he haue force and authoritie where he liues ouer others if he bee learned and hath seene or read it will either amend him or impaire him For the bad impaire with much knowledge and the good amend Yet it is credible that knowledge doth rather amend him then impaire him were there nothing but the shame to know his owne euill it were sufficient toâ—keepe him from doing ill at the least not to wrong any man whereof I haue seene many experiences among great personages whom knowledge hath drawne from many bad desseignes and also the feare of Gods punishment whereof they haue greater knowledge then ignorant men who haue neither seen nor read History IT is a great aduantage for Princes to haue read Histories in their youth Lib. 2. Chap. 6. where they may plainely read of such assemblies and of the great fraudes deceipts and periuries which some of the ancients haue vsed one against another hauing taken and slaine them that haue relyed vpon such assurances It is not said that all haue vsed it but the example of one is sufficient to make many wise and to giue them a will to stand vpon their gard And in my opinion one of the greatest means to make a man wise is to haue read ancient Histories and to learne to gouerne himselfe wisely thereby and by the example of our predecessors For our life is so short as it sufficâ—th not to haue experience of so many thinges Besides we are decayed in age and the life of man is not so long as it was wont to be nor their bodies so strong All the Bookes that are written were to no vse if it were not to reduce things past to memory where we see more in one booke in three monthes then twenty men liuing successiuely one after another can see by the eye or learne by experience Although that enemies nor Princes be not alwaies alike notwithstanding that the subiect be yet is it good to be informed of thinges past Nourishment ALl men that haue beene great Lib. 1. Chap. 9. and done great matters haue begun very yong And it coÌ„sists in the education or coms from the grace of God This is spoken by the Author vppon the good education of Lewis the eleuenth without the which it had beene impossible for him to haue surmounted those great difficulties which he had in the beginning of his raigne and to blame that of the noblemen of his time who were not bred vp but to shew their folly in their speach and apparrell They haue no knowledge of any learning and there is not a wise man among them They haue Gouernors to whom they talk of their affaires and not to themselues and they dispose thereof and there are such Lords which haue not sixescore and ten pounds starling yearely rent which take a glory in saying speake vnto my officers thinking by these wordes to seeme great men In like manner I haue often seen such seruants make their profit of their maisters giuing them to vnderstand that they were beasts And if happily any one returnes and desires to know his owne it is so late as it serues him to small purpose A Princes subiects haue cause to greeue when they see his Children ill bred vp and in the hands of bad conditioned men Nature A Naturall wit perfectly good excells al other sciences that may bee learned in the world Example of Lewis the eleuenth who without any knowledge of learning had the reputation and the effects of the wisest Prince of his age Hope ALL well considered our only hope must be in God In the end of the first Book for in him lies all our assurance and all bounty which cannot be found in any worldly thing But euery man knowes it too late and after that he hath need yet it is better late then neuer Age. THe fathers old Age makes him to indure the Insolencies of his sonne patiently Lib. 1. Chap. 2. Example of Philip Duke of Bourgondy who dissembled the bad vsage of his sonne the Earle of Charolois to them of thâ— house of Croy. Foresight VVIsemen discerne so farre off as their life is not sufficient to see halfe of those things which they haue foreseene Lib. 3. Chap. â— Carelesnes and vigilancy MAd and distracted Princes are not to bee blamed if they gouerne their affairs ill Lib. 6. Cha. 4. but they that haue their iudgments sound and are well disposed of their persons if they spend their whole time in idlenes and folly they are not to be pittied if they fal into misfortunes But they which diuide their times according to their age somtimes seriously and in Councell and somtimes in feasts and pleasure are much to be commended and the subiects are happy to haue such a maister An Alphabeticall Table of the principall matters contained in the first seuen Bookes of this History A ACcord betwixt the King of Castile Portugal fol. 220. Affaires of a Prince are then effected with most safety and aduantage when he hath won that person who is most in credit and authority with the other with whom he Treates 166. Affection of Maisters to bad seruants is the cause of much disorder 14. Alphonso King of Portugall comes to demand succours in France 215. But is refused by the French King 218. Alphonso proclaimed King of Castile 217. His death Ibid. Amazment breeds strange effects 80. Ambition hath no other law then the fancy of the Ambitious 77. Amurath puts Scanderbegs brethren to death 120. growes fearefull of Scanderbegs valour Ibid. Army of the Earle of Charolois 79. Articlâ—s of a peace betweene France and England 165. Attempt against the Duke of Bourgundies life discouered by the King 206. B Balue the Cardinall imprisoned in a cage of his owne inuention 132. Basile besieged by Lewis the Dauphin 22. Battell of Firmigny 30. Battell at Montlehery 81. Battell at Wakefield 56. Battell of Varna 121. Battell of Morat 213. Battell of Nancy 224. Beauuais besieged 164. Birth of Charles the eight 146. Boldnesse after danger past 86. Bothwell in great fauour with the King of Scotland 232. C Cadet rescueth the Earle of Charolois 83. Challenge sent to the Duke of Bourgundy 3 Charles the seuenth disinherited by his father Charles the sixt 1. Hee armes against his sonne Lewis the Dauphin 12. He takes the Castle of S. Maxiant 13. His reprehension of the Duke of Bourbon 14. His fragility 26. His Death 27 Charles Duke of Orleans led prisoner into England 3. He dieth for sorrow 69. Charles of Nauarre poysoned by his Mother in Law 61. Charles Duke of Berry retires into Brittany 70. His solicitatioÌ„ of the Duke of Bourgundy to assist him for reformation of disorders in France Ibid. Campobasse his treason against the Duke of Bourgundy 223. Charles Earle of Charolois afterwards Duke of Bourgundy his negligence in trayning his Army 82. Is in danger to be slaine or taken 83. His repast among dead bodies 84. Runs into vnseene danger 94.
of the Dauphins wife Death of Margaret Stuard and his heauines was so apparent as the whole Court did participate thereof But there was more then teares to witnesse that hee loued this Princesse and that the remembrance of her should not end with weeping k Affection is not tryed by teares onely To ceace to weepe is not to forget the remembrance is too short which lasteth no longer them teares for he receiued the Princesses of Scotland her Sisters with all kindes of honor whom she had greatly desired to see They came at the time of her Funerals and finding themselues as it were vnknowne in a country whereas that which should make them to be knowne and respected was wanting they dyed for griefe All consolations made their greefes comfortles l We must giue time and ayre to sorrow to euaporate it In those which are extremâ— it is a part of the griefe to heare of consolations and made them desire that the Queene their sister being in the bosome of the earth had them vpon hers But the King to witnes that the affection which he bare vnto their Sister was not dead made them to feele the effects He married the one to Francis Duke of Brittaine and the other to Sigismond Archduke of Austria m Iohn Duke of Brittanie sent Ambassadors into Scotland to treat the marriage of his Sonne with Isabel daughter to the King of Scotland at whose returne he enquired what the Princesse was Who made report That shee had beautie sufficient a bodie well disposed to beare children but shee had no ready speech To whom he answered That she was as he demanded and that he held a woman learned enough if she could make a difference betwixt her husbands doublet and shirt Annal. of Aquitaine It is impossible to finde truth in an enemies tongue The iudgement of two Historians of England Hony how sweet soeuer it be is sharpe and offensiue to a mouth vlcered with passion and slander Edward Hall and Grafton two writers of England seeing that their imposture would take no hold vpon the manners and actions of this Princesse haue indiscreetly written that she was vnpleasing to her husband n Buchanan in the tenth booke of the Historie of Scotland saith that two Historians of England hauing as little sufficiencie as modestie haue beene so Impudent as not finding any thing wherewith to slander this Princes haue said Ob oris graueolentiam marito fuisse ingratam But there are records yet to be seene both in France and Scotland of the griefe which Charles the seuenth and the Dauphin his Sonne had for her death and Monstrelet speakes as of a Princesse who excelled in beautie both of minde and bodie She fauoured the good wits of her age Alain Charretier was held at that time one of the first of the Court and this Princes did esteeme him so rare as shee honoured him with a singular fauour for passing by a Chamber whereas he slept vpon a forme she kist him and to satisfie the amazement of the Ladyes of her traine she added I kisse not the man I kisse the mouth from whence haue come so many goodly Discourses Yet it was one of those mouthes which haue learned to talke and not to bee silent o There is no such itching of the spirit as a desire to write It is not cured but by silence Eusenius demanded of Apolonius Thianeus why hee did not settle himselfe to write for that said hee I haue not yet learned to hold my peace This warlike and Marshall season was debarred both of learning and learned men For whereas warre speakes learning is silent The Prouinces troubled by armes neither teach nor are taught and the money which should serue for the stipend of publicke Readers is imployed for the musters of souldiers p The Emperor Leon made an answere to one that counselled him to imploy his treasure in the entertainement of souldiers vtinaÌ„ meis temporibus eueniat stipendia militum in doctores artium absumi I would it might happen in my time that the stipends of souldiers might bee imployed vpon Doctors of Arts. The yeares of Truce being expired The warre renues the warre was renued with all violence against the English The Historie speakes nothing of the actions of Lewis vntill his retreat into Dauphine neither are the causes thereof well exprest Shee hath well obserued his discontents His Father held him somewhat short and his actions were not so temperate The wretched life of a great King but they gaue him some cause of suspition that he had a desire to be master q The opinions of children should be limitted in that sort as it is not lawfull for them once to thinke to aduance the time they must suffer heauen the order of nature to work The King being come to an end of his affayres would recompence the troublesome nights which hee had past r A troubled youth requires a quiet age he that hath liued in the waues desires to dye in the Port. when as melancholly had dryed vp his bones that all his demeanes were engaged the chiefe forts of the Realme in the power of the English that his table often fayled and that hee liued in such frugalitie as hee had no need of excellent Cookes such as those of the Romans were 1446 for they found him not with three or foure Dishes like vnto Charlemaine but with a messe of Pottage made with a rumpe of Mutton and a couple of Chickens rosted for his whole seruice s The sobrietie of Charlemaine hath beene commended he had but foure dishes hee dranke but thrice and neuer betwixt meales he did eate some fruits after dinner Eghinard The great toyles which hee had past deserued some good daies but he sought them not in his family nor in his children t Rest after their trauels is iust and lawfull but it is most sweet in his owne house And therefore Hercules was represented playing with a little Child The familie hath consâ—iations Bella planè accinctis obeunda sed reuertentibus post laborem quid honestius quam vxorium leuamentum TAC. His spirit plunged it selfe in delights He giues himselfe to delights and to Ladies for the which like vnto another Iupiter he transformed himselfe into diuers shapes vnworthy of his Maiestie and although he was impatient of seruitude as all Kings be yet he vowed himselfe to the seruice of Ladies which followed the Queeene Aboue all their appeared the fayre Agnes beautifull in the flower of her age and as louely as worthily to bee beloued u The Obiect of Loue is Beauty and Beautie is the marke of many desires It is for blind men to demaund why Kings loue fayre things She stole the Kings heart who made her Mistris of the Castle of beautie as she was Queene of all the beauties but beauty was in her a bad Hostes in a goodly lodging The Historie which
borne late are soone Orphlins The losse of this infant which first had giuen him the name of Father was so sencible vnto him as Phillip de Comines saith that he made a vow neuer to loue any other woman but his owne wife and yet in many parts of his Cronicle we see him among women we find some lost some married and their husbands from base fortunes raised to great dignites with many other actions which argue not a continency equall to that of Alexander p Alexander being perswaded to see Darius daughters who were faire and yong made answer I will haue a care not to be vanquished by woemen seeing that I haue vanquished men who being a victor would not see those beauties which might vanquish him nor to that of Cyrus q They intreated Cyrna to see Panthea which he refused to doe and being told that shee was very faire it is for that reason said he I may not see her for if I doe visite her now that I haue leysure she will bind me another time when I shall be full of affaires who would by no meanes see her who he thought might bind him to see her more then once The King bare the absence of his sonne very impatiently it was a thorne in his heart which time could not pull out Death of Ladislaus King of Hungary Hee grew sicke and his sicknes was seconded by a great affliction for the death of Ladislaus r Sorrow creepes sodainly amidst ioy whiles they treat of a marriage at Toure betwixt the L. Magdalen of France and King Ladislans his Embassadors receiue newes of his death on Christmas 〈◊〉 1457. King of Hungary to whom he had promised the lady Magdalen his daughter After his recouery he thought that all the cause of his ill grew from the Duke whom he accused to haue drawne away his son and corrupted his good nature resoluing to seeke a remedy rather with deedes then wordes He leuied a great army and no man knew how he would imploy it the duke fearing that it was to make some enterprise vppon the townes of the riuer of Somme which had beene giuen him by the treaty of Arras staid not to demand the reason t In occasions which presse we must not loose time with wordes men of courage should not haue their handes on their tongues but their tongues in their handes he armes and goes into Picardy to prouide for the safety of his townes and to hinder the Kinges entry with forces The King sendes word to the Duke of Bourgondy that he was in armes to take into his protection the goods of the Lord of Rodemart u Princes haue alwaies pretextâ— to make warre and he that wil breake with his friend neuer failes to find occasions The Duke answered that he was no subiect of France that his lands lay in the Dutchy of Luxembourg that the King should speak more plainely and that he desired to know whether the king had a will to keepe the treaty of Arras or not The King had a desire to haue his sonne otherwise then by the hazard of Armes or breach of a truce which cost so much blood and drawn so many Princes into danger x In the assembly of Arras for a peace betweene King Charles the seuenth and Philip Duke of Bourgundy were present the Embossadors of the Pope of the Councell of Basill of the Emperor and of all Christian Princes They numbred about four thousand horses He feared to ingage hmselfe in new miseries and to bring France to the hazard of shipwrack which she had escaped He went to the west of his life and knew that the greatest of the Realme had their eyes turned to the East Age had coold his military heat the vigour of his nature was without edge the blood of his courage was nothing but slegme y Princes are men and borne men wherfore their best qualities and dispostions are mutable and in the and discouer their inconstancie And although that this first force of his spirits was not altogether deiected yet was it much altered France did still produce some fantastick humors vnknowne to other Prouinces as Egypt doth bring forth Beasts and Nile Fishes which are not found in other countries nor in other Riuers The house of Bourgundy had beene so beaten with the like storme as it desired to continue in this calme Declarâ—tion of the house of Bourgundy the couetousnes of great men was glutted with the calamities of innocents z The people are for the most part innocent of the causes of warre they suffer al the calamities The couetâ—usnes of Souldiers is neuer satisfied but with the miseries of innocents Calamitatibus insontium expletur auariâ—a Tac. lib. 2. the most greedy of troubles were forced to commend rest It would haue seemed hard vnto the subiects to see themselues ouerwhelmed so suddenly with waues a It is alwaies dangerous to take from the people the ease and commodities wherein they liue The iudgement of Tiberius was long in suspence before he could resolue to draw the people from the sweetnes of peace to the discommodities of warre Tac. saith Populum per tot annos moliter habitum non audebit ad durioâ—avertere The Duke would not leaue a doubtfull peace with his subiects he desired to be satisfied of the Kings intention saying that if they forced him to raise an armie they should bury him in his armes that he had no will vnto it vnlesse he were forced that the Trumper should make no noise if violence were not offered and that this Eccho should remaine quiet in the ease of solitarines but if they moued him hee would not be silent vntill that they who had caused him to speake did first hold their peace These practises past away and the King was glad that they raised no stormes not holding it reasonable to resolue to warre more by the occasion which hee had then by the inconueniences which he did foresee b All occasion to make warre should not be rashly nor ambitiously sought for what shew of profit soeuer they had It is better to haue a care to keepe subiects in peace is people townes and to increase the commerce so discipline souldiers and together treâ—sâ—re together least he be surprised in necessity besides being now opprest not with yeeres but with cares which seemes to be inseparable accidents of the life of great men and the excesse of those pleasures which Nature had made short for that they are pernicious hee suffered himselfe to be carried away with melancholly and waywardnes two rockes against which the vessell suffered shipwracke Hee grew wayward after the condemnation of Iohn Duke of Alençon to lose his head the tenth of October 1458. After which melancholly and heauines had seazed on him hee changed the troubles of his life into a perpetuall prison at Loches and gaue his goods to his wife and children c Iohn D. of
D coÌ„plaines of the Kings breach of his word seeing you haue alwaies shewed such affection and goodwill vnto the King let him not now beleeue the contrarie in refusing so small a thing as hee demands It is true said the Duke I haue neuer failed in my affection and loue vnto the King but I may well say that he hath neuer granted me any thing that I haue demanded and hath kept nothing of that which hee hath promised me o WheÌ„ a Prince hath an opinion not to hold any thing that hee promiseth hee may say that â—e hath put himselfe out of the commerce and negotiation of all sorâ—s of aâ—â—aires for no man can treat with him that hath nothing valuable but words There is nothing but distrust and iealousie of his actions detracta opinione probitatis witnes the townes engaged which he should haue suffered mee to enioy during my life And for that Moruillier did still infist to haue Rubempre the which was a matter of consequence against the Dukes soueraigne command Peter of Goux a knight and master of the lawes said that although the Duke was vassell vnto the King for some lands yet he had others that did not acknowledge any other Soueraigne but himselfe holding of the simple grace of God who had honored him as well as the King with the Image of his eternall gouernment p A royalty is the figure of eternall gâ—uernment and the Image of the Diuine monarchy And therfore Kings haue been held as the fathers of the people Aristotle in the third booke of his Polâ—â—â—ckes saith that a realme is the power of one that doth gouerne the coÌ„monwealâ— not seeking his own pâ—iuatâ— profit but that of his subiects That the Duchies of Brabant Luxemburgh and Lotrech the Earledomes of Bourgundy Henalt Holland Zeland and Namure were soueraigne countries Yet he is no King said the Kings Embassadors to whom the Duke answered I would haue the world know that it was mine owne fault if I be not yet will I not tel how or by what meanes The next day the Earle of Charolois presented himselfe vnto his Father in the presence of the French Embassadors kneeling vpon a Cushion of Veluet an exemplary act of Reuerence and Humilitie of a Prince of thirtie yeares old vnto his Father and which assures this truth That who so will be honored of those which be vnder him should not faile to respect and honor those that bee aboue him The scope of his discourse was to iustifie himselfe for the taking of the Bastard of Rubempre and the confederacie betwixt the Duke of Brittaine and him wherein hee protested hee had no other designe then the Kings seruice and shewing that his condition had wherwith to content himselfe with his owne contempt of an other mans there beeing no lesse glorie in the contempt then in the possession q It is for great courages to contemne Riches The shortest way to riches is to contemne Riches It is easier to disdaine then to possesse all hee added that it was not for any discontent he had for the taking of his pension from him for that with the fauour of his father he could liue without the Kings bounty Whereupon Departurâ— of the FreÌ„ch Embassadors the Duke intreated the Embassadors to tell the king that hee besought him not to beleeue any thing lightly against him and his sonne and to hold them alwaies in his fauour r An Embassador must neuer supprâ—sse words of brauery nor threates which be heares spokâ— by the Prince vnto whom he is sent They presented a banket vnto the Embassadors the History saith wine and spices When they tooke their leaues the Earle of Charolois spake these words vnto the Archbishop of Narbonna Phil. de Com. lib. 1. one of the three Embassadors recommend me most humbly vnto the Kings good grace and tell him that hee hath sought to disgrace me by his Chancellor but before the yeere bee past he will repent it From these little sparkles grew that great fire of the warre of the commonweale The Duke of Burbonne s The visits of great persons are suspitious Iohn Duke of Bourbon making shew to go see the Ladie Agnes his mother at Bruxells treated the league of the publike weale with the Duke Periculosae suÌ„t secretae coitiones who was the intellectuall agent The D. of Bourgundy comes to see his mother at Bruxells faining to goe see his Mother at Bruxells conferred with the Duke but did not discouer the secret saying onely that the Princes had no other intent but to present a petition vn-the king to reforme the disorders of the state and to haue forces readie to the end hee might know how many were interressed in this reformation Such as entered into this league knew one another by a silken point which they carried at their girdles Although the king had spies in all places yet knew he nothing of these coniunctions and assemblies Princes are within and not aboue the world to see all that was done They must bee aboue the heauens to know the ecclipses by themselues and not descend low to see the effects t The effects of great designes doe often break forth before the causes are discouered A vigilant Prince doth alwaies vse peruensions and diuersions The league was borne before he knew the conception hee did not apprehend that it should show it selfe on the Burgundians side for he considered that although the sonne were violent and ill affected towards him yet the father wanted no iudgement to restraine him and iudging that the ayre could not be troubled but towards Brittanie he assembled both the Princes of his bloud and the chiefe of his Noblemen at Tours about Christmas 1464. and propounded vnto them the great occasions he had to preuent the designes of the Duke of Brittany u The King as Montstrelet saith made this assembly to coÌ„plaine that the D. of Brittaine had said that he had a designe to make warre against the Princes and to dispossesse them of their lands It was at this assembly that Charles Duke of Orleans could not forbeare to speake for the Princes of the bloud See Claud. Saysell in the life of Lewis the twelfth beseeching the king not to doubt of their loyalties and affections The king was offended at this remonstrance and reiected it with words full of spleene bitternes and contempt The Duke of Orleans being thus roughly handled and grieued that in an age of threescore and ten yeares he was not heard by him whose grandfather had vouchsafed to heare him in his youth could not endure them not considering that they came from the mouth of his king who was not bound to fit them to his humor and that he must swallow them sweetly without murmuring for the demonstration of the offence doth but augment it He died for sorrow two daies after the fourth of Ianuary 1465. Hee was interred at Bloys his bones were carried
many of stone in the quarries of Peronne Since that men grew so ingenious not to imitate Nature 〈…〉 as Xeuxis in his Vine Appelles in his Venus Memnon in his Statue Miron in his Cow Architas in his Doue Sapor in his Heauen of Glasse Mont-royall in the Eagle of Wood and in his Flie of Iron Albert the great in his brazen head but to offend and destroy Artâ—llery inuented that Mens wits haue giuen wings and fire to Iron to hasten death more speedily that a German Monke y The inuention of Gun-powder and Ordinance was found out by Bartholmew le Noiâ— a German Monk The yeare is diuersly reported some date it 1330. others 1334 and others 1380. went downe into Hell to finde fire there for the ruine of Man as Prometheus had mounted vp vnto Heauen to fetch that there wherewith hee thought to giue them life and that Europe hath knowne that which was not in vse Nothing strong without Cannons but to vnknowne Nations z The Portugals found Peeces of ordinance in the realme of Pegu which the Chinois had broght thither 2500. yeares before and the Chinois attribute this invention to an euill spirit who taught it to their first King called Vitey to defend himselfe against the Tartars aboue a thousand yeares before the birth of Christ. Artillery hath beene a marke of the power and greatnesse of Estates which cannot bee held strong nor assured if they be vnfurnished seeing that nothing can be gotten nor preserued without it Artillery shewes those Forts to bee weake which the Ancients held impregnable there is not any but feares this thunder and if they ouer-throw the Attemps and consume the meanes and patience of the assailant Formes of war changed it is onely by the Cannon It workes such terrible effects and so farre from the vse of the Engines in old time as it hath changed a Artillery is the cause that warre is at this day more iuditiously managed then in former times when as quarrels were ended by battels Euery man seeketh to win time and to force his enemy to necessity They trust nothing to fortune that may be committed to wisedome they gouerne their designes with longer time and more safety all the old formes of Sieges and Battels Gun-powder and wilde-fire are multiplied in so many sorts and are growne to such perfection as the warre which in former times was made onely with Iron is now done with Artillery and Powder They cause the Cannon to martch in the head of the Army All yeeldeth vnto the Cannon and that holdeth the ranke of Elephants a Elephants haue beene employed in the head of Armies Siquidem Tirio seruire sedebam Anâ— ibali When I did sit to serue Anniball of Tire and Chariots armed with Sythes which did cut in sunder all they incounter They giue them the honour to begin those great battels whereupon depend the healthes of Estates they open passages and make new all that come by one way scatter themselues into a dozen because they would not encounter them nothing preserueth it selfe but to receiue death or fight They are absolute Iudges of the doubs of victorie and if a battalion of foote presents it selfe so strong so well armed with Pikes and so couered with Muskets as they mock at all the attempts of a victorious Prince and merite that glorious name of an Armed wall b Dion calles the fourth Legion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See what hath beene spoken thereon in the first Booke they must at the sight of the Cannon yeeld their Armes or suffer the paine of their rashnesse and see themselues sooner ouerthrowne then Grasse or Corne is mowne downe and reaped c The terrible effects of Artillery is wittily represented by the Signior of Bartas in his Poëme of the Law Euen as when many Cannons shot at once Affront an Army th' earth with thunder grones Here flyes a broken arme and breakes another There stands th' one halfe of a halu'd body th' other Falles downe a furlong thence here flies a shield And deepe-wide windowes make they in the field It is Ordinance then which maketh a Prince equall to thundering Iupiter who maketh the Rockes to leape and ouerthrowes the Gyants vnder the mountaines which they had raised against him The Brazen-mouthes which vomit forth Iron winged with fire shew the greatnesse and augment the reputation of them that make them speake All the Trumpets of their glory sound not so loud and are not heard so farre as these Flutes They be the most certaine Titles of the right of Armes and are not subiect to contradiction so the charge is Royall and there is not any Prince how great and powerfull soeuer but in processe of time will finde it insupportable They write that King Henry the second in his voyage to Germany neuer made Cannon-shot but cost him three hundred Crownes d Blaise of Vigenere â— saith That in the voiage of K. Henry in the yeare 1552. at Danwilliers Iuoy places of small importance which notwithstanding endured thousands of Cannon-shot there was not any one shot but cost the King accounting all the equipage furniture belonging to the Artillery two or three hundred Crownes so as a dozen of those balles came to a thousand six huÌ„dred crowns All the Instruments and Engines of Warre knowne vnto the Antiens haue beene contemned to bring Artillery in vse which hath all the effects and force of Bowes Arrowes Rammes Slings Crosse-bowes Scorpions and those terrible Engines which did raise vp men into the Aire carried away whole Gallies heaped vp and carried with great violence Rockes Mill-stones and Men e The Cross-bow was an Engine which carried farre off and with great violence Somtimes they did put in men aliue or dead Pelagius a young man of Spaine seeing himselfe forced to yeeld to the infamous execrable lust of Almansor strooke him on the face wherewith being incensed he caused him to be cast by one of his Slings beyond the Riuer of Betis or Guadalquibir in the yeare 895. Iussit â—um funda machinali trans Betim mitti scopulosis rupibus illidendum whom they made to leap beyond the Walles the Riuers and the Mountaines of those places which they would make subiect to ruine But as Inventions are not perfect in the beginning the first Peeces of Ordinance were all of Iron InuentioÌ„s at the first rude and imperfect with bandes and hoopes of the same so heauy and ill made so difficult to gouerne so ill mounted and of so bad a bore as they had more shew then execution and did onely serue to amaze them that would bee amazed with the noyse f All Mechanicke Inuentions are rude and grosse in their Infancy as appeares in Artillery and Printing The Batteries of those times were ridiculous they did onely serue for an vnprofitable expence of powder They shotâ— a farre off and at randon and fiue or six vollies in a whole
question treated by Bodin in the second booke fourth chapter of his Common-weale but very superfluous for there is not any one but knowes therein what he should doe the President la Vacquery whom hee had drawne from the seruice of the Princesse of Flanders came vnto him with a good number of other Presidents and Councellors in their scarlet roabes The King being amazed to see this red procession demanded wherefore they came Sir answered la Vacquerie we come to resigne vp our places into your hands and to endure whatsoeuer it shall please you rather then to wrong our consciences in verifying the Edicts which you haue sent vs. Hee was very sensible of these words of Conscience and did not willingly like of any thing that was spoken to charge it he presently called them backe and promised neuer to doe any thing but what should bee iust and reasonable yet this course was not commended by them who compare a Magistrate leauing his charge for that he cannot allow of the Princes will to a Marriner which abandons the Helme during a Tempest A Magistratâ— should not quit his charge for any respect or to a Physitian who iudging the Disease incurable doth not vovchsafe to apply Remedies to asswage the paine when as hee sees those that may cure it are in vaine In these occasions the examples of good men whom wee must imitate and the aduice of wise men whom wee must honour should carry a light before iudgement Hee who first in France had the keeping of the sacred Seales of two Crownes seeing himselfe sometimes forced to haue the constancy of his duety striue with the absolute commandements of the King shewes how others ouer whom the dignity of his Office his vertues experience and merits giue preheminence should compose and gouerne their Actions When as the King to free himselfe from the Importunity of some Spirites which are hard to content and who abusing discretion in demanding grow discontented when they vse liberty in refusing commandes him to passe the Seale for things which exceede the ordinary formes of Iustice and are both without President and Reason o Example is a cleere light in doubtful things for those which are not grounded vpon example cannot bee maintained by reason Quod exemplo fit id etiam iure fieri putant That which is done ly example that they thinke lawfully done Cic. ad Sulpitium Hee hath beene heard to say that hee should hold himselfe inexcusable vnworthy of his charge and to carry the Title of the first Minister of the Kings Soueraigne Iustice if hee did represent vnto him the wrongs which it receiued in commaunding him things forbidden by the lawes and which should bee odious to his owne iudgement if importunity had not rather wrested then obtained them from his bounty Iustice is the felicity of Empires they haue seene how discreetly to his Admonitions hee added most humble prayers not to wrong the most sacred thing which the wisedome of God hath left to Princes for the felicity of their estates And when these Admonitions haue not preuailed that his Maiestie hath had other motions and that the effects which seemed contrary to Iustice haue made him see causes which Time the Men and the Affaires haue made lawfull and necessary hee hath alwayes conuerted his Reason into Obedience contenting himselfe to haue shewed the integrity of his minde without opposition against the will of his Prince which is aboue the Lawes and doth declare all that iust which doth accomodate his Affaires for there is no Lawe which commaundes a Magistrate to ruine himselfe in maintaining Iustice against the power of his Prince and Wisedome which carries a light before all other vertues will that a man faile in any thing rather then himselfe p Among the Precepts which Polybius sent to Demetrius to draw him out of the danger into which youth and indiscretion had ingaged him this is remarkable Quit all rather then thy selfe When as the Princes will strayes from reason it must bee reclaimed mildly by discretion wee must thinke that hee can doe nothing without the aduice of his Parliaments q Kings haue alwayes had a Councell a part to consult resolue vpon the great affaires of their estate The peeres of France did not enter into the Kings Councel their quality did not priuiledge them if they did not please the King It is also obserued in the Ordonances for the gouernment of the realme and for the Regency in the absence and minority of Kings they doe not in any sort speake of the Peeres of France The King should bee no King if there were in his Realme an Authority aboue his Great resolutions which concerne the safety of the State are not treated of in great Assemblies where as the secret which is as the soule cannot bee long kept in but doth euaporate r Matters are neuer kept secret in great Assemblies whatsoeuer was done in the Senat of Rome was blowne abroad the Senators Children told newes to their Mothers and Titus Liuius wonders that the Embassadors of Greece and Asia had discouered nothing of the speech which King Eumenes had vsed in open Senat against King Perseus Monarkes haue alwayes had a Councell separated from the Senate which is otherwise busied enough with the flowing and ebbing of Sutes and they haue not onely reserued great affaires to their Councell but they would haue chosen persons confifidently to impart vnto them their most important affaires This is not without President for the greatest and most happy Founders of the Roman Empire had besides the Senate a Priuie Councell of few persons s Iulius Caesar had for his priuy Councellors Q. Paedius and Corn. Balbus Augustus had Maecenas and Agrippa with whom hee treated his greatest and most important Affaires The Parliaments haue the care of the execution of the Kings Edicts they publish them and cause them to bee obserued they keepe the Registers that at neede they may haue recourse to them It is true that Princes haue sometimes shewed themselues so absolute in their willes as the wise men of their Councell not beeing able to restraine or moderate them haue often allowed the oppositions which the Parliaments haue made to their Edicts and fauoured them for that they were conformable to reason and agreeing with the publicke good For although the Soueraigne bee aboue the Lawes and that hee may derogate from Right and Law wherein Soueraignty doth properly consist yet it is necessary that the absolute power bee restrained by the Ciuill and that he consider that in destroying the Law and offending Iustice he is like vnto the Iuy which puls downe the wall that beares it vp I leaue it vnto the wise to consider if they did well to put into the mouth of King Charles the ninth Words of K. Charles to the parliament the thirteenth yeare of his Age and the second of his Reigne these wordes t These wordes are