And this most wicked saying that the conflict maketh the conquered culpable No no my friend thou deceauest thy selfe It is not the conflict which doth approue a man his innocencie but the cause although oftentimes I confesse the successe of warre as an equall iudge geueth victorie to him on whose side right is For the cause as the Cape Bonae spei of good hope geue me leaue to allude hereunto will guide thee to the land of Tryumph The cause geueth vs hope that God will be fauorable to vs and by a certaine inward and secret force the cause eyther putteth courage in the Souldier or maketh him a coward and if it be not iust shame forceth him to forsake his weapons Yea the Greeke Poet durst write thus that hee that vndertaketh an vnlawfull warre seldome escapeth with safetie Yet that is but an ouer-hard censure for wee knowe sometimes it falleth out otherwise for some secret purpose vnknowne vnto vs. Now all warres are vnlawfull which are grounded vpon no other cause then ambicion and couetousnesse Ouer many haue that for their foundation For if we dare confesse a troth the onely and auncient cause which pricketh forwarde many Kings to wage warre is the extreame desire to rule and to become rich * The coueting to commaund is the matter they ground vppon to make warre and they deeme the greatest glory to consist in the greatest Empire And this doth euen happen oftentimes in men of greatest courage and best wits who thinke it a worthy matter to seeke cause of triumph vppon euery occasion * The spoyles of the vanquished their armour and other tropheys of their victories are reputed by them things of more value then worldly wealth This is the reason that these kinde of men make warre against all men * but especially against those from whome they thinke to purchase the greatest spoyle Neyther was this saying euer proued false that they who set before them golde and riches as the principall cause of their warre haue passed many perils And the Poet sayth verie well that vnlawfull rage and desire of gayne and vnconsiderate anger do breake the league of amitie Fitly doth he ioyne anger therewith which is reckoned amongst the vniust causes of warre For they that are stirred vp with anger or with hate doe often moue warre which they should not That holy Prelate doth condemne anger and these other passions the desire to hurt the cruelty of reuenge a minde that is obstinate and can not be appeased a brutall affection of rebelling and a coueting and ambition to rule and if any other be of this sort in matter of warre they are iustly blamed CHAP. IIII. He setteth downe in order and distinctly those things which are required in the enterprising of lawfull warre and especially for what causes the same ought to be vndertaken THerefore a Prince ought to auoide these things and neuer to intangle himselfe but in a iust warre But thou wilt demaund what manner of warre is that I sayd distinctly that these three things maketh the warre lawfull the author thereof the cause the ende The lawfull author is the Prince himselfe Neyther certainely is it lawfull for euery one to open these gates of warre But the order of mortal meÌ„ which is naturally enclined to peace doth require this that the authority and aduise of enterprising a warre doth remaine in the power of the Prince Or else with those in euery common wealth who supply the place of the Prince And therefore Plato established it for a lawe that if any in priuate without the knowledge of publicke authority did make peace or warre he should be held as criminall of a capital crime There are two iust causes of taking armes defence and inuasion Of armes defensiue who doubteth It is not onely iust but also necessary when iniurie offered is onely withstood by force * Both reason to men of vnderstanding and necessitie to barbarous people and vse and custome to all nations and nature it selfe hath taught and prescribed this euen to wilde beastes to repell alwayes all manner of violence by such meanes as they were able from their body from their head froÌ„ their liues I say Defence is of two sorts in regard of thy selfe and in respect of strangers In regard of thy selfe when thou driuest force and violence from thy selfe and thy subiects and doest with armes defend thy liberty thy countrey thy parents Forraine defence is likewise two folde when thou vndertakest it in regard of thy confederates or of those that are oppressed Cicero vnderstoode it of his confederates when he sayde No warre is enterprised of a well gouerned state but in respect of faith or of the common safetie Surely faith forceth and compelleth thee to helpe those with whome thou are entred into league of friendship and aide Therefore the prince of Philosophers decreed that wee ought to take armes to withstand an iniury done to our selues likewise to succour and helpe our kindred and those wee are beholding vnto as also our friends and allies which haue ben wronged The reason is not much vnlike in those that are oppressed who if they are vexed with any outrage or extreame tyrannie the common bond of societie seemeth to constraine thee to helpe them For he that doth not resist nor oppose himselfe against an iniurie if he may is in as great fault as if he did abandon his parents his countrey or his confedâ—rats Yea a Christian Doctor saith to this purpose that fortâ—tude which by force of armes doth defend a man his countrey from barbarous people or those that are weake and oppressed or such as are entred into league with vs from the violence of thâ—eues and robbers is perfect iustice And this is right and lawfull defence herein onely do thou persist and neyther moue hand nor foote vnder this couler and pretext to seaze vpon other mens goods which the slowre of Romane eloquence doth confesse the Romaines them selues haue done when he sayth Our Nation in defending our confederates are become Lords of the whole carth I allow it not neyther do thou follow their example Now Inuasion likewise is lawfull and iust but not all sort of Inuasion This inuasion is iust before all the world when thou doest reuenge iniuries done vnto thee and by the lawe of Nations recouer thine owne For this is the first propertie of iustice that no man do harme to another except he be prouoked thereto by open wrong Thou seest the exception thereof wherefore if any man doth forciblie take from thee thy goods or thy prerogatiue arme thy selfe but yet vppon this condition that according to the auncient order thou first make Proclamation that is to say that thou do openly redâ—maund those things that haue with strong hand ben wrested from thee Neyther
will be reputed skilfull in Ciuill gouernement he shal find that he had need of experience In which neuerthelesse this euil happeneth that it is not learned by precepts but taught by time For as the Poet sayth Olde age bringeth experience Whereupon this prouerbe is sprong Wiseaome belongeth to old men And wise Solon said by learning dayly he postea on to old age CHAP. IX The fruite that proceedeth of the memorie of things or of a historie That this way is very easie not onely to attaine vnto prudence but to goodnesse likewise AS concerning Memorie another parent of prudence I do not onely equall it with vse but preferre the same in certaine things before it She is more familiar and easie extendeth her bounds further and bringeth more things that are profitable both to prudence and besides to more persons then vse doth Shee agreeth with all men and fitteth all times and seasons And whereas the iourney we make by our owne experience is long and dangerous this way is more safe and assured therefore more plaine and beaten and they are not fewe in number who are instructed by the euents and examples of others that is by historie which is no other thing then the soule and life of memory For all examples should be obscured with darkenesse if the light of learned authors did not cause thē shine This is shee who is the keeper and preseruer of the vertue of worthie personages a witnesse of the wretched actes of wicked men a benefactresse to all mankind She is the light of truth the mistresse of life yea the true Ladie thereof For in her as in a glasse thou mayest adorne and frame thy life by the vertues of other men wherein this thing is of especiall moment and profit that thou mayest therein euidently behold all maner of instructions and examples to traine thee vp to benefit thy selfe and the estate thou liuest in and to teach thee that thou oughtest to auoyd that which is dishonest either to be begunne or ended In which regard it is most necessarie in this part of Ciuill life neither did Polybius without good cause affirme histories to be the truest doctrine to practise vs in the managing of Ciuill affaires And most necessarie they are in matter of publicke counsell the memorie of things past being most profitable in common consultations which was the cause why the Emperour Alexander did admit learned men Lamprit in Alex. to his counsels of peace and warre and especially those who had knowledge and vnderstanding in histories And another king said the best counsellers were the dead meaning thereby the bookes and treaties of histories CHAP. X. A briefe addition concerning doctrine how profitable it is both to vertue and prudence The right vse thereof The end thereof and meanes to attaine thereunto I Haue alreadie giuen you two guides and would leaue off these preambles but that I intend briefly to adde somwhat concerning doctrine as an aide and helpe to the guides I gaue you For it is manifest doctrine is not onely much auaileable vnto Prudence but to vertue likewise the which albeit it receiueth from nature her selfe certaine motions it is neuerthelesse to be perfected by doctrine * Neither yet can it be attained vnto in any large and full measure except it iumpe with a minde well disposed and trained vp Notwithstanding I intend not hereby that learning is able to giue vertue vnto vs but prepareth our mindes to embrace it Doctrine then is diligently to be sought for but to this end that we may put it in practise for it is not sufficient for vs to obtaine wisedome onely but we must likewise vse it and take profite thereby I hate with the Poet those men who are Philosophers in words and make no shew thereof in deeds and with Marius in Salust that learning pleaseth me litle that doth not aduance the learner in vertue Nay it doth rather hurt because many vnder this vayle do hide and shadow their vices being traitors and deceiptfull couering their couetousnesse lust dissemblers * false in friendship vnder a colour of Art and science the most part of them who make profession of learning with their lips and neuer beautifie their minde with worthy sciences are of this sort Contrarily do not thou embrace learning for a shew and ostentation nor to couer thy vnfruitfull idlenesse with a glorious name but to th' intent thou mayest be able to serue the common wealth thou liuest in being firmely armed against al accidents Neuerthelesse thou oughtest to vse a discretiō herin for to desire to know more the reason requireth is a kind of intēperancie * Not he that knoweth many things but he that vnderstandeth those things which are necessarie and profitable is right wise And therefore it is very truely spoken that many times the rude multitude are more wise then others because they haue knowledge of so much as is requisite and necessary for them Wherefore imitate Agricola who kept backe and restrained his mind set on fire with a desire of learning knowing it to be a very hard thing to hold a meane in wisedome For the most part of vs at this day are as intemperate in our studie as in all other things and we learne not how to liue but how to dispute with which true saying I will close vp and seale this booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF POLITICKES OR CIVIL DOCTRINE WRITTEN IN LAtine by Iustus Lipsius CHAP. I. He intreateth generally of Gouernement He sheweth the necessitie and fruit thereof in the societie of men I Haue pointed you out two guides to leade you on this way yet but in generall termes and onely in a bare shew I beseech you set forward in your iourney I will instruct you how you may follow them and ouertake thē and that not onely mile by mile but almost pase by pase Ciuill life consisteth in societie societie in two things Traffique and Gouernement The first is the argument of an other discourse the latter the matter and subiect I intreat of which I define to be A certaine order as well in commanding as in obeying the power or rather the necessitie wherof is so great that it is the onely stay of humane affaires For without gouernement no house no citie no nation neither the whole state of mankind nor the vniuersall nature of things no nor the world it selfe can stand and continue Whereof it followeth that the profit thereof is great for to beare rule and to be ruled is not onely in the number of those things which are necessarie but amongest those likewise that are profitable Surely this is the chaine by which the common wealth is linked together this is the vitall spirit which so many
present or to haue seene it as these great lyars commonly do They cannot moderate and refraine their speech and by how much the more strictly they are forbidden to speake of any thing so much the sooner they blab the same abroad and in stead of publishing the troth which they may lawfully doe they set lies abroad which they are forbidden * It is to no purpose to place men of warre in all parts of the citti◠to prohibit them so speake that is the cheefest way to nourish report * their longing after newes cannot keepe any important matter secret and mischieuously they augment the rumor which they are commaunded to suppresse They are still shuffling the cards and desirous of new commotions * light headed seditious and quarrelsome coueting new matters enemies to peace and quiet Especially if they haue a leader And like as the sea which of his own nature is calm without surges is mooued by the force of the winds so the people who of their owne disposition are quiet are by the persuasions of seditious persons stirred vp like violent tempests * For without a leader they are headre timerous and without courage * And it is truly sayd the common people dare do nothing their cheefe commaunders being taken away They fauour these hot and fierie fellowes and in their iudgement whatsoouer is moderat that hath a kind of slouthful cowardise and what soeuer is circumspectly and prouidently handled that sure they say is slow negligence but what soeuer is rash and headie that is deemed by them to be couragiously and valiauntly enterprised * Wherefore they which haue more foolish boldnesse then aduised counsell in them do easily draw them on their side * As likewise the flattering tongues of some impudent fellowes without hart or courage They neglect the publike profit and trusting to their multitude set light by the affaires which concerne the commonaltie * Euery man being pricked forward with a particular gaine they make no account of the common benefit * They wish for the mischiefs which they see prepared that they may fal like thūder and yet euery one in particular would be exempt from them They are fierce in words and malapert by nature but dare go no further * For as they are quicke of speech so they are slow of spirit They are either cast downe with ouermuch feare or raised vp with ouermuch hope This is the nature of the multitude that either they obey seruilely or command arrogantly Neither know they to retaine and vse libertie which is a mean betweene both * They are immoderat in all things and whilst they dread nothing they set a good face on the matter to put others in feare do but once affright them you may without danger insult against them * They are bold to commence commotions except they stand in feare of authoritie There are many other things which thou of thine owne discretion maist ad herevnto CHAP. VI. The other spring the nature of the king and kingdome laid open Two things are to be considered herein what may generally and particularly agree with either of them I Do now hasten to the nature of a state or kingdome out of the which I will slightly explaine these things vnto thee Thou oughtest to know the disposition therof generally and particularly In this generall knowledge these things are incident Euerie state is wauering and vnstable For the gouernment of all is a heauie burthen and subiect to fortune * And like as the tops of high moūtains are alwaies beaten with the winds so the mightiest empires are the obiect of fortune * Who dareth enterprise any thing hauing like power ouer Empires as ouer Emperors themselues which is the cause why kingdoms do often come to ruine by secret means and those empires that haue borne the brunt of ciuill wars and withstood forrain force do fall of themselues And for the most part the whole decaieth when it once beginneth to fal as Liuie truly writ that the maiestie of king is with more difficultie brought frō the highest pitch to a mean then from a mean thrown down to the lowest fortune * For we do not discend from dignity by the same steps we mount vp vnto it oftentimes there is no distinctiō between the highest step the lowest stair of fortune They which desire to possesse a kingdome or which do alreadie enioy it find no meane between a downfall and the top of glory Neither is it only the obiect of fortune but subiect to Hatred God the creator maker of the world coupled hatred and a kingdome together Oftentimes the cause is in the insufficiencie of Princes For they imagine that to be the greatest testimonie of their authoritie that it is only lawfull for them to do that which is vnlawfull for any other * He that hath too large power desireth to do that which is vnpossible And many times their obstinat Pride is cause therof This indurat princely pride resisting against the troth will not be mollified nor bent to that which is right * Deeming it as foule a disgrace to yeeld as to be ouercome But another principall cause is in the nature of the subiects because no man doth willingly submit himselfe to be ruled by another and albeit he be of a good disposition who hath most authoritie yet he is feared because he may be ill Which is the reason that euerie state is subiect to conspiracies Many are false and disloyall to the state and very few are honest Neyther are Princes without cause euer in Feare and by nature prone to feare and yet many times more then needeth dreading things doubtfull as though they were certaine Princes likewise are iealous and of their natural inclination careful to preserue their power * Neither can the scepter more then the nuptiall bed indure a competitor So that euen the ciuill disposition of their children is displeasing to thē And whosoeuer is neerest in appearāce to raign is alwaies suspected hated of thē Thou oughtst to know these the like matters in general now particularly it is necessary for thee to learne how farre thy kingdome extendeth and of what nature it is yea aboue all things thine owne power and strength ought to bee knowne vnto thee It behooueth thee to measure thy kingdome and to acknowledge thine owne force * Whilst many haue persuaded themselues to be of as great power as they were made beleeue they haue drawne vpon them superfluous warres to the danger of their estate Likewise the qualitie of the kingdome is to be considered as whether it be of ancient continuance or newly established whether it come by succession or election whether thou
second is that thou continue often to renue thy election For whether it be by death by running away or by leaue thy number will be diminished and except euery yeare yea euery month order be giuen that a fresh supplie of youth may succeed and furnish the place of those that are absent how great soeuer thy armie be it will come to nothing CHAP. XIII A dicourse of true and seuere discipline The same greatly commended He maketh foure parts therof in respect of instruction The seuerall exposition of them BVt now I come to Militarie discipline the cheefe glorie and establishment of an Empire which is a most sure bond * Out of vvhose bosome so many triumphs haue issued Of the which an Emperor said most truly vnto his soldiers the discipline of our ancesters doth conserue the common wealth which if it decay we shall lose both the name and the Romane Empire For what is election without discipline It dooth at the least wise sind out such as may become good souldiers but discipline frameth theÌ„ to be such doth stil preserue theÌ„ in that state of goodnes Nature bringeth forth some few valiant men but good order thorow indusstrie maketh many more But at this day I will not say that it languisheth amongst vs but it is euen dead neither is it only corrupt but none at all So that if we will any whit establish it againe or bring it into fauour the ancient custome is to be drawne from histories and good authors and especially from the Romanes For what Nation hath in better sort and more firmly reuerenced it Yea the discipline of warre was of more antiquitie amongst the Romanes and more deere vnto them then the loue of their children By which they receiued great profit for if we looke into it we shal find that that alone being seriously entertained by them got the Romane empire the dominioÌ„ ouer the whole world For which cause ô worthie Prince thou oughtest bend thy selfe with all thy indeuour to reuoke this discipline vsed in ancient time of warre to thy Empire I according to my power aiding thee and marching before thee Now I call Discipline a seuere conforming of the soldier to value and vertue The parts or offices thereof being diuerslie dispersed I will reduce into a certaine forme of doctrine and do make them foure in number 1. Exercise 2. Order 3. Constraint 4. Examples The two formost do especially belong to Value the third to Vertue the fourth vnto them both By Exercise I vnderstand that thou dayly do accustome the choise soldier to the handling of his weapon and to labour The very name it selfe doth moue this for Exercise is sayd to be that which by vse maketh men the better The matter it selfe and reason doth persuade it For seeing that to bring al arts to perfection we had need of some vse and exercise why should we neglect it in this militarie science without the which other arts cannot consist Cassius was woont to say It is a miserable thing to see wrestlers hunters and fencers exercise themselues not soldiers whose trauaile would be the lesse if they were accustomed vnto it Yea their labour would prosper the better For in all conflicts the multitude and vnskilfull value of men doth not so much giue victorie as art and exercise doth assure it Wherefore thou oughtest to haue care that thy souldiers whether they be ordinarie or souldiers of aid be dayly exercised But in what manner First the young souldier ought by daily vse to be trained vp in the exercise of his weapon and that according to the ancient examples by ancient and experienced captains that they may with an able strength cast their darts aright that they may know how to handle their shield and to auoid and defend the enemies blowes that with a souldierlike pace they may learne to march speedily and in ranke In such sort that they forsake not their places nor disturbe those of other ranks To be short that they may before hand in their musters bee acquainted with all things which may happen either in a maine battell or in skirmishes Wherein it were auaileable sometimes the one did assaile the other in manner as if two armies gaue the onset the one to the other Likewise there ought some prize reward be giuen to the troups of horsemen which do best manage their horse and to the companies of foot which show themselues most skilfull in the handling of their weapon Let this bee the exercise of Armes But I adde that they should be trained vp likewise in trauaile that the young souldier may be brought vp to daylie labour to runne to carrie burthens and to endure the heat of the sunne and the dust These things do harden the souldier and an armie doth profit by labour by slouth it decaieth The vse of these things hapneth often vnto them when as necessitie compelleth them in some hard voiage to carrie both their own victuals and their armour Neither is this onely sufficient but the young souldier ought likewise to learne to fortifie a campe and to that end to be able to raise a trench and to haue skill to place his Pallissadees Why should he refuse this there is nothing so necessarie and profitable in warre whether it be in thine owne defence or to oppresse and circumuent the enemie Surely Domitius did say that the enemie vvas to be vanquished with the basket and the Pichaxe that is with labour and trauaile But some men will say these are new things Nay they are things that haue bene practised long since and not onely vsed by the Romaines of whom you shall heare what Cicâ—ro saith what and how great is the labour in an armie to carry victuales for a fortnight to carry that which is needfull for other vses to be burdened with those things that serue for the necessitie of tâ—enches and ramparts As for the shield the heed peece and the sword our soldiers accompt them no otherwise troublesome then their shoulders their armes or their handes But also by the auncient Germaines amongst whom a certaine people called Catti did charge their soldiers ouer and aboue their armour with iron tooles and with their necessarie baggage Likewise by other nations And this is the true this is the worthy warre ours is not of this sort when thou shalt finde in their march more stragglers and lewd women then soldiers Good Lord with what ado we seeke out pioners and such other labourers and with what experience do we traine them along with vs In the end we will learne to be wise and will go to warre in such manner as Pertinax did Neither will these things if they
it goeth to wracke which is the cause why thou puttest more confidence in the Generall then in the whole army which hapneth rarely except it be purchased by the meanes of discipline Thou shalt then especially labour to finde a Generall such a man as I will describe vnto thee There are two sorts of leaders they that hold the first or chiefe place and they that hold the second Those of the first place are such who commaund absolutely and by soueraigne authoritie who manage the affaires themselues and as it seemeth good vnto them They of the second sort are those who gouerne vnder the authoritie of another and are at his becke and do dispatch matters as he commaundeth In the first rancke euery King and Prince are in their owne estate In the second those which are appointed by them as their ministers and ambassadors of warre Concerning the first when there is occasion of warre It is a matter in question whether they ought them selues to be present at the battaile or whether they should absent themselues and that not without cause Now it seemeth they ought to be present themselues in these exploits For where the soueraigne commaunder assisteth not with his presence in the army that is sooner done which needeth not to be vndertaken then that which is necessarie to be enterprised Hereunto adde this that with his presence he doth breath or inspire strength and value in the souldier Neyther was it vnaptly spoken in times past by Antigonus being in an army by sea against the Captaines of Ptolemaeus to one of his principall commaunders whome he did see begin to faint and reason vpon the great multitude of the enemies Ships quoth he In steed of how many men doest thou recken me I being present in person He sayd well But yet on the other side there is likewise a deeper cause of doubt because it seemeth a matter of more safetie that he that is Soueraigne being exempt from the hazard of warre may reserue himselfe for soueraigne causes and the sauegard of the whole estate For in the souldiers there consisteth but the losse of one in the Emperour the danger of all I will with a little distinction resolue this doubt For if the whole state of the kingdome or the sauegard of the whole Countrie hang in suspence he ought himselfe to be in the field But I iudge in warres of lesse importance he may geue the charge thereof to his vnder-captaines * For it is not a seemely thing for a Prince at that season when some little towne should moue sedition that he should leaue his principall Citie whereon the sauegard of all his subiects did depend Wherfore sometimes it were conuenient that he went in his owne person sometimes that he sent other Captaines But what shall he send many it importeth not greatly so that the principall authoritie ouer the army be committed to one For thou alwaies shalt finde that both the pluralitie of commaunders hath alwaies bred much harme and likewise when there hath ben no commandement at all or that it hath ben vncertaine Neither is this old prouerbe of no effect that many commanders were the ouerthrowe of Caria Where one alone is to be chosen who ought to be a man of experience and wisedome least he to whome thou hast geuen all authoritie be forced for want of skill to seeke some other by whome he may be gouerned For heere the principall matter is experience and Aristotle sayd right well In the charge of warre greater respect ought to be had to the experience of the Generall then to his vertue and conditions CHAP. XV. The notes and markes of a good Captaine which seeme to be fiue The same seuerally declared by order BVt to the end I may the better open this vnto thee and that it may more plainely appeare who to thy most aduantage are to be chosen I will paint and set forth vnto thee the pourtrature of true and lawfull Captaines in a few coulers which shall not fade Only do thou geue care vnto me and as they were wont in times past in holie matters to say Do this I do require these fiue things in a lawfull leader 1. skill 2. Vertue 3. Prouidence 4. Authoritie 5. Fortune Skill that he be expert in his arte and such a one who by long vse hath gotten skill in warre not by report or reading alone but I say such a one who hath himselfe taken pay in diuerse countries and that there be no kinde of warre wherein Fortune hath not made triall of him who knoweth the order of an army what care there ought to be to see how the enemy lieth what way is best either to prouoke the enemy or to drawe the warre in length who is expert both in things prosperous and in matters dangerous and doubtfull and therefore not amazed at them For these men please me not who haue neuer tasted aduersitie neyther can he suddainely geue order or thinke vpon mischances whome fortune hath neuer deceaued Secondly I adde Vertue whereby I vnderstand a certaine vigor or liuelinesse of the body and wit conioyned with goodnesse of the minde Which vigor is apparent in these things that he exercise his bands of mē though there be no war and by his care and prouidence do carry himself in that manner as if the enemy were at hand That he himselfe cōmonly do take paines in the army that he be amongst the common souldiers always retaining the honor and authoritie of a leader Who dare geue the first onset when any worke is to be vndertaken and that he shew the way to others And who may speake this of himselfe O my souldiers I would haue you follow my deedes not my words and not only learne true discipline of me but likewise take example by me * that he with his owne hands carry boords and planks that he march breathing before his souldiers that he do teach them and not commaund them to endure labour To be short that he take paines in time of neede shew fortitude in danger industrie in vndertaking speedinesse in executing Likewise certaine vertues of the minde are to be added For not only warlike vertue is to be required in a soueraigne and perfect Generall but there are many other worthy parts which are companions and ministers of this vertue * Of what great innocencie ought commanders to be of what great temperance in all things of what faith of what affabilitie of what humanitie And except he haue all or the most part of these vertues I can not recken him in any number amongst worthy Captaines Now thirdly I commend Prouidence that is those warie and aduised Captaines who in no place do hazard and commit them selues to fortune but in as much as
soueraintie and rule of the conqueror How then are factions profitable for we are taught these things by dayly examples I confesse this were not much amisse that there were some small dissention betweene some townes or prouinces neere vnto thee yet would I haue it a slight discord and to this only end that thereby they might not conspire against thee Cato had respect hereof in his familie who did alwayes subtillie some little discords or disagreements amongst his seruants suspecting and drâ—â—ding least their concord should grow ouer-great Neyther do I thinke this vnfitly applied in this place Our societie is most like to the stones of a Vault vvhich vvould fall but that they hinder one another by vvhich meanes it is kept vp It may be I would tollerate some such discord and wonted hatred amongst neighbours but neuer these rooted dissentions especiallie amongst Noble men Yea the princely Philosopher sayth We ought to endeuor euen by lawes to hinder strife and partaking amongst Noble men Neyther ought we to suffer any couleâ—â— to be worne or differences of names or apparell This was a profitable instruction sent long since from Maecenas to Augustus Surely the surest vvay is vvholie to cut off all discords and ambitious debates so that neyther newe names or any such things from vvhence dissention may arise be permitted And such matters are to be quenched euen in the beginning Order ought to be taken for these things at the first and the discords of Magistrates and mightie men to be dispersed For small sparckles being neglected haue kindled a great fire And there is alwayes great danger of matters of this sort if thou sufferest assemblies and counsels and secret consultations CHAP. IIII. He discourseth of Sedition the second cause The beginning and encrease thereof and the remedies distinctlie applied thereunto NOw Sedition likewise is another cause of Ciuill warre which I define to be a suddaine and violent motion of the multitude against the Prince or the Magistrates Of the beginning proceeding and remedies whereof I will speake that which shall be for thy profit and set it downe in order The beginning thereof springeth from diuers causes Oftentimes men are stirred vp to take armes eyther thorowe oppression or feare when they imagine the verie dangers them selues to be the remedies of imminent perils Aristotle touched this cause verie discreetlie sayth he they moue seditious thorowe feare as well such as haue done wrong dreading punishment as others who looking to themselues would willinglie preuent it before it hapned Sometimes thorowe sufferance and ouer-much libertie As Appuâ—s whome Lâ—uie reciteth sayd that the people vvere moued not so much vvith vvant as vvith libertie and that they vvere rather geuen to vvantonnesse then to crueltie Many times likewise thorowe want and necessitie For alwayes in a Cittie they which haue no substance at all do enuie goodmen hate the estate of things that haue continued long desire change and thorow the loathing of their owne condition of life they seeke to alter all things Finally most often from their leaders when as some principall persons who carrie credit with them do stirre For the common people like vnto the Sea are of themselues immoueable which these Aeolâ—do stirre and the cause and beginning of this furie remayneth in them from vvhen the multitude are infected whome it is needfull that I describe vnto you First some ambitious persons march formost in this rancke who in priuate are faint in publick hurtfull hauing no hope left but that they purchase thorowe discords Who do imagine they are able to attaine to those honors the common wealth being troubled which they were in dispaire of the same being in quiet Secondly they which are indebted and haue consumed their substance whose credit in peace is called vpon who are toyfull in time of commotion and most safe when all things are vnassured * Whose peace is in discord whose trouble in peace Therefore they do greedelie endeuour out of one tumult to moue another and warre out of warre Thirdly likewise certaine vaine and inconstant persons Who reioyce not so much for any recompence they looke to reape by at the common perill as at the perils themselues preferring newe doubtfull and vncertaine matters before things certaine vvhich they haue alreadie the possession of These are the beginnings these are the causes and mouers of ciuill dissention which hath these proceedings which follow These sorts of men by sundrie deuises doâ—stirre â—p the mindes of those who are easie to be deceaued First secretly and in communication by night or towards the euening when those of the best sort haue withdrawne themselues they assemble together the worst sort of men There they set quarels abroach and hold scandalous speaches of the Prince and such other things as disturbe the common people Immediatly after they proceede with more boldnesse by the meanes of other ministers of sedition who are in a readinesse and do openly couer themselues with this word libertie and other glorious names But how falsely is this For to the intent they may ouerthrow the estate they prefer libertie which if they could get the vpper hand they would set vpon * Neither was there euer any who did couet the thraldome and rule of others who hath not vsurped these foresaid names Neuerthelesse the common people listen to them First euery light head carelesse of the time to come feeding themselues with a vaine hope And as it hapneth in seditions where there were but a few assembled by and by they all runne together And these fierce and bold fellowes do beare rule amongst them and those who voyde of all humanitie are accustomed to rise against their Prince hauing left no hope to themselues in the middest of miserie For these men seeme openly to take the defence of the cause * being by so much the more acceptable to the multitude as they make themselues companions of punishment or glorie To be short by how much euerie man is more forward in boldnesse by so much do they geue more credit to him and he is thought to be more fit for sterres and commotions * Likewise in these burly burlies any wicked fellow may attaine vnto honor These are the proceedings But what remedie is there for them that I will geue thee I counsel thee to looke vnto the matter in time For most commonly the first motions are appeased with easie remedies * Euery euill at the first growth is soone stopped when it hath taken further roote it commonly gathereth more strength Consider therefore whether sedition when it beginneth and is not yet come to his right forme may not by better counsell be bent after another
fashion Send some vnto them who may admonish them and perswade them especiallie such who haue an abilitie of eloquence and the arte and authoritie to winne the common people But shall not the Prince him selfe goe not without great cause and I had rather that his soueraigne authoritie were reserued for remedies of more importance Yet sometimes I do not disallow that he borrowe his assurance from courage Worthie Caesar did so and standing on a heape of turfes vvith a confident countenance he procured feare in others by fearing nothing him selfe Likewise vvorthie Augustus vvith his countenance and lookes put feare into the legions of Actium Why shouldest not thou do the like in a doubtfull matter and vvhere rest is more dangerous to thee then rashnesse Dare thou they will feare Sedition that dareth not enterprise any thing valiantly and youth vvhich onely meditateth how to runne away discouereth their cowardly mindes For thou oughtest not to be ignorant of this that the rude multitude hath more courage to rebell then to fight And this is ingrafted in them rather to assay then to defend their libertie Geue eare to this diuine saying Euerie multitude especiallie of men of vvarre is caried vvith a slender violence so that the remedies of sedition are not greater then the beginnings * A Cooke vvhen his pot beginneth to boile stirreth it vvith a ladle But now what if Sedition increaseth and waâ—eth strong Surely vve must vse stronger remedies And if they refuse to obey thee thou must fight it out Yet not suddainely Geue time for the vvicked to repent for the good to agree together Thinke vppon the matter peraduenture time and leasure it selfe vvill mollifie their furie and bring health to their diseased mindes In the meane time giue them diuers hopes and put them in feare But first of all seperate and disioine them by pollicie by which remedie the agreement of the multitude is most easilie taken awaie Winne some vnto thee by secret rewards and thou shalt neuer want those who desire to get the fauour of the better part for the good of the common wealth Send some publikelie vnto them who may faine to desire the same things they do to the end the greater accoumpt may be made of their counsell These men shall deceiue thee do thou likewise paie them with words for faire speach is of much force vvith them * They say the Woolse is not held by the eare but we may most easilie draw the common people and citizens thereby Offer them faire things yea promise them doubtfullie what matter is it by this meanes thou shalt soone make those things of none effect which thorow sedition they did enterprise I do altogether approoue this profitable deceipt Do thou beguile them do thou deceiue them rather then proceed to slaughter And if there be any blemish therein I would haue that wiped awaie with clemencie and lenitie Are they turned back vnto thee be not thou cruell against them Though it were a fault committed by them all yet punish but a few It will be sufficient if the authors of wretched sedition be executed for their offence Yet if one or other of them that are most mutinous be put to death * the offence that is committed by many is without reuenge * Where the fault first sprang there let the punishment remaine And know thou an example of chastisment is sufficient for a multitude Neither do thou enquire after those that are accessaries Let all be safe vnder the protection of the Prince and by the example of Tyberius albeit many are said to haue aided them with their wealth and holpen them with their aduises yet do not thou enquire after them CHAP. V. Of Tyrannie what it is and wherein it imploieth it selfe The euils thereof laid open to our view And a question proposed whether it be to be taken away or tollerated THe third occasion amongst the causes of ciuill warre is Tyrannie But what is it A violent gouernement of one besides the customes and lawes I say a violent gouernement because a tyrant being subiect to the common hate of all men runneth to this sanctuarie That which he knoweth he holdeth against the will of the subiects that he defendeth vvith the naked sword Besides other things thou shalt finde this difference betweene a king and a tyrant that the one hath armed men which he vseth for to maintaine peace the other that by them by great terror he may appease great hatreds Likewise I say besides the customes and lawes For with Tyrants their right consisteth in their weapons and feare oppresseth the lawes * To take to kill to rent from others they do by false names learne gouernement and vvhen they haue brought all to solitarinesse they call that peace They subuert the lawes vnder some apparence of lawes and for this purpose they haue secret accusers of their subiects which kinde of men being sought out for the destruction of the common-wealth who can neuer be thorowly chastised by any punishment they draw vnto them by rewards And by how much any is a more sharpe accuser of others by so much is he held of them for a holie person men of small accoumpt and base persons are punished So that vnder them a man is most safe by how much he is most vvicked For a tyrant holdeth good men in more suspition then bad persons and other mens vertue alwaies putteth him in feare Whence proceedeth a sinister interpretation against men of most worth neither is there lesse danger to be of a good report then of an ill reputation Nobilitie wealth dignities accepted of or refused are accoumpted as a crime and for vertue destruction is most certaine Yea euen for learning For they chase from them the professors of wisdome and banish all good artes And what is the reason hereof Forsooth least any good thing might be in their sight For they themselues being vicious do thorow vices send those artes vvhich are enemies to them a farre of not more thorow hatred then the awe they stand in of those artes Nay thorow feare of reproche with posteritie they wreake their rage against their writings and do burne the monuments of most worthie wittes in the market place and in the assemblie of the people But they do not likewise vvith that fire abolish the talke of the people and the consciences of men I cannot but laugh at their vvant of vvit vvho do beleeue by meanes of their present authoritie that they are able likewise to quench the memorie of those that shall come after them * For on the other side the maiestie of
with closed hands for she is slipperie and will not be stayd where she hath no liking to abide And if you bridle your felicitie you shall gouerne it the better CHAP. XVI By occasion offered he discourseth of Maiestie as an annexed ornament He sheweth what maiestie is and how we ought to vse it YEt do I not in such sort commend modestie that I would haue our Prince despise Maiestie which is a certaine reuerent highnesse due to deserued vertue or to those things which approch neare vnto it The Greekes name it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we tearme it in a priuate man Authoritie in a Prince Maiestie It is a weapon that in gouernment is of great force for in peace authoritie is to be desired to purchase credit * and is more auaileable in the ordering of battailes and warlike commaundements * For my selfe I can no more separat it from the Prince then vertue it selfe which for the most part dooth engender it though likewise the concurrence of external matters doth helpe much As first a kind of grauitie in behauiour if it be so tempered that it leane neither to melancholinesse nor arrogancie * Neyther that this come to passe which hapneth verie seldome that mildnesse do not diminish thy authoritie nor seueritie take away the loue of thy subiects For the which cause Germanicus was so much commended who with equall reuerence was esteemed whether he did shew himselfe to the people or speake vnto them and in the highest pitch of Fortune carrying a Maiestie and stately port was neuer noted of disdaine and arrogancie Likewise certaine things proceeding from nature do much auaile herein as if a man be of a comely stature and hath a good grace in his speech Also it may be much ayded by art as if he sometimes absent himselfe and go aside for for the most part they which are too much in compaine are accounted common And the saying of Liuie is true that the ordinarie and vsuall beholding of great personages breedeth satâ—etie and causeth lesse respect vnto them * And we beare most reuerence to Maiestie a farre off And men alwaies hold that to be more stately which is vnknowne vnto them But in all these things we ought to vse a meane which is the salt and soule of euerie vertue CHAP. XVII He reciteth other lesse vertues which doe adorne the prince the which he doth lightly and breefely passe ouer I Come now to those which I tearmed lesser lights these are vertues not in equall measure so excellent and necessarie to the prince as the former I recited yet are they very profitable which as starres I will plant and fasten in the heauen of this supreme head if it be lawfull for me to speake so Hearken then O Prince Be thou bountifull for there is nothing that fitteth better with the nature of man then liberalitie and it best beseemeth a prince being lesse dishonourable for him to be vanquished by force then by liberalitie Yet this vertue is to be vsed with discretion for repentance followeth hastie liberalitie There ought likewise moderation to be had herein For if the ambition of the Prince do emptie the treasurie it is to be doubted least he be driuen to supplie his wants by bad meanes You may so long draw water at this well that in the end it will become drie It was well spoken of a graue and holy person that liberallitie is the ruine of him that is liberall and they are deceaued who do imagine that prodigalitie doth graft in them a kind of liberalitie many know how to spend but not how to giue Loue chastitie For there can no honest thing remayne in a mind corrupt with lust Giue eare sometimes to thy wise yet not as sencelesse Claudius did who was ruled and commaunded by his wife that is a hurtfull thing both to thy selfe and the common-wealth For what difference is there whether a woman do beare rule or he that gouerneth be ruled by a woman Refraine from anger either be thou not angrie at all or do not hide it for it is more honourable for a Prince to offend then to hate * They which do cloake their anger are of an euill disposition and not to be brought from it They which keepe secret their hate which is an euident signe of a cruell thought when they are seperat from companie they glut themselues with malice Make thou small account of slaunderous speeches A worthie mind aspireth to a great fortune and despiseth such things * Whose propertie is to be pleasaunt and peaceable to disdaine and make no reckoning of small offences displeasures And this is generallie true If we are angrie with reproches it seemeth thereby that we consent that they are true whereas if we set light by them they passe away as forgotten Yet haue care of thy good name remeÌ„ber that the counsels of all men tend to consider what is profitable for their owne particular But the state of Princes is farre different whose cheefest care in all their actions ought to be to haue a good report Haue alwaies before thine eies the honour of thy posteritie and imagine this with thy selfe that all other things will follow thee immediatly if thou principally labour to leaue a good memorie after thee By the contempt of renowme vertue is contemned To attaine herevnto aduaunce learning which languisheth for if the reward and price of paines and studie be taken away learning must needs decay * And effect this that vnder thee it may receue spirit and life * So shalt thou neuer want worthie wits to record the Historie of thy time THE THIRD BOOKE OF POLITICKES OR CIVIL DOCTRINE WRITTEN IN LAtine by lustus Lipsius CHAP. I. That Prudence is most necessarie for a Prince without the vvhich power and riches are vnprofitable That they ought to be intermingled together that the 〈◊〉 in gouernment is of more force then the other I Haue wouen out this roial garment of vertues Now I purpose to take in hand the webbe of Prudence Which that I may get thorow with and beat with a luckie slaie I call vpon thee for ayd ô thou true Minerua the eternall of-spring of the eternall Father The vse of Prudence is necessarie in all worldly affaires but especially in gouernment For without Prudence it is not onely weake and feeble but I may well say none at all Who will vndertake to rule and direct a ship in his course without a needle that hath touched the Load-stone No more can any man enterprise to gouerne a common wealth without an vnderstanding inspired by this goddesse Doest thou imagine to rule onely by force thou art deceaued Such as the Cyclop the Poets make mention of was hauing lost his eye in like estate
account of number For Precepts ought to be limitted and cortaine * And if rules cannot be determined by art they are without the reach of wisdome Next it is a confused thing because all that we call Prudence is indeed vnstable and wauering For what other thing is Prudence then the election of those things which neuer remaine after one and the same manner Now if the things themselues are vncertaine Prudence it selfe likewise must of necessitie be so and so much the rather because it is not onely tied to the things themselues but to their dependents hauing regard vnto the times the places and to men and for their least change she changeth her selfe which is the reason why she is not in all places alike no nor the same in one and the selfe same thing But the nature of Art is farre different We giue best credit to that which we know of his owne nature is not subiect to change And surely it is impossible for any mâ—n to reduce that which is vncertaine to certaine and strict limits of precepts Lastly it is obscure because the affaires and successe of worldly matters are couered with a thicke mist For God doth hide their beginnings from vs and for the most part the causes of good and euill are kept secret from vs vnder diuers forms And who is there that euen in ordinarie matters doth not rather doubt of their causes then retain a perfect knowledge of them Now without the vnderstanding of causes there can be no Art no nor any grounded doctrine I adde moreouer that in this publike and ciuile gouernment albeit it be reckoned amongst those thinges which are of this world the greater part of the causes notwithstanding come front aboue and are not to be found out on earth And as Lucretius sayth A certaine hidden force doth continually trample vnder foot the affaires of this world and spurneth at the glorious Scepters and princely ornaments and seemeth to make a scorne of them Wherfore let vs confesse the troth that both I and others are blind in this matter Neither is there any that hath as yet I will not say fullie set downe the precepts belonging to Prudence but not so much as made trial therof What then Shall I sit still and be silent The matter I haue in hand and the order therof do forbid it And I wil rather like the shipman who hapning in some should being not able to hold any setled and direct course trace out some way confusedly by the starres O thou who ouer-rulest the stars be thou my guide CHAP. II The deuision of that Prudence vvhich properly belongeth to a Prince into Ciuill and Militarie Ciuill prudence againe is deuided into humane and diuine That the Prince ought to haue care of the later and to obserue and defend one religion AL Prudence which I wish to be in a Prince is two fold Ciuill and Militarie Ciuil prudence I vnderstand that which is conuersant in the dayly managing of matters in time of peace Militarie prudence that which is vsed in warre and when things are disordered and full of trouble Againe the subiect of Ciuill prudence is double for it concerneth 〈◊〉 things humane and that prudence I say is vsed in matters diuine vvhich toucheth ordereth and directeth holy things and religion onely so farre forth as a Prince ought to haue care of them I do iustly and and with reason tye this prudence hereunto because the Prince hath not free power in holy matters God forbid he should but a certaine insight and that rather for their defence then to attribute to himselfe as iudge to determine of them Surelie in euerie common wealth the ouersight of heauenly things ought to march formost And to whom doth the same belong rather then to the Prince It is a most seemely thing that that which holdeth the preheminence in goodnesse should be had in reuerence by the worthiest person and that to the which all other things are subiect by him who commaundeth ouer others This is not onely conuenient but expedient First for the conseruation of the Prince for Cyrus did trulie reason in this sort If all his familiar freinds and his subiects in like manner did feare God they would with lesse boldnesse enterprise any vnhonest and vnlawfull matter either amongst them selues or against him Next for the augmentation of his kingdome for know this that God is most fauorable to those who with greatest affection do worship him And Cicero is thus bolde to bragge that the Romaines did not surmount all other people and Nations by pollicie or by maine force but thorowe pietie and religion It is likewise auayleable for the whole estate for how can we be safe except religion be preserued without harme Religion and the feare of God are the onely things which do conserue society amongst men Take away this bond and the life of man shall be ouercharged with folâ—y mischiefe and cruelty The like will fall out if there be confusion of religion Neyther ought wee in any sort to geue eare to those Kings of Egypt who the better to establish their estate as they thought did bring in a diuerse and confused religion to the end that the Egyptians them selues might not conspire amongst them selues O foolish men One religion is the author of vnitie and from a confused religion there alwayes groweth dissention How much better did a father of learning instruct vs by this aduise vnto Augustus which is yet extant Do thou reuerence that diuine Godhead by all the meanes thou mayest and at all times obseruing the lawes of thy countrey and endeuour that others may do the like and addeth further truly thou oughtest to shewe thy selfe highly offended and to punish those who do innouate any thing in matter of religion not onely in regard that it is Gods cause whome who so contemneth he will without all doubt make little accompt of any other thing but were it euen for this respect that these fellowes that finde out new religions do stirre vp many to desire an alteration of things whence proceedeth conspiracies seditions conuenticles which doubtlesse are most dangerous in any state O graue words too full of pietie being written from a heathen vnto a heathen This is true prudence and No other religion nor worship besides the adoration of one God is to be obserued by a discreete Prince and that according to the ancient custome for It is the part of a wise man to maintaine the lawes of his Auncestors by obseruing their holy ceremonies * And to swarue from or violate the custome receaued in a Countrey is amongst all Nations accoumpted a capitall crime Wherefore they that goe about to trouble the same ought to be punished He is by right best beloued of God by whome the maiesty of God is maintayned
Conspiracies are opposed to the gard treasons to the places of defence For I do distinguish them in this manner meaning that conspiracies are properly against the kings person treasons against his strong holds his men of war his fortresses Either of these are pestilent euils and to be dreaded but rather to be feared theÌ„ with ease auoided For how is it possible thou shouldst they lurk neuer appeare vntil they bring destructioÌ„ Surely thou maist openly withst and open war guile and deceit are secret and therefore ineuitable Salust sayth It is no matter of difficultie for a man of courage to subdue his knowne enemie but good men cannot readily withst and nor auoid priuie perils But that I may first speake of Con piracies We know that the king heth open to the trecherie euen of one person that couetousnesse maketh no conscience of wickednesse We know that the faith of solders is vnconstant and that there may be danger in euerie one of them * What wil thy bands of men and thy gards auaile thee if either one or other of them do demaund the readie hire promised by diuerse for the executioÌ„ of a suddaine mischiefe Surely if we will but recount the end of kings we shall find that more haue bene slaine by their owne subiects then by forraine enemies And why should we wonder thereat Who soeuer maketh no reckoning of his owne life is lord of thine * And he setteth all men at no value who first maketh light account of death Wherefore it is hard to giue either aid or counsell herein yet some may bee had and that of these foure Enquirie Punishment Innocencie Destinie First of Enquirie because it is most necessarie that thou shouldst haue certaine spies or Listeners and that thou do thy best that nothing whatsoeuer thy subiects do or say be hid from thee I say whatsoeuer thy cheefest and principall subiects do For what eye can haue an insight into them all This as it is profitable to other matters so is it especially auaileable against conspiracies because very sildome it falleth out that men do ill except first they speake ill and the vnaduisednesse of the toung hath come to strokes Marke it wel and thou shalt find most of those traitors haue either in some place themselues spoken ill of the king or haue giuen good eare to those who haue diffamed slaundered him Wherfore by this wise way thou shalt not a little arme thy selfe against thy domesticall enemies For the matter is ended if it be once discouered which to the intent it may the sooner be brought to passe why docst thou not openly promise recompence of monie and free libertie to the discourers thereof and that by publike law oftentimes renewed I am of opinion it concerneth the prince greatly and do know that al things may come to light either by torture or reward * For when the mind of any doth thinke on the rewards and therewithall large summes of money and power are set before his thoughts the right and safetie of others doth giue place And beleeue me they do betray their dearest friends But in these priuie accusations consider that thou do giue eare to all but not credit all For many either thorow hope or hate will vtter lies wherefore by the precept of Maecenas thou oughtest not to beleeue all things which such persons giue thee information of but trie and examine them thorowly Good Lord who should be guililesse if it were sufficient only to accuse men And for as much as the matter concerneth thy estate thy selfe and thy life thou oughtest take great care least thou seeme to do any thing ouerhastilie herein or in thine owne cause in respect of thy selfe Otherwise thou shalt be defamed many times by the report of the common people as though thou haddest put innocent men to death either thorow enuie or feare For the vulgar sort cannot be easilie persuaded that a man naked hath conspired against one armed being in the middest of his gard and will not almost beleeue it except the mischiefe come to action So that one exclaimed not without reason that the condition and estate of Princes was most miserable for albeit that the attempt and conspiracie against their person be sufficiently manifest yet is it not beleeued before the conspirators be executed Therefore thou oughtest to proceed warily and slowly herein What if the matter be prooued punish them and that seuerely It is the second helpe I gaue For vvhat vnlawfull death may be executed vpon a traitor and a theese It is he by whom the libertie and life of all is hazarded It is he who in the person of one doth oftentimes destroy al and bringeth to ruine the fortune of a mightie people * In this case who is hee that maketh mention of clemenâ—le and mercie Thy safegard ô king is our safegad Neither is this reuenge properly thine but the common wealths Be not lauish of our blood and in â—â—uing a few wicked wretches take heed thou 〈◊〉 workâ— the destruction of all goodmen But yet let it be done in such fort that sometimes delay do steppe betweene reuenge For what if conspiracies do come to light in an vnseasonable time Knowing it thou shalt dissemble it oftentimes the onely remedies against conspiracies is to faine that we are ignorant of them But what if they be enterprised by great personages whom thou canst not presently punish with safetie Keepe the matter secret and looke first vnto thine own securitie before thou take reuenge * For the matter requireth rather to beware of them then to consult what shall be done with them And albeâ—t I stir thee to reuenge yet do I not alwaies exclude pardon Suppose that some worthie person were taken in this wicked complot to whom thou and thy countrie haddest bene formerly bound what wouldst thou do in this case Truly punish him if thou maist do it without perill if not qualifie it Heare from a woman no womans counsell Liuia speaking to her Augustus He is taken now he cannot hurt thee vvell may hee aduaunce thy renowne There is nothing more glorious then when a Prince is harmed without inflicting punishment But doth it onely aduance thy renowne surely it maketh much likewise for thy safetie It is an incredible thing how this noted kind of clemencie doth driue others either with sorrow or shame from the like attempt Hold this for firme Clemencie doth not only make men more honest but more assured and it is the ornament of Empires and likewise their strongest safegard For surely the parents and children of those who are put to death their kinsfolks and friends do succeed in ech of their places By which means there is made a certaine knot and
separateth it selfe from vertue but likewise from the lawes by a forcible and perfect malice of which kinde trechery and iniustice are The first sort of deceipt I persuade the second I tollerate and the third I condemne Consider all these three sorts by order In light deceipt I haue first put distrust which I will altogether insinuate into the Princes fauour For euen as it behoueth him in all his actions to be lingering and slowe so ought he to be in geuing his consent and in geuing credit that in all things he may proceede circumspectly as it were being doubtfull I had almost said that he should not geue credit to any thing but to that hee were an eye witnesse of And although that credulitie be rather an error then a fault and that it easily slideth into euery mans minde how honest so euer he bee Notwithstanding the same is to be remoued farre from the Prince in whome it is an occasion of ouer many mischiefes Doth not hee watch for vs all It is then dishonorable and hurtfull for all to see him faile erre and be deceaued Not these Princes that are so simple and vncircumspect how are they open to iniury They be vndefended on all sides and in all places men enterprise against them with lesse feare and greater gaine Yea men enterprise against them credulitie opening the way to the Traitor to hurt Let the Prince then stand vpon his guard and defend himselfe with this Shield in belieuing nothing and in being wary in all things Doest thou thinke they are faithfull to thee and thy friends Take heede to thy selfe O deceiptfull life thou doest holde all thy senses hidden Yea too much the nature of euery one is as it were enfolded in many faynings and couered I knowe not with what vailes of dissimulation the forehead the eyes the whole countenance are for the most part liars and the speach most of all And as one sayde long agoe O my friendes there is no friend thou mayst with reason say the like For surely in Princes pallaces this word friendship is but vaine and a thing of nothing the effect whereof is banished and albeit that thy Court be very great and that thou art followed with an infinite number of people and that thou goest abroade accompanied with a great traine neuerthelesse thou shalt hardly finde faith amongst them all And therefore not without cause men experienced in pollicie in all their precepts of histories and in the verses of Poets commaund and forbid to trust and slightly to beleeue The Sicilian Philosopher doth murmure thus Bee thou watchfull and bee thou mindfull of this not to beleeue any thing these are the sinewes of prudence Another admonisheth vs from Greece There is nothing more profitable to mortall men then distrust What then Thou wilt say vnto me ought I to trust no man I giue no such councell for both these are held for vice to trust all and not to put confidence in any but to trust a few and but those likewise whose fidelitie by long vse is knowne vnto thee To such men what is there In my opinion that may not only be committed to them but that they may likewise be credited with I say in effect that thou oughtest to credit a few but in shew all men that is to say by thy face and countenaunce with the which it is most easie to dissemble For herein thou oughtest to haue regard to nothing more then that thou seemest to distrust Many haue instructed others to deceiue whilst they themselues feare to be beguiled * Euery man will be beleeued and trust reposed in one doth commonly bind to keepe ones faith And therefore Dissimulation is necessarie which I haue set downe and taught in the second place the which may rightly besayd to be the daughter of distrust But some one will say vnto me What needeth this dissembling if there be a mutuall faith betweene vs Dissimulation is that which discouereth the countenance and couereth the mind It is so necessarie for a Prince that the old Emperour sayd that he knew not wel how to beare rule that knew not how to dissemble And Tiberius being of the same mind sayd that as he thought hee loued no other vertue so much as dissimulation This will peraduenture displease some liberall and free heart who will say that we must banish from all conditions and sorts of life disguising and dissembling I aduouch it ought not to bee amongst priuat persons but in a state I vtterly denie it They shall neuer gouerne well who know not how to couer well and those to whome the charge of a common wealth is committed must needs be tied to this And to come to the effect of their determinations they are constrained against their wils to faine and dissemble many things with greefe And that not onely towards strangers or their enemies for therein this precept is allowed that we keepe secret the mischiefe vnder our tongue and not blabbe it out because that hatred being discouered causeth them them to loose the oportunitie of reuenge but likewise towards their owne subiects They which are so open so simple without any counterfeiting without fraua who carrie their heart as they say on their forehead shall neuer be fit to play their part vpon this stage where in my iudgement the dissembler of Afranius holdeth the cheefe place And yet in such sort that thou play thy part comely and with a good grace for they which vse to dissemble but a little and in those things which are not seene and discouered do appeare gratious Contrarily they which vse it immoderatly and to small purpose are by right reputed vnwise For to what end serueth this couer when thou art seene thorow it Learne this once in all kind of dissimulation Deceipt is no decâ—ipt if it be not cunningly handled Thou hast my opinion concerning light deceipt I now come to those of the middle sort in the which purchasing of sauour or to speake more freely corruption marcheth in the first ranke This is wheÌ„ thou drawest allurest vnto thy self the hearts and indeuours of those which by right appertain to another man It is an art at this day ouermuch practised of Princes the which alone in court for the most part as Salust saith of Fortune doth moue most matters as pleaseth her Cicero prayseth it maruellouslie and made this the propertie of Prudence to gaine the affections of men and to appropriat them to our owne vse Which is done by two meanes Persuasions and Presents by persuasions more sildome but by presents verie often as at this day all good customes are corrupted and depraued by making too great account of riches But of
obserued the causes and grounds of these matters which were done there and not onely the apparences of the successe of affayres but euen the causes of them That Alexander who was rightly tearmed great in martiall affaires was not ashamed to auouch Homer to be his Maister and to acknowledge him for such in matters of warre haue not I more reason to assume these vnto me For that Poet a worthy person sure and a Poet aboue the reach of man yet but a Poet what other thing hath he done but chaunted one onely warre and that stuffed with fables But these on our side it is euident that I vnderstand Historiographers haue faithfully written of warres and battailes almost from the beginning of the world with a continued order and with an vnstayned fidelitie And they haue not onely done this but oftentimes in the discourse it selfe and in their digressions in their Orations they haue as it were of set purpose intermingled wholesome precepts and counsels necessary for all accidents in martiall affaires What part belongeth vnto warre or what art that these men do not with examples set before vs and afterwards likewise explaine in words as concerning the army the campe the marching of the footemen of ioyning battaile the beseâ—ging of townes the munition and victuals the laying of ambushes and the escaping of them and all other things properly belonging to warre Now seeing there hath passed so many yeares that I conuerse with them and do dayly wander with the curious eye of my vnderstanding by the spacious and pleasant fields of histories why should it not be lawfull for me to knowe and haue some iudgement in them But some will say Thou hast not seene this thou writest of True it is And therefore I challenge not to my selfe the vse and handling of weapons but onely aduise and iudgement and that likewise tyed to the opinion of other men In all meetings and likewise at feastes a Gods name shalt not thou meete with them who teach how to conduct Armies who knowe where the Campe should be placed in what ground garrisons are to be set when we must come to handy stroakes with the enemy and when we must forbeare them And no man findeth fault with them I am accoumpted a bolde and impudent fellowe if I speake of these matters according to the opinion of auncient Authors Iphicrates in former time beeing asked Who art thou that takest so great hart to thy selfe a horseman or an Archer or a Shot or of any band of footemen Quoth he I am none of all these but one who doth knowe how to commaund them all I will partly imitate him and say I am no Captayne nor Souldier but one who many times may perswade and counsell them in something Therefore I will boldly march forward with a setled pace and will as it were out of the gardens of auncient Authors gather the flowers of sentences and will weaue and plat them in the garlands of these Chapters which if it be well done and with iudgement no man will blame me If otherwise it happen then will not I likewise deny but that these things are As flying dust and as the spoyle and pastime of the winde But the matter it selfe will shewe which of these two it deserueth the name of the which now I enter into and do put my selfe in martiall order and with Aristophanes do gene the onset with my aduise with my pen and with my discourse CHAP. II. This part of Prudence is recommended to a Prince being necessary for the defence and safegard of his kingdome I Holde then that militarie prudence is necessary to the Prince aboue al other things so that without it hee can scarcely bee a Prince For how is it possible he should otherwise conserue his owne person his goods and his subiects A meere naked force is not auayleable to bring this matter to passe if it be not tempered with certaine industrie and counsell that is with militarie prudence For in asmuch as there are two things by the which euery common wealth is maintayned courage against the enemyes and concord at home Surely ciuill prudence will amplie effect the latter but the former is not to be sought or commaunded any other way then by militarie prudence at the least with successe And therefore it is discreetly written that other vertues may be dissembled as we list but this imperiall vertue belongeth to a good Captayne And Homere did adorne his lawfull and perfect Prince with this prayse that he was both a good gouernor and worthy warrior * And indeede I must say what I thinke Military vertue doth excell all others For without it what is it that possesseth life or the quiet vse thereof Our countrey the libertie thereof the subiects yea Kings themselues are couered and kept safe vnder the defence and rampart of military vertue Wherefore thou seest how this is with all earnestnesse to be embraced and thou hast iust cause to apply all thy sences to attaine to this discipline which is such as followeth CHAP. III. The matter and order of those things he is to entreate of The definition of externall warre and that in the enterprising thereof iniustice ought to be auoyded ALl militarie prudence is couersant in matter of warre Warre is of two sorts forraine and ciuill I define externall warre to 〈◊〉 Force and armes prepared against a forraine Prince and people Of the which I will speake first and will reduce the vniuersall precepts which do concerne it to these three heads 1. Of enterprising warre 2. Of executing the same 3. and of finishing it If thou contemnest any of these three or doest not manage them as they ought to be it will hardly fall out that any good euent do follow In the enterprising of warre I do admonish thee to haue care of these two things that all iniustice and temeritie be eschued but especially iniustice neyther oughtest thou euer begin any warre but such as vse and reason doth admit For there are lawes belonging vnto warre as well as to peace and thou oughtest to make warre with no lesse iustice then fortitude And therefore in euery Common wealth the lawes concerning warre ought especially to be obserued For to runne headlong to fight and rashly to come to handy strokes with our enemy carryeth with it a spice of cruelty and resembleth the bruite beastes Which custome if we admit what other thing shall we beholde then warre amongst all nations And after the manner of barbarous people we shall recompence death with death and satisfie bloud with bloud Let it be farre from thee and let these speaches neuer make breach in thy hart that there is right in armes and all things do belong to the strongest Moreouer that the euent of warre not the cause is to be considered
is it lawfull when thou art wronged forthwith to raise warre but where as there are two wayes to debate ones right the one by way of disputation the other by force for so much as the first is proper vnto man the other vnto beasts we ought onely to haue recourse to the latter when we haue no meanes to vse the former Obserue this rule For as often as any man submitteth himselfe to iudgement there ought to be a surcease of warre and according to the opinion of the king of a worthie nation It is not lawfull to moue warre against him who is ready to do right and make satisfaction as to one who is iniurious to thee But if he refuse it and withhold that which belongeth to thee what may preuaile against violence but force and might In this cause this saying is of force that that warre is iust to those who are compelled thereunto by necessitie and those weapons are sacred to those who haue no other hope left but in their weapons Now there seemeth another inuasion to be lawfull albeit no wrong be done as against the Barbarians or those who do altogether abhorre our manner of life and religion especially if they be mightie and eyther haue or do inuade others The reason hereof is the punishment and correction of euill Saint Augustine sayd very elegantly From whome the libertie of sinne is taken away he is ouercome for his owne benefit And againe With those that worship God aright euen those warres are without offence which are vndertaken not thorowe couetousnes or crueltie but thorowe a desire to make peace and to the end that wicked persons may be kept vnder good men may be relieued I vtterly renounce all other causes and do adde this as touching the end which euen in a good cause may fall out to be bad What if thou set before thee reuenge What if thy intent be glorie or a kingdome Thou doest erre neither are armes to be directed to any other end if thou desire that they be iust but to peace and defence Let vvarre be vndertaken that nothing but quietnesse may be sought thereby * Wise men make warre that they may haue peace and endure labour vnder hope of rest CHAP. V. Temeritie ought to be excluded from the beginning of warre and summarilie what things ought to be considered in the enterprising thereof I Haue sufficiently according to my power debarred thee from iniustice now I will likewise driue thee from Temeritie For I would not haue thee rashly and vpon euerie iust occasion enter into this field of Mars It is a matter of great importance that requireth deliberation and that with leasure For know this that a warre is easily begun but verie hardly left off and the enterprising and end thereof are sildome in the power of one person And like as thou maist easilie cast thy selfe into a well but canst with great difficultie withdraw thy selfe from thence euen so it is in warre which may be begun by any though he be a coward but cannot be left off but at the pleasure of the conqueror Wherefore if thou art wise take aduise of euerie thing which may happen in warre contrarie to thy exspectation before thou enter into it * Weigh with thy selfe both thine owne strength and the force of fortune and that Mars is common in warre * That there will be on either side weapons and men and that the successe of matters do neuer answer our exspectation lesse then in vvarre * Although thou carrie with thee all the strength of Greece although that thy armed soldier do spread themselues farre and ne are yet the Fortune of vvarre is euer doubtfull She hath sure great force in worldly matters but especiallie her power is seene in martiall affairs Wherefore albeit thou trust in thy riches thou oughtest not to change things certaine for matters vncertaine * Neither is it fit to trouble a happie state What shall it auaile thee to fish with a golden hooke * The fortune of one hower may ouerturne those things thou alreadie possessest and the honour thou hopest for Herevnto ad the mischiefs which do necessarily follow war the comming whereof is not onely miserable but euen the feare thereof doth bring calamitie * The Plough is then in no account and other necessarie tooles lie cankred rusty the husbandmen being fled * Then mischiefe walketh thorow euery house without limitation or end Neither doth any wickednesse want example And that which is worst of all what shedding of blood and what murther is there it standeth in the temple and the sâ—â—pperie vermilion stones are moist with much slaughter There is no respect of age * And when the weapons are thorow hot what is free from their slaughter what is it that seemeth not lawfull to rage and when the hand is armed and liâ—ted vp what dare it not vndertake These are publike euils but what if thy priuat mishap be ioined to them is not thy treasurie drawne drie and all thy monie conuerted to the vse of soldiers Thou offerest thy selfe to perils yea and to reproches For nothing is capable of slaunder and of hard words so much as war Wherevpon one writ When war is once begun it is necessarie for Princes to heare euill speeches passe on them and to be blamed for the losse that is done And trulie this is no indifferent condition of war that all men challenge to themselues those things that fall out prosperouslie and what so happeneth crosse and contrarily they impâ—te it to one alone Which things if thou thorowly coÌ„sider wilt thou not confesse that vvar although it be iust is to be detested especially of a godly and christian Prince who according to the law of God ought to spare other mens blood as his owne and knoweth that man ought not to vse man prodigally Therefore hate and contemne those Courtiers who are the furics and firebrands of war In which number sometimes the Nobilitie who thinke to be in ouermuch seruitude in time of peace may be put But very often these fierce turbulent fellowes whom thou maist say are borne to this end neither to be at quiet themselues nor to suffer others to take their rest Many times likewise strangers and exiles are of this number who thorow hope or feare do set forward and entice them to take arms who are slow and slacke therin For as the poet sayth Their priuat cause doth forcemen to enter into wicked war I say their owne priuat cause not thine nor the cause of thy estate bee not thou deceiued herein But why doest thou credit them Be sure of this that in such a case euery one will giue his aduise but few will put themselues in danger
did rule ouer him Wherefore counsels ought to be vsed but what maner of counsels or in what sorte It is harde to prescribe it For the occasions themselues do rather giue counsell to men then men to occasions Thou oughtest rather to applie thy selfe to them especiallie in warre For warre least of all other matters proceedeth not as things are decreed on but it inuenteth mame of it selfe and that as the matter falleth out Neither can I aptlie enough speake therereof May I now dwelling in a cittie enter into the knowledge of those things which are to be done of thee beeing a souldier I shall be laughed at and some not without cause will call me doting Phorâ—io Wherefore I will not vndertake this as if I were in a Pulpit in my long gowne to set downe precepts to souldiers being in their cassocks and armor but out of this great heape of counsels I will onely gather a fewe which I will briefly set before thee for example The which notwithstanding that it may be done distinctlie and with some methode I will deuide them into direct and indirect counsels Direct counsels are those which march in the beaten way of warre Indirect counsels which passe by the secret path of fraud and deceipt Occasion ought to be obserued in warre and surely it hath power in all humaine affaires but especiallie in matter of warre * Occasion is accustomed to bring more helpe in warre then vertue Wherfore be thou armed and prepared that thou for sake not occasion when it is offered thee and that thou take the same away from thine enemie * It is the part of a man and of a Captaine not to refuse Fortune when she offereth her selfe and when good hap presenteth it selfe then to sit downe to counsell VVe must yeeld to Report For warres do consist of report and oftentimes that which hath falslie beene beleeued hath beene held insteed of troth Another saith Fame doth finish war and matters of small moment do driue the mindes of men either into hope or feare especiallie in the beginning and report is of a maruellous force in new enterprises * And feare or confidence is engendered by the first euent of things VVhetfore learne this that thou oughtest to stay vpon reporte for as thy first proceedings are the residue in like maner wil be conformable therunto But I saie likewise that we ought not to obey report euen in the proceeding vnto warre For thou oughtest to be resolute in this not to make accoumpt of the rumors and reporte of the people And to follow those things which reason perswadeth not such as are likely hereafter to be allowed of Neither ought the Generall at any time frame his counsels after the iudgement of the armie but the armie is to be gouerned by the prouidence of the Generall * There is an ill gouernement when the common souldiers commaunde the Captaines Know this that a desire to fight doth agree with the souldiers the leaders do often more good with their prouidence with their counsell with their warinesse then with rashnesse Ouermuch securitie is to be auoided No man is sooner brought to ruine then he which feareth nothing And retchlesnesse is the common entrance into calamitie * Oftentimes contempt of the enemie hath brought foorth bloudie broiles and many worthie nations and kings haue beene ouercome thorow a matter of small importance * Nothing is with safetie to be flightlie accoumpted of in the enemie whome if thou despise thou wilt make him more valiant thorowe thy negligence Therefore as I giue counsell to feare nothing so do I aduise to contemne nothing * Manie times in warre there hapneth great chances in things of small moment and nothing is of so little value that the consequence of a greater matter doth not sometimes depend thereon * By how much the more this precept ought to be embraced of all men That nothing in warre ought slightlie to be set by neither is this spoken without cause that the mother of a warie person knoweth not what belongeth to teares It is an incredible thing how great calamitie ouermuch presumption hath beene the cause of All things are to be enquired after thou oughtest not to be ignorant of thine owne armie and the enemies likewise the scituation of places the nature of countries It was a notable saying in Hannibal that all things belonging to the enemie were as well knowne vnto him as his owne force That saying of the Spartains pleaseth me not who were wonte to aske not have many they were but where they were It is too great a pride He is hardlie ouercome who can giue a right iudgement of his owne power and his enemies forces But especiallie thou oughtest to learne the humor of the Generall For if any man deemeth that the proper dutie of a good Generall be other then to labour to know the minde and condition of the cheefe Captaine of the enemies he doth not onelie erre but he is mad Inquire after the conditions and nature of thine enemies For the force of some is in a sodaine motion which after a little while becommeth weake As most of the barbarous people are whose violent brunts by delay do either become faint or are turned into trecherie Wherfore make likewise triall of this do thou vse delaies dislodge from place to place and secretlie send some to the enemies campe to buâ—e them and to trie to winne them vnto thee and to forsake their faith Or otherwise seperate and disioine them Fortune can bring no greater thing to passe then to sowe discorde amongst the enemies * betweene whom the wise and aduised Captaine ought to sowe occasions of discention For this is a worthie saying No nation how small soeuer it be can easilie be ouerthrowne by the enemie if it destroy not it selfe by priuate partialities Thou oughtest consider the time when to fight which in my opinion ought neuer to be vnaduisedlie That leader is to be commended who doth not attempt all things by hazard but gouerneth both prosperous matters and things aduerse and contrarie by ripe deliberation and counsell who is not throwne downe by contrarie accidents nor lifted vp with pride at any good successe but changing the raines knoweth howe to prolong the time and the meanes to get the victorie * Paulus Aemilius said Come thou very seldome to handie stroakes although the assignation of the battaile be giuen if great necessitie or some principall occasion be not offered Caesar Augustus said warre is neuer to be enterprised but when hope of greater profit then losse is apparant * For matters of war are vncertaine and many things are made of a little and for the most part assaults are attempted with a
confesse in their minde that they are vanquished For indeed they which are subdued by subtiltie do easily gather strength againe because they persuade theÌ„selus that they are not ouercome by value but by the oportunitie and pollicie offred the Generall To be short a certaine Romaine did write that a holie and wise man knoweth that to be a lawfull victory which is gotten without breach of faith and without diminishing of honor But they will say are they not both hereby indangered and where craft and guile taketh place there can scarse be any faith no neyther honor can not be without blemish These are the arguments which are held by them against the which I dispute and reply in this sort First it is the enemy against whome we practise these things that is those whome we may destroy both by custome and lawe and what matter is it by what meanes we geue them the ouerthrowe That old saying of the Poet is well knowne What importeth it whether the enemy be ouercome by deceipt or force With whome Pindarus agreeth we must endeuor all manner wayes to breake and disorder the enemy Thou seest a huntsinan killeth some wilde beastes by force and with his hand others he taketh with ginnes and nets and who reprehendeth him therefore All these manner of deceipts do seeme rather to deserue commendation then blame Surely Brasidas that worthy personage and valiant Captaine sayth thus Those stealthes in warre do merite no small prayse by the which especiallie the enemies are intrapped and those that are in league and friendship greatly ayded and assisted Polybius himselfe who alitle before did wonder at the Achayens doth openly hold partie with vs when he sayth that those martiall deedes which are executed in the sight of all the world and with mayne force deserue lesse praise then those which are wrought by industrie and the oportunitie and slights But likewise if one nation be to be compared with another shall I doubt whether the Spartains may be waighed in one ballance with the Achayens yea they will both in vertue and fortune ouerpoise them and although they were most valiant yet they did deeme that those actions which were brought to passe by reason and vvit vvere more vvorthy and beseeming a man then those vvhich vvere effected by force and violence Therefore the Spartains vvhen they did dismisse any Captaine from his office he vvhich had accomplished that vvhich belonged to his charge by persuasion or deceipt did sacrifice an Oxe if by force of armes a Cocke To wit eyther a great or lesse beast as they esteemed the fact of importance or of lesse moment But they say further Euripides denieth that it belongeth to a man of worth They are deceaued for he doth not speake of the common enemy or of warre but he meaneth priuate ennemities wherein as he rightly deemeth fraude hath no place In warre the matter goeth otherwise For euen the auncient Romaines in other things couetous and resolute to treade this princely path did affirme that there vvas a certaine honest subtiltie vvhich passed vvith them vnder the name of pollicie especiallie if any thing vvere attempted against a common enemy or a theefe What neede there any more words Saint Augustine resolueth ths doubt When lawfull warre is vndertaken it importeth nothing in respect of iustice vvhether the enemy be assayled openly or by ambush For as concerning that which the Romaine writer seemeth to condemne in verie deede he doth not blame he onely vvisheth that herein faith and honor may be preserued For who will allowe of fraude to the preiudice of entercourse contract and friendship who can likewise approue vile and villanous deceipt as if any man should bereaue his enemy of life by poyson or send and hire a murtherer secretly to make him away Abhorre these things and such like and with Agesilaus carry this minde that it is a wicked thing iniustly to deceaue him that is entred into alliance vvith thee but to beguâ—le thine enemies it is not only lawfull but likewise profitable and a thing thou mayest well reioyce at These men ioyne in opinion with Homere that it skilleth not whether we ouercome by craft or by force of armes * And in very deede there is nothing that is more auayleable in warre then stratagemes Why doest thou expect I should in this place set downe the seuerall sorts of them Amongst auncient writers thou hast Frontinus and Polyenus and some authors of this age haue likewise taken great paines therein CHAP. XVIII What seemeth best to be done after the conflict and how the Prince may behaue himselfe to his aduantage and honor being victorious or in the pursuite of the enemy I Haue by my conusels sufficiently instructed thee how thou shouldest prepare thy selfe to warre now I will intreate of those things which are necessarie to be done after the battaile and as it were by a by-way will leade thee to that faire mark I meane peace After the battaile eyther the victorie is absolute or else there followeth slaughter In the victorie I admonish thee of three things to vse it discreetlie moderatlie and modestlie It behooueth thee to vse it discreetly because prosperitie for the most part breedeth negligence and so some wound may be receaued by ouer-much trust * Likewise often losses though they be but small do dismember and empaire the glory of a purchased victorie Likewise thou oughtest to vse it Moderately victorie being by nature cruell Anger and a fierce enemy and victorie and the sword of the conqueror can not be bridled and they which are once infected therewith their desire is without pittie Notwithstanding it is necessarie for thee to ouerrule them otherwise it will be a great hinderance to thy proceedings For where nothing but extremitie is seene thorowe desperation they prepare them selues boldly to resist * Likewise necessitie setteth an edge vpon slouth and oftentimes desperation is the cause of hope * The bitings of enraged necessitie are most dangerous Wherefore haue regard to this and alwaies leaue somewhat for hope Shew thy selfe still at hand and terrifie them but when thou hast sufficiently amased them by sparing them againe shew by that meanes prouocations of peace This doth somwhat pacifie them and cutteth off their stubbernes in respect of those things they haue lost in respect of their riches which I would not haue thee vtterly to dispossesse thy selfe of Archidamus geueth better counsell when he sayth Neyther do thou carry any other estimation of thine enemies Countrie then as if it were pawned vnto thee and so much the more by how much it is more fertill We must spare the greatest part thereof least the enemies being brought to madnesse and desperation become not more vneasie to be conquered Besides thou shalt
cause them put great confidence in thee if thou spare them as if they were thine owne For that which thou commandest to be ruined with fire to be cut downe with the sword thou holdest in reputation as none of thine Thirdly vse thy victorie modestlie For felicitie doth not onely in an ill disposition lay open couetousnesse pride and other hidden euils but euen worthy Captaines waxe insolent in prosperitie And with that Tantalus that Pindarus speaketh of they can not disgest a large fortune O foolish men He that exalteth himselfe for the prosperous successe hapned in war doth not coÌ„sider vpon how false a trust he magnifieth him selfe * Fortune is made of glasse who when it shineth brightest is soonest broken * The state of mortall men is subiect to these changes that aduersitie springeth from prosperitie and prosperitie from aduersitie * How can a conqueror dread any thing when he is voide of feare Now in the ouerthrow I admonish thee of two things to beare the same discreetly and stoutly with discretion in this sence that thou waight and consider it seriouslie For contrarily there are some that do faine that all things happen well and keeping those secret who brought newes of the ouerthrowe they do rather by foolish dissimulation differre their meanes to remedy the euill then to put it from them They can alleage no reason why the matter should be so carried For first He that refuseth to enter into the knowledge of his losse encreaseth feare and those mishaps vvhich are doubtfull do afflict vs most of all As on the other side many times it is a comfort to one in calamitie to knowe his owne estate Then surely ignorance is a fruitlesse remedy of euils nay it is no remedie at all neyther canst thou cure a disease except thou knowe it Be not thou ignorant thereof but rather examine it and waigh it well If the losse be small it will rather kindle cour age in thee then feare If it be great yet do not in a rage cast away thy weapons * nor be thou terrified with the euent of one battaile Is not Mars common and doth it not oftentimes exalt the vanquished and afflict the conqueror * It is a token of a faint hart for some little fall to be out of hope to rise againe seeing that for matters of the least moment things done in warre do suddainely change Wherefore it behoueth thee in this case to beare the matter stoutly I deeme this the part of a King to endure aduersitie and by how much the state is doubtfull and the greatnesse of a declining Empire doth threaten ruine so much the more ought a man of courage settle him selfe to stand more firmely I haue learned this that men of worth and value do relie vpon hope against Fortune those that are timerous and cowards do thorowe feare step forward to desperation Do thou rouse vp thy selfe and consider thy forces which are neere vnto thee and farre off * Let a newe choise of men be made and a fresh aide be sought Let thy Citties or thy Castels be assured with continuall munition against a long seige To conclude so that thy cause be good make triall of all things after the manner of Serpents vvho being hurt in the head do threaten vvith their taile * Though that God withstand a lawfull warre yet it is permitted to men of courage to die honestly * So Nature hath appointed one end to all men euen to those who are enclosed in their armor * only there is this difference whether it be better to yeeld the last gaspe vainely and reprochfully or vertuously CHAP. XIX An earnest exhortation to peace And first those that are vanquished are perswaded thereunto meaning an assured and honest peace BVt we haue fought enough yea sufficientlie O profitable peace when wilt thou turne thy countenance toward vs I come vnto thee and shaking off this dust of Mars I will now take alitle rest vnder the fortunate tree of Minâ—rua I haue declared how warre is to be enterprised and put in execution now I greedelie desire to showe after what manner it ought to be brought to an end If mortall men do alwaies entertaine eternall hatred and that furie once begun do neuer abandon their hearts but he that hath good successe do still maintaine warre and he that hath had the ouerthrowe seeke still to defend himselfe in the end nothing will be left to nourish sedition then shall the waste field remaine vvithout tillage then shall the depth of ashes as a graue couer the dead corpes the houses being burned Although that the warre be great although it be practised dailie yet is it to be ended by peace whose verie name is acceptable but the effect thereof bringeth both pleasure and safetie * where at it seemeth not those things do reioyce to whom nature hath giuen sence and feeling onely but euen the houses themselues and the verie fields * Peace is the best thing of all others that man hath the knowledge of to be giuen to him which of it felfe is more to be desired then any triumphes I say that as well the vanquished as the conquerors ought to haue recourse therevnto being equallie profitable to them both and it is expedient that the vanquisher be brought to desire it and it is necessarie for him that is ouercome But first of all do thou who art vanquished giue care vnto me I did a while a goe prouoke thee to take armes neither do I now perswade thee to lay them downe for the holding of them is the readie way to purchase peace Cicero saith if we desire to enioy peace we must make warre if we forbeare to take armes we shall neuer enioy peace * For peace is best established through warre But what is the meaning of this Surelie least otherwise thou seeme a slouthfull and a certaine vile kinde of creature and that the enemie may know that thou hast as yet some force left which if thou art resolute may seeme doubtfull if desperate furious Wherefore shewe thy selfe of a high and confident courage And say with Homer I haue yet long speares and round shields head peeces and shining cuiraces Let not the olde prouerbe deceiue thee It is best treating of peace with weapons in ones hand Now in peace thou oughtest to consider these two things that it be Honest and without fraude I vnderstand peace to be honest when vnder some tollerable condition thou doost end thy vvarre That it may rightly be peace not a contract of bondage For albeit that peace be vniust yet is it to be preferred before a most iust warre Yet surelie that peace is intollerable in a Prince that bringeth with
is alwayes the end of Ciuill warre that not onely those things are done which are commanded by the conqueror but likewise he must obey those by whose fauor and ayde the victorie was gotten Many other things may be sayd in detestation of this pestilent disease which being well knowne vnto vs I do ouerslip CHAP. II. Of the cause of Ciuill warre which he maketh of two sorts Remote and neere at hand First he discourseth of causes remote I Now am come to that place that leadeth me to discourse distinctlie of the causes and the end of Ciuill warre For what neede I to speake of the meanes to execute it which are like and the same that I taught thee in externall warre Besides a wise Prince ought not so much to busy his thought how to practise Ciuill warre as to let and beware of the same This is the principall thing he should endeuor and surely the very sparkles of Ciuill commotions are to be quenched for where they are kindled no wisedome can saue thee from harme of necessitie there followeth either ruine or alteration of matters Which is the reason why I will intreate particularly and considerately of the causes of Ciuill warre and if it be possible for me I will destroy this pestiferous fruite in the bud There are two causes of Ciuill warre causes Remote and neere at hand I call those causes remote which are the first and the true causes but they are either lesse tyed to the effect or lesse apparent The other I call those causes which springing from the first are ioyned to the euents of matters and do openly manifest them selues Wise men do looke into the first causes the eyes of the common people are turned to the latter Amongst the causes remote I reckoned Destinie and Riot First I name Destinie because by the euents of all ages it is certaine that God doth as it were with solemnitie destroy mightie Empires after this manner All great kingdomes runne to wracke of them selues God appointing this to be the meanes to stay things prosperous Thou mayest geue the like iudgement of all other common wealthes as Salust did of his This is mine opinion seeing that all things that do growe and spring vp do likewise perish that the destinie of the destruction of the citie of Roome will happen at what time one cittizen shall take armes against another and so they being wearie and faint shall become a pray to some other King or Nation otherwise the whole world nor all Nations gathered together can not so much as moue or shake this Empire Now Riot is the second cause For what other thing hath engendred ciuill sury then ouerâ—great felicitie * Wealâ—h and riches haue afflicted the manners of all ages and haue like vnto a Pump of a Ship drowned the common wealth with their corruptions * Sumptuous pâ—ouision of banquets and our fiberall rewards haue they not from abundance forthwith brought forth want Yea surely when as to euery vnthrift and spend-all there shall remaine neither lands nor reuenue but only the instruments of vices These persons will vndertake to make a mingle mangle of all things and to close vp their owne wounds with the hurt of the common wealth * For thus the world goeth that euery one had rather to be troden vnder foote by the destruction of the common wealth then their owne priuate ruine not regarding that he is to runne like fortune with them These therefore are the degrees There is no meane in riches and buildings and the first messes at tables are so sumptuous that they shewe they cannot tollerate hunger * Herehence proceedeth deuouring Vsurie and greedie gaine for interest and decayed faith and warre which is auaileable to many Now these are the two remote causes But what remedie is there against them Against one of them none at all Thou doest in vaine striue with Destinie that is against the decree of God Such was the pleasure of destinie that the prosperitie of any thing whatsoeuer should neuer stand alwayes at one stay * Nothing is exempt from the danger of change not the earth not the heauens not this whole frame of all things For although it be guided by God it shall not alwayes hold this order but time will alter it from his course * All things runne on their prefixed time they haue time to be borne to growe up and to be extinguished But concerning Riot if thou looke thereunto in time thou hast a sure remedy therefore from our* censuring of manners CHAP. III. Of the causes of ciuill warre which are neere at hand which are three First faction The hurt thereof in euery state And whether seditions may at any time be profitable THese then as the Poet sayth are the publicke beginnings of vvarre vvhich do alwayes ouerthrow mightie nations Now I do come to neere causes which shew themselues to be three Faction Sedition Tyrannie I call Faction the confederacie of a few or many amongst them selues and their discord vvith others The spring whereof oftentimes issueth from the priuate or publicke hatred of families but more often from ambition whilest each one seeketh to aduance himselfe and to put backe others and to this end they do conspire For surely none of them all vvho are conuersant in the common wealth respect whome they may put downe but by whome they themselues may be ouerthrowne * All ambition hath this fault It is not respectiue which is the cause why they like vnto waues do driue one another and from hence proceedeth strife hate warre Factions haue alwaies ben and will be euer the destruction of many nations sooner then externall warres then famine then death and then all other things which men do conster to be the wrath of God and as it were the extremities of publike mischiefes For whereas some bad polliticians at this day do euen allowe of factions and denie that any thing can be more profitable for the Prince against the subiects then if they do not regard the common profit they are greatly deceaued For as in the definition I shewed there are two sorts of faction of a few or many both kinds are hurtfull and that latter of many is apparently dangerous who trusting in their strength do forthwith take armes and come to handle strokes and oftentimes that side which is too weake to maintaine their priâ—ate quarrell doth rather ioyne it selfe to forraine force then yeeld to those of their owne nation Neyther is the first of a few who are mightie lesse cruell For by little and little as the Philosopher doth note The faction of Noblemen draweth vnto it likewise the whole communaltie to part-taking yea they are with more difficultie appeased Neyther commonly hath the discord amongst worthy and mightie men sorted any other effect but eyther a generall ruyne or the
occasion vvhether a good man ought to make one in ciuill warres The same handled on both sides and defined with some distinction of persons THese are the beginnings and these are the causes of ciuill warre The meanes to execute it should follow but with reason I haue excused my selfe to speake thereof In this place I wil only enquire how an honest man ought to behaue himselfe in this ciuill warre Shall he sit still or shall he ioyne himselfe to one side or other Reasons and examples seeme to perswade him that he should not stirre Reason induceth him thereto because ciuill warre cannot honestlie be enterprised And likewise for the most part the end of taking armes is wicked and the leaders vnder a pretext of the publike profit do each of them striue for their priuate authoritie Sallust saith in these ciuill dissentions their words seeme other but on either side they fight who shall gouerne What then is more fit for an honest man and peaceable cittizen then to absent himselfe from these ciuill broiles Adde hereunto that a certaine crueltie and rigor is annexed to these warres from the which surelie an honest man doth vtterly abhorre In regarde whereof Cicero exclaimeth I do surely deeme it the part of a good cittizen and honest man rather to endure any kinde of punishment then not onely to be aiding to so great crueltie but likewise not to be present threat Now if we looke into examples they are most notable The report is that Q. Hortensius was wont to bragge that he was neuer present at any ciuill vvarre Likewise there remaineth that memorable deed and saying of Asinius Pollio For vvhen Caesar asked him if he would go with him to the vvarre of Actium quoth he I will seperate my selfe from your strife and become the proy of the conquerour Thou maiest finde many such other examples Yet on the other side there are both reasons and examples The reasons are these Where there is dissention why should an honest man leaue his friends Yea euen as the Oxe followeth the whole droue so should he follow goodmen or those who are reputed to be such Wise Solon by a law banished those quiet persons which followed neither partie In matter of ciuill dissention saith he he that doth not ioyne himselfe to one side or other but being alone and seperate from other doth withdraw himselfe from the publicke losse of his cittie let him be depriued of his house of his countrie and of all his substance let him be banished and exiled What did Cato the Romaine the liuelie patterne os vertue * a more certaine example of wisdom then either Hercules or Vlisses Did not he in ciuill warre shew himselfe not onely a follower but a leader The matter is manifest Therefore an honest man shall do the like and howsoeuer the chance shal fall out he ought rather to runne fortune with those that haue the opinion to be honest men then seeme to dissent from them that are honest Thou seest the difference of opinions what shall wee desire Peace Wee hold both opinions to bee good yet with a certaine distinction of persons Is hee a man of renowne and worthy Hee ought to employ him in the common wealth and endeuour to behaue himselfe therein with so much the more excellencie He ought to holde the last opinion and do as cattell are vvont vvhich being driuen do follow the heard that is of their kinde What couler or reason is there when the weather is calme to sit at the Stearne and to forsake it and lay it from thee in a tempest Thou maiest not Wee know these kinde of men ought to be subiect to their dignitie that they are to procure the good of the common-wealth and that in the whole course of their life they ought to do their dutie Intermingle and ioyne thy selfe to some but with this condition that it may appeare that like a vvise and good cittizen thou dost against thy vvill enter into the beginning of ciuill vvarre and that thou dost vnwillinglie prosecute it to the end If thou referrest thy counsels to peace if in the heate of warre thou dost temper thy rage and thy victorie thou shalt be held in the reputation of an honest man and of a cittizen But on the other side is there any that hideth himselfe and is of that sort of men who refuse honour nor do intermedle vvith the common-wealth Such a one in my opinion ought in like maner not to haue any thing to do with ciuill warre Why should he now venture himselfe in that turbulent sea who neuer tried it when it was calme Surelie he shall neither finde any thing more fafe or honest then to absent himselfe from all dissention * I am of opinion he vvere better to remaine in some towne free from vvarre vntill those broiles were decided Notwithstanding with this condition that he seeme not more enclined to the dishonest cause For who would not helpe his countrie at the least with his good-will Take example by Titus Atticus the sonne of modestie and wisdome who did so behaue himselfe in the common-wealth that he held alwaies and so vvas deemed on the side of the vvorthiest men neither did hee euer commit himselfe to these ciuill vvaues because he esteemed that they that applied them selues thereto had no more power of themselues then they vvho cast themselues into the sea I salute that worthie and allowed person of renowmed Caesar who when Pompey declared them to be his enemies who shewed not them selues in the common wealth Those of the middle sort and newters Caesar sayd he would accoumpt to be of his side We are of the like iudgement in a matter litigious wherein I plainely geue thee to vnderstand I will not satisfie those men who are desirous of warre But let them consider my calling and let them knowe that our counsels are the companions of peace and the gowne not of warre and weapons CHAP. VII Of the end of Ciuill warre and therewithall the end of this booke BVt now I do with all earnestnesse reioyce and as Mariners when as a farre at sea they espie land are glad with all their heart euen so am I who do not only see land but touch it There is onely a little distance betweene me and it the finishing of Ciuill warre which I will runne out in one and the same course without turning saile Ciuill discord is ended two manner of wayes by agreement or victorie I chuse the way of agreement and it is in euerie respect better rather to quench it by wisedome then to bring the matter in danger by force of armes and by the sword * All kinde of peace with the Cittizens seemeth vnto me more profitable then ciuill warre yea euen that temporarie peace which hath no
confused and continuall Tac. 4. Hist Sal. ad Caes Wicked precepts Liu. 5. Sen. Her Fur. Lucan 7. Iustice is to be approued not by the euent but by the cause of warre Liu. 21. Albeit the cause being good oftentimes the euent is so Lucan 7. Propert. lib. 4. Eleg. 6 Eurip. Erecht Vniust warre springeth commonly of two causes Saell in Fragm Idem Catil Ambition Couetousnesse Cic. 1. de off Plin. Pan. Iuuen. Sat. 10. Sal. in Fra. Ambition Couetousnesse Tac. 4. Hist Sen. Hippol. Whereunto anger may be added August coÌ„tra Faust lib. 22. Cap. 74. The right of taking armes belongeth only to the King Aug. contra Faust Or The soueraigne Magistrate Lib. 12. de leg It is alwayes lawfull to defend Cic. pro Mil. Ibid. Not onlâ— a â—â—ns selfe Sal. Cat. But others 〈◊〉 confederatâ—â— Cic. de rep 3 Arist Rhet. ad Alex. Or such as are wrongfully oppressed Cic. 1. Offic. Ambr. de Offic. We must go 〈◊〉 further vnder couler of defence Cic. 3. de rep It is lawfull to inuade for proffered wrongs Idem 1. Offic. But fiâ—st let him tâ—â—e by challenge of right Plin. 22. Nat. Hist Cap. 2. Which is of more force then weapons Cic. 1. Offâ— Archid. apud Thucid. Cic. lib. 12. Epist 10. Liu. 9. It is likewise lawfull to inâ—ade barbarous and wicked people Epist 5. Id. lib. de verb. dom A good end is required Which is peace Cic. 1. offi Sal. ad Caes Thou mayst easily wrap thy selfe in warre Sal. Iug. But not so easily come out of it Ibidem Thuc. 1. All euents are to be fore-thought on Liu. 30. For warre is doubtfull Ibidem Sen. Theb. And fortune ruleth in waâ— Liu. 9. Sal. Iug. Sen. Oâ—d Suet. Aug. cap. 25. Liu. 30. The dice are cast for the cheeâ—e matters Publike slaughters are to be forethought on Spoile Cic. pro leg Man Vir. 1. Geor. Sen. Hip. Rapâ— Mâ—rther Luc. Sil. 1. Priuat mischiefs are to be fore-thought on The Prince in war committeth himselfe to hatred He is sayd to be the cause of all â—uill Tac. 1. Hist Quin. Decl. Thuc. 5. Tac. in Ag. In respect of these matters all warre is to be auoided Aug. 19 de 〈◊〉 Sâ—n. ep 89. Whervnto many stir thee vp Liu. 21. Tac. 11. Au As Noble men Turbulent persons Thuc. 1. Banished men Tac. 3. Hist â—uc 1. Vnder a publike preteâ—t but for their priuat cause Tac. 3. Hist 1. Hist The name of warre is furie The thing it selfe most foule Pind. apud Stob. We ought very sildome to vndertake war but vpon necessitie Suet. Aug. cap. 20. Tac. de Morib Germ. Plin. Pan. Tac. de Mo. Germ. 1. Hist Noâ— to enter into trouble Or cause slaughter What the preparation of waris and of how many sorts It is to be made 〈◊〉 we vndertake war Quinct l. 10 Inst Publius Thorow warre â—â—actions are either hatefull or dangerous Peric apud Thuc. lib. 1. Virg. l. 3. c. 3 Money is the vitall spirit of warre Petron. Sat. Thuc. 1. Neither are weapons auaileable without it Idem 1. Lib. 4. ca. 9 The necessitie of victuals Vir. l. 3. c. 26 Id. 3. cap. 3. A double vse thereof Tac. Agric. Cap. in Gor. The soldier is vntractable Lam. Alex. Cassiod 4. Varr. ca. 13. Iamp Ale Neither will hearken to a commaunder when he is in want The preparatioÌ„ of Armor Of shipping sea-matters These things cause the Prince to be feared And quiet Id. 3. Id. 2. What men are and their deuision Tac. 1. Hist Horsemen are better then footmen Lib. 3. But only when they come to fight During all the warre footmen are better Vig. l. 2. c. 2. Tac. de Mo. Germ. Ibidem Yea euen in the fight if they be good men Ibidem To be equalled with horsemen if they bee well disciplined and marualled Tac. 3. Hist Ari. Pâ—l 4. cap. 13. Barbarous people delight in horsemen Footmen are a lesse charge Vig. 2. ca. 1. Tac. de Mo. Germ. Rather desire to haue good soldiers Sen. 6. de Ben. 31. Liu. 9. Synesius ep 79. Then many in number But a few which are alwaies victorious Vig. 1. ca. 8. Tac. 14. An. Our warre is most corrupt Without any consider at aduise Tac. 1. An. For they leuie the most abiect persons or the worser sort of men Ex Galbi dicto 1. Hist Liu. 21. Curt. 9. Tac. 3. An. Egesip 4. c. 4 Pseud Sal. 〈◊〉 Corrupted with vices Without any discipline Ci. 5. de rep They prouoke one another to do euill Tac. 3. Hist 2. Hist They torment the husbandman 3. Hist They eat 4. Hist Curt. 7. They drinke and then they fight Ibidem Before the enemie they faint Sal. Frag. They flie They are couragious in spoile and cowards in fight Iliad â— Carnificij dictum de suis milit liu Carelesse of their reputatioÌ„ Tac. 2. Hist Sal. Iug. These things ought to be altered Vegeti 1. Cap. 28. Call thou them backe by Election Discipline What election is Whether strangers and mercenarie souldiers ought to be chosen The Author conformaable to reason doth deny it For there is scarce any trust in them Tac. 3. Hist Lucan Nor any patience Tac. 4. Hist â— 1. Hist In the conflict they are coldâ— 3. Hist Or â—earefull 1. Ann. In Agric. Ibid. Liu. 6. Hartfull to the subiects Tac. 2. Hist Curt. 3. Os great charger Cic. 1. ad Att. Iuuen. Sat. 8. Naturall souldiers are more faithfull More obedient Curt. 10. Ibid. More valiant in sight Sen. 1. de Clem. Thorow loue or reuerence of their Prince Ibid. Curt. 10. More kinde to their countrie Tac. 2. Hist Curt. 10. Yet sometimes mercenarie souldiers are proâ—itable Tac. 6. An. But they ought to be of lesse number Liu. 25. Where there are many oftentimes either they leaue or betray thee Aristophin in Vesp Vegeâ— 1. Cap. 11. The first obiection concerning the naturall courage of some nations The second concerning feare of rebellion Liu. 27. Ibidem An answerâ— to the first Veget. 2. Cap. 18. Id. lib. 2. Cap. 18. An answere to the second Plin. Pane. Tirants vnarmâ— their subiects Plato 8. de legib Kings trust them and 〈◊〉 faith Sen. 1. de Clem. Ibidem The ordinarie souldier The souldier of ayde The prayse and vse of the first Veget. 1. Cap. 1. Tac. de Mor. Germ. Ibidem Many of them are not to be enroched for two respects 1. Hist Ibid. 1. Ann. Neyther likewise in peace ought they to be together in one place 1. Hist Ibid. How many ought to be chosen according to the opinion of the author The chiefest care ought to be for horsemen Liu. 27. The description and vse of souldiers of aide Theâ—â— distinâ—tion froâ— ordinarie souldiers Tacit. de Morib Germ. 1. Hist In peace they liue to themselues In warre they go to warre Sal. ad Caes They are obedient Tac. 2. Hist Not hurtfull Veget. 1. Cap. 28. More readie then strangers They are to be leuied out of villages Cittizens are readie to moue commotions Thorow the trust
Hist And repaire our broken strength Indid Veget. 3. Cap. 25. Tac. Agric. Flor. 1. Cap. 15. It is better to die with honor then to liue with infamie Curt. 5. Sall. Tac. 3. Hist The third part of this booke The world cannot continue if there be continuall warre Sen. Herc. Fur. Peace is the end of warre Cic. Phil. 13 The praise of peace Id. de leg Ag. rar Sill. 11. It is auaileable for both sides Tac. Agric. 15. Ann. Sen. Hec. Fur. Especiallie to the vanquished We must not lay our defence away if we will haue peace Phil. 7. Thuc. 1. The enemie is to be put in feare Tac. 3. Hist 4. Ann. Iliad â— Guil. Neub Rer. Anglic. lib. 2. ca. 12. Two things to be considered In peace That it be honest Liu. 25. Ex. Cle. Phâ—l 12. Ad Aâ—t 7. Ep. 14. It is dishonourable when it bringeth open thral dome Sen. Theb. Death is rather to be desired of a good man 2. That it be without deceit Phil. 3. Phil. 7. To the intent it may end not prolong warre Sal. Ep. Mâ—thrid Tac. 4. Hist At what time it is best to treate thereof Caes 1. bel Ciuil Curt. 7. Some whiles dignitie yeeldeth Cic. 5. ep 21 Curt. 5. Tac. 2. Hist 5. Hist 2. Hist Forced thereto by necessitie 3. Hist Liu. 9. Neither is it sometimes but for our good to yeeld to the enemie without condition Id. 7. Ibidem Tac. 2. Ann. If he carrie honour with him Sal. Orat. Lepid. 3. Hist Peace is a seemely thing for the conqueror Liu. 30. Ibidem Lib. 23. It is to be accepted when occasion is offered Tac. 15. Ann. Bernard in Ep. It is likewise profitable to be disburdened of warre and trouble Tac. 12. An. In Agric. Sil. 1. Hor. 2. cap. 15. Curt. 3. We ought not often to set vpon an enemie plut in Lycuig Peace is safe Liu. 30. Fortune vncertaine Ibidem Sen. Herc. Fur. Liu. 30. Which oftentimes paieth home at the last Ibidem Sen. Herc. Oct. Therefore it is not to be prouoked Curt. 3. Ibidem Homer Iliaâ— 6. Liu. 45. Mingle wisdom therewith Liu. 30. Ibidem Let thy peace be tollerable Tac. 12. Ann. Sal. Orat. Philip. In. lug Yea an easie peace Tac. 12. Ann. Sen. 1. de Clem. Ibidem For an euill peace is vnâ—ure Liu. 8. Lib. 9. Tac. 3. Ann. Good peace is permanent Liu. 8. Ibidem Howbeit deceits are to be auoided Veg. 3. ca. 3. Lib. 3. Note this saying A praier for peace Paul 1. ad Cor. Cap. 14. Ierem. Cap. 47. Ex eod Cap. 29. What ciuill warre is The verie height to all miserie A fearefull thing to those that are true Citizens Iliad 1. Phil. 12. Nay indeed to those that are men It is fraught with mischiefe Sal. Orat. Lepidi Sen. 2. de Ira. And impietie Luc. 7. Id. 1. And slaughter Sal. Orat. Lepidâ— Confused murther Tac. 1 Hist Tac. 3. Hist Luc. 1. Trecherie Tac. 2. Hist 1. Hist No discipline 2. Hist Or obedience Ibidem Ibidem 1. Hist. 2. Hist Luâ— 5. The changing of places auaileth nothing Tac. 1. Hist 2. Hist Cic. 4. Epist ad Fam. Epist 9. Ibidem The victory is cruell Tac. 3. Hist Cic. 12. Epist ad â—am Ep. 18. Neyther hath the conqueror power thereof In this matter the principall thing is to let warre Remote causes Neere causes Desteny and the order of things do ingender ciuill warre Luc. 1. Men of Europe marke this Ad Caes Riot doth likewise by little and little ingender them Flor. 2. Cap. 12. Ibid. Ibid. For from hence proceedeth desue of other mens goods From hence proceedeth new hopes Tac. 1. Hist Indid Vell. 2. Luc. 1. Ibid. A remedie or rather a comfort against destinie Sen. Cons ad Helu Id. Ep. Ibid. Supra lib. 4. Cap. 11. Luâ— 1. Faction desined The fountaâ—ne from whence faction springeth Hate or ambition Sen. Ep. 74. Indid This is the right plague of estates Liu. 3. Court counsellers allow thereof Tac. Agric. But they take their marke amisse The popular faction is hurtfull Liu. 34. The faction of Noble men is likewise hurtfull Arist 5. Pol. Cap. 4. Cic. de Arusp resâ— â—rance speaketh hereof Howbeit there is some vse of dissention Plut. Caton Yet but very small Sen. Ep. 87. And it is allowed amongst neere borderers Tac. 5. Hist Factions are to be suppressed by lawes Arist 5. Pol. Cap. 8. And the baâ—â—ges thereof Dio. 52. And the beginnings thereof Arist 5. Pol. Cap. 4. Curt. 6. Liu. 34. Assemblies are to be forbiddeâ— The definition of Sedition The springs thereof are many As Oppression Or feare 5. Pol. Cap. 3. Ouer-much loolenesse Liu. 2. Miserie Sal. Iug. The courage of the leaders of the common people Liu. 27. Ibidem Whome ambition doth driue Tac. 11. An. Cic. 2. in Caton Matter of debt Tac. 1. Hist Sal. Orat. Phil. Ibidem Inconstantnesse Tac. 2. Hist The proceâ—â—ding and increase of sedition 1. Ann. Ibidem 1. Hist 1. Ann. 4. Hist They are woâ—â— to couer themselues with the vaile of the publicke libertie and safegard The common people are light of beliefe 16. Ann. 4. Hist 1. Ann. 1. Hist Indid 3. Hist Men of â—irie spirits do leade them Ibidem Ibidem 1. Ann. Who are alwayes acceptable to the common people Prou. vers 1 The remedies to be applied remaine in the Prince Tac. 13. An. Cic. Ph. l. 5. Tac. 1. Hist These troublesome persons are to be appeased by some admonisheis 3. Hist 1. Hist Sometimes by the King himselfe 1. Ann. Lucan 5. Tac. 1. An. 1. Hist Any thing done stoutly terrifieth them Luc. 5. The common people rather begin then goe thorowe Ex Liu. 7. Id. 6. They are easily appeased Curt. 9. Titinnius Yet sometimes to be subdued by force Tac. 1. An. Ibidem Yet by a slowe force 1. Hist Liu. 2. Tac. 1. Ann. They are to be vsed with sundrie pollicies To be disunited Tac. To be corrupted Liu. 2. To be deceaued Tac. 2. To be wonne by faire speeches 4. Hist Plut. Polit. To be allured with doubtfull promises Tac. 1 Ann. But being allured they are to be vsed with gentlenesse Do thou onely punish the cheefe conspiratiors Ex. Tac. 1. Hist Liu. 28. Tac. 4. Ann. Luca. 5. Liu. 28. Ibidem And enquire no further who haue offended Tac. â— Annal. The definition of tyrannie Force followeth it Senec. Here. Fur. And terror Sen. 1. de Clem. It is without law Sen. Herc. Fur. Tac. Agric. Without any good custome Tac. 4. Ann. It loueth informers Ibid. Defendeth bad persons Sall. Id. Catil It hateth and feareth good men and worthie persons Tac. in Agric. 1. Hist Likewise men of learning In Agric. Ibidem Plin. Plut. It is an enemie to good authors and their workes Tac. Agric. Ibidem Which it abolisheth in vaine 4. Ann. Whom God hath greater care of and preserueth better Ibidem It is hatefull to all men Plin. Pan. Tac. 2. Hist In Agric. It likewise feareth all men Sen. 1. de Clem. Claud. 4. Cons Honor. A tyrant is tormented with his owne consciousâ— Tac. 4. An. Sil. 13. Tac. 6. Anno. Followed with misfortune Sen. 1. de Clâ—m For they rarely liue long Laert. in eius vita They sildome escape without murther Iuuen. Sat. 10. The remedie against them Some men would haue them made away Whereunto many agree Cic. 1. de offic Id. pro Mil. Sen. Here. Fur. But they seeme rather to be tollerated Ex. Liu. 3. Because God sendeth them Tac. 15. Aur. Homer Odiss â— Neither is the kings bloud lightly to be shed It seldome falleth out for any mans good in priuate Tac. 1. Hist Ibidem Sen. Oed. Much lesse in publike Tac. 4. Hist And it is alwaies the cause of slaughter Plutar. in Brutâ— It were better to tollerate them Tac. 4. Hist As all euils comming from aboue Indid Plaut For it belongeth to subiects to obay Tac. 4. An. Egesip lib. 2. cap. 9. Ibidem It is hurtfull to striue with ones yoake Alex. apud Curt. lib. 8. Modestie appeaseth princes Indid Theopompo tribuit Plu. Stubburnesse maketh them more cruell Tac. Agric. And when they seeke ouer much libertie 14. Hist 16. Ann. In Agric. A warning for subiects 4. Hist. Plin. Pan. Who are giuen to quarels and reproches Statius Theb. Thuc. 1. Let them endure things present in hope of amendment Tac. 4. Hist 12. Ann. Whether a good man should make one in ciuill warre It seemeth he should not Because it is euill Tac. 1. Ann. Because the end thereof is euill Sall. Iug. Id. Orat. Macri Trib. Pleb Caes inter Ep. ad Att. 10. Ep. 7. Because it is practiâ—ed with crueltie Ad Att. 9. Ep. 4. And great personages haue abhorred it Id. ad Fam. 2. Ep. 16. Vell. 2. On the other side it seemeth he should For it is the part of a good man to follow good men And Solon made prouision thereof by a law Cic. ad Att. 7. Ep. 7. Agel Noct. Att. lib. 2. cap. 12. And worthie men haue done the like Sen. 1. de Tranquil 2. de Tranquil Cic. ad Att. 8. Ep. 1. A difference therein Men of action and dignitie ought to be a partie Id. pro Sex Id. ad Att. 7. Ep. 7. Id. pro. Sex Yet with modestie Id. ad Fam. 4. Ep. 7. Men of lesse worth who medle with nothing may be quiet Id. pro. Sex Caes inijs ad Att. 10. Ep. 7. Cel. ad Cic. lib. 10. ad Att. Yet ought they stand affected to good men Cic. ad Att. 7. Ep. 25. We ought to imitate the worthie example of Atticus Nepos in eius vita Sâ—eion Iul. Cap. 75. The modestie of Caesar ought to be imitated of Princes Cic. in ijs ad Att. 8. Epist 15. Id. pro Marcel Plaut Menec Two waies to end ciuill warâ— agreement is the best Cic. Phil. 5. Id. Phil. 2. The daie and time maketh alwayes for Kings Lib. 6. A long warre is hurtfull Lin. 21. Flor. 2. Cap. 18. A full victorie doth scarse auaile herein Cic. ad Att. 7. Epist 5. Except it be handled with great aduise Tac. 3. Hist The authors of Commotions are to be executed 16. Ann. And their meanes taken away 3. Hist 5. Hist Others are to be vsed with fauor Sal. ad Caes These bloud-suckers are not to be heard Indid Indid Profitable counsell Cic. ad Brut. Ep. 2. Id. pro Marcel Sal. ad Caes Sen. 1. de Clem. Clemencie is the ornament of Kings Sal. ad Caes The Conclusion A prayer for Princes Vell. 2. Tac. 4 An.
chaine of consparators How wilt thou vntie and breake it By this clemencie I haue spoken of and principally by our third aid Innocencie which is that by ouer ofteÌ„ displeasing others thou doest not giue cause to hurt thy selfe Power doth make a bad trial what force it hath by the contempt harme of others And by proofe we see that the most trustie gard a Prince can haue is his own innocencie Now do I present vnto thee Destinis the fourth shield Poore wretch why doest thou so torment thy selfe If destinie so please thou must yeeld thy faire white necke to the sword and when thou hast done all thou maist thou canst neither rid thy selfe of thy murtherer nor successor If it please not destinie thou art safe God euen God in whom we liue and moue and are he will be by thy side and will keepe thy feet that thou be not taken * It is he who hath care of a good prince Put thy trust in him I wil vndertake these vowes for thee but vpon this condition I do deale with him to keepe thee safe and sound if so thou preserue others * If thou gouerne the common wealth aright and to the common profit of all * If otherwise thou do then that he may turne his eyes from the custodie of thy body forsake thee in thy praiers thou pourest out openly I haue finished to entreat of Conspiracies Now Treason a secret and dangerous mischiefe is to be drawne out of her denne * Bringing no lesse discommoditie to mankind then faith doth profit and safetie And it alwaies threatneth our ouerthrow for so much as commonly our enemies are within the walles and in the middest of the citie To the which especially couetous men are enclined who do prefer their gaine before their good name before faith finally before all other things Openly they are honest secretly and in their hart they are faithlesse and deceitfull couering their couetousnesse and lust Likewise these temporising wits that is to say being light and wauering depending vpon the doubtfull change of times As though that faith ought to stand as it were vpon fickle fortune And last of all those that are secret and dissemblers who according to that saying of Homer Do vtter in words very goodly things inuenting mischiefe in their heart So that thou shalt not discerne a traitor before thou be betraied Yea to the end they may the more easily beguile they extoll faith aboue all things Obserue this Deceipt procureth credit before hand in small trifles to the end that when occasion is offred it may with the more aduauntage beguile vs. By the which note thou maist best discouer them For it is naturally ingrafted in men by how much more that the things they do are full of guile so much the more often they commit them Thou seest the mischiefe it selfe and the doers therof but how wilt thou auoyd them By this double means of Enquirie and Punishment which I haue foretold thee In the first I alter nothing in the latter somewhat because I am of opinion it ought neuer be differred and wicked treason ought to be reuenged with speedie punishment What doest thou dread in this case Things are manifest yeâ— it behooueth not to bring such persons to iudgement but it as lawful to execute them suddenly as open enemies and to punish them alwaies In my iudgment here is no place for pardon if thou do pardon them take heed least this pittie and mercie cause not thine own miseric They that are traitors to their countrie to whom and when will they euer be honest neuer hope for it they are to be cut off and that not so much in regard of reuenge as that thou maist for the present withdraw wicked subiects by feare from enterprising ought against their countrie and set downe an example for those that come after that none go about to 〈…〉 such madnesse Likewise a cruell punishment is to be inflicted on them euen such if thou giue care to Plato as was appointed for sacrilegious persons O ye iudges quoth he let like execution be done vpon these as vpon church robbers They deserue no lesse doth not our countrie hold the second place next vnto God but the same thorow their wicked complot and counsell commeth into very great danger therefore there can no sufficient crueltâ—e be shewed in punishing so outragious and detestable a wickednesse A wickednesse which the verie enemies abhorre neither is it good to them that receiue good thereby Traitors are hated euen of those for whom they employ themselues I confesse sometimes they receaue recompence but surely it is not that they are deemed worthie that honour but thereby to draw on others They loue the fact but not the executor thereof and Augustus spoke very fitly I like of the treason but do not approue nor allow traitors And likewise before him Philip sayd that he loued those that were to be hetraied but not the traitor CHAP. XI Of a double vice the ouerthrowe of kingdomes and first of hate the euill whereof is set before our eyes Those things are to be auoyded which induce thereunto yea the very snowe and shadowe of them such as are in Chastisements Tributes Censuring of manners A precept how the Prince should behaue himselfe in euery one of these THou seest that mischiefe is present and an ordinarie follower of force which as our poet sayth doth weaken and ouerthrowe the wealthiest But be thou sure that it is more frequent with Vice though it be longer a comming which I define to be An euill disposition of the King or against him hurtfull to the state This Vice is twofolde Hate and Contempt which oppose themselues to as many vertues that establish a Kingdome the one is a bad affection towards the King the other an euill opinion of him For Hate is an obstinate and harmeful malice and offence in the subiects against the King and his estate For I do not in this place vnderstand that common and ciuill hate wherewith we do maligne all those that are wicked but a sharper passion springing of feare with a desire of reuenge For the people do dread the mightie men in regard of the iniuries or harmes they may do them vnder couler of chastisement and they are grieued and do desire to be reuenged for the iniuries they haue already receaued So of a very euill mixture Hate as bad a broode is sprong which if it be once ingrafted and imprinted in the hearts of men it is incredible what power it hath to do euil For how can any thing be firme that proceedeth from feare It is but a bad master of diuturnitie * There is no force of any Empire so great which being oppressed
with feare can be of any long continuance The cause hereof an ancient poet declareth Whome they feare they hate and who so they hate his destruction they desire Surely by certaine degrees they detest thee they attempt against thee they â—ppresse thee What shall let them to do it they haue many hands and thou but one necke * Occasion will be taken and they which are not able to exploit so much with their riches I know not yet what fortune and fit time they expect To be short all this secret hidden hate doth suddainely burst out Alas thou knowest not how great a rabble will rise where hate is increased aboue measure Gather thy strength to thee defend thy selfe keepe thy guard about thee thou shalt well feele that it is not the substance of any one that is able to resist the hate of many For thou art exposed to so many perils as thy selfe art danger to many * Neyther canst thou with assurance behold those wicked hands to whose safegard thou hast committed thy selfe Fly then from hate or thy kingdome will flye from thee nay euen thy life But how wilt thou shunne it Surely if thou doest auoid those things by which it is gotteÌ„ First vices then the very opinion of them Vices are of three sorts repugnant to those former instruments which purchase loue Cruelty Couetousnes rigor For who is he so vnwise that knoweth not or so impudent that denieth that these are noy some and hurtfull to the state Wherfore I do not only instruct thee but warne thee to eschue them insisting so much the longer herein by how much thou mayest receaue greater domage hereby For we know that men are no lesse led with an opinion and report then with some certaine reason either to feare or hate For the opinion of Vices proceedeth from those things which haue some affinitie neighberhood to those I spoke of before of which sort Chastisements Tributes Censuring of manners are Which of themselues are laudable yea very necessary in euery kingdome yet they looke with an vnlawfull show countenance except they be handled with skill and pollicy Do but looke how litle Chastisements do swarue from cruelty for there is no sparing of bloud Tributs from couetousnes for money is greedely gathered together Censuring from rigor for a bridle meane is laid vpoÌ„ them by constraint And surely such they should be if the end which openly tendeth to the safety of the subiects did not make a distinction betweene theÌ„ Wherefore to the end thou mayest proceed warily and prouidently herein thou oughtest to be very circumspect First in Chastisements and take heed that thou do not vnsheath the sword of iustice carelesly but in such sort that spare be made euen of the most base bloud 1. I say thou oughtest slowly to be drawne thereunto For it is likely that who so condemneth suddainely doeth it willingly Let this sentence not be forgotten of thee It is better to heale the vnsound parts then to cut them off 2. Nay be thou neuer brought to it but wheÌ„ the coÌ„mon profit shall persuade thee thereto Doest thou regard thy priuate affaires thou doest erre For all the care of him that punisheth any man ought to be referred not to himselfe but to the benefit of the common wealth But if sometimes as it cannot but happen in principalitie that thine own estate is in danger dissemble it show a countenance as though thou wert forced to punish against thy wil with great sorrow * Nor so much to make away those who haue offended as to feare others least they perish 3. All things are to be intended for example not for reuenge wherfore anger especially is to be restrained in punishing For doth any man hate his owne members wheÌ„ he is forced to cut theÌ„ off I adde further who so commeth to punish in choller shall neuer hold that meane which is betweene ouermuch ouer litle 4. Likewise we ought most of all to abstaine from taking pleasure therein or from the least suspicion thereof It is a rage proper to brute beasts to reioyce in shedding bloud in tormenting And the Poet spake wisely that he is cruell who delighteth in punishmeÌ„t and seemeth to attribute to himself the reueÌ„ge of the laws This thou shalt get thereby that albeit thou vsest mercy towards those that are guilty and haue deserued to be executed yet will they not beleeue it is done for the profit of the common wealth but to satisfie the cruelty of some one 5. Thou oughtest to take heed that punishmeÌ„t be inflicted according to the vsuall customs for it ought to be vsed according to the custom of the countrey Whatsoeuer is newly inuented or ouermuch herein is hurtful they are rightly called cruell who haue cause to punish but vse no meane in punishing 6. Care ought to be had that there be equalitie herein and that for one and the selfe same cause some be chastised and others not so much as called in question or that some be more hardly handled others more gently which is a hatefull thing except it be towards Noble men For I see that all Phisicions although bondmen in matter of sicknes do nothing differ from those that are free yet are the free men vsed more mildly and gently 7. Last of all beware that thou do not call vpon executions neyther be thou a beholder of them for euen Nero withdrew his eyes and commaunded mischiefe to be done but was no looker on The decree of a worthy personage pleaseth me well It behooueth a Prince when any punishment or execution is to be made to commit the matter to others when recompences and rewards are to be geuen to vndertake that himselfe Thou hast those instructions which do sufficiently mitigate vulgar and vsuall punishments But what is to be done in strange and new punishments As pose the case that a great many and they being mightie men haue offended of whome thou wilt hardly rid thy hands without great hatred Here first I would persuade not to make them a way by peecemeale or by pauses but altogether as it were with one stroake In showe this seemeth more sharpe but in effect there is more mildnes therein For that reâ—terated and often reuenge doth suppresse the hate of a fewe and stirre vp the malice of all Make incision at once of that which is to be cut away and then lay vnto the sore these two mollifying plaisters First in doing good to others as a witnesse that they being taken away thy lenitie is encreased Next turning as it were another way in punishing the ministers of those mischiefes Some will thinke this a wicked deede but what of that this hath ben vsed in times past of seueare Dukes who