studie and contemplation to make a happie life so that otherwise it is as it were dead and idle what shall we say of that life that is void both of studie and action but that it is more beast-like than humane And how many millions of men are there in the world who liue in this sort and more in France than in any other nation Yea howe many are more idle and lesse carefull than brute beasts neglecting the prouision euen of things necessarie for this present life Amongst the obscure precepts which Pythagoras gaue to his Disciples this was one Take good heede that thou sit not vpon a bushell meaning that Idlenes and Sloth were especially to be eschewed Likewise when we shall enter into the consideration of those euils that issue from idlenes and sloth no doubt but we will flie from them as from the plague of our soules They are greatly to be feared in a Common-wealth bicause they open a gate to all iniustice and kindle the fire of sedition which setteth a floate all kind of impietie Furthermore they are the cause of the finding out of infinite false and pernitious inuentions for the releâ—uing of pouertie which for the most part floweth from the same fountaine of idlenes This mooued the wise and ancient kings of Egypt to imploy their idle people in digging of the earth and in the drawing foorth building of those Pyramides the chiefe of which is by the Historiographers placed among the seuen woonders of the world It could not be perfectly finished before the space of twentie yeeres albeit that three hundred and three score thousand men wrought about it continually The Captaines and Heades of the Romane armies fearing the dangerous effects of idlenes no lesse in their host than in their townes caused their souldiors to trauell in making of trenches when they were not vrged of their enemies as Marius did alongest the riuer of Rhone The Emperor Claudius enioying an assured peace caused the chanell Fucinus to be made that Rome might haue the commoditie of good waters about which work thirtie thousand men were daily imploied for the space of twelue yeeres Adrianus seeing a generall peace within his Empire continually vndertooke new and long iournies one while into Fraunce another while into Germanie sometime into Asia into other strange countries causing his men of warre to march with him saying that he did for feare least they being idle should be corrupted forget the discipline of warre and so be the cause of nouelties And it seemeth that this was the cause why a wise Romane councelled the Senate not to destroy Carthage least the Romanes being in safetie by the vtter subuersion thereof which onely at that time made head against them should become idle But now we may iustly say of them that through a lazie and cowardlie idlenes they haue lost the dignitie and vertue of their forefathers The Ephoryes who were Gouernors of the Lacedemonian estate being mooued with the same reason with which the Romane Scipio Nasica was touched after intelligence had of the taking sacking of a great towne into which their men were entred said that the armie of their youth was lost Whereupon they sent word to the Captaine of the armie that he should not after the same manner destroy another towne which he had besieged writing these words vnto him Take not away the pricke which stirreth forward the harts of our yoong men Gelon king of Syracusa led his people oftentimes into the fields aswell to labor the ground and to plant as to fight both that the earth might be better being well dressed as also bicause he feared least his people should waxe woorse for want of trauell So greatly did these ancient wise men feare the pernitious effects of idlenes and sloth which bring to nothing and corrupt the goodnes of nature whereas diligence exercise in good educatioÌ„ correcteth the naughtines thereof For as close waters saith Plutark putrifie quickly bicause they are couered shadowed standing so they that busie not themselues but remaine idle albeit they haue some good thing in them yet if they bring it not foorth neither exercise those naturall faculties that were borne with them they corrupt and destroy them vtterly And which is woorse as concupiscence saith Plato and luxuriousnes are quenched with great sharpe and continuall labor so are they kindled through idlenes Aretchles and slothfull man can find out nothing that is easie But there is nothing saith Seneca whereunto continuall labor is not able to attaine through care and vigilancie men come to the end of most difficult matters Fortune saith a Poet helpeth and fauoureth them that boldly set their hand to the worke but giueth the repulse to fearefull and base-minded men Let vs beleeue said Pythagoras that laborious and painefull things will sooner lead vs to vertue than those that are nice and delicate And as Hesiodus saith the Gods haue placed sweate before vertue and the way that leadeth vnto hir is long difficult and craggie A good Pilot seeing a tempest at hand calleth vpon the Gods that they would graunt him grace to escape it but in the meane while he taketh the helme into his hand he vaileth the foresaile and bringing about the maine saile laboureth to come out of the darke sea Hesiodus commaundeth the Husbandman to make his vowes to Iupiter and to Ceres before he either ploweth or soweth but he must do it with his hand vpon the plow taile Plato writing his lawes forbiddeth a man to fetch water at his neighbours house before he hath digged and delued in his owne ground euen to the clay and that it be perceiued that no water springeth there In like sort lawes must prouide for necessitie and not fauour sloth and idlenes By sloth we loose that which we haue alreadie well gotten but by diligence we attaine to that which we haue not and which may be necessarie for vs. I passed saith the wise man by the field of the slothfull and by the vineyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding and lo it was all growne ouer with thornes and nettles had couered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken downe It is sloth and negligence that causeth a man through want of good vnderstanding and iudgement not to care for the getting of that which is needfull for him bicause he feareth least he should loose it Whereupon this would follow which is a very absurd thing that nothing how deare and precious soeuer it be ought to be sought for or desired seeing all things are subiect to chaunge yea knowledge through great diseases and other inconueniences may be lessened and lost Idlenesse and slouth doe not hurt the soule onely but impaire also the health of the bodie Yea that rest which a man taketh by negligence is much more hurtfull vnto him than painfull exercise And they which thinke that health needeth
Of the Harmonie and agreement that ought to be in the dissimilitude or vnlike callings of subiects by reason of the duty and office of euery estate 743 67 Of Peace and of Warre 754 68 Of the ancient Discipline and order of Warre 764 69 Of the office and duty of a Generall 772 70 Of the choise of Souldiors of the maner how to exhort them to fight and how victory is to be vsed 783 71 Of a happie Life 794 72 Of Death 804 THE FIRST DAIES WORKE of this Academie with the cause of their assemblie WHen GOD by his infinite and vnspeakable goodnes beholding with a fatherly bountifull and pitifull eie our poore France which most cruel against it selfe seemed to run amain most furiously to throw it self headlong into the center of some bottomlesse gulfe had sent from heauen the wished-for newes of peace in the midst of ciuill and domesticall armies which a man might say were of purpose prepared for the finall ouerthrow of this French Monarchie that hath florished so long time sparing by his heauenlie grace and fauor and that in despite of them the bloud of those men who held foorth their right hand to cut off the left among manie who touched with the loue of their countrie and with true zeale to pietie reioiced at this so well liking and healthfull newes fower yong gentlemen of Aniou who came togither to serue their Prince and to sacrifice their liues if need required for the welfare and safetie of the Common wealth were none of the last that sought out one another and met togither to testifie ech to other as their mutuall kindred and sworne frendship did inuite them the ioy which filled their souls arising of so happie and vnlooked for successe and alteration of affaires to the end also that they might giue glorie and praise to him who for the benefit of his knoweth wel how to take order euen in those things which according to the iudgement of men are desperate and past recouery And that which gaue them greater occasion to reioice for this peace and so diligently to seeke out one another was this bicause contratie to hope they saw the meanes offered them to returne home and to continue an exercise that greatly pleased them which not long before the last fal of France into troubles they had happily begun Now to let you readers vnderstand what this exercise was these fower gentlemen being of kin and neere neighbors and in a maner of one age were by the care and prudence of their fathers brought vp and nourished togither from their yoong yeeres in the studie of good letters in the house of an ancient wise gentleman of great calling who was the principall stocke and roote of these fruitfull buds This man by reason of his manifold experience and long abode in strange countries knew that the common corruption of French youth of it selfe inclined to pleasure proceeded chiefly from the ouer great licence and excessiue libertie granted vnto them in the Vniuersities of this Realme as well through the fault and negligence of the gouernors and tutors in them as also bicause of the euill gouernment of the townes at this day He knew also that they were no lesse abused who thinking to auoide this dangerous downe-fall at home did send their children to studie abroad amongst strangers where the traffike and merchandise of mischiefs is more common and easie to be made bicause they feare not that newes will presently or so speedily be caried to their parents as if they were neere vnto them Oh how well woorthie of eternall praise is the prudence of this gentleman bringing to my remembrance Eteocles one of the most noble Ephories of Lacedemonia who freely answered Antipater asking fiftie pledges that he would not giue him children least if they were brought vp farre from their fathers they should change the ancient custome of liuing vsed in their owne countrie and become vicious but of olde men and women he would giue him double the number if he would haue them Wherevpon being threatened by this king if he speedily sent him not of the youth we care not quoth he for threatenings For if thou command vs to do things that are more greeuous than death we will rather choose death so carefull were the men of old time that the dressing and trimming of these yoong plants should not be out of their presence But let vs go on with our matter This good and notable old man hauing spent the greater part of his yeeres in the seruice of two kings and of his country and for many good causes withdrawen himselfe to his house thought that to content his mind which alwaies delighted in honest and vertuous things he could not bring greater profit to the Monarchie of France than to lay open a way and meane to preserue and keepe youth from such a pernicious and cancred corruption by offering himselfe for example to all fathers and shewing them the way to haue a more carefull eie in the instruction of their children and not so lightly to commit them to the discipline of vices by the hands of mercenarie and hired strangers And this was begun vpon these fower yoong gentlemen whom he tooke to his owne house by the consent of their parents offering himselfe to the vttermost of his power to helpe their gentle nature which appeered in them woorthie their ancestors by training it vp first in the feare of God as being the beginning of al wisedome secondly in humane learning and knowledge which are necessarie helps to liue well and happily to the benefit of the societie of men To this end after that he himselfe had shewed them the first grounds of true wisedome and of al things necessarie for their saluation according to the measure of grace giuen him from aboue and as their age could conceiue them he labored earnestly to haue in his house some man of great learning and wel reported of for his good life and conuersation vnto whom he committed the instruction of this yoong Nobilitie Who behaued himselfe so wel in his charge that not greatly staying himselfe in the long degrees of learning which being ordinarie and vsuall in our French Colledges are often more tedious besides losse of time than profitable to youth after he had indifferently taught his schollers the Latine toong and some smackering of the Greeke he propounded for the chiefe part and portion of their studies the morall philosophie of aucient Sages and wise men togither with the vnderstanding searching out of histories which are the light of life therein following the intent and will both of him that set him on worke and also of the parents of this Nobilitie who desired to see their children not great Orators suttle Logitians learned Lawiers or curious Mathematicians but onely sufficiently taught in the doctrine of good liuing following the traces and steps of vertue by the knowledge of things past from the first ages vntill this present that they
which did all intreat of vertue out of which men may reape infinite profite especially out of those that intreat of a common-wealth or of lawes In these books that he might not seeme vngratefull towarde his master Socrates who would neuer write any thing he bringeth him in rehearsing that which at other times he had heard him speake Stilpo the philosopher being in his citie of Megara when it was taken spoiled by Demetrius king of Macedonia who fauouring him asked if he had lost any thing that was his made this answer No sir quoth he for war cannot spoile vertue And indeede this is that riches wherwith we ought to furnish our selues which can swim with vs in a shipwrack and which caused Socrates to answere thus to one who asked him what his opinion was of the great king whether he did not thinke him very happy I cannot tell quoth he how he is prouided of knowledge vertue Who may iustly doubt whether vertue alone is able to make a man happie seeing it doth not onely make him wise prudent iust good both in his doings sayings but also commonly procureth vnto him honor glorie and authoritie It was through hir meanes that Alexander deserued the surname of Great by that experience which she gaue him in warre by his liberalitie in riches by his temperance in all his sumptuous magnificence by his hardines and constancy in fight by his continency in affections by his bountie and clemencie in victorie and by all other vertues wherein he surpassed all that liued in his time Yea the fame and renowme of his vertues procured a greater number of cities countries and men to submit themselues willingly vnto him without blowestriking than did the power of his armie Wherein this sentence of Socrates is found true that whole troupes of souldiers and heapes of riches are constrained oftentimes to obey vertue What said Darius monarche of the Persians when he vnderstoode both what continencie Alexander his enimie had vsed towards his wife who being exceeding beautifull was taken prisoner by him and what humanitie he shewed afterward in hir funerals when she was dead The Persians quoth he neede not be discouraged neither thinke themselues cowards and effeminate because they were vanquished of such an aduersarie Neither do I demand any victorie of the gods but to surmount Alexander in bountifulnes And if it be so that I must fall I beseech them to suffer none but him to sit in the royall throne and seat of Cyrus Will we haue testimonies of the inuicible force of vertue and of hir powerfull and praisewoorthy effects in most sinister and vntoward matters Histories declare vnto vs that amongst all the vertuous acts which procured praise and renowme to the men of old time those were the notablest most commended which they shewed foorth at such time as fortune seemed to haue wholy beaten them downe Pelopidas generall captaine of the Thebans who deliuered them from the bondage of the Lacedemonians is more praised and esteemed for the great and notable vertue which he shewed being prisoner in the hands of Alexander the tyrannous king of the Phereans then for all his victories gotten before For at that time his vertue was so farre from yeelding any iot to his calamitie that contrariwise with an vnspeakeable constancie he recomforted the inhabitants of the towne that came to visite him exhorting them to be of good courage seeing the houre was come wherin the tyrant should be at once punished for his wickednes And one day he sent him word that he was destitute of all iudgement and reason in that he vexed his poore citizens caused them to die in torments who neuer offended him and in the meane time suffered him to liue in rest of whom he could not be ignorant that escaping his hands he would be reuenged of him The tyrant maruelling at his great courage asked why he made such great haste to die To this end quoth he that thou being yet more hated of God and men than thou art mightest the sooner be destroied Philocles one of the most famous Athenian captaines of his time who caused this law to be made that the right thombe of all prisoners taken in war from that time forward should be cut off that they might not handle a pike any more but yet might serue to rowe with an oare being taken prisoner with three thousand Atheniens in one battell which Lysander admirall of the Lacedemonians obtained against him and al of them being condemned to die was demanded of Lysander what paine he iudged himselfe worthie of for counselling his country-men to so wicked and cruell a thing To whom he made this onely answere with an vnmoueable vertue Accuse not those who haue no iudge to hear know their cause But seeing the gods haue shewed thee this fauour to be conqueror deale with vs as we would haue done with thee if we had ouercome thee Which being said he went to wash and bath himselfe and then putting on a rich cloke as if he should haue gone to some feast he offered himselfe first to the slaughter shewing the way of true constancie to his fellow citizens Anaxarchus the philosopher being taken prisoner by the commandement of Nero that he might know of him who were the authors of a conspiracie that was made against his estate and being led towards him for the same cause he bit his toong in sunder with his teeth and did spit it in his face knowing well that otherwise the tyrant would haue compelled him by all sorts of tortures and torments to reueale disclose them Zeno missing his purpose which was to haue killed the tyrant Demylus did asmuch to him But what is more terrible than death Notwithstanding when did vertue better shew hir greatnes and power then when death laboured most to ouerthrow hir as being resolued of that saying of Cicero that all wise men die willingly and without care but that the vnwise ignorant are at their wits ende for feare of death If many who haue not knowne the true and perfect immortalitie of the soule and some onely led with a desire of praise worldly glorie others touched with duty and kindled with a loue towards their countrey haue shewed the increase of their vertue in the horrors and pangs of death what ought they to do who expect certainely an euerlasting life Phocion after he had beene chosen generall captaine of the Athenians foure and fortie times and done infinite seruices to the common-wealth being at length through certaine partakinges and diuisions ouercome with the weakest side which he had mainetained and being condemned to drinke poison was demaunded before he dranke whether he had no more to saye Whereupon speaking to his sonne he saide I commaunde thee to beare the Athenians no rancor and malice for my death And a little before this speech beholding one of those that were condemned to
man Their names are these Grammer which is the entrance and beginning of all knowledge Rhetoricke which is the art of fine speaking and of perswading Dialectick or Logick which is to learne the truth of all things by disputation Physick which is the studie of naturall things Metaphysick which is of supernaturall things Mathematike which hath many members whereof Arithmetick is the first which is the science of numbers and the foundation of all the other parts of Mathematicke without which science of Arithmetick Plato denied that any man could be either a philosopher or captaine generall Next to that is Geometry that is to saye the art of measuring the ground very necessarie likewise for a captaine and for many other martiall affaires Then followeth Cosmographie and Geography to know the situation of the whole world euen from the tower of the highest heauen called the first moouer vnto the center of the earth and likewise of the diuers regions therof with their particular temperatures After that is Astronomie the science that teacheth vs to know the course of the starres and planets which thing practise onely might teach vs I meane so much as is necessarie for vs as our first fathers were a long time content therewith vntill the curiositie of men inuented these names of Saturne Mars others attributing natures vnto them according to their imaginations and also power ouer our bodies yea those things that shall perish and are without life are said to haue power ouer our immortall soules And from thence proceeded iudiciall Astronomy wherewith so many good wits are deceiued and of which so many abuses haue their beginning Next Musick is set downe also for a member of the Mathematicks as being a science drawne from numbers bicause that by them harmonicall proportion was found Lastly followeth Poetry which is attributed to Musick In this short discourse the woonderfull greatnes ofscience appeereth sufficiently as also how hard yea vnpossible it is to attaine to the perfection thereof through the sound knowlege of all the parts thereof Wherefore we are first to seeke after those that are most necessarie and then to desire a meane vnderstanding of them all according to the gifts and graces of God bestowed on our soules But aboue all things we must shunne that idlenes and rechlesnes which is in many who by reason of the difficultie which they heare say is in sciences and distrusting themselues for euer comming neere the skill of so many good wits as haue gone before them remaine as buried in ignorance and vnprofitable amongst men The greatnes of Alexander staied not his successours from trying the issue and euent of all sorts of noble enterpises And the woonderfull knowledge of Plato could not keep Aristotle from handling philosophie as he thought good He that distrusteth his wit and the inuention thereof sheweth himselfe too vngratefull For it seemeth he will condemne nature the mother of all things as though she had put all hir gifts and graces in some men and euer after purposed to be idle and barren hauing no more strength to bring foorth any thing woorthy commendation We must not therefore in this sort be discouraged in the searching out of euerie good discipline knowing that those things also which draw neere to perfection are great But yet for the chiefe part of all our studies let vs take Morall philosophie whereof we haue alreadie discoursed that we may frame our maners according to vertue and lead and direct our selues to that ende which we desire euen to liue well and happily So let vs practise that diuine saying of Plato speaking by the mouth of Socrates That more vertue and pietie is required in a philosopher than knowledge and that all science which is to be required in him is that aboue all thinges he worship and reuerence God the onely true master of wisedome and authour of whatsoeuer may be knowne and that he endeuour to separate his soule from his bodie as much as may be by contemning pleasures ambition vaineglory and riches that so he may lay hold of the treasures of immortall life This we may learne by reading books writings which are the instruments of wisedome and are left vnto vs by learned men for a rule and for instruction By the studie hereof we shall attaine to that knowledge of the true and perfect good of man which consisteth in vertue and veritie the onely nourishment rest and tranquillitie of the minde But will we know further what profite we may receiue by the doctrine of ancient men Let vs onely read that which Anacharsis wrote to Craesus king of Lidia Know quoth he to him that in the studies of Graecia we learne not to command but first to obey not to speake but to keepe silence not to resist but to humble our selues not to get much but to content our selues with a little not to reuenge our harmes but to pardon iniuries not to take from others but to giue our owne not to take care to be honored but to labour to be vertuous Lastly we learne to despise that which others loue and to loue that which others despise that is pouertie Behold the faire fruits of science and of the studie of these ancient Sages to which no treasures of worldly riches are in any sort comparable and which we ought to desire aboue all things Moreouer by this studie of letters we shall be taught to search out diligently the vnderstanding of histories which are the treasury of things past the patterne of those that are to com the picture of mans life the tuchstone of our dooings the workmaster of our honor and as Cicero calleth them the witnes of times the light of truth the life of memorie the mistres of life and the messenger of antiquitie Histories cause vs to beholde that without danger which so many millions of men haue tried with the losse of their liues honor and goods that we may be made wise by their perill and stirred vp to follow the vertue of others which hath brought them to the top of all felicitie and glorie Now if we thinke to learne by our owne experience these excellent instructions which we may draw out of histories in stead of so rare treasures we shall know but few things and those with losse perill amongst a thousand aduersities from which the vnderstanding of that which is past saueth deliuereth vs. Prudence gotten by experience is too perilous and so long a comming that very often a man dieth before he haue obtained it so that he had need of a second life to imploy about it But we must hasten it forward by the searching out of things which haue come to passe both before and since our time in the studie both of philosophie which is rich and plentifull in worthy examples and also of histories which are a singular gift of God whereby he would haue his
countries as the histories of most nations in the world declare vnto vs and namely of the Germaines who in the time of Tacitus had neither law nor religion nor knowledge nor forme of commonwealth whereas now they giue place to no nation for good institution in all things Let vs not then be discouraged or faint by knowing our naturall imperfections seeing that through labor and diligence we may recouer that which is wanting but happie is that man and singularly beloued of God to whom both good birth and like bringing vp are granted together It followeth now to discourse particulerly of the maner of good education and instruction of youth but this will come in more fitely when we shall intreat of Oeconomy And yet seeing we are in the discourse of mans nature I thinke it wil not be from the purpose nor without profite if to make vs more seuere censurers of our owne faults we note that although our behauior be cheefely known by the effects as a tree by the fruit yet many times a mans naturall inclinatiō is better perceiued in a light matter as in a word in a pastime or in some other free and priuate busines wherein vertue or vice ingrauen in the soule may be sooner espied than in greater actions and works done publikely bicause in these matters shame or constraint commonly cause men to vse dissimulation Howbeit this also is true that the more power and authoritie a man hath when he may alleadge his owne will for all reason the inward affection of his hart is then best discouered For such an vnbrideled licence mooueth all euen to the verie depth and bottome of his passions and causeth all those secret vices that are hidden in his soule to be fullie and euidently seene Whereupon it followeth that great and noble men ought aboue all others to learne vertue and to studie to liue well especially seeing they haue all those requisite helps and commodities through want of which most men are hindred from attaining thereunto Let vs therefore learne by our present discourse to knowe that the nature of all men by reason of the corruption of sin is so depraued corrupted and vnperfect that euen the best men amongst many imperfections carry about them some enuie ielousy emulation and contention against some or other and rather against their verie friends This did Demas a noble man and greatly conuersant in matters of estate declare vnto the councel in the citie of Chio after a ciuill dissention wherin he had followed that part which ouercame For he perswaded those of his side not to banish all their aduersaries out of the city but to leaue some of them after they had taken from them all meanes of doing more harme least quoth he vnto them we begin to quarrel with our friends hauing no more enemies to contende withall For this cause we must fortifie our selues with vnderstanding and knowledge through labor and studie of good letters that we may restraine and represse so many pernitious motions mingled togither in our soules Let vs know moreouer that seeing our nature is assaulted and prouoked by a vehement inclination to do any thing whatsoeuer it is a very hard matter to withdrawe and keepe it backe by any force no not by the strength or feare of any lawes if in due conuenient time we frame not within it a habite of vertue hauing first wished to be well borne But howsoeuer it be let vs endeuor to be well borne through custome and exercise in vertue which will be vnto vs as it were another nature vsing the meanes of good education and instruction in wisedome whereby our soules shal be made conquerors ouer all hurtfull passions and our minds moderate and staied that in all our doings sayings and thoughts we passe not the bounds of the dutie of a vertuous man The ende of the fourth daies worke THE FIFT DAIES WORKE Of Temperance Chap. 17. ASER. THe diuine excellencie of the order of the equall wonderful constācie of the parts of the world aswell in the goodly and temperate moderation of the seasons of the yeere as in the mutuall coniunctiō of the elements obeying altogither with a perfect harmonie the gratious and soueraigne gouernment of their creator was the cause that Pythagoras first called all the compasse of this vniuersal frame by this name of World which without such an excellent disposition would be but disorder a world of confusion For this word world signifieth asmuch as Ornament or a well disposed order of things Nowe as a constant and temperate order is the foundation thereof so the ground-worke and preseruation of mans happie life for whom all things were made is the vertue of temperance which conteineth the desires and inclinations of the soule within the compasse of mediocritie and moderateth all actions whatsoeuer For this cause hauing hitherto according to our iudgment sufficiently discoursed of the first riuer of the fountaine of honestie I thinke we ought to set downe here in the second place although it be contrarie to the opinion of manie philosophers this vertue of Temperance saying with Socrates that she is the ground-worke and foundation of all vertues AMANA As a man cannot be temperate if first he be not prudent bicause euerie vertuous action proceedeth of knowledge so no man can be strong and valiant if he be not first temperate bicause he that hath a noble and great courage without moderation will attempt a thousand euils and mischeefes and will soone grow to be rash and headie Likewise iustice cannot be had without temperance seeing it is the cheefe point of a iust man to haue his soule free from perturbations Which cannot be done except he be temperate whose proper subiect the soule is ARAM. Heroicall vertue saith Plato is made perfect by the mixture and ioyning together of Temperance and fortitude which being separated will at length become vices For a temperate man that is not couragious easily waxeth to be a coward and faintharted and a noble hart not temperate becommeth rash and presumptuous Let vs then heare ACHITOB discourse of this Temperance so excellent and necessarie a vertue ACHITOB. Agapetus a man of great skill writing to the emperor Iustinian amongst other things had this saying We say that thou art truly and rightly both emperor and king so long as thou canst command and master thy desires and pleasures and art beset and decked with the crowne of Temperance and clothed with the purple robe of Iustice For other principalities end by death whereas this kingdome abideth for euer yea others are manie times the cause of perdition to the soule but this procureth a certaine and an assured safetie When we haue considered well of the woorthie effects and fruits of this vertue of temperance no doubt but we will subscribe to this wise mans opinion and to as many as haue written of the praises and roialties of that vertue Temperance saith thagoras is that light which
of those goods that are immortall vnutterable and endlesse in the second and eternall life Without this hope grounded vpon the free goodnesse of the almightie let vs assuredly perswade our selues that mans estate is more miserable than that of brute beasts seeing this is the only way of his saluation The other hope which concerneth this present life only in all such things as we propound to our selues for the benefit and contentation thereof hath such neede to be ruled guided and referred to the happie end of the first excellent and heauenly hope that otherwise it cannot but be doubtfull inconstant rash what humane reason soeuer we can alleage to perswade the possibilitie of attaining to the end of our pretended deuises which in one moment may be quite ouerthrown the occasions whereof being for the most part secret and hid from vs. Moreouer the imperfection of whatsoeuer men commonly most esteeme vpon earth is so great that togither with their continuall vncertaintie the perturbations which hinder the tranquillitie of the soule redouble and abound so much the more as the enioying of these earthly commodities increase and augment leauing in man a continuall desire to multiply them and a feare to loose them As touching this hope therefore of humane things which we wish might alwayes prosper with vs we may wel hope what we will but withall we must prepare and settle our selues to support constantly whatsoeuer falleth out that that which commeth vnto vs against our will may not be altogither against our expectation and that we neuer vse such repinings as these vnbeseeming a wise mā I would neuer haue thought it I looked for another matter I would neuer have supposed that such a thing could haue happened In the meane while we must not omit to Hope the best alwayes in our crosses and calamities bicause nothing lenifieth so much the sharpnesse of present aduersities as the hope of future benefit the certaine expectation whereof as it were stealeth away our labours and causeth all feare of perill to vanish away This is that which Apollodorus saith that we must neuer be discouraged for aduersities but always hope for better things The calamities of mortall men saith Euripides in the end leaue of themselues and as the winds do not alwayes blow vehemently so happy men are not euer fortunate The one flieth from the other but he is a good man who is alwayes full of good hope Pindarus calleth it the nurse of old age Thales said that nothing in all the world was more common than Hope bicause it abideth with them also that haue no other goods The Elpistick Philosophers affirmed that nothing better maintained and preserued the life of man than Hope And truely without hope which easeth the burthen of mans miseries the world were not able to sustaine life For it greatly helpeth man to liue contentedly and happily if as we said it haue respect to the best ende vnto which all our desires and inclinations ought to be referred and ought to be gouerned thereby according to reason and iustice Otherwise it is certaine that a man can neuer peaceably and to his contentation enioy his present estate and condition but alwayes some new hope of better things to come wil cause him to neglect that wherof he is assured and to run after an vncertaintie vntill in the end being often deceiued and missing of his purposes enterprises he be ouerthrown quite through his great hopes Therfore Plato writeth that fortune is more contrary to that mā whō she suffreth not to enioy that which he hath than to him whom she denieth to graunt that which he demandeth of hir This gaue occasion to Cineas a very wise man and so excellent an Orator that one writeth of him that he brought more townes in subiection to his maister Pyrrhus by his toong than himselfe did by his valure when he saw that although this king might enioy a happy peace and quietnes if he would be contented to raigne peaceably ouer his subiects yet he burned with desire to vndertake warre against Italy to enter into talke with him and to aske of him this question If Sir the gods shew vs this fauor that we should remaine Conquerors in this warre what good would the victory do vs We might afterward answered Pyrrhus easily subdue the Graecian and Barbarian cities bordering vpon that Country Wel when this is done replied Cineas what shall we doe afterward Cicilia answered Pyrrhus will of it selfe yeeld vnto vs. Shall Cicilia then quoth Cineas ende our warre What will stay vs after quoth this monarch from passing into Afrike and to Carthage and from the recouerie of the kingdom of Macedonia with ease that so we may commaund all Graecia without contradiction Wherunto Cineas replied when all is in our power what shall we do in the end Pyrrhus beginning to smile said we will rest vs at our ease my friend liuing in all pleasure and as merily as may be Then Cineas hauing brought him to that point which he desired said vnto him And what sir letteth vs from rest at this present and from liuing in ioy and pleasure seeing we haue all things requisite and necessarie without seeking it with so much effusion of mans bloud besides infinite hazards and dangers and that in such places where it is vncertaine whether we shal find it These wise speeches sooner offended Pyrrhus than caused him to change his mind And although this Prince could not doubt at all what happinesse and great felicitie he forsooke yet was it vnpossible to take the hope of that which he desired out of his mind Wherefore Antigonus king of Macedonia compared him very fitly to a Dice-player to whom the Dice speake faire by giuing vnto him good chances but yet so that he cannot cast the same againe to serue his turne For he lost that by hope which he had gotten in deede desiring so earnestly that which he had not that he forgate to make that sure which was already in his possessiō And in deed it fell out very vnhappily with him in the ende For after he had fought prosperously a certaine time he was discomfited by the Romanes being after besieged was slaine with a tile which a woman let fall vpon his head Was there euer monarch who ought rather to haue contented and delighted himselfe peaceably in the enioying of his vnspeakable prosperities than Iulius Caesar And yet not being satisfied with the Romane Empire which he had obtained by so many trauels and innumerable dangers he made preparation whilest the conspirators sought his death to go himselfe in person to warre against the Parthians So that as long as he liued the hope of that which was to come caused him to contemne the glorie gotten by his former deeds and to depriue himselfe of that commendation which he should haue no lesse deserued in preseruing himselfe and in the good gouernment of his great estate than he did in
coniunctions which respect onely the estate of mankind the mariage of loue is that which is betweene an honest man and a vertuous woman linked togither by God for the preseruation of the linage of man It may be called a charitable coniunction vnitie and societie of them that are good being made by grace peace concord Of this mariage spake that wise lewe saying that three things among others were approoued of God and men the concord of brethren the loue of our neighbour and the husband and wife that agree well togither And to say truth it is one of the greatest benefits yea one of the rarest felicities in the world when a mariage is well and duly kept when both the husband wife feare God and keepe their promise one to another according to that saying of the wise man Blessed is the man that hath a vertuous wife the wife also being no lesse happy that hath a good husband The other kind of mariage namely of labour is that which is commonly practised in our daies wherein many yea almost all marie for couetousnes not for the vertue chastity or good report which they heare of women and maidens Plautus the comicall Poet said that in mariage a man must take his wife by the eares and not by the fingers that is to say for hir good report not for hir dowrie which is told with hands Lycurgus being desirous that his Citizens should put the same in practise established a law which forbad all giuing of dowries with maidens in mariage to the end that euery maide should labour to endow hir selfe with vertue for loue wherof and not of riches they should be demanded in mariage The same reason mooued Themistocles when two men required his daughter in mariage to preferre the honest man before the wealthie saying that he had rather haue a man to his sonne in lawe without goods than goods without a man We read that Olympias the mother of Alexander hearing of one that had maried a very faire woman but scarce chast being rauished with bi r loue said that he was a braineles man otherwise he would not haue maried by heare-say nor by the lust of his eies We may say asmuch of them that marie by the report of their fingers counting vpon them howe much their wiues bring to them by mariage not considering before whether they bee so qualified that they may liue with them But let vs know that euery mariage made through couetousnes especially where there is inequalitie of riches as namely when the husband is poore and the wife rich will be alwaies riotous and very hardly will there be any peace betweene them Which thing Menander desirous to teach vs said that when a poore man marieth a rich wife he giueth himselfe in mariage to the woman which he weddeth and not the woman to him And the Satyricall Poet saith that nothing is more intollerable than a rich wife This caused a yoong man to go to Pittacus one of the Sages of Grecia and to aske his counsell saying I haue two wiues offered me the one is equall to me in goods and parentage the other goeth farre beyond me which of them shal I take Marke said this wise man where children are readie to play at fence go to them and they will counsell thee He did so and as he drew neere they began to set themselues one against another to skirmish And when they saw this yoong man comming who exceeded them in strength and bignes and supposed that he would make one amongst them they said aloud let euery one go to his match Whereby he learned what he was to doe concerning his mariage Martia a noble widow being demanded why she maried not againe seeing she was rich and as yet in the floure of hir youth made this answer I can find none said she that loueth not my goods more than my person The same reason moued Venda Queene of Ruscia to throw hir selfe into the water thereby to reuenge hir selfe of them that made warre with hir to haue hir in mariage seeing they could not win hir by gentlenes For she knew well that they desired hir for hit kingdome and not of any good wil they bare vnto hir as it is the custome of Princes to respect onely their alliance and profite marying often-times by substitutes and proxies those whome they neuer saw but by picture But I finde that Elizabeth that wise Queene of England was of a better iudgement when she wrote to Henrie Prince and since king of Sweathland who demanded hir in mariage that he was the onelie Prince in the world whome she ought to loue most bicause he required hir when she was a prisoner but she was resolued neuer to marie any man before she had seene him The like answere she sent to the Archduke of Austria which was in part the cause why neither of them would come vnto hir fearing belike that if they were not well liked they should be sent backe againe into their countrie Of this that hath beene hitherto discoursed togither with the experience which is daily seene we may infer that mariages made through couetousnes are in deed mariages of labor And of this number may those be reckoned wherein bodilie beautie and other outward graces are only regarded For it seldome falleth out but that the spirite of dissention troubleth all in those houses and that all loue and liking vanisheth togither with age which causeth the liuely hue of colour to wither away Likewise amongst these mariages of labour we place those wherein there is disparitie of age especially of maners Therfore Dionysius the elder said to his mother who being very old would needes marie a yoong man that it was in her power to violate the lawes of Syracusa but not the lawe of nature Aristotle sayth that men and women ought to marie togither in such an age that both of them should leaue of to beget and to conceiue children at the same tyme. According to this rule the husband must be twentie yeeres or there abouts elder than his wife bicause naturally women conceiue and beate children vntil fiftie yeeres and men may beget children vntil 70. Lycurgus also forbad that any man should marie before he were â—7 yeeres old a woman before 17. Whereof this reason may rather be rendred that the wife may more easily acquaint hir self with hir husbands manners he being then of ripe iudgement and she comming into his power from hir tender yeeres For as the same Aristotle saith diuersitie of manners and callings hindereth friendship and true loue But bicause of the shortnes of mans daies I thinke it were good for him to marie at thirtie yeeres of age taking a wife of twentie yeeres old to the ende that hir age may not be too much vnlike his that so liuing according to the common course of nature they may
continuall trouble Now the foundation of all dueties here mentioned by vs of the husband towards the wife and of all others which daily communication may require is that true and vnfained loue that ought to be the vnseparable bond of euery good mariage We haue handled heretofore the great effects of friendship which if they be required among common friends no doubt but they are much more between those whom God nature the lawes and loue haue so straightly ioined togither Also let husbandes know that they ought to reuerence their wines more than any other person and perceiuing them to be wise and vertuous as they may make them if they be not altogither forlorne and corrupted let them neuer seeme to distrust them in any respect The Romanes when they returned from a voiage or from a farre countrey or onely out of the countrey into the citie if their wiues were at home they sent word before to giue them intelligence of their comming to the end they should not conceiue this opinion that they meant to deale craftily or maliciously with them Forasmuch therfore as loue and friendship is the fountain of euery good dutie of the husband towards his wife and that which as it were stealeth away and maketh the will of his half-partner to be wholy his owne let vs consider for the conclusion of our speech of some notable examples of great loue in the behalfe of men to the end we may be drawen on to loue and to honor them that are in the same place towards vs that the church is towards God which he so loued that he sent his only sonne to die for the redemption thereof Tiberius Gracchus a noble man of Rome finding two serpents in the chamber wherein he slept inquired for the meaning thereof by sooth-saying wherunto he gaue absolute credite Answer was made him that if he slue the male first he should die before his wife but if the female his wife before him As soone as he vnderstood therof he slue the male and within a litle while after he died Whereupon Historiographers doubt whether his wife Cornelia were more happy in finding a husband that loued hir so well than miserable in loosing him Baptista Fregosa maketh mention of a Neapolitane whose wife being taken on the sea coast by the Moores he presently cast himself after hir into the sea and following their foist besought thē to take him also Which they did so that both of them were brought before the king of Thunis to whom the vessail belonged who hearing the discourse of the fact and being moued with compassion ouer such perfect friendship deliuered them both Orpheus as the Poets write loued his wife so entirely that she dying on the wedding day he kept his loue inuiolable and would neuer set it vpon any other Ninus king of the Assyrians falling in loue with Semiramis the wife of Menon a vassaile of his besought him to let him haue hir to wife in recompence wherof he offred him his daughter in mariage But Menon bare such great loue towards hir that he would not yeeld therunto Wherupon the king being mooued with wrath and threatning to plucke out his eies and to take hir away by force as he did in deed Menon for very griefe sorow hung himselfe Periander king of Corinth loued his wife so tenderly that after she was dead he caused hir to be laid by him certaine daies Marcus Lepidus being driuen into banishment heard that his wife was maried to another whereupon he died for sorow When word was brought to Plautius Numidius a Romane Senator that his wife whom he loued as himselfe was dead he thrust himself into the bosome with a dagger whereof he died Sylanus a Romane slue himselfe after his wife whom he singularly loued was taken from him and giuen to Nero the Emperor Dominicus Catalusius prince of Lesbos loued his wife so wel that although she grew very leprous yet he neuer depriued hir therefore of his boord or bed We read of a great lord of Spaine called Roderigo Sarmiento that through griefe which he receiued for the losse of his wife he slept for a yeeres space in his clothes did neuer eate vpon a table cloth nor sate him downe in any chaire but afflicted himselfe diuersly Therefore let vs learne by our present discourse to loue our wiues perfectly yeelding due beneuolence vnto them and behauing our selues discretly towards thē without offending them or going beyond the boundes of our duetie And as nature mingleth vs togither by our bodies to the ende that taking part of the one and part of the other and putting all togither she may make that which commeth thereof common to both and that in such sort that neither partie can discerne or distinguish that which is proper to it selfe from that which belongeth to the other so let vs haue all things common togither euen our will affection and authoritie Neuerthelesse this must be done in such sort that as in one cup although there be as much or more water than wine yet we call it wine so in the authoritie of the wife the husbands name must be written as he that directeth the same But in the meane while let these wordes Mine and Thine be banished far from them vnlesse it be in this respect that according to the opinion of the Phisitians as blowes giuen on the left side are felt on the right so the wife must through compassion feele the harmes of hir husband and the husband much more those of his wife to the ende that as knots haue their strēgth by interlacing the ends one within another so the societie of mariage is preserued and strengthened when both parties affoord a mutuall affection of good will being assured that both togither shall be made heires of grace and life Of the dutie of a Wife towards hir Husband Chap. 48. AMANA NAture hauing honored woman with a gracious alluring of the eyes with a sweete speech with a beautifull countenance and modest behauior hath giuen hir great means to win the good liking and loue of hir husband if she be honest and shamefast as likewise she may easily deceiue man by offring him pleasure if she be wickedly minded This did Olympias wife to king Phillip know full well when she tooke the Thessalonian woman by the hand whom hir husband loued so well and by whom as they said he was charmed and bewitched But the Queene seeing hir so faire and of so good a grace and as hir speech declared a woman of a good house and well brought vp Away quoth she with all slander for I see wel that your charms are in your selfe And let vs not thinke that the power of a lawfull wedded wife is lesse if by taking all things vnto hir hir wealth hir nobilitie hir charmes and the whole web of Venus she studie by meeknes good behauiour and vertue to obtaine
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 commandemeâ—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
the law of God of nature Now forasmuch as when we intreated of the soueraigne magistrate we described him such a one as he ought to be answering truly to his title that is to say a father of the couÌ„trey which he gouerneth a sheepheard of his people the gardian of peace protector of iustice preseruer of innocencie that man might wel be iudged to be beside himself that would reprehend such a gouernment But bicause it commonly falleth out that most princes wander far out of the right way that some hauing no care to do their duty sleep in their delights pleasures others fixing their harts vpon couetoâ—snes set to sale all lawes priuiledges rights iudgemeÌ„ts some spoil the poore people by ouercharging them with impostes exactions to furnish their prodigalitie vnmeasurable dissolutenes others exercise open robberies in sacking of houses violating of virgins maried women in murdring innocents or suffring such violence to be done vnder theÌ„ by the ministers baudes of their pleasures some also oppres the nobility euen the princes of their bloud to shew fauour to base persons and those strangers despising woorthy meÌ„ that are their natural subiects vassals I say considering these things it will be very hard yea altogither impossible to perswade a great many that such are to be acknowledged for princes and true superiors that we must of necessitie obey theÌ„ so far as we may without offending our conscieÌ„ces confecrated to God onely For this affection is rooted in the harts of men to hate detest tirants no lesse than they loue reuerence iust kings So that wheÌ„ amongst such lothsom vices so far estranged not only froÌ„ the duty of a magistrate but also from all humanity they see in their soueraign no forme of the image of God which ought to shine in him no shew of a minister giuen from aboue for the prayse of good men and execution of vengeance vpon the wicked they are easily driuen forward to hate to contemn him and finally to rebell against him But if we direct our sight to the word of God it will lead vs a great deale farther For it wil make vs obedient not onely to the rule of those princes which execute their office according to iustice but to them also that do nothing lesse than their dutie It telleth vs that whatsoeuer they are they haue their authoritie from God only the good as mirrors of his goodnes the bad as scourges of his wrath to punish the iniquitie of the people but both the one and the other authorized from him with the same dignitie and maiestie in regard of their subiects Therfore in respect of obedience and reuerence we owe as much to the vniust as to the iust prince Which thing bicause it is so hardly beleeued amongst meÌ„ lesse practised now than euer I wil insist a litle longer in the proofe of my saying by testimonies of the scripture than we haue vsed to do in our other discourses First I desire euery one diligently to consider and marke the prouidence of God that special working wherby he vseth to distribute kingdoms to establish such kings as he thinks good wherof mention is ofteÌ„ made in the scripture As it is written in Daniel He changeth the times seasons he taketh away kings he setteth vp kings that liuing men may know that the most high hath power ouer the kingdom of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he wil appointeth ouer it the most abiect among meÌ„ It is wel known what maner of king Nebuchadnezzer was eueÌ„ he that took IerusaleÌ„ namely a great thief a robber Notwithstanding God affirmeth by the prophet Ezechiel That he gaue him the laÌ„d of Egypt for the reward of his work for the wages of his army wherwith he had serued him in spotling and sacking Tyrus And Daniel said vnto him O king thou art a king of kings for the god of heaueÌ„ hath giueÌ„ thee a kingdom power streÌ„gth glory WheÌ„ we heare that he was appointed king by god we must withal cal to mind the heaueÌ„ly ordinaÌ„ce which coÌ„mandeth vs to feat honor the king then we wil not doubt to yeeld to a wicked tyrant that honour which God hath thought him meet for WheÌ„ Samuel declared to the people of Israel what they should suffer of their kings not onely according to the rights and priuiledges of his maiestie but by tyrannical customs and fashions namely that they would take their sonnes and daughters to serue him their lands vines and gardens to giue them to their seruants contrary to the commandement of the law of God yet he inioined them all obedience leauing them no lawful occasion to resist their king I haue saith the Lord in Ieremy made the earth the man the beast that are vpon the ground by my great power by my out-stretched arme haue giuen it vnto whom it pleased me But now I haue giuen al these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel my seruant the beasts of the fields haue I also giuen him to serue him And all nations shal serue him and his sonne and his sonnes sonne vntil the very time of his land come also And the nation and kingdom which will not serue the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel that wil not put their necke vnder the yoke of the king of Babel the same nation wil I visite saith the Lord with the sword famine pestilence Wherfore serue the king of Babel and liue We know by these words with what great obedience God would haue this peruerse cruel tyrant to be honored only for this reason bicause he was lift vp by his hand vnto that roial maiestie Now if we are bound to beleeue as much of al the kings of the earth these foolish seditious thoughts should neuer come into our mindes that a king must be handled according as he deserueth that it standeth not with reason that we should accouÌ„t our selues his subiects who for his part behaueth not himselfe towards vs as a king There is in the same prophet a coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of god to his people to desire the prosperitie of Babylon wherin they were held captiues to pray for it bicause in the peace therof they should haue peace Behold how the Israelits were commanded to pray for his prosperity who had spoiled theÌ„ of their goods possessions caried theÌ„ into exile brought theÌ„ into miserable boÌ„dage so far off is it that they were permitted to rebel against him Although Dauid already elected king by the wil of God anointed with holy oile was vniustly pursued of Saul yet he said The lord keep me from doing that thing to my master the lords anointed to lay my hand vpon him For who can lay his hand on the Lordes annointed and be guiltles As the Lord liueth either
kings in old time which kind of rule was at the first bestowed vpon most inst men And it hath greatly profited our common-wealth that from the beginning therof it hath been ruled by a kingly gouernment The first name of Empire and rule knowne in the earth saith Salust was the royall Estate but then men liued without couetousnes euery one being content with his own From the beginning as Trogus Pompeius writeth of countries and nations the gouernment was in the hands of kings who were not lift vp to that high degree of maiesâ—ie by popular ambition but for their modestie which was knowne approoued of good men Then the people were not kept in awe by any lawes but the pleasure will of Princes stood for all lawes They were more giuen to keepe the frontiers of their Empire than to inlarge them Kingdomes were bounded by his countrie that raigned therein Ninus king of the Assyrians whome the Scripture calleth Nimrod that is a rebell and a mightie hunter was the first that changed the ancient custome of the nations through greedie desire of ruling and that beganne to warre vpon his neighbours For finding that the people knew not as yet how to resist he subdued them al from his kingdome to the end of Lybia Almost all the ancient nations of greatest renowne liued vnder the royall gouernment as the Scythians Ethiopians Indians Assyrians Medes Egyptians Bactrians Armenians Macedonians Iewes and Romanes after they were wearie of other gouernements Those also that are moste famous at this daie liue after the same sort as the Frenchmen Spaniards Englishmen Polonians Danes Moscouites Tartares Turkes Abissines Moores Agiamesques Zagathians Cathains Yea the sauage people newly discouered are in a manner all vnder kings And they that liue in other kinds of Common-wealths as the Venetians do retaine an outward shewe of a king whome they call a Duke who is electiue and to continue his estate as long as he liueth In other places they haue Gonfalonners as at Lucques the like whereof they were woont to haue at Florence and at Sienna In some places they haue Aduoyers or Bourg-maisters as in the Cantons of Switzerland and in the free townes of Germany which acknowledge an Emperour Vpon which name we will note by the way that it importeth no more than the name of a king although amongst the Lawyers and others there haue beene infinite questions as touching the authoritie and preheminence of both namely that the Emperours haue vsurped ouer other kings vntill this present albeit the power and maiestie of the Empire is greatly diminished so that nothing else remaineth in a manner but the name and shadow of it within Germany As for this title of Emperor which the Romane Monarks tooke to themselues before vsed to call their Generals in warre by that name it was vpon this occasion taken vp After they had depriued Tarquine of the kingdome of Rome by reason of his pride and insolencie this name of king became so odious amongst the Romanes that it was forbidden to be vsed by an edict and solemn oath Whervpon when their popular Estate was changed into a Monarchie they would not call their Monarch by the name of King by reason of their ancient oath but called him Emperour as Appian writeth But to continue the discourse of our principall matter and to answer briefly to the reasons alleadged against a Monarchye we haue first to note that the most part of the dangers mentioned do cease where the Monarchy goeth by succession as it doth in ours For there is no cause of feare in regard of any that might aspire to the Crowne or of the treaties and alliances which are not broken by the Prince his death but renued and confirmed by his successor and heire vnles before they were greatly preiudiciall to the Estate That new Princes seeke after nouelties it may be said of some but it is much more vsuall in Aristocraticall and Popular Estates For Magistrates that are renued so often would be very sorowfull that their yeere should run out before they had done something that might cause men to speake either good or euill of them As for the troubles about the gouernment of a yoong king peraduenture it falleth not out once in a hundreth yeeres whereas if a Gonfalonner of Genes be chosen but onely for two yeeres the Common-wealth will be all on fire To put into the ballance the cruelties and robberies of a tyrant whereby to counterpeaze many good Princes there is no shew of reason in so dooing For we know well enough that a peaceable Aristocratie wisely guided if it may be so is better than a cruell tyrannie But the chiefe matter subiect of our discourse is to knowe whether it be not better to haue one iust and perfect king than many good Lords and by the contrary argument whether the tyrannie of 50. tyrants is not more perillous than of one only tyrant Now if many Maisters Pilots how wise soeuer they are hinder one another when euery one desireth to hold the Rudder then surely many Lords wil do the like when they seeke al togither to gouerne the Common-wealth albeit they are wise and vertuous And truly no Aristocratical or Popular Estate can be named that hath lasted aboue 600. yeeres togither and few haue endured so long but many Monarchies haue continued 1000. and 1200. yeeres in the same estate Moreouer they are agreeable to the vpright lawes of nature which as we haue before discoursed do al lead vs to a Monarchy But there is more to be considered of in our French kingdome which ought to mooue all French harts very much to desire the preseruation therof and to thinke themselues happy that they may liue vnder it I meane that which we touched in the beginning of our speech namely the agreement participation which it hath with all good policies Many Politicks haue giuen this out that no Common-wealth instituted to continue long ought to be simple or of one only kind but that the vertues properties of the other Estates must meete togither in it to the end that nothing grow out of proportion which might cause it to degenerate to the next euill and so consequently ouerthrow it This was first obserued by Lycurgus who in ordaining the Lacedemonian Common-wealth mingled the Senate with the Kings after the Ephories were established aboue the Kings insomuch that they were mingled and weighed so equally togither that a man could not wel discerne vnder what kind of gouernment it was erected The Carthaginian coÌ„monwealth also most florishing for a long time was so instituted in the beginning thereof It had kings the Aristocratical power of Senators the common people who had their preheminence in things belonging vnto them The Romane Common-wealth during the time of hir greatest glorie had these 3. parts so equally proportionably tempered that a man could not tell whether it
were altogither Aristocratical or Democratical or Monarchicall In looking to the power of the Consuls a man would haue iudged it Monarchical Roial to the Senators Aristocratical to the Tribunes common sort Democratical The Venetians in their Cōmonwealth represent al these estates Their great Councel hauing soueraign power wherof the Senat the authority of al their Magistrats dependeth doth represent the Popular estate The Duke who is President as long as he liueth representeth the roial power bicause he especially retaineth the grauity dignity therof And the Colledge of ten men with the Colledge of ancients commonly called Sages representeth the Aristocraty as Contarenus writeth As for our French Monarchy it may wel be said also to be partaker of all 3. in regard of the gouernment therof albeit in truth the estate therof is a simple pure Monarchy For the king is the Monarch beloued obeied reuerenced who although he haue all power soueraigne authority to cōmand to do what he will yet this great soueraigne liberty seemeth in some sort to be ruled limited by good lawes ordinances and by the multitude great authority of Officers Counsellors who are aswell neere his person as in sundry places of his kingdom The 12. Peeres the secret priuy councels the Parliament great Councel the Chambers of accounts the Treasorers Generals of charges resemble in some sort the Aristocraty The States yeerely helde in the Prouinces the Mairalties of townes Shreeualties Consulships Capitolats Church-wardens are as it were the forme of a Democraty as Siessel declareth more at large Moreouer the general Estates of the Realme which are woont to be gathered togither to deliberate the king being President of all matters concerning the Estate doe they not sufficiently testifie the happie order therof drawing neere to the gouernment of a good Oeconomist when the king as Aristotle saith commandeth in his kingdome as a good father of a familie ruleth ouer his children with loue and according to right and iustice Wherefore although all the authoritie of Officers Counsellors Parliaments and Estates dependeth as riuers of a fountaine of the onely power of their king and Prince yet of his fatherly and royall goodnes he granteth them such authoritie that hardly could he do any thing that were very violent or too preiudiciall to his subiects And if some such actions may be noted they come rather through the fault of his Counsellors than from his Maiesty Thus let vs conclude with Plato that the royall gouernment and authority ought to be preferred before all others policies as that which draweth neerest to the diuinitie But it must haue a Senate of good men ioined vnto it after the forme of an Aristocratie as our kings haue alwaies vsed to haue of their natural benignitie which maketh them inclinable to all exercises of vertue pietie and iustice Of diuers kinds of Monarchies and of a Tyranny Chap. 58. ACHITOB THe varietie of manners and inclinations to diuers things which is we see particularly in euery one from his birth and generally throughout all nations of the world disposeth without doubt the people as they growe in age and iudgement and according to their bringing vp to like one kind of gouernment rather than another But Frenchmen haue euen to these last times caried away the praise of a more naturall and constant disposition loue obedience and fidelitie towards the maiestie of a king than other nations euer shewed to their forme of estate and gouernment For amongst them all there is not one nation to be found that hath so constantly continued in their lawes and ancient customes without any alteration and change as this flourishing Monarchie which hath also gone beyond them all in goodnes and mildnes of gouernment as we may see better my Companions if we compare with it those sundry sorts of Monarchies which haue been heretofore and doe at this day flourish of which many come as neere to a tyrannie as ours is farre distant from it And to make a tyrannie appeere more odious we will consider the pernitious and miserable estate thereof ASER. As it properly belongeth to a royall estate to gouerne and to rule subiects not according to the sensuall appetite and disordered will of the Prince but by maturitie of counsell and by obseruation of lawes and of iustice so it agreeth with a tyrant to raigne by his absolute will without all regard either of lawes or of the precepts of iustice AMANA A tyrant saith Seneca differeth from a king in effect not in name The one seeketh his owne profite onely and the other the profite of the Common-wealth Now let vs heare ARAM who will teach vs to discerne them well by their works ARAM. Amongst all the Monarchies that euer were or are at this daye among men most of the ancient authors and great Politicks haue noted out fiue sundric sortes of which I purpose heere to discourse particularly with briefe examples that the excellencie of ours may the better appeere ouer others especially ouer those that decline much vnto tyrannye whose shame and infamie I will heere display The first and most ancient kind of Monarchy was that which was voluntarily offered by the people for some heroicall vertue appeering in those men whom they iudged worthie to gouerne them iustly and vprightly And when they continued in this sort to declare themselues benefactors of the multitude in gathering them togither in giuing vnto them territories and in distributing lands among them in finding out of arts in making of warre and in the administration of iustice vnto them their authoritie and power did lawfully descend to their successors who had soueraigne power in time of warre and were chiefe in certain solemn ceremonies of their sacrifices Herodotus Demosthenes Aristotle Cicero and many others make mention of this kind of Monarchy After the floud when the number of men increased Noah perswaded his children and others of his posteritie to disperse themselues in diuers countries to till the ground and to build townes and to this ende he assigned to euery one his Prouince by lot Nimrod the sonne of Cush whose grandfather Noah was abode with his men in the land of the Chaldeans and was their first king and the first king of Babylon He was the first that beganne to extend his bounds by force vpon his neighbours sending whole companies of people into many and diuers countries to laye the foundations of other kingdomes as histories doe giue vs certaine knowledge thereof This is the cause why many establish the first Monarchy in Assyria vnder him We read also in good authors that the first and ancient kings of Egypt kept themselues a long time in this heroical vertue which had procured vnto them their dignitie They liued not disorderedly as those doe who bicause of their dominion iudge their owne will to be a iust lawe for them but they followed
the constitutions of lawes aswell in the gathering of their duties and tributes as in their manner of life They vsed the seruice of Noble mens and of Princes children onely who were of the age of twentie yeeres and were instructed in all sciences The reason whereof was that the king being pricked forward with the sight of thē that were about him might beware how he committed any thing woorthie of reproch And truly there is nothing that corrupteth Princes so much as vitious seruants who seeke to please their sensuall desires and affections When the king arose in the morning he was bound first to take and receiue all the letters and requests that were brought vnto him that answering necessarie matters first all his affaires might be guided by order and reason Then he went to the Temple to offer sacrifice to the gods where the Prelate and chiefe Priest after the sacrifice and praiers were ended rehearsed with a loud voice in the presence of the people what vertues were in the king what reuerence and religion towardes the gods was in him and what clemencie and humanitie towards men Moreouer he told that he was continent iust noble-minded true liberall one that brideled his desires and punished malefactors with a more mild and light punishment than the greatnes of their sinne and offence required rewarding also his subiects with graces gifts that were greater than their deserts This done he exhorted the king to a happie life agreeable to the gods and likewise to good manners by following after honor and vertue and therewithall propounded vnto him certaine examples of the excellent deedes of ancient kings thereby to prouoke him the rather therunto These kings liued with simple meates as with veale birds for all dishes they kept very exactly all the lawes and ordinances of their countrie in euery point of their life which was no lesse directed euen in the least things than the simplest of their subiects And truly so long as the kings of Egypt were such zealous obseruers of their lawes and of iustice raigned peaceably among their subiects they brought many strang nations into their subiection gathered togither infinite riches whereby they adorned their countrie with great buildings and sumptuous works and decked their townes with many gifts and benefits The Barbarian kingdomes were the second kinde of Monarchy namely the ancient Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians whose Princes vsurped Lordlie rule ouer their goods and persons and gouerned their subiects as a father of a familie doth his slaues Which kind of gouernment sauoureth more of a tyrannie than of a kingdome besides it is directly against the law of nature which keepeth euery one in his libertie and in the possession of his owne goods Notwithstanding when by the law of Arms and of iust warre a Prince is made Lord ouer any people they properly belong to him that conquereth and they that are ouercome are made his slaues by the ancient consent of all nations and this maketh the difference betweene the Lord-like Monarchy and a tyrannic which abuseth free subiects as slaues Of this second kinde of Monarchy was the kingdome of Persia as Plato writeth vnder Cambyses Xerxes and other kings vntill the last Darius For vsurping more absolute authoritie to rule than was conuenient they began to contemne their Vassals and to account of them as of slaues and putting no more confidence in them they intertained into their seruice mercenarie souldiors and strangers whereby they made their owne subiects vnfit for warre and so in the end lost their estate when it seemed to haue attained to the top of worldlie prosperitie Such is the estate of the Turke at this day wherein he is sole Lord commanding ouer his subiects in rigorous manner aswell ouer the Musulmans as Christians and Iewes He vseth in his principall affaires which concerne peace and warre and matters of gouernment the seruice of runnagate slaues whom he placeth in authoritie changeth or deposeth as he thinks good without peril and enuie yea he strangleth them vpon the least suspition or dislike conceiued of them not sparing his owne children and others of his blood if they anger him So did Sultan Solyman deale with Hibrahim Bascha who was almost of equall authoritie with him insomuch that he was there called the Seignour king of the Ianitzaries the Bascha and king of the men of Armes Neuertheles in one night wherin he made him stay sup with him lie in his owne chamber he caused him to be slaine and his bodie to be cast into the sea The morrow after he seazed vpon his goods as confiscate and caried them away and yet no man euer knewe the cause of his death except it were this that he was growne too great and consequently suspected of his maister who was a Tyrant rather than a King Likewise he keepeth in his hands all the Lordships of his kingdome which he distributeth to men of warre who are charged to maintaine a certaine number of men of Armes and of horses according to the rate of their reuenew and when it pleaseth him he taketh them away againe Neither is there any man in all the countries vnder his obedience that possesseth Townes Castles and Villages or dwelleth in strong houses or that dare build higher than one storie or than a Dooue-house The great Knes or Duke of Moscouia exceedeth for seueritie and rigour of commanding all the Monarchs in the world hauing obtained such authoritie ouer his subiects both Ecclesiasticall and secular that he may dispose of their goods and liues at his pleasure so that none dare gainesay him in any thing They confesse publikely that the will of their prince is the will of God and that whatsoeuer he doth is done by the will of God The king of Ethiopia is also a Lordlike Monarch hauing as Paulus Iouius affirmeth 50. kings no lesse subiect vnto him than slaues And Frauncis Aluarez writeth that he hath seene the great Chancellour of that countrie scourged starke naked with other Lords as the very slaues of the prince wherein they thinke themselues greatly honoured The Emperour Charles the fift hauing brought vnder his obedience the kingdome of Peru made himselfe soueraigne Lord thereof in regard of goods which the subiects haue not but as they farme them or for terme of life at the most The third kind of Monarchy whereof the Ancients made mention was that of Lacedemonia wherein the king had not absolute power but in time of warre out of the countrie and a certaine preheminence ouer the sacrifices We made mention of their gouernment before The first kings in Rome were sacrificers also and afterward the emperors called themselues Pontifices that is chiefe bishops and those of Constantinople were consecrated as our kings of Frāce are In like maner the Caliphaes of the Sarasins were kings and chiefe bishops in their religion the
one in Bagdet the other in Cayre The king of Calecuth is chiefe of his religion and for this cause goeth before the other kings of India in dignitie and is called Samory that is to say God on earth The Pope commandeth ouer the temporalties of the church called S. Peters patrimonie as king and is reast of the latin christian churches as head of the religion I meane in those places of those persons where he is so taken and acknowledged The king of England certaine yeeres past tooke vpon him the title of king and supreme gouernor of the Church The fourth kind of monarchie is electiue not hereditarie in some places for terme of life as the empire of Almaigne the kingdom of Polonia of Bohemia and of Hungaria in other places for a certaine time as was the Dictatorship at Rome These estates are not commonly so sure and durable as those that are hereditarie bicause of the practises forestalling of voyces which are for the most part vsed wherupon seditions arise to the great detriment of those kingdomes For the prince being dead the estate remaineth in a pure Anarchie without king without lord without gouernment in danger of ruine like to a ship without a Pilote which is ready to be cast away with the first wind that bloweth Also a gate is set open to theeues and murderers who kill and slay at their pleasure vpon hope of impunitie as it is commonly to be seene as histories rehearse after the death of the kings of Thunes of the Souldans of Egypt and of the Popes of Rome where the seat being vacant the first thing that is commonly done is the breaking open of prisons the killing of iailers the letting out of guiltie persons and the reuenging of iniuries by all possible meanes and this continueth vntil the colledge of cardinals haue agreed vpon a successor And in deed in the yeere 1522. two were executed against whom it was prooued that at sundry tumults mooued at this election they had slaine an hundreth and sixteene men As touching the Empire of Almaigne their histories are full of impouerishmentes fallen vpon them through the election of their Emperours as well by ciuill warres as by murders and poisonings So that within three hundreth and three-score yeeres since the Empire fell vnder the election of seuen princes eight or nine Emperours haue been slaine or poisoned besides those that haue been shamefully thrust out of their imperiall seate Ecclesiasticall persones also haue not wanted ciuill warres about their elections wherein no such prouision could be made but that two and twentie Popes were cut off and many thrust out of their seate as may be seen in the Registers of the Vatican Nowe we must note further that among the electiue estates euery election is either of such persones as the Electours like of as in Germanie they doe not onely chuse for emperoures the princes of Almaigne out of diuers families but sometime straungers haue been chosen as Alphonsus king of Spaine and Richard Duke of Cornewall and brother to king Henry the third or else it is out of certaine inferiour estates as the Pope out of the Colledge of Cardinals and not long since the Souldan of Cayre out of the Mammeluckes vnto which degree of honour none could ascend except before he had been a slaue and a runnagate Christian so that afterward he commaunded absolutely in Egypt and Soria This estate hauing continued about three hundreth yeeres was not long since quite ouerthrowen by Sultan Selym king of the Turkes who tooke the last Souldane and caused him to bee caried vpon an olde Cammell all a-long Cayre and then to be hanged vpon one of the gates of that Citie The great master of Malta is chosen by the chiefe Priors of his religion as that also of Prussia was before the agreement made with the king of Polonia by which composition his estate was turned into a Duchie subiect to the crowne of Poland and of electiue made hereditarie The fift kinde of Monarchie is hereditarie and is properly called royall and lawfull whether the king come to the estate by right of succession as Thucidides writeth of the auncient kings or whether the kingdome be giuen by vertue of the lawe without regard had to daughters or to males descending of them as it is in this kingdome by the Salicke lawe or whether it bee giuen as a meere gift as the kingdomes of Naples and Sicill were giuen to Charles of Fraunce and since giuen agayne to Lewes of France first Duke of Aniow whether it bee left by will as the kinges of Thunis Fez and Marocke vsed to doe and as it was practised also by Henry the eight king of England who left his kingdome to his sonne Edward appointing Mary after him and after hir Elizabeth or by what other meanes so euer the Prince becommeth lord of the estate his monarchie is alwayes royall and lawfull if he in like maner bee obedient to the lawes of nature as he desireth that his subiectes should bee towards him leauyng to euery one his naturall libertie and proprietie of his goodes and looking to the profite and commoditie of the Common-wealth This kingly gouernment Aristotle compareth to Oeconomie For although a father of a familie gouerne his house after his pleasure yet he respecteth the commoditie of his familie Vnder this happie fourme of gouernement beyng the best of all wee may boast that wee liue in Fraunce through the goodnesse of our kinges who neyther ordaine nor put any thing in execution but by mature deliberation and counsaile which they take with the princes of their bloud and with other notable and graue persones whome they call neere vnto them as though their soueraigne power were ruled and moderated For first the king commaundeth nothing that taketh effect if it bee not signed by his Secretaries and sealed with his great seale that is to saye seene and approoued by the Chauncellour who is a seuere Controuler of all matters that passe All the kinges letters must alwayes of necessitie bee approoued by the iudges to whom they are directed and examined not only whether they were obtained by priuie insinuation or fraudulent dealing but also whether they be lawful or vnlawfull Yea in criminall matters the re-inabling of such as before were not capable of offices or dignities writs of repeale from banishment pardons remissions are skanned with such rigor by them that the procurers of such letters are compelled to deliuer them bare-headed and kneeling and to offer themselues prisoners of what estate soeuer they be in so much that oftentimes men are condemned and executed with their pardons about them As for the giftes and expences of the king whether they be ordinarie or extraordinarie the chamber of accounts examineth them narowly and many times cutteth off such as haue no good ground by reason that the officers are sworne to let nothing
children of Fraunce or to prouide for the gouernement of the kingdome or for other matters The kinges sate amongst them and were Presidentes except at one assemblie wherein was debated the noblest cause that euer was namelie to whome the kingdome of Fraunce belonged after the death of Charles the faire whether to his cosin Phillip de Valois or to Edward king of England his brother in lawe King Phillip was not President not beyng at that time king and besides a partie No doubt but the people receiue great benefit by this assemblie of estates For this good commeth vnto them that they may drawe neere to the kings person to make their complaints vnto him to present him their requests and to obtaine remedie and necessary prouision for redresse Whereby we may easily iudge that many who haue written of the duetie of magistrates and such like treatises are greatly deceiued in maintaining this That the estates of the people are aboue the prince which laieth open a gappe to the rebellions of subiects against their soueraign so that this opinion can haue no reason or good ground to leane vpon For if this were true the commō-wealth would not be a kingdom or monarchy but a pure Aristocratie as we haue declared heretofore Yea what shew of reason is there to maintaine this error seeing euery one in particular al in general bowe their knees before the king vse humbly requests supplications which his maiestie receiueth or reiecteth as it seemeth best vnto him But in this case we except a king that is captiue beside himself or in his infancie For that which is thē decreed by the estates is authorized as from the soueraign power of the prince Moreouer we may see what great good commeth to the king by the assemblie of his estates in the first speech which master Michael de l' Hospital Chauncellor of France made at the last assemblie of estates at Orleans Where he confuteth at large their opinion that say that the king after a sort diminisheth his power by taking aduise and counsell of his subiects seeing he is not bound so to doe as also that he maketh himselfe too familiar with them which breedeth contempt and abaseth his roiall dignitie But we may aunswere them as Theopompus king of Sparta did his wife who obiected this vnto him by way of reproch that by bringing in the Ephories and minglyng their gouernement with his he would leaue his authoritie and power lesse to his children than hee receiued it from his predecessours Nay said this Prince vnto hir I will leaue it greater bicause it shall be more assured The Emperour Aurelius sayd as much to his mother bicause hee freely heard euery one Besides as we see that in any great perill of sea or fire kindled to the daunger of publike profite no mans seruice or succour is reiected how base soeuer his calling is so it cannot but be profitable for the Estate when it is threatned with ruine and the affaires therof are of greatest importance to receiue the counsell of all that haue interest therein laying the opinions in the balance rather than the persons from whom they come And hereby the soueraigne maiestie and prudence of a Prince is knowen when he hath both power and skill to waigh and to iudge of their aduice that giue him counsel and to conclude with the soundest not the greatest side But to go forward with that which remaineth let so many as haue this honour to be ordinarie counsellors to Princes remember the saying of Solon the wise That they are not called thither to please and to speake to their liking but to vtter the truth and to giue them good counsell for common safetie that they must bring with them for an assured and certaine foundation of their conference about state-affaires a good intent mooued with reason and iudgement to profite him not with passions or desires of vain-glory of couetousnesse of emulation of any other imperfection that leadeth them to their priuate profite that they must at the entrie of the councell chamber vnclothe themselues of fauour towardes some of hatred towardes others and of ambition in themselues and aime at no other marke than at the honour of God and safetie of the Common-wealth To this ende they must necessarilie be furnished with wisedome iustice and loyaltie As for skill and knowledge although it be requisite in counsellors of estate namely the knowledge of the lawes of histories and of the estate of Common-wealths yet sound iudgement integritie and prudence are much more necessarie Aboue all things they must hold nothing of other Princes and Seignories that may binde them to their seruice And yet now a dayes to receiue a pension of them is so common a matter but very pernitious in any estate that it is growen to a custome Agesilaus would not so much as receiue a letter which the king of Persia wrote vnto him but sayd to his messenger that if the king were friend to the Lacedemonians he need not write particularly to him bicause he would also remaine his friend but if he were their enimie neyther letter nor any thing else should make him for his part otherwise affected To bee short let counsellors of estate learne of Plutarch that it is necessarie for them to be free from all passions and affections bicause in giuing of counsell the mind hath most force towards that wherunto the will is most enclined As for feare danger or threatnings they must neuer stay them from doyng their duetie but let them constantly propound and maintaine that which they iudge to be good and profitable for the Common-wealth We read that the Thasiens making warre with great vehemencie against the Athenians published a decree that whosoeuer counselled or spake at any time of concluding a peace between them should die the death Within a while after one of the citizens considering what great hurt his countrey receiued by that warre came one day into the assembly of the people with a halter about his necke and cried with a loud voyce that he was come thither to deliuer the Common-wealth by his death that they should put him to death when they would and that for his part he gaue them counsell to abrogate that law and to make peace which was done and he pardoned Considius a Romane Senatour would neuer be from the Senate no not when Caesar ruled all by violence and did what pleased him and when none of the other Senatours came any more through feare of his force And when Caesar asked him how he durst be there alone to stand against him bicause quoth he my age taketh all feare from me For hauing from hence forward such a short time to liue in I am not greatly carefull to saue my life If kings did correct all those that giue them ill counsell as Solyman did one of his Bassaes who was his kinsman they would not so readily
of a man feeleth moueth by the sinewes so the body of the common-wealth receiueth strength power by riches to gather men of war togither in defence of hir libertie For this cause Aristotle in his plat-forme of a happy common-welth requireth abundance of wealth and money to help publike affairs at home warlike matters abroad And in another place he saith that a happy life consisteth in the perfect vse of vertue assisted with bodily external goods as with instruments that serue to execute honest actions wel vertuously It is certain that gold siluer in respect of the soule are neither good nor ill but by good vsage they are made profitable for this life the abuse of them is hurtful both to the body soule And in deed riches of their own nature are not to be condemned Abraham Lot Iacob Iob were rich holy men Iosephus writeth that neuer any king either of the Hebrews or of any other nation left so great riches to his successor as Dauid did to Salomon For he left him to build the temple withal 10000. talents of gold 100000. of siluer beside infinite store of stuffe of wonderful cost and value which he had caused to be prepared made readie The sumptuousnesse of that Temple as it is described by this Historiographer is wonderfull He saith that it was made and finished in seuen yeeres by 80000. Masons 3200. Ouerseers 30000. Hebrewes that hewed wood in the forest and 70000. others that brought stones and such like matter for the worke If the riches of the Romane Empire had not been great I meane both the publique and priuate wealth it is certaine that it had not so long time maintained it selfe in such a glorious and flourishing estate as the like was neuer before causing the farthest and most vnknowen nations to stand in feare of hir weapons Hereof wee haue good proofe by that which we read of Augustus Caesar who ordinarily defrayed the charges of 44. Legions which amounted yeerely to twelue millions of gold But the Romane empire was then come to the top of hir greatnesse hauing for hir bounds the riuer of Euphrates on the East side the Oceā sea on the West on the South side the fruitfull region of Africa and on the North side the riuers of Rhine and Danubius At this day 50. kingdoms estates are diuided out of that monarchy Therfore if the citizens of the common-wealth possesse riches if they imploy thē vpon good workes and that liberally for the tuition defence and setting foorth of their countrey they behaue themselues like good citizens borne to do good and to profit the Common-wealth The fift thing necessary in euery good Common-wealth and citie are occupations and consequently crafts-men An arte is a habite of working according to right reason as Aristotle saith Or else an arte is the knowledge of some certain thing gotten by vse instruction or reason tending to necessary vses for mans life Some artes consist in Speculation and others in practise We call Speculation Theoricall that is to say Speculatiue and Action practicall that is to say Actiue This word Artificer is deriued of the worde Arte. Nowe bicause that nature is most perfect next to God the neerer that arte approcheth to nature the better and perfecter it is as appeereth in images and pictures so that arte is nothing else but an imitation of nature Those Artes that are commonly called Mechanicall or handy-craftes whereby they differ from liberall Artes of which we haue alreadie discoursed are of diuers sortes For the better vnderstanding of them wee will presuppose that man hath need of three temporall things for the maintenaunce of this life namely of Alimentes Houses and Clothing He standeth in neede of Alimentes to restore the consumption of radicall moysture wasted away by naturall heate as the weeke consumeth the oyle in the Lampe I saye to restore it agayne by moyst nourishment as by breade wine flesh and other aliments without which a man could not liue These nutrimentes are prouided and prepared by men of Occupations as by Butchers Fishmongers Bakers Cookes Vintners and other handycrafts-men which serue and looke to the prouision of victuals Next mē haue need of houses that euery one may haue his priuate place of refuge to keep his body familie goods vnder couert these are edifices and frames erected by the arte of building made by Masons Carpenters Geometricians Sawyers Ioiners other handycrafts that are occupied in caruing Likewise a city in respect both of ornament of defence standeth in need of wals towers bulwarks rampires andother things of defence as also of temples and other common places all which cannot be made without the artes of building and of Masonry The third thing which men stand in need of are garments to clothe themselues withall to preserue natural heat and to keep out external cold these are prouided by Mercers Drapers Tailors Hosiers such like Besides the abouenamed things we stand in need of armour of horses to defend our libertie and for our greater commoditie and so consequently Armorers Glazers Sadlers Spur-makers Smithes and such like are necessarie Likewise for the preseruation and recouerie of our health we must honor the Physition Chirurgion Apothecarie Drug-seller and such like The dutie and office of all artificers is to auoyd idlenes slooth and negligence and especially to vse no deceit in their artes but to referre the end of their labours more to common profite than to their priuate gaine And for the auoiding of Ingrossers it is very expedient that the crafts-men should be diuided into diuers parts of the city and not placed all on a rowe in one quarter therof as they do in the townes of Afrike and in many cities of Europe For besides the discommodities in great townes when euery quarter hath not in it such artificers as are commonly necessary it is to be feared that there wil be amongst thē Ingrossers to fore-stall the merchandise and wares or else iealousie and quarels are to be feared if one sell better cheape than another euen before his eyes that refused to take that money It is true that such artificers as are least required as men that liue by the hammer may be ranged in one quarter that thereby they may be separated from men of learning and quietnes The sixt and last thing necessary in a Common-wealth remaineth to be considered of namely Aliments and consequently labourers We haue already spoken of Aliments but as for that which concerneth husbandry especially there is no other arte that doth more awaken the minde of man that rauisheth his sences more that affoordeth greater pleasure or is more necessarie and profitable for the life of man than husbandry Moreouer nothing sauoureth of greater antiquitie nothing doth better discouer the greatnes of the works of God