Histories For which cause The Diuine Philosopher found great fault with his countrymeÌ„ the Graecians because their Noblewomen were not instructed in matters of state policie Likewise Iustinian the Emperour was highly displeased with the Armenians For that most barbarously they prohibited women from enioying heritages and bearing rule as though quoth hee women were base and dishonoured and not created of God In the right of succession the sisters sonne is equall to the brothers sonne Whereby is vnderstood that women are licensed to gouerne aswell as men Moreouer there be two forcible reasons that conclude women to be most apt for Seignories First there is neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for they are all one in Christ Iesus The minds and actions of men and women do depeÌ„d of the soule in the which there is no distinction of sexe whereby the soule of a man should bee called male and the soule of a woman female The sexe rather is the instrument or meanes of generation and the soule ingendreth not a soule but is alway permanent and the very same Seeing therefore that a womans soule is perfect why should she be debarred by any statute or salique law from raigning The body is but lumpish and a vassall to the soule and for that respect not to be respected Secondly vertue excludeth none but receyueth all regarding neither substaunce nor sexe What should I rippe vp the examples of sundry nations which preferred women before themselues And for that cause they did neyther reiect their counsels nor set light by their answeres Semiramis after the death of her husband Ninus fearing lest the late conquered Aethiopians would reuolt and rebell from her Sonne yet young of yeeres and ignorant of rule tooke vpon her the principality and for the time of his nonage ordered the kingdome so princely that shee passed in feates of armes in triumphs conquests and wealth all her predecessours Nicocris defended her Empire against the Medes who then sought the Monarchy of the world and wrought such a miracle in the great riuer of Euphrates as all men were astonished at it for shee made it contrary to mens expectation to leaue the ancient course so to follow her deuice to and fro to serue the citie most commodiously insomuch that she did not onely surpasse all men in wit but ouercame the elements with power Isis after the decease of her husband Osyris raigned ouer Egypt and tooke care for so much prouision for the common wealth that shee was after her death worshipped as a Goddesse Debora iudged Israel Iudith the Bethulians Lauinia after the death of Eneas gouerned Italy Dido Carthage Olympias Pirrhus his daughter ruled ouer Epire Aranea was queen of Scythia Cleopatra of Egypt Helena after the death of Leo the Emperour raigned in Constantinople ouer all Asia as Empresse Ioanna was queene of Nauarre marying with Philip Pulcher the French king made him king of Nauarre in the yeere of our Lord 1243. Margaret ruled ouer Flaunders in the yeere of our Lord 1247. And another Princesse of that name y e only daughter of Valdemare the 3. king of DeÌ„mark Norway gouerned those kingdoms after her fathers death in the yeere of our Lord 1389. she tooke Albert the king of Swethland captiue kept him in prison 7. yeeres Ioanna was queene of Naples in the yeer 1415. Leonora Dutchesse of Aquitaine was maried to Henry Duke of Gaunt and in despight of the French K. brought him Aquitaine Poiteaux in the yeere 1552. Queene Mary raigned here in EnglaÌ„d in the yeere 1553. What should I write of Elizabeth our gratious Queene that now is which by her Diuine wisedome brought three admirable things to passe First her Maiesty reformed religion that by the Romish Antichrist was in her sisters time bespotted Secondly she maintayned her countrey in peace wheÌ„ all her neighbour Princes were in an vprore Thirdly she triumphed ouer all her foes both domesticall and hostile traiterous and outlandish If a man respect her learning it is miraculous for shee can discourse of matters of state with the best Philosopher she vnderstandeth sundry kinds of languages and aunswereth forreine Ambassadours in their forreine tongues If a man talke of the administration of iustice all the nations vnder the heauens cannot shew her peere In summe her Princely breast is the receiuer or rather the storehouse of all the vertues aswell morall as intellectuall For which causes England hath iust occasion to reioyce and to vaunt of such a gratious mother To whome the Monarch of Monarches long continue her highnesse and strengthen her as he hath done hitherto to his perpetuall glory confusion of all her enemies and to our euerlasting comfort Of Tyraunts Chap. 9. SIr Thomas Smith termeth him a Tyraunt that by force commeth to the Monarchy against the will of the people breaketh lawes already made at his pleasure and maketh other without the aduise and consent of the people and regardeth not the wealth of his commons but the aduauncemeÌ„t of himself his faction kindred Also there be two sorts of Tyrants The one in title the other in exercise He is in title Tyrant that without any lawfull title vsurpeth the gouernment In exercise he that hath good title to the principality and commeth in with the good will of the people but doth not rule wel and orderly as he should And so not onely they which behaue themselues wickedly towards their subiects are called Tyraunts as Edward the second of this realme in the yeere of our Lord 1319. and Alphonsus of Naples that lawfully came to the crowne in the yeere 1489. but also they are named tyrants which albeit they behaue themselues well yet they are to be called tyraunts in that they had no title to the principality as Sâ—eno the King of Denmark that vsurped this realme of England in the yeere 1017. and Pope Clement the eight that now is who about two yeeres ago seysed on the Dukedome of Ferraria onely by pretence of a gift which Constantine time out of mind bequeathed to the papacy Furthermore there be sixe tokens to know a tyrant The first if hee sends abroad pickthanks talebearers and espies to hearken what men speake of him as Tiberius the Emperour was woont to do The second if he abolisheth the study of learning and burneth the monuments of most worthy wittes in the market place and in the assembly of the people least his subiects should attaine to the knowlege of wisedome As Alaricus king of the Gothes did in Italy in the yeere 313. and the great Turke in his Empire The third if hee maintaine schismes diuisions and factions in his kingdome for feare that men should prie into his doings As the Popes haue done alway from time to time and of late daies the Queene mother in Fraunce The fourth if hee trust straungers more then his
to take paines to hinder our peculiar damages for What man is there that hath a sheepe and if it fall on a Sabaoth day into a pit doth not lift it out In like maner it is lawfull to worke when there is an inundation or deluge of waters and also vpon vrgent necessitie to take vp a draught of fish which for that day being let alone would haue beene cast away More yet would I write if I feared not to be termed a gagling sophister as hauing alreadie discussed this question in my Commentaries vpon Persius I will therefore proceed to the next Of the duties of seruants towards their Masters Chap. 17. THe first dutie of seruants towardes their masters is that they be subiect vnto them e and please them in all things not answering againe nor replying although otherwhiles they know better what is to be done then their masters The second is that they be honest and faithfull vnto their masters and not as many now a-dayes do flatter cologue with them therby thinking to get some bootie The third duty of seruants is that they seeke their masters profit more thē their owne The fourth that they reueale not to others their masters secret affayres The fift that they defend their masters euen to the hazarding and losing of their liues The famous effect whereof appeared in that couragious seruant of Maurice Duke of Saxonie who of late yeeres seeing his master sodainely assaulted by certaine Turks that lay in ambush and cast from his horse couered him with his owne body valiantly repelled the enemie vntill certaine horsemen came and saued the Prince but died himselfe a little while after being hurt and wounded in euerie place of his body Finally to fill vp this discourse seruants must diligently and honestly guard their masters and their masters goods for They that keepe the figge tree shall enioy the fruite thereof and they that waite vpon their Masters shall come to honour The fourth Plant. Of the Acquisitiue facultie Chap. 18. NOw hauing sufficiently disputed of the chiefest parts of a familie I come to the last part that is to the acquisitiue or possessorie facultie wherof I find two kindes the one naturall the other artificiall The naturall consisteth in breeding of cattell in manuring of the groūd in hauking hunting fishing in spoyles and pillages both by sea land The artificiall way of getting lyeth in exchanging either ware for ware as of cloth for silkes of wool for graine or els of wares for money And againe those acquisitiue Arts bee disallowed which are loathed of men as the trade of Brokers huxters toll-gatherers bauds vsurers and ingraters Of which three last after my next discourie of money I wil God willing entreat Of money the chiefest part of the Acquisitiue facultie Chap. 19. MOney as Plinie writeth was coyned by King Seruius of Rome with the Image of a sheep and an oxe Others say that it was first inuēted at the siege of Troy But I find that money was many yeeres currant before the warres of Troy Abraham bought a field of Ephron the Hethite for foure hundred siluer sicles of money currant amōg Marchāts Which is of our money three and thirtie pound six shillings and eight pence Howbeit there is no vse of coyned money in sundry coūtries at this instāt In y e coūtry of Pretious Iohn salt goeth for money The Indians of Peru neuer made any account of money before the Spaniards robbed them of their gold Besides within these two hundred yeeres mony was verie scant heere in England for King Edward the fourth in the ciuill warres betwixt him and Henrie the sixt beeing on a time pursued by the Earle of Warwicke who then was turned to the contrarie side bought a ship in the yeere of our Lord 1461. for eight score nobles to saile into Ireland which price in those times was esteemed wonderfull deare Also in the yeere 1514. money coyned of leather was rise in this Realme Of which kinde of money my selfe haue seene of late aboue tenne bushels in an olde castle in Wales stamped as farre as I remember with the Duke of Lancasters Image For in those dayes certaine Dukes were licensed to coyne money So likewise wee reade that countie Palatines as Chester Durham and Ely could then giue pardons concerning the pleas of the crowne and send writs in their owne names In the Kingdome of Cathay money is yet neither of gold nor siluer nor of any other metall but onely of the barke of mulberie trees which is cut as well into sundrie small as great round peeces whereon they engraue the names of their countrie rating them as wee do ours according to their greatnesse smalnesse It is petie treason among them to employ any other money Sir Thomas Moore reporteth that his faigned Vtopians did make chamber-pots and other vesselles that serue for most vile vses of gold and siluer Moreouer he saith that they made great chaines fetters and giues wherein they tyed their bondmen of the very same metals and whosoeuer among them for any offence was infamous by his eares hung rings of gold about his necke was a chaine of gold Thus by all meanes possible they procured to haue gold and siluer among them in reproach and infamie And if wee Christians examine our selues somewhat more neere wee shall finde that money is one of the chiefest causes why so many felonies murthers treasons be committed and why the crie of the poore is so often come before the Lorde For this cause Plato the Diuine Philosopher saith that In a common-wealth well gouerned there should not any money bee vsed because it marreth good maners and maketh the mind of a man couetous and in satiable Of Bawdes Whether they ought to be suffered Chap. 20. ALthough I haue touched this infamous question in another Booke of mine yet notwithstanding I iudge it not amisse if I repaint the same with more breuitie in a more familiar tongue The first that instituted the filthie order of stewes was Venus who because shee alone would not seeme to bee a whore as hauing lyen with Mars Vulcā Mercurie Anchises and sundrie others appoynted in Cypres that women should prostitute themselues for money to all commers Which custome was renewed by the Popes who built most statelie houses for whores and ordained that they for the same should pay yeerely great summes of money There bee some men liuing that know how Pope Paul the third had aboue fortie thousand courtizans that paied him an infinite tribute The report goeth that Pope Clement the 8. that nowe is receiueth of euery baudy house in Rome yeerely a Iull that is twentie thousand duckets These Panders are to whorehunters as brokers to theeues They entice yong lasses with gaudy garments deceitfull promises to serue euery mans turne for gaine which done they teach these virgins their schoole-lessons namely to bring in swaggrers to outsweare a mā of his
of commoditie and for the preseruation of themselues as well in peace as in warre The which is a thing naturall both in respect of parts to wit a shire a parish and a family whereof a Commonwealth is the accomplishment and of men naturally disposed to liue in societie Neuerthelesse there haue beene many societies which were not Common-wealths but certaine base habitations in villages where the weaker yeelded seruice to the stronger Also the Arabians at this day wander vp and down ignorant of liuing and do carrie about with them their woodden habitations which they draw vpon charrets seeking for prayes and spoyles frō the riuer Euphrates along vnto the sea Atlantique But to these and such like well may I apply that saying of the Philosopher namely that he which cannot abide to liue in companie is eyther a beast that is a monstrous wicked man or a God that is a man surpassing the ordinarie sort of vertuous men in perfection The examination whereof caused all that were free and liberally borne to be enclined vnto societie and to defend the Common-wealth with all their powers yea and thereunto to beare a greater affection then to their parents Although our families bee destroyed yet the Commonwealth standing wee may in time flourish againe but if the Common-wealth be destroyed both we and our families must likewise come to vtter destruction Let this serue for a watch-word to our English Fugitiues who vnnaturally haue abandoned their natiue countrie and now being become Seminarie Priestes and vncleane spirits like vnto them that in the Reuelation issued as frogs out of the Dragons mouth doe by all shameful acts and false counsels suborne their countrymen to conspiracies against their Prince and Common-wealth The diuision of a Common-wealth Chap. 2. IT was a great controuersie among politicians about the diuision of a Common-wealth for some would allow but of two sorts some contrarie appoynted foure and others fiue Polybius accounted seuen Bodinus whose iudgement is most of all applauded approoueth onely those three speciall kindes of a Commonwealth which Aristotle hath mentioned The first a Monarchie where the gouernement of the whole Common-wealth is in one mans hand This kind regarding the weale publike more then the weale priuate is named the soueraigne authoritie as in England France Spaine Denmarke Polonia and Swethland The second an Aristocracie where the smaller number and those of the best sort do beare rule as the Senate of Rome in times past and the Gentlemen of Venice at this present day The third kinde of a Common-wealth is called a Democracie where the regiment of a Commonwealth consisteth in the power of al or else of the greater part of the people as in ancient times at Athens and nowe at this present the Cantons of Switzerland Of a Monarchie Chap. 3. AMong all creatures as well hauing life as without life one alwaies hath preeminence aboue the rest of his kind This inferiour world obeyeth the superiour and is ruled by it as wee see by a certaine vertuous influence associated with light heat and named by some the quintessence of the world which issueth down frō the celestiall essence spreadeth it selfe through the lumpe of this huge body to nourish all things vnder the Moone In like maner we see the sunne the principall minister of this celestiall vertue as a monarch among the Planets illuminating al the world with his glistering beams We see the Moone as an Empresse predominant ouer al moist things We see the fire bearing the soueraigntie ouer the other elements In musicall concents consisting of soundes we see the treble as it were commāding the base Among reasonable creatures man onely is the chiefe Among beasts the Lion Among birdes the Eagle Among fishes the Whale Among metals gold Among graines wheate Among aromaticall spices balme Among drinke wine And to conclude haue not the Bees one onely King Is not vnitie the first of numbers and when we haue cast our accounts do not we return the same to one totall summe Thus by naturall discourses wee see that a monarchie of all other regiments is the most excellent If wee search ancient Fables we shal find that the gods were ruled by Iupiter What blind Bayard therefore wil deny that all superiour and inferiour things are much better ordered by the arbitrement of one then by the aduice of many Moreouer there bee foure forcible reasons which prooue that a Monarchy ought to be preferred before all other sorts of gouernments First from the beginning of countryes and nations the gouernement was in the hands of Kings who were not extolled to that high degree of maiestie by Ambition but for their modestie which was knowne to all men Likewise that which is auncient and first is more noble then that which is newfangled and later Secondly the image of a monarchie is found in priuate families For the authority of a father ouer his children may bee resembled to a royall gouernment because the Children are the fathers charge hee alone must prouide for them and their offences are by him chastised With which concurreth that common speech Euery man is a King in his owne house Thirdly a Monarchie hath continued aboue a thousand yeeres whereas the longest Aristocracie and Democracie haue not lasted aboue sixe hundred yeeres Our Kingdome of Brittaine retained a Monarchie from the time that Brutus first inhabited it vntill Cadwalader who was the last king of the British bloud which was aboue foureteene hundred yeeres Then in the yeere of our Lorde 574. the Kingdome was diuided among seuen of the Nobles who still continued ciuill warre one vpon the other vntill Ecbert in the yeere 800. reduced the seuen prouinces into one whole Kingdome Since which time there ruled Princes as Monarches vntill now this yeere of our Lord one thousand six hūdred Whereby wee finde that our Monarchie hath alreadie lasted full eight hundred yeeres Scotland likewise hath endured in a Monarchie from the yeere of our Lord eight hundred and twentie Dungall then raigning vntill this present yeere Fourthly a Monarch carrieth a greater maiestie whereby hee seemes gratious and amiable in the sight of his subiects and dreadfull to his enemies To conclude lette vs consent that a Monarchie is the most excellent regiment of all others as that which draweth neerest to Gods will who is the Monarch of all Monarches King of Kings and Lord of Lordes Obiection It is better to be subiect vnto God alone then vnto man for he foreseeth al things to come and without his prouidence one sparrow shall not fall on the ground And seeing that hee is so carefull for these small things will not he thinke you care for man that is of more value then many sparrowes Furthermore wee are Christians chosen of God and pretious as liuely stones and also made a spirituall house an holy priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices to God by Iesus
the nobles was soone surprized by the Danes whereas if it had continued counted they durst neuer aduenture to set foot in any one place of this realme Briefly an Aristocracy disagreeth with the law of natiōs which all men held in great estimation for all nations had kingdomes distinct and Kings appointed for them The Israelites required a king of the Prophet Samuel for said they Wee will be like all other nations and our King shal iudge vs and go out before vs and fight our battels Obiection Mediocrity in al things is praise-worthy extreames dispraised an Aristocracy is the mediocrity between a Monarchy a Democracy therefore it is best Answere The mediocrity betweene a Monarchy a Democracy is perfect praise-worthy if it could be equally diuided thereby the vertue drawne out which is in a maner impossible Of a Democracy Chap. 12. A Democracy of all regiments is the very worst as being a market where all things are sold fashioned by owles whose sight the night lighteneth the day makes dim What is more preposterous then to see the multitude a mōster of many heads void of discretion deliberating and determining on wise mens deeds yea now then on their liues are not they still shuffling the cardes and desirous of new cōmotions are not they wauering corrupt wretched I say miserable is that commonwealth which wāts a head where the people raigne Sooner will a foole be brought to play vpō a harpe then the vndiscreet multitude bee made fit for magistracies No mā is so foolish that hauing need of physicians wise experienced he will put his body into the hands of rude and raw Empiriques Likewise as of a iudge incapable vndiscreet cā be no expectatiō of righteous iudgemēts so in a popular state full of confusion vanity there is no hope but at aduenture of deliberatiō resolution wise or reasonable Which caused Anacharsis the Philosopher when hee saw the Areopagites propoūding causes the people resoluing thē to say that wise men among the the Athenians moued matters fooles determined thē How great troubles did the Florētines sustain by this sort of gouernment vntil of late it was reduced by the Mediceis into a monarchy In fine y e multitude cōpoūded of many diuers spirits of maners customes can neuer distinguish between good bad co sel by reasō that whatsoeuer is moderat they esteeme a kind of slouthfull cowardize and whatsoeuer is circūspectly forewarned that they hold to be curiosity But whatsoeuer is rash hasty that is thought by them to be couragiously deliberated The Democracy of the Switzers hath continued without troubles two hūdred yeeres and vpwards therefore a Democracy well constituted may endure as long as an Aristocracy or Monarchy Answere Of the continuance of the Switzers popular gouernment I find two causes The first they haue slaine all their noblemen and they mistrust not one another The second the most factious and seditious of them are commonly abroad as mercenary souldiers vnder the Frēch king and other potentates and the rest at home more tractable regard not how the world goeth The second Plant. The members of a Commonwealth Chapt. 13. ALl the people which be in euery royall commonwealth are generally either Gentlemen or of the commonaltie Of Gentlemen there be three degrees Vnder the first and chiefest is the Prince comprehended Vnder the second Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts Barons and Knights of honour Vnder the third and last are contained Knights Graduates of law Esquires Masters of Arts Captaines and they that beare the countenance and port of Gentlemen Whereunto also might bee added a fourth degree of Gentlemen whome wee name Gentlemen of the first head I meane them to whome Heraldes for money doe giue armes newly made and inuented the title whereof shall pretend to haue beene found by the sayde Heralds in perusing and viewing of olde Registers where his ancestors in times past had beene recorded to beare the same The Commonaltie likewise is diuided into Citizens Artificers Marchants and Yeomen Of Noblemen Chap. 14. IF wee call to remembrance all things that wee haue seene wee shal finde euery one thing in particular to excel the rest of the same kind in some perfection or other Let vs looke vp into the Zodiake and there wee shall see the sunne to surpasse the minour◠starres Among metals gold siluer and brasse are best Among stones the marble iuorie and loadstone Among pretious stones the Diamond the Smaragde and Saphire Among trees the Pine the Iuniper the apple-tree And so among liuing things some exceede others What maruaile therefore is it if among men the verie same order bee obserued In the buying or selling of a horse wee glorie boast of his sire and shall wee not respect of what stocke and parentage a man is descended Eueryman I confesse commeth of Noble seede that is to say from God but afterwards he becommeth degenerate and ignoble by forsaking God his beginning and by leaning vnto wicked vices For which cause there was a law in Rome termed Prosapia that is the law of discēt by the which it was ordained that whē cōtention did arise in the senate house for the Cōsulship that they which descēded from the Torquatians Decians and Fabricians should obtaine the place before others Concerning Noblemens priuiledges they be many wherof we wil at this present recite onely 5. First a Nobleman cānot be chalēged to the combat or lists by any inferior man Secondly a Noblemā is sooner preferred to beare office in the Cōmon-wealth to sit in commissiō to be an arbitrator betwixt partie and partie Thirdly by the ciuill law the testimonies of Noblemen are sooner approoued And whereas inferior gentlemē must personally appeare in criminall causes it is lawfull for Noblemen to bee absent so that they substitute an atturney or proctor for them Fourthly a Nobleman hauing cōmitted an hainous offence as murther or treasō is iudged by his peeres equals that is The yeomārie doth not go vpō him but an enquest of the L. of the Parliamēt they giue their voices not one for al but each seuerally as they doe in parliamēt beginning at the yongest L. and for iudge one L. sitteth who is high steward of England for that day And this punishmēt is beheading but if an inferior Gent. offend in this sort then at the next sessions he hath twelue Godfathers on his life and is condemned to bee hanged Fiftly Noblemen and their wiues are licensed to weare clothes of gold but Knights Esquires are forbiddē them To hasten to an end this honour of auncestrie as it doth adorne Noblemen so doth it greatly disgrace them if they liue not vertuously For thereby they eclipse their genealogie and become themselues vtterly vnknowne In consideration of which abuse a notable law was enacted among the Rhodians to wit That those sonnes which followed not their
fathers vertues but liued wickedly should be disinherited their reuenewes giuen to the most vertuous of that race not admitting any vitious heyre whatsoeuer The properties of a Gentleman Chap. 15. THe meanes to discerne a Gentleman bee these First hee must bee affable and courteous in speech and behauiour Secondly hee must haue an aduenturous heart to fight and that but for verie iust quarrels Thirdly hee must bee endued with mercie to forgiue the trespasses of his friendes and seruants Fourthly hee must stretch his purse to giue liberally vnto souldiours and vnto them that haue neede for a niggard is not worthie to bee called a Gentleman These bee the properties of a Gentleman which whosoeuer lacketh deserueth but the title of a clowne or of a countrie boore In breefe it fareth with Gentlemen as it doth with wine which ought to haue foure good qualities namely it must not taste of the Caske next it must sauour of a good soyle Thirdly it must haue a good colour Last of all it must sauour of the goodnes of the grape and not bee sophistically mingled with water and such like That Gentlemen must not greatly respect what the common people speake of them Chap. 16. THe common people groūd their actions vpō fallible expectations they are stout when perils bee farre off and very irresolute when they approach Who therefore is so brainesicke as to beleeue their assertions What else is glorie then a windie gale neuer comming from the heart but onely from the lungs They that be praysed vnworthily ought to bee ashamed of their praise Admit they bee iustly praised what thing more hath it augmented to the conscience of a wise man that measureth not his good by the rumour of the common people but by the trueth of the conscience For which cause the Romanes built two temples ioyning together the one being dedicated to vertue the other to honour but yet in such sort that no man could enter into that of honour except first hee passed through the temple of vertue Honor as the Philosopher sayth is a reuerence giuen to another for a testimonie of his vertue Insomuch as honor is not attributed to vertue by dignitie but rather it is attributed to dignity by vertue of them that vse the dignitie Howbeit notwithstanding I haue not such horny heart-strings that I would not at al haue mē to be praysed but my meaning is that Gentlemen should obserue a meane and a limitation in their common applauses and fine soothings For to bee altogether carelesse as Stoykes Cynicks would haue euerie one to be what men think of thē is not onely a marke of arrogancy but also a token of a loose life Wherefore gentlemen must endeuour by al meanes without vain-glory to keep a good name especially among their neighbors to beare themselues such men indeede as they would haue al men account thē Wherto accordeth that saying of the Poet Thou shalt liue well if thou takest care to be such a one as thou hearest how the people testifie of thee abroad Of Knights of honour Chap. 17. THose I call knights of honour who here in England are named Knights of the Garter and in France Knights of the order of saint Michael The original of the honorable order of the Garter was first inuented after this maner Whē K. Edward the third had by the means of Edward the blacke Prince his sonne taken captiues King Iohn of France and King Dauid of Scotland and had put them both in ward at London and also had expelled King Henrie the bastard of Spaine restoring the Kingdome to Peter the lawfull King then he to honor and grace his victories deuised an honourable fellowship and made choyse of the most famous persons for vertue and honoured them with this order giuing thē a garter adorned with gold and pretious stones together with a buckle of gold to weare onely on the left legge Of which order hee and his successors Kings and Queenes of England should be soueraigne and the rest by certaine lawes among themselues should bee taken as brethren and fellowes in that order to the number of sixe and twentie And this breefely touching the inuention and authour of the honourable order of Knights here in England Now I will addresse my pen to write of the honourable order in France King Lewes the eleuenth of France after he had made peace with his peeres whom in the beginning of his raigne he had excluded from his presence inuented at Amboise in the yeere of our Lord 1469. a societie of honour consisting of sixe and thirtie Noblemen and named Saint Michael Patron of them euen as the English knights had deuoted themselues to the tuition of Saint George giuing ot each of them a golden chaine of the value of two hundred pound which they were bound to weare daily not to bestow sell or gage the same as long as they liued if any one of them chanced to die forthwith there was an election to dubbe another in his roome not by voyces but by litle scrowles turned together in the forme of balles the which they did cast into a bason and the Lord Chauncelour was to reckon them Then he that had most balles on his side was admitted to the societie the King speaking these words The honourable societie do accept of thee as their brother and in regard of their good wil to thee-wards do bestow this golden chaine on thee God grāt thou maist long weare it When the King had spoken these words hee gaue him a kisse on the right cheek This is the custome of dubbing kinghts of the order of Saint Michael Also there be other orders of knights in Christendome as the kinghts of the golden Fleece knights of the Bathe knights of the patent deuised by y e Pope and knights of the Rhodes But because the rehearfall of them are not much appertaining to our purpose I cease to treate further of them Of Citizens Chap. 18. HE that first inuented a citie was the cause of much good The which praise some attribute vnto eloquent men Some to Saturne And others to Orpheus and Amphion For in the beginning of the world people liued barbarously like vnto bruit beasts and the nature of man was such that they not hauing eyther the law naturall or ciuill prescribed rogued vp and downe dispersed in the world possessed nothing except that which by force they tooke away from others til there arose some notable men both in wisedome and valour who knowing howe it was to instruct man assembled all of them into one place ordamed a Citie and enuironed them round about with walles Further Citizens in generall are they that liue vnder the same lawes and soueraigne magistrates But Citizens particularly are they that are free-men do dwel in Cities and boroughs or corporated townes Generally in the shire they be of no account saue onely in the Parliament to
make lawes The auncient Cities appoynted foure and each borough two whome we call Burgesses of the Parliament to haue voyces in it and to giue their consent and dissent in the name of the Citie or borough for which they be appoynted Whether out landish men ought to bee admitted into a Citie Chap. 19. IT is commonly seene that sedition often chanceth there where the inhabitants be not all natiue borne This Lycurgus the Lawgiuer of the Lacedemonians rightly noting instituted that no stranger should be admitted into his Common-wealth but at a prefixed time His reason was because seldome it is seene that the homeborne Citizens and the outlandish doe agree together In the yere of our Lord 1382. the Londiners made an insurrection and slew all the Iewes that inhabited amongst them The Neapolitanes and Sicilians in the yeere of our Lord 1168. rose against William their king because hee gaue certaine offices to Frenchmen and killed them all in one night The Citizens of Geneua repining at strangers which resorted and dwelled among them conspired together in the yeere 1556. to expell them and if Caluin had not thrust himselfe betweene the naked swords to appease the tumult doubtlesse there would haue beene a great slaughter There is at this present day a religious law in China and Cathaya forbidding on paine of death the accesse of strangers into the country What shall I say of the constitutions of Princes whereby strangers were vtterly extruded and excluded from bearing offices in the Common-wealth Arcadius and Honorus Empercurs of Rome decreed that no man out of the parish where a benefice fel voyde should be admitted minister Likewise Pope Innocent the third was woont to say that hee could not with a safe conscience preferre any strangers to bee officers in the kingdome of Hungarie King Charles the seuenth of France in the yeere of our Lord 1431. proclaimed that no alien or stranger should be presented to any ecclesiasticall liuing liuing in his realme For which respects Princes must haue great regard touching the admission of strangers and especially to their number For if they exceede the natiue inhabitanes in number and strength then through confidence in their own might they will presently inuade and ouerthrow their too too kind fosterers Of Marchants Chap. 20. FOrasmuch as there bee three sorts of Citizens the first of Gentlemen who are wont now and then for pleasure to dwell in Cities the second of Marchants and the third of manuaries and Artificers it is expedient that I hauing alreadie declared the properties of Gentlemen should now conse quently discourse some what of Marchants and then of Artificers By Marchants necessaries are transported frō strange countries and from hence other superfluous things are conueyed to other places where they traffick so commodiously that the whole Commonwealth is bettered by them Euerie countrie hath a seuerall grace naturally giuen vnto it as Moscouie is plentifull of hony waxe Martin-skinnes and good hides The country of Molucca yeeldes cloues sinnamon and pepper In the East Indiaes grow the best oliues Damascus aboundeth with prunes reysins pomegranates and quinces From Fraunce we fetch our wines From Francoford wee haue bookes brought vnto vs. So that whosoeuer considereth the generall cōmon-wealth of all the world hee shall perceiue that it cannot continue long in perfection without traffique and diuersities Of Artificers Chap. 21. AMongst occupations those are most artificiall where fortune is least esteemed those most vnseemely whereby men do pollute their bodies those most seruile wherin there is most vse of bodily strength and those most vile wherein vertue is least required And again the gaines of tole-gatherers and vsurers are odious and so are the trades of Butchers Cooks Fishmongers and Huxters Pedlers likewise Chaundlers are accounted base for that they buy of Marchants to the end they may presently vtter the same away In vttering of which they cog and cousen the simple buyers thē which nothing is more impious or more hurtful to the conscience These kind of men haue no voyee in the common-wealth and no account is made of them but onely to be ruled and not to rule others Of Yeomen and their oppression Chap. 22. A Yeoman is hee that tilleth the ground getteth his liuing by selling of corne in markets and can dispend yeerely fortie shillings sterling There is no life more pleasant then a yeomans life for where shall a man haue better prouision to keep his winter with fire enough then in the country and where is there a more delightful dwelling for goodly waters gentle windes and shadowes then in the coūtry This life was so highly regarded in ancient time that euen Emperors and generals of war haue not bin ashamed to exercise it Herehence descended Remus and Q. Cincinnatus who as he was earing his foure acres of land was by a purseuant called to the City of Rome created Dictator Dioclesiā left his Empire at Salona and became a yeoman Let a man repaire at any time to a yeomans house and there he shal find all manner of victuals meath and all of his owne without buying or laying money out of his purse But now a dayes yeomanrie is decayed hospitalitie gone to wracke and husbandrie almost quite fallen The reason is because Landlords not contented with such reuenewes as their predecessours receiued nor yet satisfied that they liue like swinish Epicures quietly at their ease doing no good to the Commonwealth doe leaue no ground for tillage but doe enclose for pasture many thousand acres of ground within one hedge the husbandmē are thrust out of their own or else by deceit constrained to sell all that they haue And so either by hook or by crook they must needes depart away poore seely soules men women children And not this extremity onely do our wicked Ahabs shew but also with the losse of Naboths life do they glut their ouergreedy minds This is the cause why corne in England is become dearer then it was woont to bee and yet notwithstanding all this sheep wool are nothing better cheap but rather their price are much enhaunsed Thus do our remorcelesse Puttocks lie lurking for the poore commons to spoile them of their tenemēts but they shall not long enioy them And why because they are oppressours of the poore and not helpers their bellies are neuer filled therefore shall they soone perish in their couetousnesse The third Plant. Of Counsell Chap. 23. COunsell is a sentence which particularly is giuen by euery man for that purpose assembled There be fiue rules to be noted in counsell The first to counsell wel wherein is implied that whatsoeuer is proposed should be honest lawful and profitable The second counsell must not be rash and headlong but mature deliberated and ripe like vnto the barke of an old tree Thirdly to proceed according to examples touching things past as what shal chaūce to the Israelites because
owne naturall subiects and continually goeth garded with a strong company As Vortiger sometime king of this Realme did when he brought in Hengist and the Saxons and gaue them the countreys of Kent and Essex to inhabit The fift if he without cause coÌ„mand his chiefest nobles to be cashiered branded with ignominy or to be imprisoned and put to death for feare lest they should waxe too popular and ouermighty Such a one was Frauncis Sfortia Duke of Millain that caused Alphonsus king of Naples villanously at a banquet to murther Earle Iames sonne to Nicholas Picinio whome he had sent Ambassadour to the sayd Alphonsus for no other cause then for that hee feared his might because the Braciques in Italy some of his subiects highly esteemed him The sixt token to know a tyrant is if he do away learned and wise men for no other intent then that fearing they should reproue him write against his depraued vngodly life As Domitius Nero that commaunded Seneca the Philosopher and the Poet Lucan to be slaine and Domitian that banished the Poet luuenal for the same cause But of this matter I haue spoken in another booke Whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their Prince being a tyraunt or an heretique Chap. 10. EVen as the Prince ought to remoue the causes of mislike which his subiects haue conceiued against him and to extinguish the flame that being nourished in one seuerall house would breake into the next and at last into the whole towne so in like maner subiects ought to please their soueraigne and to tolerat all rigour yea and to lay downe their neckes vpon the block rather then to coÌ„spire against his power which he hath from God It may be that he is raised as another Nabuchodonozor of the Lord for a scourge to punish the transgressioÌ„s and enormities of the inhabitants The dishonourable things which a Prince doth ought to be accounted honourable Men must patieÌ„tly for they can do no otherwise beare with an vnreasonable deà re yeere with vnseasonable stormes and with many blemishes and imperfections of nature Therefore they ought to endure with as constant courages the heresies and tyrannies of their soueraigne But thou wilt say subiectes must obey only iust and vpright Princes To which I answere that parents are bound to their children with reciprocall and mutuall duties Yet if parents depart from their duty and prouoke their children to desperation it becommeth not children to be lesse obedient to their parents But they are subiect both to euill pareÌ„ts and to such as do not their duty Further if seruants must be obedient to their masters aswel curteuos as curst much more ought subiects to obey not onely their gentle but also their cruell Princes This Didacus Couarruuias an excellent Lawier confirmeth saying If a Prince whether by succession or election he was made it skilleth not doth exceed the limits of law and reason he cannot bee deposed nor put to death by any subiect Yea it is hereticall to hold that paradoxe For God is he which chaungeth the times and seasons he taketh away kings and setteth vp Kings to the intent that liuing men might know that the most high hath power ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomesoeuer hee will and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men Hence is it that we seldome heare of rebels that euer prospered but in the end they were bewrayed and brought to confusion In the time of Henry the fourth there rebelled at one time against him the Duke of Exceter with the Dukes of Gloucester Surrey Aumarle Salisburie and at another time the Earle of Worcester the Archbishop of Yorke HeÌ„ry Hotspurre sonne to the Earle of NorthuÌ„berland all which were either slaine or beheaded To come neerer the state of this question we find that Leonagildus an auncient king of the Gothes in Spaine both a tyrant and an Arrian in the yeere of our Lord 568. pursued the true Christians and exiled his own sonne because he was of the true religion Whereupon this young Prince being moued at the persecution of the Christians in his countrey did twise raise armes against his Lord and Father At the first he was taken captiue and banished at the second he was put to death on Easter day By which example wee may note the effects of Gods iudgements and rebuke the rashnesse of this Prince that rebelled against his soueraigne Wherefore O yee that be subiect to cruell Princes refraine your fury learne to obey beware lest the same chance vnto you which is faigned to haue chanced vnto the frogs who being importunat on Iupiter to haue a king a beame was giuen them the fiâ—â—t fall whereof did somwhat affright them but when they saw it stil lie in the streame they insulted theron with great disdain praied for a king of a quicker spirit theÌ„ was sent vnto them a stork which tyraÌ„nized daily deuoured them In a word rebels in taking care to auoid one calamity do entaÌ„gle themselues in a whole peck of troubles as by this fable of y e frogs is euident And oftentimes it hapneth that the remedy is more dangerous then the malady it selfe for of one tyraunt they make three Hydraes or els in seeking to shun tyranny they reduce their gouernment to a troublesome Democracy Of an Aristocracy Chap. 11. THe rule of a certain and prescribed number of noblemen GentlemeÌ„ respecting the benefite of the common wealth is termed an Aristocracy if any ambitiously preferre their priuat coÌ„modity before the publick good and by coÌ„spiracies dispose of all matters appertaining to the coÌ„monwealth as it please theÌ„ it is named an Oligarchy For as iroÌ„ is consumed in time by rust although it auoideth al incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces so some peculiar dammage or other sticketh to euery commonwealth according to the nature therof as for exaÌ„ple this Oligarchy endamageth an Aristocracy TyraÌ„ny is opposite to a Monarchy sedition to a Democracy That Aristocracy is best allowed where the gouernment is allotted to a few noble vertuous men which bestow most in common seruices and make lawes for the rest directing their cogitations to no other scope then the publick good of their countrey The citizens of Venice do deliuer the discussing of their matters aswell ordinary as of importance to the Senate which are very fewe in number as not ignorant how few being made priuy of their matters they should bee the more priuily managed Neuerthelesse this kind of commonwealth being compared with a monarchy will be found imperfect farre inferiour True it is that siluer and tinne are good but yet imperfect metals in comparison of gold wherein the souerainety and perfection of all metals consist In like maner an Aristocracy well tempered may be good but seldome it so falleth out This Realme of England when it was diuided into prouinces as Mercia NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d others ruled by