cleare lighte and purchased true fame to his posteritie Now therfore it remayneth that we know by what meanes this so noble aduaūsing of his stocke and kindred maye happen to him who is the first rayser of his family to the highe princely place of honour Nobilitie No doubt that I may aunswere briefly by the same meanes whereby it is mainteyned and preserued But it is sayd before that Nobilitie is a kinred excelling in moste rare and principall vertues And those according to the opinion of Aristotle the moste learned Philosopher I accompt principall vertues which are occupied about the preseruatiō of cōmon societie through which also the safetie and securitie of men is best kept and maintayned But he which through priuate education is verye well trayned and well instructed with preceptes of moralitie may of good right be termed a good and vertuous man but yet by other qualities he shall neuer procure great prayse and worthynes except he applie them to the profite cōmoditie of the weale publique For if we were borne onely for our owne sakes and our owne cōmodities it were sufficient that we sought the aduauncement of our owne selues and the preferment of those which are conteined within our owne family But wheras we are moued by the instinct of Nature to helpe and profite other he seemeth beste to haue discharged the dutie to him assigned whose labour studye and diligence hath bin imployed in matters of great waight and importaunce to the benefite and wealthe of his natiue country Not for that truly that the vertue of any priuate man should bee despysed and set at noughte for by his good aduise and counsell if not all yet some parte of the common wealth as his owne house family is well ruled and ordered But wheras the vertue and wisedome of this priuate and peculiar man is conteyned wythin the bound and walles of his owne house and extendeth it selfe no further it seemeth good reason that the like honour and dignitie should not be due to him that is to some other whose vertues are founde more vniuersall and generall and whose minde is more occupied with the carefull cause of his common wealth For all men would not generally accord to honour reuerence a few except they did all manifestly perceiue thēselues in cases of great extremity by theyr greate paynes and trauaile to be assisted Therefore by knowledge of ciuill affayres and experience there was made a certaine entrie to this kinde of gentilitie THe chiefest and most principall part therefore of ciuil gouernement is iustice which hath in it selfe the greatest and most apparaunt shew of vertue The admiration whereof did in the beginning so greatly excite stirre vp the minds of men that they surrendered theyr goods and possessions into the hands of some especiall peeres whom aboue all other they did honour and reuerence For thus when we treate of vertue we vse to dispute The tyme hath bin when men like barbarians haue lyued in woods open fields and desolate places without politique rule ciuill gouernment neyther embracinge religion nor by mutual loue and dutie shewing theyr humanity Nothing was done in those dayes by due order of reason and discipline but most matters were executed violently whereas frantique and furious headines had the vpper hand Whē then robberies were rife murthers infinite those who in force and sturdines passed other would afflict and trouble iniuriously the weaker sorte and theyr whole lyfe compassed wyth innumerable mischiefes all they which had receyued the greater more greeuous iniuryes besought the assistaunce of some one man in witte and pollicy exceeding other whom they perceyued to be vnto the rest as it were a lanterne of Iustice a myrroure of myldnes curtesie This Patrone and supporter of right when he had taken on him the charge of those seely soules miserably suppliantly yelding themselues declared vnto them the earnest desire he had to take away pillages robberies to represse violent murders valiantly to reueng wrongfull oppressions and to sincke vnder like lawes both the mighty men simplet sort it came to passe that as many as tenderd their peculiar liberty and soughte their owne security and quietnes supposed him to be the defence and bulwarke of their safety prosperous estate whose fame moste flourished for iustice and equity From this fountayne therfore and head spring of iustice issued out the power and auctority of Kinges and the prerogatiue of princely gouernment herehence proceeded the high degree of Nobility herehence soueraingtie and the cause of all renowne glory was deriued so that there is no one stocke more aunciente or more excellente then the petegree of Kinges which through their owne vertue and valiauntnes abandoned al barbarous crueltie reducing the people to good order and ciuilitie Whose moste deuine nature Hesiodus hauing in great admiration in his Booke intituled the Genealogie of the Gods fetcheth the liue and descent of Princes from Iupiter himselfe Which opinion iudgemente of his hath ben also receyued of many in so much that they did most certainly surmise that hee coulde not but descende from the Gods which moste of all other excelled in vertue For it is reported that AEacus Minos and Rhadamanthus were iudged to be the sonnes of Iupiter they were so much of all men for their iustice magnifyed who as the Poets do fayne are sayde to appointe lawes to the infernal spirites So much did antiquity yea euen amonge the deuils and hellishe hounds beleue that seueritie of Lawes and force of iustice was expedient and necessary to restraine the vnbridled desires of a disordered multitude Pittacus of Mytilene was through his perfect skill and experience in iustice aduaunced to the highe estate of a ruler Which thinge also befell to Numa Pōpilius being at Rome for by vpright dealing and supportinge of iustice hee was thoughte and proclaymed by the whole consent of the Romaines worthely to succeede Romulus in the state of royal maiesty What needeth mee here to speake of Lycurgus Draco and Solon that I omit in meane while to make any mention of Mercurie Phoroneus and diuers other who haue beene longe time before which haue wrought the safegarde and preseruation of their Citizens by prescribinge lawes and ordinaunces and haue thereby bene aduaunced to great honour haue purchased to their posterity perpetual fame and memory Therefore to perswade our selues that no one vertue deserueth the like preheminence eyther is a like to be honoured it is hereby to be séene that each kinde of vertue beinge voyde of Iustice hath lost his honour and estimation whereas Iustyce alone secluded from other vertues reteineth still his especiall grace and dignity For profe whereof I mighte alledge a number of examples but because I meane to vse breuity I wil stande onely vppō two Aratus of Sicyon although him selfe held no Empyre yet through commendation of Iustice gotte such renoume that by the iudgement of al men
where fury and madnes ietted vp and doune vnpunished no mischtefe coulde be imagined no misery deuised wherewith that countrye was not ouerwhelmed and cleane ouerflowen For when the citty of Athens was assaulted with most terrible and cruell warres and that all Greece had conspired agaynst them it came to passe by the furye and outrage of the people that at the same tyme they proclaimed battayle with no lesse daunger against Sicilia Nycias notwithstandinge with many peeres and noble counsellers persuadinge the contrary Wherefore they worthely susteined in that lamentable siege of Syracusa not onely the losse of their honoure but the ruin of their houses landes and possessions and fell pitefully into greate woâ— and misery and beinge at the length through sedition and ciuill battaile vtterly wasted coÌ„sumed with many bitter scourges terrible afflictions loste with great languor and heauines miserably their former liberty But after the thirty Tyrantes were for their sharpe and tirannous gouernmente displaced what was it that did scatter those goods carefully gathered but the loose life and immoderate desire of the frentike people Whose fury and madnes was suche that by no force or restreint of lawe they coulde be indued to haue any care or regarde of the common estate For when it was lawfull for euery odd felowe to robb the coÌ„monweale thereby to augmente his priuate gayne then fell they from labour and worldely busines to a slouthful and loyteringe life they repaired to stageplayes and commodies and vsed other vayne pleasures which decaied the loue of vertâ—e and did vtterly extinguish and put out the memory of the Athenian renoume and their aunciente dignity Wherefore not manye yeares after that nation which had foyled so many armies of the Persians whiche wrought som any noble actes which obteined the Empire ouer all Greece was by the Macedonians an obscure and vnknowen people at that tyme subdued vtterly and confounded The first and principall cause of this so greate a calamity was the leude and licentious life of the people Amongest the men of Sparta also to speake some thinge of them many worthy and noble actes haue bene wrought by their Kinges and Princes as well against their enemyes as also with their subiectes profitable to their coÌ„monwealth and meritinge euerlastinge fame and memory On the other side the Ephori whoe by the election of the people came to their office of dignity did greatly annoy impouerishe the inhabytauntes of their countrey while they seekinge greedely their owne priuate gaine and commodity did procure the vtter ruin and vndoinge to their natiue couÌ„try For what other thinge doe they which violate infring the positiue â—awes whereupon the safegard of all men dependeth then vtterlye ouerturne the commoÌ„ wealthes estatâ— â–ª And wheras Lycurgus had ordained many good lawes and profitable statutes only to bring them to labour honestie and vertu the Ephori many yeares after his time corrupted with voluptuousnes and filthye lucre which two are pestiferous and moste hurtfull to anye common wealth abolished his most excellent decrees and caused his lawes to be of none effect Which fact caused their honour and dignitie sodenly to fall to the grounde And when certayne kinges woulde establishe a newe the lawes of Lycurgus which were abrogated and tooke counsell howe to reforme their dissolute lyfe immediatly they were of the Ephori dispatched and cruelly murdered So it came to passe that the common wealthe of Athens whiche for a long tyme florished in honoure pompe and nobility and was furnished wyth many fathers excelling all other in the worlde in witte learninge and iudgement and had defended it wyth greate glory was now through the furye of the subiects made subiecte to all villany and slauery VVHat shoulde I neede in this place speake of the Romaynes wheras it is confessed of all men that nothing did so muche ouerthrowe the florishinge estate of that noble Citye as when the subictes rebelled agaynste their rulers and princes That Empyre therfore which was first by the puisance of princes purchased then maintayned and amplefied by the Senate Elders was shortelye brought to confusion through the seditious and troblesom people For when the vnsatiable desire of the frentike people waxed so extreme outragious that it coulde be kept vnder by no lawful gouernmeÌ„t and pollitike couÌ„sel wâ—s geuen in hope of pray to vprores through the seditious orations of people pleasers they feared not so they might content satisfy their vnlawful lust and appetyte to violate and breake the Lawe of God and man This caused the Tribunes to bee seditious this encouraged theÌ„ to the great detriment and â—urâ— of the coÌ„moÌ„wele to make lawes touching distribution of grounds euen to the time of Gracchi which were the chiefe authors of those calamityes wherewith after that time the coÌ„mon wealth was ouerflowen All whith sturre and hurliburly as it were by fatall desteny grewe daylye more and more vntill the time of Marius whose raigne although it was verye lamentable yet did it open a way to muche more mischife besyde vntill the gouernmente came to Iulius Cesar You see the coÌ„moÌ„ wealth of Athens some time most florishing the kingdome of Sparta earste noble the Citye of Rome a long time much renoumed to haue bene happely begon kepte maintened by princes noble personages whiche agayne were through the rashe and vnruly multitude miserably spoiled vtterly wasted confounded Which great misery and intollerable mischiefe is not onely sene in those Cities but also in other places for where the people hath least to doe in a common wealth there the estate of that countrye is found most stable and parmanente WhervpoÌ„ it foloweth that the gouernment of the vulgar and common people is very easely ouerthrowen and scarcely endurth the tyme of one generation But the rule of a king is not subiect to often alteration and doth as it were continue for euer Some men wil here obiect agaynst me Alcibiades and Critias who were the vtter subuersion ouerthrowe of theyr natiue country or els Pausainas who trayterously conspyred agaynst all Gre ce or Silla and Cesar wyth many such like who were renomned for theyr honour and nobylity but yet beyng entangled with ambitioÌ„ and oute of measure Enflamed wythe the desyre of rule and aucthoritye spared not to spoyle crueltye their friendes and countreymen I must truely of force confesse that many heinous acts haue ben enterprysed much mischiefe committed and wrought by suche as were of highe degree and aucthoritye Neyther the highe and loftye stomache which is ingendreâ— through nobilitye of bâ—â—â—d haue bene alwayes enclâ—ned to equity and iustice Yet do I defendâ— this opinyon that no common wealth â—ath bene at any time well gouerned by the people For euery noble wighte hath alwayes weapons in readines either tâ— defend either to spoyle his country as wysedome wealth knowledge and fortitude Contrariwyse the multitude for the moâ—â— part is headlong vnskilful feareful and â—â—orous They may
geuing largely and byndinge vnto theym their neyghboures and Cityzens by bestowinge on them bountifullye most ample rewards great benefytes By this onely way Tarquyne of auncient memory beynge a banished and obscure man wonne greate fame and honour in Rome and at length obteyned there the auctority of a Kinge By this kynde of curteous dealynge Pelops longe before his tyme beinge a mere straÌ„ger barbarian came to bear rule in that part of Greece w he alluding to his own name called Peloponesus And that I may shew you an historie of later time Cosmus Medices and Laurence his nephewe weere so muche for their liberall and francke natures commended that they therby were made chiefe gouernoures of Florence and were in all nations besydes excedingelye magnifyed Neyther truly is their any vertue which doth more become a noble mynde or setteth for the more a worthy wight either that winneth more praise commendation and getteth more goodwill loue and reuerence withoute whiche no man may mayntayne his owne estate or attayne to liue in any worshipful callinge And this seemeth to be their drift who by distinction say nobilitye is a noblenes of byrth and parentage ioyned wyth aboundance and store of riches For wheras the vertue of magnificence and liberalitye is chieflye seene in noble menne for moste parte of theim are aboue other found most curtious and liberall and no man may be therefore commended except he be furnished with worldly substance moste learned wyse men haue though treasuer it selfe and the aboundance of riches to be the very grounde and foundatyon of lyberalytye and therefore as termes necessarye to bee included wythâ—e in the defynition of true nobilitye Whether the force and true nature thereof be fully therein declared it is a thinge whereon I meane not to stande so that by that definition this may be graunted that the vertue of liberalitye to the enhauncinge of men to honoure and dignitye and the setting forth of their posteritye is most expediente and necessarye MAnye not of oure tyme onelye but allso of aunciente memorye hathe bothe throughe the excellencye of eloquence and theyr perfect knowledge of the ciuile Lawe atayned wonderfull fame and glorye For these sciences are right worthely reckoned among those that haue beene not withoute greate cause accompted the principallest staye in the coÌ„mon wealth without which the estate of Pollicy and the safegarde of common societye maye in no wyse longe continewe For to no purpose and in vaine do we abroade bidde battaile to the enemyes excepte oure affayres at home bee gouerned by the sounde aduise of prudent counsellers Besydes those whoÌ„ we haue allready spoken of many are made gentlemeÌ„ eyther through the grace fauour of the Prince or through the common consent of a free Cittye But this kynd of promotion seemeth at the first shewe not to be agreeable eyther to truethe or to the righte and perfecte nature of true nobility For nobilitye eyther resteth vppon opynyon of men or is obteined by vertue and the qualityes of the mynde eyther consisteth in nature and is deriued froÌ„ puisance and valiantnes Wyse and graue meÌ„ haue alwayes made litle accoumpt of wauering opynion and the inconstancie of peoples Phantasie But the commeÌ„dation of vertue resteth especyally in our selues neyther can by any meanes bee borowed abroade Agayne the force of gentle bloude deryued from our auncestors and apperteyninge to vs by naturall desceÌ„t cannot be wrested hither and thither by the iurisdiction and auctoritye of Princes For no easyer matter is it for any man by the assignement and benefit of Princes to become of baseborn a gentleman by byrth then to be sodenlye chaunged from a foole to a wyseman from on that wanteth vtterance to an eloquente orator from a whyteliuered and fayntharted cowarde to a venturous and valiant champion Which also in bestowing the freedom of a Citty may be euidently knowen and considered For yf he as many suppose bee taken and tearmed a Citizen which is bred and borne in a citye no reason is why into a Citye should be receyued an alian and straunger Thence it proceeded that Gorgias Leontinus skoffing at the rulers of Larissa because they had receiued into their City many straungers was wont to saye that euen as plastereres of anye kynde of stuffe would make morter or any thinge of lyke sorte so there were some so cunning craftesmen in Larissa whiche of any kynde of people were able to make Cityzens to inhabite Larissa But I for my parte do neyther lyke of Gorgias his oppynioÌ„ nor of any other mens iudgemente which in lyke maner would staye the cause of aduauncing subectes through the kinges and Princes most gratious fauour and clemencie For wheras all men which are of a more haughty mynde and soâ—â—y stomache are merueylously inflamed with the desire of vertue honour and renoune yf then you would frustrate the hope and expectation imprinted in mens mindes of promotion no doubte you shall make men slacklye and sclenderlye endeuoure to become puissant and venturous whose mynds should rather be inflamed and set on fire Then the which nothing canne be deuised more hurtfull to ciuill gouernment and disciplyne For this hath bene the purposed meaninge of Lawes and ordinaunces and all well gouerned common wealths ought to haue in theim this practysed and published that men desyrous to shew their valiant harts by daungerous attemptes albeeit they are of their owne nature apt to defend the rights and lybertyes of the common wealth yet notwithstanding they should stirre them therevnto through an earnest and ardente desire of fame and glorye For by this meanes the wealth of their couÌ„trey is most strongely defended and the indifferencie of Lawes ordinaunces best maynteyned For what fowler shame what greater dishonour can there be imagined then to haue in the common wealthe appoynted vnto famous men for their exceeding great and worthy exploytes no reward at all Eyther what reward may in any one poynte fully aunsweere and satisfy a noble mynde then to be receyued triumphantly of the people Furthermore what is in it selfe more princely and more glorious then to geue vnto vertue his due desert and to yeeld to worthines honourable titles to true nobilite the principallity that iustice might not onely by this meanes be happely kepte and preserued but also many thereby moughte be allured to bend themselues to the study of vereue For it is not in the power of the Prince that now I may answere that whiche mighte be obiected afore to bringe to passe that a bile and abiecte mynde shoulde bee noble and honorable whiche commeth not by grace and fauoure but proceadinge from nature is fully made and perfected by the exercises of moste worthy and lawdable sciences And yet a Prince maye adourne and sette foorth excedingly a noble inuincible mynde withe worthye and honourable titles Which thinge is not onely right good and expedient but also so requisite and necessary that in the performing therof ther semeth to
and brutishe testimonye Agayne by what reason may we deeme that the marcke and ende of al oure doynges whiche for it selfe sake is neuer desired but is euer referred to some other more absolute and perfecte ende And truely it is daylye experienced that al they that desire excedingly to be in aucthority and to be placed in an honorable seate in the common wealthe doe ambitiously seeke suche office and promotion especiallye for three causes For some desire highe estate for that when they are of a great power they may haue a free recourse to al kinde of pleasures and want no other cōmodityes necessary and incident to the life of man Secondely other couet the place of a magistrate that they may thereby be thought good and indued with some notable vertu For commonlye good opinion is conceiued of his prudēte pollicy and excellēt vertue which sitteth in place of great auctority For the vulgare people suppose that honourable offices are not bestowed on anye man but for some especial vertue and singular honestie Lastly they which are of more wysedome desire to haue the rule and gouernment of other for this onely consideratiō that they might in their office and gouermēt shew forth magnificente boūtefulnes in part such vertues vnto other as with which their mindes are frayght and singularly furnished For he that desyreth to reape that fruite that he ought to do of Iustice integritye and constancie can by no meanes purchase the same in more ample wyse then by that highe degre of honoure and dignity in whiche he may not onely much benefyte and profite himselfe but in greatest affaires may be a great ayde and assistance to all those citizens and neighbours wyth whom he is conuersante Therefore whereas some wayte for a place of honour to the ende they may liue licenciously ether that they might in deede through preheminence shew the true paterne of perfectiō they of al other are most ignorante whiche suppose in eyther of their desires accōplished that to bee conteined that of vs onely is and ought to be desired For as much the last desired ende hath no further relation but eache thinge for that endes sake is desired and laboured for Wherefore all kynde of pleasure perfett health and such lyke are to be numbred amonge the lowest and baseste sorte of goode thinges yf they deserue suche name or tytle at all For we may moderately sometymes desire auctority more moued therevnto through reason then prouoked by ambitiō that we may further the weale and profite of other not that we shoulde thinke them the rewarde of all oure well liuinge But I leaue to speake any more of the Phantasticall opynions of the people that I may march on apace towardes theym whiche haue professed theymselues guydes and instructoures of other in matters touchinge honestye and the good conuersation of lyfe Yet I promise not to cite all for it weere an endles labour to recoūte so many opinions as are in the mounments workes of Philosophers deliuered vnto vs But I wil passe ouer them with silence whose iudgement hath nothinge differed from the opinion of the common people For truly whereas they had defiled theymselues wyth all kynde of abomination they hauinge theyr sighte dusked with a dark cloud of filthines and shame were able to see nothing but that whiche apperteined to the lust and pleasure of the bodie or to outwarde gaine external commodity Wherfore I wil lett to speak of Cyrenaickes an obscure sect of philosophers Hierome of Rhodes Aristippus and the Epicure in whose bokes are cōteined both their opinions For it is vnmeete that they shoulde by any meanes be accompted amonge them that are famous and renowmed for their witte and learning THerefore that we may vnderstand what the opinion of the most renowmed Philosophers hath bin it is apparante that the Academickes and Peripatetickes haue sayde and affirmed that the nature of good thinges are deuided into three kinds In the first parte they accompte those thinges which poolishe adourne the minde which againe is sorted into two partes For one sort furnisheth the minde prepareth it to the searche and knowledge of many thinges the other instruct and enforme the will of man to all kinde of vertues whereunto we are ledde and induced by wysedomes prescription and moderatiō In the seconde place they accompte healthe and whatsoeuer maye keepe and preserue the bodye in his good estate and perfection Lastly all those thinges that happen vnto vs by fortune and casual aduenture they place in the last and lowest degree But when all these good thinges are happened vppon some one man they thinck then that blessed life is complete and perfect But so that vertue be embraced and the same continually exercised and put in vre but the good gifts either of the body or of fortune they should to that ende retaine to make them seruauntes and handmaids of vertue which shoulde waite vppon her at euery becke without the necessary helpes wherof vertue for all that could not commodiously and well discharge her dutie And Aristotle the beste learned Prince of Philosophers doth after this maner declare by definition what felicitie is It is sayth he an action of the minde consonant and agreeing to the prescript rule of the most excellent vertue exercised all the whole terme and space of the life of man And this opinion is likewise that that great and excellente vertue can in no wyse shine and shew forth his force if the body be either afflicted wyth any greeuous calamitie or the minde disquieted throughe the iniurie and malice of frowarde Fortune Neither is he by any meanes so to bee perswaded that hee maye suppose that life worthely termed a happie life which in processe of time maye driue a man to wofull waylinge and fall into miserable estate and extreme calamitie He hath therefore determined that whatsoeuer wee shall do and take in hande in this life shal be to this purpose that first the moste excellente vertues of the minde shoulde be soughte for and embraced then hee that desireth to obtaine felicitie shoulde bee so well prouided of worldlye substaunce that both hee maye in this life maintayne his countenaunce wyth credite and that the continuall practise of vertue do not cease by the meanes of pouertie and miserable penurie And that the power and abilitie which the qualities of the body and fortune do yelde should to no other thinge haue more especiall relation then to the maintenaunce of true worshippe and honestie And verily these thinges because they seeme to bee so sayd that they may moste fitly bee applyed to the life of man they are almoste so generally by euery mans opinion allowed that no mans iudgemente at this day is more vniuersally receyued For hee giueth to vertue the prorogatiue by the shyninge and cleare brightnes whereof all men well trayned and brought vppe are chiefly guided But when hee sayth that other good thinges both belonginge to the body and depending
that when immoderate delicacy and riotte when vnsatiable desire of riches had ones by inuasion entered into the manners of the Romaynes wheÌ„ no accoumpte at al was made of the aucthority of the Lawes and Senate when the myndes of the raskall multitude by the sediciouse and bransicke orations of certayne desperate persons were tickled with hoope of rauine spoyle with violence and force to bereue the wealthyer sort of theire goodes and substance when crueltye armed with impunitye with slaughter effusion of the bloude of the Cityzens with goare bloud staunched the Citty when they that in feattes of Armes moste preuayled didde bende their thoughtes not to seke the liberty of their couÌ„try but their owne priuate aduauncemente when with all theese weapons the body of the commoÌ„ wealth was wounnded do you think that it could by any means be brought to pas that the coÌ„moÌ„weale could loÌ„ge coÌ„tinue Adde thereunto if it like you Saleable Elections Iudgementes raunsomed mattes of Prouinces extraordinarye and infinite aucthorityes the chardge of the commonwealth committed to certayn men caried forth headlonge with a hastye desire of rule and principality you may vnderstand that it could no otherwyse be but that the wealthe of the City vtterly decayed it must nedes come to ruin What should I in this place declare the bloudy broyls in the times of Scilla and Marius whiche infinitelye plagued and vexed the Citye and with al manner of cruelty dismembred the same and at lenghth by the infection of the dissentioÌ„ euen to posterytie continued layd open a gap to the gouerment of Tyrautes Doest thou then doubte but that the Citye beyng gashed and mangled with so many woundes should at the last be couered with moulde the Cityzens with salte and bitter teares waylinge and lamentinge at the funeralles thereof And therefore if it be demaunded of wyse men what time Roome fell to vtter decay they wil aunsweere I suppose that euen froÌ„ that time wherin the old order of discipine and gouernment was abolished that common wealth began to be of no reputation For they linger no longer aboute the consideration of the euent of any thinge which most certaynly gather the thinges that folow after by the causes that goe before If you aske them that lacke wisedome and experience they wil straight way elleadge that tyrannicall gouernment of Cesar. For there is no man so besydes himself that will thinke after the vtter abolishment of lawes the losse of liberty and the ouertourninge of the whole state of pollicy that any one sparke of the olde common wealth remaineth But I pray thee what toye tooke thee in the head that thou diddest impute the ouerthrowe of that Empire to the manners of Christians whereas not only the cause of that calamity but the euent it selfe was many yeares before the birth of Christe oure Kynge And if any man aske the question after tirannye had the vpper hande what wasted the wealth of Roome taken from the whole Citty and bestowed vpon one man first I will repeate those thinges that I before rehearsed that all those worthye qualities whereby the people of Roome obtained their auncient renoume and large Empire a great while began to decline at last fell hedlonge downe to the grounde For then immediatly in steede of frugality outragious riotte in steede of enduringe hardines in warre an excedinge tendernes and nicenes both of the whole body and minde in steede of dreade and awe of the lawes impudent boldnes vnsatiable luste immoderate desire vehemently assaulted the myndes of the Romaines and stirred vppe men that bare goodwill to their country to vprores and ciuill broyles Further this I affirme that the barbarous demeanour of their Emperours and their ouerthwarte nature ioygned with immoderate ryot and vnbridled lust did as it were cut them of from al their prosperity Neyther is there cause why I shoulde here recite so greuous plagues as wherewith the coÌ„monwealth was afflicted seinge that it is euidently knowen that many for their cruelty and horrible factes haue bene slâ—ine bothe of their Cittizens and of souldiars and ofteÌ„tymes of them that enuied them their place and high aucthority But when the custome of killinge of Rulers grewe to be familiar and there was not onely counterwaites and treachery deuised against wicked tyrantes but against discreet and moderate gouernours and that the name of rule and Empire wanted due reuerence at length the matter grewe to that passe that nothinge was so vily reputed of as the Emperour of Rome In the ende when the aucthority of the Senate and people of Rome was extinguished and the knowleadge of Souldiarfare together with auarice excessiuely increased it fell oute the souldiars for a booty in ready money to be paide did assign afore hand to whome they listed the Imperiall Crowne Therefore whereas they had respect neither to vertue neither to nobility but as it were makinge a bargaine of bying sale vnto him that promised most sold the Empire euery vile caitife leude varlet had free accesse to the swaye and gouernmente of the whole common wealth Therefore whereas the people of Rome were gouerned by sutch heades it coulde not be but all those thinges shoulde fal to vtter confusion whereby that common wealth was wont to be renoumed Especially seinge that oftentimes least there shoulde want at any time an occasion of ciuill dissention there was appoyncted in diuerse places many Emperours if they were to be called Emperours and not rather straunge and prodigious monsters Therefore the wealth of the Romaines partly by ciuill discord and horrible dissentions wasted partely dronke vppe and consumed by the meanes of great and terrible warres which throughout the whole worlde was waged againste the Romaine Empire was subiecte to common thraldome misery of all thinges incident and appertaininge to man And here I pray thee what cause hast thou to accuse the name of any thinge that is called Christian For if the doctrine of Christe had wrought in the manners of the Romaines contempte of lawes ryot wantoÌ„nes immoderate desire of rule most egre and vehement dissension of Cittizens amonge themselues if to conclude it had induced them to violente dealinge fury rage then moughtest thou haue iustly and truely sayd that that had bredde in the state of Rome all these mischieues For they be those horrible vices that haue plagued and destroyed not onely Rome but all other Imperiall Citties But if nothinge be more repugnant to Christian maners and conuersation then the vyces afore rehersed wyth whome nothinge agreeth but that whych is iuste and vpryghte tendinge to quietnes and temperaunce which most reuerently accoumpte of modesty and innocency and aboue all mischiues hate ciuill discord which abhorre all troublesome and desperat enterprices yet wilt thou be so sottish impudent that thou wilt seeke with this sclaunder to deface the dignity and worthines of Christianity Can there any maner of discipline more confirme and establishe cyuill pollicie theÌ„ that which teacheth Iustice equity
armed wyth a wonderfull stoutenes and constancie of minde Therefore which of these two relligions would sooner allure men to the embracing of Vertue doth that thincke you which holdeth the weake and frayle nature of of man alwayes in suspence through the vayne and folish credite they geue to the litle stringes that are in the intrals of beastes to the flying of byrdes to the hyuinge of Bees and to such other fained monstrous deuises or rather that religion which so establisheth and confirmeth the myndes of mē that they would not be dismayd if the whole world should be turned vpside douē Further that religiō which with fond superstition sometymes doth hinder the course of perfect exercise of humayne vertue or that which with constancie proceedinge from vertue farre passing the credite of mā strengthneth the weake and soft nature of women and the tender yeares of yong children Finally is the religiō to be embraced which is not able to fortifi the mindes of men with any assured hope or that rather whiche sheweth foorth the helpe assistance of God with a moste certayne hope of immortalitye with an especiall loue towardes almightye God and with an earnest and feruēte desire of him who hath taught vs the perfection of heauēly wisedome and perfectly instructed vs to dispise al worldlye and transitorye vanityes But what neede I conuince with many argumētes either the impyetie or madnes of this most detestable vile caitife wheras both of those are so cleare and manifeste that nothinge is more easilye noted and espyed His wicked impyetie appeareth in that hee woulde seeke in suche order to stayne the honoure of Christians whiche hee woulde neuer haue done if hee had conceiued any good opynion of the Godhead of Christ His madnes appeareth in that he with so false so fond so ill codcluded reasons confirmeth his wicked opiniō But I knowe I haue longer stayed in this processe then per aduenture neede required Which if anye man thinke worthy of blame I would partlye he shoulde pardon my griefe wherewith agaynste hym I was wonderfully styrred And partlye that he shoulde thinke that that was not altogether impertinent to my purpose For whereas I enterprysed to set forth the honour and dignity of Christian noblenes and the Tuscā writer in a most barbarous kinde of stile endeuoured to obscure the same I thoughte good not to dissemble especially sith that I perceyued the nūber of them which either stirred vppe by his wrytinges or of theire voluntarye motion were partakers of his wickednes and fury were farre and wide dispersed Now therfore whereas I haue refuted they re broade and lauishe speaches and haue declared that whiche was cleare and manifeste that no dastardlye feare and basenes of abiecte myndes but al thinges righte worthy and excellent were to be founde in the profession of Christians and the whole order of this most holy disciplyne did excit men to valiantnes of courage and contempte of death yt was not beside my purpose makinge mention of fortitude that consisteth in martial affayres to refute in few their kynd of discourses which detest generally the noble knowledge of feats of armes and all worthye chiualrye as a godlesse wicked thing and quite repugnante to Chrystes commaundementes Firste therefore I can conceyue no reason why they shoulde despyse warfare when it is ryghtfullye begon and taken in hande in the defence of religiō wheras wee see it wonderfully extolled in innumerable places of holy scripture Which they do not denie but what say they manye thinges say they were conteined in the olde law which rather for the tymes sake were tollerated thē worthy due commendatiō As to make a diuorse to take vsury of forrayne countryes of which sort they saye is to make warre vpon our enemyes But what semblāce or similitude hath either vsuoye or diuorses with martial affaires For they were not commended but tollerated because of mens weakenes and imbecillitye But he that durst presume not to obey when commaundemēt was geuen to wage battale cōmitted an offence so hainous that he coulde redeeme the same by no satisfaction For in what place reade wee that it was decreed that hee should other abide a payne or be subiecte to a curse if anye man whereas after the first offence his wyfe committed it was lawfull so to doe did not depart from his wyfe or exacted no vsurye of forrayners and straungers But in many places wee haue well noted that men rauished and replenished wyth the holye spirite haue decreed that they should die the death which throughe cowardise refused to come forth into the fielde But what shoulde I in this place make mention of Debora who being inspyred wyth the holye Ghoste curseth them which for as muche as in them lyeth take not in hand the warres of the Lorde and inuegheth against their cowardise in sharpe and vehemēt words Againe they lay to our charge circumcision the offering vp of a lambe olde sacrifices which were in olde time with great deuocion kept and after the comminge of Christe lackte their wonted reuerence As though warrefare did any whitte appertayne to the ceremonies and misteryes of holy thinges and were not rather ordayned for the preseruation of the common wealth For those holy rights in which were foreshadowed the expresse signes and tokens of Iustice and saluation to be procured by our highe and mighty sauiour Christe after the comming of the thing it self which was by those signes declared were by good right and iust desart abrogated and disanulled But this cannot bee thoughte of the noble knowledge of feates of armes for as much as it is not comprysed vnder the nature of ceremonyes but embraced for the maintenaunce and preseruation of the common safetie and wholy appertayneth to ciuill policie And to confound those thinges which are to be distinguished it is eyther the propertie of extreeme madnes or an argument of wonderful temeritie and rashnes And whereas the estate of the commonwealth cannot be established but it must needes be stayed and as it were propped vppe wyth strength and force of armes for asmuch as all thinges in time of peace to be practised and exercised are vnder the tuition and defence of martiall prowesse he that taketh away the knowledge of feates of armes worketh the ouerthrowe of the cōmon wealth Which thinge if it had happened through Christian discipline then madde men moued wyth some reason might lay to our charge that some commonwealth by meanes of Christian discipline was ouerthrowen Which slaunderous accusation howe wicked and vaine it is we haue afore declared For Christ would not that the estate of ciuill pollicie should be ouerthrowen but rather established and confirmed And therefore as he hath not wrested the sworde out of the hand of a Magistrate so neither would he haue a souldiour to wante his weapon To the intent that the Magistrate beinge armed wyth auctority of lawes might with seueritie of the same lawes suppresse wickednes annoying the members and inward partes
of the common wealth the souldiar clad in armour might wyth dint of sworde repell and put a side from the commonwealth all imminent daunger For this cause Iohn neuer exhorteth men from applyinge themselues to the knowledge of feates of armes but prescribeth lawes vnto souldiours of harmelesse vsage and temperate behauour And Paule calleth those magistrates the seruaunts of God which wyth the sword punishe wicked and desperate persons Truly nothing were more hartely to bee desired of a Christian man then that all men woulde refrayne themselues from wickednes and sinnefull luste But forasmuche as that cannot alwayes fall oute and in steede of continencie vnbridled luste in steede of iustice either forraine force or ciuil broyles vse to aryse then of necessitie either the force of the ennemye is wyth weapons mayne strength to be beaten backe or the outrage of oure citizens with sword to be repressed That say they is contrary to Christian charitie As thoughe any kinde of cruelty were greater then to be dissolute and negligēt in a generall distresse and miserie Chryst hath commaunded that we shoulde bee reuenged of our enemyes No doubt it is the propertye of perfecte and absolute vertue when priuatlye wee susteyne wronges and iniuryes to shewe a singular and wonderfull patience of the mynde but when ether the common wealth and saftye of our countrye or the honour estate of religion is impugned thē agaynste outrage and villanye to take an inuincible stomach Chryst hath especiallye commended vnto vs peace No doubt that peace he hath commended whiche hee himselfe gaue vs which doth not cōsiste in pleasaunt reste and quietnes that mannes nature is prone to desire for who can suppose that he hath graunted vnto vs that kynd of securitye when he suffered his owne discples to be tossed as it were with troublesome waues of mannes outragious fury but that peace by the which we were reconciled into the grace and fauoure of God whiche had conceyued greate wrath and indignation agaynst vs and to whose religion our wilfull aypetytes were moste repugnāte These enmityes therfore and dislykinges betweene vs and God Christe as Paule testifieth in manye places with his own precious bloude hath done away and hath purchased for vs a peace continuall and euerlastinge The which we may then especially enioy when we most vehemently and egrely fighte other for the safetye of our country or maintenaunce of the sayth of Chryste and his religion Vnlesse paraduenture wee suppse that Abraham wanted the benefite of this peace at what time he gathering a bande of men of his owne domesticall seruauntes encoutred with a huge and puissante host of his enemyes and valiauntlye farre exceedinge the estimation of man vanquished fowre mighty Kynges and his enemyes beyng parte of theym slayne the other part put to the worse he caried away the spoyle Or if wee thinke likewyse of Gedeon who beynge garded onely with three hundred men of warre slew innumerable multitudes of his enemyes Agayne what thinke you of Iosua Moses his sucsessour what of Ieptes what shoulde I reherce manye other noble menne honowred as well for theire feruente zeale of religion as magnifyed for theire worthye exploites in martiall affayres May we think that they did offende God when they most valiantly set vpon theyr enemyes Or shal we not rather say that thē especially the peace of God tooke effect among them when in the cause of righteousnes agaynst Godlesse they waged battaile But what haue we to do say they with those examples of antiquitye They were Hebrues but we are Christians And are you still of this opinon that you will exclude oute of the numbre and from the worthy callinge of Christians those holye men who as I haue before declared were right good true worshipers of Christ and had receiued the same gifte and grace at the handes of God that we our selues haue receiued for what other thīg signifyeth that outcry The sword of God and Gedeon a gayne that place The spirit of god was poured vpō Iephthe and other like places innumerable but that not withoute the mightye power of Christe so greate warres coulde be takē in hand and dispatched Further what signifieth that out of heauen battail was waged agaynst thē the stars continuinge in theire order and in theire proper course fought agaynste Sisara but that the hostes of Heauen vnder the charge of Christ their captayne whom the holye scripture calleth lorde of hostes do fighte for the Godly against the vngodly and wicked Therefore there is no cause why we shoulde lightlye make accounte of those examples of vertue left vnto vs by those most holye men for a memorial to cōtinue with vs as lōg as time indureth For they are not to vs straūg exāples but properly belonging vnto vs and familiar as done by our owne auncestours to the imitation whereof wee must at length stirre vp our dull natures For I woulde not haue any man so weake-brainde to thincke that contrary to the will and pleasure of Christe which we know assuredly to haue beene don by his holye ayde and assistaunce and to the accomplishinge whereof it is most euidente that the valiauntest men of all haue bin with his voyce almost excited and stirred vp For to omitte Historyes of auncient time Constantine the Emperour ouercame Maxentius not so much throughe the multitude and nomber of his souldiars or strength of his hoste or his skill and experiēce in warrefare as by the furtheraunce and helpe of Christ whom at the very first onset he so terrifyed that after a moste shamefull sort he put him to flighte and made him ready to seeke his owne destruction in the ende compelled him to drowne himselfe in the channel of Tiber the riuer The which maruaylous and wonderfull terrour Christe himselfe stroke into the hartes of his ennemyes For whereas Constantine at that time thought very well of Christian relligion he saw almost at the very instant when he should encounter with his ennemy the ayre being most fayre and cleare the signe of the Crosse shyning marueylous brightly and hearde a voyce sent downe from Heauen declaringe vnto him that he should obtayne the victory if he would folow the crosse as the ensigne and flagge of God most high euerlasting From hence proceedeth the ground and cause that kinges and Princes especially in theyr Ensignes haue a crosse In this signe Constantine not onely obtained victory but reposed in the same the cause of immortalitye and euerlasting glory Hauing that signe caryed before him he put to wracke hostes of his ennemyes innumerable and did most largely extende the handes of the Romayne Empyre VVHat shoulde I speake of Theodosius Who had such a conflicte with Eugenius that he might easily perceiue that by the helpe of Christe himselfe present with him he gat the vpper hand Whych Emperour truly in one poincte was mutch to be meruailed at For at such time as others cherished their bodies with sleepe and delicious meats he