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
A PERFITE LOOking Glasse for all Estates Most excellently and eloquently set forth by the famous and learned Oratour Isocrates as contained in three Orations of Morall instructions written by the Authour himselfe at the first in the Greeke tongue of late yeeres Translated into Lataine by that learned Clearke Hieronimus Wolftus And nowe Englished to the behalfe of the Reader with sundrie examples and pithy sentences both of Princes and Philosophers gathered and collected out of diuers writers coted in the margent approbating the Authors intent no lesse delectable then profiable ⸪ ¶ Jmprinted at London by Thomas Purfoote dwelling in Newgate Market within the new Rents at the Signe of the Lucrece 1580. To the Right Honorable and his singuler good Lord Sir Thomas Bromley Knight Lord Chaunceller of England and one of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable Priuie Counsell WHen as Right Honorable a certaine Citizen of Rome in presenting a Booke into the handes of that renowned and noble Emperour Augustus Caesar being fearefull and bashfull of nature seemed oftentimes to put forth and to drawe backe againe his hand as one willing and yet timerous the good Emperour who aboue all things abhorred and detested to be thought terrible or fearefull towardes his subiectes hauing espied the bashfulnesse of the man courteously receiuing the present frō out his hand asked him whether he had thought with himself that he had byn about to giue foode to an Elephant signifying that Magistrates and Rulers should not onely so behaue themselues in the gouernment and ruling of such as are subiect vnto them that they may rather appeare fathers then maisters but also that no man bee he neuer so simple shoulde at any time be bashfull or fearefull to present vnto the greatest Emperour the least or smallest gifte proceeding from a faithfull and willing minde as declared the worthie Artaxerxes in receyuing so cheerefully the droppes of water offered vnto him by a simple sot of his owne Countrie especially the gift beyng so excellent as was that Booke giuen into the handes of Caesar For from them onely as from the faithfullest counsellers both Princes and Magistrats without all fawning or flattering may learne those thinges which are most necessariest to the knowledge of duetie and direction of life Let it not therefore seeme any thing straunge vnto your honour in that J haue presumed so much as to offer into your handes with this Citizen of Rome this small and simple pamphlet in that not onely as is manifested vnto the whole worlde your courtesie and clemencie is nothing inferiour vnto him in whom may be reputed the greatest affabilitie and gentlenesse but also in respect of that feruent seale and affection which you haue alwayes borne vnto all those that are studious in good literatures being as it were of one and the self same minde with that good Emperour Gordianus esteeming more a godly Booke thē the precioust Gold wherby I haue byn perswaded to thinke that though this present may seeme as it is in deede to to base to bee presented vnto so learned a Iudge that you woulde rather reprooue me if J shoulde haue shewed my selfe bashefull in proffering then at all to blame mee so boldly presuming and that so much the rather if withdrawing your eyes from mee as pardoning my slendernes and imbisilitie of skill you referre your selfe wholy to the worthinesse of the Author as one more regarding the profitable and graue aduertisementes specified by him then the rudenesse and plainenesse of so simple a Translatour Wherefore as distrusting nothing through so great an incourragement giuen and yet as one not arrogantly presuming but hoping the best in humble and duetifull wise J offer vnto your Lordship these fewe leaues containing in them three Orations appertaining to the Morall instruction and direction both of Princes and Magistrates as well touching the gouernment of themselues as of their Cities and Countries as also of all other meaner and inferiour persons being a parsell of the workes of that learned and famous Oratour Jsocrates the fountaine of Eloquence and the onely originall of all those renowned Oratours of Greece written at the first by the Author himselfe in the Greeke tongue the one as a friendly exhortation sent vnto a priuate person called Demonicus the other two as dedicated vnto Nicocles the Prince and gouernour of Salamis a part of Cypres heretofore also interpreted by diuers and sundry writers and last of all in this our age Translated into Latine by that graue and learned Clearke Hieronimus Wolfius and by him presented into the handes of that Noble and mightie Emperour Maximilian the second and nowe vnto your honour turned out of Latine into this our vulgar and naturall tongue by him who standing as it were vppon thornes fearing the pursute of many aduersaries and carping Momusses desirous of refuge craueth of your Lordship according to your accustomed goodnesse to be defenced and munited vnder the shadowe of your winges that thereby the grauer and learned sorte may with a more fauourabler eye graūt a frindly and luckie successe vnto this my first enterprise as also the shamelesse faces of curious find faults be made somewhat the bashfuller through yours so honorable a protection although I can not hope so clearely to escape their handes by whom the wisest and learnedst haue byn attainted may it therefore please your honor to receiue vnder your tuition your poore hūble Oratour as fauourably accepting this small mite at his handes as it is willingly offered by him who euen of dutie is boūd to gratifie your Lordship with as great treasure as euer Aemilius brought into the Romane cofers if possible it were that poore Telemanus mate should hap to enioye such wealth for as at Welforde by the benefite of that good and vertuous Lady your mother in lawe whose life J beseech the Lord of his great mercie long to continue I first obtained inioyed the taste and sauour of those sweete waters issuing from the pure fountain of learning and knowledge so is it requisite that her Ladiship and all hers among whom J haue chosen your Lordship as principall should reape and possesse afore all others the fruites of their charges not doubting though as yet they be nothing correspondent to the lest part of their desertes but that your honour and the rest will in the meane time in patient wise accept the same vntil the continuance of time haue brought all thinges to a better perfection And thus least J may seeme by vsing of many words to abuse your patience in detaining your honour from others your most waightie and graue affaires in transgressing the boundes of an Epistle I will at this time vse silence that so the graue and famous Oratour Isocrates himselfe and your Lordship hauing talked together you may haue as good cause to say as much of him as did Alexander the great of Homers Illiaddes terming them as the chiefest furniture and prouision of all his warres during the which time
looke into our selues wee shall finde that wee haue deserued no lesse not leauing one path of iniquitye vntrodden wherein they before had walked nay rather adding more therevnto if possible it may be But some man will say what hath induced you to say or to thinke this of our Cleargy seeing there is no such vice in our Church Ah my deare Bretheren deceiue not your selues but rather calling to minde your owne frailtie amende it for it must needes bee true that all men say and that which is so openly manifested to the whole world to the greefe of all good men can not be hidden But yet to let you to vnderstand why I haue inferred thus much as touching the licenciousnesse of this our time because I see it is the only thing whereof our Aduersaries triumphe yea it is their dayly aunswere I will know them to liue better before I beleeue them and as their liues doe varry from that which they preach and teache to others so say they there is such vncertaintie in their doctrine such discord and variaunce among them scarse two remaining in one opinion without any vnitye or concordaunce that we know not whome to followe and therefore vntill there be a better order taken we aunswere with Horace Nullius addictus iurare in verba Magistri Thus hath the Diuell first by ouerthrowing the flesh and then secondarily sowing of diuers opinions in vnsetled heads almost nay I feare me altogether confounded the truth But the Lord of his goodnesse and mercy amend it and make vs so to shine in all godlinesse and purenesse of life that neither this old serpent our deadliest aduersarie neither any of his hyrelinges maye haue any such cause hereafter to brag or boste of this their victory so ioyfully looked for but as I hope neuer to be obtained And thus thinking both my labour as also the trauaile of others nothing auaileable to the amending of the conuersation of the outward man excepte the inward man were first cured and the abuses of those who hath the charge thereof sharpely rebuked I haue presumed to vnburthen my conscience desyring first of all the perfect ground of christian Religion to bee surelye layde at the verye bottome of euerye Christian hart with an vniforme consent of the truth among all men before I woulde seeme to inferre the morall instructions of anye Paynime being nothing comparable to the former neither any thing profitable except the other bee firste rooted hoping also that the godlye and graue Fathers and those whose harts doe as it were blede with sorrow to heare these my words will not seeme to take my sayings as any thing preiudiciall vnto them whose godly conuersation though I lewdly would reproue yet would the world testifie the contrary who both seeth and commendes it and earnestly also craueth their helping handes to the amending of the rest I will retourne to my self again who being as the Prouerbe is the least of the twelue haue taken vpon me to offer vnto your sightes and iudgementes these three Orations of that noble and famous Oratour Isocrates appertaining to the moral instructing and ordring of this our miserable life The which though they be written by a man altogither ignoraunt of that true and onely God the Creator and maker of mankinde yet doe they so neare agree and accord with that Heauenly Doctrine of our cheefe maister and sauiour Iesus Christ that I hope no man will thinke the time ill spent which he shall bestow in the reading thereof especially those which being bereft from the benefite thereof through their ignoraunce in the knowledge of the Greeke and Latine tongues could not heretofore come to the perfite vnderstanding of the same And because the Authour himselfe is in moste places of these his preceptes breefer then either the matter would require or that the capacitie of the meaner sorte can so easilye gather the meaning thereof I haue not spared for their furtheraunce to adiome vnto diuers places certaine reasons and confirmations taken out of Aristotle Tully as occasion serued comprobating and approuing the Authours intent For according to the iudgement of Wolfius who learnedly hath translated the same out of the Greeke into Latine that which Aristottle and Tully haue written in large volumes the same doth Isocrates comprehend in these his short sentences Thou shalt also finde coted in the Margent diuers worthy examples gathered out of sundry writers only to the intent to reproue the carelesnesse of this our time in that being Christians excusing our selues by the frailtie of our weake natures we willfully leaue those things vndone whiche the very Heathen and Painimes most perfitely fulfilled and obserued To vse many words in describing the determinated purpose of the Authour in these his three Orations were but superfluous labour in that vnto the two latter there are prefixed two sundry Prefaces and as for the first to containe the whole breefelye in one worde it comprehendeth the perfect direction of the life of euery priuate person no lesse delectable then profitable And thus gentle Reader as one hauing detained thee ouer long from the reading of so learned a worke as Isocrates is I am humbly to craue thee for my better incouragement in time to come to yield vnto me in this my first enterprise thy fauourable louing countinaunce waying my slendernesse and imperfection with the readinesse and promptnesse of my good will and so excusing the one by the other to perswade thy selfe that if skill with will were agreeable thou shouldest eare long receiue a larger volume yea though Zoylus shoulde spitte his spitefull poyson The Authours Enchomion vpon the Right Honorable and his singuler good Lord sir Thomas Bromley the Lord Chauncelour of England THe prouerb old saith Iuie bushe The goodwine needes not haue Him for to praise as vaine it were Whom no man doth depraue Onely that man doth like me best Whose life in vertue spent May praise it selfe as well approues Themistocles consent Antagenes in like sort thought Himselfe as best esteemde When as of fewe his praise was spred Because to him it seemde As vaine to be with painted speache His actes resyted to heare Renowne to vertue due of right Of none though praisde she were Of my two Oxen which is best I knowe Lisander sayde Maâ—e though they be and can not speake Which wordes as rightly wayde Learne vs to know that godly life Doth alwayes with it bring Eternall Fame as iust rewarde Which from it selfe doth spring It is saith Bâ—on best for him Who lewdly spendes his time To get some one his praise to penne Thereby to hide his crime As for that man whose worthy acts Declare his noble minde Needes no such thing for vnto him T is due desert by kinde Which being true if that I should My selfe to time nowe frame And write his praise whom none dispraise Then were I worthie blame No no I will not I least that Antalcidas standing by Should me reprooue as once
where as diuers and sundry examples might be alleaged Antistenes for confirmation of that which hath bene spoken The best instruction that the Father canne giue vnto the sonne is the well ordring of his owne lyfe for the childe thinketh it as lawfull for him to doe that which hee shall know his Father to haue done before him leauing them all as not necessarye in a matter so plaine I will onely referre thee to the consideration of that moste perfite course which thy owne father here liuing obserued which will bee both a notable and a sufficient proofe in my behalfe as touching this thing This my deare friende Hipponicus thy Father in such sort ordered and framed his life that he neuer semed in any respect either a contemner of vertue or louer of slouthfulnesse but continually applying his body to trauaile and paine lodged in his brest a most willing and ready minde alway prest to vndertake any kinde of daunger for the profiting of his countrey or furtheraunce of his friendes in nothing more waying or esteeming this worldly mucke then that it might serue for his necessary vses (6) We must liue to day as if we shoulde dy to morow hauing continually such care ouer his Family as though he shoulde haue liued euer and yet so vsing eche thing as if he should die to morrow only content with his owne and not delighting in offering iniury to any or being as one greedilye coueting that which was an others Neyther did he leade this kind of life after a base and obscure order but it was done with great honour and that with the praise and commendations of all men (7) Tully affyrmeth true friendship to surpasse Consanguinitye in that a man may bee a kinsman 〈◊〉 not a friend for he was a man both bountifull liberall to all his well willers more esteeming a faithfull friend then a flattering kinsman adiudging that the confirmation and ground of true friendship did rather consist in the disposition of nature then in ought law ordayned and constituted by mans reason and that the lykelihoode and agreeablenesse of condicions were of more force therein then any bond of consanguinity or kinred (8) The grounde of true friendeship is good will born for vertues sake and not for hope of gain or in respecte of our owne necessity Tully alleaging also good will as the principall cause thereof and not the respect of necessitye or the hope of gaine Truely time would fayle me if I should perticulerly prosecute the rest of his worthinesse wherefore leauing this to a fitter place I haue here breefelye showne vnto thee a superficiall protracture of thy Fathers singuler disposition and nature the which it becommeth thee to haue alwayes before thy eyes as the marke whereby thou maist be directed accounting his Godly conuersation as a Law making continuall wondering at his vertues and indeuouring as much as in thee lieth to counteruaile the same We oughte studiously to labour to counteruayle the worthinesse of our auncestours 9 For whereas the Painter through Art learned by dayly practise obtayneth that skill most liuely to shadow and deliniate the perfectst shape of the bewtifulst creature with what infamie then are those children to be noted with which hauing nature her selfe as a special furtherer of the same and so louing a scholemayster euen their owne Fathers refuse to adde that little laboure and care to frame themselues to followe their steppes liuely to present the worthinesse of theire vertues as children being worthy of such parents (1) Note the great negligence and folly of youth But such is the folly of our time that wee doe not onely leaue this vndone but also worke rather the contrary euery day through our lewde doinges and licensious liuing (2) This was the destructi of Commodus as also Alexander the great through flattering of such forgetting himself was sone brought to his end stayning and infaming the honour gotten by our Auncestoures searing our selues with the hote yron of perpetuall ignomie to the great discreadite and shame of all our kindered giuing rather credite to the flattering tales of Sicophants and Ruffins then to the sage and graue aduise of our owne naturall parentes in so much that if wee applye our shapes with theirs wee shall finde so monsterous and so straunge a proportion with such great difference that we may rightlyer be accounted Bastardes then the legitimate sonnes of anye such men (3) Isocrates hauing vsed these former wordes as the preface or introduction vnto the matter which he were about now commeth vnto that which at the first hee had purposed Now therefore to the eschewing of al these euils and to show thy selfe as worthy of such a Father perswade thy selfe that it is as needefull for thee to bee as well furnished and to haue as great a care in the vndertaking of this enterprise as hath the worthiest champion when he entereth the Liste against all his aduersaries And seing it were verye harde that any one should go about a thing so waighty except he were before hand well and thorowly instructed with diuers and sondrye good preceptes appertaining therevnto I will therefore breefely indeuour to describe vnto thee how thou shalte best proceede herein both to the obtaining of vertue as also to the winning of eternall praise and honour to thee and to thy postery for euer (4) The bodye saith Cicero waxeth weary through continual labour and trauayle but the mind the more it is occupied the fresher and â—â—diâ—t it is For as the body by daylye and continuall excercises is hardned to the abyding and sustayning of any kinde of labour and trauaile so surely is the minde of man to be practised and induced by good and godly Discipline that thereby it may be made willing apt to be obedient to the rule of reason immitating the good and auoyding the euill First therefore aboue all thinges remember duly and reuerently worship and honour the (5) Honour God aboue all thinges Gods immortall not only in offering vp sacrifices vnto them for their vnspeakeable benefites dayly bestowed vpon thee but also in the obseruing and fulfilling of all such vowes iustlye and truely which at any time thou shalte protest and sweare to fulfill (6) Thy duty towards god is to loue and to worship him and to offer vp the sacrifise of thankesgiuing for his benefits receaued thy duty toward man is iustly and truely to perfourme thy promise both wordes and deedes agreeing in one for the former whiche are thy Sacrifices and thankesgiuings shall cause them the more aboundauntly to increase thy wealth and to further thy intents The other I meane the obseruation of thy promises will be a manifest proofe vnto all men of thy integritye of life and honest conuersation (7) Pericles that worthy Athenian would neuer vse any spech vnto the people or consult of anye thing appertayning to the commoditie of his countrey before he
it fareth with him which would suffer a snake to breede in his bosome and among this company of detestable creatures remember as carefully to shunne and eschew the sugered payson closely couched vnder the fawning faces and glosing wordes of flattering and dissembling Sycophantes Flatterers and Coloners al one as thou wouldest indeuour to flie auoide the vilest couseners and craftiest deceauers for both their dealinges and meaninges are a like as sure to trust to as is a broken staffe to leape ouer a dike naye to speake further by suche customers and moste vile companions thou shalte loose the loue and friendship of all good men in so much that when thou art brought to extreeme miserye of the which thou must make a iust account No trust nor credite to be giuen to the wordes of a wicked man thou shalt be shalt be sure to be left destitute of all helpe as for them if they woulde not forsake thee as there propertie is yet can they not pleasure thee at all being neither of habilitie able because they liue by others mens tables neither of any credite that there wordes may serue or betaken in any respect to farther thee Curteous speeches sayth Valerius Marinius appeaseth anger mittigateth the wrath of the greatest tiraunt and is the onlye meanes to win the good wil and loue of all men Vse courtesie and lowlinesse both in behauiour and in speache vnto all those which shall come to common and to talke with thee for if seruauntes can scarse abide the haughtie and hotte wordes of their maisters much lesse will they take in good part thy arrogant and loftie speaches which owe thee no more duetie then thou shalt deserue at their handes through the good vsing of thy selfe As for lowlinesse thou shalt easely retaine her with thee if thou wilt obserue these thinges namely be not contentious be not froward nor fromward bee not peruerst or ouerthwart in thy dealinges auoyde all quarrelling and brawling see also that thou adde not worde for worde neither stande too stiffely in thy opinion Pisistratus being reuiled with diuers opprobrious speeches by the friend Trasippus at a Supper did not onely beare with him forgiuing the offence but also the next day friendly talking with him continued with no leâ— good wil then he did before no though any of thy companions or friendes happen to be angrie and moued with thee without a cause doe rather beare with him vntill this heate be past and so when he is cooled friendly rebuke him and gently shewe him his follie for anger blindeth the minde and robbeth a man of all his vnderstanding and iudgement Moreouer seeme not to dally or to sporte in any earnest matter neither bee thou too earnest in any trifling cause for thinges vnorderly vsed breede farther trouble which other wise being taken heede vnto in time were soone ended with small charges and little labour Pickthankes and busy medlers are to be shunned Seeke not to currie fauour with any neither be thou an accuser or a finde fault for it is both odeous and reprochfull as also causeth enmities and debates to arise Finally be no intermedler in other mens matters more theÌ„ thou art requested dealing therein vprightly procuring vnitie and peace rather then any dissention or variance geuing good counsaile and faire language to all manner of persons remembring that a gentle aunswere is as good cheape as a foule Moderate and honest banqueting tollerable Thou shalt doe nothing better then to refraine thy self from banketing and feasting but if it so fall out that of necessitie through the intreatance of thy friendes thou must of force keepe company In his drunkennesse Alexander killed his dearest friendes Cleomines king of Sparta became madde Armitus a Siracusan vanished his owne daughter Caligula wasted his treasure and Nero became so beastly that in steede of Tiberius Nero he was called Biberius Mero Diuers others also through the first plague of God haue died in this their abhominablenesse beware of surfeting and excesse quaffing of wines least thou become drunken then the which nothing is beastlier or abhominablier for drunkennesse depriueth thee of all thy sences robbeth thee of that principall gift of reason maketh thee more odious then the brutest beast and taketh from thee the knowledge of God and man headlong carrying thee away into a thousand euills most like vnto a wagon the which the horses hauing lost their guide doe hale vp and downe vntill it be broken to fitters Let thy chiefest desire be to winne immortall praises renown through the valiauntnes and magnanimitie of a noble and vnuincible minde being neither incensed by prosperitie to be haughtie or proude neither so discouraged through aduersitie as to become timerous or fearefull but in such sort ordering thy selfe in all things that neither mony may corrupt thee Pericles could be induced by no intreataunce of any friend to bee present at any Banquet As Scipio Africanus the elder deserued with the best immortall praise and commendations of all men for his create Conquestes valiauntnesse of mind and integritie of life so did he purchase greater fame in humbling himselfe so lowly towardes all men in his greatest prosperitye in refusing so great honours as were offered him by the Senate and people of Rome nor affection moue thee nor anger prouoke thee nor pleasure alure thee neyther death her selfe compell thee from the executing of iustice and equitie indifferently to al men accounting with thy selfe that herevnto thou hast no deadlier enimie then is ignoraunce nor contrarily no greater friend nor better helpe then is knowledge and vnderstanding Ignoraunce our deadliest enemy for as from the one commeth no profit nor goodnesse but rather hurt and sundry inconueniences so surely from the other proceedeth the perfection of all that hath beene before rehearsed making thee of a painted wall a liuely creature and of a sencelesse stocke a wittie Counseller If thou shalt fall into any consultation with thy selfe as touching thinges to come How thou sâ—â—ite best forecast 〈◊〉 prouide for tiâ—â— to come the best way is to make coniecture by things past what is likely to happen hereafter Because moste men are so blinded saith Democritus that they can not or will not perceiue their own faultes and doe most easily see and vnderstand that which is amis in an other it shall bee best for them to marke other mens doinges and so by theiâ—â— to amend their owne First therefore hauing had a perfect consideration of thy owne estate waying well eche thing that is incident and appertaining to the same as well casting the worst as constering the best thou must then cal to thy remembrance the euentes and happes of other men which haue heretofore liued in that order and degree of calling wherein thou nowe doest remaine so from them drawing a perfect draft by comparing of thinges paste with thinges present thou shalt easely deserue and iudge of
thy charge bee none of those which vse to see with one eye and to wincke with the other hauing their handes open their eares stopt and their consciences as wide mouthed as a Faulconers bagge for surely the infamie of their euill dealinges shal be imputed vnto thee vse thy office as a steward doth his stewardship vnder his lorde to the gaine of his maister and not to his owne aduauntage for thou oughtest rather to indeuour to leaue thy office with honour and good will gotten Spurius Cassius and Titus Manlius shewed themselues suche maintainers of the lawes of their countrey that they spared not to put to death their owne sonnes being found transgressors by the well gouerning of the same then to be accounted the wealthier or the richer therby for the good report and praise made of thy iust and vpright dealings is more to be esteemed and regarded then the increase of thy wealth preferring alwayes honest pouertie before the abundance of euil gotten goods the one pleasuring thee but for a small time the other causing thee to be well spoken of euen when thou art dead As for riches waigh them not neither haue any desire to bee like vnto any of those whome thou shalt vnderstand to bee inriched by any vnlawfull or vnhonest meanes Paulus Aemilius brought nothing home vnto his owne house of all that treasure which he had gotten in Macedonia but onely a perpetual memory of his worthy enterprises hauing bene consul diuers times in the ende died so pore that hee was fayne to be buried by the common tresure Themistocles had rather to marry his Daughter to an honest man being poore then to a â—iche man being vicious for though sayth Tully thou maist be the richer through thy welth for a time yet can they not make thee any iot the honester but showe thy self a friend and fauourer of those whiche shall sustaine wrong for righteousnesse sake for wealth is a thing incident as well to the wicked as to to the godly but righteousnesse is the onely propertie of good men who if in nothing else yet in this thing especially they excell the wicked in that they haue alwayes through her a good hope and a quiet conscience whereas the other dispayring through their owne mischiefes remaine continuallye tormented and vexed with the As it is infamie to vpholde the cause of any lewd person so greate praise is gotten by opening and detecting their wickednesse as happened to Marcus Antonius for accusing of C. Norbanus and vnto Iulius Cesar for defecting of M. Albutius guiltinesse of their offences immitating therefore the perfect steppes and pathes of the righteous showe thy selfe no helper nor furtherer of any euill cause least men should conceiue that opinion of thee that as thou maintainest the wrong of another thou thy selfe wilte also practise the like in any matter of thy owne doe thou therefore so behaue thy selfe that thoughe thou arte in higher aucthoritie and canst doe more then another yet thou maist seeme alwayes to liue as one subiect to the same lawes as other are executing iustice not for feare of offending or as fedde with vaine glory but onely for the seale and loue thou bearest vnto equitie her selfe And as thou oughtest to be carefull for the obtayning and getting of all such thinges as are necessarie to the maintenance of thy estate Plato being asked how long he would be a scholler aunswered vntill I repent me that I am made wiser so especially vse greatest labour indeuour in the bedecking thy minde with those most precious pearles namely learning and knowledge that thou maiest be able to bring to perfection thy owne determinations as it were a farre off to foresee things to come without the helpe of another for in the body of man there is nothing contayned more worthyer or more excellent then is a wise and discrete minde the which perceiuing all earthly thinges as vncertaine vaine and transitorie will neither be ouer haughtie or insolent in prosperitie neither it too too cowardly or faint harted in aduersitie but paciently abyding the pleasure of God alwayes hoping for the best We must not thinke our selues as worthy of the worst and yet must wee hope for the best and yet condemning himselfe as vnworthy of the worst But as I discommend an arrogant and haughtie minde bragging and presuming vpon the multitude of his riches or in the greatnesse of his power as also the base mindes of those which are either altogether discomforted with the least blast of aduersitie or else doe ragingly and furiously vexe and greeue thereat so doe I also account it lawfull for a man to reioyce and to be glad in his prosperitie not being vnthankefull for the same vnto him of whome hee hath receiued so good hap and fortune yet woulde I that both M. Antonius so discreetely behaued himselfe in all his doinges that men coulde not gather by any outward appearaunce what was the inwarde thought of his hart for neither prosperity nor aduersitie could cause him to change his countenaunce Cecilius Merellus being asked by one of the Tribunes of the people what hee ment to doe Aunswered if I thought this garment which I haue on my back were priuie to my thought I would throwe it off and burne it in the fyre The first thing that Pithagoras did teache his Schollers was to keepe silence Agatho healde a stone in his mouth three yeares to hinder his speeche that thereby he might learne to holde his peace Zeno hauing inuited the Ambassadors of King Antigonus and diuers other Philosophers to supper when as all the rest of the company had vsed speeches in the commendacions of their knowledges as occasion of talke was giuen hee onelye was found to hold his peace the which the Ambassadours perceiuing and wondering thereat demaunded of him what was the occasion that he was so mute nothing sayd he but to let you vnderstande that the hardest thing of all is to hold once peace this ioy as also that pacience to bee vsed in aduersitye should be as it were ouershadowed that is moderatelye and discreetely ordred for if with great care wee keepe secrete in our houses from the knowledge of others oure mucky masse of Golde and siluer with other treasures whereof we make any account then howe vnseeming a thing were it for vs so to deale that euery one should vnderstande and perceiue the intente and purpose of oure hartes then the whiche nothing oughte to bee more seacrete But where as there are many men whose tongues runne before their wittes no sooner thinking oughte in their minds but straight wayes they babble it out to others I would wishe thee to remember to reuolue and consider with thy selfe before hand euery thing whereof thou mindest to speake so shalt thou be sure to auoyd and escape all kinde of reprehension the ignomie and infamy whereof ought as greatly to be feared of all good men as death it self is horrible
declare the same It is left vnto memorie by sundry writers that this king sente vnto Isocrates as a rewarde for his good will and paines taken in writing this so necessarie a lesson for him twentie Tallentes of siluer the which summe of our money amounteth vnto .xx. hundred poundes reckoning Talentum minus And where as now beholding the magnificencie and singuler liberalitie of this renowned king with the great good will he shewed himselfe to beare towardes those which are studious in the knowledge of good literature I might iustly bewaile the want of such men in these our dayes respecting not onely the infinite number of liuinges at the first allowed for the maintenance of studentes but nowe remaining in the handes of those whom we may rightly call worldlinges but also that horrible and most abhominable selling and craftie conueying of spirituall benefices nothing respecting nor waighing the conuersation of the man on whom they bestowe them so that they may haue eyther present money by him or his friends or the personages themselues in pawne vntill the income bee payde because I knowe it is but labour lost in that it is so commonly cried out vpon by most graue and learned preachers euen euery day and yet not one to be founde whose couetous heart relenteth his former wretchednesse I will rather returne to my authour as one with silence signifying my griefe then sharpely in wordes to prosecute that wherein I shall seeme so litle to preuaile wherefore my onely request is that all true Christians would not forget euen in their dayly prayers to beseeche the Lord our God among a number of other mischiefes as especially to redresse this so horrible an infection whereby learning the onely mayntayner of a common Weale bee not onely alreadie greatly hindered but also in daunger in time to come to be vtterly neglected if this yoke be not taken of from the neckes of poore students by some such one as shal seeme as greatly to fauour the same as did this woorthie King The second Oration of Morall instructions as touching the dutie of Princes and Magistrates and the well gouerning of a common weale written by that noble and famous Oratour Isocrates vnto Nicocles the King of Salamis The Aucthour procureth the good will and affection of the King toward him in respect of the worthines of the gift which he presenteth vnto him as also in reprouing the vanity of others If these faining flatterers with their pretended courtesy were rewarded with a Rape roote wrapt in a peece of Silk as was that Courtier of Fransiis the frenche King for that he had presented vnto him vpon hope of gaine a stately Courser then would they study by their well doinges to deserue praise rather then to curry fauour with any such giftes as men gaping after gaine TRuelye in my iudgement renowned Prince those men whose vse it is vppon pretence of good wil to presēt vnto you which are Kings either costly Garmentes curiouslye wrought or any treasure of Golde or Siluer as Vessell or Plate or any such like thing wherof they themselues haue greatest neede and you for your partes sufficiente store doe seeme herein rather to make a gaynefull Mart then any token or showe of liberallitie or friendly courtesie more subteller selling their wares then those men doe who openly professe the trade thereof yet notwithstanding being as one desirous with them to expresse and to signifie my well willing minde towardes thee and yet coueting as much as may be to be exempted from their number as in respect of their greedy desire in hunting after gayne I haue thought with my selfe that I should be best able to perfourme the same if I did enterprise in this small Treatise breefely to describe vnto thee as touching the gouernment of thy Cittie and kingdome all such things as I should thinke necessary on thy behalfe both to be obserued and kept as also contrarily to be eschewed and auoided whereby the prosperous estate of thee and thy subiectes might be preserued this being a Gifte or Presente not onely singuler and profitable but also moste necessary and meete as well to be receiued of thee as also to be offered and giuen by me in that the worthinesse of this treasure is such that the more it is bestowed the more it increaseth so that neither I shall want by giuing and yet thou the richer by receiuing There are diuerse and sundrye thinges Of the state of a priuate person the whiche may instructe and teache a priuate person to bee wise and circumspecte in But such is the licenciousnes of these our dayes that most men as careles liue at liberty fewe show themselues as faithfull obayers of the lawes yea not one can abide to be tolde of his fault and if anye reade ouer the Godly precepts of the learned yet are they nothing amended thereby for comming in at the one eare it goeth out at the other and therefore no marueile if we say with the Prophet they are all gone astray there is not one that doth good his dealinges as namely the miserable estate of his own life the dayly necessitie and care which hee must needes take for the supplying the want of those thinges whiche are necessary for his mayntinaunce also the lawes and ordinaunces made by the prudent and grauer sort by the which he and the whole Cittie is directed and gouerned that hee must as it were perforce keepe the path prescribed vnto him Againe he inioyeth that libertie through the Priuiledge whereof his friendes may lawfullye rebuke him and amende him yea and his enimies reprooue and reuile him if at any time he offende and besides this he hath the perfect fourme of well liuing set downe vnto him in the workes and writinges of learned Poets and graue Philosophers so that thus being as it were propped on euery side if he take any heede or haue any care at all he must needes prooue a good Citizen But as for Princes they are bereft and spoyled of all these helps and commodities for standing on the slipperest place they haue least stay and whereas they ought to bee instructed moste comming once to their Crowne they passe their time as liketh themselues best When as the Romaines vnderstoode that it was vnpossible for their Citty to continue except they were ruled and directed by lawes they sent tenne wise men to Athens to gather out the statutes of good gouernment as they thought best for them but these ten men hauing done as they were commanded at their retourn brought also aboue their charge the instruments of the law as namely Whippes Gibbots Pillories Stockes with other thinges appertayning to the executing of the sayd lawes signifying that vice is neuer the more amended bee the lawes neuer so good except they be truely executed and this is the cause why England so aboundeth with wickednes There is no remembraunce sayth Tully of equitie or Iustice among those in whom the desire of
traffiques to be vsed among thy people as may be gainefull and profitable for them and if they fall at variaunce and strife among themselues let them smart for the same that so hauing sustayned dammage by the one they may learne the more diligenter to apply themselues to the other but yet in such sort as men content with an honest and indifferent gaine and not either seeking excesse or studying to increase their wealth by any vnlawfull or deceitefull meanes Also when thou shalt come to giue iudgement vpon any controuersie depending betwixte partie and partie speake nothing vpon affection or fauour neither for hatred or enuie but vprightly and indifferently as the trueth When As Phillip of Macedon being as it is written sleepy or drowsy taking no great heede to the cause of Machotas then pleaded before him had rashly giuen iudgemente against machetas and afterward vnderstoode he had iudged wrongfully because his sentence shoulde bee vnreuocable and yet the party not inuited he himselfe satisfyed the law and payde the money for which Machetas was condemned The Romaynes builded a Temple called Templum Concordie through the which the Senatours should passe as they came into the Senate house to the ende that there they should as it were put off both mallice and affection and so to come straight to sit in iudgement as men being in vnitie and loue with all the world to execute iustice indifferently Acheus king of Lidia riotously spending his treasure was therby compelled to exact a new kinde of tribute of his Subiectes the which the people not tollerating vsed violence vpon him and hanging him vp by the heeles with his head downeward caused him miserably to end his life Couet rather with Paulus Emilius to lay vp so much Treasure in thy Capitole house as may discharge and exonorate thy subiectes from all exactions as also to haue sufficient to withstand the inuasion of thy enimies then to spend so lauishlye then thou shouldest be constrained to confiscate the goods of thy people Antonius Pius made his treasure as common to his friendes Lucius Lucullus was also so liberall in maintaining all such learned men which came as straungers to Rome that his house was termed the Hospitall for Trauellers shall leade thee neither let thy opinions be founde variable or vncertaine but according to equitie be alwayes of one minde in all semblable causes and that without any discordance and not as a man to be led away hether and thether or to be perswaded to this or that for it is expedient and necessarye that the woordes of a Prince should remaine immutable and vnchaungeable alwayes to be taken of all men as an approued lawe and vnmoueable decree So order thy Citie as thou wouldest vse thy fathers house adorning and beautifying the same with most sumptuous and costly furnitures making it famous and renowned through the excellencie and worthinesse of thy Princely maiestie thinking thy selfe then most inriched when as thou seest their most florishing not forgetting to take a diligent and carefull accounte of thy reuenewes that both the worthinesse of thy name may bee spread abrode through iust desert by the well bestowing of the same as also to preuent any other occasion which hereafter may happen though nowe vnknowen remembring so to spend that thou maist haue alwayes some store before hand both for the better maintaining of thy owne estate as also for the supplying of euery necessitie otherwise thy Citizens and subiectes shal be peeled and powled thy name through others euill dealings defamed and yet thy treasure neuer the more inriched for it is commonly intercepted by such as stand at receite and it fareth well with the Prince if of the pounde he receyue a shilling the poore subiect exacted to the vttermost and paying not one farthing the lesse Adiudge not that to bee magnificencie or liberalitie In satisfying the licentiousnesse of the flesh as did Demetrius who bestowed on his Harlots CC.l. talents of siluer In excessiue eating and riottous banqueting as did Heliogabalus Vitellius and Cleopatra in the supper she prepared for Antonius Or in setting foorth of fond shewes and Playes as did Nero Caligula and Marcus Tigellius Or last of al in the building of superfluous monuments The charges bestowed in any of these is not to be counted liberalitie When as the Senat haddenied to pay the ransome for the redeeming of those Captiues which Quintus Fabius Maximus had brought home from Haniball promising to see their ransome discharged he refused not to sell a certaine pecce of his Lands and so to discharge the paiment him selfe rather than the pore men shall remaine in Captiuitie Alexander hauing subdued Poruz King of India being both sicke and impotent did not onely cause him to bee cured of his disease but also taking him as one of his dearest friendes gaue him greater possessions than he before had inioyed when as great charges are consumed in vaine and transitorie pleasures delighting onely thy eye and that but for a time but rather suppose true magnificence to consist in the doing of those thinges which I before haue named as in prouiding and preparing of thinges necessarie for the defence of thy Countrey as well in the present estate of peace as in the time of warre extending thy beneficence and liberalitie vpon thy friendes vpon good men being in myserie in redeeming of Captiues and in sustaining the causes of the fatherlesse and wydowes wrongfully oppressed For that which thou shalt bestow in this sort shal be permanent and sure continuing for euer to the eternall praise of thy name bringing greater commodities vnto thy posteritie than those superfluous and friuolous expences Diligently obserue that religion which thou hast receiued of thy forefathers accounting that to bee a most worthy acceptable and commendable sacrifice and as a seruice most pleaseable and thankefull before the face of God when as thou shewest thy selfe a iust and vpright dealer for there is greater hope that the immortall God will sooner and willinger heare and graunt the petition of such men than he doth esteeme or regarde the requestes of those whose vse it is with defyled corrupted consciences to offer vp the fattest Bullockes or greatest offeringes for it is not the outward ceremonie but the inward disposition of the heart that God respecteth Yeelde vnto thy dearest and trustiest friends the chiefest and principallest honours and place thy well willers in those roomes which thou most desirest to be vncorrupted And as for the custodie of thy bodie thinke it then most safest when as it remaineth as garded with the faithfulnesse Alexander Seuerus the Emperor thought them as worthiest of the chiefest preferments whome he heard moste renowned for their integritie of life Plato was wont to say that euerye country should be the moste happiest when as onely wyse men were preferred to beare authoritye and the kinges themselues did also become studious to gette wisedome and knowledge It is the part of a good
thee as thou wouldst be coÌ„tent to be dealt withall by them which should be too mightie too strong for thee Neither goe thou to warre for euery trifle but only for that the victorie whereof being gotten shal be sufficient to satisfie thy charges as also to recompence thy paynes not blaming them which are vanquished to their owne commoditie but rather accounting them as fooles which doe vanquish others to their owne detriment shewing thy selfe also mercifull vnto all those which humbly shall yeelde themselues to thy mercy and dealing with extremitie with those which desperately shal be bent to abyde the vttermost blowe Account not magnanimitie or valiauntnesse of minde to be in them which wilfully and rashely doe vndertake greater thinges than they are able to bring to passe but rather adiudge it in them which enterprising that onely which is within their reache doe speedilye bring their purposed intentes to good effect Be thou not too too earnest a follower of those men whose delight is onely to get authoritie and to inlarge the boundes of their kingdomes nothing waying or regarding howe or after what sort they obtaine it so that their greedie desire bee satisfied but doe thou rather imitate them which seeke well and quietly to preserue and keepe Philip of Macedon falling by chaunce flat vpon the grounde and rising againe beholding the length of his body in the dust saide how strange a thing is it to see that nature hath alotted so smal a peece of ground vnto euery one yet the whole world will not suffice many I maruell saith Antisthenes that men are so circumspect in the bining of any worldly things and yet are so carelesse in the chusing of a faithful friend Pisistratus a tyraunt of Athens did finde the faythfulnes of friends to be such a stay to a kingdome that when he was forsaken by his friendes they flying for feare of him and he had vnderstoode where they did remayne he tooke vp a fardell of suche thinges as were needfull for him and carrying it on his back came vnto them and proffered rather to die with them than to raigne as a King they being gone Marius Maximus supposed it better for a common weale to haue an euill Prince with good councelloures about him than to haue a good King with euill counsellours for as it is easye and lykely that many good may make one bad good also like vnto themselues than for a good man to continue in his goodnesse keeping the company of euill men When as Orontes had more sharpely reproued Demaratus the King than did well become him in so much that Demaratus seruauntes standing by and misliking the same seemed to moue the king â—â—t asking him whether he would take in so good part Orontes speeches the king answered that he had more cause to thank Orontes than to reproue him for they rather sayde hee doe vs hurt which flatteringly speake to curry fauor with vs that are Princes thaÌ„ they which friendly seeme to rebuke vs. Telecrus brother complayning vnto him that he had not the good wil of the Citizens as much as he had it is sayd he because thou doest not vse thy selfe curteously towards them therfore Phillip aboue all thinges willed his sonne Alexander to vse himselfe lowly and friendly towardes his people but yet so that there be alwayes a regard had that a mediocrities be obserued in euery thing Traian being reprooued for his humilitie and lowlinesse vsed toward his subiectes aunswered it becommeth me so to vse my selfe towards them as I being in their case would looke to be delt withal Antisthenes opinion was that it were better to be in companie with Crowes then with Flatterers for Crowes will but deuour the body when it is dead but the other will eate vp a man aliue We must sayd Diogenes not only giue our handes infriendly wise to our friendes but also we must remember to haue oure fingers closed and clinched that is not onely to giue them fayre words but also to deale friendly and liberally by them Thearidas being a whetting his sworde with a whetstone was asked by one that passed by whether it were sharp wherto he made answere that it was as sharpe as a slaunder or false accusation for as witnesseth Cleantes there is nothing more hurtfull If saith Solon false accusers should scape vnpunished then would the state of the common weale be soone subuerted Alphonsus king of AragoÌ„ would say that there was nothing so vnseeming than for him to rule others whiche is subiect to his owne affections A gesilaus reioyced most in that ruling others he also remayned a King ouer himselfe Herevpon Tullie willeth that when youth are permitted to take their recreation the graue and elder sort shoulde bee present The auncient Romanes knowing that Vertue was the only meanes to attaine to true honour as also to signifie the same to the worlde by an expresse testimonie they builded the Temples of Vertue and Honour adioyned the one to the other and that in such sort that you could not enter into the TeÌ„ple of Honour except you first came through the Temple of Vertue As wee doe not sayth Socrates iudge the Corne to be good because it did grow vpon a fruitefull ground so neyther are we to suppose them as worthy of honour whiche were borre of honourable Parentes because both the Corne growing on the good ground may proue euil the child also that issueth froÌ„ an honest father may proue wicked and dissolute and therefore they are only worthy of honour whose Vertues are such that they deserue the same It is a wise mans part saith Munatius so to behaue himselfe that though he offende his fault may not appeare to euerye one also vnderstanding his error presently to amend it and to learne to be wiser afterward When as acertaine man had sayde to king Antigonus that all thinges were lawfull for Princes it is so sayth he to those that are of a barbarous nation but vnto vs onlye thinges honest are lawfull As in a hearde of beastes if the for moste stand still or if he run forward the rest will do the like so saith Plutarche it goeth with the people who in euery thing conforme themselues to the manners of their gouernours The Effenians a certayne people inhabiting in India doe gouerne their countrey by these three rules with a feruent loue towardes God in hauing an earnest desyre to liue vertuously and in bearing a charitable affection and loue one towards another Textor Antigonus King of Macedon being perswaded by his friendes strongly to fortifye the Citie of Athens if he did meane to keepe it least it should reuolt away from him againe aunswered that he was alwayes of this opinyon that there was no such sure defence for the preseruation of his kingdom than was the good will of his subiectes When Demetrius Phalerius vnderstood that the Athenians had plucked downe the pictures which they had set vp in remembraunce of his
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
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
was their honour not his except he did show himselfe to inherite the same by equallitie of vertue rather then by Testament Phillip of Madon vnderstanding that his sonne Alexander seemed to be greued in that his father had so many sonnes by diuers women doubting to whome the kingdome should be giuen said vnto him seing thou hast so many copartners which may by right of birth chalenge my seat as well as thy selfe indeuor therfore that by excelling them thou maist by thy own worthinesse rather deserue the same then to haue it come vnto thee by inheritaunce When as there were certaine that went about to perswade Friderticus the Emperour of Rome that he should priuily cause to be murthered Ladislaus the king of Hungari and Bohemia remaining then a childe in his custodie signifiing the great wealth and kingdome whiche might be gained by his death the Emperours aunswere was I perceiue that you had rather haue me rich then iust but know ye that I esteeme iustice and an honest fame more then I doe the great wealth or largest kingdome Theodorus the yonger being asked why he did not put to death those whiche had iniured him nay said he I had rather if I could make them aliue which are dead alreadie signifiing that it became a Prince rather to forgiue then to reuenge as did Agesilaus who preferred to honour and in all causes most earnestly defended and maintained his aduersaries making them his friendes through his iust dealings rather then by crueltie to seeke to be reuenged Epaminundas being greatlye iniured by his citizens would neuer reuenge any one thing for said he it is a great offence to beare anger towards ones Countrey for where enuy is there Iustice sleepeth Agasicles being asked how one might rule his people in moste safetye aunswered if thou vse them as a Father doth his Children geuing them cause for thy vertues to reuerence thee rather then to feare thee for thy crueltye I had rather sayd Antonius Pius to saue a Citizen then to kill a thousand enimies signifiing that quietnesse is to bee preferred before the greatest commodity to be gotten by warre Probus the Emperour did so painefully labour to conclude peace with all Princes that he doubted not to say I hope ere it be long we shall accounte Souldyers as men not necessary O happy world if Christen Princes would so agree among themselues that in respect of their owne causes they could say the same and so adioyne themselues with one consent against that deadly enemy of the church of christ the Turke and his adherentes Agesilaus being asked which of these two Vertues Iustice or Fortitude were worthiest answered that Fortitude was nothing auaileable except iustice were adioyned thou shalt sooner finde them taunting and reuiling one another then friendly agereing to laye their heades together for the welfare of their people but the Princely Monarchies without respecte of time hauing no lette nor staye to the contrarie are busyed both day and night omitting no occasion giuen vnto them but speedily dispatching eche thing in due season Furthermore those yeerely gouernours enuying the prosperous successe of their fellowes being either companions with them in their office or else as hauing been their predicessors in the same charge before will doe their indeuours as much as they may to cause them to bee seduced by others whereby they may bee founde faultie in their dealings to the intent that they themselues might gaine the more credite and commendations for that which they shall doe whereas they which enioy this principalitie for terme of their liues without checke or controll haue alwayes one desire one heart one and the selfe same good will vnto their subiectes at all times and in all causes accounting the whole Common weale as their owne inheritance ordering the same with no lesse care then they would doe their owne housholde or familie seeking also for the better directing therefore to adioyne vnto them the wisest and learnedst among their people alwayes carefully choosing and electing them to be as executours of their will and commaundementes whom they shall finde most meetest and skilfullest in such thinges as are at any time to be vndertaken And as kinges and Princes most esteeme and regard those whom they knowe and vnderstand to be valiaunt and mighty men at armes able to defend their Realmes in al daungers and troubles So the other supposing the charge which they haue in hande as appertaining vnto them but for a time make most accoūt and place about them as their chiefest counsellers them whom they knowe to bee the wisest and subtlest Marchantes being able as occasion serueth either to flatter or to deale roughly and stoutly with their people ruling then best when they make most for their aduauntage Finally this studious indeuour and fatherly affection of him to whom alone belongeth the soueraintie doth not onely appeare in the well gouerning of his domesticall common affaires in time of peace but also in ech thing which shall be requisite and necessarie in time of warres behauing himselfe in all causes more circumspect and carefull then those yearelinges either haue done or can doe Whether it be as touching the knowledge of the placing of the battell the guiding and leading forth of one armie the incouraging and imbolding of his souldiers or else as appertaining to the politike directing and conducting of his men whether it be openly into the fielde or priuily to woorke his enimies ouerthrowe not sparing to prouoke the slouthfull to make others the readier and forwarder through his liberalitie and bountifulnesse vsed towardes them as also winning the good will of all men in shewing himself a companion in their labours a copartner in their aduentures a King and Captaine and yet in courtesie and lowlinesse a familiar friend and fellowe neither is this so easily to be prooued by wordes as it is confirmed and manifested by the proofes and testimonies of sundry Common weales for as we all knowe the Persian estate hath growne vnto this mightinesse and hugenesse which it now possesseth not by the helpe and counsell of a rude multitude or by those yeerely Magistrates but onely by the vigilent care and diligent indeuours of their Kinges and Princes In like sort also haue wee seen the wealth power of Dionisius the tyraunt to haue byn increased who by his painefull labour and trauell saued his countrey from spoyle making Sicilia whom at his comming he founde besieged and in thraldome the famous and renowned Citie of all Greece The Carthagians and Lacedemonians whose gouernments are accounted amongst all the Gretians as the singulerst the perfectest though they were ruled at home in time of peace by the authoritie of diuers yet in warre they alwayes obeyed the rule and commaundement of one man alone I could also shew you that the Athenians who most of all detested this Monarchall authoritie when they sent diuers Emperours into the fieldes they had continually the worst but when they constituted
but I haue had that care herein that my children maye truely and euery one of them equally challenge and claime a direct and perfect lyne of their petigrees from one father and mother as amongest men vnto Euagoras my father as amongest those whom wee account the perfectes and as it were halfe gods vnto Aeocus that iust and righteous iudge and so going forwardes amongest the Gods themselues euen vnto the great and mightie Iupiter in so muche that there is not no not one of mine which is or shall bee depriued of this honour duely discending vnto them from so high and renowned auncestors And truely as their are diuers and sundry causes whereby I myght be perswaded to perseauer in this my purposed and determined course and race of liuing so surely I am as especially mooued or rather incouraged thereunto in that I well perceiue these onely vertues namely Iustice and Temperancie to be the sole inheritaunce the onely possessions and the perticuler properties of good and godly liuers As for the valiantnesse of minde the strength of bodye or worldly pollicies or any other especiall or commendable gift of nature wee commonly see the wicked and lewde person to enioy as good part in them as the other supposing therefore that man to goe about and to take vppon him a thing most excellent which painefully laboureth and striueth by all meanes possible to embrace The onlye thing that is to be counted auaueable is Iustice sayd Phocion in respect of whome al other things are triues Antonius Pius was wont to wish that his life might end the day or hower wherein hee swerued from Iustice or neglected his duety Sigismundus the Emperour being asked whome he supposed meete to be a prince or gouernour answered that man whome neither prosperitie can make hautye neither aduersity timerous or discomforted It is the parte of a prince sayd Agesilaus to excell his subiects and Citizens in the integritie of life and not in wantonnesse and daintinesse Alcamenes being asked how a realme might be best preserued aunswered if the prince be not thirstye after gaine Such was the continency and tēperācy which Pericles the worthy Captain of Athens had vsed in all his life that he could boldly say at his death that hee had neuer giuen occasion to any of his Citizens to were any mourning garment Socrates gaue his scollers alwayes this lesson to lodge wisedome in their hartes shamefastnes in their countenaunces and silence in their tongues As one swallow saith Socrates doth not make a summer so doth not one good deede proue a man to be iust and vpright in his dealings A wise man saith Anaxagoras doth not obey the lawes for feare of punishment but for the loue he beareth to vertue her selfe It is a harde thing said Alphonsus King of Aragon to be a perfect and discreete guider of an army into the field to encounter with the enemy but it is a thing more difficult for a Prince to shew himselfe vnto his people a liuely example or ring leader vnto vertue It is not sayth Tully the part of a good citizen to make any intermition of his duty or to vse any slacknesse in executing of his office or charge Aristides wife would alwayes crie vnto him to remember that the publique affaires of his countrey were to be preferred before his own priuate causes If a man saith Socrates should come into a Theatre and calling aloude shold will all Tanuers or al Smithes to arise you shal see onely the men of those sciences to arise and the rest to sit still but if he should say let all those that are iust and wise dealers stand vp presently the whole multitude will arise A certaine Philosopher of Pithagoras sect had bought a payre of shoes of a shoemaker not paying ready money but a day being appointed vnto the paiment at which time the Philosopher comming according to promise and finding the shomaker dead not paying his money he departed ioyfully home reioysing that he had gayned so much by the man but being afterward greatlye troubled in conscience as one that had possessed the goods of an other he afterward returned to the shomakers shop threw the mony from him saying he is yet liuing to me that is dead vnto others so vnquiet are the consciences of those that wrgngfully posses other mens goods Alphonsus that worthy and renowned King of Aragon accounted Vsurers and such as are greedy after other mens goods the rauining byrdes called Harpie and to retaine in his custodie these two precious pearles being as it were the onely badges and tokens by that which good men are discerned and knowen from others in that as is aforesaid they are as onely peculier and proper vnto them I my selfe as induced by these reasons haue most studiously and carefully aboue all other thinges applyed my whole indeuour to the executing and maintaining of iustice obseruing as much as might be both modesty and Temperancie in all my dealinges taking my delightes in such thinges onely which might make to the increase of my honour and to your furtherance and not in that which being committed might both turne to my shame as also to the corrupting of many others through my euil and lewde example And now as these vertues before specified are most singuler among all others to be accounted as the first chiefest so also euen in their owne kinde one farre excelleth another either in respect of the cause or time wherein they are done or else in respect of the person of him that is the doer thereof so that you are not to giue iudgement generally or after one sort of all vertues no though they bee contayned all vnder one name The which if it bee true then call to your remembraunce the iustice which I vsed in my greatest necessitie the modesty of my life when I came to enioy the chiefest authoritie and the continencie which I shewed euen in my youthfull yeares These were the times which gaue vnto you a perfect token and tried proofe of my disposition and nature for though I were left very bare and poore by my father and founde all thinges as naked when I came to my Crowne yet ministred iustice indifferently to all men that I am sure there is not one amongest you which can say that I haue done him one inche of wrong as one seeking by other mens decay to inriche my cofers or to augment my treasure and whereas I enioyed that power ouer you that all might haue byn lawfull whatsoeuer had liked me yet did I alwayes vse such modestie and lowlinesse in all my doinges that therein I haue shewed my selfe as one equall with the meanest And these thinges did I euen in that age wherein the most part of men are wont to become carelesse and dissolute as forgetting all duetie neglecting all good order and geuing themselues fondly vnto all vanities and fancies but to haue vsed these speaches as appertaining to my owne praise before straungers
neither durst I neither would I not in that they are vntrue or that I doe thinke my owne doinges as vnworthy of this commendation but because I shoulde haue feared that they would not haue giuen credite vnto my wordes but as for you you your selues are witnesses of all that hath byn spoken you your selues haue seene and knowne to your comfortes the truth confirmed before your eyes nowe therefore as you doe account those men as a rare sorte of men and such as are worthye of great commendations and praises if any amongest you by the helpe of nature doe shewe themselues discrete and modest in all their doings much more then must you of force suppose the like of them which voyde of that benefite euen of their owne voluntarie affection labour to attaine vnto the like perfection for it may bee that they which after this sort vnaduisedly doe for a time obserue that good motion of nature leading as it were by chaunce a temperate order of liuing may at length bee seduced and withdrawē from the same if that good seede happe to be chooked by some stincking and noysome weede ouergrowing it But the other which ouer and beside the furtheraunce of nature are fully perswaded and taught that the chiefest felicitie and happinesse of this life consisteth in the embrasing and following of vertue these men no doubt will continually vnto their liues ende perseuer and continue in their determined purpose And nowe to come to the whole and onely effect of all that which hath byn spoken knowe ye that the onely cause why and wherefore I haue made this long discourse vnto you both as touching my self as also of all other thinges before rehearsed and specified is that you should perswade your selues that there is nowe no excuse left to be alleaged why you should not willingly and gladly obserue and obey the commaundementes nay rather the good counsaile and friendly exhortation which I shall giue you seeing I burthen you with no greater burthen nor charge you with no more then to fulfill that which I my selfe both haue done and willingly will doe euen vnto my liues ende wherefore I require and charge you that euery one of you doe execute that office and function whereunto he is called both diligently and faithfully for it must needes come to passe that your dealinges must prooue euill if either of these two pointes be not obserued shewe not your selues therefore neglectors and contemners of my commaundementes and yet not so addicting your selues as though you should thinke that the waight and importaunce of all shoulde consist in the obseruing and obeying of my will onely but that you would be so carefull and diligent in those thinges which you take in hand as to perswade your selues that the well doing and ordering of euery perticuler matter is the only meanes whereby the vniuersall estate of euery Common weale doth flourish and prosper for there must needs bee a most happie Realme where euery man perticulerly hath a care to performe his duetie and to amende himselfe in ought that is amisse for when wee flatter our selues with our owne follies and are as it were blinded with our owne vanities wee runne headlong into our owne destruction bee you therefore no lesse carefull of my affaires then of your owne seeing the one dependes on the other neither doe ye esteeme as vaine the honours which are prepared for them which painefully and iustly order It is better sayd Chilon to sustaine losse then to be enriched through vnhonest meanes Bias being asked what thing that was in the life of man which was voyde of feare aunswered a cleare conscience When as Pontius one of Cesars Centurions was taken by Scipio Pompeyes father in law and was promised his life if hee would forsake Cesar disclose his secretes and adioin him selfe vnto Pompey O Scipio said he I giue you thankes for your gentle proffer but know ye that I way my life lesse then I doe my faith and dutifull obedience towardes my maister frō whom though I be absēt yet is he as now present with me Anonimus being asked what was the best meanes to cause men to deale iustly aunswered the kinges eye for said he the dilligent attendaunce of princes ouer the affaires of their countreyes shall imprint such a feare in the heartes of his subiectes that they will alwayes thereby thinke them as present although they be absent and so be fearefull to transgresse Licurgus was wont to reioyce in that he had so liued that his deadliest enimies were not able to burthen him that he had receaued one farthing vnhonestly or committed any such folly for which they might haue cause to be sorry or they to reioyce ouer him When as one offered Iulius Drusus for fiue Talentes of Siluer to redresse the inconueniencies of his house in that diuers partes thereof did lye open to the prospect of his neighbors nay said Drusus I will rather giue thee ten Talentes for to build my house that not only my neighboures but the whole Citie may perfectly see what is done in euery part thereof signifying that a good man ought to doe nothing wherof he should be ashamed if it were knowne If my father sayde Pericles should conspire against my countrey if reson might not diswade him from this madnesse I would surely betray him Lisander being asked what common weale he supposed in most happy state that countrey sayd he where vertue is rewarded and vice punished our businesse committed vnto them Refraine your handes from other mens goodes to the ende that you your selues may the safer and the quieter possesse that which is your owne for it is reason that you shewe your selues such manner of men towardes others as you would wishe others to bee affectioned towardes you Make no more hast to get Riches then an honest report for amongest the Greekes and amongest all other people bee they neuer so barbarous they commonly enioy the chiefest honours and the greatest wealth which are found to deserue through their vertues the greatest commendations As for vnhonest gaine it bringes not so great store of treasure into your Cofers as it doth daunger vnto your persons both in the getting and keeping neither woulde I haue you to thinke your selues euer the richer by receauing or the poorer in giuing for the properties of these two are oftentimes chaunged and truely you can not doe amisse herein if ye respect either the time or the necessitie of the case so that it be agreeable to vertue Goe not about to hyde or to keepe secrete from me any one thing whatsoeuer it bee that either you nowe are about to doe as presently or else hereafter minde to bring to passe no although it bee that which remaineth as priuie in your owne imaginations being as yet onely knowen vnto your selues for though my bodye bee not alwayes in one and the same place with you yet ought the remembraunce of me to be continually present in all your affaires
enterprises for this being borne in minde shall cause you as carefully and as discretely to deale as if I there did stand as present to behold you Againe as you knowe close and priuie practises containe in them great troubles with continuall terrour and feare so order your selues therefore in that charge which is committed vnto you that nothing may bee sayde to haue byn done either secretly or deceiptfully but that all your doings may appeare so plaine and manifest vnto all the world that your deadliest enemie though he sought it may not bee able to finde one little hole in your garment no not one iust occasion to triumphe ouer you for the least acte which you should commit or doe vndiscretly Imitate the Eagle go get you to a sunnie banke looke vpon your Talentes if you finde them dull sharpen them againe examine your owne workes if they bee good goe forward as you haue begunne but if they be euill amend them adiudging those thinges as vnworthy and vnseeming to be done which you desire to keepe secrete from me and that onely to be honest and good which I vnderstanding shal haue iust cause to commend as also through them to conceiue the better opinion of you your selues Keepe not the counsell of those which shall seeke either to indamage my person or to subuert my kingdome but rebuke them and reproue them yea though they bee your dearest friendes for no lesse punishment shall be giuen vnto the counseller then to the chiefest trespasser neither doe you iudge them as happie which can craftily couer their wicked and naughtie intentes but rather suppose those men as most safest which offend not at all for as it is requisite that the one shoulde receiue conding punishmentes according to the hainousnesse of their offences which in time doe appeare so is it conuenient that the other shoulde receiue a meete rewarde for their well doinges You shall gather together no assemblies nor call no counsell without my authoritie and consent for as suche conspiracies haue byn most pernitious vnto that state of Licurgus being asked why his countrey men did so often remoue their tents or Campes from place to place aunswered that we may the easier deceiue our enemies signifying that nothing brought sooner destruction than often alterations and chaunges When as Strabard euery fauour with Augustus had vsed words to the reproofe of the stubbornnesse of Cato Vticensis in that he slue himselfe rather then he would consent to the alteration of the estate of gouernment before vsed Augustus aunswere was that that man was onely to be accounted a good and honest Citizen which desyreth not the state of the common weale to be altetered changed but holdeth himself content with things present Cleon hauing taken vpon him the gouernment of the common weale of Athens protested that he would now as it were vnlose the bandes of all friendship because sayd he friends are oftentimes lettes vnto the executing of iustice O how happy was Scipio Africanus who conducting so great an army into Afrike was able to say there is not one Souldyer in all this Campe whome if I should commaund to throw himselfe hedlong down this Turret which would refuse to doe it The vse among the Romaines was at their feastes and solemne meetinges to sing the actes and doinges of their auncesters in verse vpon shaulmes flutes to the end that their youth by the heating the same might be incouraged to immitate the like A certaine woman of the countrey of Ionia a part of Greece bragging of a peece of curious worke which she had made reprouing the vnskilfulnesse or rather idlenesse of a certaine woman of Lacedemonia because she could not shew the like the Lacedemonian matron for aunswere bringing forth her fower sonnes whome shee had brought vp in all honest and godly exercises said vnto her this is the worke wherein a good and careful mother is to be ocupied about to procure vnto her country honest obedient citizens then to bewtify her house with fond brauery To teache their youth both dutifull obedience towards their Magestrates elders as also to make them the redier skilfuller in the vnderstanding of their duties the Romaines had an order that their yong men should dayly attend and waite on the Senatours and fathers accompanying them vnto the Senate house and so home again giuing the like reuerence both in the streates as also at feastes Leontichidas being asked â—herin youth ought most to be instructed aunswered in those thinges which may profite them most when they come to mans estate When as Phocion was reproued because he would not receiue the great treasure that was sent to him from Minillus neither yet suffer his sonne to receiue it his aunswere was that if his sonne were of honest conuersation his patrimonye left vnto him would suffice him but if he were a riotous and wanton liuer neither that treasure neither any other would be sufficient for him When as Tissaphernes had broken promise with Agesilaus he sente certaine Orators vnto him to giue him thanks in that by breaking his promise he had not onely iniured him but also procured the indignation of the Gods against him in being so carelesse of his faith One going about to perswade Anazilaus to doe a certaine thing that was vnhonest to be done affirming that he neede not feare the doing thereof seing that he could not be thought the vnhonester therby because he might keepe it vnknowne from all men though said Anazilaus as thou sayst I may keepe it vnknowne from others yet will it be alwayes known to my selfe Fridericus hauing called al his counsellers before him into his court burst out into these speeches would God my counsellers would put of and leue behind them in the Porters lodge at my Court gate two things so should I be sure to be wel counselled by them and I my selfe also should easily deserue what were best to de done for the profite of my people at which wordes his counsellers amazed because he vsed no more wordes one of the company asked the Emperour what were these two thinges it is sayd he flattering and dissembling the murtherers of truth the vndoers of Princes and the ouerthrowe of euery common weale Carneades saying was that Princes were neuer perfect in any thing but in riding for said he it is the vse of all men that haue to deale with them to flatter to dissemble with them but the horse not caring whome he carieth be he King or Citizen without respect of persons throweth them of from his back except they be skilfull in ordering riding of him Antigonus the King of Macedon being asked why he so greatly esteemed Zeno because said he I did neuer finde him to dissemble with me in any thing when as one had sayd vnto Theopompus King of Lacedemonia that the people of Lacedemonia should be then most happye when as their Princes had learned to rule well thou saist truth