will upon his owne daughter The custome which the Gaulois and many other people had to immolat and offer criminall men when they had an opinion that God was angrie with them what other thing was it but a following of the sacrifice of Abraham and of the sacrifices that God had commaunded for the expiation of sinnes The Paynims also imitated this of Moses his sacrifices that they immolated the like beasts and reserved also a part of the beast sacrificed to eat So that thereby also it is clearly seene That the Religion of Moses is the primitive and first and that the other religions are but fowle and lazie pourtratures and imitations thereof From hence followeth it That our Christian Religion which draweth his principles from the promises of Messias contained in Moses is the most ancient of the world yea as ancient as the world it selfe For I wil not vouchsafe to stay upō the refutation of the strange opinion of Machiavell and other ancient Philosophers Paynims which have maintained That the world had no beginning but I send them to Empedocles Plato and other ancient Paynim Philosophers which have maintained the contrarie I thinke that the ignorance of the philosophers which held That the world had no beginning shal something excuse them because they never saw the bookes of Moses and in a thing so difficile and hard to comprehend the spirits of men might easily faile But the impietie of Machiavel is no way excusable who hath seene the bookes of Moses yet followeth that wicked opinion like a mocker and contemner of the holy Scripture thinking to shew that he knowes more than others he I say who is ignorant and full of brutish beastlinesse as God willing I shall make knowne As for the simplicitie of the Christian Religion herein it is seene That the Christians Simplicitie of the Christian Religion will know God as he will that we should know him and as he hath manifested himselfe unto us simply without passing further For they are not so presumptuous as were those foolish Paynim philosophers which disputed of the Essence of God and disputing upon that point fell into opinions the most absurd and strange of the world Some after they had much dreamed in their brains cōcluded That the universall world was God others That it was the Soule of the world others That it was the Sun and others set forward certaine other like monstrous opinions They disputed also of his Power of his Eternitie and of his Providence by naturall reasons in all these they knew not how to resolve themselves therein For how is man so prowd and insensible to thinke that his braine which is not halfe a foot large can cōprehend so great and infinit a thing it is as great a foolery and grosenesse as he that in the palme of his hand will comprehend all the waters of the sea A Christian then hath this modestie and simplicitie To know God by those means and according as he will be known of men beleeving That to have a wil to passe further is to enter into darknesse not into knowledge From hence followeth it That the knowledge which a Christian hath of God is the only true knowledge and that all the knowledge that others as Paynims and Philosophers ever had it neither was nor is any other but a shadow and imagination very far from the most part of the truth And touching the excellencie of the doctrine of true Religion herein is it first seene The excellency of the Christian Religion that it is founded upon the promises of God made to the first fathers from the beginning of the world whereby all they that embrace that Religion are assured That God is their father and that he loveth them and that hee will give them eternall life by the meanes of Messias Can there then be any thing more excellent than this Is there any thing in the world that can give more contentment or repose to the spirit of man than this doctrine For when man considereth the brevitie of his dayes the languishments and miseries of this world full of envies enemities all vices and calamities will hee not iudge himselfe more unhappie than the beasts if hee hoped not for an eternall happinesse after this life The poore Paynims having this consideration aspired to an eternitie some in doing worthy acts wherof there should be a perpetuall memorie after them others writ bookes that might bee read after their death others persuaded themselves that the gods would send good mens soules into the Elisian fields and the wicked into the Acherontike and Stigian darkenesse Yet were there some Philosophers which disputed Cice. in Somn. Scipi Plato in Phaedo That the soules of generous and valiant men after death goe to heaven All these opinions and persuasions of men were but to give rest to their minds which iudged man of all creatures most unhappie without an eternall life after this But what assurance had they of these opinions which they gave to themselves These poore people had none neither founded they themselves but upon some weake and feeble reasons For thus they argued That it was not credible that God who is all good would create man who is the most excellent creature in the world to make him most unhappie which hee should doe if he should not enioy an happie and eternall life after this They also say That it is not credible that God which is all iust would equally deale with the good as with the bad which he should doe if there were not another life than this wherein the good might receive a felicitie and the wicked punishment for their misdeeds But what is all this These be but feeble and weake pettie reasons wherupon the spirits and consciences of men can find no good foundation to repose themselves and to take an assured resolution of a salvation and an eternall felicitie But the Christian hath another foundation than this for he knoweth that God is of old gone out if I may so say from his throne in heaven to communicate and manifest himselfe to our auncient fathers to speake vnto them to declare unto them his bountie and love towards mankind hee knowes that God hath made them promises of Messias which he hath since accomplished and that in him he hath promised to give eternall life to all them which lay hold of that Messias and use his meanes to come unto it These promises have ben many times reiterated to our said fathers and in ages well distant one from another that they might not be forgotten but that they might be so much the more cleare and known of every one insomuch that the Paynims themselves which never read our fathers writings have had some knowledge of the promises of God touching Messias they were so cleare not orious and well knowne as we shall say more at full in another place Heare thē for a resolution a great excellencie in this doctrine of Christian
or rather into a manifest tyrannie as will easily appeare unto them which are advertised and have seene how Florence is at this day governed and ruled Besides this booke of a Prince or of a Principalitie Machiavell hath also written three bookes of discoursing upon the first Decade of Titus Livius with ilustrating the other booke of Principalitie is instead of a Commentary thereunto Through all which discourses hee disperseth heere and there a few words out of Titus Livius neither rehearsing the whole deede nor hystorie of the matter for which hee fisheth these words and applyeth them preposterously after his owne fantasie for the most part forcing them to serve to confirme some absurde and strange thing Hee also mixeth heerewith examples of small and pettie Potentates of Italy happening in his time or a little before which are not worth the recitall but are lesse worthie to bee proposed for imitation Yet heerein is hee to bee excused in that hee knew no better for if hee had known better I doubt not but would have brought them to light to have adorned his writings and to have made them more authentike and receiveable But out of those two bookes namely of Principalitie and out of Machiavels discourses I have extracted and gathered that which is properly his owne and have reduced and brought it to certaine Maximes which I have distinguished into three parts as may bee seene heereafter And I have beene as it were constrained so to doe that I might revocate and gather every matter to his certaine heade and place to the end the better to examine them For Machiavell hath not handled every matter in one same place but a little heere and a little there enterlacing and mixing some good things amongst them doing therin as poysoners doe which never cast lumpes of porson upon an heape least it bee perceived but doe most subtillie incorporate it as they can with some other delicate and daintie morsells For if I had followed the order that hee houlds in his bookes I must needes have handled one same point many times yea confusedly and not wholy I have then drawne the greatest part of his doctrine and of his documents into certaine propositions and Maximes and withall added the reasons wbereby he muntaineth them I have also set downe the places of his bookes to leade them thereunto which desire to try what fidelitie I have used either in not attributing unto him any thing that is not his owne or in not forgetting any reason that may make for him wherein so much there wanteth that I feare that any man may impose upon mee to have committed some fault therein that contrarie in some places I have better cleared and lightened his talke reasons and allegations than they bee in his writings And if any man say that I doe wrong him in setting downe the evill things contained in his bookes without speaking of the good things which are dispersedly mixed therewith and might bring honour and grace unto him I answere and will maintaine that in all his writings there is nothing of any valew that is his owne Yet I confesse that there is some good places drawne out of Titus Livius or some other authors but besides that they are not his they are not by him handled fully nor as they should For as I have abovesaid hee onely hath dispersed them amongst his workes to serve as with an honny sweet bait to cover his porson And therefore seeing that that which is good in his writings is taken from other better authors where wee may learne them better for our purpose and more whole and perfect than in Machiavell wee have no cause to attribute honour vnto him nor to thanke him for that which is not his and which wee possesse and retaine from a better shop than his And as for his precepts concerning the militarie art wherewith hee dealeth in his bookes which seeme to bee new and of his owne invention I will say nothing but that men doe not now practise them neither are they thought worthie of observation by them which are well seene in that art as wee may see in that which hee maintaineth That a prince ought not to have in his service any strange soldiors nor to have any fortresses against enemies but onely against his subiects when hee is in feare of them For the contrary heereof is ordinarily seene practised and in truth it sheweth an exceeding great pride and rashnesse in Machiavell that hee dare speake and write of the affaires of warre and prescribe precepts and rules unto them which are of that profession seeing hee had nothing but by heare-say and was himselfe but a simple Secrethrie or Towne-clarke which is a trade as far different from the profession of warre as an harquebush differs from a pen and inckhorne Heerein it fals out to Machiavell as it did once to the philosopher Phormio who one day reading in the Peripatetiâ—e schoole of Greece and seeing arrive Ciâ—ero de Orator Plutarch in Anniball enter thither Anniball of Carthage who was brought thither by some of his friends to heare the eloquence of the philosopher he began to speake dispute with much babling of the lawes of warre and the dutie of a good captaine before this most famous captaine which had forgotten more than ever that proud philosopher knew or had learned When hee had thus ended his lecture and goodly disputation as Anniball went from the auditorie one of his friendes which brought him thither demanded what hee thought of the philosophers eloquence and gallant speach Hee said Truely I have seene in my life many old dottards but I never saw so great an one as this Phormio So I doe not doubt but such as have knowledge in the militarie art will give the like iudgement of Machiavell if they reade his writings will say according to the common proverbe That he speaketh not like a clarke of armes But I leave things touching this matter unto them which have more knowledge therein than I for it is not my purpose any thing to touche that which Machiavell hath handled of the militarie art nor such precepts as concerne the leading of an army By this which wee have before spoken That Machiavell was during the raigne of Charles the eight and Lewis the twelfth kings of France and attained the beginning of At what time and wherefore Machiavell was received into France the raigne of Francis the first It followeth that there hath not beene past fiftie or three-score yeeres since his writings came to light whereupon some may mervaile why hee was not spoken of at all in France during the raigne of king Henry the second and that after them the name of Machiavell did but beginne to bee knowne on this side the mountaines and his writings into some reputation The answere heereunto is not very obscure to such as know how the affaires of France have beene governed since the decease of king Henry the second of
and other vices For as for good and naturall Frenchmen they will never advaunce them because they are strangers vnto them and by consequent suspected not to bee faithfull enough unto them following the said Maxime Where is now then the generositie of our ancient Frenchmen who made themselves redoubted amongst strange nations Where are now our auncestors vertues who have caused the Levant to tremble have sent out their reputation into Asia and hath repulsed and driven back the Gothes and Sarracens out of France Spaine and Italie For it seemeth that at this day the Frenchmen hold no more any thing of their ancestors valour seeing they suffer in comparison to them so few strangers to dominiere so imperiously over them and so to debase themselves and to carry on their backes such insupportable burdens and to suffer themselves to be driven from the Charges and Estates of the common-wealth Truly this is farre from making us to be redoubted and obeyed in strange countries when strangers constreine us to obey them and to take the yoke in our owne countrie This is to doe cleane contrarie to our auncestors who subjected strangers unto them when contrarie we subject our owne selves to strangers The Frenchmen were wont to be reputed franke liberall far from all servitude but now our stupiditie carelesnesse cowardize do make us servants slaves to the most dastardly cowardly nation of Christendome Our ancestors have vanquished and subjugated in battaile by armes great Italian armies but we suffer our selves to be over come by a small number of Italians armed with a rock a spindle and a pen and inckhorne Shall we alwayes be thus bewitched see we not that by secret and and unknowne meanes they overthrow and cause to die by treasons poysonings injustice now one now another of the greatest that they looke to no other marke but to ruinate the nobilitie and all men of valour in France which are suspected to favour the common-weale or disfavour them Be sleepie no longer for it is time to awake and to thinke what we have to doe and not to attend till from the particular ruine now of one house then of another we see all France vpon the earth It is alreadie but too much established and we have but too long attended to provide for our affairs and to oppose our selves against the deseignes and machinations of these strangers all which are discovered and knowne to such as will not shut their eyes Let us then stir up in our selves the generositie and vertue of our valiant great grandfathers and shew that we are come from the race of those good noble Frenchmen our auncestors which in old time past have brought under their subjection so many strange nations and which so many times have vanquished the Italian race which would make us now serve Let us not leave off for a sort of degenerate Frenchmen adherents to the pernitious purposes of that race to maintaine and conserve the honors and reputation of loyaltie integritie and valiancie of our French nation which these bastardlie Italians have contaminated and foiled by their cruelties massacres and perfidies Wee want nothing but courage to effect all this for these Messiers would not stand one whit if they knew once that it were in good earnest and with good accord that the Frenchmen would send them to excercise their tyrannies in their owne countrey and force them to make account of such as they have committed in Fraunce Here endeth the first Part entreating of such Counsell as a Prince should use THE SECOND PART TREAting of the Religion which a Prince ought to hold ¶ The Praeface AFter having before discoursed largely enough What Counsell a prince should have and take it will not be to any evill purpose to handle What Religion he ought to hold and cause to bee observed in his dominions For it is the first and principall thing wherein he ought to employ his Counsell namely That the true and pure Religion of God be knowne and being knowne that it bee observed by him and all his subiects Machiavell in this case as a very Atheist and contemner of God giveth another document to a prince for he would That a prince should not care whether the Religion that he holdeth be true or false but sayth That he ought to support and favour such falsities as are found therein And hee comes even to this point as an abhominable and wicked blasphemer that he preferreth the Religion of the Paynims before the Christian and yet his booke is not condemned as hereticall by our Sorbonists But before we enter to confute his detestable Maximes I will in manner of a Preface demonstrat in few words the true resolution that a prince ought to have in this matter I presuppose then by a certaine Maxime That the prince ought to hold the Christian Religion as it is seene by all antiquitie simplicitie and excellencie of doctrine For in the first place none can deny but it is more ancient thā any other of all the Religions Antiquitie of Christian Religion that ever were because it takes his foundation upon the bookes of Moses and the promises of God of Christ and Messias contained in them bookes which were made to our first Fathers from the beginning of the world But there is no author Greeke or Latine which was not long after Moses and it is a thing confessed and held amongst all learned men That Moses writ his bookes many hundred years before Homer Berosus Hesiodus Manethon Metasthenes and others like which many men hold for the most auncient Writers Moreover when Moses describeth unto us the generation of Noe and sheweth us that his children have bene as the first stem and root of divers nations of the world in token and signe thereof these nations hold yet at this present the names of such children doth not this shew plainly and truly that Moses begun at the worlds beginning Of Madens came the Medians of Ianus the Ionians of Iobel the Iberians of Riphat the Riphaeans of Tigran the Tigranians of Tharsis the Tharsians of Cithin the Cyprians of Canaan the Cananites of Sidon the Sidonians of Elam the Elamites of Assur the Assyrians of Lud the Lydians and others all these were the children nephews or arrere-nephews of Noe from whence the said nations have taken their names it followeth therefore that they were the first stocks and roots of them Againe if we looke to the ceremonies that in times past the Paynims used in their sacrifices men shall easily know that they are but apish imitations of such sacrifices as were ordained of God which are described by Moses For the sacrifice of Iphigenia which the Graecians made in Aulide to prosper them in the war they enterprised against Troy what other thing is it than an imitation of Iepthe his sacrifice who made a vow of a sacrifice to prosper him in the war he enterprised which sacrifice fell after by the divine
the studie of holy letters commenced and so die they like beasts Therefore are not the old doctors any thing to be reprehended because they admonish men to reade in great sobrietie the writings of Paynims and that men give not themselves so much thereunto as for to know humane sciences they abandon and let goe the divine knowledge which is as much more excellent than they as God is more excellent than man Yet is there some Paynim authors which ought never to be read of Christians or at the least ought not to come in the hands of youths which of themselves are but too much enclined to vices and lubricities For a young scholler can hee better learne in a stewes amongst whores and ruffians the tearmes of all villanie and lubricitie than in that filthie Martiall or in Catullus or Tibullus or in certain books of Ovid And therefore although wee never read any of these poets and so our youth gave themselves only to Virgil to learne all Latine poësie it were ynough and that alone author out of whom all others are but small rivers might learne them all the poësie that need be knowne Yet I will not say but there are many other good poets very worthy to be read as Horace Lucane Claudian and others but hee that well understands Virgil he needs not have to doe with others for the understanding of poësie And in every science it seemeth to be the best that men may well employ their time which is deare and short to reade few bookes to make good choise of them and well to understand them But for proofe of this which I come to say and to shew that Machiavell is a shamelesse lier in that he dare affirm That the doctors of the Christian Religion would or sought to abolish good letters I will here set downe the advice and counsell that they have given touching the studie of humane letters of the Gentiles Doctor Beda as Gratian reciteth in his decree sayth That they which will forbid the reading of the Gentiles bookes do hinder men from having â—7 Dist Turbat apt spirits to comprehend and understand the holy writings because humane sciences doe fashion our minds and understandings to the better abilitie to understand holy letters and that Moses and Daniel which were learned in the letters of the Aegyptians and Chaldeans doe serve us for an example not utterly to reject the humane letters of the Paynims But here I will translate the very words of Doctor Beda He troubleth sayth hee and causeth to faile the vivacitie of readers spirits who esteemeth that men ought altogether to forbid the reading of secular bookes wherein we ought to take that which is good as our own Otherwise Moses and Daniel would not have learned the wisedome and letters of the Aegyptians and Chaldeans the superstition of which people they abhorred S. Paule also doctor of the Gentiles would not have alledged certaine verses out of the Gentiles bookes in his writings Why then should we forbid men to read that which by good reason ought to be read But some reade secular letters for their pleasure only beeing tickled and delighted with poëticall figments and fictions or els for the ornament of their language others read them for their erudition and to detest and confute the errors of the Gentiles and to applie and make serve the good things that they find there to the use of the erudition of sacred letters and these verily doe merit only praise by studying of secular letters And for this cause S. Gregorie reprehended a certaine bishop not because he had learned humane letters but because he expounded them unto the people against the dutie of a Bishop whereas hee should have expounded the Gospell Behold what was the opinion of this Theologian doctor touching the studie and reading of the writings and sciences of the Paynims S. Ambrose upon S. Luke speaking of the same matter saith That we reade the bookes of the Paynims to divers ends namely for not to be ignorant of that they handle and to follow the good things in them and to reject the evill S. Ierome upon the Epistle to Titus sayth That Grammar and Logicke are profitable sciences to know to speake well and to distinguish the true from the false and that sciences humane may serve Christians to apply them to good uses and therefore saith he it is necessarie of necessitie to know them to the end that we might shew That the things which have been said by the Prophets many hundreth of years before are since come to passe and described by the bookes both of the Greekes and Latines S. Augustine also against the Manicheans saith That if the Sibils or Orpheus or that other poets of the Gentiles or the philosophers have written any true thing of God men must and may serve themselves therewith to vanquish the vanitie of the Paynims but yet ought we not therefore to give authoritie to such authors By which words he well shewes that he approoveth the reading and studie of the Gentiles bookes as well poets philosophers as others S. Basile also in his treatise he writ of the manner of reading the Gentiles bookes not onely reprehendeth not the reading thereof but contrarie exhorteth Christians to reade them and to applie the reading of those bookes to his true end and purpose which is the pietie and edification in the faith and Christian Religion And to conclude we read that by a Counsell it was ordained That every where schooles should be established to teach youth humane letters and liberall arts The article of the said Counsell recited by Gratian in his Decretall De quibusdam 37 Dist is this Report is made unto us of certaine places where they have no care to have schoolemasters for the studie of letters therefore let all bishops subjects and people in place where need shall be performe their duties in placing masters and doctors which may daily teach letters and liberall arts for by their meanes the writings and commandements of God are declared and manifested What now then will this slanderer Machiavell say Can hee yet say that the doctors of the Christian Religion have or would have abolished good letters and the writings of the Paynims Will he not hold himselfe vanquished of a lie by so many authorities as we have alledged of S. Ierome S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Gregorie Baeda and S. Basile which are the principall doctors of the Christian Church and the authoritie of the Counsell which is as an approbation of the universall Church shall not all this be sufficient to shew the impudencie of this Florentine But now am I desirous to know of this Atheist Machiavell what was the cause that so manie good bookes of the Paynim authors were lost since the time of the auncient doctors of our Christian Religion was it not by the Gothes which were Paynims For at their so manie irruptions and breaking out of their countries upon Gaule Italie Spaine they
wasted and burned so many bookes as they could finde being enemies of all learning and letters and who within this hundreth yeares hath restored good letters conteined in the bookes of the auncient Paynims Grecians and Latins hath it beene the Turke who is a Paynim It is well enough knowne that he is an enemie of letters and desireth none Nay contrarie it hath beene the Christians which have restored them and established them in the brightnesse and light wherein we see them at this day The knowledge of the Greeke Latin and Hebrew tongues in other countries have beene brought in by others but into our countries of France that they have come and doe so flourish wee may thanke king Francis the first of happie memorie and since the restauration of tongues and humane sciences men have well experimented that they are verie requisite and profitable well to understand the Scriptures of our Christian Religion so farre are wee off from rejecting them And as for that which Machiavell saith That our Christian Religion hath sought to abolish the memorie of all antiquitie how dare he openlie oppugne the manifest truth for none is ignorant that the true and primative antiquitie is of the Hebrews whose bookes have been conserved translated expounded by the Christians And as for the antiquitie of the Paynims doth any man finde that the Christians have caused to perish Homer Hesiodus Berosus or any other authors of antiquitie nay they they are which have conserved them which have aided themselves with them and which have interpreted them Eustachius the great commentor of Homer was not he a Christian yea a bishop But I shame to stay in the confutation of the impudent lies of this Atheist for young and meane schollers may easilie impugne his impudent lies Machiavell saith That it succeeded not so well with our Christian Religion as it would when it went about to abolish good letters because it was constreined to use the Latin tongue wherein all humane sciences were written Herein doth he manifestlie shew his beastlinesse and ignorance for who constreined our Christian doctors to write in Latin the olde and new Testament were first written in Hebrew and Greeke therefore the Latin doctors if they had list might have written in these languages as did S. Chrisostome S. Athanasius S. Basile S. Cirill Eusebius and manie others yet if writers had used these languages men would nor have ceased to preach in Latin to the Latins in the French to the French in the Allemaigne to the Allemaignes and to other nations to everie one in his language for it hath been seene not past threescore yeares agoe that in Italie France Alemaigne Spaine and other where the Christian Religion was not written in the mothers tongue yet men left not to hold the said Religion in the said countries but since it hath beene brought into everie of those languages for the commoditie of the people as it was brought into the Latin tongue by S. Augustine S. Ambrose S. Ierome S. Gregorie and other Latin doctors of the primitive Church of their time yet if they had written in Hebrew or Greeke the Christian Religion had not left and ceased to subsist and stand for that And although the Latin prophane books had perished the Latin language which then was vulgar had not therefore perished therefore doth Machiavell well shew his beastlinesse to say that the Christian Religion hath beene constrained to use the Latin language and that by that meanes the prophane Latin authors have beene conserved But what means he when he saith That if the Christian Religion could have formed a new tongue it had abolished the memorie of all antiquitie hath there been at any time in any countrie any Religion which hath formed a new language and how comes it that a Religion can bee received by the meanes of a new unknowne tongue If the Christian Religion had invented a new tongue it could never have been understood nor received and by consequent could not have abolished the bookes written in the Latin tongue likewise using the Latin tongue that was in common use it could no more abolish the books written in that tongue according to the saying of the said Machiavell and therefore take it which way you will if the Christian Religion had invented a new tongue or that it had used the Latin tongue as it did and doth it could not extinguish abolish the bookes written in the Latin tongue therefore Machiavell knows not what he saith As little knoweth he what he saith when he holds That sects and Religions have varied twise or thrice in five or sixe thousand yeares and that the last causeth alwaies the remembrance of the first to perish for who hath revealed unto him this secret who hath told him newes of things done before Moses time if it were not Moses himselfe Brieflie there is neither reason nor historie whereupon he may found that impudent lie But hereby he would shew that if any doubt whether he be not a very Atheist that he hath no more cause to doubt for for a proofe hereof he makes a declaration that he beleeves nothing of that which is written in the holy Scripture of the creation of the world nor of the Religion of God which wee hold since Moses For by the holy Scripture it is seene that there are not yet six thousand yeares since the creation of the world It is also seene that the Christian Religion of Messias and Christ changed not since the said creation but hath alwaies endured and shall endure till the consumation of the world And as for Painim Religions they have changed from one into an other in a little time and in one same countrie as histories do shew At Rome in the time of Romulus there was a Religion such as it was which Numa changed and devised an other more cerimonious After the religion of Numa changed strange Religions of the Grecians others were received at Rome insomuch that about five hundreth yeares after Numa when his bookes were found in his sepulcher and men read them they found no part of their Religion in them as shall be more fully said in his place Brieflie these Painim Religions still and often changed in regarde of their forme and ceremonies but in substance they changed nothing since the children of Caine who began to follow the false Religion for whatsoever outward change there was within it was alwaies divelish Religion having for his author the father of lies of falsenesse and therfore Machiavell knows not what he saith but that he is an Atheist and so would manifest himselfe to be one by discovering that he beleeved not the holy Scriptures He thought to have immortalized his name by making himselfe knowne to posteritie that he was a perfect Atheist replenished with all impietie like as Nero did who soughr meanes to make Suet. in Neron cap. 55. in Calig cap. 31. men speake of him after his death in sleying his mother
indeed to fast the vigils and Lent but is there any place in the world where they carelesse for fasting vigils and Lent than at Rome It commandeth chastitie to priests but is there any place in the world where priests Cardinals and others are more furnished with whoores and bauds It also commandeth them to serve their benefices but of an hundreth priests which are at Rome there are scant one doth it their Religion forbiddeth the sale of benefices sepulchres sacraments and dispensations but is there any place in the world where there is a greater trafficke of them than at Rome It forbiddeth simonie but where are there any simoniakes if not at Rome and in Italie I speake onely of the ordinances which the Romane Church hath made yet her selfe doth not observe them For if I would alledge the ordinances of God which shee observeth no more than the other I should too tediously rehearse them all But breefely the Romane Church hath invented a thousand traditions wherewith it hath burdened the shoulders of poore Christians to their great abashment but in the meane while the Church it selfe will keepe none of them rather that holy seat dispenseth with all them of Italie and Rome and indeed there is no place in the world where the Popes ordinances are lesse observed than there nor where all Religion is in more contempt as Machiavell himselfe confesseth Let Christians then make their profit of this confession of Machiavell and so let them flie the spring of impietie of Atheisme of corruption of manners and of the contempt of all Religion least God punish them and make them perish with such wicked men as make open profession thereof 7. Maxime Moses could never have caused his lawes and ordinances to be observed if force and armes had wanted THe most excellent men mentioned in bookes sayth our Florentine vvhich became princes by their owne vertue and not by fortune vvere Moses Cyrus Romulus Theseus and such like for fortune only gave them the occasion and the matter to execute their vertue As Moses found the people of Israel in captivitie and servitude in Aegypt Cirus also found the Persians malecontent of the proud government of the Medes And Romulus found himselfe deiected from his birth place the towne of Alba Lastly Theseus found the towne of Athens full of troubles and confusions Without vvhich occasions comming by fortune the vertue of their courage had not appeared as also vvithout their vertue such occasions had served thē nothing All those occasions then made these persons happie and their excellent vertue knew well how to make profit of occasions THis Atheist willing alwayes more strongly to shew That hee beleeved not the holy Scriptures dare vomit out this blasphemie to say That Moses by his owne vertue and by armes was made the prince of the Hebrewes We see by the bookes of Moses that he was as it were constrained of God to take the charge to draw the Hebrew people out of Aegypt to bring them into the land of Canaan a place of the primitive of spring of this people And after hee had accepted that charge we reade That God gave him power to doe many miracles before Pharoah and all the people of Aegypt that he might suffer the Hebrew people to returne in peace into the countrey from whence they first came After having obtained permission to returne we see how the people were guided on the day time by a visible and apparent cloud which went before them and in the night by a pillar of fire We reade so many miracles done by God in their passage through the red sea and in the desarts and how Moses did nothing but by the counsell and power of God alone With what boldnesse then dare this stinking Atheist disgorge this talke to say that Moses was made the prince of the Hebrew people by his owne vertue and by armes Could hee by any other meanes than by the Bible know how and what way Moses came to be governour of the Hebrew people for all Paynim authors speak little thereof and that which they speake is but as they read in the said bookes of Moses or by hearesay of such as read them seeing it is certaine that wee have no prophane author in light that were not many worlds after Moses If then Machiavell can say nothing of Moses his doings but by his owne bookes with what impudencie dare hee deliver out a contrarietie from that is there written For to say he was made prince of the Hebrew people by his owne vertue and by armes that is as much as to denie streight that God constrained him to accept that charge to conduct the Hebrew people and that the said people came out of Aegypt by the miracles of God and that they were conducted by the cloud and pillar of fire and that God nourished them all the way of the desart which is indeed to denie all that is written in the bookes of Moses Assuredly there is no man of so heavie and dull a judgement but he may wel know that this most wicked Atheist hath taken pleasure to search out the most savage Maximes that could bee devised assuring himselfe That he should ever find monsters of men which also would delight in absurd and bestiall opinions and would give passage and way to his doctrine And yet the better to shew his beastlinesse this doctrine may be overthrowne even by the writings of the Paynims themselves Trebellius Pollio writeth That Moses was onely familiar Treb. Pollio in Clau. Cor. Tacit. annal lib. 21. with God Cornelius Tacitus going about to calumniate and blame the Iewish Religion contained in the bookes of Moses confesseth That the king of Aegypt made the Hebrew people to goe out of his countrey for sores rottennesse and other maladies wherewith the Aegyptians were infected The Poets and Philosophers when they sometimes speake of Moses doctrine they call it sacred Oracles shewing therby that they confesse That the deeds and writings of Moses came from God and not from his owne vertue But with what impudencie dare Machiavell compare Moses to these idolaters Romulus and Theseus What similitude had they with Moses in their life or in their death Romulus and Theseus were two bastards rude violent men in their youth whereof the one slew his brother and the other his sonne the one finished his daies slaine and massacred by his citizens and the other was banished and chased from his owne Can any finde the like in Moses But this Maxime of Machiavell hath no need of a more ample confutation for the truth is so cleare and apparent to the contrarie that a man may manifestly see that this Florentine is a most wicked slaunderer and impudent lier Yet thinke I good to marke another beastlinesse and ignorance in that he saith That Theseus came to the domination of Athens because hee found the estate of Plutarke in Thes the Athenians in confusion for cleane contrarie he came unto it
because hee was avowed and acknowledged for the sonne of Egeus king of Athens and was exceedingly well liked of the Athenians because hee had acquired the reputation of a magnanimous and valiant man in that he slew and overcame many theeves which brigandized and robbed the countrey of Attica and the countries adjoyning And to say the estate of Athens was confused is a jeast of Machiavels invention And in that he saith That the occasion and meanes that Romulus had to make himselfe a prince was because he found himselfe dejected from his birth place the towne of Alba doth he not shew himselfe a man of good judgement For can a man say in good sence and reason that to bee dejected from his countrey disavowed of his parents as a bastard to be put to nourishment amongst shepheards and beasts to be impoverished and destituted of all meanes that I say these are means and occasions to be made a prince and to be the founder of a towne If this be true there will be found men ynough which have all those goodly meanes to become princes and so will there be found more princes than other people But contrarie the meanes that we reade whereby Romulus became a prince and founder of a towne were That hee was a man strong and violent cunning in armes who gathered together many vagabonds and people of execution whereof he made captaines after he and Remus his brother founded Rome and to besole ruler he slew his brother Remus and made himselfe king 8. Maxime Moses usurped Iudea as the Gothes usurped a part of the Empire WHen people are oppressed sayth M. Nicholas vvith famine Discourse lib. 2. cap. 9. vvarre or servitude in their countrey oftentimes they goe to conquer other countries vvherein they chaunge their name As the people of Israel being oppressed vvith servitude in Aegypt under the conduct of Moses occupied a part of Syria vvhich he called Iudea even as the Gothes and Vandales occupied also the West Empire Likewise also the Maurusians auncient people of Syria perceiving the comming of the Hebrewes vvith a great povver from Aegypt feeling not themselves strong enough to resist them abandoned their countrey and vvithdrevv themselves into Affricke vvhere they conquered ground and chased avvay the naturall inhabitants This may be proved by the authoritie of the historian Procopius vvho vvrit in the life of Bellisarius That he read letters in certaine pillars vvritten in the countrey of Maures in Affricke vvhich contained this inscription Nos Maurisci qui fugimus à facie Josu latronis filij Nave that is to say Wee are the Mauricians vvhich fled before the face of Josue the cheefe sonne of Nave THis Atheist having heretofore said That Moses was made prince of the Hebrewes by his owne vertue and by armes will now persuade that hee was a theefe and an usurper of anothers countrey without any title or reason and that he seized upon Iudea as the Gothes and Vandales did of Lumbardie Spaine and other countries of the Romane empire I have before protested as I yet doe that it greeveth me much to defile my paper with so filthie speeches yet the more am I vexed that the eares and eyes of so many persons should be occupied in reading and hearing things evill sounding and so farre from all pietie and veritie but it is necessarie to discover the doctrine and the doctor of our courtiers at this day which thinke that the damnable bookes of this Atheist should serve for rules to conduct affaires of Estate as the sterne serves to guide a ship To confute then this Maxime Joseph lib. 1. Antiq. cap. 13. 14. wee know that the land of Iudea was first called the land of Canaan having taken that name of Canaan the sonne of Noe which dwelt there after the deluge and was the first stocke of the Canaanites in that countrey one part of that land was called Palestine or Philistine which name it tooke of Philistines a people comming from Philistim Noe his rerenephew which were a mightie and strong people of that land which had the government of the other people of the countrey one part also of that land of Canaan was called Iudea of the name of Iuda who was a prince even the cheefe of the twelve patriarkes of the children of Iacob from whence came the people of Israel which planted themselves in that part of the land of Canaan which was called Iudea We reade not that in the time of Moses this countrey was called Syria neither that it was comprehended under the name of Syria for from that time the countrey which after men called Syria was called the land of Aram who was the sonne of Sem the sonne of Noe although such as came after under that name of Syria comprised the countrey of Assyria also which in Moses his time was called the land of Assur who was also the sonne of Sem the sonne of Noe. And therefore is manifestly seene the beastlinesse and ignorance of Machiavell when he sayth That Moses usurped a part of Syria seeing the name of Syria was not yet invented much lesse comprised the land of Canaan But what could a simple secretarie of the towne of Florence either have read or seene except the registers of their towne-house but good authors Greeke or Latine he never read as is easie to judge by his writings wherein hee alledgeth no story to enrich his worke but the bad and slender examples of government of the Genowaies of the Florentines of the Pope of the duke of Millaine and of other such like pettie potentates of Italie he alledgeth sometimes some words out of Titus Livius but to so little purpose as may be Moreover it is knowne That the land of Canaan was of God many times promised to Abraham and to his seed as is seene in Genesis and that Abraham dwelt there and his race after him after he departed from his nephew Lot unto the time that Iacob and his familie were by famine constrained to retire into Aegypt Should we then say that when the Hebrews returned from Aegypt to dwell in their originall land which was promised them of God who is master of heaven and earth that they were usurpers like the Gothes and Vandales nay contrarie they were the just and true possessors thereof and with good right expulsed and drave out the Canaanites occupiers thereof which usurped from them the land of their education which God had promised and assigned to them for an heritage And as for that which he alledged of the Maurusianz it is a very fable for the The Maurusians came from Media not from Siria nor Phaenicia names of all such nations as were vanquished by Moses Iosua are plainly set down in their bookes but there is found no name of Maurusians neither is there found written in any good author that in the land of Canaan there ever dwelt any nation called Maurusians and as for that nation of Africa called Maures Mauritanians or Maurusians
to plant colonies and chase away the ancient naturall inhabitants from their goods and possessions All which things are directly contrary to the Religion of Numa which he commendeth so much but it is likely that this ignorant beast praiseth Numa his Religion without knowing that it conteined the points which we now speake of I doubt not but some wil judge at the first sight That this religion of Numa could not bee evill which taught so good things as to observe Faith not to bee perjured nor to usurpe others goods and possessions but it must not be approved therefore for one must not by an evill and false introduce a good thing This was good to bring the people to an observation of Faith but to build a temple to Faith to imagine it was a god or goddesse and to doe service and ceremonies unto her these were damnable and against Gods honour from whom they steale the glory that belongs unto him when they by forme of Religion do honour to another thing than him be it a creature or devised thing Therfore was not that a christian oration which was made by Monsier Capel the kings advocate in the court of Parliament at Paris in Anno 1535 whereby praising the dead king Francis the second of that name of happie memorie because hee had care of Religion hee shewed That realmes and commonweales of the ancient Paynims which had good care well to observe their Religion obtained prosperitie in all felicitie For that saith he although their Religion was false and that they lived in error and darkenesse yet they prospered because esteeming it good and true they had it in a singular reverence and observation This oration of Capel had truly a little of Machiavell his doctrine to say that a false Religion was cause that the Paynims prospered But to shew that Machiavell knowes not what hee saith I will here recite an historie Tit. Livius lib. 10. Dec. 4. to this purpose In the yeere 574 after the foundation of Rome in the time of the consulship of Lucius Manlius and Fulvius Flaccus as men digged the earth in a certaine place in Rome they found the sepulchre of king Numa where there were two arches of hewen stone in the one of which Numa was buried in the other were the bookes found which he had written wrapped in waxe in such sort as they seemed to be new there were seven in Latin touching the ceremonies of the Religion which hee instituted Incontinent a fame went of these novels all over how the bookes of king Numa were found touching Religion insomuch as every man attended that they should be divulged and that by their meanes all abuses in the Romane Religion should alwaies bee reformed Yet to doe nothing rashly the consuls gave charge to Quintus Petilius lieutenant of justice well to turne over and peruse those bookes and to report the truth of them unto the Senat. Petilius read them from the one end unto the other and of them certified his opinion unto the Senat and it was found that the Religion which was handled in those bookes was of no accompt and that it should bee a pernitious and damageable thing to the common wealth to bring that Religion into use so was it resolved by a decree of the Senat that those books should bee publiklie burnt before all the people which was done I would now gladly know of Machiavell who so much esteemeth the Religion of Numa without ever having seene his bookes if hee can yeeld a better jugdment of them than the Lieutenant Petilius who read them and than all the Romane Senat. Is not this as a blinde man to judge of coulours who speakes of a thing hee knowes not As for Frier Ierome Savanarola the Florentins shewed well that hee was no such De com lib. 2. cap. 25. 53. 54. man as would leade them to any new Religion neither preached hee unto them any other Religion but the old Romish Religion only denouncing unto them somtime the vengeances punishments of God which from heaven should fall upon them if they repented and amended not their sinnes and this hee assured them as though hee had had some revelation from God But amongst other things which hee preached and affirmed most was that there should come a king out of France into Italie which should deliver the countrey from so many tyranizers and potentates as then held the countrey in great servage and slaverie This talke pleased some which desired change though others delighted not in it About the time that hee made those sermons king Charles the eight made a voiage unto Naples who assoone as hee was seene in Italie all the world began to say and beleeve that Frier Ierome was a true prophet and that hee had well foretould that which they see come to passe The worst was that the said king did nothing worthie of accompt in the voiage insomuch that the best part of Ieromes prophesie which was to purge Italie of so many tyranizers remained yet to accomplish Then the reputation of this good Frier Ierome began not onely to diminish but also men began to say and beleeve that hee was an abuser so that in the end hee was accused at Florence to be a most wicked heretike and his enemies said hee were worthie to bee put into a sacke and to be cast into the river and because hee still continued to preach his first theme That the king of France should yet againe come into Italie to performe that which he had not executed in that first voiage and that the will of God was so and if hee did not accomplish it yet God himselfe would punish it the Pope and the Duke of Millan which were hereat troubled for they thought this was but a bait to cause the king of France to come another time into Italie where of they were greatlie afraid therefore ioyned they together against this poore Frier and writ to the seignorie of Florence to doe justice upon him as upon a seducer and an heretike Amongst others which tooke Ierome in hand there was found a Frier for there never was love betwixt the Friers and the Iacobines which would needes mainetaine A disputation by Fire against him that hee was an heretike and to prove his so saying he presented unto Ierome the combat to commit themselves both into the fire and that hee which was not hurt by the fire should be held as it was reason for a soothsayer and the other whom the fire burned for a lyer and an abuser Frier Ierome was sore abashed to heare speake of such a manner of disputation and indeed would not accept it for he was not so learned not so farre a student in Logicke that he had learned such a kind of argumentation to prove his doctrine by fire yet was there found another young Iacobin a familiar friend of Ieromes which accepted the combat to maintaine his friends quarrell Then was the day and place assigned in
maintained them in peace when all his neighbors about him were in great warre and that hee maintained so good justice amongst them as none but hee alone pilled and vexed them And certaine it is that if men must needes bee robbed and spoiled they had rather to bee so dealt with by one man alone then of many and that subjects will beare it better at their princes hands than of particulars but especiallie when extreame and hard tallies and imposts are laid upon subjects if they bee descried to bee imployed for the publike good and that it bee something softened and sweetened by a good peace justice And therefore de Comines together praiseth and reprehendeth king Lewis the eleventh his master saying That hee pilled and oppressed his subjects but yet hee would never suffer any other to doe them any evill or any way to rob or spoyle them But to many it may seeme that that we have abovesaid tendeth too much unto the dispraise of Povertie which notwithstanding seemes to bee praised and recommended by our Christian religion But hereunto I answer That Povertie of it selfe is neither praiseable nor vituperable but men must judge of them according to circumstances For if it bee suffered with an holy patience by a Christian man who takes in good part and contenteth himselfe with the vocation whereunto God hath called him and with the meanes which he hath given him and if it bee accompanied with a simple and gentle spirit assuredly such a Povertie may bee placed in the ranke of the greatest vertues For it is no small vertue to bee able well and constantly to beare Povertie without straying out of the path but rather a very difficill and rare thing Therefore the Panims themselves praised and admired Aristides Phocion Lisander Valerius Publicola Fabricius Curius Quintus Cincinnatus Menencus Agrippa Paulus Aemilius and many other great persons which have carried themselves like good and vertuous people though they were very poore because they suffered Povertie with a great and constant courage and without straying any thing from vertue Yet so much there wanteth that Christian doctrine approveth this Povertie of begging that contrary it forbiddeth plainely that none bee suffered to beg And likewise the word of God witnesseth unto us That good men will not willinglie suffer their children to beg their bread for alwaies God assisteth and giveth them meanes Therefore Monkes called Mendicants have gone too far in praising extolling and exalting Povertie not taking it as it must be understoode by the word of God And so it is like they will soone repent that from the beginning they have made so deepe a profession of Povertie against which they have many times since pleaded kicked and spurned yet could never bee rid nor dispatched of it but alwaies have beene compelled by Popes and Parliaments alwaies to hould and observe it as a thing wherein lay and lyeth all the perfection of the orders But because this account and narration is pleasant to tyred and wearied readers I will a little discourse upon the warres of these Mendicant friers You must then know that these Mendicants at their first entrie into the world to renowne their names proposed to themselves straightly to follow the estate of perfection How the Mendicants pleaded against Povertie lost the cause that by their owne merits they might enter into Paradize and cause others to enter into favour of them and with their authoritie This estate of perfection they constituted in three points Chastitie Obedience and Povertie Of the two first points wee will not speake heere but onely of the last point which is Povertie Of this Povertie also they have made three kinds High Meane and Base High Povertie which the Franciscan Friers attribute unto themselves is that which hath nothing in this world neither in proper nor in common any way that is neither fields nor house nor possession nor rents nor pension nor beasts nor moveables nor apparrell nor bookes nor rights nor actions nor fruits nor any other thing in the world Behold here indeede a soveraigne pure and exceeding neere Povertie wherin there neither wanteth any thing neither is there any thing to be reprooved since it hath nothing at all The second kind which is for the Dominicans and Iacobins is a Meane Povertie which hath nothing particular or proper but only somethings in common as bookes apparrell and daily victuals The third and last kind which the Carmelites Augustines have retained for themselves is Base Povertie which may have proper common and in particular whatsoever is justly necessarie to life as apparrell bookes certaine pensions and some lands for helpe of their kitchin and necessitie of their living And it is good to note in those good brethren the Carmelites and Augustines how humble they shew themselves to bee contented with so base a kind of Povertie without any desire to mount higher as acknowledging themselves unworthie and incapable for to ascend into so high and superlative a degree These Mendicants then being obliged and restrained unto Povertie by a solemn vow which they make at their profession in their orders they are so annexed united and incorporated in it and with it that never after they could be never so little seperated or dismembred what diligence or labour soever they used to do it hereof they have found themselves much troubled and sorrowfull For howsoever gallant and goodly the Theorique of Povertie is yet in practise they have found it a little too difficile and hard And indeede if you consider more nigh the Theorique thereof especially of that high and soveraigne Povertie I know not whether you can finde any thing in the world more excellent or more admirable For they which make profession thereof in my opinion come something nigh an Angell like nature because the Angels have no need of the use of the earthly corruptible goods of this miserable world but onely take care of divine and spirituall things More also they which make profession of this high Povertie have this advauntage over the rich men which possesse the goods of this vale of miserie that they are not wrapped in so many mischeefes and travailes which accompanie those goods but are franke and free taking no care nor thought for ploughing manuring sowing reaping grape-gathering lopping of trees grafting eradicating cutting planting building selling buying or doing any other like things which concerne the affaires of the world From all these things they are free and exempted having nothing which hindereth them to be in a continuall contemplation and meditation of divine things to come in time unto a great and deepe wisedome yea to approch to the Angelicall nature of the Cherubins and Seraphins which have no other occupation than to contemplate and exalt the Divinitie But also if on the other side you consider the great difficulties in this so strict and straight use of Povertie you shall find it verily a sad and unpleasant thing For it is an approoved
in Italie or that wee had warre heere against a lesser captaine than Anniball so that there were place to amend and correct a fault when it were made wee would not hould him well advised that would hinder your election and as it were withstand your libertie But in this warre against Anniball wee have made no fault but it hath cost us a great and perillous losse therefore am I of advice that you doe elect Consulls which match Anniball For as wee would that our people of warre were stronger than our enemies so ought wee to wish that our heads and cheefetaines of warre were equall to them of our enemies Octacilius is my nephew who espoused my sisters daughter and hath children by her so that I have cause to desire his advancement But the commonwealthes utilitie is more deere unto mee And withall that no other hath greater cause than my nephew not to charge himselfe with a waight under which hee should fall The Romane people found his reasons good therefore revoked their election and by a new suffrage elected Fabius himselfe and gave him for a companion Marcellus which assuredly were two great and sage captaines This rule to elect magistrates equall to every charge above all ought to bee well practised in the election of soveraigne judges for after they have judged if they have committed a fault it cannot but very hardly be repaired so that the reason which Fabius alledged having place in the election of soveraigne judges the provision which followed it meriteth well to bee drawne into an example and consequence for the good and utilitie of the princes subjects The particular qualities required in a Magistrate cannot better nor more briefely Particular qualities required in a Magistrate bee described than by the counsell which Iethro gave to Moses For hee advised him to elect people fearing God true and hating covetousnesse Surely this counsell is very briefe for words but in substance it comprehendeth much For first the Magistrate which shall feare God will advise to exercise his Office in a good conscience Exod. cap. 18. and after the commandements of God and above all things will seeke that God bee honoured and served according to his holy will and will punish â—uch as do the contrary If the Magistrate feare God hee will love his neighbour as himselfe because God so willeth and by consequent he will guard himselfe from doing in the exercise of his estate any thing against his neighbor which he would not should be done against himselfe Briefely hee will in a booke as it were write all his actions to make his account to that great Lord and master whose feare hee hath in him Secondly if the Magistrate bee veritable and a lover of truth it will follow that in the exercise of his Office as well in civile as criminall matters hee will alwaies seeke out the truth and shut his eares to impostures and lies of calumniators and slanderers which is no small vertue wherein Iudges often erre Also a magistrate that loveth truth by consequent shall bee of sufficiencie knowledge and capacitie to exercise his estate for Ignorance and Truth are no companions because Truth is no other thing but light and Ignorance darkenesse And for the last point If the Magistrate hate covetousnesse hee will not onely guard himselfe from practising it but also he will correct it in others and by cutting of this detestable vice the root of all evill he shall keepe downe all other vices which be like rivers proceeding from this cursed and stinking spring And as wee see that the covetousnesse of wicked magistrates is cause of the length of law causes because they have a desire that the parties which plead before them should serve their turnes as they say as a cow for milke whereby it followeth that the poore people are pilled and eaten even to the bones by those horseleaches Also contrarie when the Magistrate hateth covetousnesse hee will dispatch and hasten Iustice to parties and not hould them long in law neither pill and spoile them a thing bringing great comfort and help to the people Briefely then if these three qualities which Iethro requireth in Magistrates and Officers of Iustice were well considered by the prince in such sort as he would receive none into an Office of Iustice who feared not God loved not veritie and hated covetousnesse certainelie Iustice would bee better administred to his great honour and the utilitie of his subjects I will not say that amongst the Paynims there were Magistrates which had the true feare of God for none can have that without knowing him and none can truly know him but by his word whereof the Paynims were ignorant yet were there Paynims which had the other two parts which Iethro required in a Magistrate When Cato the elder was sent governour lieutenant general for the Romanes into the Isle Titus Livius lâ—b 2. Dec. 4. of Sardaigne hee found that the people of the countrey had alreadie a custome for many yeeres before to expend and bestow great charges at the receit and for the honour of all the governours which were sent from Rome hee found also through all that countrey a great companie of bankers and usurers which ruinated and eate out the people by usuries As soone as hee was arived in his goverment he cassed and cut off this and would not suffer them at his arrivall to bee at any charge for his entertainment Hee also drave out of the countrey at once all the said bankers and usurers without any libertie given them to stay upon condition to moderate their usuries which some found hard and evill thinking that it had beene better to have given to these bankers and usurers a meane to their usuries beyond which they might not passe than altogether to take from them the meane to give and take money to profit a thing seeming prejudiciall to commerce and trafficke But so much there wanted that Cato stayed not upon these considerations beleeving that the permission of a certaine might easilie be disguised and perverted and that men which bee subtill in their trade might easily in their contracting and accompting make them lay downe eight for ten or twelve for fifteene Briefely Cato governed himselfe so in his estate and government that the fame of his reputation was of an holy and innocent person Hee was in all matters assuredly a brave man hee was a good souldiour a good lawyer a good orator cunning both in townes and in rurall affaires proper in time Titus Liviuâ— lib. 9. Dec. 4. of peace and as proper in time of warre a man of severe innocencie and who had a tongue that would spare no mans vices even publikely to accuse them as indeed in all his life hee never ceased to accuse vicious and evill living people to make them bee condemned by Iustice and especially in his age of nintie yeeres hee accused one Sergtus Galba This man stepped one day forward to demaund the