becommeth thereby diuine noble wise and prouident But happilie some man may demaunde what common weale that is which shoulde bee committed to this wiseman or Diuine Philosopher which doubte doth not arise from the name of common weale being a certaine order among the inhabitants abiding in one cytie but of the diuersitie and difference of the common weales For as mens manners delightes and estates bee diuers so also is the gouernment of common weales manifould And though the end of euery of them is but one thinge that is to say good or wel beeing which consisteth in the felicitie of men and euery state doth labour to attaine yet are the meanes of aspiring to that happines diuers and so consequently lawes and customes of sondry sortes are by them vsed For who so shall conferre the lawes of Hippâ—dâ—mus framed for the Miletians with those of Miâ—â—s made for the Candians or will compare the ordinances of â—icâ—rgâ—s with the decrees of Solon the one writing the gouernment of the Lacedemonians the other of the Athenians shall easily conceiue their lawes to be most diuers their Magistrates vnlike and the forme of their states farre discrepant The seauen wife men also Thales except who refused to intermedle in the common weale brought in sundry exercises sundrie lawes and sundry gouernments according to the qualitie of the peoples capacitie and their owne fancies by sundry orders and â—ses did execute them Which varietie of gouerments haue ministred matter of much controuersy contrarietie of opinions In so much as the learned men both in our vniuersities forraine schooles haue presumed to dispute how many sortes of common-weales there are and which of them ought deseruinglie to be mostâ— commended and imbraâ—â—ds Plato and Aristotle in that matter do seeme to haue excelled all others For they with great iudgement and respect to the nature of men and the Regions of the world haue learnedlie allotted lawes and gouerments agreable with the disposition and humor of the places Following therefore the opinion of these Philosophers we will first frame three sortes of common weales The first is called Monarchia the second Aristocratia and the third Democratia The Latines haue named them Râ—gnum Optimatum principatus and Popular is respâ—â—â— God by his heauenly prouidence hath appointed that the powers of mans minde shoulde rest in three sundry partes of his bodie seeming thereby to represent three Idaeas or formes of commonweales appointing reason as King to haue his abiding in the heade hiest part as onely Lorde and Prince to commaund all The second part as vigilant and readie to obey hee hath placed neere vnto it in the breaste making the same as a companion and helper vnto the heade Plato calleth it vis irascendi and affectuum sedes The thirde resembling a multitude witlesse frowarde and full of sensuall desires hee hath harboured beneath the hearte secluded farre from both the other In these parts of our soule as in an image wee may beholde three formes of commonweales The highest hath the place of king as destined and appoynted to commaunde all the seconde though in place inferiour yet in quality is of no lesse regarde beeing well obeyed For where reason ruleth without the guarde and ayde of the affections all actions are weake and without force Euen so a Senate not assisted by reason which partlie as Captayne and partly as Soldiour in all actions and consultations is vsed becommeth fearefull and effeminate Aristotle hath therefore deuided the power of reason making one parte absolute and standing vppon it selfe the other as it were depending and seruing like vnto a sonne that obeyeth his Father Which Titus Liuius hath well expressed in setting forth the error of Minutius in his vnaduised fight against Hanibal which Fabius doth reprehend in these wordes O souldiours quoth hee I haue often hearde that who so can by himselfe rightly iudge is to be moste honoured next vnto him are they that obey the good aduise of others But hee that can neyther councell himselfe nor knoweth howe to followe an other mans aduise is of all others of least wisedome and capacitie As touching the Optimatie it hath not onely the force of reason but in all actions is helped and incouraged by the affections as the Poets haue written Non hic â—ine numine diuum furit The thirde parte of mans minde resembleth a popular gouerment wherein the multitude hath authoritie to heare all matters and determine all lawes many contentions and discordes doe there ensue like vnto the nature of men licentions and proane to lust containing such life as accordeth with reason and vertue Aristotle doth also write that the image of commonweales may be found in priuate families For the authoritie of the father ouer his children may be likened to principalitie because the children are the fathers charge He alone must prouide for them all and their faultes are by him rather chastised then seuerely punished In like manner ought a good king to behaue himselfe towarde his subiectes Therefore Iupiter the God of Gods and men is by Homer called Father The husbandes authoritie ouer his wife may be compared to the Optimatie For the husband ought to gouerne his wife according to iustice and commaunde her to doe thinges honest The populer state is likened to brotherly societie For they ought to liue in equality differing onely in the degrees of age But as the Father that vseth his children wickedly cruelly and vnnaturally is reputed a tyrant and no father Euen so a king that studieth for priuate commodity oppressing his subiectes contemning his lawes and liuing dishonorably doth lose the name of a King and is called a Tyrante Also a husband and wife liuing in discorde eyther through negligence or wilfulnesse reiecting the care of their children and householde doe thereby abuse their authoritie and become vnworthy the name of naturall parentes In like manner brethren disagreeing and quarrelling neglecting the common profite and giuing themselues to slouth or lasciuious life are not to be accounted brethren Thus it appeareth that through the default and imperfection of gouernours true commonweales be conuerted into false and contrarie gouerments The Monarchie or kingdome becommeth a Tyrannie The Optimatie is reduced vnder the authoritie of a fewe The popular common weale is conuerted into plebeiall insolencie Pollicie which the Graecians call Politeia and is by Plato and Aristotle sometimes called Respublica popularis may be referred to all kindes of commonweales well gouerned because that worde is vniuersall and includeth all ciuill gouernment Plato addeth a seuenth kinde of gouernment that is to witt A King subiect to his lawes making a Monarchie of two sortes and consequently framing two Kinges the one bounde and confined the other free and not restrayned to anie lawe This is the opinion of Plato touching Monarchie The power authoritie saith he of one Prince gouerning with good lawes is among the sixe kindes of commonweales the best and most perfect But such gouerment being
happen in popular states For if any good man liuing there shall happen to mislike the plebeyall life and doth labour by admonishing reprehending and correcting the Citizens to reduce them to honesty and vertue he is forthwith iudged an enemie to liberty and by the law Ostracismo arested and many times put to death With this kind of persecution many notable Citizens inhabiting the popular states of Graecia were afflicted as Cymon Aristides Thucydides Socrates Themistocles and Damon also in Rome Camillus and Scipio were in like manner handled The fame of Aristides is of all posterity worthy to be remēbred he being a man singularly vertuous wise for his integrity of life honest cōuersatiō was with the assent of all men surnamed Iustus At such time as the law Ostracismas was vsed in Athens a certaine rude rustical felow bearing a scrol of paper in his hand hapned to mete him with great earnestnes required that the name of Aristides might be therin writtē Aristides much marueiling thereat asked whether any man had euer beene by him iniured no quoth hee but I cannot in anye wise indure thy surname of Iustus Cicero reporteth that at such time as the Ephesi banished their Prince Hermodorus they pronounced this sentence Let none of vs excell an other but if anye so doe let him no longer heere dwell but inhabite elsewhere O moste straunge customes of popular commonweales Plato vseth that speach before of vs remembred that no state doth continue beeing gouerned with Iron or Brasse that is to say by foolish men borne rather to obey then commaunde For they after some fortunate successe of warre taking vnto them loftie mindes haue at hande tutors and popular Captaines to extoll and commende their vertue Then after long hunger allured with the sweete baite of glory they reiect the authoritie of their leaders and all wise men taking the gouerment wholy into their owne handes directing the same by their owne willes and discretion which is the cause that such common-weales are not of long continuance For through diuersitie of minds those men become voyde of councell and after much insolencie contention and faction they yeelde their obedience eyther to a fewe or some one mightie personage So did the people of Athens which beeing author of the victorie by sea against the Medians puffed vp with pride of that fortune stirred greate troubles and seditions in that state and all good Citizens laboured in vaine to preuente that mischiefe Also the originall of popular states doth sometimes proceede of Rebellion attempted against the nobilitie as it many times happened in Rome when the people tooke armes against the Kings and Senate Sometimes also the cause of such popular gouerment proceedeth through good successe of some action enterprised by the people Who taking vppon them the minde of Lordes doe vsurpe the state as did the Athenians when they had vanquished the Medians and as the Romaines hauing ouerthrowne the Carthaginenses The same also otherwhiles chanseth when the people is made desperate by tyrannie of their Prince and gouernours for then by force of armes or oppression of their king they frame a forme of gouernment among themselues which in our dayes the Swisseis haue done A popular state established with good lawes is manie times gouerned iustlie and poletiquelye but the same wanting lawes or consente of the people doth not merite the name of a commonweale Of the Oligarchia or Tyrannie I meane not to entreate because such gouerment is in all respectes vniuste contrarie to vertue and ciuill life The excellencie of euerie people or commonweale may be knowen by the gouermente lawes and liberties thereof For those people are accounted the beste which within a good commonweale doe liue with iustice and libertye and they deserue the more commendation that doe continue the same with most constancie and longe preseuerance which thinges are thought chiefly to appertaine to the antiquity of men liuing in honour and nobilitie The Lacedemonians are highly praised for hauing continued seauen hundred years without any alteration of their customs their lawes or their gouerment But the Venetians haue in that respect deserued greater glory because they till these our daies haue cōstantly liued in one forme of gouerment by the space of a thousand years or more Thus haue we discoursed the diuers formes of commonweales with the natures disposition of men there liuing Among them as easely appeareth the Principalitie and Optimatie are the best This for that therein most good men doe exercise the publique functions and that because the publique commoditie is preserued by one with generall consente of minde So as if any doe excell the reste to him the commonweale is committed In these two states men doe liue best because the order of them doth not onely preserue Cities but also make the Citizens happie Some men haue thought the moste perfect commonweale should be tempered and framed of all the three estates Which is the cause that they preferre the Lacedemonian gouerment being compounded of the nobilitie which was the Senators of the authoritie of one which was the King and of the people which were the Ephori For they were alwaies chosen among the number of popular men Polibius extolleth the Romane state because it consisted of the King the Nobilitie and the people supposing that the king for feare of the people coulde not become insolente and the people durste not disobeye him in respecte of the Senate Which forme of commonweale was with good reason accounted most iust For as perfect harmonie is compounded of treble meane and base tewnes euen so a good commonweale and the surest agreement amongest men is as Cicero saith made by mixture of the best the meane and the base people We are also of opinion that commonweale is perfect which containeth good and vertuous subiectes and is gouerned by a king a Senate and consent of the people wishing the King should obserue his lawes and doe those thinges which be honourable and agreeable to the aduise of his councell For the lawe is most perfect reason whereunto whosoeuer obeyeth doth seeme a God among men Wee wish likewise that all Councellors should be men of much vertue for they being a meane betwixt the king and people may the rather giue councell by what meanes the state may be safely gouerned The authoritie of Councellors consisteth in consulting iudging and commaunding The king vseth these men as friendes and Councellors imploying their vertue and aduise in matters of most difficulty which is the cause that men say the king hath many hands many eyes and many feete Moreouer for that it seemeth a thing rather diuine their humaine that one man alone should gouerne the whole state it is necessary to haue the aide of many others yet referring the determination to the king alone all things are like to proceede well But he that doth manage all matters without Councel trusting only to
THE COVNSELLOR Exactly pourtraited in two Bookes WHEREIN THE OFFICES OF Magistrates The happie life of Subiectes and the felicitie of Common-weales is pleasantly and pithilie discoursed A GOLDEN WORKE REPLENISHED with the chiefe learning of the most excellent Philosophers and Lawgiuers and not onely profitable but verie necessarie for all those that be admitted to the administration of a well-gouerned Common-weale Written in Latin by LAVRENTIVS GRIMALDVS and consecrated to the honour of the Polonian Empyre Newlie translated into English LONDON Imprinted by RICHARD BRADOCKE Anno Salutis Humanae M. D. XC VIII ⧠TO THE MOST excellent and most mightie Prince Augustus King of Polonia c. AS euerie man well knoweth those commonweales be most blessed where men do liue in peace so are those countries miserable where people are not maintained in securitie And as euerie commonweale is happie wherein subiects are good so in good commonweales no subiect can be vnfortunate yet what doth worke the welfare of commonweales and people is and hath beene euen among the most learned long disputed Some suppose it proceedeth of goodlawes others haue thought that ciuill education doth enforme it others imagined that the temperature of the heauens doth make men apt for ciuill life some also do thinke it proceedeth from the endeuour of good kings because subiects by imitation of their Princes vertue do for the most part become like vnto them Which opinion I verelie thinke to be most true so perswaded by obseruation of your Maiesties example Neither do I iudge the great quietnes and blessednes of this commonweale and kingdome doth proceed from other cause then the excellent splendour of your princelie vertues which are such and so great as doe not onelie incite all subiects to behold them but also with exceeding admiration and imitation to loue them Sith euerie man endeuouring aboue all things to honour your Primcelie example your iustice and your clemencie is no lesse enforced to obey then to loue and the greatnes of your authoritie is such as your maiestie is not onelie a moderator and disposer of lawes but also which in a free state is most a iust iudge of each mans vertue praise and dignitie and therewith also haue framed a kingdome so perfect as on earth none more perfect can be Moreouer this kingdome is come to your maiesties hands not by inheritance not by blood nor by vsurpation as are many â—thers but by publique consent of all the Polonian Nation thereunto perswaded by the auncient vertue and wisedome of your Maiestie and your most noble auncestors For to confesse truth the house of Iageloni hath beene a Seminarie of Kings so plentifull as not onely our common-weale but also diuers other nations did desire to be thereby gouerned and would to God that most noble raze had still in Bohoemia and Hungarie continued For by the valour thereof the Turkish empyre should haue beene restrained of that greatnes whereunto it is now aspired All which things as they are admirable so are they also the more noble that holding in hand the Raines of so great a gouernment your Maiestie by your own iudgement hath called vnto you a Counsell both for nobilitie wisedome excellent by whose moderation prudence the quiet glorie of our kingdom hath bene greatlie preserued I Omit to speake of other magistrates by whom the felicitie of our commonweale is not onely ornified but also enlarged so as Polonia may be well called the habitation of libertie and seate of iust gouernment And that your highnes is author and doer of these things who doth not see I in my youth did behold them in mine elder age found them agreeable vnto the rules of excellent philosophers and auncient well gouerned common-weals which moued me to thinke it were no lost labour if by mine owne endeuour or the obseruation of other mens workes I should somewhat say of that matter to the profit of all posteritie This worke therefore I determined to dedicate vnto your Royall Maiestie as chiefe causer of mine endeuour Not meaning therby to enforme you for such is your excellent wisedome as needeth not the instruction of anie but that by reading your Maiestie may be delighted to behold your owne vertues and as a Prince of that gouerment be glad that the same is most iust and respondent to other auncient and praiseable commonweales Yet do I well knowe that to discourse of qualities appertaining to an excellent Counsellor is not onely of great importance but also accompanied with manie difficulties But my hope is that albeit my skill cannot therein merit praise yet as I hope my earnest desire of publique vtilitie shall hold me excused assuring my selfe that your maiesties wisedome and princelie Counsell a vertue proper to all the house of Iageloni will take my humble endeuour in good and acceptable part ⧠THE FIRST BOOKE WHO so wholy applieth himselfe to those studies which concerne not onely priuate pleasure but also publique commoditie doth as I thinke seeke a knowledge perfect and most worthie commendation For to be skilfull in that whereof others receiue profit doth aboue all thinges best become a wise man Among such sciences as were wont to bring with them both profit and pleasure there is not in my iudgement any more profitable or pleasing then is the skill of gouernment beeing a guide of humaine happinesse and tutresse of publique commoditie and common life Which I by the example of many others and no small experience knowing to be true beeing also assured that the knowledge whereby commonweales be gouerned is certaine and the proceeding of all thinges directed by reason and iudgement not by fallible conceipt chaunce or fortune haue determined to discourse what ought be the duetie vertue and dignitie of a perfect Councellor to the ende that those that shall be called to gouernment or take delight in such wisedome may be thereof partakers For peâ—forming of which entent I haue thought good to sounde the depth of ciuile knowledge and with greate diligence haue serched the secrets of most excellent Phylosophers not meaning to set forth any fained conceipt but that which accordeth with authoritie of wise law makers and graue Councellors I doe therefore thinke expedient that in the person of our Councellor there shoulde be such ripenesse of age as might exercise the vertues beseeming so honourable a personage and in his calling holde so greate a grauitie and reputation as all other Citizens and subiectes may hope at his hande to receiue comfort quiet councell profitable to the whole commonwealth My intent is not to frame an Idaea or Councellor imagined such a one as cannot be seene but onely in conceipt or that the heauens haue skantly any so perfect or the earth doth not containe any shadowe of such a man as did Plato in his common weale and Cicero in his Orator but our speach shall tende to thinges possible not exceeding the ordinarie vse of men Yet my meaning is to gather into this booke
his owne iudgement is thought rather a selfe-liker then a wise man As therfore the aduise of Councellors is profitable in commonweales where the resolution is reserued to the king only So where the determination resteth in many the same becommeth vnprofitable For as a man hauing many seruantes and commaunding somwhat to be done euery one runneth yet nothing is done but committing his busines to one alone findeth the same performed So happeneth it in commonweales where many haue authority one trusting to another they become careles the affaires of the commonweale receiue preiudice The multitude of gouernours ' doth as experience teacheth proue vnprofitable therfore the prouerbe saith Rex vnicus esto And as the head without perill of life cannot be taken from the heart so may not the king be remoued from his Councell because such disiunction breedeth discord to the common weale and in the ende confusion and destruction may followe thereof In euerye commonweale a Councell is of greate necessitie for it giueth aduise not onely to the king but vnto the state also not vnlike vnto the vitall parte of mans soule which being in the hearte giueth life to that which is pertaker of Reason is placed in the head The king also through aduise of the Senate doth more profitably directe the commonweale because hee onely doth gouerne although in gouernment hee vseth to be councelled For as reason doth in all proceedinges thereof employe the seruice of the sences Yet is it that alone which determineth and ought aboue the reste to bee honoured A Prince therefore contente to be councelled becommeth of all other men the wisest because hee beareth aboute him a iudgemente perfecte and fullye furnished with the instructions and aduise of many Thus doing a Kinge shall well gouerne all things not onelye through his owne opinion which may many waies be deceiued but also by the common aduise and councell of others whereby his reason and iudgemente is brought to perfection Of which two thinges who so euer is possessed may deseruinglye bee thought a GOD among men Euen as the hand deuided into many fingers is thereby made strong and apte to laye holde of all things So he that gouerneth with the assistance of Councellors and ministers shall doe all thinges with better discretion and wisedome For one man is not fitt to performe all actions Alexander of Macedon with his small hande conquered greate enemies Pyrhus excelled in choosing places of fortification Haniball was often victorious yet ignorant howe to vse the victorie Philopemen was skilfull in the warres by sea Cleon coulde manure landes and possessions Cicero was an excellente Orator Pompeius a Captayne Cato a Councellor and Scipio skilfull both in warre and peace So were diuers others for euerye man as saith the prouerbe is Roscius in his owne facultie Wee will that the popular order or meane officers of this our commonweale who ought also to participate of the gouerment shall be chosen amongest the better and moste vertuous sorte of subiectes wherein an Optimatie is resembled for they are as a Seminarie of Councellors and other magistrates Betwixt which two sortes of men this is the onelye difference that those which are placed in the soueraigne offices beeing both for age and dignitie the worthier persons shall be most esteemed and honoured As for the rest of the people it shall suffice that they bee maintayned in ciuill life and obedience of the Magistrates For our meaning is not that anye of the multitude as Plowemen Artizanes and other persons of vile occupation shall aspyre vnto the offices which oughte bee giuen vnto welthye Citizens Gentlemen and others of good education and wisedome Moreouer for so much as all our discourse tendeth to describe a perfecte commonweale which is that wherein the people doe liue happilye and happinesse proceedeth of vertue it behooueth that men beeing borne in that state shoulde bee capable of vertue felicitie and honestie Wee maye not therefore permitte that any Artizan Merchant or bondman shall exercise the gouerment because their trade of life is vile and voyde of vertue And albeit they are necessarie for the societie of men yet in respect they bee occupyed in actions vnfitte for free men they are not to bee admitted to gouerne the commonweale Which was the reason that mooued Constantinus the Emperour to determine by lawe that none of the base multitude or mechanicall people shoulde beare office in the state because it is presumed that Cities were builded aswell for the habitation of wise and honest men as persons of necessitie Yet are not such men to be contemned or reputed miserable for it were vniuste and againste the vnitie of a commonweale to depriue them of all honour and rewarde beeing partakers of euerye burthen and also of such condition as withoute them the state cannot bee maintayned It is therefore necessarie that they doe participate of such offices as are fit for their callinges and receiue rewardes accordinge to their qualitie For as the noble and wealthie subiectes bee honoured in their vocation so these hauing vertuouslye deserued oughte to bee aduanced Aristotle and Plato his Maister doe affirme there are sixe thinges wherewith euerye Citie shoulde abounde and that without them it cannot bee The first is victuall or foode the prouiding whereof belongeth to husbandmen and heardemen The seconde is necessarye handie craftes which is performed by the Artificers The thirde is Armes to resiste forraine enemies and represse ciuill disorder It is therefore expediente to haue Soldiours prepared and exercised to the ende that the commonweale may be defended from forraine inuasion and conserued in liberty and in peace Fourthly the state hath neede of money both for ciuill and militarie vses Fiftlie it requireth ministers of diuine sacramentes Sixtlie Iudges and Councellors are needefull because euerie commonweale is gouerned by good Councell to the ende that iniustice and the iniquitie of men may be extirped By meane whereof iniurers contemners of lawe and all iniust persons be punished Thus it appeareth that euery commonweale consisteth of sixe sortes of men to witt husbandmen Artizans Merchantes Soldiours Priestes Iudges and Councellors Of this number wee will leaue aside three as men vnfitte to gouerne which are husbandmen Merchantes and Artizantes beeing borne rather to serue then commaunde For to the happinesse of euerie commonweale the councell of wise and free men is required and the state needeth liberall quiete and honest ayde which wanteth in men that are occupied in vncleane and illiberall artes Two sortes of men therefore are onelie to be imployed as gouernours that is to say Soldiours and Councellors For seeing that in all commonweales two time are looked for that is to witt a time of peace and a time of warre It behooueth that those onelye shoulde be accounted gouernours vnto whome the care of peace and warre is committed For in time of warre the commonweale is defended by Armes and in time of peace the
that all occasions of ciuill discention and subuersion are remooued Of good commonweales let this we haue sayde suffice and consider what are those thinges that doe chiefly make them perfect and happie In euery good and perfect commonweale three thinges are specially required that is to say Magistrates lawes and ciuill discipline for without these no Citie nor societie of men coulde euer be preserued The office of Magistrates is to rule and commaund the people to doe those thinges that be iust profitable and agreeable to lawe and reason Cicero no lesse learnedly then eloquently saith that as the lawes gouerne the Magistrates so the Magistrates ought to gouerne the people and the Magistrate may be iustly called the liuing lawe and the lawe a dombe Magistrate Hee therefore in all commonweales is of greate necessitie for without his wisedome councell fidelitie and discretion no state can stande nor be gouerned whereof also the state and order of euerye commonweale may be knowen As the shippe in tempestious seas is endangered and many time drowned vnlesse by the labour and industrie of the mariners it be saued So the commonweale tormented with tempest of seditions and discord must perish if through the diligence and wisedome of the Magistrates it be not preserued Or as mans bodie is ruled by reason so euery Citie and societie of men must of necessitie containe a soule which is the lawe to be thereby gouerned and that lawe proceedeth from the reason councell and iudgement of wise men For where no lawes nor Magistrates are there no God no men nor no society can be continued The true law of man is reason which wisemen doe giue vnto themselues others receiue from the Magistrates perswading them to eschue things forbidden by law no lesse then if the same were contrary to reason They therfore that in wisdom discretion do excell others are as is aforesaid made of golden or siluer nature because they can deserue best of mans society are to be aboue others aduanced For as Cities well walled and fortefied are thereby defended from the fury of enemies So tranquilitie and happie life is by the councell of wise men preserued Therfore it behooueth them first to be indued with such vertues as may make the commonweale happy then that they be affectionate to the state and liue therein contented to the ende they attempt no innouation and lastly that they be authorised to execute those thinges which they thinke profitable for the commonweale For so shall they commaund with more reputation and the subiectes more willingly obey them Surely whosoeuer shall without indignitie aspyre to the place of supreme gouerment hath neede to vse great art and singular wisedome For such a one is to gouerne not one onely house not one onely famely not one onely wife not one onely rase of children but the commonweale deuided into infinite and contrarie humors of men which by his wisedome must be reduced to one consent equality and concord Moreouer for somuch as in commonweales there are three degrees of magistrates among whom the king holdeth the most supreame place next vnto him is the Senate and the third is distributed to the people what profit may be reaped of euery of them let vs now consider The kinges authority contayneth great vertue high vnderstanding and diuine wisedome for as God is prince of the vniuersall world so is the King Lord of the whole commonweale It behooueth him therefore to gouerne iustlie and godlie because in the commonweale he is accounted the Lieuetenant of God For the Councell wisedome and knowledge of kinges is not their owne but giuen them of God Also for somuch as no king can with his diligence and onely wisedome equally gouerne the whole state for it is rather the vertue of God then man exactlye to know all thinges apperteyning to good gouerment they haue therfore vsed to call vnto their assistance some wise men whereby the common-weale might be the better gouerned Those men beeing as a meane betwixt the king and the people doe on the one side know the office of the king and on the other what are the customes and lawes belonging to the people thereof conceiuing what ought be done for preseruation of the kinges honour and what apperteyneth to the profitt of the commonweale people We thereof inferre that these magistrates or councellors are of all other most able to stand the coÌ„monweale in stead The king being but one onely man cannot looke vnto all thinges and sometimes it happeneth that eyther by giuing liberty to his appetites or yeelding to his affections hee is seduced from true reason and the ignorant multitude being as they say without head or discretion cannot be capable of that knowledge Yet the Senate being chosen and made of vertuous wise and expert men may from their place as from a watch-tower looke about and prouide thinges needefull for the state preuenting all seditions tumultes and perils that can be attempted which is the respect there is not skantlie any commonweale which vseth not to commit eyther the whole or the greatest charge of gouernment to the Senate For albeit they were indeede called Kings who first assembled the habitation of men into Cities liuing before sauagely dispersed in woods and fieldes yet with that course of gouernment the kings could not alone retayne them in obedience Neyther did the authority and wisdome of one Prince suffise when the mindes of men were reduced to ciuilitie and their wonted bestialitie reiected It therefore behoued kings to be accompanied with the Councell of wisemen to the ende the commoweale might be the better gouerned which we reade was done by Romulus For he supposing that the gouernment of one without aduise of Counsell would proue eyther perilous odious or without grauitie did call vnto his assistance a hundreth Senators whome eyther in respect of their age or wisedome he named Fathers The like was done by Theopompus king of Sparta who appoynted the Ephorâ— giuing them great authoritie in the state whereat his wife offended and saying that he â—ad thereby diminished the power of his posteritie in that kingdome answered that it was enlarged and strengthened being perswaded that thorough Counsell and authoritie of the Senate the state wold be exceedingly encreased and inforced Whereby it appeareth that the aduice of Counsellors were from the beginning by kings embraced and all men haue thought those resolutions to be most firme and assured which were by Councell and wisedome of the Senate digested I call that a Senate which is the chiefe magistracie appoynted to giue Counsell and gouerne the state And consequently the Senator is a man lawfully elected into the number authorised to counsell gouerne the commonweale It hath therefore alwaies beene that the order of Counsellors was framed of the most discreet wise and noble sort of subiectesâ— because there is not any society of men so barbarous but desireth the gouernment should
In Monarchies Aristocraties those are named Citizens that liue according to vertue And in the one onely good and vertuous men doe exercise the gouerment and in the other one alone for bounty excelling the rest doth commaund all who eyther a regendo or recte agendo is called Rex Those people which are naturally slaues or wicked doe for the most part obey Tyrants and that gouerment is called Imperium despoticum because they gouerne by will without lawe Such people are seruile barbarous and without vertue or honour Yet are not they to be accounted slaues that be oppressed with power ambition and couetousnesse of Tyrants if that therwith they be not base minded and vitious For we may read of many such that haue reuenged the seruitude both of their owne persons and of their country by sleying or expelling the Tyrants or not being able so to doe haue chosen rather to loose their liues then their liberty as in Rome Brutus Cato and many other had done In an Oligarchia because men are chiefly respected for their riches they who are most welthy will onely be reputed Citizens which kinde of men ought be holden dishonourable because they are carelesse of all vertue and studie for nothing else then how to become rich by what meane soeuer to the ende that not as wise and vertuous but as rich men they may aspyre to the offices and honours in the commonweale Among the Romaines there were diuers kindes of Citizens for some were called Municipes some Colâ—â—i and some Latini euery one retayning those conditions that were granted them by the people of Rome some were free some confederate and some stipendarie Some were made Citizens pleno iure which was by consent of voyces and they were capable of all honours or Iure honorario which were they that were onely admitted into the Citie without suffrage and for honours sake called Citizens as were the Company and Equiti Hee was also accounted a Citizen of Rome whose name was written in the Censors booke and was an householder in Rome By these thinges we haue sayde it appeareth that in all commonweales those are properly called Citizens that in their Citie haue right to beare office and giue suffrage in the state which priueledge who so wanteth is rather to be called an Inhabitante or Clyant then a Citizen In other thinges requisite to the perefction of a Citizen as vertue naturall byrth riches and Nobilitie the custome and lawe of euery state is to â—e obserued Of all these we will onely allowe of two sortes the one Noble the other plebeiall For euery Citie consisteth of the people and the multitude within the name of people as Caius the Doctor writeth all principall Citizens Noblemen Senators and Gentlemen are conteyned The worde plebeiall includeth the rest of the inhabitants and others that haue beeing within the state So as the one sort ought be called Citizens properly and the other so termed by imitation and courtesie But our Councellor shall be of the number of noble and free Citizens A noble Citizen taketh his title of that nobilitie which hath the originall of vertue which is partlie his owne and partlie as ornified and increased by the vertues and riches of his ancestors They therefore that aswell by their owne as their ancestors vertue be made noble are to be preferred honoured and reuerenced before others because of good parents good children are begotten as the Poet saith Fortes fortibus creantur bonis Est in iumentis est in equis patruÌ„ Virtus neâ— imbellet feroces Progenerant â—qâ—ilaeâ—o â—â—mbam To the perfection of a Noble Citizen as Aristotle saith three thinges are chiefely required good parentage riches and vertue Who so possesseth all those wanteth nothing appertayning to true and perfect nobilitie and such men were euer wonte to be called most Noble Citizens But because it seldome happeneth that one man can be owner of them all vertue alone doth chalenge as her right power to make men noble Touching riches and honour of ancestors as they doe ornifie Nobilitie so doe they greatly disgrace the beautie thereof in those that liue not vertuouslye For such men doe make the name of their ancestors obscure and through the vices of their posteritie they become vtterly vnknowne It is therefore better as Tullius saith to be noble by a mans owne vertue then by the opinion conceiued of his ancestors because the beginner of Nobilitie is most praise worthy Who so is descended from Noble parentes doth deferne vndoubtedly to be commended and honoured so that he doth endeuour himselfe to equall or excell the glorious actes and vertue of his ancestors And who would not greatly commend them for so doing declaring themselues thereby thankefull towardes their ancestors by not burying the faâ—e of the dead and increasing the same by their owne vertue yet liuing The lawe of the Rhodians seemeth commendable for therby it was enacted that those sonnes which followed not their fathers vertue but liued vitiously should be disinherited and their laâ—des giuen to the most vertuous of that rase not admitting any impious heire whatsoeuer It is an office of our fâ—ith and pietie to leaue vnto the posteritie of men a declaration howe mindfull and thankefull we are towardes our ancestors whose heirs we are not onely of their worldly goods but of their vertue glorie faith religion which is the true inheritance and may indeed be called the true possessions For it is not a Hall painted full of proude Armes or badges but vertue which maketh a man Noble As â—uuenall saith Tota licet veteres exornent vndique cerae Atria nobilitas solaâ—stâ—â— que vnica virtus For wheresoeuer vertue abideth in all estates the same is more praise worthy then fortune because it refuseth no man but may be by euery one embraced Cleantes was a poore water drawer and vertue found not Plato â—â—oble man but made him noble We câ—â—ld also tell that of diuers bond-men kinges haue beene descended and of kinges ofâ— spring some haue become bond-men such variety long tract of time bringeth and fortune turneth all thinges vpside downe Was not Agâ—thocles from a potter aduanced to be a king what was Romulus Tullius Hostilius Tarquinius Prâ—sâ—uâ— and all the progeny of Romanes wherof Iuuenall writeth thus Et tamen vt longe repetâ—â— longè que reuoluas Nomen ab infami gentem dedu cis Asylâ— Who is therfore a Gentleman he that by nature is made vertuous If any goodnes be in nobilitie it is as Boetius thinketh a certaine necessity imposed vppon Gentlemen that they should not degenerate from their ancestors Moreouer as the exercise of our qualities and actions are diuers so are the degrees of Nobility proceeding of vertue likewise diuers The Nobility of priuate men and all such as liue in contemplation may be called Philosophicall nobilitie but the same in those that eyther gaine glory by counselling the commonweale
die why should we not rather die to liue vertue hath giueÌ„ thee happy life thou shalt then die happie Therfore our whole endeuor studie ought be to attain vnto vertue wherof Philosophy is the nurse Tutresse for therby we shall either aspire hiest or at the least behold many vnder vs. It shall suffice that albeit we are inferior to the first yet we are equall to the second or third so shall we be chiefe of those that come after vs. Among things excellent those which be next the best are accounted great for he that caÌ„not aspire to the martiall glory of Achilles nedeth not be ashamed to receiue the praise due to Aiax or Diomedes or who so attaineth not the knowledg of Plato Lycurgus or Solon ought not therfore to be reckned without learning Many as is aforesaid haue gained the possession of wisedome and skill of gouerment not by reading the bookes of Philosophy but by the obseruation of their ancestors example custome experience domesticall discipline lawe manners and a certaine sagacitie of nature being somewhat graced with honest and liberall education Of such men in all commonweales many examples haue euer beene The Court is their learning and vse lawe ordinances which the customes of their forefathers haue taught them Demades a man very wise and well practised in state being asked what Tutor he had to instruct him wisedome answered The Tribunall of the Athenians thinking the Court and experience of things to excell all the precepts of Philosophie Neyther did the ancient Romanes frame their iust and honest forme of gouerment so much according to the bookes of Philosophers as their own naturall wits What should I say of our ancestors who deuised a commonweale not vnlike to the Romane state The discipline of Plato Licurgus Solon Aristotle and other most notable Philosophers and law-makers doe differ from the Polonians whose greatnes grew only by the vertue they receiued from themselues and not from bookes Their wisedome was to honour vertue and contrary to it neyther to doe or thinke any thing Therefore they vsed not their Kings and Senate to compound controuersies suppresse contentions or pronounce iudgements but to receiue from them examples and rules of vertue and as cheiftaines in warre follow them in defence of their countrie That olde worlde which the Poets called Golden produced a race of men of themselues most happy and wise and truely not vnlike for in that time of mans first age vertue onely raigning the misery of vices and wickednes was not knowen for they loued an vpright iust and simple life wherunto vertue and reason consenteth They were therfore inforced to vertue and honesty euen by the spurre of their owne nature fleing vice which because it was to them vnknowen might more easily be eschewed Of that time Ouidius Naso writeth most excellently Aurea prima sataest aetas quae vindice nullo Sponte sua sine lege fidem rectumque colebat Poena metusque aberant nec supplex turba timebat Iudicis ora sui sederant sine iudice tâ—ti But so soone as the sonne of trueth declined and with the cloudes of vices began to be darkned forthwith the minds of men fell into wicked nesse as desirous rather to knowe vice then vertue delighting in the one and shunning the other Then euery man armed himselfe against vertue thinking it was lawfull to offend others to liue vngodly abusing reason and employing it in euill exercises as the same Poet saith Protinus erupit venae peioris in aeuum Omne nefas fugêre pudor verumque fidesque In quorum subiére locum fraudesque dolique Insidiaeque vis amor sceleratus habendi And surely that floode and rage of wickednesse had vtterly drowned all mankind had not the force of nature and reason which remained in a few opposed it selfe against the fury of so great calamities Those fewe then as it were proclaminge warre with vice perswaded other men who then liued as bruite beasts to reduce themselues to humanity enforming them not onely by wordes but also by writing what was ciuilitie vertue and honour whereof grew lawes in Cities as a tutresse to good life So as men might there learne to thinke and doe those things which were honest iust and godly and to the ende those lawes might neuer perish they caused them to be written in bookes which are records of immortality and preseruers of eternall memory From hence the precepts of vertue did take their beginning and many volumes of manners and dueties of men haue bene written After them followed others who aspyred not onely to knowledge of the offices and dueties belonging to men but also serched the nature of all things This consideration of humaine nature and world vniuersall was in one worde by the Graecians called Sophia and the inuentors thereof were named Sophi who afterwardes more modestlie by example of Pithagoras called themselues Philosophers By this meane the light of reason and humaine nature which lay hidden and was made darke with cloudes of vice did recouer his vertue and brought vnto vs the knowledge both of diuine and humaine thinges Which knowledge is called Philosophie by the benefit whereof mortall men recouered the ancient vertue simplicitie innocency and happines Whosoeuer in those daies desired to liue honestlie and well flee vice and knowe vertue applied himselfe to reade the Philosophers bookes and marke their sayings as men that vtterly mistrusted their owne nature and witt infected with knowledge of vice euill education slouth delicacie Idlenes opiniatry and wicked conditions Thus was that golden world by Philosophers restored and the olde estate nature and felicity was recouered Therefore whosoeuer doth receiue from thence the precepts of vertue honest life and that ancient and golden humanity is made not onely ciuill and wise but also happy and most blessed All those that without Philosophy and learning are indeed wise doe attaine to their wisedome by one of these two waies The one by being indued with diuine nature the vertue whereof comprehendeth foreseeth and vnderstandeth all things In olde time amongest the Graecians Theseus and Cecrops and among the Latines Romulus and Numa gouerned commonweales not with Philosophy but were instructed by the celestiall Muses The second meane to gouerne without learning is to be perfect in forraine experience and a vigilant obseruer of ciuil cautions Such men if they be good and permit all things to be directed by lawe are praiseable albeit their wisedome is imperfect and subiect to many perils and mutations but if they be euill then are they so pernicious and hurtfull to the commonweale as nothing can be more Therefore Mitie said well that there was nothing more vniust then ignorant man for he not knowing the true rules of gouerment thinking that the experience of one court is the whole summe of ciuill discipline doth fill the state full of tumultes and seditions not conceiuing by what meanes reason cunning or counsell such mischiefe is happened
and so being wanteth-both wisedome and iudgement Of which two things ignorance the mother of vice and all euill hath bereft him Sith then by the benefit of nature onely we cannot be made happy and wise our mindes being ouercharged with burthen of body indued with the knowledge of things euill and that we liue in such an age as doth not as in olde time bring forth plenty of good men It behoueth to deuise good meanes whereby the minde may shake of the incumbers and vices of body so as cleared from the rage of time present we may be reuoked to the ancient diuine and perfect life of men which thing may be done by the helpe of art and exercise the one is attained by labour the other gotten by Philosophy For the name of Philosophy includeth all things humaine diuine the knowledge of all artes all vertues all gouernment of state and euery other thing which is eyther in heauen or in earth contained This is that which deliuereth the minde imprisoned in the body from all affections teacheth it counsell to liue well commaund and gouerne Our Counsellor then instructed in the precepts of Philosophie shall not from thence forth be shut vp lurke vnseene be solitarie walke vnaccompanied auoyde the sight of men nor couer his slouth with keeping himselfe within doores but shall conuerse with the multitude and Citizens and with his presence honour and aide the societie of men For no vertue wit or wisedome can be famous being shut vp within the wals but of force it must come forth and shew it selfe And the wisdome of a solitary Citizen is no more profitable then the treasure of a couetous man buried in the ground which ferueth him no more then if he possessed it not What can be so great or noble as that the vertue of euery particular man shoulde be seene and brought forth to be heard seene of all men For it is not easely knowen of what capacity wisedome and iudgement man is vnlesse proofe be made thereof As the strength of wrastlers is knowen by the fall and the swiftnes of the horse by his carrire so the vertue of a Senator is by his actions tried Thus haue we as I hope sufficiently spoken of that discipline wherby a Counsellor becommeth happy and fitt to gouerne the commonweale according to iustice And sith onely by the vertue of nature that happines knowledge cannot be attained the same is to be supplied by vse For we ought to learne so long to learne as we are ignorant or as Seneca saith so long as we liue repent not that we haue profited The most assured signe that we haue profited in vertue is if we finde in ourselues that the force of our reason vertue hath suppressed vnreasonable desires and affections and if among men we haue liued iustly wisely and temperately But let vs now discourse of the manner of chosing our Counsellor determining therin chiefly to obserue comlines and equity Among other things which do preserue the common-weale happines therof there is nothing better then to elect such men for magistrates as be indued with greatest wisedome iudgement vertue and such as aspyre vnto honour not by power not by force not by ambition not by corruption but by lawe vertue modesty worthines Magistracy in all commonweales is a thing of most reputation because the magistrates are called the best wisest and most honorable men Magistracy is as it were an ornament of vertue bestowed on the best sorte of men for their vertue and well deseruing of the state It is therefore the part of a good Citizen and good man entring into magistracy to preferre the welfare honour of the commonweale before his priuate reputation and domesticall commoditie not imitating Sylla Cinna Carbo Marius Pompeius Caesar and such other Senators whose ambition sedition and factions brought there commonweale well neere to vtter destruction For they woulde not liue with equalitie preferring the fruite of priuate glory before the profit and tranquilitie of their countrie As Lucanus writing of Pompeius and Caesar saith Impatiensque loci fortuna secundi Nec quenquam iam ferre potest Caesarue priorem Pompeiusque parem In euery well gouerned commonweale this insatiable desire of honour must be brideled which the Romanes did so long as their state flourished oppressing practises and punishing the ambition of such men as contrarie to lawe and honestie eyther by force corruption or any other dishonest meane aspyred to office Some men distrusting their owne vertue doe by bribes aduance themselues vnto the most soueraigne dignities which thing is more then any other fowle and pernitious to all estates For such men in respect of riches doe dispise both vertue and honesty and thinke that honour or vertue doth not become any man but him that is rich which is the cause that they attend too their priuate not the publique commoditie because they knowe all honours and dignities are giuen to rich and not to vertuous men whereof proceedeth that in euery such state raigneth couetousnes immesurable desire of wealth and of them groweth voluptuousnes deceipt fraud enemitie contempt of God Law and Magistrates Insuch states men imbrace not that which is honest but that which is profitable for finding no rewarde due vnto vertue euerie one holdeth the vertuous man vnder by fraude deceipt and power so as the poorer sorte doe liue in the commonweale oppressed with miserie and are forced to serue the rich as more worthy persons not in respect of vertue but of power fraude and subtiltie For they doe alwaies preferre priuate vtilitie before honestie and vertue selling coarsing and reiecting all lawes liberty rightes and iustice it selfe Iugurtha seeing great store of corruptible Senators in Rome as it were exclaming saide That that Citie was salable and would quickely perish if any buier coulde be founde The Lacedemonians consulting of the continuance of their state were by Appollo answered That Sparta should be destroyed by no meanes but onely by auarice and to auoyde that fatall prediction they reiected the vse of all golde siluer and brasse making a coyne of iron wherwith men should be lesse delighted and in keeping thereof more combred Great care therfore must be taken in euery commonweale that the offices should not be giuen rather to the rich then the vertuous men and that those may be punished that seeke with money to oppresse vertue For it is a most readie meane to bring that state to ruine where more regard is had to riches then vertue because the subiectes will labour rather to attaine welth then vertue disposing themselues wholly to heape vp coyne which maketh them effeminate fraudulent desirous of other mens goods lasciuious and abounding in all kindes of vices Where vertue is not esteemed the Priest contemneth pietie the soldier layeth by his sworde the Senator seeketh not wisedome fidelitie and diligence and the people make no account of ciuill
he ought likewise to know not onely those meanes wherby the state may be ornified increased preserued but also how the same may be weakned hindred or subuerted For as that Pilot is not accounted perfect skilfull who knoweth only how to sayle keepe course in quiet seas but he that by his Art vnderstaÌ„deth the nature force of tempests winds storms how to eschew perils by his art saue the ship tormented with fury of wind water leading hir to haâ—borow hauen of safetie euen so the wisdome of a Counsellor gouerning a quiet and peaceable state deserueth praise yet much lesse then he who finding the same wrought with windes of sedition and afflicted with stormes of great dissention restoreth it vnto good and desired pacification making the people contented tractable peaceable and voyde of perturbation Themistocles is much commended for reducing the Athenians being then sauage and simple to liue in the Citie and subiect themselues to lawes But much more ought Solon to be praised who finding the Citie disturbed with rebellion and ciuill warre reduced it to vnion reestablishing the lawe and confirming the Magistrates Neyther doe I thinke that Camillus for hauing deliuered Rome from the Galli is lesse to be honoured then Romulus that first builded the Citie Or is not Cicero to be preferred before the Fabii he hauing recouered Rome from the wicked hand of Catiline and they vndertaking a domesticall warre against the Veienti Pompeius loued the commonweale but Cicero preserued it so as Pompeius might say that vnlesse Cicero had preserued the state he should haue wanted place where to triumph Therefore Cicero would sometimes gloriously say that others had done things honorably but the thanks for conseruation of the state was due vnto himselfe Who thinketh the vertue of Caesar or Pompeie to be compared with the vertue of Scipio Africanus yet did they most notable actes for their countrie but he finding the same broken weake and as it were within one daies space to become subiect to the Armes of Haniball did not onely rescue and recouer it but also increased and inlarged it which proueth the saying true Non minor est virtus quam querere parta tueri Cyrus in conquering kingdomes was happy but in holding them vnhappy he knewe the arte to winne but was ignorant how to keepe And surely those daies wherein we are preserued ought be to vs more deere then that wherein we were borne Likewise they doe better deserue of mankinde whose wisedome hath deuised the welfare of men then they from whome their generation or conception proceedeth I doe therefore wish the Counsellor to be indued with such knowledge as consulteth not onely vpon things present but also foreseeth things to come comprehending in minde the whole state diligently considering all the chances perils mutations and inclinations thereof wherby he shall with more facilitie conceiue the mischieues which happen and eyther by foreseeing diuert them or being growen extirpe them Neyther doe I thinke fit that our Counsellor should be igorant in the gouerment of other states for by such examples he may conceiue the lawes wherewith they are gouerned the manners they haue vsed in what sort they haue beene altered amended and preserued Likewise with what authoritie each lawe is made what is the order of their publique Counsels with the duetie belonging to euery of them what libertie dignitie authoritie and iurisdiction appertaineth to euerie common-weale In this our state for so much as the Senate is a meane betwixt the king and people it behoueth euery Senator to know what is the maiesty of a king his greathes and iurisdiction and likewise what is the right and libertie of subiectes because the king and people many times contende one against the other the one desiring immesurable libertie the other affecting oppression The intemperate contention of those humors doe greatly afflict the commonweale For if the one doth preuaile he putteth on the person of a Tyrant or if the other be victorious thereof are engendred as many thousande Tyrantes as heads of men The tyrannie of many is alwaies more cruell then of one For the one taketh ende eyther by death or by sacietie of commaunding but the insolent and insatiable licentiousnes of the multitude doth feede the vaine of tyrannie the venome whereof doth long after infecte their posteritie Therefore the Senate ought be exceeding diligent in preseruing the libertie due and common to euerie one and from that meane place as from a watching house or tower to foresee the welfare of all and take order that through sedition or contention the commonweale be not indemnyfied For the Senate is a iudge betwixt force and feare libertie and seruitude the king and people Tyrantes were wonte to vse certaine sleightes in arming themselues against the liberty of people First by remouing all good and wise men with euerie other person hauing power in the state because the vertue of good men is to Tyrantes suspected and that one compell the rest eyther by feare or force to become seruile and they themselues to doe all things according to their owne lust and pleasure Such counsell Periander gaue vnto Thrasibulus perswading him to cut of the highest spikes of corne meaning be should put the most noble Athenians to death The like subtiltie was followed by Sextus Tarquinius the sonne of Lucius He being suborned by his father pretending to be banished fled fraudulently vnto the Gabii where hauing so much acquaintance and friendship as he thought suffized sent secretly vnto his father to knowe what his pleasure was shoulde be done who leading the messenger into the garden there walked and in his presence with his staffe strake of the heads of all the Dazles which being reported to his sonne he put the chiefe noble men of Gabia to death by force and iniustice vsurping the commonweale and liberty The Tyrants doe also oftentimes inhibite the societie of Subiects their meetings their conferences conuentions feastings and the studie of honest disciplines Tyrantes also many times doe sowe discord among the people to the ende that filled with hate and priuate displeasure they may dispose themselues to warre and sedition and thereby be impouerished and being poore and the warre ended the offenders are forced to pay for pardon so that euery way fleesed of their riches and made needie they doe become base minded and vnsit to defende both liberty and well doing These and many such like things the Counsellor ought indeuor himselfe to knowe and by foresight prouide that the commonweale be not by those meanes afflicted Let him likewise vnderstand that the office of a king is not to care or studie so much for his owne priuate profit as the common commoditie of his subiectes to obserue his lawes to preserue the rights and liberty of the people and to maintaine the authority and reputation of his counsell For kings were instituted to aid good men against the wicked and vngodly and to
libertie is profitable to euery Citie but ouermuch libertie is euill and maketh men headdie or desperate To suppresse the licentiousnes of euill subiects seueritie of lawe is required Therefore it behoueth the state to foresee that through not punishing of euill mens offences the good subiects be forced to suffer at their handes For the common-weale ought be accounted the possession of good and not of euill men Moreouer it cannot be but in euery commonweale seditions and motions will arise and Hannibal said there was no great Citie that could liue long in quiet vnlesse it had some enemies abroade because otherwise domesticall foes would therein arise And as mightie bodies seeme assured from externall harme so are they euer bourdened with their owne waight Besides that sith we are men we must not as the Comoedian saith thinke our selues free from any misaduenture that may happen to mankind For although we be wise prouident and good yet are we men and by instinct of nature lesse proan to vertue then vice and in like sort there is no Citie that wanteth wicked vicious and disorderly people Therefore whensoeuer the floode of troubles doth happen to arise in the state the office of a Counsellor as Cicero saith is patiently to indure the peoples wilfulnesse to winne the heartes of those that are vnasiured keepe them that are alreadie wonne appease the offended and aboue all prouide that the worst sort may not in any thing haue the aduantage It is not also amisse that sometimes he winke and seeme not to see so that those faultes whereat he winketh doe proceede rather of errour then wilfulnesse But to pardon such as voluntarilie haue offended or committed any impious act against the commonweale the honest orders of men or the lawe is not onely to be thought pernicious but also wicked and detestable Wherefore in suppressing so great a furie and rashnesse of mens fancies the Counsellor ought to employ great wisedome and diligence and let him therein chiefly vse those two precepts which Cicero reciteth from the mouth of Plato the one is that alwaies he looke well vnto the common profit referring thereunto all his actions and forget euery priuate respect the other is to be carefull for the whole bodie of the commonweale least in taking the protection of part he doth abandon the rest For who so defendeth one onely sort of men doth induce hatred and sedition which two plagues doe debilitate and subuert the state He ought therefore to be as carefull of the people as of the King of the nobilitie as of the meaner sort of the rich as of the poore of the wise as the simple and so consequently of all sortes and estates of men The omission of which rule was that which afflicted the Athenians and filled Rome with sedition tumults and ciuill warres Let him therefore in al things obserue indifferencie and equalitie for thereby the commonweale shalbe assured and the people in good will loue and peace preserued In that state where small respect is borne vnto equalitie there quarrell contention and enmitie doe dailie arise which commeth to passe for that men equall do aspyre to things vnequall or vnequall men to things equal But men of one fortune do best consort together and like will to like as the prouerbe saith They therfore that excell others in riches or birth are not to be preferred neyther are they to be equally esteemed who are equall in liberty but those that excell others in vertue are to be accounted both superiors and equals that is in respect of law or number as the Arithmetricians call it they are equall but in dignitie they are superiour because in the bestowing of honours vertue is chiefly respected For who so is most vertuous dedeserueth most honour and glorie and this equalitie because it is measured by reason and iudgement is called Geometricall I doe therefore thinke fit that the Senator should obserue both equalities In the distribution of iustice and conseruation of libertie he is to be towards all men indifferent For whom the law hath made equall ought to liue in rule and libertie neither giuing nor taking from one more then an other as the line of law doth direct him The rule of which equalitie is easely obserued For the condition thereof is in all commonweales prescribed which is that each man should enioy so much as by lawe custome or conuention to him appertaineth wherin heede must be taken that neither wealth powre or parentage be respected but that aswell the poore as rich the noble as ignoble may be equally iudged As touching equalitie according to the iudgement of reason whereby men would be preferred and honoured more then others is not so easelie discerned For to iudge of each mans valewe wisedome and vertue with the honours to them due is rather proper to a deuine then humaine wit The reason thereof is we are often deceiued in our opinion of that which is accoūted good neither be we euer vpright Iudges of other mens deseruing Herein therfore resteth the difficultie for who so can truely iudge of mens vertue shall therby shew himself rather a God then man In conclusion the commonweale is not preserued by any vertue more then that who so then in gouerning is a iust iudge of ech mans value vertue for it resteth in his censure knoweth also vnto whose hands to commit or not cōmit the state whom to loue and whom to hate whom to reward and whom to punish shall make the gouernment most quiet but not knowing so to do the same becommeth of all other the most wicked corruptible and disordered Therefore in popular commonweales where the multitude is rude and ignorant of discourse and reason the people are rewarded and punished by lot for they pray God that each man may find fortune according to his merit Notwithstanding for so much as the temeritie of lotting obeyeth rather to fortune then reason in the conseruation of equalitie we allowe of wisedome and humaine pollecie to be Iudge rather then fortune With which vertues if the Counsellor be indued he shal easelie discern what ought in all things to be done And therein he shall imitate the duetie of a good husband For he hauing within his house diuerse honest persons esteemeth one for his age an other for his vertue a third for his condition So the Counsellor in the commonweale should haue respect to each mans age vertue condition and calling He must also vnderstand the right liberty of people which as they think do consist chiefly in being capable of the offices to haue power to make correct lawes to speake freely in matters that concerne liberty law or iniury not to be arrested or imprisoned without order of lawe or authoritie nor be vniustly iudged robbed or forced to pay tribute They desire moreouer not to obey officers contrarie to lawe not to be hurt of those that be more mightie nor be oppressed
doubt beene men in wisedome most excellent For true wisedome proceedeth from perfect reason which if the Counsellor attaineth eyther by Philosophy ciuill discipline or experience he shall thereby know how to foresee things to come gouerne well and wisely things represent and when trouble or doubtfull accidents happen speedely resolue and giue present counsell according to the time and occasion Plato saide there were two things most notable in the life of man the first was a wise man to knowe all things the second to know himselfe Therefore with this most notable great and diuine vertue let our Counsellor be fully furnished for without it no reason no vertue no action nor cogitation can be good or perfect The chiefe propertie or force of this wisedome as wise men affirme it to be wise for our selues because the prudent man doth first settle his owne affaires for wanting wisdome to gouerne well his owne priuate estate he may be rightly called foolish Vnder Prudence is contained the skill of well handling matters domesticall the knowledge of making lawes ciuill wisedome and the conning of consulting and iudging Therefore Prudence in a mans owne affaires is by Cicero called domesticall wisedome and the same vsed iu publique matters is named ciuill wisedome For the perfect conceiuing of all these things it behoueth him to vnderstand what is true and iust because the knowing of trueth is proper to Prudence For if we abandon trueth all things said or done will be false iniust and euill Wherefore who so wisely with a sharpe conceipt seeth knoweth what in all things is comely and true performing the same speedily wittely is in my iudgement to be reputed a wise man And to the ende the wisedome of a Counsellor may haue certaine groundes whereunto his imagination may resort for reasons to leade him to the trueth let him keepe in minde these two things that is honesty and profit Then whatsoeuer he speaketh or doth eyther in priuate or publique the same must be as at a marke directed and leuelled by honesty and profit For all things which are conceiued by reason or expressed by speach within the boundes of these two are included We therefore require a sharpe and sounde conceipt in finding out what is honest and profitable least the minde blinded with affections and desires doth seduce the iudgement of our Counsellor and leade him from the path of true reason Many men there are who finding themselues to haue a little abused reason by giuing head to their affections lustes do fall forth with into opinions from wisdom diuers and contrarie wherof followeth that they are not onely deceiued in their opinion of things honest profitable but are also with the loue of dishonesty improfitable desires blinded For auoiding wherof these two errors must be eschewed First not to take things vnknowen for knowen and rashly assent vnto them next not to yeeld vnto that which is euill and contrarie to vertue and honesty A thing most easie it is for the Counsellor to comprehend the endes of honesty and profit if he layeth before his eyes the good and welfare of the state which is the end and scope whereunto all wisedome and prudence of euery Counsellor ought be referred because neyther God the people his country nor wisedome it selfe can at his hand require more then that the commonweale may be preserued in safetie and happines And euery state is happy which doth abound with all good things and if the people therein be iust temperate valiant free wise and therewithall rich healthy vnited and voyde of factions The office of a Senator is also not onely to take care of those things which tend to the felicity of the commonweale but he ought be much more carefull to know by what meanes it may be therin continued and preserued For it oftimes happeneth that by negligence of magistrates the subiects as each man is by nature proane rather to euill then good by little and little doe decline from vertue infecting the state with diuers mischiefes wherin the commonweale must of necessity be drowned For preuenting wherof it behoueth those euill accidents to be met with and remoued by law For the nature of law in all commonweales is a bond to tye each man to his duty and defend them in vertue and fidelity But it sufficeth not onely to make lawes wherby men are rewarded or punished according to their merrits but it behoueth as the Lacedemonians did to prescribe examples customes and exercises of vertue wherin the people may take delight Therunto ciuill discipline is to be added which both in time of peace warre shall make men apt and obedient to all exercises of vertue I wish also aboue all things that in making of euery law such iudgement should be vsed that therin all occasion of offending may vtterly be remoued And as the Phisition doth heale the sicke body by medicine so ought the Counsellor by good lawes to cure the mind Yet can I not allow of those who finding an inconuenience begun and growing doth forthwith execute punishment without deuising a reason how the same mischiefe may after be extirped For I thinke it more expedient by Counsell and reason to prouide how men may be made iust and honest rather then how they might be put to death or punished What man is so cruell that would not take away occasion of these rather by making prouision of corne for the poore then through want thereof enforce them to become theeues and put them to death And who is he that seeth the commonweale inclined to vice and the people spoyled with licenciousnes but would reforme the same rather by pecuniall then capitall lawes Therefore Tullius said if thou wilt take away couetousnes thou must first remoue her mother excesse A counsellor ought to haue euer before his eies all the commodities discommodities of the common weale which being to him vnknowen it is impossible to cure the sores and woundes wherewith it may be greeued He ought therfore to be informed what life euerie notable subiect leadeth how he is affected to the state whether he obeyeth the lawes or be enclined to faction whether the magistrates be faithfull and diligent in the publique affaires whether they be couetous cruell and vnmercifull or whether they be iust gentle and pitifull Also whether the Iudge be wise and learned in the ciuill ordinances and whether they determine according to lawe or their owne pleasure Let him also so well comprehend in mind the whole commonweale as to know all rightes liberties lawes belonging to the people as Cicero doth counsel what munition the state hath what soldiers what tresure what confederats what friendes what stipendaries and by what lawe condition or compact euery of them is bound he must also be perfect in the custome of iudgements and the presidents of times past All these things it behoueth a Counsellor to know
himselfe shall adde diners other as comprehended rather b◠〈◊〉 and custome then by precepts alwaies remembring neuer to 〈◊〉 from iustice He must also prouide that by the friendship 〈…〉 the quiet of other subiects may be preserued for there is nothingmore noble then that the gouernours of state should shewe themselues friends companions fellowes and well willets For what concord or consent of subiects can be in that commonweale were the gouernours and magistrates doe disagree Aristides and Themistocles were enemies yet when soeuer they ioyned in publique â—â—bassage or commission of warre being come to the confines of the â—thenians land they layed downe all contention and stâ—ile though after their returne home many times olde displeasure was pursued It is the propertie of a noble great minde to forget iniâ—ries contâ—â—â—e theÌ„ which whosoeuer doth for loue to the coÌ„monweale ought be called a good iust man and not so to do for the safety of friends is a part of inhumanity barbarousnes and rusticitie because friendship should be immortall and enimitie mortall To friendship hospitalitie is a companion for it receiueth and courteously intertaineth not onely men knowne but also persons vnknowne and strangers This vertue gaineth vs not â—â—ely great praise and glory but also reputation and honour The priuiledges belonging to hospitalitie are so great as the 〈◊〉 obserued the rights thereof to their enemies and would neuer sight till such time as the prisoners to whom they were indebted for meate were set at libertie The Counsellor therefore shall not onely make estimation of friendship in himselfe but also exhort others to doe the same The vse of frienship in every commonweale is great and much greater then of iustice if therein all men constantly would perâ—euer Plato finding he could not bring the commonweale to happines by any vertue reduced all lawes and customes to friendship deuising that all things should be made common for by meane thereof men should be retained in continuall societie affirming that two onely words that is is to say mâ—ne and thine weâ—â— the things which disturbed the societie of men Of amitie groweth concord being nothing else then ciuill amitie and is as it were a conspiraâ—ie of all degrees of men to maintaine libertie lawe iustice sidelitie religion and quietnes in the commonweale The chiefe hope to continue quietnesse in the commonweale is when all men consent in all times and all things to the preseruation thereof and doe in counsell consult with vnitie and concord Wherefore let our Counsellor be a defendour and champion of concord For discord is the poison of all commonweales Seeing there was neuer any Emperour Tyrant or gouernour that preuailed against consent Therfore the Senate of Rome did most commonly inhabit the house of concord to shew thereby that in counsell nothing should be done seditiously or contentiously but all things performed courteously and peaceably Agesilaus king of Lacedemonia keing asked why Sparta was not inuironed with walles informed the asker that the Citizens liued vnited and armed and shewing him the men said Lo heere are the walles of Sparta Scilurus hauing fowrescore sonnes before his death offered them a bondle of arrows to be broken at once they answering it were a thing impossible he tooke the arrowes one by one and brake them all thereby warning his sonnes to liue in concord saying that by force therof they should be inuincible and happy In like manner Mycypsa king Numedy being readie to die assembled his children and admonished them in any wise to be louers of concord alledging the saying which neuer ought be forgotten which is that by concord small things encrease but by discord the greatest are consumed The discord of Senators ought aboue all to be eschewed lest by such example the other subiects be infected It were dishonorable for them to spend time in chiding and not in counselling for there is nothing so agreeable to their calling as loue peace concord and good will and that state is in apparant perill where the Senate is deuided For how should those that contend one against the other consult of peace concord or quietnes in the commonweale Wherefore eyther the contendors mindes must be reconciled or without respect to say their mindes for those ought be remoued from Counsell and punished that preferre priuate hate before publique peace and tranquillitie In Counsell nothing should be done contentiously vnwillingly or seditiously Of concord and Iustice let this we haue said sustice Now forsomuch as the condition of life is subiect to sundrie perils and misaduentures so as it behoueth vs eyther to suffer or mansully reuâ—nge it therefore seemeth necessarie to discourse of Fortitude with whose weapons all assaultes of the minde and fortune are vanquished That kinde of life which is quiet peaceable and assured from all perils and discommodities is most commonly of men desired esteeming that as singuler vertue which worketh such an effect as the professors thereof may be deliuered and made free from continuall molestation cares ttoubles and discontentations Notwithstanding all men in my opinion be greatly deceiued that think the life of man may be pleasantly passed without the mixture of perils perturbatioÌ„s Fornature hath so prouided that our liues should be subiect to many mischances and that as our bodies are disquieted with labour and toyle so the mind should be trauelled with discoÌ„tented imaginations Neither can there be any taste of vertue or happines if without mishaps we alwaies did liue For sorrowes being passed like rest after labour do make the fruit of felicitie much more pleasing Vertue is not a Ladie of solatarie or idle life but loueth labour reioyceth and triumpheth in times of perill which was the cause that Hercules contemned the way to pleasure because it was large and wide and made choise to seeke vertue wherevnto the passage is hard and full of difficultie Who so desireâ—h to enioy the possession of perfect vertue and happie life must of force despise pleasures disdaine worldlie things flie idlenesnd be perswaded that to feare and be irresolute is a thing most reprochfull Also it becommeth vs not onely to ouercome all toyles and dangers in aspyring to vertue but being thereof possessed we ought with much more courage and greatnes of minde endure all calamities sorrowes and dangers whatsoeuer wherein by vertue it selfe we are much aided sith through it we are made constant couragious strong and mightie and there is nothing so hard or difficult which the force of vertue doth not withstand and with her powre bring vnder This excellency of minde is called Fortitude an affection obeying vertue by constant suffering and enduring which is an ornament to all other vertues For the substance and nature of Prudence Iustice and Temperance is of it selfe without fortitude soft and effeminate For the propertie of them is to thinke and doe onely but the qualitie of this vertue is to thinke and execute constantly manfully and valiantly This
in vice and vncleannes A counsellor therefore ought to be carefull that the life of subiectes be not tombled into this myre of voluptuousnes and soule delights but that all things may be done with shamefastnes and honestie All dishonest and vnlawfull delightes should be extirped and likewise all occasions and opportunities whereby the people are trained to liue dishonestly shamelesly wickedly and imtemperately ought be remoued The Lacedemonians were wont to shew their dronken seruants vnto their children to the ende that they lothing their vile gestures and beastialitie might auoide the vice of much drinking But would God we were as willing to follow as remember those ancient customes Great was the moderation and temperance which our ancestors vsed in their diet for they liued not to eate but did eate to liue In these daies the plague of intemperance is growne so great as more men perish by incontinencie and gluttonie then by force or fury of warre Also in some nations men take no delight but onely in drinking Who would not then commend M. Curius the Romaine Senator that was content the embassadours sent by the Samnits should finde him homely set at supper by his fire drinking in a cup of wood and there refused the golde which they did present him saying I had hather command rich men then be a rich man my selfe I speake not of Fabricius Tubero Fabius Cato and Scipio whose temperate and sober life hath beene by immortall fame preserued Hortentius was much reprooued for that he at a supper prepared for the Auguri set before his gests a boyled peacocke likewise Cassius was deemed intemperate because publiquelie he dranke water and could not endure thirst for a short time Duronius was also remoued from the Senate for that he being Tribune he cassed the lawe concerning the restrainte of feasting Surely the Romaine state was happy in hauing such Senators as were not onely princes of Counsell but also masters of good manners and vertues Whereof may be coniectured how temperate the people of Rome were in those daies It is reported that when the presents which Pirrus king of Epirus after his ouerthrow were brought vnto Rome and shewed about the streats hoping thereby to winne good will of the people there was nor one man seene to put out his hand towards them fo as that king found himselfe no lesse vanquished with continencie then force of armes But when excesse after the victorie of Asia had entred Rome and that through plentie and idlenes the peoples mindes began to grow wanton sodainly that ciuill discipline of temperancie parcimonie and societie were extinguished and in liew therof couetuonsnes accompanied with all mischiefes possessed the Citie which as Salust saith way the very cause that destroyed the Romain empyre The Counsellor therefore must foresee that in the common-weale excesse may not long indure because it peruerteth publique peace and maketh the subiects soft effeminate miserable and needy Diogenes hearing that the house of a certaine prodigall man was offred to sale said I knew well that house was so full of meate and wine as or long it would vomit out the master The Counsellor shall also eschew nothing more in his owne person then immoderate eating and drinking because it consumeth the force both of bodie and minde Notable is that lawe of Solon which iudgeth a drunken prince worthie of death Philip king of Macedon being disguised with drinke gaue iudgement against a woman she furthwith appealed and being asked to whom answered to king Philip when he is sober Certainly the force of wine taketh away all iudgement in man in so much as thereby kings are made seruants olde men become children wise folkes are turned to fooles and fooles changed to mad men The Counsellor therefore shall obserue measure and drinke for necessitie not for sacietie following the counsell of Anacharsis who said that the first draught was of necessitie the second of superfluitie and the third of madnes It were most vnseemely in a Senator to haue a countenance full of furie eyes full of anger and speech full of pride all which doe accompanie dronkennes and as euill it will become him being ouercharged with meate and wine to consume the whole night in sleaping But how much good diet helpeth to preserue health prepare the bodie to action we may learne by experience For by moderate diet we finde not onely the minde but the bodie also more obedient but sacietie and fulnes of belly is no other then a sepulture to a liuing minde It therfore beseemeth a Senator not onely priuately but also publiquely to obserue parcimonie and frugalitie Yet heed must be taken least he seeme ouersparing hard or straight in expence for it is the propertie of a bace and abiect minde to abuse comlines and honour in his liuing Therefore priuate excesse shalbe banished and publique magnificence retained needlesse delicacy but much more misery and nigardlines must be auoided For as immoderate expences be hurtfull so necessarie and conuenient fare is honest and wholsome Respect is also to be had to the place the time and persons waying therewithall what belongeth to priuate and publique honestie dignitie and profit not neglecting the change of exercises and honest pleasures L. Tubero making a publique feast couered all his beds with the skins of kids and for so doing was thought indiscrete and ignorant in things belonging to publique honour and reputation also for the same was deposed from the office of Pretor But of Temperancy let this suffice which we haue hitherto spoken Let vs now sith the time and order of our matter so requireth intreat of the goods of bodie and fortune wherewith the felicitie of a Counsellor is not onely ornified but also made perfect For so much as the bodie of man is as it were a dwelling place and tabernacle of his mind it behoueth vs and our liues to be furnished no lesse with the perfections of minde then of bodie For as the actions of vertue cannot be exercised by a weake bodie so the bodie wanteth power to performe his duetie being gouerned by an imperfect minde These two are so coopled and conioyned together that as the Master without a seruant so the minde may not execute his duetie without obedience of the bodie Therefore the philosophers writing of pollicy doe conioyne the exercises of bodie and minde as though men imperfect eyther in bodie or mind were improfitable in the societie of men Euen as ciuill discipline and good lawes doe worke the perfection of minde so nature chiefly ioyned with exercise doth make the soundnes of bodie which is conserued by phisicke Therefore in commonweales well gouerned certaine lawes and ages for mariage ought be prescribed likewise education ordained for children to theende they may be informed in ciuill discipline So as by nature and art the people may become both of minde and bodie most perfect But sith heretofore we haue discoursed of the qualities of mind and the perfections thereof
What kinde of lotting is best VVhat considerations the Romans had in the electioÌ„ of Senators The euill example of magistrates worse then their vices Lysander Lycurgus VVhat election of Magistratesis most perfect VVhether Senators ought be chosen by one or diuers The multitude no 〈◊〉 iudge 〈…〉 The election of Counsellors appertaineth to one What things are to be respected in choise of CouÌ„sellors The knowledge of commonweales necessary in a Counsellor The knowledge of sundry states very profitable The state of Polonia The art of Tyrantes The office of Kinges The differeÌ„ce betwixt kings and Tyrants The popular sort inconstant VVho are good subiectes Seditious subiectes The office of Counsellors The duetie of priuate persons Great states most subiect to trouble In appeasing sedition what order is to be taken Precepts of Plato Equalitie of commonw of great necessitie Wherein equalitie consisteth Equalitie Arithmeticall Equalitie Geometrical Wherin law and populer libertie consisteth Sedition the poâ—son of Commonw What to be considered in appeasing sedition In preuenting of sedition what the Counsellor ought doe In a perfect Counsellor fower vertues chiefly required Prudence What Prudence is Theoricall wisedome differeth froÌ„ Prudence Contemplatiue Philosophers called rightly Sapientes but not Prudentes The originall of Prudence Prudence of two kindes A wise man What is to be eschewed in Prudence The end of Counsellors wisedome The felicity of common-weales Law the conseruer of vertue What is to be considered in making of lawes Occasion of offending to be remoued by law The comodities and discommodities of commonâ— Knowledges necessary in Counsellors Loue to our country Companions to Prudence Witt. VnderstaÌ„ding Circumspection The circumspection of a Senator By what meane the felicitie of subiectes is preserued Prouidence Prouidence diuine Humaine prouidence Demâ—nium Socratis Caution VVhat is to be obserued in speaking Silence Sagacitie Wilines The meanes to suppresse sedition Consultation VVhereof to consult Consultation touching mony Consultation of warre Consultation of defence ConsultatioÌ„ of marchandize Consultation of lawes Counsell Matters consultable of three sortes The ende of good counsel The qualitie of counsell Hastie counsell daÌ„gerous Sentence Old men most apt to vtter sentence The ende of sentence The order of pronouncing sentence Sentences to be pondered by waight not by number The 〈◊〉 of the Counsellors speach The voice of a Counsellor Three things specially to be obserued by Counsels Who is a good man Abuse of authoritie Iustice Naturall 〈…〉 Iustice of three sortes Iustice naturall Iustice diuine What teligion is Ciuil Iustice The office of a iust Counsellor To whom honour ought be giuen Equality to be obserued in the bestowing of honor Equalitie of two sortes Fortaine Iustice Iustice to be sought in heauen VVhat is Iustice The ende of lawes Law commaundeth three things The Aegyptian law against idlenes The law of Draco SoloÌ„ Imperiall lawes Discipline of warre and peace in euerie common-weale Change of lawes dangerous The ordinance of the Locrensi against the change of lawes The princes life a lawe to the people Lawes are made for two endes Qualities required in a Iudge Cambises correction of Iudges The office of a Counsellor In Rome viii sortes of punishments VVhat is to be obserued in punishing Companions of Iustice Pietie VVhat to be eschewed in Pietie Goodnes Innocencie Courtesie Benignitie Clemencie 〈…〉 In what sorte things ought to be coÌ„mon In what sort to be liberall VVhat to eschew in liberalitie VVhereof to be liberall Lawes of liberalitie Magnificence VVhat to be eschewed in magnificence How mony ought be vsed Excesse iâ— commonw ought be restrained by lawe VVhat Magnificence is in a senator Friendship VVhat friendship is Ciuill friendship 〈…〉 The best kind of friendship Friendship requireth three tgings How to imploy friends Friendship of senators Hospitalitie Concord Discord of Couns daÌ„gerous Fortitude 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 vertues VVhat to eschew in fortitude Domesticall Fortitude Fortitude militarie The properties of Fortitude Followers of fortitude The properties of a magnanimious Counsellor Taxilis How to take quarrell The Counsellor no follower of each mans fancy Constancie VVhat to be eschewed in Constancie Papyrius Patience VVhatto be eschewed in Patience Confidence Genius vitator VVhat to eschew in confidence Securitie Publike secuâ—ritie VVhat to be eschewed in securitie VVhat moueth men to be valiant The rewardes due to soldiers VVhat to be eschewed in fortitude Anger Fortune Hanniball Temperance How perfection of man is attained Temperance the preserued of ciuill felicitie The followers of TeÌ„perance Modestie Bashfulnesse Two sorts of bashfulnes Honestie Continencie abstinency Order and rule of mans life How perfection of mind and bodie is attained Perfection of bodie Health VVhat temperature of bodie is best Comlines of person required in a coun Philopemen How a Counsellor should be apparrelled Latus clauus Cal ceilunats The degrees of men ought be knowen by their apparrell Badges of honour Strength of bodie The age of a Counsellor Critici vel iuditiarii dies The common weale chieflie to be gouerned by olde men The qualitie of decrepit age Goods of Fortune requisite for a Counsellor The felicitie of Alexand. and Diogenes diuers Good parentage required in a Counsellor New nobility How new nobilitie is CoÌ„mendable Honour and glorie rewards of vertue Glorie Fame The losse of Fame of all others greatest Friendes Children Riches Valewation of wealth Valewation necessarie Riches without vertue nor worthy honor Reward due to Counsellors Rewards of vertue diuers VVherein the glorie of a Counsellor consisteth Counsellors ought be honoured Iniurie of 〈◊〉 counsellors to be punished Ornaments and rewards of the Senators of Rome How much the Emperours esteemed their Senators Adrianus
them was giuen absolute power to reuenge iniuries preserue liberty and beiudges of each mans vertues and vices A good king ought therefore to haue no lesse care of those he gouerneth then hath the shepheard of his flocke that is to make them blessed and happy Homer calleth king Agomemnon the sheepheard of people whom Plato doth imitate calling him sheepheard and keeper of mankinde Moreouer a king ought to gouerne his people Not as maisters doe their seruants but as the father ruleth his children Wherefore as it is the part of good parents sometimes to rebuke their children sometimes to admonish and cherish them and sometimes also to correct and punish them So shoulde a Prince behaue himselfe towardes his subiectes as well for the peoples preseruation as the safetie of the commonweale shewing himselfe sometimes seuere sometimes gentle and placable defending and enlarging the common profit with no lesse care then a father prouideth for the sustentation of his children Thus appeareth the difference betwixt kinges and Tyrantes the one doth care for the common commoditie the other studieth onely for priuate profitte The ende of the Tyrants indeuour is voluptuousnes but the ende of a kinges studie is honour To excell in riches is proper to Tyrants but a kings chiefe desire is honour A Tyrant desireth the ayde of strangers but a king is garded with his owne subiectes Alfonsus king of Arragon being asked which of his subiectes he helde most deare answered I loue them better that wish me well then those that feare me which seemeth reasonable because feare is accompanied with hatered A King therefore should be no more safe by defence of Armes then loue good will and fidelitie of subiectes He is also to be honored as the minister of publique Counsell the defender of lawes and conseruer of common right and liberty For better performing of all which offices he shall doe well to harken to the aduise of his Counsellors and as his parentes loue and honour them Traianus that great Emperour of the world vsed continually to call the Senate his father For like as the father doth foretell his sonne of those things he thinkes profitable so doth a Senate Counsell the king howe the state may be preserued and by what lawes and orders it shoulde be gouerned Of these and other thinges appertayning to the office of a king or that haue beene receiued by lawe vse or custome a Counsellor ought to be fully enformed The popular sorte of men is for the most parte mutable by reason of the diuersitie of their ages For of them some being young some olde and some of middle age it must needs be that great dissentions should arise euery man hauing a will and opinion diuers from others and because they are all free men each man frameth his life and manners according to his owne fancie supposing there is libertie where all men doe that which they lust and like The diuersitie of manners doth breede among them varietie of mindes and thereof doth followe sundry iudgementes touching the state lawe and liberty whereof hate displeasure and seditions doe ensue so as all men are not equallie affected to the common-weale Those that be honestlie brought vp naturally good and well trained in learning not surious nor voluptuous not womannish or licentiously giuen are most willing obseruers of lawes rights concord and ciuill society not sweruing as men say one inch from the rules of vertue fidelity glory of their ancestors because they keepe and retaine all those things as inheritance descended from their forefathers That sorte of men is in the commonweale to be reputed good subiectes But they whose follie hath bene nourished by domesticall libertie being borne at home and not trained vp abroad wherby they haue neuer seene done or heard any thing notable magnificent or noble are to be thought persons seditious crastie and perilous subiectes yet would they be called and thought good honest quiet and modest notwithstanding the contempt they haue to imitate honestmen And to the ende they shoulde not be thought blockheades and fit for nothing deuise some new practise to gaine themselues fame glory and commendation And it commeth many times to passe that pretending the patronage of liberty by publique perswasion and furie they take matters in hande in apparance godlie but in trueth profane And if any of them be by birth or education apt for sedition and excell the rest in witt and eloquence they offer themselues vnto the ignorant sort to be captaines and reformers of lawes religion and order conspiring against the King the Counsell and all good subiectes as men that had taken in hand the renouation of the whole commonweale Such men were of the Romanes called Plebicolae who to saue themselues from some punishment which before they deserued doe take vpon thē the name of defending libertie stirring newe troubles and alterations in the state eyther else moued by some sodaine furie of minde doeperswade the people to discorde and sedition or else hauing intangled or rather prodigally consumed their inheritance and substance desirous to haue fellowes in miserie and perish rather publiquely then alone were alwaies wont to attempt rebellion Of such disposition were the Romaines called Gracchus Clodius Catiline And in Athens Calistines with many others As the bodie of our commonweale consisteth in the coniunction of three estates whose vniuersall consent and temperature doth make it most perfect and happy so if the same bodie be deuided or dismembred that state becommeth of all others the mostlame imperfect and infortunate For all other commonweales are subiect to one onely mutation because they rest vpon one onely simple gouernment But our state being mixed and made of three must of force be subiect to as many conuersions and inclinations If the king abuseth his office the state hath one Tyrant if the Senate so doe there are diuers Tyrants But if the power of people doth surpasse the authority and force of both the other then the commonweale is afflicted with an infinite number of most pernicious Tyrants Wherefore if in such a State the office libertie dignitie authoritie and iurisdiction of euery of them be not confined and bound by lawes certaine so as both by feare and punishment they be compelled to obserue lawe and liue honestlie all good men shall there in vaine looke for quietnes The proper office of a Consellor as Cicero saith is to imagine he beareth the person of the state the reputation whereof he is bound to maintaine to obserue the lawes set forth the proceedinges and be mindfull of things committed to his fidelitie Also it becommeth him as a priuate man to liue in equality with other subiects neither debasing nor extolling him selfe and to desire onely those things in the common-weale which be peaceable and honest so shall euerie one performe the true duetie of a good and loyall subiect It also becommeth subiects moderately to vse their libertie For as Quintius saide temperate