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A07610 A mirrour for Christian states: or, A table of politick vertues considerable amongst Christians Divided, into three bookes. Reviewed, and augmented, by E. Molinier, of Tolose priest, and Doctor of Divinitie. And by him dedicated, ro [sic] the most illustrious lord, the Lord Cardinall of Valette, Archbishop of Tolose. Translated into English, by VVilliam Tyrvvhit, Sen. Esquire.; Politiques chrestiennes. English Molinier, Étienne, d. 1650.; Tyrwhit, William. 1635 (1635) STC 18003; ESTC S112798 133,530 388

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without successe is a faire tree without fruit and it is the fruit not the tree the successe and not the counsell men chiefly desire since counsell is not sought for but in hope of the desired event the way but for the marke the Medium but for the Terminus and the meanes but for the end Now that good Luck whereof I speake proceeds not either from that blinde Fortune which spirits yet more blinde have forged nor from that imaginary destiny of inflexible decrees whereto Heathenish Antiquity hath subjected the Counsels even of Iupiter himselfe nor on the disposition of Celestiall bodies whereto the vanity of Nativity-casters submit the whole order of things happening here on earth whether Naturall voluntary or casuall Fortune is a Fable Destiny a Dreame and that necessitie the judiciall Astrologers pretend to bee imposed by the Starres upon humane and free actions or upon casuall and accidentall events is an evident errour and a manifest impietie For as concerning those effects depending on naturall and necessary causes the order of the World and Nature ranging inferiour bodyes under superiour ones giveth to those Authority to those dependancie and regulateth the actions of elementary Bodies by the Law of the influence of Celestiall Bodies All that God hath made is established with order sayth the Apostle Quae a D●o sunt ordinata sunt But what power would men ascribe to Starres either over humane actions proceeding from the Will or over casuall occurrents which being accidentall effects cannot by consequence have any Naturall certaine or limited cause Nature being appointed to a certaine and infallible end Natura ad unum determinatur according to a Philosophicall Maxim what authority or command can she have eyther over mans will being unbounded free and indifferent to the one or other of two contrary objects or over that which being meerely casuall may eyther happen or not happen The Starres being corporeall what can they imprint upon the soule of man being spirituall unreasonable things upon reasonable ones what is necessitated upon what is free or a thing determined upon an indifferent matter In like manner concerning casuall accidents what subordination can casuall and accidentall things have to the influences of Starres being regulated necessary and infallible things Is not this as much as to strive against all reason and to abuse the weaknesse and credulity of spirits so much as only to dare I will not say maintaine but even to broach such absurd propositions The Starres then O man shall be culpable of thine offences authors of thy good workes causes of thy prosperities instruments of thine infortunities if you doe any good they shall have the merit and consequently the reward shall bee due to them and not to you If you offend they shall beare the blame and you may justly cast the punishment upon them And why are Lawes among you if the Starres impose lawes upon you If the starres be the causes of your good and bad actions and you only the instruments to whom is the penaltic of ill or crowne of good due to the workman or his tooles to the cause or to the instrument See you not plainly that if these propositions were true you offer injury to the Starres to appropriate to your selves the reward of the good which they doe and wrong to your selves to inflict on your selves the punishment of the evill you commit not Who sees not how these propositions overthrow all reason all justice all vertue all order and all policie In like manner if it be the Starres which send good fortunes or fatalties prosperities or adversities to men they then governe the world it is they who raise some and represse others who distribute honours give victories transferre Scepters and dispose of Kingdomes But if this be thus wherefore is merit raised in one time and why at another time doth ambition obtaine all Honours Is it because the Starres one while make use of justice an otherwhile of favours Why in one age doth Industry conferre dignities in another gold or advantage in bloud is it because the Starres alter and accommodate themselves to the abuse of times as well as men doe Why in one Nation doth Election conferre Crownes in another Succession Is it by reason the Starres follow the fashions of Countries and doe diversly distribute their benefits according to the lawes of Kingdomes But they doe well in accommodating themselves to lawes lest they should bee resisted and finde some more compulsive thing then their owne power Of two borne at the same instant and under the same Constellations why is the one prosperous the other miserable and the aspect of Starres beeing so equall in both why should the effect bee so different Who seeth not that the Startes consisting of naturall and necessary causes appearing in all times and places and in all and every where after the same fashion producing so inconstant and various effects according to places moments and circumstances cannot be any constant cause of humaine events but in their conceipts who have neyther rule nor reason Naturall reason clearely sheweth the vanitie of their discourse Insigna coel● nolite m●th●re qui timent gentes quia l●ges populorum vana sunt Ierem. c. 10. Scripture condemneth them as full of Superstition errour and impietie Feare not the signes of Heaven which Idolatrers dread because the Lawes of the Nations are vaine sayth the Prophet Ieremy and the Church rejects and detesteth them Astrologia planetarii damuatur à Christiana vera pietate De Aug. l. 4. Confess as contrary to true pietie Iudiciall Astrologers and the Planetaries sayth Saint Augustine are condemned by the Christian Law And Saint Epiphanius reporteth that Aquila Ponticus who in the Primitive Church De Epiph. l. de som mensuris in the Emperour Adrian his time translated the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke was expelled out of the Church for addicting himselfe to judiciall Astrologie All the Holy Fathers with joynt consent have impugned this errour D. Bas in c. 14. Esay and St. Basil sayth That it confoundeth mans spirit and takes away Gods Providence Yea even the Lawes of well insticuted Republiques among the ancient Pagans have banished these judiciaries and deviners of good events as pernicious to civill societie And we reade in Tacitus of a Decree in Senate made in the Emperour Tiberius his time Factum est Squatus consulium de Mathematicis Italia Pellendis gonus hominum quod in urbe nostra expellotur semper retinebitur Tac. lib. 1. Ann. to expell them out of all Italy Whereupon this grave Authour addeth a very remarkeable observation that this kind of men have at all times beene chased out of Rome and yet have they continually beene retayned and supported Expelled from thence by publick Lawes but fostred by the superstitious foolish credulitie of particulars So as neyther humane actions nor casuall accidents depend at all upon the disposition of
retirements as well to reenforce their spirits dissipated by the throng of affaires as the better to discerne what was good and necessary during this solitary tranquility for the further authorisement of their lawes and decrees by the esteeme of Religion If therefore Heathens have attributed so much to meere opinion what ought Christians doe to manifest truth I will now conclude this subject by a notable speech of Saint Bernard to Eugenius then Pope To the end your charity may be full and entire exclude not your selfe from the bosome of that providence of yours which receiveth all others What availeth it thee to procure the good and salvation of all others if this happen by the losse of thy selfe Wilt thou alone be frustrated of thy private felicitie All drinke at thy breast as at a publicke fountaine and thy selfe remainest behinde panting and thirsly amidst thy owne waters Remember I beseech thee I will not say alwayes nor will I say often yet at least sometimes to allow thy selfe to thy selfe Enjoy thy selfe with many or at least after many And in another place Take example saith he of the soveraigne Father of all D. Bern. l. a. Eugenium who sending his WORD into the world did yet retaine him nere his person Your word is your thought and consideration which if it part from you to imploy it selfe for the publike good let it yet be in such sort as it may still remaine within thee That it communicate it selfe without leaving thee void and diffuse it selfe over others without forsaking thy selfe CHAP. 8. Of other Vertues which cause a Politicke sufficiencie and chiefly of Prudence I Have sufficiently spoken of Wisdome the smalnesse of this worke considered I will therefore proceed to speake of other parts instructing the Vnderstanding for the knowledge of such things as are necessary for publike good and which finish the perfection of a publike sufficience The Philosopher in his Ethicks Arist l. 6. Eth. assigneth five kinds of intellectuall vertues the Intellect Science Wisdome Art and Prudence Intellect is no other than the habitude and disposition to know the primary principles which are perceived by themselves and presently apprehended by the intellectuall power without the assistance of ratiocination Science is a demonstrative habitude of necessarie things which cannot otherwise be and this habitude is acquired by the discourse of Reason sounding and searching the causes thereby to know the effects Now this knowledge of effects by the causes is called Science Wisdome is a very perfect and exact Science knowing both the consequences deduced from the principles and the principles themselves with the most universall causes so according to the Philosopher the excellent knowledge of every Science Discipline and Art may be called Wisdome Art is an habitude and just reason of certaine workemanships which are to be made and produced to the shew as building and painting with the like Art reflecteth not upon the interiour residing in the soule but on the action passing and flowing from the interiour understanding to imprint it selfe upon exteriour substances Prudence is a just reason of the actions of human life and of what man ought to doe and practice according to his estate and condition Now of these five habitudes or vertues which instruct and perfectionate the intellective power Art suteth not with our subject The Intellect and Science have bin cursorily touched when I sayd that a good wit and the study of Letters were requisite as necessary parts for the forming of Wisdome There now remaineth onely Prudence which being the right rule of of human actions is as it were the soule and life of the active civill and Politicke life For Intellect Science and Wisdome are onely serviceable for the understanding the universall reasons of things and the true ends whereto they are to be referred Prudence ought after this to apply●●● 〈◊〉 ●●●eral reasons to the occurrencies particularities of affaires presenting themselves and to finde out the convenient meanes to arrive to the proposed end The Intellect seeth the first principles Science is acquainted with the universall causes of particular effects VVisdome is the perfection of the Vnderstanding the flower and Creame of Science Prudence is that which putteth in practise the Intellect Science and Wisdome The Vnderstanding affords the light Science frames the reason Wisedome perfecteth the knowledge Prudence directeth the action briefly Intellect Science and VVisdome do show in grosse what is fitting to be effected why it is to be done and to what end it is to be undertaken Prudence sheweth in each particular action how it is to be effected the former doe onely propose the end This besides the way doth likewise afford the skill and delivers unto us the conduct This is that of which the Philosopher speaketh in his Ethicks that it is the proper office of Prudence to dispose the meanes to arrive to the end The Vnderstanding searcheth it Science findeth it VVisdome sheweth it but Prudence conducteth it CHAP. 9. Of the Necessitie Excellencie and Offices of politicke Prudence PRudence as the Philosopher sayth in his Ethicks regardeth as its object things either good or evill profitable or pernicious honest or reproveable in a man following his calling and charge and it is proper to the prudent to consult and solidly to advise with himselfe in each affaire and particular action what is fitting and convenient to the present subject to his duty ranke and office So as to say truly looke how requisite Art is for the workes of industry so fitting is Prudence for the affaires of vertue An ancient Authour termeth Prudence the Art of living Now to live as a man ought is to live according to reason A man without Prudence is as a workeman without Art who hath tooles in his hand but wanteth act to make right use of them for the impression of convenient formes in the matter whereon he is to worke Man likewise who hath Science and VVisdome without Prudence seeth well the Reasons and the end whereto he is to ayme but is destitute of the right application of reasons whereby to finde out the meanes and attaine to the end And as the unkilfull crafts-man spoyles the matter thinking to polish it So the imprudent man ruines affaires presuming to rectifie them nor is there other difference save onely that the former spoyles Iron stones wood or some other matters of slight consideration the other ruines himselfe his particular fortunes yea whole States and Empires if he have thereof the administration VVherefore Saint Ambrose tearmeth Prudence D. Amb. l. I. Do offic c. 27. Cas Collat I. cap. 27. the sourse and fountaine of vertuous actions and Cassian expoundeth this saying of the Gospell Thine Eye is the Lampe of thy Body understandeth by this eye Prudence being the eye of the soule Or if the understanding be the eye of the soule and wisdome the light of this eye Prudence is the Apple of this Eye and as the lampe of this light
happy memory in things past in all Ages and States are the beginnings The practice of important affaires long experience and the gray maturitie of yeares are the consummation For this word of the Ancients never deceived any Councell of old men Armes of yong men sound consultation circumspection of circumstances foresight of consequences precaution against impediments prompt expedition are the beautifull actions of States-men and in fine the peoples repose the safety of States the common good of men are the divine fruits of this perfect prndence Who so possesseth this treasure enjoyeth a Diadem and if his origin hath not conferred Crownes upon him Crownes will seeke after him and if his condition have not made him a King his sufficiencie will make him the Oracle of Kings VVhat he pronounceth are decrees what he sayes are lawes his bare words ought to passe for reasons and as the Philosopher saith His naked propositions have the authority of demonstrations since the practise he hath acquired by experience enableth him in whatsoever he proposeth to consider the causes and principles But what is said of the Phoenix which being so frequent in Bookes was happily never framed in nature or what is related of that Orator among the Antients so highly extolled but never heard or of the Philosophers Republique the so well depainted Idaea whereof could never really appeare the same may be said of this perfect Prudence whom the contemplation of Sages hath so excellently expressed and which the imbecilitie of humane Nature could never yet perfectly produce So many rare endowments required in one man are more easily imagined then met with sooner desired than acquired To abuse our selves with Ideas is to feede upon fancies Wishes rule not the world and since things cannot be sutable to our votes wee must proportion ovr votes to things We are to acknowledge our owne ignorance in the truth of this passage of Scripture How irresolute are the thoughts of men and how uncertaine their foresights and to confesse the truth in al things but chiefly in Politicke Prudence which governeth the incertitude of worldly affairs that he who hath the fewest defects hath a great share of perfection One single circumstance susficeth to alter all in this case and very often the effect of greatest and most important actions as the cure of desperate diseases in States depends upon a very instant which Prudence either seeth not or fortune ravisheth away and after all we are to avow that in such cases wherein ordinarily waies are hidden the causes obscured the councell incertaine and the events independant of us he who seldomest stumbles hath no small sufficiencie and who so oftnest doth happen rightly to hit hath a great deale of good fortune CHAP. 11. That true Politicke Prudence ought to be derived from the Law of God against Machiavilians BVtas true wisedome ought to be deduced from the law of God so doth true Prudence flow from this divine fountaine For God hath spoken by the mouth of the Wise man Councell is to me Equitie is mine Prudence is mine and David said to God Lord thou hast made me wise by thy word VVisedome without God is meere folly and Prudence no better than malice the one followeth salle principles the other useth the meanes opposite to the true end of man the one depraveth the understanding the other deregulates life the one deceiveth us in what we ought to understand the other in what we ought to doe the one adoreth lyes insteed of truth the other embraceth iniquity for vertue in briefe the one diverts us from the true way the other leadeth us to a precipice The Prudence of the flesh produceth nothing but death saith the Apostle So as if it be pernicious to particulars what profit can it afford to Republiques if it ruine men how can it relieve Empires Is not God the finall end of States in generall as well of men in particular if he be their end ought he not to be their ayme if their ayme ought they not to levell thereat by meanes conduceable to their end What other meanes are proper to cause all States to tend toward God than those which the Prudence derived from God dictates unto us If therfore fleshly vain prudence supposing to maintaine it selfe maketh use of unjust meanes and those contrary to God is it not apparent it diverteth them from their mark their end and happinesse ruining insteed of establishing them Wherefore Moses called the people of Jsrael who would not guide themselves according to Gods law but by their private spirit a Nation without Councell and Prudence And the spirit of God gives us two advertisements as two generall rules of our life the one by the Wise man Relye not on thine owne Prudence the other by the Apostle Derive not your prudence from your selues Plato reporteth of Hyparchus in a Dialogue intituled by his name how this man desirous of the publique good placed great Pillars in all the crosse-waies of Athens whereon were engraven grave and wholesome inscriptions advertising men of their duties If this custome were still in use among us it were fitting these two sentences as two Oracles from heaven were engraven in Marble and brasse in the most eminent and chiefly frequented places of all Cities to admonish men not to guide the course of their lives affaires and offices by the foolish Prudence of the flesh but by that Prudence derived from God being the infallible rule as it is the finall and firme conclusion of all humane actions CHAP. 12. How the Law of God is usefull for the acquisition of true Politicke Prudence THe Law of God doth in two sorts serve toward the acquisition of true Prudence not onely of that which is ordinary and oeconomical but of the civill and Politicke likewise First in proposing to every particular action its due end direct meanes and just measure secondly in appeasing and calming the passions of the soule which as the Philosopher saith cause a certaine thicke fogge to arise in the superiour part thereof darkening the eye of reason and hindering the wholesome counsell and right judgement of things which Prudence ought to afford For passions imprint in the soule a kinde of malignant disposition causing counsell to ere in the election of the true end judgement in the choice of the meanes and the commandement of reason in the definition of times we ought to take of the place whereof we are to make choice and of the measure we are to observe in making an Act truely Prudent The covetous and ambitious person who propoundeth to himselfe no other end than his particular profit and honour will not make use of other meanes but such onely as may conduce to the raising of his revenues and dignities yea and often carried away by the floud of this unbrideled desire as by the force of an impetuous torrent he is not able to observe either time place or measure VVhat counsels can be expected from a spirit so indisposed
the dignity of high charges the most assured meanes is that which King Agesilaus sheweth us To say that which is good and to do what is honest which in a word is to shew our selues irreprehensible in our counsels and actions If you will have good renowne learne to speake well and to do better saith Epictete in Strabo Whereupon Socrates giveth this briefe instruction to Magistrates for the acquiring a good name to wit to endevour to be the same they would appeare For both mines of gold and springs of water though hidden do notwithstanding continually send forth certaine marks upon the surface of the earth which discover them the former small graines of gold the latter coolenesse and humidity So likewise true vertue engraven in the soule daily sendeth forth certaine and evident signes of her presence as flashes of her light Dissimulation may counterfeit truth but never imitate her and lesse perfectly represent her The Ape beareth certain touches of mans face but every man still knowes it for an Ape The painted grapes of that ancient Limmer had the forme and colour of true ones but they deceived onely birds The counterfeit Cow of Myron deluded onely other cattell The apples of Sodome deceive the eye beholding them but not the hand touching them Counterfeit gold may impose true apparances upon the eye but it cannot cosen the test Apparances and pretexts may well disguise vice but facts will manifest it and if Midas have Asses cares hee is much the nearer to hide them or to stoppe mens mouthes when Reedes and Canes having neither eyes to see nor cares to heare will finde a tongue to discover and divulge it There is nothing so bidden but comes to light saith the Scripture A good name and chiefly in men elevated to honour is a tender businesse and of the nature of flowers which lose their smell and grace if they be but onely touched It is therefore not onely necessary to preserve it from blame by avoyding ill but even from suspition in eschewing whatsoever carryeth the shadow thereof blame foyleth honour suspition blasteth it and though after difference vertue rest entire yet doth the authority thereof remain wounded and as the Sunne eclipsed by the opposition of the gloomy body of the Moon remaineth still cleare in it selfe but darkesome to us So vertue eclipsed by the mischievous encounter of suspition and publicke distrust though she be at all times cleare and shining in her selfe yet so it is that she becommeth obscure and uselesse for others 2 In producing the workes of vertue To leave one terme is not to touch the other To avoyd evill is as much as not to be ill but it is not presently to be good Vertue faith the Ph●losopher tendeth to operation to avoyd blame is not to be reproachable but it is not instantly to be commendable Praise is due onely to vertuous actions but to flye vice and practise vertue to avoyd reproach and merit glory is the perfection It is from thence the splendor of a faire and solid renowne resulteth Men cannot praise but what they prize nor prize but what they know nor know but what they discover Vertue appeareth not it is hidden in the soule but the reputation her workes produce in the opinion of men is a light causing her to be both admired and reverenced To this purpose the Astrologers say that we see not the Sunne but the light thereof onely and the Philosophers that we discover not the presence of spirituall substances but by their actions The good odour discovers the Muske good workes vertue Wee see not God the Angels the soule nor the winde but we perceive Gods presence in the world the Angels in their place the soule in the body the winde in the ayre by their effects of God by his Providence of the Angels by his wonders of the soule by its discourse of the winde by its blast Wouldst thou have thy vertue commended let us see it Desirest thou we should see it cause it to operate shew her workes and we shall perceive her presence afford us her fruits and we will returne her due commendations How wilt thou have us know that thou art in possession thereof if thou producest it not or that it is living in thee if it have no operation It cannot be without living nor live without working Habitude saith the Philosopher is in the power vertue in the action vertue cannot be idle if shee be so she dyes if she dyes she is no more Fire leaves to be when it gives over burning the spring dryeth up when it leaveth running the tree dyeth when it putteth forth no more leaves The Crocodile as they say leaves to live when he makes an end of growing the heart loseth life as s●one as motion The life of all things ends with the●r operation So vertue ceasing to operate is eyther not any longer any thing or will speedily be reduced to nothing She is either dead or drawing on towards her end her vigour is extinguished with her action and her idle languishing and dying habitude onely remaineth CHAP. 12. Of the ordering of life and manners which is the other head of Politicke Iustice towards himselfe VErtuous actions then are necessary both for the conservation of vertue and for the production of honour and praise which is her light lustre Here may enter nay here ought all vertues to meet not onely Politicke but even those vertues proper to a private man as temperance chastity sobriety humility modesty benignity and others which regulate their lives and manners who are therewith adorned these being not precisely necessary in a Magistrate as a Magistrate but very fitting as he is a man and more as he is a Christian Nay I say as a Magistrate he ought to possesse them in a higher degree than the vulgar since in a selected person nothing ought to be ordinary but all choice all high and all proportionable to the place he holdeth For as man as touching the body participateth of the elements with beasts and plants but yet in a more excellent manner proportionable to the dignity of his reasonable nature raysing him above the rest of corporall things so those vertues practised in a slacke manner among the people ought in Princes and Magistrates to be farre more eminently exercised For they being instituted not onely for the maintenance of peace but of good manners likewise among the people they owe for the one vigilancy and conduct for the other example and good life and if peace requisite in society be not ordained and appointed but to cause them to live vertuously and according to the lawes of just reason it seemeth that those who governe them are not so much redevable for their good guidance in causing them to live in peace as for their good example in procuring them to live well The one is but the meane the other the end Wherefore it is that not onely Politicke vertues but all the rest
reflection bestoweth upon men Without this stamp gold is not valuable to iron with this Marke iron passeth for gold It is not so much the worth as the esteeme which setteth a value upon all things in the Commerce of this world It is the like of wisdome and vertue as of the precious stone called Phengite which though right beautifull and of excellent luster yet remaineth it dull and darke if the Sunne shine not thereon so the most excellent qualities languish and wither as unknowne and despised if the light of publike esteeme doth not thereto adde both luster and authority For we are to acknowledge the powerfull Empire which opinion hath eyther acquired or usurped over humane spirits an Empire of such extent as she takes notice of all things and so absolute as there is no farther any appeale from the Decrees she pronouneeth And though an ancient Sage sayd that truth is the strongest and most powerfull thing yet so it is that opinion often robs her other rayments and seizeth on her scepter so as if she once establisher throne in mens thoughts truth will be ill troubled to regain possession shee commandeth without contradiction shee governs at pleasure shee rayseth what delighteth her and represseth what she disesteemeth she sets the price on all things on wits on vertues on industry on science and whatso ●●●ieth not her seale is scarce saleable though it bee otherwise valuable Wherefore as I have cursorily touched in the second ●ooke Vertue desiring to become profitable for the publick ought to seek the suffrage of publick opinion to bee authorized and by the authority which opinion acquireth for her in mens spirits to allow weight to her counsels and effects to her just intentions And truly it is fearce credible how much power and efficacy the opinion men conceive of any thing hath to make it receivable nay good and profitable The opinion of the Doctors sufficiency and of the vertue of his receits curethm●●● sick folks than the medicines and ●cceits themselves yea this pers●●sion hath sometimes been so powerfull as the only sight 〈◊〉 the Physitian hath cured the Patient It is sayd that the Tortois conceiveth merely in seeing by the force of imagination and Physitians hold that children carry the characters imprinted on them of those objects their mother have fixedly beheld or apprehended upon their conception as that woman whose eye attention being seriously bent upon the figure of a Moore conceived and brought forth an Aethiopian And 〈◊〉 ●●●es who conceiued spotted lambs an●●●oured as the●wigs were which the shepherds layd in their sight along the channell where they went to watering The field need to bee large should I follow all those effects of the imagination causing such miracles in the world as to make men sick by force of apprehension and againe to cure them by the same meanes drawing their remedies whence their maladies arose yea to cause horns to bud in the forehead of Cyppus King of Italy by suffering the sight of Bulbaiting to take over deep root in his phantasie where he was a spectator to produce monsters to surpasse common courses and to sport with the order of things causing men some halfe dogs others halfe fishes and others halfe horses to come to light Infants of the imagination prodigies and amazements in Nature But no farther to enlarge my selfe in the recitall of these curiosities I alleadge this only to shew how the like force imagination hath in naturall things opinion hath in morall and civill occuriences For is it not a wonder to set sometimes a mutinous multitude gr●●●bling and foaming with sory like the waves of a rought sea overturning and ma●●●cring all they meet in opposition with sire sword staves stones and other weapons which rage lights on taking and ●aling away all by their viol●●ed as do the 〈◊〉 of an overst wing rement to stay at 〈◊〉 to upon the first sight of a grave and reverenced person 〈…〉 as the Po●●●scribeth Tum meritis si forte gravem c. Who once appearing suddenly doth stay Their boldnesse and their fury doth allay Imposing silence And his mouth whence drops A sweet distilling honey calmes and stops Those raging waves and mad attempts begī By giddy choller by sad temper woon It is no marvell that as the swelling rage of the Sea threatning to swallow the whole earth breaks it selfe upon some sandie shore so this tempest of a mutinous people appeaseth it selfe at the approach of a disarmed person and that opinion stayes what force Iron and armes were unable to stop The esteeme and opinion conceived of this mans vertue dissipateth all this storme as it is sayd how the waft of an hat diverteth thunderbolts and Canon-shot But is it not yet a more remarkable example of the efficacie of opinion to see a whole armie already routed to resume courage at the very sight or voyce of some renowned Che●●etaine as though one single man inspired strength into all or as though all fighting in one all by one or one by all should obtaine the victory It is neyther the strength nor courage of the Captaine which causeth this wonder for what could one mans strength adde to a compleat armie were he an Hercules an Alexander or a Caesar It is then the Opinion onely they have conceived of his valor and conduct Opinion inspiring courage in the greatest Cowards force in the most feeble ardor in the coolest and doth with more spiritfull promptnesse than the sound of Trumpets or the influence of the Starre of Mars animate all men to fight In like manner the Pilots experience redoubles the Saylors courage amidst the affrights of most terrible tempests The masters presence sitting cheerfully at the poope affords them more hope than heretofore St. Elme shining in the Bole of the Mast The sight of him is their Sea-marke and Pole-starre he warmes their hearts and redoubleth their strength to strive against the storming Billowes And the credit their Masters authority hath acquired saves more ships than eyther Art or dexteritie The like hapneth in a Counsell and Assembly where the Authority of some one man in speciall credit and reputation effecteth more eyther toward the passing of a good and sound advice or the rejection of an unjust proposition then his reasons his discourse or Wisdome When he had yet scarce spoken his authority begins to encline them to what he would say fearing lest they should not soone enough conforme themselves to his advice his authoritie keeping them under command and his very silence in suspence and no sooner doth he begin to speake but each man hath his eye fixed on his face and his eare to his voyce he imprinteth what he speaketh and perswadeth what he pleaseth the weight of his name more then his words causeth their judgments to incline to that side wherto this ballance draweth them so as ordinarily all others suffer themselves to bee attracted to him as the Iron to the Adamant without being pressed