbi Kymki and Philo Iudaeus will haue it by the selfe same reason to bee vnderstood of a King Adding withall that the nose doth betoken Maiestie Grauitie Longanimitie and excellencie of minde wherein a King ought to exceede all other And therefore the Persians would neuer choose him to be their King who had not a hooke nose like the Eagle well shap't and proportioned which is the ensigne of a magnanimous minde And hence it is that they say of the God of the Hebrewes that hee hath great and large nostrils So sounds that word of the Psalmist Longanimis multum misericors id est longus naribus The Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and plentious in mercie that is Of wide nostrills full of sufferance and patience for the smoake of fury and choler doth not so soone runne vp the chimney as in those which haue straight and narrow nostrils who are soone hot and sodainely incensed to anger And the selfe same Philo saith that in the Leuiticall Law they were not admitted to the Preisthood who had either a little crooked or disproportioned nose as being lesse fit for that Ministery The one are hot and cholerick the other ill-inclined Those againe which haue too great a nose are naturally cruell and proude and these are mislik't of all but that as much commended which signifies magnanimitie bountifullnesse and generousnes and is of sufficient largenesse to suffer and dissemble anger and not to haue the chimney choaked with a little smoake A qualitie so much importing Kings that from thence did arise that Prouerb Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare Hee that knowes not how to dissemble knowes not how to rule And there was a King of late times which stickt not to say that hee would not haue his sonne know any more Learning then that which this sentence doth containe for that it was so good and profitable a Lesson for Princes Tiberius Caesar did glorie in no one thing more then in the Arte of Dissimulation wherein he was so excellent that neuer any vpon any though neuer so great occasions giuen by him could search into his intents or diue into his thoughts In the story of the Kings it is written That at the very same time that God commaunded the possession of the Kingdome to be giuen vnto Saul which was the first King he had nominated some ill disposed persons that were malitiously bent against him did murmure at him and speake ill of him seeming to scorne and set light by him But God had giuen him such a measure of wisedome and discretion that although all that they had sayd came to his eare Ipse verò dissimulabat se audire Yet hee held his peace and would not seeme to take notice of it For when Kings come newly to their Crownes and that the things of the Kingdome are not yet throughly settled it is great prudence to reserue with dissimulation the punishment of great persons that with better occasion and in a better coniuncture he may proceed against them as reason and Iustice shall require That King shall not be accounted wise that shall pretend execution of Iustice with the danger of Insurrections and seditions nor shall the iustification of his intent suffice to execute his rashnesse in the meanes vnlesse hee first ballance the businesse and see which way the scale will incline as to see how farre hee may rely vpon the loue of his subiects and how the end may sorte with his designes lest the danger of the scandall disobedience may proue to bee greater then the profit that can arise from the execution of Iustice. For in such cases it is great wisedome in a King to conforme himselfe according to the times And that that which at one time is worthy of punishment should be dissembled and reserued to be punished at another time Which course as Saluste reporteth was in Catilines time taken with that great and powerfull Courtier Crassus The Emperour Iustinian hee likewise aymes at this marke And it is the Counsayle which S. Isidore giues vnto Kings The like did King Dauid when Ioab so treacherously slew Abner Onely to some few that were very inward with him he discouered the reason that mooued him to dissemble the matter and not to punish him with death for the present telling them with a great deale of griefe Ego autem adhuc delicatus sum vnctus Rex I am this day weake or as the Hebrew renders it tender though annoynted King As if he should haue sayd To see the affaires of my Crowne and Kingdome in that tender and ticklish estate wherein they stand obligeth me not to make that demonstration of rigour
and iustice as the heynousnesse of this fact doth require But the Lord shall reward the doer of euill according vnto his wickednesse Tribuat dominus facienti malum iuxta malitiam suam Here is much to be considered the great care which this King tooke in concealing his purpose from the people till some better occasion were offred For if he should haue declared himselfe before and manifested his meaning to the world hee might haue put the whole Campe in danger of Mutining or at least to haue shewd themselues in defence of their Captaine This perill he ouerpast by his great prudence dissembling the matter for that time and deferring it till the last vp-shut when now the businesses of the Kingdome were better settled For the most important point in gouernment is to make vse of Time and occasion facilitating with silence and dissimulation those orders and decrees which doe crosse the peoples humour or that stand not with his liking that is powerfull with them For if they should be divulged before their due time and season they would serue for nothing else but to incense mens mindes and peraduenture to turne them against himselfe Which certainly might well haue beene Dauids case with Ioab if hee had shewed himselfe offended and openly vented his spleene against him whilest he had his sword in his hand and stood so fayre in the peoples affection who in that hurre might haue done God he knowes what for the aduancing of his ambitious ends In such cases it is great prudence in a Prince contineuing still firme and constant in his purpose to benefit himselfe by dissimulation waiting for a fit time and season when without danger hee may vnmaske himselfe and with the safety of his realme and person put his resolution in execution A word well kept and fittly spoken is saith Salomon like apples of gold in pictures of siluer which doth not onely shine and giue a glorious luster but worketh it's effect and discouereth the art and cunning of it's Master And King Dauid hauing heard the reproachfull words and reuiling tearmes which Shimei to the very face of him and in a loud voyce vttred in the presence of those that were with him wisely dissembled his rayling and was angry with Abishai because he was earnest with him that hee might presently take due chasticement of him and reuenge the great affront hee had done him and would by no meanes giue consent that any one of all his Army should once moue or stirre against him For that holy King thought it fit in his wisedome to leaue him to that occasion which hee afterwards specified to his sonne Salomon that he might teach Kings these two things First to relye on God and to attend his leasure who will doe that for them which they cannot doe for themselues As he did in that known case of Moses brothers murmuring against him which hee himselfe so mildely and fayrely dissembled But God to whose account runn's the honour of his Ministers tooke the cause into his owne hands Secondly That it is not fit to be solicitous in appointing Iudges and Informers at all howers and in all places against such as in some occasions assume libertie of speech and freely vtter their mindes For as another sayd In free places and persons that are likewise free-borne wee cannot at all times exercise that slauery vpon them as to clap a Locke and chaine vpon their tongues Who could haue done this better then that omnipotent King Christ Iesus when those licentious and loose-tongued Libertines reproached him with such sharpe bitter Taunts as toucht him to the quick in his honour and yet euen then with what a royall minde and princely reportment did he carry himselfe in those few milde and moderate words which he spake vnto them Kings ought not to expresse any alteration turbation or discomposure for those things which they see nor to be startled euery foote with that which they heare nor to shew themselues offended at that which is muttred and murmured of them But let them a god's name mend that which is amisse and then their muttering and murmuring will cease of it selfe Heere likewise Kings are taught not to be curious inquirers after those that speakeill of them nor to giue eare to euery idle complaint For if it be once perceiued that their eares itche after this infinite will the number of Delators and Informers be In the raigne of Tiberius and of Nero more then in any other were these Sycophants and priuie Accusers fauoured and things were then so glazed ouer that they had set spies that should curiously obserue the semblance which euery one made of his Actions euen to the knitting of the brow biting the lip or the like which kind of carriage seru'd as a condemnation and was seuerely punished But it is fitter for Tyrants then Christian Kings to stand thus in feare of the tongues of the vulgar it being the part of a magnanimous minde to know how to forget and forgiue iniuries especially those of the tongue to whose iurisdiction the most powerfull are most subiect And if they should reuenge this wrong vpon account the number would be so great and rise to such an infinite sum that they may quickly bring their Monarchie to an end That which most importeth for their own and their Empires quiet is to shake all kinde of suspition out of their minde and whatsoeuer others thinke of them and their affaires they ought to be so farre from being troubled therewith that it should no whit moue them Holding it to be as Seneca sayth the sweetest maner of pardon to pretend ignorance of the delict and to examine with care his owne care ese carriage and open neglects if he haue committed any and if not not to care a pin what they say For the Vulgar is a beast of many heads and as it is impossible to satisfie al of them so is there no reason that they should haue an Account giuen them of that which the Prince doth It is sufficient that the wiser and grauer sort know and esteeme both him and his proceedings This was the doctrine of that great King Philip â—he second who wrote vnto his Viceroy in Naples as followeth Necessario es que gouerneys de manera quae todos buenos y malos no se quexen de vos It is requisit you should so carry your selfe in your gouernment that all as well good as bad may not complaine of you And this was another of his which he deliuered to his successour Forc oso sera que los malos nos murmuren y aborrâ—zcaâ— Lo que à nosotros toca es proceder de manera que tambien no nos aborrezean los buenos It cannot otherwise be but that the bad will murmure at vs and hate vs But that which belongeth vnto vs is To proceede so that the good may not likewise hate vs. And this King very well vnderstood that it is proper vnto Kings as Alexander said