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
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
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„
profitable honest and worthy a good manne bothe priuatly and a peartly deserue no commendations but haue that kind of life wherin thei shewe no actiuitie like brute beastes and tourne it into a kinde of death Herevpon Pythagoras appoinctyng the pathe of mannes life from the beginning twoo grained was wont to declare the same by the letter Y whose firste leadyng driueth either to the right or left hande whiche Persius also properly expresseth in these verses The braunched letter of the Grekes that Ypsilon thei reade His rightside representes to thee the pathe thou oughtest to treade Therefore it is profitable well to garnishe the resortes of menne bicause it is the worke of God and not of man Forsomuch as â—he yearthly citee is builded to this ende that it resemble the appearaunce of the other heauenly whiche it bothe must signifie and also represent that from these visible thynges we maie passe vp to the vnuisible whiche thyng sainct Augustine doeth properly by waie of allegorie bryng in accordyng to S. Paules minde by Abrahams twoo sonnes the one the handmaides the other the frewomans childe and vpon this consideration good men and louers of vprightnes haue been alwaie by Gods prouidence stirred vp to kepe men in the societie and duetie of a ciuill life to adourne the common weale it self sensyng gouernyng and preseruing thesame by lawes Whiche citie is not alwaie furnished with soche as embrace vertue as obeic lawes bicause thei bee good and the rule of Iustice but it receiueth also euill persones whiche must be kepte in vnder feare of punishment And like as in a greate house there bee many vesselles some for one vse some for an other accordyng vnto the Prophetes wordes So likewise into euery common weale there crepe naughtie men and despisers of lawes whiche when thei can not be rooted out must bee borne withall vntill the greate daie of the lorde do come wherin thei like cocle weaded out shall be cast into hel fire and there haue the reward of their wickednes In the meane while thei must not be driueÌ„ out but kept vnder that thei maie not licentiously harme others partly bicause thei serue for a presidente to good men by their filthines to withdrawe theim selues from their vices For as M. Cato was wont to sais fooles do more good to wise men then wise meÌ„ to fooles as emeÌ„g the Lacedemonians droÌ„ken slaues wer trailed through the citee that children might se what a shamefull thing dronkennes was and for that notable and open rebuke begin to hate that vice whereunto Pittacus appoincted double punishment Partly I do graunt ill men a place in the citee that by the beholdyng of the good mennes life as it were a glasse thei might theim selues recouer thereby and at the length giue due glory vnto GOD whiche is Lorde hymself and none other to whom euery knee shall bowe and by whom euery toungue shall sweare Now ye see how that emong all liuyng creatures onely man is commonable and ciuill whiche when he himself doeth seke for the societie of man throughly 〈◊〉 with the bonde of good order and decked with the beautie of good maners then shall be a good citizen and meÌ„ber of a common weale as one that desireth the ende of a common weale appoincted by the Philosophers I meane the yearthly felicitie of whiche sort wer al those that vntill the tyme of fulnesse and redemption of man haue been named in common weales and gat renowne therein either for worthy gouernement or gentle obedience But we that haue yelden our names to Christe and through faithe be regenerate in his holy Baptisme doe not rest vpon those yearthly poinctes but loke vp to the heauenly and driue toward that citee wherevnto in these lower and subiecte to corruption we he prepared in the meane while wanderyng like straungers vntill that wee all beyng gathered together by the Gospell of Christ be receiued into those habitations whiche haue been euerlastyngly prouided for vs whiche ought to bee the marke wherefore we should be citezens and bestow the excellent gift of reason best that we maie winne the reward of our race whiche shall neuer decaie and hitte the pricke whereat hetherto by folowyng of Gods commaundement through blessed hope we haue shot where no hardnes shall be no vnquietnes no feare of enemies no wrong no decaie but truthe peace honour holines and euerlastyng life ¶ The argument of the second Chapiter That many thynges doe warne man euen from God that he beyng as it wer stalled in the throne of honor be not in y â— meane while high mynded â–ª and that nature hath emplanted in him many thinges whereby he maie learne to checke hautenes â–ª and to submit hymself before his creatour WHen we beholde mannes nature he incontinente appeareth the moste worthie and moste excellent of all creatures for argument whereof we maie alledge Reason wherein he is made after the Image and likenes of GOD although we speake not of the gifte of tongue and speache whiche he hath receiued singulare aboue all other liuyng creatures not onely for the vnderstandyng of an others mynde but one to teache an other to praise and glorifie GOD. Moreouer that he had in commission to subiecte the yearth to hym self and to gouerne all liuyng creatures whether thei be in the aire the water or the circuite of the yerth And I see not what can bee more desired for his prerogatiue seing he is shapen out with so beautifull comly a body that bothe deuisers of buildinges and Mathematicalles doe vse it as a president for well fashionyng any kinde of frame and the most perfite purtraite of all formes Here I make no rekenyng to recompte the state whiche man had in Paradise before he fell whiche was that he willed onely good yet for all that by the promptyng of the serpent he did miscarie and breake Gods commaundement whiche if he had not dooen he should neuer haue felt death but haue brought furthe children of thesame estate to hymself without carnall concupiscence or any pain Whereof you male reade at large in sainct Aagâ—stine bisshop of Hippo in his booke whiche he hath entituled Of the citce of God Furthermore although for this his trespace manne was sacked and dispoiled of his former honour so that where he was before immortall he then became mortall and subiecte to vnquietnesse in place of peace to calamitie and miserie in place of all prosperitie for so saith the holy Moses bicause thou hast heard the voice of thy wife and haste eaten of the tree whereof I forbadde thee that thou shouldest eate cursed is the yearth for thy worke in labour thou shall eate of it all the daies of thy life thornes and thistelles shall it bryng furthe to thee and thou shalt eate the herbes of the yearth and shalte eate thy bread with the sweate of thy browes vntill thou returnest to the ground whence thou wast taken bicause thou
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
goodes Whiche thinge deputies and vnder officers in our time do not weye whiche neither knowyng mannes nor yet Gods lawe do neither consider any percell of equitie ne yet of Godlines but onely seke how to circumuent the pore comminaltie how to ouerlay them with Subsidies how to compasse all their attemptes be it by right be it by wronge thinkyng so to gratifie their Lordes if thei can torcioully leuie a greate substaunce of money from their subiectes and therby augment their accoumptes In the meane tyme not forgettyng them selues for thei handle thinges so finelie and so craftely that thei will haue store of riches as it were out of an horne of plentie and after the fashion of a flowyng water make theim come vnto theÌ„ faster and faster till thei bee swellyng ripe like leane flies whiche in the Sommer season sittyng vpon a scabbed horse doe soone fill them selues so full that either thei doe fall of or els sometymes burst in fonder The Romaines whose common weale farre excelled all others purposyng to remedie this sore appointed their officers but of short tyme whiche thyng Aristotle in his Politiques doeth not moche discommend Some were for a moneth some for halfe a yere some for a tweluemoneth as thei had lawes for requirings again soche money as any officer ruler or other put in trust with the commoÌ„ affaires did against the worship of their aucthoritie take for false iudgemente in the waie of briberie or otherwise Whiche if he had been found giltie he was compelled to restore no lesse then if he had stollen the same And soche lawes bee those that were made â–ª and bare the names of their makers Calphurnius Eecilius Seruilius Aâ—ilius and Iulius whiche all were lawes touchyng the restitucion of money â–ª Of whiche you maie reade moche in Marcus Tullius Cicero â–ª and other writers of the Romaine Histories The argument of the second Chapiter That officers â–ª although thei doe not all seâ— to one thyng yet their whole drifte must bee all to one ende that is the ornaments of the common 〈…〉 NEither be thei all of one sorte or all of one kinde of function whiche bee put in truste to gouerne the common affaires in shires Yet not withstandyng the marke whereat thei must all shoote is that the bodie of the whole common weale bee preserued and saued whiche is but one bee the dominion or power neuer so greate and so named but one as the gouernour or head therof is but one And like as in euery house all the implementes thereof be put to their proper vses and yet be directed and haue respect vnto the common commoditie of the whole familie so I doe graunt in euery citie town and shire a priuate kinde of gouernement one not aunsweryng to an other For the diuersitie of the place of the trafficque of the people and of liuyng causeth receiueth some varietie but such as it doeth ioigne in one for the profite of the whole Countrie whiche therefore is one bicause it hath respecte vnto one prince as one head of whom it receiueth lawes ordinaunces iniunctions and all soche thinges as apparteine to the wealth and dignitie thereof And this is the cause wherefore in this earthly citie we bee prepared towarde that whiche is in heauen wherein we acknowledge Christe our heade whiche must be the goale of our race that after the ceasing of that whiche is mortall and shall shortely decaie wee may come to that whiche is euerlastyng the onely reward of the life past Euen so euery particuler assemble hath his churche but ruled after the image of that whiche we call generall or catholique wherein is the holye communion of sainctes after whiche as a leader all other be streightened and receiue their staie Againe the higher officers in euery Citie towne shire and politique gouernaunie haue other whiche be also vnder theim accordynge vnto the diuersitie of their offices The chiefe of those be the Shirifes or suche as stande in roume of the pretor among the Romayns whose office is to see that iudgementes be vpright and sincere and that euery man accordynge to the rule of iustice haue his owne For the administration of Iustice is so necessarie that no kingdome no citie no assemble of men can either be begonne or coÌ„tinue without it whiche is not onely an ornament to the common weale as a garlande to a maide but laieth the foundacion and sure grouÌ„dworke of the same And hereupon thexecution of iudgement is called the kinges handemaide without whiche he ought not to come abroade or thinke him selfe a king They therefore to whom thexecution of iudgement is committed ought to do their endeuour by all meanes lest their duetie neglected they either perswade theim selues a certaine râ—tchlesnesse and securitie or being with bribes corrupted or allured by parcialitie do despise the outcrie of the people and doe not iudge vprightlie For it is no small burden that such a man hath vndertaken and laied vpon his shoulders but the verie charge of God whereof he shall not escape but geue a sure accompt in the greate daie of the Lord although by some collusion conueyaunce or other pretenced lye he hath escaped the handes of his Prince when he hath done euil For iudgement is the lordes as Esaie saieth This is the waie walke in it neither do ye decline either on the right or lift hande And Iosophat appoincted Iudges of the lande in the citees of Iuda fortified in euery place and commaunded the Iudges saiyng looke what ye doe For you dooe not exercise the iudgement of man but of God And what soeuer ye shall iudge it shall retourne vpon your self Moreouer the prophane powers soche as haue been stained with impietie would that iudgemeÌ„tes should be vndefiled In consideracion whereof Cambises the Porsian kyng commaunded the Iudge whom he had perceiued to haue iudged vniustly to be flain and flain quicke and his skinne to be hanged vp before the iudgemente seate whereby his soonne was enforced vprightly to giue right iudgement Alexander Seuerus likened soche menne to theues affirmyng that if any came to meete hym he was ready with his finger to plucke out his iyes But to the entente my talke maie driue to some ende and that I maie not seme as it wer to tell a tale to a deaffe manne I must procede to other matters since that this thing is so moche bewailed of many that it cannot easely be amended But the estate of the Iudges officers is so moche the more to be borne with all bicause thei do not them selues pronounce sentence but giue iudgement which thei doe take of other but yet of their felowes in commission thei be not to be reproued specially if thei had any knowledge in the lawe and were not led with affections Albeit there be among them some of singuler vprightnesse whiche neuer refuse to followe equitie wherevnto thei be naturally moued and would iudge that whiche wer
ones haue fallen into it haue had any power to escape Yea that manne might holde himself happie whiche beyng wiped of all his worldly wealthe could saue his wiues honestie and his doughters froÌ„ those vilaines Whiche argueth that no warre can be well waged where the Lawe of armes is not well vsed â—herein the souldiours haue neither regarde to honestie nor godlines but measure bothe right and lawe by rauine waste and destruction But here peraduenture some man will although it bee to small purpose obiecte vnto me that there bee orders and lawes appoincted for the warres wherewith the souldiours maie be kept vnder and punished for spoiles and robberies In deede in olde tyme there was vsed a kinde of Discipline not onely to gouerne men at home but also in the warres that euery man should dooe his duetie that euery man should dooe no more then by ordinaunce was adiudged lawfull that euery vagabond and light persone should not become a souldiour but onely soche as could bee content to obeie their capitaine defende their countrey valâ—auntly encounter their enemie saue their freindes harmelesse and finallie in all their doynges submit theimselues to the lawe of armes Whereby it was so vsed that as no warre was allowed or thought iuste vnles it were lawfully denounced and openlie proclaimed and that either for defence of their countrey or els to recouer thynges that tofore were vniustlie taken awaie So euery thyng was solempnelie obserued accordyng to the lawes prescribed by the Haroldes Iustice beeyng had in this estimacion Capitaines were wount as patrones to protecte soche citees and countreis as thei had conquered neither would thei haue suffered them to be ouer runne vnlesse it had been for some singulare vnfaithfulnes stubburne resistance But in the warres of our time al smacke of iustice whiche Plato calleth the fence or bande of a Citie all respecte of relligion all feare of God is so fallen out of mennes breastes that many haue no greater delite then to deuise howe to robbe bothe friende and foe To whiche insolencie not the common Souldiours onlie but also the moste parte of the Capitaines heades and rulers be giuen whose misdemeanour is the lesse to be borne withall bicause it is a perniciouse president to the coÌ„mon souldier to commit that which nether the lawe of armes ne any right nor verie nature bothe permit not considering the saying of him whiche â—rieth in the deserte We muste at the length bring furthe frute worthy of repentance for as moche as the following of warres and â—ncamping of Souldiers is lawfull so farre as euery man is coÌ„tent with his wages without any further vexation of other Which thing is at this daie so moche contemned that euery man almost had rather lacke bothe his eyes yea euen his life then soche thinges as he getteth by rauine and robbery whiche their doinges escape not vnpunished for besides the reuengement at goddes hande whiche thei cannot eschew thei be in so great daunger that thei caÌ„not enioye any â—onge time those goodes whiche thei so violently and rauenouslie haue taken from Widowes orphaÌ„s the innocent and the neadie or elles liyng pitifully sicke be constrayned to spende the same vppon surgerie plaisters balunâ—â—s oyntmentes vntill soche time as in felle tormentes they at length miserably ende their liues Which mischief albeit thei fortune to auoyde yet soche goodes shall neuer come to their heires Besides that they shalbe enforced in hell after their death to abide extreme punishment and torture conuenient to their so wicked and detestable thieuerie yea vntill they haue answered the vttermost farthing and that by the iust iudgement of God that no man maie thinke that he maie enriche him self and do others iniurie vnpunished nether to make so manie Widowes and fatherles Children onlie but most vtlely to take from them both thinges necessarie for the maintenance of their lâ—ues and also to vncouer such thinges as nature and honestie would haue to be couered Whiche spoyle of men and waste of thinges the pietie and â—lemencie of Kinges and Princes whiche be their chiefs giftes of grace maie onely preueÌ„t For so it behoueth a Prince to do his dâ—utie bothe at home and in the warres nether to drawe furth his sworde vpon the good but vppon the euill onlie Wherupon Diocletian for all that he was a wicked tiraunt yet by nature vnderstood that it was a wounderfull hard matter to gouerne wel so that many men thinke that good princes be so rare that thei may be all as it were enclosed in one ringe Whiche therfore must oftimes be put in remembrance that the good maie learne by the euill how shameful and vnhonest a thing it is not dulie to execute that highe vocation which is appointed them from God to replenishe euery place with bloud and manslaughter to regard a subiect no more then an enemie Wheras euerie good Prince woulde rather according vnto the good zeale of Scipio Africanus the elder saue a thousand enemies then â—â—ase one subiect This therfore is very maÌ„hoode this is very clemencie which maketh the Prince diligeÌ„tly to coÌ„sider that if he must neades warre it beloÌ„geth to God and not to him moche lesse ought he either him self or permit any other to attempt any cruell vnlawful or tirannicall enterprise and which were contrarie to clemencie For God knoweth the nuÌ„ber of our heares whiche is the least thing in man and will require the harme of one that is iniuried at his handes whiche doth the iniurie Herupon we do reade that the whole raigne of AlexaÌ„der Seuerus was continued without bloudshed for that he was verie warie that no innocent and giltles person were murthered Woulde to god that christenne men would so vse themselues for so Christendome might reste in more quiet and suffer lesse spoyle Learne therefore ye that be aduaunced to so highe an estate by God that ye maie both stande in the stede of goddes whiche are renoumed for the benefites employed vpon men and also maie gouerne his people with iustice meakenes and clemencie whiche most becomme princes as experience teacheth and learne also that ye be men your selues whiche in the great daie of the Lord must yelde the greater accompt the higher the vocation is wherunto ye be called when it shalbe no excuse to saye I thought not so Moche lesse then oughte you to thinke that he whiche pulleth downe the proude and highe minded and placeth the humble in their seates will suffer himself to be deluded Let clemencie therfore and pietie the onlie ornament of a prince stand before your eyes for it doth alwayes esteme the common profit before the priuate it causeth a good prince to be desirous not onelie to be called a father of his countrey but also a Citezein As Claudian writeth to the Emperour Theodosius Thou citezen and parent art care thou for eche degree Not for thy self nor yet thine ovvne but publique profite see Be mercifull for vvhen in
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
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
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
not so moche by forreyne as by ciuill warres and soche rebellioÌ„s as rose amongst them selues Wherwith when they had well beaten weried them selues they perceiued that ambition and contempt of the common weale the rule of manie of the mightier sorte beyng dissolued were the occasion that Iulius Cesar after manie sore bruntes and lamentable miseries of the Citie at the length gote the hole Empire Which after his pitiful murder deuolued to Augustus and so to other vntill it came to forreyners as they were by their souldiours aduauÌ„ced till at the last it was deuided into the easte weaste And finallie by reason y â— the bouÌ„des of Christendome were negligently defended it was brought by Charles the great into Germanie the Egle so dispoyled of her fethers as some thinke that she were not able to finde postes and post horses if the Peeres of the Empire did not otherwise prouide I could here also declare manie flourishing kingdomes whiche bare great stroke while these Monarchies yet endured and manie common weales worthily aduaunced whiche persuading themselues to be in sauetie and contemnyng other in comparison of them by their great fal euen in their greatest pompe learned how vnconstaunt fortune is Moreouer who so will coÌ„sider the kingdome of Israell and the Iewes ouer whome God himselfe set anointed Kinges and iudges and would that thei should be a terrour to the gentiles to passe ouer the dominions of Samaria Egipte Macedonie the Gothes whiche brought an hundred thousand menne out of Hungarie into Germanie the Vandales whiche fraied not Affrike onely but also Germanie and many other Seigniories who so further will remember how thâ— Rome the Ladie of all the worlde hath been so ofte taken and sackt that Carthage so famous and matche to Rome was so destroied that Hierusalem was so ofte taken and laste of all vtterlie defaced that Athenes and Lacedemone the twoo iyes of Grece were broughte to ruyne and raced euen to the grounde shall easelie perceiue what calamitie ensueth vpon warres and that the iniquitie deliciousnesse and vnthankfulnesse of manne towarde his creatour riotte and impietie be scourged with that whip whiche argueth the iuste vengeaunce of God that thei maie well saie with the Prophete Beholde this daie we bee seruauntes our corne is multiplied vnto the princes whiche thou hast set ouer vs for our sinnes whiche be Lordes ouer our bodies yea ouer our wiues and daughters Neither nede we to seke forrein examples consideryng that Germanie and other Countreis adioigned to the Empire haue store therof and mo then in dede be requisite For not to make mencion of antiquities who can sufficiently declare what calamitie waste and spoile moste part of men haue tasted in our tyme For intelligence whereof aske Saxonie Gelderland Friselande Brabant Flaunders all the lowe countreis Fraunce Italie speciallie Lombardie and a greate parte of East Fraunce whiche hath been pitifullie wasted and thei by experience can tell you how sore the smart of warre pincheth how sharpe a rodde it is to punishe the iniquitie of the worlde Whiche soche shall sone tourne awaie as will fall to praier call vpon God euen from the botome of their hartes But although God would euen froÌ„ the beginning that these examples should be written and kept in memorie that men might learne thereby to looke vpon theimselues and to amende their liues consideryng howe thei ought to conuert from their sinnes if thei will auoide the greate plague of heauen I meane the stroke of 〈…〉 es yet the Iewes alone were sufficient to put vs in minde of reformyng our liues and to declare vnto vs that the transgressyng of Goddes commaundemente hath neuer escaped vnreuenged For this is the people whiche he loued aboue all other to whom the promise of redempcion was made froÌ„ heauen which by a thousande figures and miracles was deliuered froÌ„ the heauie yoke of bondage whiche passed the sea drifoote whiche sawe Pharao that persued theim with a greate armie drouned at the closyng of the waters whiche should haue been conueighed into the lande of the wicked whiche had aboundaunce of Milke and Honie whiche receiued drinke out of the rocke and bread from heauen But bicause thei would not heare god whiche so oft warned theÌ„ thei were so plagued that in those fowrtie yeres wherin thei wer constrained to wander in the deserte emong serpentes and wilde beastes all thei that were brought forth of Egipte to the nâ—mber of sixe hundred thousande men were destruied and slaine euery one sauyng Iosue and Calephe by whose guiding and counsaill the reste were conueyed into the lande of promesse WhoÌ„ God so dearely loued that he would his onely soonne our sauiour to bee borne emongest them to teache to woorke miracles and laste of all by his death to purchace vnto vs life Whome when thei beyng wickedly â—â—nt woulde not acknowledge either by warre he destroied or by captiuitie dispersed into the whole worlde and gaue theim ouer to bee despised of all the worlde for ensample of Goddes vengeaunce whiche is ordeined for soche as will not repeÌ„t for their sinnes The outrage of warre is so pestiferous an euill so contagious and cankryng that she poureth her poison bothe vpon forriners and a farre of and ere she be seen she pearceth more deadlie then any Cocatrice For who is so blinde that he dooeth not see that these warres kept emong christen Princes for priuate quarelles haue giuen a merueilous encouragemente and hope to the enemies of the Empire to encroche vpon that wherevnto thei haue no right title and what decaie thei haue been vnto all christendome And for ensample to make mencion but of one whiche hath been an Helene or principall cause of the moste part of this trouble wherevnto if ye doe adde the disagremente of Princes and ciuill debates you shall perceiue nothyng lackyng that maie tend to the common destruccion of the whole worlde how many of the Lumbardes haue had occasion hereby to fall to murder robberie manslaughter spoile besides the making of widowes the vndoyng of fatherlesse childreÌ„ and deâ—â—ouring of maidens beside the prophaning of sacred thinges and a thousande other kindes of impietie How many kyngdomes hath the Turke an vnapeasable and mortall enemie to all Christians hereby conquered That all good menne complaine saiyng that the ambicion of our Princes ministereth occasion to the Turke of victorie Now if we will accoumpt from the yere of our Lorde M. D. when Lewes the Frenche kyng firste inuaded Milaine the chief toune in Lumbardie and draue out the Duke thereof you shall vnderstande how greatlie Christendome hath been endammaged sence the moste mightie Princes haue coÌ„tended who should haue the most iust title to the same Belligrade the onely Bulwarke of Hungarie was violently wonne Rhodes whiche could not be lightly assaulted was taken the countreis of Bachie and Syrmie were wasted Varadine by siege loste Lewes the kyng slain in the fielde Buda sacked a great part of Hungarie
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