to vsurpe kingdomes empires This reason brought in the Ostracisme amongst the Atheniās which was a banishmēt for a time wherby they brought downe them that seemed to exceed in greatnes This they vsed as Plutarke reherseth against Themistocles Aristides and other excellent men fearing least their authoritie credite and good will of all men should procure them a kingly power with the chaunge of their popular gouernment Many kings and princes that had some of their friends and seruaunts too great were themselues or their children ouerthrowen by them afterward Tyberius making Seian too mightie Commodus Perennius Theodosius the second Eutropus Iustinian Bellisarius Xerxes Artaban were in danger of their estate The vnmeasurable authoritie of the Maiors of the palace and of the Constables chaunged the crowne of France from the race of Clouts to that of Charles Martel and vpon the same occasion it was afterward taken from that line and transferred to another Contempt also is another cause greatly to be feared in euery estate and Monarchie as that which oftentimes breedeth their change and ouerthrow It is very daungerous in two considerations especially first when some are contemned and excluded from publique offices and dignities which they deserue and yet see them wholy in the power and disposition of some particular men Whereupon both the one and the other are mooued to sedition the contemned persones through enuie and desire of reuenge they that haue the great charges in their handes through contempt of the others whome they seeke vtterly to exclude and to driue them further off from all publique honours and authorities Secondly contempt is verie pernitious when inferiours contemne their superiours They are commonly despised that haue neither vertue courage nor fortitude that are not able to profite themselues or others that are not laborious painfull nor any manner of way carefull Where contempt is there no obedience is to be had This maketh the sonne disobedient to the father the wife to the husband the learner to the teacher the seruant to the maister The opinion of prudence iustice constancie knowledge goodnes modestie and of other vertues nourisheth and preserueth the obedience of subiects towards their Princes and the contrarie vices prouoke them to rebellion Therefore as policies prosper when they are gouerned by prudent iust constant valiant and moderate men so they are troubled with seditions through the ignorance cowardlines and intemperancie of Princes or else when they are too familiar with their inferiors or when they are suddenly lift vp from base estate or seem too aged or too yong or poore or miserable all which things breede contempt Wherefore this is set downe as a good rule to preserue the estate of a Monarchy That the Prince must procure to himselfe loue without the contempt or hatred of any if it may be For the obtaining whereof there is no better way than the iust distribution of rewardes The Princes and Lords of France bicause they were contemned by king Lewes the 11. who had none about him nor fauoured any but men of lowe and base estate gaue him battell at Montlhery whereof the battel hath euer since retained the name to the great perill of the Estate and danger of the kings life if he had not appeased the indignation and furie of the said Princes and Lords by his great prudence and policie Moreouer too much encrease and vnproportionable growth is one cause that procureth the change and ruine of Common-wealths For as the bodie is made and compounded of parts and ought to grow by proportion that it may keep a iust measure so euery Common-wealth beeing compounded of orders or estates as it were of parts they must be maintained in concord one with another by equall and due proportion obserued betweene each of them For if one Estate be aduanced too much aboue another dissention ariseth As long as the three Orders and Estats at Rome namely the Senators the Knights the people were caried proportionably their policie flourished but after they dealt one against another through enuie ambition couetousnes diuisions and part-takings began This caused many to commend equalitie so much calling it the nursing mother of peace amitie betweene subiects and contrariwise inequalitie the beginning of all enmities factions hatred part-taking But seeing it is meete that in euery well established policie there should be a difference of rights and priuiledges betwixt euery estate equalitie may continue if carefull prouision be made that one Estate go not too much before the other The impunitie of offences is one cause also from whence seditions and ciuill warres proceede yea it is a matter of very great waight and yet men make least account therof We spake of it before but we must of necessitie often rub vp the remembrance thereof as the wise Hebrew doth by repeating so many times that admonition that we should not be suretie for another not that he forbiddeth charitie towardes the poore but that none should be a meanes to let the wicked escape vnles he will beare the punishment himselfe This is that word which God sent to king Achab after he had saued the life of Benhadad king of Syria that he made himselfe a pledge for another man by suffering the wicked to liue and therefore that it should cost him his life Hitherto we haue seene how the couetousnes of Princes the ambition or desire of honour in priuate men iniurie and reproch feare in the guiltie excesse of authoritie and wealth contempt ouer-great encrease or aduancement without proportion and lastly impunitie of offences procure commonly seditions in Estates and Monarchies Besides all these extreame pouertie and excesse of wealth idlenes and want of feare of the forraine enimie as we haue else-where declared change of Princes and lawes too great licence of seditious Orators and Preachers the naturall disposition of places where men are borne which maketh them more inclined to commotions and seditions as Historiographers haue noted of Genes Florence and Flanders with many other things may be said to be causes of ciuill warres of alterations changes and ruine of Estats and Policies Among which we note that shame is sometime a cause of change in the gouernment of Common-wealths but it is without tumult or sedition Thus it fell out in Herea a towne of Arcadia which was gouerned popularly where men of no account were elected Magistrates by others like themselues whereupon beeing mocked they changed their manner of election into chusing by lot that so they might haue a more lawefull excuse There was seene not long since in the Councell of France such a number of Maisters of Requests and of Secretaries of the Treasure that very shame caused them to be sent away bicause it was not meete to entreat of great and waightie matters before such a multitude Negligence likewise breedeth the change and ouerthrow of a politike Estate There
the Cannibals who yet spare domesticall blood But God the iust Iudge would not that such an execrable wickednes should be long concealed vnpunished For when it could not be found out by any inquirie of man one of the murderers touched with the hand of God and taken with an extreame sickenes being as it were mad and as Cain was in times past disclosed his sinne of himselfe the hainousnes whereof so troubled him that he said he could hope for no mercie Afterward recouering his health he was taken vpon his owne confession and being conuicted of the fact accused all the authors thereof of whome some are executed and the rest expect no better euent That couetousnes causeth subiects to rebell against their couetous Princes and that oftentimes to their ouerthrowe we haue an example in Mauritius the Emperour who was depriued of the Empire and had his head cut off besides the death of his fiue children of his wife by reason of the ill will of his people and men of warre which he had purchased who could beare no longer his couetousnes whereby he was mooued to winke at spoiles and murders and to keepe backe the pay of his souldiors In the time of S. Lewes the king the people of fiue cities fiue villages of high Almaigne which at this day we call Switserland raised such a great tumult sedition that they put to the edge of the sword all their Princes Lords and Noble-men the chiefe cause therof was their couetousnes which made them oppresse their subiects with vniust exactions The niggardlye sparing of king Lewes the eleuenth mooued strangers greatly to contemne him and was in part the cause of the rebellion of his subiects For hauing put away in a maner all the Gentlemen of his houshold he vsed his Tailor alwaies for his Herald of Armes his Barber for Embassador and his Phisition for his Chancellour and in derision of other kings he ware a greasie hat of the coursest wooll We find in the chamber of accounts a bill of his expences wherein is set downe 20. souse for two newe sleeues to his olde dublet and an other clause of 15. deniers for grease to grease his bootes And yet he increased the charges of his people three millions more than his predecessour had done and alienated a great part of his Demaine Sparing may well be vsed which at this daye is more necessarye than euer and yet the maiestie of a king nothing diminished neither the dignitie of his house and without the abasing of his greatnes Likewise those men who after they haue hoorded much treasure are so besotted and blinded with a couetous loue of their wealth that they will not vpon any necessitie imploy it can no more auoid their destruction than the other before mentioned This doth the historie of Calipha king of Persia teach vs who hauing filled a Tower with gold siluer iewels and pretious stones and being in warre against Allan king of the Tartarians was so ill succoured of his owne people bicause he would not giue them their pay that he was taken in his towne and by Allan committed prisoner in the said Tower with these words If thou hadst not kept this treasure so couetously but distributed it amongst thy souldiors thou mightest haue preserued thy selfe and thy citie Now therefore enioy it at thy ease and eate and drinke thereof seeing thou hast loued it so much And so he suffered him to die there of hunger in the midst of his riches The punishment which Dionysius the elder king of Syracusa laied vpon a rich couetous subiect of his was more gentle but woorthie to be well noted being full of instruction For being aduertised that he had hid great store of treasure in the ground he commanded him vpon paine of life to bring it vnto him which he did although not all of it but retained part which he tooke with him went to dwell in another citie where he bestowed his monie vpon inheritance When Dionysius vnderstood thereof he sent for him and restored all his gold and siluer saying vnto him forasmuch as thou knowest now how to vse riches not making that vnprofitable which was appointed for the vse of man take that which before thou wast vnwoorthie to enioy And to speake the truth there is no reason wherewith the couetousnes of such men may be coloured For if they say that they spend not bicause they care not for spending it is a point of great follie in them to labour to gather more wealth than they want But if they desire to spend and yet dare not for niggardlines do so nor enioy the fruite of their labour they are a great deale more miserable Whereby it appeereth vnto vs what a goodly and commendable thing it is to be content and satisfied with a little which freeth vs from the desire of vnnecessarie things Now if we are to take those things for superfluous which we will not vse we ought for the reasons already set down to make no lesse accoūt of those which we would abuse in riot and superfluitie The couetousnes of Darius king of the Persians was beguiled and laughed to scorne through the subtile inuention of Nitocris Queene of Babylon some attribute it to Semiramis who being desirous to welcome hir successors that were touched with auarice which she abhorred aboue al things caused a high sepulcher to be erected ouer those gates of the citie through which there was most passage with these words ingrauen therein If any king of Babylon that shal come after me find want in his treasurie let him open this tombe and take as much as he will Otherwise let him not open it for it will not be best for him After many ages were past and none of the kings of Babylon had touched the said sepulcher Darius conquering the kingdom caused the coffin to be opened thinking to find there that which was promised Neuerthelesse he found nothing there but a dead body with this writing If thou wert not insatiable and very couetous thou wouldest not haue opened the tombe of the dead Moreouer that couetousnes oftentimes blindeth men so farre as that it causeth them to take away their owne life without feare of condemning their soules many examples thereof are left in memorie of whom some through griefe for some great losse of goods others to leaue their children rich haue voluntarily procured their own death Cassius Licinius was of this number who being accused attainted conuicted of many thefts and briberies and beholding Cicero President at that time about to put on the purple gowne to pronounce sentence of confiscation of goods and of banishment he sent word to Cicero that he was dead during the processe and before condemnation and presently in the field he smothered himself with a napkin hauing no other meaning therein but to saue his goods for his children For then the lawes concerning the punishment of such as had
passe to the detriment of the realm notwithstanding any letters of commandement whatsoeuer Among other things the king may not alienate his crowne reuenues without some cause knowen to the sayd officers of accounts and to the parliaments And which is more publike treaties with neighbour states edicts and decrees haue no authoritie before they are published in the high courts By which moderation his power is not lessened but made surer more durable and lesse burthensome to his subiects being wholy separated from tiranny which is hated of God and men as we may haue further knowledge by discoursing thereof particularly So that ouer and besides those fiue kindes of monarchies mentioned of vs tiranny may be put for the sixt which we may call that wherein the monarch treading vnder foote the lawes of nature abuseth the libertie of free subiects as if they were slaues and other mens goods as his owne Among the auncients the name of tyrant was honourable and signified nothing else being a Greeke worde but a prince that had gotten the gouernment of the estate with out the consent of his subiects and of a companion had made himselfe a master whether he were a wise and iust prince or cruel and vniust And in deed most of them became wicked to make sure their estate life goods knowing that they were fallen into many mens hatred bicause they had inuaded the soueraigntie In this respect therfore was this dominion rule called tyrannical bicause it gouerned in lord-like maner without right ouer free men compelled and forced to obey But generally we may call that a tirannie when the prince accounteth all his will as a iust law and hath no care either of pietie iustice or faith but doth all things for his owne priuate profite reuenge or pleasure And as a good king conformeth himselfe to the lawes of God and nature so a tyrant treadeth them vnder foote the one striueth to enriche his subiects the other to destroy them the one taketh reuenge of publike iniuries and pardoneth his owne the other cruelly reuengeth iniuries done to himselfe and forgiueth those that are offered to others the one spareth the honour of chaste women the other triumpheth in their shame the one taketh pleasure to be freely admonished and wisely reprooued when he hath done amisse the other misliketh nothing so much as a graue free and vertuous man the one maketh great account of the loue of his people the other of their feare the one is neuer in feare but for his subiects the other standeth in awe of none more than of them the one burtheneth his as little as may be and then vpon publike necessitie the other suppeth vp their bloud gnaweth their bones and sucketh the marrow of his subiectes to satisfie his desires the one giueth estates and offices to meete with briberie and oppression of the people the other selleth them as deare as may bee and careth not for the oppression of his subiectes the one in time of warre hath no recourse but to his subiects the other warreth against none but them the one hath no garde or garrison but of his owne people the other none but of straungers the one reioyceth in assured rest the other languisheth in perpetuall feare the one is honoured in his life tyme and longed for after his death the other is defamed in his lyfe and rent in pieces after his death Examples hereof are in euery mans sight And therefore Diogenes the Sinopian meeting one day in the citie of Corinth with Dionysius the younger tyraunt of Syracusa who was then brought into the estate of a priuate man banished from his countrey and fallen from his dignitie spake thus vnto him Truely Dionysius thou art nowe in an estate vnwoorthie of thee The tyraunt standing still withall made him this answere I like thee well Diogenes bicause thou hast compassion of my miserable fortune What replied the Philosopher doest thou thinke that I pitie thee I am rather grieued to see such a slaue as thou who deseruest to growe olde and to die in that cursed estate of a tyraunt as thy father did to take thy pleasure in suche safetie and to passe away thy tyme freely amongst vs without feare And to say truth tirannie is suche a miserable condition that euen they that practise it and glorie therein are constrained manie tymes to confesse with their owne mouth that no kinde of life is so wretched as theirs This selfe tyrant Dionysius when hee was in the greatest glorye of his estate declared as much to Democles one of his familiar friendes who had sayd that he was most happie Wilt thou quoth Dionysius to him enjoy my felicitie but for one day onely Whereunto when Democles agreed hee caused him to be serued at the table as himselfe was woont to be with all the magnificence that could be deuised hanging in the meane while a sworde right ouer his head which was tied to the roofe aloft onely by one haire of a horse taile When Democles perceiued that he was well contented to make a short dinner and to passe away the rest of the day in his former estate Loe quoth the tyraunt then vnto him how happie our life is which with all our armed garde hangeth but by a little threed Moreouer the raigne of tyraunts beyng without measure and reason and guided onely by violence cannot be of any long continuaunce This is that which Thales the wise man sayde that there was nothing so straunge or rare as an olde tyrant And albeit they liue miserablie in perpetuall distrust of euery one yea of their neerest kindred yet their ende is more wretched For there were fewe of them that died not a cruell and extraordinarie death most of them being slayne and murdered and others persecuted with straunge griefes died like mad and desperate men through the remembraunce of their corrupt life and of the cruelties which they had committed In auncient time tyrannie was so detestable that euen scholers and women sought to winne the reward of honour by killing tyraunts as Aristotle the Logitian did who slew a tyraunt of Sycionia and as Thebe who killed hir husband Alexander tyrannt of the Phereans Thirtie tyraunts were slayne in one day in the Citie of Athens by Theramenes Thrasibulus and Archippus who had but three-score and tenne men to execute that enterprise Leander tyraunt of Cyrena was taken aliue and being sewed into a leather bagge was cast into the sea Aristodemus tyraunt of Cumes tooke Xenocrita by force beyng a wealthie citizens daughter whome he had banished and keeping hir with him as his wife shee stirred vp Thymoteles and others to recouer the libertie of their countrey who beyng safelie let into the tyrants chamber by hir slew Aristodemus Besids the auncientes had appoynted great rewardes and recompences for the murderers of tyrauntes namelie titles of Nobilitie of Prowesse of Chiualrie images and honourable titles to bee shorte the goodes
Reader if thou takest payns to read well to vnderstand better and which is best of all to follow the precepts instructions and examples which thou shalt find here as also if thou bringest hither a good will and cheerefull disposition voyd of all malicious enuy which at this day is commonly practised by most men of this our age who like to malicious Censorers busie themselues rather in seeking out what to bite at and to reprehend in other mens workes than to draw out and to commend that which is good or to assay to make them better Besides thou shalt haue somewhat to commend in the order of these discourses and in the maner of teaching which is in them For after the handling of that knowledge which is especially necessary for man all those vertues follow which he ought to imbrace and those vices which he is to shun Next he is instructed in that which concerneth house-keeping then in that which hath respect to estates and policies last of all how he may die well after he hath liued well As for the maner of teaching which is diligently obserued by these Academikes thou shalt see that first they prayse that vertue or disprayse that vice which they propound to themselues to discourse vpon that they may mooue and frame mens minds as well to hate the one as to desire the other Then they define that wherof they discourse that the end of the present subiect may be better knowen Afterward they giue precepts to find out the means wherby to attaine to that which is Good and to eschew the euil Lastly they adde examples which are liuely reasons and of great waight to mooue men with delight to embrace vertue and to flie vice Now if thou thinkest that too litle is spoken considering the goodly and large matter here propounded it is not bicause they knew not that the excellencie of euery thing put foorth here is so great and the reasons so aboundant that a man might well make a booke therofby it selfe as many learned men haue done but the chiefe scope and drift of these Inter-speakers was to discourse briefly of such things as are necessarily required in the institution of maners and of a happy life Neuerthelesse it may well be that that which thou findest not sufficiently folowed in one place may be learned in another if thou lookest vnto the end Moreouer they who are here named and who mind to retaine alwayes the name of disciples neuer purposed or presumed to set downe resolutions or to appoint lawes which are necessarily to be kept and may not be changed in any wise by those that are cleere-sighted according to the occurrence benefit of the estate of this Monarchie but grounding their counsels and instructions vpon the soundest and most approoued opinion of the writings of learned men both of auncient and late times and vpon such as drew neerest to the infallible rule of the holy scriptures according to the small measure of graces giuen them from aboue they haue left to euery one following therein the ancient schoole of the Academikes libertie to compare the motiues of the one side with the reasons on the other that the truth of all things might be diligently searched out and inquired after that none through any head-strong conceit should be wedded to priuate opinions and that afterward choise might be made of the best and of such as are most certain therby to order and rule all intents and actions and to referre them to the perpetuall glory of that great Lord of Hierarchies who is the onely cause and chiefe fountain of all Good contentation and happinesse Spe certa quid melius The Contents of the seuerall chapters of this Booke Chap. 1 Of Man Page 10 2 Of the body and soule 19 3 Of the diseases and passions of the body and soule and of the tranquillitie thereof 27 4 Of Philosophie 38 5 Of Vertue 51 6 Of Vice 63 7 Of Sciences of the studie of Letters and of Histories 72 8 Of the Spirit and of Memorie 83 9 Of Duetie and Honestie 92 10 Of Prudence 103 11 Of want of Prudence and of Ignorance of Malice and subtletie 115 12 Of Speech and Speaking 126 13 Of Friendship and of a Friend 136 14 Of Reprehension and Admonition 148 15 Of Curiositie and Noucitie 159 16 Of Nature and Education 170 17 Of Temperance 179 18 Of Intemperance and of Stupiditie or blockishnes 189 19 Of Sobrietie and Frugalitie 198 20 Of Superfluitie Sumptuousnesse Gluttonie and Wallowing in delights 209 21 Of Ambition 223 22 Of Voluptuousnes and Loosenesse of life 234 23 Of Glory Praise Honour and of Pride 245 24 Of Shame Shamefastnes and of Dishonor 256 25 Of Fortitude 265 26 Of Timorousnes Feare and Cowardlines and of Rashnes 277 27 Of Magnanimitie and Generositie 288 28 Of Hope 298 29 Of Patience and of Impatiencie of Choler and Wrath. 308 30 Of Meeknes Clemencie Mildnes Gentlenes and Humanitie 319 31 Of good and ill Hap. 328 32 Of Prosperitie and Aduersitie 338 33 Of Riches 350 34 Of Pouertie 358. 35 Of Idlenes Sloth and Gaming 367 36 Of an Enimie of Iniurie and of Reuenge 378 37 Of Iustice 390 38 Of Iniustice and of Seueritie 402 39 Of Fidelitie Forswearing and of Treason 413 40 Of Ingratitude 424 41 Of Liberalitie and of the vse of Riches 434 42 Of Couetousnes and of Prodigalitie 444 43 Of Enuie Hatred and Backbiting 457 44 Of Fortune 467 45 Of Mariage 478 46 Of a House and Familie and of the kinds of Mariage of certaine ancient customes obserued in mariage 484 47 Of the particular dutie of a Husband towards his wife 500 48 Of the dutie of a Wife towards hir Husband 513 49 Of the dutie of the Head of a familie in other partes of the house namely in the Parentall Masterly and Possessorie part 523 50 Of the dutie of children towards their Parents of the mutuall loue that ought to be among brethré of the dutie of seruants towards their masters 536 51 Of the Education and instruction of Children 549 52 Of the diuision of the ages of Man and of the offices and duties that are to be obserued in them 561 53 Of Policie and of sundry sorts of Gouernments 573 54 Of the soueraigne Magistrate and of his authoritie and office 584 55 Of the Lawe 593 56 Of the People and of their obedience due to the Magistrate and to the Lawe 603 57 Of a Monarchie or a Regall power 615 58 Of diuers kinds of Monarchies and of a Tiranny 627 59 Of the Education of a Prince in good maners and conditions 640 60 Of the office and dutie of a King 652 61 Of a Councell and of Counsellers of Estate 675 62 Of Iudgements and of Iudges 689 63 Of Seditions 703 64 Of the causes that breede the change corruption c. of Monarchies and Policies 716 65 Of the preseruations of Estates and Monarchies and of remedies to keepe them from sedition 730 66
Of the Harmonie and agreement that ought to be in the dissimilitude or vnlike callings of subiects by reason of the duty and office of euery estate 743 67 Of Peace and of Warre 754 68 Of the ancient Discipline and order of Warre 764 69 Of the office and duty of a Generall 772 70 Of the choise of Souldiors of the maner how to exhort them to fight and how victory is to be vsed 783 71 Of a happie Life 794 72 Of Death 804 THE FIRST DAIES WORKE of this Academie with the cause of their assemblie WHen GOD by his infinite and vnspeakable goodnes beholding with a fatherly bountifull and pitifull eie our poore France which most cruel against it selfe seemed to run amain most furiously to throw it self headlong into the center of some bottomlesse gulfe had sent from heauen the wished-for newes of peace in the midst of ciuill and domesticall armies which a man might say were of purpose prepared for the finall ouerthrow of this French Monarchie that hath florished so long time sparing by his heauenlie grace and fauor and that in despite of them the bloud of those men who held foorth their right hand to cut off the left among manie who touched with the loue of their countrie and with true zeale to pietie reioiced at this so well liking and healthfull newes fower yong gentlemen of Aniou who came togither to serue their Prince and to sacrifice their liues if need required for the welfare and safetie of the Common wealth were none of the last that sought out one another and met togither to testifie ech to other as their mutuall kindred and sworne frendship did inuite them the ioy which filled their souls arising of so happie and vnlooked for successe and alteration of affaires to the end also that they might giue glorie and praise to him who for the benefit of his knoweth wel how to take order euen in those things which according to the iudgement of men are desperate and past recouery And that which gaue them greater occasion to reioice for this peace and so diligently to seeke out one another was this bicause contratie to hope they saw the meanes offered them to returne home and to continue an exercise that greatly pleased them which not long before the last fal of France into troubles they had happily begun Now to let you readers vnderstand what this exercise was these fower gentlemen being of kin and neere neighbors and in a maner of one age were by the care and prudence of their fathers brought vp and nourished togither from their yoong yeeres in the studie of good letters in the house of an ancient wise gentleman of great calling who was the principall stocke and roote of these fruitfull buds This man by reason of his manifold experience and long abode in strange countries knew that the common corruption of French youth of it selfe inclined to pleasure proceeded chiefly from the ouer great licence and excessiue libertie granted vnto them in the Vniuersities of this Realme as well through the fault and negligence of the gouernors and tutors in them as also bicause of the euill gouernment of the townes at this day He knew also that they were no lesse abused who thinking to auoide this dangerous downe-fall at home did send their children to studie abroad amongst strangers where the traffike and merchandise of mischiefs is more common and easie to be made bicause they feare not that newes will presently or so speedily be caried to their parents as if they were neere vnto them Oh how well woorthie of eternall praise is the prudence of this gentleman bringing to my remembrance Eteocles one of the most noble Ephories of Lacedemonia who freely answered Antipater asking fiftie pledges that he would not giue him children least if they were brought vp farre from their fathers they should change the ancient custome of liuing vsed in their owne countrie and become vicious but of olde men and women he would giue him double the number if he would haue them Wherevpon being threatened by this king if he speedily sent him not of the youth we care not quoth he for threatenings For if thou command vs to do things that are more greeuous than death we will rather choose death so carefull were the men of old time that the dressing and trimming of these yoong plants should not be out of their presence But let vs go on with our matter This good and notable old man hauing spent the greater part of his yeeres in the seruice of two kings and of his country and for many good causes withdrawen himselfe to his house thought that to content his mind which alwaies delighted in honest and vertuous things he could not bring greater profit to the Monarchie of France than to lay open a way and meane to preserue and keepe youth from such a pernicious and cancred corruption by offering himselfe for example to all fathers and shewing them the way to haue a more carefull eie in the instruction of their children and not so lightly to commit them to the discipline of vices by the hands of mercenarie and hired strangers And this was begun vpon these fower yoong gentlemen whom he tooke to his owne house by the consent of their parents offering himselfe to the vttermost of his power to helpe their gentle nature which appeered in them woorthie their ancestors by training it vp first in the feare of God as being the beginning of al wisedome secondly in humane learning and knowledge which are necessarie helps to liue well and happily to the benefit of the societie of men To this end after that he himselfe had shewed them the first grounds of true wisedome and of al things necessarie for their saluation according to the measure of grace giuen him from aboue and as their age could conceiue them he labored earnestly to haue in his house some man of great learning and wel reported of for his good life and conuersation vnto whom he committed the instruction of this yoong Nobilitie Who behaued himselfe so wel in his charge that not greatly staying himselfe in the long degrees of learning which being ordinarie and vsuall in our French Colledges are often more tedious besides losse of time than profitable to youth after he had indifferently taught his schollers the Latine toong and some smackering of the Greeke he propounded for the chiefe part and portion of their studies the morall philosophie of aucient Sages and wise men togither with the vnderstanding searching out of histories which are the light of life therein following the intent and will both of him that set him on worke and also of the parents of this Nobilitie who desired to see their children not great Orators suttle Logitians learned Lawiers or curious Mathematicians but onely sufficiently taught in the doctrine of good liuing following the traces and steps of vertue by the knowledge of things past from the first ages vntill this present that they
and impietie as well of the monarks themselues as of their people Now if fortune turne hir selfe about and set hir selfe neuer so little against an ignorant person he is straightway ouercome with a thousand perturbations and vrged with despaire as being only grounded before vpon the vaine and weake hope and confidence in externall and vncertaine goods Perses king of Macedonia and one of the successors of Alexander the great in his great conquests but not in his vnspeakable vertues was ouercome in battel by Paulus Emilius chiefe captain of the Romans was led towards him Emilius as soon as he saw him arose from his seate and went forward to receiue and honor him as being a great personage and fallen into that mishap by the hazard of fortune But Perses being wholie beaten downe through faintnes and basenes of mind cast himselfe at his feete vpon the ground with his face downeward vsing such abiect requests and supplications and so vnbeseeming the vertue of a king that the Conqueror could not abide them but said thus vnto him Alas poore ignorant man as thou art how dost thou by discharging fortune accuse thy selfe in this sort to be the onely cause of this ill successe that is befallen thee seeing thou neuer deseruedst that honor which thou hast had heeretofore bicause of thy base mind within thee which hath made thee an vnwoorthy aduersary of the Romans And truly a man cannot iustly be called through the benefit of fortune but by knowing how to vse hir well and wisely both in prosperitie aduersitie As for an ignorant baseminded man the higher that fortune lifteth him vp in great estate where he shal be viewed of many so much the more shee discouereth descrieth dishonoreth him For great calling riches are no more able to lift vp the hart of a base minded fellow than pouerty can abate and lessen the great courage of a noble hart I could here alleadge many mo examples of the pernicious effects that are as we haue said wrought in the soule by ignorāce but hereafter they will come in more fitly when we shall discourse particulerly of vices Onely I say here with Plato that arrogant ignorance hath now more than euer seazed vpon the minds of men filled them with euils as being the roote and spring of them that it peruerteth al things causeth him that possesseth hir to taste in the ende of a most bitter fruite Nowe to come to malice and crafte which is the excesse of prudence it is that which leadeth a man through wilfull ignorance to oppose himselfe against that which he knoweth to be dutifull and honest causing him vnder the counterfaite name of prudence to seeke to deceiue those that will beleeue him This vice is the chiefe cause of ambition and couetousnes which most men serue in these daies but aboue all things it is an enimie to iustice causing all their actions to tende to the ouerthrow thereof To this purpose Cicero saith that the craftier and subtiler a man is the more he is to be suspected and hated as one that hath lost al credite of goodnes All knowledge seuered from iustice ought rather to be called craft and malice than science and prudence Neither is the onely act of malice as the same author saith euill wicked but also the deliberation therof although it take no effect yea the onely thought thereof is vile and detestable so far is it that any couering or cloake can excuse a fault committed of malice Also he saith that in deliberating all hope of concealing and hiding the fact must be taken away forasmuch as vertuous men ought to seeke after honest not secret things Moreouer it is the propertie of a malicious man to choose hypocrisie and dissimulation for his companions Besides he hath for his first author and father sathan who by his subtiltie and craft abused the simplicitie of our first mother to the ouerthrow of all mankind Amongst many we may note here the example of Nero a most cruell emperor who being instructed from his youth by that wise man Seneca his schoolemaster in the beginning of his empire counterfaited so great bountifulnes and clemencie that when he was to set his hand to the condemnation of one adiudged to die he cried out and said Would to God I had no learning then should I be excused from subscribing to any mans death Notwithstanding within a while after he disclosed his detestable impiety and cruelty by putting to death his mother his tutor and a great number of honest men against all right and iustice Moreouer he purposely caused fire to be put into all quarters of Rome forbidding vnder paine of death that any should quench it insomuch that more then halfe the citie was cleane consumed Afterward to the ende he might haue some coulor to persecute the christians he laid to their charge the kindling of the fire so put a great number of them to death Tiberius also in the beginning of his raigne behaued himselfe so wisely vertuously and gently that he seemed to be saith Suetonius a simple and plaine citizen And yet soone after he became as detestable a tyrant as euer was for crueltie and filthy pleasures True it is that one may attribute the cause of such sodaine alteration of humors to the soueraigne authoritie and power of commanding which commonly hath his propertie to make him that seemed good to become wicked the humble to be arrogant the pittifull cruell the valiant a coward But it is alwaies more likely that a prince changing his nature so quickly vseth to counterfeit and to dissemble and to put a goodly vizard vpon his face as historiographers write that Tiberius could behaue himselfe cunningly in that sort Now that we may profite by this discourse let vs learne to be prudent and simple as the scripture speaketh eschuing all shameles and damnable malice and deceit al want of prudence and ignorance which procure the losse of soule and bodie whereof a man may accuse none but himselfe For ignorance saith Menander is a voluntarie mischeefe And although the knowledge of good euill is most necessarie of all others yet is it most easie For the obtaining whereof and auoiding through the grace of God of that condemnation which is to fall vpon the blinde and vpon the guides of the blinde let vs neuer be ashamed to confesse our ignorance in those things whereof we want instruction following therein that precept of Plato That we must not be ashamed to learne least happily we be hit in the teeth to our confusion with that saying of Diogenes to a yoong man whom he espied in a tauerne who being ashamed to be seene there speedilie fledde further into the same The more thou runnest in quoth this wise man to him the further thou art in the tauerne Euen so we shall neuer cure our ignorance by denying or hiding it but the wiser we seeke to be
countries as the histories of most nations in the world declare vnto vs and namely of the Germaines who in the time of Tacitus had neither law nor religion nor knowledge nor forme of commonwealth whereas now they giue place to no nation for good institution in all things Let vs not then be discouraged or faint by knowing our naturall imperfections seeing that through labor and diligence we may recouer that which is wanting but happie is that man and singularly beloued of God to whom both good birth and like bringing vp are granted together It followeth now to discourse particulerly of the maner of good education and instruction of youth but this will come in more fitely when we shall intreat of Oeconomy And yet seeing we are in the discourse of mans nature I thinke it wil not be from the purpose nor without profite if to make vs more seuere censurers of our owne faults we note that although our behauior be cheefely known by the effects as a tree by the fruit yet many times a mans naturall inclinatiō is better perceiued in a light matter as in a word in a pastime or in some other free and priuate busines wherein vertue or vice ingrauen in the soule may be sooner espied than in greater actions and works done publikely bicause in these matters shame or constraint commonly cause men to vse dissimulation Howbeit this also is true that the more power and authoritie a man hath when he may alleadge his owne will for all reason the inward affection of his hart is then best discouered For such an vnbrideled licence mooueth all euen to the verie depth and bottome of his passions and causeth all those secret vices that are hidden in his soule to be fullie and euidently seene Whereupon it followeth that great and noble men ought aboue all others to learne vertue and to studie to liue well especially seeing they haue all those requisite helps and commodities through want of which most men are hindred from attaining thereunto Let vs therefore learne by our present discourse to knowe that the nature of all men by reason of the corruption of sin is so depraued corrupted and vnperfect that euen the best men amongst many imperfections carry about them some enuie ielousy emulation and contention against some or other and rather against their verie friends This did Demas a noble man and greatly conuersant in matters of estate declare vnto the councel in the citie of Chio after a ciuill dissention wherin he had followed that part which ouercame For he perswaded those of his side not to banish all their aduersaries out of the city but to leaue some of them after they had taken from them all meanes of doing more harme least quoth he vnto them we begin to quarrel with our friends hauing no more enemies to contende withall For this cause we must fortifie our selues with vnderstanding and knowledge through labor and studie of good letters that we may restraine and represse so many pernitious motions mingled togither in our soules Let vs know moreouer that seeing our nature is assaulted and prouoked by a vehement inclination to do any thing whatsoeuer it is a very hard matter to withdrawe and keepe it backe by any force no not by the strength or feare of any lawes if in due conuenient time we frame not within it a habite of vertue hauing first wished to be well borne But howsoeuer it be let vs endeuor to be well borne through custome and exercise in vertue which will be vnto vs as it were another nature vsing the meanes of good education and instruction in wisedome whereby our soules shal be made conquerors ouer all hurtfull passions and our minds moderate and staied that in all our doings sayings and thoughts we passe not the bounds of the dutie of a vertuous man The ende of the fourth daies worke THE FIFT DAIES WORKE Of Temperance Chap. 17. ASER. THe diuine excellencie of the order of the equall wonderful constācie of the parts of the world aswell in the goodly and temperate moderation of the seasons of the yeere as in the mutuall coniunctiō of the elements obeying altogither with a perfect harmonie the gratious and soueraigne gouernment of their creator was the cause that Pythagoras first called all the compasse of this vniuersal frame by this name of World which without such an excellent disposition would be but disorder a world of confusion For this word world signifieth asmuch as Ornament or a well disposed order of things Nowe as a constant and temperate order is the foundation thereof so the ground-worke and preseruation of mans happie life for whom all things were made is the vertue of temperance which conteineth the desires and inclinations of the soule within the compasse of mediocritie and moderateth all actions whatsoeuer For this cause hauing hitherto according to our iudgment sufficiently discoursed of the first riuer of the fountaine of honestie I thinke we ought to set downe here in the second place although it be contrarie to the opinion of manie philosophers this vertue of Temperance saying with Socrates that she is the ground-worke and foundation of all vertues AMANA As a man cannot be temperate if first he be not prudent bicause euerie vertuous action proceedeth of knowledge so no man can be strong and valiant if he be not first temperate bicause he that hath a noble and great courage without moderation will attempt a thousand euils and mischeefes and will soone grow to be rash and headie Likewise iustice cannot be had without temperance seeing it is the cheefe point of a iust man to haue his soule free from perturbations Which cannot be done except he be temperate whose proper subiect the soule is ARAM. Heroicall vertue saith Plato is made perfect by the mixture and ioyning together of Temperance and fortitude which being separated will at length become vices For a temperate man that is not couragious easily waxeth to be a coward and faintharted and a noble hart not temperate becommeth rash and presumptuous Let vs then heare ACHITOB discourse of this Temperance so excellent and necessarie a vertue ACHITOB. Agapetus a man of great skill writing to the emperor Iustinian amongst other things had this saying We say that thou art truly and rightly both emperor and king so long as thou canst command and master thy desires and pleasures and art beset and decked with the crowne of Temperance and clothed with the purple robe of Iustice For other principalities end by death whereas this kingdome abideth for euer yea others are manie times the cause of perdition to the soule but this procureth a certaine and an assured safetie When we haue considered well of the woorthie effects and fruits of this vertue of temperance no doubt but we will subscribe to this wise mans opinion and to as many as haue written of the praises and roialties of that vertue Temperance saith thagoras is that light which
was withall but yong in yeeres the victorious Monarke being but yong also and hauing no superior aboue him to whom he was bound to giue an account of himselfe had notwithstanding such great knowledge how to command himselfe that albeit by his acquaintance and friends he was sufficiently certified of the excellent beautie of this Ladie yet hee bare no ill thought towards hir but sent to comfort hir and caused hir to be intertained and attended on with no lesse honor and reuerence than if she had been his owne sister And to auoid all suspicion and occasion of euill he would not see hir nor suffer hir to be brought before him The temperance of Cyrus king of Persia is also very famous amongst the historiographers For when one of his minions stirred him vp to go and see faire Panthaea saying that hir rare beautie was well woorthie to be seene that is the cause answered this yong prince vnto him why I will altogither abstaine at this present from beholding hir at thy persuasion least she hir selfe heerafter should induce me through the remembrance of hir perfection to go to hir and so cause me in the meane time to let slip many affaires of great importance Architas was so temperate that he would not so much as vtter one filthie word and if he were driuen to declare it vpon some iust occasion then he wrote it shewing by this silence how dishonest a thing it was to commit that which being onely vttered ought to cause a man to blush Xenocrates was indued with such a great gift of continencie that Phryna a very faire and notable courtisan laid a wager with certaine yoong men that if she lay with him she would cause him to breake his temperance But Xenocrates hauing granted hir the halfe of his bed for example sake to those youths was nothing more mooued for any thing she could do Whereupon Phryna being verie angrie made answere in the morning to those that demanded the wager of hir that she laie not with a man but with a blocke Isaeus the philosopher being asked of one that looked vpon a verie faire woman whether she seemed not vnto him to be faire made this answer My friend I am not diseased any more in my eies and so would not behold hir at all Caius Gracchus the Romaine as long as he gouerned Sardinia would neuer suffer a woman to set foote in his house except it were to demand iustice Antigonus king of Macedonia hearing that his sonne was lodged in a house where there were three verie faire daughters made an edict that no courtier should lodge in any matrons house that had daughters if she were vnder fiftie yeeres of age Pompeius would neuer speak to the wife of Demetrius his freeman bicause she was so faire that he feared least he should be in loue with hir In the number of these ancient famous and vertuous men that great captaine Francis Sforce duke of Millan deserueth to be placed whose continencie was woonderfull euen when he was yet yoong and generall of the Florentine armie at the taking of Casanoua For as certaine souldiers had taken a maide of an exccellent beautie and at hir intreatie and earnest request had brought hir before him Sforce asked the maide why she desired so earnestly to come before him To this ende quoth she that thou mightest deliuer me from the souldiers that I might please thee Sforce seeing hir to be verie faire accepted of hir and at night caused hir to lie with him But as he would haue drawne neer vnto hir the maide cast hir selfe on both hir knees before him without the bed and besought him to saue hir virginitie and to restore hir to him vnto whome she was made sure Whereupon Sforce willingly agreed beholding the abundance of hir teares which were testimonies of the chastitie of hir hart Will we haue examples of this vertue of temperance in other circumstances of hir effects Ambition truly is the most vehement and strongest passion of all those wherewith mens minds are troubled and yet many notable and vertuous men haue so mastred it by the force of their temperance that oftentimes they accepted of offices and estats of supreame authoritie as it were by compulsion with greefe yea some altogither contemned and willingly forsooke them Pompey receiuing letters of absolute authoritie from the senate to conduct the warre against the two kings Tygranes and Mithridates cried out O God shall I neuer come to the ende of so many trauels Shall enuie alwaies hold me in such sort as hir slaue that newe and great charges daily laying hold vpon me I cannot rid my selfe of these snares to the end I may liue sweetly with my wife and children at my house in the countrey Pittacus one of the Sages of Graecia being constrained to take vpon him the charge of an armie accepted it with great greefe saying before them all O how hard a matter it is to be a good man Pedaretus the Lacedemonian hauing escaped to be elected one of those three hundred senators which gouerned the estate of Sparta returned from the assembly verie ioifull saying that it was an easie matter to finde in that citie three hundred better and more honest men than himselfe What did Scipio of whom we haue already spoken after he had performed a thousand glorious facts for the greatnes of the Romaine empire He forced the nature of ambition which is alwaies caried with a desire of new glorie and changed the rest of his life into quietnes and abandoning the affaires of estate he went and dwelt in the countrey Torquatus and Fabritius absented thēselues from Rome the one bicause he would not haue the dictatorship and the other the consulship It is not long since Aimaeus duke of Sauoy willingly gaue ouer his duchy into his sons hands became an hermit and after that being chosen pope he gaue vp the seat willingly to another Amurathes the second of that name emperor of the Turks after he had obtained infinite victories and vanquished the king of Hungarie became a monke of the straightest sect amongst them That great emperor Charles the fift did he not resigne his empire into the hands of the princes electors and withdrewe himselfe into a monasterie But what need we maruell at the knowledge of these examples which shewe the effects of this vertue of temperance against strange passions arising in vs proceeding of our nature corrupted with sinne and ruling in vs through the ignorance of that which is good when we may see that temperance doth not onely serue for a good guide and schoolmaster to our passions and to our naturall and necessarie desires and pleasures that are borne with man from the beginning to rule them with mediocritie and reason but also compelleth them oftentimes to submit themselues thereby triumphing ouer their necessitie although as Thales said it be inuincible
those that are vnwoorthie of them to commit many follies Amongst which we may note superfluitie for a verie pernitious vice hauing this propertie in it to draw the wils of men secretly to induce them to couet delights Wherunto after they haue once addicted themselues they busie their mindes with nothing but to make prouision of friuolous exquisite and sumptuous things taking smal care yea forgetting easily those things that are profitable and necessarie whereof afterwards they perceiue themselues to stand in great need Now the end of all superfluities wherein men plung themselues after diuers manners is pleasure which chiefly and for the most part they seeke in such a riotous and delicate life as causeth the bodie without labor to enioy all his desires lustes and delights or else in the fruition of worldlie glorie wherein through vnprofitable and superfluous expences they striue to excell or at leastwise to match those that are greater than themselues Concerning the marke whereat they aime there is nothing more hurtfull to man than pleasure and delight which as Plato saith serueth for a baite and allurement to draw him to commit wickednes as hereafter we may discourse in more ample manner thereof as also of that luxurious life whose desire and contentation is in whoredome And that I may begin to handle the other two general points wherein they that are giuen to superfluitie and costlines seeke delight namely the delicate life and curiositie of expences let vs consider of the fruites that issue and proceed from them First when men suffer themselues to be ouertaken with the Epicures doctrine and appeere so carefull to serue their bellie nourishing it in excesse daintines gluttonie and dronkennes is it not from this headspring from whence diseases and euill dispositions of the bodie proceed We are sicke saith Plutark of those things wherewith we liue neither is there any proper and peculiar seed of diseases but the corruption of those things within vs which we eate and the faults and errors which we commit against them Homer going about to prooue that the gods die not groundeth his argument vpon this bicause they eate not as if he would teach vs that drinking and eating do not only maintaine life but are also the cause of death For thereof diseases gather togither within our bodies which proceed no lesse of being too full than of being too emptie And oftentimes a man hath more to do to consume and digest meat put into his bodie than he had to get it Phisitions saith Seneca cry out that life is short and art long and complaint is made of nature bicause she hath graunted to beasts to liue fiue or six ages appointed so short a time of life for men who are borne for many great things We haue no smal time but we lose much time and life is long enough if it be well imploied But when it passeth away through excesse and negligence and no good is done therein in the end through constraint of extreame necessitie although we perceiue it not going yet we feele it is gone Moreouer a man may reckon greater store of griefs than pleasures that come to him frō his nourishment or to speake better the pleasure of eating is but small but the toile and trouble that men haue in prouiding it is great It were hard to repeate the shamefull paines and toilesome labors wherewith it filleth vs. Many a mans soule saith Solon is ouerwhelmed and as it were clothed with feare least it should stand in need within the bodie as it were in a mill and turning alwaies about like a milstone it seeketh after nourishment Heereupon it remaineth void and destitute of feeling and desire of all honest things and attendeth onely to the insatiable lustes of the flesh which is neuer contented bicause need and necessitie are alwaies ioined with desire of superfluitie The ancient Egyptians vsed this custome to cleaue in sunder the bodie of a dead man to shewe it to the sunne and to cast the guts and intrailes into the riuer and being thus clensed to imbaulme the rest And in very deede those inward parts are the pollution and defiling of our flesh and are properly the veric Hell of our bodies But which is worse is it not the stuffing and filling of the bellie that maketh the mind for the most part dull and vncapeable of any science or reason whereby the diuine part of man is oppressed and ouerwhelmed through the waight and force of that part which is mortall A wise soule is a cleare brightnes said Heraclitus O how hard a matter is it saith Cato to preach to the bellie which hath no eares and which will take no deniall howsoeuer the case standeth And as when we behold the sunne through thicke clouds and vndigested vapours we see it not cleare but with a pale and wannish light and as it were plunged in the bottome of a cloud so through a troubled and defiled bodie heauily loaden with food strang meates the brightnes and clearnes of the soule must needes become pale troubled and dimmed not hauing such forceable light as to be able thereby to pearce through vnto the contemplation of those things that are great heauenlie subtil exquisite and hard to discerne I thought in my hart saith the wise man to withdrawe my flesh from wine that I might bend my mind to wisedome and eschew follie vntill I knew what was profitable for the children of men It is not for kings it is not for kings to drinke wine nor for princes strong drinke least he drinke and forget the decree and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction To whom is woe To whom is sorow To whom is strife To whom is murmuring To whom are wounds without cause And to whome is the rednes of the eies Euen to them that tarie long at the wine to them that go and seeke mixt wine which in the beginning is pleasant but in the end pricketh like a serpent and poisoneth like a Cockatrice And in another place the wise man speaking of gluttonie faith that it drieth the bones and that more die by it than by the sword We see that beasts fatted vp languish through sloth and idlenes neither do beasts faint through labor onely but also by reason of the masse and heauie weight of their owne bodies Furthermore the vice of gluttonie and drunkennes is neuer alone but draweth with it a thousand other excessiue and dissolute fashions For as Plato saith it stirreth vp lust griefe anger and loue in extremitie and extinguisheth memorie opinion and vnderstanding Brieflye it maketh a man twise a childe And in another place the same Philosopher saith that gluttonie fatteth the bodye maketh the minde dull and vnapt and which is worse vndermineth reason Wine hath as much force as fire For as soone as it hath ouertaken any it dispatcheth him And as the North or Southwind tormenteth the Lybian sea so
contrarywise he made him Consull the next yeere Whereat his familiar friends wondring and disswading him from it My meaning is quoth he to them that he should one day remember this good turne Let vs also propound to kings and princes that sentence of Titus the emperor who making a feast one day with a cheerful countenance to the contentation of euery one in the ende of the banquet strake himselfe on the brest at the table and fetched a great sigh withall Wherupon his fauorites demanding the cause why I cannot quoth he keepe my selfe from sighing and complaining when I call to mind that this great honor which I haue dependeth vpon the will of fortune that my estates and dignities are as it were in sequestration and my life as it were laid in pawne pledged vnto me Let the saying of that good prince Philip king of Macedonia be well noted of great men who on a day falling all along in that place where wrestling was exercised and beholding the fashion of his body printed in the dust Good Lord quoth he how little ground must we haue by nature and yet we desire all the habitable world According to his example let vs all humble our selues in the acknowledgement of our imbecillitie and poore humain estate and let vs moderate our vnruly affections through the contempt of those things which worldly men desire and seeke after iudging them an vnwoorthy reward for vertue Let euery one of vs content himself with his estate and calling so that it tendeth to the right end namely to his glory that gaue it vnto vs and to the benefit and profit of his creatures and let all be done according to that measure of graces which he shall bestow vpon vs. Of Voluptuousnes and Lecherie Chap. 22. ACHITOB AMong those faults which men commit being led with desire and pleasure that is naturally in them we noted a little before luxuriousnes and whoredome But bicause we then reserued it to a more ample handling of Voluptuousnes and of a lustfull life which is the chiefe worke therof whose desire and contentation is in lecherie to the end we may the better discouer that sugred poison which lurketh vnder these detestable vices I am of opinion that we must begin to enter into this large field so fruitfull for thornes and thistles which to sicke eyes many tymes seeme faire blossoms of some goodly fruits propounding to the sight of euery one the nature and effects of the tyrannical power of pleasure a mortall enemie to the raigne of Vertue ASER. Pleasure saith Plato is the hooke of all euils bicause men are taken thereby as fish by a hooke For it quencheth the light of the soule hindreth all good counsell and through inticements turneth men aside from the way of vertue throwing them downe headlong into the gulfe of confusion which is luxuriousnes and whoredom a most wicked abominable vice aboue all others wherby all vertue is hurt and offended AMANA He that is giuen to pleasure saith Cicero iudgeth all things not according to reason but according to sence esteeming that best which most delighteth him so that he easily suffreth himselfe to be kindled with the burning fire of luxuriousnes which is hurtfull to euerie age and extinguisheth old age But let vs heare ARAM vpon this matter ARAM. It is no new opinion that many iudging according to their sensualitie and being altogither ignorant of the true nature and immortality of the soule haue placed their soueraigne Good in pleasure and in the enioying of those things which most of all tickle the sences Aristippus and all the Cyrinaiks Epicurus Metrodorus Chrysippus and many others who falsly tooke vnto themselues the name of Philosophers laboured to prooue it by many arguments cloking their wickednes with graue and loftie words saying that none could perfectly attaine to pleasure except he were vertuous and wise But that which Cicero alleadgeth against them is sufficient to discouer the maske of their impudencie and to conuince them of lying namely that we must not simply looke to mens sayings but consider whether they agree in their opinions For how is it possible that he which placeth his chiefe Good in the pleasure of the bodie and in neuer-feeling griefe should make account of or imbrace vertue which is an enimie to delights and pleasures and commandeth vs rather to suffer a cruell and dolorous death than to start aside against dutie It is certaine that he which placeth his chiefe Good in pleasure hath no regard to do any thing but for his priuate profit Whereby he declareth sufficiently that he careth not at all for vertue especially iustice which commandeth nothing so much as to leaue our owne particular pleasure and profit and to imbrace though with our perill losse the publike welfare Moreouer how could he be couragious if he thought that grief were the extreamest and greatest euill or temperate supposing pleasure to be perfect felicitie Besides what can be more vnbeseeming man appointed for all great and excellent things than to take that for his chiefe Good whereof brute beastes haue better part than we and to leaue the care of that which is diuine and immortal in vs to attend to that which is mortall and subiect to corruption But these erronious and false opinions being contrarie to themselues are so absurd and full of blockish ignorance that we neede not here loose much time in confuting them and conuincing them of lies Notwithstanding it being so common a thing with men to imbrace pleasure as the principall end of their actions bicause naturally they desire pleasure and shun griefe it will be easie for vs to shew that ignorance only guideth them when being depriued of the knowledge of that Good which is to be wished for and is pleasant and acceptable they seeke after through an euill choice the greatest mischiefe of all I meane pleasure vnseparably followed of griefe which men labour most of all to eschew Let vs then see what pleasure is and what fruites she bringeth with hir Voluptuousnes or pleasure saith Cicero is properly called that delight which mooueth and tickleth our sences which slideth and slippeth away and for the most part leaueth behind it occasions rather of repentance than of calling it again to remembrance For many through wicked and vnnecessarie pleasure haue fallen intogreat diseases receiued great losses and suffred many reproches It alwaies saith Plato bringeth damage and losse to man ingendring in his mind sorow sottishnes forgetfulnes of prudence and insolencie Wheresoeuer sweete is saith Antipho there presently followeth sowre For voluptuousnes neuer goeth alone but is alwaies accompanied with sorow and griefe Pleasure saith Plutark resolueth mens bodies mollifieng them daily through delights the continuall vse of which mortifieth their vigor and dissolueth their strength from whence abundance of diseases proceedeth so that a man may see in youth the beginnings of the weakenes of old age Voluptuousnes is a
slain by the womans husband whome he abused Roderigo king of Spaine was depriued of his kingdome and life by the Sarrasins who were called in by an earle named Iulian that he might be auenged of his king who had forced his daughter Galeatius Maria Duke of Millan being at masse was slaine by a Citizen who stroke him into the stomack with a dagger faining that he would haue spoken with him The chiefe cause heerof was for a suspition which he had conceiued that this Prince intertained his wife In the time of Philip the faire king of France two knights that were brothers named d'Aunoy were flaied aliue for their whoredomes committed with a Queene of Nauarre and with the Countesse of March daughter to the Countie of Burgundie which twaine also were condemned to perpetuall prison Not long since Peter Lewes Duke of Placentia was murdred for his incests and incredible whoredoms Among other things it is written of him that he forced Cosmes Chers bishop of Valentia whome he caused to be held by his men and after poisoned him least he should haue accused him to the Emperour Also not long ago the cities of Almendine Delmedine were cut off from the kingdome of Fez and brought vnder obedience to the Portingales bicause a yoong woman was taken away by force from hir husband by the Gouernor of them who was afterwards slaine Abusahid also king of Fez was murdered with sixe of his children by his Secretarie whose wife he had abused This is set downe by Leon in the description of Africke In our time and euen amongst vs too many such examples of the pernitious fruits of whoredom haue fallen out Neuertheles it beareth such sway in this desolate France that they are accounted the gallantest men who are the greatest pillers of whoredome Yea the greater sort that ought to be paterns of chastitie to others are bold in the practise thereof thinking to couer their shame to cloke and disguise their whoredome with the maske of vertue accounting it a point of glorie and honor to be the chiefest and most expert in that schoole But let vs know that this visard is but to make them altogither without excuse before him from whom nothing can be hidden and who abhorreth all maliciousnes and shameles impudencie wherwith whoremongers set forth their face And seeing that he whose mercie is endles supplieth the want and infirmitie of his creatures this vice of whoredome is without all colour of excuse before him bicause he hath giuen vs a holie and honourable remedie against it which is mariage permitted to euery one but yet despised of all whoremongers to their ruine and eternall confusion And if they were not wholly blinded through continuance in vice the scourges of ciuill warre of heresie of famine and of rebellion which Fraunce at this day suffereth would be more than enough to vnseele their eies that they might acknowledge the wrath of the Almightie readie to destroy them both bodie and soule Therefore let vs that are better instructed by our Academie learne of Socrates that a wise man ought to passe by pleasures as by the Syrens if he long to attaine to vertue his most happie countrey and dwelling place And for a good helpe heerunto let vs take the counsell of Epictetus saying When thy spirite is drawne with some desire of pleasure beware thou tumble not into some downefall and meditate a litle considering diligently that after thou hast beene ouercome of pleasure there remaineth nothing but repentance and thy hatred against thy selfe Where as if thou abstainest a stedfast and assured ioy possesseth thy hart which wholy driueth away sorow Thus let vs endeuor to decke our selues with puritie chastitie and vprightnes hating in such sort voluptuousnes and lecherie the deere and costlie pleasure whereof passeth away as the winde and leaueth behind it a shamefull remembrance that following the will of our law-maker we shun all dissolutenes tending that way whether it be immodest garments vnchast gestures and countenances or vile and filthie words which may induce others to euill Let vs remember in good time what Archelaus a Greek Philosopher said to a yoong man clothed with superfluous apparell that it was all one in what part soeuer of his bodie he declared his vnchastnes and that it was euermore to be condemned But aboue all things let that diuine sentence sound without ceasing in our eares that no whoremonger hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Iesus Christ And if being naturally giuen to loue pleasure and to feare griefe we would delight our soule with a ioy that is both profitable and pleasant let vs lift it vp in the meditation of those vnspeakeable and endles riches which are promised vnto it in that happie immortalitie and so we shall weaken and make fruitles that desire of worldlie pleasure which is borne togither with vs. Of glorie praise honor and of pride Chap. 23. ARAM. MEn hauing their eies couered with ignorance vse commonly to say that he hath a great loftie and noble mind who aspireth to honors estats riches and other worldlie vanities Albeit truly if we narrowly looke vnto the end wherefore they direct their intents and actions that way we shall see nothing els in them but a desire of vaine-glorie praise thereby to feede their pride and naturall passions which are so pernitious in the soule that if they be not ruled by temperance and mediocritie and grounded vpon vertue which is the fountain of honor they will bring foorth very dangerous effects cleane contrary to mens desires ACHITOB. They saith Seneca that would make choice of a happy life must not follow the fashion maner of life vsed by the multitude and greatest part of men but such a one as is altogither contrary therunto And this we shall do if we despise the glory honor praise and pride of the world and iudge nothing woorthy to be cared for of vs but onely vertue which is able to bring vs to the fulnesse of true glory and of euerlasting felicitie ASER. The glory saith Pindarus that a man taketh to see himselfe in honor and credite maketh pains to seeme pleasant and trauell tollerable It is the propertie of a stone saith Cicero not to haue any feeling of the difference that is betweene praise and dispraise but it belongeth to a wise man not to be so mooued with all these things as that they should cause him to draw backe from duetie Let vs thā heare AMANA discourse more at large of the matter which is here propounded vnto vs. AMANA Most certain it is that commonly nothing affecteth a man more than the coueting of glory of praise and of honor whereof he is by nature desirous But as all the passions and diseases of the soule are for the most part folowed with those inconueniences which men pretend most of all to eschew so oftentimes they that glaunce at honor as if
The Corinthians saw before their eies their cities raced to the ground bicause they had offered violence to the Romane Embassadors contrarie to the lawe of nations The Emperour Iustinian receiued infinite losses and dammages for breaking his faith with the Barbarians and for violating the peace which he had made with the Bulgarians Which thing procured him so great hatred of his owne subiects by reason of the vnluckie exploits of warre which followed after that being returned to Constantinople Leontius vsurped the kingdome vpon him sending him into banishment after he had cut off his nosethrils Rastrix Duke of Cleaueland hauing falsified his faith with Lewes king of Germanye was put to the woorst and vanquished and being prisouer his eies were put out for a marke of his faithles dealing But what need we search in antiquitie for testimonies of the fruits which commonly proceede from the breach of faith seeing examples are daily before our eies to our cost What do we behold at this day but a doubling yea a heape of all miseries bicause faith which is so pretious exquisite a thing that it admitteth no comparison hath so often beene valued at so small a price The historie heereof is but too common and the truth too apparant to the great hurt of euery one to stand vpon the proofe thereof whereas it ought rather to be buried from all memory if it were possible as well to deface all spots of infamie for which we are blamed of nations farthest of as to take away the distrust that one hath of an other which is so great amongst vs that it hath been one principall cause of kindling the fire of diuision so often in this desolate kingdom But to leaue such a pitifull matter subiect let vs consider what honor and entertainment men in old time gaue to traitors who are now adaies so welcome to the greatest Lasthenes hauing holpen Phillip king of Macedonia to become master of the citie of Olynthum whereof he was an inhabitant and complaining to the king that certain called him traitor he receiued this only answer that the Macedonians were naturally rude and grosse calling a spade a spade and all things els by their proper name When Caesar Augustus heard Rymetalces king of Thracia who had forsaken Antonius to ioyne with him boast of his fact the monarch drinking to others said with a loud voyce I loue treason well but I loue not traitors And in truth what man of any good iudgement will trust him He that betraieth his prince his benefactor his citie his countrey his kinsfolks and friends into their hands to whom he is nothing so much bound how may not he betray them also another time This did Agis sonne of Archidamas king of Sparta very well signifie to the Ephories who had commanded him to take the yong men of the citie with him and to go to the countrey of one whom they would make knowen vnto him who had promised to guide and bring them within the castel of his citie What quoth he vnto them is it a reasonable matter to commit the safetie and life of so many valiant yong men to one that betraieth his countrey Pausanias captaine of the Lacedemonians hauing receiued 500. talents of gold of king Xerxes promised to betray the citie of Sparta vnto him But his enterprise being discouered Agesilaus his father pursued him into a temple where he thought to haue saued himselfe and causing the gates thereof to be walled vp suffred him to die there of hunger and afterward his mother cast his bodie to the dogs and would not burie it The like befell to Cassius Brutus who would haue sold Rome his father handling him after the same sort Darius king of Persia caused the head of his sonne Ariobarzanes to be cut off bicause he sought to betraie his armie to Alexander Brutus did the like to his children who had conspired against their countrey that king Tarquinius might reenter into Rome Mahomet hauing taken Constantinople through the cowardlines and treason of Iohn Iustinian of Genua after he had made him king according to promise he cut off his head within three daies A meete recompence for such a wretch who was the cause of so great a plague to Christendome whereby the Emperor Constantius the Patriarke and all the Christians were slaine The Empresse with hir daughters and with the noblest damsels she had were led before Mahomet and after a thousand vilanies offered vnto them their bodies were cut in peeces True it is that Histories are diuers touching this fact of Iustinian For some say that perceiuing himselfe to be hurt in fight he fled whereupon most of the men of warre were discouraged and that after he had saued himselfe in the I le of Chios he died either of his wound or for griefe sorow bicause he was the chiefe cause of so great a mischiefe to Christendome Neither may we passe ouer in silence the heroicall fact of Sultan Solyman the last that died but propound it to Princes as a paterne of the hatred and punishment of periurie and treason For sending a Bascha of his into Valona to passe into Italy both by sea and land this Generall landed at the hauen of Castro where at the inhabitants being astonished yeelded themselues vnto him vnder his othe and fidelitie whereby he promised that they should depart their liues saned with bag baggage Neuerthelesse this Barbarian slew them all except those whome he saw were fit to serue for slaues But after his returne to Constantinople the great Seignior being aduertised of his disloialtie caused him to be strangled sent backe all his prisoners with their goods into Italy Truly an act woorthie such a Prince who if he had beene endued with the true knowledge of God and of his Church deserued the first place amongst the great ones of his time Now to end our discourse let vs learne to know the excellency of faith which is such a thing that whosoeuer laieth it in pawne bindeth his safetie his honor and his soule to him vnto whome he giueth it and committeth manifest impietie against God whē he breaketh and violateth the same vnles he had vowed it for the performance of some wicked deede with which both diuine and humane law dispense Let vs know also that it is the beginning and foundation of a great and notable vertue to be giuen to truth that it was of such credite amongst the Ancients that in Cato his time when any man rehearsed a strange thing and hard to be beleeued this prouerbe went of him bicause he was knowne throughout the whole course of his life to be a louer of truth This is not credible although Cato himselfe should speake it And thus by the examples of so many famous men let vs in such sort be stirred to hate lying whereof Satan is the father and author that following the counsell of S.
courage so much as to reprooue their slaues onely so far off are they that they can frankly chide their children And which is woorst of al by their naughty life they are vnto them in steed of maisters counsellors of il-doing For where old men are shameles there it must needs be that yoong men become impudent graceles Fathers therfore must striue to do whatsoeuer their dutie requireth that their children may waxe wise and well qualified This we may comprehend in fewe words namely if they bring them vp wel in their infancy let them haue due correction in their youth Which two things being neglected of fathers the faults of their children are for the most part iustly imputed vnto them Hely the Priest was not punished for any sin which himselfe had committed but bicause he winked at the sins of his children We read in the storie of the Heluetians or Switzers of the iudgement of a tyrant condemned to death where order was taken that the execution thereof should be done by the father who was the cause of his euill education that he might come to his death by the author of his life and that the father might in some sort be punished for his negligence vsed towards his child Moreouer they that haue many children must be passing careful to bring them vp in mutuall friendship causing them to giue each to other that honor and duty vnto which nature bindeth them and sharpely chastising those that in any respect offend therin The Ephoryes of Lacedemonia long since cōdēned a notable citizen in a very great sum when they vnderstood that he suffred two of his childrē to quarel togither The best meane which I find to auoid so great an euill is to loue and intreat them all alike and to accustom them to giue honour dutie and obedience one to another according to their degrees of age They must remoue from them al partialities and not suffer them to haue any thing seueral or diuided one from another that as it were in one hart and will all things may be common amongst them Example heerof was that good father of a familie Aelius Tubero who had sixteene children of his owne bodie all of them maried and dwelling all in one house with their children and liuing with him in all peace and concord For the conclusion therefore of our present discourse we learne that a father of a familie must begin the gouernment of his house with himselfe and become an example to his of all honestie vertue That he must not neglect the care of prouiding goods necessarie meanes for the maintenance of his familie remembring alwaies that in nothing he go beyond the bounds of that seemelines and decencie which dutie hath limited prescribed vnto him That he ought to loue to intreat his seruants curteously putting away threatnings as it is said in the Scripture and knowing that both their and his maister is in heauen with whom there is no respect of persons And for the last point that it belongeth to his dutie to bring vp his children in the holie instruction and information of the Lord not prouoking them to wrath that God may be glorified and he their father may reioice in the presence of his friends and that his countrie generally may receiue benefit profit and commoditie Of the dutie of children towards their parents of the mutuall loue that ought to be among brethren of the dutie of seruants towards their maisters Chap. 50. ACHITOB VPon a day when one said in the hearing of Theopompus king of Sparta that the estate of that citie was preserued in such flourishing maner bicause the kings knew how to command wel the prince replied that it was not so much for that cause as bicause the citizens knew how to obey well And to speake the truth to obey wel as also the vertue of commanding is a great vertue and proceedeth from a nature which being noble of it selfe is holpen by good education Therefore Aristotle said that it was necessarie that he which obeieth should be vertuous as wel as he that commandeth Now seeing we haue intreated of the dutie of a father and head of a familie exercising his office vpon all the parts of his house let vs now consider of the dutie and obedience that is requisite in seruaunts and children and of the mutuall and reciprocall amitie which ought to be betweene brethren desirous to preserue the bond of Oeconomical societie in a happie estate ASER. Children saith the Scripture obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord Honor thy father and mother which is the first commaundement with promise that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest liue long on earth AMANA Who so honoreth his father his sinnes shall be forgiuen him and he shall abstaine from them and shall haue his daily desires And he that honoureth his mother is like one that gathereth treasure And you seruaunts be subiect to your masters with all feare not onely to the good and curteous but also to the froward Let vs then heare ARAM discourse more at large of that which is here propounded vnto vs. ARAM. Nature saith Plutark and the law which preserueth nature haue giuen the first place of reuerence and honor after God vnto the father and mother and men can not do any seruice more acceptable to God than graciously and louingly to pay to their parents that begot thē and to them that brought them vp the vsurie of new and olde graces which they haue lent them as contrarywise there is no signe of an Atheist more certaine than for a man to set light by and to offend his parents The father is the true image of the great and soueraigne God the vniuersall father of all things as Proclus the Academike said Yea the child holdeth his life of the father next after God and whatsoeuer else he hath in this world Therfore a man is forbidden to hurt others but it is accounted great impietie and sacriledge for a man not to shew himselfe ready to doe and to speake all things I will not say whereby they can receiue no displeasure but wherby they may not receiue pleasure And in deed one of the greatest good turnes that we can do to those of whom we are descended is not to make them sad Which cannot possibly be done if God the leader and guide to all knowledge disposeth not the mind to all honest things The children of wisdome are the Church of the righteous and their ofspring is obedience and loue Children heare the iudgement of your father and do thereafter that you may be safe For the Lord will haue the father honored of the children and hath confirmed the authoritie of the mother ouer the children He that honoureth his father shall haue ioy of his owne children and when he maketh his prayer he shall
desperate estate and that the people through their traffike offices of iudgements and receipts for the prince which they exercised and benefices which they enioyed should not excessiuely enrich themselues to the preiudice of the nobilitie nor get into their hands the lands of the nobles who being impouerished could not sustain the charges of warre nor serue the king in his armies But the neglect of this foresight the great inequalitie of riches among the estates that one part which was woont to be poorest being now become richer than both the other two is the cause of great wounds in the body of this monarchie The poore people being oppressed by both the other estates is fallen vnder the burthen like to Aesops asse And the horse that would cary nothing I mean the nobilitie clergie are constrained some to beare their tenths extraordinary subsidies others to â—ell their liuing to go to war at their own charges But these things deserue a long discourse by it self may hereafter be touched more fitly thaÌ„ at this time Let vs then generally consider of our proposition namely of the duty of al those subiects which liue vnder one estate and policy First it is necessary that they should haue the estate of the magistrate in great estimation acknowledging it to be a commissioÌ„ charge giuen by God therfore they must honor reuereÌ„ce him as one that representeth vnto them the heauenly empire ouer al creatures For as God hath placed the Sun in the heaueÌ„s as an image of his diuine nature which lightneth heateth quickneth norisheth al things created for maÌ„s vse either in heaueÌ„ or earth so the soueraign magistrate is the like representatioÌ„ light in a city or kingdoÌ„ especially so long as the feare of God obseruatioÌ„ of iustice are imprinted in his hart Some are obedieÌ„t enough to their magistrates would not but that there should be some superior vnto whom they might be subiect bicause they know it to be expedient for common benefit yet they haue no other opinion of a magistrate but that he is a necessary euil for mankind But when we know that we are commaÌ„ded to honor the king to feare God and the king which we finde often in the scripture we must vnderstand that this word to honour comprehendeth vnder it a good opinion and estimation which we must haue of the soueraigne magistrate and that the ioining of the king with God must cause vs to attribute great dignitie and reuerence vnto him in respect of that power which is giuen him from his maiestie Likewise when it is said that we must be subiect to the higher powers not bicause of wrath onely but also for conscience sake it is to honour them with an excellent title and to binde vs to obey them for the feare of God and as we wil obey his ordinance bicause their power dependeth of him Of this honour and reuerence it followeth that we must submit our selues vnto them in all obedience whether it be in yeelding to their ordinances or hestes in the paiment of impostes and subsidies or in receiuing such publike charges as it shall please them to commit vnto vs. Briefly euery subiect is bound to serue his prince with goods and life which is the personall seruice of a naturall subiect not as a hireling that serues at will whereas the other seruice is necessarie Leteuery soule saith S. Paul be subiect to the higher powers For whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God He writeth also to Titus in this maner Put them in remembraunce that they be subiect to the principalities and powers and that they be obedient and ready to euery good worke Submit your selues saith S. Peter vnto all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superiour or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euil doers and for the prayse of theÌ„ that do well Moreouer to the end that subiects should testifie that they obey not dissemblingly but of a free and willing mind S. Paul addeth that they must by prayers to God recommend their preseruation and prosperitie vnder whom they liue I exhort saith he that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men for kings and for all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlines and honestie Neither let any man deceiue himself herein For seeing no maÌ„ can resist magistrates without resisting God howsoeuer some may think that a weak powerles magistrate may be coÌ„temned without punishment yet God is strong mighty to reuenge the contempt of his ordinance Besides vnder this obedience is contained that moderatioÌ„ which al priuate persons ought to obserue in publike affairs namely that they must not of their own motioÌ„ intermeddle in the gouernment or reformation of them nor take vpon them rashly any part of the magistrates office nor to attempt any publike thing If there be any fault in the common policie that needeth amendment they must not therfore stir at al therin nor take to theÌ„selues authoritie to redres it or once to put too their helping hands which in that respect are as it were bound behind theÌ„ But they are to shew it to the superior who only hath his hand vnbound to dispose order publike matters if he then command them to deal therin they may put it in executioÌ„ as being furnished with publike authoritie For as we vse to call the counsailors of a prince his eies eares bicause they must be vigilant for him so we may also cal those meÌ„ his hands whom he hath appointed to execute such things as are to be don And to these we owe honor obedience seeing the force of the laws consisteth in their coÌ„mandement These are the magistrates officers established by the soueraigne armed with power to coÌ„pel the subiects to obey his laws or els to punish theÌ„ Wherby we see two kinds of coÌ„manding with publike power the one in chief which is absolute indefinite aboue the laws aboue magistrates and priuate men the other is lawful subiect to the lawes to the soueraigne which power properly belongeth to them that haue extraordinary power to command as long as their commission lasteth The soueraign prince acknowledgeth after God none greater thaÌ„ himself the magistrate holdeth his power after God of the soueraign prince and is always subiect to him to his laws Priuate men acknowledge after God who must alwaies be first their soueraign prince his lawes his magistrates euery one in his place of iurisdiction They are bound to obey them euen then which is repeated in many laws when they coÌ„mand any thing coÌ„trary to publike profit or against ciuil iustice so that it be not against
were altogither Aristocratical or Democratical or Monarchicall In looking to the power of the Consuls a man would haue iudged it Monarchical Roial to the Senators Aristocratical to the Tribunes common sort Democratical The Venetians in their Cōmonwealth represent al these estates Their great Councel hauing soueraign power wherof the Senat the authority of al their Magistrats dependeth doth represent the Popular estate The Duke who is President as long as he liueth representeth the roial power bicause he especially retaineth the grauity dignity therof And the Colledge of ten men with the Colledge of ancients commonly called Sages representeth the Aristocraty as Contarenus writeth As for our French Monarchy it may wel be said also to be partaker of all 3. in regard of the gouernment therof albeit in truth the estate therof is a simple pure Monarchy For the king is the Monarch beloued obeied reuerenced who although he haue all power soueraigne authority to cōmand to do what he will yet this great soueraigne liberty seemeth in some sort to be ruled limited by good lawes ordinances and by the multitude great authority of Officers Counsellors who are aswell neere his person as in sundry places of his kingdom The 12. Peeres the secret priuy councels the Parliament great Councel the Chambers of accounts the Treasorers Generals of charges resemble in some sort the Aristocraty The States yeerely helde in the Prouinces the Mairalties of townes Shreeualties Consulships Capitolats Church-wardens are as it were the forme of a Democraty as Siessel declareth more at large Moreouer the general Estates of the Realme which are woont to be gathered togither to deliberate the king being President of all matters concerning the Estate doe they not sufficiently testifie the happie order therof drawing neere to the gouernment of a good Oeconomist when the king as Aristotle saith commandeth in his kingdome as a good father of a familie ruleth ouer his children with loue and according to right and iustice Wherefore although all the authoritie of Officers Counsellors Parliaments and Estates dependeth as riuers of a fountaine of the onely power of their king and Prince yet of his fatherly and royall goodnes he granteth them such authoritie that hardly could he do any thing that were very violent or too preiudiciall to his subiects And if some such actions may be noted they come rather through the fault of his Counsellors than from his Maiesty Thus let vs conclude with Plato that the royall gouernment and authority ought to be preferred before all others policies as that which draweth neerest to the diuinitie But it must haue a Senate of good men ioined vnto it after the forme of an Aristocratie as our kings haue alwaies vsed to haue of their natural benignitie which maketh them inclinable to all exercises of vertue pietie and iustice Of diuers kinds of Monarchies and of a Tyranny Chap. 58. ACHITOB THe varietie of manners and inclinations to diuers things which is we see particularly in euery one from his birth and generally throughout all nations of the world disposeth without doubt the people as they growe in age and iudgement and according to their bringing vp to like one kind of gouernment rather than another But Frenchmen haue euen to these last times caried away the praise of a more naturall and constant disposition loue obedience and fidelitie towards the maiestie of a king than other nations euer shewed to their forme of estate and gouernment For amongst them all there is not one nation to be found that hath so constantly continued in their lawes and ancient customes without any alteration and change as this flourishing Monarchie which hath also gone beyond them all in goodnes and mildnes of gouernment as we may see better my Companions if we compare with it those sundry sorts of Monarchies which haue been heretofore and doe at this day flourish of which many come as neere to a tyrannie as ours is farre distant from it And to make a tyrannie appeere more odious we will consider the pernitious and miserable estate thereof ASER. As it properly belongeth to a royall estate to gouerne and to rule subiects not according to the sensuall appetite and disordered will of the Prince but by maturitie of counsell and by obseruation of lawes and of iustice so it agreeth with a tyrant to raigne by his absolute will without all regard either of lawes or of the precepts of iustice AMANA A tyrant saith Seneca differeth from a king in effect not in name The one seeketh his owne profite onely and the other the profite of the Common-wealth Now let vs heare ARAM who will teach vs to discerne them well by their works ARAM. Amongst all the Monarchies that euer were or are at this daye among men most of the ancient authors and great Politicks haue noted out fiue sundric sortes of which I purpose heere to discourse particularly with briefe examples that the excellencie of ours may the better appeere ouer others especially ouer those that decline much vnto tyrannye whose shame and infamie I will heere display The first and most ancient kind of Monarchy was that which was voluntarily offered by the people for some heroicall vertue appeering in those men whom they iudged worthie to gouerne them iustly and vprightly And when they continued in this sort to declare themselues benefactors of the multitude in gathering them togither in giuing vnto them territories and in distributing lands among them in finding out of arts in making of warre and in the administration of iustice vnto them their authoritie and power did lawfully descend to their successors who had soueraigne power in time of warre and were chiefe in certain solemn ceremonies of their sacrifices Herodotus Demosthenes Aristotle Cicero and many others make mention of this kind of Monarchy After the floud when the number of men increased Noah perswaded his children and others of his posteritie to disperse themselues in diuers countries to till the ground and to build townes and to this ende he assigned to euery one his Prouince by lot Nimrod the sonne of Cush whose grandfather Noah was abode with his men in the land of the Chaldeans and was their first king and the first king of Babylon He was the first that beganne to extend his bounds by force vpon his neighbours sending whole companies of people into many and diuers countries to laye the foundations of other kingdomes as histories doe giue vs certaine knowledge thereof This is the cause why many establish the first Monarchy in Assyria vnder him We read also in good authors that the first and ancient kings of Egypt kept themselues a long time in this heroical vertue which had procured vnto them their dignitie They liued not disorderedly as those doe who bicause of their dominion iudge their owne will to be a iust lawe for them but they followed
one in Bagdet the other in Cayre The king of Calecuth is chiefe of his religion and for this cause goeth before the other kings of India in dignitie and is called Samory that is to say God on earth The Pope commandeth ouer the temporalties of the church called S. Peters patrimonie as king and is reast of the latin christian churches as head of the religion I meane in those places of those persons where he is so taken and acknowledged The king of England certaine yeeres past tooke vpon him the title of king and supreme gouernor of the Church The fourth kind of monarchie is electiue not hereditarie in some places for terme of life as the empire of Almaigne the kingdom of Polonia of Bohemia and of Hungaria in other places for a certaine time as was the Dictatorship at Rome These estates are not commonly so sure and durable as those that are hereditarie bicause of the practises forestalling of voyces which are for the most part vsed wherupon seditions arise to the great detriment of those kingdomes For the prince being dead the estate remaineth in a pure Anarchie without king without lord without gouernment in danger of ruine like to a ship without a Pilote which is ready to be cast away with the first wind that bloweth Also a gate is set open to theeues and murderers who kill and slay at their pleasure vpon hope of impunitie as it is commonly to be seene as histories rehearse after the death of the kings of Thunes of the Souldans of Egypt and of the Popes of Rome where the seat being vacant the first thing that is commonly done is the breaking open of prisons the killing of iailers the letting out of guiltie persons and the reuenging of iniuries by all possible meanes and this continueth vntil the colledge of cardinals haue agreed vpon a successor And in deed in the yeere 1522. two were executed against whom it was prooued that at sundry tumults mooued at this election they had slaine an hundreth and sixteene men As touching the Empire of Almaigne their histories are full of impouerishmentes fallen vpon them through the election of their Emperours as well by ciuill warres as by murders and poisonings So that within three hundreth and three-score yeeres since the Empire fell vnder the election of seuen princes eight or nine Emperours haue been slaine or poisoned besides those that haue been shamefully thrust out of their imperiall seate Ecclesiasticall persones also haue not wanted ciuill warres about their elections wherein no such prouision could be made but that two and twentie Popes were cut off and many thrust out of their seate as may be seen in the Registers of the Vatican Nowe we must note further that among the electiue estates euery election is either of such persones as the Electours like of as in Germanie they doe not onely chuse for emperoures the princes of Almaigne out of diuers families but sometime straungers haue been chosen as Alphonsus king of Spaine and Richard Duke of Cornewall and brother to king Henry the third or else it is out of certaine inferiour estates as the Pope out of the Colledge of Cardinals and not long since the Souldan of Cayre out of the Mammeluckes vnto which degree of honour none could ascend except before he had been a slaue and a runnagate Christian so that afterward he commaunded absolutely in Egypt and Soria This estate hauing continued about three hundreth yeeres was not long since quite ouerthrowen by Sultan Selym king of the Turkes who tooke the last Souldane and caused him to bee caried vpon an olde Cammell all a-long Cayre and then to be hanged vpon one of the gates of that Citie The great master of Malta is chosen by the chiefe Priors of his religion as that also of Prussia was before the agreement made with the king of Polonia by which composition his estate was turned into a Duchie subiect to the crowne of Poland and of electiue made hereditarie The fift kinde of Monarchie is hereditarie and is properly called royall and lawfull whether the king come to the estate by right of succession as Thucidides writeth of the auncient kings or whether the kingdome be giuen by vertue of the lawe without regard had to daughters or to males descending of them as it is in this kingdome by the Salicke lawe or whether it bee giuen as a meere gift as the kingdomes of Naples and Sicill were giuen to Charles of Fraunce and since giuen agayne to Lewes of France first Duke of Aniow whether it bee left by will as the kinges of Thunis Fez and Marocke vsed to doe and as it was practised also by Henry the eight king of England who left his kingdome to his sonne Edward appointing Mary after him and after hir Elizabeth or by what other meanes so euer the Prince becommeth lord of the estate his monarchie is alwayes royall and lawfull if he in like maner bee obedient to the lawes of nature as he desireth that his subiectes should bee towards him leauyng to euery one his naturall libertie and proprietie of his goodes and looking to the profite and commoditie of the Common-wealth This kingly gouernment Aristotle compareth to Oeconomie For although a father of a familie gouerne his house after his pleasure yet he respecteth the commoditie of his familie Vnder this happie fourme of gouernement beyng the best of all wee may boast that wee liue in Fraunce through the goodnesse of our kinges who neyther ordaine nor put any thing in execution but by mature deliberation and counsaile which they take with the princes of their bloud and with other notable and graue persones whome they call neere vnto them as though their soueraigne power were ruled and moderated For first the king commaundeth nothing that taketh effect if it bee not signed by his Secretaries and sealed with his great seale that is to saye seene and approoued by the Chauncellour who is a seuere Controuler of all matters that passe All the kinges letters must alwayes of necessitie bee approoued by the iudges to whom they are directed and examined not only whether they were obtained by priuie insinuation or fraudulent dealing but also whether they be lawful or vnlawfull Yea in criminall matters the re-inabling of such as before were not capable of offices or dignities writs of repeale from banishment pardons remissions are skanned with such rigor by them that the procurers of such letters are compelled to deliuer them bare-headed and kneeling and to offer themselues prisoners of what estate soeuer they be in so much that oftentimes men are condemned and executed with their pardons about them As for the giftes and expences of the king whether they be ordinarie or extraordinarie the chamber of accounts examineth them narowly and many times cutteth off such as haue no good ground by reason that the officers are sworne to let nothing
of the tyrauntes were giuen vnto them as to the true deliuerers of their Countrey Nowe albeit wee sayde that this worde tyraunt was taken amongst them for him that made him-selfe soueraigne Prince of his owne authoritie with-out election or right of succession or lotte or iust warre or speciall callyng of GOD yet wee must not inferre this consequent that therefore it is lawfull to kill euerie Prince that exerciseth tyrannie For it belongeth in no wise eyther to anye particular subiect or to all in generall to seeke the honour or lyfe of the Prince that is absolutely and lawfully soueraigne as we haue alreadie discoursed Now to conclude our present speech we may see how farre the establishment of this French Monarchie is from any inclination and from all things that may seeme to giue any entraunce life and preseruation to a tirannie nay it is cleane contrary thereunto and goeth beyond all monarchies that euer were or are amongst the sundrie nations of men for goodnesse and mildenesse of gouernement which ought wonderfully to stirre vp Frenchmen to perseuere in loue obedience and fidelitie towardes their king for which straungers haue alwayes praysed them Of the Education of a Prince in good maners and conditions Chap. 59. ARAM. THe effect of custome is wonderfull yea it is so power-full that it passeth nature especially in vice and dissolutenes Wherein if men be once plunged it is a very hard matter especially if they be young to drawe them out of it But further when they know that they haue in their handes an vnbrideled licence and a soueraigne authoritie to enioy their lustes and desires at their pleasure a man may then saie that all hope of amendment is vtterly perished in them and that it is altogether impossible to gaine any thing of them by counsell instruction or reason Therefore it is very certaine that the principall hope and expectation of a Prince after request made to God that by nature he may bee of a good and teach-able disposition ought to bee grounded alwayes in his education and first institution which beyng either good or badde will bring foorth like effectes to the great good or hurt of his subiectes Nowe then my Companions let vs discourse of that which we thinke ought to be obserued in the right instruction of a Prince in all kinde of good maners and commendable conditions as well for his owne profit as for the common vtilitie of all those ouer whom he is to command ACHITOB. Men are commonly carefull to strengthen with rampires the bankes of riuers which receine into them great quantitie of waters But it is needefull that more diligence be vsed in preseruing and fortifying the minde of a young prince with strong reasons graue sentences and most learned preceptes of wisedome against the greatnesse of his fortune the great aboundaunce of wealth riote delightes and flatterie disguised with fidelitie and libertie which lyke to a mightie streame fall from some rocke to ouer-whelme and to drowne the weake seedes of Vertue naturallie in a Prince ASER. Men must bee so much the more carefull in the dressing and tillage of that spirite and soule which they know ought to bee vigilant wise prudent and iust for the benefite of many Such a one is the king or magistrate or any other man that is to deale in gouernement and in publike affaires For to fill that soule with vertue and goodnesse is to profite an infinite number by the meaues of one Now let vs heare AMANA discourse vpon this matter AMANA All kingdomes vnder which men doe liue at this day are eyther hereditarie or giuen by election Some that are hereditarie goe by succession from male to male onely as this kingdome of Fraunce And this did the French-men wisely ordaine in the beginning of their Monarchie by the Salicke lawe by which prouidence and fore-sight they haue continued in the same kind of gouernement almost one thousand and two hundreth yeeres so that the crowne neuer went out of their nation neither hath the roiall linage chaunged oftener than thrise in so long continuaunce which thing neuer happened to any other Monarchie or Seignorie to any mans knowledge In other kingdomes when males are wanting daughters succeede as in Spaine England and Scotland Moreouer in hereditarie kingdomes where males succeede in some places that honour is alwayes reserued for the eldest who giueth an honest pension to his younger brethren as it is in Fraunce or if no regard be had to birth-right either he is preferred that is fittest to gouerne or he that is most warlike and in greatest fauour with the souldiours as in Turkie Selim the first of that name beyng the third and youngest sonne of Baiazet the second vsurped the Empire by the aide of the Ianitzaries vpon his father whome he caused to be poisoned and slew Achmat and Corcuth his two elder brothers with all his nephewes and others of Ottomans race saying that nothing was pleasaunter than to rule when all feare of kindred was taken away In some places they kill not their brethren and kindred but shut them vp in some most sure and safe place of custodie as they vse or are accustomed to doe in Ethiopia where hee that must beare rule is kept alone the rest are sent to a very high and strong mountaine called the mountaine of the Israelites from whence none of the male kinde may euer come foorth except Prester Iohn die without heire of his bodie to succeede him in the crowne for then he that is next vnto it and knowen to be woorthiest and fittest is taken foorth By this meanes that great kingdome hath continued very long without ciuill warre or murder and neuer wanted of-spring of the royall race In Calecuth when the king dieth although hee haue male children or nephewes by his brother yet none of them succeed in the kingdom but his sisters sonne and if they faile the next of the bloud royal commeth to the crowne They ground this vpon a foolish and fond superstition which they haue in causing the Queene to bee defloured by some young priest called Bramin in whose custodie she remaineth euer after so long as the King is abroade Whereuppon they presume and peraduenture not without good cause that the children which descend or are borne of that Ladie hold more of the priest than of the prince Concerning kingdomes that goe by election we haue spoken of them alreadie Now bicause it is a very harde matter to change him that is once chosen in such a kingdome greater consideration must be had in making the election lest the ouer-sight of one hower procure a perpetuall repentaunce But where the prince is by nature and not by election men must labour by carefull industrie and diligence to bring him vp and to instruct him well by replenishing his mind with sound opinions from his infancie and by casting vpon his new ground seedes of vertue and honestie which by
he communicateth his waightiest affaires as they fall out and determineth with them of such principall matters as were deliberated of before in the priuie councell and in the councell of the treasurie if they be such as deserue to bee brought thither In the secret councell the letters of princes of embassadors of gouernors and captains are opened resolutions and matters agreed vpon are commended to the Secretaries of the estate gifts rewards granted with the rolles and records thereof letters and commaundements signed with the kings hand The priuie councell is compounded of diuers great personages called thereunto by his maiestie either for the nobilitie of their bloud and greatnes of their house or for their woorthines wisedom knowledge and experience who haue places and deliberatiue voyces in the councell as long as it pleaseth him Sometime the king sitteth among them when any great matter is in question in his absence the first prince of the bloud is President The Constable and Chancellour two chiefe officers of the crowne haue great authoritie therein the one being principall of warre the other of iustice They sit on each side in equall degree being alwayes one right before another This councel is held either for matters belonging to the treasurie or for other things concerning state-affaires of the kingdom and then none enter therein but the Secretaries of the estate the Treasurer of the priuie treasure the Ouer-seers of the treasures appointed to take knowledge of the leuying and laying out of money and the Secretaries belonging to the same or else it is held for parties that is for the affaires of iustice depending of the soueraigntie Then the maisters of the Requests seruing in their turns enter therin who bring in requests informations suites called thither by Iniunctiōs and other waightie matters which the king hath reserued to his owne knowledge or such as cannot be decided else where Somtimes also the parties themselues are heard or else they speake by Aduocates This is greatly to be commended therein that euery one that hath entrie into the councell although peraduenture he hath neither deliberatiue voyce nor place may bring in any mans request aduertise the councell of that which is profitable for the Common-wealth that order may be taken for the same And many times their counsell is first demaunded then the aduice of the counsellours of estate so that the greatest lordes giue their opinion last to the end that freedom of speech may not be taken away by the authoritie of the princes especially of factious and ambitious men who neuer suffer any contradictions but against their wils By this means also they that haue consulting voyces onely prepare the way and make it easie for them that haue deliberatiue voyces to conclude of matters and many times furnish the councell with good and forceable reasons and if they erre at any time they are brought backe againe by the residue without ielousie This priuie councel deliberateth finally determineth vnder the soueraigne will of the king of the complaints of priuate men in matters concerning the estate of the suites of towns and prouinces iudgeth of the appeales made from Parliaments considereth vpon extraordinary dayes of the decrees of Parliaments concerning their order discipline how it is kept dealeth with the transporting of wheate of wines also with all marchandises either brought in or caried out of the realme and with the impostes laid vpon them taketh order for the currant and finenesse of money hath regard to the demaines of the crowne to lones and taxes and other reuenues of the king and to the chief customs prolonging their yeeres abating the rentes of Farmers or discharging thē altogither taking knowledge of their cause and of former informations ioyning therewith the aduise of the Treasurers of the Generals of those charges All matters whatsoeuer being agreed vpon appointed to take effect must be signed by one Secretarie at the least and somtimes also by one of the masters of Requests before it be sealed by the Chauncellor who ouerlooketh and examineth narrowly all matters concluded vpon which maketh his authoritie very great somtimes odious The great councell which at the first institution therof was seldom imploied but about state-affairs was made an ordinarie court of 17. counsellors by Charles the 8. and Lewes the 12. made it vp 20. besides the Chancellour who was President of that court but vnder king Francis another President was appointed This coūcell had the knowledge of extraordinarie causes by way of commission sent from the priuie councell and ordinarily of appellations made from the Marshal of the kings house The court of Parliament was the Senate of France in old time and erected by Lewes the yong according to the truest opinion to giue aduise to the king in which twelue Peeres were established so that the name of the court of Peeres remaineth with it to this day But Phillip the faire made it an ordinarie court and granted vnto it iurisdiction and seat at Paris but tooke from it the knowledge of state-affaires For as we haue alreadie declared there are no counsellors of estate amongst all the magistrates of Fraunce but those that are ordinarie of the priuie councel But besides the councels specified by vs Princes haue alwayes had a strict councel of two or three of the dearest and trustiest about them wherin the resolution of the aduises and deliberations of other councels is had yea many times of the greatest affaires of the estate before others haue deliberated of them Neuertheles this auncient custome of calling the general estates of the realme togither when they saw it necessarie hath been always obserued by kings and princes Our first progenitours the Gaules before either Romanes or kings ruled ouer them assembled togither out of Aquitane out of the prouince of Narbone of Lyons and of other quarters about the number of threeskore nations to take aduise and counsell of their generall affaires Since that tyme our ancient kings of France haue vsed oftentimes to hold the estates which is the assemblie of all their subiects or of their deputies For to hold the estates is nothing else but when the king communicateth his greatest affaires with his subiects taketh aduise and counsell of them heareth their complaintes and griefes and prouideth for them according to reason This was called in olde time the holding of a Parliament which name it retaineth yet in England and Scotland But at this day the name of Parliament belongeth onely to priuate and particular courtes of Audience consisting of a certaine number of Iudges established by the king in sundry of his Prouinces and the publike and generall courtes of Audience haue taken the name of estates The estates were assembled for diuers causes according as matters were offred either to demaund succour and money of the people or to take order for iustice and for men of warre or for the reuenues of the
children of Fraunce or to prouide for the gouernement of the kingdome or for other matters The kinges sate amongst them and were Presidentes except at one assemblie wherein was debated the noblest cause that euer was namelie to whome the kingdome of Fraunce belonged after the death of Charles the faire whether to his cosin Phillip de Valois or to Edward king of England his brother in lawe King Phillip was not President not beyng at that time king and besides a partie No doubt but the people receiue great benefit by this assemblie of estates For this good commeth vnto them that they may drawe neere to the kings person to make their complaints vnto him to present him their requests and to obtaine remedie and necessary prouision for redresse Whereby we may easily iudge that many who haue written of the duetie of magistrates and such like treatises are greatly deceiued in maintaining this That the estates of the people are aboue the prince which laieth open a gappe to the rebellions of subiects against their soueraign so that this opinion can haue no reason or good ground to leane vpon For if this were true the commō-wealth would not be a kingdom or monarchy but a pure Aristocratie as we haue declared heretofore Yea what shew of reason is there to maintaine this error seeing euery one in particular al in general bowe their knees before the king vse humbly requests supplications which his maiestie receiueth or reiecteth as it seemeth best vnto him But in this case we except a king that is captiue beside himself or in his infancie For that which is thē decreed by the estates is authorized as from the soueraign power of the prince Moreouer we may see what great good commeth to the king by the assemblie of his estates in the first speech which master Michael de l' Hospital Chauncellor of France made at the last assemblie of estates at Orleans Where he confuteth at large their opinion that say that the king after a sort diminisheth his power by taking aduise and counsell of his subiects seeing he is not bound so to doe as also that he maketh himselfe too familiar with them which breedeth contempt and abaseth his roiall dignitie But we may aunswere them as Theopompus king of Sparta did his wife who obiected this vnto him by way of reproch that by bringing in the Ephories and minglyng their gouernement with his he would leaue his authoritie and power lesse to his children than hee receiued it from his predecessours Nay said this Prince vnto hir I will leaue it greater bicause it shall be more assured The Emperour Aurelius sayd as much to his mother bicause hee freely heard euery one Besides as we see that in any great perill of sea or fire kindled to the daunger of publike profite no mans seruice or succour is reiected how base soeuer his calling is so it cannot but be profitable for the Estate when it is threatned with ruine and the affaires therof are of greatest importance to receiue the counsell of all that haue interest therein laying the opinions in the balance rather than the persons from whom they come And hereby the soueraigne maiestie and prudence of a Prince is knowen when he hath both power and skill to waigh and to iudge of their aduice that giue him counsel and to conclude with the soundest not the greatest side But to go forward with that which remaineth let so many as haue this honour to be ordinarie counsellors to Princes remember the saying of Solon the wise That they are not called thither to please and to speake to their liking but to vtter the truth and to giue them good counsell for common safetie that they must bring with them for an assured and certaine foundation of their conference about state-affaires a good intent mooued with reason and iudgement to profite him not with passions or desires of vain-glory of couetousnesse of emulation of any other imperfection that leadeth them to their priuate profite that they must at the entrie of the councell chamber vnclothe themselues of fauour towardes some of hatred towardes others and of ambition in themselues and aime at no other marke than at the honour of God and safetie of the Common-wealth To this ende they must necessarilie be furnished with wisedome iustice and loyaltie As for skill and knowledge although it be requisite in counsellors of estate namely the knowledge of the lawes of histories and of the estate of Common-wealths yet sound iudgement integritie and prudence are much more necessarie Aboue all things they must hold nothing of other Princes and Seignories that may binde them to their seruice And yet now a dayes to receiue a pension of them is so common a matter but very pernitious in any estate that it is growen to a custome Agesilaus would not so much as receiue a letter which the king of Persia wrote vnto him but sayd to his messenger that if the king were friend to the Lacedemonians he need not write particularly to him bicause he would also remaine his friend but if he were their enimie neyther letter nor any thing else should make him for his part otherwise affected To bee short let counsellors of estate learne of Plutarch that it is necessarie for them to be free from all passions and affections bicause in giuing of counsell the mind hath most force towards that wherunto the will is most enclined As for feare danger or threatnings they must neuer stay them from doyng their duetie but let them constantly propound and maintaine that which they iudge to be good and profitable for the Common-wealth We read that the Thasiens making warre with great vehemencie against the Athenians published a decree that whosoeuer counselled or spake at any time of concluding a peace between them should die the death Within a while after one of the citizens considering what great hurt his countrey receiued by that warre came one day into the assembly of the people with a halter about his necke and cried with a loud voyce that he was come thither to deliuer the Common-wealth by his death that they should put him to death when they would and that for his part he gaue them counsell to abrogate that law and to make peace which was done and he pardoned Considius a Romane Senatour would neuer be from the Senate no not when Caesar ruled all by violence and did what pleased him and when none of the other Senatours came any more through feare of his force And when Caesar asked him how he durst be there alone to stand against him bicause quoth he my age taketh all feare from me For hauing from hence forward such a short time to liue in I am not greatly carefull to saue my life If kings did correct all those that giue them ill counsell as Solyman did one of his Bassaes who was his kinsman they would not so readily
shun the other Vnto profit we referre riches to honor magistracie publike offices charges to losse pouertie to dishonor coÌ„tinual iniurie contempt such like means Which things although they are reckoned among the motiues or efficient causes of seditions so farre foorth as they prouoke men to stirre vp seditions yet they may bee endes also bicause men conspire togither either to obtaine or to eschew them Thereore let vs handle the causes which mooue the people to murmure and lead them from priuate and secret grudging to publike and open sedition from which the changes alterations and finall ruines of estates and monarchies proceed The couetousnes of magistrates and gouernors seemeth to be a chief cause therof when they lay vpon their subiects great exactions taxes loanes and other intollerable subsides whereby their patience is oftentimes turned into furie and their hartes set vpon reuolting are driuen forward to imitate them that forsooke Roboam for the same cause as the scripture rehearseth But forasmuch as all ciuill societie is appointed to the end that men might keep their goods safely vnder the protection and guiding of good gouernors they that beare chief rule in estates ought especially to prouide that not onely publike goods may be distributed and imploied according to common necessitie and profit but also that euery mans priuate goods may be in safetiâ— Publike goods are the reuenues of Seignories kingdoms and empires demeans taxes tributes confiscations exchetes subsidies graunts and impositions brought in for the supply of publike necessitie A man may say that couetousnes which is a wrongfull desire of another mans goods is committed in these publike reuenues wheÌ„ the mony that commeth of them is conuerted rather to priuate than to publike vse by those that haue the disposing therof which fault the Romans called peculatus and the iudgement giuen against it Repetundarum Now wheÌ„ such goods are wasted vnprofitably or superfluously princes magistrates vse to lay immoderate and strange exactions vpon their subiects Couetousnes also is vsed in priuate goods when the poorer or weaker sort are spoiled of their owne by the mightier The people will hardly beare this kind of vsurping when they consider that they are tormeÌ„ted by those that should defend them this dealing is subiect to restitution before God Histories are ful of changes seditions and destructions of commoÌ„-wealths arising of these causes of couetousnes wherof we haue alleaged many examples in our discourses Vnder Charles the 6. king of France great seditions and robberies were practised by the Parisians by reason of imposts and subsidies that were leuied of the subiects The occasion of these commotions was bicause the farmers exacted a halfpeny of a poore woman that sold Water cressets The couetousnes briberie and polling vsed by the lords nobles of Switzerland caused the common people to fall to mutinie and to deliuer theÌ„selues out of their slauery bondage by horrible massacres which they made of them Vnder Ioel and Abiah the sonnes of Samuel iudges ouer the Israelites the people oppressed through their couetousnes asked a king wherupon the estate of their gouernment was changed The second cause that breedeth the alteration ruine of Common-wealths is ambition or desire of honor which then especially mooueth men to murmure when the vnworthy are aduanced preferred before men of desert Honor is the only reward of vertue that which is more esteemed of euery loftie noble hart than all worldly goods Therfore it is meet that in the distribution of publike charges rewards and honors regard be had to the qualitie merite and sufficiencie of men that they may be giuen to woorthy persons and that such as are vnfit may be put backe Let vertue only diligence open the gates of honor and not mony or fauor We saw before many examples of the fruits of ambition we taste daily of some that are very bitter The third cause that changeth and ouer-turneth estates monarchies is iniurie which hapneth when they that are highest in authoritie through too much insoleÌ„cie pride offer wrong to the honor or person of their inferiors A kingdom saith the wife man is translated froÌ„ one nation to another through the iniustice iniuries contumelies offred by superiors Cyrus the great reuolted froÌ„ his grandfather Astyages ouercame him in battell translated the monarchie of the Medes vnto the PersiaÌ„s bicause of that iniurie which he offered vnto him in casting him out into the fields as soone as he was borne Coriolanus being vniustly banished his countrey tooke armes conquered a great part of the Romane dominion and burned all to the gates of Rome bringing their estate to such an extremitie that it was readie to be destroyed had not the women come towards him to pacifie him Childeric king of Fraunce caused Bodilus to be whipped with rods wherupon he slew him aâ—d his wife great with child Iustine the third emperour was slayne by Atelius generall of his armie whose sonne he had murdred and abused his wife to despite him there-with Feare also is many times the cause of alteration and daunger to a Common-wealth when guiltie and conuicted persones mooue sedition and rebell against the Magistrates to preuent and auoyd the punishment that is due to their faultes Catiline vrged with the consideration of his manifold wicked prankes and with the feare of iudgement conspired against his countrey beyng assisted by Lentulus Cethegus with many sacrilegious persones murderers adulterers bankrupts and other naughtie liuers that stoode in feare of iustice by reason of their misbehauiour Neither may any man doubt but wicked men will rather trouble the estate than stand in daunger of their liues or hazard their goodes For besides the assuraunce which they haue conceiued to escape the iudgement of men by this meanes they haue this further aduauntage to fish in troubled waters so that they are no lesse afrayd of peace than of the plague hauing in all euentes the same resolution before their eyes that Catiline had who sayd that he could not quench the fire begun in his house with water and therefore would pull it downe and so quench it This was one reason that mooued Caesar to lay hold of the estate bicause his enimies threatned that as soone as he was out of his offices they would cause him to giue an accouÌ„t how he had discharged theÌ„ I would to god we had not bought as deerly the same causes of our ciuil warres Likewise too much authoritie and power both for wealth friendship is dangerous in euery kinde of gouernment so that great heede is to be taken that none grow to be vnmeasurable great For men are subiect to corruption neither can euery one sustaine wisely the prosperitie of fortune which causeth some to seeke the alteration of popular and Aristocraticall Common-wealths into monarchies others
but as soone as another stranger came they shewed what they were Heereuppon it came that Kinge Charles the eight easily ouer-ranne all Italy with chalke as we vse to speake that is to saye that without resistance he sent before to take vp his lodging bicause they that shoulde haue withstoode him and were called in to keepe the Countrie did of their owne accord take his parte But there is a further matter Strange hired Captaines either are excellent men or haue nothing in them If they be valiant the Prince is not to trust them For out of doubt they will seeke to make themselues great either by his ouerthrowe that is their Maister or by destroying others against his will And if the Captaines haue no valure in them he cannot hope for any thing but for the cause of his owne perdition Succour is moste hurtfull to an Estate when some Potentate is called in with his forces for aide and defence Those souldiours may well be good and profitable for themselues but are alwaies hurtfull to such as call them in For if a man loose the fielde he is ouer-throwne if he winne it he is their prisoner Such succour is a great deale more to bee feared than hired strength which obeieth the Prince that calleth them and requireth their helpe But when a man receiueth in an armie vnited and accustomed to obeye the Captaine that conducteth and bringeth them in his destruction is alreadie prepared and cannot be auoided who openeth the doore of his owne house to let in an enimie stronger than himselfe Therefore it were expedient for euerye Prince to trye all waies before he haue recourse to such men for helpe and succour And whosoeuer shall reade and consider well the times that are past and runne ouer the present state of things he shall see that whereas one prospered well an infinite number were deceiued and abused For a Common-wealth or an ambitious Prince coulde not wish to haue a better occasion whereby to get the possession of a Citie Seignorie or Prouince than when hee is required to send his armie to defende it But what The ambition desire of reuenge or some other affection of men is so great that to accomplish once their present will they forget all dutie and cast behind them the care of all danger and inconuenience whatsoeuer that may light vppon them The Herules Gothes and Lumbards by these meanes became Lordes of Italy the Frenchmen of the Gaules Countrye the Englishmen of greate Britaine the Scots of Scotland after they had driuen out the Britons and Picts who called them in for succour The Turks made themselues Lords of the East Empire and of the kingdom of Hungary being likewise required of help by the Emperours of Constantinople and by the States of Hungary Not long since Cairadin a Pirate being called by the Inhabitants of Alger to driue the Spaniards out of the fortresse after he had vanquished them he slew Selim Prince of the towne and made himselfe king leauing the Estate to his brother Arradin Barberossa And Saladine a Tartarian Captaine being called by the Calipha and Inhabitants of Caire to driue the Christians out of Soria after the victorie slew the Calipha and became absolute Lorde thereof The foresight which the Princes of Germany had of the perill and hurt that all strangers bring to an Estate caused them to bind the Emperour Charles the fift by the twelfth article of conditions vnto which he sware before he receiued the Imperiall crown that he should not bring in any forraine souldiors into Germany And yet through the great number of Spaniards Italians and Flemmings that came into the countrie beeing called in against the Protestants there wanted little of changing the Estate of Almaigne into an hereditarie kingdom Which had bene soone doone if king Henry the second had not staied it by his French power for which cause he was called by books published and arches erected in their country Protector of the Empire and deliuerer of the Princes who since haue concluded amonge themselues that they will neuer chuse a forraine Prince Charles the seuenth king of France hauing by his great good successe and vertue deliuered France of Englishmen and knowing well that it was necessarie for him to be furnished with his owne forces instituted the decrees of horsemen and of the companies of footemen After that king Lewes his sonne abolished his footemen and began to leauy Switzers which being likewise practised by other kings his successors many men haue noted that by countenancing the Switzers they haue caused their owne forces to degenerate and growe out of vse disanulled the footemen and tied their horsemen to other footemen insomuch that since they haue been vsed to fight in company of the Switzers they think that they cannot obtaine the victorie nor yet fight without them Therfore the prudence of king Francis the first must needes be honored with exceeding great praise in that he established seuen legions of footmen accounting 6000. men to a legion so that there could be no better deuice for the maintenance of warrelike discipline nor more necessary for the preseruation of this kingdome if those good ordinances that were made to this end be wel marked Neuertheles they were abolished in his raigne established againe by Henry the second his successor and after that abrogated I am of opinion that if these ancient institutions both of horsemen and footemen were reuined they would be a good mean whereby we might alwaies haue men of warre to defend this kingdom to conquer that which is taken from it and to helpe our friends whereas nowe we are faine to vse the seruice of vnskilfull men that are made Captaines before euer they were souldiors or else of necessitie compelled to begge and to buy very deare the succour offorraine nations My meaning is not that a Prince should neuer vse the helpe of others but alwaies take his own forces collected among his subiects Nay I say to the contrary that it must needs be profitable for him to vse the succors of his Allies so that they be ioined with him in league offensiue and defensiue For by this meanes he doth not onely make himselfe stronger but withall taketh away both that aide from his enimie which he might otherwise haue drawne from thence and occasion also from all men to make warre with the one except they will haue the other also their enimie But aboue all things let no Prince trust so much to the succours of his Allies except himselfe with his subiects be of greater strength And if Allies are to be feared when they are stronger in another countrie what assurance may a man haue of forraine souldiors that are at no league either offensiue or defensiue with vs Now if vpon the due consideration of these things souldiors be carefully trained vp in good discipline of warre which may be collected out of many institutions that are extant and if
of the Phocians Of the iudgements of the Romanes Who were Iudges amongst them and how they were chosen Three kinds of Pretors in Rome Of the reuerence and honor which was giuen to Magistrates An excellent way to decide all controuersies betweene parties at discord Of the ancient reputation of iudgements in France The iustice of France fallen from the ancient glorie Tokens of a corrupted Estate The proceeding of iustice in France from time to time The officers of the Court of Parliament in Paris The preâ—â—â—te state of the Paeliament Of the ancient estate of the Parliament Ferdinando forbad that any Lawyers should go into the West Indians The springs of all corruptions of iustice The Areopagites iudged by night and in the darke The Switzers forbid their Iudges to take any thing for iudging The saying of a Peasant to three Lawyers Of the miserie which length of suits bring with it The great abuse of iustice in France How a corrupt Common-wealth must be corrected When it is lawfull to seeke after publike offices Iudges ought to be such old men as haue experience ioined with their knowledge Magistrats must not be couetous The chiefest point of Philosophy A corrupt making of Iudges The statute of S. Lewes concerning the election of officers No earthly thing perpetual No Common-wealth perpetuall No iniurie is a sufficient cause for any man to moone sedition The originall of all sedition The cause of vnion and concord in kingdoms The fruits of the contempt of religion Peace and concord effects of the feare of God Isaias 2. 4. Micah 4. 3. What sedition is The fruits of sedition Matth. 12. 25. 2. Sam. 24. 14. What communitie Plato required in his Common-welth Two kinds of warre The fruits of ciuil warre among the Grecians Demades reprocheth the Athenians Agesilaus bewaileth the ciuil dissention of Graecia The prudence of Englishmen Traians letter to the Senate of Rome The Romane Empire decaied through seditions The original of the Romane seditions M. Coriolanus being banished contrary to right tooke armes against his countrey T. Gracchus the first that was slaine in Rome by sedition Sylla made himself perpetuall Dictator The Romane Empire began first to decline vnder Tiberius Diuision ouerthrew Alexanders Empire The cause of the ruine of Constantinople The cause of the subiection of Iudaea to the Romans Onias prayer Ciuil warres in Italy between the Guelphes and the Gybellines The great crueltie of the Guelphes and Gybellines By what tokens they know one another The originall of this contention The diuision of the houses of Yorke and Lancaster Henry the 6. depriued of his Kingdom by the house of Yorke The vnion of the houses of Lancaster and Yorke Of ciuil warres in Spaine The great iurisdiction of Spain Of ciuil dissention in Italy Germany vexed with ciuil warre Hungaria lost by ciuil dissention Persia was subdued by the dissention of two brethren Dinan and Bouines subdued through dissention France much troubled with ciuil warres Women in Champagnie made their husbands noble Cruel warre between the house of Burgundie of Orleans The cause thereof Henry the 5. proclaimed king of France Ambition and desire of gouernment the chiefe cause of the troubles in France The ancients limites of the French monarchie A comparison Good counsell for all kings and soueraigne princes A disease known is almost cured The causes of diuision between subiects Two causes of the franticke feauer of French diuisions Corruption is naturall in all things A Prince compared to a Physition To know the causes of euils is the readiest way to cure them When Common-wealths begin to alter Foure causes of all things The efficient causes of seditions The materiall cause of seditions The formal cause The difference between a rebellion and a faction Fower final causes of seditions Couetousnes a principall cause of sedition 1. King 12. 14 16. Which are publike goods When couetousnes is committed in publike goods God requireth restitution of oppressors Great seditions began vpon a small occasion Couetousnes cause of the death of the nobilitie in Switzerland 1. Sam. 8. 5. Ambition the second cause of seditions Honor the only reward of vertue Onely vertue ought to open the gates of honour Iniurie the third cause of sedition Why Cvrus reuolted from his grandfather Astyages Coriolanus Childeric slaine by Bodilus Iustine 3. Feare the fourth cause of seditions Catiline What maner of men are afraid of peace Feare was one cause that mooued Caesar to seek the empire Excesse in authoritie power is the fist cause of seditieÌ„s What the Ostracisme among the Athenians was Many kings ouerthrowen by suffring their seruants grow too great Contempt is the sixt cause of seditions Who are most subiect to contempt Contempt brecdeth disobedience Causes that mooue subiects to contemue their Princes A rule of Estate Lewes the 11. fought withall by his Nobles bicause he contemned them Ouer-great inequalitie betweene Estates in a Common-wealth is the sâ—uenth cause of seditions Equalitie the mother of peace Impunitie of offences the eight cause of seditions The meaning of this precept Be not suretie for another 1. King 20. 42. Other causes-of sedition Shame is sometime cause of alteration of Estates Negligence a cause of chang Two sorts of negligence Bishops neglecting their charg to deale in worldly affaires bring themselues into contempt An Estate is not changed all at one time but by little and little Dissimilitude a cause of chang Examples of strangers that haue expelled naturall Citizens out of their townes The Inhabitants of Geneua conspired against strangers in their citie Caluine hazarded his life to appease a tumult in Geneua Exod. 1. 16. Diuers kinds of dissimilitudes in Common-wealths Whether diuersitie of religion be a cause of ciuill warre Diuersitie of opinion among subiects dangerous in an Estate Thomas Emperour of Constantinople slaine for pulling downe of Images The causes that brcede the change of all Common-wealths Why Wisedom is giuen of God Wisd 6. 21. The praise of wisedome Contrary causes bring foorth contrary effects Prou. 27. 20. Choice customs of seuen flourishing Estates Discontentment is the spring of all vices The effects of couetousnes The contented mind of Magistrats is the first meane to preserue an Estate Exod. 18. 21. Why Tiberius would not change his Lieutenants A notable custome vsed by Seuerus in making vnder-gouernors The second meane to preserue an Estate The third meane Of whome a Prince holdeth his soueraigntie Subiects compared to a set of counters The fourth meane Magistrats must be punished aswelt as the Common people Aristotle misliked perpetuall Magistrates Generall Commissioners requisite in a Monarchy The sift meane Delay in punishing the wicked is dangerous The sixt meane Geometricall proportion ought to be obseâ—ued in Common-wealths Vpon what men publike charges are to be bestowed Two sorts of equalitie The seuenâ—h meane The eight The beginning of euils must be staied The â—inth The tenth The eleuenth The twelfth Contentious persons must be remooued from the Court. Princes must
grow a little in yeeres Further let such dissolute men as make pleasure the ende of their desire know that sobrietie leadeth those that follow her to farre greater and more perfect pleasures than incontinencie and superfluitie doe For these excessiue fellowes neuer expect hunger or thirst or any other pleasure of the bodye but through intemperance preuent them and so enioy scarce half the pleasure But sober and temperate men forbearing the fruition of their desire a long time haue a farre more perfect taste of them bicause as Cicero saith the pleasure of life consisteth rather in the desire than in the satietie thereof And if mediocrity be not obserued those things that are most acceptable and pleasant become most vnpleasant Do we not also see that when the body is not ouercharged with meate and wine it is better disposed and more temperate for euery good action And as for the spirite for which we ought chiefly to liue it is more ready and nimble to comprehend and conceiue what right reason and true honestie are For as Aristotle saith sobrietie causeth men to iudge better and according to truth of all things and in that respect is very necessary for the attaining of Philosophye Likewise sobrietie retaineth that in a wise mans thought which a foole without discretion hath in his mouth And therefore saith Cares we must striue by all meanes to restraine our belly bicause that only is alwaies vnthankfull for the pleasures done vnto it crauing continually and oftener than it needeth so that whosoeuer is not able to command ouer it wil daily heape vp mischiefe vpon mischiefe to himselfe But frugalitie and sobrietie are the mistresses of good counsell and the badges of chastitie For this cause Titus Liuius commendeth more the barrennes and sterilitie of a countrey than fertilitie and fruitfulnes saying that men borne in a fat fertile soile are commonly do-littles and cowards but contrariwise the barrennes of a countrey maketh men sober of necessitie and consequently carefull vigilant and giuen to labor as the Athenians were being situated in a very vnfruitfull place We make great account saith Paulonius of frugalitie not bicause we esteeme the creatures themselues vile and of small value but that by meanes thereof we may encrease the greatnes of our courage And if the greatest chiefest benefit that could come to man were said Solon to haue no need of nourishment it is very manifest that the next to that is to haue neede but of a little But amongst so many good reasons of such excellent mē the counsell of Epictetus is wel woorth the marking where he saith then when we would eate we must consider that we haue two guests to entertain the body and the soule and that whatsoeuer shall be put into the body departeth away quickly but what good thing soeuer entreth into the soule abideth for euer To this effect Timotheus a Grecian captaine hauing supped with Plato in the Academie at a sober and simple repast for the greatest festiual dainties were oliues cheese apples colewoorts bread wine said that they which sup with Plato feele the benefit therof the next day yea a long time after For these wise men met togither at bankets void of excesse not to fill their bellies but to prepare and dresse their minds to learne one of another by their goodly discourses of Philosophie whereof a vertuous soule hath better taste than the body of a well relished and delicate meale Such were the feasts of Pythagoras Socrates Xenocrates and of other Sages of Grecia where the discussing of good and learned matters there handled brought through the remembrance of them great pleasure and no lesse liked commoditie and that of long continuance to such as were present at them And as for the pleasures of drinking and eating they iudged the very remembrance thereof to be vnwoorthie and vnbeseeming men of honor bicause it was to passe away as the smell of a perfume Neither would they suffer that men should bring into their assemblies the vanitie of foolish delights as of the sound of instruments of enterludes or of any other pastime which a wise man ought rather to esteeme as a hinderance of delight than any pleasure at all For hauing within themselues sufficient matter of recreation and reioicing through their learned discourses it were meere follie to beg strange and friuolous delights from without them And Plutark saith that the brutish part of the soule depending of the feeding beast and vncapeable of reason is that which is pleased brought to order satisfied by songs and sounds which are sung and tuned vnto it euen as with the whistling of lips or hands or with the sound of a pipe sheepeheards cause their sheepe to arise or lie downe bicause they vnderstand not an articulate or distinct speech that hath some pith in it Therefore I commend Euripides for reprehending such as vse the harpe so long as a feast lasteth for quoth he musicke ought rather to be sent for when men are angrie or mourne than when they are feasting or making merry thereby to make them giue more libertie to all pleasure than before I suppose the Egyptians did better who vsed in the midst of their bankets to bring in the Anatomie of a dead bodie dried that the horror thereof might containe them in all modestie For this cause the memorie of the Emperour Henrie the third greatly recommendeth it selfe who banished all pompe and vanitie from his wedding and draue away the plaiers iesters causing a great number of poore folke to come in their place The custom which the Lacedemonians obserued when they liued vnder Lycurgus lawes is also worthie to be remembred which was that no torches or lights should be brought vnto them when they departed from feastes at night that it might be an occasion vnto them to feare drunkennes and so to auoid this shame that they onely could not find out their houses Now in those happie times vines were planted and dressed that wine might be drunke rather in time of sickenes than of health insomuch that it was not sold in Tauernes but onely in Apothecaries shops Those ancient Sages commonly measured their drinking by that saying of Anacharsis that the first draught which men drunke ought to be for thirst the second for nourishment and as for the third that it was of pleasure and the fourth of madnes Pythagoras being much more religious in this matter and liuing onely of herbs fruite and water said that the vine brought foorth three grapes whereof the first quencheth thirst the second troubleth and the third altogither dulleth He neuer dranke wine no more did that great Orator Demosthenes nor many other famous men of whome histories make mention The kings of Egypt were forbidden wine which they neuer dranke except on certaine daies and then by measure And truly it bringeth with it pernitious effects aswell to the soule as to
the bodie For from it proceedeth the chiefe and most common cause of bodilie diseases and of the infirmities of the soule But to continue the examples of loue which the Ancients bare to the vertue of sobrietie this was it that caused Alexander the Great to refuse those Cookes and Paisterers which Ada Queene of Caria sent vnto him to send her word backe againe that he had better than they were namely for his dinner early rising and walking a good while before day and for his supper a little dinner Notwithstanding in the ende the Persian delicacies and riches which alwaies is the propertie of such goods caused this vertuous monarke to change his commendable custome of liuing and to approoue and like of excesse in drinking to which vice that he might giue greater authoritie he propounded six hundred crownes for a reward to him that dranke most and called a great cup after his owne name Which cup when he offered to Callisthenes one of his fauorits he refused saying that he would not for drinking in Alexander stand in need of Esculapius With which the King perceiuing him selfe touched was so incensed against him that he caused him to be put in a cage with dogs where he poisoned himselfe being impatient of his captiuitie Wherein we may note how ridiculous their blockishnes is who for feare not of such an entertainment as this wise man receiued but of being taken and reputed as void of good fellowship and vnciuill cast themselues into the danger of a sore sicknes rather than they will refuse to drinke carouse when they are inuited thereunto Hereby also those men shew their want of iudgement and of conuenient matter to talke of who cannot entertaine their friends without dronkennes and gluttonie And the other if they knew how to make denial fitly and in good sort besides the profit which they should receiue thereby their companie would be more desired than it will be for their dronkennes Cyrus Monarke of the Persians from his childhood gane great testimonie that he would one daye become a very sober man For being demanded by Astyages his grandfather why he would drinke no wine he answered for feare least they giue me poison For quoth he I noted yesterday when you celebrated the daye of your natiuitie that it could not be but that some bodie had mingled poison amongst all that wine which ye then dranke bicause in the winding vp of the table not one of all those that were present at the feast was in his right mind Afterward this vertuous Prince alwaies liued very frugally for proofe whereof may serue his answer made one day to Artabazus as he marched in warre who asked of him what he would haue brought vnto him for his supper Bread quoth he for I hope we shall finde some fountaine to furnish vs with drinke Porus a noble king of India liued with water and bread onely Phaotes also king of the same countrey did the like and the greatest feastes which he made or suffered his Courtiers to make was onely with a kind of venison Alphonsus king of Arragon and Cocilia a very sober man was demanded of certaine of his Princes why he dranke no wine bicause quoth he wisdome is hindred through wine and prudence darkned which two things onely are able to make a king worthy of that name he beareth Agesilaus king of Lacedemonia hauing beene alwaies brought vp in the discipline of Lycurgus who had banished all riot and superfluitie from that citie by the vtter defacing and abolishing of gold and siluer became very woonderfull by reason of his simplicity and plainnes in feeding and clothing his bodie and in behauing himselfe as the meanest of his subiects He vsed to say which he likewise put in vre that he which commanded and ruled many ought to surpasse them not in dainties and delicacie but in sustaining labor and in nobilitie of hart The benefit which as he said he reaped thereby was libertie whereof he assured himselfe that he could neuer be depriued by any alteration and change of fortune And as he passed with his armie by the countrey of the Thasians they sent him certaine refreshing of sloure of daintie cates as comfits and other daintie deuices made of paast but he would take nothing saue onely the floure And being vrged of others to receiue all he said Well if ye thinke it good diuide the rest amongst the Ilots who were their slaues for it agreeth not with them that make profession of manlie fortitude and powers to take such iuncates For that which allureth and inticeth men of a slauish nature ought not to be acceptable to thē that are of a franke free courage But is there any thing now a daies I pray you that so much allureth and keepeth base minds in the seruice of great men as the daintines of their table And surely the Ancients did not vnfitly apply the name of Tyrant to a rich man keeping a sumptuous table as to one that compelleth men to follow to obey him Neuertheles a courageous hart suffreth not it self to be takē with such baits but let vs continue the examples of sobrietic Pompey the great hauing all his life tyme loued modestie and frugalitie gaue yet a more certain testimonie thereof when by reason of a lingring disease he had lost his appetite to meate His Physition appointing him to eate of a Blackbird he was giuen to vnderstand by his serunats that because they were out of season it would be a hard matter to get any except it were of Lucullus who kept some all the yeere long and would willingly giue him some What quoth he then if Lucullus were not a daintie and nice glutton could not Pompey liue No no let me haue somthing made ready that may easile be gotten Marcus Cato after he had ouercome Spaine and triumphed of notable victories albeit he was now old and very rich yet he would adde nothing to his ancient maner of liuing which was very austere but dranke almost nothing but water and for the most part did eat nothing but bread and biefe laboring in the field in time of peace as much as the meanest of his seruants Epaminondas the greatest captain philosopher of his time liued so thriftily and temperately that being inuited by a friend of his to supper and seeing great superfluitie and sumptuosnes he returned very angry saying that he thought he had been requested to sacrifice and to liue honestly together and not to receiue reproch by being entertained like a glutton Caius Fabritius a notable Romain captaine was found by the Samnite embassadors that came vnto him eating of reddish rosted in the ashes which was all the dishes he had to his supper and that in a very poore house Scipio Aemilius kept a very honourable table for his friends for in his time riot had alredy begun to enter into Rome but going
the constitutions of lawes aswell in the gathering of their duties and tributes as in their manner of life They vsed the seruice of Noble mens and of Princes children onely who were of the age of twentie yeeres and were instructed in all sciences The reason whereof was that the king being pricked forward with the sight of thē that were about him might beware how he committed any thing woorthie of reproch And truly there is nothing that corrupteth Princes so much as vitious seruants who seeke to please their sensuall desires and affections When the king arose in the morning he was bound first to take and receiue all the letters and requests that were brought vnto him that answering necessarie matters first all his affaires might be guided by order and reason Then he went to the Temple to offer sacrifice to the gods where the Prelate and chiefe Priest after the sacrifice and praiers were ended rehearsed with a loud voice in the presence of the people what vertues were in the king what reuerence and religion towardes the gods was in him and what clemencie and humanitie towards men Moreouer he told that he was continent iust noble-minded true liberall one that brideled his desires and punished malefactors with a more mild and light punishment than the greatnes of their sinne and offence required rewarding also his subiects with graces gifts that were greater than their deserts This done he exhorted the king to a happie life agreeable to the gods and likewise to good manners by following after honor and vertue and therewithall propounded vnto him certaine examples of the excellent deedes of ancient kings thereby to prouoke him the rather therunto These kings liued with simple meates as with veale birds for all dishes they kept very exactly all the lawes and ordinances of their countrie in euery point of their life which was no lesse directed euen in the least things than the simplest of their subiects And truly so long as the kings of Egypt were such zealous obseruers of their lawes and of iustice raigned peaceably among their subiects they brought many strang nations into their subiection gathered togither infinite riches whereby they adorned their countrie with great buildings and sumptuous works and decked their townes with many gifts and benefits The Barbarian kingdomes were the second kinde of Monarchy namely the ancient Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians whose Princes vsurped Lordlie rule ouer their goods and persons and gouerned their subiects as a father of a familie doth his slaues Which kind of gouernment sauoureth more of a tyrannie than of a kingdome besides it is directly against the law of nature which keepeth euery one in his libertie and in the possession of his owne goods Notwithstanding when by the law of Arms and of iust warre a Prince is made Lord ouer any people they properly belong to him that conquereth and they that are ouercome are made his slaues by the ancient consent of all nations and this maketh the difference betweene the Lord-like Monarchy and a tyrannic which abuseth free subiects as slaues Of this second kinde of Monarchy was the kingdome of Persia as Plato writeth vnder Cambyses Xerxes and other kings vntill the last Darius For vsurping more absolute authoritie to rule than was conuenient they began to contemne their Vassals and to account of them as of slaues and putting no more confidence in them they intertained into their seruice mercenarie souldiors and strangers whereby they made their owne subiects vnfit for warre and so in the end lost their estate when it seemed to haue attained to the top of worldlie prosperitie Such is the estate of the Turke at this day wherein he is sole Lord commanding ouer his subiects in rigorous manner aswell ouer the Musulmans as Christians and Iewes He vseth in his principall affaires which concerne peace and warre and matters of gouernment the seruice of runnagate slaues whom he placeth in authoritie changeth or deposeth as he thinks good without peril and enuie yea he strangleth them vpon the least suspition or dislike conceiued of them not sparing his owne children and others of his blood if they anger him So did Sultan Solyman deale with Hibrahim Bascha who was almost of equall authoritie with him insomuch that he was there called the Seignour king of the Ianitzaries the Bascha and king of the men of Armes Neuertheles in one night wherin he made him stay sup with him lie in his owne chamber he caused him to be slaine and his bodie to be cast into the sea The morrow after he seazed vpon his goods as confiscate and caried them away and yet no man euer knewe the cause of his death except it were this that he was growne too great and consequently suspected of his maister who was a Tyrant rather than a King Likewise he keepeth in his hands all the Lordships of his kingdome which he distributeth to men of warre who are charged to maintaine a certaine number of men of Armes and of horses according to the rate of their reuenew and when it pleaseth him he taketh them away againe Neither is there any man in all the countries vnder his obedience that possesseth Townes Castles and Villages or dwelleth in strong houses or that dare build higher than one storie or than a Dooue-house The great Knes or Duke of Moscouia exceedeth for seueritie and rigour of commanding all the Monarchs in the world hauing obtained such authoritie ouer his subiects both Ecclesiasticall and secular that he may dispose of their goods and liues at his pleasure so that none dare gainesay him in any thing They confesse publikely that the will of their prince is the will of God and that whatsoeuer he doth is done by the will of God The king of Ethiopia is also a Lordlike Monarch hauing as Paulus Iouius affirmeth 50. kings no lesse subiect vnto him than slaues And Frauncis Aluarez writeth that he hath seene the great Chancellour of that countrie scourged starke naked with other Lords as the very slaues of the prince wherein they thinke themselues greatly honoured The Emperour Charles the fift hauing brought vnder his obedience the kingdome of Peru made himselfe soueraigne Lord thereof in regard of goods which the subiects haue not but as they farme them or for terme of life at the most The third kind of Monarchy whereof the Ancients made mention was that of Lacedemonia wherein the king had not absolute power but in time of warre out of the countrie and a certaine preheminence ouer the sacrifices We made mention of their gouernment before The first kings in Rome were sacrificers also and afterward the emperors called themselues Pontifices that is chiefe bishops and those of Constantinople were consecrated as our kings of Frāce are In like maner the Caliphaes of the Sarasins were kings and chiefe bishops in their religion the