POLITICK MAXIMS AND OBSERVATIONS Written by the most learned HVGO GROTIVS Translated for the ease and benefit of the English STATES-MEN BY H.C. S.T.B. LONDON Printed for Humphrey Moseley and are to be sold at his Shop at the Princes Armes in Saint Paul's Church-yard 1654 To the Reader I Shall not beg pardon for this Addresse to the English Readers What is here presented to view is the Digest of the immortal HUGO GROTIUS The Subject matter was first lent by that learned Frier CAMPANELLA but hee was rather the Occasion than the Author For CAMPANELLA'S share of this work was onely a piece of his Philosophia realis which had slept forgotten had not GROTIUS ' wak'd it by these admirable Observations And these speak the Author so fully that you 'l confesse he travail'd farther while he sate stil then ever Vlysses was feign'd to do and without the Encounters of Circe and the Sirens not onely {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Now if you suspect the English falls short of GROTIUS own Latine I would gladly know who it is that can reach it but if you look for the sense faithfully renderd and-reasonably you can expect no more I assure you 't is done and that on his word who hath chosen rather to lose his livelyhood than to subscribe to a Lye Farewell To the most learned HUGO GROTIUS the Author OUr Ages Wonder by thy Birth the Fame Of Belgia by thy Banishment the Shame Who to more knowledge younger didst arrive Than forward Glaucius yet art still alive Whose Masters oft for suddenly you grew To equall and passe those and need no new To see how soon how far thy Wit could reach Sat down to wonder when they came to teach Oft then would Scaliger contented be To leave to mend all times to polish thee And of that paines effect did highlyer boast Than had he gain'd all that his Fathers lost When thy Capella read which till thy hand Had clear'd grave and learned did under stand Though well thou might'st at such a tender age Have made ten lessons of the plainest page That King of Criticks stood amaz'd to see A work so like his own set forth by thee Nor with lesse wonder on that Work did look Than if the Bridgroom had begot the book To whome thy age and act seem'd to unite At once the Youth of Phoebus and the Light Thence lov'd thee with a never dying flame As the adopted heir to all his Fame For which care wonder love the riper daies Paid him with just and with eternall praise Who gain'd more honour from one verse of thine Than all the Canës of his Princely line In that he joy'd and that oppos'd to all To Titius spright to hungry Schoppius gall To what with cause disguised Bonarcius writes To Delrio's rage and all his Loyolites But though to thee each tongue each art be known As all thy time that had imploy'd alone Though truth do naked to thy sight appear And scarce can we doubt more then thou canst cleer Though thou at once do'st different glories joyne A lofty Poet and a deep Divine Canst in the purest phrase cloath solid sence Scaevola's Law in Tulli's eloquence Though thy imployments have excel'd thy pen Shew'd thee much skil'd in Books but more in men And prov'd thou canst at the same easie rate Correct an Author and uphold a State Though rare praise do a full truth appear To Spain and Germany who more do fear Since thou thy aid didst to that State afford The Swedish counsels then the Swedish sword All this yet of thy worth makes but a part And we admire thy head lesse then thy heart Which when in want was yet too grave to close Though woo'd with thy ungratefull countries foes When their chief Ministers strove to entice And would have bought thee at what ever price Since all our praise and wonder is too small For each of these what shall we give for all Above the reach or stroke of Fortune live Not valuing what she can take or give For low desires oppresse the loftiest state And who lookes down on vice looks down on Fate FALKLAND MANIPVLVS POLITICVS OR Politique Maxim's and Cautions PART I. CHAP. I. Of Politique Communities 1. THE Sense and Apprehension of Mans self-insufficiency was the first thing that link'd men into communities For Man finding himselfe unable to stand alone was compell'd by Necessity to betake himselfe to the support of others 2. Dominion therefore requires the Union of many into one Body which is called thence a Community a Policy or Body because no Man can Politically be his owne Lord nor the Lord of any one singular person 3. Dominion is two fold 1. Naturall or 2. Violent By the Naturall the Soule rules the Body Parts and Affections By the Uiolent the Affections sometimes Lord it over the Reason Observator 4. Man is borne to hold Society with All Men an evident signe whereof is his Speech and naturall tender affections if they be not corrupted by Education 5. 6. There is a threefold Community 1. Of Soules or Mindes 2. Of Bodies 3. Of Fortunes First the Community of Minds which is call'd RELIGION and that is the chiefe community which is the very Soule of Policy the shield of Naturall Justice and it is the great Tye that links man to God and man to man whence Religion hath its name à Religando Observat. This Religious Union is evident amongst the Jewes but more amongst True Christians amongst Mahumetans very little amongst Pagans none at all unlesse we rather regard the bare sound of the Name then any Morall effect 2. The Community of Bodies This stands in the second ranck of Tye's or Combinations By this the Great Turk rules over Mahumetans Iewes and Christians which under his Empire are united in Body although in Soule and Religion far differing 3. Community of Fortunes or Goods obtaines the third place By this the Turk rules over the Turks and Ragusians too and the King of Spaine over the Genoese Neapolitane and Spaniard for the Geneoese have estates lying in that Kings Territories and traffique there Some Communities there are mixt of all these three CHAP. II. Of the Function and Degrees of Lords and Rulers whence flowes the divers kinds of Republiques and regiments c. Of their Circulations c. HEe Naturally Rules that excells in vertue He naturally serves that is Inferiour in vertue or has none at all Where the contrary is there the dominion is violent 2. Politique Excellency consists either in the 1. Mind or 2. Body or 3. Both 3. He rules best that excells in both as CAESAR did He Rules next-best that excells in Mind as Vlysses Thirdly He that excells in Body that is in strength and activity as Ajax Observator But being it is Naturall for the Soule to excell the Body He that by strength of body over-rules them that excell in mind rules
designes All these Customes the Commonwealth of Venice observes as a Law Except onely that shee lies open to Fear yet not in her Counsels but from Forraigners through want of a Militia of her own For want of the first Publique Wealth the Genoesse are not Lords of the Sea nor of the new world c. For want of the fifth that is unliablenesse to feare and desire the Genoesse are as it were servants to Forraign Princes For want of the Third vix Just Government abroad the French could never fix their Dominion without the Verge of France In which the Spaniard is peccant too Every where severely and ceremoniously Lording it not at all regarding the manners and Temper of the People they rule over For want of the Fourth Custome that is freedom of speech the Florentine Republique went to wrack Observator Manners doubtlesse i.e. Customes can do more then Laws and either add vigour to the or take it from them Customs have brought Laws under their subjection Obs. Customs are either from 1. Disposition of People or 2. Institution and Education 1. For disposition The French now have much of the old Gaules in them Humanity and Ficklenesse saies the Observator give me leave to adde Feaverish Valour in Warre which L. Florus observes in their Progenitors the Gaules * In their first onsets they are more then Men in their second lesse then Women 2. For Education what power that has over Nature consult Xenophon about the Persians and Lacedomonians 18. Good governors bring in good customes ill men and women ill customes Ergo neither ill men nor any woman are fit to rule the law of Nations is the custome of the whole species 1 All mankind 19. Not a Rigid but easie government fit the Nâ—rthern Nations ☞ as being by nature a fierce people and will hardly brook the Fetters of a Republique as Tartars Muscovites Suedes Germans Switzers c. Where they have Kings by succession the people have much liberty and the Prince little power yet after the Roman Culture they began to live more severely and regularly then before But For Southern People especially those that live under the Tropiques no Dominion fits them but the Despotique 1 Lordly Rule and the severest Lawes because they are weak in strength but strong in subtlety For which Reason they were ever very much addicted to Ceremonies Superstitions c. Observat. The Muscovite and Tartar are * Slavishly Governed for there the North bears Easterly The King dome of Swethland is become Hereditary by occasion of Religion but under such Lawes as are observed in Elective Kingdomes 20. Eastern People incline much to the disposition of the Southern as the Western to the Northern by reason of the Sea adjoyning to them and for other Causes but the Spaniard is like in conditions to the African by his Vicinity or Neighbourhood CHAP. V. Of Legislators 1. A Legislator is he who Foundeth a New Empire commonly upon new Laws Religion and Armes Rites and Fortunate Essayes or Enterprises as Moyses a good Legislator Mahomet a * wicked one A Lawgiver therefore is either a God as Christ or the messenger of God as Moses or a subtle Politician ☞ that can counterfeit the good ones as Minos Osiris Jupiter Mahomet Zamolxis and the like who to gain belief and love from the People feigned themselves to be sent from God For ☞ A Lawgiver should be most renowned most wise most Divine and most Reverend Observator To pretend the Commands of God might perhaps bring some successe to a * skillfull man amongst a rude and ignorant People as Sertorius amongst the Spaniards or to the Spaniard now * grown civill and learned too amongst the Americans by the help of Naturall Philosophie Physick and Astronomic But in a learned age and place This Plot and Artifice is cold and ridiculous 2. Every Artist because is wise is a King in his owne Art for a Physician hee 's Lord and Ruler over a sicke King and so a Mariner in a Tempest saies to the Priests and Captaines and the principall men Sit you here stand thou there c. Therefore must the Lawgiver be versed in all these Arts at least understand their ends how they conduce either to the prosit or prejudice of the Republique to purge out the superfluous and retain the necessary Hence it was Plato banish'd Poets out of his Republique because they were full of lies and Ribaldry and by crying up wicked men cry'd down goodnesse and discouraged vertue Hence Moyses expell'd false Prophets and Painters that pictured the Deity and Hucksters and whoremongers c. A Legislator must bee throughly skill'd in the Temperament and manners of Countries by the Air and the Earth as likewise happy or unhappy accidents that usually befall such and such a place c. as Inundations Fires Leprosies Famines c. 3. Legislators ought to reform and purifie not Exth pate Religion 4. The Noblest Profession in Mountainous Countries are 1. Shepheards as in Switzerland and Scythia In plain Conutries 2. Husbandmen as in AEgypt In Maritime Countries 3. Seamen and Merchants who for the profit they bring in the monies that they returne and exchange and arts and Trades they bring from Forraigne Countries have ever been held in highest place and esteem But Where other especially superfluous Arts are preferred before these Imminent both losse and ruine must needs follow after 5. A Divine Legislator hath the Idea of his own Repubque in the Court of Heaven The Humane Lawgiven in the Government of the Universe and mans Body 6. Man Male and Female are the Elements of a Republique who consists of 1. Soul 2. Body and External 3. Goods 1. The Soul of a Republique is Wisdome and Religion 2. The Body a Senate or Grand Councell or whoever bear any Office advantagious to the Publique 3. For Externall good the Republique hath Souldiers Mercenary and Auxiliary and Forraign Merchants and Artificers For spirits she hath Lawes For Eyes the searchers into Arts and Sciences For ears Spies and Merchants For a Tongue Preachers and Doctors and Embassadors For hands her own Militia For feet Husbandmen and Tradesmen 7. As naturally the Soul rules the * Spirits Policically but the Body Despotically 1. by an Imverious and arbitrary way and the Body rules the Estate as the Soule dictates to it so Religion has a Politique Dominion over Lawes and the Senate but over Souldiers Tradesman such like both Senate Law and Religion rule proportionably 8. Goods of the Mind are first to be look'd after next those of the Body Those of Fortune in the third place Observat. The Lawes of friendship have a stricter tie then those of Civill society Here endeth the first part of Politique Maxims and Cautions MANIPVLVS POLITICVS OR Politique Maxim's and Cautions PART II. CHAP. VI Of Colonies and Cities THey that Rule over Countries lying under several Climes must either govern them by distinct Laws or
make exchanges of Inhabitants by mutuall transplantations So the Romans to secure their Empire carried Colonies over into Germany that by their example the Germanes unaccustomed to Romane Lawes might be the better acquainted with and subject to them Observator The Trans-Rhine which are the true and proper Germanes for the much greatest part were never Conquer'd by the Romans but retain'd sans mixture their own Language and Manners till under Lotharius they â—oluntarily submitted to the Romane Yoak You shall find more Germane Families in Italy then Roman Families in Germany 2. Colonies are best made up of Citizens bred up in the Metropolis of the Kingdome or in the Neighbouring Towns for example either of Romans or Latines and because so many be planted as will be able to defend the Province and any Enemy whatever 3. If Colonies be sent from a Free-State it is good to build their Cities on the tops of the Hills for defence of their Liberty if from a Monarch better in the Plain 4. That Cities may wax great 't is expedient they be Situate either upon the Banks of Rivers or neare the Sea-shore and in a Plain Where necessaries for life are easiest to be had commerce with strangers is most convenient But for the Defence of Liberty and Lawes and the Non-impayring of Valour they are more commodiously seated upon Mountaines and Rocks Withall great respect is to be had to the wholesomnesse of Water and Air and Winds and the Prospect to the severall Quarters of the Heavens 5. Planters of Colonies are to be divided into 1. Governors as Priests and Judges 2. Protectors as Soul-diers and Commanders 3. Artizans and such as * feed the Republique As Husbandmen Shepherds and the like Observator Nothing hinders but he that Vses Husbandry may also follow a Trade either by himselfe or his Wife Rules that prescribe exact proportions of allowances for every person in a Plantation do often faile in the Practique Plaines bear most Corn Mountaines most Wool Hence c. came Chaffering and Exchanging and Merchandizing and stamping of Goynes c. and for want of Souldery hereupon were Forts and Guns invented CHAP. VII Of the instruments to gain keep Kingdomes c. TO gain keep and govern Kingdomes there are three principal l instruments The 1. Tongue 2. Sword 3. Treasure 1. For the Tongue t is the instrument of Religion and Prudence That is of the Goods of the Minde 2. The sword is the proper Instrument of the Body and its Goods 3. Treasure is more the Instrument of Fortunes and Estates which serves the Body and Minde onely Secondarily but the true Instruments are the Tongue and the Sword 2. They that use the sword only founding their power upon that those quickly lose their dominion as Tamberlaine Attila and Brennus and most of the Northern nations The Jesuites in Japan gaine first soules then Kingdomes to Spaine and the Papacy by their tongues There be that gaine Dominion by crying up some new sect built upon some specious colour of truth by sowing discord betwixt the old Religion the new Sect which shall be attempted and fitted to the gust and palate of the multitude But such Dominion is of it selfe not very long liv'd Ring-leaders of Heresies although commonly they gain much they keep little as for example John of Leydon Dulcinus Theudas Observat. John of Leydon was an ignorant fellow a person of of no worth at all who through the hatred against the Priests of his time whose lives were abominable in the eyes of all men gathered together a rabble of the basest people They that use well the sword and tongue do lay the foundations of durable Dominion but then the sword must be just and the tongue veracious Thus did Moses build the Empire of the Jews namely in veracity and justice which impious Machiavell never took into consideration p. 147. The Law of Moises survived the Empire of the Jews but Mahomets Laws shall sink with his Empire Thus fell the laws of Alexander with his person and power Thus Numa's Belus and Minos Pythagoras and Zamolxis his lawes are extinct even for want of justice and veracity He that knows not how to give lawes to those he conquers doth quickly lose the Kingdome he has gain'd Thus Charles the fifth lost Tunis and Germany which he had wonne for want of skill to secure his conquest by the addition of Lawes and Colonies This misfortune often befell King Pirrhus but not so the Romans Observ. He had need be a very wise man that can give lawes to men of a different Religion that shal be lasting and fitted to the disposition of them that receive them as it appears by the Romans in Jewry who did the utmost of their endeavour with all their skill strived to establish the state and tranquility of that untractable people by lawes conforme to their tempers and humors as the excellent orations of King Agrippa and Josephus made to their Countrymen the Jews do witnesse 5. he that defends his Dominions by sword and tongue preserves them better and more safely then he that makes use but of onely one For 6. Men of Arts are usually oppressed by Men of Armes Thus Saturn being a Priest as antient Kings were left his Kingdome to Jupiter and Perseus the Warriour dethron'd Atlas the Scholler and Astrologer Thus was Pythagoras supported by souldiers * and the Pope till such time as he felt the use of his weapons was often made a prey to his enemies and many times good man to his friends Observator Here the thrice worthy Grotius notes well upon this late passage concerning the Bishop of Rome that the benigne aspects of opportunity made way for that power which the Pope now enjoyes as for instance the Christian World split into many petty Kingdomes Italy torn in pieces and sluggish withall an age too dull to apprehend the meaning of that Artifice in due time and diverse other causes which you may find in Guicciardin and Machiavell 7. He that uses only Armes for the defence of his Empire and neglects witt and eloquence makes but a paper building rules but weakly and this is the reason why the Emperor of Germany prevailes no more having a people of different perswasions in Religion to rule over and usually such Princes become a prey to those that make the best use of their witts Hence came it that the Popes did so frequently make and un-make Emperors at their pleasure Therefore as Salust observes did the Romans wisely ever exercise both mind and body together For He that exerciseth both makes his Empire last longest as the King of the Turkes and Abassines and the Dake of Muscovy Fabulous Philosophy affirms as much whiles it gives Pallas the Goddesse of wisdome a Book and a Spear to make her invincible but to Mars only Arnour who as the Poets sings was therefore often Conquered Hence was it that 9. The Northern Nations that fell like swarms
the Father of Syllogisme and the first discoverer of Fallacy might advance all Truths both Natural Morall and Sacred more did not men abuse him to Sophisticall ends then all the whole RACE of Philosophers ever did or will do 12. Religion that is repugnant to common Policy although it be beneficiall to one particular City or Province is subject to a change or Reformation and therefore cannot last long as the decree of Moyses about the choise meates and the Apostles of abstaining from Idols and things strangled 1. There are therefore some Lawes convenient for time and Place and Person as abstinence from swines flesh for the Jewes subject to Leprosie 2. Other Lawes are eternall profitable for all Nations as to Honour our Parents 3. Some againe are pernicious to all places and times as that a man doth sin by destiny and does profit in any thing without liberty in some degree of his own Wil. Observator Here Grotius affirmes that the Law of not eating Swines flesh is of so long continuance that it not onely remaines in use amongst the Jewes at this day but with the Mahometan Arabians and Abassin Christians and not without good cause for that food in those Regions begets the Scab As for that antient custom of abstaining from blood and strangled things it was a long time observed by the Christians either out of hope to gaine the Jewes or out of Reverence to Antiquity and that it has nothing in it contrary to Republiques or Communities the continued observation of it through Christian Greece and all the East and the Edict of Leo the Emperor make evident 13. All Religions and Sects have their proper Circles and Revolutions as Republiques have from Monarchy into Tyranny thence into Aristocracy thence into Oligarchy from that into a Polity and so into a Democracy and then revert back again into Monarchy at last either by the same or some other Track So when Sects arrive at Atheisme the very Extremes of all mischiefe fall upon the Peoples head and the fiercenesse of Gods wrath breaks in upon them upon which but through many affections they return to their Pristine good Condition ☞ But when once they come to that passe that they deny the Providence of God and the Immortality of the soule they must needs suffer either an absolute change or a Reformation because the Curb of Conscience is taken out of the peoples mouth and so being themselves wicked they become a prey to no lesse wicked Princes and thereupon tyred with evils past they gladly embrace any Lawgiver whether hee be good or bad 14. The Sects of Philosophers passed not from one opinion to an other ☞ any further then Epicurus and there they stopt who denying God and Providence all their Sects were utterly destroy'd as Laertius excellently observes The Religion established by Moyses when once the Sadduces crept in that denyed the Immortality of the Soul suffer'd a Reformation by our Lord CHRIST * who brought immortality to all our soules When the Gentiles fell into down-right Atheism they fell into a world of miseries as appears under the Romane Emperors whose lawlesse Licentiousnesse marr'd all as Cato in Salust and Lucan the Poet observe The Sect of the Libertines that held sin to be no sin spring out of the Calvinists as the Author but most slanderously affirmes Most of the Transylvanians deny the Immortality of the Soul and the Holy Trinity That most impious Book of the three Impostors the Fryer would gladly fasten also upon the Reformed Churches But as Grotius notes it was Father'd long since upon the Emperor Frederick the second but adds withall that hee never saw the man that saw that Book 15. The Author as it becomes a Fryer to do Ex Officio Pleados high for the Temporall sword of the Pope and an armed Priesthood affirming that the great Turk the King of Persia Tartarie Moors and the King of Fez living all under an unarmed naked Priesthood are by that meanes split into so many Hereticall opinions whereas the Kings of France Spain Germany and the Republique of Venice and many other potent Princes united in one Religion under an armed Priest the Pope have no Heresies started amongst them but with manifest hazard of their Crownes and Kingdomes Observator The Sophie of Persia after many years began to innovate some thing in the rites of Prayer and Fasting made white hats or Turbants for the Cognizance of his Faction But at long running the Posterity of this Sophy by pretences of Sanctity so bewitch'd the people that in the end they Translated the Crown of Persia from the Assumbetan Kings to their own 16. 17. These two Paragraphs savour altogether of the Cell and the Cowle asserting the necessity at conveniency of the Papall Power in Temporalls over Christian Princes Because saies he The Pope 1. Poyzes the differences of Christendome being Umpire of Peace and War 2. That he alwaies takes part with those that suffer wrong neither permits he any King to invade an other Christian Kings Dominion 3. Hee links and unites Christian Princes against the Common Enemies of the Christian faith And 4. By his Crusado's and Indulgences and Excommunications for good and against evill Rulers he does erect and defend the Christian Commonwealth So that without that Pope to speak as a man and Politiquely Christianity had ere this gone to utter ruine And the Author adds his opinion in fine That all Christian Princes would be as one secure from one an other and from strangers too and bee alwaies Victorious would they but once make one Grand Senate at Rome And that the reason why never any one Prince could attain an Universall Monarchy over the rest of Christian Princes was no other then the Temporall Power of his Holinesse which was a Curb in their months But saies hee in the close of all 'T is likely that the Monarchy of Christendom will by little and little fall totally into the Popes hands The Observator answers thus to these two Paragraphs He that with care and diligence will look into story shall find that farre more Warrs have been raised amongst Christians by the Popes of Rome then have been composed But so farr is it from them that they either could or would oppose themselves against the Spaniard that glutton of Empires that on the contrary the Papall Authority alwaies gave colour and countenance to the Spanish avarice as Navarre can sadly witnesse and France in the times of Henry the third And lately with most notorious injustice Armes were raised against the Duke of Mantua yet would hâ—e receive no Assistance at all from the Pope although no bad man The Papall Bulls and Edicts if they availe any thing at all it is with such as are not able to resist them They catch poor flyes but Eagles break through them That Christendom fell not long since into the hands of an Universall Monarch it was no thanks to the Papall Power that hindred it