that by this action there springeth an especiall beneuolence in the benefactor towards the fauourite as his creature and as it were worke of his hands as his testimonie of the practise of a vertuous action or deed For if Nature herselfe brought not forth the effect of this loue for the reason alleadged election and free choice doubtlesse would produce the same because who doth not perceiue how simple he should be who by many benefits hauing obliged one vnto him would voluntarily make choise to lose him Wherefore it is not true that Satias capiat Principem quod omnia tribuerit the Prince is at a stand hauing giuen as much as he can Neither is it true also that the Courtier hauing receiued so many benefits of his Prince that there is no more place of further expectation should bee a cause on the Courtiers part to make that potentiae sint raro sempiternae great fauours should be seldome euerlasting For albeit Tacitus in another place saith beneficia eousque gratae sunt dum videntur exolui posse vbi multum anteuenêre pro gratia odium redditur good turnes are so far acceptable as there is possibility of requital when they grow greater in stead of thanks hatred is returned Yet it proueth false in true nobilitie and gratefull mindes in whom loue and regard to benefactors groweth in true counterpoise with the grace and benefits receiued or rather doth surpasse it for hee who can not with effects be correspondent to the fauour done must yet at least deuise to make some shew of an inward gratuitie and as wrath is not contented to manifest the wrong in that measure it receiueth it but in desire of reuenge reteineth a farre greater scope in like sort that facultie wherein thankfulnesse and gratitude reside doth not desire by nature which makes vs euer striue to be more than other men onely to giue equall recompense with the benefit but much more then what hath beene receiued supplying want of outward meanes with abundance of inward good wil so that in loue he answereth not alone in iust proportion to his dutie but by the foresaid reason endeuours to outstrip the same Thus much is sayd to shew the falshood of that reason the which though it should be granted the cause would easily appeare whereby seruants sometimes euen voluntarily depriue themselues of that fauour which they reteine with Princes But there resteth yet a doubt how it comes to passe that so often times the fauorites fall in dsgrace with their Lords and this is that which for the most part is common whereof the examples of Seianus of Crispus Salustius and Moecenas set downe by Tacitus giue euident testimonie Whereupon it appeareth that in reason we can not rest our selues vpon these causes and that therefore it were necessary we see if there be any others yet more true and of greater consideration which we will endeuour to discouer in the processe of our discourse saying in the meane time that the originall of the foresayd losse may grow either from the Prince or from the Courtiers comprehending vnder the same name aswell the kindred as the Priences friends the reasons as it shall appeare seruing all alike and therefore we must aduert both what must be obserued with the Prince and what likewise with the Courtiers peaceably and without danger to keepe that fauor which with so great paines and industrie hath beene procured CHAP. XXIX What is to be obserued with the Prince for the continuing in his fauour THere are three thinges which seeme necessarie to bee obserued with the Prince the first is that the fauor being obteined by diligence and satisfaction giuen in seruice he perseuere and goe forward in the same with the same termes The which thing not onely by those of meane capacitie but by great Courtiers many times to their greater detriment is neglected Tacitus saith of Seianus that nimia fortuna socors factus est ouer-great fortune had made him negligent a thing for two reasons very dangerous first the heat of your seruice relenting the Princes loue cannot but grow luke-warme next because by this meanes you giue occasion to some other more diligent and carefull to make his entry wherefore it followeth necessarily in no case to leaue off anie vsuall obseruances nor at anie time to make shew of lesse feruencie in seruice which is very requisite because if the hope of fauour be the cause of a diligent and commendable seruice by how much more ought the secure possession of the same cause the continuance therein The second aduertisement is no more to shew then to be in deed an vpright and honorable man I meane for no priuate respect to bee inticed to abuse the fauour of his lord either by making sale thereof by vniust oppressions or offering violence to please the vnbridled appetites of other men and such like to the damage and preiudice of any man because such like actions can by no means be pleasing to the Prince aswell for the discouerie of an euill qualitie in him that performeth them of whom it is to be coniectured he cannot in reason bee assured as for the wound that by so bad a friend he receaueth in his reputation whereof how much Princes make account or at least ought to esteeme Tacitus teacheth saying Caetera principibus statim adesse vnum insatiabiliter parandum prosperam sui memoriam Princes are in possession of all other things at their will but one thing they must insatiablie seeke after that is to leaue a happie memorie behind them And more plainely in an other place Caeteris mortalibus in eo stare consilia quid sibi conducere putent Principum diuersam esse sortem quibus praecipua rerum ad famam dirigenda other mens consultations only tend to their profit but it falleth out otherwise with Princes whose actions chiefly are to bee directed to fame and reputation The third last obseruation in this point is not one iot to diminish the reuerence and duty towards the Prince nor because of speciall confidence to presume to vse familiaritie And for certeine I haue bene aduertised by a most inward fauorite of a great Prince in Italy that by this one obseruation hee profited much and that the same Prince vsed publikely to say that in so manie occasions of familiaritie he seemed still more fresh like one but newly entred into his seruice the reason heereof is because obsequious reuerence is at all times pleasing as witnessing a superioritie in the person to whom it is vsed And as affectation is to be eschewed so to arrogate or attribute too much can by no meanes bee pleasing to the Prince for as before vpon other occasion wee haue alledged Quemadmodum pessimis principibus sine fine dominatio ita quamuis egregijs modus libertatis placet As a continuall rule is pleasing euen to the woorst Emperours so no lesse pleasing is a modest kinde of plainnesse euen to the greatest
cause in the beginning were Societies instituted in the which if euery one should worke for his owne good without respecting that of his fellow doubtlesse they should be vaine and friutlesse Wherefore in these it is behooffull not to worke for proper commoditie but for publike benefit for that in this maner euery one as interessed doe agree to effect and facilize the obtaining of that good which is desired The end then of euery Society is the common good of those who are comprehended therin The respect and relation of him that commandeth towards him that serueth I dare not call it a Societie for such is the inequalitie of the termes that by many wise men the seruant is held the Commanders instrument whereby it followeth that among them there is no other end than the good of the master knowing it to be cleere that we can not distinguish the end of the instrument from that of the agent which mooues the same Heere-hence it followeth further that the Seruant oweth all his actions as a seruant vnto his Master and the Master nothing vnto his seruant and that therefore receiuing any benefit from the commander or Master he is by far more bound than by seruing he can oblige the other since in seruing he doth but the actions of an instrument the which are to be acknowledged from the agent but in receiuing of a benefit he hath the same from another as from an affected cause From the same principle many excellent and important consequences might be deduced the which notwithstanding I will reserue as for a place more fit in that part of actiue Philosophie which conteineth precepts of Oeconomicall prudence In the meane time wee say That not entreating heere of naturall or violent seruitude but of voluntary and electiue seruice it seemeth and not without reason it may pretend to haue in some sort the qualitie and nature of a Societie and that by consequence we may attribute vnto it for the end thereof a kinde of communion of good And certeinly that heerein the seruice due to the Master is most considerable may be gathered by what alreadie hath beene sayd as also by weying or iudging of their mutuall bonds for if any demand What is the seruants duetie or bond there is none I thinke that will not answer To serue his lord and master But on the other side seeking what is the Masters dutie we shall finde it To benefit the seruant according to his merit So that by this mutuall obligation these two termes Master and Seruant are vnited together in a societie the which as hath already been sayd hath for the end a common profit This granted it seemeth that the Masters scope or end is the seruants benefit and that of the Seruant the Masters seruice since their duties haue these references And if it be so there groweth a doubt how it may be verified that euery one worketh for his peculiar profit or that this is the naturall inclination of euerie man and of all working things But it is answered that the ends are of two sorts either desired or intended by themselues or by accident and caused by another Whereby it followeth that two which between themselues seeme contrary may desire one thing without repugnancy as in this present case it happeneth For the seruant desireth for himselfe and worketh for his proper benefit mooued vnto it by a naturall instinct but by accident and for this cause desireth and worketh in the seruice of his Lord since that from hence finallie hee draweth the profit and commodity which he longeth after whereby there is no contradiction at all that the seruant should haue for his end his proper benefit and withall the seruice of his Master Yet this doth not wholly resolue the propounded doubt because it seemeth that if the true and principall end of the seruant be his owne proper commoditie we might say that his dutie were to worke not for his Masters seruice but for his owne profit and therefore this is by euery man with great reason reiected Wherefore wee say that a seruant may two wayes be considered either as he is sociable or as he is associated if as sociable without doubt the end of his actions is his proper benefit if as associated by the bond of duty which bindes him his End is the seruice of his Master Or if in other termes we wil say the same thing that is that the seruant hath two Ends or Respects one which moueth him to contraâ—… this societie and this out of aâ—… question and resolutely is his proper benefit the other is the end of the societie and this doubtlesse is the commoditie or seruice of the master though not disbanded or disioyned from the profit of the seruant by the participation that this habitude or respect of societie hath betweene the Master and the seruant the which as it is said endeth alwaies in a common profit To conclude then and to reserue that vnto another place which heere as not so proper we will but briefly touch We say That the end for the which the Courtier voluntarilie submits his necke vnto the yoke of seruitude is his owne profit for the which as his end principally intended he both laboureth and endureth much But his end as a Courtier obliged in societie and duetie of seruitude is the seruice of his Lord the which he vseth as a meanes vnto the former and more principall which is his proper benefit with the intercourse of fauour which followeth the actuall seruice For the Courtier first of all longeth after his owne profit but not able otherwise to compasse the same than by the loue and fauour of his Prince he propoundeth his seruice and diligently working therein obteineth his fauour which breedeth his owne profit and commoditie aboue all other things by him desired It appeareth then that the ends or scopes that the Courtier hath are three that is his proper interest and this is that which chiefly he endeuoureth next the fauour of the Prince as the cause of his first end and then the seruice of the Prince as the efficient cause of that fauour But because these things haue in themselues some difficulties a larger declaration is necessary CHAP. II. A declaration of the foresaid ends PRoper interest Seruice and the Princes fauour are as it is said the Courtiers ends of the which his proper interest is the first and by it selfe desired the others by accident and as meanes Now what is meant by this terme fauour is so manifest that it needs no other explication but those of proper interest and the Princes seruice are not so well vnderstood both the one the other terme conteining many things vnto the which it may be the end and dutie of a Courtier doth not extend Let vs first then consider the Seruice and say thus There is no doubt but the Prince hath diuers and many sorts of men which serue him as the souldiers in the war the Magistrates in
time of peace and those which in his house perform his necessary businesse If all then as it is most plaine are bound to serue him all their ends shall be the seruice of the Prince and so if he be a Courtier whose end is the Princes seruice all those aboue named and particularly such which are in actuall seruice should be Courtiers but it seemeth not only a new terme but withall contrarie to common sense and the true signification of the name of a Courtier to comprehend therein the Souldiers the Iudges and other Magistrates wherfore we can not say they are all Courtiers which serue but only some of them amongst whom wee can not denie those to be held for such which priuately serue him So as it is fit to consider in the Prince two persons one publike which makes him to be a Prince the other priuate by the which we suppose him to be the head of a familie as by the other as a Prince hee is head of a Kingdome or Common-wealth Those then who serue him as a Prince that is in the actions belonging to the publike benefit were neuer called by the name of Courtiers but those only who serue him priuatly and are comprehended in his familie or Court. From this principle wee draw that which at the first we sought for that is what things this seruice conteineth for that from it are wholly excluded all ciuill ends and publike actions on the other part are receiued all those which the domestical businesse or that of the family requireth in such sort that as the Magistrate in another place shall be by vs termed the Princes instrument as a publike person so is the Courtier his instrument as the head and father of a familie so that all works belonging to the charge of housholdrie are embraced and conteined in his end as a Courtier and therefore when we say his end to be the seruice of the Prince it is vnderstood as wee haue sayd of all that which exceeds not the limits of houshold affaires Let vs now come to declare what is vnderstood by proper interest It can not be doubted that this terme interest doth not conteine all kinde of humane good though to this large scope of signification it seemeth the common vse thereof hath extended it but we ought with reason to aduert the exclusion of that good which cannot be obtained from another because in vain should the Courtier serue the Prince to that end to obteine from him that thing which neither he nor any other could impart vnto him as for example are the vertues which in vaine are expected from any other than from our owne well ordered and proper nature so that this good excluded it seemeth and in this likewise the vulgar opinion doth agree that for two things principally hee doth take vpon him and vndergo this seruitude for profit and for honour Some serue for profit not esteeming of honour as the mercenaries others for honour only as the noble either by birth or greatnesse of minde and spirit others both for the one and the other Well let it be so that euery man serueth for these two either ioyntly or seuerally Profit particularly includeth in it riches the which are in abundance of necessaries for our life as money lands cattell moueables furniture for houses and such like But by honour is not vnderstood at all that which followeth the actions or vertuous qualities since that this good as alreadie hath beene sayd dependeth on our proper election and facultie and may without others helpe be obteined for I thinke none of opinion that freely to vse prudence fortitude iustice or magnanimitie it is necessary to enter into the Court of Princes but there rather to obteine degrees of power and dignitie which commonly are called honours or be it that worthily by meanes of vertuous actions they are attributed as honor giuen in reward of vertue or because as they say Honour is the opinion held of anothers vertue by meanes whereof they obtaine in the world an opinion of merit or because he that possesseth it is honoured So that the honours which are the Courtiers end are degrees dignities power wealth the reputation which spring from them and not the whole compasse of honour For since the actions of vertue may as wel be vsed out of the Court as hath beene declared the honours answerable thereunto may also without being a Courtier be in like maner obteined CHAP. III. Of the choice of the Prince to be serued OVt of these thing may easilie be drawen a rule which the Courtier is to obserue in the election of the Prince to whom he is to dedicate his seruice the which requireth great consideration for the inconueniences which otherwise may follow because if in this an error be committed it is cleerely impossible euer to obteine the end for which he serues wherby vaine is the labor he shall afterwards vndertake in seruice false his hope of reward vnprofitable his repentance and the amendment very dangerous for that vnto the easie change of Masters followeth a conceit of lightnesse a difficulty not happely to be new placed by reason of the impediments opposed either by the authoritie and power of the abandoned Prince or by the foresaid opinion of instabilitie or hard to be contented or of arrogancie according as the cause of the change may be variably reported or beleeued the which happening by reason of the Princes discharge or casting off can not bee for the most part without a great staine or blot vnto the Courtier Wherefore it is very necessary to be carefull that this election should bee wisely made and it shal be such when the Prince which is chosen may giue cause vnto the Courtier of that end which principally he pretendeth aboue all others But to make a perfect iudgement heerein wee must consider the qualitie of the intended end and the ability and proportion which the Prince beareth to the same The Courtiers end hath alredie beene said to be his propt commoditie that is his profit and honour And because there is no limitation in desired ends which are as they say infinite whereupon the Merchant coueteth an infinite gaine and the Captaine a most singular victorie so no lesse doth the Courtier desire a profit without end and honour in the highest degree that may be obteined The Princes abilitie consisteth in power and will they had wont to ioyne thereunto knowledge but in this affaire it hath so little part that without error it may be let passe Wee must then examine his ability and his willingnes diligently beholding what proportion they holde with the forsaid ends and if we know them to haue proportion vpon an effectiue cause most assuredly it shall bee good to make choice of such a Prince and to speake more plainly I say that if propounding any profit there shall be any Prince that both can and will impart the same vnto the Courtier he is the most worthie whom hee
an vsurper or intruder vpon other mens offices or charges bicause this would breede hatred amongst the Courtiers and a conceipt of presumption with the Prince And therefore must rather choose to deale with those which priuatly belong not to any one but are indifferent to all and may therefore be exercised by any Courtier without the preiudice or displeasure of any one This kind in what it consisteth shall be declared in his place in the meane time we will call it voluntary seruice as the first seruice of duty But there ariseth heere a doubt which is this if he may not haue the whole fauour who taketh not vpon him the whole seruice which cannot be done without the offence of others and it may be the little satisfaction of the Prince it followeth then that it is impossible euer to be full possessor of the entire fauour Whereunto it is answered that to intrude into an other mans charge not called without authority doth breed bad effects as hath beene noted before but either called or prouoked thereunto by the Prince or put in trust therewith through confidence obteined with him then he both may and must doe it where you shall vnderstand that the order to obtaine such fauour is thus by seruing diligently to the Princes liking in his speciall or appointed office that part of grace or credit is thereby obteined correspondent thereunto offering of himselfe in voluntary seruices that doe encrease credit and fauour from which encrease occasion is offered as more distinctly shall be set downe to insinuate himselfe into the confines of other mens offices so that by well seruing fauour is augmented by this increase groweth occasion to posses the entire seruice whereunto afterward is answerable the absolute embracement of the Princes loue and fauour for the winning wherof the Courtier chiefly laboreth as the only cause of his felicity Yet heere riseth a greater question because it is very manifest to be vaine and superfluous to encrease diuers essences things without speciall neede or necessity though it be not without cause the institution of many officers in a Court since one alone cannot sufficiently satisfie the Princes affairs and if then it be so he laboreth in vaine whosoeuer hopeth as hath beene said alone to vndertake the whole seruice and by consequence it shall be labour lost to aspire the winning of the whole fauour To this it is easily answered shewing first by example that in the greatest administrations one alone may sustaine the charge of all the seruice of a great Prince as hath beene done by the antient Pretors and Proconsuls who were sent into diuers Prouinces and by the Viceroies and gouernors who are at this day destinated to the greatest charges and who doubtlesse vndertake the whole seruice of the Prince in those gouernments for that in him that is in his authority the whole multitude of inferiour officers are vnited Wherefore I say that one effectually or in act of execution is not capable of all the offices in the whole Court some of them being so nice and troublesome that they require a whole man free from all other care but in effect he may containe them all being able by his authority to institute ordaine distribut moderate and moue all so that the whole domesticall businesse of the Prince may be perfectly satisfied for that how be it this seemeth the office of the Master and not of any seruant we see notwithstanding for the most part affaires to be so little pleasing vnto Princes especiallie of housholde matters that they had rather leaue the whole charge to the wisedome and fidelity of some one thought worthy thereof in which sort it is not impossible that it should bee vndertaken by one alone Yet it resteth that we discourse more particularly of the two kinds of seruices propounded and first of seruice due CHAP. X. Of seruice by duetie or affectioned IT is necessary that first we beginne our deserts with some particular duetie a thing which ordinarily happeneth to all that will haue footing in Court because for the most part there is some speciall title of seruice assigned them in the which they must by all the possible meanes they can giue satisfaction to the Prince So that as according to the old sentence ex nihilo nihil fit in like sort it is impossible for him euer to obtein any fauour who hath no portion or place of seruice but hee that possesseth any part as necessarily euery Courtier doth may make himselfe passage to speciall fauour And certes hee deserueth the name of a wise Courtier who in the beginning can giue such force and vigor to his seruice or any part thereof wherein he shall be emploied that hee grow fruitfull and fertile in his Princes fauour euen to the last and highest degree for those in course are most commendable who by their dexteritie and Courtly valour come neerest to this marke To doe the same then it seemeth very requisit to begin as it hath beene said from the woorthie and due performance of his proper charge and place whereof we may not heere giue precepts Because if the Courtier be to be Master of the horse let him haue recourse to Cauallerizzi and such as teach to manage them if an Auditour to those skilful in accounts such like the which as euery man may see are not within the terms of this Arte. But howsoeuer let him endeuour to be skilfull in his owne office for thereby he shall obteine that fauour and grace correspondent thereunto it being a thing not questionable that an excellent Diuine a Secretary or Auditour manifesting themselues by their works should prouoke and allure the loue and fauour of the Prince by so much the more as they are more rare and excellent True it is that here we must call to minde that which before in another place hath beene spoken that is that the fauour of the Court is not gotten by the opinion of vertue but by the vse and exercise thereof to the Princes profit Whereupon none of them that will deserue well must content himselfe to bee singular and perfect in his profession alone but how with greatest perfection and rarity in seruice to giue satisfaction and pleasure to his Prince This chiefly consisteth in manifesting an exact diligence with a desire to spare no paines fully to giue him satisfaction for as benefits ioyned with loue and kinde demonstrations infinitly encrease respect and duetie so likewise seruice done with an earnest affection and a kind of partialitie towards the Prince worketh maruellous effects this being most certeine that manie petie seruices and almost vnworthie consideration only accompanied with an affectiue shew haue beene the beginnings of speciall rewards and incredible fauours and to say truth there is no such price or meanes to compasse or win loue as loue it selfe But heerin we must stand well aduised to shunne a most dangerous rocke that is curious and open affectation which may breed an
not mortall and that to the dutie of seruice so much is pardonable as may for the pleasure and seruice of his Prince bee done in some things if not honorable at least without such note of infamy as in a person at full liberty could not be born out without passing censure or incurring blame Which these are cannot particularly be pointed at but the iudicious Courtier by himselfe may well conceiue them and chiefly since the worthinesse and waight of all actions consisteth in the verdict and opinion of men So that by what is commonly blamed in other which doe serue either for denying with too great seuerity or too too gently granting and assenting to the prince he may easily know what arts of seruice are truely to bee denied and wherin securely he may please and giue satisfaction to his Lord. But when they are vnbeseeming and vnfit to be put in practice whosoeuer doth more esteeme his honour and reputation before the which vertue excepted there is nothing amongst men more estimable than his Princes fauour ought at least if not stoutly and boldly yet reseruing tearmes of modesty and regard due betweene parties of vnequality deny to be actor or minister therein annexing to this deniall notwithstandding all obsequious and humble duty that words can afford for iust excuse to smooth and sweeten as much as may be the bitternesse which commonly doth follow such repulses resoluing firmly in his mind that for what soeuer hope of benefit to stand immoueable in his commendable purpose to doe or act nothing that may be preiudiciall or staine to his reputation hoping rather that this might finde such force in the Princes minde of a well inclined nature a magnanimous generous spirit that euen inamoured with the approoued goodnesse of his Courtier hee will fashion him vnto his loue and that which should haue beene a cause of hate may bee the beginning of good will and fauour a thing which though rarely happening yet is it possible and sometimes comes to passe Yet if this repulse take his true and vsuall course so that the Prince indeede conceiue a hatred against the courtier either because hee found him not resolute and prompt in that seruice as he expected or for knowing of it better then himselfe so by consequence more woorthy of his fortunes or his place or else as hath been said before because grauiorum facinorum non solùm ministri sed etiam conscij quasi exprobrantes aspiciuntur Then he perceiuing the Princes slight regard and little fauour it should be fit to take such course for remedy as we heereafter in such cases shall set downe CHAP. XXIIII Of the subsidiary aids and meanes to obteine the Princes fauour HItherto hath beene declared as I suppose so much as a prouident carefull wise Courtier may worke of himselfe to the end to obteine his Princes fauour And surely if he shall obserue these precepts seasoned with that discretion which the effecting of an enterprise for many respects so difficult and laborious doth require it should be much and very strange if he procure not what he hath proposed since this alone and none other seemeth the beaten way which most securely will leade vs to the possession of anothers fauour the which yet if it should be thought impregnable and inuincible by our proper forces it is necessarie to call in aid vnto this assault some voluntarie succours seeking to procure that victorie by others meanes which by our owne labor hardly we could haue purchased to the end we let slip no meanes or leaue any thing vnattempted which may seeme profitable any wayes vnto our purpose Who therefore by himselfe can not attaine his Princes fauour let him procure it by some other aids but it is requisit that these stand graced with the Prince Wherefore there are three sorts of persons who seeme apt vnto this vse the Princes kindred his friends his fauoured seruants Of all these we must distinctlie speake apart to the end the profit may be knowen that may be drawen from them and what aduertisements are fit to be obserued that his labor may fruitfully be employed and bring forth that effect which is desired it being notorious that all things saue vertue only may be either well or ill vsed wherfore it is needfull to be skilfull in the arte and vse of euery one so that they may be vsed conformable to that our chiefest scope doth most require It must not therfore be thought superfluous to entreat of these meanes or helps because in the practise there do occurre many things worthy speciall consideration which being vnknowen their aid should be to smal profit or greater detriment of the Courtier which shall vse them And because the instrument of greatest force and efficacie in all reason is that of the kindred as most neere vnto the Prince both by the law of God Nature in the second place is that of friends and in the last the Courtiers or fauoured seruants in the same ranke wee will treat of them beginning with the kindred first CHAP. XXV Of the helpe which may be drawen from the Princes kindred for procurement of his fauour IT is a work of nature not only to loue those vnto whom by neerenesse of bloud she hath conioned vs but those withall who are by them beloued wherefore if the Prince by this disposition bee not induced to entertaine the Courtier into his seruice at least the fauour of these kindred may giue occasision thereof who vsing him in affaires which happely they haue in cōmon with the Prince may by little and little insinuate and promote him into his seruice or finally they may prefer him by intercession and mediation which iustly may be held of so much efficacie as the condition of the party requiring the same is thought of worth wherby the Courtier oftentimes in verie short space attaines to that which by a long course of seruice by himselfe he should hardly procure besides to bee sheltred vnder the fauor of the kindred is a cause of his speciall reputation in the Court through the abilitie hee may haue by meanes of them to hurt his enemies and helpe his friends and confidents This then is profit which by the fauour of the Princes kindred may with great likelihood bee expected But because so it hath pleased God almost in all things to make an intermixture of the good with the badde and of profit with his contrarie that he might bee the more commendable who with discretion can make a difference or wisely make his choice wee must heerein consider some things the which either neglected or not aduerted may turne to the great preiudice of the Courtier Wee saie then that the Princes kindred are either men or women and both the one and the other are either yoong or of competent age As for the women if they be of tender and fresh yeeres by familiarity with them first groweth suspition which of it selfe were cause sufficient of the
Courtiers ouerthrow and chiefly by the occasion which is offred to the enuious to misinterpret actions in so perillous a matter and by suggestions still to giue greater cause of doubt Besides this howbeit I presuppose the Courtier of honorable carriage and friend to right and therefore well resolued in himselfe if wee must abstaine from other mens wiues or women it is much more required towards those who are naturally conioined to the Prince in bloud yet for all this experience maketh it too plaine that euen the most austerely minded most firme and strongly setled in their purposes haue oftentimes giuen place to the enticements of alluring occasions and surely he who knowes not how much the practises of a beautious Dame may entender and mollifie the hardened minde of a man not yet surcharged with maturitie giues signe of little knowledge in the worldes affaires chiefly adding to natural inclination a little spurre of ambitious vanitie seeing also that a man may easily bee enticed by the occasion that fortune giues so neerely to intrinsecate himselfe with persons so farre aboue the reach of his condition to strengthen and vnite the hopes which happely by such like meanes they may conceaue as we see in Seianus who by the entrie and opportunitie which the familiaritie of Drusus wife gaue him grew so confident to plot the death of the innocent husband how to obteine her to his wife and to be successor in in the Empire of Rome things which most easely though most wickedly fall in imagination but most speciall where the woman may be the instrument whose honour once obtained all things else are easily entreated for Tacitus saith wel Foemina amissa pudicitia alia non abnuerit But on the other side albeit men should haue their mindes well fortified with continencie so that in themselues as of their proper motion there were no feare though they as armed with such weapons may lawfully presume some thing of their valor the occasions which by the women themselues are offered and the necessity which many times they do impose are specially to be considered the examples are infinite but that of Siluius in Tacitus who was so farre beyond all bonds compeld by the vnbridled head-strong lust of Messalina that in the end he was enforced to take her to wife almost vnder the nose of her husband Claudius the Emperor may serue as manifest enough in my conceit for a sufficient document and warning vnto others But if through age there shall be such a ripenesse so that there be no cause of feare in that behalfe their fauour then in reason is much to be esteemed considering how profitable vnto infinite the protection and authoritie of Liuia was with Augustus and Tiberius both Now as concerning the menkinde if they be of yong yeers and subiect to the errors which the heat of youth and vnexperiency of manie things doth bring with it it is not amisse to abstaine from conuersing with them or at least not ouermuch for if they performe any thing iudiciously and praise worthie it is attributed to the good disposition of their nature and euery one a common accident to those of high degree and Fortunes fauourites applaud and giue the praise alone to them but if they chance to slip awrie or erre in any thing stepping aside as yoong men are accustomed presently the blame is laid either on the badde example or corrupt counsell of such as were most neere to them in conuersation and familiaritie and this is the damage and the danger both The profit on the other side is of no great consequence because through want of yeers they neither haue knowledge and lesse authoritie to doe any fauour or rather they dare not especially in matters of any moment naturally a kinde of bashfulnesse ouer-ruling youth with a reuerence vnto their elders and to their betters that in their presence scarsely they will moue their lips or finde their tongue and this wee see in practise amongst yoong nephewes and yoonger brethren but chiefly with the children themselues and most of all if the Prince their father be by nature seuere and sterne Wherefore it followeth that the grace of the male kindred of riper yeeres is truely profitable because these by their loue which is presupposed ioyned with their age know how by their authoritie can be beneficiall and fruitfull in their fauour to the Courtier howbeit enuy no lesse attending on their fauor than it awaiteth the Princes grace it shal be necessary to consider how this may either be eschewed or els what armes the Courtier must put on to confront the same that it proue not an impediment to his desseignes But this heereafter in his fit place shall bee largelie handled CHAP. XXVI Of the helpe which may be drawen from the Princes friends THe like profit and vse may bee hoped for and expected from the Princes friends as from his kindred the reasons seruing almost both alike though these in some things may be thought to be preferred in others yet they come behind for touching affection it is most cleere that those in fauour and beloued of the kindred especially neerest in blud are more respected then the fauourits of a friend because they incline more and desire the good rather of those then these Wherefore to haue familiarity to bee vsed kindely and held in trust and confidence with the kindred doth much more easily lay open the entrance to the Princes fauor But on the other side the friends come neerer in equalitie than the kindred doe especially than those of vnderage whereof it followeth that they speake more confidently and with lesse securitie are their requests and fauours denied the which is often done without anie great difficulty vnto the kindred Wherefore the friends in these performances are to bee preferred as daring more and lesse vsed to denials or repulse Whereupon their aid chiefely consists in intercession to obtaine some fauour or to preferre into seruice But in this particular you must obserue and beware that these friends bee not the Princes equals or in any thing but principally in quality of state Concurrents or Competitors because in this case such protection would cause the Courtier to bee suspected and mistrusted of his Prince the example is at hand that no man who by the mediation of a Cardinall is receiued into the seruice of any other of them and continueth the dependancie protection of his preferrer shall euer bee in perfect confidence with his Lord. The reason heereof is grounded on the conformity or equality of their interests in the Papacy which make them liue more heedily and full of ielousie so that the seruice of any man dependant vpon an other cannot satisfie them nor but breed great suspition the like may be vnderstood of other Princes with whom the fauour done for their sake who are either their concurrents or like in estate will neuer bee profitable to the Courtier Wherefore these friends must be of a