worthy enterprises made aunswere that though the pictures were thrown down yet could not his vertues be defaced which first deserued the same that which they haue alreadie gotten ruling thy people not with crueltie or feare but shewing thy selfe such a one as becommeth thee to be diligently dispatching thinges presēt as also wisely circumspectly vndertaking of thinges indifferent being neither too great for thee to compasse neither too base for one of thy degree to medle or to deale with all so shalt thou liue a most happie life abounding in great felicitie and as one wanting nothing Knit the knot of friendship not with euery one that seemeth to seeke it at thy hands but onely with those whom thou vnderstandest and knowest through the excellencie of their vertues to bee men woorthy of thy fauour for they must be as helpers furtherers and counsellers to the wel gouerning of thy Citie and not as companions merily to passe the time with all wherefore see that thou doe trie and throughly consider the natures and conuersations of those with whom thou shalt vse this familiaritie friendship for thou shalt be adiudged of all men to be in like sort disposed and bent as are the conditions and liues of those with whom thou vsest dayly to be conuersant be not therfore rashe in companying with any neither let it bee done at any time without great cause and take thou heede that thou commit the charge of those matters wherewith thou wilt not meddle thy self vnto such men as will truely and iustly execute the same for wherein so euer they offend it shal be ascribed vnto thee whose authoritie they beare Take not them for thy faithfull and loyall seruauntes which doe most commend and praise thy doinges or speaches but rather thinke well of them which in duetifull wise and after a discrete order will as occasion serueth secretely reproue and reprehende thy abuses and vanities And to the ende that such as beare this true loue and affection towardes thee may not bee affraide to vtter the same vnto thee thou must graunt free libertie vnto such faithfull friendes and graue Counsellers to speake their mindes boldly and freely so shalt thou come to the knowledge of thy selfe and if thou chaunce to doubt in any matter they presently will be readie to yeelde their helping handes to the dispatching thereof presently trying out the certaintie in euerie thing And aboue all things be most carefull to shew thy selfe able to discerne and to know those which artificially and craftily shall seeme to fawne and flatter thee from them whiche with a true harte and zelous affection reuerence and obey thee least that being fedde and seduced by their glosing and dissembling thou shoudst rashly aduaunce the wicked and euill man to greater honour than thou dost the godly and well disposed or else to suffer the lewd person to receiue more profite by thee than they that bee honest and vertuous If any one doe come to informe thee as touching the behauiour and dealinges of another that is absent speaking euill of him geue no hastie credite vnto his wordes but staying thy iudgement doe thy indeuour to learne to vnderstand not onely the disposition and conuersation of him that hath told thee the tale but also the behauiour and dealinges of that man of whom the complaint was made and so the truth being tryed and sifted out the partie being falsely accused let the slaunderer receiue as sharpe punishment as the offenders should haue sustained being founde guiltie in such a case for there can bee no greater offence than to seeke to condemne the innocent Thou must also haue no lesse care to the gouernment of thy selfe than thou takest in the well ruling of others suppose it therefore as the chiefest and worthiest thing appertaining or incident vnto thee to be able to subdue and to conquer all vnlawfull appetites and licentious lustes shewing thy selfe to haue greater stay and more rule ouer all the affections and motions of thy minde than thou hast ouer thy Citizens Admit no recreation without good aduisement that in the company of those through whose presence thou maist proue the wiser as also be thought the better of by others for their sake Desire not to be singular in any of those thinges which are as common to the wicked also but let vertue bee thy chiefest delight for in her the euill man hath no part and as for that honour and reuerence which is done vnto thy person either for feare or otherwise in respect of thy authoritie esteeme it not neither account it as true honour but let them rather haue cause to wonder at thy great wisedome and prudence than at thy good fortune for herein consisteth true nobilitie Also if it should happen that thou shouldest be delighted in any vaine or vnseemely thing let it not be apparent but secretely dissemble the same shewing alwayes an outward desire of the best amende thy folly with speede for thinke it not lawfull for Princes and gouernours to liue at libertie whereas all others are bounde to spende their times honestly and orderly nay rather let thy temperaunce and modestie of life be such that it may bee a good example to others seeing as thou knowest the nature of the people is to conforme and to fashion themselues like in all poyntes to the conditions and dispositions of their Magistrates and Rulers Account the principall token and perfect proofe of good gouernment to be to see thy people inriched as also godly and well instructed obeying thy lawes and liuing in vnitie and concorde together It shal be better to ioyne vnto thy children eternall praise purchased by thy well doing whereby thou hast wonne the hartes and good will of thy people than the abundaunce of wealth or store of treasure or great possessions for the one is vncertaine and soone decayeth and is the cause of much mischiefe the other certaine and sure continuing for euer and is not to be taken from them by the falsehood or treason of any Also riches are soone recouered againe by him that is beloued and hath a commendable report and honest fame for all men pitying his want will be ready to pleasure him but a good name is not to be bought with any money Moreouer to abound in wealth is the onely desire of wicked men and they are commonly the richest because vnto their nette no fishe commeth amisse but true honour As the sumptuous furniture doth not make the Horse the better so neither doe riches make a man the worthier but it is the good reporte of his honest conuersation Seneca Augustus Cesar was wont to tearme braue or curious Garmentes the banner or badges of pride When as Alexander Senerus was reprooued by his Courteors for his plainnesse in apparell he aunswered that the maiestie of a king did consist in Princelie vertues and magnanimitie of minde and not in costly apparell When as in like sort the Counsellers of Alphonsus king of
the Emperour perceiuing that either he must resigne his Empire or else be the cause of the slaughter of his pleople if he did keepe it determined to kill himselfe wherevpon his friendes and Souldyers perceiuing that he dispaired of the victorie willing him not to feare hee made them this aunswere that he esteemed not his life so much that for maintenaunce thereof he could abide to see any Ciuill warre to arise To winne this eternall memorie Calteratides would not stay from the Battell although the Southsayer had tolde him that he should be slaine in the same for said he to flie were infamie but either to die or to be victorer shal be for the praise of my countrey in the same mind was Hippodamus who being .lxxx. yeeres of age and therefore willed to depart home as one vnfit for the warres did not onely stay but valiauntly incountring with his enemies was slaine euen before the face of his Prince and maister Ages king of Lacedemonia When as Demosthenes had boldly spoken before Phillip of Macedon in the behalfe of his countrey and Phillip had asked him whether he did not feare that hee would command his hed to be cut of though thou do so said Demostenes my countrey will restore it againe meaning he should win eternall praise The renowned Agosilaus of Lacedemonia being to leaue this life gaue straight charge that no picture or Monument shold be made of him for sayd he if I haue done any worthy act it will be a sufficient Monument for me otherwise al the pictures in the worlde are not able to make me honourable Solon termed the speeche of man to be the image of his workes Democâ—itus called it the shadow of the life for as Socrates saith looke what the conuersation of the man is such is his talke Alexander beholding the Tombe of Achilles began to weepe through the desire he had to immitate his vertues and renown Iulius Cesar in like sort beholding the picture of Alexander lamented that hee had spent his time so idlely being so old before he had equaled the princely acts and victorious conquests of so yong a man Theseus also became an earnest follower of the vertues of Hercules so did Themistocles the worthines of Melciades Erasmus maketh mention of a certain man which being accused for beating his father affirmed his deede as lawfull because his Father had in like sort beaten his graundfather this doe Children account it as lawfull to doe that which their fathers haue done before be it good or euill good consideration had of the effectes and euentes of euerie of them and in what order they were accomplished as also what ensued and followed thereon for by calling to minde thinges past and comparing the same to thinges present thou shalt easily giue iudgement of thinges to come Thinke it not decent for Princes to leaue that vndone whereby honour and renowne is to bee purchased gotten or not to trauell and to apply themselues vnto those studies and labours whereby in their life time they may be worthily praised whereas priuate persons haue not spared willingly to die to the intent after their deathes they might bee commended Doe thou therefore desire and couet to leaue vnto thy children the liuely protractures and goodly images of thy Princely vertues and noble actes rather than any stately picture or curious monument to be erected in remembrance of thy person And nowe aboue all thinges indeuour to preserue and to maintaine thy selfe and thy citie in safetie and tranquilitie but if of necessitie it so fall out that trouble and daunger is to be vndertaken wishe rather a happie death than a shamefull life alwayes mindefull of the commoditie of thy Countrey carefully prouiding that nothing be committed to the blemishe of thy estate neither that thou shouldest so order thy selfe that thou shouldest seeme as one quite forgotten or as a man that neuer had been borne for whereas thou consistest of body and soule the one being mortall and corruptable the other immortall and perpetuall it shal be conducible as also commendable for thee to leaue an euerlasting memorie of thy praise good report which thou hast obtained by thy well doing while thou here didst abide being as it were an immortall remembraunce of thy soule which is immortall for as thou wilt thinke it a signe of great good will and as a thing most honorable for thy friendes to keepe in memoriall of thee the visnomie and picture of thy body depainted in some table or other the which they may either lay vp in their Closets or hang vp in their houses how farre more excellent or rather more princely shall it be for thee to leaue thy renowmed actes and worthy enterprises not onely divulged and published by the mouthes of all thy Citizens but also registred and spreed abroade into all Countries both farre and neere by the writinges and sceadiles of such as be learned Remember to accustome thy selfe to talke to speake alwayes of such thinges as are accounted good and honest that by so doing thy inward and secrete thoughtes may also bee induced and practised to the meditating of the like and so likewise to performe and to accomplishe that in deede which thou hast before so well and godly conceiued and imagined in thy minde continually labouring applying thy selfe to immitate and to follow that for which thou shalt see other men commended or praised hauing as it were enuie at him which shall seeme to surpasse thee in well doing and neuer to cease vntill thou hast counteruailed or ouertaken him giuing also a liuely example in thy selfe as touching those thinges which thou shalt will or commaunde thy children or seruauntes to obserue whether it be as appertaining vnto such precepts A wise man saith Thales Milest as will not speake but when it is needefull and when he is asked he vseth but few words so discretely dealing in al things that he repentes him of nothing Aristotle did alwayes counsell his Schollers neither to praise neither to dispraise themselues Bragging and bosting persons are likened of Plutarche to the Cipres tree which being great and mightie doth neuer beare any fruite When as Lisimacus had threatned to put Theodorus the Philosopher to a sharpe and and cruell death he made him this aunswere O Lisimacus threaten this vnto those that weare stâ—ke gownes as for me I passe not whether I rotte vpon the ground or hang on a gibbet as are here prescribed by me or else by inuenting perscrutating of some other worthier or profitabler of thy selfe Moreouer suppose those men as vnworthy of the name of a wise man which can either curiously and subtilly cauill and reason of the smalest trifles or least causes or protesting and promising straunge wonders or as it were mountaines of gold to others when as they them selues doe liue and abide in greatest miserie but rather accept and take those men as wise which vsing seemliest words are able to giue best
vnto his people and therefore termed by the Authour Nicocles The maketh his hearers attentiue in commending vnto them the excelent gifte of Eloquence WHereas there are certaine men of whome the studie of Eloquence seemeth to be misliked laying also vnto their charge which spend their time in the perscrutating and searching forth of wisedome and knowledge that they prescribe set forth rules and preceptes appertaining vnto their artes more in respect of their owne commoditie and gaine then for any zeale or affection that they beare vnto vertue her selfe This was the cursed opinion of Licinius and Valentianus Emperours who accounted learning as a poyson and common pestilence in a common woale Honour saith Socrates is only proper vnto those that are indued with vertue and therefore Agesilaus vnderstanding that the king of Persia was called by the name of a great and mighty Prince wherin said he is he greater or better then I except he excell men in Iustice or temperancye I would gladly know of these meÌ„ which are of this opinion why they should finde so great fault with them whose desire is to attaine vnto the perfection of speach seeing they doe so highly praise and commend those that so earnestly practise and indeuour to purchase themselues credite by their well doinges for if the commoditie and profite arising thereby bee that wherewith they are greeued then truely haue they greater cause to mislike the other then this For who seeth not greater gaine gotten by one good deede then by an hundred woordes be they vttered spoken neuer so sweetely But what may better declare their follie herein then if they shoulde confesse themselues so sencelesse as not to vnderstand and perceiue that the cause and ende wherefore we doe so much esteeme the purenesse of life so greatly regard iustice and temperancie so earnestly apply our selues to all other vertuous exercises is that we may enioy and possesse the greater commodities thereby and not that wee should bee of baser and meaner estate then others are There is therefore no reason to condemne those thinges as euill through the which vertue being adioyned we may be able to excell and surpasse Archidamus being commended by a friend of his in that he had valiantly ouerthrown the Arcadians in battell aunswered it had bene more honourable if we had ouercame them in vertu for brute bests are able to conuince vs by strength Pantholidas hauing heard the Philosophers of Athens learnedly disputing of vertue did not vntlike their words because they liued dissolutely but being asked how he liked their disputation I must said he needes affirme their wordes to be good but yet altogither vnprofitable to them which in nothing doe follow the same As did Aeschius and Câ—esiâ—hon in Athens who though they for their abusing of that good gift which was in them were banished yet was their art nothing infamed thereby These men saith Cleantes are like vnto an instrument which yeelding a pleasant sound to others it nothing profiteth it selfe When as the Romanes hauing put downe their kings because of the licenciousnesse of Tarqont which was the last and now had deserued to liue at libertie rising vp in armes against the sacred Senate in so much that the state of their coÌ„mon weale was now most miserable only Publius Valerius through his eloquent Oration so perswaded them from this their madnesse and preserued the cittie from ruine others our inferiours but rather those men are to bee adiudged culpable and the faulte to bee imputed vnto them whiche doe seeme so lewdlye to abuse those good giftes through their euill applying of the same as they doe which conuert and tourne Eloquence the maintainer of truth to be an vpholder procurer of deceite and wrong And now also if this abuse be the cause why some men do so greatly mislike her I maruell wherefore they do not in like sort account riches strength of body and valiauntnesse of hart as the thinges which are euil because sometimes they are wickedly bestowed and applyed for they may as rightly alledge the same in the reproche of all other good giftes as to saye Eloquence is to be hated in that some that professe that arte are lying and deceitfull persons Are there not diuers men which being indued with the singulerst qualities and most excellentst knowledge haue not onely offended themselues but also procured the harmes of many others yet neuerthelesse those good giftes in them were not to be misliked no more then the strength of the body is to be accused because the owner thereof rashly beateth and vyolently oppresseth euery one that meeteth him or the magnanimitie of mind to be supposed as euill in that murtherers and theeues doe abuse the same for the wickednesse of the man is not to be imputed as infamous vnto any good gifte wherewith he is indued but rather to his own vyle and corrupt nature which doth so dissolutely mispend those good qualities turning that to the spoyle and destruction of their Cittizens which was giuen them for their preseruation and mayntenaunce and in this sort hauing no regarde to the distinguishing of eche perticuler thing because of the peruerse dealinges of some they fondly blame euen generally M. Antonius by his eloqueÌ„t and sugred speeche so appeased the wrath of them that were sent to kill him that they put vp their swordes and departed from him as men amazed Phillip of Macedon did know that the force of Eloquence was the only and chiefest vpholder of the estate of a common weale in that he so instantly sued vnto the Athenians for their ten Oratours at that time remaining among them In whome saith Demosthenes the study of EloqueÌ„ce is that man is one that seeketh to please all men but he that sheweth himselfe a contemner and dispiser of the same is such a one as coueteth by force and violence to bring all men to his becke nothing waying or respecting any gentle perswations Demetrius Phalerius affirmed that eloquence was of as great force at home in the common weale as is the sword in the field the one seeking to subdue our enimies by force the other to perswade to induce by reasons the people to the obeying of the lawes ond imbrasing of vertue King Pyrthus was wont to say that he wanne more Cities by the Eloquence and Oratoriall skill of his Embassedor Crimeas then euer he did by force of armes Alphonsus being asked whoÌ„ he thought the best and faithfulst counseller aunswered his bookes for of them saith he I shall be sure to heare that which is necessary for me to know plainely tolde me without feare or affection Demetrius Phalerius exhorted Ptolome the King of Egipt carefully to prouide such bookes as appertained to the gouernment of a Kingdome as also dilligently to reade them ouer for that sayd he that thy counsellers fearing to displease thee dare not vtter thou shalt there fynde it written without any exception the whole studie of Eloquence being
said the King if the people haue also learned in like sort to obay If the citizens obay their magistrates and the Magistrates in like sort obay the lawes that Citie sayd Solon shall prosper and continue otherwise it is soone ouerthrowne As the stage player must not onely seeke to please his hearers in showing himselfe singuler in playing the last act of the Commody but also in euery sceane euen from the first beginning so must we saith Socrates euen from the first entraunce into this life applie our selues vnto vertue and the knowledge of our duties and not defer the same from day to day or vntill we be olde the which we may rightly tearme the last acte of this our miserable pilgrimage It was a common saying among the Lacedemonians that Fortune was to be called vpon with mouing handes signifying that if we would doe our indeours and applie our selues to a vertuous and honest life we could not chuse but inioy a good fortune that is to liue happely gouernment holden of many so surely is it the daungerous thing that can happen vnto that sole authoritie possessed by Princes Seeke ye with as great care to auoyde those thinges which may giue any suspitiō of euill liking as you would doe not to be thought guiltie of the offence it selfe Moreouer I would haue you to account my good will and friendship so sure and certaine vnto you that I am yours to vse to your profites and furtheraunces in any honest and iust case doe you therefore diligently indeuour to maintaine and vpholde this my estate and bee not desirous of alterations or chaunges for surely by suche tumultes the destruction and subuertion of your Citie and Countrie will soone ensue Let mercie and seueritie be showen according to the desertes and behauiour of my people and not as wholy depending on the iudgementes and affections of the Magistrates for as they may bee made fauourable through the intreataunce of friendes so also many of them are often moued and incensed to bee sometimes too too sharpe and seuere through the ouerthwartnesse and frowardnesse of others doe you therefore execute iustice indifferently towardes all men trusting more to your owne innocencie and iust dealinges then to my mercie or fauour accounting also my saftie to be yours and the well ordering of my affaires to be the inriching of your owne treasures It shall be your dueties in like sort to shewe your duetifull obedience vnto my Crowne and dignitie to obserue my commaundementes to obey my lawes and ordinaunces and to behaue your selues honorable and commendable in the gouerning of my people willing in all thinges to execute my will and pleasure Be you also the incouragers and stirrers vp of youth to the imbracing of vertue and that not onely in giuing them good and graue counsell but also in practising the same in your owne doinges that thereby they may vnderstand what manner of men it behoueth them to bee which seeke to be accounted noble and honorable Teache also your owne children to be faithfull and loyall subiectes towards their Princes and see that they be especially trained and brought vp in the true knowledge and perfect practise of this vertue for when they haue thorowly learned to obey they will rule with greater discretion those which shal be subiect vnto their authoritie the profite also thereof shal be their owne for if they prooue faithfull and honest Citizens they shal be pertakers of our wealth and prosperitie but if they become riotous and dissolute liuers then will they soone hazard euen that which is their owne consuming that in a shorte time yea and that with shame and infamie which you their fathers haue honorably gotten with long trauell and continuall paynes suppose therfore that you then leaue your children richest and in most safetie when as you see them most worthiest of my fauour Account those men of all others as most miserable and wretched which being carelesse in keeping their promises haue lost their credite with those which were wont to trust them for without doubt such men spend the rest of their life with an vnquiet and fearefull conscience not daring to trust their friendes further then their foes either because they suppose euery man like themselues or that the guiltinesse of their own crime breedes a distrust within themselues They therefore may bee deemed as most happie which knowing themselues cleare from any such villanie leade their liues in great quietnesse Let not that outward shewe of profite to be gotten by any dishonest meanes seeme to be of more force with you then a vertuous and godly life neither thinke ye the name of a wicked liuer as onely odious and that you are as scotfree and safe if you can by concealing and cloaking of your naughtinesse auoyde or escape the report thereof and so to be accounted as honest men because it is not openly knowne for truely howe so euer it be done eyther secretly or openly it is alwayes one for the nature of the thing it selfe and the name giuen thereunto doe nothing differ be it done neuer so closely or priuily Seeme ye not to mislike or to enuie at them whom you shall see in chiefest authoritie and fauour with mee but rather contend indeuour through your owne worthinesse and vertues to become equall vnto the best supposing them as worthy to be beloued and reuerenced whom you shall perceiue and knowe your king to make most account of so shall I haue good cause to attribute the like vnto you your selues when time and occasion shall so require Continue ye alwayes of one minde speaking no worse of me behinde my backe then you shall vse to protest before my face confirming your good willes towardes mee in deedes rather then in wordes dealing no otherwise with other men then you would bee content to bee dealte withall your selues let your wordes and deedes bee agreeable and thinke ye so to be vsed and esteemed of mee as I shall finde you affectioned towardes me Say not amongest your selues this man or that man doth well and is worthy of great commendations but rather labour that other men may haue cause to say the like of you accounting also that vnto all those which willingly will shewe themselues obeyers and fulfillers of my commaundementes shal be gaunted free libertie to leade their liues as shall best like themselues And thus I mind briefly to conclude this long and tedious discourse which I haue made as hauing spoken sufficient as concerning those thinges which at the first I had purposed hauing as great hope to see you as carefully and as gladly to put in practise this which I haue charged you withall as you haue seemed vnto mee both ioyfully and willingly to haue geuen eare vnto the same while it hath byn tolde you Wherein I would haue you onely to beare in minde this one thing as the whole effect of all the rest which is no more but that you would thinke it your duetie to shew your selues in such forte obedient vnto mee and as carefull of my affaires as you your selues would looke to bee serued and obeyed of them which are vnder you and vnto whom you commit the ordering and disposing of your owne businesse the which thing if you doe vnfainedly and faithfully obserue and keepe it were truely but loste labour for mee to take in hand at this time to discribe vnto you the sundry and innumerable commodities which will growe and arise thereby for if I for my part doe in suche sort behaue my selfe hereafter as heretofore I haue done and you also doe your indeuours as gladly and as willingly to shewe your dutifull obedience and diligent care towardes mee you soone shall see to your great ioy and comfort your owne wealth increased these my dominions inlarged and this our Citie in most happie and prosperous estate wherefore seeing this thing is so conducible and profitable vnto you and so worthy of your labour it shall behoue you to take paine herein to be circumspect in your dealinges to haue alwayes a most vigilant and watchfull eye to the charge committed vnto you and for the obtaining of so great felicitie not to refuse any labour but with gladsome hartes ioyfully to vndertake the greatest perils perswading your selues that euen presently this combat is to bee attempted for euen nowe it consisteth in your owne powers and as it were in your owne handes to bee victorours without all labour to accomplishe your hartes desire and to winne that wished forte if you would doe no more but shewe your selues true and faithfull subiectes cheerefully accompanying him in all godly exercises which willes you to doe no more then he himselfe will doe ⸪ FINIS Jmprinted at London by Thomas Purfoote dwelling in Newgate Marget within the newe Rentes at the signe of the Lucrece