THE COVNSELLOR Exactly pourtraited in two Bookes WHEREIN THE OFFICES OF Magistrates The happie life of Subiectes and the felicitie of Common-weales is pleasantly and pithilie discoursed A GOLDEN WORKE REPLENISHED with the chiefe learning of the most excellent Philosophers and Lawgiuers and not onely profitable but verie necessarie for all those that be admitted to the administration of a well-gouerned Common-weale Written in Latin by LAVRENTIVS GRIMALDVS and consecrated to the honour of the Polonian Empyre Newlie translated into English LONDON Imprinted by RICHARD BRADOCKE Anno Salutis Humanae M. D. XC VIII ⧠TO THE MOST excellent and most mightie Prince Augustus King of Polonia c. AS euerie man well knoweth those commonweales be most blessed where men do liue in peace so are those countries miserable where people are not maintained in securitie And as euerie commonweale is happie wherein subiects are good so in good commonweales no subiect can be vnfortunate yet what doth worke the welfare of commonweales and people is and hath beene euen among the most learned long disputed Some suppose it proceedeth of goodlawes others haue thought that ciuill education doth enforme it others imagined that the temperature of the heauens doth make men apt for ciuill life some also do thinke it proceedeth from the endeuour of good kings because subiects by imitation of their Princes vertue do for the most part become like vnto them Which opinion I verelie thinke to be most true so perswaded by obseruation of your Maiesties example Neither do I iudge the great quietnes and blessednes of this commonweale and kingdome doth proceed from other cause then the excellent splendour of your princelie vertues which are such and so great as doe not onelie incite all subiects to behold them but also with exceeding admiration and imitation to loue them Sith euerie man endeuouring aboue all things to honour your Primcelie example your iustice and your clemencie is no lesse enforced to obey then to loue and the greatnes of your authoritie is such as your maiestie is not onelie a moderator and disposer of lawes but also which in a free state is most a iust iudge of each mans vertue praise and dignitie and therewith also haue framed a kingdome so perfect as on earth none more perfect can be Moreouer this kingdome is come to your maiesties hands not by inheritance not by blood nor by vsurpation as are many â—thers but by publique consent of all the Polonian Nation thereunto perswaded by the auncient vertue and wisedome of your Maiestie and your most noble auncestors For to confesse truth the house of Iageloni hath beene a Seminarie of Kings so plentifull as not onely our common-weale but also diuers other nations did desire to be thereby gouerned and would to God that most noble raze had still in Bohoemia and Hungarie continued For by the valour thereof the Turkish empyre should haue beene restrained of that greatnes whereunto it is now aspired All which things as they are admirable so are they also the more noble that holding in hand the Raines of so great a gouernment your Maiestie by your own iudgement hath called vnto you a Counsell both for nobilitie wisedome excellent by whose moderation prudence the quiet glorie of our kingdom hath bene greatlie preserued I Omit to speake of other magistrates by whom the felicitie of our commonweale is not onely ornified but also enlarged so as Polonia may be well called the habitation of libertie and seate of iust gouernment And that your highnes is author and doer of these things who doth not see I in my youth did behold them in mine elder age found them agreeable vnto the rules of excellent philosophers and auncient well gouerned common-weals which moued me to thinke it were no lost labour if by mine owne endeuour or the obseruation of other mens workes I should somewhat say of that matter to the profit of all posteritie This worke therefore I determined to dedicate vnto your Royall Maiestie as chiefe causer of mine endeuour Not meaning therby to enforme you for such is your excellent wisedome as needeth not the instruction of anie but that by reading your Maiestie may be delighted to behold your owne vertues and as a Prince of that gouerment be glad that the same is most iust and respondent to other auncient and praiseable commonweales Yet do I well knowe that to discourse of qualities appertaining to an excellent Counsellor is not onely of great importance but also accompanied with manie difficulties But my hope is that albeit my skill cannot therein merit praise yet as I hope my earnest desire of publique vtilitie shall hold me excused assuring my selfe that your maiesties wisedome and princelie Counsell a vertue proper to all the house of Iageloni will take my humble endeuour in good and acceptable part ⧠THE FIRST BOOKE WHO so wholy applieth himselfe to those studies which concerne not onely priuate pleasure but also publique commoditie doth as I thinke seeke a knowledge perfect and most worthie commendation For to be skilfull in that whereof others receiue profit doth aboue all thinges best become a wise man Among such sciences as were wont to bring with them both profit and pleasure there is not in my iudgement any more profitable or pleasing then is the skill of gouernment beeing a guide of humaine happinesse and tutresse of publique commoditie and common life Which I by the example of many others and no small experience knowing to be true beeing also assured that the knowledge whereby commonweales be gouerned is certaine and the proceeding of all thinges directed by reason and iudgement not by fallible conceipt chaunce or fortune haue determined to discourse what ought be the duetie vertue and dignitie of a perfect Councellor to the ende that those that shall be called to gouernment or take delight in such wisedome may be thereof partakers For peâ—forming of which entent I haue thought good to sounde the depth of ciuile knowledge and with greate diligence haue serched the secrets of most excellent Phylosophers not meaning to set forth any fained conceipt but that which accordeth with authoritie of wise law makers and graue Councellors I doe therefore thinke expedient that in the person of our Councellor there shoulde be such ripenesse of age as might exercise the vertues beseeming so honourable a personage and in his calling holde so greate a grauitie and reputation as all other Citizens and subiectes may hope at his hande to receiue comfort quiet councell profitable to the whole commonwealth My intent is not to frame an Idaea or Councellor imagined such a one as cannot be seene but onely in conceipt or that the heauens haue skantly any so perfect or the earth doth not containe any shadowe of such a man as did Plato in his common weale and Cicero in his Orator but our speach shall tende to thinges possible not exceeding the ordinarie vse of men Yet my meaning is to gather into this booke
happen in popular states For if any good man liuing there shall happen to mislike the plebeyall life and doth labour by admonishing reprehending and correcting the Citizens to reduce them to honesty and vertue he is forthwith iudged an enemie to liberty and by the law Ostracismo arested and many times put to death With this kind of persecution many notable Citizens inhabiting the popular states of Graecia were afflicted as Cymon Aristides Thucydides Socrates Themistocles and Damon also in Rome Camillus and Scipio were in like manner handled The fame of Aristides is of all posterity worthy to be remēbred he being a man singularly vertuous wise for his integrity of life honest cōuersatiō was with the assent of all men surnamed Iustus At such time as the law Ostracismas was vsed in Athens a certaine rude rustical felow bearing a scrol of paper in his hand hapned to mete him with great earnestnes required that the name of Aristides might be therin writtē Aristides much marueiling thereat asked whether any man had euer beene by him iniured no quoth hee but I cannot in anye wise indure thy surname of Iustus Cicero reporteth that at such time as the Ephesi banished their Prince Hermodorus they pronounced this sentence Let none of vs excell an other but if anye so doe let him no longer heere dwell but inhabite elsewhere O moste straunge customes of popular commonweales Plato vseth that speach before of vs remembred that no state doth continue beeing gouerned with Iron or Brasse that is to say by foolish men borne rather to obey then commaunde For they after some fortunate successe of warre taking vnto them loftie mindes haue at hande tutors and popular Captaines to extoll and commende their vertue Then after long hunger allured with the sweete baite of glory they reiect the authoritie of their leaders and all wise men taking the gouerment wholy into their owne handes directing the same by their owne willes and discretion which is the cause that such common-weales are not of long continuance For through diuersitie of minds those men become voyde of councell and after much insolencie contention and faction they yeelde their obedience eyther to a fewe or some one mightie personage So did the people of Athens which beeing author of the victorie by sea against the Medians puffed vp with pride of that fortune stirred greate troubles and seditions in that state and all good Citizens laboured in vaine to preuente that mischiefe Also the originall of popular states doth sometimes proceede of Rebellion attempted against the nobilitie as it many times happened in Rome when the people tooke armes against the Kings and Senate Sometimes also the cause of such popular gouerment proceedeth through good successe of some action enterprised by the people Who taking vppon them the minde of Lordes doe vsurpe the state as did the Athenians when they had vanquished the Medians and as the Romaines hauing ouerthrowne the Carthaginenses The same also otherwhiles chanseth when the people is made desperate by tyrannie of their Prince and gouernours for then by force of armes or oppression of their king they frame a forme of gouernment among themselues which in our dayes the Swisseis haue done A popular state established with good lawes is manie times gouerned iustlie and poletiquelye but the same wanting lawes or consente of the people doth not merite the name of a commonweale Of the Oligarchia or Tyrannie I meane not to entreate because such gouerment is in all respectes vniuste contrarie to vertue and ciuill life The excellencie of euerie people or commonweale may be knowen by the gouermente lawes and liberties thereof For those people are accounted the beste which within a good commonweale doe liue with iustice and libertye and they deserue the more commendation that doe continue the same with most constancie and longe preseuerance which thinges are thought chiefly to appertaine to the antiquity of men liuing in honour and nobilitie The Lacedemonians are highly praised for hauing continued seauen hundred years without any alteration of their customs their lawes or their gouerment But the Venetians haue in that respect deserued greater glory because they till these our daies haue cōstantly liued in one forme of gouerment by the space of a thousand years or more Thus haue we discoursed the diuers formes of commonweales with the natures disposition of men there liuing Among them as easely appeareth the Principalitie and Optimatie are the best This for that therein most good men doe exercise the publique functions and that because the publique commoditie is preserued by one with generall consente of minde So as if any doe excell the reste to him the commonweale is committed In these two states men doe liue best because the order of them doth not onely preserue Cities but also make the Citizens happie Some men haue thought the moste perfect commonweale should be tempered and framed of all the three estates Which is the cause that they preferre the Lacedemonian gouerment being compounded of the nobilitie which was the Senators of the authoritie of one which was the King and of the people which were the Ephori For they were alwaies chosen among the number of popular men Polibius extolleth the Romane state because it consisted of the King the Nobilitie and the people supposing that the king for feare of the people coulde not become insolente and the people durste not disobeye him in respecte of the Senate Which forme of commonweale was with good reason accounted most iust For as perfect harmonie is compounded of treble meane and base tewnes euen so a good commonweale and the surest agreement amongest men is as Cicero saith made by mixture of the best the meane and the base people We are also of opinion that commonweale is perfect which containeth good and vertuous subiectes and is gouerned by a king a Senate and consent of the people wishing the King should obserue his lawes and doe those thinges which be honourable and agreeable to the aduise of his councell For the lawe is most perfect reason whereunto whosoeuer obeyeth doth seeme a God among men Wee wish likewise that all Councellors should be men of much vertue for they being a meane betwixt the king and people may the rather giue councell by what meanes the state may be safely gouerned The authoritie of Councellors consisteth in consulting iudging and commaunding The king vseth these men as friendes and Councellors imploying their vertue and aduise in matters of most difficulty which is the cause that men say the king hath many hands many eyes and many feete Moreouer for that it seemeth a thing rather diuine their humaine that one man alone should gouerne the whole state it is necessary to haue the aide of many others yet referring the determination to the king alone all things are like to proceede well But he that doth manage all matters without Councel trusting only to
by force to haue libertie to desire and doe allthinges that is not by law and reason forbidden to defend their law and libertie from Tyrants to be partakers of the Parliaments to beleue the King of highest authority the Councell of greatest vnderstanding For where the Senate is Lord of publique Councelles and all thinges by it determined are of other estates of men obeyed where libertie is in the people authoritie in the King the Councell in the Senate there is the best temperature of libertie and equalitie chiefelie if the lawes be alwaies obeyed The Counsellor ought likewise to foresee that the commonweale be not molested with any sedition for in times of such troubles the life of men is miserable and vnhappie There is nothing so deuine humaine holie or religious that sedition doth not contataminate disturbe and subuert That is the poyson of all states which maketh the greatest dominions small and mortall The causes of sedition in all commonweales are more then the witt and reason of man can imagine Wherefore continuall watch ought to be lest the mischiefe begun should more and more increase The mindes of great men much honoured in the state must be reconciled for the discords of mightie personages doe drawe the whole commonweale of small beginnings most miserable euentes doe follow In appeasing sedition two things are chiefly to be obserued that is in what sorte men are disposed to rebellion and for what causes It happeneth sometimes that mens mindes are moued with furie desire feare anger or such like affections eyther else they are drawen with couetise gaine contempt iniurie disdaine honour and sometimes with religion Sedition doth also follow where one part of the people doth gaine great reputation and authoritie ouer the rest and by some prosperous successe beeing insolente desire to be aduanced aboue others as the Areopagi among the Athenians and the noble men of the Argiui who hauing victorie of the Lacedemonians sought to reiect the popular gouernment Also the multitude of Siracusa puffed vp with pride of their prosperous warre vppon the Athenians changed their state from a Democratie to an Ochlocratie In Rome likewise the multitude not induring the dignitie of the Senate made manie motions and in the ende created Tribunes by whose furie and insolency the authoritie of the Senate was diminished and by sedition and troubles brought the state to vtter destructioÌ„ Sedition doth also sometimes happen in the commonweale by reason one man doth exercise diuers offices which thing is perilous in euery state for that others doe seeme thereby defrauded and iudged vnworthy of honour Let each man therefore content himselfe with one office so shall the state haue many ministers with diligence to attende the well doing thereof Yet is it sometimes profitable that in small commonweales one man shoulde exercise diuers offices but in great states the same vseth to moue sedition A Counsellor therefore ought foresee chiefly in extirpation of seditions that nothing be done contrary to the ordinances lawes and customes preuenting all disorders in due time for mischiefe growing by little and little is not easely perceiued but hauing gained force it sheweth it selfe and cannot be lightly suppressed He ought also not to be ouer credulous of perswasions craftely inuented to abuse the people which are many times deuised by popular men and flatterers who louing innouation dare enterprise any thing to make them owners of their desire and resting in that minde they conspyre against the prosperitie of good men cloaking their vice with the rashnesse and fury of people which flame and insolency not being quenched in time doth commonly runne so farre as with the fire thereof the whole state is consumed The commonweale therefore requireth the Counsell of some notable and diuine man in whome it may reposethe care of hir happines and welldoing By his directions and gouernment all perils seditions discordes mutations and inclinations may he suppressed and therby enioy a happy peace and tranquility Whosoeuer endeuoreth himselfe to be such a one it behoueth him to be prudent iust valiant and temperate for from those fower vertues all humaine things wordes and workes doe proceede Surely wisedome is a great singular vertue so great as I know not any thing in this world that may be therunto compared For without it the other vertues can neither be exercised nor coÌ„prehended which is the cause that Socrates though therin he dâ—â—enteth froÌ„ Aristotle doth call PrudeÌ„ce the only vertue meaning as I think that without Prudence no vertue can be or continue Bion thought that Prudence excelled all other vertues as far as the sight doth exceed all the other senses affirming moreouer that vertue to be as proper to olde men as strength or currage was to yoong men Wherfore we will that our Senator should be indued with this vertue for he can neyther say or doe any thing worthy his commendation and age if the same be not as with a sawse seasoned with wisedome But what this prudence is and wherein it consisteth it seemeth necessary we shoulde heere declare The Latines haue called this vertue Prudentia of prouidendo because through it the minde doth foresee things to come disposeth of things present and remembreth things passed For he that thinketh not of things past forgetteth his life and he that foreseeth not things to come is subiect to many perils and vnaduisedly falleth into euery misaduenture Prudence as Cicero saith is the knowledge of things good euill and indifferent consisting wholly in the chosing and knowing what is to be desired or eschewed and as Aristotle thinketh it is an habit coupled with perfect reason apt for good action and is exercised in those things which may happen to men well or euill Therefore Theoricall wisedome doth differ from Prudence because that passeth not the boundes of contemplation and this is wholly giuen to action and humaine busines Moreouer this kinde of wisedome needeth counsell and fortune to defend those things wherein it delighteth because it is occupied in certaine and no variable sciences which is the cause that Geometricians Mathematicians with all the crew of naturall and solitarie Philosophers are men learned and skilfull but not prudent In like manner Diogenes Zenocrates Chrysippus Carneades Democritus Metrocles Aristippus Anaxagoras and Thales were men of great knowledge but not prudent because their manner of wisedome or Philosophy was different from true prudence being ignorant in those things which were profitable for themselues and others delighting in matters secret hidden and obscure which sciences although they be good and notable yet vnprofitable and impertinent to humaine felicitie Because prudence consisteth in those things whereof deliberation and counsell is to be taken but if those contemplatiue Philosophers had not estranged themselues from the conuersation and actions of men but beene employed in the affayres of gouernment as was Pericles Solon Lycurgus Plato Demosthenes Cato Cicero and others they had no
to discouer secrets he must be most warie for therein they vse great cunning to vent our thoughts by coniectures and gather our meaning by signes In those actions therefore a Counsellor must haue a setled minde shewing the constancie thereof in iesture countenance words and mouing of his eies For they are the bewraiers of mens thoughts He must be also nothing hastie in beleeuing other mens words for there is nothing more profitable for a wise man then incredulitie Yet let him so vse the matter as not to seeme hard of beliefe or be altogether incredulous vnlesse the reputation or troth doth otherwise require For against apparant trueth to maintaine any thing is very vnseemely Neither would we haue him so silent as thereby to be thought dull or effeminate for the one is imputed to want of kuowledge the other to a certaine maidenly bashfulnes which in men is alwaies to be reproued Therfore a certaine meane is to be used aswell in silence as speach yet so as he be a greater hearer then speaker which was the respect that nature gaue vnto man two eares one tongue Surely it is a singular wisedome to know in what sort to be silent euery man ought to consider wel what how where to whom in what place to speake Also in all negotiatiōs buisines counsels great cawtion is to be vsed which may be done by such as search wisely what is in euery thing comely or vncomely what profitable or vnprofitable Let his counsell be sound prouident and prudent and in vtteting thereof he must vse great sagacitie and be warie How necessarie warines and cawtion is in warre needeth not here to be discoursed for our intent is frame to a Counsellor of state in counsel in court in iudgement and in peace gowned not in warre armed Yet this I say that warrs haue not beene better gouerned nor armies more safely preserued nor the subteltie enemies of more wisely discouered then by the vertue of caution which if a chieftaine wanteth he is ignorant in all other vertues belonging to a Captaine generall We will also that our Counsellor should be quicke witted to conceiue and search out the reason of matters propounded to consultation For in deede sagacitie is a sharpe and present conceipt and as it is the propertie of a wise man to consult well So is it the property of a quicke spirit wittily to vnderstand and soundly to iudge of that which an other man speaketh Moreouer I wish him to be not onely sharpe in conceiuing but also craftie and subtill in searching what subiects doe thinke what they desire what they hope for and what they aspect By that meanes he shall retaine the multitude in obedience and by knowing their counsels and cogitations direct those things which be in them euill Some lewde subiectes doe vse to conspire the destruction of good men eyther induced thereunto by hate furie or insolencie sometimes also they so doe of will hauing the gouernment in their hands sometimes for that they finde themselues inferiors to others in riches honour authoritie and sometimes because they thinke themselues disdained lightly regarded in the state So as for these causes they beare displeasure to others mouing warre and sedition practise their death if their force doth so suffice they aduenture to bring the state into apparant hazard In suppressing of these motions and cogitations of euill men the counsellor must shew himselfe warie and subtle not euer dealing openly or by direct opposition but rather charging the force of such men eyther behinde or on the side and by perswading admonishing desiring and courteously chastising reduce them to be better more tractable and more perswasible He must also at occasions threaten them with authoritie by seueritie diuert thē from such wicked execrable enterprises alwaies cōsidering deeply pōdering in mind by what art and meanes the quiet and tranquility of subiects may be preserued and how sedition discord with their causes should be extirped For that is a thing which appertaineth chiefly to the conseruatiō of cōmonweales For bringing of which thing to passe prudent consultatiō deliberation must be vsed because consultatiō is the scholler of good counsel It therfore behoueth a Coūsellor in this all other things to be carefull that whatsoeuer is determined may before execution with great wisedome and found iudgement be considered and examined The force of all consultation consisteth in those things which appertaine to the common life of men and conseruation of a commonweale He ought not therefore to consult of things eternall or celestiall as of the world or of things which cannot happen or of them that doe happen by nature chance or fortune as of findings treasure and such like neither shall he consider of trifles as of emptines nor of things past for what is done cannot be againe to doe But all consultation should be of things to come and that which may happen or not happen after this or that sort the reason whereof seemeth to belong vnto the profit of men Of which things Aristotle rekoneth fiue kindes Of getting money of peace and warre of conseruation of our countrie of commodities to be brought in or caried out and making of lawes If consultation be for leuying money then must the reuennues customs and imposts of state be seene and knowen to the ende they may be increased or diminished Yet vnlesse great necessitie so requireth the imposts would not be inlarged For all new impositions although reasonable are commonly offensiue to the subiects and breede much occasion of trouble Tiberius the Emperor being perswaded to increase the tributes of his people said it was the propertie of a good shepeheard to shere his sheepe but not to fleae them He shall also perswade necessary charges of state to be continued and remoue superfluous expences For the better knowing whereof let him aswell imitate the examples of other nations as his owne country wherein the knowledge of histories will greatly helpe him If consultation be of warre and peace it is to be considered of what force the enemie is or may be what kind of warre is to be made and against whom It is also good to know the strength of neighbours whether their force consisteth in footemen or horse whether it be equall or vnequall to ours in what respect they be stronger or weaker to the end that peace may be made with the stronger and warre with the weaker which thing must be performed with great iudgement sound deliberation Moreouer he shall consider whether the cause of warre be iust and whether without armes our desire may be brought to passe For a wise man ought to proue all meanes before he taketh armes because honest peace is euer to be preferred before cruell warre Touching the defence of our countrie it behoueth to know how much force is required how it is garded and what places of strength
that the Counsellor should speak to the wiser sort eloquently nor to the foolish truely Others there be swelling with priuie grudge anger and hate so soone as they haue caught occasion to speake doe forthwith fall into blaming and slaundering others hoping by that meanes to win good will and reputation Which kinde of men doe no waies profit the commonweale but rather by hatred displeasure and discords hinder the state For if they were good men in causes concerning their countrie they eyther would not or should not be angrie hate or grudge at others Some also being scarse of counsell in pronouncing their sentence doe follow the footesteps of other Counsellors saying after them and therfore were among Romaines called Pedarâ—j Senatores Yet iâ— they so doe not through ignorance ought be allowed for it is reasonable and profitable for the state to imitate and follow the opinion of wise and good Counsellors And sometimes it happeneth that all Counsellors are of one minde and meaning which so being it is better to affirme that which was spoken by others then with many wordes as it were of one effect consume the time A Counsellor must also beware that in speaking his sentence there appeareth in his speach not selfe liking or ostentation And albeit diuersitie of opinions will sometimes occasion contention in Counsell yet therein all slaunder offence and other perturbation which may peruert or disturbe the state ought be eschewed And in reconciling of opinions let the greater number preuaile for that which seemeth good to most men must be thought iust and most agreeable to reason The order of speaking in Counsell is in diuers states diuersly vsed for in some the eldest men do speake first in other the yonger Counsellors and in some also they that are of most experience and wisedome are preferred In that matter the custome of euerie place is to be obserued and that order to be reputed good iust profitable conuenient which reason common vse among men froÌ„ time to time hath receiued Yet doth it seeme best that the opinions of the most aged and experienced men should be first hard to the end the yonger sort may haue the more time to deliberate of their speach Besides that the younger Counsellors opinion being first pronouunced doe sometimes deuide the elder and drawe them into sundrie conceipts Therefore the best is that euerie one should speake not when he would but when he is asked For by such meanes order shall be obserued and all occasion of contention remoued In speaking it is lawfull sometimes to speake doubtfully because the difficultie of the matter may excuse the speaker also by the diuersitie of other mens opinions the minde is distracted not knowing to which side to yeeld wher in the suspicion of rashnes must be eschewed least of set purpose or affection more then of iudgement we yeeld to the opinions of other men For the censures of other men are to be pondred not numbred and â—eede must be taken that the greater part doe not oppresse the truer Aristotle doth permit that a man in saying his sentence may twise speake doubtfully But if the third time he trip or fayle he shall not aster be suffered to speake in that cause We must also take heede least our speach be ouer long for therein a double fault is committed by making our selues wearie with speaking and others with hearing Which error Caesar sometimes reproued in Cato Let the Counsellors speach therefore be short sincere and not obscured with inticing termes not vnaduised not doubtfull or deceiptfull but graue simple holy and true And it is fit each man should speake sworne to the ende God may be the witnes of his minde It importeth not much whether his sentence be written or rehearsed in words yet the reasons written are commonly set downe with more diligence chiefly if the matter requireth a long oration His voyce would be manly and framed rather to grauitie then effeminacie cleare and audible not soft nor so low as cannot be well heard In conclusion the Counsellor ought to obserue three things by Cicero prescribed that is to be present in counsell for the ordinarie meeting of Counsellors doth adde thereunto a grauitie to speake in place vnto that is asked and in good sort or vse measure which is that this speach be not infinite That the Counsellor which absenteth himselfe is blameable wherefore being called he must obey Neither is it fit that any Counsellor should goe into forraine nations vnlesse he be publiquely sent as Ambassadour Gouernour or Commaunder in warre least by such absence the commonweale be damnified The chiefe substance and ground of a Counsellors wisedome is that in all his wordes and workes he performe the part of a good and iust man which chieflie consisteth in the comlinesse of his life For it suffiseth not that we be wise vnlesse we are also good For prudence without iustice is meere subtiltie and holden rather a vice then vertue By the benefit of vertue we are made good that is iust courteous and honest but by wisedome we become onely wise Besides that in respect of vertue we are called good but for wisedome alone we are not Therefore he is indeed as Plato also affirmeth to be named a good man that embraceth the vertues liuing accordingly and feareth not to die for his countrie whensoeuer the same is assaulted or oppressed and be content to suffer all things rather then that the state should be changed which is commonly brought to passe by men of the worst condition Wherefore the Senator must be carefull to be no lesse good and iust then prudent or wise For wisedome without iustice is euill sith of iustice men are called good Some men in authoritie doe prooue themselues eloquent and wise but therewith full of subtiltie and dishonest sleight For they hauing in hand the patronage of libertie and lawe doe in speach and apparance seem carefull therof but their actions well examined dee detect them for men vniust vnworthie and dissembling And being indued with a false kinde of wisedome hauing their tongues but not their mindes instructed doe commonly indeuor to alter and not amend the publique pollicie There is not in anie commonweale a worse mischiefe then the authoritie of such men For they doe alwaies aduance persons licentious subtill deceiptfull vniust and seditious and in practising subtiltie doe somewhat whereby to be thought good men But as a man come to his perfection is of all creatures the best So if he forsake iustice and lawe is of all other accounted the worst For extirpation of which sortes of subiectes we ought pray vnto God and euery Counsellor carefull that his life be well exercised and employed But men being wise must also be iust therefore what iustice ought be in a Counsellor we are now to discourse Whosoeuer will with an attentiue minde behold and search the condition of things diuine and humaine shall see that nature