astray wrapped and folded in al kinde of euil wickednesse answered to those shamelesse flatterers and sayd I do not mainteine these lerned men about me that ye tell me off for any loue I beare to them or for any accompt that I make of their knowledge and wisdome but I do it sayd he for that I would be praised and cōmended rather of them than any others So you may sée vnderstand hereby that although he neither loued vertue nor iustice yet alwayes he would eschue slander reproch aswel in his life time as after his death For the like cause Lacydes Syreneus was cōmaunded of King Attalus by his letters and also by his messangers to repaire to hys Court and promysed him great promotions with much fauour and good will in al his requests whervnto he would not consent but answered him that Philosophers were as pictures or images which did shew better far off than at hande Craterus the Emperor also did oftentimes intreate Diogenes to remaine with him to bée an aide and helper vnto him to gouerne his Empire in good order to whome he answered he loued better to bée fed with salte at Athens than to be with him in all pleasure delicatenesse fearing least hée would do with him as Nero did with his who put to death al his friendes bycause they should not admonishe him of his wickednesse nor that they shoulde bée witnesses of his myssedemeanours and to auoide this he gaue great gifts and rewardes to Aurelius Cotta ▪ and to Atherius Anthonius and retained them stil with him in al delicatenesse and plesure but that holy and vertuous man Seneca his maister in satisfaction of al his good exhortations and holy documentes which hée from time to time had giuen him hée caused to bée put into a baine of luke warm water and al the vaynes of his body to bée opened that hée might with bléeding die and so hée entreated that poore olde man And it was not without good cause that Darius did so much commend his friend Zopyrus who on a time holding in his hand a Pomegranade desired among other things to haue so many such like friends as Zopyrus was as there were kernelles conteined in the same and of good reason hée sayd it for hée shewed him self so affectioned to him being his Prince and Maister that hée spared not to cut his owne nose and eares and to mangle and disgrace all his face to bring Babylon into his subiection And Xerxes his sonne following therein his fathers good inclination was not in that respect much inferiour to him for in that great huge armie which he led into Grecia hée had with him one Damarathus who franckly and boldely did admonishe and reprooue him always of his disorders Creses vsed the councel of Solon Calisthenes the scholler of Aristotle shewed the way to Alexander Dyon and Plato to Dionise of Syracusa And therefore S. Hierome exhorteth al Princes that when they find a wise and faythful man they should kéepe him as their own hearts For the comfort of this our miserable life sayth hée is to haue one to whom wée may commit our selues to open our mindes and to communicate our affaires in secrete and vpon whome wée may repose and assure our selues in aduersitie and to bée vnto vs as a firme rock in all troubles and a reliefe among so many miseries and calamities with the which this oure carefull life is continually besieged I haue bene the more willing to bring forth these examples bycause there bée some whose eares bée so deintie that they cannot abide that any man though it bée with modestie shall reproue the euilles wherwith they are infected but howe would they then suffer the libertie of the scoffes the bitter tauntes and sharpe dealings euen to the quicke of the aunciente Comedies as well in Gréeke as in Latine that were made for the better destroying and pulling vppe by the rootes the wickednesse that did raigne in those dayes there And the Lorde God did not commaunde the Prophete that hée should onely plant and builde but that hée shoulde first pull vp by the rootes and make all ruine that hée might the better plant and builde afterwardes and that hée shoulde crie out with a loude voice like a Trumpet to the people not to pronounce or set forth their glorie but their iniquities and tel the house of Iacob their offences In like maner the Lorde our Sauiour Iesus Christ sayd vnto his Disciples speake openly that whiche I tell you in secrete and preach vpon the toppes of the houses that I haue sayd in your eares And the Lorde sayde also to Ezechiell that hée had gyuen his seruauntes a foreheade of Brasse and of harde stone that they shoulde no more feare to tell the people their offences than they haue bene ashamed to offende therefore sayde hée go and speake to them and say those things which I cōmaunde thée who I knowe will not regarde thy woordes yet I wil neuerthelesse thou shalt speak to them And to such manner of men as will not bée rebuked of their wickednesse openly there is no medicine more méete for their dyseases than the continuall reading of Bookes which do the office of Iudges and refourmers and giue them knoweledge of their offences And further if wée mark wel there are many other things that do sufficientely reproue and correcte vs of our offences for all our workes and actions serue as wytnesses of the same in our own consciences for there is no man so fond or so farre out of his common sense but alwayes knoweth whether hée doe well or euill For as Chrysostome sayeth wisely that when a man hath committed any notable crime it is most certayne that hée tasteth his condemnation in hys owne conscience and immediately after the offence done hée hath his conscience for an accuser for witnesse for iudge and for an executer which doth strike such remorse into his heart and bite him so rigorously that shee surmounteth the presence of a thousande witnesses shée toucheth him so néere shée vexeth and tormenteth him so cruelly that if all the Aungels in heauen and all the men in the worlde shoulde persuade hym of any thing hée doth wickedly to bée good iust yet he could not satisfie himselfe nor put from him the iudgement of hys own conscience which is wel proued by that which is written in Deuteronomie that euell men do tremble and quake at the fall of the leafe of a trée and that they are always euen as though their liues hung vpon a thréed Wherfore the Prophet Esay did not wryte without cause howe that euell men bée as the boyling of the seas which can not bee pacified as wée haue many examples therof in sundrie places of the scriptures and specially by Iudas and Caine who féeling such anguish and troubles in their sprites thought that their offences were greater than the mercie of
be sufficient to declare vnto you foure principall causes onely The first and principal cause of the first creation did procéede vpon the maruellous wisedom in the ordring and disposing of things which the people did perceiue to begin to shine and appeare in some one Citizen at whose excellencie greatly maruelling being caried away with the same iudged him most woorthy the administration and gouernement of their common welth Beholde loe one of the chéefest reasons of the institution of Kinges was as I say bycause that some one by his ciuil prudence and integritie of life begoon first to exhorte and induce the people being yet rude and barbarous to the obseruation of certaine lawes and humaine pollicies by whiche meanes they did sée hée did the more happily establishe their common wealth and the better rule and order the estate of their liues Which Iustinus that graue hystorian did wel vnderstaÌ„d when hee writ that the first institution of Kings and Princes did not take his beginning of a glorie or popular ambition as some haue written but of a maruellous excellent wisedome gentlenesse and vertue appearing in some one man The seconde cause which did mooue the people to create their Kings and Princes was a frée and louing affection which they had to acknoweledge the good actes that any one had done to their Commonwealth as if any man by his magnanimitie woorthinesse and puissance of Armes had deliuered them from the seruitude and bondage of any Tyranne or had any wayes amplified their limits or broughte any other prouinces subiecte or contributorie vnto theirs or by the institution of any good lawes had made their liues more happie and quiet they not willing to shewe themselues vnthankefull for the same but rather to gratifie such desertes alwayes aduaunced and called these to the Dignitie Royall and by a common consent and accorde made them chéefe gouernours and ministers of their prouinces As it chaunced to Scipio Affricanus who after that hee had destroyed and ouerthrowen new Carthage and vanquished their captaine Hasdrubal in Spaine was called King as Plutarch wryteth although hée with a maruellous modestie refused it knowing that that tytle among the Râ—maines was most odible And in like manner Cicero hauing deliuered Rome from the conspiracie of Cateline was called Father and Patrone of the Common welth And this hath not bene practized onely among Painims and Ethniks but also among the people of God who when they perceiued that same deuine myracle of Chryst of the multiplication of fiue loues and twoo fishes would haue created and made him a king but hée whiche was not come to that ende that any shuld minister to him but that hée would minister to others refused such honor as they would haue giuen him The third reason wherefore Kings and Princes were first created and receyued vpon the Earth grew vpon necessitie which did enforce the coÌ„mon people to search out a way and meane by the which they might correct the furious and oppresse the violeÌ„ce of the wicked bicause that of nature wée are prompt and inclined to do euel and always some there are found so far out of order that by their wickednesse they confound and trouble al humaine deuise and policie and spoile contrary to al equitie their neighbors of their goods and therefore to restraine such rashnesse and to brydle such outragiousnesse to the ende to maintaine and conserue the estate publike in tranquillitie and peace they were constrayned to make one chéefe heade which should coÌ„maund them all maintayne the good in their wel doing and likewise chastise the insolencie of the wicked And this self reason hath caused vs to beleue that kings were first ordayned euen fro the beginning of the world euen as it were incontinent after our first father was cast out of Paradise terrestial for such autoritie prehemineÌ„ce was more requisite at that than any other time bicause violence opression couetousnesse began then to raign among men And S. Paule that faithful truÌ„pet and minister of the glory of Iesus Christ in his Epistle to the Romaines hath taught vs what obedience we owe to Princes and Kings and to al our Superiors where among other matters he giueth a reason for the same that is bicause they correct and punish the wicked Let al persons saith hée be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of god those that be apointed of God wherfore he that resisteth autoritie resisteth Gods ordinance and those that withstand the same procure daÌ„nation to theÌ„selâ—es for Princes are not to be feared for well doing but for euell doing therfore if thou wilt not feare authoritie do wel and thou shalt receiue prayse of him for the Prince is the seruant of God for thy commoditie but if thou do euel feare him for hée carrieth not the Sworde in vaine but is the minister of God to do iustice to the terror of those that do euel And therfore wée ought of dutie to bée obedient to them not onely for feare but for conscience sake Beholde loe a maruellous doctrine of Sainct Paule touching the obedience we ought to haue towards Kings and Princes and other Superiors Let vs also marke the testimonie of Sainct Peter touching the sayde matter who doth wholy confirme the same that Sainct Paule hath sayde before Be you subiect to all maner of ordinances of man sayth hée for the Lordes sake whither it bée vnto the King as vnto the chéefe head or to the Rulers as to them who are sent of him aswell for the punishment of euell doers as for the laude and praise of that doe well And Cicero the Ethnike in his second boke of Offices hath shewed the same manner of Institution of Kings where hée sayeth It is not very like that Kings and Princes haue onely béene chosen and instituted out of the meanest sorte as Herodotus hath written but of others the most wise and aunciente to the ende they might haue iustice the better exercised For the meane people being vexed and opprest by the rych and wealthiest were constrayned to haue their refuge to some one that excelled the others in vertue to this ende that hée should not onely defende them the poorer and weaker sort from the iniurie and violence of the wicked but also conserue the one the other in equitie and iustice The fourth cause that hath moued the people to the Election of Princes and Kings was for the great magnanimitie and woorthinesse of Armes they sawe to appeare in some one that did deliuer them from their enimies or else it did procéede of some publike proclamation or edict by the which it was ordayned that hée who could deliuer them out of some seruitude or tyrannie shoulde for recompence thereof bée made King which was the cause and meane to prouoke euery one to shew themselues famous and woorthie to the ende that being stirred vppe with
the hope of suche a name as a King they mighte trauaile to atchieue to the same by some commendable actes or vertuous exploites And of such Edictes and Proclamations wee haue examples and sufficient testimonie in the holie Scriptures Caies in the booke of Iosua made Proclamation that hée whoo would beséege the Citie of Cariathstopher and take it hée woulde giue him his daughter Axam to his wife which hée did accomplish in Othoniel who hauing taken the same Citie did receiue his promise Wée haue an other like example in the fift boke of the Kings where it is written that the same lump of flesh Goliath the Philistine who was of so monstrous a bignesse that all the armie of the Israelites did greatly feare little Dauid did triumphe ouer him and retourned victor hauing vnderstanding before that hée which coulde vanquishe hym shoulde bée honoured of King Saule and receiue great riches and should haue his daughter to his wife and also his fathers house should bée made frée in Jsrael Wée haue likewise such an other example of the same Dauid in the second booke of the Kings where hee promiseth a great aduancement to him that should ouerthrow the Jebusites that hée shoulde in consideration therof bée made chéefe and Captaine of the armie And bicause Iacob put to flight his enimies and possessed Jerusalem hée gaue him the chéefest place in his armie Now it resteth for vs too prooue that the Lorde hath bene the authour of this royall dignitie and that hée himselfe hath confirmed the same as it is manifestly shewed vnto vs in Deuteronomie when hée instructed the people of Israell by what meanes they ought to institute their Kings wher it is writteÌ„ When thou commest intoo the lande that the Lord thy God hath giuen thée and that thou doest possesse it and remaine there thou shalt say I will haue a King ouer mée as all the people haue that is aboute mée then thou shalte choose ouer thée that King which the Lorde thy God shall choose oute amongs the middest of thy brethren thou shalt not set ouer thée a straÌ„ge man which is not thy brother Furthermore when the time of the Iudges was expired and that the people of Israel with great pertinacitie and stubbornesse did demaund of the Lord to haue a King ouer them hée himselfe did choose and ordeine Saule whom hée found a man according too his hearts desire which should not haue bene thus auctorized and appointed if Royall puissaunce had mysliked him But why do wée bring forth any further matter to prooue the authoritie of Princes seing Iesus Christ himself was appointed King by his father vpon the holy hil of Sion according to the Psalmist And S. Iohn in the Apocalips confirmeth the same saying Hée hath written on his thigh and in his garment his name thus King of Kings Lord of Lords Ruler of Rulers and whose kingdoÌ„ is eternall as it was likewise shewed too Daniel in his visions And all those that are appointed chosen into the dignitie Royal be Lieutenants of the great Monarch Iesus Christ whose wil was to be knowne at that time when the vniuersall computation of the world was made by Augustus to the ende that his parents should pay tribute and that they should acknowledge the earthly Princes for their superiors S. Mathew doth write the like of Iesus Christ that when he hys disciples came into Capernaum these that did receiue the â—ol came to Peter demaunded of him doth thy master pay tribute and he aunswered and sayd yea when he was in the house Iesus Christ came to Peter sayd Simon the Kings of the earth of whom do they take tribute or tol is it of their children or of strangers and Peter sayd to him of strangers the children then bée free sayd Iesus Christ yet bicause wée will not offend them sayd hée go to the Seas side and cast in thy booke the first fish that commeth take him and open his mouth thou shalt finde a grote therin take that pay it for thée mée As likewise in an other matter hée commanded to pay to Cesar that which was due to Caesar And note Paul to the Romaines Al persons sayth he are subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God after hée concludeth pay to Princes their tributes for they be the Ministers of God employing themselues therein therefore giue them all that which is due vnto them To whome tribute belongeth giue tribute to whome toll giue toll to whome feare giue feare and to whome honour giue honour And Paule thought it not sufficient onely to make mention of this in diuers and sundry places but to the ende hée woulde the better beate it into our heads and that hée would not haue Princes defrauded of that which is due to them hée chieefely recommendeth the same vnto Timothe where he layth I doe acmonish you aboue all things that there bée common prayers supplication and thankesgiuing made for al those that bee put in authoritie that they may leade a peaceable and quiet life in all holinesse and godlinesse whiche shall bée pleasing and acceptable before god And further Baruch the Prophete reciteth that the Iewes being in captiuitie vnder the Babilonians did write too their brethren that were at Ierusalem that they shoulde pray for Nabuchodonezer king of Babylon and for the life of his sonne although they were both Idolaters And S. Paule did knowe that Festus Prouost of Judea did fauor the Iewes in that hée brought his cause before Cesar when he appealed before too him and being broughte before Nero then Emperour of the Romaines Paule did so wel defende his iust cause that hée was deliuered and set at libertie And nowe therefore if the Iewes haue prayed for an Idolatrous Prince and S. Paule hath bene deliuered from this mischeuous enimie of our Religion by meanes of Festus principalitie who will doubt then but thâ—â— our Lorde is author of principalitie and would not haue instituted thesame but onely for the comforte and profite of man But to make an ende of this my long processe if you wil beholde and mark well the order of the Scriptures aswel in the olde as in the newe Testamentes you shall fynde an infinite number of authorities aswell of the Prophets as Apostles which do plainely wytnesse howe Kings and Princes are instituted by the mouth of the Lorde our God and by him selfe approoued confirmed and auctorized ¶ The third Chapter VVhat the Dignitie Royall is and hovv the same cannot be supplied vvithout great trouble and danger vvith a declaration vvhat kinde of gouernement is best for the people to liue happily and quietly BY these things before rehersed wée haue declared and prooued that the preheminence and Dignitie Royall is maruellous auncient and that it was receyued of the people euen at the begiÌ„ning of the world and afterward approoued
did neuer desire eyther tenne Aiaxes or ten Diomedes knowing very well how greatly the good councell of Nestor did serue him to purpose and how much profite and commoditie it alwayes brought vnto hym in all his affaires to preuent anye thing present or to come when he did receiue the same and followed it Phillip of Macedonia father to Alexander did so muche bewaile the death of a deare friend of his called Hipparcus that he was almost dead with care And when his friendes did séeke to comfort him and to put him out of his minde alledging that it was time for him to dye considering his many yeares and that death was more necessary for him than lyfe if he had good regard of his old age it is true said he but certainly it is great griefe to me that I haue not recompensed his wholesome councels and the long and paynfull seruices which I haue receiued of him in tymes past wherefore perceiuing very well I cannot now acquite the same thys my vnthankefulnesse shall be a burthen to me and my honour for euer And now hauing brought forth by the testimonye of many prophane histories as well Greekes as Latines how necessarye it is for a Prince that wyll gouerne his people well to haue some wise and sage men about him by whose councell his Realme shall be better ruled and gouerned it nowe resteth to confirme the same by the testimonie of the holy and sacred Scriptures Moyses the great lawe geuer to the Hebrewes when hée complayned to the Lord his God that he could not gouerne such a multitude of people as he had considering the murmures and seditions that they continually raysed agaynst him he was commaunded by the Lord that he should choose out .lx. men which he knew to be most auncient wyse and of the greatest estimation and credite amongest the people and he shoulde leade the same to the gate of the Tabernacle of wytnes to the end they might assist and ayde him And after the Lord said vnto him that he would take of the spirit which he had giuen him and put vpon them that they should beare mutually togethers the charge of the people Lykewyse king Assuerus beyng contemned of the Quéene Vasti his wyfe would not punish her of his own authoritie but he gathered together the wisest and sagest of his Prouince after whose aduise he dyd determine of her fact Romulus the first founder of Rome knowing how difficult a thyng it was to rule the common wealth he ordayned an hundred Senatours of the most wyse and auncient men of Rome to helpe hym in the administration of hys common wealth Let therefore Kynges and Princes take it for a certayne truthe that for the conseruation of theyr mightynesse and the preseruation of their Realmes they must aboue all thynges deliberate and moderate all theyr doynges and enterprises wyth counsell and good aduise not runnyng headlong thereunto wythout all order and reason For there is nothing more enimy to Veritye Iustice and Equitie than ouermuche rashnesse Quintus Curtius in the lyfe of Alexander doth recount that as he vpon a tyme was sorrowing with him selfe that he had rashly passed certayne affayres whereof he dyd repent hym afterwardes he tooke in hand to intreate of Vertue amongest certaine of his seâ—â—untes that he was most affectionated vnto to whom afâ—â—r many exhortations and other documentes he declared that a Kyng ought to premeditate thrée times vpon euery thing that he shall doe before he put it in execution For when the Prince sayd he committeth any offence he must thinke he doth it in a Theatre where all the whole world shall sée hym and marke hym and that more is his offence and fault is almost incorrigible bicause it floweth spreadeth it self amongest al the people The wise man likewise desiring to represse those first and sodayne motions that are in men doth say in his Prouerbes that he which moueth his féete to fast often times stumbleth and doth with his ouermuche haste bring with hym repentance Afterwardes he addeth in his sayde Prouerbes My sonne do nothing without councell and then thou shalt not haue cause afierwardes to repent Beholde lo how by the lessons and instructions before sayde Kinges and Princes may gather that learning and knowledge are thinges very profitable and commodious for the dignitie royall and doth maruellously deck and adorne the same And likewyse they may learne in them not rashly and without aduisement to passe ouer their affaires but alwayes call vnto them wyse and sage councell to decide all their actions and doinges And now for conclusion for as much as we haue entreated of councell it is necessary that we do somewhat exhort them that they do very rare or seldome accept the councell of yong men and specially of such as haue bene delicately brought vp and that do rather followe most willinglye the swinge of their vnbridled wyls thaÌ„ the way of vertue And this is most chiefly recounted vnto vs by Aristotle Prince of the Philosophers who forbiddeth expresselye that they shall be made the chiefe or head of any Prouince or Councell for their counsell is to be suspected But to the contrary that the Prince shall alwayes haue about him suche as be stayed in age and sober in councell and that haue great experience in all thinges conioyned with integritye of lyfe and vertuous maners such as commonlye is founde in olde men which as S. Ierome writeth are féeble in all the powers of their bodyes but increased in wysedome and councell Which thing is wyselye taught also by Plato in hys Simpose where he sayth that although the corporall eyes begin to be weakened and léese their puissance and strength yet the eyes of the mynde do sée more clearer and be made more subtiller and sharper Aristotle in a certaine place demaunding a reason wherfore olde men bee commonlye more fearefull than young men aunswereth and sayth amongest other thinges that the great experience that they haue of the mischiefes past doth make them to be in such feare But such consideration cannot enter into the myndes of young men beyng lustye and whote in all theyr actions and doynges bicause they haue not yet proued the rigour of Tyme nor force of Fortune Plutarche that worthy Philosopher doth teache vs howe that a Citie is more happely gouerned by the councell of old men than by the force and strength of young men and antiquitie also hath attributed so much to number of yeares that if there ryse question to put any thing in execution of importance alwayes old men by common vsage allowed by Nature are preferred thereunto Titus Linius Prince of the Latine Historians doth write that when the Romaines had determined their punike warres they chose the most auncient of the people to make their Legates and Embassadors into Affrique And it is written in the booke of the Machabees that King Antiochus sent an auncient man
ambition to couetousnesse and without all measure desyrous too lyue onely giuen to superstition onely to care for things that shall come after him and in conclusion he is only subiect to enuie and malice and other beastes liue in peace and quietnesse with those of theyr owne kinde the Lyons vse no crueltie ageynst the Lyons the Serpents doo not pursue one an other but Man is onely enimie to man hys owne kinde Wherefore some Philosophers as Heraclitus and suche others did duryng all their lyfe tyme bewayle the calamities and miseries of mankynd For he always when hée passed thorough the stréetes accompanyed his steppes with teares for he did well consider and sée that all our lyfe dyd consiste in nothing but miserie and wretchednesse and all things wherein menne were exercysed did séeme vntoo him woorthy compassion as well for their paine and trauell as for the offences and sinne that they dyd dayly committe And the better to consider at his pleasure of the miserie of this our humain life he sequestred himself from out al companie and strayed about in the deserts liuing vpon fruit and rootes He did vpon a tyme write a letter to king Darius as Diogenes Laertius sayeth wherin he did aduertise him that all the inhabitants of the earth were corrupted and wicked and that they had Iustice in contempte and hatred and gaue them selues to vayne glory and auarice and that they were flatterers and couetous men and séeing them thus oute of order sayde he I determine with my selfe to eschue their companie and to searche oute solitarye places the better to enter into contemplation and miserable lamentation least I shoulde be partaker of their wickednesse There was an other Philosopher called Democritus muche lyke vnto him that did as much lament the miseries and wretchednesse of our lyfe as he but after a more strange manner for he always passing through the streetes did nothing else but laugh continually with open mouth and being demaunded of him the occasion of his disordinate laughter he aunswered that the dooings of mankynde deserued nothing else but perpetuall mockerie and that all our humaine lyfe was but vanitie and foolishnesse and all the desires and appetites of men were but fondnesse grounded vppon ambition auarice hatred malice and suche other lyke vices And hee béeing thus plunged into the contemplation of these things wente vp and downe the stréetes laughing as the other did weeping Other Philosophers write that it had ben good for man neuer to haue beÌ„ borne or else as soone as he was born presently to haue died Theodorus a Gréeke Poet by these verses folowing doth confirme the same Happie is hee most happie is that man Whose happe so good as neuer borne to bee Or if he bee twice happie is he than Quickly to dye for so at ease is hee Assured well when earth hath him in store That none afflict shall touche him any more And Possidippus Ciniciensis in his first boke of his Greke Epigrams hath very wel described the incertitude of maÌ„s life and the miseries wherwith he is continually afflicted Tell me frende I pray thee what sure way to finde To liue in the worlde without carke and care of mynde What way shall J treade what trauell shall J assay The Courts of plea by brall and hate dryue peace away Jn house with wyfe and chylde muche ioye is very rare With trauayle and toyle inough in fieldes we vse to â—are Vppon the sea lyeth dreade the ryche in forreyne lande Doo feare the losse and the poore lyke mysers poorely stande Wyfe without stryfe is very rare and harde to see Yong brats a trouble and with great care brought vp they bee Youthe fonde age hath no harte and pincheth all too nye Choose then one of these two no lyfe or soone to dye It is not then without good cause that the great heuenly Philosopher Iob the very exaÌ„ple of pacience did lament the houre of his natiuitie wished that he had ben caried from his mothers womb to his graue in so much that he cursed the daye that he was brought forth into this miserable world and the night in which he was coÌ„ceiued And that good holy prophet Hieremie saÌ„ctified in the womb of his mother did lameÌ„t the day of his birth desiring that the time that his mother did coÌ„ceiue him might not be blissed adding to it afterwards Wherfore said he am I come out of my mothers wombe to sée al this miserie troubles As likewise the maruellous oracle of wisdom Salomon sayth in Ecclesiast that the day of his death shold be better to him thaÌ„ the day of his natiuitie knowing very wel that our life is but a sea of misery and tribulation Whervppon that notable doctor S. Hierom explicating vpon the passage of this our life proueth by many reasons that those that fight against the assaults of sin in this caducall life be in a miserable case in respect of the felicitie of the dead whiche are discharged therof And that famous Greke doctour Origene vppon the exposition of these wordes The woman that hath conceyued sede and hathe ingendred a man chylde shall be vncleane exaggerating the calamities of our lyfe wryteth that he neuer red in any author that euer the Saints or any other that haue made any profession of our religion did celebrate the day of the natiuitie with banket or feast or the day of the birthe of theyr chyldren but the wicked onely did reioyce at the daye of their natiuitie as it is written in the olde Testament that Pharao king of Egipt did and in the new Testament Herode who celebrating their natiuities with greate triumph didde pollute and and defyle the same with the effusion of innocent bloud For the one did vppon the same day murther his chiefe baker the other caused the head of S. Iohn the Prophete to be cut off but sayde he it was farre from the thoughts of the holy and vertuous men to solemnize such days with any token of reioycing or gladnesse For they rather had the same in horrour and hatred and did blaspheme the same as did Iob and Ieremie with many others which they wold neuer haue done if they had not knowne some thing therein worthy of malediction And truly if we wil wel wey consider the wickednesse that is in this miserable frayle life and wil haue a sure faith in the gospel of Iesus Christ a firme stedfast hope in the resurrection of eternal life we shal haue iust occasion to follow the maner of doings that the Thracians did vse other Paynims who had no hope that there was any other life they wold go always to the burying of their frends with much ioy gladnesse assuring themselues that they wer most happie whiche were deliuered from the calamities and troubles of this life as to the contrary at the birth of their childreÌ„ they did lament for the troubles sorowes
commended among the Hystorians bicause vppon a time he stayed his whole armie and him selfe dyd descende off hys horse to vnderstande the complaynts of a poore wretched and miserable woman The Parthians a people very curious in obseruing the customs of antiquitie did so much desire this gentlenesse and mekenesse to be in their Princes as Homer writeth that they dyd vpon a time depriue one of their Princes from the administration of the Realme bycause that he went to the mariage of a noble man a great Ruler and within certayne dayes after beeing required to the mariage of a poore man he refused to doo the like The maner of liuing of the kings of the Persians is reproued condemned of many for that they vse to kéepe them selues close and secrete within their Pallaces not shewing them selues to the people but once or twice in the yere and all to the ende that not yéelding them selues to talk or to bée familiar with the people they should haue thē in the more greater admiration and honour The Emperour Antonius was called Pius bicause he was pitiful and gracious to all sortes of people and namely for that he did vse a maruellous charitie in the behalfe of widows and Orphanes for he commaunded the porter of his gates and that with great charge that he should know the poore before the riche that they mighte bee firste brought to him to haue audience of their sutes And this good Emperour pronounced openly before all people that they that doo contemne the poore and needy let them not thinke to be obeyed of the riche The Historians write in the life of Claudianus the Emperour that he was so treatable and gentle and did so muche incline him selfe towards the sutes of the poore that he thought it did not suffise him onely to giue them audience and to restore them agayne to their right if they were iniured by any man but farther he would giue them also counsell in their aduersities and troubles which thing he dyd practise in the behalfe of a poore afflicted widow who as she did vpon a time present hir self before him to require iustice béeing altogither ouercomee with carefulnesse and wéeping this gentle Emperour after he had accorded hir request béeing moued with a maruellous naturall compassion did wipe hir face with his owne handkercher wheras many of his gentlemen did maruell amongs which one of them sayd to him that he did too muche abase him selfe and he had done a thing that was far vnmete for the maiestie of an Emperour But he answered wisely that it was not sufficient for a Prince onely to doo right and iustice to his Subiects but also to exercise the office of humanitie towards thē when the cause so requireth for oftentimes sayd he the Subiects when they departe from the Prince with his good countenance and gentle words it contenteth their minds better than the benefite of the cause that they haue receiued at his hands by equitie and Iustice And this is it that that great king Salomon dothe teache and exhorte vs vnto where he sayth that gentle and pleasaunt words doth asswage the yre as rygorous and cruell words doo stirre vp furie and as he sayth in another place that gentle spéeche getteth many frends and appeaseth the enimie The tenne Tribes of Jsraell made them selues strangers and refused the subiection of Roboam the son of Salomon that was their king for the rigorous answer he made to them at such time as they required him that the tribute should be diminished when he sayde to them the least of my fingers is more heauyer than the greatest of my fathers if he haue made your yoke heauy to you I will make it heauier and if he scourged you with small roddes I will chasten you with whippes And for suche a like barbarous and rough spéeche chaunced the diuision betwene Juda Jsraell when Dauid made his force agaynst them for that Naball through his chorlish aunswere stirred him to anger but to the contrary Abygail his wyfe by meanes of hir curteous and gentle words did appease him We finde also in the Greeke Histories that a Philosopher very liberall frée in words wrote an Epistle to Phalaris the Tyrante in the which he accused him of his dissolute life and amongs other things that he moste touched he reproued him bitterly for that he was disobedient to the Gods in that he killed the priests and ruinated the temples and bycause he was so vnwilling to be moued or sued vnto for the poore mens causes and dyd refuse their petitions and requests The good Tyraunt hauing red this accusation without any further deliberation made this aunswere as it foloweth They that say that I doo not obey the Gods say truely for if I should obserue all those things that the Gods doo commaunde me to doo I should doo few of those things that man requireth me to doo Secondly where you say I beare no reuerence nor honor to the Churches that is bicause I know the gods make more account of a good and pure heart than of many Churches al to bedecked with gold siluer As touching the Priests you say I put them to death in déede I haue done it thinking to make a good sacrifice of them to the Gods for they were so dissolute and so farre out of order in all their actions and dooings that in stéede of honoring the Gods they were rather a slaunder vnto them And as touching the laste whereof thou doest accuse me that is to haue stopped my mouth and eares from the petitions requests of the poore those that haue sayde that vnto thee haue greatly lyed vppon me for I haue alwayes shewed my selfe frank and open to widowes and Orphanes and to suche kinde of afflicted people and haue alwayes had my eares open to suche requests as they haue made to me Here you may see this wretched Tyraunt enimie both to God and man loued better to be charged with these other vices than to graunt to the last the which he estéemed to be more greeuous and notable than the others The Lorde our God willing to instruct all Princes and other pastours by what meanes they ought to gouerne their flocke dothe reproue by the Prophet Ezechiell the ouermuche straytnesse that they doo vse towards their Subiects when he sayde vnto them Yee doe commaunde them by force and power Likewise S. Peter a man that commendeth greatly humilitie doth admonish all Pastours not to be ouer feuere towards their people but that they shoulde rule them as the true shepheard doth his flocke Alexander the great vsed suche kinde of facilitie and gentlenesse of spéeche to those that had to doo with him that euen to suche as dyd reproue him of his vices he would hearken and giue eare for when he departed out of Asia to conquere the Indians he vnderstoode that there was one other Nation which was neuer yet conquered neither of the
day against vs before God the iust iudge and searcher of all secretes FINIS ê™ Iames Chillester Bookes bee Iudges without feare or affection Fearefull friendes Those that doo flatter Princes and lead them to wickednesse Thâ— desâ—ription of the arte and industrie of the flatterers of the court Many common weales haue bene made ruinat by adultery Philosophers are rebukers of wickednes Alexander for hys perfection desireth to bee like Diogenes The tyrans themselues doe honour learning Nero a murtherer of hys dere frends The cruell death of Seneca Zopyrus a deare friend to Darius Philosophers gouerners of Princes Ieremie 1. Esaie 58. The trueth ought freely with al libertie to be pronounced openly Ezechiel A medicine for such as do offende and wil not be reprehended openly Tom. 6. Ho. 15 vpon .5 Luke A maruelous puissaunce of the remorse of conscience Deuterono 28. Wicked men be vexte and troubled as the waues of the Seas Nero Caligula tormeÌ„ted in the night wâ—th passions God causeth euen the very reprobate too taste of â—yâ— Iudgementes Iohn 3. The worm of the conscieÌ„ce of the wicked neuer ceaseth gnawing and byting Esay 66. Epicurus patriarch of the Athiests Epicurus coÌ„strayned too confesse the remorse of conscience The conclusion of the woorke The reuerence due too Superiours Leuit. 19. Ecclesiast 18. Exodus 22. 1. Pet. 2. Jn reading the actes of the wicked men are called from doing wickednesse Luke 10. The dâ—finitioÌ„ of a King. Kings and Princes are the â—â—nely Jmages of god Psalm 2. Kings and Princes are Gods Lieutenantes vpon the earth Similitudes of kingdomes and common wealthes appeare in al things The imperial Heauen is cheefe of all the others The Sun is the cheefest and Prince of al the lightes in heuen The Fire is more excellent than all the other Elementes although some be of contrarie opinion The East part is more noble than the others The temperat zone best Asia better and more noble thaÌ„ other parts of the earth Golde is the Prince of all mettals Bees haue their King. Plin. lib 11. The king of the Bees exceedeth the other in gretnesse and in beauty The king of the Bees hath a Sting not to hurte but for defence A maruellous obedieÌ„ce of Bees to their King. Funerals bee obserued amongs Bees Bees if they any way offend the king they kil them selues The PersiaÌ„s kil theÌ„selues after they haue offeÌ„ded A maruellous affectioÌ„ of beastes that they wil die for their Kings Mapheus Vegeus Men may receiue instructâ—â—â—â— of Beasâ—es Man more ingrate vnto his Ruler than brute beasts Cranes haue their captens and leaders Genesis 25. The watche of the Cranes The first murder committed in the worlde The first citie that was builded Genesis 1. The beginning of kingdomes Narration What time the fâ—â—ce of armour was first knowne Kings and Princeâ— wâ—re ordeined immediatly after the begiÌ„ning of the worlde The firste cause why Kings and Princes were chosen and instituted Kings and Princes tâ—kâ— not theâ—â— first beginning of gloriâ— and ambition as some iudge The second cause Scipio Afrianus Rome deliuered from â—he conspiracie of Cateline by Cicero Iohn 6. The third cause Nothing is auncienter than Sinne. Testimonie of Scripture for obedience of kings and Princes Haue a good regard to the meaning of Paule for he is very obscure in thâ—se wordes I haâ—e transâ—ated this â—câ—â—â—inâ— to the Gr ke word 1. Pet. ca. 8. Herodotus reprooued Reward promised giueÌ„ for vertue The fourth cause Iosua 13. Histories of the olde Testament 1. Reg. 17. 2. Reg. 5. God the first authour of Kings The Lorde himselfe dyd choose a king 1. Regum 9. Apoc. 19. Dani. 7. Math. 2. Christ payed toll Mat. 17. Mat. 22. Paule commaundeth to make prayer and supplications for kings and princes Baruch 1. Paule pleads his cause before Nero. The earthly kingdoms in many things doe accorde with the heauenly kingdome A notable question Monarchia is the gouernment executed by one DemocratiaÌ„ coÌ„monwelth AristocratiaÌ„ coÌ„monwelth The Aristocratian common wealth preferred by some opinioÌ„s Solon Licurgus Demostenes Cicero Many common wealthes haue bene ouerthrowne by the Aristocratian Gouernement The excellencie of the coÌ„monwealth of Venice 1200. yeares since the Venetians begaÌ„ their first gouernement The councell of Appolonius to Vespasianus The councell of the coÌ„mon people is like to a brushe that is vnbound and throwen abrode or to a Riuer that is runne out of the chanel Such as haue bene euill enintreated in their owne Countries Socrates Metellus Hanibal Camillus Licurgus Valerius Solon Monarchia preferred before any other common wealth Homere Aristotle All things ruled by one The Prynce is the soule of the Citie A testimony of Nature The scepter and crowne accompanied with many thornes A King is a lampe which shineth and giueth light vnto all the worlde Saule a good man in the beginning of his kingdom The raigne of Salomon Caligula Nero. Methridates Of .22 kinges of Iuda there were but six good The Kings of Israel wer wicked men Good Emperors of Rome The AssiriaÌ„s Persians Grekes Egiptians The entent of the auâ—or The doings of the publike members of the coÌ„mon wealth are more notable and perillous than of the coÌ„mon sorte Princes instituted chiefly for vertu 1. Kings 9. Plutarch in his Aposth The Gouerner ought alwayes to be better than his subiectes Kingdomes ought to be gotteÌ„ly wisâ—â—m and not by sauor and affeâ—tion Alexanders iudgement at his death Prouerb 26. Agesilaus king of the Lacedeâ—â— mans He that sinneth◠〈◊〉 aâ— bonâ—◠〈◊〉 Nero. Alexander a drunkarde Hercules ouercom with enuie and hâ—ordome Micheas 7. In his Economiques Our sinns be our châ—efe enimies Pet. cap. 2. Boetius Horace in his Odes Plutarch mayster to Traiane the Emperour Plutarchâ— epistle The Prince ought to obey the lawes Augustus Cesar an ernest obseruer of Lawâ— A iust cause of anger of in Cesar A great loue of the Father towardes the Sonne Zeleucus Valerius Maximus Such Prince suche Subiectâ—â— Antigonus writeth to Zeno. Herodianus A meruelous abstenence of Alexander Act. cap 1. Math. cap. â— Roma 2. Aristotle The Tyrant gouerneth none otherwayes but by his vnbrideled desire Aristotle in his politiques A vertuous aunswere of A exander in a Flatterer Sicknesse is the cause ofteÌ„ times that meÌ„ do knew theÌ„selues There is nothâ—ng that do the more stir and prouoke the common people to vertue thaÌ„ to sâ—e the Prince the first to put it in execution Eccle. â—0 1. Kings cap. 13. Euil wicked Princes haue alwayes ouerthrowne their people 4 Kings cap 25. VVised 6 Knoweledge requisite for Princes Salomon The Prince is the eye of the common wealth Salomon VVised 6. The staye of the common wealth doth consiste in the wisdome of the Prince Prouerb 8. Cursed bee that Realme whose prince is a Child Deutre 17. Plato The law-makers Augustus Emperour and Iudge Sueto ca. 33 The Emperour ought to die with trauell Philostraâ—es li. 7. Suetonuâ— vpon his life Dion Cassius Emperors Judges
to master them selues and so suppresse and moderate their affections and passions that by their good liues they may induce those that be subiect to them to vertue and godlinesse Chapter 4. Fol. 41. How that if the Prince desire to haue his Common welth to be well gouerned it is most meetest and necessarie that he him selfe obeye and obserue the lawes that by his good examples he may teache the vulgare and common people to do the like and liue in feare and obedience towardes him Chapter 5. Folio 48. Howe that a Prince for his better perfection in the ordering and directing of his life ought specially aboue all other things to be learned and also to haue continuall conference and Counsell with sage and wise men whiche shal be as the sinnewes and life wherby his Realme shall be sustained and maintained wherin also is made diuers and many discourses of the honour nd reuerence that Princes in the olde time haue borne towards learning and knowledge Chapter 6. Fol. 57. How that Kings and Princes ought chiefly and most principally to haue the state of christian Religion in greate reuerence and estimation and to shewe themselues louers of the same and that they ought also to be very diligent and carefull to punish the blasphemers and cōtemners therof and withal to purge their dominions and realmes of all heretikes and Sectaries for the which there is shewed many examples of erronious sectes together with the false doctrine of Mahomet his life and death and by what means and suttletie he hath suborned and seduced so many people and how many Emperours kings and princes after they had persecuted the faithfull of the Churche of God did not escape the sharp vengeance of his wrath but dyed in the ende of some shamefull and horrible death Chapter 7. Fol. 82. Howe that Princes ought to eschue and put away all furiousnesse and pryde and that they oughte not to truste to muche in their force and mightinesse with a declaration of the humaine miseries and to how many accidentes of misfortune our liues are subiect with also diuers examples howe manye descended of a meane and vnknowen bloud haue ben aduaunced to the estate of Kings Princes and Emperoures and how contrarywise many taking their originall of noble bloud and progenie when they were in the full complement of all prosperitie haue ben through their wicked and abhominable doings by the deuine permission shamefully ouerthrowen and driuen out of their kingdomes and dominions Chapter 8. Folio 106. How that clemencie and gentlenesse are vertues most meete and conuenable for Kings and Princes with many examples alleaged confirming the same Chapter 9. Folio 128. What Iustice is and what profite and commoditie the same bringeth to gouernement and how that without the vse thereof Kingdomes can not be called kingdomes but dennes and receptacles for theeues and robbers Chapter 10. Folio 142. How that crueltie and tyrannie are cheefe enemies to Justice where also is shewed wherin the good Prince differeth from the tyrannous Prince with sundry examples confirming the same gathered as well out of the Greeke as Latine Authors which will bring great pleasure and contentation too the Reader Chapter 11. Folio 147. A Treatise of Peace and Warre and the difference of the one from the other things necessarie to be red by Princes and magistrates that haue the gouernement of Realmes and Common wealthes Chapter 12. Fol. 155. How hurtfull incontinencie is to Princes and how that the same hathe ben the cause of the ruine and destruction of manye realmes and kingdomes with also a Treatise of the dignitie and excellencie of the honourable state of Matrimonie Chapter 13. Fol. 179. The ende of the Table Peter Bouaisteau to the Reader GEntle Reader thou shalte vnderstande that this presente Auctoure whose translatiō I prefer here vnto thee doth not folowe others of the Greekes and Latines that haue entreted of the like matter bicause they alway wryting any instructiōs for their Princes were accustomed to aduertize them how they ought to gouerne themselues in mariage and also to admonishe them that they shoulde flee from the companie of euill and wicked women and to be vigilant and careful to cleanse their dominions of all such infections as the onely things that tended to the vtter decay and ruine of them Neyther doth he make any mention here howe Princes ought to eschue wars and embrace peace a thing so necessarie as without the which Gouernement is altogether imperfect and maymed He hath likewyse omitted to exhorte Princes to bannish out of their Courtes al Flatterers and other such kinde of vermine that do nothing else but fyl their eares with vnnecessarie pleasures and delights whose exercise is onely to watche apte houres and tymes to feede them with toyes and fantasies wherin they do so well play their partes that in the ende they corrupte them although they be very good of nature and well inclined And if thou be curious to knowe the occasyon why the Authour hath suppressed and kept in silence in the discourse of thys Booke things so necessarie for Regimente seing he hath so wel entreated of the rest I can not tell any reson therfore other than as I suppose that he was preuented by death being in purpose if he had liued longer to haue performed those points And the cause that doth leade mee thus to be persuaded is for that there was founde of his doing after his decease one Booke of Geographie and another of Greeke Epigrams that were imperfect and vncorrected which are at this presente in the Kings Librarie to be sene And in place therof I am enboldned trusting vpon the good interpretation thou wilt make of these my labours to ioyne vnto it these three treatises beforenamed of mine owne inuention for the better and more perfect adourning of this worke assuring thee that I haue not so wel trusted in myne owne habilitie nor presumed of my selfe so much but that I haue vsed therin the ayde of certein famous Latin Authors and specially in the Treatise of Peace and Warre as thou mayest perceyue by the reading thereof And as touching the other two I haue perfourmed them rather by myne own labor and trauayle than by any other meanes which neuerthelesse are not to be condemned although as the Comicall Poete sayeth there is nothing presently there spoken that hath not bene sayd long before The fyrste Treatise which is agaynste Parasites and Flatterers thou mayest reade in my Prologue and that of the excellencie of Mariage and the other of Peace and Warre be the last two Chapters of this present Boke Besydes these things before named I haue gathered oute of many good Authoures by the persuasion of a friend of mine the life maners religion and death of that monster Mahomet and shewed by what meanes and subtiltie he did seduce and cary away with him so many people Al which things I praye thee fyrst reade wyth good deliberation before thou do iudge and then I
a fewe in numbre amongest them as Augustus Vespasianus Tytus Anthonius Pius Anthonius Verus and Alexander Seuerus whoo haue very well shewed them selues in their gouernementes thou shalte finde a number of others all imbrued with vices and tyrannies and that so many that the euell Princes haue muche surpassed the vertuous and good And if thou bée desirous to reade the gestes of the Assyrians the Persians Gréekes and Egyptians there will appeare more of such as were euil and wicked Princes than of those that were good and vertuous I hope nowe that no man is of the opinion that I doe pretende by these examples any thing to abase or diminishe the Royall dignitie of a Prince vnto whose obedience I doe wholly yéelde my body and life for the woorthinesse and excellencie therof but I desire most chéefely therby to admonishe Kings and Princes in God of their duetes and office and that principally in respecte of so many soules so dearely boughte of whome they bée protectoures and defenders And I truste no man will no more blame mée or thinke my good will straunger héerein than they will doe hys which doth admonishe any man who is to trauaile thorowe straunge Countreyes that he shoulde take héede of the perillous and daungerous places which be in hys way and of théeues that lie by the wayes to robbe and spoyle him or to warne those whiche doe committe them selues to hasarde of the Seas that they should eschue and shunne certaine Rockes vpon the whiche if by chaunce they should fall they might bée in daunger of shippe wracke And so I haue none other meaning héerein but onely to exhorte Kings and Princes and all others that be called to any dignitie and Gouernment to haue their saluation in remembrance and to be vigilant and carefull to order and directe all their actions and doings in the feare of God bicause their dysorders are more notable and more perillous than the common sort of people And that by these examples of the wicked sorte which wée haue rehersed here in this booke they should haue good regard not to followe euen as he that séeth another fall before him ought to take good héede with all diligence to eschue the lyke danger and peril And contrary the examples of the good and vertuous which wée haue also spoken of héere may so induce them to vertue that they may leaue an eternal memorie after them of their good and vertuous liues Which we ought to leaue to our heires rather than to leaue them great numbers of treasure and riches as the wise man sayeth the good renoume is more to be praysed than precious oyntment And likewise he sayth in the booke of wisdome that the memorie of the good is immortall before God and man But when hée maketh mention of the iudgement that the posteritie shall haue of the wicked sorte he sayth they shall be cut of from al good reporte and fame and shall be alwayes in opprobrie amongst the deade where they shall lamente and wayle and the memorie of them and their séede shal be forgotten as though they had neuer bene but the good and vertuous sayth he shall liue from generation to generation their glorie shall be for euermore and the same shall bée declared and manifest in their children ¶ The fourth Chapter Hovve that those vvhich shall commaund others ought first to master them selues and so suppresse and moderate their affections passions that by their good liues they may induce those that be subiect to them to vertue and godlinesse WE haue sufficiently proued by the reasons aforesayde that vertue was the chiefe and principall cause why Kings and Princes were in the beginning elected established and therfore seing it is so that they bée called to suche dignitie for the noblenesse and vertue whiche is founde in them more than in others they ought to labor and enforce themselues to excel in that which is the cause of their honour and dignitie for it is writen of Saule in the booke of the Kings that he was in the beginning of his reigne both noble and vertuous and there was not a better man to be founde among the children of Israel although in the ende by his insolencie and ambition hée loste the grace of the Lorde his god And Cyrus King of the Persians vpon a certaine time hauing conference with his wyse and learned Phylosophers touching the vertues meete and requisite for a King sayde vnto thē that hée was vnwoorthy to bée an Emperour or King whose vertues did not excel his subiectes Certain men being enuious of the honor that was giuen to Lyuie King of the Sparthians had him in disdayne and sayd he was made of the matter and substance that they were and was no better than others and that hée deserued not to haue any estimation in this worlde otherwise than in respect of his Royall dignitie To whom he answered with a maruellous discretion and comelie modestie If I had not bene better than any of you sayd hee I should not haue bene chosen vnto this dignitie Royall And Solon one of the most renoumed for wisedome in al Greece being demaūded what maner of person ought to haue the Gouernement of the people such a one sayde hée as knoweth howe to gouerne and subdue himself before he take vpon him to rule ouer others He that shall commaund others ought first to knowe howe to commaund and rule himselfe for as the wise man sayth howe can he be good to others that is euill to himselfe And Philip King of Macedon doth giue vs very well to vnderstande what a Prince ought to bée in the aunswere that hée made to his sonne Alexander when he found himselfe gréeued with his father for hauing the companie of so many women and that he had by euery of them issue fearing leaste by the number of so many children hée might be defrauded of the kingdome seing that thou knowest sayde hée that there bée so many that desire to succéede me in my Empire frame thy selfe to that good order in al thy doings and vse such wisdome and prudence therein that by thy vertue and good desertes and not by my fauoure and grace thou mayest bée founde méetest to bee Lorde and King which Alexander who afterwards not only succéeded his kingdome but also in his wisdome did kéepe well in remembrance this his fatherly doctrine for being demaunded euen at the very time when he felte in his bodie the most furious bitter anguish of death by one of those whome he best loued and fauoured whome he woulde after his lyfe to succéede hym and inherit his kingdome the same sayde hée that shall bée most woorthiest iudging by this answere that hée is vnworthy to rule and gouerne whose vertues are obscure and vnknown Al Princes therfore that desire to rule and commaunde others ought to haue this lesson specially in remembraunce which shall serue them as
a true mirror or glasse to loke in and to bring them to vertue for the first battell and triumph that they should make entring into their kingdomes ought to be against their owne proper lusts and concupiscences vtterly to represse and beate downe the same and wholly to cut off the causes whereof they growe which if they leaue vndone their stay and bridle shal be of so little force that they wil bée caried away and sodainly vnlesse they be very vigilant and haue good regard to themselues they wil be thrown downe headlong into a perpetuall Laberinth of vice wickednesse But to the contrary if in the beginning they striue manfully fight against the same no doubt without any difficultie they shal become victors of their affections and passions hauing thus vanquished them they shall greatly triumphe that they haue so subdued and ouercome themselues with gret felicitie and honor shall from time to time reioyce in that most excellent and glorious title name of a king The gret king Salomon doth likewise teach them in his Prouerbes where he sayth that the pacient man is better than the strong hée that can rule himself is more worthie than he that winneth cities Agesilaus King of Lacedemonia as ye may rede in the Gréek histories sayth oftentimes that he which cōmandeth his owne affections and doth know how to subdue them vnder the vse of reason is worthier cōmendatiō thā if by force of armes he had brought vnder his obeysaunce most famous cities Afterwardes he addeth therevnto this reason that it is more praise worthie for a man to maintaine himselfe in libertie than to take it from others bicause sayth he that the man which doth master his owne affections and commaund his desires is the very defender of his owne libertie and kepeth himselfe that he fal not into the seruitude and bondage of sin And he that spoyleth people and ouerthroweth cities doth nothing else but trouble the quiet take fro them their libertie gotten long afore by cōmon right course of nature And therfore what is he that vnderstanding the bloudie life of Nero vnder whose gouernement the Romaines haue bene vnnaturally entreated will not by and by haue him in horror and iudge him vnworthy of the empire whose life hath bene so farre out of order and so infamous that in steade to haue made the Royall dignitie famous it hath bene by him darkened and polluted Who is hée that dare be so hardie by any reason to giue commendations to that great Alexander who by an infamous and an insatiable desire had subdued and brought vnder subiection the whole worlde yet could not refraine from wrath and drunkennesse What shal we say further of the inuincible Hercules that hauing ouercome the dreadfullest and most monstrous things of the erth was in the ende vanquished with malice and hooredome beholde loe these our domestical enimies which daylie do make war with vs they holde vs besieged round about and be encamped in the inner parte of our soules They be those whiche the Prophet Micheas speaketh of when he sayth our chiefe enimies bée the domesticall enimies and they be those which we ought first wholly to destroy before wée enter into the campe to assayle our forraine enemies they be those things also wherof Xenophon speaketh which will take from vs our most desired libertie and bring vs into perpetual seruitude and bondage Let vs hearken therfore a little vnto the instructions of that diuine Philosopher S. Augustine in the fourth book De Ciuitate Dei who after hée hath made a long dyscourse of that matter hée concludeth in the ende as followeth if thou arte a good man sayeth hée although thou arte bounde in bodie yet thou doest enioy all libertie but if thou bée a wicked man althoughe thou were Lorde ouer all the worlde thou arte bonde not only to one man onely but to as many maisters as thou hast vices and S. Peter giueth vs good testimonie thereof when he sayth that hée which suffereth himself to bée vanquished of any thing is bonde to it S. Iohn likewise sayth he that committeth sinne is bond to sin That Ethnike Cicero did well vnderstande the same although he was not illuminated with the light of the gospell but onely guided by a certaine instinction of nature when he sayd in his Paradoxes Howe shall it be possible for any man to commaund others that can not rule and gouerne himself and that can not first bridle his owne desires concupiscences pleasures frowardnesse couetousnesse and suche other like infections of the minde therefore saith he he that will take vppon him the gouernement and rule ouer others let him firste abandon himselfe of suche passions whereunto he is most subiecte and then he may the better afterwards frankly and boldly commaund others Isiodorus that graue author saith that the name of Kinges hathe taken his first denomination of this world to rule and gouerne but when they doe forget them selues and omit to do their indeuor or that they do defile this dignitie royall with wickednesse they be vnworthy the name of suche honoure And Boetius in his consolation of Philosophie by these verses which folowe doothe teache vs very wel the same which I do set forthe in Miter to the ende I would the better confirme the grace of the Authour who hath a better apparance thus than in prose He that desires to be esteemed and had in greate renowne His carnall minde must still subdewe and wanton lustes beate downe For thoughe his power extende so farre as vnto INDIA lande And of his lawes as they are bounde They still in awe doe stande And that the farthest ile by sea which THILE hath to name Should vnder his subiection be and he to rule the same Jf he can not his vice represse and wicked thoughtes restraine Hee hath no power on himselfe nor might in him doth raigne Horace likewise that great learned Poet sayth in his Odes that the regiment of him who doth commaunde and subdue his owne affections is more triumphant than his that hath the monarchie of the whole earth Thou shalt of thy selfe a greater conquest make To subdue thy flesh and lustes therof forsake Than if by all thy mightie force and powre Thou shouldest of the whole worlde become Emperour And Claudius that excellent Poet wryteth to the Emperor Theodosius as followeth If thou wilt mightie bee flee from the rage Of cruell will and so then keepe thee free From the foule yoke of sensuall bondage For though thine Empire stretch to Indian sea And for thy feare trembleth MEDE and ARABIE If thy desire haue ouer thee the power Subiect then arte thou and no Gouernour Jf to be noble and high thy minde bee mooued Consider well the grounde and beginning For he that hath in heauen eche Starre fixed And giues the Moone hir hornes and eclipsing Hath also made thee most
of his life after the ordinance therof and a Tyrant folowing the frailenesse of his owne wil breketh and violateth the Law and is not gouerned by any other puissance than by his vnbrideled desire and apetite by the which being prouoked he peruerteth and corrupteth al order of Iustice After he ioyneth that which foloweth worthy certainely of perpetuall memorie And if thou wilt sayth he consider Man in his dignitie and perfection he is the most meruellous most excellent most noble of all other creatures but if thou wilt consider him being at libertie and without the vse of the law thou shalt find him the most monstrous and abhominable of al others And Cleobolus one of the wisest men of al Greece sayth he ought to vse least libertie that hath more than another A Philosopher of Persia by a briefe answer that he made to King Cambises giueth a worthy example of the difference betwene a King and a Tirant King Cambises asked him if it were lawefull for hym to ioyne in mariage with his Syster there is sayde he no Lawe that doth permitte it neuerthelesse Kings and Princes do what pleaseth them An other Mynion of the Courte desyrous to flatter and please King Antigonus sayde vnto hym that all thynges were lawefull and honest for Kings yea sayde the King verye well to the barbarous and ignorant people but to vs that haue pollytike knowledge apt vnderstanding capable of Prudence and Iustice and that are instructed and nourished in good letters there is nothing lawefull to vs which shall not be both good honest and vertuous I will tell you one notable thing more of this King seeing it is in purpose to speake of him being a puissant Ruler in Asia and the successor of Alexander on a tyme he fell sicke was so euil handled by the rygour of his disease that there was thought no hope of his life but after that he was amended of his sicknesse hys friendes began to reioyce of his health to whome he sayd well my friends let no man lament the euill lucke of my sickenesse for amongst other incommodities whiche it brought me it dyd me one specyall good turne in making me to know that I am a mortal man and so farther it hath made me to vnderstande that for that greate prosperitie and puissance that I haue had I ought not to looke so hyghe nor to exalte my selfe as I haue begon bicause that this prosperitie is no permament thing But to returne againe to our purpose Kings ought to be the first to put to their handes vnto the worke and giue vs example by their good liues in what reuerence and estimation we ought to haue their Lawes statutes for in so dooing they shal be honored and feared of their subiectes they will haue them in such greate admiration for their good works that they wil not be so hardy to offende or commit any notable crime for there is nothing that dothe more prouoke and styr the common people to vertue than when they do sée their chiefe and Prince the firste that putteth himselfe in exercise of well doing who is as it were a Theatre and glas that al the world should behold or as common fountaine wherat al the world should drawe water or as a lampe that should giue lighte to al men But to th end that we shuld not séeme to speake these things without authority mark the sayings of the wise man in the Ecclesiastiques who sayth as the Gouernour of the citie is such are the inhabitants therof the foolish King shall loose his people and the Cytie shall be well inhabited when it is gouerned by the wise if we wil enter into the secretes of the Scriptures we shal finde that there haue beene many wicked Kings which haue béen cause of the ruine destruction of their people And that this shal be found true you may read that Ieroboam king of Israel setting vp calues of gold did cal his people from the honoring of God and caused them to commit Idolatrie by meanes whereof these poore people became wicked and for the same his wickednesse his owne house was pulled vp by the rootes and vtterly made ruinate vpon the face of the erth and so the people of Israell walked in al those ways of wickednesse that Ieroboam did set forth Let vs go a little farther we shal finde that many Kings of Iuda as Achas Manasses and Amon by their euill example caused the people to commit Idolatrie and for their execrable offences the Lorde promised them to diuert and ouerthrowe Ierusalem and to sende grieuous persecutions vpon the people of Israell which he did afterwards Beholde loe how euill guides be as the trumpets that do stirre al strife and the torches that do set on fire the poore people to all vice and wickednesse And if by chaunce there be any founde amongs the people which are not so far gone astray as others bée and that will not be induced to wickednesse by the euill conuersation and example of their Prince yet neuerthelesse perceiuing their King and Prince to be a vicious and wicked person they will not giue him the obeysance and honor that is due to him for wickednesse and sinne carieth ordinarily with it this commoditie it will cause him that doth commit the same to be counted an abiecte and to be contemned of all men But to the contrarie there is neyther Scepter Diademe Purple or other worke of Nobilitie that shall make the Prince to be more estéemed and his subiectes to bée more prompt and apte to obey him than the integritie of life temperature of manners and brightnesse of vertue ¶ The sixth Chapter Hovve that a Prince for his better perfection in the ordring and directing of his life ought specially aboue all other things to be learned and also to haue continuall conference and Counsel vvith sage and vvise mē vvhich shal be as the sinnevves and life vvherby his Realme shal be sustained and maintained vvherin also is made diuers and many discourses of the honour and reuerence that Princes in the olde time haue borne tovvardes learning and knovvledge EVen as we for our part desire wish that the Prince for his better perfectiō shuld be endued with vertue and godlynesse alwayes embracing the same as a dayly cōpanion So is it expediente for him that he be enriched beutified with Lerning and science that by the aide therof he may be made more apt and méet to rule and gouern his Subiectes Vegesius in his booke of the Arte of warre among other things willeth that a Prynce shoulde haue singular knowledge and vnderstanding in all Sciences and learning and the same is confirmed by the wise man where he saythe that the sage and learned Prynce is the stay supporter of the people likewise he writeth in the prouerbes that the wise and learned man shall enioy the gouernement It is then very needefull for a
Kings or Princes but that they were first descended of bond men nor fewe bonde men that were not firste descended of Princes Saule and Dauid the first kings of the Jewes were shepherds Abdolin that was a digger of gardens was by Alexander instituted king of Sydonic for his woorthinesse and so to all others who he did cause to aspire to any dignitie he said he neuer had regarde to their birthe or of what race they were extracte but only to their vertues Agathocles king of Cicilia was the sonne of a Potter who for a remembrance of his beginning wold al his life time be serued in none other vessels but of earth But amongs all other Empires of the world the Romaine Empire was the most passing and yet we finde many Emperors as well Romaines as others that were descended of a base parentage who by valiantnesse obtained the Emperiall dignitie as Maximianus the sonne of a locke Smithe Martius also the Emperor was a Smithe himselfe who assoone as he was chosen Emperor spake before the people as foloweth I know right wel my frends sayd he that you may reprehend me and caste me in the téethe with my olde occupation whereof you are all witnesses but lette all men say what they liste By my will I woulde alwayes be handling Iron and not leade my life idelly in banketting and dallying with women and in suche other voluptuousnesse and pleasures as Galline my predecessoure did who was vnwoorthie the glory and fame of his predecessors and let they say further of my Fathers crafte what they will so that straungers as the Germaines Almaines and other nations my neighbors may perceiue and taste that I loue iron and that they haue to do with an Iron nation so much to their daunger that they do feare in vs cheefely the Iron I am content they say their pleasures And as for youre partes I wil wel you know that ye haue chosen an Emperor to gouerne you that will neuer handle any other thing but iron all the dayes of his life to your great commodities and comfortes Galerius also surnamed Neatherde bicause bothe he and his parentes were alwayes rurall men was likewise chosen Emperor Elius Pertinax in like manner Emperor of Rome was a Marchant of Wode which estate he exercised with suche trauaile and paine that he was in that respecte Pertinax And Dioclesianus the Emperor who did make Rome to wonder at his triūphal victories was but a seruaunt and the sonne of a Booke binder Bonosus likewise Emperor was the sonne of a Scholemaster Aurelianus whose renoume is immortall was borne of so base a stocke that in the Histories can not be founde the place of his birth And Valentianus was the sonne of a Shomaker And thus with these numbres that I haue brought forth I coulde alleage many others as Augustus Vitellus Traianus Opilus Machroneus Posthumius Carausius Iustinius Balbinus and a great numbre moe of which Suetonuis and other Aucthors make mention that were sprong out but of base vnknowne and obscure houses We coulde also bring foorthe many Bishops of Rome who being issued out of pore parentages and of small reputation came to the like dignitie As Bishop Iohn the .22 was the sonne of a Shomaker borne in Fraunce Bishop Sextus the fourthe was a graie Frier and the sonne of a mariner Bishop Nicholas the fifth was the sonne of a Poulter S. Peter was a Fisher and of many others of whome we will make no mention at this present for suche dignities are not gotten by noblenesse of birth but by vertue and holinesse of life We haue by other Examples going before very amplie declared that they were very wicked and miserable persons that wold suffer themselues to be caryed away by inordinate ambition that vanisheth away as smoke seeing Fortune dothe imparte hir fauors to whom shée pleaseth raising sometimes vp the poore vnto the rule and gouernment of realmes and kingdomes And nowe the better to performe our sayings it is expedient for vs to declare how shée dothe also abase and put downe when it pleaseth hir those that be sette in the moste highe degree of all felicitie and make them to become so miserable that often times they giue occasion of pitie euen to their very enemies The riche Cressus king of Lidia hathe good proofe thereof who euen when he thoughte he had bene the moste happiest Prince vppon the earthe sawe by liuely experience that all the riches and giftes which he had of fortune was not suffitient nor coulde not deliuer him from the furie of Cyrus who being vanquished and ouercome by him did féele and taste as well the burning flames of his ire as he did of the fire wherin he was burned Darius that great king of Persians vanquished by Alexander bounde by his owne houshold seruaunts bereft of his wife and children banished his realme and hurte in many places of his body perceyued very well that there was not so highe a degrée of honor but that it might be sometime ouerthrowne and bette downe to the ground Perseus king of Macedonia féeling the most furious stripes of fortune could wel iudge how vncertaine and caducall the hope of worldly dignities was when that Paulus Emilius a captaine of Rome did triumph ouer his goodes and caused him to die in a most vile and dolorous prison and his sonne the very inheritor of his kingdome by euil intreatie brought to suche pouertie that he was forced to gette his liuing by the exercise of handie craft Denis Syracusanus likewise banished out of his realme shall be a faithfull witnesse of the inconstancie of fortune who being pressed with an extréeme pouertie was in the ende constrained to teache children for his liuing at Corinthe a piteous metamorphosis of a Prince so rich to become a master of children Polycarpus king of the Samyens who as Valerianus doothe witnesse that had neuer in all his life tasted of the rigoure of fortune was at the last vanquished by Darius king of the Perseans and after by hys owne prouost crucified vppon the top of a mountaine Valerianus emperoure of the Romaines being ouerthrowne by Saport king of the Persians ended the rest of his life in suche seruitude that he serued for a footestoole to Saport when he mounted on horsbacke and bowed his shoulders thereunto in stéede of a foote stoole Caligula likewise after he had receiued .xxx. wounds of Cornelius Sabinus and his confederates lost moste miserably in the ende his life Dioclesian hauing lost his Empire died of poyson that was prepared for him Domitian Emperor being banished oute of Rome died poore and miserable Falarius king of Licyla died wretchedly vpon the tortures where he had caused other to die Marius being falne into a maruellous desperatiō presented his head to Pontius Tolesinus to the ende he shoulde cut it of Scilla his chéefe enimie was eaten with lice could neuer finde meanes to helpe him selfe thereof The
to what purposes he imployed the reuenue of his realme for it was one of the most opulent Monarches that euer was and as he passed all others in all kinde of impudencie so did he excéede all men in hys dispenses for you shall not reade in the Historie of any Author what so euer he bée that there hathe benne founde eyther Emperoure King or Prynce so prodigall in foolishe and excéedyng expenses as he was who as they say that haue written of his lyfe made neuer any banquette after he was Emperour that coste hym not aboue thréescore Markes of golde which after our account is two thousande and fiue hundred Duccates and all the delicious and moste delicate meates that he coulde fynde he woulde haue as the Tonges of Pecockes and Nightingales the Combes of the Cokes the genitories of all the moste rarest kynde of Byrds that coulde bée had and woulde cause hys Table to bée furnyshed withall and woulde eate of them saying that there was no sause so good as costlynesse And he thought it not sufficient for to féede hym selfe with suche delicates but he woulde cause hys housholde seruaunts also to bée fed with such rare kinde of meates as the Lyuers of Pecocks egges of Partriches and Phesants and suche other kynde of viands which were good for none other purpose but to prouoke the stomake to ouercharge the same and in the ende he was so blinded in his voluptuousnesse that he caused his Beares and Lyons to bee fed with suche kinde of meate he was also so pompous and costely in his garments that as you may reade he neuer ware commonly one garment but one day and he was ordinarily clothed with golde or purple enriched and beautified with all kinde of precious stones And as touching the rest as the vtensiles of his house they were all either of golde siluer Iasper Brouze or Porphire yea euen too the pottes which he vsed for the excrets of his body and he was in the ende giuen vp to suche a reprobate minde that when he wente to horsebacke he woulde cause the ground to be couered with the limal of golde or siluer thinking the earth to be vnworthy to serue him as a footestoole or to touch his féete Beholde lo in summe the principall poynts of the lasciuious lyfe of this miserable Emperour who in the end by the diuine iudgement of God was payed with an hyre worthy his tragicall lyfe for he was killed by his owne seruaunts and carried throughoute all the stréetes and market places of Rome afterwards hauing a great stone hanged about his necke was caste into Tiber by the consent and agréement of all the people hauing his body for an honorable funerall buried in the bellies of Fishes Now hauing declared vnto you very exactly the maners and dooings of Heliogabalus Emperour of Rome it shall not bée straunge folowing our purpose to rehearse in this behalfe the crueltie and tyrannie of Astyages king of Medes little or nothing inferiour to the other aforesayde who dreaming one nighte a certayne dreame concerning his daughters childe which dreame he thought he mighte not well disgeste fearing that hereafter it woulde take effecte determined to preuent the childes fortune And to the ende he mighte the better bring the same to to passe he caused Harpagus one that he loued best of any in all the Realme to be called and deliuered to him the same childe in secrete and commaunded that he shoulde kill him by one meanes or other oute of hande for certaine causes which he would not disclose to him at that present and not to make any man priuie therunto Harpagus hauing receiued this charge began to haue a maruellous combate in his minde for as the pitie he had of the yong infante did drawe him on the one side so the crueltie and feare of his maister did threaten him on the other side but reason did take so muche place with him in the ende that he was persuaded not only to saue the life of the childe but also to cause it to be brought vp in some secrete place from the knowledge of his maister yet he coulde not handle the matter so finely nor so secretely but that in the ende Astâ—ages had vnderstanding that Harpagus contrarie to his duetie as he thoughte had saued the life of this childe Which thing he did dissemble for a time with so good a countenance towards Harpagus that he thought him selfe without all suspition Afterwards vpon a day he made Harpagus to dine with him hauing before caused one of his children to be slain which he had made one of his Cookes to dresse as thoughe it had bene some other meate and caused it to be serued at the table withoute any knowledge to Harpagus wherof he ate very willingly But Astiages insatiable in his cruelties was not satisfied that he had made him onely eat the bodie flesh of his owne childe but further he caused his féete and head to be put into a dishe and serued likewise to the Table to the entente he mighte knowe what he had eaten and thus sitting at the boorde he demaunded of him in mockerie if he thought his meate were good To whom Harpagus fearing to haue a woorse mischeefe at his handes answered modestly that all things were good at a kings table Hauing ended these cruelties of Astiages we shall not doe Maximilian another Emperor of Rome any wrong to put him in the Theatre amongs the others who bisides an infinite numbre of cruelties wherin he was delighted ordinarily he had one in common that passed all the others for he caused the bodies of men being aliue to be tied with the bodies of dead men face to face and mouthe to mouthe and so left them togithers till the dead body by his putrifaction had killed the liuing body The Emperor Tiberius who shal make an end of our examples of crueltie seemeth to me to haue passed all the others in crueltie that the Historians at any time haue euer made mention of For he commaunded vppon paines of deathe that thing which I read not of any other but of him only that no man should lament wéepe nor sighe or make any semblance of sorowe for those which he put to deathe innocently And he had those that were purposely deputed in all suche cruelties as he did execute that had none other charge but only to marke and beholde all aboutes if there fel any teares from any bodies face or if there passed any sighes from any or whether they gaue any manner of signification of heauinesse or greefe for the same which if they did they shoulde sodenly be caryed to the place of execution and to be punished with the same paine that he was whose innocencie they did lament After when he was well satisfied of suche kinde of Martirdomes he would then deliâ—e to deuise some others as farre from all humanitie as the others For he would make those that shoulde be executed to
therwith continually afflicted besydes other newe diseases that did appere dayly not accompting amongs any of them the insupportable burthen of olde age a disease incurable nor making mention of any towns in Asia Europe and Aâ—rike which are soonke with their inhabitants some ruinated by tempests some swallowed vp into the intrayles of the earth by emotions and sodain quakings of the same some oppressed by the falling of the mountains other some drowned and eaten awaye by the violent incursions of the seas nor naming an infinite numbre of venims poysons and pestilences wherwith our liues are beséeged and continually threatned yet for all these afflictions and miseries which haue and do dayly fall vpon vs we spare not to pull in péeces to dismembre mangle and search the death one of other and that with suche vehemencie that our crueltie is abhorred amongst the very Ethnikes And yet if oure rage were exercised vppon the barbarous and heathen people it might be the better borne withall and the victorie thereof might bring some contentation to the conqueror But Oh good Lord will we know what be the glories and triumphs of them that are victorious amongs vs Their safegard and conseruation is the ruine of their neighbors their riches are the pouertie dispoyling of others their ioy is the sorow and lamentations of others their triumphs are infelicitie of others And yet oftentimes it is the victorie of Cadmus where as well the victors as those that are vanquished in the ende doo wéepe and lament For there was neuer warre so happie that in the ende euen the conqueror himselfe did not repente if he had any sparke of humanitie in him which hath appeared euen amongs the very Ethnikes themselues who haue acknowledged the same by their owne testimonies as that good Emperour Marcus Aurelius who vppon a day receyuing his triumph for a greate victorie that he had gotten ageinst the enimies of the Empire féeling in his conscience the wrong that hée had doon to his neyghbor when he was caryed in his Charyot to receyue his tryumph began too saye to hymselfe what more greater follie or vanitie maye happen to a Romain Emperoure than when he hath conquered many townes disturbed the quiet destroyed Cities razed fortresses robbed the poore enriched tyrantes shedde muche bloud made an infinite numbre of widowes and orphans then in recompence of all these iniuries to bee receyued with triumph and glorie Many are slayne many haue trauelled one only hath caried away the glory After hée addeth these woordes By the liuyng gods sayde hée when I was ledde into Rome in suche tryumphe and sawe the poore caytiues captiues in yrons and vnderstoode the lamentations of widowes behelde caryed before mée an infinite treasure euill gotten and remembred the poore innocentes slayne if I did reioyce outwardly I did wéepe wyth greate droppes of bloud in my harte and began to exclaime against Rome to my self and sayd Come hither Rome come hither O thou Rome wherefore dooest thou reioyce at the Infortunate chaunce of others arte thou more aunciente than Babilon more beautiful than Helyâ— more richer than Carthage more stronger than Troye more peopled than Thebes more enuironed with ships than Corinth more plesant than Tyre more happie than Numance that were decked with so many notable things and kepte with so many good and vertuous men and are nowe all perished and destroyed thinkest thou to remayne foreuer flowing with so many vices and inhabited with so many vicious men Take this one thing for certein that the glory that is at this houre vppon thée hath ben vpon them and the destruction that is falne at this present vppon them shall afterwards happen to thée Marke O Christians what vertues what oracles be vnder the barke of the woordes of an Emperour who not being any wayes lightned with the light of the gospell yet he had neuer rest in his conscience but felt those bitter gnawings of the worme that Esay speaketh of that neuer dieth but terrifieth and crucifieth the soule incessantly with suche strength and force that euen the Paynims themselues that haue no knowledge of God do taste thereof And lette vs searche a little further and wée shall fynde that this Warre ouer and besydes the euyls and mischieues beforesayd engendreth and carrieth with it two other mortall enimies to mankinde which are famine and pestilence the very scourges of the iuste indignation of the wrathe of God as it is amply wytnessed in the Booke of Kings For the fieldes béeing abandoned of their ordinary husbandry through the incursions of the wars they bring no more the fruits of the earth but remaine desolate which is the cause that the poore people haue not wherwith to be norished and being oppressed with famine eate of al sortes of pease rootes other vnholsome things for mans body which doo so putrifie that in stede to turne to nutriment they do ingender in theÌ„ corrupt venomous humors wherof the pestilence other contagious diseases take their roote beginning And for this cause the Lorde shewing to his disciples the euils that should happen after that he had fortolde to them that one nation should rise against an other kingdome against kingdome he added incontinently how that one shuld be infected of an other and that there shuld be pestilence great famine throughout al prouinces of the earth Behold lo the triumphs behold the commodities the discoÌ„modities of the wars which are so familiar at this day amongs yong Princes that they will warre one vppon an other euen vppon reporte and without any reason probable that they can yéelde for their hatred but that the English man hateth the Scotte bycause he is Scotte the Spaniarde the Frenche bycause he is a Frenche man the Almane is no enimie to the Frenche man but for his name But oh miserable men that we are wherfore haue not we rather regarde to the marks of Iesus christ with the which we are al alike marked the riuer of Renâ— doth somewhat separate France froÌ„ Almane but it can not separate one christian from an other the hilles of Pyrenees do seperate Spayn froÌ„ Italy but they are not of puissance to separate the coÌ„munion of the church The sea separateth the english men from the french but it can not deuide the vnion of religion the apostles were greued to heare such contention amongs christians to say I hold of Apollo I of Cephas and I of Paule least that such parcialities shold seperat the vnion of Iesus Christ But al things well coÌ„sidered there is no affinitie prouince or other thing that ought to be more déere to vs or that toucheth vs neerer nor that doth more straightly binde and knit vs togethers than the societe and vnion of Iesus Christ being all bought with one bloud all brethren come out of one like stock all regenerate by one only baptisme nourished with like sacrameÌ„ts iudged by one Iudge trusting to
great Emperor Cesar who saide that the good shephearde doothe neuer pull the skinnes of the shéepe but taketh only the fléece And call to your remembrance Oh ye Princes that they are men as ye are free as ye are Christians as yée are boughte with the same bloude and shall be iudged by the same iudge that yee are issued all out of one stocke and roote and that you differ in nothing but in a litle transitorie dignitie which shall vanishe away as the smoake and you shall haue no preheminence before god Remembre the voice of your great king Iesus Christe who dothe exhorte you to embrace peace Beholde with your pitifull eyes the poore widowes with a great numbre of Orphanes whose lamentations dothe pierce euen to the throne of god Remember also how that we all shall be accomptable of our liues and shall all appeare before one iudge who will not lose one haire of oure heades but hathe saide vnto vs that from the bloude of Abell the first that was slaine euen vnto the laste man he will not lose one drop of bloude that shall not be accompted for before him by those that haue cruelly shed the same The thirtenth Chapter Hovv hurtfull incontinencie is to Princes and hovve that the same hathe bene the cause of the ruine and destruction of many realmes and kingdoms vvith also a Treatise of the dignitie and excellencie of the honourable state of Matrimonie THe obseruation of all the things before written are not sufficiente to make a Prince apte and méete to gouerne anye Empire or kingdome if further he be not deliteful and careful to clense his court of one kind of vice which hath bene in time past so familiar amōg Kings princes and Emperors that it hath bene wholly the cause of the ruine of thē selues and their subiectes Which vice bicause it is a matter that procéedeth of nature and that it dothe something please and bewitch our senses the cure thereof is the more difficile and daungerous to be practised and specially vpon yong princes who as yet haue not experimented the rigoures and assaultes of Fortune Wherfore there must be vsed great paine and diligence in the beginning to resist and fight against the same for after it is once in full possession of vs euen those that be moste best armed for it shall sometimes finde themselues impeached and troubled The vice which I doe intende to speake of is the incontinēcie that is vsed with women to which if the Prince or any other gouernor dothe once giue himselfe in pray he can not chuse in this world a more redier way to destroy bothe him selfe and his people And bicause the doctrine heerof may be better learned how to eschue the same we wil lay before your eyes by examples the greeuous punishments that the Lord our God hath sent to suche Princes and Prouinces as haue bene defiled with this wicked vice And we wil begin our discourse by the afflictions specially wherewith he hath plaged and tormented his owne people for this abhominable sinne of incontinencie First of all whoredome and other horrible filthinesse vsed amongs the people was the cause of the vniuersal floude and that God did poure downe his wrathe vpon earthe Fiue famous Cities as it is wrytten in the Bookes of Moyses in the olde Testament were destroyed for their wantonnesse and dissolute life In the Boke of Numbres is shewed for the like offences twelue Princes were hanged and foure twentie thousande men died In Leuiticus yee may see howe that the Chananians were ouerthrowne for their incest and filthinesse In the Booke of the Iudges you shall reade that all the tribe of Beniamin were destroied for the adulterie committed with the wife of a Leuite In the booke of kings also you shall perceiue greuous plages were sente to Dauid for his adoultrie Salomon likewise for the same cause did commit Idolatrie and was giuen vp to a reprobate minde The Prophet Ieremie dothe say that the chéefe cause of the ruine and destruction of Jerusalem was for adultrie And many realmes and kingdomes haue suffered chaunge and alteration of their gouernment and haue bene transferred to others for the causes aboue named Troy the proude for the rauishment of Helen was destroyed Thebes the populous for the rape of Chrisippus and for the incest of Oedippus was punished The gouernement of kings were banished out of Rome for the rauishment of Lucretia And Aristotle in his Pollitikes doth say that whoredome and adultrie be the principal causes of the ruine and destruction of realmes and kingdomes Pausanias that great renoumed Prince for that he did defloure and afterwardes kil the daughter of Bizance was aduertised by a spirite oute of a piller of his ende and deathe at hande a thing very prodigious that wicked spirites shall giue acknowledge of the confusion and paine that is prepared for wicked men which thing was founde to be true afterwardes in him for he died as the piller had foresaid to him These smal numbre of examples by vs thus manifested I doe thinke shoulde be sufficient to pull backe and withdraw yong Princes and all other that haue giuen them selues to incontinencie from the inordinate affection thereof And as touching Olde man S Augustine a zealous rebuker of vices in his Ciuitate Dei dothe teache them how they should tame this slipperie desire and lust of the fleshe where he sayth althoughe lecherie be detestable and horrible in all ages yet it is most abhominable and monstrous in olde age Afterwardes folowing his discourse he wryteth this that foloweth to the vtter cōfusion and ignomie of all old leachers Thinke sayth he howe muche it displeaseth God to sée an olde man that hathe a graie heade his féete full of goute his mouthe without téethe his raines charged with the stone his face writhled his eyes holowe his handes shaking his head séeming none other than the head of a drie Anatomie and that which is woorse one that looketh euery houre that deathe the earth and the woormes shoulde sommon him to appeare before the dreadfull iudgement seate of god And yet neuerthelesse in despite of all these and his yeares wil leaue the briole to his incontinent minde and filthie luste and wil kindle his icie hart maugre this age which things truely are a testimonie of reprobation and a certaine argument that the moste gréeuous parte of hell are reserued for them For he hathe neither nature nor other prouocation of the fleshe that dothe leade or induce him to suche incontinencie but a very disordinate custome that he is falne in in the which withoute any feare of the iudgement of God he will continue euen vnto his graue And it was truely spoken of S. Paule the true louer and aduauncer of chastitie wryting to the Ephesians when he sayd that there can be no greater punishmente for an adulterer than to be blinded in his filthinesse that he cannot sée the iudgements and