to believe there were none by reason they would themselves confess it if strictly examined To which my Lord answer'd That though for his part he cared not whether there were Witches or no yet his Opinion was That the Confession of Witches and their suffering for it proceeded from an Erroneous Belief viz. That they had made a Contract with the Devil to serve him for such Rewards as were in his Power to give them and that it was their Religion to worship and adore him in which Religion they had such a firm and constant belief that if any thing came to pass according to their desire they believed the Devil had heard their prayers and granted their requests for which they gave him thanks but if things fell out contrary to their prayers and desires then they were troubled at it fearing they had offended him or not served him as they ought and asked him forgiveness for their offences Also said my Lord they imagine that their Dreams are real exterior actions for example if they dream they flye in the Air or out of the Chimney top or that they are turned into several shapes they believe no otherwise but that it is really so And this wicked Opinion makes them industrious to perform such Ceremonies to the Devil that they adore and worship him as their God and chuse to live and dye for him Thus my Lord declared himself concerning Witches which Mr. Hobbes was also pleased to insert in his fore-mentioned Book But yet my Lord doth not count this Opinion of his so universal as if there were none but imaginary Witches for he doth not speak but of such a sort of Witches as make it their Religion to worship the Devil in the manner aforesaid Nor doth he think it a Crime to entertain what Opinion seems most probable to him in things indifferent for in such cases men may discourse and argue as they please to exercise their Wit and may change and alter their Opinions upon more probable Grounds and Reasons whereas in Fundamental matters both of Church and State he is so strict an Adherent to them that he will never maintain or defend such Opinions which are in the least prejudicial to either One proof more I 'le add to confirm his Natural Understanding and Judgment which was upon some Discourse I held with him one time concerning that famous Chymist Van Helmont who in his Writings is very invective against the School-men and amongst the rest accuses them for taking the Radical moisture for the fat of Animal Bodies Whereupon my Lord answer'd That surely the Schoolmen men were too wise to commit such an Error for said he the Radical moisture is not the fat or tallow of an Animal but an Oily and Balsamous Substance for the fat and tallow as also the watery parts are cold whereas the Oily and Balsamous parts have at all times a lively heat which makes that those Creatures which have much of that Oyle or Balsom are long-liv'd and appear young and not onely Animals but also Vegetables which have much of that Oyle or Balsom as Ivy Bayes Laurel Holly and the like live long and appear fresh and green not onely in Winter but when they are old Then I ask'd my Lord's Opinion concerning the Radical heat To which he answer'd That the Radical heat lived in the Radical moisture and when the one decayed the other decayed also and then was produced either an unnatural heat which caused an unnatural dryness or an unnatural moisture which caused Dropsies and these an unnatural coldness Lastly His Natural Wit appears by his delight in Poetry for I may justly call him the best Lyrick and Dramatick Poet of this Age His Comedies do sufficiently shew his great Observation and Judgment for they are composed of these three Ingredients viz. Wit Humour and Satyre and his chief Design in them is to divulge and laugh at the follies of Mankind to persecute Vice and to encourage Virtue 10. Of his Natural Humour and Disposition MY Lord may justly be compared to Titus the Deliciae of Mankind by reason of his sweet gentle and obliging Nature for though his Wisdom and Experience found it impossible to please all men because of their different humours and dispositions yet his Nature is such that he will be sorry when he seeth that men are displeased with him out of their own ill Natures without any cause for he loves all that are his Friends and hates none that are his Enemies He is a Loyal Subject a kind Husband a Loving Father a Generous Master and a Constant Friend His natural Love to his Parents has been so great that I have heard him say he would most willingly and without the lest repining have begg'd for his daily relief so God would but have let his Parents live He is true and just both in his words and actions and has no mean or petty Designs but they are all just and honest He condemns not upon Report but upon Proof nor judges by Words but Actions he forgets not past Service for present Advantage but gives a present Reward to a present Desert He hath a great Power over his Passions and hath had the greatest tryals thereof for certainly He must of necessity have a great share of Patience that can forgive so many falfe treacherous malicious and ungrateful Persons as he hath done but he is so wise that his Passion never out-runs his Patience nor his Extravagancies his Prudence and although his Private Enemies have been numerous yet I verily believe there is never a subject more generally beloved then He is He hates Pride and loves Humility is civil to Strangers kind to his Acquaintance and respectful to all persons according to their Quality He never regards Place except it be for Ceremony To the meanest person he 'll put off his Hat and suffer every body to speak to him He never refuses any Petition but accepts them and being informed of the business will give a just and as much as lies in him a favourable answer to the Petitioning Party He easily Pardons and bountifully Rewards and always praises particular mens Virtues but covers their Faults with silence He is full of Charity and Compassion to persons that are in misery and full of Clemency and Mercy in so much that when he was General of a great Army he would never sit in Council himself upon Causes of Life and Death but granted Pardon to many Delinquents that were condemned by his Council of War so that some were forced to Petition him not to do it by reason it was an ill president for others To which my Lord merrily answer'd That if they did hang all they would leave him none to fight His Courage he always shew'd in Action more then in Words for he would Fight but not Rant He is not Vain-glorious to heighten or brag of his Heroick Actions Witness that great Victory upon Atherton-moor after which he would not suffer his Trumpets to
sound but came quietly and silently into the City of York for which he would certainly have been blamed by those that make a great noise upon small causes and love to be applauded though their actions little deserve it His noble Bounty and Generosity is so manifest to all the World that I should light a Candle to the Sun if I should strive to illustrate it for he has no self-designs or self-interest but will rather wrong and injure himself then others To give you but one proof of this noble Vertue it is known that where he hath a legal right to Felons Goods as he hath in a great part of his Estate yet he never took or exacted more then some inconsiderable share for acknowledgment of his Right saying That he was resolved never to grow rich by other mens misfortunes In short I know him not addicted to any manner of Vice except that he has been a great lover and admirer of the Female Sex which whether it be so great a crime as to condemn him for it I 'le leave to the judgment of young Gallants and beautiful Ladies 11. Of His outward Shape and Behaviour HIs Shape is neat and exactly proportioned his Stature of a middle size and his Complexion sanguine His Behaviour is such that it might be a Pattern for all Gentlemen for it is Courtly Civil easie and free without Formality or Constraint and yet hath something in it of grandure that causes an awful respect towards him 12. Of His Discourse HIs Discourse is as free and unconcerned as his Behaviour Pleasant Witty and Instructive He is quick in Reparties or sudden answers and hates dubious disputes and premeditated Speeches He loves also to intermingle his Discourse with some short pleasant stories and witty sayings and always names the Author from whom he hath them for he hates to make another man's Wit his own 13. Of His HABIT HE accouters his Person according to the Fashion if it be one that is not troublesome and uneasie for men of Heroick Exercises and Actions He is neat and cleanly which makes him to be somewhat long in dressing though not so long as many effeminate persons are He shifts ordinarily once a day and every time when he uses Exercise or his temper is more hot then ordinary 14. Of His DIET IN his Diet he is so sparing and temperate that he never eats nor drinks beyond his set proportion so as to satisfie onely his natural appetite He makes but one Meal a day at which he drinks two good Glasses of Small-Beer one about the beginning the other at the end thereof and a little Glass of Sack in the middle of his Dinner which Glass of Sack he also uses in the morning for his Breakfast with a Morsel of Bread His Supper consists of an Egg and a draught of Small-beer And by this Temperance he finds himself very healthful and may yet live many years he being now of the Age of Seventy three which I pray God from my soul to grant him 15. His Recreation and Exercise HIS prime Pastime and Recreation hath always been the Exercise of Mannage and Weapons which Heroick Arts he used to practise every day but I observing that when he had over-heated himself he would be apt to take cold prevail'd so far that at last he left the frequent use of the Mannage using nevertheless still the Exercise of Weapons and though he doth not ride himself so frequently as he hath done yet he takes delight in seeing his Horses of Mannage rid by his Escuyers whom he instructs in that Art for his own pleasure But in the Art of Weapons in which he has a method beyond all that ever were famous in it found out by his own Ingenuity and Practice he never taught any body but the now Duke of Buckingham whose Guardian He hath been and his own two Sons The rest of his time he spends in Musick Poetry Architecture and the like 16. Of His Pedigree HAving made promise in the beginning of the first Book that I would join a more large Description of the Pedigree of my Noble Lord and Husband to the end of the History of his life I shall now discharge my self and though I could derive it from a longer time and reckon up a great many of his Ancestors even from the time of William the Conqueror He being descended from the most ancient family of the Gernouns as Cambden relates in his Britannia in the Description of Derbyshire yet it being a work fitter for Heralds I shall proceed no further then his Grandfather and shew you onely those noble Families which my Lord is allied to by his Birth My Lord's Grandfather by his Father as is formerly mentioned was Sir William Cavendish Privy-Counsellor and Treasurer of the Chamber to King Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth and Queen Mary who married two Wives by the first he had onely two Daughters but by the second Elizabeth who was my Lords Grandmother he had three Sons and four Daughters whereof one Daughter died young She was Daughter to Iohn Hardwick of Hardwick in the County of Derby Esq and had four Husbands The first was Barlow Esq who died before they were bedded together they being both very young The second was Sir William Cavendish my Lord's Grandfather who being somewhat in years married her chiefly for her beauty she had so much power in his affection that she perswaded him to sell his Estate which he had in the Southern parts of England for he was very rich and buy an Estate in the Northern parts viz. in Derbyshire and thereabout where her own friends and kindred liv'd which he did and having there setled himself upon her further perswasion built a Mannor-house in the same County call'd Chattesworth which as I have heard cost first and last above 80000 l. sterling But before this House was finish'd he died and left six Children viz. three Sons and three Daughters which before they came to be marriageable she married a third Husband Sir William St Loo Captain of the Guard to Queen Elizabeth and Grand Butler of England who dying without Issue she married a fourth Husband George Earl of Shrewsbury by whom she left no Issue The Children which she had by her second Husband Sir William Cavendish being grown marriageable the eldest Son Henry married Grace the youngest Daughter of his Father in Law the said George Earl of Shrewsbury which he had by his former Wife Gertrude Daughter of Thomas Manners Earl of Rutland but died without Issue The second Son William after Earl of Devonshire had two Wives the first was an Heiress by whom he had Children but all died save one Son whose name was also William Earl of Devonshire His second Wife was Widdow to Sir Edward Wortly who had several Children by her first Husband and but one Son by the said Will. Cavendish after Earl of Devonshire who dyed young His Son by his first Wife William Earl of Devonshire
shall escape blameless As for my being the true and onely Authoress of them your Lordship knows best and my attending Servants are witness that I have had none but my own Thoughts Fancies and Speculations to assist me and as soon as I have set them down I send them to those that are to transcribe them and fit them for the Press whereof since there have been several and amongst them such as onely could write a good hand but neither understood Orthography nor had any Learning I being then in banishment with your Lordship and not able to maintain learned Secretaries which hath been a great disadvantage to my poor works and the cause that they have been printed so false and so full of Errors for besides that I want also the skill of Scholarship and true writing I did many times not peruse the Copies that were transcribed lest they should disturb my following Conceptions by which neglect as I said many Errors are slipt into my Works which yet I hope Learned and Impartial Readers will soon rectifie and look more upon the sense then carp at words I have been a Student even from my Childhood and since I have been your Lordships Wife I have lived for the most part a strict and retired Life as is best known to your Lordship and therefore my Censurers cannot know much of me since they have little or no acquaintance with me 'T is true I have been a Traveller both before and after I was married to your Lordship and sometimes shew my self at your Lordships Command in Publick places or Assemblies but yet I converse with few Indeed My Lord I matter not the Censures of this Age but am rather proud of them for it shews that my Actions are more then ordinary and according to the old Proverb It is better to be Envied then Pitied for I know well that it is meerly out of spight and malice whereof this present Age is so full that none can escape them and they 'l make no doubt to stain even Your Lordships Loyal Noble and Heroick Actions as well as they do mine though yours have been of War and Fighting mine of Contemplating and Writing Yours were performed publickly in the Field mine privately in my Closet Yours had many thousand Eye-witnesses mine none but my Waiting-maids But the Great God that hath hitherto bless'd both Your Grace and me will I question not preserve both our Fames to after Ages for which we shall be bound most humbly to acknowledg his great Mercy and I my self as long as I live be Your Graces Honest Wife and Humble Servant M. NEWCASTLE THE PREFACE VVHen I first Intended to write this History knowing my self to be no Scholar and as ignorant of the Rules of writing Histories as I have in my other Works acknowledg'd my self to be of the Names and Terms of Art I desired my Lord That he would be pleased to let me have some Elegant and Learned Historian to assist me which request his Grace would not grant me saying That having never had any Assistance in the writing of my former Books I should have no other in the writing of his life but the Informations from himself and his Secretary of the chief Transactions and Fortunes occurring in it to the time he married me I humbly answer'd That without a learned Assistant the History would be defective But he replied That Truth could not be defective I said again That Rhetorick did adorn Truth And he answer'd That Rhetorick was fitter for Falshoods then Truths Thus I was forced by his Graces Commands to write this History in my own plain Style without elegant Flourishings or exquisit Method relying intirely upon Truth in the expressing whereof I have been very circumspect as knowing well that his Graces Actions have so much Glory of their own that they need borrow none from any bodies Industry Many Learned Men I know have published Rules and Directions concerning the Method and Style of Histories and do with great noise to little purpose make loud exclamations against those Historians that keeping close to the Truth of their Narrations cannot think it necessary to follow flavishly such Instructions and there is some Men of good Understandings as I have heard that applaud very much several Histories meerly for their Elegant Style and well-observ'd Method setting a high value upon feigned Orations mystical Designs and fancied Policies which are at the best but pleasant Romances Others approve in the Relations of Wars and of Military Actions such tedious Descriptions that the Reader tired with them will imagine that there was more time spent in Assaulting Defending and taking of a Fort or a petty Garison then Alexander did employ in conquering the greatest part of the World which proves That such Historians regard more their own Eloquence Wit and Industry and the knowledg they believe to have of the Actions of War and of all manner of Governments than of the truth of the History which is the main thing and wherein consists the hardest task very few Historians knowing the Transactions they write of and much less the Counsels and secret Designs of many different Parties which they confidently mention Although there be many sorts of Histories yet these three are the chiefest 1. a General History 2. A National History 3. A Particular History Which three sorts may not unfitly be compared to the three sorts of Governments Democracy Aristocracy and Monarchy The first is the History of the known parts and people of the World The second is the History of a particular Nation Kingdom or Commonwealth The third is the History of the life and actions of some particular Person The first is profitable for Travellers Navigators and Merchants the second is pernicious by reason it teaches subtil Policies begets Factions not onely between particular Families and Persons but also between whole Nations and great Princes rubbing old sores and renewing old Quarrels that would otherwise have been forgotten The last is the most secure because it goes not out of its own Circle but turns on its own Axis and for the most part keeps within the Circumference of Truth The first is Mechanical the second Political and the third Heroical The first should onely be written by Travellers and Navigators The second by Statesmen The third by the Prime Actors or the Spectators of those Affairs and Actions of which they write as Caesars Commentaries are which no Pen but of such an Author who was also Actor in the particular Occurrences private Intrigues secret Counsels close Designs and rare Exploits of War he relates could ever have brought to so high Perfection This History is of the Third sort as that is and being of the Life and Actions of my Noble Lord and Husband who hath informed me of all the particular passages I have recorded I cannot though neither Actor nor Spectator be thought ignorant of the Truth of what I write Nor is it inconsistent with my being a Woman to write of
ordered the then Clerk of the Peace of that County That the same account should be recorded amongst the Sessions Roles and be published in open Sessions to the end that the Country might take notice how their monies were disposed of for which act of Justice My Lord was highly commended Within some few years after King Charles the First of blessed Memory His Gracious Soveraign in regard of His true and faithful service to his King and Country was pleased to honour him with the Title of Earl of Newcastle and Baron of Bothal and Heple which Title he graced so much by His Noble Actions and Deportments that some seven years after which was in the Year 1638. His Majesty called him up to Court and thought Him the fittest Person whom He might intrust with the Government of His Son Charles then Prince of Wales now our most Gracious King and made him withal a Member of the Lords of His Majesties most honourable Privy Council which as it was a great Honour and Trust so He spared no care and industry to discharge His Duty accordingly and to that end left all the care of governing his own Family and Estate with all Fidelity attending His Master not without considerable Charges and vast Expences of his own In this present Employment He continued for the space of three Years during which time there happened an Insurrection and Rebellion of His Majesties discontented Subjects in Scotland which forced His Majesty to raise an Army to reduce them to their Obedience and His Treasury being at that time exhausted he was necessitated to desire some supply and assistance of the Noblest and Richest of his Loyal Subjects amongst the rest My Lord lent His Majesty 10000 l. and raised Himself a Voluntier-Troop of Horse which consisted of 120 Knights and Gentlemen of Quality who marched to Berwick by His Majesties Command where it pleased His Majesty to set this mark of Honour upon that Troop that it should be Independent and not commanded by any General Officer but onely by his Majesty Himself The reason thereof was upon this following occasion His Majesties whole body of Horse being commanded to march into Scotland against the Rebels a place was appointed for their Rendezvous Immediately upon their meeting My Lord sent a Gentleman of Quality of his Troop to His Majesties then General of the Horse to know where his Troop should march who returned this answer That it was to march next after the Troops of the General Officers of the Field My Lord conceiving that his Troop ought to march in the Van and not in the Rear sent the same Messenger back again to the General to inform him That he had the honour to march with the Princes Colours and therefore he thought it not fit to march under any of the Officers of the Field yet nevertheless the General ordered that Troop as he had formerly directed Whereupon My Lord thinking it unfit at that time to dispute the business immediately commanded his Cornet to take off the Princes Colours from his staff and so marched in the place appointed choosing rather to march without his Colours flying then to lessen his Masters dignity by the command of any subject Immediately after the return from that expedition to his Majesties Leaguer the General made a complaint thereof to his Majesty who being truly informed of the business commended my Lords discretion for it and from that time ordered that Troop to be commanded by none but himself Thus they remain'd upon duty without receiving any pay or allowance from His Majesty until His Majesty had reduced his Rebellious Subjects and then My Lord returned with honour to his Charge viz. The Government of the Prince At last when the whole Army was disbanded then and not before my Lord thought it a fit Time to exact an account from the said General for the affront he pass'd upon him and sent him a Challenge the place and hour being appointed by both their Consents where and when to meet My Lord appear'd there with his Second but found not his Opposite After some while his Opposite's Second came all alone by whom my Lord perceiv'd that their Design had been discover'd to the King by some of his Opposite's Friends who presently caused them both to be confined until he had made their Peace My Lord having hitherto attended the Prince his Master with all faithfulness and duty befitting so great an Employment for the space of three years in the beginning of that Rebellious and unhappy Parliament which was the cause of all the ruines and misfortunes that afterwards befell this Kingdom was privately advertised that the Parliaments Design was to take the Government of the Prince from him which he apprehending as a disgrace to Himself wisely prevented and obtained the Consent of His late Majesty with His Favour to deliver up the Charge of being Governor to the Prince and retire into the Countrey which he did in the beginning of the Year 1641 and setled himself with his Lady Children and Family to his great satisfaction with an intent to have continued there and rested under his own Vine and managed his own Estate but he had not enjoyed himself long but an Express came to him from His Majesty who was then unjustly and unmannerly treated by the said Parliament to repair with all possible speed and privacy to Kingston upon Hull where the greatest part of His Majesties Ammunition and Arms then remained in that Magazine it being the most considerable place for strength in the Northern parts of the Kingdom Immediately upon the receipt of these His Majesties Orders and Commands my Lord prepared for their execution and about Twelve of the Clock at night hastned from his own house when his Familie were all at their rest save two or three Servants which he appointed to attend him The next day early in the morning he arrived at Hull in the quality of a private Gentleman which place was distant from his house forty miles and none of his Family that were at home knew what was become of him till he sent an Express to his Lady to inform her where he was Thus being admitted into the Town he fell upon his intended Design and brought it to so hopeful an issue for His Majesties Service that he wanted nothing but His Majesties further Commission and Pleasure to have secured both the Town and Magazine for His Majesties use and to that end by a speedy Express gave His Majesty who was then at Windsor an account of all his Transactions therein together with his Opinion of them hoping His Majesty would have been pleased either to come thither in Person which He might have done with much security or at least have sent him a Commission and Orders how he should do His Majesty further Service But instead thereof he received Orders from His Majesty to observe such Directions as he should receive from the Parliament then sitting Whereupon he was
it self and yet doth every thing for without Ceremony there would be no distinction neither in Church nor State XXVI That Orders and Professions ought not to entrench upon each other lest in time they make a confusion amongst themselves XXVII That in a Well-ordered State or Government care should be taken lest any degree or profession whatsoever swell too big or grow too numerous it being not onely a hinderance to those of the same profession but a burden to the Commonwealth which cannot be well if it exceeds in extreams XXVIII That the Taxes should not be above the riches of the Commonwealth for that must upon necessity breed Factions and Civil Wars by reason a general poverty united is far more dangerous then a private Purse for though their Wealth be small yet their Unity and Combination makes them strong so that being armed with necessity they become outragious with despair XXIX That Heavy Taxes upon Farmes ruine the Nobility and Gentry for if the Tenant be poor the Landlord cannot be rich he having nothing but his Rents to live on XXX That it is not so much Laws and Religion nor Rhetorick that keeps a State or Kingdom in order but Armes which if they be not imploy'd to an evil use keep up the right and priviledges both of Crown Church and State XXXI That no equivocations should be used either in Church or Law for the one causes several Opinions to the disturbance of mens Consciences the other long and tedious Suits to the disturbance of mens private Affairs and both do oftentimes ruine and impoverish the State XXXII That in Cases of Robberies and Murthers it is better to be severe then merciful for the hanging of a few will save the lives and Purses of many XXXIII That many Laws do rather entrap then help the subject XXXIV That no Martial Law should be executed but in an Army XXXV That the Sheriffs in this Kingdom of England have been so expensive in Liveries and Entertainments in the time of their Sherifalty as it hath ruined many Families that had but indifferent Estates XXXVI That the cutting down of Timber in the time of Rebellion has been an inestimable loss to this Kingdom by reason of Shipping for though Timber might be had out of Foreign Countries that would serve for the building of Ships yet there is none of such a temper as our English Oak it being not onely strong and large but not apt to splint which renders the Ships of other Nations much inferior to ours and that therefore it would be very beneficial for the Kingdom to set out some Lands for the bearing of such Oaks by sowing of Acorns and then transplanting them which would be like a Store-house for shipping and bring an incomparable benefit to the Kingdom since in Shipping consists our greatest strength they being the onely Walls that defend an Island XXXVII That the Nobility and Gentry in this Kingdom have done themselves a great injury by giving away out of a petty pride to the Commonalty the power of being Juries and Justices of Peace for certainly they cannot but understand that that must of necessity be an act of great Consequence and Power which concerns mens Lives Lands and Estates XXXVIII That it is no act of Prudence to make poor and mean persons Governours or Commanders either by Land or Sea by reason their poverty causes them to take Bribes and so betray their Trust at best they are apt to extort which is a great grievance to the people besides it breeds envy in the Nobility and Gentry who by that means rise into Factions and cause disturbances in a State or Commonwealth Wherefore the best way is to chuse Rich and Honourable Persons or at least Gentlemen for such Employments who esteem Fame and Honourable Actions above their Lives and if they want skill they must get such under-Officers as have more then themselves to instruct them XXXIX That great Princes should consider before they make War against Foreign Nations whether they be able to maintain it for if they be not able then it is better to submit to an honourable Peace then to make Warr to their great disadvantage but if they be able to maintain Warr then they 'l force in time their Enemies to submit and yeild to what Tearms and Conditions they please XL. That when a State or Government is ensnarled and troubled it is more easie to raise the common people to a Factious Mutiny then to draw them to a Loyal Duty XLI That in a Kingdom where Subjects are apt to rebel no Offices or Commands should be sold for those that buy will not onely use extortion and practise unjust wayes to make out their purchase but be ablest to rebel by reason they are more for private gain then the publick good for it is probable their Principles are like their Purchases But that all Magistrates Officers Commanders Heads and Rulers in what Profession soever both in Church and State should be chosen according to their Abilities Wisdom Courage Piety Justice Honesty and Loyalty and then they 'l mind the publick Good more then their particular Interest XLII That those which have Politick Designs are for the most part dishonest by reason their Designs tend more to Interest then Justice XLIII That Great Princes should onely have Great Noble and Rich Persons to attend them whose Purses and Power may alwayes be ready to assist them XLIV That a Poor Nobility is apt to be Factious and a Numerous Nobility is a burden to a Common-wealth XLV That in a Monarchical Government to be for the King is to be for the Commonwealth for when Head and Body are divided the Life of Happiness dies and the Soul of Peace is departed XLVI That as it is a great Error in a State to have all Affairs put into Gazettes for it over-heats the peoples brains and makes them neglect their private Affairs by over-busying themselves with State-business so it is great Wisdom for a Council of State to have good Intelligences although they be bought with great Cost and Charges as well of Domestick as Foreign Affairs and Transactions and to keep them in private for the benefit of the Commonwealth XLVII That there is no better Policy for a Prince to please his People then to have many Holy-dayes for their ease and order several Sports and Pastimes for their Recreation and to be himself sometime Spectator thereof by which means he 'l not onely gain love and respect from the people but busie their minds in harmless actions sweeten their Natures and hinder them from Factious Designs XLVIII That it is more difficult and dangerous for a Prince or Commander to raise an Army in such a time when the Countrey is embroiled in a Civil Warr then to lead out an Army to fight a Battel for when an Army is raised he hath strength but in raising it he hath none XLIX That good Commanders and experienced Soldiers are like skilfull Fencers who defend with
Prudence and assault with Courage and kill their Enemies by Art not trusting their Lives to Chance or Fortune for as a little man with skill may easily kill an ignorant Giant so a small Army that hath experienced Commanders may easily overcome a great Army that hath none L. That Gallant men having no employment for Heroick Actions become lazy as hating any other business whereas Cowards and base persons are onely active and stirring in times of Peace working ill designs to breed Factions and cause disturbances in a Common-wealth LI. That there have been many Questions and Disputes concerning the Governments of Princes as Whether they ought to govern by Love or Fear But the best way of Government is and has alwayes been by just Rewards and Punishments for that State which cannot tell how and when to punish and reward does not know how to govern by reason all the World is governed that way LII That if the ancienr Britains had had skill according to their Courage they might have conquer'd all the World as the Romans did LIII That it would be very beneficial for great Princes to be sometimes present in Courts of Judicature to examine the Causes of their poor Subjects and find out the Extortions and Corruptions of Magistrates and Officers by which glorious Act they would gain much Love and Fame from the People LIV. That it would be very advantagious for Subjects and not in the least prejudicial to the Soveraign to have a general Register in every County for the Entry of all manner of Deeds and Conveyance of Land between party and party and Offices of Record for by this means whosoever buyes would see clearly what Interest and Title there is in any Land he intends to purchase whereby he shall be assur'd that the Sale made to him is good and firm and prevent many Law-suits touching the Title of his Purchase LV. That there should be a Limitation for Law-Suits and that the longest Suit should not last above two Tearms at length not above a Year which would certainly be a great benefit to the Subjects in general though not to Lawyers and though some Polititians object That the more the people is busie about their private Affairs the less time have they to make disturbanee in the publick yet this is but a weak Argument since Law-suits are as apt to breed Factions as any thing else for they bring people into poverty that they know not how to live which must of necessity breed discontent and put them upon ill designs LVI That Power for the most part does more then Wisdom for Fools with Power seem wise whereas wise men without Power seem Fools and this is the reason that the World takes Power for Wisdom and the want of Power for Foolishness LVII That a valiant man will not refuse an honourable Duel nor a wise man fight upon a Fools Quarrel LVIII That men are apt to find fault with each other's actions believing they prove themselves wise in finding fault with their Neighbours LIX That a wise man will draw several occasions to the point of his design as a Burning-Glass doth the several beams of the Sun LX. That although actions may be prudently designed and valiantly performed yet none can warrant the issue for Fortune is more powerful then Prudence and had Caesar not been fortunate his Valour and Prudence would never have gained him so much applause LXI That ill Fortune makes wise and honest men seem Fools and Kanves but good Fortune makes Fools and Knaves seem wise and honest men LXII That ill Fortune doth oftner succeed good then good Fortune succeeds ill for those that have ill Fortune do not so easily recover it as those that have good Fortune are apt to lose it LXIII That he had observed That seldom any person did laugh but it was at the follies or misfortunes of other men by which we may judg of their good natures LXIV I have heard my Lord say That when he was in Banishment He had nothing left him but a clear Conscience by which he had and did still conquer all the Armies of misfortunes that ever seized upon him LXV Also I have heard him say That he was never beholding to Lady Fortune for he had suffered on both sides although he never was but on one side LXVI I have heard him say That his Father one time upon some discourse of expences should tell him It was but just that every man should have his time LXVII I have heard my Lord say That bold soliciting and intruding men shall gain more by their importunate Petitions then modest honest men shall get by silence as being loath to offend or be too troublesome both in the manner and matter of their requests The reason is said he That Great Princes will rather grant sometimes an unreasonable suit then be tired with frequent Petitions and hindered from their ordinary Pleasures And when I asked my Lord whether the Grants of such importunate suits were fitly and properly placed He answered Not so well as those that are placed upon due consideration and upon trial and proof LXVIII I have heard my Lord say That it is a great Error and weak Policy in a State to advance their Enemies and endeavour to make them friends by bribing them with Honours and Offices saying They are shrewd men and may do the State much hurt And on the otherside to neglect their Friends and those that have done them great service saying they are Honest men and mean the State no harm For this kind of Policy comes from the Heathen who pray'd to the Devil and not to God by reason they supposed God was Good and would hurt no Creature but the Devil they flatter'd and worshipp'd out of fear lest he should hurt them But by this foolish Policy said he they most commonly encrease their Enemies and lose their Friends for first it teaches men to observe that the onely way to Preferment is to be against the State or Government Next Since all that are Factious cannot be rewarded or preferr'd by reason a State hath more Subjects then Rewards or Preferments there must of necessity be numerous Enemies for when their hopes of Reward fail them they grow more Factious and Inveterate then ever they were at first Wherefore the best Policy in a State or Government said my Lord is to reward Friends and punish Enemies and prefer the Honest before the Factious and then all will be real Friends and profer their honest service either out of pure Love and Loyalty or in hopes of Advancement seeing there is none but by serving the State LXIX I have heard him say several times That his love to his gracious Master King Charles the Second was above the love he bore to his Wife Children and all his Posterity nay to his own life And when since His Return into England I answer'd him That I observed His Gracious Master did not love him so well as he lov'd Him