alienate from him straungers and enemies but also his subiects and greatest friends because that the Prince being by nature vnfaithfull and accustomed to shed humane blood is not to spare either friends or parents and much lesse his emulators corriuals competitors or enemies but with all dissimulation fraud and deceit hee will seeke to oppresse those by whose ruine hee may hope to encrease his forces and his owne estate or in any sort to establish the same For this cause a man ought not in any case to trust such Princes neither for promises for prayers neither for safegard or assurance giuen whatsoeuer and those men which commit their persons into the hands of such men which are ambitious disloyall cruell and accustomed to shed blood commit a most grosse fault for vpon the least occasion that may happen they shall be sure to be most cruelly despoyled of their estates and therewith lose their liues The Cardinall Vrsin Vitellozo Vitelli Guicciaâ— lib. â— Pagolo Orsino Iohn Pagolo Baglioni Liuorato da Fermo and Iohn Bentiuogli and some other pettie Lords of Italie seeing the little faith the great ambition and euill nature of Duke Valentin allied themselues together notwithstanding that they had been his Captaines and Generals in the warres to oppose themselues against the forces of the said Duke who sometime bereaued one Lord and sometime another of his estate and their forces being vnited all together The cunning of Duke Valentin were such that Valentin could not annoy them Valentin had recourse to his subtilty and dissimulation and seeing that he could not resist the forces of the confederates by force he sought by all meanes to disunite the mindes of these Lords and to make the one to suspect the other imagining that hee might easily ouercome them being disunited Cagli The confederates might haue put him in great daunger and disorder for that that they once had put him to flight neere the citie of Cagli if they had followed the victorie Valentin had not had the leisure so soone to raise himself againe But he continuing stiffe and resolute to conclude the agreement which was alreadie begun humbling himselfe and promising to his enemies all that which they could demaund brought the matter so wel about that of most mortall enemies that they were vnto him they became his Leaders Captaines and Souldiers as in former time they had been and serued him with their Infantrie and men at armes against the Duke of Vrbin which was a most grosse and foule fault And Valentin hauing taken by their meanes the estate of Vrbin The crueltie and treason of Duke Valentin and still remembring the hatred conceiued against them he caused them to be apprehended in Sinigaglia and there to be hanged and strangled by the hands of a hangman and taught them to know that it was not lawfull for Captaines to dallie and iest with Dukes and their Superiours to make an oth and to breake it as a man will and afterwards to trust to a cruell tyrant who to encrease his estate turned al things vpside downe And if any man would excuse them and say that they for feare of the forces of the King of France who had alreadie sent succours to Valentin made this agreement I answere them that hauing taken armes against him for the preseruation of their estates and liues it had beene better to haue left all to the incertaine hazard and lot of the warre then to giue credit to the words of one who had neuer maintained his faith agreement nor promise with any man whom they themselues held for a Prince faithlesse treacherous cruell and disloyall CHAP. 55. Jt is a pernicious thing for a Prince to haue two Generals in the warres which striue for preheminence or betweene whom is enuie and emulation IF the error of a Prince or Common-wealth be great which hauing any warre either ciuill or forrain admitteth into his holds and townes any garrison and other men at armes who after they haue ouercome the enemie may also subdue him or them which set them at work and in whose pay they haue made the warre that Prince or Common-wealth shall commit a most great fault who hauing or being to make warre against puissant and politike enemies shall hire and take into his seruice sundrie principall Commanders in the warre which doe enuie one another for glorie or are small friends hauing equall power and almost the same authoritie the second error bringeth peraduenture no lesse euill and preiudice that is to wit to haue two Generals which may warre for the preheminence or which are emulators enuying the one the other The first fault to establish settle within the countrie and as a man might say in the house a succour and garrison of men of warre which after the victorie obtained against the enemies turne and band themselues against the Conquerour by dexteritie may easily be auoided by not trusting wholy thereto but as for the other if the euill be secret and far off a man shall hardly foresee and take order for it â—ycurgus his 〈◊〉 For this cause Lycurgus the most wise lawmaker ordained in his lawes that the Kings of Sparta in their ciuill gouernment should not doe any thing but in the companie of the Magistrate but in time of warres in the field with the armie he would that they should haue supreame power and authoritie that they alone should commaund that all should depend of their will and that the regall authoritie should no way be restrained ioyning certaine counsellors vnto him to consult with them of the affaires of the warre which Lycurgus did with great iudgement because that knowing and foreseeing well that when the armies are opposit the one before the other ready to giue battaile the least stay or slacknes sufficeth to let slip a most happie successe and noble victorie from the one and to giue it to his enemie for then is no time to be busied about the aduice and opinion of many and it is a dangerous matter when souldiers are commanded by many heads who for enuie or hatred raigning betweene them or for their obstinacie or temeritie for the most part agree not together and for this cause hauing confirmed and vnited all the power and authoritie in one man alone and hauing cut off all concurrence and enuie which maketh them equall in discord he willed that he alone should gouerne all and that all the armie should readily obey him As for the first fault wee haue infinit examples in histories both ancient and moderne but this for the present shall suffice Fazel in the uinth booke of the first Decade of the history of Sicilie recited by Fazel in the ninth book of the first Decade of Sicilie to shew how dangerous a thing it is for a Prince to haue to his aide and succour a mightie garrison which afterwards he shall not be able to resist The Reginos a people of Sicilie were once diuided into two
Spanish Armie did yeeld to any of their demands without the performance of all that which they had required But the ambition of the Gonfalonier the deceitfull hope of the people and the desire of glory in him which gouerned put the State in great hazard So shall it euer come to those which grounded vpon the vanitie of their conceits loue better foolishly to follow the deceitfull hope of better fortune then to embrace and wisely accept of good and reasonable offers for a good composition can neuer be so base but that it is some honour to him which accepteth thereof and a man ought by so much the more to consider of this point by how much more the enemie with whom he is to deale is mightie and puissant CHAP. 45. Jt is a great fault when confederats are slow in helping one another in time of daunger and the losse and dammage that riseth thereof WHen a Prince or Common-wealth desireth league or confederacy to offend or defend this groweth not but through the consideration of his owne forces for an estate which would offend or defend it selfe from the force and violence of another and knoweth that their owne forces are not sufficient to resist or offend hath recourse to the ayde or succours neere or farre off according as it best fitteth his purpose though the succours which a man requireth from farre off be for the most part and to say the truth in a manner alwaies vnprofitable and hurtfull ☞ for a towne which cannot defend it selfe by their owne forces and desireth succours from farre off resembleth a man which falleth sicke of some dangerous disease in some village farre from the Citie in such sort that hee must send to the Citie for the Phisition through the farre distance whereof either the sicke man dyeth or the comming of the Phisition serueth to no purpose for that the disease hath taken so great hold on him that it is growne incurable and so when the aide and succour is farre off of force the Citie so assailed must fall into the enemies hands A man may see an example in Sagunt the which being besieged by the Carthaginians attended succours from Rome and Sienna being besieged by the Emperours armie hoped of succours from France in the yeere 1554. And finally the Isle of Cypres being assailed in the yeere 1570. by the Turkes forces had hope of succours though farre off from the Lords of Venice The leagues and confederacies are then much better which are made with neighbours neere at hand and those which may be easily called and may easily helpe But those which are bound in a league and required to giue succour and neuerthelesse deferre the giuing thereof or are cold in sending put their friends in daunger purchase blame to themselues and the name and report to be cold friends and little friendly and by this coldnesse they marre all the busines which might haue brought honour and profit to all for those which demaunde ayde are hot in their attempts and if they which are called be cold mixing this with that it maketh a luke-warmenes which is nothing worth and this is the reason why leagues for the most part come to no good effect And for this cause when two or three or more haue power to ioyne themselues together a man ought not then to be slowe in assembling and vniting his forces and to send them speedely where neede requireth because oftentimes they come too late The Carthagenians had a desire to sease and make themselues Masters of Sicilia and besiege Selinonte and the Selinontins which saw that their forces were not sufficient to endure a long siege neither to resist two or three hot assaults demaunded succours of the Siracusians their friends and allies which willingly promised them ayde but they were very flowe in the perfourmance for if the Siracusians had sent succours when the Silenontines demaunded the same Silenonte had neuer been taken and if it had been taken Silenonte was taken by the Carthagonians for that it was not in time relieued by the Siracusians the Silenontines had had no occasion to haue complained of their confederates and the Siracusians had not purchased the euill report which they did For notwithstanding that the Siracusians knewe that the Silenontines were besieged yet neuerthelesse they foreflowed the relieuing of them and notwithstanding that they were often solicited thereunto by the Ambassadours of Silenonte yet they went slowlie to worke in sending the ayde which at last was sent but the long stay gaue oportunitie to the Carthagenians so to force Silenonte that they tooke it by assault and sacked it and the Siracusians which were vpon the way being aduertised of the taking of it returned with repentance to haue too long deferred the sending of reliefe Lewes the 12. King of France fell into the like error being confederate with the King of Nauarre The King of Castile being enemie to King Lewes of France would haue passed into France with his Armie but the King of Nauarre for that he would not fayle his friend and allie denied and stopt his passage in such sort that the King of Nauarre procured to himselfe the warre and being vnable to resist the Spanish King had recourse to the ayde of France But King Lewes thinking that the King of Nauarre had been able for a time to haue defended himselfe from the forces of the Spaniard slacked to send him succours and this delay was the cause why the King of Nauarre was ouercome and forced to flie and abandon his Kingdome A man might produce many other examples of latter time but these may suffice for the present I will onely say that the Leagues are of this nature that they are hot in the beginning and cold in the end and he which demaundeth being hot and he which is required cold of force there must follow as I haue said before a lukewarmenes which marreth all in the one heat diminishing to see succours failing him and in the other cold encreasing to see how great difference there is betweene thinking and doing CHAP. 46. VVhen succours sent to a friend or confederate are insufficient to put him out of daunger and trouble through being too weake they bring daunger of losse and dishonour THere is no doubt but that he which demaundeth succours of a Prince or Common-wealth sheweth weakenes of strength because that he which is assaulted or which would assaile another knowing that he hath not forces fit thereto which may be sufficient either for the one or the other hath recourse to the ayde of his friend to the end that being vnited with others he may be able to doe that which of himselfe he could not doe alone But when the Prince requested whether by vertue of confederacie or alliance or by any other bond of friendship resolueth to send the succours demaunded he ought to send such as his friend or confederate may serue his turne therewith for that otherwise hee which receiueth
blinded with auarice or hatred they be depriued of the valour and prudence of such men and estrange themselues from them Alberigue de Barbian a man of great valour and reputation in the warres in his time committed this error hee hauing subdued the Bouloignois through the prowesse and valour of Braccio de Monton which he acknowledged with many signes of curtesie and good will commending him publikelie and increased his pay and his charge gaue him the armes and ensignes of his house and finallie the gouernment of the whole Armie After the warres of Boulogna were ended it happened that the Venetians made warres vpon the Lordes of Padoua to which the said Barbian was of kinne and allyed hee sent to their succours certaine Captaines of horse and foote and appoynted Braccio Lorens de Cotignola and Rosso de L'aigle for chiefe Commaunders of those troupes Lorens and Rosso did greatly malice the glorie of Braccio and by many detractions and slaunderous speeches bringing him in disgrace with Barbian brought it so to passe that he giuing credit to their backbitings slaunderous wordes and letters resolued with Lorens and Rosso to cause Braccio to be slaine Barbians Wife which deerelie loued the vertue of Braccio knowing how much her husband was bound vnto him and being acquainted with the purpose and deuises of Rosso and Lorens and with the resolution it selfe which they had taken to put him to death she aduertised Braccio thereof willing him speedilie to be gone for that her husband would cause him to bee slaine and tolde him the course which was to be held who they were which had perswaded him thereto Braccio hauing this aduertisement which he soone had being lodged but a league from thence because of the winter mounted on horsebacke with the greatest part of his best friends without saddles or stirrups and got him out of the confines of Barbians dominion and fled to the enemies Campe whither hee was very welcome When the flight of Braccio was made knowne the Souldiers began to mutin and raile against those which had brought him into disgrace with Barbian and to blame Barbian for his lightnes Wherefore Barbian being very sory but too late that he had giuen Braccio occasion to flie from him and grieued to be depriued of so valorous a Captaine wrote him a letter by which he desired to speake with him and yeelding himselfe culpable offered to giue him better pay and more honourable charge than euer hee had before But Braccio answering him with great grauitie would no more assure himselfe of him neither goe to serue a Prince The errour of Alberigue de Barbian Guicciardin lib. 12. who peraduenture another day carried away with the like lightnes might againe conspire his death So Barbian rashlie without thinking thereof giuing occasion to Braccio to forsake him and to goe to his enemies was the cause of the decay of the Padouan Brothers and the aduauncement of their enemies The Catholike King also committed this errour making shew lightlie to regard Peter de Nauarra a Captaine much esteemed and verie valiant in the wars for this King conceiued in his minde that the ouerthrow at Rauenna wherein Peter was taken prisoner happened for the most part through his fault and this Peter being prisoner in France The errour of Ferdmand king of Spaine and set at 20000 Duckats ransome the King continuing his displeasure would not harken to the paiment nor to deliuer him Wherfore Peter perceiuing that the King did little esteeme him and thinking that hee made more account of 20000 crownes then of him resolued to serue the French king Francis the first who loued him much and payde his ransome of 20000 crownes to the Marquesse of Rottelin The errour of Francis the first king of France to whom King Lewes the twelfth had giuen him and Peter to auoide all dishonour gaue the Catholike King to vnderstand that sith hee was abandoned by him and was constrained to leaue in the kingdome of Naples the estate which hee held by his gift being forced by necessitie hee turned to the King of France who hee knew would be his perpetuall enemie But King Francis the first did no lesse a fault to giue occasion to Andre Dorie to forsake his seruice and to serue another for Dorie hauing serued him verie faithfullie with his Gallies the space of fiue yeares continuallie thinking to haue deserued so well as to haue bin employed in all occasions for chiefe the King either for that he cared little for him eyther for that he was perswaded by the prayers and intreaties of the Princes of France which enuying the Italians loue not to see them grow great in the French Court made Admirall and Generall of the Sea in the enterprise of Naples Mounsieur de Barbesieux leauing Dorie as a priuate Captaine leader of his own Gallies onlie who thought that his deserts had bin such that if he had refused such a charge hee should haue beene instantlie intreated to haue accepted thereof Hee thought also that there was great wrong done him in that hee was not paid 20000 crownes due vnto him for his seruice without the which hee could not entertaine his gallies and because that the king was so earnest with him to haue the Marques de Guast and Ascaigno Colomna his prisoners notwithstanding that he promised to pay their ransome yet it seemed that hee would by force take them from him by his royall authoritie and besides that the king had deliuered the Prince of Orange his prisoner would not that hee should pay his ransome at 20000 crownes All these things then and many others whereby the King shewed the small account he made of him were the cause that Dorie forsooke his seruice and went to serue the Emperour Charles the fifth Guicciar li. 19 and the Spanish nation whereof hee had bin a mortall enemie Andrew Dori forsooke King Francis the first in hiâ— greatest neede And notwithstanding the King perceiuing his owne fault sent to Dorie making him many faire offers yet it was too late for hee would not accept thereof thinking that they were made by constraint and that the King had bin verie slow to shew him curtesie vntill that necessitie and not his owne will did induce him to doe it the King was liberall when it was too late of that which he ought to haue giuen him long before and receiued greater losse by losing this Captaine then if hee had lost the halfe of his armie by Sea as the successe of things which afterwards happened do make manifest Princes and common wealthes may learne by these examples to take heed that they lose not those men in whose vertue they may boldlie repose much trust hauing them on their side and not hauing them haue great occasion to stand in doubt and ought not vpon euery light occasion to neglect them vse them in such sort that they giue them cause to abandon them but ought to cherish them and
kingdome of Naples Peter hauing resolued to continue constant in the friendship of Alphonse of Arragon King of Naples would neuer giue eare to the French King who desiring to enter into league with him and offered him many faire conditions to which league all the whole citie seemed to leane and to yeeld as inclined and well affected to the French nation For afterwards when the French armies began to haue the better in Italie and the name of the French to be terrible and the affaires of those of the house of Arragon to decline from ill to worse Peter repenting him of his resolute determination to asswage the wrath of Charles 〈…〉 Charles the S. King of 〈…〉 to Peeter de Medicis went to S. Peters to see and speak with him in person where being receiued by the King with better countenance then good will the King made vnreasonable demaunds which were that presently the Fortresses of Serezana and Serezanell which are the keyes of the Florentine Seignorie should be giuen into his hands with the Fortresses of Liuorne and of Pisa and that the Florentines by his meanes should lend him 200000. Ducats and vpon this condition hee would take them into his protection Peter yeelded to all these demands and taking vpon him more authoritie then he ought yeelded the Holds and Fortresses aboue said without out the counsel of the citizens without order from the Magistrates and without giuing the Common-wealth to vnderstand thereof Which being vnderstood at Florence did so moue the harts of the people against him that being returned to the Citie hee was verie vnwelcome Peter de Medicis chased from Florence and by the furie of the Citizens was driuen from the Pallace and out of the Citie and declared and proclaimed a Rebell If in any case it be a matter doubtful yea or very dangerous to passe the bounds of the authoritie receiued and as a man may say play the Prince whereas is no neede it is principally in charges and commaunds in the warres where euery fact done in this manner by a Generall is sufficient to put such iealousie in the hearts of his superiours and make his trust and faith so suspect to the Prince who gaue him such charge that he cannot be put from his gouernment without preiudice of his reputation and daunger of his life Paulo Vitellio a man most valorous and in his time one of the chiefe and most renowned Captaines in Italie being by the Florentines established and made Generall of their armie against the Pisans in that time wherein they were vnder the sauegard and protection of the Venetians for one onely fact wherein he vsurped more authoritie then belonged vnto him put the Florentines in such iealousie and suspition of him that taking all his doings in ill part in the end they bereued him of his life This man being at Casantin against the Venetian armie led by the Duke of Vrbin Bartelmy Liuiano Astor Baglioni and other honourable Captaines all which he did so valiantly resist that he did not onely stop the passage against them but also besieged them with their principall Captaines within Bibienna a Castle of the Casantin The Duke of Vrbin fell sicke in this siege who desired Vitellio to giue him a safeconduct to goe to take Phisicke and to cure himselfe and this Paul vsurping a little too much authoritie Guicciar lib. 4 without acquainting the Florentine Commissioners herewith who represented the state of the Common-wealth gaue safeconduct to the Duke and to Iulian de Medicis a rebell to the Seignorie Common-wealth which made him so suspected that they began to marke his behauiour and the manner of his proceedings for they mistrusted him to haue some secret intelligence with the enemie And for this cause when they afterwards sawe that without any occasion hee abandoned the Fortresse of Stampace which was taken by force and that being able to followe the victorie against the Pisans he tooke no care to pursue them but vsurping supreame power and authoritie hee raised the siege from before Pisa without the leaue or knowledge of the Florentine Commissioners they began to hold for certaine that which before they but doubted Paulo Vitellio condemned to dye by the Florentines in such sort that to rid themselues of this suspition and feare and to giue example to their other Leaders and Commanders of armies they put him to death by order of Iustice But except it were vpon some extreame accident or to auoide some manifest and present danger it were ill done for a man to attribute to himselfe more authoritie then he ought and to promise also that which is not in his power to performe as the Lord of Tremouille who being for Lewes the 12. King of France Generall of his armie against Henry the 8. King of England which made warre against the French King before Terouenne and Tournay The said Generall hauing vnderstood that an armie of 20000. Swissers had besieged Dijon the head Citie of Bourgundy thereby to constraine the French King to giue ouer his claime to the Dutchie of Milan and the said Lord of Tremouille seeing the great danger wherein the realme of France was The Lord of Tremouille with absolute power coucluded a peace with the Swissers notwithstanding that it was vpon very vnworthie conditions hee vsurped and attributed to himselfe more authoritie then to him appertained so as promising that which he could not performe neither had commission to promise he came to parley with the chiefe conductors of the Swissers and promised them that the King of France should surrender the right which he pretended to the state of Milan and to assure his promise he gaue thē 4. French gentlemen in ostage The Lord Generall took this resolution knowing that if the citie of Dijon were taken and lost and that if that nation should not giue ouer to vexe the French King being alreadie tired with warres the Swissers on the one side and the English on the other might without any let march to Paris gates Peter de Medicis might peraduenture haue the same consideration in making his treatie with the King of France who seeing his countrie in great daunger for that the King was in armes victorious displeased with the Florentine Common-wealth and neere vnto Florence but this warlike people easily to bee moued to despite and indignation iudging otherwise of his doings then hee deserued chased him out of the towne and proclaimed him Rebell So as in summe a man ought so moderately to vse the authoritie receiued and to carrie himselfe in such sort that he giue his Prince no cause to be iealous of him by taking vpon him as a Prince when as he is but an inferiour and a seruant it is farre better to shew that he respecteth his Prince by giuing him to vnderstand of all his purposes and enterprises than by vsurping equalitie seeme to make no account of him CHAP. 14. VVhether a publike seruant of a Prince or Common-wealth
for all men the contrarie being seene in some who haue made most commendable and honourable proofes of their loue to their second friends ☞ 〈…〉 which they may doe for many causes First to recouer and get againe their honor lost in forsaking and abandoning their first friend in time of neede which maketh a man very blame worthie except vrgent occasion force it Secondly to let the world know that the fact by him committed was not through his malice but through the fault of his first friend who vpon some occasion had constrained him to leaue him Thirdly hee continueth firme and constant in his friendship to repaire and amend the lightnes of the first which cannot be amended but by the firme constancie of the second And fourthly for that finding greater conformitie of nature and blood in the second than in the first he doth that for him which he would not do for the other Finally for that he cōsidereth that being as vnfaithfull disloyall to the second friend as he was to the first he incurreth the danger neuer to finde any more friends for he is vnworthie of friendship who was neither firme in the first neither constant in the second wherfore you ought not to contēne any mans friendship whatsoeuer But because a man can neuer be too well assured of such maner of men who may practise the same lightnes and inconstancie with the second as they did with the first it shall be good not to contemne it but to liue with them in such sort that whensoeuer their mindes begin to change their changing be neither dammageable or dangerous The most wise Emperour Charles the 5. refused not neither contemned the friendship of the Duke of Bourbon who forsooke in his greatest need his first friend and Lord Francis the first King of France but entertained and embraced his friendship vsing him very honourably and Bourbon in this second friendship alway carried himselfe very faithfully and did the Emperour great seruice and although that he knew well that in the Emperours Court he was not beloued yet for all that he remained euer firme and constant in the Emperours seruice But notwithstanding all this in like cases which depend on the faith of another a man ought as I haue said to be weladuised and not so to settle his affection on a man as to place his whole heart vpon him but to proceed so wisely that although he change his minde and be inclined to the friendship of the first friend or of any other that it annoy him not And for this cause the aforesaid Emperour did so beare himselfe with the warlike Prince Charles of Bourbon that entertaining him with honourable parts and hauing made him his Generall in Italie and at the last sent him into Lumbardie to the gouernment of a desperate armie hee considered that he could not greatly annoy him if peraduenture he altered his determination which as a constant and vertuous Prince hee did not Wee are to conclude that although a man cannot too surely settle his foote No mans friendship is to be despised whatsoeuer he be when it is offered and ground his foundation vpon such light and variable men whose friendship is so fickle yet neuerthelesse a man ought not to contemne and reiect their friendship and good will ☞ but so to repose trust in them that if they would yet they should not be able to doe any harme CHAP. 17. To denie to a people their first demaunds is to make them the better content with what they receiue and the more moderate in their demaunds afterwards OF all the imperfections and euill conditions of a people this is placed amongst the most principal to be insatiable and neuer content with their estate and degree As when they meete with a Prince who for any occasion whatsoeuer will yeeld to their demaunds and graunt what they desire they neuer cease nor rest following their peeuish condition but still drawne forwards with hope to obtaine they continue their asking with greater vehemencie then at the first The common people is infaliable euer co 〈…〉 things and is neuer content And it happeneth vnto them as to one which is sicke of a feuer and is ill gouerned who knowing his keeper to be gentle and easie to be intreated to let him haue what he will so as hauing giuen him once to drinke encreaseth his thirst euen so a people knowing the Prince which gouerneth them to be either fearefull or kinde and soft spirited without any respect they grow shamelesse and dare to make vnreasonable and immoderate demaunds which may not be graunted Wherefore it is a point of wisedome to begin to denie and refuse to grant the first things which they shall demaund for although at the first refuse they seeme to be ill content and much offended there is no great reckoning to be made thereof for that they considering that they haue to deale with a Lord which will not easily suffer himselfe to bee led and perswaded they become more milde contenting themselues with that which is reasonable and receiue those things for fauours which are graunted vnto them And to the contrarie when in the beginning a man granteth what they demaund the desire to haue increasing in them they present new requests which being refused they make no reckoning of what they haue receiued and become discontent with the Prince which gouerneth them We haue an example hereof in Lewes the 12. King of France and the people of Milan Guicciar lib. 4 for that Le More Duke of Milan being fled into Germany to escape from the French who in a manner without armes made a conquest of that estate the newes came speedily into France of the conquest of Milan of the Castle and of the whole Dutchie with aduertisement of the flight of the Duke Wherefore King Lewes passed speedily into Italie and being come to Milan hee was receiued by the people with incredible ioy and the people finding this King to be very gentle who graunted them many graces and fauours they demaunded exemption of sundrie toles and customes The people of Milan reiected by Lewes K. of France and the King graciously yeelded to their petitions But persisting in their immoderate requests and not content to obtaine their first desires purposed to be wholy exempt from all toles and customes and to be free from all charges whatsoeuer whereto the King would not consent for that their demaund seemed to him too vnreasonable and vniust thinking that he had alreadie vsed them with sufficient curtesie both in generall and in particular this people could not take it in good part but was discontent Wherfore if the King had not been so hastie in the beginning to grant what they demaunded or if he had ripely considered the importance of the exemption of the toles and customes so as hauing absolutely refused their petitions and had told them that he would thinke vpon their demaunds and afterwards considering of
shewne himselfe his enemie he had not so miserablie lost his life and Kingdome Vital Michel second of that name Prince of Venice fell into this error of light and easie beleefe arriuing at Negrepont with a mightie Armie and Nauie to goe against Emanuel Emperour of Constantinople who had shewed infinit signes of hatred against that Common-wealth and was of power to haue put the Emperour to great trouble giuing credit to the gouernour of that I le who was a most subtill Greeke he lost a most faire occasion greatly to haue benefited his countrey For the Gouernour seeing so great and so mighty an army and fleete and considering the losse and danger whereinto the Emperour was like to fall by faire words he perswaded Michel to send Ambassadours to Constantinople for he knew well that the Emperour would accept of any condition of peace This this Gouernour did either through his owne malice or that he had agreed with the Emperour to say so The Venetian Prince gaue simply too much credit to the subtle Greeke Vital Michael Prince of Venice in disgrace with the people and hauing sent Ambassadours towards the Emperour whilest hee attended their returne at Scio which were entertained with faire words a most grieuous plague fell in the Armie which in a manner did wholy defeat the same so as it was thought that the waters which serued for the Fleet and the Armie were poisoned For this cause without annoying or any way offending the Emperour being wholy ruinated hee returned to Venice and fell into such disgrace and hatred of the people that they killed him His errour was in giuing too light credit and trusting in one who was a traytor and most disloyall he lost the occasion to haue perfourmed many faire and honourable enterprises and exploits for the good and profit of his Common-wealth which happened in the yeere of our Redemption 1163. Moreouer sundrie Lords and Captains fell into the like errour of light beleeuing and giuing credit to false reports and some likely signes and shewes of friendship expresly fayned in the raigne of king Manfredi by reason whereof ensued many tumults and troubles of wars in Sicilia King Manfredi was a man very wily and cunning who aspired to the kingdome of Sicilie wherein Conradin the sonne of the Emperour Conrad was inuested who dying left to his sonne Conradin which was in Germany for tutours the principall and chiefe Lords of Bauiere and Manfredi who was Prince of Tarento was by the Emperour left chiefe Gouernour of the said Conradin Manfredi then aspired to the kingdome of Sicilia the papall seat of Pope Innocent being void he ouerthrew the Ecclesiasticall Armie but Alexander comming to succeed in the Papacie he sent an Armie against Manfredi vnder the conduct of his Legat Octauian Vbaldini to keep him from seising on that Kingdome Manfredi which was enclosed in Nocerra knew well that he could not long resist the forces of the Church and the tutours of Conradin Barons and Lords of Bauiere wherefore hauing recourse to wiles and shifts he purposed to shew some cunning which serued rather through the credulitie of the enemie then that of it selfe it was so ingenious He made certaine of his most faithfull and trustie seruants to goe forth of Nocerra the which few daies after made a shew to be come from Germanie being clad all in blacke with letters sealed with a false seale which gaue aduise of the certaine death of Conradin by reason whereof by exteriour signes Manfredi knew so well how to colour his treason Mansredi by a wâ—â—e deliuered himselfe from the â—â—ge of â—ocerra and seised on the kingdome of Sicilie making publike funerals cloathing himselfe and all his rout with him in mourning apparell that the Popes Legate beleeuing that to be true which was fayned raised the siege and the tutours of Bauiere which were in diuers townes for Conradin abandoned their charge saying that seeing that Conradin was dead they had no more to do with the gouernement of those townes wherefore the Napolitans themselues Fazelli in the eight booke of his second decadâ— of Sictâ—â—c being deceiued with the same errour saluted Manfredi and proclaimed him king of Sicilia So the light and easie beleefe of the Italian and Bauiere Lords was the cause that Conradin in his life time was depriued of his estate which might easily haue been preuented if the tutours of the child or any other Prince would diligently haue enformed himselfe of the trueth and discouered the fact by sending some man expressely with all speed into Germany without giuing such light credit to one onely aduertisement and with so little consideration to forsake and abandon their charges and gouernement which happened in the yeere 1252. And this fault of easie beleeuing was committed by a Florentine Commissioner in the yeere 1498. which was the occasion that the Florentines by a treatie lost Bibienna in the Casantin For that the Venetians hauing vndertaken the protection and defense of Pisa against the Florentines they sent to the Cazantin Bartelmi d'Auiano with their Armie This man hauing secret intelligence with some of Bibienna sent his souldiers into the towne to perfourme the treatie and enterprise the Florentines had aduertisement hereof froÌ„ many places Guicciar lib. 4 particularly from the citie of Boulongna Wherefore they speedily dispatched their Commissarie who speaking with some of the practizers themselues which he held already in prison he suffered himselfe so to be led by their faire words being perswaded that blacke was white that giuing certaine and indubitable credit vnto them he let theÌ„ go nothing caring to prouide for that which might discouer or hinder the enterprise and did not so much as set a guard at the Ports Conspiratours and 〈…〉 not to be beleeued neither changed the Captaines neither commanded that the Ports should be kept longer shut then of custome neither sending out any to discouer and in summe prouided for nothing but as a man would say sleeping at his ease he accounted himselfe to be in a place most secure Wherefore Aluiano sent in great diligence by night his people towards Bibienna which comming to the gate were presently receiued into the towne by the conspirators and then the Commissarie knew by the losse of the towne how great an error it is to giue light credit to those which haue the name of conspirators and being suspected for such ought to bee constrained and forced to confesse the trueth by meanes of torments CHAP. 22. Jt is neither good nor sure to be too obstinate and not to beleeue often aduertisements giuen by sundrie persons I Haue neuer commended nor made account of those Jt 〈◊〉 â—otable sollie to giue much credit to iudiciall Astrologie which ouer curiouslie sought to know their fortunes and aduentures by Astrologers and Southsayers for that if they prognosticate ill vnto them then their mindes are troubled whether they be vile or valorous and afterwards if they be to
are established in great authoritie breedeth many disorders which afterwards cannot be remedied OBstinacie is no other thing than a setled and firme purpose and determination to doe or not to doe some thing hee which is in this manner resolute is not to admit or receiue any counsell neither to consider any daunger but preferring his own rash opinioÌ„ before the sound aduertisements of wise and well aduised men to shew himselfe to be a man of little iudgement and of no experience in the affaires of the world Such men are the cause of many euils and commit so many disorders that afterwards following their owne ill fortunes and aduentures ouerthrow their enterprises and bring themselues and others also into extreame daunger and oftentimes cause extreame losse and ruine It is lost labour to gee about to perswade obstinate persons by reason for the more they are counselled the more they perâ—stâ—â— their opiâ—on It is but lost labour to attempt to perswade such persons by reason for that they imagining and presuming themselues to know more than all the world besides stop their eares to all good counsailes and their eyes to all daungers so as all goeth to wracke ANd as an egge by how much the longer it lieth in the fire by so much the harder it waxeth euen so a man who trusteth only to his owne braines by how much the more you counsell him by so much the more you make him obstinate Monsieur de Lautrech was Generall for the French King at the siege of Naples and of heart so hautie and obstinate that although hee manifestly saw before his face that the place wherein hee was incamped was neither fit nor holesome and that it daily waxed worse and worse yet would hee not depart from thence to chuse a better neither for the counsell of his Captaines neither for the discommoditie of the souldiers neither for the death which he saw daily before his eyes so that after the losse of a great number of souldiers which dyed poore and miserablie through the corruption of the ayre in the durt and mire he himselfe also left his life Lautrech through his obstinacie was the cause of the totall ruine of the French armie before Naples and was the occasion of his owne death Guicciar lib. 4 and in this manner hee lost the honour and reputation of the victorie and was the cause that the Kings armie whereof he was Generall came to extreame ruine which had not happened if leauing his obstinacie hee had giuen eare to those which counselled him both for the priuate and publike good Wherefore our author wisely saith that it is good to consider of the disorders bred by the obstinacie of those which are employed in great matters This obstinacie maketh men cruell both against others and themselues also whereof are many examples both ancient and moderne as I haue vnderstood of certaine gentlemen of Siena worthie to be beleeued that in the warres of Siena there were some which in the Senate did propound and declare that they were resolued to kill their wiues their children themselues and to set the towne on fire rather then they would fall into the hands of the Florentines Moreouer Obstinacie maketh men cruel both against themselues and others also obstinacie maketh the obstinate to be easily oppressed by their enemies for knowing their naturall condition meanes may be easily found to offend them and in fine persisting obstinate without reason or iudgement and so consequently without wit or wisedome of force they doe euery thing backward and liuing like fooles and mad men fall from euill to worse and in the end to extreame ruine CHAP. 24. Curtesies employed vpon obstinate enemies are to no purpose but bestowed in vaine WHen a Prince or Common-wealth vndertaketh to wage warre against another people if by chance the obstinacie to yeeld nothing to the enemie which molesteth enter into the mindes of those against whom the warre is made he which beginneth the warre must resolue with himselfe not to vse any curtesie towards his obstinate enemie because that any clemencie or curtesie to be vsed will be in vaine and to no purpose for the nature of obstinacie is to loue better to die than to make any shew be it neuer so little of humilitie or giuing place And although that the obstinate man sometime seemeth to be humbled through extreame necessitie yet his heart is not altered An obstinate man loueth rather to die then to shew but eâ—e the least signe of humilitie or of giuing place to his aduersarie for so soone as occasion is offered him he will shew that what he did was done perforce Wherefore an obstinate and rude enemie is to bee handled and dealt withall by all rigour and seueritie forasmuch as gentlenes and curtesie wil neither pacifie him nor asswage his furie Many examples might be alleaged hereof as of the Saguntines besieged by Hanniball but I will content my selfe with the example of the Pisans happened in the time of our ancestors The Florentines made long warres against the Pisans and oftentimes vanquished them and euer vsed them very hardly and in conclusion they resolued to inuade and to bring them to their obedience through hunger and euery yeere spoyled their haruest and often bereaued them of hope of any for the yeere following but they made prouision from elsewhere At length the Florentines determined to trie them by gentlenes and clemencie to see if curtesie might preuaile to the end to leaue nothing vntried And for this cause they made a new law ordained that euery citizen or countriman of Pisa which within certaine time would returne to dwell in his house or possession in the countrie should haue free pardon for any thing that he had committed and should reenter vpon his goods The Florentines did this in hope to haue drawne many Pisans out of the towne by meane of this law by which meanes the towne would be weaker and worse defended but their hope failed them and al happened to the contrarie For that many which were vnprofitable for the wars by the consent and leaue of the rest went out of Pisa and the citie remained disburthened The Pisans loue better to subiect themselues to the Genouais their mortall enemies then to the Florentines their Lords neighbours and friends and in part discharged of the dearth which oppressed them and those which went forth no lesse obstinate then those which remained within for the defence of the citie with their reuenues did secretly succour and relieue those which remained within in such sort as that they which defended the citie would not yeeld but by force and those which were abroad by no meanes could be mollified abhorring nothing so much as the name of a FloreÌ„tine They resolued to yeeld themselues to the Genouais against whoÌ„ they had so often fought for the Seignorie rather then to yeeld to the Florentines And for this cause all that a man doth touching an obstinate
man then doth deferre and loseth time the enterprise is pestered and in danger to proue ill Wherefore when a man hath concluded to doe a thing and the qualitie of the matter requireth diligence it ought speedily to bee executed for the delaying may in an instant alter the estate of the affaires prouided that a man be not troubled by certaine accidents which he could not foresee and so turned from that which he ought to haue put in effect principally in the warres and conseruation of things alreadie gotten for the least fault which a man committeth may giue leisure and occasion to the enemie so to prouide that all the plots and counsels how good soeuer shall serue to no purpose Enterprises ought to be consulted of in cold blood and executed in hot blood And for this cause men say that counsels and enterprises are to be taken in hand in cold blood and the execution thereof to bee done in hot blood That to deferre and delay the execution of things first well deuised is the occasion of losse and harme may plainly be seene by Charles the 8. King of France who hauing happily conquered the realme of Naples lost when he returned into France much time and was slow in sending according to the resolution taken garrisons and prouisions necessarie for the keeping of those things which he had gotten For he was no sooner out of Italie but hee began to lose all and the occasion was that while as he was at Lions and ought speedily to haue prouided for the wars and to returne presently againe into Italie hee tooke without reason and without consideration of the importance of the affaires post horse Guicci lib. 3. and rode to Paris to see a Ladie which hee much loued His departure was the cause that the affaires of Naples went from euill to worse for they which had the guard of Castles and Fortresses and did attend succours from France seeing it so farre off and so long a comming compounded with the enemie and lightly rendred that which they had easily gotten And so the losse of time and negligence in affaires of great importance well deuised but ill executed was cause of the shamefull losse of a Realme conquered with great glorie Don Hugues de Moncado Viceroy of Naples committed the same fault in the yeare 1528. when the Lorde of Lautrech was before Naples with a French Armie for the said Moncado had determined to disperse and scatter the Fleete and armie by Sea of Phillipin de Doria which held all the coast of Salern in subiection and did stoppe the passage of victuals and other prouision to goe to Naples he rigged certaine vessels and furnished them with braue Souldiers with whom went many Lords and the same Don Hugues himselfe in person The said Armie in good order being parted from Polisippo arriued at the Isle of Capra where Don Hugues did this notable fault that to no purpose hee lost much time and this losse of time with the diligence of Phillipin who hauing sented the determination of the Imperialists had somewhat prouided for his affaires was the cause that the succours which hee had demaunded of the Lord of Lautrech had time to arriue at Doria his Armie and to put themselues in order to fight and the time was so short that the French had scarcely setled themselues in the Gallies when Don Hugues arriued and they must fight where Doria remained victour and Don Hugues was slaine and many Lords were taken prisoners and so Moncado to his hurt and losse gaue example to others not to lose time about needlesse things in enterprises which haue neede of diligence He deserueth not to bee blamed who doth not speedilie execute his determination if he be hindred by some strange accident which could not be foreseene before it came and whereto a man could yeeld no remedie after it was come as that which happened to Peter de Medicis when with his forces hee tooke his way towards Florence and to haue reentred into it for if he had not been hindred his comming was so sudden that they within had not had leasure to haue made resistance But when Peter was vpon the way there fell so great and continuall raine that he was constrained to stay and could not get to the Citie before it was late and this stay gaue time to his aduersaries within to Arme themselues and to make him resistance CHAP. 76. Those Princes which make no account of their Generals which faithfullie serue them but giue them occasion to forsake their pay and seruice commit great faults THe dishonest and vituperable vice of ingratitude ought by Princes Common-wealths to be auoyded as most vnworthie to be lodged in royall hearts and the breasts of noble Senatours and if a man euer ought to flye it in any thing he ought principally to doe it in the behalfe of Captaines and others chiefe Commaunders in the warres by whom the Prince hath been faithfully serued prouided that the fault grow not from themselues And whether it be either Prince or Common-wealth that be reduced to this point to be ingratefull to those who valiantly and faithfully haue serued them a man may say that they are fallen blinde and that not onely they haue small care of their reputation but that they perceiue not that they incurre great dangers which are of importance This ingratitude of custome riseth through many occasions among which this is one that a man knowing sometime that he hath receiued a great pleasure and cannot sufficiently recompence it he resolueth to pay it with ingratitude But speaking to the purpose I say that a Prince which giueth occasion to his Captaines to forsake him after that they haue well and truly serued him and to goe oftentimes to the seruice of his enemies besides the spot and staine of ingratitude he incurreth the dishonour and blame of auarice and it is to be deemed that the same proceedeth from the inconsideration of him who is now escaped out of the necessitie and danger wherein he was who thinketh that he shall neuer returne and reenter into the same againe Of this condition are those who hauing had a Generall or other chiefe and valorous conductor in their seruice in the warres for the least occasion that may happen estrange themselues vnto them and displace them with small reputation for their parts and vsing vnciuill demeanour toward them giue them occasion to leaue them and goe to their enemies This manner of proceeding is very dangerous and draweth after it many euils which afterwards proue remedilesse for a man can giue no greater ioy to an enemie than this to wit to giue him meanes to draw from him men that are valiant and faithfull and to bring them to his seruice for this cause the sayings of Artaxerxes vsed to Themistocles the Athenian who was banished by his Citizens and comming to see him were much commended I cannot said he desire a greater euill to mine enemies than that being
Countrey where he was whereby he wan the hearts as well of the Princes as of the common people with whom hee had to deale and brought whatsoeuer hee vndertooke to a good and happie successe for when he was at Athens he applied himselfe to pleasant and wittie discourses and often laughed and iested with such subtilties he bred most faire horses and in briefe lead a merrie life after the custome of Athens When he was in Lacedemonia he shaued his head and his beard ware a long cloake and washt himselfe in fresh water When hee was in Thracia he was euer readie to fight and to drinke and being at Tisapherne he liued deliciously in pompe and pleasure and for this cause he was euery where well beloued When Hippolito de Medicis was sent by Pope Clement the seuenth Hippolito de Medicis vvas much fauoured of the Hungars Ambassadour for his Holines into the warres of Hungarie against the Turkes he was much beloued by those of the Countrey because that sometimes he apparelled himselfe after their fashion and conformed himselfe vnto their other manners which acquired vnto him the loue and fauour of that nation But because that in euery Countrey there be both good and euill fashions I speake of those which generally are held for good for I meane not that it is well done for a man to fashion himselfe to certaine particular vices principallie in a publike person if it bee not in secret among equals which also should not be peraduenture tollerable as for example although that in Germanie it bee a common custome to drinke so much till some be drunken which is a vice but tollerable by that nation accustomed to wine which will bee no way beseeming or conuenient for an Italian Ambassadour or of another nation neither for euery graue man to doe the like for although that he be reputed according to the by-word a good companion among those which are giuen to this vice he shall be therefore neither praised nor esteemed by men of iudgement and the Germane Lords as wise and aduised know well how hurtfull drunkennes is in a man to whom are giuen Commissions and charges of secret affaires and of importance Wherefore a graue man may make himselfe to be well beloued without giuing himselfe to such manners which leane vnto vice in modestly auoiding thē by his grauitie and without blaming of them openly as euill from hence it grew that Agesilaus and Epaminondas in retaining their particular nourtur and behauiour although that they frequented many nations of diuers manners and fashions were neuerthelesse beloued euery where shewing themselues in their apparell diet speech grace and bringing vp worthy themselues And Plato was no other at Syracusa then he was wont to bee at Athens and with Dion and Dionysius hee was the same It importeth much to know the manners and fashions of a nation which among them are generally accounted and taken for good and to assay and practise to conforme himselfe thereto and sometimes to be apparelled as they are with whom a man conuerseth and to inuite them to dine and eate with them and to vse such fashions as they vse among themselues when there shal be occasion to treate of affaires A man must also giue vnto Princes such titles as others vse to giue ☞ or such as are pleasing vnto thē for although that they be but worldly vanities yet a mā must not depriue thē of that which they hold deare haue peraduenture sometime bought for a great summe of gold and are angrie and displeased when it is denied them A man must not eschue the companie and conuersation of gentlemen as base for it is better to beare with some thing then to seeme to abhorre it and briefly wee are to behaue our selues so towards all as that we may get the fauour and good will of all for he that will liue only after the manner of his owne countrie may peraduenture be mockt for his labour because that fashions and customes are not euery where alike for a man behaueth himselfe after one manner in Itatly and after another in France and in France the fashions are different from those of Spaine Wherfore he which will liue in Italy as an Italian in France as a Frenchman and in Spaine after the manner of Spaine shall euer better dispatch his busines thē another And for this cause I much esteem of those which being to trauell into diuers countries learne diuers languages for thereby they shall be the better vnderstood in expressing their meanings and conceits in that countrie speech where they are then they shall doe in their owne tongue and he which shall goe Ambassadour into Spaine and follow the Court being an Italian shall euer haue better accesse to the King and more fauour of his Counsellors and Secretaries hauing the Spanish tongue then if hee spake no other but onely Italian for besides that he shall neuer haue need of an Interpreter by him hee shall haue a better grace in speaking Spanish though he speake but indifferently then though hee spake neuer so well in Italian In the time of Pope Eugenius the fourth the Cardinall of Aquileia had this consideration being sent by the Pope as Legate to Alfonso K. of Arragon and of Naples to treate of peace betweene them but because the Cardinall had not the Spanish tongue neither was well able to expresse his minde in the Italian in such sort as the King might well vnderstand him neither answered to the Kings demaunds so well as to content him hee resolued to serue his turne by the meanes of a Prothonotarie which he had with him whose name also was Alfonso who speaking in Spanish to the King and shewing the will and charge of the Legate so as he was vnderstood concluded and confirmed the peace which had not peraduenture been concluded by the Legate which had not that tongue neither knew how to vtter his speeches with such efficacie as they might haue been vnderstood Those also which by good fortune are called to the gouernment of kingdomes and forreine estates to winne the fauour of the people ought also to liue after the custome of the countrie whither they are called and not after that of the countrey where they were bred vp into which error fell Vnon King of the Parthians which being brought young to Rome was bred vp and taught there and learned very well the manners and fashions of the Romanes Who being afterwards called to the gouernment of that kingdome hee vsed towards the Parthians in giuing them audience and to entertaine them with such humanitie and curtesie as hee had learned at Rome and would not follow the fashions and manners of the Parthians for they had a custome to be gouerned proudly and to bee commanded by their King with great rigour for it was the manner of their Kings to proceede in this maner with their subiects And for this cause the gouernment of Vnon seeming vnto them more womanish
then manly his Romane nurture was nothing pleasing to them and disliking his humanitie and familiaritie which they tooke for pusillanimitie weaknes and want of spirit in a short time after they depriued him of the kingdome because hee could not or would not fashion himselfe according to the manners of the countrie where he was CHAP. 98. Jt is a shamefull and dishonest thing to wrong and doe iniurie to strangers IT is a thing voyde of all ciuilitie and good manners to doe or suffer to be done any iniurie to those which are receiued into our house as strangers which ought to liue vnder our sauegard and protection neither more nor lesse than as our neerest friends and Parents it were better not to receiue them than to doe them any wrong or suffer them to be vsed in such sort that they should haue occasion to complaine that towards them the holy lawes of hospitalitie and courtesie towards strangers were violated Wherefore I haue euer disliked those Lords which haue about them iesters and dwarfs or such like traine of most base condition who receiuing some honourable Gentleman stranger into their houses permit that those either in word or deed say or doe them any iniurie couering the dishonesty of the speech or fact with this leane excuse that the iniurie was done by a foole where the fooles themselues not discerning the qualitie of men thinke that all men are of like condition which is false for our humors are not all of one kinde and some one man is pleased and delighteth in those toyes and another hateth them And I remember that a filthie dwarfe very shamelesse and vnmannerly in discourse as the most part of such vermine vse to be was likely to haue been throwne by a noble personage out at a Palace window where hee was lodged and although that this Lorde through great intreatie did not throwe the dwarfe out at the windowes yet he presently made signe to his seruants and departed from this pallace and went to lye in a religious cloyster much blaming him that had intertained him not that he was any way offended or iniured through the Masters fault of the house but because he kept such rascally scumme in his house which knew no difference betweene man and man but vsed al alike Hospitalitie is a vertue worthy a gentleman and a christian but when it is violated it is changed into a palce of robberie so as that lodging which by the law of hospitalitie was holie becommeth a wood and a lurking place and ill assured and a stranger may say being iniuried that he found more securitie in forrests then in houses and more curtesie among beasts then among men From whence proceeded the perpetuall infamie and dishonour to Procust and Sciron slaine by Theseus but from the cruelty which they vsed towards strangers which fell into their hands For as Plutarch saith the one had a bed where he lodged al the guests which he brought into his house and if the man were longer then the bed he cut off his legs if he were shorter he stretched him so out in length that he fitted him to the bed and the other bending downe the boughes of trees to the ground wherto he tied his guests by the members then cutting the cords wherewith the boughes were fastened to the earth took great pleasure to see a man dismēbred in this manner Wherfore the Prophet in the Psalmes said Dominus custodiet aduenas pupillum viduam suscipiet vias peccatorum disperdet As if hee would say there are three sorts of people in the world preserued by the Lord and are as in his safeguard to wit Strangers Orphanes and Widowes That God defendeth and keepeth strangers we haue examples in the holie Scriptures Particular persons preserued of God for where mans wisedome could not defend them the secret iudgement of God hath supplied it Abraham was a stranger in Egypt and feared that the beautie of his wife would bee an occasion of dishonour vnto her and of hurt vnto him and so as a man he sought humane meanes and although that hee would not tell a lye yet he sought neuerthelesse to conceale one truth in alleaging another willing her to say that she was his sister and conceale that she was his wife but in that that God taketh care and charge of strangers Abraham was miraculously deliuered but not by his owne wisedome and with his honor life saued he performed the voyage he had begun Wherefore saith the Prophet that God taketh care for strangers Hath he not care for all doth he not regard all doth he not bestow his benefits vpon all as well euill as good doth he not desire that all should be saued doth he not call all vnto him and finally is not he the vniuersall father of all that euer were are or shall be Wherefore then doth he say that hee careth for the strangers and protecteth the orphanes and widowes because that there are none in the world which haue more neede of helpe then these three The stranger hath neede of some bodie to set him in the right way the pupill of some one to protect him and preserue what is his and the widow of some one to defend her from the oppression of those which are too mightie for her The stranger hath need of one to defend him from iniuries the pupill hath neede of one to assure and defend him against him which pretendeth right to his inheritance and the widow hath neede of one to keepe and preserue her from him which would deceiue her The stranger hath neede of one to lodge him in curtesie in his house the pupill of one who may keepe him neere about him as his childe and the widow of him who may preserue her pudicitie and to keepe her good name Among which three degrees of persons preserued of God hee first nameth the stranger because that hee is more forsaken then the rest for the pupill hath his tutors and the widow her kindred For this cause God preserued innocent Ioseph being sold to the Ismaelites and made young Tobias to be accompanied by an Angell being to goe into a strange countrie Yea the same Prophet reciting the misdeedes and wickednes of the vniust and praying to God to behold them with the eye of his iustice among other things saith thus Viduam aduenam interfecerunt pupillos occiderunt They haue murthered the widow and the stranger and haue put the pupils to death for as there are none found in the world more humble more subiect to iniuries and more vnworthie to bee grieued and wronged then the stranger the widow and the pupill so a man cannot imagine a greater villanie then that which is done to one of those The faults which a man wittingly committeth against his friends are great but those which are committed against straungers are most great in this that hauing neither friends nor parents which may support and defend their right any