enemie is to no purpose and therefore it auaileth more to deale sharply and roughly with them then to thinke to ouercome them by humanitie and signes of good will CHAP. 25. The suspitions increased and made greater by the euill speeches and reports of men in authoritie is the occasion that men oftentimes become cruell SVspition being an opinion of euill which entreth into our mindes and corrupteth the good which a man possesseth or thinketh to possesse when this suspition is accompanied with probable and apparant coniectures or maintained through the report of some personage of credit and authoritie it may then haue such force in mans hart as to make him become inraged inhumane and cruell When such suspition is entred into Princes and great Lords which hold estates feare to lose the same it is easie to make them to feele it and encrease and augment their suspition chiefly when they are stirred and that the flea according to the common saying is put in their eare by persons to be beleeued which alleage reasons with some apparance or likelihood of truth I wil not produce many examples which might be infinit but this onely shall serue for a memorable example written by Guicciardin of Iohn Bentiuogli Lord of Bologna who hauing to his aduantage by meanes of the King of France ended his busines with Duke Valentine and being assured that he should not be molested by him any more he began againe to entertaine and to continue the suspition which he bare in himselfe against the house of the Mariscotti which was enemie vnto him and this suspition being augmented by the rapport whether true or fained of Duke Valentine who told him in secret yet with a malitious heart that he was inuited by the house of the Mariscotti to approch draw neere to Bologna which was the occasion that Bentiuogli who held the Duke to be a man of credit and authoritie giuing credit vnto his words entred into so great iealousie suspition that being become very eager and cruell to deliuer himselfe of this feare knowing the house of the Mariscotti to be rich mightie and well followed determined to rid himselfe of this corrosiue by the death of all the Mariscotti whether they were culpable or innocent And making his son Hermes the instrument of his cruell determination Iohn Bentiuogli Hern◠〈…〉 he brought it so to passe that many of the most honorable houses of Bologna did with him embrue their hands in the blood of almost all the Mariscotti which were in Bologna This was done by these young men to the end that those honorable houses which had serued his turne in the execution of so great a crueltie in fauour of Bentiuogli becomming enemies of this noble house of Mariscotti should euer desire the conseruation of him and his estate and with all their power helpe to support the same And although Duke Valentines purpose was to make Bentiuogli odious in that citie he should not haue done it by such meanes as might bring his friends in daunger for that he ought to haue considered that a Prince to maintaine his estate is to doe any thing and to attempt any hazardous enterprise to deliuer himselfe from his enemies and emulators When a man seeth another man to haue a great suspition of another he ought not further to inflame him by ill reports because that the suspitious to the end to be deliuered of this hart-burning regardeth not whether the report be true or false but vsing all meanes to assure himselfe will attempt any thing be it neuer so hard vniust dangerous or infamous CHAP. 26. A man ought not neither in iest or by any other meanes to put a Prince in iealousie of his estate for that it is a matter full of danger FOrasmuch as Princes concerning their estates A comparison betweene a louer and a Prince are like louers towards their Mistresses and as for iealousie they are equal and march with like pace for as a man may easily lodge iealousie in the heart of a louer euen so may a man with great facilitie put a doubt and suspition into the heart of a Prince by reason of his estate And as he which reuealing to a louer something which may be preiudiciall to his loue maketh him vigilant and watchfull carefully to take heede to euery thing that passeth euen so those which put their Prince in doubt and suspition of a conspiracie insurrection or depriuing him of his estate or such like put him in most extreame great trouble of minde make him make sudden and extraordinarie preparations oftentimes to take offensiue resolutions But as a louer being certified that all that which was told him of his beloued was fained a lie he iustly turneth all his wrath indignation against those which gaue him this hammer of suspition euen so a Prince seeing in the end that that which was told him of the danger of his estate was false and forged is with iust cause displeased with him who put him to this trouble and punisheth him accordingly In the yeere 1566. Alexander Bon a gentleman of Venice through a vaine plot and enterprise put the whole Common-wealth of Venice in doubt and suspition of a reuolution of their estate but he mist to effect with his honour that which he pretended This man hauing once deceiued the Senate in case of reuealing of secrets of importance and thereby got money and the practise succeeding well he practised the second time to doe the like for hee was a man of great expence and wanting meanes sufficient to maintaine that greatnes which he desired with rigour A Captaine through boldnes and diligence oftentimes obtaineth that which by mildnes he should neuer attaine vnto he obtained of them what he would Whereby a man may perceiue that sometimes that is obtained by boldnes of spirit and constant resolution which by ordinarie meanes would neuer be graunted for that whilest that he who is sued vnto deliberateth there may growe some let and hinderance and likewise in consulting and considering of the matter he may resolue with himselfe not to graunt what is demaunded and by this meanes warres and troubles arise which breake off the desseignes But when a man sheweth himselfe bolde and audacious and giueth him that is sued vnto no leasure to studie and deliberate on the thing demaunded the suddennesse of the matter presenteth before him the present danger in deferring or denying to yeeld to that which is required and so a man shewing himselfe hardie and bolde commeth to obtaine that which he desireth The Earle of Foix serued his turne in this manner who being at Bologna was aduertised of the rebellion of Bresse and marching forwards to make a conquest of that towne he resolued to take the next and shortest passage through the Seignorie of Mantoua and so hauing vpon a sudden taken this way at the very instant he sent word to the Marques that he would passe through his Countrey
began to build a fortresse and hasted so well the building that within a small time it was guardable This gouernour carried himselfe very ill towards the Sienois and the souldiers became so insolent and cruell The insolence of the Spaniards in Siena that they were not to be endured and the Sienois did but lose time to go to the gouernour to complaine for hee was so farre from punishing the Spaniards for the euils which they committed that he himselfe fell to mocking of those which complained The Sienois then wearied with the ill behauiour of Don Diego and his souldiers resolued to send an honourable ambassade to the Emperour and hauing made choice of the principall gentlemen of their citie they sent them to the Emperour to complaine of the iniuries and indignities which were done vnto them by his gouernour and the Spaniards which were with him The Ambassadours were heard by the Emperour and were but slightly beleeued and in conclusion were sent backe to Don Diego who being offended that they had complained against him did and suffered to be done vnto them worse then was done before Wherfore the Sienois againe sent other Ambassadours in greater number then before to complaine to the Emperor of the same outrages committed by Don Diego and brought back the same answer which they likewise had before and were againe sent back to the same Gouernour by reason whereof the Sienois despairing of due reuenge and not expecting any release of their troubles for that they could not be heard by the Emperor fearing wholy to lose their libertie began to talke of rebellion of yeelding themselues to the French King which they did with all possible expedition and hauing slaine sundrie Spaniards and shut vp the rest in their Citadell they set vp the armes of France and submitted themselues vnto King Henry the second and if then Don Diego had bin taken in the towne and fallen into the hands of the Sienois in that furie surely they had done him no great pleasure And so Caesar for giuing too much credit to Don Diego and would not by other secret meanes be enformed of the truth and the complaints of the Sienois the Citie was brought to rebellion and infested with a most dangerous warre and finally Don Diego betooke himselfe to a priuate life which hee ought to haue done before Let Princes then vnderstand attentiuely them which complaine of their Gouernours let them enforme themselues of the truth and doe iustice to him who shall require the same if they will hold the Gouernours in their dutie and deliuer themselues from many displeasures CHAP. 52. Publike officers and ministers of Princes ought to be punished for example when they are found to haue done iniustice THere are some men the which confuted with certaine apparant reasons haue been of opinion that a Prince ought not to punish his publike officer being in publike charge of Magistrate when hee committeth in iustice and say that he ought not to be punished for three reasons to wit for not to diffame or dishonor the Magistracie or publike charge for not to be esteemed of small iudgement in chusing such a one for not to be accounted cruell and couetous in bereauing him both of his life and goods This opinion hath no good foundation and cannot stand but very weakly but Princes ought to haue this consideration that they suffer not to escape vnpunished the wrongs done by their officers constituted in charges and dignities and that for sundrie reasons and occasions that is to wit to shew themselues conseruers and preseruers and maintainers of their lawes which haue prescribed iust punishments for vniust Magistrates to maintaine their owne reputation which consisteth in this that they support and endure not in places of charge and gouernment vniust and couetous persons and that for example for in punishing one all the rest will beware the Prince shall not need to doe too great execution William King of Sicile caused a certaine Iudge to be â—leyed because he did not iustice in his charge William King of Sicilie surnamed the good imitating herein Artaxerxes caused an vniust Iudge to be fleyed and commaunded his skin to be fastened to the Iudgement seate vpon the which he afterwards set the sonne of the deceased Iudge to exercise iudgement and successiuely many others which proceeding alwaies iustly gaue no further occasion to the King to vse any more punishment Cosmo de Medicis great Duke of Tuscane during all the time of his raigne which was 38. yeeres or thereabouts had no occasion to inflict ouermuch punishment for that once only he cassed all the Magistrates of eight from the Balia for not proceeding in a certaine matter as they ought which gaue so great terror to all in generall that during his life time hee needed not to vse any such correction towards any such Magistrate and so all the rest gouerned themselues well and performed their dutie A Prince ought to punish the said officers and Magistrates to maintaine his owne reputation and to auoide the dishonor which he might incurre to be accounted a man of small effect or a wicked man of little wit for that he knoweth not or hath not the heart to punish or of wicked for that he will not punish which things make him contemptible and odious because that debilitie or basenes of minde maketh him despised and wickednes maketh him to be hated which are the most pernicious poysons that may be in any estate And hence it would follow that many would be of opinion that he did participate and had his share in such wrong doings for seeing that hee endureth the same a man might iudge or stand in great doubt that he had a hand therein and durst not punish them which enriched his coffers by any meane whatsoeuer Moreouer the Prince ought to punish his euill officers thereby to acquire vnto himselfe the generall good will of his subiects and opinion of a iust Prince for it is to be beleeued that such an officer is ill beloued of all And for this cause when a man seeth such a one punished they praise and loue their Prince which peraduenture before was ill beloued for suffering him Duke Valentin well knew this humour who seeing himselfe hated by the Romanes Duke Valentin caused Ramire de orco a Spaniard his Lieutenant to be slaine in Romania for doing iniustice by reason of the crueltie iniustice and ill behauiour of Remire de Orco a Spaniard his LieutenaÌ„t in Romania wherfore he caused him one morning to be slaine and cut in two pieces in the place of Cesena by which deed he acquired to himselfe the good will of all that prouince A man getteth nothing to say that he ought not to be punished which is in publike charge and dignitie for feare to dishonour the Magistracie and dignitie of the place for the Prince is more diffamed and dishonoured in supporting his iniustices then in punishing them And in like
any thing vnaduisedly and against reason which ought to be obserued not onely in the warres but also in all other actions CHAP. 89. To despise backbite and slaunder any Man breedeth hatred against him which vseth it who seldome escapeth vnpunished I Said before that a man ought not through euill speeches to be drawne and prouoked to doe any thing contrarie to iudgement and reason and haue confirmed by examples all that I haue spoken I say now that to despise and by euill speaking to blame another man is a thing very dangerous for him that doth it and I vphold that they are wise and aduised which absteine as well from threatning as by words from iniuring or wronging the enemie for threatnings take away no forces neither doe iniurious speeches disarme any Man but both the one and the other may prouoke him and make him thinke more aduisedlie how and in what manner he may grieue thee and be reuenged so as a man may rightly say that they are so many weapons to strike thy selfe Wherefore as a wise Captaine ought not to be prouoked by the ill words and reproches comming from his enemies to doe any thing against reason so ought he to forbeare to speake ill himselfe and that his Souldiers iniure not the enemie abroade neither vse any outragious speeches among themselues within for that may prouoke the enemie and vrge him to seeke reuenge and this may also breed a confusion in an armie First we haue an example in Gabades a Captaine of the Persians who hauing long time lien at the siege of Amade and being wearie thereof determined to raise the Siege and began to send away his armie Wherefore the inhabitants of that Citie being puft vp with pride for the victorie came vpon the wals and Ramparts and spake much euill of the enemies forgetting nothing that might offend them calling them Cowards and villaines for which cause Gabades being very wroth returned to the siege which was so hard and streight and the inhabitants were so closely followed that he ouercame them by force sacked their Citie and in this manner taught them how to speake well The same happened to the Veientes when as they came euen to the very Ports Ramparts and Trenches of the Romanes they vsed many iniurious speeches wherewith the Souldiers being moued and much offended prayed and enforced the Consults and Commaunders to giue battaile and therein ouercame them and by this ouerthrow they caused the Veientes to beare the punishment of their licencious audacity Wise Captaines ought not to permit Souldiers to outrage one another in words among themselues reprouing and casting one another in the teeth with dishonest vituperable facts they which prouide not for this inconuenience put themselues in some danger Wherefore Valerius Coruinus Lawes ordained by Valerius Coruinus and Tiberius Gracchus and Tiberius Gracchus are greatly praised and esteemed the one for hauing imposed a grieuous penaltie vpon whosoeuer should reproach certaine seditious Souldiers with a mutinie happened at Padua the other for hauing forbidden vpon paine of death to reproach certaine slaues with seruitude which the Romanes had armed to fight against Hannibal in time of necessitie wherein they did very wisely for there is nothing that more grieueth and troubleth a mans minde than to be reproched with some shamefull matter and worthie of blame CHAP. 90. Princes ought to punish backbiters and slaunderers and in no case to endure them I Remember that I haue said elsewhere that to speake ill of Princes in publike is a very dangerous matter which a man ought not to doe seeing that Princes are to be respected as Fathers I say now that Princes ought to punish euill speakers either in word or writing and principallie those which make profession thereof who hauing a quicke spirite and good wit doe wrong to God and nature for the good gifts and graces receiued mispending that golde and treasure which is giuen them for which cause they deserue to be reproued not onely in words but punished in deede wherefore I doe honour and euer will doe those Princes which put from about their eares that kinde of people and which shall represse with taunts and checks the biting tongues of those ouer liberall and rash euill speakers There be many things which Princes with all their power ought to preserue and maintaine whole and intire Foure things principally to be held inuiotable but principally foure which represse euill speeches to wit the dignitie of degree the reputation the life the friends The Prince which doth not punish slaunderers and euill speakers hazardeth his reputation for so soone as men heare the Prince ill spoken of and see that he regardeth it not they beleeue that that which was written or spoken of him was true and in this manner he is ill thought of little respected and in the end contemned and contempt is the poyson and ruine of all estates for there can be no worse or viler thing than the contempt of a Prince by his Subiects he loseth his good name in suffering those which backbite and slaunder him either in word or writing for speeches and writings passing euery where abroad cause the Prince to lose the reputation which he had gotten with other Princes and forreine estates of continencie wisdome and iustice by hearing the euill tongued to publish euery where his incontinencie vanitie and iniustice and that he cannot or will not correct those which by slaunderous reports publish his vices and imperfections He putteth also his life in danger for to speake ill is to doe wrong or an iniurie and he which endureth one iniurie from a man emboldeneth him to doe him another which shall be greater and afterwards another yet greater so as hee which hath been so audacious as to iniure and wrong his Prince by words seeing that the iniurie is swallowed and endured will afterwards make no great difficultie to wrong and offend him by way of deedes and thence proceede conspiracies and practises against him reputing him for a weake Prince and of small courage He also loseth his friends whereof a Prince ought to make account for his friends seeing that he maketh no reckoning of the iniuries done to his person inferre thereof that he will care yet much lesse for those iniuries which shall be done vnto them and in this manner the loue and affection which they bare vnto him commeth to waxe colde and to be wholy extinct It is true that a Prince must consider when he taketh knowledge of euill speakers of what condition they are and punish them lightly or sharpely according as he shall finde their effect and inclination and giuing them neuerthelesse something for a remembrance A Prince ought to consider of the qualitie of euill speeches and if they be light foreheaded and foolish to vse them like fooles and hayrebrained but if they be malitious to punish them publikely for example to teach others thereby the better to rule their tongues Dionysius
to be condemned of inconstancie seeing that he was not bound to persist and continue in the friendship of another man notwithstanding that he were a dependant and successour of his deceased friend CHAP. 95. A Generall or Commaunder in chiefe ought not to be touched in his honour and reputation by those which made choise of him and principally during the time that he is in Armes IT is a custome among all Princes hauing occasion to chuse a Generall either of their owne subiects or some stranger to make choise of some honourable personage and of good renowne After that hee is chosen and that hee hath the gouernment and charge of the Armies it is neither secure nor conuenient to touch him in honour either in word or deede as with disgrace to take his charge from him or by iniurious speeches to withdraw him from his enterprises or to charge him to doe some dishonest thing and such like for therein a noble heart aspiring to honour and glorie is stirred vp and inflamed with despite and discontentment so as seeing himselfe touched in honor he frameth himselfe by all meanes to take reuenge Narses an eunuch to confirme my saying with an ancient example was Generall of the Emperor Iustine his Armie in Italie performed for the Empire diuers sundrie worthy enterprises and while as he was armed and euen vpon the point of his victories Iustine deposed him from his charge and gouernment of the imperiall Armie and the Empresse added thereto certaine iniurious speeches Narses wroth with the Emperour of Constantinople and sent him word that he should returne to keepe her women companie and spin Narses made answere that hee would spin her such a thread which after that it were twisted she should in long time not vnwinde it And by his wit and valour hauing called the Lombards into Italie hee was the occasion why the Emperour of the East lost all that which hee possessed in the West A man may also for example bring in the fault which the Florentines committed in the time that Pope Clement the 7. made wars against them which was this They chose Malatesta Baglioni for their General Guicci lib. 20. and put themselues in armes for thier defence against the Popes and the Emperours Armies and hauing sustained and valiantly endured the siege for the space of eleuen moneths and hauing consumed their victuals and being no longer able to make resistance all aide and succours failing them their Generall and the Lord Stephen Columna aduised them to see if they could come to some agreement with the Emperour and the Pope by some good composition But Raphael Girolami which was Standerd-bearer with many other citizens of his faction being moued against Malatesta without consideration of the daunger wherein the citie was and that the Generall was armed and had a good corps de guard of souldiers Perusins and other Nations at his seruice and commaundement they sent Andrew Nicolini and Francis Zati as Ambassadours to Malatesta to discharge him and to depriue him of his authoritie and charge of Generall which was concluded in their Common councell Malatesta was very angrie and setting hand to his poyniard fell vpon Nicolini and once stabd him and would haue slaine him but for those which stood by who prayed him to hold his hands Hereupon the Citie mutined and euery man betooke him to his weapons Wherefore Malatesta fearing some great hurlie burlie presently sent the Captaine Margute of Perusa to seize on the port of S. Peter Gatolini which is the gate towards Rome and gaue him charge to prime the Ordnance and to bend it against the Citie to be able to defend himselfe against the Citizens if peraduenture they sought to offend him A dangerous tumult happened in Florence and caused to come to him all the souldiers strangers which he had in Florence If the enemie at that time had giuen assault vnto the Citie being then disunited from their Generall it might easily haue been taken and sackt as well by those which were within as by those which were without both which at one instant would haue been become enemies And so through the little wit and small discretion of the Magistrates the safetie of their Citie and countrie was set as a man might say vpon the point of a needle Generals then and Colonels are not to bee grieued and touched in honour and it were much better to resolue to punish them when they commit any notable faults as many Potentates haue done then by interressing their honors to hazard the affaires and enterprizes in question as may bee well perceiued by the two examples aboue alleaged now at this present some man would interpose himselfe by some honest and reasonable conditions to accord pacifie the troubles in Flaunders finding meanes that religion might haue libertie and the Prince his authoritie and the Estates assurance and some satisfaction I doe beleeue that hee might easily appease those warres and controuersies which haue indured alreadie so many yeeres with so great preiudice to the Christian faith charge and expence of money and shedding of so much humane blood CHAP. 97. He which goeth into a forraine Countrie with charge of importance ought to frame himselfe according to the fashions of that Countrey wherein he is for to liue after the manner of his owne countrey it is not euery where secure AMong all the faire conditions and qualities which ought to bee in a Gentleman well borne who is to bee employed in publique affaires in my opinion the one of the most principall is for a man to knowe how to accommodate and frame himselfe according to the fashion of those Countries whither hee goeth whether it be vpon his owne pleasure or some other bodies And this is it why many as well Ambassadours as Captaines haue effected great matters about which they haue been sent by their Masters which is not happened vnto them onely so much for knowing the Princes humour with whom they had to negotiate as to be framed and fitted to the fashions and manners of the Court and Countrey where they are and those which haue done otherwise haue been deceiued and most commonly haue borne losse dammage and shame for the likenes of fashions and manners in behauiour is a thing very fit to breede good will and procure friendship but that must not be done in flatterie and adulation which is presently knowne and discouered but to shew that a man doth not abhorre or loath the Countrey fashions where he is as euill or despise them as vicious but so obserueth them as seeming good vnto him which is a meane fit to make him to be beloued and respected by that Countrey people for this cause Alcibiades the Athenian was highly praised Alcibiades an Athenian beloued of strangers for in what place soeuer he came either by his apparell or his manner of life and conuersation he accommodated and framed himselfe to the custome and fashions of the
had betrayed Iohn Galeas his Nephew and Bonna the Dutches mother of the said Iohn Galeas in giuing vnto the said Lewes himselfe a port of Tortona wherewith in behalfe of the young Duke and his mother he was put in trust in time of his troubles making no lesse account of the treason then of the Traytor he committed to his charge the keeping of the Towne of Valencia and put him in possession thereof as gouernour and chiefe Captaine of that Towne But Donat Donat Raffignin by treason yeeldeth the Fortresse of Valence to the French who had not changed his nature although he had changed his Master corrupted by the promises of Iohn Iaques Triuulse deliuered the Fortresse of Valencia to the Frenchmen enemies to Lewes and receiued them into the Towne This treason is the more worthy to be remembred for that it happened in the same day wherein twentie yeares before the said Donat had betrayed the little Duke Iohn Galeas and giuen the Towne of Tortona to Lewes his Vncle. Wherein a man may plainely see that Traytors being mischieuous retaine alwaies their wicked disposition and therefore no man ought to trust them when as they are once discouered for such and whosoeuer doth repose trust in him who hath once been a Traytor although the treason were greatly to his profit yet he committeth a great error but he committeth a greater who imployeth him in a gouernment and charge of importance CHAP. 8. Jt is a great fault in any man to giue himselfe to robbing and pilling when he ought to fight which hath been the occasion of the ill successe of many faire enterprises IN mine opinion there is nothing more fit to ouerthrowe an Armie how great and well ordered soeuer it be than the greedie couetonsnes of the Captaines or the extreme rapine of Souldiers who haue more desire to robbe and pill than to fight for leauing the first thought of true militia which is victorie and honour they turne to the second which is the profit and spoyle and remember not that whosoeuer is Master of the bodies hath the goods also in possession and at commandement I speake now of the greedie coueteousnesse of the Captaines and Souldiours which when the victorie and the spoyle being to be seene both at one instant are carried away more with the desire of gaine then of honour This auarice I say hath been the cause of the losse of many faire enterprises yea it hath so corrupted blinded and confounded them that those Captaines and Souldiers who haue caused the losse The greedines of Souldiours and Captaines hath been the losse of many faire enterprises besides the losse of their liues haue purchased perpetuall dishonour and infamie to their name and posteritie which is an euill very hardly to be remedied in the warres now adaies which if not wholy yet for the most part is corrupted It is then the cause of many euils as thus It hindereth the victorie before the fight and in the fight it plucketh it out of their hands and putteth them in danger to lose what they haue newly gotten whereof are most manifest examples Saxon the Grammarian in the 1. book of his histories of Denmark knowing how dangerous the desire of spoyle is through the hindrance and let that it giueth to a manifest victorie Saxon the Grammarian in his first book of the affaires of Denmarke bringeth in the King of England for example vsing these words to his souldiers which hee perswadeth to fight against the King of Denmarke in this manner Ne fatigetis milites opum onere manus praelio destinatas ac scitote triumphum ante carpēdum quam censum Proinde auro spreto auri Dominos insequamini nec aeris sed victoriae fulgorem miremini meminisseque vos decet satius trophaeum pensare quà m quaestum potioremque esse metallo virtutem Which is to say Doe not wearie and encomber with the burthen of riches those hands which are ordained to fight and know that you ought to obtaine the victorie before the spoyle and so despising gold pursue the owners of the gold and fixe your eyes not in the brightnes of the gold but in the glorie of the victorie and it behooueth you also to know that it more auaileth to purchase honour than profit and that vertue is of more worth than mettall This counsell was ill followed by the English souldiers who had more desire to pill and robbe than to fight whereof it followed that they were all cut in pieces by the King of Denmarke who charged thē while as they were lodē with pillage which happened in this manner The greedines of the English souldiers Phroton King of Denmarke being landed in England sacked many places and being loden with the riches of spoyle and bootie tooke his way towards Scotland to haue done as much there as he had done in England The English being aduertised of the harme which the King of Denmarke had done in their Iland and of their departure the King of England therefore with a great armie followed him with intent to giue him battaile and by force of armes to take from him the pray which he had gotten But Phroton seeing his enemies neere at hand and that the English and Scots alreadie in armes did follow him resolued with himselfe to abandon all the goods and treasure which hee had gotten in England and caused it to be cast away strawing the gold siluer and other goods of the English abroad in the fields thinking indeed that they would stay to gather and heape the same together and so being loden hee would runne vpon them and ouerthrow them And notwithstanding that a certaine old Captaine did gainsay the counsell and will of Phroton alleaging that the souldiers would be very vnwilling to leaue that which they had gotten with the perill of their liues and that it was against all reason to leaue that spoyle in pray to an enemie whose force as yet they had not seene notwithstanding all this by the generall aduice and opinion of all the bootie was left and cast abroad in diuers places of the fields according to the Kings commaundement When the English came where their goods and riches were disperst and scattered abroad the King commaunded that no man should touch the same but that they should pursue the enemie whom when they had ouercome they should then haue time enough to recouer and againe gather together the goods which they had lost But there was a Knight of the Brittons amongst them which against the Kings commaundement said That it was no wisedome but a signe of great feare to doubt to take their owne goods wheresoeuer they found them and seeing that the enemie of their owne accord did voluntarily forsake and abandon the bootie which they would haue had by force and hazard of their liues for the recouerie thereof hee found it not expedient with the price of their blood and great daunger to buy that which they might
take and possesse in quiet and peaceably for nothing The opinions of some other Knights were correspoÌ„dent to the desire of the most couetous souldiers who without obeying the commandement either of King or Captaine fell to gathering together of their goods which were spread abroad vpon the ground and so retired being loden and pestered with bootie and spoyle Which Phroton vnderstanding turned head and followed them and hauing found them wearied and tired no lesse with the way then with the burthen of the spoyle being much pestered with the cariâ—â—â— of so much baggage he charged and cut them in pieces and valiantly recouered that which wisely he had throwne away and the English louing better to tend to their pillage than to fight A notable ouerthrow of the English lost miserablie both the bootie the victorie and their liues The Venetian souldiers committed the like error in the yeere 1509. euen then when almost al the Princes of Christendome were vnited together against their Common-wealth for the Venetian armie led by Bartelmy Liuiano hauing taken Treui in the very beard of the enemies amongst which was the King of France in person the souldiers gaue themselues to sack pillaging and whilest they were busie about their luggage the Kings armie passed the riuer of Adde without let or resistance for that the souldiers were so busie in pillaging that it was not possible either by authoritie or by their Captaines threatnings to make them giue ouer the sacking of the towne And although that th'Aluian set the towne on fire to the end to bring them to fight yet was it too late for the Kings armie hauing at ease and very commodiously past the riuer and hauing had leisure to put themselues in order there followed the memorable feate of armes of Giarad ' Adde wherein the Venetians without question had been victors if their souldiers in stead of pillaging would haue been brought to hinder and stop the passage of the French armie for they had either ouerthrowne them and put them to flight or else constrained them to fight without order and at great disaduantage or to returne backe which had giuen them cause of a most manifest and most noble victorie which was taken out of their hands by their owne souldiers who were so greedie that they rather loued to glut themselues with luggage The greedines of the Italian souldiers than with honour and glorie and suddenly after they lost both the one and the other By meanes of this discoÌ„moditie of pillaging many occasions of victories are lost not onely before they come to strokes but euen in time of the battaile which was seene in the Venetian armie and of Lewes Sforce and others in league together in the memorable iourney of Tare against Charles the 8. King of France for the army of the League was ouerthrowne or at least had not the victorie through the greedie couetousnes of the Venetian aduenturers For during the fight at the passage of Tare the King willing to goe into France and those of the League to stop his passage Francis Gonzagua Marquesse of Mantoua and Generall of the armie of the League had so well ordered euery thing that the French armie was in some disorder so as they had had the victorie if the greedie aduenturers who saw the Kings carriages abandoned The greedines of the Stradiots by the aduice and counsell of Triuulce had not began to runne to the spoyle by their protection against the Florentines which they valiantly defended and the Florentines to the contrarie employed all their forces to reconquer it In this meane season the Emperour Maximilian came into Italie and Francis Sforce perswaded the Florentines to ioyne and enter into league with him and to put the controuersie to the Emperours iudgement who vnderstanding the discord betweene them and the Venetians would be an vpright arbitrator in the cause The Florentines answered that they would stand to no arbiterment but that they would first haue Pisa rendred into their possession as it had been theretofore This was the occasion why the Florentines sent their Ambassadours to Gennes where the Emperour then was where the affaires hauing been debated they attended the Emperours answere which was this as he was taking shipping in the hauen at Gennes that the Popes Legate should tell them what was needfull The Florentine Ambassadours went to the Legate who told them that the Duke of Milan should declare vnto them the Emperours pleasure at large This was knowne at Florence and how the matter past where it was concluded that the Ambassadours without attending any answere should returne home In the meane season Francis Sforce glorying in his eloquence and thinking to scoffe the Florentines prepared a most faire hall very richly furnished to giue aunswere to the Florentines in the behalfe of the Emperour whither he had called all the Princes Amdassadours which were with him at Milan to heare his answere The Florentines at the houre appoynted came thither where they were willed to declare what they had to say Pepi to whom it appertained to speake sayd that they being with great trauell come from Gean to Milan to returne to Florence would willingly haue held their way but stayed to take their leaue of him and to doe him honour before they went out of his dominion knowing him to be a Prince which was their friend who by his friendship did greatly vphold the state of their Common-wealth The Duke answered them Lewes More out of countenance and 〈◊〉 by the Florentine Ambassadours that he was to giue them answere in the behalfe of the Emperour The Ambassadour answered that he had no commission to heare it neither any way to negotiate with him By reason whereof the Duke in a great chafe sent away the Ambassadours of Florence and all the rest which he had called thither receiuing in himselfe the greatest part of the disgrace which he thought to haue vsed towards others Let Ambassadours then be resolute and let them endeuour to be briefe and aduised in their aunswers for feare to bee mocked by the Princes with whom they haue to negotiate and that in all causes and accidents not foreseene they may be well resolued maintaining their owne reputation and the honour of those which sent them CHAP. 10. Betweene reconciled friends the least suspition breedeth great distrust making them againe to become enemies ALthough there cannot be any so great enmitie but that he which hath been an enemie may againe become a good friend euen as he which hath been a good friend may become a great enemie yet it is harder to tie together that which is broken than to breake that which is firme and whole Wherefore as euery little displeasure and iniurie may giue an ill taste to a friend and breake the bond of friendship so afterwards many things are to be required to conioyne and renew the same againe after it is once broken which euer after beareth the name of reconciled friendship
findeth after the common saying an ill Merchant which giueth him no contentment and he which sendeth is in danger to haue disgrace and peraduenture losse in those which he hath sent Wherefore it is better freely to deny than coldly to graunt and this is sayd for that there are some Princes which dare not absolutely to deny the succours required and yet will not giue such as may ease and deliuer their friend from trouble and so come to resolue vpon a mediocritie which consisteth in sending so small a number of men at armes that he which receiueth the succours is neuer the better for them but in shew and hee which sendeth sendeth as into a manifest daunger whereof ensueth dishonour to the sender and to recouer his honour and blot out this shame of force he must send new succours which may ease his friend deliuer him from trouble by meanes whereof a man wisely doth that in the end which he should with consideration and prudence haue done in the beginning It commeth also often to passe that they which receiue succours through the discontentmēt which they haue by reason of the small aide and forces thereof practise and by some meanes conclude a peace with the enemie without the knowledge of the confederate as it hath often happened in time past or else that by some stratagem or other meanes the succour sent commeth to an euill end to the end that the Prince which sent the same may haue cause to complaine of his losse receiued and to bee auenged thereof to send so great a number of men as may suffice to recouer his lost reputation and cleerely to free and deliuer his friend from trouble The like part was plaied with King Manfredi by the Gibelins of Florence which desiring his helpe against the Guelphes which had thrust them out of the towne he sent to them for succours onely one companie of Germane men at armes with his owne Ensigne or Cornet The Florentines which were fled to Sienna were discontent with this small succour and by the counsell of M. Farinata of the Vberti chiefe of this faction it was deuised that the Almaines should either win or lose the victorie alone or should remaine for pledges to the end that being ouercome dispatched out of the way K. Manfredi should send them some greater aide There was a faire banket made for them furnished with much good meate and excellent good wine and at the end of the feast when they were well filled vpon a sudden an alarme was giuen wherefore the Almaines no lesse warmed and chafed with the wine then the sound of the Drumme Leonar Arch. lib. 1. sallied out of Sienna and with great furie charging the enemie made a most faire proofe of themselues The Germanes were defeated by the Guelfes before Siena but in the end were all cut in peeces and the Kings Ensigne taken Wherfore K. Manfredi wroth and moued with this disgrace sent to the Gibelins such succors as they therewith ouercame their enemies and returned to their countrie which if King Manfredi had done in the beginning his Ensigne had not receiued that shame neither had his people bin ouerthrowne CHAP. 47. An Ambassadour ought not to care to be accounted importune by the Prince with whom he hath to deale prouided that he satisfie his owne Prince in that which he desireth THe charge of an Ambassadour is full of great care and trouble and he which dischargeth the same with his honour may be placed in the ranke of honourable personages and worthie of reputation and this charge is by so much the greater by how much the more a man hath to handle and manage matters of importance or to negotiate with Princes which being obstinate in their opinions are not induced by the liuely reasons which are alleaged neither answere to the points and conditions which are propounded When a man then knoweth the nature of the Prince with whom hee hath to deale to be according to the common saying maried to his owne opinion it shall be good to attempt by some reasons to diuert him and to alleage many reasons vnto him to the end that it may appeare that the coldnes of the Ambassador hath not broken off the affaires But that the naturall inclination of the Prince An Ambassadour ought not to care for an ill word from the Prince with whom be hath to deale hath been the cause why the businesse hath not taken wished effect and when a man commeth to the point of that which he desireth if the Lord with whom he hath to deale wearied with his instance and importunitie shew himselfe in word displeased yet ought he not to be discontent for his Prince will take his importunate sollicitation for industrie and diligence although to the other it seeme to be too farre pressing and importunitie In the yeere 1513. the King of Spaine sent to the Emperour Maximilian for his Ambassadour Peter Diurea Guicci lib. 12. to perswade him to resigne Verona to the Venetians to the end that they should not ally themselues to the King of France and there went with him Iohn Baptista Spinello Earle of Carriati Ambassadour for the same King to Venice and there being a forbearance of armes betweene the Emperour and the Venetians these Ambassadours arriued in Germanic at the Emperours Court who had alreadie resolued with himselfe not to render Verona to the Venetians vpon any condition whatsoeuer because hee would not wholy dispossesse himselfe of one port to enter into Italie The Ambassadours began to treate of the restitution of the said towne shewing for a reason that by meanes of the money which the Lords of Venice would giue him recompence which amounted to a great summe and by meane of the Spanish armie which their King would giue him hee might make warre in Burgundie and with this reason they alleaged many other But Caesar continued still firme in his resolution and would not be turned what conditions soeuer were offered to his aduantage And because the Spanish Ambassadours were very earnest with him Caesar displeased with their replies and importunities and principally with those of Counte Carriati he said vnto him that by the meanes of his inclination to the Venetians A check giuen by Maximilian the Emperour to the Spanish Ambassadours hee ought rather to be called a Venetian than a Spanish Ambassadour The Earle cared not for that nip knowing that his Kings desire was that he should pursue the restitution and loued better to be accounted importune by Caesar then negligent by his Master CHAP. 48. VVhat manner men they ought to be which are sent Ambassadours and officers to other Princes PRinces ought to be very well aduised in making choise of such men as they will send abroad to other Princes vnder the name of Ambassadours or other title for when a Prince sendeth persons which carrie not with them a grauitie and reputation there is no great account made of the Prince which
giue blowes for they both were couragious and valiant it happened that Amy receiued a thrust in the forehead but little hurt whereby neuerthelesse the blood running downe his face and into his eyes he was therewith much troubled so as he could not handle his sword as he would haue done To whom Iohn de Turin then said Amy stay rest thee and binde vp thy wound and so giuing backe he gaue his enemie leasure to binde vp his wound with a handkercher and to rest himselfe Afterwards the fight being begun againe and vsing their hands very gallantly Amy gaue so great a blow that he smote Iohn de Turin his sword out of his hand and therewith said to Iohn stay rest thee and take vp thy sword againe and after that they had rested they began the third assault but the other Souldiers which stoode to behold the combat seeing the great courage and courtesie betweene these two men ran to the Lord de Medicis reciting vnto him all the successe of the combat praying him that hee would not suffer that either of them both should be slaine and so their Lord entring into the chamber found that through the much blood which they had lost they were so weake and faint that they were both fallen to the ground and scarcely able to speake and so hauing caused them to be taken vp and the controuersie to be referred to him he made them agree and their wounds to be bound vp with all diligence and they liued many yeares after the death of their Lord. I would now know whether the courtesie which these men shewed in the very middest and heate of their fight did deserue blame or no for which occasion I haue euer found them much esteemed and worthie to be named and mentioned as men which fought with generositie of heart and as valiant men and not as sauage beasts as now adaies most doe which hold not for their but and end an honorable victorie but the blood and life of their enemie nothing caring that the world know whether the course which they haue held in killing him be honourable or vituperable and worthie of shame And it were a faire question to be asked and disputed whether of these two vsed the greatest coutesie either hee which suffered his enemie to binde vp his wound and stop the blood which ran into his eyes and hindred his sight or he which suffered his enemie to take vp his sword againe which was fallen out of his hand The Lord Iohn Baptista Posseuin produceth another example at the end of the fift booke of his dialogues of the honour of Cechino de Padoua Iohn Baptista Posteum lib. 5 who fighting at Mantoua with Benedict Liberal who with a stroke with his sword brake his aduersaries sword A combat betweene Cechino of Padua and Bennet Liberal and Cechino retiring himselfe bad Benedict to take another sword if he would fight but the Duke of Mantoua presently tooke vp the matter and brought them to agreement Cechino deserued great praise for this courtesie who noblie would preuaile by his owne vertue and valour and not by the fauour of Fortune and would not kill his enemie being disarmed or fallen as most men now a daies would doe and as many in time past haue done who would haue for the prize and reward of their victorie the blood and life of their enemie slaine by them in any manner howsoeuer CHAP. 84. Jt is a very dangerous matter to tell Princes of their faults and imperfections not withstanding that at sometimes it be very necessarie so to doe FOrasmuch as Princes in their gouernments may sometimes erre and swarue from the right line which is required in a principalitie it would do wel freely to tell them wherein they erre and to see if it might be possible to bring them to a right and good gouernment No man would be too freely reprehended but because it might bee displeasing vnto them for as much as there is no man that willingly giueth eare to him which doth freely and liberally reprehend him and they which should vndertake to do it should peraduenture incurre the danger to displease the Prince the euill gouernment would euer proceede and the abuses and vices take footing in the estate and here hence it commeth that Princes doe not amend and correct their faults and offences And it is not fit that euery man put himselfe forwards to vse this reprehension for it is not in euery man to know how to doe it and therefore hemust so frame his speeches that the Prince may perceiue no lesse loue towards him then a will to discouer vnto him his fault and no lesse reuerence then desire of amendment Wherein is so great difficultie that he which well considereth thereof may loue better to haue patience and to leaue the Prince to liue after his owne phantasie then by aduertising him to put himselfe in daunger to discontent him The subtile discourse of Demetrius Phalerius to king Ptolomy incurre his displeasure and bring his attempt to an euill end Demetrius Phalerius knew well this difficultie and for this cause when hee would aduertise King Ptolomy of his faults and errours which he committed he did not liberally discouer them vnto him but he counselled him to reade those bookes which did treate of the gouernment of Princes because that those dead men would tell him those things which liuing men durst not so as without any shame or danger to any he might know what were conuenient for him to doe and to auoide the committing of faults in the gouernment of his estate That it is a dangerous matter to tell Princes their imperfections an infinit number of examples both ancient and moderne do beare record but this onely shall suffice which Matthew Villani wrote of a King of Spaine Matthew Villani which raigning in the yeere 1358. was extreamely in loue with a yong woman his concubine for the which he became so incensed that he would haue all the Cities subiect to his Crowne to doe her homage and sweare vnto her fealtie so that to satisfie her hee committed things vnworthie of a King and became to be so outragious and cruell that hee respected not with his owne hands to kill some of his owne parentage The gentlemen of Siuill did much marueile at his commaundement to make them sweare fealtie to the Kings concubine and hauing confulted together they named twelue gentlemen to goe as Ambassadours to the King and gaue them charge with modestie to reproue him of those things which he did and to assay by all submission and humilitie to withdraw him from that humour to doe homage to his Minion saying that being bound by oth to the ancient Queene they could not giue it to any other except they were first abfolued and exempt from their former oth The Ambassadours of Siuill went to the King and with due reuerence declared vnto him their charge and amiably reproued him of his fault The King
are established in great authoritie breedeth many disorders which afterwards cannot be remedied OBstinacie is no other thing than a setled and firme purpose and determination to doe or not to doe some thing hee which is in this manner resolute is not to admit or receiue any counsell neither to consider any daunger but preferring his own rash opinioÌ„ before the sound aduertisements of wise and well aduised men to shew himselfe to be a man of little iudgement and of no experience in the affaires of the world Such men are the cause of many euils and commit so many disorders that afterwards following their owne ill fortunes and aduentures ouerthrow their enterprises and bring themselues and others also into extreame daunger and oftentimes cause extreame losse and ruine It is lost labour to gee about to perswade obstinate persons by reason for the more they are counselled the more they perâ—stâ—â— their opiâ—on It is but lost labour to attempt to perswade such persons by reason for that they imagining and presuming themselues to know more than all the world besides stop their eares to all good counsailes and their eyes to all daungers so as all goeth to wracke ANd as an egge by how much the longer it lieth in the fire by so much the harder it waxeth euen so a man who trusteth only to his owne braines by how much the more you counsell him by so much the more you make him obstinate Monsieur de Lautrech was Generall for the French King at the siege of Naples and of heart so hautie and obstinate that although hee manifestly saw before his face that the place wherein hee was incamped was neither fit nor holesome and that it daily waxed worse and worse yet would hee not depart from thence to chuse a better neither for the counsell of his Captaines neither for the discommoditie of the souldiers neither for the death which he saw daily before his eyes so that after the losse of a great number of souldiers which dyed poore and miserablie through the corruption of the ayre in the durt and mire he himselfe also left his life Lautrech through his obstinacie was the cause of the totall ruine of the French armie before Naples and was the occasion of his owne death Guicciar lib. 4 and in this manner hee lost the honour and reputation of the victorie and was the cause that the Kings armie whereof he was Generall came to extreame ruine which had not happened if leauing his obstinacie hee had giuen eare to those which counselled him both for the priuate and publike good Wherefore our author wisely saith that it is good to consider of the disorders bred by the obstinacie of those which are employed in great matters This obstinacie maketh men cruell both against others and themselues also whereof are many examples both ancient and moderne as I haue vnderstood of certaine gentlemen of Siena worthie to be beleeued that in the warres of Siena there were some which in the Senate did propound and declare that they were resolued to kill their wiues their children themselues and to set the towne on fire rather then they would fall into the hands of the Florentines Moreouer Obstinacie maketh men cruel both against themselues and others also obstinacie maketh the obstinate to be easily oppressed by their enemies for knowing their naturall condition meanes may be easily found to offend them and in fine persisting obstinate without reason or iudgement and so consequently without wit or wisedome of force they doe euery thing backward and liuing like fooles and mad men fall from euill to worse and in the end to extreame ruine CHAP. 24. Curtesies employed vpon obstinate enemies are to no purpose but bestowed in vaine WHen a Prince or Common-wealth vndertaketh to wage warre against another people if by chance the obstinacie to yeeld nothing to the enemie which molesteth enter into the mindes of those against whom the warre is made he which beginneth the warre must resolue with himselfe not to vse any curtesie towards his obstinate enemie because that any clemencie or curtesie to be vsed will be in vaine and to no purpose for the nature of obstinacie is to loue better to die than to make any shew be it neuer so little of humilitie or giuing place And although that the obstinate man sometime seemeth to be humbled through extreame necessitie yet his heart is not altered An obstinate man loueth rather to die then to shew but eâ—e the least signe of humilitie or of giuing place to his aduersarie for so soone as occasion is offered him he will shew that what he did was done perforce Wherefore an obstinate and rude enemie is to bee handled and dealt withall by all rigour and seueritie forasmuch as gentlenes and curtesie wil neither pacifie him nor asswage his furie Many examples might be alleaged hereof as of the Saguntines besieged by Hanniball but I will content my selfe with the example of the Pisans happened in the time of our ancestors The Florentines made long warres against the Pisans and oftentimes vanquished them and euer vsed them very hardly and in conclusion they resolued to inuade and to bring them to their obedience through hunger and euery yeere spoyled their haruest and often bereaued them of hope of any for the yeere following but they made prouision from elsewhere At length the Florentines determined to trie them by gentlenes and clemencie to see if curtesie might preuaile to the end to leaue nothing vntried And for this cause they made a new law ordained that euery citizen or countriman of Pisa which within certaine time would returne to dwell in his house or possession in the countrie should haue free pardon for any thing that he had committed and should reenter vpon his goods The Florentines did this in hope to haue drawne many Pisans out of the towne by meane of this law by which meanes the towne would be weaker and worse defended but their hope failed them and al happened to the contrarie For that many which were vnprofitable for the wars by the consent and leaue of the rest went out of Pisa and the citie remained disburthened The Pisans loue better to subiect themselues to the Genouais their mortall enemies then to the Florentines their Lords neighbours and friends and in part discharged of the dearth which oppressed them and those which went forth no lesse obstinate then those which remained within for the defence of the citie with their reuenues did secretly succour and relieue those which remained within in such sort as that they which defended the citie would not yeeld but by force and those which were abroad by no meanes could be mollified abhorring nothing so much as the name of a FloreÌ„tine They resolued to yeeld themselues to the Genouais against whoÌ„ they had so often fought for the Seignorie rather then to yeeld to the Florentines And for this cause all that a man doth touching an obstinate