kings in old time which kind of rule was at the first bestowed vpon most inst men And it hath greatly profited our common-wealth that from the beginning therof it hath been ruled by a kingly gouernment The first name of Empire and rule knowne in the earth saith Salust was the royall Estate but then men liued without couetousnes euery one being content with his own From the beginning as Trogus Pompeius writeth of countries and nations the gouernment was in the hands of kings who were not lift vp to that high degree of maiesâ—ie by popular ambition but for their modestie which was knowne approoued of good men Then the people were not kept in awe by any lawes but the pleasure will of Princes stood for all lawes They were more giuen to keepe the frontiers of their Empire than to inlarge them Kingdomes were bounded by his countrie that raigned therein Ninus king of the Assyrians whome the Scripture calleth Nimrod that is a rebell and a mightie hunter was the first that changed the ancient custome of the nations through greedie desire of ruling and that beganne to warre vpon his neighbours For finding that the people knew not as yet how to resist he subdued them al from his kingdome to the end of Lybia Almost all the ancient nations of greatest renowne liued vnder the royall gouernment as the Scythians Ethiopians Indians Assyrians Medes Egyptians Bactrians Armenians Macedonians Iewes and Romanes after they were wearie of other gouernements Those also that are moste famous at this daie liue after the same sort as the Frenchmen Spaniards Englishmen Polonians Danes Moscouites Tartares Turkes Abissines Moores Agiamesques Zagathians Cathains Yea the sauage people newly discouered are in a manner all vnder kings And they that liue in other kinds of Common-wealths as the Venetians do retaine an outward shewe of a king whome they call a Duke who is electiue and to continue his estate as long as he liueth In other places they haue Gonfalonners as at Lucques the like whereof they were woont to haue at Florence and at Sienna In some places they haue Aduoyers or Bourg-maisters as in the Cantons of Switzerland and in the free townes of Germany which acknowledge an Emperour Vpon which name we will note by the way that it importeth no more than the name of a king although amongst the Lawyers and others there haue beene infinite questions as touching the authoritie and preheminence of both namely that the Emperours haue vsurped ouer other kings vntill this present albeit the power and maiestie of the Empire is greatly diminished so that nothing else remaineth in a manner but the name and shadow of it within Germany As for this title of Emperor which the Romane Monarks tooke to themselues before vsed to call their Generals in warre by that name it was vpon this occasion taken vp After they had depriued Tarquine of the kingdome of Rome by reason of his pride and insolencie this name of king became so odious amongst the Romanes that it was forbidden to be vsed by an edict and solemn oath Whervpon when their popular Estate was changed into a Monarchie they would not call their Monarch by the name of King by reason of their ancient oath but called him Emperour as Appian writeth But to continue the discourse of our principall matter and to answer briefly to the reasons alleadged against a Monarchye we haue first to note that the most part of the dangers mentioned do cease where the Monarchy goeth by succession as it doth in ours For there is no cause of feare in regard of any that might aspire to the Crowne or of the treaties and alliances which are not broken by the Prince his death but renued and confirmed by his successor and heire vnles before they were greatly preiudiciall to the Estate That new Princes seeke after nouelties it may be said of some but it is much more vsuall in Aristocraticall and Popular Estates For Magistrates that are renued so often would be very sorowfull that their yeere should run out before they had done something that might cause men to speake either good or euill of them As for the troubles about the gouernment of a yoong king peraduenture it falleth not out once in a hundreth yeeres whereas if a Gonfalonner of Genes be chosen but onely for two yeeres the Common-wealth will be all on fire To put into the ballance the cruelties and robberies of a tyrant whereby to counterpeaze many good Princes there is no shew of reason in so dooing For we know well enough that a peaceable Aristocratie wisely guided if it may be so is better than a cruell tyrannie But the chiefe matter subiect of our discourse is to knowe whether it be not better to haue one iust and perfect king than many good Lords and by the contrary argument whether the tyrannie of 50. tyrants is not more perillous than of one only tyrant Now if many Maisters Pilots how wise soeuer they are hinder one another when euery one desireth to hold the Rudder then surely many Lords wil do the like when they seeke al togither to gouerne the Common-wealth albeit they are wise and vertuous And truly no Aristocratical or Popular Estate can be named that hath lasted aboue 600. yeeres togither and few haue endured so long but many Monarchies haue continued 1000. and 1200. yeeres in the same estate Moreouer they are agreeable to the vpright lawes of nature which as we haue before discoursed do al lead vs to a Monarchy But there is more to be considered of in our French kingdome which ought to mooue all French harts very much to desire the preseruation therof and to thinke themselues happy that they may liue vnder it I meane that which we touched in the beginning of our speech namely the agreement participation which it hath with all good policies Many Politicks haue giuen this out that no Common-wealth instituted to continue long ought to be simple or of one only kind but that the vertues properties of the other Estates must meete togither in it to the end that nothing grow out of proportion which might cause it to degenerate to the next euill and so consequently ouerthrow it This was first obserued by Lycurgus who in ordaining the Lacedemonian Common-wealth mingled the Senate with the Kings after the Ephories were established aboue the Kings insomuch that they were mingled and weighed so equally togither that a man could not wel discerne vnder what kind of gouernment it was erected The Carthaginian coÌ„monwealth also most florishing for a long time was so instituted in the beginning thereof It had kings the Aristocratical power of Senators the common people who had their preheminence in things belonging vnto them The Romane Common-wealth during the time of hir greatest glorie had these 3. parts so equally proportionably tempered that a man could not tell whether it
one in Bagdet the other in Cayre The king of Calecuth is chiefe of his religion and for this cause goeth before the other kings of India in dignitie and is called Samory that is to say God on earth The Pope commandeth ouer the temporalties of the church called S. Peters patrimonie as king and is reast of the latin christian churches as head of the religion I meane in those places of those persons where he is so taken and acknowledged The king of England certaine yeeres past tooke vpon him the title of king and supreme gouernor of the Church The fourth kind of monarchie is electiue not hereditarie in some places for terme of life as the empire of Almaigne the kingdom of Polonia of Bohemia and of Hungaria in other places for a certaine time as was the Dictatorship at Rome These estates are not commonly so sure and durable as those that are hereditarie bicause of the practises forestalling of voyces which are for the most part vsed wherupon seditions arise to the great detriment of those kingdomes For the prince being dead the estate remaineth in a pure Anarchie without king without lord without gouernment in danger of ruine like to a ship without a Pilote which is ready to be cast away with the first wind that bloweth Also a gate is set open to theeues and murderers who kill and slay at their pleasure vpon hope of impunitie as it is commonly to be seene as histories rehearse after the death of the kings of Thunes of the Souldans of Egypt and of the Popes of Rome where the seat being vacant the first thing that is commonly done is the breaking open of prisons the killing of iailers the letting out of guiltie persons and the reuenging of iniuries by all possible meanes and this continueth vntil the colledge of cardinals haue agreed vpon a successor And in deed in the yeere 1522. two were executed against whom it was prooued that at sundry tumults mooued at this election they had slaine an hundreth and sixteene men As touching the Empire of Almaigne their histories are full of impouerishmentes fallen vpon them through the election of their Emperours as well by ciuill warres as by murders and poisonings So that within three hundreth and three-score yeeres since the Empire fell vnder the election of seuen princes eight or nine Emperours haue been slaine or poisoned besides those that haue been shamefully thrust out of their imperiall seate Ecclesiasticall persones also haue not wanted ciuill warres about their elections wherein no such prouision could be made but that two and twentie Popes were cut off and many thrust out of their seate as may be seen in the Registers of the Vatican Nowe we must note further that among the electiue estates euery election is either of such persones as the Electours like of as in Germanie they doe not onely chuse for emperoures the princes of Almaigne out of diuers families but sometime straungers haue been chosen as Alphonsus king of Spaine and Richard Duke of Cornewall and brother to king Henry the third or else it is out of certaine inferiour estates as the Pope out of the Colledge of Cardinals and not long since the Souldan of Cayre out of the Mammeluckes vnto which degree of honour none could ascend except before he had been a slaue and a runnagate Christian so that afterward he commaunded absolutely in Egypt and Soria This estate hauing continued about three hundreth yeeres was not long since quite ouerthrowen by Sultan Selym king of the Turkes who tooke the last Souldane and caused him to bee caried vpon an olde Cammell all a-long Cayre and then to be hanged vpon one of the gates of that Citie The great master of Malta is chosen by the chiefe Priors of his religion as that also of Prussia was before the agreement made with the king of Polonia by which composition his estate was turned into a Duchie subiect to the crowne of Poland and of electiue made hereditarie The fift kinde of Monarchie is hereditarie and is properly called royall and lawfull whether the king come to the estate by right of succession as Thucidides writeth of the auncient kings or whether the kingdome be giuen by vertue of the lawe without regard had to daughters or to males descending of them as it is in this kingdome by the Salicke lawe or whether it bee giuen as a meere gift as the kingdomes of Naples and Sicill were giuen to Charles of Fraunce and since giuen agayne to Lewes of France first Duke of Aniow whether it bee left by will as the kinges of Thunis Fez and Marocke vsed to doe and as it was practised also by Henry the eight king of England who left his kingdome to his sonne Edward appointing Mary after him and after hir Elizabeth or by what other meanes so euer the Prince becommeth lord of the estate his monarchie is alwayes royall and lawfull if he in like maner bee obedient to the lawes of nature as he desireth that his subiectes should bee towards him leauyng to euery one his naturall libertie and proprietie of his goodes and looking to the profite and commoditie of the Common-wealth This kingly gouernment Aristotle compareth to Oeconomie For although a father of a familie gouerne his house after his pleasure yet he respecteth the commoditie of his familie Vnder this happie fourme of gouernement beyng the best of all wee may boast that wee liue in Fraunce through the goodnesse of our kinges who neyther ordaine nor put any thing in execution but by mature deliberation and counsaile which they take with the princes of their bloud and with other notable and graue persones whome they call neere vnto them as though their soueraigne power were ruled and moderated For first the king commaundeth nothing that taketh effect if it bee not signed by his Secretaries and sealed with his great seale that is to saye seene and approoued by the Chauncellour who is a seuere Controuler of all matters that passe All the kinges letters must alwayes of necessitie bee approoued by the iudges to whom they are directed and examined not only whether they were obtained by priuie insinuation or fraudulent dealing but also whether they be lawful or vnlawfull Yea in criminall matters the re-inabling of such as before were not capable of offices or dignities writs of repeale from banishment pardons remissions are skanned with such rigor by them that the procurers of such letters are compelled to deliuer them bare-headed and kneeling and to offer themselues prisoners of what estate soeuer they be in so much that oftentimes men are condemned and executed with their pardons about them As for the giftes and expences of the king whether they be ordinarie or extraordinarie the chamber of accounts examineth them narowly and many times cutteth off such as haue no good ground by reason that the officers are sworne to let nothing
friendship of his wife breaketh the peace of a house causeth the wife to loose hir soule who otherwise peraduenture would not haue yeelded if he had not corrupted hir In a word it is the cause of infinite miseries offences which we daily see come to passe Amongthe Auncients this vice was so odious that it was narowly sought out and chasticed with very grieuous punishments In so much that Iulius Caesar caused one of his captains to be beheaded bicause he had dishonoured the mistresse of the house where he lodged not staying vntill one accused him and without any complaint made vnto him by hir husband There was a law among the Locrians established by Zaleucus which condemned all those that were conuicted of this vice of adulterie to haue their eyes puld out This lawe was afterward so well kept that his sonne being taken with the fact and all the people intreating for him Zaleucus would neuer suffer the punishment to be any thing lessened And yet to satisfie their importunitie in some sort he caused one of his own and another of his sonnes eyes to be plucked out chusing rather to beare halfe the punishment allotted for the offence than that it should remaine vnpunished the law violated Augustus Caesar made the law Iulia intituled of Adulteries wherein is declared how processe ought to proceed against those that are attainted of it and how such as are conuicted thereof are to be punished euen to permit the father to kill his daughter being taken in the fact with the adulterer After that Fabius Fabritius was slain by his wife through trecherie to the ende that she might haue greater libertie to commit adulterie one of his yonger sons whē he came to age slew his mother with the adulterer was absolued therof by the Senate We read also that the lest punishment vsed by the Egyptians against adulterers was to cut off the womās nose the priuy parts of the man Briefly we shall find that in all nations where honor and ciuilitie is neuer so little regarded this vice of adulterie hath been grieuously punished and greatly hated of all noble minds Herein the example of Alexander is woorthy to be remembred who when a woman was brought vnto him one euening demanded of hir why she came so late to whom she answered that she stayed vntill hir husband was gone to bed Which he no sooner heard but he sent hir away being very angry with his men bicause they had almost caused him to commit adultery He would not so much as touch his friends Concubine although he loued hir and he tooke on wonderfully with Cassander bicause he would by force kisse a minstrels maid So farre off was he from beyng willing to suffer his courtiers to force any wiues or daughters of his subiects or to induce them to suborne any for him But contrary wise we see now adayes that they are most esteemed of great men whose skill is greatest in corrupting of women Antonius Venereus duke of Venice may be vnto them an example worthy to be folowed who caused his owne sonne to die in prison bicause he had rauished a maid But let vs note a litle the eye witnesses of Gods wrath who neuer or very seldome suffreth whoredome to go without present payment meete for such peruerse wickednes The reading of holy Scriptures doth furnish vs with notable examples in the death of foure and twentie thousands Israelites for whoredome in the punishment of the same sinne committed by Dauid with the death of more than threescore thousand men in Israel in the punishment of the same sinne in Salomon vpon his sonne who was depriued of ten parts of his kingdome in the ouerthrow of the Cities of Sodomah and Gomorrah and in many other places Whē Sathan seeketh for a readie way to cause men to fall he commonly vseth whoredom When Balaam taught Balaac that subtill practise to cause the Israelites to commit idolatrie it was by meanes of the faire women of his countrey thereby to cause them to fall into the wrath and indignation of God Concerning histories written by men the number of examples of Gods wrath vpon whoremongers is infinite of which we will heere alleadge some making mention of violent punishments and of the depriuation and subuersion of flourishing estates which haue proceeded from the same cause of whoredome And truly it is more dangerous for a Prince in regard of his estate than any other vice yea than crueltie it selfe For crueltie maketh men fearefull and striketh a terror in the subiects but whoredome draweth with it hatred and contempt of the Prince bicause euery one iudgeth an effeminate man vnwoorthie to command a whole people Tarquinius king of Rome for his loftines surnamed the proud was depriued of his kingdome bicause of the violence which one of his sonnes offered to Lucretia a Romane Ladie And although he gathered togither great forces thinking thereby to reenter into his estate yet he could neuer attaine therunto Since which time the name of a king hath beene so odious among the Romanes that they would neuer suffer any to beare that title amongst them but from that time forward changed the gouernment of a Monarchie into a Democraty or popular estate abolishing all lawes appertaining to a king In place of which they sent to the Athenians for Solons lawes which afterward were obserued by the Romanes and called the lawes of the twelue Tables Appius Claudius one of those ten that had all authoritie in the gouernment of the Romane estate bicause he would haue rauished Virginia daughter to Virginius a Citizen of Rome who slew hir to saue hir honor was banished with all his companions in that office and their manner of gouernment changed into the authoritie of Consuls What was like to haue befallen that mightie Caesar after he had conquered France Almaigne England Spaine Italy and Pompey himselfe but a shamefull death by reason of a foolish loue which caused him to go into Alexandria in disguised apparell to enioy Cleopatra where an Eunuch and a child had almost slaine him if he had not cast himselfe from a high tower into the sea and so saued himselfe by swimming to his campe vnder the gallies of his enimies Teundezillus king of Spaine was for committing violent adulterie with a ladie of a noble house depriued both of life and kingdom Marcus Antonius Caracalla Emperour being caried away with intemperate lust maried his mother in law and within a while after he lost both his empire and life Childericus the first of that name king of France after he had raigned a long time was driuen out of his kingdome for his whoredome Iohn Countie of Arminack maried one of his owne sisters and being therefore excommunicated of the Church was depriued of his estate and life by the Emperor Charlemaigne Rodoaldus king of Lumbardy being taken in adultery was
are once estranged and fallen from that loue whereby nature doth necessarily linke them one with another they are hardly reconciled againe togither And if they be friendes againe yet it is alwayes with some distrust and suspicion Questionles it is impossible but that affaires should breed in these times wherein we liue many occasions of dissention and debate betweene brethren namely for goods and successions as this worde of Parting importeth and bringeth with it diuision euery one being desirous to haue his owne But herein also they must suffer their matters to fight by themselues without adding any head-strong passion couetousnesse or choler which are as a hooke that taketh hold of them and seeketh to set them togither by the eares They must as it were in a balance consider iointly togither on which side right and equitie declineth and as soone as they can possible let them remit the iudgement and deciding of their controuersies to the arbitrement of some good men Yea a good brother ought rather to reioyce and to boast that he hath ouercome and gone beyond his brother in gracious behauior in curtesie in voluntarily giuing of place in euery good dutie towards him than in the diuision of some goods Now let vs consider of some notable examples amongst the ancients of great brotherly loue Although we had searched all histories yet could we not finde a more memorable act or woorthier to be set foorth at this day and to be rather followed especially of the greater sort who quarell for their possessions and reuenues than that which fell out betweene the children of Darius monarch of the Persians Ariamenes the eldest and Xerxes the younger being in great strife togither for the succession of the empire the eldest alleaged his birth-right the yonger that he was the sonne of Atossa daughter to Cyrus the great and that he was borne since his father was crowned king and so next inheritour of the kingdome now that Cambises was dead Each of them had great confederates and many Persian lordes were diuided into factious about this matter But Ariamenes came out of Media not in armes to make warre although hee had greate meanes thereunto but onely with his ordinarie traine as one that purposed to pursue his right by way of iustice Xerxes before his brothers comming exercised in Persia all duties belonging to a king but as soone as his brother was arriued he willingly put off his kingly diademe and hat and went out to meete him and to imbrace him After that he sent presents vnto him with commaundement giuen to those that bare them to say vnto him in this maner Xerxes thy brother honoreth thee now with these presents but if by the sentence and iudgement of the princes and lordes of Persia he be declared king his will is that thou shouldest bee the second person in Persia after him Ariamenes returned this aunswere I receyue my brothers giftes with all my harte and thinke that the kingdome of Persia belongeth to me but as concerning my brethren I will giue them that dignitie and honour that is due vnto them next to my selfe and to Xerxes first of all Nowe after that by their common consent Artabanus their vncle had decided and brought to an ende their controuersie and adiudged the kingdome to Xerxes Ariamenes presently arose from his seate and went to doe homage to his brother and takyng him by the right hande ledde him to his royall and kingly throne From that tyme forward he was always the greatest next vnto him and shewed him-selfe so well affected towards his right that in the Salamine battell by Sea he died fighting valiauntlie in his seruice Antiochus surnamed the Holie makyng warre with his Elder brother for his part in the kingdome of Macedonia declared euen in his ambition that all brotherly loue was not quite extinguished and cleane put out in him For in the hottest tyme of their warre when his brother Seleucus had lost the battell with great destruction of his men and was supposed to haue been dead bicause no newes was heard of him Antiochus put off his purple robe and clothed him-selfe in blacke and shuttyng vp his pallace royall mourned and lamented verie much for his brother But beyng afterward aduertised that hee was safe and sound and preparing an other armie hee went in open shewe from his lodging and sacrificed to the gods by way of thankes-giuing commaunding the Townes that were vnder his iurisdiction to offer the lyke sacrifices and to weare Hattes of flowers in token of publique ioye Athenodorus the Graecian hauyng a brother elder than him-selfe called Zeno who beyng conuicted of a certayne crime had lost all his goodes by confiscation parted agayne with him all his owne goodes and gaue vnto him the iust halfe When the king of Lydia demaunded of Pittacus whether hee had anye goodes yea quoth hee twise so much more than I woulde I had beyng heire to my brother that is dead The loue of that Persian woman of whome Plutarke maketh mention was verie great who beeyng asked why shee had rather saue the lyfe of hir brother than of hir owne sonne bicause quoth she I may well haue mo children but not more brethren seeyng my Father and Mother are bothe deade Howe much more then ought we to preferre our brethren before all other our friendes and acquaintaunce For many may bee gotten of this kinde and others if these fayle but it is no more possible to get a newe brother than to get an hande agayne that is cutte off or an eye that is plucked out Agrippa brother in lawe to the Emperour Augustus vsed to saye that hee was greatlie beholding to that sentence of Salust Small thinges encrease by concorde but perish through discorde bicause it procured vnto him all his wealth by seekyng to liue in peace and friendship with his brother and with euerie one This is that which Scilurus leauyng behind him foure-score male-children meant to teach them and how they should bee inuincible beyng ioyned and vnited togither by offering to each of them a bundle of dartes to breake which when they could not doe he brake them one after another before their eyes I woulde further enlarge this discourse with examples of the loue of brethren shinyng greatly in ages past were it not that we must here speake some-what of the ductie and obedience of seruauntes towards their masters according to that order which was propounded vnto vs. This wee will brieflie comprehend into foure generall poyntes The first is that they muste be prest and alwayes readie to put in execution their masters will and commaundement and to doe their businesse most diligently not beyng slouthfull slacke and negligent nor doyng any thing grutchingly The second point is that they must be faithfull vnto them not beguiling nor defrauding them of any thing nor affirming that before their faces to flatter them which they will vnsay behind
were altogither Aristocratical or Democratical or Monarchicall In looking to the power of the Consuls a man would haue iudged it Monarchical Roial to the Senators Aristocratical to the Tribunes common sort Democratical The Venetians in their Cōmonwealth represent al these estates Their great Councel hauing soueraign power wherof the Senat the authority of al their Magistrats dependeth doth represent the Popular estate The Duke who is President as long as he liueth representeth the roial power bicause he especially retaineth the grauity dignity therof And the Colledge of ten men with the Colledge of ancients commonly called Sages representeth the Aristocraty as Contarenus writeth As for our French Monarchy it may wel be said also to be partaker of all 3. in regard of the gouernment therof albeit in truth the estate therof is a simple pure Monarchy For the king is the Monarch beloued obeied reuerenced who although he haue all power soueraigne authority to cōmand to do what he will yet this great soueraigne liberty seemeth in some sort to be ruled limited by good lawes ordinances and by the multitude great authority of Officers Counsellors who are aswell neere his person as in sundry places of his kingdom The 12. Peeres the secret priuy councels the Parliament great Councel the Chambers of accounts the Treasorers Generals of charges resemble in some sort the Aristocraty The States yeerely helde in the Prouinces the Mairalties of townes Shreeualties Consulships Capitolats Church-wardens are as it were the forme of a Democraty as Siessel declareth more at large Moreouer the general Estates of the Realme which are woont to be gathered togither to deliberate the king being President of all matters concerning the Estate doe they not sufficiently testifie the happie order therof drawing neere to the gouernment of a good Oeconomist when the king as Aristotle saith commandeth in his kingdome as a good father of a familie ruleth ouer his children with loue and according to right and iustice Wherefore although all the authoritie of Officers Counsellors Parliaments and Estates dependeth as riuers of a fountaine of the onely power of their king and Prince yet of his fatherly and royall goodnes he granteth them such authoritie that hardly could he do any thing that were very violent or too preiudiciall to his subiects And if some such actions may be noted they come rather through the fault of his Counsellors than from his Maiesty Thus let vs conclude with Plato that the royall gouernment and authority ought to be preferred before all others policies as that which draweth neerest to the diuinitie But it must haue a Senate of good men ioined vnto it after the forme of an Aristocratie as our kings haue alwaies vsed to haue of their natural benignitie which maketh them inclinable to all exercises of vertue pietie and iustice Of diuers kinds of Monarchies and of a Tyranny Chap. 58. ACHITOB THe varietie of manners and inclinations to diuers things which is we see particularly in euery one from his birth and generally throughout all nations of the world disposeth without doubt the people as they growe in age and iudgement and according to their bringing vp to like one kind of gouernment rather than another But Frenchmen haue euen to these last times caried away the praise of a more naturall and constant disposition loue obedience and fidelitie towards the maiestie of a king than other nations euer shewed to their forme of estate and gouernment For amongst them all there is not one nation to be found that hath so constantly continued in their lawes and ancient customes without any alteration and change as this flourishing Monarchie which hath also gone beyond them all in goodnes and mildnes of gouernment as we may see better my Companions if we compare with it those sundry sorts of Monarchies which haue been heretofore and doe at this day flourish of which many come as neere to a tyrannie as ours is farre distant from it And to make a tyrannie appeere more odious we will consider the pernitious and miserable estate thereof ASER. As it properly belongeth to a royall estate to gouerne and to rule subiects not according to the sensuall appetite and disordered will of the Prince but by maturitie of counsell and by obseruation of lawes and of iustice so it agreeth with a tyrant to raigne by his absolute will without all regard either of lawes or of the precepts of iustice AMANA A tyrant saith Seneca differeth from a king in effect not in name The one seeketh his owne profite onely and the other the profite of the Common-wealth Now let vs heare ARAM who will teach vs to discerne them well by their works ARAM. Amongst all the Monarchies that euer were or are at this daye among men most of the ancient authors and great Politicks haue noted out fiue sundric sortes of which I purpose heere to discourse particularly with briefe examples that the excellencie of ours may the better appeere ouer others especially ouer those that decline much vnto tyrannye whose shame and infamie I will heere display The first and most ancient kind of Monarchy was that which was voluntarily offered by the people for some heroicall vertue appeering in those men whom they iudged worthie to gouerne them iustly and vprightly And when they continued in this sort to declare themselues benefactors of the multitude in gathering them togither in giuing vnto them territories and in distributing lands among them in finding out of arts in making of warre and in the administration of iustice vnto them their authoritie and power did lawfully descend to their successors who had soueraigne power in time of warre and were chiefe in certain solemn ceremonies of their sacrifices Herodotus Demosthenes Aristotle Cicero and many others make mention of this kind of Monarchy After the floud when the number of men increased Noah perswaded his children and others of his posteritie to disperse themselues in diuers countries to till the ground and to build townes and to this ende he assigned to euery one his Prouince by lot Nimrod the sonne of Cush whose grandfather Noah was abode with his men in the land of the Chaldeans and was their first king and the first king of Babylon He was the first that beganne to extend his bounds by force vpon his neighbours sending whole companies of people into many and diuers countries to laye the foundations of other kingdomes as histories doe giue vs certaine knowledge thereof This is the cause why many establish the first Monarchy in Assyria vnder him We read also in good authors that the first and ancient kings of Egypt kept themselues a long time in this heroical vertue which had procured vnto them their dignitie They liued not disorderedly as those doe who bicause of their dominion iudge their owne will to be a iust lawe for them but they followed
of the tyrauntes were giuen vnto them as to the true deliuerers of their Countrey Nowe albeit wee sayde that this worde tyraunt was taken amongst them for him that made him-selfe soueraigne Prince of his owne authoritie with-out election or right of succession or lotte or iust warre or speciall callyng of GOD yet wee must not inferre this consequent that therefore it is lawfull to kill euerie Prince that exerciseth tyrannie For it belongeth in no wise eyther to anye particular subiect or to all in generall to seeke the honour or lyfe of the Prince that is absolutely and lawfully soueraigne as we haue alreadie discoursed Now to conclude our present speech we may see how farre the establishment of this French Monarchie is from any inclination and from all things that may seeme to giue any entraunce life and preseruation to a tirannie nay it is cleane contrary thereunto and goeth beyond all monarchies that euer were or are amongst the sundrie nations of men for goodnesse and mildenesse of gouernement which ought wonderfully to stirre vp Frenchmen to perseuere in loue obedience and fidelitie towardes their king for which straungers haue alwayes praysed them Of the Education of a Prince in good maners and conditions Chap. 59. ARAM. THe effect of custome is wonderfull yea it is so power-full that it passeth nature especially in vice and dissolutenes Wherein if men be once plunged it is a very hard matter especially if they be young to drawe them out of it But further when they know that they haue in their handes an vnbrideled licence and a soueraigne authoritie to enioy their lustes and desires at their pleasure a man may then saie that all hope of amendment is vtterly perished in them and that it is altogether impossible to gaine any thing of them by counsell instruction or reason Therefore it is very certaine that the principall hope and expectation of a Prince after request made to God that by nature he may bee of a good and teach-able disposition ought to bee grounded alwayes in his education and first institution which beyng either good or badde will bring foorth like effectes to the great good or hurt of his subiectes Nowe then my Companions let vs discourse of that which we thinke ought to be obserued in the right instruction of a Prince in all kinde of good maners and commendable conditions as well for his owne profit as for the common vtilitie of all those ouer whom he is to command ACHITOB. Men are commonly carefull to strengthen with rampires the bankes of riuers which receine into them great quantitie of waters But it is needefull that more diligence be vsed in preseruing and fortifying the minde of a young prince with strong reasons graue sentences and most learned preceptes of wisedome against the greatnesse of his fortune the great aboundaunce of wealth riote delightes and flatterie disguised with fidelitie and libertie which lyke to a mightie streame fall from some rocke to ouer-whelme and to drowne the weake seedes of Vertue naturallie in a Prince ASER. Men must bee so much the more carefull in the dressing and tillage of that spirite and soule which they know ought to bee vigilant wise prudent and iust for the benefite of many Such a one is the king or magistrate or any other man that is to deale in gouernement and in publike affaires For to fill that soule with vertue and goodnesse is to profite an infinite number by the meaues of one Now let vs heare AMANA discourse vpon this matter AMANA All kingdomes vnder which men doe liue at this day are eyther hereditarie or giuen by election Some that are hereditarie goe by succession from male to male onely as this kingdome of Fraunce And this did the French-men wisely ordaine in the beginning of their Monarchie by the Salicke lawe by which prouidence and fore-sight they haue continued in the same kind of gouernement almost one thousand and two hundreth yeeres so that the crowne neuer went out of their nation neither hath the roiall linage chaunged oftener than thrise in so long continuaunce which thing neuer happened to any other Monarchie or Seignorie to any mans knowledge In other kingdomes when males are wanting daughters succeede as in Spaine England and Scotland Moreouer in hereditarie kingdomes where males succeede in some places that honour is alwayes reserued for the eldest who giueth an honest pension to his younger brethren as it is in Fraunce or if no regard be had to birth-right either he is preferred that is fittest to gouerne or he that is most warlike and in greatest fauour with the souldiours as in Turkie Selim the first of that name beyng the third and youngest sonne of Baiazet the second vsurped the Empire by the aide of the Ianitzaries vpon his father whome he caused to be poisoned and slew Achmat and Corcuth his two elder brothers with all his nephewes and others of Ottomans race saying that nothing was pleasaunter than to rule when all feare of kindred was taken away In some places they kill not their brethren and kindred but shut them vp in some most sure and safe place of custodie as they vse or are accustomed to doe in Ethiopia where hee that must beare rule is kept alone the rest are sent to a very high and strong mountaine called the mountaine of the Israelites from whence none of the male kinde may euer come foorth except Prester Iohn die without heire of his bodie to succeede him in the crowne for then he that is next vnto it and knowen to be woorthiest and fittest is taken foorth By this meanes that great kingdome hath continued very long without ciuill warre or murder and neuer wanted of-spring of the royall race In Calecuth when the king dieth although hee haue male children or nephewes by his brother yet none of them succeed in the kingdom but his sisters sonne and if they faile the next of the bloud royal commeth to the crowne They ground this vpon a foolish and fond superstition which they haue in causing the Queene to bee defloured by some young priest called Bramin in whose custodie she remaineth euer after so long as the King is abroade Whereuppon they presume and peraduenture not without good cause that the children which descend or are borne of that Ladie hold more of the priest than of the prince Concerning kingdomes that goe by election we haue spoken of them alreadie Now bicause it is a very harde matter to change him that is once chosen in such a kingdome greater consideration must be had in making the election lest the ouer-sight of one hower procure a perpetuall repentaunce But where the prince is by nature and not by election men must labour by carefull industrie and diligence to bring him vp and to instruct him well by replenishing his mind with sound opinions from his infancie and by casting vpon his new ground seedes of vertue and honestie which by
of the soule not of the body 266. the parts of fortitude 267. examples of fortitude 273. c. Fortune what is to be vnderstoode by this worde fortune 307. howe wee may vse these words of fortune and chance 469. the opinions of Philosophers touching fortune 470. the description of fortune 470. examples of hir contrary effects 472 France one euident cause of the present ruine of France 163. the miserable estate of France 408. one cause thereof 607. the happie gouernment of France 635. two causes of the present diuisions in France 716 Friend and Friendship the difference between friendship and loue 138. what things are requisite in friendship 139. the chiefe cause and end of all true friendship 138. friendship must be free 142. three things necessarie in friendship 148. examples of true friendship 145. what manner of man we must chuse for our friend 140. howe we must prooue a true friend and shake off a false 141. how we must beare with the imperfections of our friend 144. G Gaming the effects of gaming 374 what mooued the Lydians to inuent games 374. Alphonsus decree against gaming 375 Generall a good lesson for a Generall 292 properties requisite in a Generall 300 Glorie how ielousie of glorie is tollerable with examples thereof 251. c. examples of the contempt of glorie 254 Gluttonie the fruits of gluttonie 213. examples thereof 214 God all things are present with God 407. he ordereth casuall things necessarily 468 he is the Idaea of al good 42 Goods the nature of worldly goods 37. two sorts of goods 52. 526. two waies to get goods 526 Grace effects of Gods grace in the regenerate 18 Grammar the commodities of grammar 556 Griefe a meane how to beare griefe patiently 331 H Happines all men naturally desire happines 31. who are happie and who vnhappie 51. what it is to liue happily 38. 54. how we must make choice of a happie life 246. wherein good or ill hap consisteth 330. notable opinions of good and ill hap 332 wherein true happines consisteth 334 Hatred how far a man may hate the wicked 387. the difference between hatred and enuie 459. the bounds of a good mans hatred 463. Histories the praise and profit of histories 79 Homage what homage we ow to God 93 Honor how a man may seeke for honor 232. examples of the contempt of honor 233. the first step to honor 247 Hope hope must be grounded vpon the grace of God 300. two kinds of hope 301. the fruit of hope 302. hope and feare are the foundation of vertue 561 House a house consisteth of liuing stones 489 smal iarres must be auoided in a house 501 Hunting is an image of war 554 Husbands how they ought to loue their wiues 501. a husband must neuer beate his wife 504. he must neither chide nor fawne vpon his wife before others 507. examples of the loue of husbands towards their wiues 510. Husbandrie the praise of husbandrie 528. 752. the antiquitie of husbandrie 752 I Idlenes it is the mother and nurse of all vice 369. Pythagoras precept against idlenes 370. examples against idlenes 377 Ignorance ignorance of our selues the cause of much euill 12. pernitious effects of ignorance 117. 118. common effects of ignorance 119. Impatiencie who are most giuen to impatiencie and choler 312. how it may be cured 313. Impost a commendable kind of impost 220 Impudencie the description of impudencie 428. Incontinencie the difference betweene an incontinent and an intemperate man 190. Socrates disputation against incontinencie 238 Infants how infants are to be brought vp 552 Ingratitude meanes to keepe vs from ingratitude 432. it was the cause of mans fal 425 great men are soonest touched with ingratitude 428. examples against it 430 Innocencie is a tower of brasse against slanderers 466 Iniurie how manie waies a man may receiue iniurie 384 Iniustice the fruits of it in the wicked 403. it is a generall vice 404. the effects of it 405. how many kinds there are of iniustice 404 Intemperance the companions of intemperance 192. what predominant passions are in it 189. exaÌ„ples of intemperance 193 c. Ioie examples of some that died of ioie 36 Iudgement from whence iudgement proceedeth 89. the iudgement of the best not of the most is to be preferred 249. iudgements are the sinewes of an estate 690 Iudges how the Egyptians painted iudges 394. a corrupt manor of making iudges 701 Iustice the fruits of iustice 390. the ground of all iustice 391. examples of the loue of iustice 395. how the abuse of it may be remedied 399. the deniall of iustice is dangerous 408. 658. the springs of all corruptions of iustice 697. iustice distributed into seuen parts 746 K Knowledge the knowledge of God and of our selues must be linked togither 12. the end of the knowledge of our selues 16. the benefits that come by knowledge 74 King wherein the greatnes of a king consisisteth 57. wherein kings ought to exercise themselues most 80. the true ornaments of a king 180. the difference betweene a great and a little king 398. what power the kings of Lacedaemonia had â—80 good precepts for kings 648. a king must be skilfull by reason and not by vse 648. the first and principall dutie of a king is to haue the law of God before his eies 655. he must begin reformation at himselfe and his court 656. the summe of the dutie of a king 674 Kingdome what causeth kingdoms to flourish 399 of the originall of kingdoms 586. their alteration commeth through vice 67 they florish through vertue 61. Of the antiquitie of a kingdome 623. the dangerous estate of an electiue kingdom vpoÌ„ the death of the prince 633. what kingdoms are electiue 634 L Law what ciuill lawes may not be changed 597. the end of all lawes 603. change of lawes in a well setled estate is dangerous 598. what the law of nature is 596. the ancient law-makers 599. what maner of lawes are to be established in the Commonwealth 657. Learning examples of ancient men that gaue themselues to learning 570. examples of great loue to learning 81 Letter Anacharsis letter to Craesus 78 Alexanders to Aristotle 80. Caesars to Rome Octauianus to his nephew Platoes to Dionysius Pompeies to the senate 132. Pisistratus to his nephew 146. Traians to Plutarke 157. 233. Traians to the senate 654. 707. Macrines to the senate of Rome 747. Aurelius to a tribune 768 Liberalitie a poore man may be liberal 436. the lawes of liberalitie 440. examples of liberalitie 441 Loue loue is the first foundation of euery holie marriage 530 Life mans life compared to the Olympian assemblies 38. one cause of the long life of our elders 198. Senecaes opinion of the shortnes of our life 211. our life compared to table-play 335. no man ought to hide his life 373. the end of our life 377. three things necessarie for the life of man 750. wherein a happie life consisteth 804 Lying lying in a prince is most odious 417
eies those vertuous and learned instructions that are drawen out of the fountains of arts and disciplines This mooued Antigonus king of Macedonia to write thus to Zeno the philosopher I am assured that I excell thee in the goods and fauour of fortune and in the renowne of such things but I know withall that thou art far aboue me and goest beyond me in that true felicitie which consisteth in the knowledge and discipline of studies Therefore I desire earnestly that thou wouldest come vnto me wherein I pray thee denie me not that I may enioie thy conuersation and companie as well for mine owne profit as for the profit of all the Macedonians my subjects For he that instructeth a prince doth also profit as many as are vnder his charge This selfsame loue of knowledge was the cause that all the festiuall ornaments of that great louer of vertue Ptolomie Philadelphus king of Egypt were graue questions as well of pietic as of phlosophic which he propounded to be handled and concluded by those learned men whom he ordinarily maintained in his traine Sir the example of these two noble kings shining wholy in you who greatly loue and fauour learning and the professors thereof and open the gate of that holie and vertuous discipline which was so much cherished by ancient men that they might daily be instructed the better in the dutie of their charges doth promise to your good subjects and vassals that by the grace of God they shall see vnder your raigne the euill of those sinister effects defaced which haue issued from these long troubles and ciuill wars Whereof all men haue conceiued a more certaine hope bicause they see that you labor with a holie zeale and good affection to restore pietie and iustice to their former strength and beautie which were in a maner buried in France and that you haue gloriously crowned that worke which that great king Francis your grandfather did happily begin to the end that arts and sciences might flourish in this kingdome The diner of that prince of famous memorie was a second table of Salomon vnto which resorted from euerie nation such as were best learned that they might reape profit and instruction Yours Sir being compassed about with those who in your presence daily discourse of and heare discoursed many graue and goodly matters seemeth to be a schoole erected to teach men that are born to vertue And for my selfe hauing so good hap during the assemblie of your Estates at Blois as to be made partaker of the fruit gathered thereof it came in my mind to offer vnto your Maiestie a dish of diuers fruits which I gathered in a Platonicall garden or orchard otherwise called an ACADEMIE where I was not long since with certaine yoong Gentlemen of Aniou my companions discoursing togither of the institution in good maners and of the means how all estates and conditions may liue well and happily And although a thousand thoughts came then into my mind to hinder my purpose as the small authoritie which youth may or ought to haue in counsell amongst ancient men the greatnes of the matter subject propounded to be handled by yeeres of so small experience the forgetfulnes of the best foundations of their discourses which for want of a rich and happie memorie might be in me my iudgement not sound ynough and my profession vnfit to set them downe in good order briefly the consideration of your naturall disposition and rare vertue and of the learning which you receiue both by reading good authors and by your familiar communication with learned and great personages that are neere about your Maiestie whereby I seemed to oppose the light of an obscure day full of clouds and darknes to the bright beames of a very cleere shining sunne and to take in hand as we say to teach Minerua I say all these reasons being but of too great waight to make me change my opinon yet calling to mind manie goodlie and graue sentences taken out of sundry Greeke and Latine Philosophers as also the woorthie examples of the liues of ancient Sages and famous men wherewith these discourses were inriched which might in delighting your noble mind renew your memorie with those notable sayings in the praise of vertue and dispraise of vice which you alwaies loued to heave and considering also that the bounty of Artaxerxes that great Monarke of the Persians was reuiued in you who receiued with a cheerfull countenance a present of water of a poore laborer when he had no need of it thinking it to be as great an act of magnanimitie to take in good part and to receiue cheerfully small presents offered with a hartie and good affection as to giue great things liberally I ouercame whatsoeuer would haue staied me in mine enterprise For I assured my selfe thus much of your bountifull roiall greatnes which I craue in most humble maner that you would measure the gift and offer of this my small labor not according to the desert thereof or by the person of one of your basest seruants and subjects who presenteth in vnto you but according to the excellencie of those things which you shall see handled in this Academie and according to the seruiceable and most affectionate desire wherewith I dedicate and consecrate both goods and life to your seruice I beseeth God Sir to preserue your Maiestie in great prosperitie increase of honor and continuance of a long and happie life At Barre in the moneth of Februarie 1577. Your most humble and most obedient seruant and subject Peter de la Primaudaye THE AVTHOR TO THE READER THE PHILOSOPHERS teach vs by their writings and experience doth better shew it vnto vs that to couet and desire is proper to the soule and that from thence all the affections and desires of men proceede which draw them hither and thither diuersly that they may attaine to that thing which they thinke is able to lead them to the enioying of some good wherby they may line a contented and happie life Which felicitie the most part of men through a false opinion or ignorance rather of that which is good and by following the inclination of their corrupted nature do seeke and labor to finde in humane and earthlie things as in riches glorie honor and pleasure But for a smuch as the enioying of these things doth not bring with it sufficient cause of contentation they perceiue themselues alwaies depriued of the end of their desires and are constrained to wander all their life time beyond all bounds and measure according to the rashnes and inconstancie of their lusts And although they reioice for a little while at euerie new change yet presently they loath the selfe-same thing which not long before they earnestly desired Their owne estate alwaies seemeth vnto them to be woorst and euerie present condition of life to be burdensome From one estate they seeke after another so that now they withdraw themselues from the seruice of princes and
to be excused than the greater sort when we follow after such things bicause we are but of meane and small calling For euery one is borne to command himselfe whereunto our chiefe studie and labour ought to tend We haue further to note diligently that vice is not onely hurtfull to him that is infected therewith but also that it vseth him as a minister and instrument to corrupt and spoile others For you shall neuer see any wicked man that laboureth not to make others like himselfe which if he cannot do yet he will so thinke of them and seeke to persuade all others that they are such or rather worse than himselfe Wherby it is easie ynough to iudge that this is that which vndoeth and destroieth communalties and Commonwealths townes and cities when the gouernors and magistrates of them are ministers of vices The change of monarchies estates and kingdoms proceeded alwaies of vice Roboam through want of prudence Sardanapalus through intemperancy and luxuriousnes the last French king of the race of Clouis through retchlesnes Perses of Macedonia thorough rashnes with infinite others whose examples we shall see heerafter lost their kingdoms through vices But that we may yet haue greater occasion to hate and shun this horrible monster of nature let vs know that vice chasticeth it selfe Which is not done onely by mans law out of which the mightier sort as Anacharsis said escape as great flies that breake through the spiders web the punishment also of which may oftentimes be auoided for a time but euen the paine followeth the offence so neere that it is equall vnto it both for age and time For from that very instant wherein wickednes is committed she frameth for and of hir selfe hir owne torment and beginneth to suffer the paine of hir mischieuous deede through the remorse thereof This is that worme that continually gnaweth the conscience of a malefactor and accompanieth his miserable life with shame and confusion with frights perturbations anguish and continuall disquietnes euen to his very dreames so that all his life time he is destitute of all tranquillitie and rest of spirit wherein only humane felicitie consisteth And therefore one of the Hebrew interpreters well and truly answered king Ptolemie who asked him how he might be in rest when he dreamed Let pietie quoth this wise man vnto him be the scope of all thy sayings and doings For by applying al thy discourses and works to excellent things whether thou sleepest or wakest thou shalt haue quiet rest in regard of thy selfe Truly that man feareth nothing whose soule being free from all notorious crimes followeth the will of God who directeth all counsels to good But as Plato saith there is nothing that maketh a man so fearefull as the remembrance of his life passed in shame Yea presently after the offence saith Iustin Martyr the conscience of a wicked man is vnto him in stead of an accuser a witnes a iudge and a hangman This is that which the scripture teacheth vs in Leuiticus saying that the wicked shal tremble at the fall of the leafe of a tree that they shall be as if their life hung by a thread We ought to be persuaded that this violence of mans conscience commeth frō God who causeth his enimies to feele his iudgement and furie in such sort that they cannot abide it but are constrained to condemne themselues And if our hart condemne vs God is greater than our hart Now although the word should wholie faile in this yet we haue the testimonie of nature imprinted with such characters in our harts that it did euen compell the ancient poets to finde out and to faigne Furies as reuengers of our sins which are nothing else but the torments of euill consciences This is that worme wherof Esaie speaketh which dieth not but gnaweth and deuoureth them without ceasing Caligula a most cruell Emperor neuer had secure and quiet rest but being terrified and in feare awoke often as one that was vexed and caried headlong with wonderfull passions Nero after he had killed his mother confessed that whilest he slept he was troubled by hir and tormented with Furies that burned him with flaming torches Let vs not then suppose that although a wicked act may be hidden and kept close from men therefore the torment is the lesse which a wise man neuer thinketh of knowing that he ought to be in more reuerence of himselfe than of others but rather more greeuous within vs not for the only feare of worldly shame or punishment but for the apprehension of the iust iudgement of God from whom nothing is hid He pursueth the wicked hard at the heeles for the most part and knoweth how to take vengeance of their iniquitie in due time And if he defer the punishment it serueth but to aggrauate their condemnation so much the more vpon their heads and to make the punishment more horrible whereof we ought to stand in greater feare than of any bodily paine bicause the dolor thereof abideth for euer He that would go about to repeate heer seuerally al those vices wherewith men may be infected and wherein we see them commonly wallow should find their number very great yea infinite But as Democritus said let vs onely lay open that which is within vs and we shal find there a heap and conserue of many diuers and different euils which haue their originall beginning from thence For as shadowes follow bodies so passions and vices follow soules Heerafter we may discourse more particularly of the greater part of them and of their proper and peculiar effects with that iust punishment which commonly followed them In the meane time we may learne this that if custome be of so great force that as we say it ouercommeth nature it is chiefly to be seene in vice and dissolutenes which is a gulfe wherein a man may very easily cast himselfe headlong but it is a very difficult matter yea vnpossible to withdraw himselfe againe And as a wise Romane said most horrible and execrable offences through vse and custome are made small faults and are commonly practised For it is the propertie of vice to be head-strong and contentious seeking to defend it selfe by reasons which although they be altogither vaine and friuolous yet of great waight in regard of the weake flesh of man which easily suffereth it selfe to be bound vnder the yoke of sinne Therefore we are to take good heed that we suffer not our selues to be surprised by so dangerous an enimie nor giue him any accesse or entrance into vs I mean that he should not dwell in vs for otherwise we know that perfect righteousnes is in God onely but rather let vs exercise all those things that are contrarie to vice accustoming our selues in such sort to maister our common and small imperfections which are but too abundant in the iustest men that they take no effect howsoeuer of themselues they may seeme
woonderfull works continued in the memorie of men For this cause Zeno being demanded how a man might become happie answered if he drew neere vnto and haunted the dead meaning thereby if he read histories and endeuored to learne their good instructions that haue gone before vs. Ptolemie also asking one of the wise interpreters wherein a king ought to exercise himselfe In the knowledge quoth he of things which haue been done and in reading books of things which daily offer themselues or which are fit for present affaires and lastly in searching out whatsoeuer is written for the preseruation of kingdoms and correction of maners And truly they that are exercised in the vnderstanding of histories although they be but yoong yet in knowledge of worldly matters they become like to the aged and gray-headed as contrariwise they that are ignorant of things done and past before their being remaine alwaies children and euen within their owne countrie where they were borne they are in the same estate in respect of knowledge that forreners are If we yet desire more testimonies from amongst the ancients of the honor loue zeale and ardent affection which they bare towards the studie of good letters and how the chiefé glorie of all their heroicall and noble acts doth of dutie belong to science we read of Phillip king of Macedonia that when Alexander was borne to him he gaue thanks to God not so much bicause he had this sonne as bicause he was borne in the time of so wise a philosopher as Aristotle was whom he made his schoolmaister Of him Alexander learned many goodly sciences as well in philosophie as in physicke and namely those Acroamaticall sciences that is speculatiue and such as could not be learned but by hearing a teacher Of which Sciences this great Monark was iealous and taken with so greedie a desire that hearing how Aristotle had published certaine bookes he wrote a letter vnto him in this maner Alexander sendeth greeting to Aristotle Thou hast not done wel to publish these bookes of speculatiue sciences forasmuch as we shall haue nothing aboue others if that which thou hast taught vs priuately come to be published and communicated to all For I would thou shouldest know that I loue rather to excell others in the vnderstanding of high and notable things than in power How greatly this excellent prince alwaies loued knowledge appeereth sufficiently by the exceeding liberalitie and gifts wherewith he honoured the maisters and teachers thereof as we may somewhat touch it heerafter as also in that he alwaies caried Homers Iliads about him which vsually he laid vnder his pillow naming it the nourishment and preseruer of warlike vertue Caesar in the midst of his campe had his commentaries in his bosome and that time which he spared from fighting he bestowed in reading and writing holding a launce in the left hand and a pen in the right We see in these two mightie and sacred princes and in infinite other great personages both Greekes and Romanes the woonderfull effects of knowledge which conducted them to the top of all honor felicitie and prosperitie Xenophon the disciple of Socrates serueth for another witnes who being guided by an vnspeakable prudence and prouidence gotten in the studie of philosophie brought an armie of a thousand footmen out of Persia into Greece going ouer the foords of fiftie riuers and through the midst of a hundred thousand enimies pursuing him and yet his aray was neuer broken albeit he fought with them sundry times Besides if we are desirous of testimonies of the incredible delight which the studie of any science worketh in mens soules touched with the zeale of knowledge we read of Nicias the painter how he tooke such great delight in his works that oftentimes he inquired of his seruants whether he had dined or no. Archimedes drawing his geometricall figures vpon a table was as it were by force drawne away of his seruants that he might annoint himselfe with oile according to their custome before he did eate and during the time of his annointing he would trace new figures vpon his bodie Socrates was seene standing a whole summers day for the space of 24. houres continually in contemplation and discoursing in his mind which was when he drew this conclusion out of his thoughts that There was but one only God and that the soule was immortall The Emperor Charles the fourth going on a day to a College in Praga to heare the disputations of vertue that were there remained aboue fower howers on foote in hearing them And when his courtiers to whom he was wearisom told him that it was time to sup he answered that It was no more time for him and that he had supped Robert king of Ierusalem and Sicilia a very learned prince was so affectionated to letters that he oftentimes said that if he were to lose either his kingdoms or his learning he would choose rather to be depriued of them than of knowledge What greater testimonie of loue toward Science can one desire than that of Ptolemie Philadelphus that vertuous king of Egypt who with incredible charges gathered togither into his librarie fiue hundred thousand bookes and purposely caused seuentie and two of the most learned and religious men of Iudea to come and translate the holie Bible out of Hebrew into Greeke And surely we should be too vngratefull towards our princes if amongst so many famous men we should leaue no place for that great Emperor and king Charlemaine who was skilfull in the Greeke and Latine toongs and who in fauor of those toongs and of the louers of knowledge erected the Vniuersitie at Paris and that at Pauia according to the patterne of those places of learning which were at Athens Francis the first a prince of most famous memorie so loued and fauored letters and the professors of them that he deserued the name of the restorer of sciences and good arts sparing neither care nor meanes to assemble togither bookes and volumes of sundry sorts and of all languages for the beautifying of his so renowmed a librarie which was a worthy monument of such a magnificall monarke whose praise-worthy qualities we see reuiued in our king treading in the selfesame steps Now to conclude our present discourse we learne heereby to despise all earthly goods for the obtaining of knowledge which of it selfe is truly profitable delectable and honorable altogither and whereby we are taught how to liue and die well and happily And bicause that arts and sciences consist of many parts let vs apply our minds to the studie and contemplation of those which togither with delight do also draw vs to that which is our proper and peculiar good namely to the knowledge of truth and vertue which worke in vs alwaies an affection and zeale to follow them and cause all arts and sciences teaching other things to be esteemed base mechanicall and
freely to giue counsaile in that thing which concerneth the dutie of a good man or the charge wherunto we are called The sages vertuous men heretofore haue alwaies shewed themselues to be such in their free counsailes wise declarations as hereafter we may handle more largly In the meane time we may haue here Demaratus for an example of this commendable libertie of speech who comming from Corinth into Macedonia when Phillip was at variance with his wife with his son was demanded by the king whether the Graecians did agree wel among themselues Truly sir quoth he to him it becommeth you wel to inquire after the concord of the Athenians Peloponesians in the meane while to suffer your owne house to be ful of diuision and domesticall discord Diogenes also being gon to the camp of the same Phillip at the same time that he returned from making war against the Grecians being led before him the king asked him if he were not a spy Yes truely answered the philosopher I am a spy com hither to espy thy impudency folly who not constrained by any dost set downe as it were on a dicing boord in the hazard of one houre both thy kingdome life Demosthenes being demanded of the tirant Epemetes why he wept so bitterly for the death of a philosopher a cōpanion of his seeing it was a strang matter to see wisemē weepe yea altogither vnbeseeming their profession know said he to him that I weepe not for the death of this philosopher but bicause thou art aliue For I tel thee that in the Academies we are more sorrowfull for the life of the wicked than for the death of good men Let vs learne then by your present discourse that talke being the messenger of thought discloseth our maners a great deal more than the lines draughts of our face do And as that tree whose root is drie can haue no greene leaues so from a vicious and corrupted soule nothing but vile filthy speeches can proceede which a wise man ought wholy to shunne bicause to make small account of euill words leadeth a man by litle and little to dishonest deeds Let all vaine speech also be banished from vs and let vs take great heed that we neuer speake either in sport or earnest any one word that is not tru knowing that to be true in word is the beginning and foundation of a notable vertue Moreouer let vs know that truth is not onely betraied of those that speake falsely and maintaine a lie but also of those that dare not confesse and defende it publikely Let vs know that aboue all things we must dedicate our voice and speech to sing the praises of God remembring the saying of that holy man Gordius who as he was led to the place of punishment was exhorted by some to leaue his opinion and so saue his life To whom he answered that the toong ought to vtter nothing that is iniurious to the Creator thereof Lastly let vs know that we must refer euery word to the glory of his name and to the profit of our neighbors The end of the third daies worke THE FOVRTH DAIES WORKE Of Friendship and of a friend Chap. 13. ASER. MAn being a reasonable creature borne for ciuill societie to obserue lawes and iustice and to exercise in the world all duties of gentlenes and goodnes the fairest and most fruitfull seede that God hath infused and sowne in his soule and that draweth him to this ende is loue and charitie towards his like But as euerie action of mans life standeth in need to be guided by the vertue of Prudence whereof we discoursed yesterday so in truth she is verie necessarie in euerie good and vnfained friendship For this cause I thinke companions that we shall obserue the order of our discourses if we begin this daies worke with the handling of friendship and of the true and perfect dutie of a friend AMANA Nothing that seemeth to be profitable whether it be honor riches pleasure or whatsoeuer else is of this kinde ought to be preferred in any respect before friendship Yea a man is to make more account of friends as Socrates said then of any other mortall thing ARAM. Perfect friendship saith Aristotle is to loue our friend more for his benefit than for our owne and therefore a friend is alwaies profitable and necessary But he is greatly deceiued saith Homer that seeketh for a friend in the court and prooueth him at a feast But let vs heare ACHITOB discourse hereupon ACHITOB. Rare things are commonly most esteemed amongst men the more pretious they are of their owne nature so much the more are they had in request This we may very aptly apply to a friend seeing there is nothing so rare as one that is vnfained and stedfast neither any thing so excellent and perfect as he is if he be a good and prudent man And for this cause the philosophers accounted friendship to be the chiefest and most excellent good of fortune as being least of all subiect to hir and most necessarie for man But bicause the wickednes of men is so great in these daies that nothing is so sacred and holy which is not violated corrupted brought to confusion no maruell if men impudently abuse this name of a friend so much reuerenced in olde time that some take it to themselues being altogither vnwoorthie thereof and others as freely although to their losse and shame grant them this excellent title and esteeme them for such in truth towards them as they falsely vaunt themselues to be But that we be not deceiued with the greater number which is not alwaies the surest marke let vs briefly consider what friendship is what fruits spring from hir who may rightly challenge this title of a friend what maner of one we ought to choose how we must trie him before we take him for such a one then the meanes whereby to keepe him and lastly what mutuall dutie friends are to vse one towards another First we say with Socrates that true friendship cannot be framed but by the helpe and grace of God who draweth like to the loue of his like that euerie perfect friendship is to bee linked with the bond of charitie and ought to be referred to God as to our soueraigne good and cheefest friend and therefore that true friendship cannot be setled betweene the wicked who being at discord within themselues can haue no concorde and agreement one with another Moreouer there is to be found in friendship whatsoeuer men thinke woorthie to be desired as honestie glorie tranquillitie of minde and pleasure and consequently a happie life which cannot bee amongst the wicked Friendship is a communion of a perpetuall will the end whereof is fellowship of life and it is framed by the perfect habit of a long continued loue Whereby wee may perceiue that there is a difference betwixt loue and
countries as the histories of most nations in the world declare vnto vs and namely of the Germaines who in the time of Tacitus had neither law nor religion nor knowledge nor forme of commonwealth whereas now they giue place to no nation for good institution in all things Let vs not then be discouraged or faint by knowing our naturall imperfections seeing that through labor and diligence we may recouer that which is wanting but happie is that man and singularly beloued of God to whom both good birth and like bringing vp are granted together It followeth now to discourse particulerly of the maner of good education and instruction of youth but this will come in more fitely when we shall intreat of Oeconomy And yet seeing we are in the discourse of mans nature I thinke it wil not be from the purpose nor without profite if to make vs more seuere censurers of our owne faults we note that although our behauior be cheefely known by the effects as a tree by the fruit yet many times a mans naturall inclinatiō is better perceiued in a light matter as in a word in a pastime or in some other free and priuate busines wherein vertue or vice ingrauen in the soule may be sooner espied than in greater actions and works done publikely bicause in these matters shame or constraint commonly cause men to vse dissimulation Howbeit this also is true that the more power and authoritie a man hath when he may alleadge his owne will for all reason the inward affection of his hart is then best discouered For such an vnbrideled licence mooueth all euen to the verie depth and bottome of his passions and causeth all those secret vices that are hidden in his soule to be fullie and euidently seene Whereupon it followeth that great and noble men ought aboue all others to learne vertue and to studie to liue well especially seeing they haue all those requisite helps and commodities through want of which most men are hindred from attaining thereunto Let vs therefore learne by our present discourse to knowe that the nature of all men by reason of the corruption of sin is so depraued corrupted and vnperfect that euen the best men amongst many imperfections carry about them some enuie ielousy emulation and contention against some or other and rather against their verie friends This did Demas a noble man and greatly conuersant in matters of estate declare vnto the councel in the citie of Chio after a ciuill dissention wherin he had followed that part which ouercame For he perswaded those of his side not to banish all their aduersaries out of the city but to leaue some of them after they had taken from them all meanes of doing more harme least quoth he vnto them we begin to quarrel with our friends hauing no more enemies to contende withall For this cause we must fortifie our selues with vnderstanding and knowledge through labor and studie of good letters that we may restraine and represse so many pernitious motions mingled togither in our soules Let vs know moreouer that seeing our nature is assaulted and prouoked by a vehement inclination to do any thing whatsoeuer it is a very hard matter to withdrawe and keepe it backe by any force no not by the strength or feare of any lawes if in due conuenient time we frame not within it a habite of vertue hauing first wished to be well borne But howsoeuer it be let vs endeuor to be well borne through custome and exercise in vertue which will be vnto vs as it were another nature vsing the meanes of good education and instruction in wisedome whereby our soules shal be made conquerors ouer all hurtfull passions and our minds moderate and staied that in all our doings sayings and thoughts we passe not the bounds of the dutie of a vertuous man The ende of the fourth daies worke THE FIFT DAIES WORKE Of Temperance Chap. 17. ASER. THe diuine excellencie of the order of the equall wonderful constācie of the parts of the world aswell in the goodly and temperate moderation of the seasons of the yeere as in the mutuall coniunctiō of the elements obeying altogither with a perfect harmonie the gratious and soueraigne gouernment of their creator was the cause that Pythagoras first called all the compasse of this vniuersal frame by this name of World which without such an excellent disposition would be but disorder a world of confusion For this word world signifieth asmuch as Ornament or a well disposed order of things Nowe as a constant and temperate order is the foundation thereof so the ground-worke and preseruation of mans happie life for whom all things were made is the vertue of temperance which conteineth the desires and inclinations of the soule within the compasse of mediocritie and moderateth all actions whatsoeuer For this cause hauing hitherto according to our iudgment sufficiently discoursed of the first riuer of the fountaine of honestie I thinke we ought to set downe here in the second place although it be contrarie to the opinion of manie philosophers this vertue of Temperance saying with Socrates that she is the ground-worke and foundation of all vertues AMANA As a man cannot be temperate if first he be not prudent bicause euerie vertuous action proceedeth of knowledge so no man can be strong and valiant if he be not first temperate bicause he that hath a noble and great courage without moderation will attempt a thousand euils and mischeefes and will soone grow to be rash and headie Likewise iustice cannot be had without temperance seeing it is the cheefe point of a iust man to haue his soule free from perturbations Which cannot be done except he be temperate whose proper subiect the soule is ARAM. Heroicall vertue saith Plato is made perfect by the mixture and ioyning together of Temperance and fortitude which being separated will at length become vices For a temperate man that is not couragious easily waxeth to be a coward and faintharted and a noble hart not temperate becommeth rash and presumptuous Let vs then heare ACHITOB discourse of this Temperance so excellent and necessarie a vertue ACHITOB. Agapetus a man of great skill writing to the emperor Iustinian amongst other things had this saying We say that thou art truly and rightly both emperor and king so long as thou canst command and master thy desires and pleasures and art beset and decked with the crowne of Temperance and clothed with the purple robe of Iustice For other principalities end by death whereas this kingdome abideth for euer yea others are manie times the cause of perdition to the soule but this procureth a certaine and an assured safetie When we haue considered well of the woorthie effects and fruits of this vertue of temperance no doubt but we will subscribe to this wise mans opinion and to as many as haue written of the praises and roialties of that vertue Temperance saith thagoras is that light which
and much more doth wine vexe a man For it discloseth the secrets of the soule troubleth the whole mind A drunken gouernor and ruler of any thing whatsoeuer bringeth all to ruine ouerthrow whether it be a ship or a wagon or an armie or any other thing committed to his keping We see by the goodly sentences of these Authors how many discommodities mischiefs come as wel to the body as to the soule by this excessiue superfluitie and curiositie of nourishment whether it be in drinking or eating We see also that from this self same spring-head proceed those vnmeasurable and loose behauiours in all kind of delights in carding and dicing in dauncing masking and mumming in loue of maidens and adultery with wiues the filthines whereof is so shameful and discouereth it self so much that I shall not greatly need to loose time in reproouing thereof For it is most certaine that all such inuentions are meerely heathenish or rather diuelish when men commit such reprobate actions with publike libertie and licence Especially we haue to note this well that concerneth masks and mummeries so common amongst vs and the cause of infinite offences that forasmuch as the face was appointed and ordeined of God to be seen openly and the mouth to speake we destroy the ordinance of God as much as lieth in vs and become contrary vnto him when we take vnto vs a false face and depriue our selues of speech It may be sayd that manie thinke no harme when they doe these things But that which of it self is euil cannot be excused and no fashion of liuing taken vp and practised through the onely motion of our sensualitie such are these delights pleasures can be maintained neither hath it any good and lawfull defence Now let vs consider some examples of those pernitious effects which proceed from this Epicurian vice of intemperance Esau fold his birth right through a gluttonous desire The self same cause mooued the Israelites to murmure many times against God The drunkennesse of Lot caused him to commit incestwith his daughters Alexander the great darkned the glory of his valiant acts with this vice For being ouertaken with wine he slew Clitus one of the valiantest captains he had to whom he was beholding for his own life Afterward when he was come to himself he would oftentimes haue murdered himself and wept three days togither without meat and drink Dionysius the yonger was somtime more than nine dayes togither drunken and in the ende he lost his estate Cyrillus sonne in his drunkennes wickedly slew that holy man his father and his mother also great with child He hurt his two sisters and defloured one of them Ought not this to cause the haire of our head to stand vpright as often as any occasion is offred vnto vs whereby we might fall into such inconueniences Amongst the Romanes Lucullus a man of great dignitie and commended of Historiographers for many braue exploits of warre which he did in Armenia and for his bountie iustice and clemencie is yet greatly blamed because towards the end of his dais omitting all intermedling with the gouernment of publike affaires he gaue himself to all kind of excessiue sumptuousnes superfluous wasting of that great substance which he had Whereof this only testimonie recited by Plutarke shall serue for sufficient proofe Cicero and Pompey meeting him one day in the citie told him that they would sup with him on this conditiō that he should prepare nothing for them but his owne ordinarie diet At the least wise quoth he vnto them giue me leaue to bid my Steward make ready supper in my hall of Apollo and by that he beguiled them For his seruants vnderstood therby what cost he would haue bestowed thereupon in so much that a supper of fiftie thousand drachmes of siluer which amount to fiue thousand crownes was prepared for them This was so much the more wonderfull bicause so great and sumptuous a feast was made ready in so short a time But this was his ordinarie diet which he caused manie times to be prepared for himselfe alone And as his men asked him on a day who should dine with him seeing he commanded them to make readie such a great feast Lucullus quoth he shall dine with Lucullus This superfluous pompe magnificence wil not be thought verie strange if we compare it with that which not long since a simple Franciscan frier called Peter de Ruere made after he had attained to the dignitie of a Cardinal through fauour of the Pope his kinsman For within the space of two yeeres which he liued in Rome he consumed in feasts and banquets the summe of two hundred thousand crownes besides his debts which came to no lesse summe Philoxenus the Poet wished that he had a necke like a Crane to the end he might enioy greater pleasure in swalowing downe wine and meat saying that then he should longer feele the tast thereof We read of the emperor Vitellius Spinter that he was so much giuen to superfluitie and excesse that at one supper he was serued with two thousand seuerall kinds of fishes and with seuen thousand flying foules But within a very litle while after he changed his estate being executed publikely at Rome at the pursuite of Vespasianus who was chosen emperor in his place In our time Muleasses king of Thunes was so drowned in pleasure and delight that after he was banished from his kingdom bicause of his whoredom in his returne out of Almaign being without hope that the emperor Charles the fift would helpe him at all he spent one hundred crownes vpon a pecock dressed for him as Paulus Iouius rehearseth and that he might take the greater delight in musike he couered his eyes But the iudgement of God was such vpon him that his owne children made him blind with a bar of hote iron Concerning exāples of the miserie that followeth accompanieth riot delight in playing dancing mumming we see daily that a thousand quarrels blasphemies losse of goods whoredoms proceed frō thence And oftentimes God suffreth the punishment therof to be notorious euen by vnlooked for strange means as not long since it hapned to Lewes Archb. of Magdeburg who dancing with gentlewomē vntil midnight fell down so fiercely vpon the ground that he brake his neck with one of the women which he led Charles the 6. being clothed like a wild mā with certain of his familiar friends dancing by torchlight was also in great peril of burning if a gētlewoman had not cast her cloke vpō his shoulders And I think it wil not be from the matter if we say that it is a shameful thing to suffer amongst vs or to loose time that ought to be so precious vnto vs in beholding in hearing plaiers actors of Interludes and Comedies who are as pernitious a plague in a common wealth as can be
slain by the womans husband whome he abused Roderigo king of Spaine was depriued of his kingdome and life by the Sarrasins who were called in by an earle named Iulian that he might be auenged of his king who had forced his daughter Galeatius Maria Duke of Millan being at masse was slaine by a Citizen who stroke him into the stomack with a dagger faining that he would haue spoken with him The chiefe cause heerof was for a suspition which he had conceiued that this Prince intertained his wife In the time of Philip the faire king of France two knights that were brothers named d'Aunoy were flaied aliue for their whoredomes committed with a Queene of Nauarre and with the Countesse of March daughter to the Countie of Burgundie which twaine also were condemned to perpetuall prison Not long since Peter Lewes Duke of Placentia was murdred for his incests and incredible whoredoms Among other things it is written of him that he forced Cosmes Chers bishop of Valentia whome he caused to be held by his men and after poisoned him least he should haue accused him to the Emperour Also not long ago the cities of Almendine Delmedine were cut off from the kingdome of Fez and brought vnder obedience to the Portingales bicause a yoong woman was taken away by force from hir husband by the Gouernor of them who was afterwards slaine Abusahid also king of Fez was murdered with sixe of his children by his Secretarie whose wife he had abused This is set downe by Leon in the description of Africke In our time and euen amongst vs too many such examples of the pernitious fruits of whoredom haue fallen out Neuertheles it beareth such sway in this desolate France that they are accounted the gallantest men who are the greatest pillers of whoredome Yea the greater sort that ought to be paterns of chastitie to others are bold in the practise thereof thinking to couer their shame to cloke and disguise their whoredome with the maske of vertue accounting it a point of glorie and honor to be the chiefest and most expert in that schoole But let vs know that this visard is but to make them altogither without excuse before him from whom nothing can be hidden and who abhorreth all maliciousnes and shameles impudencie wherwith whoremongers set forth their face And seeing that he whose mercie is endles supplieth the want and infirmitie of his creatures this vice of whoredome is without all colour of excuse before him bicause he hath giuen vs a holie and honourable remedie against it which is mariage permitted to euery one but yet despised of all whoremongers to their ruine and eternall confusion And if they were not wholly blinded through continuance in vice the scourges of ciuill warre of heresie of famine and of rebellion which Fraunce at this day suffereth would be more than enough to vnseele their eies that they might acknowledge the wrath of the Almightie readie to destroy them both bodie and soule Therefore let vs that are better instructed by our Academie learne of Socrates that a wise man ought to passe by pleasures as by the Syrens if he long to attaine to vertue his most happie countrey and dwelling place And for a good helpe heerunto let vs take the counsell of Epictetus saying When thy spirite is drawne with some desire of pleasure beware thou tumble not into some downefall and meditate a litle considering diligently that after thou hast beene ouercome of pleasure there remaineth nothing but repentance and thy hatred against thy selfe Where as if thou abstainest a stedfast and assured ioy possesseth thy hart which wholy driueth away sorow Thus let vs endeuor to decke our selues with puritie chastitie and vprightnes hating in such sort voluptuousnes and lecherie the deere and costlie pleasure whereof passeth away as the winde and leaueth behind it a shamefull remembrance that following the will of our law-maker we shun all dissolutenes tending that way whether it be immodest garments vnchast gestures and countenances or vile and filthie words which may induce others to euill Let vs remember in good time what Archelaus a Greek Philosopher said to a yoong man clothed with superfluous apparell that it was all one in what part soeuer of his bodie he declared his vnchastnes and that it was euermore to be condemned But aboue all things let that diuine sentence sound without ceasing in our eares that no whoremonger hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Iesus Christ And if being naturally giuen to loue pleasure and to feare griefe we would delight our soule with a ioy that is both profitable and pleasant let vs lift it vp in the meditation of those vnspeakeable and endles riches which are promised vnto it in that happie immortalitie and so we shall weaken and make fruitles that desire of worldlie pleasure which is borne togither with vs. Of glorie praise honor and of pride Chap. 23. ARAM. MEn hauing their eies couered with ignorance vse commonly to say that he hath a great loftie and noble mind who aspireth to honors estats riches and other worldlie vanities Albeit truly if we narrowly looke vnto the end wherefore they direct their intents and actions that way we shall see nothing els in them but a desire of vaine-glorie praise thereby to feede their pride and naturall passions which are so pernitious in the soule that if they be not ruled by temperance and mediocritie and grounded vpon vertue which is the fountain of honor they will bring foorth very dangerous effects cleane contrary to mens desires ACHITOB. They saith Seneca that would make choice of a happy life must not follow the fashion maner of life vsed by the multitude and greatest part of men but such a one as is altogither contrary therunto And this we shall do if we despise the glory honor praise and pride of the world and iudge nothing woorthy to be cared for of vs but onely vertue which is able to bring vs to the fulnesse of true glory and of euerlasting felicitie ASER. The glory saith Pindarus that a man taketh to see himselfe in honor and credite maketh pains to seeme pleasant and trauell tollerable It is the propertie of a stone saith Cicero not to haue any feeling of the difference that is betweene praise and dispraise but it belongeth to a wise man not to be so mooued with all these things as that they should cause him to draw backe from duetie Let vs thā heare AMANA discourse more at large of the matter which is here propounded vnto vs. AMANA Most certain it is that commonly nothing affecteth a man more than the coueting of glory of praise and of honor whereof he is by nature desirous But as all the passions and diseases of the soule are for the most part folowed with those inconueniences which men pretend most of all to eschew so oftentimes they that glaunce at honor as if
not obey him The Indian going to execution told one of those that led him that he had been in deede heeretofore a very good Archer but bicause he had of long time intermitted that exercise he feared that he had forgotten it and therefore had rather die than loose the reputation which he had once obtained To this fellow we may compare those of whome we haue alreadie spoken who glorie in nothing but in this that they are taken of the greater sort for valiant men as they vse to say for such as make profession that they carie about them a sharpe swoord for their seruice These men had rather die in a naughtie quarrell with the danger of loosing their soule than to fal from this their reputation which they desire to carie with them But let vs follow our examples of the contempt of vaine-glorie and of certaine others ledde away with an ouerweening pride Pompey the Great shewed a notable argument that he was not touched with vaine-glorie or pride when after he had vtterly vanquished Tigranes king of Pontus and made him his prisoner he chose rather to set him againe in his kingdome and to make him an allie and confederate of the Romanes than to reserue and lead him in maner of a triumph into Rome according as they vsed then to deale with enimies and with their spoiles saying like a vertuous Monarch that he much more esteemed the glorie of a whole age than of one day The Great Tamberlane being puffed vp exceedingly bicause of a Peasants sonne he attained to so great a Monarchy vsed farre greater and more barbarous seueritie towards Baiazet Emperour of the Turks whome after he had ouercome him and made him his prisoner he caused to be ledde about with him in a cage wheresoeuer he went feeding him onely with the crums that fell vnder his table and whensoever he tooke horse he vsed his bodie for an aduauntage After the same maner Valerianus the emperor was handled by Saphor king of Persia by whom he was discomfited in a battell which this Barbarian had wonne of him He that trode vpon the emperor Friderike Barbarossa his necke and pusht him twise with his foote when he had him at his deuotion shewed himself more proud cruell and arrogant in that he vsed for a pretence and cloke of his pride wickednes that text of Scripture Thou shalt walke vpon the Lion and Aspe the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder foote as if it had been spoken to him That heathen mā Agathocles king of Sicilia left behind him a farre more notable example of the contempt of glory that we should not be lift vp too much nor forget our selues by reason of the greatnes of our estate For being come to that estate by his vertue bicause he was borne of a poore Potter he caused himselfe to be serued ordinarilie at his table with earthen vessels intermingled with his cups of gold saying thus to those that came to see him thereby to inflame them with a desire of weldoing Behold what it is to perseuer in trauel in taking of pains to become vertuous and courageous Heretofore we made these pots of earth and now we make these of gold Further we must know that when fortune if it be lawful for vs vnder this word to vnderstand the ordināce of God lifteth vp men of low degree vnto great and honourable places through their valure and desert and exalteth also many men that are vnwoorthy letting vs see how proudly and wickedly these men behaue themselues in abusing their authoritie and contrarywise how the other sort vse it wel she doth thereby so much the more honor and recommend vertue vnto vs as the onely thing whereof all the greatnes glory and honor of men dependeth and not of the dignitie wherin they are placed Now how greatly hautinesse of mind is hated both of God and men among infinite testimonies which we haue that of Herode Agrippa king of the Iewes ought well to be marked For being gone vp into the pulpit appointed for Orations and reioycing bicause the people cried out to his praise That it was the voice of God and not of man he was suddenly stroken from heauen so that when he perceiued himself to consume away with Vermine he cried out to the people saying Behold how he dieth now with intollerable griefs whō not long since ye called God Dioclesianus the emperor was so puft vp with pride that he called himselfe brother to the Sunne and Moone and made an Edict whereby he would haue all men to kisse his feete whereas his predecessors gaue their hands to the Nobilitie and their knees to the simpler sort but God suffered him to die a mad man Moreouer we see daily that proud men become odious to euery one and are in the end contemned yea that oftentimes it costeth them their life The punishment that Philip king of Macedonia laid vpon Menecratus the Physition was more gentle yet pleasant and woorth the noting This fellow bicause he was excellent in his Arte caused himselfe to be called Iupiter the Sauior The good prince minding to correct him for his arrogancie inuited him to a feast and made a table to be prouided for him by himselfe whereof at first he seemed to be very glad But when he saw that in stead of meat they gaue him nothing but incense he was greatly ashamed and departed from the feast in great anger Now for the conclusion of our discourse we say with Solon that to name a presumptuous and glorious man in right termes is to call him a foole as contrarywise curtesie and meekenes is the foundation of wisedom and of a quiet life Whereunto that we may attaine let vs learne that whosoeuer beholdeth with the eyes of his mind the estate of mans nature and considereth the basenes of his condition together with the shortnes of this present life subiect to an infallible decree and marketh also the foule pollutions that are ioyned with the flesh he shall neuer fall in that headlong downfall of arrogancie and pride And thus detesting all presumption and loue of vanitie let vs seeke for honor by the means of Vertue onely which as Euripides saith is alwayes either followed or preuented with glory and praise And let vs not greatly care for the praises of men but onely do those things that are woorthie of commendation Let vs rather reioyce and glory that we excell and go beyond others in all good duties towards them than in any other aduantage either of worldly glory or of our priuate profit Lastly let vs rather loue to abide always as it were vnknowen to the world than by seruing vanities to turne aside from one onely iot of the duetie of goodnes and iustice which by the grace of God may procure vs a perpetuall praise among good men make vs acceptable before him who euermore lifteth vp
or malice but keepeth him alwayes within the limites of equitie and iustice causing him further to make choice of and to finish all honest matters of his owne will and for their loue not caring at all for mortall and corruptible things that he may wholy apprehend and take hold of those things that are diuine and eternall Of Hope Chap. 28. AMANA COnsidering that the perfection of a wise mans life consisteth in the practise of great and excellent things he that is borne to vertue feeleth himselfe touched to the quicke with desire to bring them to passe But the instabilitie and small assurance which he knoweth to be in that which dependeth vpon the doubtfull euent of euery high enterprise oftentimes cooleth his vertuous intents if a certaine confidence and good hope did not make easie vnto him the means of attaining thereunto Likewise when he feeleth the sharpe pricking that proceedeth from the ouerthwarts and miseries of man which sequester themselues very little from his life he is soone daunted with sorow and care if he haue not this hope that comforteth him with expectation of speedie redresse Of you therfore my companions we shall vnderstand the excellencie of this Good that belongeth to the soule and is so necessarie for a happy life I mean Hope which dependeth of the vertue of Fortitude whereof we haue discoursed all this day ARAM. Learned men saith Bias differ from the ignorant sort in the goodnes of hope which truly is verie profitable sweete and acceptable to a prudent man But euil hope leadeth carnall men as a naughtie guide vnto sinne ACHITOB. As good hope serueth to increase strength in a man so rash hope oftentimes beguileth men But it belongeth to thee ASER to handle this matter ASER. Alexander the great being by the states of all Graecia chosen generall captaine to passe into Asia and to make warre with the Persians before he tooke ship he enquired after the estate of all his friends to know what means they had to follow him Then he distributed and gaue to one lands to another a village to this man the custome of some hauen to another the profit of some Borough towne bestowing in this maner the most part of his demeans and reuenues And when Perdicas one of his Lieutenants demanded of him what he reserued for himselfe he answered Hope So great confidence had this noble monarch not in the strength of his weapons or multitude of good warriors desirous of glory and honor but in his owne vertue being content and satisfied with a little in his continencie beneficence contempt of death magnanimitie curtesie gratious intertainment being easie to be spoken with hauing a free disposition by nature without dissimulation constant in his counsels ready and quicke in his executions willing to be the first in glorie and alwaies resolute to do that which dutie commanded From this Hope thus surely grounded he neuer shrunke vntill the last gaspe of his life which caused him to make this answer to Parmenio who counselled him to accept of the offers which Darius made vnto him for peace namely sixe thousand Talents beeing in value sixe Millions of gold and the halfe of his kingdome with a daughter of his in mariage If I were Parmenio I would accept of his profers Besides he sent word to Darius that the earth could not beare two Sunnes nor Asia two Kings Neither was he deceiued of his good hope which led him to such a perfection of worldlie glorie and felicitie that he was the first and last that euer approched neere vnto it This Hope was that foundation whereupon so many great and excellent Heathen men and Pagans built their high and noble enterprises For proofe heerof may be alleadged that definition which Cicero giueth of Confidence being the second part of Hope affirming it to be that vertue whereby the spirite of man putteth great trust in waightie and honest matters hauing a certaine and sure hope in himselfe And elsewhere he saith that he shall neither reioice nor be troubled out of measure that trusteth in himselfe But we know that this Hope is weake and vncertaine if it be not setled and grounded vpon a sure expectation of the helpe and grace of God without which we can neuer prosper Now this is out of doubt that we can not hope and waite for that grace vnles our counsels and enterprises haue reason for their guide and right and equitie for their bounds For as an ancient man saith that man hopeth in vaine that feareth not God and they onely are filled with good hope whose consciences are cleane and pure So that all they that are led with sundry euill passions either of ambition of vainglory or of any other vnbrideled desire can neuer haue that happy and good hope which neuer deceiueth men And in deed they misse oftentimes of their intent yea are depriued of that which was their owne and certaine bicause they are desirous to get vniustly another mans right being also vncertaine The selfe same thing falleth out to those that trust and stay in such sort vpon their owne strength vertue and constancie that fearing in no respect as they say the greatest calamities that can come to man assure themselues in their prosperitie to be inuincible in their resolutions and presume that nothing is able to pull them downe or to cause them to change their opinion and yet so soone as the wind of aduersitie bloweth they are the first that are throwen to the ground and soonest shew foorth the inconstancie imbecillitie of mans nature left to it self As contrarywise they to whom God giueth eyes to acknowledge themselues are then humbled so that they reuerence the ordinance of God who derideth all the enterprises of men The practise hereof was well knowen to Wencelaüs king of Hungaria being driuen out of his kingdom and forsaken of his owne who oftentimes vsed to say The hope I had in men hindred me from putting my trust in God but now that all my confidence is in him I assure my selfe that he will helpe me by his diuine goodnesse As in deed it fell out so vnto him being re-established agayne in all his estates and dignities But to the end we confound not togither that which is simplie diuine with that which is humaine I thinke we ought to make a double hope the first true certaine and vnfallible which concerneth holy and sacred mysteries the other doubtful respecting earthly things only As touching the first we know things to come by the assurance thereof as well as if they were already done We are taught in the holy scripture what is the vndoubted certaintie of this hope which through faith ought to be so imprinted in our harts that by the strength power vertue therof we should run the race of our short daies in all ioy happinesse and peaceable tranquillitie of our minds expecting without doubting the perfect and absolute enioying
fidelitie and many other good deedes wherof many men taste and which procure to a man greater good will of euery one are proper to mildnes and meekenes called by an ancient man the characters of an holie soule which neuer suffer innocencie to be oppressed as Chilo said which lead noble harts slowly to the feasts of their friends but speedily to the succouring of them in their calamities This vertue of meekenes is truly most necessarie for a valiant man For without it he should be in danger to commit some actions which might be iudged cruell And seeing that a noble minded man commeth neere to the diuine nature he must also resemble it as much as may be in gentlenes and clemencie which adorneth and honoreth those especially that are lift vp in dignitie and haue power to correct others True it is also that they are deceiued that commend and as it were adore the bounty of great men and Magistrats who of a certain simplicity without prudence shew themselues gratious gentle and courteous towards all men Which is no lesse pernitious to an Estate than is the seueritie and crueltie of others For of this ouer-great lenitie among many other inconueniences an impunitie of the wicked is bred and the sufferance of one fault quickly draweth on another Therefore the mildnes of those that haue power and authoritie ought to be accompanied with seueritie their clemencie mingled with rigour and their facilitie with austeritie This is that which Plato learnedly teacheth vs saying that the noble and strong man must be courageous and gratious that he may both chastice the wicked and also pardon when time requireth And as for those offences which may be healed he must thinke that no man is willingly vniust Therefore Cicero saith that it is the property of a noble minded man simply to punish those that are most in fault the authors of euill but to saue the multitude And thus the rigour of discipline directing meekenes and meekenes decking rigour the one will set foorth and commend the other so that neither rigour shall be rigorous nor gentlenes dissolute By the learned sentences of these Philosophers it is very euident that the vertue of meekenes is not onely a part of Fortitude which can not be perfect without it but hath also some particular coniunction with all the other vertues yea is as it were the seede of them and induceth men to practise all dutie towards their neighbours But bicause the order of our discourses wil offer vs matter and occasion to intreat particularly heereafter aswell of iustice and of reuenge of wrongs and ininries which a man receiueth of his enemy as also of other vertues heere briefly mentioned we will now come to certaine notable examples of meekenes gentlenes mildnes and goodnes of nature The first that commeth to my remembrance is Philip king of Macedonia who giueth place to none in the perfection of these gifts and graces When it was told this good Prince that one Nicanor did openly speake ill of his maiestie his counsellors being of opinion that he was to be punished with death I suppose quoth he to them that he is a good man It were better to search whether the fault commeth not from vs. And after he vnderstood that the said Nicanor was a needy fellow and complained that the king neuer succoured him in his necessity he sent him a rich present Whereupon afterward it was told Philip that this Nicanor went vp and downe speaking much good of him I see well said he then to his Councellors that I am a better Phisition for backbiting than you are and that it is in my power to cause either good or euill to be spoken of me The good disposition of Antigonus king of Macedonia commeth in here not vnfitly vpon the like occasion For hearing certaine souldiers speake ill of him hard by his tent who thought not that the king could ouerheare them he shewed himselfe vttering these onelie words without farther hurting of them Good Lord could you not go further off to speake ill of me And to say truth such gifts and graces become a noble Prince very well yea he cannot more woorthily and more beseeming himselfe giue place to any wrongs than to those that are done to his owne person As contrariwise those men are vnwoorthie their scepters who cruelly reuenge their owne iniuries pardon such as are done to others yea such faults as are directly against the honor of God A Prince wel instructed in vertue saith Xenophon in his Cyropaedia ought so to behaue himselfe towards his enemie as to thinke consider that at some time or other he may be his friend Was there euer Monarch more feared of his enemies than Alexander the Great inuincible in all things he tooke in hand insomuch that he would not onely force al humane powers but also times places themselues and yet who hath left greater proofes of meekenes and curtesie than he As he was on his voyage vndertaken for the conquest of the Indians Taxiles a king of those countries came desired him that they might not warre one against another If thou said this king vnto him art lesse than I receiue benefits if greater I will take them of thee Alexander greatly admiring and commending the grauitie and courteous speech of this Indian answered thus At the least we must fight and contend for this namely whether of vs twaine shall be most beneficiall to his Companion so loath was this noble Monarch to giue place to another in goodnes mildnes and courtesie Heereof he gaue a great argument after he had vanquished Porus a very valiant Prince of whome demanding how he would be intertained of him this king answered Royally Neither would he giue him any other answer albeit Alexender vrged him thereunto For he said that all was contained vnder that word As in deede the Monarch shewed that he was nothing ignorant thereof For he did not onely restore his kingdome vnto him but inlarged it also wherein he surmounted his victorie and procured to himselfe as much renowne by his clemency as by his valure Had he euer any greater enemie than Darius vanquished and subdued by him And yet when he saw himselfe letted from vsing towards him any bountie worthy his greatnes bicause Bessus one of his captains had slaine him he was so displeased therwith that he caused the murderer to be punished albeit he was one of his familiar friēds with a most cruel death causing him to be torne asunder with two great trees bowed down by main strength one against another vnto each of which a part of Bessus his body was fastened Then the trees beyng suffered to returne backe again to their first nature with their vehement force rent asunder the body of this poore and miserable wretch Iulius Caesar was of such a curteous disposition that hauing conquered Pompey and all his enemies he wrote to his friends
in Rome that the greatest and most pleasant fruit which he gathered of his victory consisted in sauing daily the liues of some of his countrymen who had borne armes against him as in truth he did so And for a great proofe of his meekenes and gentlenes that speech may serue which he vttred when he vnderstood that Cato retiring into the towne of Vtica after the losse of the battell had killed himselfe O Cato sayd this monarch beyng then very pensiue I enuy thee this thy death seeing thou hast enuied me the glory of sauing thy life I neuer yet denied clemencie sayd that good emperor Marcus Aurelius to him that demaunded it of me much lesse haue I euil intreated or offred dishonor to any that trusted in me Neither can any victory be called a true and perfect victorie but that which carieth with it some clemencie To ouercome is a humane thing but to pardon is diuine Hereof it is said the same vertuous prince that we esteeme the greatnesse of the immortall gods not so much for the punishment as for the mercie which they vse The clemencie and bountie of Dion the Syracusian is woorthy of perpetuall memory For hauing brought to ruine the tyrannie of Dionysius the yonger recouered the libertie of his countrey one of his greatest enemies named Heraclides being a very pernitious felow fell into his hands whereupon all his friends gaue him counsail to put him to death Vnto which Dion wisely answered that other captains and heads of armies vsed commonly to imploy most of their studie in the exercise of armes and of warre but as for himselfe he had long since studied and learned in the schooles of the Vniuersitie to ouercome anger enuy and euery euill affection and will the proofe whereof consisted not onely in behauing himselfe well towards his friends and towards good men but also in pardoning and in the exercise of gentlenes and humanitie towards his enemies so that he had rather excell Heraclides in bountie and curtesie than in power worldly glory And although quoth he mens lawes auouch it to be more iust to reuenge an iniurie receiued than to offer it to another yet nature teacheth vs that both the one and the other proceed of the same imbecillitie and how soeuer that man is hardly altered who hath gotten an habite of wickednesse yet are there few men of so brutish vntamed a nature or so sauage in reclaiming that their peruersnes cannot in the end be wel ouercome by beneficence when they see that men returne good turnes againe and againe into their bosome By these learned discourses it appeareth that Dion forgaue Heraclides and bestowed vpon him great benefits Lycurgus the reformer of the Lacedemonian estate by whose meanes that common-wealth so long tyme florished doth yet passe all those before alleadged through the goodnes and mildnes of his gentle nature This graue and gratious personage hauing receiued such a blow with a staffe that one of his eies was put out in a sedition stirred vp against him in the citie bicause of the rigor of those lawes which he had established there after the sedition was appeased had the offender deliuered into his handes to punish him as he thought good But he not hurting or displeasing him at all kept him in his house and instructed him in all vertue good discipline and within the yeeres ende he brought him foorth into the publike assembly being no lesse vertuous and well nurtured than before he was vicious vsing these words vnto the people Behold I restore him vnto you beyng mild gratious and fit to do you seruice whom ye gaue to me proud outragious and dissolute O acte beseeming the soule of a christian rather than of an Ethnike which ought to make thē greatly ashamed who for the least wrong receiued of another would not stick to slay not one mā only but a thousand yea ten thousand rather than their worldly honour should be hurt or touched which pretence of honour they vse verie often to colour their brutishnesse withall Now leauing here the ancients of whom we haue a million of testimonies in the reading of histories I thinke we shall do well to propound here vnto our princes beyng too much inclined to reuenge iniuries the clemencie of king Lewes the 12. who succeeding Charles the 8. in the kingdom would neuer reuenge himselfe of any outrage or iniurie done vnto him euen than whē he was but duke of Orleance In so much that beyng incited by some to punish one that was his great enemie during the life of his predecessor he answered That it would not beseeme a king of France to go about to reuenge iniuries offered to a duke of Orleance Neither ought we to let passe in silence the goodnes and clemencie of that great king Frances who goyng in person to chastice the rebellion of the Rochelers forgaue them and put not one to death saying That albeit he had no lesse occasion to reuenge this iniurie than the Emperor Charles who punished very cruelly those of Gaunt yet he had rather encrease his prayses by preseruing than by destroying his subiects After his example king Henry the 2. hauing giuen in commission to the duke of Montmorencie Constable to chastice the rebellion of the countrey of Guyen and especially the inhabitants of Burdeaux afterward gaue out a generall absolution and forgaue the racing of the Town-house the paiment of two hundred thousand pounds the defraying of the charges of the armie wherein they were condemned And truly as it belongeth to the sun to lighten the earth with his beames so it appertaineth to the vertue of a prince to haue compassion vpon the miserable Yea so many as stand in need of mercy and beyng woorthy therof craue for it ought to find harbour in the hauen of his excellencie Now to come to the end of our present discourse if by so many examples which we haue touched and innumerable others of which histories are plentifull we may note amongst the famous noble and courageous men of old tyme such effects of meekenesse gentlenes bountie mildnes clemencie and humanitie towards their enemies no doubt but they endeuored to do much more for their friends brethren and countreymen for whose safetie they feared not many times to die as heretofore we haue seene examples thereof and may see more hereafter And how much lesse would they haue failed to succor them in all other duties and charitable offices So that if we be men and not monsters in nature let vs learne what are the fruits not onely of true Christians but also of true humanitie and of nature not being wholy depraued and corrupted to the end that framing our maners mild gentle and gratious to the succor benefite and profite of euery one and following the steps and traces of the vertue of Fortitude and Magnanimitie which is neuer churlish idle or proud we may liue a happy life directed to hir
Zeno founder of the Stoicall Academic after he had possessed much wealth and suffred many losses had no more left but one ship of merchandise which being cast away he vttred this speech thou doest well Fortune to bring me to the studie of Philosophie wherein he continued euer after The exile banishment of Diogenes driuen from his countrey was the cause and beginning of his studie of Philosophie And if any man thinke it a difficult and strange matter that a poore man should be skilfull seeing that whilest he studieth he must haue wherewith to nourish his body let vs see what Cleanthes answered to Antigonus king of Macedonia who asked him if he turned the milstone always Yea sir sayd he I turne it yet about to get my liuing but forsake not Philosophie for all that How great and noble was the mind of that man who after his labour wrote of the nature of god and of the heauens with the same hand wherwith he turned about the milstone Others say that he got his liuing by drawing water for a gardiner about which he bestowed the night onely that he might spend the day in hearing the Philosophers dispute This man calleth to my remembrance two other Philosophers named Menedemus and Asclepiades who being accused before the Areopagites the chief iudges in Athens as idle persons hauing no goods in possession and being willed to declare how they liued their answer was that inquirie should be made of their Hoste who was a Baker This man being called said that they bestowed the whole day in the study of letters and the night in sifting and boulting his meale for which he gaue each of them a peece of money whereof they liued But what These ancient Sages wanted but few things to liue withall seeing the most of them contented themselues with bread and water and many times with herbes and fruites in stead of bread and so Pythagoras always liued And yet they found so great contentation and felicitie in such a life that one Philoxenus hauing as yet but tasted of the first fruits of this profession of study and being of that number which was sent by the Athenians to inhabite a new citie in Sicilia wherein a good house with great commodities to liue at ease fell to him for his part and seeing that delicacie pleasure and idlenes without any exercise of letters raigned in those quarters he forsook all returned to Athens saying by the gods these goods shall not destroy me but I will rather destroy them All these fruits which are noted to be in pouertie gaue occasion to an ancient man to say that it was a vertue of Fortitude to sustaine pouertie patiently but to desire it was the praise of wisedom Now forasmuch as it will be very hard if not altogither impossible notwithstanding all reason that can be alleaged to men to dispossesse them of the hatred and feare of pouertie which naturally they shun let vs learne of the ancients who ought to account himselfe poore that we abuse no more this word Pouertie Diogenes was vpon a time visited by Alexander who sayd vnto him I see well Diogenes that thou art poore and hast need of many things therfore aske of me what thou wilt and I will giue it thee Whereunto this excellent Philosopher despising such offers of goods whereof he stood not in need answered Whether of vs twaine Alexander seemeth to thee to haue most need and therfore poorest either I that desire nothing but my pile of wood and a litle bread or thou who being king of Macedonta doest hazard thy selfe to so many dangers to inlarge thy kingdom in so much that the whole world will hardly suffice to bound thy ambition and to content thy couetousnes The Monarch so greatly admired the magnanimitie of this man that he vttered these wordes with a loud voyce If I were not Alexander I would be Diogenes Marius a Consul of Rome distributing land among his countreymen gaue to euery one fourteen Acres onely And vnderstanding that some were not contented therewith but demanded more I would to God quoth he then that no Roman would care for any more land than would suffice to nourish him So goodly and commendable a matter was it esteemed of these wise men to be content with a litle with that which is sufficient rather than to thinke those men onely rich that were furnished with store of wealth And to say truth seeing God alone simply and absolutely standeth not in need of any thing whatsoeuer it may easily be presupposed that the most excellent vertue of man and that which commeth neerest to the diuine nature consisteth in causing a man to stand in need of fewest things This is that which Socrates sayd That to desire nothing meaning worldly things is in some sort to resemble God And how can we call him poore whose soule is inriched with so many great and rare perfections Cicero writing to Atticus sayd That a friend was bound to wish but three things vnto his friend namely That he be healthie that he be well accounted of and that he be not needie Now that all these things are found in a temperate and noble minded man we may learne by the effects of Sobrietie whereof we haue heretofore discoursed and by those of honor which is neuer separated from vertue no more than the shadow is from the body And as for the necessarie vse of foode and raiment it is not wanting to them that stand most in need thereof as we haue alreadie touched it in our present speech so a vertuous mā cannot be called poore But let vs yeeld a litle to the commō opinion of worldlings that pouertie and want of earthly riches is odious and contemptible yet that pouertie onely which proceedeth of slouth idlenes and ignorance or otherwise of foolish expences of riot and superfluitie may be said to be full of reproch and shame and is to be shunned For when pouertie is found in an honest painfull diligent iust valiant and wise man it serueth for a great proofe of his magnanimitie and greatnes of courage bicause he hath set his mind vpon great and high matters and not vpon such small and vile things as the riches of the world are Amongst many others of this number we may say that Aristides was being captaine and gouernor of the Athenian estate as we haue alredy mentioned who after many excellent great offices which he bare to the good of his countrey was so smally enriched therby that being dead all his goods would not suffice to bury him He vsed to say that none ought to be ashamed of pouerty but they that were poore against their wil that it was a rarer matter worthy of greater praise to sustain pouerty vertuously and with a noble mind than to know how to vse riches well And so pouertie is neuer accompanied with shame except it be to them
minding to deale in publike affaires gathered all his friends togither and told them that he renounced discharged himself of all their friendship bicause friendship many times caused men to yeeld and to step aside from their good and right purposes in matters of iudgement True it is that when we haue none but good men to our friends who are mooued and possessed with the same zeale to vertue that we are as before was mentioned we shall neuer fall into these inconueniences The example of Aristides the Athenian his loue vnto Iustice is woorthie of speciall remembrance For calling into the law an enimie of his after he had set downe his accusation the Iudges were so mooued against the accused party for the impietie of the fact in controuersie that they would haue condemned him vnheard so greatly did they trust to the honestie of the accuser that he had set downe nothing but the very truth But Aristides who for his great and rare vertue had before deserued the surname of Iust went with the accused partie and cast himselfe at the Iudges feete beseeching them that he might be heard to iustifie and to defend himselfe according as the lawes commanded Further one writeth of him that when he was vpon a time Iudge betweene two parties that pleaded before him one of them said my aduersarie hath done thee great wrong Aristides But he foorthwith interrupting his talke made this answer My friend declare only whether he hath wronged thee For I am heere to do thee right and not my selfe shewing thereby that Iustice ought to be executed without any priuate passion reuenge or choler wherewithall many at this day are ouercome Iunius Brutus Consul of Rome condemned his two sonnes Titus Tiberius to be beheaded being conuicted for conspiring the reentrie of Tarquinius race vnto the kingdome of Rome from whence they had been vanquished for wickednes and whoredome Truely a notable example and cleane contrarie to those that are fauourers and accepters of persons Phocion refused to helpe his sonne in law Charillus in iudgement being accused for taking certaine monie vniustly saying vnto him that he had made him his Allie in all iust and reasonable matters onely Alexander the Great vsed this commendable custome as he sate in place of Iustice to heare criminall causes pleaded that whilest the accuser declared his accusation he stopped one of his eares with his hand to the end he might keepe it pure vpright not admitting thereinto as he gaue them to vnderstand any preiudicate or false impression that so he might heare the accused partie speake in his own defence and iustification Truely an example meete for kings and princes that they should not lightly beleeue slaunderers nor giue sentence of execution presently vpō their report and perswasion bicause they ought not to take pleasure or to glut themselues as it were with some pleasant pastime in the corrections and punishments of men which is the propertie of a tyrant Neither ought they after the punishment is inflicted to repent them thereof which is a token of ignorance and basenesse of mind but Iustice must see execution done when reason and iudgement require and that without either griefe or pleasure Augustus Caesar knowing that Asprenas a very familiar friend of his was accused in iudgement and fearing that if he went to the place where the matter was to be heard he should offer wrong to Iustice as also that if he went not he should seeme to abandon his friend as iudging him culpable he asked counsail of the Senate with whom he resolued to be present at the iudgement of his friend but to speake nothing bicause in so doing he should neither do him wrong nor violate iustice Agesilaus king of Lacedemonia deserued likewise great praise for this vertue albeit he were a very assured friend to his friend and of a gentle nature readie to imploy himselfe in the behalfe of all them that stood in need of him Neuerthelesse when a friend of his contended with him about a matter which he desired to obtaine of this prince saying that he had made him a promise thereof If the thing quoth he be iust I haue promised it but if it be vniust I haue not promised but onely spoken it He vsed also to say that he esteemed Iustice as chiefe of all the vertues and that valure was of no valew if it were not ioined therwith yea would be needlesse if all men were iust And when certaine men who were sent vnto him to conferre about some agreement said one day vnto him that the great King would haue it so wherein quoth he vnto them is he greater than I if he be not more iust Whereby he iudged verie well that the difference between a great and a little king ought to be taken from iustice as from a kingly measure and rule according vnto which they ought to gouerne their subiects seeing they were at the first established to do iustice as Herodotus speaking of the Medes and Cicero of the Romanes make mentiō This is that which a poore old woman signified to Phillip king of Macedonia when she came to him to haue hir complaint heard To whom when the king made answer that he had no leasure at that time to heare hir she cried with a loud and cleere voyce Be not then king Whereupon this meeke prince by which name he said he had rather be called for a long time than by the name of Lord for a little while was so touched at the hart with the consideration of his dutie that he returned presently into his pallace where setting aside al other affaires he gaue himselfe many daies to heare all their cōplaints and requests that would come before him beginning first with the said poore woman Another time being ouertaken with sleepe and not well hearing the iustification and defence of one Machetas he condemned him in a certaine summe Whereupon the said partie cried out aloud that he appealed to Phillip after he should be throughly awake Which being noted by the said Prince he would needes heare him againe and afterward declared him not guiltie paying notwithstanding with his own money that summe wherein he had before condemned him that so he might keepe inuiolable the authoritie of his sentence The emperor Traian is iustly commended of Historiographers bicause he alighted from his horse as he was going to warre only to heare the complaint which a poore woman was about to make vnto him And truely nothing doth so properly belong vnto or is so well beseeming a prince of a good and gentle nature as the practise and exercise of Iustice Therefore when the Hebrews asked a king of Samuel they added this To iudge vs like all nations Yea these heads which had the soueraigntie ouer thē before were only in the nature of Iudges It is Iustice only which through the grace of God causeth kingdoms monarchies to flourish
the Cannibals who yet spare domesticall blood But God the iust Iudge would not that such an execrable wickednes should be long concealed vnpunished For when it could not be found out by any inquirie of man one of the murderers touched with the hand of God and taken with an extreame sickenes being as it were mad and as Cain was in times past disclosed his sinne of himselfe the hainousnes whereof so troubled him that he said he could hope for no mercie Afterward recouering his health he was taken vpon his owne confession and being conuicted of the fact accused all the authors thereof of whome some are executed and the rest expect no better euent That couetousnes causeth subiects to rebell against their couetous Princes and that oftentimes to their ouerthrowe we haue an example in Mauritius the Emperour who was depriued of the Empire and had his head cut off besides the death of his fiue children of his wife by reason of the ill will of his people and men of warre which he had purchased who could beare no longer his couetousnes whereby he was mooued to winke at spoiles and murders and to keepe backe the pay of his souldiors In the time of S. Lewes the king the people of fiue cities fiue villages of high Almaigne which at this day we call Switserland raised such a great tumult sedition that they put to the edge of the sword all their Princes Lords and Noble-men the chiefe cause therof was their couetousnes which made them oppresse their subiects with vniust exactions The niggardlye sparing of king Lewes the eleuenth mooued strangers greatly to contemne him and was in part the cause of the rebellion of his subiects For hauing put away in a maner all the Gentlemen of his houshold he vsed his Tailor alwaies for his Herald of Armes his Barber for Embassador and his Phisition for his Chancellour and in derision of other kings he ware a greasie hat of the coursest wooll We find in the chamber of accounts a bill of his expences wherein is set downe 20. souse for two newe sleeues to his olde dublet and an other clause of 15. deniers for grease to grease his bootes And yet he increased the charges of his people three millions more than his predecessour had done and alienated a great part of his Demaine Sparing may well be vsed which at this daye is more necessarye than euer and yet the maiestie of a king nothing diminished neither the dignitie of his house and without the abasing of his greatnes Likewise those men who after they haue hoorded much treasure are so besotted and blinded with a couetous loue of their wealth that they will not vpon any necessitie imploy it can no more auoid their destruction than the other before mentioned This doth the historie of Calipha king of Persia teach vs who hauing filled a Tower with gold siluer iewels and pretious stones and being in warre against Allan king of the Tartarians was so ill succoured of his owne people bicause he would not giue them their pay that he was taken in his towne and by Allan committed prisoner in the said Tower with these words If thou hadst not kept this treasure so couetously but distributed it amongst thy souldiors thou mightest haue preserued thy selfe and thy citie Now therefore enioy it at thy ease and eate and drinke thereof seeing thou hast loued it so much And so he suffered him to die there of hunger in the midst of his riches The punishment which Dionysius the elder king of Syracusa laied vpon a rich couetous subiect of his was more gentle but woorthie to be well noted being full of instruction For being aduertised that he had hid great store of treasure in the ground he commanded him vpon paine of life to bring it vnto him which he did although not all of it but retained part which he tooke with him went to dwell in another citie where he bestowed his monie vpon inheritance When Dionysius vnderstood thereof he sent for him and restored all his gold and siluer saying vnto him forasmuch as thou knowest now how to vse riches not making that vnprofitable which was appointed for the vse of man take that which before thou wast vnwoorthie to enioy And to speake the truth there is no reason wherewith the couetousnes of such men may be coloured For if they say that they spend not bicause they care not for spending it is a point of great follie in them to labour to gather more wealth than they want But if they desire to spend and yet dare not for niggardlines do so nor enioy the fruite of their labour they are a great deale more miserable Whereby it appeereth vnto vs what a goodly and commendable thing it is to be content and satisfied with a little which freeth vs from the desire of vnnecessarie things Now if we are to take those things for superfluous which we will not vse we ought for the reasons already set down to make no lesse accoūt of those which we would abuse in riot and superfluitie The couetousnes of Darius king of the Persians was beguiled and laughed to scorne through the subtile inuention of Nitocris Queene of Babylon some attribute it to Semiramis who being desirous to welcome hir successors that were touched with auarice which she abhorred aboue al things caused a high sepulcher to be erected ouer those gates of the citie through which there was most passage with these words ingrauen therein If any king of Babylon that shal come after me find want in his treasurie let him open this tombe and take as much as he will Otherwise let him not open it for it will not be best for him After many ages were past and none of the kings of Babylon had touched the said sepulcher Darius conquering the kingdom caused the coffin to be opened thinking to find there that which was promised Neuerthelesse he found nothing there but a dead body with this writing If thou wert not insatiable and very couetous thou wouldest not haue opened the tombe of the dead Moreouer that couetousnes oftentimes blindeth men so farre as that it causeth them to take away their owne life without feare of condemning their soules many examples thereof are left in memorie of whom some through griefe for some great losse of goods others to leaue their children rich haue voluntarily procured their own death Cassius Licinius was of this number who being accused attainted conuicted of many thefts and briberies and beholding Cicero President at that time about to put on the purple gowne to pronounce sentence of confiscation of goods and of banishment he sent word to Cicero that he was dead during the processe and before condemnation and presently in the field he smothered himself with a napkin hauing no other meaning therein but to saue his goods for his children For then the lawes concerning the punishment of such as had
seeing it lieth so heauy vpon them and the time seemeth vnto them ouer-long to stay for the naturall death of this poore old man whom they hate so extremely And yet Titus shall not obtaine a victory greatly honorable or woorthy the praise of the ancient Romanes who euen then when Pyrrhus their enimy warred against them and had wonne battels of them sent him word to beware of poison that was prepared for him Thus did this great vertuous captaine finish his daies being vtterly ouerthrowen and trode vnder foote by fortune which for a time had placed him in the highest degree of honor that could be Eumenes a Thracian one of Alexanders lieutenants and one that after Alexanders death had great wars and made his partie good against Antigonus king of Macedonia came to that greatnesse and authoritie from a poore Potters sonne afterwards being ouercome and taken prisoner he died of hunger But such preferments of fortune will not seeme very strange vnto vs if we consider how Pertinax came to the Empire ascending from a simple souldier to the degree of a captaine and afterward of Gouernour of Rome being borne of a poore countrywoman And hauing raigned only two moneths he was slaine by the souldiers of his gard Aurelianus from the same place obtained the selfe same dignitie Probus was the sonne of a gardiner and Maximianus of a black-smith Iustinus for his vertue surnamed the Great from a hogheard in Thracia attained to the empire Wil you haue a worthy exāple agreeable to that saying of Iuuenal which we alleaged euen now Gregory the 7. from a poore monke was lift vp to the dignitie of chief bishop of Rome Henry the 4. emperor was brought to that extreme miserie by wars that he asked the said Gregory forgiuenes cast him selfe down at his feete And yet before this miserable monarch could speake with him he stood 3. days fasting and barefoote at the popes palace gate as a poore suppliant waiting whē he might haue entrance accesse to his holynes Lewes the Meeke emperour king of France was constrained to giue ouer his estate to shut himself vp in a monasterie through the conspiracie of his own childrē Valerianus had a harder chaunge of his estate ending his days whilest he was prisoner in the hands of Sapor king of the Parthians who vsed the throte of this miserable emperor whensoeuer he mounted vpō his horse But was not that a wonderful effect of fortune which hapned not long since in Munster principal towne in the country of Westphalia wherin a sillie botcher of Holland being retired as a poore banished man from his country called Iohn of Leiden was proclaimed king was serued obeied of all the people a long time euen vntil the taking subuersion of the said town after he had born out the siege for the space of 3. yeeres Mahomet the first of that name of a very smal and abiect place being enriched by marying his mistres and seruing his own turne very fitly with a mutinie raised by the Sarrasins against Heracleus the emperor made himself their captain tooke Damascus spoiled Egypt finally subdued Arabia discomfited the Persians and became both a monarch a prophet Wil you see a most wōderful effect of fortune Look vpon the procedings of that great Tamburlane who being a pesants son keping cattel corrupted 500. sheepheards his companions These men selling their cattel betook them to armes robbed the merchants of that country watched the high ways Which when the king of Persia vnderstood of he sent a captaine with a 1000. horse to discomfit them But Tamburlane delt so with him that ioining both togither they wrought many incredible feates of armes And when ciuil warre grew betwixt the king and his brother Tamburlane entred into the brothers pay who obtained the victory by his means therupon made him his lieutenant general But he not long after spoiled the new king weakened subdued the whole kingdom of Persia And when he saw himselfe captain of an army of 400000. horsmen 600000. footmē he made warre with Baiazet emperor of the Turkes ouercame him in battel and tooke him prisoner He obtained also a great victorie against the Souldan of Egypt and the king of Arabia This good successe which is most to be maruelled at and very rare accompanied him always vntill his death in so much that he ended his days amongst his children as a peaceable gouernour of innumerable countries From him descended the great Sophy who raigneth at this day and is greatly feared and redoubted of the Turke But that miserable Baiazet who had conquered before so many peoples and subdued innumerable cities ended his dayes in an iron cage wherein being prisoner and ouercome with griefe to see his wife shamefully handled in waiting at Tamburlanes table with hir gowne cut downe to hir Nauell so that hir secrete partes were seene this vnfortunate Turke beate his head so often agaynst the Cage that he ended his lyfe But what neede we drawe out this discourse further to shewe the straunge dealinges and maruellous chaunges of fortune in the particular estates and conditions of men which are to be seene daily amongst vs seeing the soueraign Empires of Babylon of Persia of Graecia and of Rome which in mans iudgement seemed immutable and inexpugnable are fallen from all their glittering shew and greatnes into vtter ruine and subuersion so that of the last of them which surpassed the rest in power there remaineth onely a commandement limited and restrained within the confines of Almaigne which then was not the tenth part of the rich prouinces subiect to this Empire Is there any cause then why we should be astonished if litle kingdoms common-wealths and other ciuill gouernments end when they are come to the vtmost ful point of their greatnes And much lesse if it fal out so with mē who by nature are subiect to change and of themselues desire and seeke for nothing else but alteration Being assured therefore that there is such vncertaintie in all humane things let vs wisely prepare our selues and apply our will to all euents whose causes are altogither incomprehensible in respect of our vnderstandings and quite out of our power For he that is able to say I haue preuented thee O fortune I haue stopped all thy passages and closed vp all thy wayes of entrance that man putteth not all his assurance in barres or locked gates nor yet in high walles but staieth himselfe vpon Phylosophicall sentences and discourses of reason whereof all they are capable that imploy their wils trauell and studie thereupon Neither may we doubt of them or distrust our selues but rather admire and greatly esteeme of them beyng rauished with an affectionate spirite He that taketh least care for to morow saith Epicurus commeth thereunto with greatest ioy And as Plutarke saith riches glory
prouision in due time wherby to sustaine old age the better This is that which Plato saith that a moderate youth maketh an easie olde age but that which is immoderate maketh it greeuous irkesom The defect of our strength saith Cicero commeth rather of the vices of our youth than of olde age Now bicause youth is at this day more than euer giuen ouer to all kind of dissolutenes so that their greatest glorie consisteth in going one beyond an other in vice let vs here propound to those that wil make their profit therof some exāples drawen from the ancients of rare vertue that shined in yong men Ioseph Daniel Salomon deserue the first place who being very yoong men executed deeds of woonderfull prudence The holie Scriptures affoord vs a sufficient number of testimonies but we haue some also amongst the Heathens and Pagans that ought to stirre vp youth vnto vertue That great Monarch Alexander in his youth despised all kind of pleasure and delight eschewed women contemned monie and all plaies and pastimes that were vnprofitable and to no good vse louing nothing but vertue and glorie gotten thereby This was the cause why being demanded whether he would not be present at the feast of the Olympian games to try if he could win the price of running seeing he was well made and woonderfull light of foote he answered yes if they were kings that ran Whensoeuer he heard newes that his father had taken any famous Towne or wonne some great battell he shewed no token of ioye but saide to his equals in yeeres My Father Sirs will take all and leaue no goodlie and great matter for me to doe and to conquere with you Among other his commendable giftes of nature which men admired in him at that age he was greatly praised for a good horse-man which he shewed full well when Bucephalus the horse was brought to his father and was to be sold for thirteene Talents that is in value 7800. crownes which the yeomen of the kings horse perceiued to be so skittish and wild that they durst not vndertake to breake him But Alexander mounted on him and handled him so cunningly that all those that were present cried out by way of admiration and Phillip kissing him said Oh my sonne thou must seeke out a kingdome that is meete for thee for Macedonia is not able to containe thee This horse alwaies serued Alexander after that and died in a battell against the Barbarians when he was thirtie yeeres olde Pompey from his very youth shewed in his countenance as Historiographers write a pleasant mildnes ioined with a manlie grauitie and in his conditions and behauiour a reuerent excellencie of kinglie maiestie When he was yet verie yoong he committed an act of a wise and aduised captaine being in the Romane armie whereof Strabo his father was captaine against Cinna For when the souldiers began to rebel and to conspire the death of their captaine Pompey discouered the same and tooke order for his fathers safetie After perceiuing that the souldiers trussed vp bag and baggage to go yeeld themselues to Cinna he thrust himselfe into the middest of them beseeching them most humbly with teares in his eies not to deale so grosely with their captain In the end when he saw that they persisted in their opinion he threw himselfe prostrate all along ouerthwart the gate of the campe saying vnto thē that if they were so desirous to depart both they and their horses should go ouer his body Whereupon they were so ashamed that chaunging their mindes euery one betooke him againe to his quarter and reconciled themselues vnto their generall The prudence of Papyrius deserueth to be alleaged here who according to the custome of the young gentlemen of Rome was brought into the Senate after he had put on the gowne wouen about with purple which they vsed to giue to yong men to the end to frame them by litle and litle to the managing of affaires In his returne from the Senate which was longer in breaking vp than vsually they were woont to do his mother asked him the cause thereof And after many threatnings and compulsions Papyrius not willing to reueale the secret of the councell as it had been expresly forbidden him bethought himselfe of a subtill lie saying that the Senators were in great contention whether it were more expedient to agree that one man should haue two wiues or one woman two husbands which quoth he shal be determined to morow His mother beleeuing it told the same to the Romane ladies hir companions who met all the next day at the entrie of the Senate beseeching the iudges to giue a fauourable sentence for them The matter being knowen procured great laughter and made the prudence of this yong man to be greatly esteemed But let vs speak of the other two ages of man Mans estate beginneth when a man is euen now ripe and setled and groweth no more in body This onely age is most apt and fit to attaine to vertue and honestie For then is reason strong and power-full in him then is his iudgement sound his bodily vigor of force and strength to labour and trauel Of the name of this age I mean of this Latine word Vir did vertue first take hir name which in Latine is Virtus bicause this worde Vir signifieth him that is in the age of virilitie or mans estate as if you would say apt to be a minister and practitioner of vertue It is true that Isidorus confoundeth Youth which he placeth after Adolescencie and virilitie togither saying that this word vir is a word of sexe and not of age But herein he agreeth with vs that the perfection of mans strength beginneth at 29. yeeres where we said that adolescencie ended In this strength a man continueth vntil 50. yeeres and then beginneth to grow weake and to decline continually vntill death The whole age of virilitie ought to be full of honestie and vertue to bring foorth the effects of prudence temperance fortitude and iustice whereof we haue discoursed at large And if any man before he came to this age had not that education and instructiō which was necessary for him whereof we haue alreadie discoursed by reason of his fathers negligēce or through the licentiousnes of adolescencie then especially is he to take the bridle between his teeth in good earnest bicause yet there is good time season yea oportunitie of great fruit to profit in learning and vertue so that he cannot alleage this excuse that he was not instructed in youth Clitomachus of Carthage when he was aboue 40. yeeres of age came to Athens to learne vnder Carneades with whom he profited so well that after his death he succeeded in his place and taught others Lucius being at Rome and meeting with the emperor Marcus Aurelius in the streete with one man after him demanded of him whether he went It becommeth euen an
good and iust but if to an ill ende namely to the particular profite of such as commaund they are euill and vniust Of the soueraigne Magistrate and of his authoritie and office Chap. 54. ACHITOB WE commonly say that that thing is rightly done which is done according to the order and institution of policie Neither is right any other thing amongst vs than the order of that estate vnder which we liue the soueraigntie wherof is the sure foundation vnion and bond of all the particulars in one perfect body of a commō-welth And when iudgements are exercised by the magistrates when the wil of iustice is declared by the exposition of the lawes of right and when we direct our actions vnder iustice thē is the order of ciuil societie duly obserued Hereupon in our last discourse we said that the estate of a common-wealth was compounded of 3. general partes of the magistrate of the law and of the people Thus followyng our purpose let vs intreat particularly of these parts wherof euery common-welth consisteth first let vs consider of the chief magistrate and of his authoritie and office ASER. All ciuil superioritie is a holy and lawful vocation before God And as iustice is the end of the law and the law a worke of the magistrate so also the magistrate is the image of God who ruleth and gouerneth all according to which mould and paterne he must fashion himselfe through the meanes of vertue AMANA As in a man that is well disposed both in bodie and soule according to nature not corrupted the soule ruleth and commandeth with reason being the better part and the body with the affections thereof serue obey as the woorse part so is it in euery humane assemblie It belongeth to the wisest to rule and to such as are lesse aduised to obey Therefore the Magistrate must aboue all things labour that he be not vnwoorthie of that person which he sustaineth But let vs heare ARAM discourse of this matter which is heere propounded vnto vs. ARAM. God being carefull of all things euen of the very least and comprehending in himselfe the beginning end and midst of them according to his good pleasure and making all in all by his onely spirite respecting the common good of this whole frame and preseruation of humane societie hath from time to time distributed to sundry persons distinct and different graces that in exercising diuers estats charges administrations offices handicrafts and occupations they might through mutuall succour and interchangable helpe preserue and maintain themselues This is that which we see in cities amongst ciuill companies which is asmuch to say as a multitude of men vnlike in qualities conditions as rich poore free bond noble vile skilfull ignorant artificers labourers some obeying others commanding and all communicating togither in one place their arts handicrafts occupations exercises to this end that they may liue the better and more commodiously They obey also the same Magistrates lawes and soueraigne councell which Plato calleth the Anchor head and soule of the citie which naturally tendeth to some order and rule of dominion as that which tooke beginning and increase from persons acquainted with a gouernment that resembleth the royall regiment as appeereth in euery well ordered familie and hath already beene touched of vs. The first soueraign gouernment was established either by the violence of the mightiest as Thucidides Caesar Plutarke and others write and the holy historie testifieth the same vnto vs and putteth this opinion out of doubt where it is sayd that Nimrod Chams nephewe was the first that brought men into subiection by force and violence establishing his principalitie in the kingdome of Assyria Or if any will beleeue Demosthenes Aristotle and Cicero the first soueraigntie was instituted vpon their will and good liking who for their owne commoditie rest securitie submitted themselues to such as excelled most in vertue in those times which they called heroicall Who knoweth not saith Cicero in his oration for Sestius that the nature of men was sometime such that not hauing natural equitie as yet written they wandred vp and downe being dispersed in the fields and had nothing but that which they could catch keep forceably by murders and wounds Wherefore some excelling in vertue and counsell knowing the docilitie vnderstāding of man gathered the dispersed togither into one place brought them from that rudenes wherein they were vnto iustice gentlenes Then they established those things that belonged to common profit which we call publike appointed assemblies afterward called cities walled about their buildings ioined togither which we cal townes hauing first found out both diuine and humane equitie At the same time the authoritie of Magistrats tooke place who were instituted by the consent of the people for that excellent heroicall vertue which they saw in those first Rectors and Ordainers of ciuill societie to whome was committed the iurisdiction of lawes or receiued customes and the disposition of written equitie to rule and gouerne their people thereafter But not to staye long about the diuersitie of those opiniōs which we haue heere alleadged for the establishment of the soueraigntie this is out of question that the foundation of euery common-wealth dependeth thereupon that it is the absolute perpetual power of the Common-wealth is not limited either in power or charge or for a certaine time This soueraigntie is in him or them that are chiefe of the Estate a little king is asmuch a soueraigne as the greatest Monarch of the earth For a great kingdome saith Cassiodorus is nothing else but a great Common-wealth vnder the keeping of one chief soueraigne But before we intreate more amply of his authoritie and office it behooueth vs to render a reason of the name of Magistrate which is heere giuen vnto him This word Magistrate hath beene taken of the Ancients in diuers significations and Plato maketh seuenteene sortes of them calling some necessary Magistrats others honourable Aristotle said that they ought chiefly to be called Magistrats that haue power to take counsell to iudge and to command but especially to command And this doth the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficiently declare as if he would say Commanders and the Latine word Magistratus being a word of commanding signifieth to maister and to exercise dominion Also the Dictator who had the greatest power to command was called of the Ancients Magister populi Therefore albeit the name of Magistrate hath been heeretofore and is yet giuen to all that haue publike and ordinarie charge in the Estate yet we will as it were abuse this name a little by transferring it to the Soueraigne of all of whome all Magistrats lawes and ordinances of the Common-wealth depend Now let vs see whether this vocation of the Magistrate be lawfull and approoued of God We
haue not onelye infinite testimonies in the Scripture that the estate of Magistrates is acceptable before God but which is more it is adorned with honourable titles that the dignitie therof might be singularly recommended vnto vs. When we see that all men placed in authoritie are called Gods we must not esteeme this title to be of smal importance seeing it appeereth therby that they are authorized by him and represent his maiestie in the ruling gouerning of vs. If the Scripture as that heauenly word saith called them Gods vnto whom the word of God was giuen what is that else but that they haue charge cōmission from God to serue him in their office as Moses Iosaphat said to their Iudges whom they appointed ouer euery citie of Iudah to exercise iustice not in the name of men but in the name of God By me saith the wisedome of God kings raigne and princes decree iustice By me princes rule and the nobles and all the iudges of the earth Moreouer we see that many holye men haue obtained kingdomes as Dauid Iosias Ezechias some gouernments and great estates vnder kings as Ioseph and Daniel others the guiding of a free people as Moses Iosua and the Iudges whose calling and estate was acceptable to God as he hath declared by his spirite Wherefore no man ought to doubt of this that ciuill superioritie is not onely a holie and lawfull calling before God but also the holiest and most honourable of all other whereunto all the people is subiect aswell by the establishment of the right of the estate as by the holie and heauenly ordinance of God And if the Magistrate be perswaded as it is certaine that many Estates haue had that foundation that the cause of his first institution and voluntarie subiection whereunto the people submitted themselues for their cōmon benefit was that excellencie of vertue which appeered in some aboue the rest ought he not to thinke himselfe vnwoorthy of so honourable a title if he want the cause of the beginning thereof But further if the Magistrate know that he is appointed the minister of Gods iustice vnto what great integritie prudence clemencie moderation and innocencie ought he to conforme frame himselfe With what confidence dare he suffer any iniquitie to haue entrance into his seate which he vnderstandeth to be the throne of the liuing God With what boldnes will he pronounce any vniust sentence out of his mouth which he knoweth is appointed to be an instrument of the truth of God With what conscience will he subscribe to or seale any euill statute with his hand which he knoweth is ordained to write the decrees of God To be short if the Magistrate call to mind that as God hath placed the Sunne and Moone in the heauens as a token of his diuinitie so is he also appointed in earth for the like representation and light will he not thinke that he is to imploy and bestow all his care and studie that he may represent vnto men in all his dooings as it were an image of the prouidence defence goodnes clemencie and iustice of God It is certaine that the Magistrate is the same thing in the Common-wealth which the hart is in the body of a liuing creature If the hart be sound and pure it giueth life vnto the whole body bicause it is the fountaine of the bloud and of the spirits but being corrupted it bringeth death and destruction to all the members So fareth it with the Magistrate who is the soule of the people their glasse and the white whereat all his subiects aime If he liue vnder right reason truth and Iustice which are the proper wil of God onely he is not vnlike to a line or rule which being first right it selfe afterward correcteth all other crooked things that are applied vnto it For nothing is more natural than that subiects should conforme them selues to the manners deedes and words of their prince The wise Hebrew Plato Cicero and Titus Liuius haue left this Maxime vnto posteritie as an infallible rule of Estate And Theodoricus king of the Gothes writing to the Senat of Rome goeth yet further vsing these words as Cassiodorus rehearseth them That the course of nature would sooner faile than the people would leaue off to be like their Princes But further as the hart in the bodies of liuing creatures is last corrupted insomuch that the last relicks of life seeme to abide therein so it is meete that if any disease corrupt the people the soueraigne Magistrate should continue pure and sound vnto the end from all that pollution If there be any euill in the soule it proceedeth from the wickednes of the body being subiect to peruerse affections and looke what good thing soeuer is in the body it sloweth from the soule as from the fountaine thereof Now as it would be against nature if the euils of the body should come from the soule the good gifts of the body should be corrupted by the vices of the spirite so would it be very absurd that corrupt manners euill lawes vice and vngodlines should proceede from the Magistrate vnto the people seeing as Plato saith he holdeth the same place in the Common-wealth that reason doth in the soule which guideth the other parts by wisedome And forasmuch as the whole Common-wealth representeth but one certaine bodye compounded of diuers members whereof the Magistrate is the Head and most excellent of all he must also vse such equitie that he profit euery one of them and beware that he be not contagious to the whole publike body through his euil example The people saith Seneca giue more credite to their eies than to their eares that is to say they beleeue that which they see sooner than that which they heare And to instruct the people by precepts is a long and difficult way but to teach them by examples is very short and of greater efficacie Therefore the Magistrate must be more carefull of that which he doth than of that which he speaketh And that which he prescribeth his subiects for a rule as it were by law must be confirmed of him by works and deedes For as he is chiefly bound to follow the lawes of God and nature so he must make all those lawes and statuts which he establisheth in his estate according to that paterne And therfore one of the Ancients said very wel that the prince togither with his subiects had one and the same God to serue one law to keepe and one death to feare We will then briefly comprehend the dutie of the Magistrate in these three things in ruling in teaching and in iudging his people which duties are so neerely knit and ioined togither that the one cannot be well exercised without the other and he that faithfully dischargeth one fulfilleth them all For this cause Plato saith that the arte and science of the King of the
the law of God of nature Now forasmuch as when we intreated of the soueraigne magistrate we described him such a one as he ought to be answering truly to his title that is to say a father of the couÌ„trey which he gouerneth a sheepheard of his people the gardian of peace protector of iustice preseruer of innocencie that man might wel be iudged to be beside himself that would reprehend such a gouernment But bicause it commonly falleth out that most princes wander far out of the right way that some hauing no care to do their duty sleep in their delights pleasures others fixing their harts vpon couetoâ—snes set to sale all lawes priuiledges rights iudgemeÌ„ts some spoil the poore people by ouercharging them with impostes exactions to furnish their prodigalitie vnmeasurable dissolutenes others exercise open robberies in sacking of houses violating of virgins maried women in murdring innocents or suffring such violence to be done vnder theÌ„ by the ministers baudes of their pleasures some also oppres the nobility euen the princes of their bloud to shew fauour to base persons and those strangers despising woorthy meÌ„ that are their natural subiects vassals I say considering these things it will be very hard yea altogither impossible to perswade a great many that such are to be acknowledged for princes and true superiors that we must of necessitie obey theÌ„ so far as we may without offending our conscieÌ„ces confecrated to God onely For this affection is rooted in the harts of men to hate detest tirants no lesse than they loue reuerence iust kings So that wheÌ„ amongst such lothsom vices so far estranged not only froÌ„ the duty of a magistrate but also from all humanity they see in their soueraign no forme of the image of God which ought to shine in him no shew of a minister giuen from aboue for the prayse of good men and execution of vengeance vpon the wicked they are easily driuen forward to hate to contemn him and finally to rebell against him But if we direct our sight to the word of God it will lead vs a great deale farther For it wil make vs obedient not onely to the rule of those princes which execute their office according to iustice but to them also that do nothing lesse than their dutie It telleth vs that whatsoeuer they are they haue their authoritie from God only the good as mirrors of his goodnes the bad as scourges of his wrath to punish the iniquitie of the people but both the one and the other authorized from him with the same dignitie and maiestie in regard of their subiects Therfore in respect of obedience and reuerence we owe as much to the vniust as to the iust prince Which thing bicause it is so hardly beleeued amongst meÌ„ lesse practised now than euer I wil insist a litle longer in the proofe of my saying by testimonies of the scripture than we haue vsed to do in our other discourses First I desire euery one diligently to consider and marke the prouidence of God that special working wherby he vseth to distribute kingdoms to establish such kings as he thinks good wherof mention is ofteÌ„ made in the scripture As it is written in Daniel He changeth the times seasons he taketh away kings he setteth vp kings that liuing men may know that the most high hath power ouer the kingdom of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he wil appointeth ouer it the most abiect among meÌ„ It is wel known what maner of king Nebuchadnezzer was eueÌ„ he that took IerusaleÌ„ namely a great thief a robber Notwithstanding God affirmeth by the prophet Ezechiel That he gaue him the laÌ„d of Egypt for the reward of his work for the wages of his army wherwith he had serued him in spotling and sacking Tyrus And Daniel said vnto him O king thou art a king of kings for the god of heaueÌ„ hath giueÌ„ thee a kingdom power streÌ„gth glory WheÌ„ we heare that he was appointed king by god we must withal cal to mind the heaueÌ„ly ordinaÌ„ce which coÌ„mandeth vs to feat honor the king then we wil not doubt to yeeld to a wicked tyrant that honour which God hath thought him meet for WheÌ„ Samuel declared to the people of Israel what they should suffer of their kings not onely according to the rights and priuiledges of his maiestie but by tyrannical customs and fashions namely that they would take their sonnes and daughters to serue him their lands vines and gardens to giue them to their seruants contrary to the commandement of the law of God yet he inioined them all obedience leauing them no lawful occasion to resist their king I haue saith the Lord in Ieremy made the earth the man the beast that are vpon the ground by my great power by my out-stretched arme haue giuen it vnto whom it pleased me But now I haue giuen al these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel my seruant the beasts of the fields haue I also giuen him to serue him And all nations shal serue him and his sonne and his sonnes sonne vntil the very time of his land come also And the nation and kingdom which will not serue the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel that wil not put their necke vnder the yoke of the king of Babel the same nation wil I visite saith the Lord with the sword famine pestilence Wherfore serue the king of Babel and liue We know by these words with what great obedience God would haue this peruerse cruel tyrant to be honored only for this reason bicause he was lift vp by his hand vnto that roial maiestie Now if we are bound to beleeue as much of al the kings of the earth these foolish seditious thoughts should neuer come into our mindes that a king must be handled according as he deserueth that it standeth not with reason that we should accouÌ„t our selues his subiects who for his part behaueth not himselfe towards vs as a king There is in the same prophet a coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of god to his people to desire the prosperitie of Babylon wherin they were held captiues to pray for it bicause in the peace therof they should haue peace Behold how the Israelits were commanded to pray for his prosperity who had spoiled theÌ„ of their goods possessions caried theÌ„ into exile brought theÌ„ into miserable boÌ„dage so far off is it that they were permitted to rebel against him Although Dauid already elected king by the wil of God anointed with holy oile was vniustly pursued of Saul yet he said The lord keep me from doing that thing to my master the lords anointed to lay my hand vpon him For who can lay his hand on the Lordes annointed and be guiltles As the Lord liueth either
the Lord shal smite him or his day shall come to die or he shall descend into battel and perish The Lord keepe me from laying my hand vpon the Lords annointed This word is directed to vs all it ought to teach vs not to sift out the life of our soueraign prince but to content our selues with this knowledge that by the wil of God he is established set in an estate that is ful of an inuiolable maiestie Moreouer we read in Iosephus that the holiest men that euer were among the Hebrewes called Essaei that is to say true practisers of the lawe of God maintained this that soueraigne princes whatsoeuer they were ought to be inuiolable to their subiectes as they that were sacred and sent of God Neither is there any thing more vsuall in all the holy scriptures than the prohibition to kill or to seeke the life or honour not onely of the prince but also of inferiour magistrates although saith the scripture they be wicked And it is said in Exodus Thou shalt not raile vpon the iudges neither speake euill of the ruler of thy people Now if he that doth so is guiltie of treason both against the diuine and humane maiestie what punishment is sufficient for him that seeketh after their life According to mens lawes not onely that subiect is guiltie of high treason that hath killed his soueraigne prince but he also that attempted it that gaue counsell that consented to it that thought it Yea he that was neuer preuented nor taken in the maner in this point of the soueraigne the law accounteth him as condemned alreadie and iudgeth him culpable of death that thought once in times past to haue seazed vpon the life of his prince notwithstanding any repentance that folowed And truly there was a gentleman of Normandie who confessed to a Franciscan frier that he once minded to haue killed king Francis the first but repented him of that euill thought The frier gaue him absolution but yet afterward told the king thereof who sent the gentleman to the parliament of Paris there to be tried where he was by common consent condemned to die and after executed Amongst the Macedonians there was a law that condemned to death fiue of their next kinsfolks that were conuicted of conspiracie against their prince We see then the straight obligation wherby we are bound vnto our princes both by diuine and humane right Wherfore if it so fall out that we are cruelly vexed by a prince voyd of humanitie or els polled and burthened with exactions by one that is couetous or prodigall or despised and ill defended by a carelesse prince yea afflicted for true pietie by a sacrilegious and vnbeleeuing soueraigne or otherwise most vniustly and cruelly intreated first let vs call to mind our offences committed against God which vndoubtedly he correcteth by such scourges Secondly let vs thinke thus with our selues that it belongeth not to vs to remedie such euils being permitted onely to call vpon God for helpe in whose hands are the harts of kings and alterations of kingdoms It is God who as Dauid saith sitteth among the gods that shal iudge them at whose onely looke all those kings and iudges of the earth shall fall and be confounded who haue not kissed his sonne Iesus Christ but haue decreed vniust lawes to oppresse the poore in iudgement and to scatter the lawfull right of the weake that they may praie vpon the widowes and poll the orphans Thus let all people learne that it is their duetie aboue all things to beware of contemning or violating the authoritie of their superiours which ought to be full of maiestie vnto them seeing it is confirmed by God with so many sentences and testimonies yea although it be in the hands of most vnwoorthy persons who by their wickednes make it odious as much as in them lieth and contemptible Moreouer they must learne that they must obey their lawes and ordinances and take nothing in hand that is against the priuiledges and marks of soueraigntie Then shall we be most happy if we consecrate our soules to God only and dedicate our bodies liues and goods to the seruice of our prince The ende of the fourteenth daies worke THE FIFTEENTH DAIES WORKE Of a Monarchie or a Regall power Chap. 57. ASER. WHen we began yesterday to intreat of the sundry kinds of estates and gouernments that haue been in force amongst men and of the excellencie or deformitie of them we reserued to a further consideration the monarchie or kingly power vnder which we liue in France This forme of regiment by the common consent of the woorthiest philosophers and most excellent men hath been always taken for the best happiest and most assured common-wealth of all others as that wherein all the lawes of nature guide vs whether we looke to this little world which hath but one bodie and ouer al the members one only head of which the wil motion and sense depend or whether we take this great world which hath but one soueraigne God whether we cast vp our eyes to heauen we shall see but one sunne or looke but vpon these sociable creatures belowe we see that they cannot abide the rule of many amongst them But I leaue to you my Companions the discourse of this matter AMANA Among all creatures both with and without life we alwais find one that hath the preheminence aboue the rest of his kind Among al reasonable creatures Man among beasts the Lion is taken for chiefe among birds the Eagle among graine wheate among drinks wine among spices baulme among all mettals gold among al the elements the fire By which natural demonstrations we may iudge that the kingly and monarchicall gouernment draweth neerest to nature of all others ARAM. The principalitie of one alone is more conformable and more significant to represent the diuine ineffable principalitie of God who alone ruleth al things than the power of many ouer a politicall body Notwithstanding there hath been many notable men that haue iudged a monarchie not to be the best forme of gouernment that may be among men But it is your duetie ACHITOB to handle vs this matter ACHITOB. This controuersie hath always been very great among those that haue intreated of the formes of policies and gouernments of estates namely whether it be more agreeable to nature and more profitable for mankind to liue vnder the rule of one alone than of many neither side wanting arguments to prooue their opinion Now although it be but a vaine occupation for priuate men who haue no authoritie to ordain publike matters to dispute which is the best estate of policie and a greater point of rashnesse to determine therof simply seeing the chiefest thing consisteth in circumstances yet to content curious mindes and to make them more willing to beare that yoke vnto which both diuine humane nature and equitie hath subiected them I purpose here to waigh
their strongest reasons that haue misliked a monarchy to the end that by contrary concluding arguments which maintaine defend it both they and we may be so much the more stirred vp to range our selues willingly vnder the happy lawful rule of our king considering the agreement participation which it hath with al the good policies that can be named as also the happines certain benefit that commeth to vs as well in respect of this our priuate life as of the cōmon prosperitie of the whole publike body vnto which we owe our selues First we wil note that a monarchie a kingdome or royall power signifie one and the same thing namely one kind of Common-wealth wherein the absolute soueraigntie consisteth in one onely Prince who may not be commanded by any but may command all If there be two Princes of equall power in one estate neither the one nor the other is soueraigne But a man may well say that both togither haue the soueraignty of the Estate which is comprehended vnder this word Oligarchye and is properly called a Duarchy which may continue so long as those two Princes agree otherwise it must needes be that the one will ouerthrow the other Therefore to auoid discord the Emperours diuided the Estate into two parts the one taking himselfe for Emperour of the East the other of the West and yet the edicts and ordinances were published by the common consent of both Princes to serue both their empires But as soone as they fell in debate both the Empires were in deede diuided both for power for lawes and for estate He therefore may be called a Monarch that of himselfe alone hath power to prescribe lawes to all in generall and to euery one in particular And vnder this power are comprehended all the other rights and marks of soueraigntie which the Lawyers call regall rights and handle them seuerally which neuertheles we may comprehend vnder eight soueraigne marks namely to make and to abrogate a lawe to proclaime warre or to make peace to take knowledge in the last appeale of the iudgments of all Magistrates to appoint or to disappoint the greatest officers to charge or to discharge the subiects of taxes and subsidies to grant tollerations and dispensations against the rigour of lawes to inhaunce or to pull downe the title value and constant rate of monie to cause subiects and liege people to sweare that they will be faithfull without exception to him vnto whome the oath is due Now to enter into that matter which we purposed especially to handle namely whether a Monarchie be more profitable than any other forme of estate many haue maintained that it is a dangerous thing to liue vnder the rule of one onely king or prince bicause it is a very hard matter to find one perfect in all points as euery King or Prince must of necessity be if he will deserue that name according to that which Cyrus Monarch of the Persians sayd That it belonged to none to command if he were not better than all those ouer whome he commanded Moreouer although it were possible to finde one of that perfection which is required yet were it a thing alwaies to be greatly feared that by reason of humane frailtie and of the great licence that kings haue to execute their wils he would change both condition and nature and of a King become a Tyrant of which there are infinite examples set downe in histories Yea it is certaine and granted by the greatest part of them that haue written of state matters that euery kind of Common-wealth that is established simply and alone by it selfe quickly degenerateth into the next vice if it be not moderated and held backe by the rest As a kingdome is soone changed into a tyrannie an Aristocraty into an Oligarchy and so of the other But this danger is greater in a Monarchy as they say that mislike it than vnder the rule of many bicause it is vnlikely that all of them should be wicked and if any one be so the good men may bridle him And so they conclude that it is not so dangerous a matter to liue vnder the gouernment of many as of one who may more easily corrupt his nature being a Monarch than many can doe that are elected in an Aristocraty as the Areopagiticall Lordes in Athens the Ephoryes in Lacedemonia and the Senate in Rome After the death of Cambyses Monarch of the Persians when the chiefe Lords of the kingdome had slaine that Magus who vnder the name of Smerdis had vsurped the rule of the Estate they deliberated of the affaires and helde a generall Councell wherein as Herodotus writeth many very woorthie and memorable speeches were vttered Otanes mooued this that the affaires might be gouerned in common by the Persians speaking vnto them in this manner I am not of opinion that one of vs from hence forward should be sole Monarch ouer all bicause it is neither pleasant nor good to haue it so For ye know to what insolencie Cambyses was growne ye haue also throughly seene the boldnes of the Magus and ye may thinke with your selues how perilous a thing it is to haue a Monarchy which may do what it list not being subiect to correction The best man in the world placed in this estate will soone be caried away with his woonted thoughts Insolencie possesseth him bicause of present prosperitie and hatred is soone bred in such a man Now hauing these two vices he aboundeth in all iniquitie and committeth great iniustice one while through insolency another while of hatred Although a Tyrant hauing abundance of all good things should be farre from enuy yet the contrary falleth out in him towards his subiects For he hateth good men that liue and prosper well he delighteth in the wicked and gladly heareth euill reports of other men And which becommeth him very il if you admire and praise him moderately he is angry that you do it not excessiuely yet if you doe so he will mislike it thinking that you flatter him Besides which is woorst of all he changeth the lawes and customs of the countrie forceth women killeth good men not taking knowledge of their cause Thus did this Persian Lord conclude that a Monarchy was to be left a Democraty to be chosen Megabyses one of his companions liked well the abolishing of a Monarchy but perswaded the Oligarchical gouernmēt saying that nothing was more ignorant or more insolent than an vnprofitable multitude Therefore it was in no wise tollerable that eschewing the insolencie of a Tyrant they should fall into the handes of an vnbrideled and disordered people Many others haue noted great dangers and discommodities in a Monarchy especially in the change of the Monarch whether it be from ill to good or from good to better For we commonly see at the changing of Princes new deuices newe lawes newe officers newe friends newe forme of
liuing bicause Princes ordinarilye take delight in changing and in remoouing almost all things that men might speake of them which manye tymes bringeth great discommodities to their subiects But if this were not so and the Prince as wise as hart could wish yet the alliances and leagues made by a mans predecessor end with him which is the cause that the alliances ending the neighbours betake them to armes and the strongest assaulteth the weakest or else prescribeth him lawes For many maintaine that the successours of Princes are not bound to the treaties and obligations of their predecessors if they be not their heires An other inconuenience to be feared in a Monarchie is the danger of falling into ciuill warre through the diuision of those that aspire to the crowne and namely if there be right of election which oftentimes draweth after it the ruine of the estate But put the case there were no strife for the Monarchie yet if the Monarch be a childe there will be diuision for the gouernment of him betweene the moother and the Princes or betwixt the Princes themselues Also when God purposeth to be reuenged vpon nations he threatneth to giue them children for Princes And although the child hath a Tutor by the appointment of the predecessor or by custome yet is there danger of making himselfe soueraigne Lord of which thing histories set downe many examples before our eies If a yoong Prince freed from Tutors come to the crowne his gouernment is no lesse to be feared For being then set at libertie when his lusts are most violent you shall see nothing in his Court but fooleries maskings and loose behauiour If he be warly he will hazard his subiects his estate and his person to make triall of his valure Briefly a craftie and wicked Monarch will establish a tyrannie a cruell man will make a slaughter-house of the Common-wealth a whore-maister will make it a stewes a couetous wretch will pull off both haire and skin from his subiects a prodigall Prince will sucke the blood and marrow to glut a dozen of horse-leaches about his person a foolish and ignorant Prince will do woorse falling easily into the most of these vices for want of iudgement to knowe and to make choice of counsell necessary for the gouernment of his estate These are the chiefe reasons of them that mislike a Monarchie Now we will alleadge the other reasons in the defence of it and begin with Darius his declaration vpon the speeches of his companions rehearsed by vs in the generall Councell of the Persians bicause it is well woorthy to be remembred according vnto which the Monarchie was concluded of in the Councell In my iudgement said he to the assemblie Megabyses said well concerning the multitude but ill in that which belongeth to an Oligarchy For although there be three kinds of Policies a Democraty an Oligarchy and a Monarchy and all good yet I say this last is farre better than the other bicause there is nothing so good as the gouernment of one vertuous man alone who iudging thereafter gouerneth his people without reprehension I will not speake of the councels which he taketh in like manner against his enimies and ill-willers But in an Oligarchy where many busie them selues with publike affaires great enmities arise betweene them from whence proceede seditions and from seditions murders and by murders some one attaineth to a Monarchye Whereby you may easily knowe how much better a Monarchy is As touching the people it is impossible but that where they rule there should be much wickednes which increasing in the euill gouernours of the Common-wealth breedeth not hatred betweene them but great friendship For they that are euill affected towards the Common-wealth hide one anothers counsell vntill some one man being set ouer the people cause them to giue ouer Then is that man admired and therewithall made a Monarch whereby also it is euident that a Monarchy is best Wherefore my aduice is that seeing we haue beene set at libertie by one onely man we should maintaine that Estate otherwise we shall disanull the lawes of our countrie that are already well established which will not turne to the best for vs. Dionysius Halicarnassaeus in his antiquities of Rome affirmeth that the like speech was vsed before Romulus when he first established the gouernment in Rome where Amulius concluded for the Monarchy as Darius did among the Persians The same question was deliberated of by Augustus amongst his friends bicause he desired nothing more than to liue in rest and to giue ouer the Estate but it was then concluded that a Monarchy was best for the Common-wealth and the cuent prooued the same For before the Romans could not liue ten yeeres without ciuill warre or sedition whereas Augustus preserued them almost 50 yeeres in perfect peace which continued also long time after his death Demosthenes in his first Olynthiacke oration sheweth the Athenians what aduantage a Monarch hath in the deliberation and execution of great enterprises speaking in this manner It is greatly auaileable for the speedie and commodious execution of warlike exploits when one man alone hath the ouer-sight of all enterprises both secret and open withall is Captaine Lord Treasurer alwaies present at the affaires But who can deny that it is not a great deale better for great and mighty nations to be gouerned Monarchically to the end that they may maintain themselues in vnity at home abroad in reputation Especially those nations where there are Princes Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons other gentlemen who possesse in the highest lowest midle sort of iustice Villages Boroughs Townes Castles with vassals holding and relying of them by fealtic and homage as namely in France Spaine and other countries wherin the Monarch by absolute power and force when need is holdeth in the greater sort with the lesse staying the insolencie of the one releeuing others from oppression Otherwise if they were diuided into many heads disagreeing among themselues and acknowledging no soueraigne Lord who doubteth but that they would be continually troubled with ciuill warres set vpon by strangers and spoiled of all sides Italy prooueth this sufficiently vnto vs which commanded the greatest part of the world when it was vnited in onâ— but being now diuided into many Potentats and Seignories after vnspeakeable calamities of ciuill wars which it hath suffered a long time it is yet without doubt exposed for a praie to all the neighbours if they were not staied with other warres If we consider the antiquitie of the royal gouernment how it hath been practised of all nations almost either wholy or in part to their great honor felicitie we shall be constrained to prefer it before all others to account all those happy that liue vnder a Monarchy As men liued in old time saith Aristotle vnder Kings so they thought that the gods had a king All nations saith Cicero obeyed
the constitutions of lawes aswell in the gathering of their duties and tributes as in their manner of life They vsed the seruice of Noble mens and of Princes children onely who were of the age of twentie yeeres and were instructed in all sciences The reason whereof was that the king being pricked forward with the sight of thē that were about him might beware how he committed any thing woorthie of reproch And truly there is nothing that corrupteth Princes so much as vitious seruants who seeke to please their sensuall desires and affections When the king arose in the morning he was bound first to take and receiue all the letters and requests that were brought vnto him that answering necessarie matters first all his affaires might be guided by order and reason Then he went to the Temple to offer sacrifice to the gods where the Prelate and chiefe Priest after the sacrifice and praiers were ended rehearsed with a loud voice in the presence of the people what vertues were in the king what reuerence and religion towardes the gods was in him and what clemencie and humanitie towards men Moreouer he told that he was continent iust noble-minded true liberall one that brideled his desires and punished malefactors with a more mild and light punishment than the greatnes of their sinne and offence required rewarding also his subiects with graces gifts that were greater than their deserts This done he exhorted the king to a happie life agreeable to the gods and likewise to good manners by following after honor and vertue and therewithall propounded vnto him certaine examples of the excellent deedes of ancient kings thereby to prouoke him the rather therunto These kings liued with simple meates as with veale birds for all dishes they kept very exactly all the lawes and ordinances of their countrie in euery point of their life which was no lesse directed euen in the least things than the simplest of their subiects And truly so long as the kings of Egypt were such zealous obseruers of their lawes and of iustice raigned peaceably among their subiects they brought many strang nations into their subiection gathered togither infinite riches whereby they adorned their countrie with great buildings and sumptuous works and decked their townes with many gifts and benefits The Barbarian kingdomes were the second kinde of Monarchy namely the ancient Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians whose Princes vsurped Lordlie rule ouer their goods and persons and gouerned their subiects as a father of a familie doth his slaues Which kind of gouernment sauoureth more of a tyrannie than of a kingdome besides it is directly against the law of nature which keepeth euery one in his libertie and in the possession of his owne goods Notwithstanding when by the law of Arms and of iust warre a Prince is made Lord ouer any people they properly belong to him that conquereth and they that are ouercome are made his slaues by the ancient consent of all nations and this maketh the difference betweene the Lord-like Monarchy and a tyrannic which abuseth free subiects as slaues Of this second kinde of Monarchy was the kingdome of Persia as Plato writeth vnder Cambyses Xerxes and other kings vntill the last Darius For vsurping more absolute authoritie to rule than was conuenient they began to contemne their Vassals and to account of them as of slaues and putting no more confidence in them they intertained into their seruice mercenarie souldiors and strangers whereby they made their owne subiects vnfit for warre and so in the end lost their estate when it seemed to haue attained to the top of worldlie prosperitie Such is the estate of the Turke at this day wherein he is sole Lord commanding ouer his subiects in rigorous manner aswell ouer the Musulmans as Christians and Iewes He vseth in his principall affaires which concerne peace and warre and matters of gouernment the seruice of runnagate slaues whom he placeth in authoritie changeth or deposeth as he thinks good without peril and enuie yea he strangleth them vpon the least suspition or dislike conceiued of them not sparing his owne children and others of his blood if they anger him So did Sultan Solyman deale with Hibrahim Bascha who was almost of equall authoritie with him insomuch that he was there called the Seignour king of the Ianitzaries the Bascha and king of the men of Armes Neuertheles in one night wherin he made him stay sup with him lie in his owne chamber he caused him to be slaine and his bodie to be cast into the sea The morrow after he seazed vpon his goods as confiscate and caried them away and yet no man euer knewe the cause of his death except it were this that he was growne too great and consequently suspected of his maister who was a Tyrant rather than a King Likewise he keepeth in his hands all the Lordships of his kingdome which he distributeth to men of warre who are charged to maintaine a certaine number of men of Armes and of horses according to the rate of their reuenew and when it pleaseth him he taketh them away againe Neither is there any man in all the countries vnder his obedience that possesseth Townes Castles and Villages or dwelleth in strong houses or that dare build higher than one storie or than a Dooue-house The great Knes or Duke of Moscouia exceedeth for seueritie and rigour of commanding all the Monarchs in the world hauing obtained such authoritie ouer his subiects both Ecclesiasticall and secular that he may dispose of their goods and liues at his pleasure so that none dare gainesay him in any thing They confesse publikely that the will of their prince is the will of God and that whatsoeuer he doth is done by the will of God The king of Ethiopia is also a Lordlike Monarch hauing as Paulus Iouius affirmeth 50. kings no lesse subiect vnto him than slaues And Frauncis Aluarez writeth that he hath seene the great Chancellour of that countrie scourged starke naked with other Lords as the very slaues of the prince wherein they thinke themselues greatly honoured The Emperour Charles the fift hauing brought vnder his obedience the kingdome of Peru made himselfe soueraigne Lord thereof in regard of goods which the subiects haue not but as they farme them or for terme of life at the most The third kind of Monarchy whereof the Ancients made mention was that of Lacedemonia wherein the king had not absolute power but in time of warre out of the countrie and a certaine preheminence ouer the sacrifices We made mention of their gouernment before The first kings in Rome were sacrificers also and afterward the emperors called themselues Pontifices that is chiefe bishops and those of Constantinople were consecrated as our kings of Frāce are In like maner the Caliphaes of the Sarasins were kings and chiefe bishops in their religion the
according to his will that he may enioy prosperitie in this world and eternall felicitie in the blessed life to come Let him be taught to loue vertue as the only good and to hate vice as the onely euil let him know that the one is folowed no lesse with shame and dishonor than the other with glory and honor especially in a prince in whom if vertue take place as it were in a high watch-tower it shineth so cleerely that the brightnes thereof remaineth long after his death As for all worldly pompe antiquitie of petigree images and riches they are but meere vanitie and folly not woorthie to be cared for or to be admired by a vertuous prince Let him be perswaded that dignitie greatnes and maiestie are not to be sought after by the helpe of fortune or by humane means but by wisdome integritie of life maners and by vertuous and noble deeds Plato saith not without cause that a Common-wealth will neuer be happie vntill princes play the Philosophers or Philosophers take the rudder of the Empire in hand Now his meaning is not to cal him a Philosopher that is learned in Logike in naturall Philosophie and in the Mathematicks but him who with an vntamed hart despiseth the vaine shadowes of things and followeth after true goods A philosopher and a Christian differ but in name and a prince wel instructed in piety is truly both the one and the other Therefore he ought to learne nothing sooner next to the law of God than the morall philosophie of the auncients which teacheth all vertue Is there any thing more foolish than to esteeme highly of a prince if he vaute well if he play well at tennise if he be stoute and strong briefly if he be cunning in some things which peraduenture a peasant would doe better than he and in the meane while he is puffed vp with pride he polleth his people and sporteth himselfe in all kind of dissolutenesse and pleasure What honor is it for a prince to go farre beyond the common sort in precious stones gold purple traine of seruants and in other ornaments of the body and in euery thing that is falsly called good and in the meane while to be farre inferior in the true goods of the soule to many of his people and those of lowest calling These opinions as holy and inuiolable lawes must bee ingrauen in the hart of a young prince and must bee as it were the first lines that are to be drawen in the voide table of his soule namely that he must striue that none excell him in the goods of the soule in wisdome magnanimitie temperance and iustice Frugalitie modestie and sobrietie in other men may be attributed either to pouertie or to niggardlines but in a prince they cannot but be a note of tēperance I meane when he vseth goods modestly who hath as much as he will Ancient men called that prudence miserable which was gottē by the experience of things bicause it is bought with publike losse calamity But such kind of experience ought to be farthest off from a Prince bicause the longer it is a learning the greater cause is it of many euils vnto al his people If Scipio Africanus had reason to say that this speech I had not thought it did not beseem a wise man how much more vnseemely is it for a Prince who cannot vtter the same without his great harme and greater to the Common-wealth For as in a voiage the fault of a common Mariner saide Agapetus doth but little hurte whereas the slip of a Pilot bringeth shipwracke so in monarchies the offence of a priuate man is more hurtfull to himselfe than to the Common-wealth but if the prince begin to faile he hurteth euery one This is the cause why the mind of a prince must especially be instructed with good resolutions sentences to the end he may be skilfull by reason and not by vse For then the counsel of aged men will supply that experience of things which is wanting in him He must be giuen to vnderstand that his life is in the face of all the world that he can do nothing that will be hid and therfore if he be good it must needs turne to the great benefit of many if wicked to their hurt likewise bicause the prince is always the very portrature after which subiects conforme themselues He must know that the greater honour is giuen vnto him the more he is to striue that he may be woorthie of it looking more to his owne doyngs and actions than to the prayses that men giue him which he must beleeue and receiue according as he behaueth himselfe For if hee rule well they are due vnto him if ill he is honoured and praised either through constraint or of flatterie or els it is to shew him vnder hand what he ought to bee Let him know that as God hath placed the Sunne and the Moone in the heauens for a resemblaunce of his diuinitie so a prince is the like representation and light in a kingdome as long as he hath the feare of GOD and the obseruation of iustice imprinted in him For these two things make their life diuine and celestiall that are placed in high degree of power and authoritie as contrarywise the contempt of pietie and iustice maketh it beast-like and sauage As God the giuer of all things standeth not in neede of any mans seruice to receiue a good turne of him so it is the dutie of a worthie prince who representeth the figure of the eternall king to profite euery one with-out respect of his owne commoditie and glory As God is not touched with any affections or passions but ruleth and gouerneth all thinges perfectly by his prouidence so after his example a prince laying aside the perturbations of his soule must follow reason onely in all his dooings As there is nothing more common than the sunne which imparteth of hir light to all the celestiall bodies so a Prince must be alwaies readye to profite the Common-wealth and haue within him the light of wisedome to the end that if others loose their brightnes yet he may neuer be ouertaken with darknes As the Sunne when it is highest in the Zodiacke mooueth slowest so the higher that a Prince is lift vp in greatnes and authoritie the more gentle and gratious he ought to be keeping himselfe from dooing any thing that beseemeth not a Prince Therefore let him thinke that nothing is more vile and abiect than for him that is called a king and Prince of free men to become a slaue to riot choler couetousnes ambition other vices of like qualitie which are most vile and cruell maisters He must be so affected towards his subiects as a good father of a familie is towards those of his houshold bicause a kingdome is nothing els but a great familie and a king the father of a great many For although he passe them in greatnes and
the Prince his hart all good order of his Estate dependeth and that his pietie is of great force to awaken his subiects in their dutie namely when they see him followe and cleaue to true religion without faining and dissimulation Therefore he must carefully prouide that false doctrines heresies blasphemies agaynst the name of GOD and his truth with other offences in matters of religion be not openly broached sowne amongst the people but that some publike forme of Christian religion may alwaies be seene in his kingdome which is the sure foundation of euery well established Monarchy But heerein that which I said before is diligently to be noted namely that the Prince through wisedome craued before at the hands of God must be well assured of his diuine iust and eternall will and according to that take order that true pietie may not be publikely violated and polluted by an vncorrected libertie Next we will briefly comprehend all those points which ancient men both Philosophers and Christians haue required in an absolute and perfect Prince in three principall duties and actions that is in ruling iudging and in defending He must rule by good lawes and by good example iudge by wisedome prouidence and iustice and defend by prowes care and vigilancie These duties that excellent greek Orator and Philosopher Isocrates seemeth to haue couertly contained in these words which he wrote to Nicocles the Prince This may prooue vnto thee that thou hast raigned well if thou seēst that the people which is subiect vnto thee encrease in modestie and wealth vnder thy gouernment For good lawes iustice and good example of life make subiects better and prudence ioined with fortitude and prowes richer Now that a good Prince I call him good and iust that imploieth all his power to be such a one being ready to spend his bloud and life for his people may attaine to these excellent qualities his loue and affection towards his subiects is very necessarie as that which is able to preserue the indissoluble bond of mutuall good will betweene them him which is one of the surest meanes to maintaine great Estates and Monarchies Next he is to begin the good ordering of his Estate at himselfe and reforme first of all all disorder in his owne life and maners correct those things that are most secrete in his court knowing that from thence forward he must liue as it were in an open Theater where he is seene on euery side so that his life will be a discipline and instruction of good or ill liuing vnto others Therefore let him striue to excell those whom he ruleth to surmount them as far in vertues as he surpasseth them in riches honor Amongst al those that followe him he must alwaies haue the wisest next his person cal others from al parts neere vnto him not refusing or contemning any man of skill reputation He must often heare them learne of them being a Iudge amongst such as are lesse skilfull striue to go beyōd the best learned through diligence and studye By which kind of exercises he shal knowe how to gouerne the estate of his kingdom vprightly cannot but do such things as are praise-woorthy And forasmuch as common tranquillity publike quietnes is one principal end of ciuil societie the first duty of a good king towards his subiects is to maintaine them in peace concord For it is vnpossible that a Common-wealth should flourish in religion iustice charitie integrity of life briefly in all things necessary for the preseruation therof if the subiects enjoy not an exceeding great assured peace Let the Prince then without intermission seeke after the safest meanes to keepe his kingdome in quietnes rest let him deliuer his subiects from calamitie let him be careful of al things which may be profitable commodious vnto them let him command them with mildnes teach them obedience by the vprightnes of his commandements Let him not suffer his people to be ouer insolent nor yet to be troden vnder foote and oppressed but let him take order that such as are most honest may be preferred to honors offices that the rest may not any way be wronged He must alter those ciuill lawes and customs of liuing which being ill established are preiudiciall to his subiects and ordaine all iust and profitable lawes agreeing with themselues and such as breeding but fewe suites among his people may briefly iudge and decide them according to right and equitie In this point a good Prince must vse great care and diligence that iustice may be well administred to the preseruation of euery mans right and to the punishment of the wicked This is that which the spirite of God so often commandeth namely to execute iudgement and righteousnes to deliuer the oppressed from the hands of the oppressor not to vexe the stranger the fatherles nor the widow to doe no violence nor shed innocent blood And these selfe same things must he cause to be obserued by them that are appointed to exercise iustice in his name Which bicause it was neglected by many kings they lost both life and kingdome as we read of Phillip king of Macedonia a very mild Prince and of an excellent nature who was neuertheles slaine by Pausanias bicause he delaied a long time to let him haue right and iustice concerning an iniurie which an other had offered him Demetrius also lost his kingdome bicause he could not abide to heare his subiects but especially for this matter One day when many supplications were presented vnto him he put them into the plaites of his cloake and passing ouer a bridge he threwe them all into the water and would not once vouchsafe to read them whereupon the people being filled with indignation rebelled against him On the other side a good Prince ought freely and at all howers of the day to heare the complaints of his subiects and to prouide thereafter as one that is truly zealous of iustice clemencie and goodnes which are rather diuine than humane qualities and most proper to him that will conforme himselfe asmuch as may be as it becommeth him to that heauenlye vertue which is alwaies iust and mercifull and as Plutarke saith ruleth all things without compulsion mollifieng the necessitie of obeying by admonition and perswasion of reason Nothing is more conuenient for a Soueraigne than gentlenes for a Prince than clemencie for a King than mercie and yet seueritie and rigour of iustice are no lesse necessarie ornaments for the discharge of his dutie and the good of his subiects Therfore in that which concerneth diuine and naturall right the punishment established for the transgression therof he must alwaies vse iustice and beware least his facilitie in granting fauor dispensations make him a promoter of euill which as Seneca saith if he leaue vnpunished is transferred vnto his posteritie But
when the Prince onely is offended through some light contempt or excusable breach of his Edicts it cannot but be commendable in him to vse pardon pitie These are those strong and mighty chaines which as Dion said to Dionysius the king of Syracusa will preserue his kingdom in a happy flourishing and peaceable estate I meane goodnes and iustice For force feare the multitude of his gard assure not the estate of a Prince so well as the good wil affection fauour and loue of his subiects which he may obtaine by goodnes and iustice They onely said Marcus Aurelius instructing his sonne are to hold a kingdom long time without danger who by good behauiour and iust dealing imprint in the harts of their subiects not a feare of their power but a mutuall loue of their vertue For those subiects are to bee suspected that serue through constraint and extremitie not they that obey being mooued with reason and gentlenes These holie precepts were so well put in practice by this good Emperour Marcus Aurelius that all his subiects had very easie accesse vnto him insomuch that albeit he were a great Monarch yet he neuer had any gard no not so much as a Porter to his Pallace Likewise king Numa put from him those three hundred Archers which Romulus vsed to haue for his gard saying that he would not distrust that people which put their trust in him nor command ouer that people that distrusted him To this purpose when Plato sawe the aboue-named Dionysius compassed about with many souldiours of his Gard he sayd vnto him What Hast thou committed so many euils that thou standest in neede of such a Gard of armed fellowes Nowe it is most certaine that the obedience of the subiect springeth and proceedeth from the loue of his Lord as also that the loue of the Lord increaseth through the obedience of the subiect But bicause the wickednes of men is so great at this day that they which striue to be very gratious are contemned and despised it is very necessary that the Prince should shew foorth a certaine kind of grauitie and seueritie and according to the times places persons and occasions that are offred cause his power and the maiestie of his commandements to be perceiued being alwaies the stronger bicause in matter of Estate a man may holde this for an vndoubted principle that he is maister of the estate who is maister of the forces Thus the gentlenes of the Prince accompanied with seueritie his bountie mingled with rigor and his facilitie with austeritie will be the meanes that his vertue shall attaine to a harmonical iustice which distributeth vprightly that which appertaineth to euery one reward to whome reward punishment to whome punishment belongeth From these duties offices of a good Prince towards his subiects already mentioned proceedeth the fatherly care which he hath of their prosperitie in the preseruation encrease of their cōmodities riches so far off is he from all headlong desire to inuade spoile them He considereth wisely that although he hath authoritie power ouer the goods of his subiects yet not in such sort as he hath ouer his owne demaine or as if the proprietie therof belonged to him but only to this end to demand aide succor for the good profit of the Common-wealth Homer bringing in Achilles offring great iniuries to Agamemnon against whome he was sore incensed saith that he called him Deuourer of the people and contrariwise when he would in other places praise the king he termeth him Sheepheard of the people And truly they are vnworthy of the title of Prince that lending their eares to such as inuent new subsidies impose them daily on their subiects hauing against all humanitie spoiled them of their goods riches consume them miserably vpon pleasures or cruelly in warre when they might aswel suffer their poore subiects to liue in peace When Marcus Antonius was in Asia he doubled the taxe and laid a second charge vpon them that he might haue wherewith to furnish his immoderate expences The Estates of the Countrie sent Hebreas to shewe him howe the case stoode with them who vsing a maruellous freedome of speech spake vnto him in this manner If thou wilt haue power to laye vppon vs two taxes in one yeere thou must also haue power to giue vs two Summers and two Autumns two Haruests and two Vintages Further he added this Asia hath paied thee 200000. Talents that was six score millions of gold if all this summe came not into thy cofers call them to account that haue receiued it But if thou hast receiued it and yet hast nothing left we are cast away and vndone These words ought to be well noted of a prudent Prince that he may throughly consider with himselfe and keepe a register of all that is leauied of the poore people in his name least some few about him fat themselues with the oppression and ouerthrow of many as it commonly falleth out and let him be so carefull of the blood and substance of that bodie wherof he is head that he profit all the members equally Ezechiel crieth out against such Princes as deuoure the substaunce of their Vassals by loanes and taxes Apollonius saith that the gold which is taken from subiects by tyrannie is more vile than iron bicause it is wet with the teares of their poore subiects Artaxerxes said that it was a great deale more seemelier for the Maiestie of a king to giue than to take by polling and to cloath than to vncloath the one belonging to theeues and not to Princes and Kings vnles they will falsifie staine their name King Darius sent for all the gouernors of the Prouinces vnder his subiection and enquired of them among other things whether the taxes and tributes were not too excessiue whereunto when they made answere that they thought them moderate he presently commanded that they should raise but the one halfe thereof esteeming the loue of his subiects a richer treasure than all the heapes of gold which he might haue gathered We may not heere forget to propound to kings the example of that good king S. Lewes the ninth of that name who was the first that raised a taxe in his kingdom but it was onely by way of a necessarie subside during the warre not vsing it as an ordinarie receite Directing his speech to Philip his eldest sonne and successor he vttered these words in his Testament which is yet to be found in the treasorie of France and is registred in the Chamber of accounts Be deuout in the seruice of God haue a pitifull and charitable hart towards the poore and comfort them with thy good decdes Obserue the good lawes of thy kingdom take no taxes nor beneuolences of thy subiects vnles vrgent necessitie euident commoditie force thee vnto it and then vpon a iust cause and not vsually if thou doest
otherwise thou shalt not be accounted a king but a tyrant c. I leaue the rest of the clauses in his Testament Moreouer liberalitie wel vsed as we haue els-where handled the same is a very comely ornament for a Prince Socrates said that it was the dutie of a good king to be beneficiall to his friends and of his enemies to make good friends to which purpose nothing will helpe him more than liberalitie Neither must he be only liberal but magnifical also and sumptuous prouided alwaies that of magnifical he become not prodigal which would soone make him an exactor and in the end a tyrant But a soueraigne Prince must especially haue an eie to this that the rewards of vertue due to woorthy men be preferred before all his gifts and good turnes and that he recompence such as haue deserued any thing before he giue to them that haue deserued nothing For an vngratefull Prince will hardly retaine an honourable and vertuous man any long time in his seruice Neither is the estimation of a reward and of a good-turne all one bicause a reward is giuen for desert and a benefite by grace Besides a Prince must be alwaies true and as good as his promise that men may giue greater credite to his bare word than to another mans oath For it ought to bee as an Oracle which looseth his dignitie when men haue conceiued such an euill opinion of him that he may not be beleeued vnles he sweare And if he pawne his faith at any time he must account it sacred and inuiolable bicause faith is the foundation and staie of iustice vpon which the estate of great men is grounded as we discoursed else-where That saying of Theopompus King of Sparta is also to be well noted by the Prince When a friende of his asked him how a king might keepe his kingdome in safetie he answered By granting libertie to his friends freely to tell him the truth He must take their aduice in doubfull matters that he may gouern his estate more assuredly waighing and iudging of their opinions with great prudence Neither must he thinke them his best seruants that praise all his sayings and dooings but those that with modestie reprooue his faults he must discerne wisely betweene them that cunningly flatter him and those that loue and serue him faithfully that wicked men may not be in greater credite with him than good men For this cause also he must carefully enquire after his houshold seruants and familiar friends that he may knowe them well bicause all other men will take him to be such a one as they are with whome he conuerseth ordinarily Osiris King of Egypt had for his Armes a Scepter with an eye in the toppe of it noting thereby the wisedome that ought to be in a king namely that it belongeth not to one that wandereth out of his way to direct others that seeth not to guide that knoweth nothing to teach and that will not obeye reason to command Likewise in all his actions he must vse reason as a heauenlie guide hauing chased away the perturbations of his soule and esteeme it a greater and more royall matter to command himselfe than others He must thinke that it is the true and proper office of a king not to submit him-selfe to his pleasures but to containe his owne affections rather than his subiects Further he must vse to take pleasure in those exercises which may procure him honour and cause him to appeere better to the worlde He must not seeke for reputation in vile things which men of base estate and naughtie behauior commonly practise but follow after vertue onely wherein wicked persons haue no part Let him remember alwaies that he is a King and therefore that he must striue to doe nothing vnwoorthie so high a dignitie but continue his memorie by valiant and noble acts This is that wherein one of the wise Interpreters knew wel how to instruct K. Ptolemy who demanded of him how he might behaue himselfe that neither idlenes nor pleasures might distract him It is said he in thine owne power as long as thou commandest ouer a great kingdome and hast so many great affaires to manage continually which will not suffer thee to distract thy mind vpon other matters If priuate men borne to vertue are willing many times to die that they may purchase honour much more ought kinges to doe those thinges which will procure them honour feare and estimation euery where during their life also through their brightnes shine a great while after their death Moreouer a prince must be warlike and skilfull in warfare prouiding carefully all things necessarie for warre and yet he must loue peace and vsurpe nothing that belongeth to another man contrary to right nor enter into warre but to repell violence in extreame necessitie Aboue all things he must feare ciuill dissentions as most pernitious to his Estate and take aduice prudently concerning the meanes wherby all occasions of their entrance may be taken from his people Heerein learning will helpe him well and the knowledge of histories which set before his eies the aduentures that haue befallen both small and great and cal to his remembrance the times past whereby he may better prouide for the time to come Vnto which if he adde the counsell of wise men as we haue already touched he shall knowe more perfectly whatsoeuer concerneth the good of his estate But aboue all he must knowe howe to make choice of men and not thinke them wise that dispute curiously of small things but those that speake very aptly of great matters Neither let him account those men best and worthiest of credite that haue gotten most authoritie but trie and indge them by their profitable works namely if he see that they giue him wise and free counsell according as occasions concurre and affaires require and then let him alwaies with speed execute those things which by their counsell he findeth good and necessary For the conclusion therefore of our present discourse we will comprehend the office and dutie of a good Prince in fewe words namely if he serue God in sinceritie and puritie of hart if he inquire diligently after the truth of his word and cause his subiects to liue thereafter if he prouide for their profit redresse their miseries and ease them of oppression exaction and polling If he be pliable to heare the requests complaints of the lest indifferent and moderate in answering them ready to distribute right to euery one by propounding reward for vertue and punishment for vice If he be prudent in his enterprises bold in his exploits modest in prosperitie cōstant in aduersitie stedfast in word wise in counsail briefly if he gouerne in such sort and raigne so well that all his subiects may haue what to imitate and straungers to commend The ende of the fifteenth daies worke THE SIXTEENTH DAIES WORKE Of a Councell and
children of Fraunce or to prouide for the gouernement of the kingdome or for other matters The kinges sate amongst them and were Presidentes except at one assemblie wherein was debated the noblest cause that euer was namelie to whome the kingdome of Fraunce belonged after the death of Charles the faire whether to his cosin Phillip de Valois or to Edward king of England his brother in lawe King Phillip was not President not beyng at that time king and besides a partie No doubt but the people receiue great benefit by this assemblie of estates For this good commeth vnto them that they may drawe neere to the kings person to make their complaints vnto him to present him their requests and to obtaine remedie and necessary prouision for redresse Whereby we may easily iudge that many who haue written of the duetie of magistrates and such like treatises are greatly deceiued in maintaining this That the estates of the people are aboue the prince which laieth open a gappe to the rebellions of subiects against their soueraign so that this opinion can haue no reason or good ground to leane vpon For if this were true the commō-wealth would not be a kingdom or monarchy but a pure Aristocratie as we haue declared heretofore Yea what shew of reason is there to maintaine this error seeing euery one in particular al in general bowe their knees before the king vse humbly requests supplications which his maiestie receiueth or reiecteth as it seemeth best vnto him But in this case we except a king that is captiue beside himself or in his infancie For that which is thē decreed by the estates is authorized as from the soueraign power of the prince Moreouer we may see what great good commeth to the king by the assemblie of his estates in the first speech which master Michael de l' Hospital Chauncellor of France made at the last assemblie of estates at Orleans Where he confuteth at large their opinion that say that the king after a sort diminisheth his power by taking aduise and counsell of his subiects seeing he is not bound so to doe as also that he maketh himselfe too familiar with them which breedeth contempt and abaseth his roiall dignitie But we may aunswere them as Theopompus king of Sparta did his wife who obiected this vnto him by way of reproch that by bringing in the Ephories and minglyng their gouernement with his he would leaue his authoritie and power lesse to his children than hee receiued it from his predecessours Nay said this Prince vnto hir I will leaue it greater bicause it shall be more assured The Emperour Aurelius sayd as much to his mother bicause hee freely heard euery one Besides as we see that in any great perill of sea or fire kindled to the daunger of publike profite no mans seruice or succour is reiected how base soeuer his calling is so it cannot but be profitable for the Estate when it is threatned with ruine and the affaires therof are of greatest importance to receiue the counsell of all that haue interest therein laying the opinions in the balance rather than the persons from whom they come And hereby the soueraigne maiestie and prudence of a Prince is knowen when he hath both power and skill to waigh and to iudge of their aduice that giue him counsel and to conclude with the soundest not the greatest side But to go forward with that which remaineth let so many as haue this honour to be ordinarie counsellors to Princes remember the saying of Solon the wise That they are not called thither to please and to speake to their liking but to vtter the truth and to giue them good counsell for common safetie that they must bring with them for an assured and certaine foundation of their conference about state-affaires a good intent mooued with reason and iudgement to profite him not with passions or desires of vain-glory of couetousnesse of emulation of any other imperfection that leadeth them to their priuate profite that they must at the entrie of the councell chamber vnclothe themselues of fauour towardes some of hatred towardes others and of ambition in themselues and aime at no other marke than at the honour of God and safetie of the Common-wealth To this ende they must necessarilie be furnished with wisedome iustice and loyaltie As for skill and knowledge although it be requisite in counsellors of estate namely the knowledge of the lawes of histories and of the estate of Common-wealths yet sound iudgement integritie and prudence are much more necessarie Aboue all things they must hold nothing of other Princes and Seignories that may binde them to their seruice And yet now a dayes to receiue a pension of them is so common a matter but very pernitious in any estate that it is growen to a custome Agesilaus would not so much as receiue a letter which the king of Persia wrote vnto him but sayd to his messenger that if the king were friend to the Lacedemonians he need not write particularly to him bicause he would also remaine his friend but if he were their enimie neyther letter nor any thing else should make him for his part otherwise affected To bee short let counsellors of estate learne of Plutarch that it is necessarie for them to be free from all passions and affections bicause in giuing of counsell the mind hath most force towards that wherunto the will is most enclined As for feare danger or threatnings they must neuer stay them from doyng their duetie but let them constantly propound and maintaine that which they iudge to be good and profitable for the Common-wealth We read that the Thasiens making warre with great vehemencie against the Athenians published a decree that whosoeuer counselled or spake at any time of concluding a peace between them should die the death Within a while after one of the citizens considering what great hurt his countrey receiued by that warre came one day into the assembly of the people with a halter about his necke and cried with a loud voyce that he was come thither to deliuer the Common-wealth by his death that they should put him to death when they would and that for his part he gaue them counsell to abrogate that law and to make peace which was done and he pardoned Considius a Romane Senatour would neuer be from the Senate no not when Caesar ruled all by violence and did what pleased him and when none of the other Senatours came any more through feare of his force And when Caesar asked him how he durst be there alone to stand against him bicause quoth he my age taketh all feare from me For hauing from hence forward such a short time to liue in I am not greatly carefull to saue my life If kings did correct all those that giue them ill counsell as Solyman did one of his Bassaes who was his kinsman they would not so readily
they are to the great preiudice of the whole Common-wealth We are therefore to wish that all valuing and sale of offices especially of iudgement and iustice may be abolished and disanulled that all meanes of fauor and ambition may be taken away that the ancient and happie ordinances of our kings may be restored especially that decree of S. Lewes the king whereby he enacted that all publike offices should be bestowed vpon the election of three persons chosen by the Officers and Citizens of those places to one of which so elected the king was to giue freely without monie the office then void This holie ordinance hath since that time beene often renued by king Phillip the Faire Charles the Wise Charles the 7. Lewes the 11. and Charles the ninth that dead is when his Estates were held at Orleans So that if the King and his Councell would aduisedly consider of these things in the establishing of Iudges and Magistrates in his kingdome and would strengthen them in the execution of their iudgements the obedience of his subiects would be greater and the foundation of all good order and policie more sure Of Seditions Chap. 63. ARAM. AS it is necessarie that all things which haue a beginning should end which encrease should diminish and waxe olde some sooner others later according to the disposition of that matter whereof they are compounded and through the influence of the heauenlie bodies from which nature woorking in them by hir author this continuall and mutuall succession of generation and corruption proceedeth so are publike estates first instituted encreased maintained lessened changed destroied turned returned one frō another by the disposition of God Those that are best grounded in religion and iustice haue their power most assured and are of longest continuance but none are perpetuall although their policie and manner of gouernment be neuer so good For we see them al corrupt in processe of time and in the end perish through their own vices that follow and accompanie them being first mooued and stirred vp by nothing so much as by sedition and ciuill warre This bringeth to light all euill that lurketh in those members of the politike body that are most pernitious vntill the infection be wholy spread and hath taken hold of the noblest parts thereof whereby it is brought to extreame miserie without hope of remedie Nowe although euery one of vs haue sufficient feeling heereof in himselfe by his owne harme yet we may know it better by taking occasion vpon this subiect to discourse of the nature of seditions of their common effects that we may haue them in greater detestation and bring euery one of vs his hart and mind to helpe this Estate if there remaine neuer so little shewe or meanes whereby the subuersion thereof may yet be kept backe But I leaue the discourse of this matter to you my Companions ACHITOB. All sedition is euill and pernitious although it seemeth to haue a good and honest cause For it were better for him that is author of sedition to suffer any losse or iniurie than to be the occasion of so great an euill as to raise ciuill warre in his countrie ASER. Nature saith Empedocles vseth no other meanes to destroy and to ouerthrow hir creatures than discord and disiunction and sedition as Thucydides saith comprehendeth in it all kind of euils Let vs then heare AMANA who will prooue this sufficiently vnto vs. AMANA If we consider how God minding to punish Adam for his ingratitude and disobedience made his owne members rebell against the spirite vnto which they obeied before whereby he became captiue vnder the lawe of sinne no doubt but we may say that after the same manner he chastiseth Kings Princes and Heads of Common-wealths that haue no care to obey his commandements and to cause others to keepe them by the rebellion of their owne subiects not without great danger of depriuation from all authoritie by them and of receiuing the law at their hands to whome they should giue it as it hath beene seene practised in many Estates and gouernments Religion and the loue of God bringeth with it all vnion and concord preserueth Kingdomes and Monarchies in their integritie and is the nursing mother of peace and amitie amongst them But the contempt of religion bringeth discord and confusion ouerturneth all order treadeth vertue vnder foote giueth authority to vice and soweth quarrels and dissentions amongst men from whence seditions and priuate murders proceed and in the end ciuill and open wars which are as flaming fires to take hold of and to consume most flourishing Estates For without doubt if men had in them the true loue and feare of God which cannot be without the loue of our neighbour no such effects would euer proceed from their works and actions Politicks haue labored infinite waies to maintaine the people in peace and to cause ciuill iustice to flourish They haue made many Lawes and Edicts many Statutes appointed many punishments to bridle the boldnes of seditious fellowes to represse extorsions wrongs and murders but bicause they built without a foundation that is without the feare of God all their labour taken therein was fruitles It is the feare of God onely that causeth swords to be broken and turned into mattocks and speares into siethes as Isaias and Micah speake that is to say which breedeth humanitie and gentlenes mollifieth mens harts and causeth them to suffer much to auoide strife and debate in a word which is able to vnite in one with vs most strange and barbarous nations Besides it is the profession of godlines to suffer and not to offer violence neither can it bring foorth euill effects contrarie to their cause This deserueth to be handled at large but our present subiect leadeth vs to discourse of the nature of seditions and to set before our eies the euils that proceede thereof both by reasons and examples referring the consideration of their causes vnto some other time heereafter Sedition then being taken generally is nothing else but ciuill warre so hurtfull to all Estates and Monarchies that it is the seede of all kinde of euils in them euen of those that are most execrable It engendreth and nourisheth want of reuerence towards God disobedience to Magistrates corruption of manners change of lawes contempt of iustice and base estimation of learning and sciences It causeth horrible reuenging forgetfulnes of consanguinitie parentage friendship extorsions violence robberies wasting of countries sacking of townes burning of buildings confiscations flights banishments cruell proscriptions sauage murders alterations and ouerthrowes of Policies with other infinite excesses and intollerable miseries pitifull to behold and sorrowfull to rehearse Sedition armeth the father against the son the brother against the brother kinsman against kinsman men of the same nation prouince and citie one against another Heerupon the fields which before were fertile are left vntilled sumptuous and rich houses
in the end the earle of Richmond ouercame king Richard enioyed the kingdom quietly and was called Henry the seuenth hauing married Elizabeth daughter to Edward the fourth both of them beyng the sole heires of the families of Lancaster and Yorke By means of this mariage the dissention ceased in England and the red and white Roses were ioyned togither in one armes There was no Countrey more afflicted than Spayne both by ciuill warres and by Neighbour-states when it was diuided into many kingdomes The Moores ouer-ranne it on the one side the French and Englishmen deuoured it on the other taking part at the first with the dissentions that were in Castile between Don Peter and Don Henry next with the contentions that arose betwixt Castile and Portingale which caused much euil to both the kingdomes But since that Spaine hath been vnited it hath extended hir dominion into Afrike and into the New found Ilands borne armes in Germany and in Hungary commanded ouer the chief Ilands of the Mediterranean sea ouer Naples and Sicilia ouer Millan and Flanders Contrarywise Italy hauing in former times hir forces knit togither obtained the Empire of the world but being now diuided into many Seignories and Potentates that agree badly togither and hauing suffred all the calamities in the world by ciuil warres lieth open to the iniuries of strangers Through the same cause the power of Germany is greatly diminished wherin not long since the princes of Saxonie were banded one agaynst an other Iohn Fredericke Phillip Lantgraue of Hesse the Duke of Wittemburg with many free cities rebelled against the Emperour the peasauntes rose against the Nobilitie to set themselues at libertie the Anabaptists possessed Munster made a botcher their king and held out the siege for the space of two yeeres Hungaria which had valiauntly resisted the Turkes almost two hundreth yeeres togither was at length subdued by them through the diuisions that were in the countrey as Polonia is greatly threatned by the Moscouite In Persia after the death of king lacob his two sonnes stroue for the gouernement of the countrey but the Sophie Ismael commyng in the meane tyme vpon them with his new religion slew one of them in battell and compelled the other to flie into Arabia and so possessed the kingdome which he left to his children Phillip the eleuenth Duke of Burgundie easilie subdued Dinan and Bouines in the countrey of Liege which were separated onely by a riuer after they had ouerthrowen themselues by their dissentions whereas before he could not obtaine his purpose And whilest the kings of Marrocke warred one with another for the estate the Gouernour of Thunis and of Telensin made himselfe king renting a sunder his two prouinces from the rest to erect a kingdome Concernyng Frenchmen they haue beene often and many times molested with seditions and ciuill warres as well as others The nobilitie of Fraunce was almost all slayne at the battell of Fountenay neere to Auxerre by the ciuill warres betweene Lotharius Lewes and Charles the balde And Champagnie lost so many of the nobilitie in warre that the Gentlewomen had this speciall priuiledge graunted them to make their husbandes noble When king Iohn was prisoner in England Charles his sonne Regent of Fraunce beyng at Paris to gather money for his raunsome there fell such a diuision betweene the king of Nauarre who tooke part with the Parisians and the Regent that the people vnder the guiding of Marcel Prouost of the merchauntes ranne to Charles his lodgyng where the Marshalles of Cleremount and Champagnie were slayne euen in his chaumber and presence and their bodies drawen ouer the marble stones The like was done to Reignold Dacy the kings Attorney besides many other murders so that the Regent had much ado to saue himselfe without Paris But the forest factions that euer were in Fraunce were those of Burgundie and of Orleans which caused a most grieuous cruel ciuill war that lasted 70. yeeres with murders robberies and vnspeakable cruelties Both of them one after another called in the Englishmen to succor them who afterward seazed vpon the crowne It was a pitifull thing to see France cruelly tormented both by hir owne subiects by strangers to see it void of right equitie without magistrates without iudgements without lawes which had no abiding place amongst fire and force where violence onely raigned All this was procured by the ambition of these two houses each of them seeking to obtaine the gouernment of the kingdom vnder Charles the sixt whose wittes fayled him By the means of these diuisions Henry the fift king of England taking to wife Katherine the youngest daughter of king Charles was put in possession of Paris by the duke of Burgundie and proclaimed heire and Regent of Fraunce by the consent of three estates held at Troy But the death of this Henry and the duke of Burgundie forsaking the alliance of the Englishmen with the valure and good behauiour of king Charles the 7. as also the loue and fidelitie of the Frenchmen restored the kingdom to that estate wherin it is at this present Now if France hath heretofore suffred so much by ciuill warres and domesticall seditions if all forraine estates haue receiued so many sundry alterations and incredible wounds by the same means how can we looke for lesse nay rather haue we not already seene the like or greater calamities amongst vs through our dissentiōs priuate quarels between certain houses contending one with another being chiefly mooued with ambition and desire to gouerne Why doe we not acknowledge this first cause of our miseries that we may lay aside all hatred crept in amongst vs vnder pretence of diuersitie of religion that we may reunite our mindes so much diuided to the good and common quietnes of vs all and liue vnder the obedience of our Prince with that fidelitie for which Frenchmen haue been alwais praised aboue other nations Do not so many examples both of auncient and later times make vs see thus much that if we redresse not this contention this goodly and florishing kingdom which heretofore hath growen great by the concord and obedience of our auncestors is readie to fal into vtter ruine and subuersion through our factions diuisions and part-takings Shall this little that remaineth of the French monarchie which in former times hath had all the empire of Germany the kingdoms of Hungarie Spaine and Italy and all the bounds of the Gaules to the riuer of Rhine vnder the obedience of hir lawes shall it I say be thus laid open as a praie and that by hir owne subiectes caried headlong with such passions that they make the way plaine and readie for strangers to bring them vnder their miserable bondage Shall it be said among our posteritie that our selues haue encouraged them to vnder-take that which not long since Spaine Italy England the Lowe countreys the Pope the Venitians being
but as soone as another stranger came they shewed what they were Heereuppon it came that Kinge Charles the eight easily ouer-ranne all Italy with chalke as we vse to speake that is to saye that without resistance he sent before to take vp his lodging bicause they that shoulde haue withstoode him and were called in to keepe the Countrie did of their owne accord take his parte But there is a further matter Strange hired Captaines either are excellent men or haue nothing in them If they be valiant the Prince is not to trust them For out of doubt they will seeke to make themselues great either by his ouerthrowe that is their Maister or by destroying others against his will And if the Captaines haue no valure in them he cannot hope for any thing but for the cause of his owne perdition Succour is moste hurtfull to an Estate when some Potentate is called in with his forces for aide and defence Those souldiours may well be good and profitable for themselues but are alwaies hurtfull to such as call them in For if a man loose the fielde he is ouer-throwne if he winne it he is their prisoner Such succour is a great deale more to bee feared than hired strength which obeieth the Prince that calleth them and requireth their helpe But when a man receiueth in an armie vnited and accustomed to obeye the Captaine that conducteth and bringeth them in his destruction is alreadie prepared and cannot be auoided who openeth the doore of his owne house to let in an enimie stronger than himselfe Therefore it were expedient for euerye Prince to trye all waies before he haue recourse to such men for helpe and succour And whosoeuer shall reade and consider well the times that are past and runne ouer the present state of things he shall see that whereas one prospered well an infinite number were deceiued and abused For a Common-wealth or an ambitious Prince coulde not wish to haue a better occasion whereby to get the possession of a Citie Seignorie or Prouince than when hee is required to send his armie to defende it But what The ambition desire of reuenge or some other affection of men is so great that to accomplish once their present will they forget all dutie and cast behind them the care of all danger and inconuenience whatsoeuer that may light vppon them The Herules Gothes and Lumbards by these meanes became Lordes of Italy the Frenchmen of the Gaules Countrye the Englishmen of greate Britaine the Scots of Scotland after they had driuen out the Britons and Picts who called them in for succour The Turks made themselues Lords of the East Empire and of the kingdom of Hungary being likewise required of help by the Emperours of Constantinople and by the States of Hungary Not long since Cairadin a Pirate being called by the Inhabitants of Alger to driue the Spaniards out of the fortresse after he had vanquished them he slew Selim Prince of the towne and made himselfe king leauing the Estate to his brother Arradin Barberossa And Saladine a Tartarian Captaine being called by the Calipha and Inhabitants of Caire to driue the Christians out of Soria after the victorie slew the Calipha and became absolute Lorde thereof The foresight which the Princes of Germany had of the perill and hurt that all strangers bring to an Estate caused them to bind the Emperour Charles the fift by the twelfth article of conditions vnto which he sware before he receiued the Imperiall crown that he should not bring in any forraine souldiors into Germany And yet through the great number of Spaniards Italians and Flemmings that came into the countrie beeing called in against the Protestants there wanted little of changing the Estate of Almaigne into an hereditarie kingdom Which had bene soone doone if king Henry the second had not staied it by his French power for which cause he was called by books published and arches erected in their country Protector of the Empire and deliuerer of the Princes who since haue concluded amonge themselues that they will neuer chuse a forraine Prince Charles the seuenth king of France hauing by his great good successe and vertue deliuered France of Englishmen and knowing well that it was necessarie for him to be furnished with his owne forces instituted the decrees of horsemen and of the companies of footemen After that king Lewes his sonne abolished his footemen and began to leauy Switzers which being likewise practised by other kings his successors many men haue noted that by countenancing the Switzers they haue caused their owne forces to degenerate and growe out of vse disanulled the footemen and tied their horsemen to other footemen insomuch that since they haue been vsed to fight in company of the Switzers they think that they cannot obtaine the victorie nor yet fight without them Therfore the prudence of king Francis the first must needes be honored with exceeding great praise in that he established seuen legions of footmen accounting 6000. men to a legion so that there could be no better deuice for the maintenance of warrelike discipline nor more necessary for the preseruation of this kingdome if those good ordinances that were made to this end be wel marked Neuertheles they were abolished in his raigne established againe by Henry the second his successor and after that abrogated I am of opinion that if these ancient institutions both of horsemen and footemen were reuined they would be a good mean whereby we might alwaies haue men of warre to defend this kingdom to conquer that which is taken from it and to helpe our friends whereas nowe we are faine to vse the seruice of vnskilfull men that are made Captaines before euer they were souldiors or else of necessitie compelled to begge and to buy very deare the succour offorraine nations My meaning is not that a Prince should neuer vse the helpe of others but alwaies take his own forces collected among his subiects Nay I say to the contrary that it must needs be profitable for him to vse the succors of his Allies so that they be ioined with him in league offensiue and defensiue For by this meanes he doth not onely make himselfe stronger but withall taketh away both that aide from his enimie which he might otherwise haue drawne from thence and occasion also from all men to make warre with the one except they will haue the other also their enimie But aboue all things let no Prince trust so much to the succours of his Allies except himselfe with his subiects be of greater strength And if Allies are to be feared when they are stronger in another countrie what assurance may a man haue of forraine souldiors that are at no league either offensiue or defensiue with vs Now if vpon the due consideration of these things souldiors be carefully trained vp in good discipline of warre which may be collected out of many institutions that are extant and if
the guiding of them be giuen to good vertuous and expert Captaines ledde onely with a desire to doe their dutie to their King and Countrie this kingdome will be feared of strangers and without feare it selfe of their assaults and enterprises Especially if in the Prince his absence the soueraigne authoritie of commanding absolutely in the armie be committed into the hands of a Captaine woorthy his charge as we haue discoursed who is able to win the harts of men and to prouoke them to their dutie by liuely and learned reasons as namely That all men must die and therefore that it were too great follie in a man to refuse to die for publike profit which bringeth vnto vs immortall glorie seeing he must once of necessitie yeeld vp his life that a glorious death is alwaies to be preferred before a shamefull life stained with reproch briefly if he can ground his exhortations vpon the occasion of taking armes of time place estate and condition of the enimies and of the good that will come to them if they obtaine the victorie But in all these things the iustice and equitie of the cause of war is that which most of all maketh good men courageous who otherwise neuer ought to fight We may read a million of goodly Orations made in time of warre set forth in one volume with which euery wise and prudent Captaine may helpe himselfe according as occasion is offred Now if that ancient order discipline of which we haue hitherto discoursed and which may be learned more at large in their excellent writings were renued imitated by our armies as the late vse and practise of Armes exercised at this day is apt and fit for the same being more terrible than that of the Ancients who had no gun-powder no doubt but great obedience of souldiors towards their Captaines would arise of it whereas now a daies in steede of commanding they haue nothing left but an humble request to be vsed towards their souldiours who neuertheles turne it into contempt and want of courage But if true obedience were ioined with good order the hope of prosperous successe in our enterprises would be farre greater Nowe when our affaires succeede happily so that wee haue our enimies at aduantage or haue gotten some victorie wee must beware least insolencie blind vs in such sort that trusting to our good happe we goe beyond our bounds and loose the occasion of a certaine and sure benefite through hope of some greater good as yet vncertaine Hannibal after the discomfiture of the Romanes at Cannas sent men to Carthage to carie newes of his victorie and withall to demand a newe supplie Whereupon the Senate was long in deliberating what was to be doone Hannon a prudent old man was of opinion that they were to vse the victorie wisely and to make peace with the Romanes which they might obtain of them with honest conditions and not to expect the hazard of another battell He said that the Carthaginians ought to bee satisfied with this declaration alreadie made to the Romanes that they were such men as could stand against them and therfore seeing they had woonne one victorie of them they should not venture the losse of it in hope of a greater This prudent counsell was not followed although afterwarde the Senate did acknowledge it for the best when that occasion was lost Alexander the Great had already conquered all the East when the Common-wealth of Tyrus being great and mightie bicause the Citie was situated in the water as Venice is and astonished at the greatnes fame of that Monarches power sent their Embassadors vnto him to offer what obedience subiection he would require vpon condition that neither he nor his men would enter into the Citie Alexander disdaining that one citie would shut their gates against him to whō the whole world was open sent them backe again without accepting their offer went thither to pitch his Campe against it After he had continued the siege 4. moneths he thought with himself that one onely Towne would shorten his glorie more than all his other conquests had done before wherupon he purposed to try an agreement by offering that vnto them which thēselues had required before But then the Tyrians were waxen so lustie and bold that they did not only refuse his proffers but also executed as many as came to conclude with them Whereupon Alexander being mooued with indignation caused an assault to be made with such heate and violence that he tooke and sacked the towne put some of the Inhabitants to the edge of the swoord and made the residue seruants and slaues Agreement and composition is alwaies to be preferred before continuance of warre And howsoeuer a man may seeme to be assured and as it were certaine of the victorie yet ought he to doubt the vncertaintie of humane things That courageous and valiant Hannibal being called out of Italy by his Countriemen to succour them against the Romaines by whome they were besieged when his armie was yet whole demanded peace of them before he would enter into battel bicause he saw that if he lost it he brought his Countrie into bondage What then ought another to do that hath lesse vertue and experience than he But men fall into the error of vnmeasurable hope vpon which staying them selues without further consideration they are ouerthrowne Sometimes when we contemne our enimie too much and bring him into a desperat estate we make him more venturous to vndertake and violent to execute any dangerous matter Despaire said Tubero is the last but the strongest assault and a most inuincible tower For this cause the ancient Romane Captaines were very diligent and carefull to lay all kind of necessitie to fight vpon their men and to take it from their enimies by opening vnto them passages to escape which they might haue shut vp against them K. Iohn bicause he would not make peace with the English host which desired to escape onely with life was taken and caried prisoner into England and his armie consisting of fortie or fiftie thousand men was discomfited by ten thousand Englishmen some say more some lesse Gaston de Foix hauing woonne the battell at Rauenna and following after a squadron of Spaniards that fled lost his life and made all that a praie vnto the enimie which he had conquered before in Italy Ancient histories are full of such examples and namely of small armies that ouercame those that were great and mightie Darius against Alexander Pompey against Casar Hannibal against Scipio Marcus Antonius against Augustus Mithridates against Sylla had greater forces without comparison than their enimies Therefore good Traian said that to accept of warre to gather a great number of men to put them in order to giue battell appertaineth to men but to giue victorie was the worke of God onely so that great armies preuaile but litle against the wrath of the Highest If
Demosthenes Plato Lysander The limits that are to be vsed in hating the wicked Scaurus How Agesilaus made his enimies his friends Augustus The Venetians Pontinus The prudence of Dionysius in punishing euill speakers Antisthene counsaile Math. 5. 44. Rom. 12. 19. What true Philosophie is The fruits and effects of Iustice What Iustice is Three things necessary in euery common-wealth The ground of all Iustice The distinction of Iustice Whosoeuer hath Iustice perfectly hath all the vertues The praise of Iustice Respect of persons is not to be vsed in the practise of Iustice The diuision of Iustice The difference between Commutatiue and Distributiue Iustice The end of Iustice The necessitie of Iustice Diuers names agree to Iustice in diuers respects Ierem. 21. 12. 22. 3. What Iustice and Iudgement are The Egyptians were zealous of Iustice How they painted Iudges The Grecians and Romans What citie is best gouerned Examples of the loue of Iustice Cleon. Aristides I. Brutus Phocion Alexander Augustus Agesilaus Prowes without Iustice is worth nothing The difference between a great and a little king Phillip Traianus â— â—am 8. 5. What causeth kingdoms to flourish God is the author of Iustice What maner of men magistrates ought to be One meane wherby the abuse of Iustice may be taken away The inconuenience that commeth by setting offices to sale Exod. 18. The saving of Alexander and Lewes the 12. Against buyers of offices Aurelianus A meane to preserue policies A pretie comparison Euerie vertue is in the midst of two vices How the thrones of kings may be established in iustice All men haue some knowledge of good and euill and some inward sence of a diuine nature The fruits of Iniustice in the wicked Vertue is to be preferred before all worldlie things Iniustice is a generall vice How many waies a man may be vniust The effects of Iniustice Pericles A notable example for euery ciuil Magistrate Why the life of the wicked cannot be happy A comparison A comparison The wrong conceit which men haue of the wicked that prosper The punishment of sinne is equall with it both for age and time All things are present with God A sure token of a desperate common-welth The miserable estate of France The deniall of Iustice dangerous Phillip Demetrius Henrie king of Sweathland A notable historic of the death of Ferdinando the 4. Notable Iniustice committed by a Prouost of Paris Hugues of Crecy Artaxerxes Alexander Seuerus The punishment of one who sold his masters fauor Of Seueritie Clemencie preserueth a prince his throne Prou. 20. 28. M. Torquatus Ausidius Most cruell seucritie of Piso Augustus Caesar Ier. 22. 3. 5. 2. Chr. 19. 6. Matth. 7. 2. Of the corruption of our age When vertue seemeth to be out of season What Faith and Fidelitie is Of the violating of faith Leuit. 19. 12. Deut. 5. 11. Matth. 5. 34. Whether a forced promise is to be kept A wise man must neuer promise any thing against dutie Psal 15. 4. Lysander a forsworne and deceitfull man We must keep promise with our enimie Of the neglect of fidelitie commeth a custom of lying It is wickednes to conceale the fault of that which a man selleth Lying in a prince is most odious The promise of a prince is tied with a double bond Of the word faith of a prince Of Treason Notable examples A. Regulus Demaratus Augustus Cato Periurie and faithles persons haue alwaies had ill successe Tissaphernes Cleomenes Caracalla The Corinthians Iustinianus the Emperor Rastrix Duke of Cleaueland The cause of the present miserie of France Examples of the entertainment which the ancients gaue to traitors Lasthenes Rymetalces Agis Pausanias Ariobarzanes Iustinian a Genâ—an cause of the taking of Constantinople A famous and heroicall fact of Sultan Solyman Cato commended for his truth Ephes 4. 25. Luk. 10. 37. The memorie of euill things is fruitfull but of good things barren Ingratitude the cause of the sin and death of man No mans life void of Ingratitude The life of the ignorance is vnthankfull God disposeth all thiâ—gs by Iustice The vapors wherwith the eyes of the mind are dimmed Of the ingratitude of great men Reward and honor nourisheth vertue Artes. Impudencie Ingratitude are companions The description of impudencie Dutie and profit are two distinct things A law against vnthankful persons The Storke a gracefull bird The fruits of ingratitude Examples against ingratitude Pyrrhus Circerius A notable historie of an Arabian Turke Baiazet A mean to keep vs from ingratitude Another meane for the same Artaxerxes thankfully accepted a litle water Vertue is a sufficient recompence to it selfe The sleepe of the spirite is woorse than death What Liberalitie is Riches 〈…〉 the waters How riches may be well vsed Aristotles opinion concerning a happie life destitute of bodilie and outward goods A poore man may be liberall Luke 16. 9. How princes passe the limites of liberalitie When the inferior sort passe the bounds of liberalitie About what we are to bestow the ouerplus of our wealth A notable law amongst the Romanes How Epaminondas compelled a rich man to be liberall CimoÌ„ a notable paterne of the true vse of riches Liberalitie most necessarie for princes and great men The lawes of liberalitie A common mischief which foloweth the greater sort The liberalitie of Alexander To the Macedonians To all debtors in his armie To Aristotle To Anaxarchus To Perillus. To an Egyptian Caesar a liberall Prince Antonius a magnificall Prince but voluptuous Archelaus gaue not to the vnwoorthy How Antigonus denied one that was importunate Titus a good liberall Prince A notable precept of Phocylides Ptolemaeus the Thebane Denys the elder Cyrus Pertinax Matth. 25. No wicked thing ought to be iudged profitable Couetousnes hath ouerflowen all Couetousnes will neuer be satisfied Conetousnes like to a dropsie Stratonicus derided the superfluitie of the Rhodians Couetous men compared to Mules The miserable life of couetous men 1. Tim. 6. 10. The fruits of couetousnes How prodigalitie and couetousnes may in some sort be linked togither in one subiect Couetous men compared to hogs Couetous men compared to rats and cundit pipes It is better to be the sheepe than the sonne of a couetous man Examples of the fruites of couetousnes and of prodigalitie Muleasses Polymester Caligula Nero. Against the superfluitie of sumptuous buildings An Italian Monke A cruell murder of a Gentlewoman and of hir houshold Mauritius depriued of the Empire for his couctousnes The Nobilitie of Switserland destroied for the same cause Lewes 11. Calipha How Dionysius punished a couetous wretch How Darius his couerousnesse was beguiled C. Licinius strangled himselfe to leaue his goods to his children Hermocrates bequeathed his goods to himselfe A ratte sold for 200. pence Couetousnes caused Crassus to play on both sides Wonderfull riches Pompey abhorred couetousnes The great couetousnes of a cardinall The cruel punishment of a couetous curate 1. Tim. 6. 10. What magistrates are best liked of couetous princes 1.
of it What the law of nature is The diuision of the written law The diuision of the law of God Of the Morall law Of the Ceremoniall law Of the Iudiciall law Of ciuill or positiue lawes The diuision of ciuill lawes What ciuill lawes may not be changed The Salick law immutable What ciuill lawes may be changed A Prince may deny the request of his three Estates hauing reason and iustice on his side The change of lawes in a well setled Estate is dangerous A seuere decree of the Locrians against such as would bring in new lawes Mischiefs in a commonwealth must be resisted in the beginning The law is the foundation of ciuill societies Bias. We must not iudge of the law but according to the law Why the Lacedemonian lawes might not be changed The ancient law-makers No law before the law of God The necessitie and profit of a law The vpright and equall distribution of the law maketh a good gouernment To dispence with good statuts and daily to make new is a token of the decay of a common-wealth Examples therof in Caligula in Claudius How lawes may be kept inuiolable Two things required in the keeping of euery law Equitie is alwayes one and the same to all people The equitie of the morall law ought to be the end and rule of all other lawes Their opinion confuted who would tie all nations to the policie of Moses Theft punished diuersly in diuers nations How false witnes was punished among the Iewes Ciuil ordinances depend only of the soueraign ruler The end wherunto all lawes are to be referred The magistrate is the head the law the soule and the people the body of the common-welth The Nowne and Verbe are no parts of Logike but of Grammer The definition of a citizen in a popular state Other definitions of a citizen A general definition of a citizen Of the state of Venice Of the ancient estate in Rome Who are truly citizens The diuision of the whole people into three orders or estates The diuision of citizens in Venice and Florence In Egypt and among the ancient Gaules These gardes were the Senate and councell for state affaires consisting of 400. Burgesses Of the agreement that is to be kept between the estates of a common-wealth One cause of the â—â—serie of France at this present The office and dutie of subiects The soueraign magistrate compared to the Sunne Against them that thinke the magistrate to be a necessarie euil Prou. 24. 21. What is ment by honouring the King Rom. 13. 5. Subiects must obey their prince for the feare of God Of the seruice due to the prince Rom. 13. 1. 2. Tit. 3. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. 14. 1. Tim. 2. 1. 2. Priuate men must not busie themselues in publike affairs The counsailors of a prince are his eies eares and his officers are his hands Two kinds of publike power The difference between the prince the magistrate and the priuate man How farre subiects are bound to obey their prince and his lawes The titles of a good magistrate The behauiour of euil princes Tirants are naturally hated We must obey and reuerence vniust princes a well as iust Dan. 1. 21. 4. 14. Nebuchadnezzer Eze. 29. 18. 19. Dan. 2. 37. 1. Sam. 3. Iere. 27. 5. c. A tyrant called the seruant of God Ier. 29. 7. 1. Sam. 24. 7. 26. 9. 10. Dauid would not lay viosent hands vpon Sauls person These Essaei or Esseni were a superstitious sect among the Iewes that pretended to lead a most perfect kind of life Exod. 22. 28. A gentleman iudged to die bicause he once thought to haue killed his prince A sâ—uâ—râ— law against treason How we must behaue our selues vnder a tyrant Psal 82. 1. 2. 12. Esay 10. 1. The lawes of nature lead vs to a monarchie In euery kind of thing one excelleth A monarchie most significantly representeth the diuine regiment What a Monarchie or kingly power is Of a Duarchy that is of the rule of two The diuision of the Empire 8. Marks of soueraigntie Their reasons who mislike a Monarchie What excellencie is required in him that ruleth others The Persian Councell held for the establishing of their Estate Otanes oration The effects of a Tyrant Megabyses oration for an Aristocraty The dangers of a Monarchy A child Prince is a token of Gods wrath Darius oration for a Monarchy Against an Oligarchy A Monarchy concluded vpon in the Councell of the Persians of Romulus and of Augustus The commodities of a Monarchy Italy a praie to all hâ—r neighbours and â—â—y Of the antiquitie of a kingdome Ninus was the first that extended the limits of his kingdom What Estates were ruled Monaâ—chically The Dukedome of Venice is electiue What this word Emperour importeth Vpon what occasion the name of Emperour was first giuen to a Monarch The reasons alleadged against a Monarchie answered One iust Princ better than many good Lords and many Tyrants woorse than one Monarchies haue continu longest The opinion of many Politicks touching a mixt estate of a Common wealth The Lacedemonian estate mingled The Carthaginian Common-wealth was mixt The Romane estate mingled The estate of Venice compounded What agreemeÌ„t the French Monarchy hath with euery good policie Why men are diueisly affected vnto diuers formes of gouernments The praise of the French nation for their loue to a Monarchy The difference betweene the rule of a king and of a tyrant Fiue kinds of Monarchies How the first Monarchy came vp Gen. 10. 8. of the raigne of Nimrod Nimrod was the first king that warred vpon his neighbours Of the happie raigne of the king of Egypt They vsed the seruice onely of Noble mens children â—nd they wel learned The Priests of Egypt vsed to praise their Princes in the Temple before the people The diet of the ancient kings of Egypt Of the second kind of Monarchy The difference betweene a Lord-like Monarchy and a tyranny Marks of a tyrannicall gouernment Of the estate of the Turke The death of Hibrahim Bascha The Turke disposeth of all Lordships at his pleasure Of the Estate of Moscouia Of the king of Ethiopia The king of Ethiopia whipped his Lords like slaues Of the kingdom of Peru. Of the third kind of Monarchy What kings took vpon them soueraigntie in religion Of the 4. kind of monarchie which is electiue The dangerous state of an electiue kingdom when the prince is dead Examples therof in the kingdoms of Thuâ—es of Egâ—pt The great disorder in Rome vpâ—n the death of the Pope In the empire of Germanie In the Popedome All electiue princes are either taken indefinitely or out of certaine estates The Souldans of Cayre chosen out of the Mammelucks The great mastership of Malta electiue and that also of Prussia Of the fift kind of Monarchie which is hereditarie The Salick law excludeth daughters and their sonnes Kingdoms left by will Of the happy gouernment of the estate of France The Chancellor of France must approoue all