and so not having their Judgment clear they are deceived and brought to inconveniences Which Guiceiardin did observe in Peter de Medices seeking Council and Advice from the Venetians who endeavoured therein to serve their own ends Also the Council of Ludovick Sforce may be observed whereby he moved the French King to undertake that Neopolitane expedition against the Arragons Great Judgment therefore is needful not only in choosing Councellors whether they are so qualified as we have spoken of formerly whether they have born any publick charge and whether they have shown Diligence and Fidelity in the administration thereof whether they are the heads of any faction left under pretence of Justice they revenge private Quarrels with publick Arms but also in following Councils It 's the greatest prudence in humane life says Aristotle to make good use of advice The words of Mutianus to Vespasian are to be observed †Tacitus lib. 2. Whosoever enters into deliberations of great and weighty Affairs ought to examine whether what is begun be profitable to the Common-wealth honourable or feisible He also who Councels must be considered whether he adds his own danger to his advice or to whom the chief praise redounds Let him therefore who is to consult consider diligently whether what is consulted concerns the Councellor directly for all Councels in a mans own cause are to be suspected or whether it be honest or lawful for if it deviate from honesty it is bad whether it doth principally regard the publick good or private profit let him hear patiently what is spoken by contrary parties and disagreeing opinions and observe with what Reasons and Arguments they are confirmed If the business seem difficult let him deliberate better or defer it to another time There is no greater Enemy to Consultations says Livius than too much hast Too late and unprofitable repentance doth follow such Councels Therefore the Author of the Utopian Common-wealth says That nothing is disputed there †Sir Tho. More lib. 2. de Magistra the same day it 's propounded in the Council but defer'd till the next Council-day lest any should babble out what comes first in his Mouth but that he may 〈◊〉 leisure excogitate with what Arguments he may defend his Opinion lest through a perverse and preposterous shame he should rather destroy the publick safety than the fame of his own abilities by his precipitated rather than considerate Opinion This precept or advice seems to be taken from the Emperour Severus who after the business propos'd did give time to his Councellors to deliberate with themselves touching all Particulars and Circumstances lest they should have been forc'd to speak of great Affairs without mature deliberation which has also been the destruction of many who despising slow yet secure Councels did embrace contrary ones †Tac. lib. 2. annal Laurentius Medices Duke of Florence did vary when he consulted his Friends whose Fidelity or Constancy he suspected Whom he resolv'd to admit into his consultation he did consult them not together but severally so when he found many opinions to agree in one he thought that the best It is requisite also for a Prince to know every thing done relating to the State in his Dominions left he be deceived by bad Councellors But he must take heed in the mean while that he give not too much credit to malicious detracters and tale-bearers For mere lyes and calumnies are often buz'd in the Princes ears thereby from whence do proceed the danger yea destruction of the innocent It 's observ'd by wise-men that such persons are never faithful Says Tacitus †lib. 4. an they are a sort of People found out for Publick Destruction A Prince should suffer his Councellors to give their opinion freely so as in the mean while they be joyn'd amongst themselves by mutual concord Factions amongst States-men are ever fatal The pertinacy of private hatred says Tacitus †lib. 1. hest doth often draw on Publick Destruction And in another place †lib. 5 annal The hatred of the Consuls tends to the Destruction of the Common-wealth Those great Men have many followers to whom they easily joyn themselves by whose help they exercise their hatred to the undoing of many and sometimes of their Prince and Country to boot I add also that Princes should choose Councellors not through recommendations and friendship but such as he knows well-qualified and able for such employment And finally a Prince ought not to discard or turn off without great cause the good and faithful Councellors of his predecessors from whom he might learn much very profitable to good government Louis the eleventh King of France advised his Sonne Charles not to innovate any thing in the Government of the Kingdom and to retain his Ancient Favorites and Servants For he had found by experience that his banishing from the Court Men of approved vertue was the only cause that he had fall'n into so many and so great dangers and of the War and manifold Conspiracies which did soon after break forth CHAP. V. Of Affairs deliberated in Councils VVE have already spoken of the Persons in a Council it follows that we speak something of Affairs and Debates deliberated therein Such only are to be agitated in this great Consistory which belong to the greatest Affairs of the Common-wealth and to the State it self As those of Religion and of the Laws and Magistrates Peace and War of Publick Fidelity of keeping the Publick Peace of entring into Leagues and defending the same of the Controversies of the Grandees of the Negligence of Magistrates and Officers of State of the Secrets of Embassies and the like †Bod. lib. 3. c. 1. For the Council of Princes ought to be busied with grand Affairs and not with trivial Matters or the small Controversies of private Persons Whoso assembles a Council of great and learned men for matters of small moment may be compared to Apion who having call'd Homer from the dead did only inquire who were his Parents But if you desire to know where other business should be handled such as belong to the Revenues and Treasury of the Prince to the punishment of delinquents and the like I answer there ought to be more Councils appointed dissering in Offices Business and Ministers The Spaniard has seven separated by so many Courts within the Kings Palace that he may easily go to any as Affairs call him The first is that of the Exchequer which has the care of the publick Treasure and of the Revenues of the Empire of the Tributes and Customes of the Subjects of what is imported and exported of the Lands of the Crown of the spoils of Enemies of Merchandise c. The second is the Court Military which is employ'd about the fortification of Towns the Custodie of bordering places the provision for Camps and Armies and the like The third is for the Provision of Victual and has a care that so much abound
THE WAY TO HONOUR In three PARTS First Part of Councils and Councellors Second Part Of the well-qualified Courtier Third Part Of Martial Prowess and Learning Illustrated and adorn'd by many famous Examples as well Ancient as Modern By B. B. Gent. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1678. To the Illustrious and Magnanimous Prince Christopher Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington Baron Monk of Potheridge Beaucamp and Teys Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter one of the Gentlemen of His Majesty's Bed-Chamber one of the Lords of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy-Council and Lord Lieutenant of the County of Devonshire and Essex May it please your Grace IF I should present you with what is contain'd in this Concise Treatise of The Way to Honour as binding Rules to your Grace I should be like to that ridiculous Philosopher who not knowing any thing of War more than some few Martial Axiomes presum'd to read Military Lectures to Hannibal one of the greatest Captains ever Nature produc'd Your Noble Soul being endued with such principles of true Honour that it comprehends all Laws in it self that direct and manage you I only assume the boldness my Lord to throw these my Labours at your Grace's Feet humbly begging that they may be shrouded under the Wings of your Grace's most noble Patronage and I hope your truly Heroick Generosity is such that it will not disdain the meaner and obscurer as well as more Glorious and Resplendent Objects For I am confident I could not chuse a more Glorious Patron of The Way to Honour than your Grace the very Mirrour of true Honour and Epitome of Worth But if my Presumption in this present Dedication be great yet I hope your Grace's greater goodness may be pleas'd to pardon the same And though I am not ignorant that your Grace may be averse from all addresses of this Nature yet could not such an apprehension beat me from my design being forc'd to the attempt by the ardent desire I had to show my humble and profound respects to your Grace's grand as well Hereditary as Personal Merits which are of such a transcendent Quality as that all your Noble and brave Inclinations and Deportments show you to be the Generous Son of that incomparable Hero that miracle of Men that Wonder of future Ages the happy restorer of lawful Monarchy and Loyalty But here I must acknowledge my own insufficiency to give due Praises to such eminent Virtue which has rais'd it self upon the most solid Foundation of true Honour that ever by-past Times could produce Forreign Nations boast of or Ancient or Modern Story mention and leave it to a more able Pen to do your Grace if possible and the World that right but as it is beyond all former example so I think it is above all real Character wishing to see your Grace's Ensigns flourish where the Roman Eagles never flew Generous Prince the Subject of this ensuing Discourse dis-agrees so much with my present condition that it may with some shew of Justice give occasion to Criticks to upbraid me with Presumption but when they know that neither my Condition or hopes have formerly been so despicable or desperate but that I might with some reason have aspired to something else then what I am and consider that Fortune takes delight to display upon the Theater of preferment the most remarkable tricks of her malice they will be no more censorious but commend the endeavour though weak as aiming at the publick good As that Glorious Lamp of the World distributes Light Heat Life and motion to inferiour bodies without the least diminution of its Splendor or inherent virtues so may this our Rising-Sun send down benevolent influences on our rising hopes before he reach the Meridian of his Glory Then will we cry out with Themistocles we had been undone if we had not been so I for my part will court occasions to merit the least favourable Aspect and always acknowledge my self to be Brave Prince Your Grace's Most humbly devoted Servant B. B. Licensed September 20. 1677. Roger L'Estrange OF COUNCILS AND COUNCELLORS PART I. The PROEME SEEING it is most certain that in Private Affairs the wisest of Men stand in need of the Advice of others how much more can such want the Counsel of prudent Men who reign over multitudes of People * Tac. ◠4. an 〈◊〉 incumbred with almost infinite troubles such I say whose least errours are prejudicial to the whole Kingdome and sometimes to the whole World Therefore as Tyrants hated Faithful Councellors and did confer great Honour and Riches the just rewards of vertue on wicked Men by whose Flagitious Impiety their Empires were often brought to destruction So on the contrary we read that the best Princes were always accompanied with Honest and Faithful Ministers Cajus Caesar had Quintus Pedius Augustus Maecenas and Agrippa Adrian had Celsus Salvius and Neratius Marcus Antoninus Scaevola Mutianus and Volsianus and Severus had Pompinianus You shall hardly find says Vellius that eminent Princes did not make use of vertuous Councellors to govern their Fortunes Great things says Cicero * Cic. in Cat. majere are not done through Strength or Celerity of the Body but through Council and Authority And I says Salust have found by much reading and hearing that all Kingdoms and Common-wealths were prosperous so long as Good Council had Authority amongst them but when Favour Fear and Voluptuousness did corrupt the same then incontinently their riches were diminished their command taken from them and last of all they endured the Yoke of Bondage and Slavery which was understood when Pericles to gain the favour of the Common-people * Plutar. did take away the Authority of the Areopagitae or Athenian Judges and did give the same to the Vulgar For not long after that Common-wealth did begin to fall being shaken with Forreign and Civil War * Dionys Hal. l. 2. And Judicious Men do think that the only cause that made Rome flourish so long was that they did not follow their own but the Counsel of their Senate There is no greater Instrument of a well govern'd Kingdom says Tacitus * Lib. 4. Hist. than a Good Councellor And to speak it in a Word the Mind and Understanding are not more necessary in an humane body than Council is in a Prince It was a saying of one of the Sages of Greece that in the Assembly of wise men Princes themselves grow wise The Prince becomes good says Capitolanus if he make use of good Men for his Councellors And let it be granted that the Prince's Commands were sometimes hard yet they will seem just for this only cause that they were done with the consent of prudent Men neither can a Prince show a greatee evidence of a good Nature according to Cominus than to choose Councellors famous for their Virtue For every one will presently judge that
and Fear of God Thus much of innate helps and the Age of a Councellor Acquired ones relate to those things which are necessary to the right and happy Government of the Common-wealth Amongst which the Knowledge and Fear of God has the first place For seeing Impiety doth eradicate all Fear of offending and that the Councils of the Wicked are fraudulent It follows that the contempt of Religion doth bring the destruction of Publick Affairs To omit that it 's God only who gives Understanding Fortitude and Riches who beats back the Violence of Enemies and who gives Victory and Glory to great Men How I beseech you can he give Council in great matters who has not his mind pure and shining with Divine Splendour For who are acceptable to God are instructed with Divine Councils and for that cause do seldom erre That which even the Heathens did see amongst whom the Opinion of Religion though superstitious and erroniously false had great Authority We are bound in our duty by no greater tye than that of true Religion As therefore the Common-good can be no ways separated from Honesty no more can Honesty be separated from Religion And to conclude according to Valerius Maximus They are deceiv'd says he who teach that Men are kept in their Duty by Humane Power and not by the fear of Divine Vengeance The Councils of Men are punished when they are preferred before those of God Subsect 2. Of Philosophy The second help is Philosophy of which our Councellor should not be ignorant but especially of such as consists in Action to wit the Morals neither would I have him ignorant of Natural Philosophy which consists more in contemplation It is unseemly for a Minister of State conversing often with great and learned Men not to know the Natural causes of things how those Bodies do consist which we call Elements what Power or Force causeth Thunder and Lightning what distinguisheth the Rainbow with such divers colours what doth raise Winds causeth Earthquakes covers the Channels of the Earth continually with Waters and the like But let him be chiefly instructed in the Mathematicks the first part whereof is Arithmetick For how can he without this understand Accompts of what is received and given out if any time the charge of the Treasury or Exchequer be committed to him Geometry and Geography without which History cannot be well-understood Lands cannot be divided Camps cannot be pitched Towns builded Cities and Castles fortified are also very needful for our Councellor It 's absurd in those having the administration of the Common-wealth to be ignorant of those things whereby the same doth subsist Which Plato understood when he pronounced that famous sentence as from an Oracle That Common-wealths should be happy when either Philosophers did reign or Princes did addict themselves to Philosophy There is not a more commendable part of Philosophy says Pliny * Epis 2. than to do a publick good to know and do Justice and to put in Practice what Philosophers teach This part of Philosophy sheweth what is honest and what is not so what is the end of good and evil how a Family should be govern'd what the Power of the Father is the Husband and the Master with what Virtues and Arts he should be endued who governs what the best form of Government is by what means declining and falling Common-wealths are supported and the best Precepts and Laws whereby they are moderated Crassus does affirm * Apud Citer de Orat That he cannot be an Orator who has not learned this part of Philosophy For every Oration should be of those things which we ought to do or which we ought to shun wherein seeing all our duty doth consist it follows necessarily that he who is ignorant thereof should want matter in his speech Therefore he deservedly exclaims O Philosophy the guide of Life the searcher of Virtue the banisher of Vice c. I know that the Opinion of the Vulgar is that those who in more mature Age are addicted to the study of Philosophy are Men given to Solitude and without Experience and therefore upon no account are fit for Affairs of Government but they are deceived For we do not speak here of Philosophy which consists in the mere Idea's of the Mind or of those who without Judgment study the same and are wise except in those things wherein they should be But of such who joyn Speculation with Practice Helvidius Priscus says Tacitus being but very young did apply his notable Genius to the like Studies he did not as many cloke their idleness with seeming generous pretences but did follow the Teachers of Wisdom that he might be the more fortified against the changes of Fortune and the more able to show himself in the Common-wealth Being Quaestor he was chosen to be the Son in-Law of Paetus Thrasea he was a good Citizen Senator Husband Son-in-Law Friend and sufficient in all the Duties of Humane Life an hater of Riches a maintainer of Equity and constant in his Duty without fear Which are the true Fruits of true Philosophy Subsect 3. Of his Knowledge of the Laws In the next place I come to speak of the knowledge of the Laws which flows from this Fountain for although the secret Councils of Princes should not be too much taken up with deciding of Controversies yet because the Laws are the firm and sure Foundations of Common-wealths it were absurd that a Councellor or Minister of Sate should be ignorant of them Seeing you are most learned in the Laws says Pliny in a certain Epistle whereof a Senator should not be ignorant I desire to know from you whether or not I did lately erre in the Senate that I may be instructed not for the by-past for that 's too late but for the future if the like fall out It 's oft-times needful to establish new Laws to punish Traitors and Ambitious Conspirators against the Prince and Common-wealth Moreover when the right of any City Sea-port River or the like are debated from which great Wars do often proceed by the Knowledge of the Laws we are not only able to argue learn'dly concerning the thing controverted but also to judge whether the War made for such a cause be just or unjust Subsect 4. Of his Knowledge of History But above all the Knowledge of History is most necessary in a Councellor The Philosopher does justly affirm that things done are most profitable to consultation For future things fall often out like to those which are by-past Of which History furnisheth us with such abundance that it is almost absolutely necessary to the right Government of our Life and to the good Aministration of the Republick But many Readers and Authors themselves go no farther than the bare Knowledge of the thing it self Thucydides who may be justly called the Prince of Historians amongst the Grecians doth notwithstanding so superficially run over that most famous War 'twixt the Athenians and Lacedemonians which was
Sardinia told the Romanes that he had so lived in the Province that no man could say he had taken a Farthing in Gifts or Bribes or that any Whore had entred his House for two years time he had been there I shall only add the words of Seneca concerning Ebriety It doth include and detect every vice it removes all shame which curbs bad designs when too much Wine intoxicates the brain what ever evil did formerly lurk bursts then out then the Whore-Master doth not wait for a private room but grants to his lust whatever it desires then the impudent doth profess and publish his faults then the petulant doth contain neither Tongue nor Hands Pride grows in the insolent and cruelty in the fierce c. And a little after But consider says he what mischief this Vice has done It has delivered fierce and War-like Nations to their Enemies It has ruin'd invincible Armies and destroyed conquering Princes Travels Fights Rivers falling from unknown places Seas cold Winters Dangers and Difficulties suffered Alexander to live But excess of drinking did destroy him CHAP. III. Whether an Embassador may exceed the bounds of his Instructions BEcause Princes do often employ Courtiers in Embassies I will only move one question which I think not altogether impertinent in this place though it has little coherence with our precedent discourse and that is Whether an Embassador may go beyond the limits of his Instructions if any thing fall out to the advantage of his Prince whereof he was ignorant when he the Prince did give him his Instructions The cause of the doubt is that he who goes beyond the limits of his Commission though he do it not either out of malice or pride seems to contemn his Master or esteem too much of himself or his own prudence which is most odious And then if the business doth not succeed prosperously he must incur the blame of disobedience and indeprecable punishment But if it succeed then is it esteemed the benefit of Fortune In the administration therefore of publick Affairs it was a crime to do contrary to what was commanded though done with Vertue Valour and Success Which Manlius Torquatus did teach by a sad Example †Lib. 8. but profitable to Youth in following Ages I shall only add another of Crassus Mutianus who in the Siege of a certain Town standing in need of a strong Beam to his battering Ram did write to an Architect to send him the bigger of two Masts which he had seen by him who considering the thing did send the lesser as more fit to make that instrument of War contrary to what was commanded him Incontinently Crassus sends for the man and having heard his Reasons commanded him to be whipped to death a severe command will some say for the Artist thought he had done the best by the Precepts of Art I would grant that if Crassus had asked Counsel and not Obedience The Office of him who commands is corrupted and dissolved says Agellius if any answer to what he is commanded with unrequired Counsel and not with due obedience From which it may be concluded that nothing ought to be done or said but what was commanded by the Prince But I think that this Question should be decided thus Either he has time to advertise his Prince of any new emergent business and may expect other Instructions or the thing it self can upon no account be deferred In the former cases I doubt not but the Prince †Octavius Magius should be informed thereof But if the business admit not of that delay it 's better to adhere to his instructions It can hardly be expressed how much disobedience displeaseth Princes But if the matter be of great consequence the hurt which may proceed from thence must be considered diligently and care must be had that he be not deceived in his opinion and then that course must be taken which tends to the manifest profit and honour of his Prince the causes whereof must be presently signified to him by Letters But if the profit be dubious he must not do any thing easily beyond his Commission lest he endanger his fame and reputation if any thing fall out unfortunately For Princes use to observe not the Actions but the Events thereof The end of the second Part. OF MARTIAL PROWESS AND LEARNING PART III. The INTRODUCTION MAny Men are perswaded that the ancient Writers have treated so gravely and accurately of every thing belonging to human life that there is no subject almost left to after-ages though perhaps no less learned wherein to exercise their Wit Parts and Learning concluding it most necessary to admire believe and rest in Antiquity Yet as the honour of doing valiantly is no robbery of the Hero's of ancient times but their fortiude rather set as an example to be imitated by brave Martial Spirits so the Learning of the Ancients should not be neglected but should move Men qualified with literature not only to follow their footsteps but animate us if possible to exceed them for the benefit of our Age and Country Now though I for my part come far short of the Ancients in either yet I hope I shall be pardoned if I a little in this third and last part of my discourse endeavour what I think necessary for publick good Seeing therefore it 's often inquired whether Mars or Minerva is the more profitable to Mankind and whether Souldiers or Gown-men ought to have the precedency We shall in short declare what is probably and usually alledged on both sides for the satisfaction of those to whom the naked truth is more acceptable than common opinion whereas I hope I may in some measure answer the expectation of the curious as also confirm my self in the love of virtue When this visible World could not subsist without order and human pravity grew dayly to be the most Potent God after the Flood ordained politick Government and Principalities to contain the rebellious in their duty and to punish publick Enemies endeavouring the destruction of Mankind and then through process of time Families were collected in one Society Laws were established and Judges and Governours were appointed And because God and Nature did endue every man with a gift to exercise some peculiar Art Faculty or Science and that there is no man who doth not stand in need of the help of another Arist Polit. cap. 2. August lib. 15. de civit Dei divers Degrees and Orders of Societies were afterwards appointed which being sociably joyn'd amongst themselves at length made a City or Commonwealth such as are mentioned by Plato Aristotle Xenophon and Polybius Yet it is most certain that Military Virtue and Learning did exceed all other Faculties invented either to sustain or adorn Civil Life CHAP. I. Whether Mars or Minerva are to be preferred BUt although a Commonwealth stand in need of both alike and both ought equally to be honoured yet it has come to pass through Pride and Ambition
Princes is not in it self destructive but to those who know not how to use the same Men cannot be cautious enough says Curtius * lib. 4. amidst so many flatteries of Fortune Intolerable ambition and Pride made Hermeas hated treason and perfidiousness was the cause of Alius Sejanus's destruction Neither ought we to admire that in Courtiers when we find that Princes themselves have been brought to ruine on the same occasion Quid memorem eversas urbes Regumque ruinas Inque rogo Craesum Priamumque in littore truncum Cui nec Troja rogus Quid Xerxem majus et ipso Naufragium pelago quid captos agminereges Of ruin'd Kings why should I mention make The fate of Priam Craesus at the stake How Xerxes great from as great Shipwrack fled And Kings in triumph often captive led On the contrary if we behold those who from a low birth have become famous and ponderate their actions we shall find that they have been eminently qualified above others As Agathocles Ptolomy the first Hieron Servius Tullius Silla Vespasian the Emperour Probus Justin Ottoman and many more who although of obscure birth did notwithstanding obtain great Honours and royal Dignities by their vertue and diligence Great Trees which are long in growing says Curtius are extirpated in a short time It 's folly for him who aims at their fruit not to consider their height Beware lest in stiving to get to their top you do not fall with those Branches you catch'd hold of CHAP. I. Of his Education THerefore good Education is most effectual which directs the Councils and Determinations of Men's Lives to the exactest rule of prudence and true vertue by which Natures are corrected and made pliable Nature produceth youth easy to be led either way so that when it finds a Guide it is induc'd to follow either his vitious or vertuous inclinations A good nature conduceth very much but then especially when cultivated by an honest Education He must therefore have a care who has noble and high designs to be instructed in all good Arts and Manners not to accustom himself to delicate but simple food not to idleness but labour not to riot but decent parsimony not to temerity and impudence but modesty and sweetness not to licentiousness but fear and reverence not to pleasures but to the Liberal Sciences I wish says Quintilian that we did not so abuse the nature of our Children that tender education which we call indulgence breaks the nerves of both body and mind We see therefore Plato that most grave teacher of vertue in almost all his Dialogues exhorting Parents to educate their Children aright Though this principle unfoldeth many objects necessary to the forming our present subject Yet since most of them are rather preparatives than pollishments we will here pass by those institutions that are usually proper to the two first Ages infancy and puerility And taking our Courtier in his adolescence propose only in reference to our present subject those distinctions requisite to his employment languages letters and travel But because we have spoken already of all those in the first part we think it superfluous to insist thereon Only let not a Courtier be ignorant of the knowledge of Histories without which a man can hardly obtain the name of a grave and prudent person As an old man is esteemed more prudent than a young man says Quintilian because he has seen what has fallen out through the course of many years so we must confess that he is the most prudent who knows the actions and events not only of his own but of past Ages What is prudence else but the observation of events and of things present and future drawn from what is by-past History is the mirrour of civil life where Hero's Princes and Nobles who are appointed to Govern ought to behold themselves To be short History furnisheth us not only with Examples of civil prudence but also with those of Military Vertue If one would know how to take the occasions of time and place to fight let him read the Lives of * Plutarch Lysander and Xantippus If he would make use of warlike stratagems let him imitate Timotheus Iphicrates and Hannibal If being victorious he would let the Enemy escape lest despair should produce boldness let him read the Example of †Id. Themistocles to Xerxes But if any affirm that such things cannot be learned by reading only let him propose to himself Lucius Lucullus whom Cicero writes at his departure from Rome to have been altogether ignorant of malitary Affairs but partly by enquiry partly by reading he was become so great a Captain when he came into Asia that Mithridates did confess he never knew a greater I only add seeing there are abundance of Historians that we must chuse the best Amongst the Grecians Thucydides Xenophon Polybius Plutarch and Nicetas were famous Amongst the Romans Livy Tacitus Salust Caesar Quintus Curtius and Suetonius Of modern Historians Guicciardine Conestagius Cominus Sleidan and Davila are the best These are so to be read that we may observe not only what was done but upon what occasion what way when and in what state of Affairs CHAP. II. Of his sweetness and integrity of Manners in general FOR brevities sake which hitherto I have greatly affected I will forbear to speak any more of the rest of the exercises of the mind comprehended in Learning or of the exercises of the Body as riding fencing dancing and the like of all which our Courtier should not be ignorant and only insist though succinctly on his sweetness affability and manners which Cicero calls the Ornament of humane life and which procures the deserved love and admiration of all For as the beauty and comeliness of the body attracts the eyes of men so a sweet and courteous nature gains the hearts and affections of every one As harsh wine says Socrates is unpleasant to the taste so are rugged and rustick manners to conversation SECT I. Of his Gate Speech and Habit. It is not sufficient to do says the Historian but it 's also requisite to do with a grace Let not therefore the Gate of a Courtier incline to levity or vanity but let it be grave without affectation And because the speech is the Character of the mind he shall observe a decorum therein of Persons Times and Place that he may speak pertinently and after a different manner to his Prince Equals and Inferiours For this Elegancy in speaking is a sign of the interiour virtue which cannot be perpetual unless it proceed from such an excellent inclination of the Soul Much can be feigned in the Carriage Countenance and Speech which are not in the Soul but it 's impossible that it can be of any long conâ—â—â—uance And as to the habit let every thing be avoided that may therein effeminate whoso has too great a care of his Body says a Divine neglects his Soul Let the habit of a Courtier be agreeable
with a decency to the Country and Court wherein he lives handsom and fashionable without affectation which he should change according to the Place Cause Age or Time Subsect 1. Of his Deportment towards his Prince What we have already spoken is of great moment in our Courtier but what shall follow will be of far greater and the more accurately to be observed because we see many erre therein First we shall show how a Courtier ought to carry himself to his Prince then to his Equals therein to shun envy as much as possible may be and lastly with what vertues he should be endued Above all things I admonish our Courtier to be such in effect as he would desire to seem to his Prince and others and let not his Tongue dissent from his Heart He is as great an Enemy to me says Homer as the Gates of Hell who speaks one thing and thinks another No Lye grows old says Euripides And as the love of Men to a painted â—â—ore can be of no long continuance for with the first heat the deceit appears and the face thereby becomes more ugly so when dissemblers are suspected which commonly happeneth they incur the hatred of their Prince and others Real pain doth follow false pleasure real disgrace false Honour and real destruction false profit To omit that it is against Christian-piety which consists wholly in the simplicity of the mind Verum hodie laus est non ultima fingere vultum Et simulare probe Nec qui vel fallere nescit Mentirive ferit Sapientis nomen in aula Dissimulation and well-feigned faces Once hateful vices now are no disgraces Who cannot cheat and lye he strives in vain The name of wise in Court e're to obtain Divis 1. Of his Assiduity and Diligence Having laid this Foundation I say that Assiduity and Diligence are necessarily requisite in our Courtier This is chiefly to be regarded by us says Antonius in Cicero there is nothing which it cannot obtain For whatever falls under our charge we accomplish with Care Vigilance and Labour and in a word Diligence in which one Vertue all the rest are contain'd It is good to be admir'd in what we have by Fortune But it 's far better to have obtain'd what is glorious and honourable by our own industry for the former happens to good and bad but the other according to Demosthenes to none but generous and brave spirits We see Courtiers oft-times complain that being very observant of their Prince they are notwithstanding in little favour and how should that be The Answer is easie for when the Sun shines on divers Edifices those seem most illustrious who have the greatest Glass-lights so Princes advance such Courtiers most who by vertue and diligence are the most fit for the administration of Affairs By diligence therefore a Courtier will obtain that his Prince make frequent use of him for such they favour more than others It 's no wonder says Demosthenes that he who refuseth no pains is always present upon every occasion and neglects not the least moment of time to obtain his desires before others All things fall out prosperously says †Cato apud Salustium Salust by watching doing and consulting aright but when you addict your self to laziness and idleness you shall in vain implore the angry Gods We call him a diligent Courtier who seldom removes his thoughts from what is committed to his charge who makes it his only care that his Prince receive no prejudice Both to foresee and to prevent Dangers as soon as they are meant who spares no pains nor dangers but rather remains as upon a perpetual watch who if he be sent to another Prince observes his nature and manners his strength and power his customes and treasure his Confederates and Allies and all his form of Government And so much of the diligence of our Courtier where it 's to be observed that the least affected and most remote from ostentation is the most commendable As Paterculus observes aright in Piso that he did what was to be done without noise As on the contrary officious curiosity renders men hateful To be curious says Cicero is to desire to know what doth not belong unto us which denotes him to be a man of levity or little sincerity Divis 2. Of his Secresie Philiopides did answer King Lysimachus wisely when he asked what he should communicate to him any thing but your secrets says he It is a most dangerous thing to know the secrets of Princes because they are always jealous of such persons says Cassiodorus Therefore our Courtier should not reveal the secrets of his Prince to any but especially such as he is intrusted with The Persians did conceal the secrets of their Kings with admirable sidelity no fear or hope could draw one syllable thereof from them and a man cannot undergo great Affairs to whom it 's a trouble to hold his tongue says Curtius They are ridiculous who out of an ostentative vanity rejoyce to relate what is done every day in the Cabinet-council of their Prince that thereby they may show how much they are in favour with him A certain Athenian did invite the Embassadors of King Philip to his house and some Philosophers amongst whom Zeno was one and when all were merry and argued much upon several Subjects Zeno in the mean while was still silent Which the Embassadours perceiving did ask him what they should relate to their King That you have seen answers Zeno an old man at Athens who knew how to be silent amongst Cups It is praise worthy to speak well but it deserves no less praise to know when to be silent When Aristotle sent Calistines his Scholar and Kinsman to Alexander he did admonish him to speak seldom and prudently to him who had the power of life and death upon his tongue Which advice rejected by Calistines was the cause * Curtius of his destruction In the next place I would advise our Courtier to make as honourable mention of his former Master if he has had any as if he were yet alive and not to complain of him although he thinks it acceptable to his Prince otherwise he shall fall into two inconveniences The one the Prince shall imagine that he may expect the like himself through process of time the other he will think it the Courtiers own fault that he was not in greater favour with his former Master Divis 3. Of his love and affection to his Prince As the rayes cannot be separated from the Sun heat from Fire cold from Ice nor Snow from whiteness so cannot benevolence familiarity society and concord be separated from love Seeing I say nothing doth more gain affection than tokens of love let a Courtier endeavour to the utmost of his power to make his Prince understand that he loves him Love according to the Proverb begets love It were ingratitude indeed not to love and favour those by whom we know we are not a little beloved