and stars were Gods and gouernors of the world whereas gouernance doth only and truly belong to wittie and reasonable thinges as to God who is soueraigne wisdome To angels as the wisest of his creation to men as illuminated by his spirits But vnreasonable bodies aboue are only instruments of Gods gouernance and therefore cannot but indirectly be called guides and disposers Such iudiciall Astronomy also is comdemned by the law 26. q. 6. Igitur and in many other places of scripture also S. Paule likewise misliketh such practicke in Aronomy where he saith You kéep holy daies and yeares as heathen people do I am therefore affraid quoth he that I haue trauailed about you in vaine to conuert you all and on the same place the glosse reprehendeth the craft of Astronomie very earnestly Such sciences likewise are reproued in Pauls Epistle to the Corin. 10. I shall saith God destroy the wise man and the slight of the subtill and of them that trust so much in their cunning Where also Saint Paule saith Where is now the wise man that setteth so much by his owne wit Where is now the man of law with all his slights Where is now the searcher of nature and the course of kind God saith he hath turned the wisdome of the world into folly I count said Metrodorus that this deuining of things to come which onely depend on the wil of God and mans industries are méere and great follies For no Astronomer by his cunning can tell me my thoughts nor resolue me in succéeding purposes nor how I shal lead my life they know not my counsailes although they sée and speake with me how should they then know Gods will since they neither sée him nor speake with him Themselues cannot foretell or beware of their owne mischiefes and how may he rightly know a star so farre oft that cannot warely escape a pit hard at hand so that as far as I sée the more they worke by their craft the worser they spéed Now trust me said Anthony I like thy present reasons to shew their further arrogance I will thus prosecute my purpose wherby you shall espy their wonderous folly and find that the more they trust in their secrets the lesse they trust in God There will no wiseman as you know write his hid secrets and yéerely busines in the roofe of his hal nor about the wals therof least al men might read them and know them no more will God write what he thinketh to doe in the firmament that therein all fooles might discerne his secrets and forepointments For Christ hid many things from his apostles and said to them Non est vestra nosce tempora vel momenta quae pater posui in sua potestate It longeth not to you to know the times and moments which the father of heauen hath receiued into his power and by the Prophet Esay he said Secreta meū mihi secretum meum mihi I kéepe my secrets to my selfe and since he kéepeth such counsails from his friends much more obscureth he his secrets from his enemies They say that by the secrets of Astronomy they may lawfully tell and deuiue of faire and drie wether of raine and of tempests for they fall by common course of nature quoth Asterius and therefore they may be foreknowne and foretold Asterius answered Anthony as I haue said before the course and kind of planets dependeth on Gods will only and are méerely at his owne disposition as the instrument stands on the workemans hand and in his will to doe there with what he will So that Astronomers by their cunning cannot certainely foretell either drought raine or succéeding tempest neither censure the same by stars as the materiall causes of the same but by the celestiall bodies as by tokens they may know the successe of frost haile snow wet drought and such other things and that knowledge hath the shéepheard in the field the shipman on the sea the bird in the aire the fish in the water and the beasts in the wood far better then all the Astronomers in the world How then may bodies aboue bée tokens of things and not causes said Asterius The falling of soot quoth Anthony in the chimney is a token of succéeding raine but not the cause of raine but the raine rather is cause of the soot falling For when the aire wareth moist then doth the soot through the moisture thereof wax heauie and so falleth downe and in so falling is a token of the moisture of the aire So swetting of water out of the stone is a token of raine yet is it no cause thereof but the raine moisture of the aire is cause of the swetting of the same The melting also of salt when it turneth to water is a token of raine but not the cause Smoake in the house when it passeth not out readily is a token of raine and the blew glowing of fire a token of frost but none of both causes of either The Halo likewise about the Moone a token of wind but no cause al such tokens showing the disposition of the aire but not the cause and in like manner superiour constellations by their light and manner of shining are tokens of wet and drought and such like And as the light of the Sun sheweth the disposition of glasse when it shines vpon it whether it be white or blacke red or gréene and yet is not the cense of the same colors and the Moone in one lunacion and in the same time sheweth in one countrie great tokens of raine and 20 miles off showeth great tokens of drought and so it falleth out yet it is the same Moone and the same lunacion and therefore the same cause in diuersitie is not in the Moone but in the aire In one countrie sheweth wind and tempests in another far otherwise some is made whote by the reuerberation of the sun in another countrie not so but far different In one day also it gloweth in another it fréezeth The sunne showeth his light one time of the day another time it doth not which diuersities stand not on the sunne but on the aire and other causes For the sun of it selfe as Philosophers say is alwaies of one certaintie and shineth euer alike It is not whoter one time then it is at another time But such diuersitie falleth by the diuersitie of the aire and other meanes and causes surpassing mans capacitie Sometimes such aduentures of hunger pestilence tempests drought and inundacions fall out by the ordinance of God for mans sinne and to expresse his might and power Sometime without meane only at his will Sometime by the working of good or euill angels at Gods bidding Sometime by the working of the supernaturall bodies at his bidding For as I first said he may doe with the planets what he will and he may doe without them what he list And therefore by the course of the planets we may know such aduentures and casualties not as being causes thereof
agent who hauing power to finish the affaire in good sort would notwithstanding misdoe the same For he that requireth an oth from an infidel wil not that he sweare by false Gods for then he should sinne but he only requireth him to sweare and if the choice were in him he rather would haue him sweare by the true God then draw the false to testimony In like sort also may it be answered of the curat for without sinne may he minister if he repent himselfe before the administration Touching your third question I hold it wholy vnlawful for this cause and reason induced by Augustine vpon Genesis because the Diuell as it oftentimes falleth out in such like superstitious rites and ceremonies insinuateth himselfe into mens actions contrarie to their knowledge and oftentimes against their will for men and fond women especially vse these rites words and remedies in cure of infirmities and doubtlesse the Diuels are assistant in their working to the end they may deceaue and persuade them to trust in vain and superstitious things and this is that faedus tacitum or secret league which is said to be had with Diuels Thus briefly haue I resolued thée Asterius setting little by my labor so I may profit thée greatlie Thou séest now the vanitie scope and issue of this bodie of curiòsitie here is nothing in it but deceit nothing but blasphemie no meanes but wicked flie it therefore and be rather glad that thou knowest how bad it is then sorrie to haue forsaken that which is preiudiciall to thy soule Thou mouest me Anthonie quoth Asterius for whom authoritie and reason cannot moue his sicknes is desperate and iudgement peruerted and I begin to loath Magicke onlie the delights of Astrologie secrets of Astronomy if they in thy iudgements be permissible are the marks I shoot at and the studies I would be exercised in Astronomy and Astrologie quoth Metrodorus Why these are but customes of antiquitie and apparances of Idolatrie fruits of presumption instructions of vaineglorie supererogating deceits the bug-beares of the simple For the professors hereof are waxt so peremptorie as they ascribe more to the Sunne the Moone the Stars and plannets and their owne astronomicall calculations then either to the blessed angels or to Gods maiestie That is true said Frumentarius for they faine to pull God from his kingdome defraud him of his Maiestie and make him more bound to the starres then euer were creatures to man For they will be Gods priuie counsailers dispose of his doomes determine his works and by their corrupt wits and course of the planets presume more then man should practise They say that all sicknesse or health riches or pouertie good or bad wisdome or follie wholie depend on celestiall influences They ascribe faire weather or soul to the reuolutions of the heauens presume so much on their foreknowledge that no dissolution of Commonweale no mortalitie of sicknesse no tiranny of war can fall out but by their wits and the celestiall bodies For as they say the bodies aboue rule all things heare beneath Thus make they by their owne imaginations God more thrall and subiect then any Prince in his soueraigntie For a king in his authoritie hath power of a page to make a Prince of a poore man a Lord without leaue of the plannets Again if a man trespasse against him and be conuict of treason he hath power to attach him authoritie to iudge him and means to execute him he can depriue his heires of their heritage and from their prosperities condemne them to pouertie This power and fréedome hath a King wheresoeuer the planets be or in what signe aspect or constellation without either leaue of the planets or license of Astronomers much more then the King of heauen that made the Sun the Moone and all things of nought ruleth and guideth them by his wil and rewardeth punisheth euery creature after his deseruing may peremptorilie do what he list without either assistance of planet or councell of Astronomie That is true said Anthonie and I delight to heare it your reasons Frumentarius show your reading Metrodorus allegations his iudgement now therefore that Asterius may make one with vs in this resolution I will thus brieflie prosecute this subiect We find in Genesis 10. At the beginning of the world whē God made all things of nought the fourth day he made the Sun the Moone and stars and set them in the firmament to giue light to creatures here beneath Ordaining the Sun principally to illumine the day the moone and stars the night ordering them to distinguish the one from the other and to bée as tokens oftimes daies years He likewise placed them as marks and tokens how to deuide yeares from moneths months from daies and daies from houres aduising man when to sléepe and when to wake when to rest and when to trauel whē to plant and when to sow where to eare and when to reape and therefore saw Solomon that all things haue their times and all things passe away vnder heauen by the pace and space of time and so God made the firmament aboue with those bright bodies that are therein to serue mankind and all creatures in their kind and of light and time of light as a lanterne which may not be quenched of time as a clocke that may neuer faile he made them likewise for man and not man to serue them he gaue them also not to gouerne man but he gaue man and woman wit and discretion to gouerne themselues by that light and knowledge of time which he hath of the bodies aboue that by their light they may sée to work and by their stirring and their course they may know what time it is wherein they ought to labour and therefore saith the law 2. q. v. Non licet in gloss That the bodies aboue are tokens and not causes of things here beneath and as a lampe or clocke are necessarie for scholers by night to rule raise and guide them in their studies so do the bodies aboue serue men on earth that they may be enlightned by them and by their mouing know their times to serue God according to their degrées and his dignities and as the lampe or clocke in the colledge ruleth not the scholer but the scholers rule and order themselues by the clocke and candle the one aduising them when to rise the other fréely lighting them to read euen so man and woman beast and bied and al liuing creatures rule them by the bodies aboue and yet the celestiall and superior bodies rule them not they should not therefore be called gouernors of this world because they gouerne not the world but serue only as instruments of Gods power and gouernance For it fareth by God and the celestiall bodies aboue as it doth by the smith and his grindstone the carpenter his ax the clockmaker and his clocke Good Anthonie quoth Asterius explaine me these comparisons Thou séest apparantlie quoth Anthonie that
are fallible and their positions vncertaine It is inconuenient either to trust them or to put affiance in their follies for so may euery foole tell what he will and excuse his error Their manner of spéech then is but a coppie and coulor of subtiltie and vntruth a net to catch mens soules a sinfull excusation of sinne and a chaine to draw men from God and to tie them to fantasies wise they would be thought and are prooued ignorant secret and skilfull but they are known deceiuers and faine would they be thought of Gods counsaile but neither wot they how neither can they because they are so false For the better proofe whereof you shall vnderstand that there is but one sunne one moone and other fiue stars Saturne Iupiter Mars Uenus and Mercurie which with other stars whirle about the earth with the firmament euerie day naturall passing ouer all climats and countries water aire in foure and twentie houres which is called a day naturall from midday to midday and make no more abode ouer one then ouer another how should they then more incline in one land then in another Dispose one person more to vice or vertue then another or threaten one countrie more with warre or peace then another Because quoth Metrodorus to help Asterius some what amased some constellation or some coniunction some aspect or some influence in their swift passage and motion falleth vpon one land more then another as men are born vnder diuers constellations coniunctions aspects signs so are they inclined in diuors manners hauing their affections more appropriate to vice or vertue war or peace That is false quoth Anthony and thus I proue it when the kings sonne is born at one instant with the bondmans soune the time is one the constellations the sunne the aspects sighes and planets alike yet haue they not one inclination and disposition for the kings sonne is disposed by inheritance to be a king after his father and the bondmands sonne is disposed by his birth to bée a bondman all his life time as his father was a hundreth yeares before his creation no planet then could auoid this bondage or depriue the kings sonne of his right and inheritance In the same time with the same aspects vnder the same planets when one child is brought forth many other are borne yet haue they not all one inclination neither are they subiect to one dispositions For some of them are inclined to goodnesse and some to wickednesse some to sicknesse and some to health some to be wrathfull some to be mercifull some to be wise some to be fooles some foule some faire some rich some poore some long liuing some soone dying Esau and Iacob had both one mother and one father Isaac and Rebecca and both were begotten at once and yet were they diffident in manners for Iacob was a good man and Esau a bad Iacob beloued of God Esau hated for his wickednesse Iacob was smooth of bodie Esay full of haire Iacob was a true simple man Esau a prowd and malicious son so then it appeareth that such diuers inclinations of men and women depend neither on the planets or the time of their births What then are the causes of the diuersities said Frumentarius Forsooth quoth Anthony Adams originall sinne wherein we are conceiued and being so conceiued are to sin inclined and therefore God saith that mans heart thought is prone to euill euen from his youth Sensus cogitatio cordis generis humani in malum prona sunt ab adolescentia sua no man therefore may say of himself my heart is clean as who should say I am pure and cleane without sinne Some likewise are disposed to sicknesse some more and some lesse and that for diuers causes Sometimes for wicked sufferance because children are not chastised in their youth For as Salomon saith the child that is suffered to haue his will shameth his mother and his kinsfolke Some for wicked company they be in and wicked example of their elders and misinformation For as Salomon saith A man in his ould age hardly forsaketh the depraued customes of his youth And yet it is a prouerb qd Metrodorus Yong saint old deuil It is a sinfull prouerbe said Anthonie to draw men from science to sinne from vertue to vice and from God to the Diuell for Scripture saith Bonum est homini cum portauerit iugum suum ab adolescentia sua Happie is the man saith he that hath borne the yoake of our Lord from his youth And as the Poet saith Quod noua testa capit inueterata sapit Such as the vessell taketh when it is new such it sauoureth when it is old and therefore Saint Iohn Baptist Tobie Ieremy Sampson and Samuel with many others are praysed in sacred Scripture for their holinesse in youth For commonly they that are good in their young yeares in their reretired age make a happie end according to the Prouerbe Qualis vita finis ita And although for a time they be subiect to sinne and vanitie God suffereth them to fall therein least they should be prowd of their own goodnes take disdaine at others sinfull wretchednesse Some also is more enclined to sinne then another because he was gotten and conceiued in sinne more then another although they were both borne in wedlocke For husband and wife may sinne gréeuouslie together in misuse of their bodies or in distemperance if they either exceed measure or manner or default in time as in sicknesse or otherwise The sinne notwithstanding is in the asker net in the giuer They may like wise sinne by wicked intention or fulfilling the iusts of the flesh not to the intent to the wicked fornication nor to yéeld the debt of their bodies nor to bring forth children to the worship of God but only to their owne lust men also are enclined to sinne by their excesse meats and drinks and by the misgouernance of their fiue sences and for these causes one is inclined to sicknesse more then another For sinne oftentimes is a cause of bodely sicknesse and by misdiet of the mother when she is with child or by indisposition of the father or mother or both when the child is gotten and by miskéeping of the child in youth many sicknesses are fallen into for children in youth are apt to haue all things and by that meanes do oftentimes receiue that inwardly which altereth their complexions and peruerteth their natures God likewise smiteth them sometime with sicknesses and mischiefe for that their fathers and mothers sinne in too vnséemly cockering and affection Knowing their parents corrupt desires to be so great that to instruct their sonnes they will hazard their soules Sometime also he smiteth with sicknesse to shew his might and power as he did in him that was borne blind that the power of God might be showne in him in restoring his sight many other causes likewise there be which passe mans wit and are not subiect to our
reasons For wée may not alwaies know Gods will neither are his secrets to be censured by our sences yet are not these assigned reasons alwaies generall For sometimes a good man hath a wicked sonne and a wicked man a worthie heire for should children alwaies follow their fathers and mothers in goodnesse or wickednesse then should all the right of their reformation and vertue be ascribed to the parents and not to God and the one should haue cause to bée prowd the other yéeld matter to be forgotten and therefore God so medleth one with another moderateth his iudgemēts by his wisdome that the good childrē should not presume on themselues nor be prowd neither the ill should be euer sorrowfull and desperate but should onely trust in God that of the wicked maketh good and of the reprobate righteous It is said quoth Frumentarius that as children be borne vnder diuers signes so are they likewise inclined to diuers trades and estates so that vnder some signe one should be a fisher and vnder some other a goldsmith and vnder some other a scholer It is said is well said quoth Anthonie but it is true is better Many countries know us coiners and many though they know them yet haue no vse of them in a great realm of six hundreth miles in length and two hundreth in bredth there are no coiners but in a place assigned them by the king not by signes or celestiall bodies but by his seale and patent and there are they planted to print money not by Iupiter Mars or Mercury but by the ordinance of his maiestie and if any man coine but those the King hath admitted he shall be punished like a traitor neither can the signes or planets saue his life They likewise that are borne néere the sea or nigh some great water do themselues follow fishing instruct their children in that facultie not by reason of the signs where vnder they are borne but for their better oportunitie and increase of liuing They that are borne from the sea some follow tillage some cloathing the one by reason of vpland the other through abundance of wool some be shepheards some southsaiers so of other crafts and trades as the countrie requireth not according to the disposition of the signes and planetarie circles but according to their natures countries and manners A man likewise that hath many children bindeth them prentice not as the constellations direct him but as his abilitie serueth him So then you may well perceiue that such diuersitie in liuings and change in trades and occupations dependeth on the childrens friends that ordain so for them and not on signes and planets which are neither propitions to the one nor partiall to the other If then the planets haue no power in these things What say you to distenie and her power quoth Metrodorus for Seneca saith Regitur fatis mortale genus and Lucan Regit omnia fatum it séemeth then that all things befortune man and woman by desteny Fond men speake fondly and therefore trust them not said Anthony for as Gregory writeth Absit a cordibus fidelium vt aliquid esse fatam dicatur God forbid saith he that any Christian man should beléeue that there were any fate or destenie For God that made and fashioned man if naught rules gouerneth and ordereth his life according to his deserts and his righteousnes and mercie and to be short man was not made for the stars but the stars for him Yet is the Gospel against you said Asterius for we find that as soone as Christ was borne of his blessed mother his star appeared in the East giuing hereby an assured token and proofe that ech man is borne vnder a certaine star and constellation which is called his destinie for al his after liuing is gouerned therby as both Astronomers and Astrologers confesse vnfainedly It séemes well that to maintaine folly O Asterius foolish men deceiue by folly vsing vntruths to persuade which neither can abide the tast of truth or their triall For the star that appeared at Christs birth had no mastery ouer him but the blessed child was Maister and Lord of the star The star gouerned not the child but the child gouerned the star The star did worship and seruice to Christ and therfore was it called the childs star because the child was Lord of that star as he was of all others For he was and is Lord of sonne Moone and stars and all things whatsoeuer They may not therfore confirm their follies and false iudgements with an Astronomicall iudiciall of the star for as Augustin and other doctors confirm it was no star or planet of the firmament but a preordinate light sent by God al which may be proued both by art and vnfained authoritie For as arts-men confesse Minima stella fixa maior est tota terra The least star in the firmament is bigger then the whole earth euery planet like wise is greater then the earth except the Moone and Mercury which in that they be somewhat lesser then the earth do sometime loose that light they receiue from the sunne by the interposition and shadow of the same as when the earth falleth betwixt the sunne and them and if that be true then if that star had béene so great as another star it should haue ouerwhelmed all the earth for it néerely approched the earth in conducting the kings on their way The stars also of the firmament follow the course of the firmament and in euery day naturall arise in the East and set againe in the West but that star did far otherwise for first it shined both night day without obseruation of the course of the firmament next only directed the right way wherby the Magi were to trauell to Bethléem conducting them to the sonne of iustice which rose out of the cleere skie the Maiden Marie Thee stars likewise in the firmament shine by night but that star appeared in the Horizon both day and night The stars like wise of the firmament shine both to rich and poore to yoong and old to skilfull and vnskilfull but that star appeared only to the Kings and their attendants The stars in the firmament are perpetuall and euerlasting since as the Philosopher thinketh Sola sublunaria sunt caduca but that star had but nine months continuance at the most and if some clarks erre not continued but fortie daies Thē what manner of star was it quoth Metrodorus resolue vs in this difficultie Some schoolemen say it was but the likenesse of a star said Anthony for the Kings had no knowledge of angels but only intended the stars Some say it was the same child that lay in the oxes stall which appeared to the Kings and led them to Bethléem in likenesse of a star and therefore the hymne saith Iacet in praesepio fulgebat in caelo But the common sentence of the learned is that it was a starre newly ordained by God to shew the birth of our
thy selfe by thy selfe whereupon Seneca in his Epistles writeth Consider thy selfe inwardly and beléeue not other what thou art it more concerneth thée to know what thou séemest to thy selfe then what thou art estéemed by others For it is a wise mans part rather to iudge himselfe than his neighbour And touching acceptance in taking counsaile in time of prosperitie thus saith Seneca in his book de formula honestas vitas Then when thou art in prosperitie ask counsaile as if in danger and rather feare faire spéech then bitter good counsailes For an euill man that speaketh faire is the net of the innocent and there are none so secret treasons as those that are coloured with the office of dissimulation or vnder the name of friendship It is therefore better to receiue the stripes of a freind then the kisses of a flatterer Be not therefore moued with the faire swéet and choice words of a flatterer but regard thine owne affaires and examine their discourses A wise man respecteth the matter not the oratorie for he that speaketh truth his spéech is plaine and vnpolished And although thou thinke thy selfe a wise man yet trust not thine owne purpose but with deliberate iudgement séeke wisdome from another man For Cassiodorus councelleth to séeke wisdome in another man in whom is greatnesse of science for to doubt and to aske councell of the wise is neither vnprofitable nor immodest The counsaile likewise of those men is to be eschewed who in times past were thine enemies and are afterwards reconciled for no man safelie returneth into fauor with his enemie For which cause Esope said neither trust or discouer your secrets to those with whom you haue béene at debate and contention Nulla fides hosti tibi sit qui talia noste Prorsus hostilis tibi sit persuatio vilis For as where fire bath béen long time there neuer wanteth vapour so where ancient enmities haue béene continued there cannot be true loue neither may there euer bée default of suspect Thine enemie will wéepe in thy presence and when he spies his time be imbrued with thy blood associat thée not therefore with thine enemies when thou maist find other friends for the euils thou hast done them they will not forget and the fauours thou offerest them they will suspect Their counsaile like wise is to be eschewed who not for loue but feare shew loue and dilection for they are not friends but odious enemies For Tully saith in his Offices amongst all things there is nothing more apt to maintaine riches and retaine them being compassed then loue neither any thing more fond then to be feared For men deadly hate those whom they feare and whatsoeuer a man earnestly hateth he desireth to sée perished And y t no wealth may withstand many mens hate though before it were vnknowne yet now is it manifest doc not therefore think that either counsailor or freind may be gotten by feare for no man is faithfull to him he feareth and therefore Martiall long Inuitas vero nemo coactus amat And good counsel and friendship is not only not retained or attained by feare and terror but euery kingdome likewise maintained by feare doth soone come to perdition For as the Philosopher saith he ought to feare many when manie feare and as Seneca concludeth No terrible man can bée secure in his monarchie The riotous mans counsaile also must be eschewed for how can he be trustie in thy secrets who is a traitor to his owne bodie They likewise that pretend one thing priuately and protest another openly are to be reiected for it is a certaine kind of harme and iniustice to speake one thing secretly and make shew of another thing openly Flie likewise the councell of the euill and suspected For he that is euill in himselfe neuer deliuereth good counsaile from himselfe and where the heart is fraught with impietie the tongue vttereth nothing but dissimulation and subtilty young men in counsaile likewise are déepely to bée suspected for they haue ripe wits and yong desires Woe saith the wise man to that land whose king is a child and whose Princes eat early It followeth now in what sort how thou oughtest to examine counsaile For in it there needeth great circumspection and discretion that both the beginning progresse and end be very diligently examined First therefore in discerning counsaile both generally suppresse in thy selfe and remoue from thy counsailers ire pleasure desire hast the arch enemies of all deltheration Secondly respect the beginning of thy affairs for the law tieth a man to circumspection in nothing more then the entrance and therefore the Prouerbe saith He that hath begun well hath halfe happily finshed For all examples haue had their springs from good beginnings and in al good things thou shalt continually find a double euill in the beginning therefore thou oughtest to feare because of the double euils which accompany euery thing For if in good beginnings there is a doubt of double harme much more in things badly begun and improuidently disposed is there danger For they sildom or neuer haue good ends which haue badly begun The beginnings are in our owne powers but the euents in fortunes hands wisely therefore and with great discretion examine thou thy counsailes for it is the propertie of a prudent man to prie into euery thing to auoid credulitie and to preuent falshood In examining thy counsaile likewise obserue these circumstances that in euery thing thou respect that which is true and sincere what conuenience or consequent and whence matters take head and what is the cause and reason of euery thing Thou must therefore be respectiue to the truth because truth is only to be regarded which only maketh men like to God because God in himselfe is perfect truth as appeareth by Christs words Ego sum via veritas vita I am the way the truth and the life and therefore require I sincerity as Tully did in counsaile because pure and sincere veritie is to be respected and mendacious and subtill lying is earnestly to be auoided For as the Philosopher saith veritie is perfect when it is not intermedled with falshood and the wise man saith Rather is a theefe to be beléeued then an assiduous and common lier to be heard And where I annex a cōuenient regard in affairs it is for this cause because in all thy counsailes thou must haue this regard that they be conuenient and agréeable with reason Thou must likewise respect who they be that consent to the affairs wil and counsails and who contradict the same that by this thou maist know whether thy businesse or determination will sort to good or no Thou must likewise examine and foresee whether thy purpose consent or stand with possibilitie and in all the foresaid be so prouident in examining y t thine appetite may agrée with reason vtility and possibility Touching consequence also haue diligent care in examining whether thou shalt obtain good or euil hate fear or
loue by thy counsailes and whether either domage or vtilitie iustice or iniurie and many such like which haue correspondence with the consequence and may not fitly bée numbred in this place in all which good is to be chosen and profit to be taken hate feare iniurie and all such other euils generally omitted and remooued Touching the circumstance whence matters are deriued thou must be very thoughtfull in examining euery word of the counsaile and carefull to consider whether they spring from vertue or vice or from any thing that deseruedly ought to be auoided or from which profit or commoditie may be drawne Touching examination of the cause thou must be very prouident in pondering the reasons thereof and earnestly séeking out the grounds of matters For so Seneca counsailed when hée said search out the cause of euery action and when thou hast found out the beginning bethinke thée of the end not slightly but iudicially dispose thy mind into thrée parts ordinat the present foresée the future and remember that is past for he rightly looseth his life that bethinketh him not of y t which hath past him who neuer premeditates on things to come manageth all things improuidently Propose therfore in thy mind both the good and euill fortunes that may chance that thou maist sustain the one and moderat the other Now since thou knowest how counsaile is to be examined consider likewise how it is to be taken and approued For then is counsaile chiefly to be taken and approued when it is both examined and found to be good and profitable And although the counsaile séemeth good it is not presently to be executed but thou must diligently looke into it how thou canst effect the same For he that commeth to the gouernement of a Commonweale and the management of affairs must not only take consideration that the thing is honest but he must likewise ponder with himselfe if he haue power to effect it In which it is likewise to be considered that he dispaire not rashly for sloth sake or grow lesse considerate through desire and couetousnesse so that in all affairs before they be enterprised thou must imploy a diligent preparation Consider therefore that thou take not too much for as the Prouerbe saith Qui nimis capit parum stringit So that rightly thou oughtest to begin nothing but y t which reasonably thou maist bring to effect Search not quoth Seneca things aboue thy reach only séek y t which may be found learn that which may be knowne desire that which may be wisht for He that desireth to flie before he get him wings is assured to fal before he expecteth it for if thou shouldest only take respect to the goodnesse profit and honor of the affaire only without the consideration of the facilitie possibilitie and conuenience of the same that would fall out which the poet saith Qui plus posse putat sua quem natura ministrat Posse suum superans seminus esse potest And if the counsaile be doubtfull in déed or word thou must rather conceale it then execute it leaue it then take it For it becommeth a wise man rather to be silent by himselfe then to speake against himselfe because it is apparant that many haue béene ouertaken by their talke but few men circumuented by their silence for words are like to arrows which are easily shot out but hardly got in againe In doubtfull matters therefore silence is requisit and actions vncertaine are better left vndone then vnfortunatly hazarded To conclude in al the forenamed so be thou stil instructed by thy selfe and others that all other contraries let slip thou only build and make choice of that which is good true profitable iust and reasonable Now since thou knowest how counsaile is to be taken consider likewise how and in what sort it is to bée retained which is euen then when by proofe and experience it is knowne profitable For proue all saith S. Paule and kéepe only that which is good and that with great constancie for so counsaileth Seneca whē he saith Be thou moouable not light constant but not obstinate It now remaineth that thou learne when thy counsailes or promises may be changed the alteration whereof is approued for many causes for the first cause ceasing and a new succéeding counsaile or promise may be changed and that according to Philosophie which saith that the causes ceasing the effects likewise cease counsaile also can and may be changed it either by error or any other cause it proue vndecent for as Seneca saith Certaine things there be that séem good and are not and certaine other which seeme and are so for verie oftentimes the truth beareth show of a lie and oftentimes a lie hideth the hope of truth Counsaile likewise is to be changed if it depend on dishonest causes or in it selfe be vnlawfull For according to the law and generally all vnlawfull pronuses are of no regard Counsel likewise is to be altered if it be sinfull or pertaine thereto for there is no counsaile against God and of no lesse worth is a promise vnpossible then an assumpsit vnreasonable A wise man lieth not when he changeth his purpose for the better and it is alwaies held a rule among the learned that the counsaile cannot be good which cannot be changed Good father Anthonie quoth Frumentarius I am resolued in all points touching the course of counsel I pray you therfore descend to the discourse of wars for the world being so much giuen to contention there is nothing that should be sooner learned Frumentanus quoth Anthonie I will fit thée in this likewise The discourse of war requireth a long Treatise because it includeth great dangers that must aduisedly be spoken of which rashly followed is ruinous and fatall War in one sort is the mother of inconuenience for it indangereth those too often that hope in it and helpeth those too fondly that should fall by it It is likewise an arme of iustice for were there not armes to reuenge iustice the authoritie of princedome would be too forward in iniuries warre likewise is an effect of vengeance for God sendeth the that are too secure in their peace a mighty sword to confound them in their securitie By war the wicked war rich and the poore fortunat and the effects thereof are such as the hungrie are filled with good things and the rich are sent empty away To conclude war is the Mistresse of confusion making pollicie of confusions and confusions pollicies They that vndertake it must serue the necessities thereof and they that wish for it are the discontented who in affecting innouation in hope to be bettered doe fall on the sword by vntimely death Briefly war is not to be wished for for as Tully saith All libertie is restrained therein and those profits that procéed therof are as well ruins as raisings of a Commonweale The conqueror what winneth he Who to reléeue a few colonies that are inuaded looseth many thousand subiects
whose equals cannot be found out Should I discourse at full of this subiect define deuide subdeuide and examine particulars it would rather require a volume then a discourse such as I can yéeld thée I will therefore only touch things necessarie and leaue the rest to thine own reading instructing thée only in those things which are lawfull and prescribing thée certaine rules when it is lawfull to enter fight and admit contention which may be referred to these eight causes Thou maist lawfully fight first of all for the maintainance of thy faith next for iustice sake Thirdly to maintaine peace Fourthly to conserue liberty Fiftly to auoid dishonestie and turpitude Sixtly to repell violence Seuenthly for the defence of a mans owne bodie Eightly for a necessarie cause First touching war to be vndertaken for faith there is nothing more iust nothing more reasonable neither anie thing more honest for faith is our buckler where vnder we gard all vertues our seale of inheritance our linck of Christianity our aliance with God rather is death to be suffered then religion to be forsaken we ought likewise to fight for Iustice sake euen to the vtterance of our liues for except iustice be maintained Common-weales are ruinated for peace likewise war is lawfull because by peace iustice and communities are maintained war likewise is lawful for the maintainance of liberty and auoidance of seruitude for as Tully saith When time and necessitie require man may fight and a valiant death is to be preferred before a seruile and obscure life for happily is he killed who ignominiously serueth Thou maist also fight to auoid Turpitude for no death is so odious as the indurance of dishonestie Thou maist likewise fight to repell violence for all laws rights permit this to repell force by force In thine owne defence likewise maist thou war for the law saith that what man doth in his owne defence is lawfully done And law of nature likewise teacheth vs to detest iniuries for it is better to withstand in time then reuenge after wrongs Resist thou therefore bouldly iniustice violence and iniurie done vnto thée for as greatly is he in fault saith Tully that resisteth not if he can as he that being of abilitie leaueth both his friends and his countrie Thou maist rightly war also vpon a iust cause as being sommoned by denuntiation and generall proclamation For assuredly that enemie thinketh himselfe strong or in effect is rash and vnaduised that calleth his equall to combate and maketh open profession of displeasure Againe touching war these few notes are to be considered That God hath therefore ordained and commaunded the law of the sword to bring them in peace by the sword that will not otherwise obay the lawes of right and charitie That war likewise is held lawfull it appeareth because God himselfe vouchsafeth the name of the Lord of hostes To conclude battaile according to other is only lawfull in thrée causes First when the cause is rightfull Next the intention good Thirdly if it be done by the authoritie of a lawfull Prince It is néedfull first of all that the cause bée rightfull and that men fight only for the right and to maintaine right and for the preseruation of the communaltie and those that are guiltlesse and would haue peace for as Augustine saith the end of battaile should be peace Their intention also must be rightfull not that they fight for ambition to get the authority or for couetousnesse to get riches or for malice to be reuenged of grutches or for cruelty to murther men For if their intention be wicked though their cause be iust they sinne in manslaughter and for their wicked intention God suffereth them to be ouercome in a rightfull cause it must likewise be executed by the authoritie of a lawfull Prince not raised by iniustice but made by common custome by authority of law by rightfull election for although a man gather a multitude against his prince and by the rebels his followers is made their head yet is he neither to command neither ought they vniustly to obay for both their election in him is vnlawfull and obedience towards him vniust This sufficeth quoth Frumentarius only good Anthony discourse of iustice and thou leauest me well resolued Frumentarius quoth Anthony iustice hath best execucion where there foregoeth good election for a prince that chooseth good iudges is sure his laws shall be well executed First therefore in choice of thy iudges out of many chuse few out of few the wisest out of the wisest the expertest out of the expertest y e most prudent of the most prudent the most quietest of the quietest the eldest for the true and worthie iudge without all doubt must be of a generous noble blood old in years of life honest of little follie much experience in spéech resolute and in knowledge profound The true iudge must not relent by praiers nor be corrupted with gifts nor deceiued with words nor disturbed with threatnings or misseled with money nor ouercome with pittie The good iudge must haue alwaies one hand readie to sustaine the good and the other to punish the wicked A good iudge is hée that dealeth in truth speaketh truth and is a friend of truth and an enemy to liers A good iudge must be wise in that hée commandeth iust in his iudgements and moderat in his executions and that which is more then all that in matters of iustice the determination thereof he shew neither passion nor affection No man in this world is so perfect but there is in him to be amended neither any man so euill that hath not in him to be praised The historie writers doe note Homer of vaine spéech taske Alexander for fury Caesar for ambition Pompey for pride Demetrius for vices Hanniball for periurie Vespatian for couetousnesse Traian for a winebibber Aurelius for amorous Amongst men so great glorious and famous as these Iudges may wel think to be noted of faults and therefore ought to be very carefull to direct a circumspect and warie course in their liues that they may auoid scandalizers and slanderers Iudges likewise ought to bée good Christians and not weake in patience For there is no vertue more requisit in a Common-weale then patience for the iudge that is measured in that he speaketh and dissembleth the iniuries done vnto him he may not lightly fall Those that gouerne people and determin causes much more then other men ought to liue warely and be of more sufferance for as they iudge so are they regarded measured and considered There is nothing in this world more sure as I haue said before then that he which is feared of many ought also to feare many and therefore it commeth to passe that many times the iudge is more damnified in his fame then the sutor in his goods I mean this of iudges who are proud and melancholie But such as are mild and gentle in suffering the people examine not the liues they