Traytour or the murtherer hide his practice wicked policy from the knowledge of God Adam could not hide it in Paradise nor Lucifer in Heauen nor Ionas in the bottome of the Sea Where shall a man flye from the presence of God that is of a guilty Conscience Gen. 4. 〈◊〉 1. It made Cain to say Omnis qui inuenerit me occidet me It made Ionas to say to the Saylers to Tharsis Tollite mittite me in mare And it made Iudas to say Tradidi sanguinem iustum and to hang himselfe It makes a number to hang to drowne and to kill thēselues prouoked therto by a tormented conscience For we reade both in Diuine and prophane Hystories that more lewd and wicked men come from good men then good men from the wicked So that of one Cateline being a wicked man in Rome became so many wicked Catelines that Rome had too many Catelines so full of spite and enuy vnto Rome that they were as Salust saith Impuri animi Dijs hominibusque infesti And so likewise in Athens of one hatefull Tymon surnamed Misantropos grew so many odious Tymons that there were too many Tymōs in Athēs But we leaue these Catelines in Rome these Tymons in Athens and we wish that there were neither Catelines nor Tymons in Englād There were at Rome in S. Ieromes time certayne S. Ieromes saying of Englishmen in Rome Englishmen of good constitution and faire complexion whom when S. Ierom saw he said Isti Angli Angeli dici possunt How strange is it that of that Nation then called in Rome Angels by St. Ierome there should be now some in England which might be called Deuils in whome are such wicked practices and such lewd polycies as neyther Philip of Macedon against the Graecians nor Hannibal of Carthage against the Romanes could exceede them with their Military stratagems which was lawfull against forreigne enemyes The cause sayth Lactantius of such rebellious minds in such men was Non nosce supremum numen Lact. lib. 3 lust li. 30. illud non venerari Therefore the chiefest care of a good Prince ought to bee first vigilant about Gods Seruice So could Aristotle the Heathen Phylosopher say Res 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist 5. Polit. c. 11 diuinas c. For as Cicero sayeth The Romans euer supposed the seruing of their gods to be rather the cause of their Victories and Tryumphes ouer Affrica and Asia then their strength and courage and therefore Maecenas wrote to Augustus the Emperor to keepe and defend the Romane Religion and the sacred Ceremonies of their countrey to their gods and not to imitate the Egyptians Qui variam et mixtam religionem coluerunt which accept of al kind of Religion and neuer cōsent in one for saith Cicero Maiorū instituta tueri c. It is wisedome to defend the Lawes and decrees of the Elders and the Religion of their Countrey which to neglect is sacrilege The Egyptians though most superstitious and idolatrous people yet had they in their Temples in Greek written vpon the walles Deus est quae sunt et quae non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Her in Pom. 5. not much disagreeing with the saying of the Apostle * Rom. 11. that God was he by whom all things were done and in whome and from whom all good things proceed and without him nothing It is not the Iuory Maces of the Romanes nor the Ebony maces of the Indians nor the Lyons Beares of the Babylonian neyther the Dragons and Serpents of the Egyptian maces that hold vp a kingdome but the Scepter of Iustice Per me Reges regnant sayth the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ethiopian Kings had their Scepter made in ancient time in forme like a plough in signe of husbandry which ought to be maintayned by the king vnto his people for their kings were put in mind by their Scepters to be carefull of their subiects which are the strength of the king And so the old Persian kings had their maces made Diodor. li. 4. cap. 1. like a spade as the Ethiopians the plough to put their kings in memory that the plough the spade are the two onely Instruments most necessary in a common-wealth to enrich a king Some other Heathen kings had vpon the tops of their maces the figure of a Storke to signifie piety and lenity in a Prince to be necessary and vpon the nether end of the mace the likenesse of Hippopotamus that a Hippopotamus a Sea-horse Plut. in Alex. Prince should auoid fiercenes and wrath Which had Alexander lookt vnto as the History sayth Nec Lysimachus Leoni obiectus nec Clytus hasta traiectus nec Calisthenes mori iussus These three great murthers dimmed and obscured his three great victories ouer Asia Europe and Affricke not then thinking of Cassanders draught For when Alexander would know of Calanus the Indian Philosopher at his death what hee would haue Alexander to do for him Nothing sayd Calanus and answered him as the shaddow of Samuel answered Phetonissa for Saul I shall shortly see you So in Homer doth Hector say that Achilles should be the next of the Greeke Captains that should follow him To be ignorant therefore in things to come sayd Cicero is much better then to know them Alexander would haue bene most sorrowfull after he had wonne so many kingdomes if he had knowne that he should haue bene poysoned in Babylon before he had come to Macedonia Achilles had no cause to reioyce after his victories in Troy if he had knowne that he should dye in Troy and not in Greece Neyther Caesar after hee had subdued Pompey if hee had knowen that he should be slayne before the Image of Pompey in Rome Cicero being banished from Rome by M. Antonius Cicero his dreame De diui lib. 1. being very pensiue sad the Image of C. Marius with the Sergeants before him appeared as he was whē he was last Consull enquiring of Cicero why he was so sad how he did Cicero told Marius for that he was forced to forsake Rome by meanes of M. Antonius The Image tooke Cicero by the right hand deliuered him to one of the Sergeants and willed him to bring Cicero to his tombe sayd that there he should be comforted and relieued with great welcome These dreaming Practisers are often instructed by dreames visions and Idolatrous seruing of Images which some haue in their houses in England as Alexander Seuerus Alex. lib. 6. cap. 13 had in his gallery at Rome the Images of Orpheus of Apollonius of Abraham and of Christ and yet these Images profit nothing but to bring such men to Marius graue Tyberius perceiuing that the whole Empire of Rome was weary of his life hauing children of his owne fearing his tyranny by his conscience moued should be the cause that none of them should succeed him in the Empire consulted with auguratiō wherin himselfe
need not declare of Tomoembeus the great Soldan of Egypt and Affricke king and Lord of so many Nations in his owne kingdome Tomoembeus Lip lib. 2. how cruelly and strangely he was both depriued of his kingdome and of his life And how the great king de nouo orbe Mexicanus after infinite good Mexicanus successe of great fame and fortune lost suddenly both fame and fortune I need not confirme these histories with authority as of Achab Zedechias other who felt the iust Iudgemēt of God neyther of Manasses and Nabuchadnezar one 2. Reg. 10 confessing the Lord to bee God being a king among beastes the other a captiue and a prisoner out of his owne kingdome of whom the Greeke Prouerbe is verified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Misery captiuity and want make kings to know thēselues It is a true saying Miseria bona mater prudētiae Augustus Caesar would know of his friend Asinius Pollio if he would come with him to the battell of Actium betweene Mar. Antonius and him He answered the Emperour In ciuil warre I wil take no part but Vell. 11. I will rest and be a pray to the Conquerour Tit. Atticus though Pompey by a Decree pronounced him a Rebel that would forsake his Senators the Consuls and the state of the Common-wealth in so troublesome a time yet Atticus was of the like opiniō as Q. Hortensius Hortensius saying was who often vsed to brag that he had neuer byn in any ciuill warres Cicero wrote his Epistle to them being his deere frends that scattered cattel wil come to their flocke how much more should such wise men be a cōfort Cic. ad Att. to their afflicted countrey and follow the best sort seing Cato himselfe Viua virtutis Imago was a Captaine in these warres Obserue the nature of factions in the best men Cicero and Cato went out of Rome as men determyned and resolute to take part with the best men and with the state of the Empyre to abide what so euer came of it Pomp. Atticus Q. Hortensius men of no lesse iudgement and credit in Rome then they were forsooke to be factious or to take part with eyther Pompey or Caesar at that time spake Cato to Pompey to strike the ground according to his promise yet Solon in Athens decreed a law that they which would be neuters in ciuil warres Gel. li. 11. cap. 12. and seperate themselues in their Countries calamities they should be banished igne aqua The Prophet Elizeus spake to Ioas king of Israel being in such distresse as Rome was and bade Ioas smite the ground with his foot and Ioas smote the ground three times and ceased Elizeus was angry and sayd Thou shouldest haue smitten fiue sixe or seuen times and so 4. Reg. 13. many victories shouldest thou haue had ouer the Assyrians as thou strookest the ground So Pompey also sayd to Cato If he should but strike the ground of Italy with his foot hee should want no men Plut. in Pomp. on his side to fight against Caesar But Pompey could not keepe promise with Cato as Elizeus did with Ioas. Many promise more then they can performe and doe deceiue themselues and others I could well compare these seditious people to Balaam who being sent for by king Balac promising him great rewardes to come and curse Israel as Balaam rode on his iorney an Angel with a drawen sword in his hand stood in his way which the Asse sawe and started but Balaam sawe not the Angell vntill his Asse spake to him and asked Balaam why he strake him These Asses cary some false Balaam or other not on their backs but in their bellyes that had rather go with Balaam to Balak to curse Israel and to conspire against their owne natiue countrey and if they can not preuaile Num. 22. by cursing banning they will practise another way by policy and counsell as Balaam did to deceiue Israel But these practisers doe as Benhadad did when hee was ouerthrowen in the mountaines he said that the The blasphemy of Benhadad 3. Reg. 20. Gods of the mountaynes were against him and therfore Benhadad would haue a battell in the Valley with the Israelites so these Balaams Asses euer haue done and will do if they faile of their practice in the mountaine they wil practize in the valley if they fayle in the valley they will practise their policy in Kings Courts Rebelles haue their snares layd downe how treason may be wrought and their places appointed where their treason may be performed and their time when to execute their treason So did Pausanias kill Philip of Pausanias Chaerea Macedon at a Marriage So did Chaerea kill Claudius the Emperour going to the Theaters So did the fryer of Fraunce murther the King at his confession What dare not practisers of policy do if they dare kill Emperours Kings and princes Claudius Nero sound no better way to feare Hannibal his great enemy then to throw Hasdrubals head into the Tent of his brother Hannibal which so amazed Hannibal and his army that they made haste from Carthage to Italy That Hanibal had nothing to comfort him but to nippe the Romanes of so many heads of Senators of Consuls of Praetors and of Romane Magistrates at the battell of Canna of Trebeia and of Thrasimena that requited his brothers head But these nippes were betweene Hanibal and Scipio For it was Sillaes practice to put Italy in fright and to make Rome amazed at his tyranny against his countrey that Cato wondred much to see so many heads of Magistrates and of Roman Citizens vpon poles hanged Plut. in Caton Oros li. 5. cap. 21. on euery gate at Rome about the Capitoll and in the market place and that no Romane for Romes sake had killed Silla When Golias head was caried by Dauid to Saul the Philistines fled and they were followed vnto Geth and vnto Acaron and the slaughter was great of the Philistians and their terrour was more to see their Captaine Golias without a head and therefore was the Sword of Golias hanged in the Temple at Ierusalē as a Trophey of victorie as the picture of the Sun 1. Reg. 17 was vpon Ioshuas Tombe for his victory at Gibeon When Holophernes head was brought frō the campe to Bethulia by Iudyth a womā the slaughter was great of the Assyrians and much more were they astonished Inaith 14 and ashamed to find their General Holophernes without a head and that by a woman It was great policy in Alexander the great to commaund all his souldiers to shoote their pieces and their arrowes together toward king Perus in India perceyuing Ore lib. 3. cap. 19. Dioder lib. 17. that the soldiers would fly if the king were slaine And therefore diuers great Captaines did practise such policy afterward to their soldiers as Leuinus the Consul perswaded his souldiers and shewed them a naked bloudy sword in his hand
THE PRACTICE OF POLICY Written by Lodowike Lloyd Esquire Qui foueam fodit incidet in eam qui laqueum ponit peribit in illo Eccle. 27. Qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum Coluber Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford dwelling in Hosier lane neere Smithfield 1604. ⧠To the most high and mighty Prince James by the grace of God King of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland c. CRATERVS contending with Ephestion most gracious Prince which of them two loued Alexāder best appealed to the king for iudgement who iudged that Craterus loued the king and Ephestion loued Alexander but both alike loued Alexander the king So the Brytaynes and the English loue your Maiesty in like sort that you can hardly iudge which of them loues you best vnlesse you do as Alexander did to iudge the English as Craterus the Brytaynes as Ephestion but both Brytaines English with equall loue and loyalty loue King lames alike that all hauing the like cause of ioy all should so reioyce to enioy such a Iewell that in one day enriched England Ireland with a king and the whole Empire of Brytayne with a Prince to whome it was reserued and continued from Brutus the first King to your Maiesty the second King not as to a stranger but to a iust a lawfull king of the stocke and linage of Brutus to succeed and sit on Brutus seat 2800. yeeres after Brutus where your Maiesty may better say then Caesar Veni vidi vici for that you haue conquered Time came to your owne kingdomes and may see in your selfe such a succession that neyther the Macedonians who much bragged of their Hercules whose lyne ended in Alexander neyther the Romanes who much gloried of Gens Iulia whose stocke extincted in Nero nor any nation vnder heauen which can boast of their antiquities most can say so much The Scythians with their Acornes in their heads and the Athenians with their Grassehoppers in their haires may wel bragge of their Acornes and Grassehoppers but not of the like Empires for as Anaxagoras sayd to Pericles of the Empire of Greece so Cratippus spake to Pompey of the Romane Empire that periods of times are limited Embrace you therefore most mighty Prince the great blessings of God which so embraced your Maiesty elected you King to gouerne his people and to maintayne his lawes without which neither king nor kingdome can stand for that is the rich Tablet which Moses brought from Mount Sinay to set about Israels neck It is that long ladder which Iacob saw in his dreame at Bethel that reached frō the earth into heauen and it is that bright-shining Starre which guyded the kings from the East vnto Christ at Bethlehem The only Pearle that we should buy and the only Iewel that wee should weare not as gards on our garments or frontiers on our forheads as the Iewes wore Phylacterium but rather printed in our hearts where we ought to giue thanks for our King which for 50. yeeres haue bene without either King or Prince and now wee enioy a King a Queene a Prince and Princes with no lesse blessings by the comming of your Maiesty ouer the riuer Tweede from Scotland to England to incorporate both to the ancient name of great Brytaine then by the comming of Israel from Mesopotamia ouer the riuer Iordan to alter the name of Canaan into Iuda whose posterity as they were wrought on Aarons garment to remember Israel so your princely progeny may bee sure set on the vnseamed coate of Christ to remember the house of Iacob Your Maiesties most bounden and dutyfull seruant Lodowike Lloyd THE PRACTICE OF POLICY THeodoricus King of the Gothes began Theodoricus his letter to the Senators of Rome with a sentence of Plato That Nature might sooner erre then a Prince to frame a Common wealth vnlike to himselfe It is most true Imperium ostendit virum for such as the Magistrates are such are the people such as the Prince is so are his subiects and that was the cause why Cyrus King of Persia was Cyrus so much honoured among the Persians for his wise lawes graue gouernment and great policy in enlarging the Monarchy of Persia in so much that hee that resembled Cyrus if it were in any part of his body or had but a crooked nose like Cyrus hee was so esteemed and made much of in all Persia as hee should haue fauour Leuin li. 1 cap 15. shewed him in any place and in euery company And so hee that had but a long head like Pericles in Pericles Athens his cause should be heard before the Iudges of Areopagites or before any Magistrates in the Court Prytaneon free before other Such was the law and fauour of the people towardes Pericles in Athens and towardes Cyrus in Persia that the Midwiues and Nurses both in Asia and in Greece had in charge giuen them by the parents to do their best indeuor to frame and to mould their young infants like Cyrus in Persia and like Pericles in Athens yet few though the Nurses did their indeuours were found in Athēs like Pericles vnlesse it were with a long head and fewe or none were found in Persia like Cyrus vnlesse it were with a Cyrus Val. max. l. 9. ca. 14. Plin. li. 7. cap. 12. crooked nose This kind of likenesse is found in many So was Artenon like to Antiochus the great and Menagenis a Cooke like to Strabo Pomp. And therefore that noble Roman Pompey being yet but a very young man heating by common report that he much resembled Alexander the great in countenance gestures and outward behauiours but specially likened to Alexander for the growing of his hayres vpwardes vpon his forehead in which some write that Alexander Hector and Pompey much resembled Alex. Hect. and Pomp. Opisthocomae one the other this noble Captaine I say esteemed little to be like Alexander in externall forme and frame of his body but he exercised how he might imitate Alexander to be like to him in qualities and actions of the minde Non ex apparatu sed ex animo reges so that he imitated Alexander in valour and magnanimitie of minde and not in forme of his body By such meanes Pompey became afterward to bee compared and was called Pompey the Great after hee Pompey had subdued Sertorius in Affrica as Alexander the great was called in Persia after he had subdued Darius This was a more laudable imitation in Pompey then in the great men and Captaynes of Macedonia who would wish nothing more then to bee called Opisthocomae for so the Grecians called Alexander for that his haires vpon his forhead grew vpward but good Captaynes must not be like the Macedonian Captaynes following onely Alexander to be called Opisthocomae but like Pompey imitating Alexander in greatnesse and valour of minde There were many Opisthocomae in Macedonia yet not one like Alexander many crooked noses in Persia but not
one like Cyrus many that had long heads in Athens and yet not one like Pericles Aristotle the Philosopher writ vnto his M. the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arist prâ—s ad Alex Plut. in Demet. AlexaÌ„der of another likenes that should be in a Prince that it was more Princely for a King to haue a noble mynde endued with noble vertues then a gallant body furnished with gay Garments like Demetrius who had more care of his Astrologicall cloake then of his Kingdome to hang the world on his backe then to thinke in his minde of his people Like Nero who ware no Garment twise but dayly new-inuented Garments Or like Caligula who ware Sacras Deorum Vestes to set foorth the greatnesse of his Authority These were Reges ex Vestibus non ex Virtutibus For the most part of Heathen kings studying how to please the people with outward shew and pompe would paint their faces and anoynt their eyes to seeme to bee of greater Maiestie with their Subiects So the Kings and Peeres of Ethiopia were wont to bee anoynted with Vermillion that they might seeme young and fayre to be amiable vnto the people The Kings of Assiria vsed to anoynt their eyes and Alex. lib. 6. cap. 6. to paint their faces with like policy to entise blind and coÌ„mon people to esteeme them rather gods then men according to king Cyrus Decree for that they held their Crownes vnder Cyrus For then the Persians had all other kings vnder their obeisance as the Romanes had afterward And therfore Cyrus made a Lawe that the great Kings of Persia in any Feast or Triumph should anoynt their faces adipe Leonino that they might seeme more manly and more Princely to allure the people to accept their greatnesse and to ad nyre the Maiestie of their presence They write that Augustus Caesar was instructed with Augustus Caesar Cyrus Lawes for in his third Tryumph he vsed the like whether it was for loue or for feare his countenance terrified the Army of M. Antonius in the Battayle of Actium And yet among these Heathens there were many that despised those externall shewes and pompe Such a one was Agesilaus among the Lacedemonians Epaminondas among the Thebanes and Fabricius among the Romanes It is historied that Germanicus the Emperour was so amiable and louing in sight because in sight he seemed Germanicus so plaine a Prince in Apparrell so plausible so gentle in speache for that hee was a singular wise Prince that they that saw him and heard him were so addicted vnto him that he was so beloued of his Subiects so magnified of his Nobles that it was neuer heard that Germanicus was eyther hated of the one or enuied of the other Such is the force of Vertue Si cerni potuit oculis sayth Plato that it would mooue much affection and loue in men by looking the like sayth Cicero the Report of vertuous men whom wee neuersaw doeth Cic. de nat Deo li. 1. breed such affection that good men are desirous to see them The presence of a good and a godly Prince is great and so great that the Prayer and presence of king Abia 2. Chron. 〈◊〉 13. 14 ouerthrew 500000. Israelites The Prayer and presence of king Asa ouerthrew Zerath the Ethiopian king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. in Apophth with his great Army of ten hundreth thousand and therefore Antigonus hearing one of his Lieutenants and Captaynes saying that the enemies king Ptolomey his Army were more in number then they Antigonus seemed to bee angry and said How many doest thou number me for Alexander was euer wont to say in any danger by Sea or by Land to his Souldiers Alexander is heere Habetis Alexandrum So often would Caesar say in any peril Ye haue Caesar his fortunes with you so he said to Amyclas his pilot It was an vsuall speache of the people of Sparta to aske where the enemyes were and not to aske how many they were But we leaue those Princes to Fortune Qui plura Fortunae quà m virtuti tribuunt The greatest praise and commendations of Christian Princes must not be attributed to the Actions of Fortune as the Heathen Princes doo but to the benfites of Vertue who by the greatnesse of their wisdome and vertue haue their authority from God For the Crowne the Scepter and the Kingdome it selfe is from God who made them so great that he called them Goddes saying Ye are Gods on earth but how Pietate et iustitia saith Augustine And so in Plato a King is called Deus quispiam humanus and yet in Homer a King is called but Pastor populi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the King of Kings is called the great Shepheard for a king ought to haue as great care ouer his people as a shepherd ouer his sheep Adrian the Emperor said Rempub. non esse suam sed se Reip. For as without a King neither towne city country or kingdome can stand so ought a King to gouerne and rule his subiects that he may deserue the name of a King not of a Tyrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. ped 9. for it is fit saith Cyrus that a Gouernour must farre excell those whom he gouerneth in vertue wisdome Such as Caleb was with Iosua and such as Iethro was with Moses and such as Nathan was with Dauid If such wise Counsellers attend vpon Kings in Court that Court shall flourish and that Common-wealth shall prosper Wise men in Court with Princes are as Preseruatiues kept for a sicke body That made Salomon to aske for wisdome onely to gouerne his people That made Vlisses to crie out in Homer to Minerua Si te Diua Minerua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Odyss vtar If I can haue thy company O Goddesse I esteeme not who wil be against me That made Pericles to forsake his youthfull companies to haue sage and wise men about him wheÌ„ he in Athens succeeded Themistocles in publike gouernmeÌ„t of the Athenians And that made Dion to speak of Plato hauing had proofe of Dions speach of Plato Platoes wisdom counsell Mallem vnum Platonem quaÌ„ mille Antimachos For Plato gaue such counsell to Dion not to please but to profit Dion Such couÌ„sel gaue Solon to the Athenians Non quae suauissima sed quae optima But good counsel is often reiected Ieremy gaue good 3. Reg. cap. 12. Good couÌ„sell counsell to King Zedechias but hee reiected it Lot gaue good counsell to the Sodomites but they regarded it not The Elders of Israel gaue good counsell to Rehoboam but hee esteemed it not Wisdome crieth out in the streets offreth her seruice free vnto Princes and yet some Princes regard her not But truely that Prince is happy where wisdome may say Habito in consilijs That wisdom guided Noah in the Arke that wisdome instructed the Patriarkes before the Law to liue vnder the Law Iephtha
shewed himselfe a wise man and gaue wise Iephtha counsel to his Captaines how they might find out the false Ephramites from the true Israelites by pronouncing of the letter Shiboleth and that before the Ephramites Iud. 12. should passe ouer Iorden lest they should gather head against the Israelites againe Great wisdome it is to looke in time to such and to cut off the heads of them that would willingly haue many heads like Hidra I wish there were no heads of Hidra yet lurking in any English Laerna Thus was Iephtha called from the land of Tob and Gedeon from the Barne-threshing to kill and destroy Gedeon these wicked Madianites and false Ephramites which were scattered and dispersed into all partes of the world Was not Dauid called frō a Shepheard to be anoynted Dauid a Shepheard king in Israel by Samuel while yet Saul liued for the sinnes of Saul and to ouerthrow the house of Saul for all the practice and policy of Saul to the contrary Was not Ieroboam the seruant of Salomon called Ieroboam a seruant anoynted king in Israel by the Prophet Ahias in the time of Salomon of his sonne Rehoboam and to take ten of the twelue Tribes from Salomon And was not Iehu from a soldier called and anoynted king by Elizeus Iehu a soldier seruant while Achab yet reigned in Israel to destroy Achab and all his posterity for the Idolatry of Achab The iust iudgement of God against wicked Princes And so in other like practisers that seek by policy to ouerthrow kingdomes Saul with all his policy with his sonnes his seruants and his daughter that he maried to Dauid onely to deceiue Dauid could not preuent Dauid of the kingdom It was the purpose of God Salomon for all his wisedome and royalty and his friends could not hinder Ieroboam his seruant from the kingdome It was so determined Achab with all his gods and Idols could not preuent Iehu nor take reuenge vpon Elizeus no more thē Benhadad king of Syria could feed his wrath vpon Elizeus no policy no practice no coūsel against the Lord. Elizeus looking in the face of Hazael said that hee should be king after Benhadad in Syria withall wept knowing how he would strangle his master Benhadad the king and how Tyrant-like he would plague Israel during the time of his cruell gouernment Many had cause to weepe if men knewe as Elizeus did what policies are practised in many mens hearts And therefore had olde Osiris king of Egypt the Osiris his scepter likenes of a mans eye in the vpper end of his Scepter to signifie that kings should be circumspect and wise to see vnto the policy and practice of wicked men for against such wise and godly Princes no policy can preuaile no more then a little cloud can darken the brightnes of the Sunne And as the Sunne with his brightnes lighteneth all the Sky so doth a vertuous Prince with his wisdome his subiects for so Aristotle sayth Vnica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Polit. sola virtus Principis prudentia The only vertue of a Prince is to become wise to chuse such Wise Counsellers as Moyses did of graue godly wise men which counsell was called synadrion to help to ayd him in the gouernmēt of 600000. men that in a wildernes By counsel Commonwealths Kingdomes stand So in Salust it is sayd vnto Caesar Quò magis Imperium cò maior cura So long shal kingdoms prosper while good Counsel gouernes Dum apud eos vera consilia valuerūt For sayd Plato All good and godly Counsayles are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacred according to that which Christ sayd Where two or three are gathered in my name there am I among them It is neyther sayd Scipio to Micipsa strong armies treasures nor goldē Scepters that vphold kingdoms but truth wisedome and Counsayle So Aristotle Pro. 20. sayth vnto the great Alexander that Counsel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. ad Alex. Suet. cap. 25. Augustus saying most diuine in matters of states for that hee was euer careful to haue Alexander gouerned by counsaile knowing well the greatnesse of his minde the conquest which he took in hand Many perish for want of counsayle and many more for not accepting of counsell Wise counsayle and the reward thereof was more giuen in Sparta to the Captayne that subdued the enemyes by policy and counsell then by the sword for that attempt sayd Augustus is not to bee enterprised where more feare is in losing then hope in getting the victory The Carthagineans so esteemed wise counsel that if any of their Captains had done any thing but by wise counsel though they had obteyned great victories the law in Carthage was that they should die Great Captaynes wanne more by counsaile then by the Sword Pluraconsilio quà m vi magnos Duces perfecisse Wise Princes must be like Ianus looking backward as well as Tacit. 11. Ann. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forward It was Sertorius saying to Pompey the great Quod respicere magis quà m prospicere oporteat Ducem That a wise Gouernor looketh backward as well as forward But Ambition sayth Seneca neuer looketh backe but forward Plut. in Serto. how hee may enterteyne factious and seditious men to hold him vp They neuer thinke of their owne liues when they imagine to preuent others of their liues Sedition therfore is as dangerous to Kings in their kingdomes as to Commaunders in Field in the Army For so Seneca said Idem ius habet aduersus imperia atque aduersus imperantes Sectio 2. SERVIVS GALBA vnder pretence Oros lib. 5 cap. 21. of doing of some great good vnto the Lusitanians assēbled the chiefest men the gallantest Youths of three great Cities to the nomber of seuen thousand whome hee most trecherously and falsly slewe which mooued great Sedition and tumult in Spaine against the Romanes Hastrubal intending vnder the colour of hunting to inuade Numidia being resisted by the Numidians told them hee came but to hunt Elephants By the like policy of hunting Hanibal got Tarentū Such a hunter was Nymrod that hunted kings and kingdomes and therefore he was called The mighty Gen. 10. Hunter Ninus was a great hunter of kingdoms countries So may it be said of Cyrus and of Alexander so great hunters were they that they died in their hunting out of their kingdomes Hunting is a military exercise which made Sertorius Plut. in Serto. to vse hunting and to trauaile the hard rockes of Affrica and that he and his soldiers thereby might better indure labour and payne against the Romanes hee acquainted them so much with hunting that they were able to sustayne any hardnesse The cause therefore why Brasidas compared hunting to warre was for that the like stratagems are often inuented and executed in warres against soldiers as the Hunter doeth against diuers kindes of beasts specially
giuing Achilles armour to Vlisses that wise and politike men might be estemed as well for counsell as valiant men for valour Augustus the Emperour was written vnto by his deare friend Maecenas that if hee would haue a quiet Empire and his subiects to loue him he should cut off faction the chiefe cause of sedition and that the name of factions or any other new name tending to moue quarrels and debate might be quite excluded out of Rome And so doth Aristotle exhort that Magistratuum potentum contentiones the beginning of brawles Arist pol. 5. and contentions should be stayed and stopt by lawes if not by lawes by the sword Adulta seditio melioribus consilijs flectetur sayth Cicero What slaughter came of the cynders and ashes of Pompey the great of Cato of Scipio and of others to reuenge their death vpon Caesar and his friends What murther what warre was to reuenge the murthering of Caesar vpon Brutus Cassius and others The Lawe of Thrasybulus which curbed the thirty Tyrants in Athens could doe no good in Rome though Cicero did what he could in perswading Thrasybulus law to take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place with the people For then euery man in Rome seemed as a Serpent one to another ready in armes one to kill another Orosius hereupon induceth a Fable of Medea of a Serpent slayne of whose teeth set in Oros li. 6. cap. 17. the ground by Medea grew so many armed men who presently fought so within themselues that one destroied another Such was the slaughter by the ciuill warres at Rome Sectio 7. THeopompus being demaunded why did Sparta flourish Is it for that their kings gouerne their subiects wisely or that their subiects obey their kings faithfully Theopompus answered We practise in Sparta but to indure labour Theopom saying of Sparta No seditiō in Sparta to ouercome our enemies and to obey our kings howsoeuer kings gouerne the commaundement is giuen to subiects frō God to vse their shield not the sword The law in Sparta was therefore that the souldier that lost his shield in the field among the enemies should dye for it The sword is put into the hands of princes to punish offendors and to cut off disobedient and seditious subiects Chirurgians cut off rotten putrified members from the sound members which may be well likened to Gangraena which must of necessity be cut off lest the whole body perish God vsed to shew such seuerity to those factious Rebells the Iewes for their disobedience that fire came from heauen aboue and burned them and the earth belowe swallovved them for their factious disobedience which of all other Nations were most factious to Moses in the wildernesse to Iosua at Iericho and from time to time to the Iudges in Israel It was euer the wonted practice of policy among the seditious and factious people to taunt Magistrates or to speake some whispering speech against a prince to feele and to heare who will ioyne with them to moue seditiō These be the Vipers that bite men priuily these be the domesticall Serpents the secret brue-bates of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commonwealths in whō there is no fayth found nor othes to be beleeued as Aristophanes sayth Augustus Caesar hearing that a slaunderous fellow one Elianus spake vnreuerent words of the Emperour the Magistrates willing to punish him Augustus commaunded Suet. in Aug. those that accused him to goe and tell Elianus Sciat Elianus Augustum habere linguam that Augustus had also a tongue both to punish and to pardon Philip of Macedon in like sort to his friends that perswaded him to banish the like lewd fellowes for their speach out of his court and countrey sayd God Plut. in Apotheg forbid lest they should speake of mee more in another Country then in Macedonia But these were dilatory plees to looke further vnto thē to find more fellowes of the like practice The example of Raymerus is much more commended which looked vnto the disposition of his Noble men and saw them vntractable little waying the care and loue the king had vnto them contemning despising both him and his lawes giuing eare to seditious men vntill the king saw their practice waxed angry perceiuing that they esteemed him not as their king caused 11. of these whom he saw most contentious to Lips lib. 3 be put to the sword in the City of Osca giuing them this taunt withall Nescit Vulpecula cum quo ludat A caueat not to pluck haires from Lions as the prouerb is Lecnem vellicare To serue a king saith Brasidas consisteth in three precepts Velle obedire vereri Brasida◠precepts A certayne king in Persia vsed in like sort as Raimerus did in Spayne but of meaner persons which for some reprochfull taunting wordes that they spake of the king he caused those scoffers nostrils quite on both sides to be cut off saying Ecce sigillum Regis in conuitiatores Behold the kings seale against scoffers This seuerity is more commended in these princes then the clemency of Philip or of Augustus What became of the taunt which the Egyptiās gaue to Ochus K. of Persia naming the K. the Asse of Persia King Ochus taunt to the Egyptians said Ochus Faciam vt hic asinus vestrū bouem depascat I wil make the Asse of Persia eate your Oxe of Egypt for the Egyptians worshipped an Oxe which they called Apis as one of their chiefe gods which within a while after Ochus surnamed Artaxerxes marched with a great Oros li. 3. cap. 7. army and subdued Egypt and sacrificed their Oxe and their god Apis according to his promise Cotis a Thracian K. answered one that said his seuere gouernmēt was rather fury then clemency towards his Cotis subiects Yea said Cotis hic furor meus sanos reddit subditós Clemency must be ioyned with seuerity This my seuerity said Cotis shall make my subiects both to loue me and to feare me Nimia clementia nocet Had Artabanus obserued the rule of Raymerus or the seuerity of Cotis he needed not to haue fled secretly Artabanus from Parthia to king Izetes beyond Armenia a far meaner king then himselfe neither to feare the snares and trappes of his subiects being so great a king called the king of kings for so the kings of Parthia are called but hee was restored to his kingdome by this meane king Izetes A thousand mishaps may happen to princes which subiects are free of Examples may be found of Iugurth king of Numidia and of Persius king of Persia who were taken Captiues in their owne kingdomes and dyed prisoners in Rome Charles surnamed sapiens the French king saw the king his father taken captiue in his owne kingdome and caried into England and the whole kingdome of Fraunce possest of Englishmen The Romane Histories are full of these horrible examples that by seditions and factions the whole Empire was welnigh destroyed that I