which they are brought to passe From the beginning of the world such a day was ordained for such a battell and such a people borne to become soldiers to go to warre Yea men themselues are liable herevnto yet but in part for the will of man hath a preheminence all mortall men are subiect vnto destiny whether you regard their birth or their continuall mutabilitie so that they cannot auoide or alter it by any aduise or helpe the fatall disposition of the diuine prouidence cannot by any prudent counsell or aduised remedie be either ouerthrowne or reformed And is there any man that presumeth so farre of himselfe to thinke he is able to bridle and ouer-rule the destinies No not if they were foretold him for those things which are preordained by destinie cannot be shunned although a man be forewarned according to that Greeke saying A man cannot by any art driue backe nor auoid that which is appointed to happen from aboue neither will he giue credit to him that should admonish him thereof by likelihoods No not if prodigious monsters should forewarne him O how vaine are the aduises and friuolous the woonders which seeke to stay the destinies what are ye little gods that go about to warre against destinie For the inuiolable law of necessitie will neuer suffer nor permit the wisest mind to iudge aright of these prodigious signes This souereigne and diuine essence when it intendeth to change the fortune of men doth then take away their vnderstanding and corrupt their counsailes We see it chaunceth daylie that who so the destinies do lay hold on their sences doe become blockish and dull which is the reason a thing greatly to be lamented that what so commeth to passe seemeth to be allotted vnto vs deseruedlie and that the thing which happeneth by chaunce seemeth to proceed from our owne default I adde further that of tentimes thinking to slie from destinie we meet with it * Many fearing destinie do fall therein The dread of future danger hath put many into maniâ—old perils You will then say what course shall I take Shall I do nothing but leaue all to destinie Poore foole that is euen the readie path to lead thee vnto it and that likewise by destinie Doost thou desire to lead a happie life and to attaine vnto felicitie take pains and labour for the fauour and helpe of God is not purchased by womanish vowes and supplications only but by watching and painful trauell all things succeed prosperously Neither do thou hope or expect that fortune or victorie shall be throwne in thy lap from aboue as thou sittest idle * God selleth vs riches for the price of labour And in this sence it is true that God aideth the valiaunt and couragious The like reason holdeth in miseries and calamities Thou sayst God will remedie these things but he will not discend from heauen for thee It is to be required that he giue vnto thee an vnderstanding mind that thou thy selfe mayst take order with them I will speake no more of this great deapth which a 〈◊〉 ought to attempt and trie but not wade too farre therein What profit reapest thou by this discourse Surely this that thereby thou maist become truly religious and follow destinie that is to say God For what is the part of an honest man but to obey destinie * We must of necessitie suffer that which God sendeth and couragiouslie that which commeth from our enemies * The best is pattently to endure that we cannot better nor amend and to follow God without grudging by whose appointment all things do happen He is no good soldier that marcheth vnwillingly after his captaine CHAP. V. Of Conscience another ornament of Pietie The definition and diuision the reof The trouble and torment of a wicked and peace and ioy of a good conscience NOw Conscience as I sayd is another ofspring of pietie and it is euident that she taketh her beginning from the roote of the worship of God For where the seruice of God is of force and flourisheth such plight is she in where it waxeth withered and languisheth such is her estate likewise And in whose soule soeuer there is no religion nor feare of God there the seed of a good conscience is verie small and as it were choaked and oppressed by bad ground Now Conscience is a remaine and sparkle of right and perfect reason in man iudging and manifesting good or euill deeds For which cause it consisteth of two partes of approuing and reprouing the one of good workes the other of bad Howbeit the force thereof is more common and ordinarie in the later as vices in cur life are most rife which is the reason that it doth still as it were retaine the generall name of Conscience For we commonly say Conscience is a pricking and sorowfull remembrance to haue violated the diuine god nead not to haue worshipped and serued it as we ought And this feeling or sense being rooted and fixed in man lasteth while he liueth and is not extinguished neither by force nor fraud we haue receiued this conscience of God which cannot be taken from vs. And this profit we reape thereby at is a correctresse of our affections and schoole mistresse of our soule A scourge after sin because the enormitie thereof is manifest so soone as it is committed A bridle before sinne because the detestation therof which nature hath condemned is inherent in vs. And surely the power thereof is great in both kinds to the end that they which are not faulty might be without feare and they which haue offended might imagine their punishment to be alwayes in their sight So that a good conscience neuer dreadeth nay rather it is alwayes ioyfull Doest thou desire neuer to be sad nor pensiue leade an honest life But an euill conscience is euer troubled and tormented euen in solitarinesse for it may so happen that a wicked liuer may hide him selfe yet shal he still doubt of him selfe But how can he be vnseene sith he alwayes beareth his witnesse in his breast which neither deceiueth nor is deceiued Hold this for firme Euery man his soule giueth him hope according to his conscience * O miserable wretch that thou art if thou makest no account of this witnesse nay rather of this executioner which burneth which beateth which tormenteth and that with so much the more paine that he yet suffereth thee to liue This Greeke saying is true the conscience is a scourge to the soule and that with a continuall and secret stroke for a corrupt and impure soule contemned of the world and hated of God cannot be at rest neither waking nor sleeping in such wise doth the conscience eat consume an vnquiet mind Yet so we liue at this day that verie many feare their
present or to haue seene it as these great lyars commonly do They cannot moderate and refraine their speech and by how much the more strictly they are forbidden to speake of any thing so much the sooner they blab the same abroad and in stead of publishing the troth which they may lawfully doe they set lies abroad which they are forbidden * It is to no purpose to place men of warre in all parts of the citti◠to prohibit them so speake that is the cheefest way to nourish report * their longing after newes cannot keepe any important matter secret and mischieuously they augment the rumor which they are commaunded to suppresse They are still shuffling the cards and desirous of new commotions * light headed seditious and quarrelsome coueting new matters enemies to peace and quiet Especially if they haue a leader And like as the sea which of his own nature is calm without surges is mooued by the force of the winds so the people who of their owne disposition are quiet are by the persuasions of seditious persons stirred vp like violent tempests * For without a leader they are headre timerous and without courage * And it is truly sayd the common people dare do nothing their cheefe commaunders being taken away They fauour these hot and fierie fellowes and in their iudgement whatsoouer is moderat that hath a kind of slouthful cowardise and what soeuer is circumspectly and prouidently handled that sure they say is slow negligence but what soeuer is rash and headie that is deemed by them to be couragiously and valiauntly enterprised * Wherefore they which haue more foolish boldnesse then aduised counsell in them do easily draw them on their side * As likewise the flattering tongues of some impudent fellowes without hart or courage They neglect the publike profit and trusting to their multitude set light by the affaires which concerne the commonaltie * Euery man being pricked forward with a particular gaine they make no account of the common benefit * They wish for the mischiefs which they see prepared that they may fal like thūder and yet euery one in particular would be exempt from them They are fierce in words and malapert by nature but dare go no further * For as they are quicke of speech so they are slow of spirit They are either cast downe with ouermuch feare or raised vp with ouermuch hope This is the nature of the multitude that either they obey seruilely or command arrogantly Neither know they to retaine and vse libertie which is a mean betweene both * They are immoderat in all things and whilst they dread nothing they set a good face on the matter to put others in feare do but once affright them you may without danger insult against them * They are bold to commence commotions except they stand in feare of authoritie There are many other things which thou of thine owne discretion maist ad herevnto CHAP. VI. The other spring the nature of the king and kingdome laid open Two things are to be considered herein what may generally and particularly agree with either of them I Do now hasten to the nature of a state or kingdome out of the which I will slightly explaine these things vnto thee Thou oughtest to know the disposition therof generally and particularly In this generall knowledge these things are incident Euerie state is wauering and vnstable For the gouernment of all is a heauie burthen and subiect to fortune * And like as the tops of high moūtains are alwaies beaten with the winds so the mightiest empires are the obiect of fortune * Who dareth enterprise any thing hauing like power ouer Empires as ouer Emperors themselues which is the cause why kingdoms do often come to ruine by secret means and those empires that haue borne the brunt of ciuill wars and withstood forrain force do fall of themselues And for the most part the whole decaieth when it once beginneth to fal as Liuie truly writ that the maiestie of king is with more difficultie brought frō the highest pitch to a mean then from a mean thrown down to the lowest fortune * For we do not discend from dignity by the same steps we mount vp vnto it oftentimes there is no distinctiō between the highest step the lowest stair of fortune They which desire to possesse a kingdome or which do alreadie enioy it find no meane between a downfall and the top of glory Neither is it only the obiect of fortune but subiect to Hatred God the creator maker of the world coupled hatred and a kingdome together Oftentimes the cause is in the insufficiencie of Princes For they imagine that to be the greatest testimonie of their authoritie that it is only lawfull for them to do that which is vnlawfull for any other * He that hath too large power desireth to do that which is vnpossible And many times their obstinat Pride is cause therof This indurat princely pride resisting against the troth will not be mollified nor bent to that which is right * Deeming it as foule a disgrace to yeeld as to be ouercome But another principall cause is in the nature of the subiects because no man doth willingly submit himselfe to be ruled by another and albeit he be of a good disposition who hath most authoritie yet he is feared because he may be ill Which is the reason that euerie state is subiect to conspiracies Many are false and disloyall to the state and very few are honest Neyther are Princes without cause euer in Feare and by nature prone to feare and yet many times more then needeth dreading things doubtfull as though they were certaine Princes likewise are iealous and of their natural inclination careful to preserue their power * Neither can the scepter more then the nuptiall bed indure a competitor So that euen the ciuill disposition of their children is displeasing to thē And whosoeuer is neerest in appearāce to raign is alwaies suspected hated of thē Thou oughtst to know these the like matters in general now particularly it is necessary for thee to learne how farre thy kingdome extendeth and of what nature it is yea aboue all things thine owne power and strength ought to bee knowne vnto thee It behooueth thee to measure thy kingdome and to acknowledge thine owne force * Whilst many haue persuaded themselues to be of as great power as they were made beleeue they haue drawne vpon them superfluous warres to the danger of their estate Likewise the qualitie of the kingdome is to be considered as whether it be of ancient continuance or newly established whether it come by succession or election whether thou
do often breede laughter and contempt * As it is the custome of the common sort who accoumpt casuall or externall accidents as a fault * And do desire that their Prince might be of a comely stature and representation Thou mayst drawe many such like things from the fountaines which we haue layde open in the discourse of authority CHAP. XIII Whether mixed prudence to wit where there is deceipt ought to take place with a Prince that some precept and instruction may be giuen thereof IT seemeth vnto me that I haue freely enough and as they say with a full hand offered thee of the best and purest wine which I could drawe out of the double spring of prudeÌ„ce May it be lawfull for me to mingle lightly and ioyne with it some dregs of deceipt I iudge it may Howsoeuer these Zenoes doe not thinke it good who doe onely approue the path which by vertue leadeth vnto honor who do not beleeue that it is lawfull that the reason which we haue receaued of God to giue vs good counsell ought to be imployed to deceiue and do a mischiefe whome truly in other matters I will most willingly belieue but herein how can I They seeme not to knowe this age and the men that liue therein and do giue their opinion as if they liued in the common wealth of Plato and not in the dregs of the state of Romulus For amongst whome do we conuerse To wit with craftie and malicious persons who seeme to be made of fraude deceipt and lying These Princes with whome we are to treate are for the most part of this number and although they shewe themselues to be like Lyons yet are they in their corrupt hearts dissembling Foxes Let some man now come and tell me that we must doe nothing treacherouslie that we must not vse dissimulation nor doe any thing deceiptfullie O pure men nay rather poore children The Philosopher doth note that kingdomes are subuerted by subtiltie and guile Doest thou say it is not lawfull to conserue them by the same meanes and that the Prince may not sometimes hauing to deale with a foxe play the foxe especially if the good and publike profit which are alwayes conioyned to the benefit and profit of the Prince doe require it Surely thou art deceiued the for saking of the common profit is not onely against reason but likewise against nature * We ought all to stand as it were in some sphere of the common wealth which when it is turned about we ought to choose that part vnto the which the profit and safetie thereof doth driue vs. Doest thou beleeue that any vnlawfull thing is mixed herewith There can not be any For that which is commonly reputed dishonest for this cause will not be so * He which regardeth the societie and benefit of men doth alwayes that which he ought And therefore I beseech you be not so much astonied nor offended if by our iudgement this right and perfect reason hath not alwayes the vpper hand and that we desire that the Prince be of a notable and excellent wit and yet that he be able to intermingle that which is profitable with that which is honest I say intermingle it for that he should wholie decline from that which is honest there is no force that can force me to persuade it I blame indeede and detest these wordes There is nothing honorable but that which is safe and all things are honest that do conserue authoritie And likewise these speaches Wee beare rule as if wee borowed it where nothing is permitted to him which commandeth but that onely which is honest Let these opinions packe to hell from whence they came as for me I confesse I am hee which doth forbid to commit mischiefe I am master of equitie and of all good customes My meaning is onely that it be sometimes lawfull and reasonable to trace out indirect courses in this tempestuous sea of the affayres of the world and if wee can not arriue at the hauen by the right Course that wee turne sayle and alter our Nauigation to attaine thereunto Who will blame mee so farre heerein or demaund the cause why I forsake vertue Wine although it be somewhat tempered with water continueth to be wine so doth prudence not change her name albeit a fewe drops of deceipt bee mingled therewith For I alwayes meane but a small deale and to a good end Mothers and Phisitions doe they not often deceiue little children to the end they might beguile their improuident age by a deceiptfull taste * and the deceipt may not be perceaued And why should not a Prince do the like towards the simple people or towards some other Prince his neighbour Surely when one is not strong enough to debate the matter it is not amisse secretly to intrappe And as the King of Sparta teacheth vs Where we cannot preuaile by the Lions skinne we must put on the Foxes I will alwayes with Pindarus prayse him who in matters of variance doth make showe to haue the courage of a Lion but in Consultation it is as crafâ—ie as a Foxe Be thou the like in time and place and carelesse of that these young men do say at schoole or within doores whome I knowe not to be capable hearers of ciuill doctrine and much lesse iudges and surely this tribunall seate requireth a man who is not ignorant of those things which happen in this life Of such a person we shall easily obtaine this neither will he so strictly condemne the Italian faulte-writer who poore soule is layde at of all hands and as a holy person sayth that there is a certaine honest and laudable deceipt CHAP. XIIII After what manner and how farre forth deceipts are to be admitted That there are three sorts of deceipt That some kinde thereof ought distinctlie to be receaued in a kingdome and others reiected NEither do I hold these things so strongly that I will altogether let loose the raines to fraude and malice let that be farre from me I will enlighten thee by some distinction and will hedge this field of deceipt within his bounds and limits that thou mayest not wander at randon Deceipt in generall as it serueth for my purpose is a subtile counsell which swarueth from vertue or the lawes for the good of the Prince and the estate There are three sorts thereof 1. light deceipt 2. middle deceipt 3. and great deceipt 1. Light deceipt is that which paceth not farre from vertue being slightly watered with the dewe of euill Of this kinde I holde distrust and dissimulation 2. Middle deceipt which withdraweth it selfe from vertue and approcheth neere to the confines of vice in the which I put purchasing of fauor and deceipt 3. The third is that which not only
obserued the causes and grounds of these matters which were done there and not onely the apparences of the successe of affayres but euen the causes of them That Alexander who was rightly tearmed great in martiall affaires was not ashamed to auouch Homer to be his Maister and to acknowledge him for such in matters of warre haue not I more reason to assume these vnto me For that Poet a worthy person sure and a Poet aboue the reach of man yet but a Poet what other thing hath he done but chaunted one onely warre and that stuffed with fables But these on our side it is euident that I vnderstand Historiographers haue faithfully written of warres and battailes almost from the beginning of the world with a continued order and with an vnstayned fidelitie And they haue not onely done this but oftentimes in the discourse it selfe and in their digressions in their Orations they haue as it were of set purpose intermingled wholesome precepts and counsels necessary for all accidents in martiall affaires What part belongeth vnto warre or what art that these men do not with examples set before vs and afterwards likewise explaine in words as concerning the army the campe the marching of the footemen of ioyning battaile the beseâ—ging of townes the munition and victuals the laying of ambushes and the escaping of them and all other things properly belonging to warre Now seeing there hath passed so many yeares that I conuerse with them and do dayly wander with the curious eye of my vnderstanding by the spacious and pleasant fields of histories why should it not be lawfull for me to knowe and haue some iudgement in them But some will say Thou hast not seene this thou writest of True it is And therefore I challenge not to my selfe the vse and handling of weapons but onely aduise and iudgement and that likewise tyed to the opinion of other men In all meetings and likewise at feastes a Gods name shalt not thou meete with them who teach how to conduct Armies who knowe where the Campe should be placed in what ground garrisons are to be set when we must come to handy stroakes with the enemy and when we must forbeare them And no man findeth fault with them I am accoumpted a bolde and impudent fellowe if I speake of these matters according to the opinion of auncient Authors Iphicrates in former time beeing asked Who art thou that takest so great hart to thy selfe a horseman or an Archer or a Shot or of any band of footemen Quoth he I am none of all these but one who doth knowe how to commaund them all I will partly imitate him and say I am no Captayne nor Souldier but one who many times may perswade and counsell them in something Therefore I will boldly march forward with a setled pace and will as it were out of the gardens of auncient Authors gather the flowers of sentences and will weaue and plat them in the garlands of these Chapters which if it be well done and with iudgement no man will blame me If otherwise it happen then will not I likewise deny but that these things are As flying dust and as the spoyle and pastime of the winde But the matter it selfe will shewe which of these two it deserueth the name of the which now I enter into and do put my selfe in martiall order and with Aristophanes do gene the onset with my aduise with my pen and with my discourse CHAP. II. This part of Prudence is recommended to a Prince being necessary for the defence and safegard of his kingdome I Holde then that militarie prudence is necessary to the Prince aboue al other things so that without it hee can scarcely bee a Prince For how is it possible he should otherwise conserue his owne person his goods and his subiects A meere naked force is not auayleable to bring this matter to passe if it be not tempered with certaine industrie and counsell that is with militarie prudence For in asmuch as there are two things by the which euery common wealth is maintayned courage against the enemyes and concord at home Surely ciuill prudence will amplie effect the latter but the former is not to be sought or commaunded any other way then by militarie prudence at the least with successe And therefore it is discreetly written that other vertues may be dissembled as we list but this imperiall vertue belongeth to a good Captayne And Homere did adorne his lawfull and perfect Prince with this prayse that he was both a good gouernor and worthy warrior * And indeede I must say what I thinke Military vertue doth excell all others For without it what is it that possesseth life or the quiet vse thereof Our countrey the libertie thereof the subiects yea Kings themselues are couered and kept safe vnder the defence and rampart of military vertue Wherefore thou seest how this is with all earnestnesse to be embraced and thou hast iust cause to apply all thy sences to attaine to this discipline which is such as followeth CHAP. III. The matter and order of those things he is to entreate of The definition of externall warre and that in the enterprising thereof iniustice ought to be auoyded ALl militarie prudence is couersant in matter of warre Warre is of two sorts forraine and ciuill I define externall warre to 〈◊〉 Force and armes prepared against a forraine Prince and people Of the which I will speake first and will reduce the vniuersall precepts which do concerne it to these three heads 1. Of enterprising warre 2. Of executing the same 3. and of finishing it If thou contemnest any of these three or doest not manage them as they ought to be it will hardly fall out that any good euent do follow In the enterprising of warre I do admonish thee to haue care of these two things that all iniustice and temeritie be eschued but especially iniustice neyther oughtest thou euer begin any warre but such as vse and reason doth admit For there are lawes belonging vnto warre as well as to peace and thou oughtest to make warre with no lesse iustice then fortitude And therefore in euery Common wealth the lawes concerning warre ought especially to be obserued For to runne headlong to fight and rashly to come to handy strokes with our enemy carryeth with it a spice of cruelty and resembleth the bruite beastes Which custome if we admit what other thing shall we beholde then warre amongst all nations And after the manner of barbarous people we shall recompence death with death and satisfie bloud with bloud Let it be farre from thee and let these speaches neuer make breach in thy hart that there is right in armes and all things do belong to the strongest Moreouer that the euent of warre not the cause is to be considered
And this most wicked saying that the conflict maketh the conquered culpable No no my friend thou deceauest thy selfe It is not the conflict which doth approue a man his innocencie but the cause although oftentimes I confesse the successe of warre as an equall iudge geueth victorie to him on whose side right is For the cause as the Cape Bonae spei of good hope geue me leaue to allude hereunto will guide thee to the land of Tryumph The cause geueth vs hope that God will be fauorable to vs and by a certaine inward and secret force the cause eyther putteth courage in the Souldier or maketh him a coward and if it be not iust shame forceth him to forsake his weapons Yea the Greeke Poet durst write thus that hee that vndertaketh an vnlawfull warre seldome escapeth with safetie Yet that is but an ouer-hard censure for wee knowe sometimes it falleth out otherwise for some secret purpose vnknowne vnto vs. Now all warres are vnlawfull which are grounded vpon no other cause then ambicion and couetousnesse Ouer many haue that for their foundation For if we dare confesse a troth the onely and auncient cause which pricketh forwarde many Kings to wage warre is the extreame desire to rule and to become rich * The coueting to commaund is the matter they ground vppon to make warre and they deeme the greatest glory to consist in the greatest Empire And this doth euen happen oftentimes in men of greatest courage and best wits who thinke it a worthy matter to seeke cause of triumph vppon euery occasion * The spoyles of the vanquished their armour and other tropheys of their victories are reputed by them things of more value then worldly wealth This is the reason that these kinde of men make warre against all men * but especially against those from whome they thinke to purchase the greatest spoyle Neyther was this saying euer proued false that they who set before them golde and riches as the principall cause of their warre haue passed many perils And the Poet sayth verie well that vnlawfull rage and desire of gayne and vnconsiderate anger do breake the league of amitie Fitly doth he ioyne anger therewith which is reckoned amongst the vniust causes of warre For they that are stirred vp with anger or with hate doe often moue warre which they should not That holy Prelate doth condemne anger and these other passions the desire to hurt the cruelty of reuenge a minde that is obstinate and can not be appeased a brutall affection of rebelling and a coueting and ambition to rule and if any other be of this sort in matter of warre they are iustly blamed CHAP. IIII. He setteth downe in order and distinctly those things which are required in the enterprising of lawfull warre and especially for what causes the same ought to be vndertaken THerefore a Prince ought to auoide these things and neuer to intangle himselfe but in a iust warre But thou wilt demaund what manner of warre is that I sayd distinctly that these three things maketh the warre lawfull the author thereof the cause the ende The lawfull author is the Prince himselfe Neyther certainely is it lawfull for euery one to open these gates of warre But the order of mortal meÌ„ which is naturally enclined to peace doth require this that the authority and aduise of enterprising a warre doth remaine in the power of the Prince Or else with those in euery common wealth who supply the place of the Prince And therefore Plato established it for a lawe that if any in priuate without the knowledge of publicke authority did make peace or warre he should be held as criminall of a capital crime There are two iust causes of taking armes defence and inuasion Of armes defensiue who doubteth It is not onely iust but also necessary when iniurie offered is onely withstood by force * Both reason to men of vnderstanding and necessitie to barbarous people and vse and custome to all nations and nature it selfe hath taught and prescribed this euen to wilde beastes to repell alwayes all manner of violence by such meanes as they were able from their body from their head froÌ„ their liues I say Defence is of two sorts in regard of thy selfe and in respect of strangers In regard of thy selfe when thou driuest force and violence from thy selfe and thy subiects and doest with armes defend thy liberty thy countrey thy parents Forraine defence is likewise two folde when thou vndertakest it in regard of thy confederates or of those that are oppressed Cicero vnderstoode it of his confederates when he sayde No warre is enterprised of a well gouerned state but in respect of faith or of the common safetie Surely faith forceth and compelleth thee to helpe those with whome thou are entred into league of friendship and aide Therefore the prince of Philosophers decreed that wee ought to take armes to withstand an iniury done to our selues likewise to succour and helpe our kindred and those wee are beholding vnto as also our friends and allies which haue ben wronged The reason is not much vnlike in those that are oppressed who if they are vexed with any outrage or extreame tyrannie the common bond of societie seemeth to constraine thee to helpe them For he that doth not resist nor oppose himselfe against an iniurie if he may is in as great fault as if he did abandon his parents his countrey or his confedâ—rats Yea a Christian Doctor saith to this purpose that fortâ—tude which by force of armes doth defend a man his countrey from barbarous people or those that are weake and oppressed or such as are entred into league with vs from the violence of thâ—eues and robbers is perfect iustice And this is right and lawfull defence herein onely do thou persist and neyther moue hand nor foote vnder this couler and pretext to seaze vpon other mens goods which the slowre of Romane eloquence doth confesse the Romaines them selues haue done when he sayth Our Nation in defending our confederates are become Lords of the whole carth I allow it not neyther do thou follow their example Now Inuasion likewise is lawfull and iust but not all sort of Inuasion This inuasion is iust before all the world when thou doest reuenge iniuries done vnto thee and by the lawe of Nations recouer thine owne For this is the first propertie of iustice that no man do harme to another except he be prouoked thereto by open wrong Thou seest the exception thereof wherefore if any man doth forciblie take from thee thy goods or thy prerogatiue arme thy selfe but yet vppon this condition that according to the auncient order thou first make Proclamation that is to say that thou do openly redâ—maund those things that haue with strong hand ben wrested from thee Neyther
occasion vvhether a good man ought to make one in ciuill warres The same handled on both sides and defined with some distinction of persons THese are the beginnings and these are the causes of ciuill warre The meanes to execute it should follow but with reason I haue excused my selfe to speake thereof In this place I wil only enquire how an honest man ought to behaue himselfe in this ciuill warre Shall he sit still or shall he ioyne himselfe to one side or other Reasons and examples seeme to perswade him that he should not stirre Reason induceth him thereto because ciuill warre cannot honestlie be enterprised And likewise for the most part the end of taking armes is wicked and the leaders vnder a pretext of the publike profit do each of them striue for their priuate authoritie Sallust saith in these ciuill dissentions their words seeme other but on either side they fight who shall gouerne What then is more fit for an honest man and peaceable cittizen then to absent himselfe from these ciuill broiles Adde hereunto that a certaine crueltie and rigor is annexed to these warres from the which surelie an honest man doth vtterly abhorre In regarde whereof Cicero exclaimeth I do surely deeme it the part of a good cittizen and honest man rather to endure any kinde of punishment then not onely to be aiding to so great crueltie but likewise not to be present threat Now if we looke into examples they are most notable The report is that Q. Hortensius was wont to bragge that he was neuer present at any ciuill vvarre Likewise there remaineth that memorable deed and saying of Asinius Pollio For vvhen Caesar asked him if he would go with him to the vvarre of Actium quoth he I will seperate my selfe from your strife and become the proy of the conquerour Thou maiest finde many such other examples Yet on the other side there are both reasons and examples The reasons are these Where there is dissention why should an honest man leaue his friends Yea euen as the Oxe followeth the whole droue so should he follow goodmen or those who are reputed to be such Wise Solon by a law banished those quiet persons which followed neither partie In matter of ciuill dissention saith he he that doth not ioyne himselfe to one side or other but being alone and seperate from other doth withdraw himselfe from the publicke losse of his cittie let him be depriued of his house of his countrie and of all his substance let him be banished and exiled What did Cato the Romaine the liuelie patterne os vertue * a more certaine example of wisdom then either Hercules or Vlisses Did not he in ciuill warre shew himselfe not onely a follower but a leader The matter is manifest Therefore an honest man shall do the like and howsoeuer the chance shal fall out he ought rather to runne fortune with those that haue the opinion to be honest men then seeme to dissent from them that are honest Thou seest the difference of opinions what shall wee desire Peace Wee hold both opinions to bee good yet with a certaine distinction of persons Is hee a man of renowne and worthy Hee ought to employ him in the common wealth and endeuour to behaue himselfe therein with so much the more excellencie He ought to holde the last opinion and do as cattell are vvont vvhich being driuen do follow the heard that is of their kinde What couler or reason is there when the weather is calme to sit at the Stearne and to forsake it and lay it from thee in a tempest Thou maiest not Wee know these kinde of men ought to be subiect to their dignitie that they are to procure the good of the common-wealth and that in the whole course of their life they ought to do their dutie Intermingle and ioyne thy selfe to some but with this condition that it may appeare that like a vvise and good cittizen thou dost against thy vvill enter into the beginning of ciuill vvarre and that thou dost vnwillinglie prosecute it to the end If thou referrest thy counsels to peace if in the heate of warre thou dost temper thy rage and thy victorie thou shalt be held in the reputation of an honest man and of a cittizen But on the other side is there any that hideth himselfe and is of that sort of men who refuse honour nor do intermedle vvith the common-wealth Such a one in my opinion ought in like maner not to haue any thing to do with ciuill warre Why should he now venture himselfe in that turbulent sea who neuer tried it when it was calme Surelie he shall neither finde any thing more fafe or honest then to absent himselfe from all dissention * I am of opinion he vvere better to remaine in some towne free from vvarre vntill those broiles were decided Notwithstanding with this condition that he seeme not more enclined to the dishonest cause For who would not helpe his countrie at the least with his good-will Take example by Titus Atticus the sonne of modestie and wisdome who did so behaue himselfe in the common-wealth that he held alwaies and so vvas deemed on the side of the vvorthiest men neither did hee euer commit himselfe to these ciuill vvaues because he esteemed that they that applied them selues thereto had no more power of themselues then they vvho cast themselues into the sea I salute that worthie and allowed person of renowmed Caesar who when Pompey declared them to be his enemies who shewed not them selues in the common wealth Those of the middle sort and newters Caesar sayd he would accoumpt to be of his side We are of the like iudgement in a matter litigious wherein I plainely geue thee to vnderstand I will not satisfie those men who are desirous of warre But let them consider my calling and let them knowe that our counsels are the companions of peace and the gowne not of warre and weapons CHAP. VII Of the end of Ciuill warre and therewithall the end of this booke BVt now I do with all earnestnesse reioyce and as Mariners when as a farre at sea they espie land are glad with all their heart euen so am I who do not only see land but touch it There is onely a little distance betweene me and it the finishing of Ciuill warre which I will runne out in one and the same course without turning saile Ciuill discord is ended two manner of wayes by agreement or victorie I chuse the way of agreement and it is in euerie respect better rather to quench it by wisedome then to bring the matter in danger by force of armes and by the sword * All kinde of peace with the Cittizens seemeth vnto me more profitable then ciuill warre yea euen that temporarie peace which hath no
chaine of consparators How wilt thou vntie and breake it By this clemencie I haue spoken of and principally by our third aid Innocencie which is that by ouer ofteÌ„ displeasing others thou doest not giue cause to hurt thy selfe Power doth make a bad trial what force it hath by the contempt harme of others And by proofe we see that the most trustie gard a Prince can haue is his own innocencie Now do I present vnto thee Destinis the fourth shield Poore wretch why doest thou so torment thy selfe If destinie so please thou must yeeld thy faire white necke to the sword and when thou hast done all thou maist thou canst neither rid thy selfe of thy murtherer nor successor If it please not destinie thou art safe God euen God in whom we liue and moue and are he will be by thy side and will keepe thy feet that thou be not taken * It is he who hath care of a good prince Put thy trust in him I wil vndertake these vowes for thee but vpon this condition I do deale with him to keepe thee safe and sound if so thou preserue others * If thou gouerne the common wealth aright and to the common profit of all * If otherwise thou do then that he may turne his eyes from the custodie of thy body forsake thee in thy praiers thou pourest out openly I haue finished to entreat of Conspiracies Now Treason a secret and dangerous mischiefe is to be drawne out of her denne * Bringing no lesse discommoditie to mankind then faith doth profit and safetie And it alwaies threatneth our ouerthrow for so much as commonly our enemies are within the walles and in the middest of the citie To the which especially couetous men are enclined who do prefer their gaine before their good name before faith finally before all other things Openly they are honest secretly and in their hart they are faithlesse and deceitfull couering their couetousnesse and lust Likewise these temporising wits that is to say being light and wauering depending vpon the doubtfull change of times As though that faith ought to stand as it were vpon fickle fortune And last of all those that are secret and dissemblers who according to that saying of Homer Do vtter in words very goodly things inuenting mischiefe in their heart So that thou shalt not discerne a traitor before thou be betraied Yea to the end they may the more easily beguile they extoll faith aboue all things Obserue this Deceipt procureth credit before hand in small trifles to the end that when occasion is offred it may with the more aduauntage beguile vs. By the which note thou maist best discouer them For it is naturally ingrafted in men by how much more that the things they do are full of guile so much the more often they commit them Thou seest the mischiefe it selfe and the doers therof but how wilt thou auoyd them By this double means of Enquirie and Punishment which I haue foretold thee In the first I alter nothing in the latter somewhat because I am of opinion it ought neuer be differred and wicked treason ought to be reuenged with speedie punishment What doest thou dread in this case Things are manifest yeâ— it behooueth not to bring such persons to iudgement but it as lawful to execute them suddenly as open enemies and to punish them alwaies In my iudgment here is no place for pardon if thou do pardon them take heed least this pittie and mercie cause not thine own miseric They that are traitors to their countrie to whom and when will they euer be honest neuer hope for it they are to be cut off and that not so much in regard of reuenge as that thou maist for the present withdraw wicked subiects by feare from enterprising ought against their countrie and set downe an example for those that come after that none go about to 〈…〉 such madnesse Likewise a cruell punishment is to be inflicted on them euen such if thou giue care to Plato as was appointed for sacrilegious persons O ye iudges quoth he let like execution be done vpon these as vpon church robbers They deserue no lesse doth not our countrie hold the second place next vnto God but the same thorow their wicked complot and counsell commeth into very great danger therefore there can no sufficient crueltâ—e be shewed in punishing so outragious and detestable a wickednesse A wickednesse which the verie enemies abhorre neither is it good to them that receiue good thereby Traitors are hated euen of those for whom they employ themselues I confesse sometimes they receaue recompence but surely it is not that they are deemed worthie that honour but thereby to draw on others They loue the fact but not the executor thereof and Augustus spoke very fitly I like of the treason but do not approue nor allow traitors And likewise before him Philip sayd that he loued those that were to be hetraied but not the traitor CHAP. XI Of a double vice the ouerthrowe of kingdomes and first of hate the euill whereof is set before our eyes Those things are to be auoyded which induce thereunto yea the very snowe and shadowe of them such as are in Chastisements Tributes Censuring of manners A precept how the Prince should behaue himselfe in euery one of these THou seest that mischiefe is present and an ordinarie follower of force which as our poet sayth doth weaken and ouerthrowe the wealthiest But be thou sure that it is more frequent with Vice though it be longer a comming which I define to be An euill disposition of the King or against him hurtfull to the state This Vice is twofolde Hate and Contempt which oppose themselues to as many vertues that establish a Kingdome the one is a bad affection towards the King the other an euill opinion of him For Hate is an obstinate and harmeful malice and offence in the subiects against the King and his estate For I do not in this place vnderstand that common and ciuill hate wherewith we do maligne all those that are wicked but a sharper passion springing of feare with a desire of reuenge For the people do dread the mightie men in regard of the iniuries or harmes they may do them vnder couler of chastisement and they are grieued and do desire to be reuenged for the iniuries they haue already receaued So of a very euill mixture Hate as bad a broode is sprong which if it be once ingrafted and imprinted in the hearts of men it is incredible what power it hath to do euil For how can any thing be firme that proceedeth from feare It is but a bad master of diuturnitie * There is no force of any Empire so great which being oppressed
with feare can be of any long continuance The cause hereof an ancient poet declareth Whome they feare they hate and who so they hate his destruction they desire Surely by certaine degrees they detest thee they attempt against thee they â—ppresse thee What shall let them to do it they haue many hands and thou but one necke * Occasion will be taken and they which are not able to exploit so much with their riches I know not yet what fortune and fit time they expect To be short all this secret hidden hate doth suddainely burst out Alas thou knowest not how great a rabble will rise where hate is increased aboue measure Gather thy strength to thee defend thy selfe keepe thy guard about thee thou shalt well feele that it is not the substance of any one that is able to resist the hate of many For thou art exposed to so many perils as thy selfe art danger to many * Neyther canst thou with assurance behold those wicked hands to whose safegard thou hast committed thy selfe Fly then from hate or thy kingdome will flye from thee nay euen thy life But how wilt thou shunne it Surely if thou doest auoid those things by which it is gotteÌ„ First vices then the very opinion of them Vices are of three sorts repugnant to those former instruments which purchase loue Cruelty Couetousnes rigor For who is he so vnwise that knoweth not or so impudent that denieth that these are noy some and hurtfull to the state Wherfore I do not only instruct thee but warne thee to eschue them insisting so much the longer herein by how much thou mayest receaue greater domage hereby For we know that men are no lesse led with an opinion and report then with some certaine reason either to feare or hate For the opinion of Vices proceedeth from those things which haue some affinitie neighberhood to those I spoke of before of which sort Chastisements Tributes Censuring of manners are Which of themselues are laudable yea very necessary in euery kingdome yet they looke with an vnlawfull show countenance except they be handled with skill and pollicy Do but looke how litle Chastisements do swarue from cruelty for there is no sparing of bloud Tributs from couetousnes for money is greedely gathered together Censuring from rigor for a bridle meane is laid vpoÌ„ them by constraint And surely such they should be if the end which openly tendeth to the safety of the subiects did not make a distinction betweene theÌ„ Wherefore to the end thou mayest proceed warily and prouidently herein thou oughtest to be very circumspect First in Chastisements and take heed that thou do not vnsheath the sword of iustice carelesly but in such sort that spare be made euen of the most base bloud 1. I say thou oughtest slowly to be drawne thereunto For it is likely that who so condemneth suddainely doeth it willingly Let this sentence not be forgotten of thee It is better to heale the vnsound parts then to cut them off 2. Nay be thou neuer brought to it but wheÌ„ the coÌ„mon profit shall persuade thee thereto Doest thou regard thy priuate affaires thou doest erre For all the care of him that punisheth any man ought to be referred not to himselfe but to the benefit of the common wealth But if sometimes as it cannot but happen in principalitie that thine own estate is in danger dissemble it show a countenance as though thou wert forced to punish against thy wil with great sorrow * Nor so much to make away those who haue offended as to feare others least they perish 3. All things are to be intended for example not for reuenge wherfore anger especially is to be restrained in punishing For doth any man hate his owne members wheÌ„ he is forced to cut theÌ„ off I adde further who so commeth to punish in choller shall neuer hold that meane which is betweene ouermuch ouer litle 4. Likewise we ought most of all to abstaine from taking pleasure therein or from the least suspicion thereof It is a rage proper to brute beasts to reioyce in shedding bloud in tormenting And the Poet spake wisely that he is cruell who delighteth in punishmeÌ„t and seemeth to attribute to himself the reueÌ„ge of the laws This thou shalt get thereby that albeit thou vsest mercy towards those that are guilty and haue deserued to be executed yet will they not beleeue it is done for the profit of the common wealth but to satisfie the cruelty of some one 5. Thou oughtest to take heed that punishmeÌ„t be inflicted according to the vsuall customs for it ought to be vsed according to the custom of the countrey Whatsoeuer is newly inuented or ouermuch herein is hurtful they are rightly called cruell who haue cause to punish but vse no meane in punishing 6. Care ought to be had that there be equalitie herein and that for one and the selfe same cause some be chastised and others not so much as called in question or that some be more hardly handled others more gently which is a hatefull thing except it be towards Noble men For I see that all Phisicions although bondmen in matter of sicknes do nothing differ from those that are free yet are the free men vsed more mildly and gently 7. Last of all beware that thou do not call vpon executions neyther be thou a beholder of them for euen Nero withdrew his eyes and commaunded mischiefe to be done but was no looker on The decree of a worthy personage pleaseth me well It behooueth a Prince when any punishment or execution is to be made to commit the matter to others when recompences and rewards are to be geuen to vndertake that himselfe Thou hast those instructions which do sufficiently mitigate vulgar and vsuall punishments But what is to be done in strange and new punishments As pose the case that a great many and they being mightie men haue offended of whome thou wilt hardly rid thy hands without great hatred Here first I would persuade not to make them a way by peecemeale or by pauses but altogether as it were with one stroake In showe this seemeth more sharpe but in effect there is more mildnes therein For that reâ—terated and often reuenge doth suppresse the hate of a fewe and stirre vp the malice of all Make incision at once of that which is to be cut away and then lay vnto the sore these two mollifying plaisters First in doing good to others as a witnesse that they being taken away thy lenitie is encreased Next turning as it were another way in punishing the ministers of those mischiefes Some will thinke this a wicked deede but what of that this hath ben vsed in times past of seueare Dukes who