King Ios l. 7. de ant Iud. c. 7. 2 Sam. c. 12.29 * 3. Absalonem contra expressum regis mandatum confodit Ioab contrary to the Kings expresse command slew Absolon Ios lib. 7 de ant Iud. 2 Sam. c. 18.14 * 4. Ioab Abnerem ducem Israelitarum et Amasam ducem Iudaeorum occiderat Ioab slew Abner a Captaine of the Israelites and Amasa a Captaine of the Iewes Abner was the Generall of Sauls Army as Ioab was of Davids and was beloved of the people who for that he was reproved by Isbosheth for the keeping of Rispa Sauls Concubine revolted from him to King David and used his best endeavour to settle the Crowne upon him but Ioab fearing that if hee should come in favour with the King his greatnesse would be eclipsed buzzed into the Kings eares that what he did was in Policy and that when hee had his end hee would revolt unto King Saul and seeing hee could not divert the affections of the King from him most treacherously under colour of parle ran his sword through him and slew him Ios lib. 7. de ant Iud. c. 11. Amasa was a Generall whom Ioab slew for no other cause but because the King had given the same power unto him as he had done unto Ioab Ios lib. 7. de ant Iud. c. 10. * 5. Ioab Adoniam patre vivente regnum invadentem aperte juvat Ioab treacherously assisted Adonijah against the King Adonijah was the sonne of King David by his Wife Agge for David had six sonnes before the birth of Solomon by six severall women Ammon by Achymas Daniel by Abigal Absolon by Machima Adonijah by Agge and Gerthesa and Gala by others the chiefe men that did adhere unto Adonijah were Ioab and Abiathar the high Priest the chiefe men that did oppose him were Zadock the Priest Nathan the Prophet and Benaiah the Captaine of the Guard Ios lib. 7. de ant Iud. c. 11. * 6. Ioab jussu Davidis a Solomone ad ipsam aram interemptus est Ioab by the Kings command by Solomon was put to death before the Altar Among other things King David gave this in charge unto Solomon at his death remember the iniquity of Ioab who through aemulation slew two good Generals Abner the sonne of Ner and Amasa the sonne of Iethram Ios l. 7. c. 11. * 7. Haman totam gentem Iudaeorum propter unius Mardochaei odium excindere parabat Haman for the hatred which he bore unto Mardochee would have sacrificed the whole Nation of the Iews In the dayes of Cyrus by the Graecians called Artaxerxes the whole Nation of the Iewes were in danger to bee extirpated for Haman being in favour with the King obtained a decree that all the Iewes together with their Wives on such a day should be put to death and for no other reason but because Mardechee the Queens Uncle would not adore him as the Persians did yet many other things were buzzed into the Kings eares against the Iewes as that they were a rebellious people of corrupt manners and enemies to all goodnesse of which decree Mardochee being given to understand betook himselfe to fasting and prayer and it pleased God so to work upon the affection of the King the Queene mediating for the Jewes that the punishment intended to Mardochee was inflicted upon Haman Jos lib. 11. de Ant. Iud. * 8. Tiberium illum tam superbum tam vinolentum tam crudelem Imperatorem That proud licentious and cruell Emperour It it is reported by a Tac. l. 6. Annal. Tacitus that the saying of Passienus the Orator went currant of Tiberius neque meliorem unquam servum neque deteriorem unquam dominum fuisse that there was never a better servant nor a worse master then Tiberius egregiè vixit privatus insons whilst hee was a private man yea and in the beginning of his raign he carried himselfe b Sue in Tib. c. 27. Dion Cas lib. 57 Tac. Annal lib. 1. very moderately vetat Templa sibi erigi erigique sibi statuam multa praeclara gessit de veste serica non utenda de vasis aureis non adhibendis nisi in sacris hee prohibited Temples to be dedicated ro him and his Statues to be erected hee regulated the excesse of superfluous apparell and commanded that vessels of gold should not bee used but onely in the Temples mox ubi regna petivit totas vitiis laxavit habenas but when hee got the reines of the Empire into his hands c Tac. lib. 6. Annal. there was no vice that hee was free from cruell hee was in a most barbarous manner omnis sexus omnis aetas illustres ignobiles dispersi aggregati d Ille nec aetati tenerae nec parcit anili every sex age and degree men and woemen old and young bond and free noble and ignoble tasted of his cruelty and given to Wine he was in excesse insomuch that instead of e Suet. in Tiber. Tiberius he was called Biberius and of Nero Mero certare peculis hilarescere vino erat illi quotidianum it was a familiar thing with him to spend two or three daies together in Polyphagia polypotia in gluttony and drunknesse Cum Pomponio Flocco L. Pisone noctem biduumque epulando potandoque consumpsit jucundissimos omnium horarum amicos hos esse affirmans with Floccus and Pyso hee spent two whole dayes and a night in drinking affirming they were the best companions that ever hee met withall Historians report that his nurse was a great drinker of Wine and that she ordinarily whilst hee was in his tender yeares fed him with sops dipt in wine whence it came to passe that when hee came to full growth hee delighted in nothing more then debosching and gurmondizing the Italian saith that it is a rule infallible che de latte che poppianio nella infantia dependata tutta la salute della vita nostra that of the milk that wee suck in whilst wee are in our cradles depends our health and welfare all our life time if that be unwholesome our bodies will be crasie and subject to diseases and the reason is because quod nova testa capit inveterata sapit the vessell will ever rellish of the liquour with which it is first seasoned Titus the sonne of the good Emperour Vespasian had all his life time a weak and crasy body and no other reason is given che per haver poppato nella infantia latte di balla mal sana but because in his tender yeares he was nurst by a woman that was not sound The cruelty of Caligula is not imputed to Germanicus that begot him or to his Mother that brought him forth but to the nurse that gave him suck of whom Dion sayes that she had haire on her brests as thick as men have on their beards So likewise the inhumanity of Pyrrhus is imputed to a Tigre of whom Homer sayes that he was borne in Greece bred up in Arcadia and nurst
see some Notes and Observations of mine in the end which have Relation unto it whereby the Authours meaning as well in point of History as Morality may be better understood Acatius Evenkellius his Advertisement to such as are in grace and favour with their Princes WHen of late wee met together and had some conference of the present affaires of the State but specially of the fall of Philodoxos you did seeme to wonder that I should be so confident that his end should bee no other then it fell out to be and although I did confirme the same unto you as well by Reason as by Authority taken out of the Histories both of antient and moderne times yet you were still of opinion that Philodoxos was so deeply scrued in his Princes favour that misfortune could not shake him and did desire me to shew you some Presidents of such as had tasted of the like grace and favour as hee did and that came to the like end as he did and withall what the causes were why I should bee so confident that Ruine and Destruction must needes be the end of him of which your request or command rather being ever mindfull I will first shew unto you out of the Treasuries of times both ancient and moderne some Examples of such as have been highly honoured by their Princes how they â—egan how they went on and how they ended In the next place as you desired I will shew you the causes of so suddaine a change and alteration and lastly play the part of a Physitian prescribe remedyes both to Prince and People that both the one and the other as farr forth as lieth in the power of man to doe may avoyd those dangers CHAP. I. Of Examples That I may begin with the Examples of the sacred Histories * 1 Ioab Davidis regis in utraque fortuna individuus diu comes 1 Ioab who was for a long time King Davids bosome friend in both fortunes the Captaine of his Guard and one well seene aswell in Militarie discipline as in Civill government and not ignorant of the fashion of the Court by which meanes hee grew gratious in the eyes of King and people who to give the King contentment put Vriah to death having neither law nor reason for his warant and to the end he might endear himselfe more and more unto him cunningly * 2 Rabbathae Ammoniorum urbis captionem regi suo reservavit 2 he ascribed the taking of Rabbath a Citie of the Ammonites unto him by reason of which his service hee grew so infinitly proud that not considering how odious such kinde of persons are in the sight of God and men hee was so bold * 3 Absalonem contra expressum Regis mandatum confodit 3 contrary to the expresse command of the King to lay violent hands upon Absalom the Kings son in hostilitie hee was with his Father and by consequence by the lawes of armes worthy of death yet hee had no Warrant to doe what hee did and for that the King tooke his death very heavily hee was so presumptuous as malepertly to upbraid him and to stir up the people to revolt and quit their allegiance nay it so fell out that not long before by a most barbarous trechery * 4 Abnerem ducem Israelitarum Amasam ducem Iudaeorum per summam perfidiam occiderat 4 hee slew Abner a Captaine of the Israelites and Amasa a Captaine of the Iewes that stood in competition with him and were upon the point to bee admitted into his place by the King to conclude which is worthy of observation hee seditiously * 5 Adoniam juvat 5 assisted Adonijah the Kings son to usurp his fathers territories in his life time for the which * 6 Iussu Regis interemptus 6 by the Kings Command hee was put to death by King Solomon his son before the altar Haman the son of Amadathus of the tribe of Agge Ahasuerus raised and set above all the Peares of his Kingdome and commanded that all his servants should honour and reverence him which gratious favour of his hee abused to satisfie his intolerable pride and cruelty when as * 7 TotoÌ„ gentem Iudaeorum propter odium unius Mardochaei 7 for the hatred he bare to Mordochee he obtained licence of the King that he might sacrifice the whole Nation of the Iewes but fortune turning of her wheele as God would have it he by the Kings command was hanged on the same tree which hee had prepared for Mordochee To come unto the Romane Histories which will shew unto us which is strange that the most flourishing times of the Empire will afford us most Examples in this kinde I will begin with Aelius Seianus a notable patterne of humane frailty hee was come of a Noble house and by his policie so wond himselfe into the favor of * 8 Illum tam superbum tam saevum tam violentum impeâ—atorem 8 Tiberius Caesar that proud licentious cruell inconstant ambitions Emperour that though he were reserved and close unto all others yet to him he was open and free hee had a body indefatigable a bold spirit close in any thing that concerned himselfe but a deep searcher in other mens secrets openly modest and shamefast but within full of flatterie pride and ambition and to accomplish his ambitious designes hee did very often use briberie and entertainments in excesse but more often Industry and vigilancy by his Industry and cunniâ—g hee insinuated himselfe into the affections of the pretorian company * 9 Cohortibus praetoriis praefectus 9 for hee being Cheife â—ommander of them hee summoned them very often to come together and by coming amongst them and * 10 Irrepere caepit in militaâ—es animos adeundo appellando 10 calling them by their names he won their hearts and the hearts of the Centurions and Tribunes neither did he forbeare to come among the Senators and to gratifie some with honors others with authoritie for Tiberius did so much honor him that hee made him not only privie to his Councells * 11 Per theatra effigies ejus inter Principes legionum coli statuit and actions but upon all occasions graced him in the presence of the Elders and the people 11 hee suffered his statues to be adored in the Courts and theater among the statues of the Princes Sejanus weighed all things diligently and duely considered of things before they happened and therefore that hee might not lose the power which hee had with the multitude and such as dayly did resorte unto him hee never absented himselfe long from his owne howse but came home to entertaine them where he received them curteously ever shewing his readines to procure pardon for such as were delinquents and that hee might the better bring to passe his designes * 12 Vitam procul Româ â—maenis locis ducere persuasit 12 he prevailed with Tiberius to
that thou takest in hand succeede well unto thee and contrarywise if thou doest not After thou hast done this in the next place pray unto God for grace wisedome and understanding that thou mayst be able to undergoe the office committed to thy charge a right and in this let King Solomon be a pattern unto thee who although hee had a most sanctified man to his Father and a wise man to his Tutor from whom hee might learn touching the Government of his Kingdome as much as the wit of man could instruct him yet hee prayed to God in this manner O Lord God thou hast placed me in the Throne of my Father King David that am a feeble person too weake for the understanding of thy judgements and Laws give mee wisedome that I may bee able to governe thy people in judgement and righteousnesse After thou hast prayed in this manner for such things as are needfull for thee * 79 Exequere munus tuum summe cum cura 79 then goe on cheerefully in thy calling and execute the same with all diligence and integrity meddle with that which belongs to thy selfe only and put not thy sickle in another mans harvest so that no man may justly taxe thee that thou hast omitted any thing which thou oughtest to have done or that another man could have performed the same with more care and diligence which that thou mayst do thou must have a care that thou doest not abuse the power and authority committed unto thee to doe any man wrong for any private grudge or malice conceived neither for hatred nor affection to do any thing that belongs not to thy calling observe ever that rule that our Saviour hath given give unto every one that which is due unto him unto Caesar that which is Caesars and unto God that which is Gods and that of the Apostle it is better to obey God then man honour thy Prince ever and obey him but so that thou must know that above him there is a God whom thou must more honour and obey have a care ever which many doe neglect to say or do any thing to please him which is repugnant to the will of God for though it be a difficult and dangerous thing to oppose a Prince in any thing and so to draw his anger and displeasure upon thy head yet know it for a certainty that if thou shalt feare him more then God by avoiding the smoak thou fallest into the fire cursed is hee that with hope of impunity commits an offence and though such a man may escape for a time yet in the end God will punish him with ruine and destruction for although God bee long suffering and gentle yet when his wrath is once incensed nothing will appease him and be sure of this that God whom thou hast served and obeyed will so assist thee that though thou mayst for a time incurr the displeasure of thy Prince yet in the end thy innocency shall be made known to thy prayse and glory so that the Prince shall not only thank thee when hee shall know thy integrity but shall commend and applaud thee and this was Josephs case whom when his Master had made him Steward of his house and committed all things to his power and authority being sollicited by his Mistris to lye with her he would not consent saying how can I commit this great offence and not sinne against God who though hee was for a time by his Mistris calumniations wrought out of favour with his Master and cast into Prison yer in the end by Gods assistance he was delivered and where before he had but the Command of a private Family hee was advanced to bee the second man in the Kingdom and heard the saying of our Saviour sounding in his eares goe to good servant thou hast been faithfull in a little I have made thee ruler over much enter into thy Masters joy So when the King of Egypt commanded Sephora and Phua the two midwives of the Hebrews to kill all the male children of the Hebrews as soone as they were borne they fearing God did not obey his Command but kept them alive for which God blessed them and built them houses So when Saul commanded his servants to kill the Priests with whom David sojourned his servants would not therein execute his Command Ioab was not so well-minded for he presently upon the Command of King David betrayed Vriah to death and though hee disswaded the King a little to number the people yet when he importuned him thereunto hee listned to his sollicitation and obeyed him but it had been better for him that he had hazarded his displeasure for the present and so have escaped and turned aside the wrath of God and miseries which ensued Therefore let him as much as in him lies carry himselfe uprightly towards all men not somuch to avoid the calumnies of the envious and the backbiter or the displeasure of the Prince as to keep himselfe in grace and favour with God for it is the greatest happinesse to do no wrong to any Let him think with himselfe that * 80 Cogitor multa sibi non licere quae hominibus in angulo jacentibus licent 80 it is not lawfull for him to doe many things which men of mean degree living out of the rode in some corner of the Earth may doe without exception that a great fortune is a great burthen that all his actions are exposed to the view of the world that his thoughts are scarse secret to himselfe because that all mens eyes are fixed and fastned upon him it is not lawfull for him to intend his profit his studies his pleasures nor to addict himselfe wholly to any thing because hee is not his owne but his Princes servant therefore let him eschew Pride Coveteousnesse Cruelty and the like wherewith they that live in high places are usually tainted let him cast his eyes behinde him and see what he was not what he is and at no time behave himselfe violently or insolently towards any man here the Councell of Amuratus is religious that * 81 Non ob propriam virtutem 81 thou shouldst ever thinke that thou art raised to that degree of honour not for any worth or merit of thine owne but by the divine providence of God who hath been pleased to worke upon the affection of the Prince to favour and affect thee above other men this if thou dost duly consider it must necessarily follow that thou wilt ever carry thy selfe respectively to thy Prince and be lowly in thine owne eyes giving the glory to God alone thou wilt be gentle mercifull and liberall and spend and end thy dayes quietly in the peace of a good conscience and that thou maist doe here what Sophocles saith in Ajax Lorar let these Examples move thee that thou dost not grow proud or speake irreverently of the name of God if he hath endowed thee with better endowments or a better fortune then
Agrippa Seneca Maecenas Byrrhus whom we have before remembred did hee will doe his uttermost endeavour to perswade the Prince above and before all things in the world to look after that which tends to his own honour and the good of the Common-Wealth for as it is no way profitable to the stomack if at one meale it shall be so glutted that it be ready to burst or in a few daies so much meate be thrown into it as will serve for six months so it is no way profitable to a Prince at once to take all mens estates to himselfe and to care more that hee may have much then well to have gotten it and to enjoy it long therefore if thou wouldst well consider of it thou shalt finde that there are none that do more endammage the Prince then they that do advise him to intend his own private good and indeed if thou wouldst search into it thou shalt see that those men doe not look so much after his private good as the good of themselves and therefore by all manner of meanes they seek his favour but they that seek not somuch their owne good as the good of the Commonwealth have ever a care that as well the people as the Prince without whom he is but a single man may flourish and prosper for the head cannot be perfect if the other members of the body be impotent and not able to performe their proper office Of this Seneca in his Tragedy entituled Octavia takes notice saying * 87 Pulchrum est eminere intervâ—ros illustres 87 It is a famous worthy thing Amidst renowned Lords alone to ring And wisely to care your Country for to save And well your selfe to captive folke behave From cruell brutish slaughter to abstaine And void of mood to wreake your angry paine And to the world a quiet calm to give That all your age the people in peace may live This is a worthy praise without all crime This is the path to Heaven whereby we clime This then is the scope of all that a Princes servant ought so indifferently to carry himselfe between him and his people that as he honours and loves the Prince so he should the people yet not for their sakes but for his therefore let him alwayes be carefull that he may not justly be taxed as Seneca was that he drew the hearts of the Citizens fron the Prince to himselfe for as it * 88 Civilia in genia filiorum regnantibus displicent 88 is distastfull to Princes to see their sonnes have popular wits so it is to see their servants and this he shall bee sure to doe and keep himselfe from all suspition if he follow the Example of Agrippa and so honour his Prince that he may be sure that he studies nothing more then his safety and honour and above all things let him have a special care that he do not provoke him in word or deed for * 89 Pertinax memoria est verborum acerborum 89 bitter words take a deep impression in the mindes of great persons and the deeds which ensue thereupon strike more deep into them and though they doe not for the present either take notice of them or at least revenge them yet when any small occasion is given they are called to remembrance and when they little dream of it they are severely punished for them Joab slew Absalon contrary to the command of the King his father and afterwards seeing him condole his death sharply with menaces upbraided him which the King took very ill and although hee did not at that time inflict any punishment upon him yet upon his death-bed he commanded his sonne to punish him and without doubt for that cause though he did not then expresse it The same doth Alexander the great confesse in the case of Philotas this man saith hee when I writ unto him out of love and familiarity to acquaint him what fortune had befallen me by the oracle of Jupiter Hammon he was so bold as to answer my Letter that he was glad to heare that the gods had accepted me to be one of their company but yet I must have compassion of them that live under me the gods doe not as men doe they give and take nothing from any man these are markes of a minde long ago estranged from me and of a man that envies to see my prosperity which griefe my Souldiers so long as they could for the love they bore unto Philotas prevailed with me to conceal The very same thing doth Chalchas testifie in Homer now saith he doth Jupiter give reines unto his power and now doth hee persecute with eagernesse the man of low degree and though for a time he concealed his wrath and made a faire shew yet afterwards it returned into his bosome againe and would not be satisfied untill it had revenged it selfe Therefore I say he must have a speciall care that hee doe not provoke his Prince with any harsh language especially that hee doe not carry himselfe so that his Prince shall stand in feare of him which wee have before observed to be a great fault in the Earle of St. Paullont of Commines and in Joab that threatned the King that unlesse hee would observe him the people would renounce their Allegiance unto him therefore Philip Commines saith that if that he had a friend he would advise him to carry himselfe so that his Master might love him not feare him for that he never knew man of whom his Master stood in feare that sped not ill in the end Examples whereof wee have very many This presumtion oftentimes proceedeth of the good service he hath done for he thinks his experience so great that hee cannot bee spared and his deserts such that his Master ought to bear all things at his hands but Princes on the contrary side both say and think that hee is bound to doe him service and desire nothing more then to be rid of such malepert fellows and he alledgeth a saying of the King his Master that good servicâ—s sometimes undoe a man and are recompenced with great ingratitude not alwayes by the Masters forgetfulnesse but sometimes by the servants owne fault who presuming upon their good service behave themselves arrogantly either towards their Masters or their fellowes and further touching those that come to court this was his opinion that he is more hapier that receiveth a benefit of the Prince he serveth without any great desert wherby he standeth bound to his Prince then he that hath done so great service that his Prince seemeth indebted to him adding that hee for his part loved those better that were bound to him then they to whom hee was bound Againe let not the servant of a Prince opprobriously be bragging and boasting of his owne merits nor in other affaires be troublesome to him but let him containe himselfe within the bounds of modesty and assume rather too little then too much unto himselfe Quintus Curtius
one and not many of them to be found I doe not see wherefore I should swarve from the rule I have set downe Tacitus likewise makes mention of Memmius Regulus that was of so great renown and authority that setting aside the Emperour no man was greater insomuch that Nero being told lying very sick by certain flatterres that waited upon him that now the Empyre was at an end answered that there was one Memmius alive that would have a care that it should not fal to the ground this man afterwards betook himseâ—fe to a private life hee was not of any great estate nor of an ancient house as the same author reports this example of Regulus will give good contentment to them that leave all authority and in time betake themselves to live private lives this man was not so great for honors and estate as many of them whom we have formerly remembred but his credit with his Prince and his fame raised by his vertuous actions was as great as the greatest in our time wee may remember Granvillanus Vesontinus who for the space of twenty yeares together held the chiefe place of authority under Charles the fift and was onely privy to his secrets and died in great grace and favour with him the Emperour much bewayling his death as Sleidan reports and which added somewhat to his happinesse Anthony his Son Bishop of Artois succeeded him in his place whom his father in his absence did usually depute to manage the affaires of the Commonwealth here this is remarkable in this Prince that hee ever used one man alone that was more powerfull then the rest to manage the affaires of the Empire yet so that hee ever had an eye to the government himselfe and to the man of the condition of this Prince and how a Prince ought to behave himselfe that things may fall out successefully I have already spoken These Examples although they be few do teach us that it is not impossible for him that hath a great place in the Commonwealth under his Prince to live happily in it to his dying day which how it may come to passe and how such men ought to carry themselves I will set downe some few documents and precepts and the scope of them shall bee to advertise them that are on high to avoid those rocks that many of those whom we have formerly remembred have fallen upon how it may be done it will not be lost labour to search diligently into the first thing therefore as wee have formerly noted is that thou bee sure of a calling and not thrust thy selfe into any place by bribery or any indirect meanes before thou be called for the fabrick cannot stand when the foundation fails if the beginning be evill the end must needs be so wherefore whosoever thou art that hast attained to any place by any indirect meanes it is thy best course to relinquish the same and to betake thy selfe to thy former accustomed course of life for that it is impossible that thou shouldst enjoy it quietly when thou commest to it by such meanes every misfortune that befals thee will pierce thee to the very heart and trouble thee because that thou injuriously didst intrude thy selfe into a place that appertained not unto thee for if our proper vocations duly attained admister unto us many cares and troubles much more those that are unduly gotten Tacitus reports of Brutidius Niger that executed the office of an Edile under Tiberius Caesar * 76 Brutidius Nigerareibus honeâ—is copâ—osus that he was well seen in many good Arts and that if he had continued his course was like to have come to the greatest places in the Commonwealth but striving on a suddaine to out-strip his equals and superiours nay the the very limits of his owne hopes hee overthrew himselfe The same Tacitus further adds that there have been divers hopefull men in the Common-wealth who despising that which with little patience might have beene had with security have hastened to that which being gotten before due time hath bred their ruine and destruction Hieronimus Messanius seeing Alexander ab Alexandro as he writes of himselfe living in a mean estate and condition of life blamed him therefore and told him though he had taken a great deale of paines yet he had not learn'd to be wise and related unto him a story of a certain man that * 77 Alegat exempluÌ„ cujusdam qui nullis artibus honestis praevalere potuit 77 used all the lawfull meanes that hee could think of to attain to a Bishoprick and could not prevaile insomuch that hee bethought himselfe of another course he went and bought two or three tunns of the best wine hee could get for his money and sent them to the Bishop and not long after hee had what hee desired hee spake of others likewise that were the most contemptible men in the Commonwealth such as made it their trade to prey upon the people who having injuriously gotten into their hands the Estates of many put the same into the Treasury and by this meanes became powerfull and mighty hee told him of many others that were of the most vile condition that by their wicked and abominable devises raised themsevles out of the dust to great honours but these examples of his prevailed not with Alexander hee said hee had rather live in a low degree with the freedom of a good conscience then by dishonest courses blemish his good name and reputation Machiavell endeavours to prove that * 78 Plures fraude quaÌ„ virtute ad honores ascendunt 78 more men raise themselves to Honours and Estates by fraud then by worth and merit but that opinion of his both Scipio Amiratus and others have at large confuted by explaning the Presidents which hee hath alledged for the confirmation of his opinion and shewed how hee hath no colour for his conceit Endeavour therefore whosoever thou art to raise thy selfe by good meanes otherwise thou shalt finde and so the examples which I have before alleaged will manifest unto thee that though thou mayst flourish for a time yet in the end thou shalt come to ruine and destruction for it is not possible which is the greatest misery that can befall them for such men as raise themselves by undue meanes in future times to bee honest for having once transgressed the bounds of justice and honesty they are of necessity constrained if they will continue their places to be dishonest still and to preserve themselves by the same meanes by the which they have been raised which in the end cannot bee but fatall unto them the favour of thy Prince will doe thee no good if it bee not obtained by good meanes for there is nothing more uncertaine of its own nature especially when there is no ground for it for then thou hast God thy enemy in whose hands are the hearts of Princes whatsoever therefore thou doest have God ever in thy minde so shall all things
deprive him of his inheritance and often to beg at the hands of God to cut off the thred of his life for that hee thought him unworthy to breath upon the face of the earth that shewed himselfe so disobedient to his Father and told some that stood up in his defence that if they did but know how deare the love of a Father is to his Sonne they would ratâ—er compassionate the Fathers case then the Sonnes because there is no Father in the World so cruell and hard-hearted but will sheath his sword up to the hilt in his owne heart before he will strike his Sonne with the hilt of it to wit that is not more grieved that his Sonne should give him an occasion to disinherite him then his Son is with the losse of his inheritance the Sonne then replying acknowledged his disobedience and wanton course of life but imputed the cause thereof unto his Father for that when hee was of tender yeares hee cast him out of doores and delivered him into the hands of strangers from whose breasts hee suckt in the seeds of disobedience and folly Solon having heard both parties delivered this sentence that the Father for that hee had cast his Sonne out of doores as soone as hee came into the World should bee debarred of the rites of funerall and so dye without honour that the Sonne for his disobedience should bee disinherited during his life and that the Grandchild in whom there was no fault after the death of his Grandfather should inherite the possessions because it would be injustice to disinherite tâ—e Sonne for the Fathers offence so the Grandfather was punisht after his death and the Sonne whilst hee lived thus have I taken a liberty occasioned by reason of the Nurse of Tiberius to condemne that liberty which parents assume to turne their Children out of doores as soone as they are borne being a thing unnaturall and not used amongst the brute Creatures Suetonius hath one remarkable passage of Tiberius upon a time Tiberius invited himselfe to an old fornicators house to supper whom Augustus had put to some shame and ignominy and whom he himselfe not long before had distasted upon this condition ut nudis puellis ministrantibus caenaretur that the Symposiarchus who was the Steward of the Feast should especially provide that he might be attended with some handsome young Wenches clad in no other habite then that wherewith Nature had first invested them Observations upon the changing of Tiberius his manners and honours There are foure good Mothers that bring forth four abortive daughters truth hatred security danger familiarity contempt and prosperity pride the Priest untill he became a Cardinall was curteous and loving unto all but being advanced hee forgate his old friend Michael Stat foris ante fores Michael dicens quod honores Commutant mores raro tamen in meliores So long as Alexanders horse was clad with his ordinary accouterment and caparison hee would admit of any man to come upon his backe and to ride him at structus regiis phaleris neminem praeter regem admitteret but when hee had the Saddle on which the King did usually ride on his back then hee would admit of no man but the King divitiae honores inquit Erasmus peccandi quandam necessitudinem secum ad ferunt nam sicut difficile est colubrum in sinu alere non morderi ità difficillimum honoribus divitiis abundantem vitiis non contaminari riches and honours doe in a manner enforce a man as Erasmus sayes to transgresse for as it is a hard thing for a man to carry a snake in his bosome and not be stung so it is more hard to abound in wealth and honour and not to abound in sinne and transgression the good fortune of many a man is his utter ruine and destruction for if it be not guided with reason and discretion it drives him as a tempest doth a ship upon the sands of pride and presumtion but as a skilfull horseman by his skill in riding will cover the defects of his horse so a wise man with his discretion will carry himselfe so in both fortunes that prosperity shall not make him proud nor adversity sad Maude the Wife of King Henry the first is deservingly registred for the paragon of her sexe because in both fortunes she was ever the same prospera non laetam fecere nec aspera trisioÌ„ Aspera risus ei prospera terror erant prosperity never made her proud or adversity sad the one shee scorned the other shee feared as Henry of Huntington hath it in his seventh book Cato among all the noble Romanes is preferred for his setled constancy Senec. 104. Nemo inquit Seneca mutatum Catonem toties mutata republica unquam vidit eundem se in omni statu praestitit in praetura in repulsu in coÌ„ciouâ— in exercitu in morte cum alij ad Caesarem alij ad Pompeium inclinabant solus Cato fecit reip partes no man ever saw Cato dismaid in the most troublesome times of the Romane state hee was the same man in exile as hee was when he was praetor in the Army as when he was giving the charge in the Senate house at his death as at other times Semper eadem was a Motto well beseeming a most worthy princesse and semperâ—talis talis erat ludeus epigrammata talis seria scribens talis consiliarius talis cancellarius was a worthy Encomium of a great officer of this Kingdome in the daies of King Henry the Eight and if Tiberius had deserved the like hee could not have wanted an Encomiastick to have given it him but being he changed his manners with his honours hee is regestred for a childe of inconstancy a changling and the off spring of immoderate desires * 9 Cohortibus praetoriis praefectus Hee being chiefe Commander of the Praetorian Company This office was sometimes executed by military men Seius Strabo held the same under Augustus and Sejanus under Tiberius but as Bodin in the third book of his Commonwealth observes quia nemo nisi qui legum juris peritissimus erat fungi poterat hoc munere Imperatores pro ducibus legionum jurisconsultos provexerant so as under Otho Martian under Severus Papinean and under Alexander Vlpian held the same whose Commission was so large that all men might appeal unto them no man from them In the dayes of Romulus as Alciate observes they had not onely a superintendency over the Souldiers that garded the Emperours Person and Palace but also over them that defended the Empire against his enemies but when the Empire began to spread it selfe this Office was divided there was praefectus militum praefestus vigilum the one was superintendent over the gard that attended the Emperour the other over the Souldiers that went against his enemies so long as the blood of the Emperors of Germany continued in the line of the Kings of France the Kings of France had the
of Croatia and within short time took him Prisoner caused his hands to bee bound to hot irons and his flesh with burning pincers to bee pull'd from his body and what remained to be divided into four parts and to be hanged upon the Gates of the City the rest that were accessaries to the Queens death hee caused to be beheaded Observations upon the usurpation of Carolus Whatsoever is gotten by usurpation is never of any long continuance Henry the Fourth King of England and King Henry the fift may peradventure for a time enjoy the Scepter but de male quaesiitis non gaudet tertius haeres the Grandchilde Henry the sixt shall never enjoy it quietly Richard the third may peradventure for a time flourish and prosper but God in the end will release a poore Prisoner out of Brittany to take revenge of the bloud of his Nephews King Hen. the 7th was 15 yeares a Prisoner with the Duke of Brittany Com. lib. 6. Carolus of Apuleia may for a moment insult over the weaker Sexe and usurpe upon Maria but in the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right will prevaile Leo minimarum avium pabulum fiet and the Crowes shall prognosticate his destiny ferunt enim as saith Bonfinius quod paulo post Coronationem Caroli innumera multitudo Corvorum regiatecta circumvolabant tuâ—matim fenestras impetabant veluti strangulati crocitabant nulla vi repellipotuissent Bonf. lib. 3. dec 1. CHAP. II. * 36. Quisque peculiari munere devinctus est Every one is called to one calling or other SAint Gregory condemneth the vaine conceit and presumption of those Astrologers that attribute so much unto the Planets that say if a man be borne under Iupiter he is destinated unto riches and honour if under Mercury unto Wisedome and Knowledge that give the reason wherefore seldome is the rich man wise or the wise man rich for that these Planets are seldome in conjunction Jupiter being the slowest of the Planets and not being able in a lesse space then twelve yeares to compasse the Earth and Mercury being the swiftest of them every yeare going about it so as they seldome meet or if they doe they stay not long together this foolish conceit every Christian ought to reject for that wee are taught that there is nothing done in the World without the divine providence of the Omnipotent the World is a Stage and every one that commeth into it hath his part to act assigned him from Heaven to one the part of a King to another of a Subject to one of a Priest to another of a Prophet to one this to another that David Cyrus Paul Ieremy had their severall parts David had his dixit Dominus Prophetae surge unge hunc hic est ille the Lord said unto Samuel rise up annoint him for this is the man Cyrus had his propter servum Iacobum Isralitum electum meum propterea me vocasti de nomine tuo cognominavi te quamvis ignores me Saint Paul had his Paulus apostolus non ab hominibus neque per hominem sed per Iesum Christum ac Deum patrem qui suscitavit eum â—â— mortuis and the Prophet Ieremy had his cum nondum formavissem te in utero matris agnovi te cum non prodiisses e vulva sanctificavi te Prophetam ipsis gentibus constitui te There is no man so meane and contemptible but hath his part assigned him and though in the first or second scene hee may personate some fisher-man shepheard or heardsman yet oftentimes in these poore men doth God shew his power and omnipotency Daâ—id was for many yeares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a poore shepheard forlorne and neglected and not esteemed as one of the sonnes of lesse for when the Prophet came unto Bethlem and invited lesse with his Sonnes to a Banquâ—t David was not amongst them Sala and Nathaniel Rael and Asam were there but as for David he was in the fields with his flocks and when as the Prophet would have annointed one of them because they were faire and of comely countenances the spirit of God sharply reproved him saying God judgeth not as men do by the outward lineaments of the body but by the inward perfections of the mind and that the man that hee look't after was not there the Prophet then enquiring what other Sonnes hee had David was then made know unto him and of him he said hic est ille and thereupon Vngitur Iessaides qui regia sceptra gubernat David was annointed * 37. Contemptus inter fratres Ioseph was hated of his Brethren Hee was hated even unto death for had not Ruben stickled for him and shewed them how abominable a thing it was to murther a Brother an innocent Brother of tender yeares whose yeares required their tuition and for no other cause but because of the blessings which God had bestowed upon him of which they might be partakers by reason of their neernesse in bloud unto him they had killed him * 38. Venditus in servitutem Ioseph was sold into bondage The Merchants that bought him were cer aine Merchants of Arabia that carried Spices from the Country of Galedena into Aegypt who sold him againe to Potiphar the Steward of King Pharoh his house in whose service he behaved himselfe so well that his Mistresse fell in love with him and because he would not yield to her amorous encounters shee accused him to her Husband that hee attempted to sollicite her Chastity and to defile his bed * 39. Conjectus in Carcerem Ioseph was cast into prison Vpon the false accusation of his Mistresse hee was cast into prison where hee remained for the space of two yeares but in the end God delivers him and verifies the vision which hee saw in his dreame that his Brothers sheafes of Corne worshipt his and that the Sunne Moone and Eleven Starres humbled themselves before him Exod. 37. * 40. Per aequa iniqua gratiam Principis quâ—runt They seek by fraud bribery and all other unlawfull meanes to attaine their ends Nemo unquam imperium flagitio quaesitum bonis artibus exercuit saith Tacitus with whom agrees Josephus in his seventh Book of the antiquity of the Iewes saying that he that hath attained to any honours and preferments by undue meanes will not stick to use meanes more pernicious to continue the same So did Ioab as wee have said before to support his magnificence murder Abner and Amasa so did Sejanus to support his greatnesse make love unto Livia the Wife of Drusus and procured her to bee accessary to her husbands death as Tacitus hath it in the fourth Book of his Annalls So did Tigellinus by his wicked practises wherein onely he did excell oblige Nero unto him Tacitus lib. 14. So did Perennis advise Commodus to take his pleasure in the Countrey Dion Cas lib. 72. * 41 Ministri facinorum ut exprobrantes aspiciuntur Princes ever behold the instruments of villany with threatning