consider what appertains to your Degree and what is in your Power to the end there fall not from you any thing unbecoming your Royal Dignity either in Word or Deed you must also bear in mind that all your Subjects are discoursing still of you judging all your Steps and censuring your Courses Further consider how you are exposed to Flatterers who dive into your very Thoughts upon every Change of your Countenance and Carriage from which they will make use for their own ends but in this Great King you may well understand how to demean your self not submitting your Ear to any Person that may charm you with his Syren Flattery or disguise the Truth by Dissimulation since God hath endowed you with great Affability of Behaviour accompanied with Gravity and Dispatch The King then received this Answer with great Joy and Applause and gave all the Company leave to seek their Repose to prepare themselves for meeting at the Feast the day following which was ordered as the former They being met and the time presenting it self for Discourse as before the King made this Question to the first of those that had not yet spoken Fifteenth Question What thing is most difficult for a King The Resolution THat is to Command Himself and not to permit himself to be prevailed upon by any exorbitant Appetites or Passions for all Men have a certain Bent of Inclination by which they many times permit themselves to be led according as their Genius leads them some to Banquets and Riot others to Pastimes and Pleasures wherein the greatest part of the Multitude are immerc'd But Kings should have their Thoughts more elevated as being excited by great Honour and Glory to frame their Actions to Conquests and design the taking of Cities and reducing of Nations Nevertheless it is very commendable to keep a meaâ— and to conserve carefully what God hath and shall give you and not so much to affect what is out of reason or unworthy the high Glory of your Place To the other Sixteenth Question What means he hath to avoid the Envy of Any The Resolution IF before all things you bear in mind that Riches Honour and Greatness are the Gifts of God to Kings of which no Person hath true right to dispose Wherefore if any aim to partake of this glorious Prerogative to be un-envied he will never obtain his end for it is the gift of God alone To the other Seventeenth Question What he ought to do to oblige his Enemies The Resolution IF you become gracious and favourable towards all bountiful Persons without particular Respect of any likewise in what you receive from others not to shew your self ingrateful to the Services and good Offices you have received from them for that is a sign of the Grace of God To the other Eighteenth Question How he may continue in Glory and Honour The Resolution IF towards others and above all others you excell in Bounty and Magnificence accompanying the same with a good Grace never will Glory and Honour abandon you and it behoveth you still to pray to God that such Vertues may perpetually assist you To the other Nineteenth Question To what Persons he should dispence Honour The Resolution THey commonly judge Great King that we ought to dispense Honour where we especially love but for my part I am of Opinion that we ought to dispence all we can to the Envious and to be gracious and bountiful to them according to the utmost of our Power to the end that by such means they may be induced and won to do what is good and profitable in which Choice of our Favours we must implore the Aid of God who inspireth the Understanding to the end he may accomplish in us this Perfection To the other Twentieth Question What Persons he ought to gratifie The Resolution FAther and Mother Great King before all Persons for God hath annexed a great Commandment to the Duty we owe to our Father and Mother allowing after but a second place to Friends whom he hath stiled proportionable in Nature Further I esteem it Great King no small Happiness that you engage all the World to love you To the other One and twentieth Question What is more worthy than Beauty The Resolution THat is Piety for that is a Beauty excelling all other and its Force consisteth in Charity which is a Gift of God which you have and with it you will inherit all Vertue and all that is good To the other Two and twentieth Question By what means oâ—e may recover Greatdess and Glory once lost The Resolution THat is Great King if you are full of Benignity Affability and gracious to all the World which are things charming and attracting the Love of the People it is hard if you lose your Greatness On the other side great Preparations for War give great Assurance but those who fall into such Accidents it is necessary that they abstain from what occasioned them to fall into such Inconveniences and thenceforward they acquire Friends by giving themselves to the Exercise of Justice and Equity for good Works are the Gifts of God To the other Three and twentieth Question How he may live without Anxiety The Resolution IF you wrong no Man and relieve every one doing Justice to all the World for from so doing we reap such pleasant Fruits as we shall always live pleasantly Nevertheless we ought to crave of God that what Accidents happen contrary to Expectation bring us no Damage as Death Sicknesses and such like Inconveniences which can do you no harm if you are full of Piety To the other Four and Twentieth Question What thing in this World is worthy the greatest Honour The Resolution THat is to serve God not so much with Sacrifices or Oblations as with a pure Heart and a sincere Conscience and to conform your self to the Obedience of a simple and active Faith Which if you do Great King it will firmly imprint this Truth in your Heart That all you have done and shall do hereafter will be evident and appear to all the World After this past the King with a loud Voice saluted them all ascribing to them great Praise as did also the Assistants especially the Philosophers who were there present and not without Cause For these Persons were of great Authority in all their Speeches laying the Foundations of their Answers and Opinions alwayes in God This done the King returned to Feasting and Meriment The day following the Tables were covered in the same manner as before and all the Lords as before being set at Table the King taking his Opportunity of Devising began to interrogate those who followed the others in the foregoing day of answering and made this Question The twenty fifth Question I would know if Prudence may be taught The Resolution PRudence is a certain Dress and Ornament of the Soul flowing â—rom the Divine Power having this â—roperty to embrace what is good â—nd to refuse its contrary Six and twentieth Question
What thing is most advantageous for the Health of the Soul The Resolution THat is Prudence which nonâ— can procure or obtain unleâ— God disposes his Understanding tâ— receive it To the other Seven and twentieth Question How may one sufficiently yield dâ— thanks to their Father and Mâ—â—ther The Resolution IF you give them no cause of Griâ—â— in the World though there scarce any to be found who can 〈◊〉 govern themselves excepting Goâ— Father of all Light do illuminaâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Understanding to every Actio◠〈…〉 To the otherâ— Eight and twentieth Question How he might be made covetous to hear many things The Resolution IF you consider Great King how advantageous and profitable â—t is to know every thing Created â—or by that means proportioning and â—djusting what you have understood â—o the quality of the times present â—ou will have the choice of what â—ill be most agreeable and conveniâ—nt for you in which you ought â—â—wayes to pray unto â—od that he â—ill be your Succourer for from â—im proceeds all accomplishment of â—ood Works To the other Nine and twentieth Question â—hat he should do not to violate the Laws The Resolution â—F you were perswaded that God hath inspired those who have established the Laws for the Directiâ—on and Government of the Lives oâ— us Mortals you will well follow thâ— the other Thirtieth Question What Advantage may accrue to onâ— from Parentage The Resolution GReat King if we weigh thâ— Accidents which happen to 〈◊〉 we shall find when our Parents 〈◊〉 into Adversity we share with theâ— therein and are mutually oppressâ— and grieved with the greatness â— their Sorrow And if there arrive 〈◊〉 so any Prosperity and happy Fortuâ—â— to them we are glad and find thâ— Content and Satisfaction in whâ—â—â— we solace our selves And in truth our Parents are so well advised tâ—â— they can intermingle their Afâ—aâ— amiâ—ably together and that all thiâ— between them be so well knit toâ—ther by the ties of an inviolaâ—â— Friendship there is no place left any desire of a Life more happy nor is the same capable of any addition save only of Continuance which you are to beg of God To the other One and thirtieth Qâ—estion How he might be free from all Fear The Resolution IF your Conscience be clear of all sense of past Guilt setting God alwayes present before your Eyes for â—he Guide and Conduct of all your Counsels to a good and happy issue To the other Two and thirtieth Question How he should be readily assisted with Recollection and a due Presence of Mind at all Times The Resolution IF you seriously reflect how to the Vicissitudes of Humane Life all the World is exposed setting often before your Eyes the admirable Revolutions that God hath sent Hoâ— some are raised to Riches and Honouâ— others pressed with Calamities anâ— fallen into extream Disgrace Tâ— the other Three and thirtieth Question What Course he ought to take and puâ—â—sue to avoid being immersed in Senâ—suality and Idleness The Resolution THis to you Great King whâ— have the Rule of a great Kingâ—dom and a multiplicity of Affairs tâ— manage is feasible For in the diâ—â—charge of so weighty an Employmeâ—â— it is impossible you should have anâ— Leisure to fix your Imagination uâ—â—on any thing but your Affairs sinâ—â— they will take up all your Timâ— It is convenient therefore that yoâ— be alwayes intent upon your Chargâ— and that you pray to God to give â—ou Grace to omit nothing of what concerns your Employment To the other Four and thirtieth Question By what Signes he may know those who would impose upon him The Resolution IF you consider with your self what Freedom every one useth in your â—ehalf whether he hath ever used the â—ame and so continueth the same faâ—â—ion still to court you out of choice â—r whether he gives you Counsel â—nly out of course and that his Conâ—ersation and manner of Life be the â—â—me as before And whether he hath â—orgot nothing of what the Duty and â—ffection which he owes you doth â—equire Briefly if his Affections and â—ther Fashions of Proceeding are vaâ—â—ed God instruct your Understandâ—ng to fore-see the Effect Then the King commended them all calling every one by his name whereat all the Assistants rejoycedâ— The next day when the King espied his fit Opportunity in the Feast he began to Question the rest as follows Five and thirtieth Question What is the greatest Neglect in the World The Resolution IT is to take no account of ouâ— Children and not to take due care for their Education to train them up in Vertue and to form in them good Manners and Behaviour For in our common Devotions we intreat God not only for our selves but also that it would please him to address our Children to all Goodness and to impart Wisdom and Science to them which proceeds also from the Grace of God To the other Six and thirtieth Question How he should come to be a Lover of his Countrey The Resolution IF you perswade your self that it is a happy thing to live and dye at home and that Travels bring nothing but Folly to the Poor and Dishonour to the Rich since most men are of Opinion that Travellers have been banish'd their Countrey for some Miscarriage Debt or Trespass But you great King will easily obtain what you demand in doing well as you do to all the World for God will give you a happy issue in all your just Affairs and Actions To the other Seven and thirtieth Question What Course one ought to take to live agreeably with his Wife The Resolution ALthough some kind of Women are nice and troublesom and through their being Opiniators grow perverse Being also frail by reason of the weakness of the Sex and subject to commit some Faults yet nevertheless it behoveth us to comply with them and to use them for our Advantage not striving with them nor contradicting them with a froward Spirit for it is necessary to address our Life to a certain Butt or End as the Governours and Pilots of Ships do in observing Land-marks which Steps are all conducted by the Order and Providence of our great God To the other Eight and thirtieth Question What Course he should take not to be deceived The Resolution IF you act in every occasion according to Reason you will not suffer your self to be lead away by the Insinuations of Detractors but as you are indowed with a discerning Spirit you will put a difference betwixt the Deeds and Sayings of every one By which means you will be out of danger of being circumvented accomplishing your desires in every Design which you shall lay with assured Judgment nevertheless you must imagin that the skill of ordering every Affair the carrying it on and the event of it is the Work of the Divine Power To the other Nine and Thirtieth Question What he should do to avoid being Cholerick The Resolution IF you consider Great King that He on whom the Lives of many
depend is the occasion of a multitude of Deaths when he executeth his Will with Fury and Passion and it is a detestable thing to extinguish the Lives of many out of an Affectation of Power For when Subjects conform themselves to the Will of the Prince humbly yielding and complying What Ground hath he to disquiet himself and to enter into Passion Moreover he must remember that God who Guideth and Governeth the Universal World is no way subject to Wrath nor heated with Passion whose Example the Prince ought to copy in his benign and gentle Disposition To the other Fortieth Question What thing is that which may well be foreseen by due Precaution The Resolution THat is to measure all things duly by the Line and Balance of right Reason and to conduct them to their intended End an Issue and to reject whatever is unprofitable and impertinent as contrary to right Reason in such sort as sounding the Intention in every Proceeding we come to the head of our Affairs by good Counsel But the Divine Vertue renders all Counsel assured and firm and Yours principally because you are given to the Exercise of Piety To the other One and fortieth Question What is it to play the Philosopher The Resolution THat is well and wisely to deliberate and consult all things that present themselves and happen to us and not to suffer our selves to be swayed by our irregular and fond Appetite but to despise all Vanities and Follies arising from filthy Lust and sordid Lucre and to be alwayes ready to the accomplishment of all good Works by as good and just Measures which to attain we ought to implore the Aid of God incessantly To the other Two and thirtieth Question What is the Royal Vertue of Hospitality The Resolution IT is to shew ones self not ingrateful but bountiful to all the World repaying with increase the good turns you have received from another in such sort as you may bear away the prize of Courtesie For God greatly exalteth the humble bearing great Favour and love to those that lessen and impoverish themselves liberally to raise the Vertue of others To the other Three and fortieth Question What Works are of most duration The Resolution HE is esteemed to do a lasting Work who hath brought to pass a weighty Business and worthy of Regard and when it is such as the Beholders durst not put their hands to it by reason of the Difficulty and Excellency of the Affair and that he nevertheless suffers none that have laboured in it to be unrewarded Not omitting likewise to feed with such as he hath obliged to engage therein with all Necessaries God having regard of all things in this World enriches men with variety of Gifts allotting to some health of Body and of Understanding and many such Goods Wherefore Great King you in the imitation of God ought to comfort the Afflicted and to convert their Calamities into Solace and Repose as being assured that whatever is done by Justice and Equity is most permanent and lasting To the other Four and fortieth Question What is the Fruit of Wisdom The Resolution THE Fruit of Wisdom is when we have committed nothing whereof our Conscience doth knowingly reproach us and when we have passed the Course of our Lives Sincerely For by such means Excellent King there is bred in our Minds a very great Satisfaction and an infinite joy with a pleasant Complacence For you Great King can never want hope in God conducting your Reign in true Piety and Religion These Answers heard all the Assistants expressed signs of great Approbation crowned with a chearful Applause Then the King graciously invited them to drink The Morning after when all the Company returned to the Table the King asked the rest in the following manner Five and fortieth Question What Course he should take never to be elated with Pride The Resolution YOU will never be swelled nor elated with Pride if you keep your self in an equality and moderation of Spirit that is to say if upon all Occasions you have this Maxim engraven in your Mind That you who bear rule over Men are no more then a Man yourself reflecting also with your self that God infatuateth the proud and arrogant and raiseth those who are lowly and humble To the other Six and fortieth Question What Counsellors he ought to have about him The Resolution THey should be your Counsellors Great King who have been long exercised and versed in your Affairs and such as you know bear you great Fidelity and Love and who know how to conform and suit themselves to your Condition the Light of God will discover those who are worthy such an Employment To the other Seven and fortieth Question What is most Necessary to a King The Resolution THE love of his Subjects for by that means he will make a Bond of indissoluble good will For the rest God accomplisheth that which one chuseth for the best To the other Eight and fortieth Question What is the end of a Speech or Oration in Pleading The Resolution IT consists after you have proposed your Intention in persuading that your cause is good confuting the Objections of your Adversary and shewing them to be inconsequent worthless and impertinent But the main end is to pursue duly the Point on every Occasion and not to stray with Locutions for the true persuasion is a thing addressed from God To the other Nine and fortieth Question How he should accommodate himself to divers People in one Kingdom The Resolution DOing and administring Justice to every one equally and by so doing you shall Govern and Rule them as you list for the rest God inspireth men with Power to discern the right of Kings To the other Fiftieth Question In what things are we constrained to be sorrowful The Resolution IN the Calamities and Adversities of our Friends and most when we see that such Calamities are of a long durance and inevitable and when they are therewith so attacked as to cause them to dye For in such Griefs there is no means how we can take off our Sorrow and if there were there is no possible hope of Remedy nor any profit to be found against such Accidents with which all humane kind are so grieved For to avoid wholly all Mischances is a business rather for a Divine Power then a Mortal To the other One and fiftieth Question In what thing a man deprives himself of Glory and Honour The Resolution WHen a man becomes untractable and inaccessible by fierceness and Pride for then Vituperation comes upon him and privation of Honour follows him for God who is the Governour of Glory gives and takes it away as seemeth good to him To the other Two and fiftieth Question What kind of men he ought most to trust The Resolution TO those who bear you such love that neither Fear nor Avarice nor Ambition nor Covetousness nor hope of Lucre cannot at all have any Power to divert Nevertheless the shew of this Love