all poinctes staâ—e it self Therefore thei â—â—ist feede the flocke comâ—â—â—ted vnto theâ—â— and not at their pleasure pill or as it wer shaue to the skinne burden and afflict the same Of whose duetiâ— in due place I will more conueniently entreate Alwaâ—â— prouided that there be twoo kyndes of magistrates one the head an other the petie officer The head officer dâ—â— I call â—â—m which hath the chief â—â—roke in this common weale as who by his â—wne aucthoritie establisheth and adnulleth lawes whiche poinct belongeth to Kynges and Princes whiche haue Kyngdomes and Prouinces of their owne But bicause thei can not gouerne all the multitâ—de of people alone thei must nedes haue some emong â—â—he sâ—rte whiche maie particularely beare rule and these dâ—â—â— Iâ—â—all petie officers or vnder magistrates whiche dependâ— vpon the head and referre the weightiest matters to his hearing and it is no small poincte in the Prince to see that the vnder officers also doe their â—uetiâ— accordingly So Iethro the priest of Madiane whom Iosephus calleth Raguel speaketh to Moses his sonne-in-lawâ— and cousin But heare my wordes and counsaill and God the Lorde shall be with thee Be thou assistaunt to the people in those thynges that pertaine to God that thou maiest report that is saied vnto hym and shewe the people the Ceremonies and maner of worshippyng and the waie by whiche thei must goe and the woorke that thei muste doe Prouide for thy self out of all the people certain wittie menne and suche as feare God in whom there is trueth and that hate couetuousnes And appoinct amongest them Tribunes Capitaines of an hundreth fiftie and ten men a piece whiche maie iudge the people at all times But if there happen any matter of greate weight let them referre it vnto thy hearyng and let theim selues onely iudge meaner matters so that the burden maie bee the lesser when it is parted with other Whiche place I doe therfore more willingly recite bicause it is a place worthy to be written with golden letters in all partes of the Courte and guild haules no lesse then that whiche the Emperoure Alexander commaunded thus to bee noted doe not that to an other whiche thou wouldest not haue doen to thy self Whereby bothe the officers be as it were by an oracle naie rather by the spirite of GOD put in mynde of their duetie whence to swarâ—e is peâ—niâ—ious to the common weale Moreouer here we maie also â—eken as a singular ornament suche as takyng orders bee called to the administration of diuine Seruice whom we doe not displace out of the common weale and assemble of men knit together and vnited bothe by the lawe of God and man for it is but one thyng â–ª and receiueth one forme whiche must not be seuered into soundrie but kept in the whole vnitie vnder one head whiche is Christ none otherwise then a body whiche is made of diuerse partâ—â— so farre furthe as the commodities bothe godlie and manly doe retche Of the whiche thing the holy Moses is a testimonie whom God seyng the affliction of his people â–ª and hearyng their crie â—ppoiâ—â—ted and gaue as their prince to leade them furthe of Egipte in that he was commauÌ„ded to ioyne vnto hym his brother Aaron with his sonnes furthe of the middest of the children of Israell that thei might take on them Priesthode beare the iniquities of the children of Israel and late their iudgemét alwaie in the sight of the Lorde Neither was he with this content but moreouer commaunded holy vestimentes to be made whereby thoffice of priesthod doctrine and truth might beâ— declared that so nothyng might bee lackyng whiche should appertaine bothe to the bryngyng out and feadyng of the children of Israell Whiche amounted as it is said to the number of sixe hundred thousand footemen besides children women and other people And we must not grudge bicause that thei of the clergie beyng endowed with muche prerogatiue and many priuileges bee oftymes exempte from ciuill bourdens and â—ondes of the lawe For thei must not be encumbred with forrein cares that be appoincted for the ministring of Gods woorde and holy misteries for the propitiation of the people For by this their vocation thei bee not seperate from the societie whiche the citee wherein thei liue hath entred For it is an estate confirmed bothe by God and mannes lawe wherein we be commaunded to liue accordyng to lawes to seke honestie to doe that to an other whiche you would haue doen to your self to regarde godlines to call vpon God whiche thei moste of all teache to consent vpon the worship and wealth of the coÌ„mon weale that out of this visible citee we maie prepare our selues a passage to that whiche is inuisible where vnto wee haue conceiued a blessed hope that wee haue been eternally ordeined And this is it that we bee commaunded one to praie for an other one to beare an others burden to bee irreprehensible and without any blame so many as haue been anoynted with that holie oyntment and taken vpon vs the priesthode of Christe in whiche coÌ„panie who so is not neither doeth acknowledge his head to be one as is afore said but attempteth to entre heauen an other waie and not by the gate whiche is also oue neither by our onely sauiour and mediatour â–ª he runneth in vain as one that goeth astraie not hauyng on his wedding coate Thus he that is appoincted to the holie ministration is not pulled awaie thence neither is he exempt froÌ„ the ciuill constitutions and coustomes seyng he goeth aboute in no poincte to contrary or disobeye those thynges that hee ordeined for good liuyng So suche thinges as be priuately necessary in the shambles market or other where after the appoinctmeÌ„t of the ciuill Magistrate he prouideth for hymself and getteth after the common maner of other citezens so be ceaseth not to mainteine and staie the common safetie worthines and wealth of the citee and so farre furth as he maie for entendyng his diuine seruice he kepeth theÌ„ without breache neither spurneth against his ordinauÌ„ce which is Gods to whom all we that haue life be bound to obeie as the electe vessell sainct Paule in this maner witnesseth Let euery soule be obedient to superiour powers for there is no power but it is from God And the powers that be he appoincted from God therefore who so withstandeth the powers withstandeth Goddes ordinaunce but thei that withstande shall receiue their own iudgemente For rulers bee no feare to good doers but to euill You doe see how the holy ghoste willeth euery soule to be obedient to superiour powers whom who so resisteth he resisteth the ordinaunce of God and purchaseth himself iudgemente for God will reuenge his vngodlines and so muche the soner the longer he forbeareth And it forceth not muche if that thei of the Clergie haue their Magistrate I meane an Ecclesiasticall persone to whom thei maâ—e submitte themselues â–ª and giue due
theim that were with him But when his companions were minded to returne into their countrey and asked him whether he would haue any thinge conueied home he willed theim to reporte this as Vitruuius rehearseth That they ought to prepare such possessions and such prouision for their children as if they suffered shippewrake might swimme to the shoore with them For they be the true staies of our life which neither the stormes of fortune neither the chaunge of common weales ne yet the iniquitie of warre can harme But how muche the studies of humanitie haue alwaye from the beginnynge holpen common weales hereby we maie perceiue because no manne can more perfitely reason and decide of the vertue and happines whiche we seke in the societie of menne then he that hath the knowledge of such thinges as belong to god and manne By the guidynge whereof he perceyueth what is right what conscionable what iuste what it is to helpe one another and what is required to aduaunce the common weale whereby not onely good gouernement is fortified but also lawes the whole frame of kepyng a ciuill order is established For no man euer well adourned any Citie that hath not had the knowledge of these thinges So that he semed to haue aunswered verye wiselye whiche saide that this was the principall praise of Philosophers that they coulde write lawes and builde cities Suche a manne was Zaleucus at Locrus Charondas among the Catinians Philolaus amonge the Thebanes Plato to the Magnesians Draco and Solon to the Athenians Pittacus to the Prienians Androdamas to the Tracians and other lawe makers in other places as Aristotle hath left in writynge Moreouer Horace testifieth that the Poetes were wonte to call menne into townes from their wilde and sauage life and to shew them a trade of good liuinge in these verses The sacred prophete of the Gods sometime that Orpheus hight The vgglie shapen vvilde vvoode men subdued and put to flight Thereof vppe spronge the fable first that he the Tygers tamde And rampyng Lyons had by notes of ciuill musicke framde Amphion ehe that Thebes builte by sounde of harpe vvas saied To haue removde the senselesse stones and vvhere he vvoulde them laied The former vvisedome taught from priuate publike thinges to deme And hovve vve shoulde before prophane the sacred thinges esteme From vvanderyng lust eke to abstaine and bridebed lavves to haue To builde vp tovvnes for our defence and Lavves in vvoode to graue Thus sprong vp honour first to men and high renouvmed name Thus first encreast the prophetes praise and eke the Póétes fame For this is the studie for the zeale whereof good men haue not onely forsaken their riches but also them selues sekyng that whiche was for the common profite and might lincke men together by lawe this doe they call Philosophie vnto whom Tullie dothe speake on this wise O Philosophie the leader of our life the emplantour of vertue the weeder out of vyces what shoulde either I or the whole life of man be withoute thee Thou hast brought foorthe Cities thou hast assembled menne before dispersed into a societie of life thou ioynest them firste in houses then in marriages last of all in the communitye of learnyng and languages Thou hast bene the founder of lawes thou the maistres of maners and discipline Hereupon sayeth Plato that that common weale is happy where either Philosophers raigne or the kinges and rulers be studious of Philosophie Moreouer vnlesse there be practised in the common weale the doctrine of true religion and Godlinesse the discipline of good behauioure and the balaunce of Iustice what shall it be els but a conuocacion of wicked men wherein riote licenciousnes filthinesse beastlinesse intemperancie vngodlines and all kinde of viciousnes for vertues take place and beare swaye whiche neuertheles men of excellent learnynge and cleannesse of life may by conueniente meanes rote out and by openynge the right waye of vertue bringe menne to ciuilitie and nurture As be the professours of diuinitie whose vocation is to sette forthe Goddes worde Lawyers whiche decide what is agreable to reason and cōscience which shew what is right and what wronge and foresee that menne be not more senselesse and sauage then brute Beastes For the waies of men in this poincte dooe differ from the dennes caues couertes filthines of other liuing Creatures because they ought to be strengthened by reason onely and so to passe foorthe vnto the degrees of humanitie But ymagine a citie to be well peopled fortified faire builded but yet geuen to ydolatrie and wickednesse as Cayrum and the more is the pitie Constantinople and many other kingdomes seigniories and subiect to the Turkes tyranny Such be preserued and for the moste parte dooe most flourishe not onely by the kinges power and sworde but more by the instinct of nature whiche reason frameth and moueth to the societie of life that is by ordinaunce of lawes whereby euerie man is commaunded to liue and to obey higher powers For the Turke althoughe he hath forbidden his subiects al other kinde of learning yet he suffreth as thei saie houses of lawe that thereby the people may be prouoked to ciuilitie and be kept in doing their duetie And surely vnlesse the zeale of furtheryng one another and the wealthe and worshippe of the common weale had bene by common consent of all men established through the settyng on of suche as be studious of wisedome iustice and humanitie neither Carthage neither Athenes ne yet Rome the Ladye of the whole worlde nor other notable common weales could haue common vnto so greate famousnesse To the whiche learned men did not only prescribe lawes and the rule of liuyng wel but also gouerned the same with great honour Neither were they therewith content but set forth bokes wherin thei wrote preceptes of liuing not onely to their owne Citezins but to the profitynge of all countreys and their whole posteritie enfourming them with like traines of learning men worthy to receiue the rewarde of their trauailes and writinges to be well spoken of amongest good men to be reported to haue farre passed all other For the learned saieth Daniel shal shine like the brightnes of the firmament and they that instruct manie to righteousnesse as starres for euer Moreouer wisedome wherewith the multitude of people is knit together and ruled is holpen by the experience of many thinges mēnes natures and worldly affaires whiche thei shall the readier attaine vnto who haue trauailed in readyng of histories and chronicles whiche God would haue to be set before vs as an ensample of life whereby wee might vnderstande his goodnesse his loue towarde mankinde some taste of vertue and order of gouernement to the entent we might learne to receiue soche thinges as doe prepare vs to blessednesse and to eschue soche thinges as bee dishonest and vnsemelie for a ciuill liuer But there be certaine Touneshippes and Villages where none
calling ioigne their priuate doynges to the coÌ„mon prefermeÌ„te y â— therby Lawes maie bee applied to the estate of a common weale whiche wee dooe addresse and allowe a greate parte whereof dependeth vpon the Magistrates wisedome as hath heretofore been opened For it can not be that that compaignie shall bee brought to embrace vertue to agre together whose gouernours swarue on the right or lefte side not respectyng the common profite nor yet true godlines but onely seke the baite of vainglorie and allurement of priuate gain giuing no small occasion vnto the people whiche of theimselues bee easely corrupted by the naughtie ensample of others bothe to fall from honeste liuyng and also beyng not therefore punished to bee to moche emholdened and to fall to wilfulnesse Therfore there muste nedes be a prince and magistrate as without whose wisdome and diligent ouersight a Citie can nether be ne yet be preserued but is ruled and strengthned by him as the hole bodie is by the heade in whose gouernemeÌ„t the hole moderation of the common weale consisteth which must not onlie prescribe vnto the people howe they owght to obeye but also how he himselfe ought to rule For who so ruleth well must nedes ones haue obeyd him self and who so hath ben obedieÌ„tly kept vnder semeth worthy to beare rule Therefore he that is vnder muste hope that he must once be aboue he that is aboue thinke with himselfe that he may perhaps once come vnder And this is it that Adrian themperour was wount to saie that he would so rule the coÌ„mon weale as a thing not his own but one to the hole comminaltie naie rather to God himself Wherby the people do not onely obey their magistrate but also by order doe loue reuerence and honour him Which thing Charondas the Catâ—niane lawmaker published to his citizins among their other lawes Plato coÌ„pareth theim to a kinde of wicked Giantes called Titanes which withstand the aunciente orders of their elders Yea the Romayne officers called Decemuiri full wel conteined both these braunches in one lawe by these wordes See that the Magistrates be iuste that thei that beare not office do modestly with all allegeance obey them And for so much as the vertue of the law is to commaunde to forbidde to permit to punishe the same thinges must needes accordingly agree vnto the magistrate Wherupon Chrisippus as Martian reporteth termeth it the Quene leader and gouernour of all thinges whiche prescribeth a rule for the iuste vniuste saying The law is the gouernour of all thinges concerning God and Man For it must be the ouerloker of thinges both good and euill the prince the guide and the rule of the iuste and vniuste For so shall that be well done which is for the common profite when the magistrate diligently and watchefully declareth himself to be a liuing and speaking lawe as without whiche we se the common weale to be sinewlesse and altogither dombe Yea Moses also which knewe god face to face in al his signes miracles appointed wife men and such as feared God in whome there was trueth princes and magistrates ouer the people and commaunded them to here him and to iudge that which was right without ante respecte of personnes were he of that countrey or were he forrenner great or small bicause that iudgement belongeth to God and not to man He also commaunded the kynge alreadie created that when he should sit in the seate of his kingdome he shoulde drawe out the Deuteronomie of the lawe and haue it with him and reade it al the daies of his life that he might learne to feare the Lorde his God and to kepe the wordes which are writen in the lawe The Lord said also to Iosue which after the death of Moses was commaunded to leade the people ouer Iordane let not the booke of this lawe departe out of thy mouthe but thou shalt thinke vpon it daie and night to the entent thou maiest kepe and performe al that is writen therin then shalt thou directe thy waie and vnderstand it Do you not se howe Kinges Princes and gouernours be commaunded to haue the lawes of God before their iyes to rule gouerne the people after theÌ„ and accordyng as their vocation requireth to directe their wayes Wherunto if you will ioyne those thinges whiche are commaunded Christianes so doe which in our religion must neades be done onles we will be secluded and banished from that heuenly kingdom whiche we all with a godlie and earnest desire looke for nothing then shalbe waunting which maie apperteyne to the true ornament and setting furth of the common weale For politicque lawes and ordenaunces must so be tempered that they be not contrarie or disagreable to the lawes ordinaunces of God for that citie maie ill seme sufficiently fenced which is onlie ledde by constitutions of man and casteth her hole eye onelie vpon her owne profite without respect of her neighbour not regarding those thinges which by gods mouth are ordeined as neadfull both for them that rule and for them that obey Certainlie it maye well be a whited toumbe set furth with colours to delite the beholders but it shalbe no commoÌ„ weale truely institute as in which those preceptes of liuinge be chiefelie lackyng which the societie of our life chiefelye requireth For so muste we entre with a mutuall consent into this politicque order of life and kepe vs in the same that we maye not swarue from the coÌ„munion of the holie church whose heade is Christ and we his membres Wherfore we ought not to stickein the allâ—remeÌ„tes or vaine triâ—â—es of this wicked world but refoâ—â—me our life iâ—â—ewnes of minde as sainct Paule writeth that we may proud what is the good well likyng and perfit will of god our father to whose onelie pleasure we be bounde to lyue through Iesus christ our onelie redeamer and Sauiour whiche cannot 〈…〉 es we kepe his commaundementes And therfore in euery part of our life must we set them before our eies that we maie learne to obeye his will and to exercise charitie one to an other which doth nothing wrongfully nothinge that is contrarye to a politicque order whereby we shall truely and face to face afterward see that whiche we now in this mortall life â—beyng honestly and godlily associated see obscurelye and as it were in a glasse Therfore so must ciuile ordinaunces be proponed that they be not seuered from the lawes of God And like as no house no citie no countrey no kind of men can longe continue without the defende of lawes politicque so can thei not staÌ„de without the knowledge tutele and protection of goddes lawe for to discerne a man from a brute beaste to cause him to leade his life agreable to reason and nature it maie certainly be brought to passe by ordinaunce of ciuill lawes for so muche as men desirous of wisedome and vnderstanding be reported by the
haue been Lordes seldome hath gone well forward but giueÌ„ occasion of muche disagrement as whiche beyng ledde after their owne affections and moued with ambition hath caused muche murther and muche calamitie Wherevpon Cato that flue himself at Vtica was accustomed to saie that there was nothyng so pestilent nothyng so vnconstaunte as the peoples fauour as whose inheritaunce hath euer been occasion of muche heuines to their succession Therfore the verie necessarie duetie of a Prince and aboue all other ordeined by God is to rule and gouerne his people which although he be naturally borne for no euer kyng had any other beginnyng and froÌ„ the beginnyng hath obteined the sparcles bothe of equitie and of a princelike courage yet he muste bee taught and made fit for the gouernement whiche he shall take vpon him whereby he shall learne bothe to rule hymself and to ouercome those affections whiche almoste make a kyng naturally fierce and knowe hymself to bee suche a man in whom yet no poinct of man must appeare and thinke hymself appoincted a Prince ouer other not onely to be kyng ouer them but also to feade the people committed to his charge and to exhorte them to vertue wherein especially he must hymself trauaile to surmount the rest For as Paterculus writeth a good Prince teacheth his Subiectes to doe well when he doeth well hymself and whereas he is the worthiest in rule yet he ought to bee more worthy in giuyng good ensample Wherefore Seneca calleth the Prince the soule of his coÌ„mon weale accordyng to whose life and mouyng it bothe liueth and moueth For performaunce whereof he must not rest at any one vertue but ioyne altogether that he bee valtaunt chaiste stoute liberall modest gentle princelike free sober godly rightuous and so in all other vertues whiche be required in a noble gouernours life Of whiche you maie somwhat read in XenophoÌ„ in the training vp of Cyrus in Plinic in his Panegyricque vnto the Emperour Traiane in Agapetus a Deacon of Roome in his preceptine sentences vnto the Emperour Iustiniane of the duetie of a kyng whiche booke is therefore called the kynges tables and other matters of this discipline With which ornamentes of vertues if the prince be beautified he shal heare this saiyng of Hieremie and I will giue you kynges after myne harte whiche shall feede you with knowledge and learnyng and this also the king that iudgeth the poore in truth his throne shall be strengthened for euer for he doeth erecte the people of God Yet a Prince must not rest vpon this poincte onely to allure the people vnto a ciuill life concorde and societie but he must also see to the churches preferre the study of godlines and the onely care that the people be obedient vnto the commaundementes of God For so shall he doe his duetie well so shall he builde and edifie all thinges to the glorie of God so shall he not onely here in yearth receiue honour due to a kyng but in recompence of his watchyng and endeuour he shall receiue an immortalle reward to be placed emong the nomber of the holy sainctes Wherein he hath Moses his speciall leader whiche did not onely reforme the people of God with politicke ordinaunces but also counsailed theim to the kepyng of Gods commaundmentes without the guiding wherof â–ª let vs neuer trust to entre the land of promise or to haue any profit by our ciuill life For he saieth thus And now Israell heare the preceptes and iudgementes whiche I teache thee that doyng them thou maiest liue and enteryng in maiest possesse the lande whiche the Lorde God of your fathers will giue vnto you ye shall not adde to the woorde that I speake vnto you ne yet take from it Kepe the commaundentes of the lorde your God which I commaund you for this is the part of a Prince to feed the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto hym and to gouerne it well of whiche thyng Homere putteth vs in mynde in namyng kyng Agamemnon the peoples leader Howbeit no manne is so ignoraunt but he knoweth that the prince is a man and somtyme misledde whose fall is the occasion of so muche the more harme the more in sight his estate is emongest menne In whom Dauid warneth vs not to trust but as in the sonnes of men in whom there is no health And these mightie gouernors be sore corrupte when thei begin to set little by the discipline of their life whiche thei doe then dispise when as thei ones vnderstande that thei be princes aboue lawes and haue the prerogatiue of honour in their owne hand For fleshe and bloud whereby we bee seduced doe make vs more prone to euill In deede it muche awaileth the whole countrey that he whiche shall be their Lorde be well trained vp and made fit for the takyng vpon hym the publike gouernement lest to their greate destruction thei finde this saiyng true woo bee to that lande whose kyng is a childe and the saiyng of Horace whiche maie seme spoken as it were by an oracle what euer dotyng princes doe The subiectes feele thereof the â—o But when the Prince hath been well trained vp it is hard to kepe hym to doe his duetie and so muche the harder the more occasiions he hath to bee seduced so that it seameth verie well saied that good princes bee so fewe that thei maie all be wellnigh shut in one ring For the greatnes of their libertie and knowledge that thei shall not be punished causeth theim either not to heare good counsaill or to contempne it and to go forwarde in doyng euill Herevpon commeth it that some princes be so rauished with the fonde desire of huntyng that thei can not be kept froÌ„ euer beyng in the woodes or be so giuen to riotuous liuyng that thei neither take any thought nor any care of their people Whereas a Magistrate should looke to his people wake when thei sleape kepe rekenyng of all mennes behauiours and to be carefull least thei despisyng the rule of lawe growe to a wilfulnes So vnprofitable a kyng is he whiche leauyng his people followeth other matters and neglecteth his duetie for how can it be but that he should be naught whiche by his naughtie ensample maketh so many other naught at whose handes God will require the soalle which so negligently hath been cast awaie Heare what Hieremie saieth Wo be to those shepherdes whiche do lease and rent the flocke of my pasture you haue disperpled my flocke and cast theim out and haue not visited them Beholde I will visite ouer you the malice of your desires saieth the Lorde Then naughtie courtiers doe corrupt a good prince and make hym to forsake the waie of rightuousnesse as Vopiseus writeth in Aurelianus his life These thinges make euill Princes firste of all to muche libertie then wealth of thinges thirdly naughtie frendes a vile gard courtiers either foolishe or detestable For of all this noÌ„ber
of victualles without which we can neither liue coÌ„modiously ne yet ciuilly And therefore in Rome a penaltie was appoincted for those by lawe which did any thing for the cuâ—pairyng of their Corne or conspired together to make a dearth and for them likewise who staied or by any deceipte caused to bee staied any Mariner or vessell appoincted for victualles whom the lawe nameth Dardanariâ— that is regratours and forstallours of the markettes And amongest other Lawes whiche the Romaines made for Corne one is specially called after the maker Iulia Lex Here I doe not sticke at flue dishes or soche as doe appertain onely to diliciousnesse and mere riot whiche if thinges were wel weighed ought not to be suffered in a well appoincted citee And yet not so moche to be disalowed if onely riche men vse them and not also soche as haue scarce inough to eschew very staruing for honger Whiche is a meane to bring the coÌ„mon weale to vtter decaie And therefore Socrates said wisely as he did alwaies that he wondered how a citee could stande wherin a fishe was dearer solde then an oxe Which thing Licurgus perceauing to be vsed in Athens coÌ„maunded soche lawes as wer made for victualles to bee registered in writing whereby a meane was appoincted for banquetting and feasting Whiche the Romaines as Ammianus Marcellinus writeth did alter endeuourynge by ordinaunce of lawes whiche thei called lawes for expenses to bring vp again the old parcialitie frugalitie of the citee of Rome wheras the lawe called Orchia brought their feastes to a certain nomber the lawe called Khamnia commaunded that no manne should spende aboue an hundred peces of coigne called Asses at any banquet and not that neither but vpon solempne and appoincted daies and as Plinie writeth that no foule should bee set on the table but one Henne and that not verie fat fedde Then came the lawe called Licinia whiche graunted that at a mariage feast there should be speÌ„te twoo hundreth of the same peces called Asses and at solempne suppers one hundreth besides soche fruictes as grewe naturally out of the yearth Whervpon Festus saieth that those suppers were called centenarie Then Marcus Emilius Scaurus made a lawe wherby he restrained them from the eatyng of fielde Mise shell fishes and all birdes brought in forthe of forein countreis Afterward Augustus made a lawe to gratifie Cesar whiche he named Iulia and that also apperteinyng to expeÌ„ses wherby he graunted for worke â–ª daies twoo hundred pence sterling for holy daies thre hundred for mariages and feastynges after the weddyng daies a thousande Whereof Tullie Gellius Macrobius and Asconius Pedianus one that mooste diligently obserued antiquitees haue made mention Whiche we therfore must marke to learne with how greate labour with how greate charines old auncientes haue laboured to bridle riot and to bryng men to a sober diet Whereby we followyng their steppes maie be stirred forwarde to bryng our common weales to a moderate frugalitie The argument of the â–ª vii Chapiter That soche lawes as a citee must be gouerned by ought to bee kept by all men and that it is a thyng that giueth an hurtfull presidente if Magistrates doe offende against the same TO the ende therefore the common weale maie bee firme and not altered nor transposed accordyng to euery mannes fancie there must bee some order for the gouerenmente therof appointed by lawes Whervnto we muste haue recourse as to our moste sure rule or touch stone Whereby we maie readily learne whether a citee be well and semely adourned or not Therefore Demosthenes as Marcian is aucthour saieth that the Lawe is a common ordinaunce of a citee after whiche it behoueth all theim to liue whiche bee in the citee whiche Papinian calleth the common assuraunce of the citee It furthereth moche saieth Tullie the wealth of Citezeins the safetie of Citees and the quietnesse and happinesse of mannes life to haue the same established by lawes Whose vertues be to commaunde to kepe vnder to bidde to forbidde For it is the lawe onely whiche commaundeth thinges that muste bee doen and forbiddeth that is not to bee doen. Thus the lawe is the rule and leader of a Ciuill life whom the Grekes doe call nomos for that it assigneth to euery man his owne as who saie a distributer The Latines call it Lex whiche is as moche to saie as a choise bicause it is chosen and confirmed by wisemeÌ„nes consent as profitable in common Whereby it doeth appere that the societie of men was the first cause why lawes wer made whiche beyng ones begonne among menne must nedes be still preserued by reason as naturally engraffed in man so appoincted by wise heades Then afterwarde for that myne and thine beganne to breede vnquietnesse amongest menne question began to be moued concernyng seigniories and dominions of thinges whiche for the mainteinyng of vprightnesse and quietnes of a Citee must nedes bee ordered by the rule of Iustice and equitie so that thereby a greate part of the lawe became proper to the Courtes the residue whiche appertaineth to the beautifiyng of good maners and framyng of the common weale was left in the citee and schooles of Philosophie Now if this lawe be a thing made by the common consent of a citee whereby right and wrong be distinguished it must nedes be applied to thinges accordingly and therfore Aristotle compareth it to the Lesbiane rule pliable to all measures whiche thing lieth moste vpon them to whom the gouernment of the common weale is committed whiche therefore muste haue the state of the tyme the place and menne set before their iyes that nothing be doen by pretence of law against equitie whiche the Grekes call Epiichia naturally engraffed in vs. And so it is in common affaires as in sore iyes whiche muste not haue all one medicine but according vnto the diuers kindes of men and matters a diuers kinde of temperature must be applied For to moche frettyng of a sore rankeleth it and prouoketh it to bleedyng whiche Arte thei ought onely to exercise that excell in wisedome equitie iustice and godlinesse and preferre the common alwaie before the priuate profite whiche thing as Plato saieth linketh the common weale together For thei knowe what maie bee moste profitablie doen in eche Citee for moste aduauntage and that one Shooe is not meete for euery mannes foote Whiche is the onely cause that euery where thei vse no written lawes but in steade thereof in verie extremitie of thinges the rigoure of the lawe set aparte thei haue customes of Boroughes brought in by old maners vsages and statutes moste profitable for the gouernement of the common weale the punishement of offenders and defence of good men and of no lesse aucthoritie then the written Lawe is and that whiche is common to all menne And here vpon saieth the Philosopher that euery citee is mainteined by nature maners and reason But for so muche as a common weale is
pleasantnes of their persuasions and doctrine first to haue moued men from their lodging abroad in caues and dennes none otherwise then thei did stones to haue reuoked theim into Cities into a ciuill communion of life and as it were into a league of amitie But for the entringâ— in and the leadyng of that trade of life for the which maÌ„ was commaunded to liue here that is to conceiue an hope of the eternall and heuenly life that can he not do vnlesse he alwaie haue the commaundementes of God before his eies and behold them as it were in a glasse to perfite that by the lawes geuen from heaueÌ„ which is vnperfit in mans tradiciones and to prouide himselfe a passage by lawfull waie in this mortal life and ciuill societie vnto the true felicitie All which thinges shal wel come to passe if suche a magistrate as loueth and tendreth godlines will fashion his gouernement accordinge vnto the lawes of God and theâ—by as by a touche stone examine and proue all his doynges whether they be allowable or no. For it cannot be but that such gouernement shall procure or desire to haue suche subiectes as will not onlye be willing to obey but by followyng their magistrate wil the more by his good ensample be moued to vertuouse liuing So that we maye well saie with Tullie that this hath alwaye ben the opinion of the wisest that the lawe is nether a thing deuised by wit of men nether any ordinaunce of people but an euerlasting thing which ruleth the hole world a wisedom which consisteth in bidding and forbidding For who doubteth but that Moses the holie lawmaker receiued those his lawes from aboue Also Numa Pompilius to the ende he might bring the people of Rome to a ciuilitie by relligion who were in his time rude stubburne and wilfull after appointment of ceremonies made manie lawes and those verie profitable whiche he mothered vpon the goddesse and nimphe Egeria Minos also ordeined lawes among them of Candie whereof Socrates in Plato alledgeth this to be one drinke not vntill you be dronke whiche engraued in tables of brasse Tallus euery yeare thrise makynge his progresse through the tounes caried about with him as beyng by Iupiter himselfe deliuered vnto Minos whome Hesiode therfore saieth that he had Iupiters scepter that was his doctrine wherwith he ruled all Candie In so muche that the verie Ethnikes affirme that the lawes yshew out of Iupiters heade and so by a reuerence borne toward the first fownder they induce men to be the more ready to obeye them which although they set light by mans lawes yet let them dreade the plague of God who as all men doe knowe will reuenge him selfe vpon him that despiseth his lawes and will not wincke at mans wickednes and suffer it to escape vnpunished The argument of the second Chapiter That it is most pernicious to a common weale for a magistrate despising the lawe to affectate Tiranny becoÌ„ming of a pastoure a very woulf and also howe that no tyraunt can longe continew SOlon the Athenian Lawemaker whiche deuised many goodlie ordinaunces specially the remitting of debte whereby the dettours had bounde their bodies to their creditours which he therfore called Sisachthia as who saie the easinge of a burden the autour also as manie deme of that wise sayinge Excede in nothing this Solon was wount to saye that coÌ„mon weales should then prosper when the princes and magistrates therein lyue accordinge vnto the prescript of lawe and therafter addresse the order of their gouernement As the it were a thinge of to much anoyaunce the maiestie of the lawe despised to affectate a supreme seigniorie and to do al thinges by force of armes according vnto their owne will and pleasure Therfore it is moste conuenient as the philosophers and teachers of maners doe counsell vs and as I before haue made mencion that he whiche must be a prince be vertuously brought vp and enured aswell to obedience of lawes as godlines Yea he that is so trained vp in his youth and called to rule in the common weale shalbe the better able to do his dutie in his vocation as one that is taught by God remembring that saing So must thou rule others that thou muste know that god ruleth ouer the as whose people it is ouer whom he hath taken the charge vppon him whose office must be to meÌ„taine that which is righte to reuenge punish that which is wroung indifferently to defende riche and poore fatherlesse children and widoes not to passe the prescript of the Lawe the rule aswell of his gouernemente as of his life not to doe any thinge vnaduisedly but willingly here him that warneth him of any thinge that is honest and reasonable Such a one is he alone which in good life excelleth his subiectes prouoking and alluring them to vertue by his good ensample He that declineth from this order of liuing and leauing the equitie of lawe is ledde after his owne will dothe easily lease the name of a prince so that from thencefurth he can nether deserue to be called king keper our pastour but rather a tiraunt and a woulfe bicause he cannot refrayne himselfe from crueltie but blodieth his handes with the slaughter of innocentes deuoureth vp with his vncleane mouthe the nexte bloud of his kinredde whiche is the propertie of a woulfe and not of a man much lesse of a magistrate The original of which monstruous chauÌ„ge Socrates in Plato semeth to referre vnto a preaty fable that like as in Arcadie about the church of Iupiter Licaeus whosoeuer had eaten mannes bowelles minsed with the entrailles of beastes that wer killed for sacrifices was turned into a woulfe so who so euer delighteth to do all thinges by violence to set vpon other mens liues forceably to oppresse his subiectes to condemne a man ere his cause be knowne semeth not vnproperly to be transformed into a wouluishe and tirannicall nature to the destruction of a great noumbre For what other thinge maye we thinke that Caius Cesar thought vpon when as he beyng turned from a Prince to a Monster and destroyer of mankynde oftimes in his furie pronouÌ„ced these wicked wordes woulde to God that the people of Rome had but one necke Neither be thei altogether alway men of nobilitie which fall from their office of feeding become treaterous tyrantes but we also se that suche pestelent poisons of the common weale haue risen of the baser abiect sort Soche be those whiche for y â— madde peoples fauour expelling their lawfull Magistrate do theÌ„ selues winne the vpper hande in their common weale sadiciously and furiously rule it after their owne pleasure the best of the nobilitie either banished or put to death A nomber of ensamples in this poincte might bee gathered out of Germanie Italie Fraunce Englande Denmark and many other common weales were it not that it were not nedefull to rehearse them whiche we see so commonly
properties consistyng in the woorkyng of the mynde and the fathers of this opinion be Socrates Plato Arisiotis Tullie and suche as be called Stoickes whiche doe holde that there is nothyng profitable vnlesse it be also honest The seconde kinde of goodnes and that we may more truely terme good is that cometh frō hym whiche alone is good whiche also maketh the good tree whēce we looke for good fruicte For a good tree cannot bryng furthe ill fruicte ne yet a naughtie tree good fruicte Whiche wee therefore call good woorkes bicause thei come of faithe whereby we bee bothe iustified and also purchase the blessed life by Iesus Christ made by adoption the sonnes of God and coinheritours of heauen by whose spirite we also crie Abba father So it appeareth that accordyng vnto this diuision suche thynges whiche we doe well in the comon weale be good but ciuilly from doyng whereof we must in no case be weried although it further nothyng to the life of blisse vnles God doe repute it vnto rightuosnes and at length croune his owne worke For we are bid without ceassyng to doo◠that is good to giue the fruicte of our faithe and yet when we haue doen all we must confesse our selues to bee vnprofitable seruauntes So earnestly must we continue in our duetie that we maie haue in vs peace mildnesse gentlenesse goodnesse faithe charitie mekenesse sobrenesse and euery poincte of vertue that so we bryng furthe fruicte worthy repentaunce and the more we doe the lesse ought we to attribute to our selues to the ende we gather no stomacke but thanke God for all whiche is the aucthour of all whiche hath mercie where him liketh and bestoweth our workes according to his owne arbitrement Therfore sainct Paule saieth Let vs not be weried with doyng good for in due season we shall reape again vnwearied Wherefore while we haue tyme let vs doe good to all men but principally to our neighbours in faithe See ye not how we bee commaunded to dooe good and that without any ceassyng And he that teacheth this writeth also we thinke therfore that man is iustified by faithe without the workes of the lawe whiche in deede are good but by theim wee be not iustified how beit to them that loue God all thinges woorke to good The more dooe suche naughtie menne iudge a misse whiche saie that good is not good and doe either vtterly dehorte other from the honest discipline of good behauiour and good workes or els so lightly passe thē ouer that you shall hardely finde emong Christians what is honestie of liuyng discipline of good behauiour or vertue it self if you should seke thesame as it were with a light candle for so muche as euery idle man is giuen ouer to his own desires and in the meane while the windowe is opened not without the offendyng of the Gentiles to all vices of the fleshe as be aduoutrie horedome vncleanesse wantonnes Idolatrie enemitie strief comparisons angre contention sedition heresie enuie slaughter dronkennes surfait mistrust and soche like the doers whereof shall neuer enherite the kyngdome of God And these so detestable vices at this daie raigne in suche sorte in the common weale as neither at any time greater ne yet euer the like For whiche cause euery good man must trauaile in this poinct that the old discipline called again common weales maie beginne to be the assemblies and reuerent resortes of good men wherein euery man maie attaine the vse of thynges in suche sorte as becometh a christian manne wherein God maie be called vpon and glorified For life as Marcus Varro saieth is giuen to man not for his owne sake but to shewe some worthie faict therin yea to ascende vp ward and by these transitorie thinges to conceiue an hope and bend his mynd to the euerlastyng Muche lesse ought wee as menne allured with Mearmaides songes and thereby lingeryng aboute the rockes where thei haunt to spende our tyme in contemplatiue studies till we be old and not ones fall to debate the cause why we haue this life lent vs to thende it maie bee laied before our iyes wherevnto we bee borne how muche we be bounde to our creatour how muche to our neighbour whereas the very Philosophers doe teache that man is partly bredde for mannes behoufe that thei maie mutually one help thother And Socrates full well answered that he was more profitable to a cōmon weale that taught other and made many fitte to rule therein then he that gouerned well hymself And although it be harde to amende the euill whiche by long and old putrefiyng hath as it wer ioynted it self in man yet bicause man is naturally ciuill and commonable that is suche as is ready to obeic lawes to ioyne in the societie of life to helpe other to tender his owne commoditie without any harme to other to desire that is vpright and good to fauour honestie to dooe that apperteineth to this his life wherein he hath matched him self with others an instruction to good life is not to bee neglected for he hath reason whereby he can suffer hymself to be brought to frame he hath the benefite of speche aboue all other liuyng creatures whereby he bothe teacheth others suche thynges as be beste and vnderstandeth and printeth them in his hart when thei be taught him Yet notwithstandyng mankind by sinne and trāsgressyng of Gods commaundemente is so lost and corrupte that he alwaie leaneth to that whiche is forbidde hym and bendeth more earnestly to euill then that he can ones thinke of that is good for that there is not one that can doe good no not one For if ye vnderstand that kynde of good whiche wee before called the true good whiche healpeth vnto the atteignyng of the euerlastyng life I dooe not deny but that manne can dooe no part therof bicause it is farre from our reache hanging onely vpon him whiche reputeth this of ours to iustice or vniustice Seeyng no manne as Hieremie saieth can ones speake good but onely God whiche frely iustifieth vs by the mediatour Iesus Christe That therefore is good whiche in our cōmon life we doe vse to call good wherunto by nature how muche so euer she be perished according to my former reason we haue certain drieseedes left in vs whereby we be moued to that is good and vpright wherby we maie be made commonable ciuill Whose cōtrarie the Lawyer vseth ofte times to terme vnciuill a worde of fine and large signification betokenyng that whiche doeth not agree with lawes honestie and ordinaunces of a citee appoincted by the rule of iustice and vprightnes After that kinde of goodnesse doe we measure the vertues whiche prophane writers doe so moche alledge and commende vnto vs and counterplace theim to vices whiche lurke in man by reason of his worne custome in cuill no lesse then fire in the flint whiche vnlesse thei be practised by discipline teachyng perpetuall labour and suche thynges as bee
other that we will not abide our selues So saieth Tullie Thei whiche surmounted other in vertue and excellencie of iudgement perceiuyng the aptnes of mannes witte and capacitie in learnyng where thei liued scatteryng gathered them togither into one place and brake them from their sauagenes vnto Iustice and mildenes Then thei enclosed with walles weales whiche bicause thei conteine the common profite we call common then assembles of meÌ„ which afterward thei called citees then ioinyng of houses whiche we call tounes established bothe by GOD and mannes lawe by them were founde out And so betwene this decente kinde of life and the other brutishe there is no further difference then in the one violeÌ„ce in thother right The one of these we maie vse but bothe at one time we can not Will ye haue violece thaÌ„ right is displaced that is to saie iudgements whervpon al right is vpholden Mislike ye iudgementes or doe ye barre theÌ„ all together then nedes must violeÌ„ce beare rule Which matter he also vnder a pretie circumlocutioÌ„ hath expressed in y e fourthe of his inuectiues against Catiline thus This onely quarell of dissention hath been founde sence the citee was firste builded wherein all mennes iudgementes haue agreed togither in one sauyng suche as seyng thei must nedes perishe had rather cum to naught with companie then alone These men doe I alwaie excepte and willingly sequestrate from the rest But all other good Lorde how many in number with what earnest myndes howe stoute courages doe thei agree in defence of the honoure and safegarde of their countrey Whereby ye perceiue a certaine shadowe or if ye list so rather to terme it a certain viewe or shape of gentlenes which by the towardnes of nature we attain vnto by beyng in citees wherein as Socrates saith we maie well say this is mine this is thine wherin we ought so to desire riches y t the poore be not ouer laid nor oppressed but we must seke welth to maintein a moderate port and to releue the nedy not to be occasioÌ„ either of couetuousnes or pleasure wherby lesse vnquietnesse enuie shal arise By motioÌ„ wherof when the people of Mitilene as Valerius Probus mentioneth did offer vnto Pyttacus many M. acres of lande he onely toke one C. saying giue not that to me wherefore many will enuie me and mo desire to haue from me A deede no lesse wise then modest For he considered that those tounes were seldome quiet and without priuie grudge where riches be gotten by hooke or crooke to the great losse and hinderanÌ„ce of good men of whiche kinde of ensamples I were able to report a wonderfull number bothe wherein the Romaines and also other common weales by this onely faulte haue been brought into greate daunger were it not that I hasten to that ende whereby is gotte the true honour of blessednesse and not that onely whiche is accepted among men ¶ The argument of the iiii Chapiter That common weales began when men first entred societie of life and how we must be haue our selues therein that it maie bee an other framyng bouse of blessednes then the Philosophers teache BVT hauyng now drawen out plainly or rather sleightly set furthe the forme of a common weale next of all it commeth to hande how therein one profiteth an other whereby we do measure the weale whiche we terme Common a woorde more vsed then vnderstanded yea among suche as trauaile in the common weale But for this poinct we must first throughly knowe what apperteineth to a citee ere we medle with the orderyng of a common weale Moreouer twoo thinges must principally be considered in a citee First of all that a man doe seke his owne commoditie honestly and without any wrong to others whiche doeth belong vnto priuate profite whiche wee maie lawfully tender so farre furthe as we doe not offende any lawe or common ordinaunce of the citee seyng according to the Stoikes and Marcus Tullius his opinion we doe not accompte any thyng profitable although it bee neuer so muche to our commoditie vnlesse it be honest that is vnlesse it be answerable to vprightnes and goodnesse and to knit vp shortly vnlesse it doeth agree with the lawe whiche reigneth amongest men Secondly we muste haue a speciall regarde to those thynges wherevpon the common profite dependeth and suche thynges doe we terme publike or common when as we doe not onely preferre honestie before profite but also consente vpon the common worship and wealth of the whole citee with all studie of minde all endeuour to vertue Whiche thyng none dooeth but a good citezen whoÌ„ notwithstandyng we doe seuere from a good man who as one passyng the reache of the common wealthe for the loue that he beareth to vertue doeth wel deserue of mankinde For he is called a ciuill manne whiche is studious to kepe the lawes and iudgementes whiche so farre as he maie will coÌ„mit nothing either amisse or vnaduisedly whiche with his prouidence religion and fidelitie will se to the weale bothe in common and seuerall to eche citezen whiche will obeie lawes defende his countrey kepe ciuill ordinauÌ„ces and the league of mankinde and finally is skilfull to liue well according to the ciuill vertues And he is called a good man whiche loueth honestie without dread whiche ouercome with no calamitie will yelde to fortune desireth nothyng doeth nothyng but with greate worship accordyng vnto the appoinctment of equitie and goodnes although he doe not chiefly bende his mynde to the ende of a common weale Now the citee thus stated we must open some waie wherby not onely that whiche is commodious to euery particulare man maie bee dooen but also that whiche doeth touche the common auailemente and worship of the whole citee whiche can not bee atchiued without bothe excedyng greate iustice and also greate fauour of thesame Whiche thyng Lelius in Tullie in the second of his bookes of a common weale talkyng with Scipio Aphricane whiche vtterly destroied Carthage with no lesse learnyng then wisedome doeth proue ouerthrowyng the opinion of suche men as helde that it were not possible to rule a citee without doyng wrong For seing the common weale is the whole peoples weale â—â— Adriane the Emperour ment whiche saied that he would so rule the common weale that he would take it as the peoples not his owne peculiare it must neades folowe that it shall be established by regiment of right and dissolued when wrong taketh place For I doe not call euery assemble of men people but suche as be vnited togither by agrement of lawe and participacion of profite whiche without iustice the leader and rule of all vertues will neuer come to passe So that sainct Augustine hymself doeth allowe the wealth whiche belongeth to a people linked by lawe of societie as publike albeit vnproperly and not altogither vsually wheras true iustice is not but in that common weale whereof Christ the fountain
and originall of all iustice is the founder and gouernour whiche no manne that is well in his wittes will deny Let therefore all the Philosophers all Lawmakers all nacions be thei neuer so many conceiue the frame of a citee fashion it with ordinaunces fence it with lawes decke it with iudgementes if thei doe not seke in it that Iustice and onely quick-set whiche is Christe thei shall haue onely the shadowe of a citee like theim that set a faire white colour vpon a sepulchre whiche outwardly semeth gorgious but with in it is full of rotten and vile stinkyng carcases Whervpō it cometh to passe that we maie not arrogate to our selues the name of any either ciuill or christian common weale vnlesse it be mainteined by soche as bee giuen to godlines whiche doe worship and call vpon God As for the ciuill if it had euer been to be founde the Romaines might haue chalenged it vnto theimselues But Tullie bewaileth it in his tyme as bendyng to decaie already by reason of naughtie condicions in the first of his bookes of a common weale recityng this verse of Ennius The worthie common weale of Roome did florishe and encrease when customes olde and auncient men maintained it in peace Whiche saiyng he wondereth at as spoken by an Oracle for neither the menne vnlesse the citee had been so manered ne yet the maners vnlesse those men had gouerned it could either at the firste haue grounded or so long haue kepte that common weale beyng so greate and orderyng thynges so iustly and dominatyng so largely Therfore before our time bothe the custome of our countrey receiued worthie men and worthy men helde in vre the maner and custome of our auncetours and elders But our tyme receiuyng the common weale as an excellente picture but fadyng and losyng the beautie therof for age did not onely neglecte to renewe it again with those colours whiche it before had but did not so muche as kepe the verie forme and outward lineamentes thereof Ye heare what Tullie misliked in the Romaine common weale in his daies what if he should see ours which now decaie and haue long tyme growen to ruin Wherin for scarcitie of mē good maners be vtterli neglected euery place is full of sedicion sensualitie vniustice couetuousnes all maner of misliuyng Would he not furthwith crie out that there were nothyng lesse in our cōmon weales thus abused then any poinct of cōmon weales all whiche thynges doe make that the institucion of a common weale whiche becometh the christian people is through forgetfulnes as it were worne out for that there is no where any hoenstie of maners any discipline any obediēce of lawes any reuerēce any loue of vertue any defence of godlines so that we cānot se so muche as the shadowe of a common weale muche lesse of a perfecte common weale and that whiche maie become the people of Christ Neuerthelesse we must do our endeuour to amende and recouer that is corrupte and destroied by our vicious and vngodly liuyng For the euerlastyng God whiche willeth not that manne should die but liue dooeth stirre vp good menne whiche loue iustice and religion whiche doe gather companies of men togither and doe well enstructe theim and cease not to preserue the same in the loue of godlines That so the common weale whiche is no more the peoples but Gods maie be preserued although not in the whole multitude which for the most part vseth to walke in the beaten waie and that whiche leadeth to the left hande yet in theim whiche God hath electe as his owne people who also dooe tender his commaundementes Wherevpon naughtie men although not all yet some of theim shall take ensample of better life and declinyng from iniquitie shall worke good and call vpon the name of God with a sincere harte for God willeth not the death of a synner but rather that he bee conuerted and liue For to this ende we bee taught that deniyng vngodlines and seculare busines as S. Paule saieth we maie liue in this worlde soberly rightuously and godly lokyng for blessed hope and the glorious cōmyng of the greate God and our sauiour Iesus Christe whiche gaue hymself for vs to redeme vs from all iniquitie and to clense the people whiche is acceptable to hym and a follower of good woorkes Whereby it appeareth that people to be the folower of good workes and acceptable to God which by Christ was clensed and redemed whiche onely can glorifie his creatour and looke for the blessed hope of euerlastyng life And therefore we liue iustly in this world and kepe the communitie among men coupled bothe by Goddes lawe and mannes whiche is the true forme and institution of a common weale and publike estate Whiche therefore it shall be conuenient to our purpose to define thus An assemble and repaire of men lawfully gathered to liue well and blessedly that beyng therunto godly brought vp thei maie looke for euerlastyng life For so maie it come to passe that although there be many citees and eche of thē vsyng their owne rightes and maners yet the forme of the common weale is but one not that according to whiche Aristotle appoincted also one after the forme of a ciuill estate whose drifte and entent is onely to his owne ende but that whiche commeth of that builder master and auctour of all good life whiche saieth I am the waie the trueth and life No man commeth vnto the father but by me In the whiche common weale as a shapyng house of all vertue we must be prepared to a better life whiche is the heauenly and appoincted vs from the beginnyng of the worlde that from these visible thynges we maie be conueighed to thinuisible whereof the Philosophers can promise vs nothyng for al their vain pretensed sale of the blessed life wherein thei do no lesse beguile the world then suche as make men beleue that smoke is fire Therefore as there is one master one moderatour of our common weale and one head so we cal that properly one common weale wherein how many partes so euer thei be how many citizens euery of them continue in their duetie and one beareth an others burden and alwaie goeth forward to help hym So saieth S. Paule for as in one body we haue many partes and euery part hath not one office so we beyng many be but one body in Christe and eche one hath partes and members togethers hauyng diuerse giftes accordyng to the grace giuen vnto vs. So those whiche are in this commō weale thinke all one euery man cōtēt with his own office he y t can comfort the poore with his riches and goods ought to doe it cherely He that can teache to teache he that cā worke to worke he that can gouerne to doe it carefully he that can obeie to be obedient and reuerence the officer in fine to become all in all that he maie well bestow that his
otherwise then a certain comly frame be ioined together not of one kinde of men alone but of suche as eche woorketh his owne and is ready to helpe other with an vniforme agremente to further the common weale And so groweth the most swete harmonie whereby the common weale bothe vseth to stande and to beautifie it self whiche thing Cornelius Scip. o â—e that ouercame Afrike did finely declare by then sample of a Lute or Harpe wherein the stringes iarryng in sounde giuyng vnlike note byâ—unyng doe agree and make a concord of moste pleasaunt noâ—â—e and this doeth he declare in Tuilie a man whiche hath very well deserued of all men Neither is the ensample whiche Aristotle sheweth vs by a shippe muche vnlike vnto this wherin diuerse men beare diuerse roumes yet their whole drift is to saue the shippe that it burst not but by cunnyng of men saufely conueigh the thynges whiche be put into it into the hauen So the Pilate hath his office appoincted hym to holde the Kudder in the sterne the foreman hath his parte the rower his to moue the whole vessell one entendeth the tacklynges an other in the toppe staÌ„deth in waite leaste any rouer inuade theim an other soundeth the deapth of the water tolet goe vnspoken of a greate number of other mariners without whose aide the sailyng would go but shrewdly forwarde bicause euery man worketh well in that appoinctment which he hath in seuerall to hymself in this issue thei syng all one note that the voiage maie goe forewarde and be saufe Whiche thing could not be it one should rise against an other hindering the other that he could not doe his duetie accordyngly not muche vnlike to Lucians Dogge whiche liyng in the maunger neither would eate oates hymself ne yet suffer the horses ones to laie their lippes on theim And what face good Lorde of any common weale thinke you can thereby whiche is not compacte and measured out of this disagreable concord of citezeÌ„sâ— Wherein the Smith leauyng his owne occupation wil labour to plaie the Tailour and contrary the Lailour will medle with the Forge the Shâ—maker will in hand with linneÌ„ Draperie the priuate man entermedle with the officer and euery man will go about that whiche he neither learned ne yet is called or fitte to doe but onelie ledde on head with a stubburn boldnes and rashnes nothing strainyng curtesie to disturbe dissolue the worke of God that is the frame of the common weale Of whiche thyng we be maruetlously well put in remeÌ„braunce by the tale of the other partes of mannes body conspiryng against the stomacke Forther sawe theim selues vexed with perpetuall labour constrained to worke and onely the bellie not onely to be idle but also to consume and spend all that thei could prouide Therefore thei agreed amongest theim selues that the hande should no more woorke the feete no more go to get any thyng the lyes to refuse lookyng the mouthe to receiue meate the teath to deny their office the throte not to let doâ—nâ— nourishemente whereby neither the stomacke whiche receiued it not could not disperse it into euery part of y â— body but beyng emptie shranke from theim now when thei sawe that their labour did not onely profite the stomacke but the whole body and theÌ„ selues also and that the one could not stande without aide of the other eche retourned in his office and did the beste to procure beathines with his particulare labour whiche was profitable in common Does ye not thinke this to bee an ensample in this place for vs to learne that our endeuor which euery maÌ„ hath taken vpon him in the citee doeth not onely profite any particulare man but in generall alâ—â—rom which if any maÌ„ vnaduisedly shrink he desireth the coÌ„mon weale to be dissolued without whiche he can neither bee a citezen ne yet safe muche lesse be a follower of vertue whiche one poinct is the greatest enemie that can be to thinges well ordered And therfore we must entre that kind of life whiche is directe vnto the common worship and ornamente of the whole citee and therein stande in one mynde whiche it behoueth so to be appoincted that euery well disposed man maie not onely wonder at but also desire to folowe it bicause of the honestie of life wherwith the companie of menne is vnited together kepyng the due course of ciuill behauiour and excellyng others Forsomuche as Plato according to Socrates his mynde dooeth affirme that there is no other difference betwene common weales then suche as ariseth vpon the diuersitie of mennes maners THE Seconde Booke concernyng the good orderyng of a common weale ¶ The argument of the first Chapiter That the common weale doth stand by vnlike sortes of men but suche as beeyng iâ—â—â—d by God and mannes lawe dooeth in fine agree in one touchyng the partyng of commodities in common THe worthie Prince Octauian vnder whose gouernment it pleased the healthfull light of saluation to shine to mankinde ruled his Subiectes with soche moderation that he was wonte to call hym bothe a citezen and a good manne whiche would not that the presente estate of the coÌ„mon weale should be altered And therfore y â— he himself whereas he receiued the citee of Roome built of Bricke would leaue it all of Marble A worthy saiyng of a worthy Magistrate whiche ought so to trauaile that the coÌ„mon weale maie rest in that estate whiche either cannot lightly be amended or wil not abide any chaunge without woÌ„derous trouble Whiche forme of thynges it appertaineth moste to soche to adourne as it is in decde a weightie matter whose mynde is set to seke the commoÌ„ aduauncement and to value honestie at more then profite not for them selues but rather that God maie be reuerenced in that companie of men whiche is so vnited together But bicause euery thyng doeth stande on certain partes whiche ones knowen the whole is soner perceiued it shall not be lost labour to touche the persones to whoÌ„ we committe the whole swaie of the common weale by whose conditions you maie no lesse gesse thestate thereof then knowe the Lion by his pawes Three degrees of persones must therefore be considered the highest meane lowest To the highest degree appertaine Magistrates whiche haue been ordeined by God from the beginning by whom thei are also preferued to gouerne his people to furnishe the coÌ„mon weale with good lawes and ordinaunces diligently to surueie the subiectes liuyng to put theim in mynde of honestie and goodnesse to kepe concord and peace to defende the good bridle the euill omittyng nothyng that appertaineth to the wealthe thereof knowyng that it is Goddes people to whoâ— thei are appoincted ouerseers and not their owne whom thei must so iudge and gouerne that thei maie not feare to be iudged in the greate daie of the Lorde â–ª For the Prince is the soule and rule whereby the common weale as a bodie must liue breathe and in
how many thinke you are thei that either can or will giue their prince good aduise But one edgeth hym to moue warre and that vppon no occasion for hereby thinketh he to be enriched though his Prince lese some parte of his landes I neede not to make mention of innocente bloud whiche must be thereby shedde An other counsaileth hym earnestly when he hath mispente his goodes to charge his subiectes with some exactiō of money or Tares ▪ intolerable to theim but perchaunce not altogether hurtfull to hymself Some yea though the Princes bee thereto vnwillyng thinke it best to breake couenaunt with their creditours neither to stande vnto suche licences as thei haue graunted and if thei obteine this thei thinke it a greate vertue Hereby ensueth it that the people aliene their myndes from their Princes beginne to mistruste and fall to rebellion so that it shall not neade to seke any forrein enemies considering there maie be easely found enough euen within the very walles through occasion of the yoke of bondage wherewith thei be pressed For not onely the common prouerbe but also very experience teacheth vs that wee haue so many enemies as wee haue seruauntes whereby destructions of whole Kyngdomes haue ensued as the histories declare at large and that by suche prouidence of destinenie as though it fell not so vndeseruedly Paterculus in the seconde booke of the Romaine historie saieth for so it is that for the most part god when he entendeth to chaūge any estate doth corrupt mennes counsailes and causeth suche thynges as in deede come by fortune which is a piteous case seame to fall by deserte and that chaunce shall be tourned into blame Neither must we onely impute it to the Princes whē either naughtie men be put in office or after thei bee so made officers bee corrupte but rather to our synnes whereby we doe leudely straie frō the commaundementes of God and bee vnworthie of a good gouernour but be constraigned to suffer the scourge wherewith when we haue been well canuazed and beaten it self also decaieth Oseas I will giue thee a kyng in my rage and take hym awaie in myne indignacion Also Esaie I wil giue them children to ther Princes and effeminate persones shall be Lordes ouer them Now therefore ye kinges vnderstande and bee instructe you that iudge the yearth least your honour be tourned into reproche and your throne into ignominie remember you must looke for the greate daie of the Lorde wherein you must make an accompt how you haue gouerned your Princely stewardship and that you which now iudge shall then be iudged with a iudgement as it is iust so vnpossible to be auoided And no lesse streightly shall it happē to the people whiche hath a kyng after their owne harte And for that thei be plagued rigorously handled their offence moueth God to se it reuenged Therfore so we ought to liue in y ◠cōmon weale that he which hath the gouernement rule in suche wise that he thinke his function to be Gods not his owne that be whiche obeieth dooe it sincerely and that bothe doe agree to aduaunce the common wealth and seke the onely glorie of God ¶ The argument of the. iii. Chapiter That the Prince in gouernement of the common weale must haue thassistaunce of others and what maner of men thei must bee HOw moche the higher powers dooe surmounte and excell other men as whom the scripture doeth somtyme call Goddes as who sate benefactours of men so moche the greater is the office wherevnto thei bee appoincted for it is the duetie of a gouernor to reare vp that is decaied to gather together that is dispersed to recouer the lost to reforme the misordered to punishe the euill to enlarge the common weale to releue the poore to defende the orphane and widowe to promote vertue to minister iustice to kepe the lawe to shewe hymself father of his countrie to holde the people cōmitted vnto hym as his owne children to embrace godlinesse faithfully and with his whole hart to performe all that is profitable or nedefull among the people accordyng to his duetie no lesse then if God hymself were in presence Neither can a prince cloke or colour hymself in any poinct or alledge any pretenced excuse of his disabilitie or that he is occupied with other affaires For he is soche a one as neither maie alledge any staie ne yet surmise any fained excuse He must tender all men heare all men bee thei iuste or vniust accordyng vnto the saiyng of Chilo the kyng heard all matters were thei right were thei wrong And touchyng this matter there is a famous aunswere of a certaine woman for a poore olde woman besought Philippe the Kyng of Macedonia to bee gracious to her in her sute but he made an excuse that he had no leasure to heare her then said she verie aptlie be then no longer kyng But the Emperour Alexander was moche more praise worthie whiche staied all his traine on horsebacke gentlie to heare a poore womans complainte Whiche ensamples bee therefore to bee noted that we maie thereby knowe how God alwaie reiseth vp some to preserue the societie of man and to profite the common estate yea and that amongest the Gentiles And secondly how sincerely he would haue thinges dooen so that he whiche beyng exalted to thonour of a kyng when the croune was offered hym saied verie well O noble clothe whiche who so well considereth would not so moche as take thee vp from the grounde Whereby it appeareth that a prince must be euery man as the prouerbe is becommyng all to all to doe his duetie toward all and to shewe the waie of vertue to all which without the aide and assistaunce of other specially in a greate nomber of people he can not doe alone but he muste needes ioyne vnto hym good and goodly menne with whom he maie execute his office throughly Hetherto y ◠saiyng of Aristotle maie be referred that kinges haue many eares and many iyes And also an other saith alludyng to the former reasō kinges haue long handes As who should saie princes nede many mennes helpe to looke to all and to let no thing passe that toucheth their duetie Wherevpon I thinke it hath growne in vse in Courtes that Princes in their letters answeres and other their actes do vse to speake in the plurall nomber rather to declare that thei doe it by coūsaill then sekyng by soche forme of speache any honour So Aelius Spartianus dooeth reporte that Adriane the Emperour when he sate in iudgement had ioyned with hym not onely his frendes and companiōs but also Iulius Celsus Saluius Iulianus Neratius Priscus and other Lawiers and yet none other then the counsaill had allowed Wee reade also in Chronicles that Alexaunder Seuerus neuer gaue answere but by counsaill of others which had as Lampridius writeth no lesse then twentie of the grauest Lawiers of his counsaill amongest whom he rekeneth vp Fabius
Emperoure a man that could not away with biers of offices Wherfore there were so manye lawes published amongest the Romaynes concernyng biynge of offices as the lawes made by Calphurnius Tullius Pompeius Iulius Fauius and Licinius whereby they were not onely forbidden to compasse any office by bribing but also not so muche as by makyng a dinner for that purpose or causing any repaires for the obteinyng of honoures preferment or labouryng by any meanes to winne the election voices by corruption All whiche thinges do euidently open vnto vs that we ought neither to attempt ne yet to practice any kinde of office for desire of ambicion but clearely vncorruptlye and without anye staine of bryberye Wherevpon it is more knowen then profitable to the common weale that a third vice doeth arise moste detestable emong theim that doe beare offices that is to weâ—e takyng of bribes whiche maie well be placed emong dishonest practises For it is wounder to consider how moche rewardes will alter a man so that although ye haue conceiued in your mynde neither to tourne on the right ne yet on the left hand yet ye wil bee more affectionate towarde a corruptour and in a maner naturally bee ledde more to fauour him then one that will not by briberie endeuour himself to purchase frendship Whereof take this testimonie not of the mouthe of manne but at God hymself whiche is Neither shalt thou take bribes whiche doe blinde the wise and subuert the wordes of the iuste And again God is great mightie and terrible whiche respecteth neither persone nor giftes And in the bookes of the Kinges of Samuelles soonnes And his soonnes walked not in his waies but declined after coueteousnes and toke rewardes and peruerted their iudgementes You vnderstande how detestable a thing it is to bee corrupt with rewardes and to bee misledde filthely by coueteousnesse whiche thyng is not onely by Goddes Lawe forbidden but also abhorred euen of the verie Heathen people So Hesiodâ—s calleth theÌ„ Dorouoroi that is deuourers of rewardes whiche beyng allured by corrupcion of giftes doe not iudge the trueth and Aristophanes vseth this saiyng Dorica musa prouerbially against soche as be greadie in takyng of rewardes Neither can he be possibly a good man that withholdeth not his haÌ„ds froÌ„ the filthy receiuing of bribes Herevpon Alexander the Macedonian king entendyng by treason to compasse the Athenians sent to Phocion in rewarde a thousande talentes But he asked theÌ„ whiche brought the money why seyng there were so many Athenians Alexander sent that present to hym alone bicause saied thei he iudgeth thee onely to be bothe an honest and a good man Then que he let hym suffer me bothe to be and to be compted â—oche a one still As though he had saied that he neither was in deede ne yet was woorthie to bee compted a good man who so could not bridle hymself from takyng of bribes For this Phocion was of soche an approued honestie emong the Athenians that he would neuer suffer hymself to be corrupte with any rewardes contrarywise Demades could neuer be satisfied Wherefore Antipater was wont to saâ—e that he could neuer perswade Phocion to take ne euer content Demades with all his giftes The argument of the. vi Chapiter As it is an honest part beyng about the Prince to tender the common profite so it is an vnhonest poincte to gape for priuate aduauntage WE haue declared how geÌ„tleman like decente a thing it is worthily to liue in the Court of a good Prince where euery mannes endeuoure is for the commoÌ„ profitte directed after the lawes bothe of GOD and man wherein euery one maie shew hymself ready to bestowe his labour vppon man and not vpon hymself onely For that it is Gods common weale into a parte whereof he is called wherein he commaunded menne to be trained vp to set forthe his glorie not to serue those bealie goddes and the gredie desire of a fewe couetous and ambicious persones At whiche marcke who so intendeth not to shoote doeth very vnworthily and vnhonestly preparyng a wheele for hymself wherwith no otherwise then Ixion doeth he shall abide perpetuall punishemente for his distoyaltie throughlie vnderstandyng although to late this saiyng to be true Long in court depe in hell Whiche thing ought to disswade all them that doe cleaue vnto that goodlie kinde of miserie that either thei doe their duetie whiche is honest godlie and profitable in common without blame or els if thei cannot rule their affections whiche beare greate stroke in soche kynde of men giue place and liue priuatelie to them selues yet so that euery one help his christen brother and priuatlie doe that whiche he cannot performe in open place and beare one an others burden restoryng with gain that talente committed vnto hym by grace whiche he hath receiued from aboue forasmuche as no one man is euery man but giftes bee giuen seuerallie vnto vs that euery one either doe beare office accordyng to his measure giuen vnto hym or els do leade a priuate life But as I haue saied there be many thinges which as the worlde now goeth drawe men out of the readie waie blinde them with the fame of high promoctoÌ„ and cause theim greuously to offende whiche ought not to be permitted to be either couered with any clokyng or with any pretensed colour to be excused for it is God whose doynges thou hast in hande whiche in the meane while vieweth euery thing and as a iuste and vnauoidable iudge will punishe soche vniust dealyng and the slower he punisheth the sorer he punisheth some thinke it better to lurke priuately in the shadowe then to offer them selues abrode into so many thousande daungers not onely of bodie but also of soule as though he liued well that lurked well and not vnwiselie if thei vnderstande it not euery where and of all but of soche onely whose shulders can neither susteine neither without greate daunger stande vnder the burden For it is a very fondnes to vndertake the bearyng of any thyng whiche thou canst not easely lift vp Whiche thinges neuerthelesse doe not moue many that be glorious and stand to moche in their owne conceipt whom in the meane while honor nourisheth and enforceth to plaie the bealie goddes and hogges as it were in the stte Besides that those golden chaines wherewith thei that be fettered doe serue in boÌ„dage and delight in a gaie kinde of miserie as Diogenes was wont to saie against Aristippus the Courte dogge doe staie them so long that thei can neuer finde in their hartes to chaunge their chaines to dye for it Surelie neither honour the moste vanitie of all other vanities ne yet any golde gotten by the vndoyng of a greate meany oughte so moche to be estemed by any man that wee should preferre an vncertaintie and a thing of base value before that whiche is euerlasting neither for a small pleasure to worke our
before the heade magistrates encountred all attemptes against the lawes all ready established At Locrus a notable citie of the Epizephirians whiche firste as Strabo writeth vsed certain written lawes there was an order taken that none shoulde be suffered to attempt renuynge of anye lawe contrary to the auncient ordinaunces vnlesse he woulde venter his necke in a halter to the ende that if it might seeme commodious to the common weale he might escape if not he should straightway be stranguled with the same halter the loope thereof beinge harde pulled together Therefore the firme and vniforme order of gouernaunce maketh the estate to continue vnchaunged which is the best and surest in the best kinde of rule as most coÌ„mon weales do euidently declare Although as men be now a daies minded it be hard to kepe y â— same because of the troubles of sedicion and intemperancy of the people Wherefore in default of a gouernour some free cities vse to take themperour or some other kinge or foraine prince for their defendour whereby bothe the people maie be kept in awe and they theim selues preserued Moreouer in some common weales it hath bene an auncient custome that certaine of the base people and brotherhodes of artificers shoulde be as assistantes to the counsailours to so that nothinge be called contrarie to the common profite of the Citezines and lawes of the countrey vnknowynge to the people as the Tribunes were wonte to do among the Romayns And as it marueilously furthereth concord and quietnesse in a Citie and as it were nourisheth the same that the common money so farre as belongeth to receites and expences be noted to the comminaltie so where a fewe were they neuer of so greate estimacioÌ„ and deserued neuer so wel of their countrey do the same after their owne willes it stirreth greate troubles and hath bene the vtter vndoing to sundrye that peraduenture neuer offended Therefore the wittiest counsell that I can finde is for so much as accordyng to Tirence saiyng sundrye diet causeth sundrye vsage and eche daie hath inough for her owne euill for a season to deferre those thinges which withoute great disturbance can not be sodenly altered Therefore the administrations of common weales as they be nowe adaies appointed seeme to be mixed with the three kindes of gouernement that is to saie Monarchie the best mennes rule and the peoples guidyng For so as it were one hande washeth an other and one man aideth an other specially in such thinges as ought not to be hidde For there be manye priuye thinges in Cities and profitable in common whiche must be committed but to fewe whiche in this pointe so much commendeth and approueth the faithfulnes dignitie and honest behauiour of the officers that thei be thereby voide of suspicion Albeit no man euer yet so ruled in the worlde but he founde certaine felowmates whiche would misconstre and finde fault with his doinges whom the clearer a mans conscience is the soner he will despise As for good mennes reporte he neuer neadeth to cast any such feare For good men alway take good thinges in good parte and as Tullie saieth The better a man is the lesse dooeth he suspect other to be euill Contrariwise he that is euill can not speake well of other but measureth al menne by him selfe And then saied Alexander the Macedonian plaiest thou the king in dede wheÌ„ doing well thou arte misreported neither yet ceaseth God to preserue his magistrate or minister euen in the middest of all his trouble Neither is it to be thought that it can naturallye come to passe that one common weale can abide the three estates I meane of one alone of the best and of the peoples gouernement as to haue so many particuler heades in it whereof eche shall haue the aucthoritie but a measure must be had and eche regarde his own priuate charge Of which thing we may take an example at this vniuersal frame of the worlde wherein the Philosophers by all their search could not finde any more but one Lorde and king And as sainct Austen saieth Plato did not thinke that there was anye moe Gods but one the aucthour of al natures Which thing a man may also see in Bees which wil haue no moe kinges in their swarme but one about whoÌ„ they cluster whom they compasse in and reuerence as Plinie full well teacheth in hid naturall historie Althoughe Aristotle ledde by some greater experience thinketh that sometime they do folowe diuers guides whiche being altogether do make the nomber of one swarme whiche thing the Bee kepers as I my selfe haue heard them oft times saie do graunt if so be that the hiues be able to receiue diuers swarmes Therefore howe diuerse so euer the estates of gouernours be whiche rule in one common weale yet their eyes must loke vpon one as chiefe in aucthoritie to whoÌ„ in weightie affaires thei must haue a recourse as vnto a Moses So that in euerye well gouerned citie none other thinge is to be loked for but that wee with most quietnes that can be being obedient to our ruler because he is ordeined by God do seke the common wealth and the onely glory of God whether the rule be gouerned by one as a king by the better fort by the mightier power or ioyned with diuers and sundrye Whiche neither Aristotle him selfe dooeth in all poinctes disalow but reasoneth as though after a sort it maie be accompted as one of the best rules in a common weale For there is nothing so perilous but if a manne vse it well it may be bothe quiet and safe and contrariwise there is nothing so good but it shal haue wonderfull euill happe if you do not cease to abuse it Wherefore it lieth in vs to employ gouernement although it be a difficult thinge either to a good or an euil ende The argument of the fourth booke That in a common weale it behoueth magistrates to passe other in vprightnesse of life and maners and to be fauourers of the aduauncement of the common profite THe worthy Plato whose coÌ„panion Tullie professeth him selfe to be in his bookes whiche he wrote touching a common weale as Plinie reporteth in his preface to Vaspasian semeth wel to haue saied that commoÌ„ weales be distinguished accordynge vnto the nature of men the decent order whereof we doe measure by the magistrate that ruleth Whiche if he be good it can not otherwise be but that the Citie shall appeare to be very well ordered But if he be vnprofitable and dissolute it straightwaies lighteth vpon the Citizins whom he infecteth and maketh much worse for so muche as a naughty Rauen can not but laye a naughty egge Neither was there euer scholemaster that made good scholers who was him selfe vntemperate and negligent in teachyng Wherefore not euerye one of base condicion must be admitted to beare ofâ—ice but must be chosen amongest such as haue wel gouerned their owne houshold Like
then emoÌ„g his owne childreÌ„n as whose wealth he must preferre before his owne and declare hymself to be a father of his countrey Which name none euer obteined emongest the Romains vnlesse he had marueslously wel deserued of the common weale For Cicero was so named and so was Augustus Cesar whiche is reported to haue been so delighted therewith that when Valerius Messala by the counsaill and people of Romes commaundement called hym father of his countrey wepyng for verie ioye he aunswered Sens that my Lordes I haue obteined my desire what other thing haue I to request at Goddes handes but that I maie deserue that this your consente maie continue vntill my last ende With soche a minde therefore euery manne muste take vpon him the charge of the common weale that he doe his endeuour to preferre the publique affaires before priuate alwaie to haue that before his iyes and to watche alone when other doe slepe But more diligently to repeate my former treatise concernyng thinges priuately necessarie there is no hope that the common weale can haue anye prosperous successe without the supportacion of priuate thinges whiche hath as it were the forme of a grounde whereupon the other must be established For what kinde of societie should that be wherein one should be compelled to bee hungrie and he and his children as it were to starue for famine which is a wonderfull piteous case either for want of thinges wherewith the life should be mainteined or y â— bicause of great dearth thei caÌ„not bee releiued and an other hauynge his barnes full should liue at riot or alone as one hauing quicke vtteraunce of wares should sticke vpon to moche gaine oppresse the neadie and seke his owne commoditie to the vndoyng of other contrary to the verie course of nature In soche case is this common weale as that houshold which will neuer thriue so long as one daily swilleth and kepeth reuell an other pineth for lack of food the good man of the house in the meane while either fallen as it were into a slomber or negligently looking to his familie And although the coÌ„mon saying bee that he whiche entreth into an other mannes house should bee bothe domme and deaffe yet no honest man could well beare with this inequalitie Neither is there one onely waie to atteine vnto the knowlege how a citee must be furnished with all necessaries but good aduisement must be vsed in all according to the consideracion of the place the men the tyme the yere Bicause thus there is foresight had to the citezeins commoditie neither yet be the sellers endammaged For no citee can stande without mutuall trafficque no companie of men bee mainteined without prouisioÌ„ without open market for sale of thinges without the Shambles and corne market in whiche poincte if soche order bee taken that Marchauntes or Fermours bee compelled to sell thinges whiche they bring in better cheape then reason is and oftymes for lesse then thei cost them that is to be eschewed for two causes Firste bicause the sellers forsakyng the citee shall seke an other market where thei may vtter their wares to their greater coÌ„moditie Secondly bicause that when thinges for the daiely vse of citees bee not brought in the citezeins in the meane while be compelled to stande in neede wherevpon occasion is oftimes ministered to rebellion Therefore it were better to ouerbuy thinges that we must nedes haue then to be altogether without them And therfore for the sale and prices of thinges soche order and rate must bee vsed that it maie bee to eche part of the citee profitable so shall it not harme other but staie vpon a conscionable dealyng that in buiyng and selling there maie be on all sides some equalitie and vprightnesse Whiche none but a wiseman can bothe ordeine and see put in prartise and soche a one as in gouerning a citee onely hath respecte to that which swarueth not froÌ„ the rule of equitie But that as it is presently profitable so in continuauÌ„ce it will not be vnprofitable For by long experience soche a man hath tried that the falling out of thinges whiche is the scholemaster to fooles is not to bee looked at but that thinges must be so foreseen that although thei be to come yet by forecast and couÌ„saill thei maie growe to good effecte Moreouer whiche thing must principally be considered there is not one kinde onely nor one trade of liuyng in all citees For some stand vpoÌ„ the sea coastes which be moste mainteined by carriage in Shippes Some stande vpon freshe riuers whiche yet be able to beare great vessels and be famous by reason of some notable hauen Some haue some great marte and be enriched by reason of merchaundise Other some bee welthie by corne grouÌ„d or vineyardes Besides these some stande by handy craftes menne whiche by other meanes prouide theim selues of corne in this poincte not in very ill â—ase bicause their gaine is gotteÌ„ by sittyng trauaile whereby thei get money wherewith al thinges that bee necessarie bee bought and therewith maie the more easely buye what they will then if thei should with more toile plucke it forth of the grounde Wheras there be sondry kindes of trades wherby citees bee supported I haue expressed but a fewe of set purpose not touchyng the reste bicause my mynde is onely to declare him to doe verie vnwisely that shall appoinct one kinde of liuing to all these whereby thei shall liue all after one sorte seeyng that thei neither haue all one kinde of life neither yet one waie in gettyng their liuynges but in euery citee consideracion must be had of the life condicion maners waie of getting and soche like and according as euery thing shal require so must order bee taken and a ciuill appoinctment established So Serbidius Sceuola warneth vs to applie lawes vnto the nature of thinges not thynges to the Lawes whiche thyng Plutarche writeth that Solon obserued in the Atheniane coÌ„mon weale The argument of the. vi Chapiter Concernyng the shambles prouision of eates and victualyng houses for the common vse of the people how thei ought specially to bee looked vnto NOw it is moste expedient that those thinges whiche we cannot lacke â–ª for the maintenauÌ„ce of our life should bee brought to the market be to be â–ª had in a citee where a nomber of people is whiche is the occasion that the ciuill societie maie bee knit together and the dignitie of the common weale encrease and continue besides that the people when thei be full be more desirous of quietnesse then if thei doe not finde whereby to haue prouision and helpe for their nourishmente So Aurelian the Emperour writeth vnto Arabian his Purneigher that the people of Rome be meriest wheÌ„ thei be fullest Wherfore those thinges muste principally be cared for whiche serue for the daily vse of meate and drinke as for other thinges whiche appertain vnto the riote of idle men and their inordinate lauishing there
nedeth no like prouision as without which the people maie be nourished and the Citee well inough mainteined Wherefore Socrates when his frende complained that all thinges were deare at Athens as Purple silkes pearles venison and al kindes of nouelties answered wisely there is no dearth so long as meale and oile necessary prouisioÌ„ for â—â—â—â—â—ining of life may he had good cheape Who so therefore thinketh to rule the common weale profitably let hym be carefull for the furnyture of meates and drinkes and see that thei be easely to be had by meanes of corne meale fleshe wine ale hucsterie ware other victuals nedefull for mannes life But first of all respect must he had for prouision of corne that the inhabitauntes be not for lacke thereof compelled either to stande in distresse or to chaunge their soile And therefore common weales whose nuÌ„ber is greate vse to haue store houses wherein they be accustomed to laye vp corne bought with the common money and thence when neade shall be to sell it good cheape after the Romain vsage whereby twoo lawes touching corne made by Sempronius and Saturninus corne was solde to the people after the rate of vi pence and a greate a busshel vntill that Publius Clodius made a lawe in his Tribuneship â–ª that the people should haue corne geuen them frely The whiche as hurtefull to the Treasurie Marcus Octauius soÌ„ne to Cneius did abrogate because it semed that by geuing the people foode plentifully and that without any trauaile it might withdraw them from honest labour vnto idelnes as Marcus Tullius witnesseth What a marueylous charge this deuision of Corne was which the Romains vsed to distribute monthlye in euery warde and therupon tearmed it Menstruum as wel the quantitie thereof as the number of menne which did receiue the same will declare For Plutarch in Cesars life writeth that the corne whiche monthly was deuided amongest the common people cost v. hundred and fiftie millions of their coine Whiche by computacion after our reckening as manie doe witnesse amounteth to fiue hundred and fiftie thousande crownes What a number it was to whom the deuision was made Suctonius tranquillus in Cesars life by these wordes declareth He made recoumpte of the people neither after the accustomed maner nor place but strete by strete by the housholders And whereas there were wont to be three hundred and twentie M. which had corne of the common prouision he brought theim to one hundred and fiftie thousande Whiche I therfore haue mencioned that we should take this as a president of a well appointed Citie to the ende we may the better know the benefite of God which gaue sustinaunce to so greate a noumber of people yea and that in a citee geuen to the seruing of ydolles As touching this matter lesse care is hadde for prouision when as out of the countrey neare adioynyng being fruitefull pure floure meale wheate ryâ— peason barley oates all such kinde of graine is wekely brought in and solde to the Citezins after a reasonable price as the time of the yere serueth For expedicion whereof there is no better waie that can be founde then to carie it into the corne market whereas a iuste price shall be sette vpon it as it were by the whole coÌ„sent of al the biers otherwise then if it were forestalled euery where in the stretes and priuate places at the prising of euery priuate person whiche for the mooste parte is inconuenient Wherefore there ought to be punishemeÌ„t executed vpon such regraters as buye corne at a lowe price and sell it dearer to the baser sort practising thereby a kinde of gaineful traffique forbidden bothe by God and mannes lawe and in this poincte the worsse because they vse â—â— deceiue men by false measure Therfore order must be taken that their measure be not false and vniuste which office among the Romaynes belonged vnto the Ediles whome Pomponius the Lawyer called Cereales as it were ouerseers of the Corne firste ordeined by Iulius Cesar And when prouision is hadde for corne there must foresight be had for meale that there be no disceite vsed in milles and grinding houses Then that they fel no breade but of iust weight whiche shall easely be estemed after the forwardnesse of the yere which it self will prescribe the order for the assise of bread and this ought to be considered so much the more circumspectly the more marueilously the heauenly father feadeth all mankinde with a small deale of corne and that gathered by a fewe Which benefite of God if we should go about to diminishe and deceiptfullye to abuse hys blessyng it were a most wicked poinct And we must be carefull for the shambles â–ª left if it be not forseene it do bringe in a dearth and scarcitie of victuales By the name of the shambles I meane al that which serueth to our sustenaunce sauyng breade and wine and such other thinges as be properly moist and serue for drinke For to what ende serues beefe porke veale lambe kidd fishe and other suche kind of cates which we prouide to be dressed for vs if that vitaillours bouchers and hucksters maye at their pleasure enhaunce the prices and so annoy other Whiche incoÌ„moditie may thus be remedied if that the fleshe be solde proporcionablye accordyng to the price whereat sheepe oxen hogges calues and such other cattell be solde that some euen measure had bothe the vittailour may not lese his labour neither the citizins be vn prouided of things necessary to be sold in the shaÌ„bles After these folow other meates and drinkes which doe appertaine to the prouision of victualles whereof wee haue neede for the sustinaunce of our life as bee delicate meates venison wildfoule waterfoule wild beastes â–ª hennes capons and all suche kinde of deintie dishes also wine Ale Beere and such other things as we doe set out of Tauerns prouided by a ciuill order Which things be al so much y e better cheape the more discretly thei be ordered and commaunded to be solde And in this part ther must nedes some order be taken for wine in Tauerns especiallie where muche wine is vttered be it neuer so deare or els besides that the worst by that means is sold at as hie a price as y e best it maye bee reckened as a greate inconuenience that might arise vnto the citee that one or two Vinteners should become welthier then the rest Of many I thought it beste to recount the chiefest thinges which doe belonge to meates and drinkes for the purneiyng whereof a magistrate must be marueilous carefull leste in the citie either suche necessaries can not be had or at the least not at a reasonable price whiche thinge accordyng to the necessitie and state of the place eche manne shal best by conuenient order in his owne Citie establishe For it is profitable to the common weale that none do vse deceitfull practises againste the common prouision
to intermeddle themselues therewith to the hinderanuce of the common weale Where as he is verie vnmete to attempte the thing whiche cannot by his meanes bee sincerely practised As Xenocrates the Chalcedonian a Platoniste whiche as Laercius writeth succeded Speusippus in his schoole saied to a certaine vntowardlie fellowe and â–ª one of a blockishe nature and of a simple vnderstandyng whiche came to heare hym Get thee hence thou hast not the handle of Philosophie as though no man should be admitted to any businesse whiche he maie not seme fit to accomplishe accordingly Soche waie thei seme to bee whiche bee elected Aldermennes deputies or heade officers out of the companies of craftes men and artificers From amongest whiche although I doe not deny but that there he chosen certain singuler honest men whiche tender bothe godlines and the common weale for in deede to iudge of other and chiefly of soche as bee aliue I haue learned that it is an hard thing moche lesse then ought we to pronounce of their life Yet neuerthelesse as men be now a daies there bee many thinges whiche vse to driue them a wrong waie and to make the executyng of their office to be had in suspicion Bicause that neither Philosophie can take awaie ne yet we altogither suppresse the affections whiche wee beare to priuate aduauntage and to those persones to whom wee bee boundè by the bonde of societie So by nature whereby we bee enclined to naughtinesse and labour to doe that whiche is forbidde vs we be verie desirous of that whiche is priuat reken that our coaâ—e sitteth nigher vnto vs then our cloake whervpon it cometh to passe that the Dogge as Luciane saieth in his dialogue against an vnlearned manne is not easely driuen from the skinne or hide whiche he hath begonne to gnawe and whereof he hath ones tasted Neither is there any man so vnskilfull but he knoweth with how greate wisedome the lawe maker endeuoureth to bryng to an order and to reforme the practises of engrossers vnlawfull resortyng places Tauerne kepers â–ª soche trades of Marchaundile as be hurtfull to the coÌ„mon weale and all kind of trafficque that doeth annoie mannes societie to the entent soche thinges maie the more easely be obteined as be nedefull for the daiely vse of our life and maintenaunce of a common weale Whiche thinges can not bee so prouided for by the common Lawe but that priuely and by little and little deceiptes crepe in and by reason of a rooted coueteousnesse doe lye in waite sekyng to colour thinges as though the lawe permitted the same For there is no lawe of soche penaltie none so surelie established but assone as it is made there is one collusion or other founde against it There must therefore some be appoincted as ouersecrs for the accomplishyng of lawes whose charge must be to see that the lawes bee kepte whiche is the duetie of counsailers or Magistrates whom I therefore call a liuyng Lawe For in deede the Lawe is deade whiche is not put in execucion Therefore to stop all startyng corners for soche â—â—chers and bootie brokers of citees the auncieÌ„t lawes muste bee holpen by newe ordinaunces accordyng to the qualitie of the place the thinges and the people lest vnder the pretence of that whiche is lawfull that be committed whiche is vnlawfull whereby the common weale maie bee endamaged Now if the Magistrates bee of the same occupacion or trade with those that must bee reformed the matter shall goe forward so moche the slacker So many meanes seke thei out y e no poinct of their profite be diminished For according to the latine prouerbe one Asse vseth to rubbe an other and a Dogge will eate no Dogges fleshe But in wine Tauernes some reformacion muste nedes be had bicause badde wines be solde for the best of equall price or aboue a reasonable rate and corrupt wines bee vttered for pure brued for naturalle dreggishe for well settled sower for swete In Bakehouses likewise be craftes vsed the bread is not well baked it is not cleane it is ill leauened or to deare considering the tyme of the yere and not answeryng accordinglie to the price of corne The Shambles also is moche out of frame whiche seeketh onely for priuate gaine so moch more hurtfull to the common weale the lesse we can be without it forsomoche as al that we buy there is valued and solde vnreasonable deare rotten or carrien cattell is killed the fleshe is mustie and stinking the veale is not old inough but vnholsome the weightes be false the riche haue that is best the baser and coÌ„mon people the worst and all at one price As for Merchaundries and sellyng of wares what collusion is daily therein vsed he onely seeth not that can not see at all For looke what ware is bought for one shillyng that vse thei to sel again for two besides that their wares bee naught and the counterfaict be vttered in steade of perfeicte If ye purpose to redresse the market be it the beast market the Wine market the Fishe markette the Pultrie the Hucsterie or the Corne market ye shall euer finde thinges worthie of reformacion Other fautes bee better knowen then nedefull to be rehearsed in this place whiche must also be brought to better frame by discrete deliberacion But if the Maior or he to whom the charge on this behalfe is committed bee a Baker Boutcher Vintener Merchaunt Mercer Trafficquer or a follower of the Markettes it can not be told what consultacion is had how many bywaies be sought for vntill that bee decreed whiche lesse hurteth the priuate profite although the common people in the meane while be neuer so moch endamaged and forced euen for very nede to sterue And what soeuer is so ordeigned it can not but more auaile the priuate then the common estate in all poinctes how so euer it be constrewed to this effect will it growe But there is a cercain pretensed face of counterfaict administracion whiche when those affeccions and desire of priuate gaine will not suffer willingly and wholie to take place yet by meanes of this cloked colour thei cast a mist before mennes iyes perswadyng theim that thei tender their commodities Whiche enormitie maie in soche places more easely bee remedied where there is so greate a nomber of menne as beside craftesmen retailers the retainers and felowes of companies the best men and the beste knowen for their wisedome sobernesse and vprightnesse of liuyng maie be had to be put in these high offices and charge of dooyng thinges whom the innoceÌ„cie of life defendeth not onely from desire of priuate commoditie but also from suspicion But if the common weale bee not populous so that for scarcitie of people soche menne can not bee had as it happeneth for the moste part in these daies then seyng it can not bee amended it must bee paciently borne withall and that must bee holden a vertue whiche necessitie that hath no lawe commaundeth
dwell but suche as bee vnlearned and vnskilfull yet thei bicause thei bee not so full of people neither occupied with many and intricate affaires maie the better be borne withal But thinges of greater importaunce and soche as must be weighed by the ballaunce of iustice and equitie muste bee referred to the wiser sorte that thei maie be doen by aduisement and euery man by righte maie haue that is due vnto hym There is no companie of menne so small and fewe in namber but thei neade the labour of learned men and of good instructioÌ„ for the obteinyng of that kind of life wherby the true societie and mutuall benefityng of one an other is preserued Whereunto belong al the tradicious of liberall sciences which by the whole discourse of learning absolutely bee receiued and be as it were handmaidens to all disciplines For in theim youth is trained vp and prepared to greater thinges whereby thei maie not so moch profite them selues as their parentes and sometimes their countrie And Socrates iudgeth him more profitable to a common weale whiche maketh many fit to rule then he that can well rule hymself Therefore thei doe not well prouide for the common weale whiche like shamelesse and beastlike menne neither will that learned men be called to gouernement neither bee carefull for the trainyng vp and teachyng of others that maie well order thesame The argument of the third Chapiter ¶ That the professours of diuinitie aâ— thei be profitable so thei be nedefull and y t thei neglectinge their vocacion bee a greate slaunder to their profession ROmulus the builder of Rome amoÌ„gest other Lawes published this â–ª the power of all the diuine seruice let it bee vnder the kynges Also let the fathers keepe all Ceremonies whiche the tenne interpretours in the twelue tables more at large declare Go to the Gods â—hastile and therein dse Godlinesse Also let there be two kindes of Priestes One that maâ—e see to diulne-seruice and Ceremonies an other to expounde the darke answeres of Southsaiers and Prophetes soche as the counsaill and people shall allowe Let them deferre straunge signes and tokens if the counsaill so commaunde to the Thuscanes and Southsaiers Whiche Lawe Tullie saieth doeth not onely appertaine to religion but also to the slate of a citee So sateth Valerius Maximus Our auncetours would that customable and solempne Ceremonies should bee expounded by the Bisshops knowledge by the aucthoritie of thinges well doen by the obseruacion of Southsaiers by Appollos propheciynge by the Prophetes bookes by destroiyng of prodigious monsters and by the cunnyng of the Thuscanes So great an opinion hath it been that the wealthe of the common estate is preserued by the customable seruice and Ceremonies wherein if any thing had been misdoen there were certaine meanes of cleansyng to pourge the staine thereof As we see the fashion of processions and other rites vsed of old tyme for corne and grain whiche custome hath partly been in vse euen in our daies Aristotle also permitteth his Bisshops priestes and churche menne touchyng some parte of their callyng to bee holden as parte of the citee that nothyng â—e wantyng that maie further the profityng thereof But soche thinges be to bee considered among the Ethenikes who lurked as it were vnder the shadowe of this blessednesse of man and could not come to that perfection of life whiche thei perswaded them sclues But we to whom the true worshippyng of God is reuealed dooe admit no counterfaictyng of thinges but doe so adourne this our citee that by it wee maie conceiue the hope of the blessed life in heauen In the communion whereof I doe conteine all soche as bee conuersaunte therein not consideryng whether thei bee laie men or of the clergie sence that we be all but the members of one body acknowleging one head which is Christ whom we obeie as our lorde in that we doe obedience to Magistrates for ensample whereof I vsed Moses Neither is that farre out of vse which hath been obserued aswell in the Greke as the Romaine Empire In this place I dooe decide nothing concernyng the Ecclesiasticall weale and her prerogatiue power but appoâ—ct the ciuil according vnto the image of the heauenly whose steppes we in the meane while seke and folowe For we bee all the chosen sorte the princelie priesthode the holie people the gained flocke whiche ones were no people but now be the people of God Therfore must we be subiecte to euerye lawfull ordinaunce of man for the Lorde be he kyng as passyng the rest or be thei his lieutenauntes sent from him to reuenge euil doers and to the praise of soche as do well Wherso with our harte For this is the Psalterie this is the tenstringed Harpe whiche is pleasaunt acceptable to God And therefore it is conuenicut that vertuous men and soche as haue giuen them selues wholy to God be ouersears and guides of this congregacion whiche maie praof that harmonie ariseth whiche Nicholas Cusan a famous Cardinall calleth the catholique concordauÌ„ce and highlie commendeth it vnto vs as the peace of the christians For in our gouernement we doe not onelie seke prosperous successe in thinges and a certaine colour of felicitie but that whiche is heaueÌ„lie and therefore we must cal vpon God in it and in our spirit saie Abba father Whereupon wee muste also agree and continue in praier giuing thankes to the lorde of heauen and our redemer not with our mouthe alone but alie for the people and beare their sinne before the Lorde that it maie be remitted by our propitiatour Iesus Christ vpon whom that we maie fire an hole and firme faithe whiche is the sure foundacion of blessed hope there must neades be some of them to preache vnto vs that euerlastyng woorde open to vs our iniquities and declare vnto vs by whose mediacion thei muste bee forgiuen that beeyng well instructed to Godwarde we maie depart foorthe of this Ciuill life vnto that communion whiche the sainctes enioye and attaine the heauenly whiche is the onely blessednesse the onely felicitee Whiche vocacion of preachyng is well committed to theÌ„ that be expounders and professours of the Prophecies of GOD and his holie Gospell whiche bee so moche the more requisit in a common weale the more that the soule excelleth the body and the heauenly life this yearthly Of whom Esaie the Prophete saieth How faire and beautifull aboue the mountaines bee the feete of soche as tell and preache peace of soche as report goodnes soche as preache health saiyng Sion thy God shall reigne The voice of the esâ—ialles thei haue lift vp their voices and shall also giue praise because thei shall see iye to iye when the lorde shall conuerte Sion And the blessed Apostle Paule commendeth Luke to the Corinthiana â—icause of the Gospell wherein stoode his praise wee sent with hym also our brother whose praise is bicause of the Gospell in all churches And soche bee then moste
the coÌ„mon weale whiche do preache the holie worde of God therein shewe the waie of trueth to heauen teache menne in this transitorie life to seke life euerlastyng And contrariewise howe sore they offende whiche swarue from this waie and do not fede the flocke but leaue them that the wolfe maie deuour theÌ„ neuer setting before their iyes the reuengemeÌ„t of the great day of the Lorde from whiche no man can deliuer theim whereof â—ur onely sauiour Christ putteth vs in minde saiynge â–ª â—e must kepe and â—â—â—e all that they tell you whiche doe sit in Moyses chaire but do not after their workes â–ª For that must be vnderstanded of the Phariseis whiche yet sit in Moyses chaire and 〈◊〉 the lawe and put great burdens vppon mens shoulders whiche they wâ—â—l neither 〈◊〉 theim selues nor â—nâ—e touche with their finger To whom it is sâ—â—ed Woe be vnto you ye Scribes and Pharisies ye hypocrites And yet christians doe not straine curtesie to sit in the chaire of Pestilence In the meane while either flattering men of power or disperpling and sowyng abrode the tradicions of men neglectyng the word of trueth that although the veritie be vttered yet they darâ—ken the same bothe with vncleannesse of life and coÌ„tempt of the true doctrine and suffer it not to edifie A magistrate therefore which is also commaunded to feede must see that there bee men to enfourme the citie well appointed with Gods worde and to shewe the waye of a blessed life which is as it wer the onely foreship and sterne of the common weale The argument of the â—ourth Chapiter That the common weale can neither be beautified ne gouerned without the knowledge of the lawe which such men shall best practise as be learned therein and fauoure Godlines and iustice PIndarus the chiefe of those Poetes whiche were called Lirici saieth that the walles of Iustice â—e highe as Plato reporteth in the seconde boke of his common weaâ—e which Iustice I meane being alwaye in the presence of Iupiter the presideÌ„t of Hospitalitie is exercised about the preseruacion of man for so muche as we must nedes vse the ordinauÌ„ce of the euerlastyng Goddes for the further vnderstandyng of the multitude and varietie of thinges For in his odes whiche he made vppon those that wonne the prices in the games at Olympus he writeth thus Where iustice the preseruer and assistour to Iupitâ—r the president of Hospitalitie is practised farre aboue the excellencie of man because the varietie of thinges is suche that to iudge theim righteouslye and as the time shal require it is harde and a special ordinaunce of the euerlastyng Goddes Surely the climbynge of these walles and maintenynge of iustice in a citie is onely peculier to suche as haue the knowledge bothe of God and mannes lawe To the sacred vocacion whereof who so haue yelden theim selues dooe professe the arte of the execution of iustice without which there is neither bande of mans life ne yet participation of any commoditie Whereupon Cicero calleth them the expounders of the lawe whom who so disaloweth if he so dooe because they be vnskilfull he abaseth the menne and not the Lawe But if he graunt theÌ„ to be learned and yet neuer thelesse not to be obeied he hurteth not the men but weakeneth the lawes and ordinaunces and misconstrueth the meanyng of a perfite common weale And like as the common weale can neither be appointed ne yet maintened without the fence of good ordinaunces so can it not be gouerned without assistence of learned Lawyers For who can as Socrates warneth vs in Plato gouerne better then he whiche sometime hath obeied gouernemente and knoweth what doeth belong vnto gouernement Who can better discerne that is right from that is wrong that is equall from that is vnequall that is good from that is euill then he whiche hath learned to examine al thinges accordyng to the rule of honestie and lawe for vnpossible is it for a man to practise that arte wherein he hath no skill But suppose there be in a commoÌ„ weale some that be moued naturally to that which beareth the face of honestie and haue learned some what by experience howe to order the gouernement of thinges but yet without any knowledge of lawe and yet who be now commonly rulers in cities and countreys but suche whiche in dede ye maie after a sorte admitte if the number of the people be not so greate neither the affaires so diuers that they require anie exquisite gouernement but if the multitude be great the varietie of thinges causeth muche varietie of affaires the discerninge whereof is a verie harde poincte and requireth suche a perfect triall as is fetcht as it were out of the bowels of the lawes to open the fourme of iustice and equitie directed accordyng vnto vprightnes But in some poinctes whiche concerne the market prouision of victualles chapmanship the shambles corne daiely charge and forcast it maie so happen that a citie be so of ordinarie appoincted that it nede not much the lawyers helpe But I praye you when Iudiciall sentences must be pronounced when offendours must be punished according vnto lawes when brotherhods must be established that the establishement be not contrarie to lawes when statutes must be ordeined without the iniurie or detriment of others Shall they doe this well whiche knowe not what by lawe is forbidden and what permitted For accordyng to the lawes must we examine al our doinges and attemptes in the common weale no lesse then goulde is tryed by the touche stone For surely to this ende be iudgementes deuised that euery man maye come by his owne and that that is right maie be obteined in our ciuill course of liuyng Whereof I dooe appoinct two kindes one whereby coÌ„trouersies are determined another wherby offendours be punished If thaccion be but euen for the value of iii. halfpeÌ„ce if thou iudgest it wrongfully thou offendest as sore against the lawe as if it were a weightier thinge especially if it be a poore mans plee whiche lightly is but for some small matter For it is not the qualitie of the thinge whiche maketh the Iudges sentence right or wronge but the rule of equitie and lawe which muste be had at their handes that haue obteyned the knoweledge thereof and haue bestowed their diligence and endeuour to saue the ciuill societie and to defende the honour of the common weale For the Lawiers house as Lucius Crassus saieth in Tullie a man well studied in the lawes touchynge bothe diuine and humaine thinges is as it were the oracle of the whole Citie for a witnesse whereof wee may alledge Quintus Mutius Sceuola one that as he was the eloquentest of Lawyers so he was the best lawyer of all Oratours whose gate was daiely haunted by a great number of Citizins and worthy personages althoughe he him selfe was bothe vexed wyth sicknes and also farre strocken in age Cneius Scipio Nasica whom the counsel for honours sake surnamed the Best
aucthour naught and vnhonest For those onely as citezeins and partakers of mannes societie be receiued for honeste whiche reuerence iustice set conscionable dealyng before their iyes fauour honestie and which so get and kepe their owne that thei doe not onely not harme their neighbour but tender his commoditie and with all theyr hart wishe his furtheraunce Such a one is he as putteth not out his money to vsurie but helpeth the neadie which buieth not his wares to the hinderance of his neighbour to sell them dearer then reason requireth which doeth not hide corne and grayne the blessinge of the earth nether forstaulleth the market to the greafe of a great number that it maye bee at an higher price which doth not so value his owne worke that it shall profit him selfe onely and harme others whiche vseth the proprietie of thinges with such modestie that he will not withdrawe the same from the â—â—adie but in extremeties be content thei shal be common which in all his affayres practises and trades of liuyng more esteameth the common then the pryuate profite Whiche is one part of honestie originallie risinge of iustice whiche wee ought not onely to esteme aboue our commoditie but also aboue our life So we loue our neyghbour as our selues so we vse other as we woulde be vsed our selues and restore thinges coÌ„mitted vnto vs with honest encrease But nowe these riches wherewith we bee supported bee not all of one sorte For some lyue vppon their landes and possessions some be maintained by artes craftes some by trafficque and some by dailie labour The gayne that riseth of landes is the most honeste of all For thearth tilled with hand doeth yelde the same and it consisteth in earable grounde medowes pastures orchardes and other soyle wherof the old fathers gathered all their substaunce And therefore they were called Locupletes in latin as who saye Pleniloci agri that is wealthie bicause they had plentie of place and lande And therfore ill tillage of the grounde was thought among the Romains a fault vnder the Censours correction as Plinie writeth and as Cato saieth it was thought the highest name of prayse to be called a good husbandman And yet it was thought expedient that riches shulde be moderate and not to excessiue whervpon Manius Curius said in an assemble of people that he was a corrupt citezin which could not content himselfe with seuen furlonges of lande thinking it a matter meete for the worthines of the common weale yf euerye man so seeke his owne aduantage that other be not enforced therby to stand in necessitie to want grounde to worke vppon bycause other haue to much in theyr owne handes and occupation Secondlye we mentayne our selues by practisinge of artes and faculties which we vse as our supporters and staies of our old age so muche thonester the neerer thei drawe to the rule of good and conscyonable dealynge and be exercised not for lucre onelie but that our neighbour therby maye be relieued and the common estate furthered After these come trafficques of Merchauntes Mercers Vintners and such other which nature garnished with reason deuised for the necessitie of man so helped this fellowlie life Last of all be hirelinges the base sorte of people which finde them selues by their daylie trauaile no lesse profitable then necessarie as without whome we can nether till land plante vines nor dresse gardeyns Now if you will compare euerye kinde of trade together and matche labour with labour and lyuing with lyuing you shall vnderstand that the ground cannot be tilled with out the smithes helpe For the housbande man must haue his plough his rake his forke his coultre and other instrumentes concernyng tillage The smithe also neadeth the housband mans helpe for without corne and grayne he can nether maynteyne himselfe nor applie his occupacion by him bothe the shambles be furnished and housholde vittayles prouided And there be manye thinges wherin we haue nede of the labourer who for his hire helpeth from daye to daye aswell the ploughman as thartificer and so getteth himself a liuinge But also the trafficque of Merchauntes is no lesse profitable then these which bring out of forreyn countreis soche necessarie thinges as cannot be had at home whereby they them selues also gayne largely Of an infinite number of trades wherby we maye mentayne our liuinges I haue rehersed a fewe that by the conference with these a man maie learne the profite of others and so you shall perceiue that euerye citie muste consiste of sundrie thinges and sundrie kindes of men wherin none muste be idle but euerye man must applie him selfe in his vocation and seeke his owne and that in order decentlye and honestlye wherby mens offices labours must be so employed that bothe our neighbours maie be eased and none other ouercharged The argument of the fifte Chapter That for the prouision and enrichinge of a citie there ought respect to be bad to three thinges the inhabitauntes the situation and the borderers MI purpose is not to drawe forthe the plotte of a Citie to frame houses to erect walles to fence it with Bulworkes and to shewe an arte howe to builde it from the beginnyng but that I leaue to the workemaisters whose diligence extendeth to se that the fieldes aboute it be holesome large faire fertile frutefull full of springes that it be so frontiered that the enemy maie not easilie inunde and ouer throwe it â–ª that it maie haue as muche commoditie with as little discommoditie as maie bee But this is my meaning when a Citie is once builded then to take some order whereby the inhabitauntes maie by honeste meanes be nourished one helpe another to defende and protect the face of the common weak which is the true forme of a citie standinge not vpon Stones and timber but established with lawes made in suche sorte that they doe not onely respect the commoditie of the people but also harme and endamage none other But as for the situacion and place it forceth much that the citie be so set that of euerye thinge necessarie it maie serue it selfe without anie bringynge in of foraine wares and that it be not so barren and grauellie that it can not maintayne the inhabitauntes but neadeth the prouision and furniture of other For a frutefull grounde by the benefite of nature easely yeldeth fruite to the sustenauÌ„ce of the people neither nedeth it manie preceptes to receiue commoditie therof so that it be diligentlye and seasonablie tilled whiche thinge the Romains highlie estemed in so much that the Censours punished theÌ„ that did not well tille their grounde a thinge of such honest reputacion that sundrie noble menne were thereof surnamed As Pisones were so called because thei did employe theim selues to the sowinge of Pease Cicerones of a pulse called Cicer. Fabii a fabis that is Beanes And Stolones were so called with whiche name Licinius was firste surnamed in Varro bicause there could
by lawefull proporcion distributed not by quantitie but by equitie and so saieth Plato in the sixte boke of his lawes there is an olde true saiynge that equalitie causeth frendshippe If Phaleas I saie had taken this order these lauisshers had either nothings or els it had bene put into their ouerseers handes whiche shoulde haue employed it vppon their wiues and children accordyng to their necessities Solon deuised a farre better meane whiche entendyng to take awaye the occasion of coueteousnes and vnsaciable desire ordeined that no man should haue no more lande then the lawe permitted Whiche the olde Romaynes followyng in their auncient frugalitie at the demaunde of Licinius Stolo moued that there should be some order taken how muche euery man should haue in possession that was fiftye furlonges whiche was the measure vsed in the common weale when it began to flourish as Plinie and Gellius dooe write Also among the people of Locrus where Minos of whom Plato dothe alwaye make good reporte is said to haue made Lawes it was prouided that no manne shoulde alien his enheritaunce vnlesse he were able to declare some euident cause of his brgent extreme necessitie and that to the ende that the families should not pearishe or decaie by conueyaunce made to defeat the right heires Therefore it is declared in the holye scripture that if anie man for verie pouertie had solde his possessions it was ordeyned that for the same value the fruites reserued he might recouer his landes againe or els tarie vntill the fiftieth yere whiche they call the yere of Iubilie when euerie possession should reuert to the owner and former possessour Thus we muste embrace onely that in a common weale whiche is honeste and profitable established accordynge vnto the condicion of the place thing and persone and this standeth with reason wherewyth this pernicious equalitie of goodes can by no meanes agree as a thinge that dothe not onely empouerishe Cities but also openeth the windowe to all sedicion and dissencion Whereof I coulde recite many horrible examples were it not that thei be so well knowen that they nede not to be rehearsed in this place Yet I can not forget one thing whiche wonderfully disquieted not the common weale of Rome onely but also all Italie whiche broile the lawes for diuision of landes did breede sometime appointynge a certaine measure of landes somtime a diuision â–ª or other like whiche concerned the people As were the Lawes made by Spurius Cassius Quintius Flaminius â–ª Sâ—pronius Tiberius and Caâ—â— Gracchi Spurius Thorius â–ª Philippus Tribunus Cornelius Silla Sextus Titius Flauius Canulâ—â—us Iulius Cesar and other whiche delighted to â—awne vpon the people as appereth in Tullye Liuie Gellius Valerius Marimus Dionisius Halicarnaseus and other latine writers But Phaleas and his folowers did most fondely of all others in dreaming vpon this equalitie of goodes and landes whiche he coulde neuer haue perswaded vnlesse he woulde haue had relacion vnto a certain proporcion and to the condicion of eche mans estate that so the distribucion might be made as is before mencioned Whereupon this proporcionable equalitie as a mainteiner of quietnes might haue riseÌ„ but if goods be deuided by quantitie it will neuer so come to passe The argument of the seuenth chapiter â–ª That goodes must be ciuillye vsed and that the neadye ought to be partakers thereof MArcus Varro saith wel that goodes haue that name because they vse to comfort a man or to make him happie But howe this maie be it hath bene diuerslye heretofore reasoned For Speusippus the Philosopher defineth felicitie to be a good thing plentifullye encreased with all goodnesse a power in it selfe suffising to liue wel a perfection in all vertue and a competencye of liuynge wherein nothinge is wantynge whiche they tearme happinesse Whereunto what thinge soeuer in anye poincte helpeth it is called good For that is good which euerie man desiereth not of it selfe but as a furtherer to blessednesse whiche some appoinct in goodes of the bodye some in the minde and some in riches and wealthe as hathe been before declared And as the Philosophers nature is they define their blessednesse to be sometyme the pleasure of the bodye sometyme the delectation of the minde and at lengthe they pitche their opinions vpoÌ„ quietnesse and contemplacion whiche is the frute of the life spent alway in study to search out the truth to instruct the mind and to practise honesty So Maximus Tyrius iudgeth that the wealth of the common estate standeth in the well appoincted customes and comelye gouernement of the citie whiche can not bee without helpe of good lawes whiche be preserued by the godly conuersation of the subiectes whiche riseth vpon reason and reason which truth maketh porfite is strenghthened by exercise and trueth is learned by contemplacion and studie whiche wee employe in the searchyng out thereof Whereby it commeth to passe that suche thinges as we learne we kepe â–ª them surely in memorie and being so kept we vse them well The wise men therefore of the Worlde place their felicitie in goodes whiche euerie manne desiereth by whiche name we tearme euerye thing that is created in this worlde for mannes behoufe For GOD sawe all thinges that he hadde created and they were very good But the only peruersitie of the abusers maketh them euill and pernicious whiche of them selues bee good For they also cause that although a man heare the worde of life yet it semeth to be throwen amonge thornes where beinge choked as it were with wealth and worldlye pleasures it bringeth forthe no fruite Wherefore we ought all to endeuoure that we dooe not corrupt that whiche naturally is good and cause meate to be poyson and life to be deathe euerlasting Whiche then wee shall eschus if wee vse our goodes well for as we vse theÌ„ so they be either good or euill and permitte them not to become euill Considerynge the Philosophers plante the vse thereof in a contemplatiue quietnes which thereby beareth a face of blessednesse howbeit it is but a vayne ostentacion and a thinge estemed of worldlynges onely neither yelding hope of any blessed life nor yet honour to God Therfore their contemplacion is meere vanitie as a sounding brasse or tinkeling Cimbale wherof the Apostle maketh mencion But we whiche as neare as we maie frame a common weale in a perfect order must lift vp our mindes higher and knowe that we be men and borne to profite man whom we be commaunded no lesse to loue then our selues which is when we helpe him not onlye with counsaile and comfort him in visitation but also reloue him with our goodes whiche we ought to vse in suche sorte that they maie appere to be both honestly profitably and ciuilly emploied For it can not be but that he whiche is modest pitifull beneuolent and a fauourer of the whole bodye politique shall bee naturall and tender harted and prest to profite
finde yet it would not satisfie our greedie desires And that money is the onely cause of this euill the vnsaciable appetite therof is a sufficient argumēt for haue we neuer so muche yet still we seke more and be neuer contented Whiche the Philosophers perceyuinge either estemed not money beholdinge the secretes of nature or elles cleane wayned themselues from the vse of it thinkyng that wealth consisted onlie in this to desire nothyng And therfore Diogenes Cinicus a wounder of nature vsed to saye that he passed the King of Persia bothe in liuinge and goodes because he neuer lacked anye thinge but the Kyng had neuer ynough And Crates the Thebane when he first entered into the studie of Philosophie is reported to haue cast a great quantitie of gold into the Sea saying hence ye filthie affections I will drowne you for feare lest ye would drowne me Which be ensamples trulye wherby we maye learne that it is better to be altogether moneylesse and to keepe an vprightnes in mynde then with welth to perishe and to be cast into the deepe pitt of hell Which semeth to be no new euill but to haue begonne streight vpon mannes transgression For Iosephus writeth that Cain which slewe his Brother the soonne of Adam the first manne filled his house with moneye that he had gotten by rauyne and robberye whereby a man maie gather the antiquitie not onlye of money but also of couetousnes But that whiche was profitablye brought in muste not be blamed bycause of our luste intemperatenes of minde as men that procure this enormitie and conuert a good inuētiō to a shameful abuse Which I purpose not to pursue but to commend the true vse thereof and to bring it vnto some honeste meane and by suche reasons as maie appere that the profitte of money doth not onely counteruaile but also farre passe the disprofite therof And therefore as for this matter many thinges doe euidentlye declare that menne at the first when they ledde a sauage and rude life did rather purchase thinges by exchaunge then by Trafficque of buiynge and sellinge whiche tofore I haue gathered forthe of Homer But bicause thinges coulde not be alwayes matched money by lawe and will of the mightier sorte was deuised by whose value applied to proporcion all thinges might be bought And surely it is erpedient that the value of money be in certaine which when it began to alter among the Romaynes so that no man knewe what he had Marius Gratidianus then Pretor whether it were by a specialle acte or by Proclamacion I knowe not prouided that there was no such alteracion of coigne anye more but that the certaintie thereof might be appointed that euery manne might knowe what he was worthe Whiche lawe was so gratefull vnto the people that thei set aultares vp vnto Marius in euery streate and praied vnto him with frankensence and Tapers as if he had bene a God as Tullie writeth and Seneca also in his bookes entituled De Ira witnesseth Money at the firste was all of Brasse and as some holde opinion firste stamped by Seruius kinge of the Romaynes and called Pecunia because it was signed with the image of a beast For al the wealth of Rome yea of all Italie stode in Oxen and therefore Italye hath her name of an Oxe as Varro writeth Secondly it was made of siluer and last of all of golde Some write that Ianus first coined on the one side his own ymage whiche had two faces on thother side a shippe in remembraunce of Saturne whiche commyng thither first told him the maner of tillage beyng receiue a geastwise into his house Whiche thing Ouide testifieth saiynge Much haue I learnde but yet of money this I neuer spide Vvhy double shapen heade it beares and shippe on thother side In auncient time they vsde for coigne a shippe engraude in brasse To testifie the Gods receite that so receiued vvas The coyninge of money is of common right dependyng onely vpon the Princes aucthoritye whiche we call commonly currant because that it being receiued by course of lawe is commonlye geuen and receiued not onely because the metall whereupon it is made is good and of the same value but because the common aucthoritie so aloweth it whiche maketh it to be lawfully currant in buiyng and selling holden after that rate Wherupon necessity in time of warre hath somtime enforced leather or fine brasse to be stamped whiche was paied as the coigne or the magistrates signe sometime for golde sometime for siluer and in thende of the warres when wealthe began to grow againe so moche sterlynge money was repayed for the same Whiche thinge was dooen at Madeburge a noble towne in the duchie of Saxonye whiche in our tyme the Emperours power did besiege more then a yeare with many fierce assaultes that I maye not rehearse other ensamples Nowe money commynge abroade lawes for contractes in buiynge and sellynge were in the common weale deuised as a thing that canne not stand without the agrement for the price which must be done by ready money Therefore be ware that that which is solde be not corrupt or faultye or otherwise not aunswerynge the promisse made vpon it for faithfully without couyn or any suspicion thereof ought on◠to deale with another Neither ought we onelye to vse vpright dealynge in gettynge thinges but also in paiynge the price for the same Therefore there can be no greater incōuenience in a common weale then either to stampe paie out or to put to any man false or counterfaite money for besides the infamy he that so dothe is worthy to lose his life Those must also be restrained whiche laie in waite for money and gather vp the good coigne and by little and littlle bryng in the naughtye which ere the falshode he knowen doth passe through many mens hands and yeldeth a shamefull gaine to the vtterer And those also whiche haue founde a kinde of lucre in the conuerting and turning of their money to some priuate vse For that whiche hath more Siluer or better mettell in it thei bestowe vpon corne and grain which thei will vtter dearer in an other place then they bought it By which fraude and disceipt euery city euery common weale is dispoiled of her money and that brought in whiche is verie base and resembleth the exchaunge that Glaucus made with Diomede I had almost forgotten another sorte which empaire and clippe golde and siluer with a file a paire of pinsers or wastyng water and by abatyng the weight diminishe the value whose offences are the greater the moe thereby they doe endammage But because money was firste inuented for the common profite heede would bee taken that it were not misused and that those coigners sought not their owne filthye gaine to the hinderaunce of the whole multitude lest the olde saiyng of Salomon bee founde true that al thinges doe obey money and that euerie man serueth vnder her standarde So
many be there whiche be at her commaundement or els dooe winke at and beare with those that delite in practising this money trafficque and thereby doe gaine vnmeasurablye whiche was firste deuised that euery manne might for sellyng his ware be recoÌ„pensed for so much in value Wherefore the chiefe magistrates muste bee verye circumspect that this money martyng passe not the limites of honestye and become the groundworke of iniquitye not without further trouble and greate enormitie consideryng in nothinge els there is more alluremente to coueteousnesse in none moe occasions of plague and perdicion then in money But let some meanes be founde that the canker of this couyn and disceipt dooe creepe no further that so euerye manne may seke the true vse of this so profitable an inueÌ„tion The argument of the ninthe Chapter That vsurie is for manie consideracions pestilent in a common weale and that he is the lesse honest man whiche practiseth it most WHat a mischief what a plague vsurie is where so euer it rooteth euerie House euerie Citee can well declare Which at the verye beginning entred into the Romaine common weale makinge the Citizins when thei had ben sacked of al their money to stande bounde neuerthelesse for the yelding of vsurie with so great a licenciousnes that thei were glad to restrayne it by lawe Whereupon it was decreed by the lawe of the twelue tables as Tacitus thinketh or rather as Liuie iudgeth by a lawe made by Marcus Duellius Lucius Menenius tribunes that thinterest should be but an vnce and the tweuth parte in the hundred whiche afterwarde was made but halfe an vnce There was also an other kynde of vsurie named the hundred bicause the surplusage amounted to asmuche as the principall sumnie euery hundreth moneth for the interest was wounâ—e to run from moneth to moneth But when this Vncelawe was made couetousnes cauelled and said that this was onely prouided for Citizins that so she mighte oppresse the fellowes more and more and that vsurie whiche thâ—se close rauenours for feate of lawe mighte not practise vpon the Citizens without all dread they erercised freelye vpon the Latines and the fellowes For the amendement of whiche mischiefe Marcus Sempronius tribune of the people made an ordinaÌ„ce that the same law should extend to al the Latines and Romayne fellowes to whom any money should bee credited But when this kinde of vserie wrought continuallie many inconueniences Iulius Cesar after he had recouered the Citie for al that he held with the people did not take awaye the vsurers tables and obligacions as it was expected but proniding aswell for debttours as creditours decreed that the creditours should be satisfied but after the value and rate of their possessions whiche they had before the ciuile warre deducting all waie that which was payeable agreed vppon in respecte of the lone money and so no manne could haue any more in credite then could be raised vpoÌ„ his goodes as Cornelius Tacitus writeth Wher vpon also they saye that the benefite of yeldyng vp all the goodes that a man had grauÌ„ted vnto the debtours by Cesar had his beginning which in the ciuil lawes is more at large treated of And woulde to god this detestable euill had rested among the Romaines a people which could neuer be satisfied neyther with kingdomes nor wealth and among the Ethnycks and had not entered amonge Christians yea that into the Church it self Where it so raigneth that it is almost counted a vertue to be enryched by vsurie In so muche that the great gayne which the Iewes vsed semeth tollerable in comparison of that which the Christians fayned professours be not ashamed to practise from whence as by a conduite it is coÌ„ueied into the laitie Which be so muche the sooner allured by theyr pernicious ensample the more present occasion they haue to nourishe theyr desires I haue declared al redie howe that in olde tyme thei vsed a kinde of gayne by the ownce halfe ownce hundred and such lyke as occasion serued through the negligence of princes so that euery twentith yere the interest grewe to as muche as the stocke But in our time the excessiuenes of vsurie is so great that the vsurers maie almost choose be their stocke neuer so littell what interest they will take for it Which thing is also practised by them that of right ought to see it reformed So that none will aske how ye come by it but haue it ye must So manie waies so manie conueiaunces bee vsed herein that if you woulde cutte of one there woulde an hundred moe growe out of it as it were out of Hydras heade Whervppon woulde ense we not only the great â—mpâ—â—irishment of Cities but also daunger of their vtter decaye whiche Cato surnamed the elder vnderstanding and knowing further that the wealthe of the olde Romaines stode by husbandrie therfore aunswered as Tully reporteth vnto one that asked him what was the beste poynt of husbandrie to feede well quamâ—â— what the Seconde To feede sufficiently well what the thirde â–ª To cloth wel â–ª what the fourth To Plowe And when as he that moued these questioÌ„s asked him further what it was to put moneye furth to vsurie What is it quam Câ—â—o to kill a man Yf so be that no shame no regarde of honestie â—â— loue of godlines could disâ—â—adâ— these â—â—yâ—ie and â—â—le theeues froÌ„ theyr greedie â—age yâ—tâ—the feare of lawes should doe it especially considering that vsurie is forbidden both by the lawe of God nature and man Sâ— it is wrytten in gods Lawe yf thâ—u lâ—â—dest any Money to my poore people that â–ª dwelleth with thee thou shalte not presse them as an extorcioner â–ª nor oppresse them as an vsurer Agayne 〈…〉 thou shalt take no interest of any Also Ezechiell saith and that man which shall lâ—nde nothinge vppon vsurie neyther receyne anye surplusage whiche shall tuâ—â—e awaie his hande from iniquitie â–ª dealeth trulye shal be holden as iâ—st â–ª All whiche sayinges one precepte of our Sauiour Christ knitteth vp which is doe ye lende trustyng to gayne nothing therby We be also prohibited by nature to enrych our selues with the endamagyng of others Wheruppon the ciuill lawe also is grounded and prescribeth such a meane to get thinges as is iust equall and honest wherby euery man maie gette to serue him self without harmyng anye other neyther abuse the same when he hath gotten it but so temper that which aperteineth to euery man vppoÌ„ this lone that if anie thing be dewe eyther by lawe which is al waies grouÌ„ded vppon reason orelles aboue the stock he maye bothe obtâ—ine the same and that also whiche accrewyth vnto him either by the name of interest or surplusage not in consideracion of vsurie but that one maie not bee permitted to endamage an other by naughtie delaies contrary to his credite or agrement in couenaunt which do originallye procede of nature as though a sharpe
of credite and faiethfulnesse in latine called Fides because that is in dede perfourmed whiche was in woordes agreed vpon soche trueth soche constaneye ought to be kept in promises and couenauntes Neither doeth the common weale rest in any one thinge more then in kepyng of faiethfull promise Which worde as Cato reporteth Quintus Sceuola the high bishoppe did thinke to be taken very largelye and to extende to manye thinges as to wardshippes of children in their nonage to societies assurances commissions buiyng and selling all thinges hyred lette sette or betrusted and also to al other doynges wherein the societie of our life consisteth which who so breaketh dothe offende as moche as if he should uiolate his othe a mischeuous dede whiche the Grekes iudged worthy to be persecuted euen with the verye tormentes of hell We doe certaynly knowe that God himself doeth reuenge periurie breache of fidelitie This vertue the Romains as it should seme estemed highlye for that they did place Fides that is faiethfulnesse in their Capitole as neighboure vnto their great and mightye God Iupiter This whether it were priuate or publike they of olde tyme did ordeyne by ciuil lawes that it should be religiously kept yea euen to the very enemye Whiche I coulde sette forthe by diuers examples if this present treaty wold so suffer me Howebeit it shall not be moche amisse to rehearse one or two whereby it maie appeare in how great reuerence all good men haue euer had thesame It fortuned in the seconde Carthaginiane warre that Scipio Africanus the elder after he had subdued bothe the Spaines did take a shippe laden with many of the chiefest and valeantest men of Carthage whiche neuerthelesse he let departe with his safe conduit because they saide that they were sense vnto hym in Ambassade Albeit there did appeare manye reasons whiche might euidently declare that they for eschewynge the present daunger fayned theim selues to bee Ambassadours But Scipio woulde rather seme to vs deceiued then vnfaithfull rather to be deiuded when he trusted then harde to be entreated wheÌ„ he was requested Of Iosephe also Iacobs sonne the holy scripture witnesseth howe faiethfull yâ— he did behaue hym selfe towarde his maister Puâ—ipher howe that he did those rather to lie in prison in chaines then after sondrie attempes and allucementes of his maistris â—o polute his maisters house with aduoutrie I nede not is enlarge the stedfast stomacke of Marcus Attilius Regulus whiche beinge taken by treason of Hasorubalt a Carthaginian and sent home to Rome that for him manie other prisoners should be restored which were lustie yong men gaue counsell to the contrary and so returned to his most deadly enemie and most terrible tormentes His reason was rather to abide a most pitifull death then not to kepe his promise I coulde recount vnto you a number of ensamples which are warnynges to vs that we performe our promises stand to that in dede which in worde we haue vnder taken For God among the very Gentiles hath alwaie raised vp some which iustice and fidelitie euen by the guidyng of nature haue euer taught to followe honestie comelinesse ciuilitie and all that to a good manne is conuenient Therefore iustice is there well mainteined where promises and couenantes be constantly kepte whiche thing springeth out of faiethfulnes the breache whereof is as moche as the breach of an othe As though faiethfulnesse and credite were to be kept no lesse assuredâ—â—e then an othe that is taken most religiouslye Hereupon Tullie in his oracion for the defence of Roscius declareth that thesame punishmente is by God appoincted for him that is petiâ—red that is ordeined for him that is a Lier Whereof out great maister whiche onely â—olleth the trueth putteth vs in minde saiynge Againe ye haue hearde what hath been saied to theim of old time Thou shalte not breake thine othe but shalte performe that thou haste sworne vnto the Lorde But I saie vnto you dooe ye not sweare at all neither by heauen for it is Goddes throne neither by the earth for it is his foâ—estole neither by Ierusalem for it is the citie of the great king neither shalt thou sweare by thine owne head because thou canste not make any one heere blacke or white But your communication must be yea yea naie naie Whatsoeuer is more then that it cometh of euill Ye vnderstande therefore that credite standeth not vpon the rashenesse of an othe but vpon true kepyng the same without whiche neither can anye Citie nor ciuill societie continue Without any other swearing we ought to stande vnto our promises for that we be commaunded not to sweare but that it be yea yea naie naie Neuertheles suche kinde of othes as by the lawes be permitted are not hereby disalowed for so moche as they be so neadfull in a common weale that no traffique nor other ciuil affaires can passe without them onely the rashenesse of soche as will sweare for euerie trifle or require the same of others is hereby reproued Howebeit it were rather to be wished that things might be done onely vpon trust and confidence without any kinde of othe coÌ„sideryng there is a great number so vngodlily minded that they doe accompt it a lighter thinge to take a solemne othe and to proteste before God and their coÌ„science then to digge vp rotes out of the grounde wherein they are constrayned to thrust their fingers whiche in takinge vpon them an othe thei doe not foule but holde theÌ„ vpright and yet for all that they dooe defile their mindes in so doinge Whiche misebiefe the ciuill lawe entendynge to preuent ordeined that no man shoulde be admitted to receiue an othe without the detree of the magistrate or els of some iudge whose dutie is to weye the persone the thinge the circumstaunce and all other ordinarie consideracions that without speciall neade and in weightie causes of iudgemeÌ„t no man be compelled to sweare and therby oft times constrained to for sweare him selfe Wherein the magistrate ought to be deryt circumspect in takynge hede to soche othes that they be religiously and without any rashenes taken otherwise he dothe no lesse offend then if he had committed the persurie him selfe A thinge so moche the more vntollerable because God him selfe will not faile but reuenge this sinne of periurie and so moch the sharper because thoffence is done against him selfe in so temptynge hym Neither can it be otherwise but that there must neades be moche periurie where there is moche swearyng The tenne lawe makers at Rome decrced thus of this matter The punishemente of periurie towardes God is an euill ende and destruction towardes man vtter shame and confusion They therfore do haynouslye offende agaynst that sayng let your coÌ„munication be yea yea naie naie which in euery light talke vpon euerie smal occasion do sweare continually not onely by heauen but also by God him selfe and the verie blessed wouÌ„des of
waste of wine the holesome gift of nature dooe consume it awaye from the sicke thirstie and our other brethren which might be releued therewith and so turne it to our damnacion Whiche euill the more offensiue it is the more it bindeth the magistrate to refourme it Therefore let the saiyng of S. Peter bee alwaies fixed before our iyes which is it is inoughe for vs that in our foretyme we fulfilled the will of the gentiles when we were occupied in wantonnesse concupiscence dronkennes surfetinge and wicked worshippynge of images Let euerie man therefore liue the rest of his time in this fleshe accordinge vnto the will of God Whiche thing because it happeneth farre other wise bi meanes of soche manifest misdemeanour it is euidently to be sens what magistrates what couÌ„saillours what censours they be to whom the stroke of the coÌ„mon weale is committed in gouernement Soche as dooe esteme priuate gayne or an accustomed vsage more then the common commoditie whiche causeth the discipline of good behauiour to be neglected Yet not without sure reuengemente whiche wilbe so moche the more rigorous y â— moe do fall by this incurable licenciousnes into Sathans snare and turne their life being thus destitute of all honest conuersacion into the depe dongeon of deathe Learne therefore and take heede ye rulers awake out of this sloÌ„ber and vnderstand how great a charge is committed vnto your gouernment that your citees maie bee trained vp with soche discipline with soche vertuous vsages that euery man maie knowe that the prosperous successe thereof dooeth not consiste in those outwarde thynges but that thei doe tende vpward to the true blisfulnesse and doe their endeuour to winne the price for the whiche thei do runne The argument of the second Chapiter That iniuries whiche be no small prouocacion to inwarde hatred and contencion are not to bee borne withall in a coÌ„mon weale and further how profitable a thing it is to forget old displeasures IEiurie saith Vlpiane is so named bicause it is dooen contrary to right in Latine called Ius for generallie whatsoeuer is doen otherwise then by right order of lawe is holden as an iniurie But that whiche is doen vpoÌ„ despite beareth a peculiare name in Latine is called contumelia that is to saie a reproche or rebuke Whiche Aristotle iudgeth to procede of an open maliciousnes of mynde by these wordes Thei that be exceding riche or exceding mightie of great power be for y â— most part malicious and reprochfull but thei that be verie poore or base be harmefull And this is certaine that the greate wealthie and mightie men be lightlie vicious and disdainfull and the poore and base wilie and deceiptfull Labeo saieth that iniurie is doen after two sortes either by corporalle acte when it passeth by violence or by wordes when it is committed by waie of reproch and vilanie Iniuries and in generall all that is doen contrarie to right although thei dooe trouble the quiete estate of a common weale and beare a certain counteinauÌ„ce of violence yet the further examinyng therof dependeth more vpon the ciuill Lawes then vpon this treatie and argument that I haue taken in hand And therfore I wil not meddle any further then with soche inâ—uries as be dooen either in facte or woordes which bicause thei procede of a contemptuous minde thei seme to detracte somewhat from the libertie whiche nature hath giuen vs and to bryng soche a grief vnto vs as can not otherwise â—e eased and mollified then by aide of iudgement and dread of punishement There hath not been alwaie one certaine kinde of punishement appoincted for iniuries sence the beginnyng as Sertus Cecilius in Aulus Gellius declareth vpon a lawe of the twelue tables thus If one do an other iniurie let him paie therefore for an amercement xxv peeces of coigne called Asses But who is so neadie that he will refraine from doyng of iniuries and maie bee quitie for soche a small recompence And therefore Q. Labeo mislikyng that Lawe as it doeth appere by his bookes whiche he wrote vppon the. xij Tables saieth There was one Lucius Neratius a leude fellow and in deede a very ruffian This roister had a greate delite to flappe free men on the face with his hande and had a pursebearer after hym whom he commaunded to deliuer to the partie so beaten xxv Asses accordyng to the ordinaunce of the twelue Tables Whervpon the Pretoures afterward thought it best to aholishe this Lawe and by decree published that there should be appoincted commissioners thenceforth for the determinyng of iniuries whiche in deede estemed thesame according to right and reason and made the crime to be a notorious infamie to the offendour Whereupon it appereth how carefull the builders of citees alwaies haue been to bridel soch as delited to be iniurious vnto other Whose malice naughtines is not to be borne with al for that thei do breed debate emong the subiectes and make one to fall out with another to the aâ—â—iauÌ„ce of the common traÌ„quilitie For what more pestilent a thing can be stirred in a commoÌ„weale then when inwarde hatred is by little and little rooted out of mennes hartes to open the windowe to newe grudges and malice and to make one so to mistruste another that thereupon sedicions and moche tumult ensueth Therefore for the preseruacion and peaceable continuaunce of the commoÌ„ weale it is neadefull to take awaie the occasions of such contencions and after that those thornes and thistles be pluckt foorthe to laie the groundeworke of peace and quietnes without whiche neither impartyng of commodities ne yet the honourable estate of the common weale can continue Which maie he done two manner of wayes for we appease and determine wronges either by friendely meanes or by order of lawes But for so moche as men be stiffenecked and desierous of reuengment verie fewe wil be content to take wroÌ„g without great sturre and clamour But standynge to moche vpon their reputacion they will seke either by rigorous iudgement or els by corporal punishmeÌ„t to reuenge their quarell Howbeit it wer more coÌ„mendable to forgiue y â— is trespaced against vs then to wearie euerie courte with importunate sutes in sekyng of reuengement and in easiyng our boylyng stomackes The Athâ—ntans also like wise men perceiued that nothing did so disquiet the common traÌ„quilitie as iniuries Therfore when by order of entreatie thei could not reconcile their Citizins to a mutuall loue they ordeined a lawe called the law of forgetfulnes of wronges for that thereby it was commaunded that they all shoulde forget iniuries paste and neuer remember any reproche suffered or done one to another Whiche law was for this consideration commendable for that although the enormitie of this euill spredde so large that it coulde not vtterly be roted out of their mindes yet suche order was taken that neyther by vnlawfull language ne yet by anye presumptions attempt one
to destroy them in the wildernes with famine and honger GOD minding to represse this sedicion at the first breaking out sente downe fire foorthe of heauen which so burnt vp Chorah with an hundred and fiftie men that toke his parte that their bodies were neuer sene after Moreouer the earth gapynge so deuoured Dathan Abiron their adherentes with their tents and all their substaunce that they pearished from among the midst of the people and couered with earth so went quicke into helle Ensamples certainlie whiche God woulde not in vaine haue set furth vnto vs in writinge were it not that thereby we should learne to reuerence the magistrates to submit our selues vnto lawes tâ— kepe peace and quietnes and to beare the burden of the crosse with a suffering and patient mynde Then ought we not to make anie coÌ„motions against our magistrates be they neuer so euill ne yet againste anye other but euery man beyng content with that which God hath giuen him muste do his dewtie and thinke him selfe to be a parte of that bodie whiche God would should be vnseuered and vnbrokeÌ„ whose true head is Christ in whiche bodie if either magistrates or subiectes beginne to go out of kinde and to anoye theÌ„ thou muste not either violentlie or riottouslie go about to amend it and lewdlie to take vpon the reuengement whiche is dew onelie to God But pursewe thou the matter with that armour which the holie word of god giueth the that is thou must aduise counsayle warne sollicite and earnestlie charge theim to cease from their enterprise as vnhonest vngodlie and wicked not to offende goddes people but that they repeÌ„t and worke that which is good and godlie Now if they vouchsafe to heare thy good counsell thou haste doen a Christen mannes office preseruing theim whiche were in the readie passage towardes the Deuill so much the readier bycause it is so open and playne that a man maie go thither euen blindfield But if thei shut their eares and refuse to heare thy godlie admonicioÌ„s thou must not therfore draw thy swerd leste thou perish with the sweâ—rde But thou must paciently remit the cause vnto him whiche knoweth the number of the heares of thine heade and punisheth the sorer the longer he forbeareth The argument of the fourth Chapiter That suche men are to be receauid into a citie as will be carefull to prouide for them selues without disturbaunce of the common concorde THerfore not al kinde of men ought to be admitted into a citie but onelie suche as â—e discrete and wel manered For it forceth muche what maner of men thei be wherupoÌ„ the Citie doeth consiste And therefore Socrates in Plato gathereth that as one kinde of man is fitte for one kinde of common weale another for another so one kinde of common weale is fit for sondrie kindes of men For the diuersitie of condicions in men causeth the diuersitie of coÌ„mon weales as in Hesiode the diuersitie of ages was measured by the diuersitie of mens behauiours For they in the Golden age liued without sorow or griefe bicause they were godlie iuste temperate and onelie giuen to vertuouse life After ensued the Siluer age wherein by litle and litle grewe iniurie pride impietie intemperaunce and obstinacie Then came the Brasen age wherein all mischiefe braste out Then firste began warres then were the Giauntes whiche despised heauen who had none other lawe then stode in armes and violences so that it was neadful to raise vp noble men to tender the weake to protecte them from suffering wrounge Last of al is comen the yron worlde the moste accursed of all other full of labour miserie carefulnes impietie iniustice deceipte murther periurie and to be short there is scarse anie wickednesse on the yearth whiche is not holden as a vertue These menne for their iniquitie be in daunger of many greate and terrible mischiues in so muche that oft times an whole Citie hath been punished for one trespace besides that Iustice sitting by God the heauenly father continuallie complaineth vpon iniustice and iniuries of menne vntill suche tyme as reuengement be appoincted So writeth Hesiode Iupiter which casteth a large vew ouer al doth sore punish those whiche delight in reproches and naughtie workes OfteÌ„times an hole Citie fareth the worse for one euill man And further Iustice is a maide and daughter vnto Iupiter gracious and is reuenged by all the goddes in Heauen Yea and when as any man with vniuste doinges doth displease her she sitteth by Iupiter her father and openeth to him the wickednes of mannes mynde that he maye reuenge her As the maners of men varied so the ages varied vntill suche time as their iniquitie of life came to such extremitie that it might be compared euen vnto yron Then can it not otherwise bee but that a Citie must haue in it al sortes of men wherof some be wardens and gouernours some men of occupacioÌ„ and artificers some men of liuelyhoode and possessioners wherin let euery man learne to do his dewtie and diligentlie to execute the office whereunto he is called Thauncient writers make souldiours and suche as follow the warres a porcion of theyr Citie as though it were not ynoughe for Citizens to liue accordynge vnto theyr desires in peace onlesse they had some to defend them at such time as thei be prouoked with iniurie or elles constreyned to warre in theyr enemies lande For profe wherof we maye bryng Rome Carthage NumaÌ„tia Lacedemon Thebes Athens Venice Ienua and all other free Cities whiche neuer acknowledge any forreyne Prince but lyue alwayes within their owne liberties as you maie also vnderstand by Aristotle in his polytiques And not Emperours onlye and Capitaines do commende vnto vs the estate of warriers as verie necessarie but Tullie also him selfe doth preferre it before the knowledge of the ciuill lawe His wordes in the oracion whiche he made in the defence of Lucius Murâ—na be these And certainly for I must neades say as I thinke this martiall vertue farre surmounteth all other for this hath gotten a name vnto the people of Rome this hath wonne eternall glorie to this Citie this hath compelled the whole circuite of the worlde to obeye this our Empire All these ciuill matters all these our excelleÌ„t studies all this our courtlie and oratorious praise and diligeÌ„ce do lurke vnder the warrantie and defence of warlie prowes As soone as anie suspicion of tumulte is noised al our artes be whisht Then all the aucthoritie is committed to them that be best men of warre For all thinge belonginge to the empire and state of the Citie are thought by them to be strengthened and fortified Howbeit gouernours muste in this paincte haue a vigilant iye that their people and citezeins be so trained vp and enured that thei maie knowe their true allegeaunce and be warie in thintertainement of forriners receiuyng none but soche as be bent to obedieÌ„ce and not
Cesariensis calleth sometymes places of reuerence sometymes repaires of honest men whence younge men were called sometyme to the gouernement of the common weale sometime to be ministers of the Churche But bicause there is not alwayes substaunce and wealth ynough to erecte such hospitalles for the sicke poore straungers and other miserable persons it were good they were prouided for within dores priuelie and not permitted to begge abrode openly But if such conuenient order cannot be takeÌ„ either bicause of lacke of pitie and mercie in men or elles bicause the number of the poore be so great that they can not so commodiouslie be prouided for necessitie then muste take place and that whiche cannot be amended must be borne withall For better it were to suffer the neadie to begge then to driue theÌ„ to the extremitie either to starue for hunger or to hange themselues for the belly must be serued tho the gallowes hang ouer thee table as the prouerbe saith Nowe there muste be heede taken that euerie one be not permitted to begge so openlie and to followe that loytring kynde of lyfe Which through negligeÌ„ce of magistrates is ill ouer seen in manie places not without a perniciouse example to others For youthe of bothe kindes assone as thei once creape out of their cradles bee so enured with idle loytring that they wil not be brought to anie honest arte facultie occupacioÌ„ or trade wherby they maye mayntayne their old age but craftelye pretendinge feblenes of health or bodie they idlely consume that whiche other men get with sweat of theyr browes and so spend the greatest parte of the daye in rauenyng reuelling tippling and such like goodlie exercises Therfore some certayne notice would be had that those might be knowen whiche do herdlie liue in sickenes pouertie or other necessitie and be coÌ„streyned euen to fight with famine lest those vnprofitable dorres which be vnworthie to lyue take awaie good mens almes or elles hinder those whiche haue neade in deede For it is as good to see that an almes be giuen where neade is as it is to bestowe it Moreouer he that geueth almes muste marke to whoÌ„ he geueth it lest while he thinketh to do a good deede he fede idle bellies norishing serpentes in his bosome which afterward also will worke muche harme in the common weale The argumente of the sixte Chapter Concerning the gouernours or maysters of Hospitalles for straungers the poore and orphans and how they ought to be ordered IT is not ynoughe to institute a thing well vnlesse there be some to kepe it in due order faithfullie to euersee the same as it is an vnprofitable thing to haue a good lawe vnlesse there bee some to see it put in dew execution And therfore the magistrate is wel called a liuing lawe When houses therfore and hospitalles for the poore people and trauaylers be erected with riches accordingly endowed there must ouerseers gouernours be chosen whiche must haue charge ouer them as Ioticus had whome Leo the emperour bi his rescripte first deputed to that rowme in the citie of Constantinople an office of as great profite and necessitie as to be a pastour or mynister in the churche as a thinge whose chiefe charge was wonte to be committed to Busshops or superintendentes as the latine terme is that is such to whoÌ„ widowes orphans and poore people wer committed whervpon Ierome saieth it is the glorie of a bushop to prouide for the releife of the poore Ambrose also The church hath no â–ª gold to keepe but to laie out and to helpe at a neade This also appeareth by S. Paule which so oft willeth a Bushop to kepe hospitalitie to the intent that in bouÌ„tifulnes and liberalitie he maie surmount all others Christen princes also when thei establishe the aucthoritie of Bushops preistes other churche men and also holy churches and priuileges they oftimes mention the hospitalles and the maisters thereof as thinges not muche vnlike which the Busshops be vsually charged with all Surelie in the primitiue churche the goodes of the faythfull were common For so manie of them as had possessions of landes and tenementes solde them and brought the price therof and laied them before the Apostels feete wherof porcions were distributed amoÌ„g them that by the Apostles themselues so that there was not one neadie among them but when the number of the disciples was encreased the twelue thought it not good to leaue the preachyng of the word and to minister at tables and therefore they did chose seuen men of an approued honestie which bicause thei were deputed to this kinde of ministerie wer named Deacons and Ministers for that vnder the name of the Apostles they saw to the poore yea to al the multitude they attended vpon tables and by greate equitie and holines of life prouided that there was no neade amongst them But in our common weales it were a kynde of tyrannie to vse anye soche communitie of thinges but euerie man ought to haue his owne and to giue parte thereof to hospitalles and other vses for relieuyng of the poore whose gouernours oughte to be circumspecte and holie and to execute their dewtie godlylie and without reprehension Whose office must be not onely ouer thâ— thinges but also ouer the persons bicause they be gods stewardes whose will is that those goodes be conuerted to thuse of the poore I meane suche as be thankefull and do vnfaynedlie acknowledge their owne necessitie whiche bicause it ought not to be done rashelie all the house must by order of discipline be framed to vertue and godlines that eche man take his bread with thanksgeuyng and glorifie God in his giftes For the bread of the chyldren would not be hurled to the dogges ne yet preciouse stones caste out to the swine nether muste you thinke that these seuen on whome the Apostles layde their handes did onely serue at tables but they were men full of the holie ghost and wisdome which exhorted the people with dailie preaching to vertue and not so muche instructing them in woordes as in godlines of liâ—e besides that thei serued them in necessaries for their liuyng They therfore which be officers must marke whether those that be appoynted to be releaued in suche hospitalles be of an honest towardenes and like to be Godlie and good men that they do not feede vnprofitable membres and serpentes which afterward maye do much mischief Wherfore they ought not to be receiued which haue spent awaye their goodes at vice hoorehuntyng glotonie dronkennesse and soche vicious meanes whiche although theâ— haue not left their olde accustomed vices yet either the remorse of conscienc or weaknesse of bodie dooeth not suffer theim so muche afterward to offende so that the sinne whiche thei cannot nowin deede practise yet boileth in their breastes and kepeth still her conceiued malice whiche oftimes being vttered folishly in wordes bewraieth it self not remembring that we must render an accompt for euery idle woorde
of meate aboundaunce and idlenesse These thinges had shee and her daughters And they stretched not forth their hands to the neady and pore but were proude and wrought abhominacion against me and I toke them away as thou sawest Soche idlenes therefore whiche prouoketh menne to lurkyng and loyteryng as the Mearmaides vse to moue mennes mindes with their pleasaunte songes lingering about the rockes must be auoided as it wer a verie pestilentâ— of al soche as be accustomed to spend the daie idlelie in sitting on pâ—nilesse benches and other common places whiche vice is the firste steppe to all beggerie yea and oftimes is the occasion of moche debate and variaunce lâ—ste while naughtie persones â—ee giuen to sedicion and slothfulnesse neither good men shall be able to liue quietlie neither the common weale be kept in safetie Whiche thing although it be more in sight in greate citees where there bee greate nombers of idle vagaboundes as Plato writeth neuerthelesse emong euery particulare companie there bee alwaie some to bee founde whiche will either doe nothing themselues or els hinder them that would otherwise be well and honestlie occupied The argument of the eight Chapiter That there are some whiche for no discipline for no loue of vertue but onely for feare of punishement can be brought to doe their dueties And also what thei of olde tyme haue attempted to encourage others to the attainment of vertue Then should common weales be fortunate if all the inhabitauntes embracyng vertue with a generalle consent did set their whole myndes vpon that blessednes for the which the life of man was firste institute For this is accordyng to the saiyng of saincte Paule not to runne in vaine but to receiue the rewarde and to winne the garlande made of Roses whiche will neuer fade awaie whiche will neuer wither and prepared from the beginnyng for theim that loue God Which apperteineth to soche as be famous for their iustice faithfulnesse wisedome pietie fortitude and temperaunce and haue wel deserued of mankinde and know certainly that thei be but strauÌ„gers here and muste make spedie expedicion hence to come to their owne countrey But for so moche as that our deadlie enemie doeth attempt to peruert euery companie and to sowe Cockle emongst the good corne gouernours and pastours must be warie for feare least that iniquitie winne the fielde and a little euill leuen as thei saie marre al the batche of dough Yet can it not bee brought to passe that the euill may be plucked out altogether that the estate shall be of theim whiche be onelye good but as longe as there shall be fleshe and bloude so long shall preuarication be vsed and iniquitie whiche shall offende the good Therefore suche anoyaunces must be taken awaie whiche doe trouble the common weale by whose molestacion the swete harmonie standinge vpoÌ„ the peaceable coÌ„cord of the subiects the general vniformitie of their liuing may be made to farre and brought cleane out of tune Which thing must be remedied onelye by seueritie of lawes whiche Draco of Athenes made so straight against offenders that they reported his lawes to be written with bloude because they so sharpelye punished malefactours And surelye they that by holesome preceptes daiely exhortacions and discipline can not be brought to amendement of life must in conclusion die for it albeit all waies of gentlenes must be vsed before that this extremitie be put in execution For better it is with an hotte yron to seare vp woundes when they be freshe and rawe then wilfullie to suffer the corrupcion to spreadde abroade and to destroie the whole bodie Neither is it vnprofitable in all poinctes to ioine good and euil together that the euill thereby maie be trained vppe to vertue and markinge the filthines of their life maie learne howe lewde a thinge it is to pollute that moste goodlie dwelling place of the soule with corrupt vices and to make no ende of naughtie liuinge Hereupon when the Romains debated vpon the defacing of Car thage some counselled the contrarie alledging that if this Citie were destroyed whiche hadde so renowmed their auncetours and was a great exercise for theim to valiantnes and prowesse it might so come to passe that when thei by reason of idlenes were become carelesse and flouthfull the common weale armour set aparte might be debilitate and weakened and might bring vnto their posteritie a daungerous retchelesnes whiche in conclusion woulde be the destruction of the whole Citie Therfore those fonde men which sticke in the same mire set no more by godly instruction then the mule careth for the packesaddle doe verie vnaduisedlie for â—â— thei se one of their neighbours offende or treade neuer so litle awrye incontinent they â—riâ— but of heauen and earth saiyng that thâ—â—â—â—er is a slepe that the magistrate forgetteth his duetâ—â— and that not onely in a crime which thei haue in deede committed but if that wherat he findeth fault do not agre with his mynde like a brainelesse felow he streightwaies turneth into a rage where as it wer better for him to asswage his choler then so to alter himself vpoÌ„ euery light bâ—â—asioÌ„ But he which wilbe a correnor of vices wherunto we be euery one subiect must be longe sufferyng I euer excepte notable crymes lesse while he pulleth at the cockle he roote out the wheate and turne the medicine into poyson Hervpon was it that ill maners caused good lawes wherwith we do not so muche defend the good as we exhorte warne and prouoke the euill to cease from their ill doyng for vertues sake For the nature of a lawe is as Modestine sayeth to coÌ„maund to forbid to permit and to punishe And in deede nothing is more readie to a man whiche is vnconstaunt in his doynges and is destrous of truble some innouacions then to looke vpon the wallet which hangeth afore him and to mistyke that in an other whiche he wil haue holden as a vertue in himself as one whiche thinketh his owne perfume to be as sweete as frankencense as though all the world wer not able to stain him with any point of dishonestie Respect therfore must be had to al those vppon whoÌ„ the whole Citie doeth consiste For in deede those be goodlie ornamentes wherby good men be coÌ„mended vnto vs for the same receyue their rewardes which are honour dignitie worthines of fame besides that thei shall neuer die and finallie they shall enioye the kyngdome of heauen whiche farre excelleth all the reste Contrarilie ill men while thei liue bee detested and after their death carie away with them not only shame and infamie but abide also extreme tormentes in hell Wherby we maye learne that as a good name is most to be desired so an euill name is most to be abhorred For what is more horrible then to cal a prince Phalaris Nero or Herode whose sowe OctauiaÌ„ said that he would rather haue been then his sonne what is more odious then
therin engraned tragical buskyns a long beard and an ashen rodde in his hande You nowe vnderstand what labour and studie our predecessours haue alwaye taken to bringe men into the waye of vertue and to turne them from wickednes to a better life settinge before their eies the tormentes wherewith they that offende are punished in Hell Heauie examples but suche as may make anye harde hart to tender at the hearyng of them Howbeit we neade not to seeke anie foreyn ensamples for our learnyng consideryng the holie scripture is full of lessons wherby we are stirred to iustice pietie vertue We be commaunded to decline from euill and to doe that which is good There be two wayes one goynge to heauen which is verie narow another wel beaten brode and knoweÌ„ so that if a man winke he maie yet hit it whiche leadeth vs to hell where there is weeping gnashing of teath for the approuing whereof we nether neede dead men ne anie fables collusions or deuises but we haue the lyuely preceptes of Christ the holye prophecies the doctrine of the Apostles the traditions of the holie fathers wherwith we maie trie our doinges as it were with a touchestone and se if they aunswere with oure profession that in the lasle and greate daye of the Lorde we maie stande on the ryghte hande and heare with the blessed Goe ye into the Kyngedome of my Father whiche hath bene prepared for you sence the beginning The attaynement whereof we must desire euen with all our hartes lest we be accoÌ„pted in the number of them whiche in their mouthes professe theim selues to bee faithfull but in theyr doynges shewe them selues cleane contrary being liers as the deuill him self their father is a lier whom they in the meane whyle acknowledge to be theyr leader and goâ—â—ernour THE Eyght Booke concernyng the good ordering of a common weale The argument of the first Chapiter That the gouernement of the common weale muste be so institute that there be no offence committed therby against the preceptes of god after which the ordinaunces and lawes of man must be alwayes measured which to do lieth in such a magistrate as is a fauourer of godlines and endeuoureth to excell other in good example of liuing THey that write of Astronomie among whom Iulius Firmicus Maternê° is not the meanest learned say that of al men the Prince alone is not so subiecte to the disposition of the starres at the tyme of his birthe or to the course of the planettes as other men are bicause that god gouerneth his life by his own iudgement as one whiche is a Lorde ouer the worlde and vpon whose destinie the starres can not prefigurate any certaintie Which saiyng me thinke is not moche to be disalowed bicause the kinges harte as the wiseman saieth is in the hande of the Lorde And therfore it is not to bee thought that the Prince shall happen to be either good or euill by consideracion of his natiuitie but by the verie appoinctment of God Whiche thing neuerthelesse resteth welnigh altogether in the people and subiectes for if thei will be obedient to lawes and embrace Godlie liuing thei shall haue soche princes as will loue them as their owne children as wil not be negligent in thoffice of gouernement For thei know to whoÌ„ the companie belongeth ouer whoÌ„ thei haue taken the charge vpon theÌ„ thei knowe their shepe which a good shepherd wil rather sede sheare as neade requireth accordyng to the truste committed vnto hym then flese and cleane plucke of the skynne as the wicked pastours and hirelinges vse And on the other side naughtie people haue naughtie Pastours and so growe many inconueniences and one mischief still falleth in the necke of an other To them shall the saiyng of the Prophete bee vttered I will giue thee a Kyng in my rage and I will take hym from thee in mine indignacion And the Prince shall be as the people and as the people bee so also shall bee the Priste Thei shall eate and shall not be filled For forgettyng the commaundementes of GOD thei doe nothyng feare to worke the worste and therfore thei can not appoincte that whiche apperteineth vnto a ciuill order And accordyngly Plato teacheth in his deuised coÌ„mon weale that we ought to chose a good Magistrate as we would a very experte Mariner For as we committe to the one our liues and goodes in the ragyng seas so we trust the other with the common health of all men and the safetie of the whole common weale Moreouer whether this king come by order of succession or by election we must thinke it to bee the prouidence of almightie God whiche sendeth the Prince accordyng vnto the harte of the people Besides this many of the Philosophers thought it better to haue a Prince by election then by succession For the electe maie bee taken of the beste the borne Prince lighteth as the Natiuitie happeneth But to speake simplie soche a Prince is to be wished for as desireth nothing so moche as so to adourne his common weale that it maie florishe in good orders and godlie liuyng which thing then cometh to passe when he setteth forth soche lawes and ordinaunces as it were sinewes to knitte menne together as are agreable to the institucion of Goddes worde and ioyneth the appoinctment of ciuill orders with the holie decrees of religion This maie soche a Magistrate well dooe whiche emploieth his minde to vertue whiche preferreth the coÌ„mon health before priuate affaires and the preseruacion of men that is true felicitie before the vanities of the worlde By whose onely guidyng we maie be ledde to passe the precinctes of mortalitie and to fixe our mindes vpon heauenly cogitacions labouryng to climbe vp to that place for the whiche wee haue entred into this felowship of liuyng and runne in this yearthlie race vnwearied for the atteinyng of an immortall rewarde And although no Lawe established by reason be so vnprofitable but in some poincte it maie be profitable sence that by the ensample of vicious liuers good men bee taught and learne by the beholdyng of the vnhonest behauiour of others what is to be eschewed yet there is no manne whiche doeth not vnderstande but that soche lawes stande in force which doe yet serue to no purpose vnlesse thei be put in execucion and bee applied to the good instruccion and better rulyng of the subiectes For so shall lawes bothe be in full strength and efficacie and also tourne to the profite of soche as bee thereby gouerned Whiche thyng Solon was wount to saie rested moste in thiem that beare office whom in old tyme the people reuerenced as Goddes to thende thei should deserue well of mannes life and be as it were a president to other whereby thei might learne to liue well Certainly there is nothing so coÌ„modious in a coÌ„moÌ„ weale as wheÌ„ officers priuate persons be vnited by aucthoritie of law and eche one in their
exercise their tirannie Neither those that bee tirauntes at home can forbeare sorenners But as thei be of nature cruel mankine and haters of menne so thei can not by this euil example but all waies sucke vp blood and shewe in their doyngs all poinctes of fearcenes I shal not here neade to make any reporte of Phalaris the tyraunte whiche caused a brasen Bull to be made wherein men might bee tormented after it had been made hote to thende that in their pain thei might bellowe like beastes and not crie like menne and so moue their execucioner to pitie yet in this poincts not so cruell for that he caused Perillus first to be put therein whiche was the first deuiser of the same ingine Neither is it nedefull to rehearse the rigorous rage of Alexander Phereus whiche was wont to burie quicke menne ones face tourned towardes an other and had a delight to couer theim with the skinnes of Beares and of other brute beastes that beyng thus transformed into Beares and beastes the hunters and their houndes might rente theim in pieces A nomber of ensamples of like crueltie could I mencion in these our daies whiche were nothyng inferiour to these that bee paste in olde tyme if I thought it expedient or would giue any occasion to the Sarazen to detest christianitie But this cometh better in place which Thrasibulus wrote vnto his frende Periander of Corinthe that if he entended to compasse the estate of a Prince in his common weale and to bee strengthened therein he should destroie the chifest of the citee were thei friendes were thei foes for that tirauntes lightlie haue euen their frieÌ„des also in suspicioÌ„ But it was as nedeles to suggeste these thinges to Periander as it were to hurle water into the meane sea or to spurre an horse that is to fearce of his owne nature or as moche in effecte as the scholer to teache the scholemaster For Periander as Aristotle writeth gaue this counsaill to Thrasibulus that he should cut of the highest of y â— corne eares that is should slea the chifest citezeins and establishe the kyngdom to himself alone Hereunto also agreeth that whiche Tarquinius the laste of the Romain kinges surnamed Superbus counsailed his sonne to do being receiued of the Gabianes as a fugitiue froÌ„ his father when as he demauÌ„ded of his father what was beste to bee dooen concernynge the citezeins he by striking of the poppie toppes insinuated priuelie that the chief men of the citee should be flaine Whiche ensamples although thei bee wonderfull monstruous and not worthie to come to any mannes knowledge yet thei be left vnto vs in writyng not without Goddes prouidence that thei mighte be a terrour to princes and magistrates that thei should not attempte the like but should perswade themselues to bee men and that thei ought to affectate nothing but maÌ„like atteÌ„ptes that thei might not tourne their gouernement to the peoples destruction and their owne commoditie but to the honour of their countrey and to the glorie of God as men to be reuerenzed not onely for maiestie but also for humanitie Howbeit by what meane sotuer these Woulues dooe endenour to chaunge their heare into Woulle like to Vertumnus to transforme theimselues into sondrie shapes yet thei can not chaunge their nature but that it will burste out and disclose the mynde as Midas was bewraied by his eares Whereby it came also to passe that men when thei could no lenger abide the vilanie contempt wronge insolencie and more then seruile yoke thoughte it beste ones to shake of this feare and to make an ende of soche odious dominacion which deuise had soche successe that there hath not ben one tiraunte whiche hath not had some miserable ende and if that bicause that the people hath been wicked he hath escaped reuengement of hand yet he hath died soche a death as hath been gratefull and wished for of all men but moste shamefull and reprochfull of all other to hymself after his death Which thinges the Chronicles do menâ—ion that Herode whiche killed all the infauntes in Bethleem of twoo yeres olde and vnder neither forbare his owne sonne whervpon Augustus Cesar said that he would rather bee Herodes sâ—we then his soonne did forsee whiche liyng at the poinct of death commaunded Saloma his sister and her housebande Aleâ—ius that thei should assemble all the chief of the Iewes and shutte them vp togither in a Tiltyarde and assone as he wer deade should slea them to thentent the Iewes which he knewe would reioyce at his death might mourne against their willes A miserable kinde of men truely whiche euen at their death haue this onely comforte that no man maie loue them but tourne all mennes hartes againste them that when thei lacke breathe thei maie yet doe mischief and so satisfie their furious hatred whiche thei haue conceiued against mankind Whervpon it hath been thought a godly and good deede and for the common weales behofe to banishe those wicked generacioÌ„s with their children vtterly to expell theim as though not one whelpe of an euill beaste ought to remaine aliue For as Tullie saieth we haue no sure societie of life with tirauntes but rather extreame daunger and disagremente For it is a pestilent and wicked kinde of men and worthie to bee reiected out of all mennes companie in so moche that the Citees of Grece vsed when any man had slean a tiraunt to giue him thesame honour that was due to their goddes to ordein diuine seruice for him to make ballades and songes in his praise as though soch that saued the people and reuenged soche wickednes deserued immortall fame and renoume Albeit we must impute this vnto the Ethenickes ordinaunces which onely had respecte to that societie whiche naturall honestie reueled vnto them seyng that to take any thing from an other and peruersely to aduauntage a mannes self to an others harme is thought more to be against nature and ciuill order then death it self or any other calamitie that can chaunce either to our bodies or goodes Tullie also witnesseth that the same constitucion is in euery ciuill lawe by whiche in eche citee common weales bee gouerned that it is thought naturall to sustain all kinde of trauaill all kinde of trouble all daunger for the safetie of our citezeins naie rather for the preseruacion of all people Since that therfore this GiauÌ„tlyke kinde of tirantes is in all poinctes so noisome so vnhoneste and so wicked that for their own aduauntage thei make no ende of robbyng and spoilyng others and of heaping wrong vpoÌ„ wrong thei suffer not the societie of y â— subtectes to be in safetie but dissolue it whiche is a poinct of extreme enemitie Therefore as the profite whiche cometh to euery particulare man and to all in generall is one so euery man ought to rise and drawe out his weapon againste a naughtie Magistrate and to quenche that flame wherewith the common weale is set
on fire to the entent that there maie bee a mutuall impartyng of commodities whiche causeth that one man is moued with an others harme and iniurie and is willyng to his power to ayde the same And therefore it was compted an honest and godlie acte for any priuate man to slea Phalaris or any soche tyraunt and to deliuer the people out of bondage Moreouer as certain rotten and putrified partes of our bodie bee either cutte of or seared with an hoate iron for feare leste they infecte the whole so they thought it good that soche slaughtermen and bloude suckers should be seuered from the societie of al other Herevpon Marcus Brutus vaunteth hymself vnto Tullie so oft for the killyng of Cesar as though that he had deliuered not the citee of Rome onely but also all the wide worlde from his tirannie whiche he vsurped more then the lawes and counsaill would permitte hym whiche he saied he would not suffer in his owne father if he should retourne to life againe and that beyng content with the remembrauÌ„ce of his weldooyng and the libertie whiche he had gotten by the tirauntes death did set light by all that could chaunce vnto him in this world Neither would he become suppliaunt either to Octauius who was bothe his heire and a child or to Antonie whiche laboured to inuade the common weale in his place that was dead What other thing maie wee thinke that Marcus Scenola pretended when as for the deliueraunce of his countrey to the greate daunger of his owne life he entred into Porsennas campe who then besieged the toune and takynge his ame amis slue one of the Kinges pieres in steade of the kinge himselfe wherefore beyng apprehended he thrust his hand into the fire and shranke not for any feare insomoche that the Kynge was dismaide to see his coÌ„stancie specially vnderstandyng by hym that three hundred young menne of the citee had likewise sworne his death Whiche ensample therefore resembleth pietie the more bicause the conspiracie was made againste hym that was their professed enemie would haue brought againe Tarquinius surnamed Superbus bicause of his insolent condicions and would also haue taken awaie the libertie of the Citee But wee whiche haue prosessed Christe haue an other rule of religion to woorke by which measure the lawe of nature after the discipline of godlines thinkyng euery thing so farre to be lawfull vnto vs as it doeth not repugne against the order of our religion but answereth Goddes wille wherevnto wee ought to referre our selues in all our troubles aduersities Nowe it is certaine that Gods will is soche that he will not suffer his people to be misledde and his comaundemente despised without punishement For he is the God of reuengement which if he doe streight seke while men bee aliue it is to bee rekened as a speciall benefite bicause he therein declareth that he would not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue And therefore he sendeth into the worlde hunger barrennesse of the yearth so many kindes of diseases pestilence warre tirannous Magistrates and al soche calamities that man should conuerte and acknowledgyng his offence learne to reuerence and worshippe his creatour We see a figure hereof in the Prophete Ezechiel where God threateneth Samaria and Hierusalem vnder the name of â—â— sisters whiche had committed fornicacion in Egipte that he would raise vp the Chaldees and tyrauntes against theim whiche should spitefully deale with theÌ„ and at the last he saieth Thy mischief and fornicacioÌ„s haue doen this against the. Esdras also the restorer of the fiue bookes of Moses a man of great knowledge in the Lawe whom some suppose to be Malachie the Prophete complainyng of the iniquitie aswell of the Princes as of the people saieth Beholde wee are in bondage this daie and so is the land whiche thou gauest vnto our fathers that thei should eate the bread of it all the good therein Beholde there are we bondmen and the fruictes of it be multiplied vnto the kynges whom thou hast set ouer vs bicause of our sinnes which rule ouer our bodies and our cattell after their owne willes and we be in greate trouble This is it that God threateneth to sende children to rule ouer vs and to be our kynges euen in his furie Whereby it euidently appereth that wicked magistrates be sent into the worlde as that Ate whiche Homere speaketh of for mannes vicious liuyng that one euill maie be expelled with an other and that euil men maie be persued by soche as be no lesse euill then thei theimselues Whiche thing Attila that broughte an armie of three hundred thousande menne forthe of HuÌ„garie into Germanie and anoied almoste all Europe vsurped in his pride callyng hymself the scourge of God and thereby pretendyng an honest cause why he was so furious Tamerlanes also the great prince of Tartaria whiche when he had taken Baiazete the Turke prisoner and caried hym aboute in a cage as a spectacle of mannes mutable estate when one asked hym why he vsed soche crueltie againste any man he aunswered thou iudgest madlie to thinke me to bee a man I am the anger of GOD and the destruction of the whole worlde Nether is it so that God alwaie stirreth vp cruell men and tirantes to reuenge mans wickednes that one mischief shulde be expelled with another but somtimes therein he vseth his owne auÌ„gels somtimes he worketh by men of sincere liuing sometimes he sendeth floudes aboundance of waters as we doe reade in the scripture so likewise for the malice of man he plagueth vs with famine pestilence and warre As the Lord in one night smote al the first borne in Egipt and where bloud was founde on the vpper threshold he suffred not the smiter to enter and to hurt the houses of the children of Israell And in one night thaungell of the Lord came and smote in the Assirian campe an hundred fourescore and fiue thousande Iosue also smote all the Hillie and southe countrey beyond Iordane not leauing one a liue therein but slewe euery thing that had breath as the Lorde had commaunded him from Cades of Barna vnto Gazan Saule also was commaunded to smite king Amaleck and to destroie all that was his so that he should not spare him but kill man and woman infaunte and suckling ore and shepe camell and asse nether desire any portion of his goodes God likewise vseth the elementes oftimes for the reueÌ„gment of mans iniquitie For seyng the malice of man to be great in the earth it repented him that he had made man be said to Noe Behold I will bring the waters of the floude vpon the earth and I will destroye all fleshe wherein there is any spirite of life vnder Heauen and all thinges that be on the Earth shalbe consumed There be many soche ensamples which daily come in vre with great terrour to warne vs that for our sinnes we be sore
the common weale bee neuer committed to the gouernement of a simple or vnconstaunt witte but to hym alone that is of an high courage vnfearfull vncorrupte louyng equitie and goodnes whiche regardeth no more one then an other of whom there hath been diuerse and we also at this daie haue many testimonies that thei haue bothe well instituted and well ruled sondrie common weales But lette vs onelie consider the Lacedemoniane common weale whiche was so well gouerned that it was accompted the perfite Image of all vertue yet neuer vsed thei there any written lawes In so moche that this is reported to be one of the aunsweres that Lycurgus broughte from Delphos as an oracle that thei should vse no written Lawes But all those thynges whiche might seme to further their common weaie to an happie estate and their people to vertue thei established in the maners of their citezeins and order of life whereby thei continued without any chaunge and that in soche successe that the common saiyng was The Athenians bee alwaies writyng of Lawes but thei neuer keepe any But the Lacedemonians neuer write Lawes but alwaies kepe them I coulde also here recounte diuers other common weales which be ruled more by old aunciet customes then by any forreyne lawe and yet be wel gouerned And whiche considering the corruption of the tyme are kept in decent ordre and ciuilitie of māners were it not that the shortnes of this my treatise moueth me to driue to an ende and to geue occasion to other to seeke set furth soche thinges as mighte further aduaunce the common weale Moreouer a magistrate ought to be politicque and ciuil whose function Plate Xenophon Aristotle Heraclides Ponticus Cicero and so many philosophers as haue writen of common weales will sufficiently declare altho that nether nature did moue a mā therunto nor that ther were any preceptes of law writtē Yet this must be added as a finall consummating of our doinges and trauayle which apperteyneth vnto the scriptures and Christiane life That Goddes lawes muste be ioygned with mannes ordinaunces the tenne commaundementes muste be kepte idolatrie wicked worshipping must be rooted out Gods worde must euerie where be preached in churches instituted for godly purposes morall discipline must be obserued scholes muste be diligentlye seene to that youth may be trained vp in good learning and knowledge of the tounges for the vnderstandyng of goddes worde for the rulyng and gouerning of the common weale and specially for the settyng furthe of goddes glory Which is the chiefe cause why God would that mans life shoulde be ciuill and commaunded the magistrate as a more honorable persone to be the keper preseruer thereof vpon whom as vpon a glasse we are bounde to looke to learne of him a perfecte trade of life and to embrace with all our hartes that whiche he ordeineth for the common commoditie And surely I cannot finde that their is anie thing more profitable for the establishment of soche thinges wherby a cōmon weale is adourned daylie holpen then a parlemente godlily assembled Which forseeth y ◠nothing be done with temeritie nothing without a speciall consideracion whereof either any man may haue cause to repent or afterwardes lamente that thinges haue no better successe For in Monarchies altho the estate consiste vpō one alone yet y ◠one must not be so rashe as to contemne the Counsell of good men and by himselfe to enacte and appoint those thinges to be done which appertaine to gouernemēt and wheruppon an ensample geuen to be folowed of a great number dependeth And this is the meaning wheras I said before that a Prince hath manie eyes and the common saiyng is that manye eyes see more then one as thoughe when a thinge is on all sides throughlie knowne and all circumstaunces well debated it were more easie to take order for it So we se that saying which Socrates highely cōmendeth in Plato allowed as true counsaill is an holie thyng in so moche that there can bee no good successe no comelines in a common weale vnles counsail bee wisely and religiously vsed For there is healthe saieth Salomon where there is moche counsaill And what other thing doe ye thinke did aduaunce the Romaines and other common weales but moche sincere consultacion Wherevpon if any ambassadours either of forrein nacions or if an enemie had been permitted to haue entred into the Romaine Senate their report was that thei sawe a Session of soche Maiestie as was not wont to be in an assemble of men but rather might be resembled to a parliament of Goddes But it is no nede to make any greate praise of consultacion besides this that at home in all seruices it is comfortable abroade profitable in euery thing that is dooen needefull whereby common weales haue been wonderfully strengthened and for lacke thereof not alittle decaied Whiche appereth now a daies in sonderie common weales whiche fall to vtter ruine either bicause thei be not supported by counsail or els in gouernement vse soche thynges as be wicked and full of impietie Therefore if the histories wer not euen experience would teache vs that thei ought to be good menne to whom the gouernement of thinges is committed For how can he make an ordinaunce concernyng honestie whiche is hymself vicious and contempneth honestie concernyng the common profite whiche seketh onelie his owne gaine concernyng sobrietie whiche is alwaie reelyng ripe and drouned in dronkennesse concernyng godlinesse whiche is hymself vngodlie and hath no signe of vertue in hym Whiche thinges Salomon willeth vs to obserue in all men of whom wee entende to aske counsaill Saue thy soule saith he frō an euil counsailour first know what his necessitte is what he thinketh in his minde Nether cōsult thou of godlines with the vngodlie nor of honestie with the vnhonest But be thou alwaie in compaignie with an holie man and hym whom thou knowest to stande in the feare of God Then can not the wicked and soche as seeke onelie their owne commoditie couetous dronkardes vnfaiethfull hoorehunters vniuste and vngodlie persones euer giue any good counsaill vnlesse it be against them selues as Caiphas did to the Iewes that it was expedient that one man should dye for the people For it maie so happen but not without the inspiracion of the spirit of god that a naughtie manne maie speake wisely of a good matter and oftymes otherwise then he either conceiued in minde or thought that it would come to passe Whereof we reade a plaine example of Aman in holy scripture for when Assuerus asked him what were to be doen to that manne whom the kyng would faine bryng to honour he aunswered he must be araied with the kinges roiall garments c. Thinkyng it to bee hymself whereas in deede it was Mardocheus and therefore Aman was hanged on the galiswes whiche he had prepared for Mardocheus Many soche thinges which I could reherse I must let
old supersâ—icions for the enheritaunce of heauen Lette theim beware therefore that thei runne not headlong to the deuill whiche beyng nusseled in vicious liuyng doe alwaie one thyng and be entangled with the world that is with coÌ„eupiscence of the flesh coâ—etousnes voluptuous desires pride of life and the snares of impietie and let theim take heede that thei flatter not theim selues and deuise a longe yere of amidement yea that peraduenture which Plato doeth appoincte whiche maie bee compared vnto the riche man who settynge his whole mynde vpon worldly wealthe filleth his Barnes but heareth not the voice that saieth vnto hym to morowe shalt thou dye So vaine a thing it is to seke any other occasion of repentauÌ„ce then that whiche is euen now at hande and not to be lightly regarded for feare leste we bee seperated reiected from that holie coÌ„munion of sainctes Further if we saie that we bee in Goddes fauour and yet walke in darkenes and kepe not his commaundementes we lye and the truth is not in vs. So saieth Ihon the Apostle if we saie that we haue to do with hym and walke in darkenesse wee lye and saie not the truthe Yea moreouer he warneth vs that those whiche doe offende and continue not in Goddes doctrine haue not God with them In so moche that if any come vnto vs without this doctrine we ought nether to receiue hym into our house nor to salute hym For who so receiueth hym in so doyng becometh partaker of his wickednes Do you not se howe politike tradicions be of them selues honeste and profitable for good gouernement but not suffyâ—inge a Christian vnlesse the â—â—e ioigned with goddes commaundement Therefore we ought so to addresse our common weale that it be a president and as a scholemaister vnto vs that therin we maie frame our selues to be apte scolers and disciples vnto God Moreouer as Solon the Salaminian was wont to say that lawes do profite as the officer gouerneth if he gouerne well then be thei profitable if he gouerne ill then be thei vnprofitable so maie we call these ciuill ordinaunces indifferent For if we will stande vpon them so farre furthe as the ciuill societie extendeth I confesse thei be good and honest and as it were conueied euen from nature her self to profite the felowship of men But if ye vnderstand that thei be disagreable to that trade of life wherin we be commaunded to forgeue iniuries to leaue our cloake vnto him that taketh awaie our coate to doe well vnto our enemie and to giue him meate when he is hungrie to giue him drinke when he is thirstie to blesse them whiche do perseâ—ute vs to render good for euill to haue peace with al men and to loue our neighbour as our selues now thei shal appeare to be as vnlauful and vngodly that vnlesse thei be seaâ—oned stirred vp and quickened with the trew doctrine of relligion all their buildinge is vpon sande and in daunger continually of ruine and decaye Let therfore the inhabitauntes of any Citie be neuer so renoumed neuer so famous for integritie of maners if thei do not reuerence godlines do not that to others which thei would haue done to themselues do not directe all their doinges to further their neighbour and to aduaunce the glory of God do not truely and euen from the bottome of their hartes worshippe god be thei I saie of neuer so great estimacion amoÌ„g men yet in the sight of God thei be abhominable for that in this worlde they seke nothinge elles but that whiche is of the worlde whiche as it is manifest passeth away with al the glorie with all the pompe therof â–ª but he that doeth the will of god standeth for euer and for his well liuing in this world which is subiecte to corruption he shall receiue a blessed reward in heauen whiche shall neuer perish Do not we knowe that the Iewes were a people whome God loued aboue all other men very precise in keaping of fastes good order in their ceremonies and in fulfilling the holie lawe yea in so moche that thei conceiued a pride therin so that by laying abrode their scrolles wherein the commaundementes were conteined and magnifiyng them selues bicause that thei had the lawe written on the outward hemmes of their garmentes thei delited in vauntyng them of their workes to men and yet we heare that by goddes owne mouth it was said vnto them woe be vnto this finful nation a people of great iniquitie a wicked generation vnnaturall childerne Offer me no moe â—blacions for it is but lost labour Incense is an abâ—ominable thing vnto me I may not awaie with your newe moones your Sabothes and solempne daies and the more ye multiply your praiers the lesse will I giue earâ— for your handes be full of bloude Washe your selues be ye cleane take awaie the euill of your thoughtes from mine eies cease to do peruerselie and learne to do well And in another place Behold in the daie of your fasting your lust remaineth stil for ye do no lesse violence to your debtours behold ye fast to scrife and debate and strike with your fiste wickedly Do not you fast as you haue done vntill this daie that your crie may be heard on high Will you cal this fasting and a daie acceptable to the lord Doth not this fastinge rather please me that thou louse him out of bondage that is in thy danger dissolue the bandes of impietie breake the breade to the hâ—ngrye the neady and wandring people bring into thine howse when thou seest one naked couer him and despise not thiue owne fleshe then shall thy light breake furthe as the morning and thy healthe shall arise the soner Whereby we maâ—e gather howe that those holie people which were voutchsafed to haue the promis of saluacioÌ„ made vnto them euen in y â— middest of al their ciuill ordinaunces for al the gainesse therof yet heard themselues called the wicked companie the naughty seede that their handes were full of bloode whose customes in ceremonies were altogether abhominacioÌ„ in the sighte of God and were bidden at the length to learne to do well which bragged so moch that they did directe all their waies accordyng vnto the lawes giuen from god aboue But when as thei coÌ„tinued stil in their outward ceremonies transgressed the lawe of God whereupon theyr saluacion did depende and were brought euen to y â— very point of destruction they heard this said vnto them Hierusalem Hierusalem how oft would I haue gathered thy children as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her winges and thou woldest not Beholde therefore your house shalbe left vnto you desolate c. We neede not here to make any generall discourse through all worthie common weales aswell Grekes as Latines established by so great wisedome adourned with soche coÌ„mendable customes that thei were to be thought not to haue ben peopled with men but eueÌ„ the very goddes to haue desceÌ„ded froÌ„
thei craftilie circumuenting other men pike from theÌ„ their goodes late the together So vnsauery be thei that thei haue no tast no delight in true honestie nor in goddes holie preceptes Wherupon it so falleth out that euerie one walketh after his owne concupiscence for all the Philososophers doctrine whiche is I graunt neadfull for politique gouernance but yet muste be seazoned with goddes law otherwise it shalbe the waie to death and not to life For thus saieth Christ the onely teacher of trueth the onely maister of our life if thou wilt entre into life kepe the commaundementes of God Also thei worshippe me in vaine teachyng doctrines and commaundementes of men And Hieremie saieth bicause thei haue left my lawe which I gaue them and haue not heard my voice but followed the wickednes of their owne hartes beholde I will feede this people with wormewoode will sende a sworde emong theÌ„ to persecute them vntill I bring theÌ„ to naught Again in Mathew The ill be will destroie and he will lette foorthe his vineyard to other house bandmen whiche shall deliuer hym the fruicte in due seasons and the kingdome of God shall be taken awaie from you Herevpon doe we se so many kindes of iniquitie so many sortes of abhominacion daily more and more to arise emongst the very christian professed people as be aduoutrie fornicacion robberie theiuerie maÌ„slaughter vsurie dronkenes blasphemie periurie deceipte couine contempte of Iustice intemperaunce lacke of modestie iniurie contencion for verie trifles poisoning and other no lesse but rather more detestable vices and that not onely emoÌ„g the baser and lower sort but also emong the nobles and magistrates so coÌ„mon and familiar that neither thei be accoumpted as faultes neither the doers thereof as euill men For what prince is ther at this daie what magistrate what notable teacher or what â—â—aâ—er personage which dooeth not in aduoutrie fornicacion slaughter dronkennes sothe other notorious vices mispâ—nâ— either a good parte of his time vntill the very impotencie of nature driueth him to leaue theÌ„ and then when he can not do ill he glorieth in the rehersal therof euen before soche to whom it is lothsome to here â—t it or els when he is a verie crople hath the one foote in his grane he caÌ„ no more forbeare his accustomed viciousnes thaÌ„ a sowe the mire yet the difference is this for that the higher powers be not unsâ—iuers without greate office to others as men that ought to she we furthe their vprightnes in life whiche the people must loke on as in a glasse accordingly frame their own maners whiche if thei refuse to doe doluntarily for vertues sake thei muste vse the sharpnes of the sword enforce theÌ„ to leaue that froÌ„ which thei will not be broken willingly For se shal the magistrate do his duetie worthily so shall he fede theÌ„ and be the peoples gouernour that thei do not fall to ruine represeÌ„ting therin Iudas Machabeus whiche weÌ„t through the citees of Iuda destroied the ill turned away y â— wrath of god froÌ„ Israel Whiche bicause thei that haue the charge of the coÌ„mon weale doe not put in execucion let no man wonder if euery thing go backward and the coÌ„mon weale bee in daunger of vtter decate For if godlines bee not ones rekened on there can be no coÌ„stancie nor vpright integritie in ciuill ordinaunces as a thing that bothe springeth and dependeth vpon pietie Neither doth S. Paule in vain cal that thastiseiâ—eÌ„t or discipline which requiteth present disquietnes with the quiet fruicte of iustice afterward whiche who so knowe not be verie bastardes â—â— true enheritours of heaueÌ„ but if ye be not saith he vnder correction wherof al be partakers ye be then bastardes and not true sonnes Again No chastesing for the present tiâ—â—e se ureth to be ioious but greuous but afterward to soche as be exercized therein it bringeth forthe the quiet fruict of righteousnes This discipline maketh y â— magistrate to loue the light of wisedom to embrace iustice not to winke at vices to defende the fathorles and widow to kepe the peace to haue no respect of person to erect churches to maintain Gods ministers to support true doctrine that the subiectes maie worship God with a godlie harte and bring forth fruict worthy of repentaunce not suffring the Prophetes saiyng to be applied to him the priestes said not where is the lorde and thei that had the lawe in their handes knewe me not and the the pherdes offended against me But my people turned their glorie into an Idoile For that shall neuer bee vnpunished which is wickedly committed against the law of god Also the people thus taught will begin to bee obedient to their magistrates knowing that our conuersacion is in heauen whence we doe looke for our lorde and sauiour Iesu Christe whiche will tranfforme ouâ— abiect and vile body make it like vnto his most glorious body whiche benefite thei shall not receiue whose ende is perdicion whose bellie is their God and who glory in their ignominie bicause thei onely care for earthly thinges cleauing to the world and outward vanities do altogether the workes of the fleshe shall passe a waie with the pride of the worlde with whom we ought not in any wise to haue any thing to do receiuing that doctrine whiche is sounde liuely which by the eares entring into the harte doeth moue vs to do Gods wil to seke thaduauncement of the common weale to declare by the fruict of our life that we haue liued vnto God our father eche man in his vocacion and according vnto the taleÌ„t committed to his charge So Maisters whiche haue auctoritie ouer their seruauntes ought not to handle theÌ„ vniustly or vngently knowing also that thei haue a maister in heauen which can nomber euery heare of their heades and in his greate daie will reuenge the rigour vsed againste them according vnto the Apostles wordes whiche all menne ought to obserue ye maisters doe that is right and iust to your seruantes knowing this that ye your selues haue a maister ouer you in heauen On the other side seruauntes ought to honour their maisters and obeie them with tremblyng feare and simplicitie of hart as thei would do to Christ himself doyng that whiche God willeth theÌ„ to doe with good will seyng thei bee not mannes but Gods seruauntes knowyng this that euery man must looke for reward of his wel doyng at Gods hand It becometh old men who are to be reuereÌ„ced for their hore heares to be sober graue modeste wise not couetous not ambicious not enuious but an example of faithfulnes charitie pacience and vertue whiche will exhort yong men to sobrietie chastitie and good behauiour Yong men also muste be obedient vertuous and well minded towardes the furtheraunce of the common profite Fathers ought to bring vp their children in
doctrine and chastisemeÌ„t of the lorde whom thei must instructe at home within their own houses with discipline of honestie and vertue training theim vp in soche sciences whereby thei maie be able to maintein themselues their wiues and children and restmble their parentes in good ensample of liuyng Likewise the Apostle coÌ„maundeth Timothe to bid those that bee riche in this worlde that thei be not high minded nor put any confidence in riches which be vncertain but in the liuyng god which giueth vs al thinges plâ—tifully But that thei do wel that thei bee riche in good woorkes that thei bee not streite in empacting to others communicating willingly and laiyng the foundatioÌ„ whervpon thei maie in time to come build the purchase of euerlasting life Ye vnderstand by the incomparable maister of maners what the vse of riches ought to be that thei bee well emploied and staie vs not from the entraunce into the kingdome of heauen For somoche as there bee many thinges in the worlde whiche hinder the riche and let theim from the fruite of godlines so that thei are driuen to heare the wordes of sainct Iames Go to now ye riche men wepe and houle on your wrotchednes whiche shall come vpon you Your riches be putrified your garmenies be mothe eaten Your Golde and siluer is corrupt with canker and their ruste shall bee a testimonie againste you and shall consume your fleshe as it wer fire Ye haue heaped vp treasure euen in your last daies Behold the hire of your labourers whiche haue reaped doune your fieldes and hath not been paied them crieth out against you and the crie of these reapers be entred into the eares of the lorde Sabaoth Ye haue liued in pleasure vpon the yearth and haue plaied the wantons you haue nourished youre hartes as in a daie of slaughter Ye haue condempned and slain the iuste and he hath not resisted you There be also many poore people in euery Citee whom we ought not to neglecte bicause thei supplie a great part of the multitude whoÌ„ we therfore ought to haue in remeÌ„braunce bicause god hath appoincted theÌ„ to liue emongst vs that through well doyng vnto theÌ„ we might exercise the workes of peitie purchase the fauour of God I was hungrie saieth our Sauiour and you gaue me to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me to drinke I was naked you did rouer me These be thei of whom sainct Iames speaketh Harken saith he my derely beloued brethren Hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde soche as are riche in faithe and heires of the kyngdome whiche he promised to them that loue hym Now if your brother or sister bee naked and doe lacke their dailie sustenaunce and one of you saie vnto theim go your waie in peace warme you and fill your bellies and you dooe not giue theim that is necessarie for their bodie what auaileth this You doe see here that there bee twoo kindes of pouertie one which coÌ„sisleth in spirite which may happeÌ„ euen to hym that is riche whiche estemeth his riches as though he had none whiche sixeth not his harte vpon them whiche distributeth them emongest the nedie and poore bicause his ende â—â— to be riche in faithe that he maie heare that saiyng blessed be thy poore in spirite There is an other kinde of pouertie whiche in deede proceadeth vpon lacke of substaunce whiche is suspected and contempned in the common weale for many consideracions as for not being allowed for sufficiente witnesse hearyng for not beyng able to heare offices for the easie prouocacions to offende and soche like as a man maie finde in the ciuill lawes Through pouertie saieth Salomon many haue offended Further pouertie is an allurement to rebellion For Abimelech when he consented to the sleyng of his brethreÌ„ and getting the kingdom tooke money out of Baales churche and hired therewith the poore people and vagaboundes whiche beyng driuen to get something toke his parte When Ieptes the Gileadite was acoused of bastardie by his owne children driuen away the poore men followed him as their guide robbing and reauing by the waie This kind of pouertie we must not forsake despise as a thing coÌ„mended to vs by God that poore menne may alway be in our sight to whoÌ„ we should fireatche furth our handes chearfully fulfill gods holy will Here it wer tedious to recite so often repete vnto the reader al kind of persons which are necessarie in a common weale as bee thei of the clergie studentes of learning housbandmen Smithes Paincters Mariners Builders Merchauntes Purueiours for corne Bakers Vinteners Apothecaries Boutchers and all soche as be as it were membres in perfectinge this ciuile bodie Whose deutie is so to behaue themselues in their vocations artes actes that thei be agreable with the Christian doctrine employed to the loue of their neighbour to the glory of God Then must not he whiche while he is in this world trusteth to atteine the blessed life in heaueÌ„ beguile any or in craftie dealing circuÌ„uent him For he whose worde endureth for euer sayeth thus dooe you that to others whiche you would that others should doe vnto you for this is the lawe and the Prophetes When a common weale is thus in all pointes furnished it cannot otherwise be but that commodities shalbe truly emparted among men and that those corruptable thinges beyng coÌ„uerted to a better vse shall further vs to that whiche is vncorruptible by those fruites of light shall declare that our conuersacion is in heauen So thei that be spirituall ought to seke spirituall thinges whereunto he that is addicte onelie to the world mans tradicions pretende he neuer soche an vprightnes of liuinge shall neuer atteyn For he soweth in the flesh and soche seade as shal perish and therfore he shall reape in the flesh for euery man shall receiue his rewarde according to the labour which he hath dooen and eche mannes worke shalbe made manifeste and open And this is that whiche as S. Hierome sayeth Pinitus Cretensis Bishop of Gnosos doth write vnto Dionisius that y â— people must not alwaie be nourished with milke lest the latter day come vpon them as vpon litle suckelinges but with strong meates that thei maie come vnto a spirituall old age Whiche thinges truely euery man muste obserue that hath any hope of euerlasting life For the doctrine of pietie is committed vnto vs from Christ Iesus our Lorde the maister of all trueth by his blessed Apostle by whiche alone we be enstructed and made heyres of the eternall kingdome of heauen After the rule whereof who so frameth not himselfe is arrogant knowyng nothing but doting in his owne conceite about vaine questions cauillacions and constitutiones of man wherupoÌ„ their ariseth enuie coÌ„tention euill language naughtie suspicions neadles quarreling of corrupte persons from whom the trueth is taken whiche thinke godlines to be gaine
sold at a reasonable price Diuers Citees haue diuers meanes of prouision Prouision of corne Lawes for corne Cicero in orat pro P. Sestio li. 2. de officiis Charge for prouision of corne among the Romaines It to profitable that Come bee brought into the Mathâ—â—â—â— Forestallers Regratours Aediles cereales Prouision of Meale c. The shambles Deintie dishes 〈…〉 Regratours and 〈…〉 Delicate fare a noiâ—th the coÌ„mon weale Libr. xvi â—eruÌ„ geâ—taruÌ„ Ten plates of the Romaines coigne called Asses were in value our sterlyng â—roâ—â— Plinius lib. 10. capt 50. Lawes for the â—â—strâ—â—ute oâ— sâ—ptâ—ous â—â—â—â— Libr. â— de Legibus The Lawe The cause of making lawes Lawes mustâ— bee applied to the time place and people Citees bee tuled by vnwritten lawes The Magisrate is in subiection to the lawe The Magistrate and subiecte bee bothe one in some respecte The charge of Magistrates A vicious Magistrate corrupteth the people by his naughtie ensample Hornettes Xenocrates Affections Deâ—cipt in buâ—ing and selling 〈◊〉 A magistrateis called a liuyng lawe Bakers boâ—chers vinteners and other occupiers â–ª pracâ—ise deâ—â—yâ—e in their 〈…〉 A Magistrate that studieth for his owne priuate gaine can neuer ordein thinges 〈…〉 In places not moche replenâ—shed with people theâ— of the baser sorte bee chosen officers Esai xliii i. Peter ii Vitru lib. 3. de Architec Galeus in li. deâ—uuamen â—â— membro rum Subiectâ— must be obedient i. Peter ii Roma xiii Theâ— are also bounde to trauaile that beare no office in the common weale Roma xii Ezeâ—hi xvi The husband man The S 〈…〉 â–ª The Marchauâ— a Poticary The shepeherd The housekeper Parentes that prouide not for their children are vnworthye to be reliued by them if they fall into pouertie The good â—â—â—â— of the house Seruauntes Collo iii. i. Pet. ii Vitruuius in 6. de Architect A learned man maâ— find freÌ„ds euery where The steppes of men True riches The studies of humanitie Lawe makers Horat. de arte poetica Tulli. in â— Tusc quest The commeadacion of Philosophie Diuines Lawyers EueÌ„ the Turke him selâ—â— conreinneth not lawes They that trauayle to furder their posteritie are worthy to be rewarded Dani. xii Readyng of histories â—outh must be brought vp in learnynge Certain lawes of the twelue tables amonge the Romayns The answeres of southsaiers â— â–ª Polit. Christ is out heade The aucthour diâ—ideth nothing touching the Ecclesiasticall power i. Petri ii Roma xiii Commendâ—cions of the preachers of Gods worde Esai lâ—i li. Cor. viii The vitious liuyng of christians offendeth euen the verie Heathen people Leude preachers â—npreachyng Prelates Notorious viâ—es in young Ministers Hirelinges Preachers can make no excuse in the date of iudgement The â—â—lles of Iustice â—â—terpâ—â—tours â—â— the lawe Iudgementeâ— and punishe â–ª â—entâ—â—â—â— exâ—â—cised by the Lawe Lawes ordeined for twoo specialâ— causâ—â— â—â—â— de oratore The Lawiers house Pro A. Ceâ—inna There ought to be no respect of persones â—â— matters of Iustice Practitionâ—â—â— oâ— the lawe abuse theiâ— profession Cicero i. de oratore The ende of the Lawe Learned Lawyers muste bee a presidence to others of vertuous liuing Corrupt Lawyers The kowledge of the Lawe ought to bee well bestowed Lawiers likened to soldiers Iudges Seargeauntes Vtter Barresters Proctours Corinthe is a Citee in â—câ—ia The propertie of a good lawyer The properties of a good Lawier Vnlearned and craftie lawier â— The Lawe abused Many lawiers â—â—use marie 〈…〉 Lawyers were driuen out of Hungarie It were expâ—â—ent that matters in variaÌ„â— should be ended with expediâ—â—â— Some practiâ—â— ouers procute delayes in their Clienteâ— matters Quarâ—â—iours deserue punishment It is not the paâ—â—e of a christian to proloÌ„g â—â—â—es Mannâ—â— life although it â—ee but â—â—oâ—â— yet â—o suâ—â—â—â—â— to many dâ—seases 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 Eccle. 38. When seuen 〈◊〉 english 〈◊〉 â—n oâ—nce â—â—â—â— was Sâ—â—â—â—rtâ—â—s out englishe peâ—â—â— Diuers 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Euery parte of 〈◊〉 necessâ—â—â—e in the common weale Surgâ—â—â—â— â–ª Phisicke and Surgerie be muche abused Vnlearned Phisicians Plin. lib. 29 nat histo capi i. The Phisicion beginneth where the Philosopher endeth Obseruacions of Phisicions Brute beastes teach vs the nature of herbes Plin. li. â— ca â–ª 2â— The charge â—â— Phisicions â–ª Quid. 14. Metamopho Arte and exercise â—e meanes to affaiâ—â— tâ— vertue Discipline Learnyng to very expedient in euery common weale Plutarchus in vita Licurgi Plato in 4. 6. 7. dial de Republi 8. Polit. Pro Archiâ— poeta â—â—â— commâ—â— d 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 ning Mothers milke is mosterpedient for a child Noct Aâ—â— lib. 1â— ca. 1. â—â—eidoâ— 4. Horat. 6. de Rep. Children must be vertuoully trayned vp Logicâ—â— â—ecâ—â— scholemaisters Lib. i. In libr. de tradendis disciplinis Learning with delight â—ilthy antours â—onesty excelleth learnyng Suche prophane â–ª authors must be redde as disages not with true â—eligion Come of Alexandria Erection â—â— scholes â–ª Epicuruâ— One man helpeth another Handy craftes bâ— so called because of their inuencion Ciceroâ— of Hippias the Philosopher made all his owne garmentes him selfe Apuleius in li â–ª â—loridoruÌ„ 〈…〉 commenbeth the labour of the handes â— Corin. iiii â—i Cor. xii Causes of so â—â—â—â— learned 〈◊〉 Euery manâ—â—â— must chuse that trade of life wherewith â—â—â— nature best agreeth Handy craftes deuided into seuen partes Husbandrie Varro i. de Rerust ca 4 â–ª Woule working Carpenters crafte 〈…〉 Huntyng Surgerie The Frenche pockes The Englishe sweate Stageâ—yâ— Tillage Noble men of Romepractised Tillage Plini lib. â— capit â—â— Serranus a serendo Pursiuauntes Cato de Reiust House 〈…〉 is necessarie â—â—â—ers of husbandrie Preceptes of husbandrie â—aco ca. â—lâ— The commoditâ—â—s of husbandrie God muste be glorified â—â— his giâ—â—es By 〈◊〉 good thinges gâ—â—wâ—â—ll Wine Pâ—â—ni li 14. cap â–ª v. Wine is the 〈◊〉 â—â— the yearth Houâ—â—bandrie â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â— all other haâ—â—◠〈◊〉 The necessitie of garmentes All thinges in this liâ—e besids meate drinke and clothe be in maner supâ—â—â—â—uous â— Tâ—â—â— v. Nature couâ—â—eth all liuyng creatures saâ—â—ng mâ— only â—â—llers 〈◊〉 â–ª â—â—ery manâ—â— ought to 〈◊〉 apparell 〈◊〉 for â—â—â— deâ—ree ChaÌ„blet 〈◊〉 â—â— apparell Sumptuous â—ermentes Lightnesse in apparell Chaunge of apparelle causetâ— chaunge of coÌ„dicions â—ldâ— faâ—hâ—â—n◠〈…〉 d. A comely pace is comendable Reformacion to requisite The commoditie that 〈…〉 weth by 〈…〉 ment 〈…〉 Man is naturally bent to inuente newe deuises Emulacion Our newe artificers farre passe the old in excellencie of woorke Diuersitie aâ— wittes haue inuented varietie of artes S 〈…〉 growe incontempt â—y abusing theim Abuse chaungeth good thin â—â—â— to euill Necessarie handicraftes menne Magistrates must see a â—â—dresse in thâ—â—ges abused â—â—â—les and Companies â–ª The 〈…〉 â—â—â— of 〈…〉 〈…〉 vn 〈…〉 Paintyng is nambred emoÌ„â— the liberall sciences Plini lib. 35. Capi. 8. Quint. li. 12 Cap. 10. 〈…〉 Apelles and Protogenes were excellent Painters Plini lib. 7. cap. xxxvij Buildyng Libri 1. Architecture â— Capi. i. Buildyng is deuided into twoo partes frame and diuise Paintyng Geometrie The perspectiues Arithmetique Li.
iii de reaedificatoria The comâ—â—â—itie of buildyng Oâ—â—â—â—gious pompe in buildyng Merchaunte â—â—nes houses Trauailing by water as â—â— is profitable so it is perillous Noes Arke Gene. 6. 7. 8. Ioseph lib. 1 antiquitatuÌ„ Capi. v. Noe made the first Shippe Plini lib 7. Capit. 56. Diuers â—â—nne deuised diuers kindes of vesselles The commodities oâ— trauailing by water The abuse of Shipmennes â—â—aâ—â—â— Horatius in i. carminuÌ„ Propertius Libr. iii. Elegiarum Money Ship mennes crafte must bee emploied to a good ende The commoditie of the trade oâ— MarchaÌ„dise Soche as occupie them selues in worldly affaires dâ—â—lso please â—â—â—d in their labour Least occupiers be moste suspected Li. i. de offi Cato calleth a Merchaunte Actiue â—â—chaungâ— vsed in steade oâ— buâ—yng and selling foâ— moâ—â—y Iliad 6. â—â—chaungâ—nâ— and buâ—yng be â—â—â—ers things Engrossynges of â—arâ—â— and vnlâ—â—â—uâ— hauâ—â—â— be prohibited Ambro. 2. de oâ—â—ic Marchant 〈◊〉 abide manye hazardâ—â— â–ª Sâ—me will not â—iche to vse â—eâ—â—â—â—y so that â—herâ—by thâ—y â—ay get â— pâ—n◠◠〈◊〉 for â—oâ—â—yng in â—tâ—â—â—ynge of wares Princes be sometimes â—â—â—led Goddes in scripture â–ª Sapi â–ª xiii â–ª Huntyng waâ— inuâ—nâ—â—d immediatly 〈◊〉 Noes stoude Geâ— 10. 25 Eusebius li. 1. de pre eâ— Such vsed huÌ„tyng as were euen counted Goddes for worthy acted The commodities of huÌ„ting By much e 〈…〉 â—iâ—e â—â— hunting a man maye learne to be 〈◊〉 expert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wilde beasts by the lawe of Nature bee 〈◊〉 that first â—attâ— them Some gentle 〈…〉 nne vsurpe the libertie of huntyng Diuers wayes 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 diuers kindes of beastes Snares and â—ayâ—s The abuse of huntyng Fisshinge and Foulyng Played should shew no ensample of filthines and dishonestie Olympia Isthmia Pithii ludi Ouid. li. 1. metamorpli Nemaei ludi Ludi funebres Li. 8. Modetate exercises Bowlyng commended The Romains bestowed much cost vpon pageauntes and spectacles Lupercalia Saturnalia Circences ludi Beastlike exercises Histriones Playes must be set forthe to shew some good example of liuynge How we maye learne vertuous rules in hearing of coÌ„medies and Tragedies We must learn to good and leaue the euill An example of the Bee Li. 2. offi Euery manne ought to be coÌ„tent with his owne estate â—ycco withdrawe vs from vertues 〈…〉 had alwayâ—e a respect to the honeste getting of gooâ—â—â— Man counteth his will to be his felicitie Cicero in â— de finibus In. â— poâ—â—◠◠〈…〉 The ende of a 〈…〉 life Honest waies to seâ—e wealth Instinian li. â— Institu The lawe in certayne cases That which is honest is also â—ust contraâ—â—â—â—sâ— c. â—ustice is the foundacion of the common weale The opinion of the people is glorious but yet pâ—â—nicious â—â—â— meanes to get wealth Thinges paâ—â— â–ª fully gotten â—â— most pleasaunt to the possessor Good seruice well recoâ—â—â—sâ—â— â—e must moâ—â—rate all thinges aâ—â—â—â— iustice honestie Good thinges are worthy to be often â—â—â—eaâ— â–ª sâ—â— God blesseth honest laboure Deute xvi â—ene 〈…〉 How the price of thinges ought to be rated 〈…〉 ed merchauntes 〈…〉 〈…〉 Prouer. xâ— Amos. viii Craftesmen do craftelie maintain their drinkinge and dicing by enhauÌ„â—râ—ge their 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 worlde The negligeÌ„ce of magistrateâ— hurteth the coÌ„mons Sapâ—en v. He iâ— riche that desiereth little It behoueth kinges to be wealthye 3. re 3. 10 Salomon 〈◊〉 â—oth◠〈◊〉 anâ— wea 〈…〉 Dauids welth Gene. xiii Abraham was verie riche Daniell Susannâ— Ioachim Susans husbande was â— man of great possessions How we oughâ—â—othe â—â— gâ—â— and â—â—â—â—oy riches ii Cor. vi The God of â—ichesse Tuscul quae Libr. v. Philosophâ—â—s â—â—â—â—ned riches â—â—â— vanities i. Polâ—â— Immoderate riches be vnhoâ—â—stâ— Inâ—onâ—â—â—iâ—nces that groâ—â— by riches Lucae xvâ— â–ª 〈◊〉 â—e hurt â—â—â— many wais Math â–ª xix Marc. x. Psalm lxi Lib. 7. ca. 4. â—t li. 33. ca. â— â–ª Apathia Daunâ—â—rs of a contemplatiue life â—nsaâ—iable 〈◊〉 We must with all our harte wish our â—â—ighbours wealth Fowâ—â— mâ—â—er of waâ—â—â— to maintain our â—â—yng Locupletes Plini lib. 18. Capit iii. How one man doeth helpe another A perfect plotte â—â— a citie Libr. i. de re rust capt 11. Ceres the goddesse of corne Penalties for spoilyng of corne How Quietnes maie bee kepte amongst houshandemen Artificers â—â—â— bee furnished with suche â—â—â—â— gâ—â— as apperteine to their faculties Vnlawfull orders be agreed vpon in Haules of coÌ„panies Lâ—â—e lippes 〈…〉 Soche as furnishe vs with necessarie wares muste bee fauoured Occupieâ—â—â—â—â— richet then geÌ„tlemen Iustice Abuscâ— in beâ—eâ—ng of waâ—es â—ustice Charitie be â—ouÌ„daâ—â—â—e of the 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—e Many bee of opinion that it were expedient to haue aâ— thinges common Act. iiii All thinges be common amongest friendes We muste not leane to moche to other meÌ„nes opinions DiscoÌ„modities that woldgrow of all thinges were common A proprietie is thinges is most allowed Wee muste so vse our goodes as though thei â—â—â—â— not ours Prod 〈…〉 Coueteousnes Decrees ought to stande with â—eason Equalitie causeth frendship Plin. lib. 18. Capi. iii. Gellius lib. 7. Capi. 〈◊〉 No man ought to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inheritaunce Leuit xxv 〈…〉 rs for the 〈◊〉 suâ—â—mentâ— of landes Goodes Felicitie Goodes externall and internallâ— Sermone 6. Worldly â—â—â— menne Goodes of theÌ„selues be good ii Cor. ii Ciuâ—â—â— behauiour becometh a christian We must loue our enemies Roma xii Our goodes must be commeÌ„ to the nedy Deut. xv Ezech. xvi Humanitas ab humo Aurisacra sames Crates hueled golde into the Sea The antiquitie of the vse of money Coigne iuâ—â—â—ted The firste â—â—sgnâ—â— of money Ouidius in â—â—â—storum In necessitie of warre Leather and brasse haue been coigned Anno dnÌ„i M. D. Li. Money mongers All thinges bee subiect to money Foenus vnciarium et centesimuÌ„ The Romaâ—nes called the fâ—llowes whiche were theâ—â— friendes end confederates Lib. 5. historie Augustae Cessionis beneficium â—surie is pâ—â—â—ised throughout christendâ— Cicero in 2. de offi Vsurie is forbidden by all â—â—wes Gene. xxii Deu. xxviii Ezec. xviii Lucae vi A good liâ—â—â— muste bee no vsurer Vsurie what it is Plini lib. 33. Capit. iii â–ª Aquilius was choked with golde Soche thinges as be takâ—â—â— waâ—e of vsurie â—â—ght to be restored Psalm xâ—iii Euill gotten goodes be in â—ame bestowed vpon churches anâ— godly vses Esaiâ— i. The heires are bondeÌ„ to make restitucion of soche thinges as their auncâ—stoures haue wrongfullie gotten Who so euer had any part oâ— the Golde that was taken out of the temples of the Citee oâ— Tolosa came to a miserable ende A golden tâ—iâ—foote was offered to Thales the philosopher We muste enure our selues to a verteous 〈…〉 Horat. Notable vices that raigne in this out â—â—â—â— â— Cor. vi â—phâ— v. Faithfull promises ought to be performed How Farre the makyng of faiethfull promises exteÌ„deth Wardes are bounde to hepe promise Fides Valeri li. â— Ensamples of faithfulnes to be kept in promisses Gene. 39. Ioseph libr. Antiquitatum 2. cap. 3 Regulus Math. v. Sweaâ—ing forbidden Our talke must bee yea yea naie naie Wee ought to keepe promisse without swearyng Rash