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A05094 The French academie wherin is discoursed the institution of maners, and whatsoeuer els concerneth the good and happie life of all estates and callings, by preceptes of doctrine, and examples of the liues of ancient sages and famous men: by Peter de la Primaudaye Esquire, Lord of the said place, and of Barree, one of the ordinarie gentlemen of the Kings Chamber: dedicated to the most Christian King Henrie the third, and newly translated into English by T.B.; Academie françoise. Part 1. English La Primaudaye, Pierre de, b. ca. 1545.; Bowes, Thomas, fl. 1586. 1586 (1586) STC 15233; ESTC S108252 683,695 844

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their backes The third thing is that they must seeke their masters profite and commoditie more than their owne and take good heede that no harme losse or trouble come vnto them And if any goe about to procure any such thing they must vndertake the defence thereof diligently euen to the hazarding of their liues if neede bee The last point which good seruauntes are to keepe is to vse a double silence the first that they replie not againe to their masters commaundementes although sometymes they suppose that they know better what is to be done than they that commaund them The second that they reueale not to others their masters secretes nor sowe them out of his house To be short we cannot giue them better instruction than that of Saint Paule saying Seruauntes be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the fleshe in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenes of hart fearing GOD. And whatsoeuer ye doe doe it hartilie as to the Lorde and not vnto men knowyng that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of the inheritaunce for yee serue the Lorde Christ. And else-where he exhorteth them againe to be subiect to their masters and to please them in all thinges not aunswering agayne neyther pickers but that they shewe all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of GOD our Sauiour in all thinges Nowe for examples to all seruauntes that are desirous to effect their dutie towards their masters we will propound two the one olde the other of late yeeres which giue sufficient testimonie of a sonne-like rather than of a seruile affection Antonius beyng ouercome of Augustus and dispairing of his safetie vrged the promise of Eros his seruant in whom he trusted bicause he had giuen his faith long before that hee would kill him when he required the same at his hands But the seruaunt drawyng his sword and holding it out as though hee would haue killed him turned his face on the one side and thrust it into himselfe cleane through his bodie Maurice duke of Saxonie beyng in Hungarie against the Turke and walking out of the campe onely with his seruaunt was set vpon by certaine Turkes and his horse being slaine he was throwen to the ground But his seruaunt cast himselfe vpon him couered and defended him with his bodie sustained and kept backe the enimies vntil certaine horsemen came and saued the Prince but died himselfe not long after beyng wounded on euery side Therefore to ende our present discourse let vs learne that it is a great and commendable vertue and beseeming euery good and gentle nature to know how to obey well and to giue honour and seruice to those that occupie the degree of fathers lordes and masters ouer vs as also to loue our brethren with an indissoluble loue to reuerence one an other the younger honouring the elder and the elder yeelding all dueties of sincere loue to the younger Let vs not be lesse afrayd of the curse repeated so often in the Scripture against disobedient children than the auncients were of that lawe which condemned them to be stoned to death when they would not obey the voyce of their Parents nor harken vnto them when they instructed them but let vs much more feare that punishment which will continue for euer where there will be weepyng and gnashing of teeth Of the education and instruction of Children Chap. 51. ARAM. WHen we intreated of the duetie of a father of a familie towards his children we sayd that the chief marke whereat he ought to aime was to make them honest and good of condition which was to be performed by instruction and good bringing vp in the knowledge and exercise of vertue Now bicause the chiefe foundation of a happy life is good instruction begun in youth so that if the infancie of any bee well brought vp as Plato saith the rest of his life cannot but be good we ought as I thinke my Companions to take this matter againe in hand to follow and handle it more at large to the ende to prouoke Fathers and all such as haue authoritie ouer the younger sort to bee carefull and diligent in the well ordering of the seede of youth which is the spring and roote of all prosperitie both publike and priuate ACHITOB. We must not saith Plato be more carefull of any thing whatsoeuer than of the good education of children For if vpon their good bringing vp they become moderate and stayed men they will easily discerne euerie thing that is good And if good wits haue like education they will growe from better to better euerie day ASER. The beginning middle and ending of a happie life saith Plutarke consisteth in good education and bringing vp But it belongeth to thee AMANA to instruct vs in this so excellent a matter AMANA As a man cannot reape good wheate if he hath not sowen good seede nor gather good fruit of his trees if he had no care at the beginning to dresse them well nor to graft them with good sciences afterward so the corruption of mans nature which of it selfe is more enclined to euill than to good hindreth vertue from taking sure footing and roote in the soules of men if they be not from their very youth well and diligently instructed stirred vp and pricked forward to that which is honest and decent And truely that common-wealth is most miserable wherein this tillage of infancie is neglected For from this fountaine proceede rebellions seditions open murders contempt of lawes and commandeme●ts of princes pollings briberies heresies and Atheisme Therefore nothing was more esteemed from time to time among the auncients than the institution of youth which Plato calleth Discipline whereby children are led to this reason not to follow any thing but that which the lawe commaundeth and alloweth for good The monarchie of the Persians the common-wealth of the Lacedemonians and since that also of the Romans had certaine lawes compelling fathers to prouide that their children might be instructed not suffering them to be cast away and corrupted to the detriment of the common-wealth Amongst other lawes there was one called Falcidia whereby it was enacted that the child should be admonished for the first offence chastised for the second and for the third hanged and his father banished as if he had been partaker in the fault for want of good education and instruction of his sonne Heretofore we heard many testimonies of the care and trauell which famous and woorthie men tooke to instruct their children themselues Traian the emperour and after him Adrian at their owne costes and charges caused fiue thousand noble mens children of Rome to be brought vp in learning vertue and feates of armes Our auncient kings knowyng how necessarie this education of youth was builded long agoe and caused to bee framed so many goodly Colledges as we see in the Vniuersities of France yea the monasteries
their husbands Men must not dally with their wiues in the presence of others What houshold affaires are to be diuided between the man and the wife There must be but one head in a familie Loue the band of mariage a hu band must not distrust his wife Examples of the loue of husbands towards their wiues T. Gracchus The great loue of a Neapoli●ane towards his wife Orpheus Menon Periander M. Lepidus P. Numidius Sylanus Dominicus Catahusius Roderigo Sarmiento All things must be common between the husband and the wife The naturall gifts of women Eph. 5. 23. 24. Wiues must be subiect to their husbands It is an honor to a woman to obey hir husband A wife compared to a looking glasse Notable similitudes Euil wiues resembled to the moone An ouerthwarting wife maketh hir selfe odious How a wife must deale with hir cholerike husband A woman must not disclose hir husbands imperfections to any body Maried couples must not make two beds for any iarre between them When is the best time and place to pacifie strife between man and wife A woman must be free from all suspicion of incontinencie She must not loue to gad abroad or to be seene She must be modest in hir attire The true ornaments of a woman Certain tokens of an adulterous hart Shamefastnes is the best dowrie of a woman An excellent vse of looking glasses A woman must be silent and secret A woman must auoid silthie speeches and iestes A short summe of the ductie of a wife A woman must be desirous of knowledge Exercises vnseemly for women What great loue the law of nations requireth in a wife towards hir husband Examples of the great loue of women towards their husbands Hipsicrates Triara The wife of Ferdinando Goncales Zenobia Panthea Artemisia Iulia. Porcia Sulpitia Octauia Aria The manner of Seneca his death Paulina Hipparchia Pisca Pandoërus wife Camma Macrina Men are inferior to women in perfecton of loue The definition of Oeconomie and of Policie Euery head of a familie must prouide for his houshold 1. Tim. 5. 8. What maketh a house to be called good All good order in a house proceedeth from the head of the familie Where a housholder must begin to rule his house well The progresse of a familie before it come to perfection What a housholder must first looke vnto Goods are instruments tending to the maintenance of life Two sorts of goods What interest a father of a familie hath in his goods Two sorts of getting goods The end of arts sciences and trafficke Biting vsurie a detestable gain Why monie was first inuented and vsed * The question of interest hath waightie reasons on both sides An ancient law against vsurie The law Genutia forbad all vsurie Exod. 22. 25. Deut. 23. 19. The praise of husbandrie What good husbandrie is Of the Maisterlie part of a house Instructions touching the dutie of a maister towards his seruants The poore and rich are both created to one end Against rigorous maisters Two properties requisite in a maister Seruants must not be defrauded of their pay Of the Parentall part of a house The difference betweene commanding ouer a wife and ouer children The word Father is a kingl● and sacred title Youth is the seede-corne of the Common-wealth The giftes of nature are soone corrupted A father must be loued feared reuerenced of his children The office of a father resembled to building A child will learne better of his father than of any other M. Cato I. Caesar Augustus Noah Lot Iacob c. God commandeth fathers to instruct their children Prou. 23. 13. 14. 13. 24. Correction necessarie for children Ecclus. 30. 8. 9. 11. 12. Seueritie must be mingled with elemencie in the correcting of children The fathers life must be a mirrour of vertue to the child When fathers may be iustly charged with their childrens faults 1. Sam. 3. 13. The storie of a father appointed to execute his owne child A father must bring vp his children in mutuall loue Aelius Tubero Eph. 6. 9. Obed great Col. 3. Eph. 6. 2. Obedience to parents commanded of God Ecclus. 3. 4. 5. 1. Pet. 2. 18. Obedience to masters cōmanded of God Reuerence to parents placed next to the honor due to God A token of an Atheist A father is the image of God Ecclus. 3. 1. 2. c. The fist commandement only hath a speciall promise annex ed vnto it Eph. 6. 2. The law of Testaments to keep children in a●e Children might not the out their liue●●es by way of action but of request The dutie of children towards their parents Humilitie towards parents most commendable The description of a disobedient childe The mother is no lesse to be honoured than the father The blessings and cursings of parents towards their children is of great waight Torquatus An example of great loue in a child towards his father An other of a daughter towards hir father Children can not please their parents better than to loue one another Apollonida Xerxes He that hateth his brother hateth his parents Telemachus The beginning of brotherly loue is in our natiuitie The benefite that commeth to brethren by hauing common friends Enmitie between brethren is prodigious vnnaturall It is a hard matter to reconcile brethren once fallen at variance How brethren must behaue themselues in the partition of lands goods Examples of brotherly loue Ariamenes Xerxes Antiochus Athenodorus Pittacus Great loue of a Persian woman towards hit brother Agrippa Scilurus left 80. sonnes behind him The dutie of seruants comprehended in soure points Col. 3. 22. 23. 24. Tit. 2. 9. 10. Examples of the loue of seruants towards their masters Eros the seruant of Antonius The seruant of Mauritius duke of Saxonie The chief foundation of a happy life A father of a familie must be most carefull to bring vp his youth A fit comparison The spring of corruptions in common-welths Lawes that constrained fathers to see to their children instructed The law Falcidia A woorthy act of Traian and Adrian Crates proclamation most necessary for these times Euil education corrupteth a good nature Euil education corrupteth a good nature Of the excellent education of children required by Plato Women with child must walk much Euery mother ought to nurse hir own child Of the bringing vp of infants From 3. yeeres From six yeeres Youth must be taught as it were in sport and not by compulsion A commendable end of Musicke Great care is to be taken in the choice of schole-maisters From the tenth yeere From the foureteenth yeere Hunting animage of warre Of the education of daughters Reasons why women may intermeddle with publike affaires Against ignorance in women Women must be able to giue a reason of their being Example of learned women Aretia Zenobia Cornelia Of the institution of youth according to Aristotle Two things to be respected in the institution of youth The end of all studies Aristotle appointed that children should learne foure things Of Grammer The
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
ought to contemne all things that we may obtaine it after the example of some ancient Sages whom we will alledge Philosophie is a loue or desire of wisedom Or otherwise it is a profession studie and exercise of that wisedome which is the knowledge of diuine and humane things and which properly belongeth to him who onely is sufficient of himselfe and is wisedome it selfe namely to God Pythagoras was the first that gaue the name to philosophie which being diuided as well by him as by other ancient philosophers into diuers and sundrie arts and sciences we may distinguish into two generall parts onely into the Contemplatiue part and into the Morall which som call Actiue We will make two kinds of the Contemplatiue Diuine and Naturall As touching the diuine part it is that highest and most vnchangeable knowledge whereunto we must wholy refer the end of our being and the scope of all our purposes studies and actions namely to be able to know and to glorifie the Creator and preseruer of the whole world Of this eternall knowledge which Socrates called Wisedome we say with Iustin who was both a philosopher and a martyr that all louers of Christian faith ought to endeuor not to be ignorant no not of any point belonging to the knowledge and perfect keeping of God his commandements but especially they must haue in singular recommendation his seruice and true worship As touching the absolute and perfect knowledge of heauenlie mysteries they ought to desire the vnderstanding of them so far foorth as they are able and according to the gift and measure of graces which shall be giuen them from aboue But if the eie of their soule dazell in the consideration of them it shall be sufficient to honor and admire them with due reuerence and to beleeue them stedfastly knowing that mans vnderstanding is not able to attaine to the exquisite knowledge of so high mysteries Naturall philosophie consisteth chiefly in the Mathematiks which are diuided into many parts and particular sciences of which the most of them seeme to manie not greatly necessarie as that which intreateth of the nature of the heauens of the sunne of the moone of their motions measures of the naturall causes of al things Which oftentimes serueth rather to content the curiositie of hawtie spirits than to make them better insomuch ●hat sometimes by speculations and by vaine and friuolous questions they seeke out the naturall causes of things so curiously that in the end they striue to finde out another beginning of all things than God whereby at length they remaine deceiued and confounded in their knowledge as both the writings of so many ancient philosophers and also the life of many in our time do proue vnto vs. Neuertheles there are some parts of the Mathematiks necessarie to be knowen for the great profit that may come vnto vs by them as Physicke Atithmetike Geometrie and others But the subiect of our Academie will not suffer vs to handle all these sciences at this present I will say thus much onely by the way that we ought so to rule and direct the profession of all naturall philosophie that we vse it not before we haue been well and sufficiently instructed in the feare and knowledge of God and of all things that concerne a good and happie life and that vaineglorie should not be the end of that studie but that it should rauish vs more and more in the contemplation of the works of that great maister-builder of the whole frame to the end to glorifie him in greater measure And yet we must aboue all things beware that we fall not into that curse of the prophet which he denounceth against those who being destitute of Gods grace by reason of their sinnes giue themselues to soothsaying and to seeke after sorcerers magitians and calculators of natiuities which things we see are too common amongst vs insomuch that he is iudged as it were miserable that knoweth not his Horoscope from whence so many abuses inuocations and cursed charmes haue proceeded by little and little Let vs shun such vaine knowledge proper to infidels and Atheists and refer our euents and issues which albeit we knew before yet could we not assure our selues that we should auoid them to the onely prouidence and direction of God It remaineth now to intreate of the other part of philosophie called Morall Of this I thinke Socrates the wise man meant to speake when he said that philosophie consisted not in learning manie things or in medling with many arts but in the perfect knowledge of iustice prudence and of all other morall vertues He addeth further that this philosophie worketh two things in our mind the one in purging it as well of perturbations as of false opinions and the other in causing it to returne into the right way by reasons and exhortations drawen from earthly and sensible formes to such as are spirituall which are inclosed within our soules that by them we may be led to God the Idea and paterne of all good This is that morall philosophie which we haue vndertaken to handle in all our discourses and which is so necessarie for the life of man For as the vntamed horse by reason of his ouer-great wildnes is not profitable for any thing so he that is drawen away by his affections which philosophie onely can moderate is vnprofitable and vnworthie of all companie and of all gouernment either publike or priuate It is philosophie that teacheth vs the doctrine of good life and causeth vs to know our miseries and the meanes whereby we may be deliuered from them She it is that frameth in our vnderstanding the iudgement of reason and learneth vs to lead a life agreeable to doctrine shewing vnto vs what true honestie is what perfect beautie and what in truth and in deed is profitable She represseth all euil passions and perturbations of the soule appeaseth the vnsatiable desires therof deliuereth it from all feare and from all earthlie carefulnes filling it with tranquillitie constancie assurance magnanimitie and sufficiencie She purgeth pride presumption ambition choler reuenge couetousnes iniustice and in a word she it is that by the meanes of reason guided by the heauenly spirit which teacheth vs reason and giueth it vnto vs for a law frameth all the maners and behauior of man according to the paterne of vertue by ingraffing it in his setled soule as his onely permanent good and by causing him to do that willingly which others as Xenocrates said do by compulsion and for feare of lawes We are by philosophie instructed at large in that dutie and obedience which we owe to our parents superiors and lawes and taught how much we ought to loue and honor one another our wiues our children our brethren yea al those that are not of our bloud She it is saith Cicero that containeth the discipline of vertue of dutie and of good life she is
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
be heard He that honoureth his father shall haue a long life and he that is obedient to the Lord shall comfort his mother He that feareth the Lord honoreth his parents and doth seruice vnto his parents as vnto Lordes Honor thy father and mother in deeds and in word and in all patience that thou mayest haue the blessing of God and that his blessing may abide with thee in the ende For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of the children the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations Helpe thy father in his age and grieue him not as long as he liueth And if his vnderstanding faile haue patience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength For the good intreatie of thy father shall not be forgotten but it shall be a fortresse for thee against sinnes In the day of trouble thou shalt he remembred thy sinnes also shall melt away as the ice in faire weather He that for saketh his father shall come to shame and he that angreth his mother is cursed of God By these holy speeches we see how we ought to loue honor reuerence and feare our parents This is comprehended vnder the first commandement of the second table and this only of all the ten articles of the Decalogue beareth his reward with him albeit no recompence is due to him that is bound to do any thing namely by so strȧight a bond as this wherof all lawes both diuine and humane are full and the law of nature also doth plentifully instruct vs therein as it hath been diligently obserued of very Infidels Ethnikes and Pagans Amongst the Lacedemonians this custome tooke place that the younger sort rose vp from their seates before the aged Whereof when one asked the cause of Teleucrus It is quoth hee to the ende that in dooing this honour to whom it belongeth not they should learne to yeeld greater honour to their parents The arrogancie of a childe was the cause that one of the Ephories published the law of Testaments whereby it was permitted to euery one from that time forward to appoint whom he would his heire This lawe serued well to make children obedient and seruiceable to their parents and to cause them to be afraid of displeasing them Among the Romanes the child was not admitted to plead his fathers will after his death by way of action but onely by way of request vsing very humble honourable and reuerent speech of his dead father and leauing the whole matter to the discretion and religion of the Iudges Contend not with thy father said Pittacus the wise although thou hast iust cause of complaint And therefore Teleucrus aunswered aptly to one who complained vnto him that his father alwayes spake ill of him If quoth he there were no cause to speake ill of thee he would not do it So that it belongeth to the duetie of a childe to beleeue that his father hath alwayes right and that age and experience hath indued him with greater knowledge of that which is good than they haue that are of yoonger yeeres Philelphus said that although we could not possibly render the like good turnes to our parents nor satisfie those obligations by which we stand bound vnto them yet we must doe the best we can vnto them we must intreate them curteously and louingly and not go farre from them we must harken vnto their instructions and be obedient to their commaundementes wee must not gaine-say their deliberations and wils no more than the will of God whether it be that we are to depart from them or to tary still or to enter into some calling agreeable to the will of God we must not stand in contention with them whē they are angry but suffer and beare patiently if they threaten or correct vs. And if they be offended with vs when we thinke there is no cause why yet we must not lay vs down to rest before we haue by all kind of honest submissions appeased them Humilitie is always commendable but especially towards our parents The more we abase our selues before them the more we encrease in glory and honor before God and men This is very badly put in vre at this day when the sonne doth not onely not honor his father but euen dishonoreth him and is ashamed of him He is so farre from louing him that he rather hateth him so farre from fearing him that contrarywise he mocketh and contemneth him and in stead of seruing and obeying him he riseth vp and conspireth against him If he be angry he laboureth to anger him more brieflie scarce any dutie of a child towards his father is seene now a daies And if some point therof be found in any towards his father yet is it cleane put out in regard of the mother as if he that commanded vs to honour our father did not presently say and thy mother vnto whō in truth we owe no lesse honor respect and obedience than to our father as well in regard of the commaundement of God as of the vnspeakable paines and trauell which she suffered in bearing and bringing vs into the world in giuing vs sucke in nourishing vs. But alas what shall we say of those that spoile their parents of their goods houses and commodities and desire nothing more than their death that they may freely enioy euen that which oftentimes their parents haue purchased for them O execrable impietie It is vnwoorthy to be once thought vpon amongst vs the iudgement of God doth of it selfe sufficiently appeere vpon such cursed children Whose behauiour that it may be more odious vnto vs let vs learn of Pittacus that our children will be such towards vs as we haue been towards our parents But let vs be more afraid to prouoke our fathers in such sort through our default vnto wrath that in stead of blessing vs they fall to curse vs. For as Plato saith there is no prayer which God heareth more willingly than that of the father for the children And therfore special regard is to be had vnto the cursings and blessings which fathers lay vpon their childrē Which was the cause as the scripture teacheth vs that children in old time were so iealous one of another who should ●ary away the fathers blessing and that they stoode in greater feare of their curse than of death it selfe Torquatus the yonger being banished from his fathers house slue himselfe for grief thereof And to alleage another example out of the writings of auncient men of the loue which they bare to their fathers that of Antigonus the second sonne of Demetrius is most woorthy to be noted For when his father beyng prisoner sent him worde by one of his acquaintaunce to giue no credite nor to make account of any letters from him if it so fell out that Seleucus whose prisoner he was should compell him thereunto and therefore that he should not deliuer vp any of those
man must vse his own subiectes in warre Three causes from whence proceeded the ruine of the Romane empire The diuision of the empire weakened the same Dangerous to an Estate to call in forraine succours As appeereth by the Sequani By the Frenchmen The end that forraine souldiours propound to themselues Reasons why forraine force is woorth nothing The cause of the last destruction of Italy The discommoditie of bringing in hired Captaines Dangerous for a Prince to call in a Potentate to succour him Examples of the change of Estats by meanes of forraine succour Charles the fift bound by oath not to bring any forraine souldiors into Germany Charles 7. made decrees for French souldiors What inconueniences France is fallen into by hiring Switzers Francis 1. established seuen legions of footmen How a Prince may vse the succours of his Allies How a Captain should exhort his souldiors How victory is to be vsed Examples of such as knew not how to vse victorie wisely and to take opportunitie offered The Tyrians besieged and subdued by Alexander It is not good to fight with desperate men Iohn king of France taken by the Englishment Gaston de Foix. Small armies that ouercame great Victorie commeth only from God Valiant men are full of compassion No true victorie without clemencie Ringleaders of euill are to be punished and the multitude to be pardoned Humane sciences are but darkenes in regard of the word of God Psal 84. 4. 5. 11. Iohn 17. 3. Of the loue of righteousnes Leuit. 19. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 15. 16. Holines is the end of our calling Christ is a paterne of righteousnes vnto vs. Malach. 1. 6. Eph. 5. 26. 30. Col. 3. 1. 2. 1. Cor. 6. 19. 1. Thes 5 9. We must alwaies striue to come to perfection What the dutie of euery faithful man is Rom. 12. 1. 2. What it is to consecrate our selues to God Gal. 2. 20. True loue of God breedeth in vs a dislike of ourselues Matth. 16. 24. Fruits of the deniall of our selues Selfe loue is the cause of the most of our imperfections The definition of charitie 1. Cor. 13. 4. The effect of true charitie towards our neighbour The naturall inclination of men Corruptible things are no sufficient recompence for vertuous men Rom. 8. 28. Matth. 16. 24. 25. Rom. 8. 17. How God teacheth vs to know the vanitie of this life We must not hate the blessings of this life Psal 44. 22. The comfort of the godly in the midst of troubles Math. 25. 34. Isai 25. 8. Apoc. 7. 17. The summe of our dutie towards God The true vse of temporal things Wherein a happy life consisteth Gen. 2. 17. Rom. 6. 23. Rom. 5. 21. Temporal death is the way that leadeth the godly from bondage to blessednesse Heb. 9. 27. Ecclus 7. 36. The comsort of euery true christian against death Rom. 8. 22. Against Atheists and Epicures that deny the immortalitie of the soule Plato prooueth that there is a iudgement to come and a second life How good men are discerned from the wicked The afflictions of the godly in this world prooue a second life Three kinds of death Apoc. 20. 6. Why the faithfull ought to desire death What the life of man is Phil. 1. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 50. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 2. Cor. 4. 14. Phil. 3. 20. 21. Col. 3. 3. 4. 1. Thes 4. 13. 14. Heb. 2 14. 15. 2. Tim. 1. 9. 10. Iob 19. 25. 26. 27. Iohn 12. 17. 1. Cor. 2. 9. Who they be that feare not death A comparison betweene this life and that which is eternall Phil. 1. 23. Titus 2. 13. Luke 21. 28. How death can not hurt Psal 116. 15. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS ACADEMIE A ADmonition sundrie instructions how to admonish wisely Pag. 153 Aduersitie who are soonest thrown downe with aduersitie 301. the cōmon effects thereof 345. the Romanes were wisest and most constant in aduersitie 347. examples of constancie in aduersitie 348 Adulterie the miserable effects of adulterie 240. the punishment of adulterers among the Egyptians 241. Zaleucus law and the law of Iulia against it 240. testimonies of Gods wrath against it 241 Age hath no power ouer vertue 61. the diuision of the ages of man 563-564 Ambition two kindes of ambition 224. the cause of ambitious desires 225. the effects of ambition 224. 229. examples of mê void of ambition 186. ambition breedeth sedition 225. ambitious men full of selfe-prayse 226. examples of ambitious men 227. c. they cannot be good counsellours to Princes 231 Anger the crueltie of Theodosius committed in his anger 316. Valentinian brake a veine in his anger 317 Apparell against excesse in apparell 219. examples of sobrietie in apparel 219 Archbishop the free gird of a Pesant giuen to an Archbishop 158. the Archbishop of Magdeburg brake his neck in dancing 216 Armes Armie the exercise of armes must alwayes continue 762. the auncient order of the Romane armie 766 Arrogancie dwelleth in the ends with solitarines 157 Aristocratie the description of an Aristocratie 579. the estate of Lacedemonia was Aristocraticall 580 Artes and Artificers the necessitie of artes and artificers in a common-wealth 750. artificers of one science ought not to dwell all togither 751 Authors how much we owe to good authors 45 Authoritie what authoritie a prince hath ouer his subiects 670 B Backbiting the prudence of Dionysius in punishing two backbiters 388. when backbiting hurteth most 460 Bankets the custome of the Egyptians and Lacedemonians at bankets 203 Beard what vse is to bee made of a white beard 572 Belly the belly an vnthankefull and feeding beast 201. 202. it hath no eares 212 Birth the follie of birth-gazers 42 Biting what biting of beasts is most dangerous 460 Body the wonderfull coniunction of the body and soule of man 19. the conceptiō framing and excellencie of the body 21 Brother he that hateth his brother hateth his parents 542. the benefite that brethren receiue by hauing common friends 544. examples of brotherly loue 545 C Calling callings were distinct from the beginning 478. sixe sundry callings necessary in euery common-wealth 744. holinesse is the end of our calling 795 Captaine the losse of a captaine commonly causeth the ruine of an armie III. how captaines were punished if they offended 768. a captaine must not offend twise in warre 773. what captains are woorthiest of their charge 784. the captains of an armie must be very secret 781. two faults to be eschewed of euery captaine 778. how a captain should exhort his souldiors 790 Cheere good cheere keepeth base mindes in subiection 206 Children must loue feare reuerence their father 533. the dutie of children towardes their parents 541. examples of the loue of children towards their parents 541 Choler whereof choler is bred 314. how the Pythagorians resisted choler 315. magistrates ought to punish none in their choler 316 Citie what Citie seemed to Clcobulus best guided 264 Citizens who are truly citizens 606
commodities to get and treasure vp vertue only And why do we after their example despise all these things and spend that which we account most pretious I meane time that we may be adorned and cloathed with vertue if it cannot make vs hit that marke which euery one so much desireth and seeketh after with such great paine and labour namely that they may enioy some chiefe Good in this world and lead thereby a contented and happy life Be not ouertaken friendly Reader with this smal difficultie which perhaps might cause a grosse and feeble head not well instructed in wisedome to stagger and depart out of the right way Now although the heauenly word onely hath the perfect and sound knowledge of wisedome bicause he is that eternall wisedome it selfe yet man being his workmanship aided with his grace must not leaue of to seeke for to require earnestly of him that gift of the knowledge participation of the secrets of that incomprehensible truth so farre foorth as he may and shall be necessary for him that his soule thereby may obtaine hir permanent and lasting happines Moreouer albeit our soueraigne chiefe Good our perfect contentation and absolute felicitie be onely in heauen in the enioying of that diuine light yet we must not in the meane while albeit we cannot fully possesse that leaue of to seeke without ceasing or giue ouer in any sort to keepe and follow that good and infallible way of vertue which causing vs to passe ouer quietly and to sustaine with ioy of spirite the miseries of mankind and appeasing the perturbations of our soules from whence proceed all the euils that torment vs and making them void of all damnable effects will teach vs to lead a pleasant peaceable quiet life to effect all things woorthy beseeming this certaine hope that we shal one day by the grace of God be framed a new in that eternal most happy contented life Let vs therefore account this world and all the riches thereof as a thing belonging to an other as a straunger and nothing appertaining to those men who beyng regenerated by the spirite of grace haue profited well in the schoole of wisedome Let vs not seeke for friendshippe vpon earth let vs not couete after riches glory honour and pleasure which none but fooles doe extoll desire and wonder at Wee are not of this worlde but straungers onely therein and therefore let vs set all worldly things behinde vs and account them vnwoorthie the care of our immortall soules if we meane not to perish with the worlde by ioyning our selues there-unto Let vs forsake it I say forsake it boldly how precious soeuer it bee that we may aboundantly treasure vp that great sweete and durable wealth I meane vertue which is honoured loued and desired for it selfe onely which is the true and wholesome medicine for diseased soules the rest of the mynde oppressed with care the cause by the will of GOD of that chiefe Good wherein the principall ende of the soule consisteth and the onely assured guide which leadeth to the Hauen so much desired of euery one namelie the contentation of minde Which thing this present Academie doth not onely set before our eyes but also doth saue and keepe vs beyng already entered into this Hauen of safetie agaynst all tempestes if wee will our selues and not spare our labour to reape profite of those learned and wise instructions that are here giuen vnto vs by the preceptes of doctrine and examples of the lyues of auncient vertuous and famous men For first of all wee shall learne hereby to know our selues and the ende of our beyng Secondly wee shall bee instructed in good maners and taught how we may liue well and happily in euery estate and condition of lyfe whatsoeuer Yea we shall finde in the basest and lowest estate which of the ignorant and common sort of people is oftentimes called miserable as much ioy and happinesse as a Monarch can be partaker of in the fruition of his greatnesse yea much more than he if he bee wicked bicause vice in all Estates maketh the possessour thereof wretched and contrarywise Vertue maketh euery condition of life happy Moreouer wee shall see in this Academie that euery one louyng and fearing GOD may obtaine this inestimable Good of vertue and thereby remayne a Conquerour ouer the perturbations of his soule which breede all his miserie remembring this poynt alwayes so farre foorth as the fraile nature of man ayded by the Author of all goodnesse can attayne to this perfection Wee shall learne here how we ought to gouerne our selues wisely and duetifully in all humane actions and affaires and in all charges and places whatsoeuer either publique or priuate whereunto we shall be called We may note here cause of the subuersion and ruine of many Empires Estates and Common-wealths and of the glittering shew and glory of infinite others as also the cause of the wretchednesse and destruction of a great number of men and what hath lift vp others and crowned them with honour and immortall prayse We shall bee taught here the gouernement of a house and familie the maner of the education and instruction of children the mutuall duetie of married couples of brethren of masters and seruauntes how to commaund and how to obey We shall see here the order and establishment of policies and superiorities what is the duetie of the Heads of them of Princes and Gouernours of nations as also what the duetie of their subiectes is Briefly both great and small may drawe out from hence the doctrine and knowledge of those things which are most necessarie for the gouernement of a house and of a Common-wealth with sufficient instruction how to frame their life and maners in the moulde and paterne of true and holy vertue and how by meanes thereof the grace of GOD woorking in them they may runne the race of their dayes in ioy happinesse rest and tranquillitie of spirite and that in the middest of greatest aduersities which the vncertaintie and continuall chaunge of humane things may bring vpon them Nowe bicause the sequele compounded of the sundrie treatises and discourses of this Academy will sufficiently instruct thee in all things aboue mentioned as it promiseth in the fore-front and title thereof I will not dilate this matter any farther but only desire of thee Reader patiently to heare these Academicall students from the first of their discourses vnto the last Their intent was only as thou maiest vnderstand more at large in the entrance of their assembly to teach themselues and next euery one according to their abilitie the institution of good maners and rule of good lining for all ordinarie and common estates and conditions of life in our French Monarchie to the ende that euery member of this politike body brought thus low with euils and beaten with tempestuous stormes might somewhat helpe and profite it by their counsels and instructions And this thou mayest do friendly
time namely loue testified by obedience which we may comprehend vnder this onely word of Dutie called by the philosophers the welspring of all vertuous and laudable actions and the foundation of honestie Therefore I propound this matter to you companions to be discoursed vpon AMANA The dutie of a good man consisteth in his good behauiour towards the chiefe and onely end of his being compounded of these two things the glorie of his Creator and the loue of his neighbour But the last vndoubtedly dependeth of the first For without the feare of God men wil neuer preserue equitie and loue amongst themselues as contrariwise the honoring of his maiestie teacheth them to liue vprightly one with another ARAM. We ought not to assure or fortifie our selues with any other bulworke than to do to counsell and to vtter al good and honest things according to dutie wherunto we are called by nature not onely for our selues but also for the benefit and profit of many Therefore of thee ACHITOB we shall vnderstand more at large what Dutie and Honestie is ACHITOB. No treatise in philosophie saith Cicero is so necessarie as that of Office and Dutie forasmuch as no part of mans life whether it be in publike or priuate affaires or in what action soeuer it be either ought or may be destitute therof For therein consisteth all honestie of life and if it be neglected all infamie And albeit most part of the ancient philosophers comprehended duty and honestie vnder vertue affirming them to be one and the same thing yet following the opinion of that great orator and philosopher who hath handled morall philosophie in very good order we may distinguish them after this sort saying that dutie is the end whereunto vertue tendeth namely when in all our actions we obserue honestie and comlines In which distinction we see neuertheles such a coniunction of these three things Vertue Dutie and Honestie that the one is the end of the other the perfection thereof consisting in all three togither Dutie then is that which bindeth the soule cheerfully and willingly without force or constraint to giue to euery one that which belongeth vnto him honor to whom honor reuerence to whom reuerence tribute to whom tribute and succor to whom succor belongeth This dutie is diuided into two generall kinds the one is that which appertaineth to the perfect and souereigne good the other concerneth the preseruation and safetie of the common societie of men and consisteth in morall precepts according to which the behauior of al sorts of life may be squared As touching the first no doubt but all men are beholding and bound vnto God both for their being and preseruation thereof as also for that abundance of goods necessarie for this life which he powreth forth most liberally both on the good and on the bad Moreouer Christians are further tied and bound vnto him for the certaine hope of their saluation in his eternall sonne For all which things he asketh nothing of vs but loue and good-will testified by honor reuerence and seruice according to his holie ordinance euery one after the measure of gifts and graces which he hath from aboue knowing that more is to be required of him to whom more is giuen This obedience being grounded vpon that rule of perfect righteousnes which is giuen vnto vs in the law of God is the mother and preseruer of all vertues yea the beginning and roote of al goodnes The other part of dutie which respecteth our neighbor and whereof we are chiefly to intreat in this our Academie is nothing but charity loue of our like as of our selues which is greatly recommended vnto vs in the scripture as being very requisit vnto salúation This is that dutie whereby we are bound not to do any thing against publike lawes equitie and profit but to be alwaies constant in the perfect exercise and vse of vertue by doing honest and seemely things for their owne sakes and not of necessitie and constraint We are not onely borne saith Cicero for our selues but our countrie parents and friends both will and ought to reape some commoditie by our birth For whatsoeuer is vpon earth was created for men and they for themselues that one might aide and helpe another So that if we will follow nature we must imploy our goods trauell and industrie and whatsoeuer else is in our power in the behalfe of common commoditie and in the preseruation of humane societie yea that man liueth most happily who as little as may be liueth to himselfe And on the other side no man liueth more disorderedly than he that liueth to himselfe and thinketh on nothing but his owne profit This is that dutie which requireth that for the safetie of our parents friends and countrie we should offer our selues to all perils not respecting our owne profit or commoditie Neither ought we to esteeme any thing iust and profitable except honestie which are so linked togither as the philosophers say that they can no more be separated than whitenes and cold from snow and heate and light from fire So that if any man be perswaded that the rule of honestie and profit is not one and the same he will neuer be without fraud or wickednes For thinking thus with himselfe this indeed is honest but that is profitable for me he will not feare to breake and rent a sunder all equitie ordained and appointed either by diuine or humane lawes And this diuision is the fountaine of all vice falshood and mischiefe A good man saith Plato may not slander steale or lie for his owne commoditie Is there any thing then in this world of so great value any treasure so pretious that ought to cause vs to loose the name of vertuous and iust We ought rather to turne profit towards honestie and that in such sort that howsoeuer the words seeme to differ one from another yet we should make them but one thing Moreouer the same diuine philosopher saith that the true beautie of the soule which is honestie is nothing else but the brightnes of that perfect and chiefe good that appeereth in those things which may be knowen by the eies eares and mind whereby it is caused to returne towards the Idea and paterne of goodnes Wherby this excellent man meaneth no other thing than to giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer goodnes and honestie is in vs commeth from God as from the fountaine thereof vnto which by the same vertue it returneth leading the soule with it to liue eternally Besides from him and by him commeth the beginning and proceeding of our good works yea it is he that maketh vs to go forward according to true dutie which consisteth in these two points first that the intention and end of our actions be rightly framed secondly that the like meanes to attaine to that end be found out For these two things may agree or disagree one from another as we see sometimes
our selues to intreate of I meane Oeconomie or gouernment of a familie we must seeke after a more ample and large declaration of a house which consisteth not in many stones and long peeces of timber ioined togither with great cunning but in stones that haue life and are partakers of reason tending to the benefite and profite of the house as to their end Also if you thinke it good and our howre giue vs leasure we may enter into the consideration of the sundry sorts of mariages and of certaine ancient customes obserued therein which I touched not in my discourse bicause I would not be ouer-long ASER. First it is necessarye saith Aristotle to ioine those togither which can not be the one without the other as the male and female for generation Next he that is able to execute the commandements of his maister by the strength of his bodie is a subiect and slaue by nature And of these two assemblies a house or familie is first instituted AMANA A familie or house is an assemblye framed by nature to communicate daily togither and they are called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as liue of the same prouision or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as vse the same Chimney But we shall vnderstād of thee ARAM the whole discourse of that which is heere propounded vnto vs. ARAM. When I consider of the excellencie greatnes of Plato his skil who was greatly admired of the Grecians as he that for vertue honesty of life for eloquence of speech perswasion by true and learned Philosophie went far beyond all other Philosophers I cannot sufficiently wonder how amidst so many good lawes profitable statuts for a common-wealth which we haue receiued from him he imagined to establish therein the communitie of goods wiues children amongst his Citizens not suffring them to haue any thing proper peculiar to the end as he said to banish from his citie these two words Thine Mine which in his opinion were the cause of all euils desolations that befall Common-wealths The Nicholaites reuiued the same error in the primitiue Church many others haue labored by friuolous reasons to defend maintaine it chiefly to roote out as they say vtterly frō within the soule those humane affections which commōly cary men rather towards their wiues children goods than to other things Which affections so long as they beare sway amongst the Citizens cause them oftentimes to turne aside from their duty towards the common-wealth whereby it is made weaker of lesse continuance Now among many grounds confuting this error which being receiued would fil all with disorder confusion to the ouerthrow of humane societie this is most certain cannot be impugned that forasmuch as the lawful distributiō of goods maner of mariages are the ordinance of God as it is manifest seeing the ordinance of God may not be altered by any counsell of man it followeth that aswell the diuision of goods as of wiues and children are immutable and consequently that the communitie of goods wiues children is a thing flatly gainsaying the institution of God therfore to be reproued Moreouer if goods were common an infinite multitude of do-litles of idle negligent persons borne as Horace saith onely to deuoure to consume the benefits of the earth being vnwilling to labor resembling waspes that eate the honie of the Bees would feede and cloath themselues with their goods who get their liuing with great sweate of their bodies vexation of their minds Which is against the expresse commandement of God who will haue vs eate our bread in the sweat of our face But what greater shame offēce vtterly defacing all honesty of life can there be amongst men than the community of wiues whereby all fornications adulteries would be maintained by authority This sheweth plainly that we are not to loose time in confuting such an opinion of theirs who seeke to take away from amongst men all marks of a Cōmon-wealth For there would not be any publike thing if nothing were priuate nor cōmon if nothing were peculiar Yea Plato afterward did wisely leaue that opiniō quietly renounced his first Cōmon-wealth to giue place to a second And the Heralds of Gods word condēned this error when it was raised vp in the Apostles time by an arch-heretik called Nicholas of Antioch who maintained this opiniō that goods wiues childrē ought to be cōmon amōg christians for example to others cōmunicated his wife to whosoeuer would albeit she was yoong and very beautifull Thus following the order established of God and continued alwaies through so many ages vntill our time and hauing seene the first institution of mariage we must also containe it within the house which is a societie and communion of life betweene the husband and the wife the maister and the seruant for daily profit Hesiodus putteth the Oxe in steede of the seruant so farre foorth faith Aristotle as the Oxe being fit to labour is to poore men in the place of a slaue This house thus described is simple but when children are contained therein it is absolute and compleate Therefore a house that is perfect and accomplished may be diuided according to the saying of Philosophers into these foure parts into Matrimoniall Parentall Lordly or Maisterlie and Possessorie part The Matrimoniall part comprehēdeth the husband the wife the Parentall containeth the father mother children the Lordlie hath vnder it the maister men-seruants and maid-seruants the Possessorie part includeth within it mooueables immooueables and chattels Now to follow our matter already begun and to discourse of things in order we haue heere to handle and to obserue diligently this first part of a house called the coniugall or wedlocke part and the sequele of our discourses shall instruct vs in the other parts He that hath tasted of learning and beene well instructed in the studie of wisedome shall find that there are foure kinds of coniunctions and mariages namely the mariage of honour the mariage of loue the mariage of labour and the mariage of griefe The mariage of honour is diuided into the highest middlemost and lowest degree The highest is that supernaturall mariage whereby God and mans nature meete togither euen by a mysterie which ouerpasseth the vnderstanding of all humane capacitie We saw the effect and truth therof in the incarnation and natiuitie of the eternall sonne of God The middlemost mariage of honour is when God and the soule meete and are ioined togither by grace and glorie The lowest degree of the mariage of honour is when God and the Church are coupled togither and are made one mysticall bodie These three sortes of mariages are supernaturall and appointed of God after an vnspeakeable manner but the cause of our assemblie requireth not that we should speake any more of them Now to come to the other kinds of
leaue their children prouided at the same yeeres and such as might be well able to liue without them A maiden also of that age is able to iudge a great deale better what is meete for hir and what dutie she oweth to hir husband and of his commandements than if she were yoonger Now seeing we are about this matter I thinke I shall not digresse from the same if I speake of the mariage of widowes It is certaine that those women that haue already learned the disposition of their former husbands are often-times very hardly altered Whereupon some alleadge the example of Timotheus the best plaier on the flute of his time who when he tooke a scholler vsed to demand of him whether he had made any entrance in that plaie Which if he had he tooke a greater reward by halfe than he did of them that knew nothing saying that his paines were greater in taking away from his schollers that which was naught and vnskilfull than in teaching that which was good to such as vnderstood nothing at all thereof Chilon one of the wise men of Grecia said that he accounted him a very foole who hauing saued himselfe from a perilous shipwracke by painful swimming would returne to sea againe as though a tempest had not power ouer all barks Platoes Androgyna teacheth that second mariages can neuer be fitly made Concerning this matter we can haue no better counsell than that of S. Paule whether I referre the solution of this matter But experience daily teacheth vs what infinite miseries quarrels suites and ouerthrow of houses proceed from such mariages through the donations and profits which those yoong men craue that marie widowes who forgetting all naturall dutie doubt not to inrich strangers with the goods of their owne children Valeria of Rome may serue for a notable example to women who said that hir husband died for others but liued to hir for euer S. Hierome rehearseth a historie quite contrarie to this heere spoken of auouching that he saw at Rome a woman that had beene maried to 22. husbands who afterward marying one that had had 20. wiues died in his life time Whereupon the Romanes crowned him with Lawrell in token of victorie and caused him to carie a branch of Palme in his hand at his wiues funerall He maketh mention also of another widowe who of almes brought vp a little child and abused it at the age of ten yeeres by whome she became great with child contrarie to the order of nature God so permitting it to discouer the vile filthines of that woman Second mariages were a great deale more honourable for such widowes The fourth kinde of mariage remaineth yet which wee called the mariage of griefe which is nothing else but the assemblie and coniunction of the wicked and reprobate of whome that common prouerbe is spoken that it is better one house be troubled with them than twayne Their life can not but be full of wretchednes and miserie the griefe whereof will abide by them for euer But to returne to our first speech of the mariage of loue which is holie and lawfull guided by good reason and according to the ordinance of God mortall men beholding the holines and necessitie of this mysterie haue inriched and set foorth the same with all kind of ioy and delight with the assemblie of kinsfolkes and calling togither of friendes and guests with bankets feastes ornaments iewels Tragedies Comedies and such like pastimes vttering ioy and not to be misliked so that all dissolutenes and ouer-great superfluitie be set aside and honestie and comelines obserued But especially the wedding songs vsed by the Ancients both Greekes and Latines and made to beautifie and enrich their weddings are woorthie of eternall praise Moreouer they had amongst them infinite and sundrie customes kept at the knitting vp and celebration of mariages some being good others bad of which we will heere alleadge certaine bicause we may finde instruction in them The Assyrians had certaine Magistrats called Triumairs and Presidents of weddings approoued and graue men whose office was once a yeere in euerie Towne and Village to bring all the yoong maidens that were to be maried into one publike place and to cause them to be proclaimed one after another beginning with the fairest who were giuen to them that offered most and bad last With this monie that came by them they maried those that were hard-fauoured as good cheape as they could and otherwise than after this sort it was not lawfull for any bodie to contract matrimonie Wherein they shewed a maruellous care in prouiding equally for all their daughters The ancient Grecians had a custome to burne before the dore of the new maried wife the Axletree of that chariot wherein she was brought to hir husbands house giuing hir to vnderstand thereby that she was to dwell there with him whether she were willing or no and neuer to depart from thence Lycurgus would not haue the husband and wife to lye togither in the beginning of their mariage nor to see one another but by stealth and secretly to the ende sayde he that amitie and loue might be the better preserued betweene them that they might be healthie and that their children which shoulde come of them might be stronger The Romanes passed all other nations in pompe ceremonies and comlines of mariage They obserued this inuiolably that their maidens and widowes should not be constrained to marrie On the wedding daie they vsed that fashion which at this daie is verie common The newe maried wife was richly apparelled with hir haire hanging about hir shoulders and hir head crowned with a garland of flowers The mother of the Bride went before hir daughter bearing a cofer of trinkets iewels rings and other little ornaments belonging to women The maidens that came of wealthie houses had a chariot prepared for them drawne with two white horses to declare the puritie of bodie and innocencie of mind which the yoong woman ought to haue The newe maried wife was led from hir fathers house to hir husbands house alongst the broadest streetes in the citie to note thereby that a wife ought alwaies to passe by the greatest way and not be found at any time in suspected and secret places whereupon some suspition of euill may arise When she was come to the entrie of hir husbands house before she went ouer the threashold of the dore he tooke hir with both his armes by the wings and lift hir aloft in such sort that he stroke hir head and the dore post togither and so set hir within the dore before euer hir feete touched the ground This was done that the maried wife should remember through the griefe of the blow not to go often foorth out of hir husbands house if she would haue the report and name of an honest woman Hir garments behauiour gesture and gate were correspondent to all modestie
If prudence and reason are most necessary in all parts of house-keeping their effects are well woorth the nothing and to be desired in this part of which we will now intreate For power and authoritie are of themselues too surlie and imperious in him that knoweth not how to represse them wisely yea they are easily turned into intollerable arrogancie if the bridle of reason restraine them not Therfore seeing we liue in a free countrie wherin the ancient absolute power of life death ouer slaues hath no place they to whome God hath granted this fauour to excell and to goe before others whether it be in gifts of nature or in graces of the soule or otherwise in the goods of Fortune they I say must in no wise contemn those that seeme to haue beene forgotten and stripped of all these good things Besides a father of a familie must consider that he ruleth not slaues but free persons Therfore he must vse their seruice although not franckly for nothing yet as that which commeth from a willing and free mind not dealing roughly with them vpon euery occasion but rather handling them gently as the creatures of God made after his image seeing the poorest man is created for the selfe same principall ende that the mightiest and richest is Aristotle granteth this that although a Maister is not bound in anie respect to his Vassaile so farre foorth as he is a Vassaile yet bicause slaues are men he is of opinion that all lawes of humanitie ought to be kept with them What then ought we to doe to such as submit themselues freely vnto vs to whome also we are vnited and linked by christian charitie as to brethren and inheritours of the same goods and promises And yet we see that maisters fall into bitter anger crie out offer outrage vse violence and lay handes of their seruants vpon small or no occasion at all as if they were vnreasonable creatures yea handling them woorse than they doe their brute beastes That this is true we see not one of them but he hath great care that his horses be well fed dailie looked vnto harnessed and decked Besides he taketh great heede that they be not tyred nor ouer-laboured but as for their seruants they neither spare nor comfort them one whit nor haue any respect to their ease and rest For mine owne part I thinke that such maisters deserue rather to be seazed vpon as mad men than admonished as sociable persons I wish therefore that euery maister of a house had these two properties in him namely that with all clemencie and meekenes he would vse the seruice obedience of them that are vnder him by considering of them with reason and by looking rather to the good affection and desert of his seruant than to the great and profitable seruice which he draweth from him The other point is that the maister vsing the sweate and seruice of his should not seeme to be displeased teastie or hard to content but rather alwaies shewe foorth a gentle kinde of fauour and curtesie or at least a seuere familiaritie seasoned with a cheerefull and merrie countenance Whosoeuer shewe themselues to be such men besides the glorie which they shall obtaine by being taken generally for gentle and curteous men their houshold seruants will loue them the more and will reuerence them as their fathers not standing in such awe and feare of them as men commonly doe of intollerable tyrants Moreouer as this assembly of a maister and of seruants tendeth as euery other societie also vnto some good end the maister hauing regard to that which concerneth him and his house and his seruants to the hope of profite and commoditie order must be taken that they which haue with all carefulnes discharged their dutie and yeelded that fidelitie and diligence that is requisite to their superiour be not defrauded of the price reward hire and desert of their trauels For if we thinke it great villanie to rob another man let vs esteeme it nothing lesse to keepe backe the fruite of life and to defraud the labours perils watchings and excessiue cares of our seruants in not recompencing them Therefore concerning this part of a house called the Maisterlie part we will note this that as the Ancients made their slaues free thereby to drawe from them voluntarie and vnconstrained seruice and to deliuer themselues of that feare and distrust which they alwaies had of their slaues accounting that prouerbe true As many enimies as slaues so ought we to bring vp and to nourish our hired and mercenary seruants which serue vs in these daies with a free and liberall kind of loue by dealing gratiously with them by perswading them with reason and by rewarding them liberally and this will induce them to serue honour and esteeme vs as if our weale and woe were wholy common with them The last part of the house remaineth nowe to be intreated of which is the perfection thereof and is called the Parentall part comprehending vnder it the Father and Mother or one of them with the children The head of a familie saith Aristotle commandeth ouer wife and children but ouer both as free persons and yet not after one and the same manner of commanding but ouer the wife according to gouernment vsed in a popular state and ouer the children royally or Prince-like This commandement ouer children is called royall bicause he that begetteth commandeth by loue and by the prerogatiue of age which is a kind of kinglie commanding Therefore Homer calleth Iupiter the father of Men and of the Gods that is king of all For a king must excell by nature and must be of the same kind as it is with the aged in respect of the yoonger sort and with him that begetteth in regard of his child ouer whome he ought to be as carefull as a king is ouer his subiectes Vnto this part of the house a Father of a familie must haue a carefull eye bicause heereuppon chiefly dependeth the honour and quietnes of his house and the discharge of his dutie towardes God and his countrie namely by making his children honest and of good conditions As the desire and pricke of nature sayth Dion driueth vs forward to beget children so is it a testimonie of true loue and charitie to bring them vppe and to intreate them after a free manner and to instruct them well Therefore a Father of a familie shall satisfie his dutie concerning this parte of a house by the good education and instruction of his children and by exercising them in vertue For manners and conditions are qualities imprinted in vs by longe tracte of tyme and vertues are gotten by custome care and diligence Heereafter we are to consider more amply and particularly of the instruction of youth and therefore at this time we will content our selues with the giuing of certaine generall precepts woorthie to be diligently obserued of euery good father of a familie towards
his children For in vaine sayth Plato doth he hope for a haruest that hath beene negligent in sowing I say he must be passing carefull and imploie all possible labour that his children and youth may be well instructed bicause they are the seede-corne of the citie insomuch that carefull heed is to be had euen of their words gestures sportes and other actions that nothing may leade them vnto vice For otherwise if no reckoning be made of this age a man shall labour no lesse in vaine to prescribe good lawes for them afterward than the Phisition doth that ministreth plentie of medicines to a diseased partie that keepeth no diet at all The best giftes of nature if they be not well trimmed and looked vnto become naught at the first and afterward passing euill Therefore a father of a familie ought not to be more carefull of anie thing than of the bringing vp of his children according to whose good or euill education the whole house will be gouerned This first institution of their life from the first age is called discipline which by little and little leadeth the spirite of the childe to the loue of vertue euen of that vertue whereby beeing come to mans estate he knoweth both howe to command and howe to obeie and to followe after nothing but that which the lawe commandeth and affirmeth to be good The vices of children are swordes which passe through the hartes of their Fathers who are for the moste parte the cause of them through their negligence in correcting them and ouer-great libertie which they graunt to this age that needeth a staye and bridle yea spurres whereby to bee broken and made tractable as men vse to deale with yoonge Coltes Therefore PLATO sayde that it is not in our owne power to cause our children to bee borne suche as wee woulde haue them but yet that it lieth in vs to make them good Whereunto this will be a good meane if from their yong yeeres we imprint in their harts a loue feare reuerence of vs. For if these thinges concurre not togither in the childes hart he will neuer yeeld due obedience to his father Pythagoras said that a prudent father was better to be liked than a cholerike bicause prudence serueth to procure loue and good will in those that ought to obey whereas choler maketh them odious that command and causeth their admonitions to profite but little For this cause Aristotle requireth perfection of Morall vertue in a father of a familie saying that his office is a kind of building that reason is as it were the builder by whome he guideth bringeth that Oeconomical worke to his perfection And in deede the Ancients tooke great paines in teaching their children themselues not suffering them to be farre from their presence during their youth bicause they iudged and that vpon good reason that son-like respect loue were good pricks to driue them forward to the studie of vertue And no doubt but if a skilfull father would execute this dutie of instructing his child in knowledge and learning he would conceiue and take it a great deale better of him than of any other Therefore Marcus Portius Cato would needs beschoole-maister to his owne children which institution did greatly auaile them not so much bicause he was Cato as bicause he was their father whose vertue they imitated Iulius Caesar adopted his nephew Octauian brought him vp himselfe Which did him so much good that being come to the empire he was called Augustus for his goodnes He also performed as much afterward to his nephews Lucius Caius whome in like maner he had adopted Noah Lot Iacob and all the fathers instructed their children themselues and God commanded the Israelites in the wildernes to teach their children the lawe which themselues had receiued from their fathers To this purpose an ancient man said that it was the greatest sloth that could be for a man to be negligent towards his children to teach them nothing Great heede therefore must be taken that they be not left to the gouernment of their owne fantasie considering that youth is very tender to resist vice and of it selfe vncapable of counsell With-hold not saith the Wise man correction from the child for in smiting with the rod thou shalt deliuer his soule from hell He that spareth his rod hateth his sonne but he that loueth him chasteneth him betime As an vntamed horse becommeth fierce so a child suffred to do what he list waxeth rebellious If thou bring vp thy son delicately he shall make thee afraid if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauines Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his follie Bow downe his necke while he is yoong and beate him on the sides while he is a child least he waxe stubborn be disobedient vnto thee so bring sorowe to thine hart And yet I would not that fathers should be ouer-sharpe hard to their children not bearing with any fault in them But as Phisitions mingling steeping their bitter drugs with some sweete iuice haue found the meanes to make a passage for profite through the middest of pleasure so must fathers intermingle the sharpnes of their reprehensions corrections with the facilitie of elemencie somtime let loose a little the bridle to the desires of their children so that they wander not far from that which becommeth them Againe they must by by let downe the button hold them hard in with the bridle but yet supporting gently and patiently their faults committed through youth not of malice And if it be so that they cannot but be angry at the least let their anger be presently appeased For it is better that a father should be quickly angry although that be an imperfection so that he be soone pacified than slowe to anger and hardly brought to forgiue But if a father be so seuere that he wil forget nothing be neuer reconciled it is a great argument that he hateth his children And then he maketh himselfe vnwoorthy of so excellent diuine a name shewing foorth effects cleane contrary therunto wheras parents commonly loue their children too much vse towards them rather too much lenitie than iust seueritie Oh how the father saith Seneca speaking of one that thrust his son out of his house cutteth off his lims with great griefe how many sighes he fetcheth in cutting them off how earnestly he wisheth to haue thē againe in their place Moreouer fathers must haue a special care that they commit no fault nor omit any thing appertaining to their dutie to the end they may be liuely examples to their children that looking into their life as into a cleare glasse they may abstaine after their example frō speking any thing that bringeth shame Againe we know that all those fathers which lead an euill life leaue not to themselues any
matters before they can passe Officers in France sworne to let nothing passe that is hurtfull to the realme notwithstanding the king his cōmandement Of a tiranny of the name of a tirant The difference between a good king and a tyrant Diogenes girdeth Dionysius Of the miserable condition of tyrants Democles was quickly wearie of the estate of Dionysius A tyrant cannot long continue Tyrants haue commonly an euil end Examples of the extraordinarie deaths of tyrants Rewards appointed for murderers of tyrants It is not lawfull for any to kill his Prince although a tyrant Custome goeth beyond nature in that which is euil The chiefe hope of a prince dependeth next to God of his institution A notable comparison Why great care is to be had in the institution of a prince The kingdom of France goeth only from male to male The barbarous crueltie of Selim The custome of electing of a king in Ethiopia The custome of succession in Calecuth When a prince may best be corrected The best token of remembrāce that a Prince can leaue behind him How a prince ought to liue himselfe and to bring vp his children What teachers a yong prince must haue Two properties requisite in him that teacheth a prince What maner of persons must be about the prince The duty of him that is chosen to bring vp the prince To make a good prince is to do good to all his people The inclination of a yong prince must first be knowen How a yong prince must be taught Deu. 17. 18. 19 The law of God belongeth to the prince When a Common-wealth is happy The agreement between a Philosopher and a Christian Wherin a prince ought to excell others The fault of a Prince is much more hurtfull than that of a priuate man A prince ought to be skilfull by reason and not by vse How a prince is to receiue the praises that are giuen him Good precepts for princes set out by comparisons A kingdome is but a great familie The safetie of Monarchies dependeth of the loue and loialtie of subiects The mutuall duties of the Prince and his subiects What praise a Prince is to seek after The whole world is immortall in respect of substance but not of qualities Excellent titles of a good Prince Examples of former ages must be propounded to Princes Scipio Africanus Menander Traian Agesilaus Aristides Deut. 17. 19. It is as hard a matter to gouerne well as to get an Empire Why Princes are placed in their thrones The good will of the people dependeth of the integritie of religion The sayings of the seuen wise men of Grecia touching the estate of Princes Traians letter to the Senate touching the carefull estate of Princes To what false surmises a Prince is subiect Who is fittest to tule The Prince must giue account to none but to God The first and principall dutie of a Prince is to haue the law of God before his eies Psal 119. The pietie of the prince is of great force with his subiects to stirre them vp to their dutie The Prince must be sure that the religion he maintaineth is the iust will of God The duties of a Prince comprehended in three points Isocrates argument whoreby he prooueth the good raigne of a Prince A Prince must loue his subiects He must begin reformation at himselfe He must haue the wisest next his person The first dutie of a king towards his subiects Good precepts for a Prince What manner of lawes are to be established in a Common-wealth Ierem. 22. 3. Philip lost his life bicause he delaied iustice Demetrius threw the supplications of his subiects into a water A prince must execute iustice vpon the transgressours of the law of God and of nature When it is commendable in him to shew mercie How a Prince may preserue his kingdome a great while without danger Marcus Aurelius stood not in feare of his subiects Numa refused the gard of three hundred archers which Romulus had Plato his speech to Dionysius concerning his gard Grauitie and seueritie requisite in a prince A principle in state matters The effects of harmonicall iustice What authority a Prince hath ouer his subiects goods Hebreas freedome of speech in reproouing Antonius Some gold more vile and base than iron Darius diminished his tributs Lewes the 9. was the first that raised a taxe in France His exhortation to his eldest sonne Liberalitie necessarie in a Prince The difference betweene a reward and a benefit A king must be as good as his word The saying of Theopompus A Prince must discerne wiselie betweene faithfull seruants and flatterers Wisedome necessarie in a King Temperance requisite in a Prince What maner of exercises a Prince must vse A Prince must be skilfull in warre and yet loue peace A Prince must carefully auoid ciuill dissention What Counsellors a Prince must chuse The summe of the dutie of a Prince A common misery incident 〈◊〉 the estate of princes Counsellors are the eies eares of a Prince What counsellors are to be vsed by Princes Counsell is the anchor of the citie The excellencie of counsell All common-wealths consist chiefly of two things What a councel is The profit of a councell A councell or Senate is the soule of the common-welth The Hebrewes compared it to a foundation The councell of the Amphictions The Senate of the Lacedemonians The Senate of the Athenians The Senate of the Romanes The power of the Consuls of Rome The power of the Senate of Rome The power of the people of Rome Of the councel of the Turke Of the councell of the Venetians Of the councel of Rhagusium Of the councel of Genes The councel of Switzerland The councel of Germanie The assemblie of estates in Polonia Of the councel of Spaine Seuen seuerall councels in Spaine Of the councell of England Of the secret councell of France Of the priuie councell of France What matters are handled therein A commendable custome vsed in the priuie councell of France Of the great councell Of the court of Parliament Of the strict councell What it is to hold the estates The name of parliament belongeth to priuate courtes in France Causes of the assemblie of estates The assembly of estates is not aboue the prince Theopompus answer to his wife An excellent comparison The dutie and qualities of counsellors of estate Three things necessarie in a counsellor of estate Counsellors may not be Pensioners to forrain princes Example hereof in Agesilaus Counsellors must not through feare shrinke from their dutie Examples hereof Considius answer to Caesar Solyman hanged a wicked counsellor Good counsell better than many hands Rom. 13. 4. The common breach of lawes breedeth contempt of the magistrate Iudgements are the sinews of an estate A certain token of the ruine of an estate The prince stādeth bound for iustice and must answer before God for the breach therof What iudgementis Magistrats must alwaies haue the law equitie before their eies The diuision of iudgements A rigorous iudgment