by lawefull proporcion distributed not by quantitie but by equitie and so saieth Plato in the sixte boke of his lawes there is an olde true saiynge that equalitie causeth frendshippe If Phaleas I saie had taken this order these lauisshers had either nothings or els it had bene put into their ouerseers handes whiche shoulde haue employed it vppon their wiues and children accordyng to their necessities Solon deuised a farre better meane whiche entendyng to take awaye the occasion of coueteousnes and vnsaciable desire ordeined that no man should haue no more lande then the lawe permitted Whiche the olde Romaynes followyng in their auncient frugalitie at the demaunde of Licinius Stolo moued that there should be some order taken how muche euery man should haue in possession that was fiftye furlonges whiche was the measure vsed in the common weale when it began to flourish as Plinie and Gellius dooe write Also among the people of Locrus where Minos of whom Plato dothe alwaye make good reporte is said to haue made Lawes it was prouided that no manne shoulde alien his enheritaunce vnlesse he were able to declare some euident cause of his brgent extreme necessitie and that to the ende that the families should not pearishe or decaie by conueyaunce made to defeat the right heires Therefore it is declared in the holye scripture that if anie man for verie pouertie had solde his possessions it was ordeyned that for the same value the fruites reserued he might recouer his landes againe or els tarie vntill the fiftieth yere whiche they call the yere of Iubilie when euerie possession should reuert to the owner and former possessour Thus we muste embrace onely that in a common weale whiche is honeste and profitable established accordynge vnto the condicion of the place thing and persone and this standeth with reason wherewyth this pernicious equalitie of goodes can by no meanes agree as a thinge that dothe not onely empouerishe Cities but also openeth the windowe to all sedicion and dissencion Whereof I coulde recite many horrible examples were it not that thei be so well knowen that they nede not to be rehearsed in this place Yet I can not forget one thing whiche wonderfully disquieted not the common weale of Rome onely but also all Italie whiche broile the lawes for diuision of landes did breede sometime appointynge a certaine measure of landes somtime a diuision â–ª or other like whiche concerned the people As were the Lawes made by Spurius Cassius Quintius Flaminius â–ª Sâ—pronius Tiberius and Caâ—â— Gracchi Spurius Thorius â–ª Philippus Tribunus Cornelius Silla Sextus Titius Flauius Canulâ—â—us Iulius Cesar and other whiche delighted to â—awne vpon the people as appereth in Tullye Liuie Gellius Valerius Marimus Dionisius Halicarnaseus and other latine writers But Phaleas and his folowers did most fondely of all others in dreaming vpon this equalitie of goodes and landes whiche he coulde neuer haue perswaded vnlesse he woulde haue had relacion vnto a certain proporcion and to the condicion of eche mans estate that so the distribucion might be made as is before mencioned Whereupon this proporcionable equalitie as a mainteiner of quietnes might haue riseÌ„ but if goods be deuided by quantitie it will neuer so come to passe The argument of the seuenth chapiter â–ª That goodes must be ciuillye vsed and that the neadye ought to be partakers thereof MArcus Varro saith wel that goodes haue that name because they vse to comfort a man or to make him happie But howe this maie be it hath bene diuerslye heretofore reasoned For Speusippus the Philosopher defineth felicitie to be a good thing plentifullye encreased with all goodnesse a power in it selfe suffising to liue wel a perfection in all vertue and a competencye of liuynge wherein nothinge is wantynge whiche they tearme happinesse Whereunto what thinge soeuer in anye poincte helpeth it is called good For that is good which euerie man desiereth not of it selfe but as a furtherer to blessednesse whiche some appoinct in goodes of the bodye some in the minde and some in riches and wealthe as hathe been before declared And as the Philosophers nature is they define their blessednesse to be sometyme the pleasure of the bodye sometyme the delectation of the minde and at lengthe they pitche their opinions vpoÌ„ quietnesse and contemplacion whiche is the frute of the life spent alway in study to search out the truth to instruct the mind and to practise honesty So Maximus Tyrius iudgeth that the wealth of the common estate standeth in the well appoincted customes and comelye gouernement of the citie whiche can not bee without helpe of good lawes whiche be preserued by the godly conuersation of the subiectes whiche riseth vpon reason and reason which truth maketh porfite is strenghthened by exercise and trueth is learned by contemplacion and studie whiche wee employe in the searchyng out thereof Whereby it commeth to passe that suche thinges as we learne we kepe â–ª them surely in memorie and being so kept we vse them well The wise men therefore of the Worlde place their felicitie in goodes whiche euerie manne desiereth by whiche name we tearme euerye thing that is created in this worlde for mannes behoufe For GOD sawe all thinges that he hadde created and they were very good But the only peruersitie of the abusers maketh them euill and pernicious whiche of them selues bee good For they also cause that although a man heare the worde of life yet it semeth to be throwen amonge thornes where beinge choked as it were with wealth and worldlye pleasures it bringeth forthe no fruite Wherefore we ought all to endeuoure that we dooe not corrupt that whiche naturally is good and cause meate to be poyson and life to be deathe euerlasting Whiche then wee shall eschus if wee vse our goodes well for as we vse theÌ„ so they be either good or euill and permitte them not to become euill Considerynge the Philosophers plante the vse thereof in a contemplatiue quietnes which thereby beareth a face of blessednesse howbeit it is but a vayne ostentacion and a thinge estemed of worldlynges onely neither yelding hope of any blessed life nor yet honour to God Therfore their contemplacion is meere vanitie as a sounding brasse or tinkeling Cimbale wherof the Apostle maketh mencion But we whiche as neare as we maie frame a common weale in a perfect order must lift vp our mindes higher and knowe that we be men and borne to profite man whom we be commaunded no lesse to loue then our selues which is when we helpe him not onlye with counsaile and comfort him in visitation but also reloue him with our goodes whiche we ought to vse in suche sorte that they maie appere to be both honestly profitably and ciuilly emploied For it can not be but that he whiche is modest pitifull beneuolent and a fauourer of the whole bodye politique shall bee naturall and tender harted and prest to profite
then emoÌ„g his owne childreÌ„n as whose wealth he must preferre before his owne and declare hymself to be a father of his countrey Which name none euer obteined emongest the Romains vnlesse he had marueslously wel deserued of the common weale For Cicero was so named and so was Augustus Cesar whiche is reported to haue been so delighted therewith that when Valerius Messala by the counsaill and people of Romes commaundement called hym father of his countrey wepyng for verie ioye he aunswered Sens that my Lordes I haue obteined my desire what other thing haue I to request at Goddes handes but that I maie deserue that this your consente maie continue vntill my last ende With soche a minde therefore euery manne muste take vpon him the charge of the common weale that he doe his endeuour to preferre the publique affaires before priuate alwaie to haue that before his iyes and to watche alone when other doe slepe But more diligently to repeate my former treatise concernyng thinges priuately necessarie there is no hope that the common weale can haue anye prosperous successe without the supportacion of priuate thinges whiche hath as it were the forme of a grounde whereupon the other must be established For what kinde of societie should that be wherein one should be compelled to bee hungrie and he and his children as it were to starue for famine which is a wonderfull piteous case either for want of thinges wherewith the life should be mainteined or y â— bicause of great dearth thei caÌ„not bee releiued and an other hauynge his barnes full should liue at riot or alone as one hauing quicke vtteraunce of wares should sticke vpon to moche gaine oppresse the neadie and seke his owne commoditie to the vndoyng of other contrary to the verie course of nature In soche case is this common weale as that houshold which will neuer thriue so long as one daily swilleth and kepeth reuell an other pineth for lack of food the good man of the house in the meane while either fallen as it were into a slomber or negligently looking to his familie And although the coÌ„mon saying bee that he whiche entreth into an other mannes house should bee bothe domme and deaffe yet no honest man could well beare with this inequalitie Neither is there one onely waie to atteine vnto the knowlege how a citee must be furnished with all necessaries but good aduisement must be vsed in all according to the consideracion of the place the men the tyme the yere Bicause thus there is foresight had to the citezeins commoditie neither yet be the sellers endammaged For no citee can stande without mutuall trafficque no companie of men bee mainteined without prouisioÌ„ without open market for sale of thinges without the Shambles and corne market in whiche poincte if soche order bee taken that Marchauntes or Fermours bee compelled to sell thinges whiche they bring in better cheape then reason is and oftymes for lesse then thei cost them that is to be eschewed for two causes Firste bicause the sellers forsakyng the citee shall seke an other market where thei may vtter their wares to their greater coÌ„moditie Secondly bicause that when thinges for the daiely vse of citees bee not brought in the citezeins in the meane while be compelled to stande in neede wherevpon occasion is oftimes ministered to rebellion Therefore it were better to ouerbuy thinges that we must nedes haue then to be altogether without them And therfore for the sale and prices of thinges soche order and rate must bee vsed that it maie bee to eche part of the citee profitable so shall it not harme other but staie vpon a conscionable dealyng that in buiyng and selling there maie be on all sides some equalitie and vprightnesse Whiche none but a wiseman can bothe ordeine and see put in prartise and soche a one as in gouerning a citee onely hath respecte to that which swarueth not froÌ„ the rule of equitie But that as it is presently profitable so in continuauÌ„ce it will not be vnprofitable For by long experience soche a man hath tried that the falling out of thinges whiche is the scholemaster to fooles is not to bee looked at but that thinges must be so foreseen that although thei be to come yet by forecast and couÌ„saill thei maie growe to good effecte Moreouer whiche thing must principally be considered there is not one kinde onely nor one trade of liuyng in all citees For some stand vpoÌ„ the sea coastes which be moste mainteined by carriage in Shippes Some stande vpon freshe riuers whiche yet be able to beare great vessels and be famous by reason of some notable hauen Some haue some great marte and be enriched by reason of merchaundise Other some bee welthie by corne grouÌ„d or vineyardes Besides these some stande by handy craftes menne whiche by other meanes prouide theim selues of corne in this poincte not in very ill â—ase bicause their gaine is gotteÌ„ by sittyng trauaile whereby thei get money wherewith al thinges that bee necessarie bee bought and therewith maie the more easely buye what they will then if thei should with more toile plucke it forth of the grounde Wheras there be sondry kindes of trades wherby citees bee supported I haue expressed but a fewe of set purpose not touchyng the reste bicause my mynde is onely to declare him to doe verie vnwisely that shall appoinct one kinde of liuing to all these whereby thei shall liue all after one sorte seeyng that thei neither haue all one kinde of life neither yet one waie in gettyng their liuynges but in euery citee consideracion must be had of the life condicion maners waie of getting and soche like and according as euery thing shal require so must order bee taken and a ciuill appoinctment established So Serbidius Sceuola warneth vs to applie lawes vnto the nature of thinges not thynges to the Lawes whiche thyng Plutarche writeth that Solon obserued in the Atheniane coÌ„mon weale The argument of the. vi Chapiter Concernyng the shambles prouision of eates and victualyng houses for the common vse of the people how thei ought specially to bee looked vnto NOw it is moste expedient that those thinges whiche we cannot lacke â–ª for the maintenauÌ„ce of our life should bee brought to the market be to be â–ª had in a citee where a nomber of people is whiche is the occasion that the ciuill societie maie bee knit together and the dignitie of the common weale encrease and continue besides that the people when thei be full be more desirous of quietnesse then if thei doe not finde whereby to haue prouision and helpe for their nourishmente So Aurelian the Emperour writeth vnto Arabian his Purneigher that the people of Rome be meriest wheÌ„ thei be fullest Wherfore those thinges muste principally be cared for whiche serue for the daily vse of meate and drinke as for other thinges whiche appertain vnto the riote of idle men and their inordinate lauishing there
on fire to the entent that there maie bee a mutuall impartyng of commodities whiche causeth that one man is moued with an others harme and iniurie and is willyng to his power to ayde the same And therefore it was compted an honest and godlie acte for any priuate man to slea Phalaris or any soche tyraunt and to deliuer the people out of bondage Moreouer as certain rotten and putrified partes of our bodie bee either cutte of or seared with an hoate iron for feare leste they infecte the whole so they thought it good that soche slaughtermen and bloude suckers should be seuered from the societie of al other Herevpon Marcus Brutus vaunteth hymself vnto Tullie so oft for the killyng of Cesar as though that he had deliuered not the citee of Rome onely but also all the wide worlde from his tirannie whiche he vsurped more then the lawes and counsaill would permitte hym whiche he saied he would not suffer in his owne father if he should retourne to life againe and that beyng content with the remembrauÌ„ce of his weldooyng and the libertie whiche he had gotten by the tirauntes death did set light by all that could chaunce vnto him in this world Neither would he become suppliaunt either to Octauius who was bothe his heire and a child or to Antonie whiche laboured to inuade the common weale in his place that was dead What other thing maie wee thinke that Marcus Scenola pretended when as for the deliueraunce of his countrey to the greate daunger of his owne life he entred into Porsennas campe who then besieged the toune and takynge his ame amis slue one of the Kinges pieres in steade of the kinge himselfe wherefore beyng apprehended he thrust his hand into the fire and shranke not for any feare insomoche that the Kynge was dismaide to see his coÌ„stancie specially vnderstandyng by hym that three hundred young menne of the citee had likewise sworne his death Whiche ensample therefore resembleth pietie the more bicause the conspiracie was made againste hym that was their professed enemie would haue brought againe Tarquinius surnamed Superbus bicause of his insolent condicions and would also haue taken awaie the libertie of the Citee But wee whiche haue prosessed Christe haue an other rule of religion to woorke by which measure the lawe of nature after the discipline of godlines thinkyng euery thing so farre to be lawfull vnto vs as it doeth not repugne against the order of our religion but answereth Goddes wille wherevnto wee ought to referre our selues in all our troubles aduersities Nowe it is certaine that Gods will is soche that he will not suffer his people to be misledde and his comaundemente despised without punishement For he is the God of reuengement which if he doe streight seke while men bee aliue it is to bee rekened as a speciall benefite bicause he therein declareth that he would not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue And therefore he sendeth into the worlde hunger barrennesse of the yearth so many kindes of diseases pestilence warre tirannous Magistrates and al soche calamities that man should conuerte and acknowledgyng his offence learne to reuerence and worshippe his creatour We see a figure hereof in the Prophete Ezechiel where God threateneth Samaria and Hierusalem vnder the name of â—â— sisters whiche had committed fornicacion in Egipte that he would raise vp the Chaldees and tyrauntes against theim whiche should spitefully deale with theÌ„ and at the last he saieth Thy mischief and fornicacioÌ„s haue doen this against the. Esdras also the restorer of the fiue bookes of Moses a man of great knowledge in the Lawe whom some suppose to be Malachie the Prophete complainyng of the iniquitie aswell of the Princes as of the people saieth Beholde wee are in bondage this daie and so is the land whiche thou gauest vnto our fathers that thei should eate the bread of it all the good therein Beholde there are we bondmen and the fruictes of it be multiplied vnto the kynges whom thou hast set ouer vs bicause of our sinnes which rule ouer our bodies and our cattell after their owne willes and we be in greate trouble This is it that God threateneth to sende children to rule ouer vs and to be our kynges euen in his furie Whereby it euidently appereth that wicked magistrates be sent into the worlde as that Ate whiche Homere speaketh of for mannes vicious liuyng that one euill maie be expelled with an other and that euil men maie be persued by soche as be no lesse euill then thei theimselues Whiche thing Attila that broughte an armie of three hundred thousande menne forthe of HuÌ„garie into Germanie and anoied almoste all Europe vsurped in his pride callyng hymself the scourge of God and thereby pretendyng an honest cause why he was so furious Tamerlanes also the great prince of Tartaria whiche when he had taken Baiazete the Turke prisoner and caried hym aboute in a cage as a spectacle of mannes mutable estate when one asked hym why he vsed soche crueltie againste any man he aunswered thou iudgest madlie to thinke me to bee a man I am the anger of GOD and the destruction of the whole worlde Nether is it so that God alwaie stirreth vp cruell men and tirantes to reuenge mans wickednes that one mischief shulde be expelled with another but somtimes therein he vseth his owne auÌ„gels somtimes he worketh by men of sincere liuing sometimes he sendeth floudes aboundance of waters as we doe reade in the scripture so likewise for the malice of man he plagueth vs with famine pestilence and warre As the Lord in one night smote al the first borne in Egipt and where bloud was founde on the vpper threshold he suffred not the smiter to enter and to hurt the houses of the children of Israell And in one night thaungell of the Lord came and smote in the Assirian campe an hundred fourescore and fiue thousande Iosue also smote all the Hillie and southe countrey beyond Iordane not leauing one a liue therein but slewe euery thing that had breath as the Lorde had commaunded him from Cades of Barna vnto Gazan Saule also was commaunded to smite king Amaleck and to destroie all that was his so that he should not spare him but kill man and woman infaunte and suckling ore and shepe camell and asse nether desire any portion of his goodes God likewise vseth the elementes oftimes for the reueÌ„gment of mans iniquitie For seyng the malice of man to be great in the earth it repented him that he had made man be said to Noe Behold I will bring the waters of the floude vpon the earth and I will destroye all fleshe wherein there is any spirite of life vnder Heauen and all thinges that be on the Earth shalbe consumed There be many soche ensamples which daily come in vre with great terrour to warne vs that for our sinnes we be sore
passe for that my meaning is onely that if you wil haue any thing goe happilie forwarde in the common weale you muste vse good deliberacion leste you bee compelled as fooles doe to saie had I wist and learne witte when you haue suffered a displeasure For thei whiche doe not muche regarde the common estate vse without deliberacion to attempte thinges and rather to expect what will thereon ensue in the ende then to haue any respecte to present counsaill and to applie al thinges accordyng vnto it specially seyng the fallyng out of thinges in the ende is the fooles scholemaster whiche causeth the vnwise to waxe warie when it is to late when thei haue abiden harme then to lameÌ„t their rashenes at the beholdyng of whose daunger he that is wise will learne to beware It is therefore verie expediâ—nt in a common weale that counsaill be often had for good gouernement whiche wee maie better vnderstande not by the nomber of Sentences but by those whiche debatyng well and throughlie the estate of the common weale dooe decide that whiche is honeste iuste godlie and besemyng a Christen companie that mennes iudgementes bee rather well waighed then any respecte had to the nomber of opinions lest the bigger part ouercome the better and the greater nomber be iudged the wiser Neither here do I allowe any soche as neither for vnskilfulnesse neither for lacke of witte giue vnwise counsaill but either beyng corrupt or moued with viciousnes of minde couÌ„saile that which is wicked vngodlie not agreyng with a man of honestie Which counsaill bisides that it hurteth the common weale it vseth to light worste vpon the counsaillour hymself according vnto the common prouerbe with which the Wisemannes saiyng agreeth euill counsaill shall hee retourned vpon him that giueth it he shal not know how it happened vnto hym and at the â—ast the counsaill of the wicked shall be dispersed Whiche thinges ought to be an euident argument vnto vs that no common weale can bee well gouuerned without good counsaills whiche thei that tender thesame must often put in vre that those waies whiche their people as yet haue walked in with the Gentiles and vnfaithfull ones left thei maie receiue soche ordinaunces of their Magistrates as vpon counsaille are thought honeste iuste profitable and hurtfull to none whiche beyng instituted as it were euen in the schole of godlines maie open the waie vnto the heauenlie citee through him whiche is our onelie guide waie trueth and life The argument of the third Chapiter That soche a Magistrate doeth his duetie and gouerneth a common weale in good order whiche rooteth all vice out of it and reduceth it vnto integritie of maners IT is not vnwisely saied that a maÌ„ maie as well know the magistrate by the subiecte as the Lion by his pawes for that moste of the people bee ruled and affectionated according as the Magistrate giueth theÌ„ an example Whiche vocacion he doeth well execute whiche is hym self a good man and mindeth the common aduauncemente of all not in faire woordes but in verie deede whiche one thing chiefly coÌ„mendeth an Officer For that shall edifie nothing in the congregacion whiche thaduouterer speaketh in commendacion of chastitie the dronkarde of sobrietie the vsurer of honest gaine the couetous man of despisyng riches the wicked of vertue and the lier of truth Shall not he rather finde some that will laugh hym to scorne then be reformed by his talke whiche procedeth not from his harte but onelie from his lippes For in deede he is no good teacher whiche teacheth onely by wordes and doeth not vse hymself honeste in life that he maie bee without fault hymself that will finde fault with other For so shall his speache bee liuelie and his woordes the shadowe of his deedes as Democritus the Milesian saith For wherevpon cometh the corrupcion of Citees the libertie of life but by the Magistrates negligence Whiche oftymes setteth his mynde more vppon common banquetyng and feastyng then that he wil ones waighe what belongeth to honeste liuyng and good gouernemente Likewise maie one iudge of mannes impietie whiche daiely more and more encreaseth bicause the woorde of God is not liuely in vs but when it is heard it is not regarded but our busines lieth in feastyng hoorehuntyng riottyng bachityng blasphemie and a thousande kindes of fond vanities And in the meane while thei winke hereat whose duetie were to lifte vp their voices to counsaille vs to moue vs to correcte vs and not to cease vntill soche time as thei sawe either amendemente of life or els iniquitie after a sorte vanquished in their Churche Whiche enormitie scholemaisters also encrease for thei suffer the youth committed to their charge to doe what thei liste thei vse no morall discipline for the amendemente well framyng and fashionyng of their condicions but mindyng onely their wages thei suffre the childreÌ„ to runne at wil and become worse then thei were when thei first toke theim in hande And if thei take to their tuicioÌ„ any well nurtered tractable children of the parentes thei sende theim home euill manered and more dissolute then thei wer when thei came to theim so that it were as good in maner that the childe were brought vp in an house of bauderie or taught some lighte occupacion without expense of money then so dearelie to buye soche corrupcion of maners For there be certain principles of vertue naturally laied in manne but vnles thei be stirred vp by discipline and godlie exercise coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh destroieth theim and maketh man prone to euill and a follower of wickednes And what coÌ„mon weale is there at this daie wherin good and ciuill ordinaunces be not dispised and in their place murther vsurie couetousnes deceit iniurie robbery fraud vniust dealyng aduoutrie blasphemie drunkennesse contempt of Lawes and all wickednes do reigne wherby their can litle ciuilitie be founde in mans life But admit there be some good as there is no assembly so deuelishe wherein are not some whiche fauour vertue soche horrible iniquitie beareth swaie that what vertue so euer be mixed ther with it lieth shadowed as a rose among brambles so that it maketh a shewe onely of vice and of no vertue Hereupon come these miseries heruppon good men complaine that there is no iustice nor equitie amoÌ„gst men But that all thinges bend to decaye and ruine which as accessaries handmaides of iniquitie these mischieues incontinent followe pestilence famine warre robberyes slaughter wast of all thinges and all kinde of plagues that we se fall vpon vs. Which calamitie as it cometh by the peoples sinne so by amendement of life and earnest calling vppon God it may be turned from them A magistrate therfore muste be vigilaunt in his office and doe his endeuour all that he can to suppresse the wicked for which cause he beareth the swerde The good men whiche staie vpon vertue muste call vpon God and procure the preseruacion of the hole for
so muche as oftymes hole Cities for one or two good mens sakes haue ben saued from destruction Let the magistrate follow the aduise of expert Phisicians which when thei see that any rotten member cannot be healed then they cut of and seare vp that parte to the ende it may not enfecte the rest and at length destroie the hole body For he is an euill and an vprofitable membre which first by ill ensample offendeth his neighbour and after expressely despiseth the good order of the coÌ„mon weale This is the perfect office of good gouernemeÌ„t which god requireth of him whome he would haue to go before his people this is the maner of rule conteined in the boke of the lawe whiche ought not to depart from the gouernours mouthe Nether let vs sticke in this print bicause the euill may well be suppressed but not rooted out whiche no man requireth considering that the corruptnes of nature and the number of the wicked be greatter then that thei can quite be dispatched and bannished For when Hercules himselfe cut of one of Hidras heades an hundred sprange vp in place of that one Yet a magistrate must not cease but watche that assone as he seeth this fire beginne to flame he haue in redines his axes ladders buckettes soch other necessaries wher by he may turne away this present daunger that his Citie be not burned vp Let him do like a good housbandman which perceauing that al the cockle cannot be plukt vp with out losse decaye also of his wheate among which it groweth coÌ„mandeth onely so moche to be weeded out as shal let the wheat from growing and so letteth the reste alone vntill haruest so he that will be called a faithfull fauourer and father of his countrey as he is wise vigilaunt and vncorrupte so he must thinke this commission to be giuen him that he kepe the common weale vncorrupted preuent inconueniences that may growe so rule his subiectes that it be honestly and vprightly done without any offence to others So will eche man behaue himselfe towardes other as he woulde other shoulde behaue themselues towardes him so shall the hole body become godly and desirous to fulfill gods will that this common weale may be called not onely a conâ—ention of men vnited knit by lawes but also the true rule of vertuâ— and a perfect leader to a better lyfe The argument of the fourth Chapiter That they whiche dâ— professe Christianitie ought to be more perfite in politicque gouernement then the Philosophicall ordinaunces do prescribe HE that will consider the olde tradicions of the Philosophers wherby thei dehorted meÌ„ from their sauage condicions and ledde them to an order of ciuilitie that by their honest demeanour they might auauÌ„ce the dignitie of the common weale shall vnderstand that it is nature which setteth before our eyes the purtrayture of vertue wherby principally we ought to frame our selues to goodnes and honestie by whose prouocatione there be reported amoÌ„g the ethnikes many that liued well which did not onlie deserue renoume at home but also abroad wold not spare to spende their liues for the preseruacion of their countreye men whiche as thei did well deserue of men so in this one thinge they are blame worthie bicause that thei for their good deedes and integritie of manners deuising a certaine fayned â—elicirie onlie sought their own praise onlie an euerlasting fame of their owne name beyng vnthankfull did not geue glory to God whose giftes those are and vnto whom all that is worthily done amonge men is to be attributed But Plato wisely said that common weales differ according to the diuersite of mens manners and that for sondrie kindes of life sondrie kindes of discipline be moste agreable Whiche thinge must needes take place in vs Christians which forsaking vtterly all the delusions of the Deuil when we were first Baptized haue entred into an euerlasting couenaunt with God our creatour and father throughe Iesus Christe â–ª our onely Sauiour the breache whereof is not onely an hainous offence but the readie waâ—e to the deuill And if ye list to consider the vetâ—e ende of all the old Philosophie ye shall see none other thyng but suche a glittering life as in deede delighteth a politique maÌ„ and contenteth his mynde whiche if ye compare with the true vertue ye shall finde it without a faire painted Toumbe but within full of filthie and rotten bones Wherefore we must doe our endeuour to auoide those worldlie allurementes not contente with those ciuill ordinaunces whiche in deede bee requisite in a common weale but are not fully aunswerable to vertue and the blessed estate of life Forsomuche as weâ— ought not to spende our tyme accordyng to that outward conuersacion but in newnes of mynde to be reformed to knowe the wilt of God our father and kepe his commaundementes So shall wee liue accordyng vnto those principles whiche nature hath laied in vs and Philosophie hath more and more stirred vp which moue vs to be obedient vnto lawes to be modest iust temperate sober vpright valiaunt vertuous not doyng that to other whiche wee would not haue dooen vnto our selues whiche in a maner is the order to preserue ciuill estates euen emong those whiche doe not truely worship God but liue to theim selues seke and appoincte for themselues felicitee in this worlde And although moste of them deuise herein a possibilitee to liue well a perfite vse of vertue and sufficiente commoditie of life whiche Speusippus the Philosopher calleth the moste blessed estate of all other froÌ„ whence thei thinke to passe and asceÌ„de vp into heauen yet heauen is so pestered with people that haue been conueighed into it by these meanes that there seameth not one place emptie for any moe although a manne would neuer so faine be caconized But we must not rest at these externall and visible thynges whose conuersacion â—ught to be without reprehension emong men and adourned with politique orders leste we offende our brethren that thei whiche liue in the worlde although thei bâ—e not of thesame mynde with vs yet thei maie by our good demeanour bee gained to bee of vs but me ought so to trauaile in this outward and visible citee that neuerthelesse wee alwaie conceiue the forme of the heauenlie And in so doyng this our life shall stande as it were a second offeryng to pourge our iniquitee and to be a meane for the attainyng of a better life through our preconceiâ—ed hope And as Plato maketh Socrates like to Alcibiades his Sileni base and simple to see to outwardlie but inwardlie altogether diuine and heauenlie So muste we become abiecte all to all and with contempte of this life conceiue an holâ—e hope of an other as men commaunded to kepe those vertues whereby ciuill orders bee mainteined but not as though thei were alonâ— sufficiets an happie estate of life or could make vs to liue perfectly well For if thei â—e compared with the true