all other Attributes and Epithites of Maiestie and Signorie it is the greatest vnder which all other names are comprehended as the Species vnder their Genus being subordinate thereunto Father is aboue the Title of King Lord Master Captaine and the like In a word it is a name aboue all other names that denotate Signorie and prouidence Antiquitie when it was willing to throw it's greatest Honour vpon an Emperour it called him the Father of the Common-wealth Which was more then Caesar or Augustus and whatsoeuer other name most glorious in the world whether it were conferr'd vpon them either for to flatter them or to oblige them to those great effects which this name Father tyes them vnto In conclusion by this word Father it is giuen Kings to vnderstand what they ought to doe To wit That they are to rule gouerne and maintaine their Common-wealths and Kingdomes in Iustice and in Peace That they are to feede like good shepheards these their rationall sheepe That they are like skilfull Physitians to heale and cure their maladies And that they are to haue that care of their subiects as fathers haue of their children watching ouer them with prudence and with Loue respecting more them then themselues For Kings are more obliged to the Kingdome and the Common-wealth then vnto themselues For if we shall but looke into the Originall and Institution of a King and a kingdome we shall finde that a King was ordained for the good of the kingdome and not the kingdome for the good of the King CHAP. III. Whether the name of King be a name of Office LEt vs not detaine our selues in the ill apprehension of those who conceiue that the name of King is a Title onely of Honour and Dignitie and not of Charge and Office For if as wee said before in our 1. Chapter a King in a Common-wealth holdes that place Rom. 12.2.4 1. Cor. 12.12 as the Head doth in a humane body where all the Corporall Members haue their particular Offices and euen the most and most principall then most certaine it is that a King in his kingdome is to be the most Eminent in the Gouernment so that we are not only to acknowledge that a King is an Officiall but euen the greatest of all Officialls and that of all Offices his is the chiefest and of greatest dignitie Etenim sayth S. Chrysostome imperare non solum dignitas est imò ars est artium omnium summa To rule is not onely a dignitie Chrys in Epist vlt ad Corin Serm. 15. Plato Dion Epist 7. D. Thom. de regi Prin. cap. 14. Nazian in Apologetico but an Art also and of all Artes the greatest Diuine Plato Diuus Thomas likewise affirme Inter omnes artes viuendi regendi ars amplior superior est The Arte and office of gouerning a Common-wealth and a kingdome is a Regall knowledge a Princely science and which particularly appertaineth vnto Kings it is an Arte of Artes the most difficile to learne and the most dangerous to practise And Nazianzene renders the reason Quia inter omnes animantes homo maximè moribus varius voluntate diuersus Because amongst all liuing Creatures man is most various in his maners and most diuerse in his will He is most mutable in his opinions most deceitfull in his words of more colours foldings and doublings then any other creature whatsoeuer worst to be knowen and hardest to to be ruled and aboue all most ingrate and vnthankfull vnto him that is set in authority ouer him And Plato more particularly tells vs that he held it in a manner a thing impossible for any one to haue such a Wit that alone of himselfe he should be sufficient to gouerne well it being so hard a matter to do though a man haue neuer so good partes and abilities to performe that function Ptolomy King of Aegypt considering the great difficulties which accompanie gouerning and reigning began to weigh the qualitie of each difficultie and comparing some with other some he knew not which to ranke formost or to preferre before his fellow It seemed wonderfull hard vnto him to know the Talent and parts of persons for the conferring of Offices and places vpon them a businesse whereon good gouernment mainely dependeth Hee likewise found it as difficult to make good Lawes and Statutes As also to rule so many Townes and so many people as are listed vnder a Crowne and name of King As likewise to dresse so many dishes for so many different palates so many things to the gust and content of so many sundry wills and a thousand other difficulties which daily offer themselues in the ruling and gouerning of men For as Seneca saith Nullum animal maiori est arte tractandum Seneca lib. de Ciem 1. cap. 17. quam homo There is not that creature like vnto Man for whose gouernment more Arte more prudence more wisedome more discretion and sagacitie is required No man can denie but that to beare on his shoulders the weight of a kingdome with obligation to attend on such and so great a diuersitie of things as of Peace and Warre and of so many graue and weightie businesse and of so great importance without fayling one point or tittle therein is an intollerable trouble a most heauy burthen and most difficult Office And in this respect so few haue there beene that haue knowne perfectly to cumply therewith And it is worthy our consideration that there being so many Histories and Bookes of the Liues of Kings and Emperours of the Gentiles there is not one amongst them all to be found who hath not bin noted of many faults Alexander the Great who for his famous Acts great Courage had the sirname giuen him of Great had many things in him worthy reprehension and vnbeseeming royall dignitie And howbeit Xenophon in his Cyropedia Xenophon Lib. 1 de Cyrop would giue vs to vnderstand that King Cyrus had all those vertues and greatnesses which are there represented vnto vs yet many wise men are of beliefe that that was no true History which he wrote of that King but an Idea or Patterne that Kings might draw from thence what they ought to bee Like vnto those Bookes of Cicero which he wrote de Oratore Who painteth forth the properties which hee that will be a good Orator ought to haue though that man was neuer yet found that had them Besides if we shall turne our eyes towards those ancient Kings of Gods people the sacred Scripture doth dis-deceiue vs. For out of the whole packe of them hee picks out but three onely that were good Eccl. 49.5 Praeter Dauid Ezechiam Iosiam omnes Reges peccatum commiserunt Excepting Dauid Ezechias and Iosias all the rest of the Kings committed sinne Not that these three had not their sinnes for the holy Scripture taxeth them of some and those no small ones but because they had not sinned in the Office of Kings And
because in it's administration it is an Office so full of difficulties the Apostle S. Paul admonisheth all the faithfull that they alwayes make earnest Prayers for them which is still vsed to this day in all your Catholike Churches Moreouer that the name of a King is the name of an Office Refran El beneficio se da por el oficio it is confirmed by that common saying Beneficium datur propter Officium And therefore Kings being so greatly benefitted not onely by those great Tributes which are giuen them by the Common-wealth but likewise by those which they receiue from the Benefices and Rents of the Church it is an vndoubted truth that they haue an Office and of Offices the greatest and for this cause the whole Kingdome doth so freely and liberally contribute vnto them Which is specified by S. Paul in a Letter of his which hee wrote vnto the Romans Rom. 13.6 Ideò tributa praestatis c. For this cause pay you Tribute also For they are Gods Ministers attending continually vpon this very thing c. Kingdomes doe not pay their taxes idly and in vaine So many sessements so many Subsedies so many impositions so many great rentes so much authoritie so high a Title and so great a Dignitie is not giuen without charge and trouble In vaine should they haue the name of Kings if they had not whom to rule and gouerne And therefore this obligation lyes vpon them In multitudine populi dignitas regis The honour of a King is in the multitude of his People So great a dignitie so great reuenewes such a deale of Greatnesse Maiestie and Honour with a perpetuall Cense and rate vpon his Subiects Lands and Goods binde him to rule and gouerne his States conseruing them by Peace and Iustice Let Kings therefore know that they are to serue their kingdomes being they are so well payd for their paines and that they beare an Office which tyes them necessarily to this trouble Rom. 12.8 Qui praeest in solicitudine saith S. Paul He that ruleth with diligence This is the Title and name of King and of him that gouernes Not of him that goes before others onely in his Honour and his pleasure but of him that excells others in his solicitude and his care Let them not thinke that they are Kings onely in name and representation and that they are not bound to any more but to bee adored and reuerenced and to represent the person royall with a good grace and to carry themselues with a soueraigne kind of State and Maiestie like some of those Kings of the Medes and Persians which were no more then meere shadowes of Kings so wholy neglectfull were they of their office as if they had beene no such manner of Men. There is not any thing more dead and of lesse substance then the image of a shadow which neither waggs arme nor head but at the Motion of that which causeth it Exod. 20. God Commanded his people that they should not make any grauen Image nor any feigned Pictures or counterfeit paintings which shew a hand where there is none discouer a face where there is none and represent a body where there is none expressing therein actions to the life as if the Image or Picture did see and speake For God is no friend of feigned figures of painted men nor of Kings that are onely so in shape and proportion being in fashion like vnto those Psal 135. 16. of whom Dauid sayd Os habent non loquuntur oculos habent non videbunt c. They haue mouths but speake not eyes haue they but they see not They haue eares but heare not and hands haue they but handle not And to what vse I pray serues all this They are no more then meere Idolls of Stone which haue no more in them of Kings but onely an externall representation To be all name and authoritie and to be Men in nothing else doe not sute well together Woe to the Idoll Shepheard saith Zacharie that leaueth the flocke Zach. 11.17 The sword shall be vpon his arme and vpon his right eye His arme shall be cleane dryed vp and his right eye shall be vtterly darkeneds it is written in the Reuelation Nomen habes quod viuas Apoc. 3.1 mortuus es Thou hast a name that thou liuest and art dead The names which God setteth vpon Kings are like vnto the Title of a Booke which in few words containeth all that is therein This name of King is giuen by God vnto Kings and therein includeth all that which this their Office tyes them to doe And if their workes and actions doe not answer with their name and Title it is as if one should say yea with his Mouth and by making Signes say no with his head What a iest and mockerie is this How shall such a one bee truely vnderstood It were Cosenage and deceit in that Golde beater who writes vpon his Signe Heere is fine gold to be sold when indeed it is but Orpine and base gold for Painters The name of King is not an Attribute of Idlenesse A person regall must haue reall performance As his name soundeth so let him serue in his place it is the people that proclaime the King but it is the King that must proclaime his loue to the people Hee that hath the name of ruling and gouerning a Gods name let him rule and gouerne They are not to be Reyes de anillo as it is in the Prouerb that is to say nominall Kings only praeter nomen nihil hauing nothing else in them In France there was a time when their kings had nothing but the bare name of Kings their Liuetenants Generall gouerning and Commanding all whilest they like so many beastes did busie themselues in nothing else but following the delights and pleasures of Gluttonie and Wantonnesse And because it might be known and appeare to the people that they were aliue for they neuer came abroad once a yeare they made shew of themselues on the first day of May in the Market-place of Paris sitting in a chaire of State on a throne royall like your kings amongst your Stage-players and there in reuerence they bowed their bodies vnto them and presented them with giftes and they againe conferred some fauours on such as they though fit And because you may see the miserie whereunto they were brought Eynardus in the beginning of that Historie which he writes of the life of Charles the Great says That those Kings in those dayes had no valour in them in the world made no shew of Noblenesse nor gaue so much as a tast of any inclination thereunto but had onely the empty and naked name of King For in very deede they were not Kings nor had actually and effectually any hand in the gouernment of the State or the wealth and riches of the Kingdome for they were wholly possessed by the Praesecti Palatij whom they called
that hee most desired And hee likewise condemneth those Pharisaicall Hypocrites who by exteriour showes would haue that to be supposed of them which they neuer interained in their heart D. Th. 2. 2. q. 111. art 1. And the Angelicall Docter renders the reason of this Truth To dissemble saith he is to lye in the deed or thing it selfe For a Lye doth not cease to be a Lye nor to alter it's nature be it either in workes or in words So that a Lye may be found in the behauiour gesture or semblance that one maketh wherewith to deceiue and to giue vs to vnderstand that which is not As also in the manner of the word spoken or some circumstance to be gathered out of it Now that which makes it culpable is the doublenesse in the heart Aug. lib. de Mendacio ad Consentium cap. 3. Which S. Austen subtlely considereth in that incounter of a mans meaning with his wordes Wherein there ought to be all equalitie and consonancie which is not truly kept when in our words wee shall say the contrary to that which is in our mindes Therefore a Christian King or his Minister may silence some things cast a cloake ouer them and not suffer themselues to be vaderstood and cunningly to dissemble that which they know of them as long as they shall thinke it necessary to be kept close and secrete for the good expedition of that which is in Treaty But a King or his Minister may not faigne deceiue dissemble or to giue that to be vnderstood by any open Act of his which he had not in his heart and bosome to doe All which hath no place in that which appertaineth vnto Faith wherein by the Law of God we haue obligation not onely to beleeue but also to confesse with all truth and plainnesse that which we beleeue without giuing to vnderstand by the least word or gesture ought to the contrary nor for the least moment of time though thereby we might saue our liues Whereby Kings and Christian Ministers are admonished how they may vse dissimulation how farre and for what time without treading in the path of their priuate profit through which your Politicians pretend to leade them leauing the high way of Truth wherewith accordeth whatsoeuer is iust and right shunneth all manner of lying which Truth and Time will at last bring to light It was the saying of King Theopompus That kingdomes and great Estates were conserued by Kings speaking Truth and by suffring others to speake the Truth vnto them For they being those whom it most importeth to heare truths none heare lesse King Antiochus all the time of his raigne sayd that he did not remember that euer hee had heard any more then one only truth It being the plague of Kings and Princes to haue that verified in their Pallaces and Courtes which was deliuered by Democritus Quod veritas in profundo puteo demersa latet That Truth lyes buryed in a deepe pit You shall scarce meete with one in an Age that dare tell Kings the Truth there being so many about them that sooth them vp with lyes and flatteries Seneca saith That of ten hundred thousand souldiers which Artaxerxes had in his Army there was but one onely that told him the truth in a case wherein all the rest did lye And amongst innumerable Prophets which concealed the truth from the king only Michab made bold to tell it him And only Solon did the like with king Croesus Seldom times doth the truth enter into the Kings priuy chamber and when it enters they scare expresse it in that bare and naked maner as did Iohn Baptist And for this cause did Demetrius the Philosopher wish king Ptolomie to reade bookes Histories which treated of Precepts for Kings and Captaines for they would tell him that which none durst deliuer vnto him Socrates sayd That there was notany one that made open protestation to speake the truth that attained as he did to the age of 70. yeares And certaine it is that Kings cannot indure to heare those plaine and naked truths which the common people and other their subiects are able to tel them and proue vnto them nor must they that are in place prestume to vtter them for feare of indangering their authoritie and reputation And therefore it is fit that they should haue some such persons about them which should both heare and vnderstand them and take their time to informe them of them And this is a rul'd Case taken out of those great Instructions and wise Aphorismes which Mecaenas gaue to Augustus worthy to be taken notice of and to be kept and obserued as coming from so great a Counsailour and proposed to a Prince who was so wise in this kinde To wit That Kings ought to giue libertie and way that their subiects vpon occasion might be admitted to tell them the Truth assuring them on their part that they will not bee offended with that which they shall say vnto them For it is permitted vnto a Physician to prescribe corrasiues and to cut away the dead flesh till it come to the quicke And it may as well be lawfull for a good subiect a faithfull Minister and Counseller of state to speake freely vnto his King with respect and reuerence to their royall dignitie the truth of that they thinke and to condemne him in his iudgement or otherwise when he shall goe about to doe any thing contrary to iustice and reason Nor ought this to seeme offensiue to any man nor to the King himselfe who if he haue a Christian feeling will approue in his minde vnderstanding the reasons that they shall represent vnto him so that if he be willing to heare the truths they shall tel him it may turne much to his profit And if he like not well of it there is no harme done neither doth he receiue any preiudice by it And if he shall thinke it fit for the furthering of his ends to follow the Counsaile of any let him cōmend honour that person For by that plot which he shall haue deuised inuented he shall gaine honour and greatnesse by it And it is meete conuenient that he should incourage both him and others with thankes and rewards Because this is the sunne which giues life and the heate which warmes good wits and makes them actiue nimble And in case he shall not admit of his aduise let him not disgrace him nor finde fault with him for his good will and the desire that he hath to do him seruice But like a great Prince wherein he shall shew his goodnesse let his eye rather looke on the good desire and affection wherewith he doth it then on the effect thereof As likewise because others may not be disheartned for there is not any the poorest plante that hath not some vertue in it nor any brayne so barrene whence at one time or other some fruite may not be gathered for the publicke good I
that which now is it will appeare vnto vs that your present Princes doe not come much behinde their good Predecessours And that which is good stands alwayes in a way or degree of ablenesse to become better and that which is not so may be bettered in the end Time is a great proficient it attaineth to all and can doe all And your Maiestie whom God preserue may likewise in time doe the like if you will really and resolutely affect the same and that you will be pleased to put in execution what in these Aduertisements shall seeme good in your eyes And seeme they or not seeme they good vnto you sure I am that my desire in these in the rest and in all shall indeuour to hit the marke whereat it aymeth God direct it as I desire For mine owne part J rest well contented with my paines and hold my selfe well paid for my labour in hauing put them into your Maiesties hands And that you shall vouchsafe to dwell a little vpon them For matters of State Justice and Gouernment and of things of this high nature is a King-craft and a knowledge or science that deserues your care and discourse Let others doe as they lift particular men may follow their particular pleasures and delights But this well becommeth Kings The Argument of this Booke is the Head of Mans body beginning at the vnderstanding till we come to the last of the senses For therein and thence they haue the principium or beginning of their operations And as in mans body so in the mysticall body of a Common-wealth Kings are the Head to whom Regiment Gouernment belongs and what choyce they are to make of those who are to assist them therein the qualities which they ought to haue and how they should carry themselues towards them How they shall come to discouer the humours affections mindes and dispositions of their Ministers And in a word how they ought to behaue themselues in all and with all I search not into the secret closet of any mans bosome nor touch vpon any particular person it being the least part of my intent and purpose I treate onely in the generall and manifest vnto all that what I write being certaine and true and grounded vpon principles and certaine causes may serue to reforme amend and correct and if neede bee alter those fashions and customes they finde to bee amisse This I am bold to vtter vnto your Maiestie and dedicate the same with that securitie and confidence which mine owne knowledge doth promise and prompt vnto mee being not ignorant that I talke and discourse with mine owne proper King and Lord whom I humbly beseech that hee will bee pleased out of his great prudence and naturall pietie to runne all this ouer with his eye and to cast his cloake ouer my faults And though no doubt his Maiestie may meete with some yet my minde telleth me that he may likewise light vpon something in this Treatise that may be of some profit for the seruice of his Maiestie and for the conseruation of that authoritie and greatnesse of place which he so iustly possesseth and for the good of the Common-wealth For there is not that Booke saith Seneca so vnprofitable whence some good may not bee gathered And though this in supposall or it 's owne nature may be small and of little or no price yet is it of no lesse noble and royall a condition to receiue a little louingly and with a gratious acceptance then to giue much liberally All this your Maiestie doth with all and I assure my selfe you will likewise doe the like with me For the naturall Loue which I beare vnto your Maiestie meriteth no lesse nor the minde wherewithall J doe it And herewith I shall in some sort satisfie my desire which is to hit the marke I ayme at and that obligation wherewith I was borne to serue you whom I shall neuer willingly offend And euermore in all my prayers and sacrifices I shall humbly on my knees beseech the Almighty God to preserue your Maiestie to giue you many and those most happie yeares and that hee will conserue you in his diuine grace and humane Greatnesse with much augmentation of Estate both Temporall and Eternall Amen Your Maiesties seruant and Chaplaine Fr. Iuan de Sancta Maria. A Table containing the Chapters and Paragraphes of this Booke Chap. 1. WHerein it is briefly treated what is comprehended in this word Republicke together with it's definition Chapter 2. What the name of King signifieth Chapter 3. Whether the name of King be a name of Office Chap. 4. Of the Office of Kings Chap. 5. Of the reason and vnderstanding of Kings and of their wisedome Chap. 6. How Kings ought to carrie themselues in those businesses which their vnderstanding comprehendeth not Chapter 7. A prosecution of the former Discourse shewing how Kings are to take Councell And what signes they are to marke and obserue for their better knowledge Chap. 8. Of the diligences which Kings are to vse in the Election of their Ministers and Councellours Chap. 9. Of the qualities which Kings are to consider in those whom they are to make choice of for Ministers and Councellours Chap. 10. Hee continues the discourse of the Qualities of Ministers and Councellours Chap. 11. Of other Courses and Meanes which Kings may take for the notice of such persons in whom the said Qualities concurre Chap. 12. How Kings ought to carry themselues towards those Ministers whom they finde sufficient for the Gouernment both of Peace and Warre Chap. 13. The Author prosecutes the same Subiect and shewes how Kings ought to carry themselues with their Councells and Councellours Chap. 14. It is demanded by way of Question Whether Kings ought inuiolably to obserue the foresaid Order Chap. 15. Whether it be fit for Kings to vse much the remitting of businesses Chap. 16. Of the sence of the fight that is of those businesses which Kings ought to reserue for their owne view and to dispatch with their owne hands Chap. 17. Hee prosecuteth the same matter and shewes How Kings ought to carry themselues towards those that finde themselues aggrieued Chap. 18. Of the sense of Hearing And the Audiences which Kings ought to giue Chapter 19. He goes on with the same Matter treating of the Audiences of Ministers and Councellours Chap. 20. Of the vertue of Iustice the naturall sister and Companion of Kings Chap. 21. Of the parts of Iustice in Common and in particular of Iustice commutatiue Chap. 22. Of Iustice distributiue Chap. 23. How and in what sort limitation in giuing may sute with the greatnesse of Kings Chap. 24. Of the repartment and diuision which is to bee vsed in the conferring of offices And of the knowledge of such persons as ought to be nominated for the said offices Chap. 25. Whether Honours Offices and dignities are to be conferred on those that sue for them Chap. 26. Of the sense of smelling that is of the prudence of
thee King ouer all this Kingdome that thy Office ties thee to it 's generall gouernment Thou wast not made King to sleepe and take thine ease or to honour and authorize thy selfe by the dignitie Royall but that thou shouldest gouerne and maintaine the people in peace and iustice and that thou shouldest protect and defend them from their enemies Rex Eligitur non vt sui ipsius curam habeat sayth Socrates et sese molliter curet Sed vt per ipsum ij qui eligerunt bene beatéque viuant Kings are not chosen that their whole care should be for themselues to pamper the flesh and to liue nicely and daintily but that by him they who had elected him might liue well and happily vnder him They were not created nor introduced into the world for their owne commoditie and their owne pleasure and that all the good morsels should be for their owne trencher for if it should be so no man would willingly be subiect vnto them but for the publicke profit and common good of all his subiects for their happy gouernment for their safe protection their augmentation conseruation and in a word for their seruice and without any vnmannerlinesse we may well tearme it so for albeit in outward appearance the Scepter and the Crowne haue the face of Empire and Signiory yet in strictenesse and in rigour it is but the Office of a Seruant Servus Communis siuè Servus honoratus The Common-wealths seruant or a more honourable kind of Seruant This is the attribute which some giue vnto a king Quia à tota republica stipendia accipit vt serviat omnibus Because he receiues stipends from all that he may serue all And the Pope of Rome holds it no dishonour vnto him to be stiled Servus servorum Dei The Seruant of Gods seruants And howbeit anciently this name of seruant were infamous yet after that our Sauiour Christ had in his own person taken it vpon him it hath since beene accounted honorable And as it is not repugnant and contradictory to the Essence and nature of the sonne of God no more is it any preiudice or disparagement to the Maiestie and greatnesse of Kings And this was well vnderstood by Antigonus King of Macedonia who reprehending his sonne for carrying too hard a hand ouer his Subiects thus checkt his immoderate Empire An ignoras fili mi Regnum nostrum nobilem esse seruitutem Wootst thou not my sonne that our kingdome is a Noble seruitude Answering to that of Agamemnon We liue saith hee in the opinion of the world in much greatnesse and in high Estate Aelian de varia Hist lib. 2. but in effect are but seruants and slaues to our Vassals This is the Office of good Kings to serue in this honourable manner For in being Kings their Actions depend not on the sole will of their owne persons but of the Lawes and Statutes which they haue giuen and allowd of and those conditions wherewith they accepted this their Soueraigntie And though they should bee wanting to these which are no more then a humane Conuencion Couenant or agreement betwixt Prince and people yet may they not be defectiue in those which the naturall and diuine Law hath layd vpon them the Lady and Mistris as well of Kings as subiects All which are in a manner contained in those words of Ieremy Ier. 22.3 in which according to S. Ieromes opinion God sets downe the Office of Kings Facite iudicium iustitiam liberate vi oppressum de manu calumniatoris aduenam pupillum viduam nolite contristare neque opprimatis iniqué sanguinem innocentem ne effundatis Execute yee iudgement and righteousnesse and deliuer the spoyled out of the hand of the oppressour and doe no wrong doe no violence to the stranger the fatherlesse nor the widowe neither shed innocent blood c. This is the Summe wherein is cyphered vp the Office of a King These the Lawes of his Court whereby he is bound to mantaine in peace and Iustice the fatherlesse and the widowe the poore and the rich the mighty and the weake To his Account are put the Agrauios and wrongs which his Ministers doe vnto the one and the Iniustice which the other suffer The wretched estate of those that are necessited the cry of the distressed and the teares that are shed out of anguish of heart and a thousand other loades euen wane-loades of cares and obligations lye vpon the shoulders of him that is the Head and King of a kingdome And albeit he be the head in commanding and in gouerning yet in bearing if not often ouercharged therewith the heauie weight and loade of all hee must be the feete or supporters to beare the burthen of the whole body of the Common-wealth Of Kings and Monarkes the iust men Iob sayth that by reason of their Office Iob. 9.13 they carry like Porters the world on their shoulders vnder which burthen the proudest helpers must stoope In consideration whereof it is sayd in the booke of Wisedome In veste ponderis quam habebat summus sacerdos totus erat orbis terrarum In the long garment was the whole world The Latin translation In veste ponderis carryes more weight with it so that in taking vpon thee to be a King thou must make account to take so great a charge vpon thee and so heauie a load as the strongest Carte will hardly be able to beare it And this Moses knew well enough whom God hauing made his Vice-roy his Captaine Generall and sole Liuetenant in the Gouernment in stead of giuing him thankes for this so honourable a Charge committed vnto him made his moane and complaint for hauing layd so heauy a loade vpon his shoulders Numb 11. 11. Cur afflixisti seruum tuum Cur imposuisti pondus vniuersi populi huius super me Wherfore hast thou afflicted thy seruant And wherefore haue I not found fauour in thy sight that thou layest the burthen of all the people vpon me And proceedeth farther with his complaints saying Nunquid ego concepi omnem hanc multitudinem Aut genui eam Num. 11.12 vt dicas mihi Porta eos Haue I conceiued all this people Haue I begotten them that thou shouldest say vnto me Carry them in thy bosome as the nursing father beareth the sucking child c. Where it is worthy the noting That God said not any one such word vnto Moses But only commanded him that he should rule and gouerne his people that he should be their Captaine and their Leader And yet he heere sticks not to say that hee layd the burthen of all the people vpon him with this Motto added thereunto Porta eos Carry them c. A man would thinke hee complaineth heere without a Cause for God says no more vnto him but that hee be their Captaine and that hee take vpon him the rule Command and Gouernment of them But to this it is answered Al buen entendedor pocas palabras
it and hath no obligation no Interest no necessitie but is all pure loue and is freely giuen of grace onely to do him good that receiues it The rest is Vsurie Loane bribery and hope of gaine And if they will see that this is true let them come downe from that high place wherein they are let a Visitation goe forth against them and they shall quickly see how euery man longs and desires that that may bee returned to the Owners which they haue got by foule play It is a great blindenesse in Ministers to imagine that what is giuen them proceedes from liberalitie and out of the good will and loue they beare vnto them God he knowes it is no such matter but what they do in this kinde is only to corrupt them and to oblige them to do that which they neither may nor ought Let them beleeue me and not deceiue themselues For to giue and receiue is a cunning peece of businesse a thing of great artifice wit and subtiltie and on whatsoeuer occasion it worketh it workes Miracles But in case gifts should not corrupt at least they appease and moue affection Being as that wise King Salomon saith like vnto the waues of the Sea which make the tallest ship to reele be she neuer so well ballasted And waues neuer come single And if they be strong waues indeede they ouerturne her and sinke her in the Sea Reprom ssio nequissima multos perdidit Eccl. 29. Commouit illos quasi fluctus maris Let them looke well to themselues that receiue gifts for they run a great deale of hazard let them take heede least some storme arise that may drowne their ship euen then as often hath beene seene when she is deepest and richest laden And let them not trust to their taking in secret nor of such and such a person for the Diuine Sunne of Iustice whom they offend will discouer and bring all to light And though no body should see or know it it is enough that God and his own Conscience knowes it which are two sure Witnesses besides many other which time will produce They likewise alleage That they haue leaue and licence of their Kings to receiue gifts Whereunto first of all I answer that it is not to be beleeued that Christian Kings will grant such Licences as these which are so preiudic all pernicious scandalous and so contrary to the Common good and good gouernment of their Kingdomes Secondly I say speaking with that reuerence and respect which is due vnto the authoritie of Kings that it cannot be grounded on good Diuinitie that they may giue any such leaue or licence vnto their Ministers Againe they vrge that sometimes in some particular case gifts haue beene giuen to some great Priuado or fauourite of the King It may be so But sure I am that to no Counsellour of Iustice can it euer iustly be or may be done But because this will fall within the compasse of our insuing discourse I will cite those words Timentes Deum Fearing God Which follow anon after the beginning For well will it suite that with these we conclude this Chapter because the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome And from whence as from their fountaine are deriued all those other good qualities that are in man Timor Domini super omnia se superposuit There is none aboue him that feareth the Lord. Et beatus homo Eccl. 25.10 cui donatum est habere illum And happy is that man to whom it is giuen For he that hath the feare of God hath all the good that can be desired Plenitudo sapientiae est Eccl. 1.16 timere Deum To feare the Lord is fullnesse of wisedome He that would be a generall Scholler in all kinde of knowledge be well seene in all the Artes and Sciences and haue all those good parts and qualities combined and ioyned together let him loue and feare God For he that feares him and hath him alwayes before his eyes hath libertie and power to ouercome the feare and dread of the mightie whereof the World doth stand and all for want of this feare too much in awe Among the Lawes of Moses Iosephus relateth one wherein he willeth Iudges that they should aboue all things preferre Iustice and that without respect to any mans person or dignitie they should equally iudge all For they hauing as they haue heere vpon earth the power of God they ought not to feare any other but him He that preuaricates Iustice in relation to great persons makes them greater and more powerfull then God who giues vs this short but stoute Lesson Feare not him that can kill the body and take away thy life but feare thou him that can kill the soule and depriue thee of life euerlasting And in another place he saith Thou shalt not forsake the poore for feare of the rich Exod. nor iudge vniustly nor doe the thing that is vnequall for feare of the powerfull but keepe iustice in it's true weight and measure without any humane respect or vaine feare King Iehosaphat aduiseth the Iudges of Israel that in their iudgements they feare none but God alone and all the Law-giuers as Lycurgus Solon Numa and a number of others together with the chiefest of all Moses who gouerned Common-wealths and made Lawes founded them with Religion and the feare of God These are the first and last Letters of the Lawes of Christian gouernment wherewith that wise King did summe vp the booke of those which hee made for the gouernment of Men. Deum time mandata eius obserua hoc est omnis homo Eccl. 12.13 Feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole dutie of man With this he receiueth the stabilitie and permanencie of man The contrary whereof is to be a beast and worse then a beast According to that of S. Bernard Ber. ser 20. in Cant. Ergo si hoc est omnis homo absque hoc nihil est homo If this be the whole duty of man without this man is nothing But as a man that hath no vse of reason breakes all lawes Facile deuiat à justitia qui in causis non Deum sed homines formidat He easily swarues from Iustice which in causes feareth not God but Man I will heere conclude with that which Esay saith Isay 9.6 A wonderfull Counsellour is the mighty God And he is to be our chiefe Counsellour and more inward with vs then any King or Counsellour And Kings and Counsellours are to craue his Councell For Councell being his gift he doth not communicate the same to any saue such as loue and feare him and take Councell of his diuine Law As did that holy King Consilium meum Iustificationes tuae Let euery one enter into his Councell of knowledge let him consult himselfe the best that he can yet when he hath done all that he can let him aduise with the Law of God For if he do not
man will hardly be true and trusty vnto him and scarcely adiuse him to that which is fitting for him But suppose he hath all these good qualities yet if he giue way to be won by the loue of money and greedinesse of gaine all that shall be treated with him shall be saleable no whit weighing the benefit and authoritie of his King if the insatiable hunger of riches be put in the scale And I say moreouer that he that shall want these two qualities and shall not loue his King and yet loue Couetousnesse though he be indewed with all the rest he shall thereby be so much the worse and more dangerous for hauing his will depraued and his vnderstanding ill affected hauing these two Vices attending on him how much the more shall his sharpnesse of wit be and the greater his force of Eloquence the worse effects will it worke and the more remedilesse Let Counsellours therefore haue these two qualities Loue of the heart and cleannesse of the hand together with good naturall partes as a quicke wit and nimble apprehension for the speedier determining of present businesses and not onely to giue sodaine but sound aduise in them And that in future cases they may be able by naturall discourse to giue a guesse how things are like to succeede as also that they may by good discourse and debating of businesses attaine vnto those things whereof as yet they haue not had particular experience That they be prudent discerners of the better and the worse in Cases doubtfull that they may not be to seeke but to goe through stitch therewith and be prouided for all commers In a word let them be excellent sodaine speakers vpon all occasions assisted as well by a naturall kinde of gift they haue that way as by the exercise of their wit All which will not serue the turne nor make the Mill go so roundly as it would vnlesse there be much amitie amongst them and a conformitie of good agreement and a willing helping and assisting one of another in businesses For from Competitions and Contestations amongst themselues haue insued the losse of Kingdomes and States and other great losses and Calamities Ley. 29. Tit. 9. Part. 2. They must bee of one accord and one will with their King and still aduise him to the best hauing an eye both to him and themselues that they doe not erre or doe any thing contrary to that which is right and iust And then is it to be vnderstood that they beare true loue to their King and Countrie and that they apply themselues to all that which concernes the common good and their owne particular seruice when they take ioy and comfort that they concurre and runne all one way without diuision or distraction And if this vnitie be not amongst them it is to be imagined that they loue not so much the King and State as their owne priuate interest Being thus qualified they shall be fit Ministers and Counsellors for so great a Counsell for they shall therby be able to rid as many businesses as shall be brought before them and giue them good and quicke dispatch well vnderstanding what is needefull to be done and knowing as well how to declare themselues in that which they vnderstand And in this or any other Councell there ought according to Fadrique Furio a care to be had to examine the merits and dismerits of euery one informing themselues of his life behauiour and abilities as also the Actions of those who without suing deserue for their vertue to haue fauour showen them and likewise to take notice of those who desire this preferment And that for this purpose there be a Register or Booke kept of the merceds and fauours to be conferred and of the persons that are well deseruing to the end that those honours and fauours may be thrown vpon them according to the vertue sufficiencie and merits of the men For he that depriues Vertue of that honour that is due thereunto doth in Cato's opinion depriue men of vertue it selfe And when fauours are afforded those which not deserue them or are forborne to be bestowed on those that merit them vertue receiues a great affront and the Common-wealth a notable losse And it will proue the greater if honour be added to the bad and taken from the good and that vice shall be better rewarded then vertue For where she is not esteemed and rewarded the vertuous liue like men affronted and that are banished the Court. King Nabucodonosor Assuerus and others haue kept such a booke as this wherein were commanded to be recorded the seruices that were done them and the persons deseruing to the end they might gratifie them and cast their gracious fauours vpon them And this is very necessary in all well ordred Common-wealths to the end that all might indeauour to take paines and study to deserue well For reward inciteth men to labour And as Salust saith were it not for hope of reward few or none would be good It makes much likewise for the honor and credit of Kings For in no one thing can they gaine themselues greater reputation then by honouring those that are good and vertuous The Romans had likewise another Councell which was called by the name of Censura or Reforming of manners which did not in the Common-wealth permit publicke delinquents which might cause either trouble or scandall to the State and to the end that such ill disposed persons might not escape punishment For where there is neither hope of reward nor feare of punishment there can we haue no good thing no Common-wealth nor no Congregation of men to last and continue when as the good and vertuous are not rewarded nor the lewd and seditious punished For if one part of the body be infirme and be not holpen in time the maladie extends it selfe and goes creeping and spreading it selfe ouer all the whole body And therefore it is fitting that Ministers should haue an eye to see what vices what disorders what ill corrupted manners disturbe and molest a Kingdome and to haue a care to cleanse and cure the Common-wealth of them dealing with them for the publicke good as wise Physitians do for the Bodyes-safety Who in the curing of infirmities for the securing of the whole cauterize this or that member and if neede be cut it off Now your infirmities and diseases which are quickly knowne are as easily cured a great meanes of the remedy resting in the discouerie but those which with time waxe olde grow in a manner incurable the Aliment and fomenting of them consisting most in their concealement For as in suffering and dissembling a sore it but rankles the more and of ill becomes worse So to beare with insolent offenders and to winke at their foule faultes is as if a man should fauour a wound too much wherby as it so do they daily grow worse and worse For it is too too well knowne that to malignant dispositions the more lenitie is but
punished with whom the fault is truly found For when the subiects iust Complaints are not heard besides that his conscience is charged and clogg'd therewith the Ministers themselues become thereby much more absolute and more insolently Imperious Insomuch that the subiect seeing that they are neither heard nor eased of their grieuances they grow desperate And what fruites despaire bring forth I neede not tell kings that know either men or bookes There is not in holy Scripture any one thing more often repeated then the particular care which God hath of the oppressed In the seuenty second Psalme where the Greatnesses of King Salomon are set forth but more particularly those magnificencies of that true King Salomon Iesus Christ whose figure he was amongst other his Excellencies for the which he ought to be much estemed beloued and adored of all the Kings of the earth and serued by all the nations of the world this which followeth is not the least Psal 72.11 Adorabunt eum omnes reges terrae omnes gentes seruient ei quia liberauit pauperem à potente pauperem cui non erat adiutor All Kings shall worship him all nations shall serue him For he shall deliuer the poore when he cryeth the needy also and him that hath no helper And in another place he makes the like repetition Ex vsuris iniquitate redimet animas eorum Propter miseriam inopum et gemitum pauperum Psal 12.5 nunc exurgam dicit dominus Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighes of the poore I will vp sayth the Lord and will set at libertie him whom the wicked hath snared And in the first Chap. of Esay it seemeth that God doth proclaime a plenary Indulgence and full Iubile vnto those Kings and Gouernours who apply themselues to the easing of the oppressed Isay 1.18 Subuenite oppresso iudicate populo defendite viduam et venite arguite me dicit dominus si fuerint peccata vestra vt coccineum quasi nix dealb ab untur at si fuerint rubra quasi vermiculus velut lana alba erunt Relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widowe though your sinnes were as crymson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like skarlet they shall be as wool you see then that all sinnes are forgiuen that King that is a Louer of Iustice and a friend vnto the poore and needy that takes paines in relieuing the oppressed and in defending the widowe and protecting the distressed They may stand with God in iudgement alleage for themselues his Iustice his righteousnesse who haue dealt iustly vprightly with their subiects and mantained the weake and needy against those powerfull Tyrants which seeke to swallow them vp as your greater fishes doe the lesser Qui deuorant plebem meam Psal 14.4 sicut escam panis Who eate vp my people as they eate bread And howbeit Iustice ought to be one and the same both to poore and rich yet God doth more particularly recommend vnto their care and charge that of the poore For as it is in the Prouerb Quiebra sa soga por lo mas delgado Where the corde is slendrest there it breaketh soonest For a powerfull man will defend himselfe by his power and great men by their greatnesse And would to God that they had no more to backe them then a iust defence for then the poore should not neede to stand in feare of them But that is now to passeable in these times which the Apostle Saint Iames found fault with in his Iam. 2.6 Quod diuites per potentiam opprimunt vos et ipsi trahunt vos ad iudicium That the rich oppresse the poore by tyrannie and draw them before the iudgement-seates When Kings doe cumply with this their obligation when they free the oppressed and defend the wronged Orphane and Widowe God sends downe vpon them his light his grace and other extraordinary gifts whereby they and their states are conserued and maintayned Whose ruine and perdition doth euermore succeede through the default of him that gouerneth for if Kings would gouerne according vnto equitie and iustice they and their kingdomes should be as it were in a manner perpetuall and immortall For as it is in the Prouerbs of Salomon Rex Prou. 29.14 qui iudicat in veritate pauperes Thronus eius in aeternum firmabitur A King that iudgeth the poore in truth his throne shall be established for euer Whereas on the contrary most certaine it is that the King and kingdome haue but a short continuance where the Iudges and Ministers are swayed by passion and thereby the subiects abused It is the saying of the holy Ghost Eccl. 10.8 Regnum à gente in gentem transfertur propter iniustitias et iniurias et contumelias et dolos Because of vnrighteous dealing and wrongs and riches gotten by deceit the Kingdome is transferred from one people to another No one thing drawes such assured and apparent perils of warre vpon kingdomes as the wrongs that are dâ—ne to the poorer sort of subiects Clamor eorum in aures domini Exercituum introiuit Iam. 5.4 The cryes of them haue entred into the eares of the Lord of Hosts And there before his Counsell of Warre they present their Memorialls and their Petitions with such a loud language and discomposed deliuery that they pierce through his eares when they call vpon him saying since thou art the Lord God of Hoasts raise thou Armies both in Heauen and Earth and reuenge thou those the open wrongs that are offred vnto vs. And these Petitions commonly finde there such quicke dispatch that presently hee nominateth Captaines leuieth forces and formeth a mightie Armie of enemies to disturbe and destroy that kingdome And though some may conceiue that the cause of those and the like troubles are the crosse Incounters of Kings and Princes amongst themselues or the greedy desire of warre for spoyle and pillage which pardoneth no manner of persons yet in realtie of truth it is not so but the wrongs of Ministers exercised vpon the poore the fatherlesse and the widowe are the occasion that huge and powerfull Hostes of enemies in their reuenge enter the gates of a Kingdome and make wast and hauocke thereof For this cause were the Amalechites captiuated and put to the sword and for the same likewise the soldiers entred into Iudaea and sackt it Whence we draw this cleare and conclusiue truth that the best and the safest course to conserue a kingdome to gaine others and to abound in riches is to vndoe wrongs done not to dissemble iniuries to punish thefts and robberies and to execute iustice towards all Initium viae bonae Prou 16.51 facere iustitiam The first step to goodnesse is to doe Iustice For without it the foot that sets forward falls backward and a King hath not where withall to relye on his power his forces his wisedome and experience in gouernment
bring them forth together And in another place as if God did answer these the desires of the Iust he sayth Ierem. 23.5 Ecce dies veniunt dicit dominus suscitabo Dauid germen iustum regnabit Rex Sapiens erit faciet iudicium et iustitiam in terra Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch and a King shall raigne and prosper and shall execute iudgement 3 King 3. and Iustice in the earth And in the third booke of the Kings God being willing to grace and autorize the person of Salomon who was the Type figure of the true King of Kings our Sauiour Iesus Christ had no soner the Crowne set on his head the possession of the Kingdom settled vpon him but there was presently offred and put into his hands a great occasion for to shew his prudence and wisedome and his great noblenesse and courage for to do iustice The Case was a common and knowen Case it was betwixt two women that were friends and Companions who leading a lewd and dishonest life were deliuered or brought to bed both at one time and sleeping together in one bed the one of them being oppressed with a heauie sleepe ouer-layd her childe and when she awaked shee found it to be dead And at the same instant without being felt or perceiued bv her Companion she puts me the dead childe by her and tooke the liuing childe to her selfe But this theft could not be so couered for all her cunning carriage but that the other knew that the dead childe which was layd by her side was not hers but the liuing The other with a great deale of impudencie and dissimulation deny'de it And because they could not agree vpon the busines they resolued to goe to King Salomon before whom the busines was continued with the like stiffenesse and obstinate contestation giuing each other the Lye and other the like bold and vnciuill speeches as is vsuall with such kinde of women The King finding no more proofe nor reason of credit in the one then the other commanded a caruing Knife to be brought into the open Courte that diuiding the liuing childe in the middst the one halfe should be giuen to the one and the other to the other Thereupon the true Mother trembling and quaking and feeling that knife already in her owne bowels which was to part her childe in twaine besought the King that this his sentence might not be executed but that the childe might be deliuered ouer whole to the other Which being well weigh'd and considered by this wise King and good Iusticer he knew thereby that she was the true Mother and so gaue order that the childe should be restored vnto her And the holy Scripture saith That the same of this notable peece of Iustice was divulged farre and neere and that there grew thence a great respect in all the people of Israel towards this their most prudent King who had with so much iudgement and wisedome administred Iustice Audiait itaque omnis Israel iudicium quod iudicasset Rex 3. King 3.28 et timuerunt Regem videntes sapientiam Dei esse in illo ad faciendum iudicium All Israel heard the iudgement which the King had iudged and they feared the King for they saw that the wisedome of God was in him to doe Iustice So that when they saw how iust a King he was and with what a deale of vprightnes he did administer Iustice the people shouted for ioy and cryed out that his wisdome was from heauen and though he were then very young they began to feare and reuerence him very much And therefore if a king will be beloued esteemed and respected of his subiects he must be a iust King For most certaine it is that if Kings will pretend honour authoritie credit estimation and respect they cannot take any better course for it then by giuing to euery one that which appertaineth vnto him with a iust hand Summum in regibus bonum est saith Saint Gregory iustitiam colere Greg. lib. 7. Epist 120 ac sua cuique iura seruare It is the greatest goodnesse and highest commendation in Kings to honour iustice and let euery man enioy his proper rightes and priuiledges And so it is that there is not any thing whereby Kings doe more gaine the Common voyce for the augmentation of their authoritie and increase of their Estates or that doth more incline the minds of their subiects to respect obedience then to know that they are wise sincere full of integrity of great zeale in the administratiō of Iustice For then all wil willingly obay him heartily loue him liuing in an assured hope that all his actions wil be measured weighed and crownd with Equity and Iustice Let therefore the Conclusion of this discourse be That according to Plato the greatest prayse that can be giuen to a King is in consideration of this Vertue for as wee will shew you by and by it imbraceth all vertues in it selfe And there is not any Title more honourable or that doth so quadrare so square and sute with a King as that of lust whereby a King is made as it were a God vpon earth and becomes like vnto him in rewarding and punishing Anaxagoras and Homer called Kings Iovis discipulos Iupiters Schollers because in imitation of the Gods they did administer Iustice And anciently they were tearmed sacratissimi most sacred In effect Iustice is a vertue truely regall and most proper vnto Kings because it appertaines vnto them by Office and doth constitute them in their being of Kings Diodor. Sicul. lib. 4. c. 1. for without it they cannot be And therfore your Aegyptian Theologians with one and the same symbole which was an open-Eye did signifie both a king and Iustice For neither a king without it nor it without a King can performe their office And therefore Plato calls her the Ouerseer Plato lib. 9. delegibus and the Reuenger of all things in regard of that great vigilancie which Kings ought to haue in executing Iustice and in seeing and knowing what passeth in the kingdome for kingdomes for this cause are content to become subiect vnto them out of a confidence they haue that they shall be protected by them This is the thing saith Osorrus that Kings must looke vnto Osor lib 4 de reg Instit This must be their cheife care and study In studium iustitia omnes regis curae et cogitationes omnes labores atque vigiliae omnia denique studia consumenda sunt Ea namque à principio Reges creauit The doing or not doing of Iustice is that which either sets vp or puls downe Kings And that King must make a new conquest of Kingdomes If those which he hath already gained be not conserued and defended by the force and power of Iustice which is the maine pillar and onely prop to speake of that
at stake for it and if he shall Iudge amisse he is to pay all costes and charges and sute of Courte Quodcunque iudicaueritis sayth that good King in vos redundabit Whatsoeuer yee shall iudge it shall light vpon your selfes He threatneth that which God deliuereth in the booke of Wisedome to the Kings and Iudges of the earth Audite ergo Reges intelligite Iudices terrae Heare me yee that rule and gouerne the world and yee that glory in the multitude of nations that are subiect vnto you vnderstand that the power that yee haue is from God and that he is to make a Quaere and inquire of your Actions and thoughts And for that being his Ministers ye haue not iudged according to his will nor kept his lawes nor done Iustice Wisd 6.5 Horrendae citò apperebit vobis Horibly and sodainly will he appeare vnto you He that is most low shall finde mercie with him but the mighty shall be mightily tormented All these are the wordes of the wisedome of Salomon and which are not to escape the memorie of Kings and their Ministers And Iehosophat as a remedie vnto all prescribeth vnto his Iudges and Counsellours one good Counsayle and sound aduise which is this That in all the sentences they shall pronounce that they set before their eyes the feare of God Chrys in Serm. Ioan Bapt. Aug. ad fratres in Erem ser 35. For as both Saint Chrysostome and S. Austin affirme it is easie for him to swarne from Iustice who feareth not God in what he doth As likewise that they should dispatch businesses with diligence For there are some that indeauour to eternize sutes And why they doe so God the world knowes Bribery and Corruption are the Raemoras that stop the course of Iustice and the cause that sutes are so long depending before they be brought to a conclusion to the confusion and vndoing of those that follow them who are faine by deferring to deferring and putting ouer from hearing to hearing to sell their very clothes from their backs to wage Law And when at last with much adoe they haue sentence past on their side they are neuer a whit the better for it but is conuerted into gall and bitternesse for that his sute hath cost him seuentimes more then it was worth Amos 6.12 To such Iudges as these suteth that of the Prophet Amos Conuertistis in amaritudinem Iudicium fructum iustitiae in Absinthium Yee haue turned iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into worme-wood Furthermore saith that good King Consider that yee occupie Gods place who wrongeth no man nor is an Accepter of Persons Yee must administer Iustice equally to all giuing to euery one that which is his and of right belongs vnto him without any other humane respect For Iustice acknowledgeth neither Father nor Mother nor friend but meere Truth Cleon tooke leaue of his friends when he was made a Iudge And Themistocles refused Magistracie saying That he would not possesse that place where his friends could not be in better condition with him then his foes Lastly he tels them that he would not haue them to be couetous nor receiuers of rewards And therfore are they pictu'rd without hands because they should not haue the faculty and gift of taking Non accipies personam nec manera Deut. 16.19 It is Moses his Aduise in Deuteronomy Wrest not thou the Law nor respect any person neither take reward For the reward blindeth the eyes of the wise peruerteth the words of the Iust Iustice should be like vnto the sunne whose light costes vs nothing and is neither bought nor solde Non licet in diâ—i saith Saint Austin vendere iustum iudicium It becomes not a iudge to sell iust iudgement All this appertaineth to Commutatiue Iustice And to that obligation likewise which kings haue to cumply with whatsoeuer bargaines or contracts haue bin formally made without acceptation of persons for he is not to regard them but the truth To this Iustice appertaineth likewise the giuing and paying of soldiers their reward and their pay For they doe tacitely make a contract with their Prince to serue him in that Ministry for so many Ducatts a month And this is due vnto them in all Iustice right For otherwise there should not be an equalitie betweene a Souldiers paines and his pay Nor ought hee to put them off with delayes remitting the remuneration of their seruice to other Ministers seeing that they serue them in their owne persons and that the obligation is reciprocall And therefore a certaine bolde Soldier tolde Augustus Caesar who thought he had done him a great fauour in recommending him by a fauourit of his to those of the Counsel of warr that they might heare him and doe him Iustice Sir said he when your Honor and Authoritie ran so much hazard and your person put to great perill did I depute another in my place to fight for me And therewith all vnbuttoning his dublet he shew'd him the wounds which he had receiued in his body in his defence By which he obliged him to heare his cause himselfe to giue present order that he should be well and truly payd And when they in the seruice of their king shall do more then they are bound vnto as some which vnder-go braue and noble attempts ieoparding their life 's in such kinde of desperate enterprises howbeit commutatiue Iustice obligeth not to giue them more then their ordinary pay yet in a iust gratification it is required of Kings that they should reward and honour them according to the qualitie of their persons and seruices For a iust King ought not to leaue any seruice vnrewarded nor any fault vnpunished For Praemium Paenae Reward and Punishment are those two Plummets which keepe the clock of the Common-wealth in good Order But to giue a conclusion to this first part I say That Iustice ought to be in all and with all all equall and compleat And for this cause she is called Flos a flower Giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that to all she should be Florida fresh and flourishing Not being like a dry rotten sticke to some and full of sweetenesse to others And as in a tree after the flower followes the fruit So likewise is it to be conceiued that in kings and Iudges this Vertue is not true if it consist onely in the leafe and the flower and doe not come to beare fruit And therefore in the sacred Scripture those that doe not as well in deede as in shew truly vprightly administer Iustice are called Hypocrites for that they haue no more of Kings and Iudges then the bare name Title They ought to be Vina Lex and Ius animatum the very life and soule of the Law that Men may come vnto them not as to a Man but as to equitie and iustice it selfe They must haue their plummet their Lines runne euen and leuell towards all
And it is our dayly experience to see persons that haue beene highly and richly gratified and extraordinarily well rewarded to haue proud very vnthankfull For this fault great benefits haue with them and such as are dis-equall to the deserts of those persons that receiue them that they are not thankfully accepted of And those that are benefitted to the end that they may not bewray this their imperfection being such as it is no lesse then so great a sinne as ingratitude they soone learne to forget them but those that are conferred on others neuer slip out of their remembrance In a word of all that that is begg'd and of all them that begg few there are that forbeare to goe this way In confirmation whereof we may alleadge heere that question which Christ made to one of those ten Leapers which hee healed shewing himselfe not halfe well pleased with the rest of his fellowes Nonne decem mundati sunt Et nouem vbi sunt Non est inuentus qui rediret daret gloriam Deo nisi hic Alienigena Luke 17.17 Are there not ten cleansed But where are the nine There is none found that returned to giue God prayse saue this stranger In Kings Pallaces your strangers and those that are newly come to Court are your onely thankfull men For those that are well acquainted with the Court familiarly attend the person of the King and are still assistent vnto him vpon all occasion neuer acknowledge the fauours that are done them bee they neuer so great They are alwayes crauing but are neuer satisfied they swallow downe whole riuers and wonder not at it they thinke all Iordan is too little for them and that they shall no soner open their mouth but they must presently sup it vp And the reason hereof is because they verily perswade themselues that all whatsoeuer you giue them be it neuer so much is due vnto them for their seruices and their dayly Assistencies I therefore say and therein say but the truth That one of the greatest happinesses that can befall Kings is to be serued by noble persons and men of honour gente granada as the Spaniards tearme them iolly strong lusty people proper comely men and persons of best and most account both for riches and honour But this is the mischeife of it that this golde which should make such a glorious shew in Court and shine both in honour and goodnesse is canckred and rusted by Auarice and Ambition which eates into all mens mindes and wholly possesseth them So that from the highest to the lowest they are all well read in the Schoole of Couetousnesse Dissimulation and deceit And your Priests and those that weare Miters on their heads are not in this kinde the meanest Schollers amongst them All complaine they are not rewarded that they haue nothing giuen them if they haue any thing giuen them they thinke it is all too litle And betwixt this their complayning their thankefull acceptance there is set vp such a strong partition that it neither suffereth them to acknowledge a benefit nor to intertaine it with that thankfullnesse as they ought All now a dayes attend their own interest and not their kings seruice Who may say that of them which God spake by Malachie Malach. 1.10 Who is there euen among you that would shut the doores of my house or kindle but a coale on mine Altar in vaine Not one I assure you but will be well payd for his paines There is not that Sexton that Cloyster Cleanser nor scullion of the Kitchen but will haue good wages other ayudes de costa or by-helps This great traine saith Seneca of seruants and Attendants seeke not so much after a Master as Money a friend as a fortune Miserable is the condition of kings whom none loue for themselues but for their owne ends and the good they expect from them so that this their priuate interest fayling them their seruices faile with it likewise faileth so says S. Isidore that loue Loyalty which is due vnto them Non sunt fideles quos munus non gratia copulat nam citò deserunt nisi semper accipiant Those whom Lucre not Loue linketh cannot bee faithfull For vnlesse they be still on the taking hand they vanish and are quickly gone Yet is it not my intent and purpose in that which I haue sayd to condemne those who demaund their pay and satisfaction for their seruices to relieue their necessities For therein they doe but vse that lawfull course which is appointed for them by way of petition Howbeit Aristotle Plato and other Philosophers would haue subiects to be solicitous not in sueing but in seruing And I farther affirme that Princes are to take it to their charge to content those that haue done them good seruice it being the principall Office of distributiue Iustice carefully vigilantly to distribute riches and honours to those that haue deserued them And this vndoubtedly is one of the most effectuall meanes for the good gouernment of a Common-wealth For as those three diuine vertues Faith Hope and Loue are increased and augmented by praying vnto God so on the contrarie are they lessned and diminished by sueing vnto Men. For when subiects serue and not sueing obtaine that which they deserue humane Faith Hope and Loue is augmented in them because thereby they are taught to rely on the vertue and wisedome of their Soueraigne who applyes himselfe to euery mans meritts and the iustnesse and vprightnesse of his cause For which cause they will loue him much but much more when he giues without being importuned with petitions And it seemeeth vnto them that hee giues not more willingly then he doth wisely in applying himselfe onely to reason and Iustice and not to the importunate Petitions of Pretenders And therefore Kings are not to content themselues onely with paying that which they owe and to doe mercedes and fauours to them that serue them but that these should likewise goe accompanied with Loue and Good Will for with remuneration are the seruices requited and with Loue are they obliged to doe them still more and better seruice In that Case which the Scripture recounteth of King Assuerus who one night being not able to sleep and take his rest commanded Lights to be brought in and some that were about him to take that booke and read vnto him wherein were written the notable things that past in his raigne and amongst the rest there was mention made of a great peece of seruice which Mardochee did him freeing him from that death which two of his Eunuches had plotted against him by discouering this their treason demanded of those there present What honour and dignitie hath beene giuen to Mordochee for this his fidelitie towards me and the good seruice he hath done mee And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him sayd There is nothing done for him Whereupon he presently bestowed vpon him such great honors and dignities that vnlesse he
them not only the good wills and affections of their equals but euen of Kings themselues And when these abilities are so extraordinary and aduantagious no man can deeme it inconuenient that Kings should more particularly and in a more extraordinary manner apply their affection vnto them Nay it would rather lay a spot and blemish vpon them if notice should be taken that they equally entertaine all or not esteeme and prize them most that merit most to be esteemed For in all good reason there is no greater inequality then to equall all alike Plato said very well That there is not any virtue of that force and efficacie for to catch and steale away mens hearts Nor herein doe we need the testimonies of Philosophers for the holy Ghost saith Vt mors est dilectio loue is strong as death The coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame it beares all away before it And in this its force and strength friendship and loue are much alike And building on this ground I say That very well there may be said to bee friendship betweene a King and a Fauorite for that their soules haue in their birth and beginning or as I may say their first originall equall noblenesse And your noblest friendship proceeds from the soule Very famous and much celebrated was that friendship betwixt Prince Ionathan the onely heire of the kingdome and that worthy noble Dauid And so great was the loue that was betweene them that the sacred Scripture saith 1. Reg. 18.2 That anima Ionathae conglutinata erat animae Dauid dilexit eum Ionathas quasi animam suam The soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of Dauid and that Ionathan loued him as his owne soule And I further affirme that it is very fit and conuenient that Kings should loue those with aduantage that haue the aduantage of others in vertue wisedome and learning And such should be those that serue and attend the persons of Princes for ordinarily out of that Nursery are these plants your Fauourites drawne When Nabuchadnezzar King of Babilon besieged and tooke by force of armes the Citie of Ierusalem he carried away from thence great spoiles of gold and siluer but that which hee much more prized then all this Treasure were the sonnes of the chiefest Noblemen and such as were lineally descended of the Kings of that kingdome and gaue especiall order that they should choose and cull out those that had the best and ablest parts both of nature and acquisition those that were of the best disposition the most learned and best taught to the end that being accompanied with these good qualities they might merit to attend in the Court and Chamber of the King Dan. 1.3 Et ait Rex Asphenez Praeposito Eunuchorum vt introduceret de filijs Israel de semine Regio Tyrannorum pueros in quibus nulla esset macula decoros forma eruditos omni sapientia cautos scientia doctos disciplina qui possent stare in palatio Regis And the King spake vnto Ashpenez the Master of his Eunuchs that hee should bring certaine of the children of Israel and of the Kings seed and of the Princes Children in whom was no blemish but well-fauoured and skilfull in all wisedome and cunning in knowledge and vnderstanding Science and such as had abilitie in them to stand in the Kings palace And this election fell out so luckily and proued to be of that profit and benefit that amongst those which indewed with these qualities were made choice of for to serue the King there were three of them did excell but one more then all the rest not onely in vertue but in the knowledge likewise of secret businesses and matters of State and gouernment which was Daniel who so well deserued to be a Fauourite to those Kings of Babylon and more especially to Darius that hee did not content himselfe with making him onely a priuie Councellour but the prime man amongst them For hauing set ouer the kingdome an 120. Princes which should bee ouer the whole kingdome and ouer these three Presidents of whom Daniel was first that the Princes might giue account vnto them that the King might haue no damage And as hee was the greatest Subiect and Fauourite in the world so was hee superiour in the vertues and qualities of his person Igitur Daniel superabat omnes Principes satrapas quia Spiritus Domini amplior erat in illo Dan. 6.3 Therefore was Daniel preferred before the Presidents and Princes because an excellent spirit was in him The holy Scripture likewise tells vs that Ioseph was such a Fauourite of King Pharaoh that hee gaue him absolute power ouer all his kingdome and commanded that in publike pompe he should ride in the Kings owne Chariot and in his owne seate and haue a Crier go before to proclaime the fauour that the King was pleased to doe him Dixit quoque Rex Aegypti ad Ioseph Gen. 41.44 Ego sum Pharaoh absque tuo imperio non mouebit quisquam manum aut pedem in omni terra And Pharaoh said vnto Ioseph I am Pharaoh and without thee shall no man lift vp his hand or foot in all the land of Aegypt And well did hee deserue this honour for by his great industrie and wisedome he freed that King and kingdome from that terrible famine besides those many other great and troublesome imployments wherein he was busied for the space of seuen yeares together In the fourth booke of kings we reade that Naaman who was Captaine of the host of the King of Syria was the onely Fauourite of the King Erat vir magnus apud Dominum suum honoratum 4. Reg. 5.1 Hee was a great man with his Master and honourable And rendering the reason of this his great priuacie with his King and the honour he had done him it is there specified Per illum enim dedit dominus salutem Syriae erat enim vir fortis Because by him the Lord had giuen deliuerance vnto Syria and was also a mighty man in valour For all the life and soule that kingdome had came from him God vsing him as his instrument for his puisance and prudence And when Fauourites are of these aduantagtous abilities those reasons and inconueniences doe cease before mentioned touching the disequalitie of Kings with their Inferiours For vertue hath this excellence and preheminence that from the very dust of the earth it doth lift vp men vnto honour and doth raise them to that height that it equalls them and sets them cheeke by iole with the greatest Princes in the world Eccl 11.1 Sapientia humiliati exaltabit caput illius in medio magnatum considere illum faciet Wisedome lifteth vp the head of him that is of low degree and maketh him to sit among great men Anna that was mother to that great Priest and Prophet Samuel amongst other things which shee sung in the praise
of God and his great power this was one worthy the obseruation and well befitting the subiect we haue in hand 1. King 2.8 Dominus suscitat de puluere egenum de stercore eleuat panperem vt sedeat cum Principibus solium gloriae teneat The Lord raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set him among Princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory The like note sings that Kingly Prophet Dauid Suscitans à terra inopem Psal 113.7 vt collocet eum cum Principibus populi sui He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill And King Salomon his sonne seconds this of his father in this short Antheme Seruus sapiens dominabitur filijs stultu A wise seruant shall haue rule ouer a sonne that causeth shame Prou. 17.2 So great is the force of wisedome and discretion that it doth not onely exalt and raise to greatnesse men that are free borne though in a poore meane cottage but brings euen the basest slaues to bee Lords ouer their owne Masters A certaine Philosopher being taken captiue was brought forth into the open Market to bee sold and they that were to buy him demanded of him what hee could doe He told them That the best thing that he was skild in was to command his Masters In many places of Scripture is repeated and confirmed the Testimonie of King Salomons great power and wisedome And amongst other things which are mentioned of the Maiestie of his house and Court it is said That therein he had a great many Princes whose names are registred in the third booke of the Kings And amongst them there is but one onely that is made remarkable by the name and title of the Kings Fauourite and friend Zabud filius Nathan amicus Regis And Zabud the sonne of Nathan was principall Officer and the Kings friend Some Translations in the place of principall Officer put Priest And these two titles of Priest and the Kings friend are therefore thus ioyned together that they may giue vs to vnderstand that the friendship and affection towards a Fauourite should take it's growth from that learning and vertue which is annexed to the state and condition of the Priest And in the first booke of the Chronicles in that Catalogue which is there made of those which bare principall offices in King Dauids Court it is onely said of Hushai the Archite that hee was the Kings companion And in the second booke of the Kings are set downe at large the great and many reasons why Hushai on his part might well deserue this Title Our Sauiour Christ likewise seemed to make shew of his more particular affection to Peter Iohn and Iames making choice of them from among the twelue to retire himselfe in priuate with them and to make them witnesses of his glorious transfiguration and afterwards of diuers other particular things Whence it seemeth that they might haue the name of Fauourites but not without great grounds and those extraordinary vertues wherein they out-shined others Howbeit the choise and election of this supreme King is not to bee ruled and measured out by that of the Kings of this world for they can not by the alone power of their loue better men nor affoord them necessary parts whereby to merit to bee their friends But this true King and Lord of all in placing his good will and affection on those whom hee is pleased to make choice of for his friends doth likewise indow and adorne them with strong abilities whereby to bee accounted worthy of his friendship and fauour Whereas with the Fauourites of the Kings of this world it fareth cleane contrary For those which before they were Fauourites were good and honest by their priuacie and great power with their King haue come to be starke nought and the more footing they haue in the Kings friendship they are vsually the lesse worthy of it Whereof we shall more in the Chapter following CHAP. XXXII Of another sort of Fauourites THose most learned bookes which the glorious Saint Austen writ De Ciuitate Dei lay before vs two sorts of loue That loue which man beareth vnto God euen to the contemning and despising of himselfe And from this is the constitution and fabricke of that holy Citie of Ierusalem vnder which name is vnderstood the good concord and agreement of the Christian Church and commonwealth as also of all Christian soules The other loue is that which euery one beareth to himselfe in that high manner and excesse that it reacheth euen to the contemning and despising of God And from this is built that City of Babylon which is as much to say as Confusion signifieth that which euery sinner hath within himself as also that which is in ill ordered commonwealths And therefore as wee said in the former Chapter that from those two Loues of friendship and concupiscence did issue forth two sorts of Fauourites The one good and profitable the other bad and couetous So considering Loue not in respect of outward things but in respect of it selfe it differenceth the vse of Fauourites according to the different meanes and ends wherewith and for which they are made choice of And the vse likewise which they make thereof when they see they are thus aduanced and receiued into fauour The meanes haue the denomination of their goodnesse or badnesse from their end Whence it followeth that when Kings shall make choice of their Fauorites by good meanes not out of a selfe-humour or womanish kinde of longing nor for to please his owne proper affection but that they may comply the better with those obligations which they haue to the good dispatch of businesses and to haue one to helpe them to beare the burthen that lies vpon them As this end is good so of force must the meanes likewise bee For to obtaine good ends bad meanes are not taken And therefore Kings shall doe well in taking such Fauourites vnto them as shall bee sollicitous and carefull in the dispatching of businesses faithfull in their seruices and endowed with such parts afore specified as were those Fauourites recommended vnto you in the former Chapter For Ioseph as we told you grew in fauour with King Pharaoh for his great wisedome and for his supernaturall knowledge of things to come and reuealing such secret mysteries as other his Ministers could not tell what to make of them The like befell Daniel with the Caldean and Macedonian Kings for before euer he became a Fauourite they saw his great wisedome and constancie in the true seruice of his God his singular prudence and those other his good gifts which are recorded in the booke of his prophesies The extraordinary graces of Peter Iohn and Iames who is he that is ignorant of them Being that the Euangelists say of Saint Peter that his extraordinary loue was examined and proued in those so often repeated