Kings Paragraph 1 Of the Magnanimitie of minde which Kings ought to haue Paragraphe 2. Of the blandure gentlenesse and loue which Kings ought to haue Parag. 3. That it much importeth Kings to haue the good Loue and affection of their Subiects Parag. 4. Of sagacitie sharpnesse of wit and quicknesse of apprehension which Kings ought to haue Parag. 5. Of the Discretion which Kings ought to haue Chap. 27. Of the sense of Tasting and of the vertue of Temperance and how well it befitteth Kings Chap. 28. When and at what time sports and pastimes are worthiest reprehension in Kings Parag. 1. Of the Language and Truth which Kings and wherewith Kings are to treate and to be treated Parag. 2. That Kings ought to keepe their Faith and Word Parag. 3. Of that secrecie which Kings and their Ministers ought to keepe Parag. 4. Of Flatterers and their flatteries Chap. 29. Of the sense of Touching Parag. 1 Of Temperance Parag. 2 Of another remedie against Excesses and superfluities depending on the example of Kings Chap. 30. Whether it be fit for Kings to haue Fauourites Chap. 31. Of another sort of Fauourites Chap. 32 Whether it bee fit for Kings to haue any more then one Fauourite Chap. 33 Of the Conditions and Qualities of Fauourites Chap. 34 How Kings ought to carry themselues towards their Fauourites Chap. 35 Whether the Kinsfolke and Friends of Fauourites are to be excluded from Offices Chap. 36 The Conclusion of the former Discourse with some Aduertisements for Kings and Fauourites Chap. 37 Aduertisements for Fauourites and Councellours of State SAP 6. v. 10. Ad vos O Reges sunt hi Sermones mei vt discatis sapientiam non excidatis Qui enim custodierint iusta iustè iustificabuntur qui didicerint iusta invenient quid respondeant VVISDOM 6. v. 10. Vnto you therefore o Kings doe I speake that yee may learne VVisedome and not goe amisse For they that keepe holinesse holily shall be holy and they that are learned there shall finde defence CHAP. 1. Wherein it is breifly treated what is comprehended in this Word Republicke together with it's Definition MAny and those of the grauest sorte that haue beene well versed in all kinde of Learning haue written of a Republicke or Common-wealth And haue diuided and sub-diuided it into many and sundry species and defined it after diuerse and different maners A prolixe and tedious businesse and full of difficulties and farre wide of my intension which is in few both words and reasons to describe a mysticall body with it's Head and principall members and the peculiar Offices belonging to euery one of them leauing to such as shall take pleasure therein the multitude of vnprofitable Questions the ornament of humane Eloquence and the Magazine of prophane histories being of little truth lesse efficacie And taking thence my beginning whence all begin Arist lib. 3. Polit. cap 1. lib. 4. cap. 1. To wit from the definition or Description I say with Aristotle and Plato That a Common-wealth is no other thing saue an Order of Citizens and Cities in which and amongst whom nothing is wanting that is necessary and needefull for the life of Man It is a iust gouernment and disposition of many families and of a Communitie amongst them with a superiour authoritie ouer them And it is a Congregation of many people vnited together fraternized with certaine Lawes and rules of gouernment And because I will not loose time in things not necessarie I omit that gouernment which the Greekes call Aristocratia which is the gouernment of the Nobility as it is with the Signorie of Venice And your Democratia which is popular and consistes of the Many as that of Genoa and the Cantons of the Switz Which though approued by many haue their inconueniences and those no small ones For the Nobilitie and powerfull persons if they not perseuere in the obseruance of the Lawes of good gouernment they presently grow to be couetous and are much subiect to Ambition And because they are but a few they feare the multitude and for to conserue themselues exercise cruelty whereby in the ende it turnes to a Tyrannie For as Mecoenas saith The state of a few Lords is the state of a few Tyrants And he that is the most powerfull the most ambitious and best be friended and respected of the people vpon the least dissension ioynes with the multitude which being it is naturally enuious mutable and a friend to innouation will with a great deale of facilitie ouerthrow the Common-wealth And say the Nobles do not side but agree amongst themselues yet cannot they but liue in feare of the infidelitie of the Vulgar for ordinarily those that haue a hand in the gouernment are more enuied then those that haue none at al. Besides it is a weake kind of gouernment nor is it possible that these few Lords can in large conquer conserue a great Empire as can a King or a Monarke because the forces are lesse vnited in them then in him And the people which is little interessed hath no share or part in those honourable places carry a Capital hatred to your great persons and are hardly drawn to such liberall Contributions as may sustaine a War and subdue kingdomes Your popular Estate in falling from that equality which it pretendeth is easily conuerted into a licentious libertie or rather loosenesse pulling down some setting vp others and is much subiect to Alterations through it's inconstancie weake head-pieces of the Popular For as Tully saith the sea hath not so many stormes perills tempestes as hath this kind of Cōmonwealth And of force euery one attending his owne proper good and priuate interest it must runne vpon one of these two rockes Either on the Tyrannie of him that is the strongest and vpheld by the fauour of the Maior part liftes vp himselfe aboue them all Or on the Plebeian gouernment then which none can be worse for all then falls into the hands of ignorant people who put ordinary people into the highest places of honour and command without any distinction or reckoning of rich noble wise or vertuous What good Counsaile or sound Aduise can all the Communaltie giue put all their braines together in a doubtfull case or businesse of importance Eccl. 7.27 when as Salomon saith there is scarce one to be found of a thousand of abilitie and sufficiencie in this kinde But put case that such a one may happily be found amongst them how shall he be heard with silence What patience will their eares lend him What secrecie will be had in that which is treated be it of Peace or War that it be not divulged before it 's due execution your Tumultes and seditions shall be more ordinary and greater then in other states because your meaner sorte of people are gouerned more by their owne vnruly appetites and womanish longings then by reason and discretion And your base and cruell Vulgar which vpon the least
himselfe liberall solicitous peaceable patient louing kinde and courteous towards all All of them qualities that conserue a Kings fauour and gaine the peoples good will A Fauourite must be modest affable and affoord a courteous hearing vnto all men Besides it is a part of Iustice so to doe and a very necessarie meanes to come to the knowledge of all things and to be the better prouided against whatsoeuer shall occurre Whereas on the contrary to looke to be intreated and sued vnto and not easie to bee spoken withall argues a kinde of pride and statelinesse which all abhorre This is the doctrine of Tacitus citing the example of Seianus the Emperour Tiberius his great Fauourite who being growne into grace with him the better to conserue himselfe therein forthwith endeauoured to fauour and pleasure all your principall and noble persons in their pretensions For in all occurrences he conceiued hee might expect more kindnesse from them then from the baser and meaner sort of people whereby he came to bee loued of the one and feared of the other and by all of them to be serued and obeyed Insomuch that there was not any one who did not seeke vnto him to mediate and make intercession for them with Tiberius And howbeit he was not ignorant that hee was superiour to them all and inferiour to none yet did he neuer grow neglectfull of his humble carriage and reuerent respect to his Prince and a due regard vnto all Hitherto hee proceeded fairely and went on well and may serue for a patterne and example for Fauourites but in the rest for a prouiso and admonition for Kings For after that ambition and couetousnesse entred into his heart that consuming moath and deuouring worme of all goodnesse he presently procured the charge or place of Praefectus Praetorius or Captainship of the Guard and within a short time grew to be so absolute therein that he became as it were Lord and Master of his Prince and crusht all that stood in his way or might be of any impediment to his priuacie He sought alwayes to bee with him lest others might creepe in betwixt him and home and possesse his place still humbly beseeching him that he would imploy him in businesses of greatest danger and trouble and such as might redound most to the benefit of the Emperours life and state A maine point wherewith to oblige his Prince vnto him and to make him the more acceptable in his sight For those that are nearest about Kings and are in greatest fauour with him ought in the greatest dangers to set their foot formost and to be the forwardest aduenturers He did seeke to ouercome Art by Art inducing Tiberius to retire himselfe to places of pleasure that were remote and farre from Court to the end that whilest he was recreating himselfe abroad he might dispose of him as it pleased him He told him that solitude was the best and onely course for the resoluing of the graue and weighty affaires of the Empire which otherwise by diuersion might receiue the same hurt and hinderance as they were wont to haue heretofore And what with this and with giuing him to vnderstand that he would quit him of all the ordinarie cares and troubles of Court most men vsually desiring to shunne trouble and to take their ease and pleasure hee perswaded him to go to Capri that hee in the meane while might rule and gouerne all And in the end grew to be so great and powerfull and to take such state vpon him that hee would not giue audience to any reducing them to those tearmes that they should speake and negociate by writing to the end that nothing might bee treated or resolued of without his priuie saying That by reducing businesses to papers and memorialls answer might bee giuen vnto them with more deliberation and better consideration then by word of mouth A meere Artifice cunning trick of his own inuention to make himselfe absolute Master of all and which is more of the heart of his Prince God deliuer vs from such ambitious interessed and couetous Ministers whose maine care is their owne particular and to heape vp riches for himselfe and his and make it their whole study and onely end to keepe and continue themselues in their kings grace and fauour and to deale with their Prince as the Ante doth with the corne which that it may not grow againe and that hee may the better and more conueniently make profit thereof presently eates out the heart of it God likewise free Kings from this base subiection and insensibilitie and from men of that qualitie and condition which desire to rule and command all For the one cannot escape a storme and the other must runne great hazard of being drowned therein Let the last aduertisement bee the example of a great Fauourite whose name is Aurelius Cassidorus borne in the Prouince of Calabria and highly aduanced in Magistracies and Gouernments of both Empires Rome and Constantinople who being renowned for his cheualrie and noble feates of armes defended the Islands of Sicily and Calabria from many and those very powerfull enemies In his younger yeares he attained to all the liberall arts in that perfection that hee made the present and succeeding times to admire him And for his great parts and abilities was entertained by Theodoricus King of the Ostro-Gothes hee was receiued into his seruice and grew so farre into his fauour by reason of his vnderstanding wisedome and dextrousnesse in treating businesses that he first of all made him his Secretarie in which Office he behaued himselfe so well that by degrees he went climbing vp to the high Offices and dignities in the State which in those dayes were not conferred out of fauour but meere desert From being Secretary he came to bee Lord Chancellour and Senatour in the Citie of Rauenna being honoured besides with diuerse offices in the Kings Court Afterwards he was made Viceroy of the Prouinces of Sicilia and Calabria and for addition of honour had the title of Patâ—â—â—â—e giuen him which in those dayes was in great esteeme Hee was Lord Treasurer and Master of the Palace which was as it were a superintendent ouer the Palatines being an order of Knights and Gentlemen that had Offices and other preâ—etainences in Court He held the dignitie of Prafectâ—us Praetorius being as it were the second person of the King to whom the weightiest businesses of peace and warre were remitted and what therein he determined and resolued vpon was receiued as an oracle that could not erre Though now adayes little credit is giuen to the words of great persons and powerfull Ministers and not without cause for that many of them say and do not promise much and performe little And your Fauourites which haue great both place and power about their Kings are in such good opinion and credit likewise with the world that they presently beleeue whatsoeuer they say and see what they professe is approued by them as if it were
that which now is it will appeare vnto vs that your present Princes doe not come much behinde their good Predecessours And that which is good stands alwayes in a way or degree of ablenesse to become better and that which is not so may be bettered in the end Time is a great proficient it attaineth to all and can doe all And your Maiestie whom God preserue may likewise in time doe the like if you will really and resolutely affect the same and that you will be pleased to put in execution what in these Aduertisements shall seeme good in your eyes And seeme they or not seeme they good vnto you sure I am that my desire in these in the rest and in all shall indeuour to hit the marke whereat it aymeth God direct it as I desire For mine owne part J rest well contented with my paines and hold my selfe well paid for my labour in hauing put them into your Maiesties hands And that you shall vouchsafe to dwell a little vpon them For matters of State Justice and Gouernment and of things of this high nature is a King-craft and a knowledge or science that deserues your care and discourse Let others doe as they lift particular men may follow their particular pleasures and delights But this well becommeth Kings The Argument of this Booke is the Head of Mans body beginning at the vnderstanding till we come to the last of the senses For therein and thence they haue the principium or beginning of their operations And as in mans body so in the mysticall body of a Common-wealth Kings are the Head to whom Regiment Gouernment belongs and what choyce they are to make of those who are to assist them therein the qualities which they ought to haue and how they should carry themselues towards them How they shall come to discouer the humours affections mindes and dispositions of their Ministers And in a word how they ought to behaue themselues in all and with all I search not into the secret closet of any mans bosome nor touch vpon any particular person it being the least part of my intent and purpose I treate onely in the generall and manifest vnto all that what I write being certaine and true and grounded vpon principles and certaine causes may serue to reforme amend and correct and if neede bee alter those fashions and customes they finde to bee amisse This I am bold to vtter vnto your Maiestie and dedicate the same with that securitie and confidence which mine owne knowledge doth promise and prompt vnto mee being not ignorant that I talke and discourse with mine owne proper King and Lord whom I humbly beseech that hee will bee pleased out of his great prudence and naturall pietie to runne all this ouer with his eye and to cast his cloake ouer my faults And though no doubt his Maiestie may meete with some yet my minde telleth me that he may likewise light vpon something in this Treatise that may be of some profit for the seruice of his Maiestie and for the conseruation of that authoritie and greatnesse of place which he so iustly possesseth and for the good of the Common-wealth For there is not that Booke saith Seneca so vnprofitable whence some good may not bee gathered And though this in supposall or it 's owne nature may be small and of little or no price yet is it of no lesse noble and royall a condition to receiue a little louingly and with a gratious acceptance then to giue much liberally All this your Maiestie doth with all and I assure my selfe you will likewise doe the like with me For the naturall Loue which I beare vnto your Maiestie meriteth no lesse nor the minde wherewithall J doe it And herewith I shall in some sort satisfie my desire which is to hit the marke I ayme at and that obligation wherewith I was borne to serue you whom I shall neuer willingly offend And euermore in all my prayers and sacrifices I shall humbly on my knees beseech the Almighty God to preserue your Maiestie to giue you many and those most happie yeares and that hee will conserue you in his diuine grace and humane Greatnesse with much augmentation of Estate both Temporall and Eternall Amen Your Maiesties seruant and Chaplaine Fr. Iuan de Sancta Maria. A Table containing the Chapters and Paragraphes of this Booke Chap. 1. WHerein it is briefly treated what is comprehended in this word Republicke together with it's definition Chapter 2. What the name of King signifieth Chapter 3. Whether the name of King be a name of Office Chap. 4. Of the Office of Kings Chap. 5. Of the reason and vnderstanding of Kings and of their wisedome Chap. 6. How Kings ought to carrie themselues in those businesses which their vnderstanding comprehendeth not Chapter 7. A prosecution of the former Discourse shewing how Kings are to take Councell And what signes they are to marke and obserue for their better knowledge Chap. 8. Of the diligences which Kings are to vse in the Election of their Ministers and Councellours Chap. 9. Of the qualities which Kings are to consider in those whom they are to make choice of for Ministers and Councellours Chap. 10. Hee continues the discourse of the Qualities of Ministers and Councellours Chap. 11. Of other Courses and Meanes which Kings may take for the notice of such persons in whom the said Qualities concurre Chap. 12. How Kings ought to carry themselues towards those Ministers whom they finde sufficient for the Gouernment both of Peace and Warre Chap. 13. The Author prosecutes the same Subiect and shewes how Kings ought to carry themselues with their Councells and Councellours Chap. 14. It is demanded by way of Question Whether Kings ought inuiolably to obserue the foresaid Order Chap. 15. Whether it be fit for Kings to vse much the remitting of businesses Chap. 16. Of the sence of the fight that is of those businesses which Kings ought to reserue for their owne view and to dispatch with their owne hands Chap. 17. Hee prosecuteth the same matter and shewes How Kings ought to carry themselues towards those that finde themselues aggrieued Chap. 18. Of the sense of Hearing And the Audiences which Kings ought to giue Chapter 19. He goes on with the same Matter treating of the Audiences of Ministers and Councellours Chap. 20. Of the vertue of Iustice the naturall sister and Companion of Kings Chap. 21. Of the parts of Iustice in Common and in particular of Iustice commutatiue Chap. 22. Of Iustice distributiue Chap. 23. How and in what sort limitation in giuing may sute with the greatnesse of Kings Chap. 24. Of the repartment and diuision which is to bee vsed in the conferring of offices And of the knowledge of such persons as ought to be nominated for the said offices Chap. 25. Whether Honours Offices and dignities are to be conferred on those that sue for them Chap. 26. Of the sense of smelling that is of the prudence of
all other Attributes and Epithites of Maiestie and Signorie it is the greatest vnder which all other names are comprehended as the Species vnder their Genus being subordinate thereunto Father is aboue the Title of King Lord Master Captaine and the like In a word it is a name aboue all other names that denotate Signorie and prouidence Antiquitie when it was willing to throw it's greatest Honour vpon an Emperour it called him the Father of the Common-wealth Which was more then Caesar or Augustus and whatsoeuer other name most glorious in the world whether it were conferr'd vpon them either for to flatter them or to oblige them to those great effects which this name Father tyes them vnto In conclusion by this word Father it is giuen Kings to vnderstand what they ought to doe To wit That they are to rule gouerne and maintaine their Common-wealths and Kingdomes in Iustice and in Peace That they are to feede like good shepheards these their rationall sheepe That they are like skilfull Physitians to heale and cure their maladies And that they are to haue that care of their subiects as fathers haue of their children watching ouer them with prudence and with Loue respecting more them then themselues For Kings are more obliged to the Kingdome and the Common-wealth then vnto themselues For if we shall but looke into the Originall and Institution of a King and a kingdome we shall finde that a King was ordained for the good of the kingdome and not the kingdome for the good of the King CHAP. III. Whether the name of King be a name of Office LEt vs not detaine our selues in the ill apprehension of those who conceiue that the name of King is a Title onely of Honour and Dignitie and not of Charge and Office For if as wee said before in our 1. Chapter a King in a Common-wealth holdes that place Rom. 12.2.4 1. Cor. 12.12 as the Head doth in a humane body where all the Corporall Members haue their particular Offices and euen the most and most principall then most certaine it is that a King in his kingdome is to be the most Eminent in the Gouernment so that we are not only to acknowledge that a King is an Officiall but euen the greatest of all Officialls and that of all Offices his is the chiefest and of greatest dignitie Etenim sayth S. Chrysostome imperare non solum dignitas est imò ars est artium omnium summa To rule is not onely a dignitie Chrys in Epist vlt ad Corin Serm. 15. Plato Dion Epist 7. D. Thom. de regi Prin. cap. 14. Nazian in Apologetico but an Art also and of all Artes the greatest Diuine Plato Diuus Thomas likewise affirme Inter omnes artes viuendi regendi ars amplior superior est The Arte and office of gouerning a Common-wealth and a kingdome is a Regall knowledge a Princely science and which particularly appertaineth vnto Kings it is an Arte of Artes the most difficile to learne and the most dangerous to practise And Nazianzene renders the reason Quia inter omnes animantes homo maximè moribus varius voluntate diuersus Because amongst all liuing Creatures man is most various in his maners and most diuerse in his will He is most mutable in his opinions most deceitfull in his words of more colours foldings and doublings then any other creature whatsoeuer worst to be knowen and hardest to to be ruled and aboue all most ingrate and vnthankfull vnto him that is set in authority ouer him And Plato more particularly tells vs that he held it in a manner a thing impossible for any one to haue such a Wit that alone of himselfe he should be sufficient to gouerne well it being so hard a matter to do though a man haue neuer so good partes and abilities to performe that function Ptolomy King of Aegypt considering the great difficulties which accompanie gouerning and reigning began to weigh the qualitie of each difficultie and comparing some with other some he knew not which to ranke formost or to preferre before his fellow It seemed wonderfull hard vnto him to know the Talent and parts of persons for the conferring of Offices and places vpon them a businesse whereon good gouernment mainely dependeth Hee likewise found it as difficult to make good Lawes and Statutes As also to rule so many Townes and so many people as are listed vnder a Crowne and name of King As likewise to dresse so many dishes for so many different palates so many things to the gust and content of so many sundry wills and a thousand other difficulties which daily offer themselues in the ruling and gouerning of men For as Seneca saith Nullum animal maiori est arte tractandum Seneca lib. de Ciem 1. cap. 17. quam homo There is not that creature like vnto Man for whose gouernment more Arte more prudence more wisedome more discretion and sagacitie is required No man can denie but that to beare on his shoulders the weight of a kingdome with obligation to attend on such and so great a diuersitie of things as of Peace and Warre and of so many graue and weightie businesse and of so great importance without fayling one point or tittle therein is an intollerable trouble a most heauy burthen and most difficult Office And in this respect so few haue there beene that haue knowne perfectly to cumply therewith And it is worthy our consideration that there being so many Histories and Bookes of the Liues of Kings and Emperours of the Gentiles there is not one amongst them all to be found who hath not bin noted of many faults Alexander the Great who for his famous Acts great Courage had the sirname giuen him of Great had many things in him worthy reprehension and vnbeseeming royall dignitie And howbeit Xenophon in his Cyropedia Xenophon Lib. 1 de Cyrop would giue vs to vnderstand that King Cyrus had all those vertues and greatnesses which are there represented vnto vs yet many wise men are of beliefe that that was no true History which he wrote of that King but an Idea or Patterne that Kings might draw from thence what they ought to bee Like vnto those Bookes of Cicero which he wrote de Oratore Who painteth forth the properties which hee that will be a good Orator ought to haue though that man was neuer yet found that had them Besides if we shall turne our eyes towards those ancient Kings of Gods people the sacred Scripture doth dis-deceiue vs. For out of the whole packe of them hee picks out but three onely that were good Eccl. 49.5 Praeter Dauid Ezechiam Iosiam omnes Reges peccatum commiserunt Excepting Dauid Ezechias and Iosias all the rest of the Kings committed sinne Not that these three had not their sinnes for the holy Scripture taxeth them of some and those no small ones but because they had not sinned in the Office of Kings And
to couet it the more for it's treasure is infinite and no man can exhaust it And therefore the more a man hath of it the more he desireth it It is the retreit and receptacle of faith and of all the Arts and Sciences both practicke and speculatiue hauing an vniuersall aptitude to receiue them all into it selfe and vpon the apprehension of them to put them in execution And although it be a potentia or faculty of a limited power yet so great is it's capacity and of that amplenesse and ablenesse to receiue and containe that it seemeth infinite for let a man know neuer so much yet can he not fill vp his knowledge For such and such notions dispose the vnderstanding for others Knowledge begetteth knowledge and the more things a man knoweth so much the more easily doth he apprehend those he knoweth not till he come to the perfect inquiry and knowledge of the truth and by conuersing with the wise and exercise of good Letters hee goes still rising higher and higher And by how much the more a man is aduanced in his vnderstanding so much the more aduantage shall he haue of those which haue not the same measure Suting with that saying of the Comicke Poet who wondering to see the great difference betweene man man cryes out Homo homini quid praestat So much doth one man differ from another in wisdome and prudence that they seeme to be different species And hence is it that the aduantage which a wise man hath ouer those that are not so is to make him King ouer all the people Which lesson God taught vs in the first King he made choice of for his people who standing in the midst of his Subiects was taller then any of them from the sholders vpwards so that his head shew'd it selfe aboue them all 1 Sam. 10.28 And the word Melech which in the originall signifieth a king in that large eminent Letter which stands in the midst of it doth mistically giue vs to vnderstand the excellency that aboue others Kings ought to haue And therefore Plato stiled a prudent and wise Gouernour Virum divinum a diuine man presupposing that he should be somewhat more then a man and exceed in diuine wisedome all other Gouernours whatsoeuer Vbi sapiens ibi est Deus in humano corpore And therefore as God by way of eminency containeth the perfections of all the Creatures so as farre forth as a Creature can a wise King should and that with much aduantage possesse the perfections of all his people And the holy Scripture teacheth vs that God created man after his own image and likenesse giuing him Vnderstanding Memory and Will And hauing created him Gen. 1.26 made him King ouer all he had created Vt praesit piscibus Maris volatilibus Coeli bestijs vniversae Terrae c. To haue dominion ouer the Fish of the Sea and ouer the Fowle of the Aire ouer the Cattle c. And this was granted him and did accompany the common nature of men But to rule and command to be Lord and Gouernour ouer men themselues as are Kings is a farre greater matter and such as requireth a greater measure of Vnderstanding and Wisedome and he that hath most store thereof shall reape the most profit by it as he that wants it shall contrarywise finde the lacke of it Salomon the wisest of Kings as he was both wise and a King could better then any other informe vs of what importance are Vnderstanding and Wisdome in Kings In whose name he speaketh when he saith Per me Reges regnant Prou. 8.15 per me Principes imperant By me Kings reigne and Princes decree iustice To the wiseman the Scepter and Crowne of right belongeth For wisdome her selfe as being the most essentiall forme of Kings makes him King and Monarch ouer others And in all Nations almost they gaue the same name and the same Ensignes to Empire and Wisdome And S. Paul makes them Synonomies and will haue them to signifie one and the same thing She alone by keeping Gods commandements will be sufficient in a King to make him pleasing and acceptable vnto God and to be cut out according to the measure of his own heart And though some are of a larger heart and vnderstanding then other some yet with God to be wise is that which conueneth most both to King and Subiect By Esay the Prophet God promiseth to all his people a golden age happy dayes and fortunate times wherein all shall haue a share of happinesse peace equity iustice health content and abundance of fruits But comming vnto Kings he saith no more but that there shall not be any one that shall be a foole Non vocabitur vltrà is qui insipiens est Princeps This is a great happinesse But O Lord let mee aske thee Is a King of worse condition then his Subiects that thou shouldst promise so many good things vnto them and but one alone vnto him The answere hereunto is that our good God giueth vnto euery one according to his state and calling that which is fittest for him The Subiect who hath one to rule and gouerne him hath need of one to minister iustice vnto him to conserue him in peace and to make such prouision that he may haue wherewith to eate and the like But a King who is to rule and gouerne hath need of wisedome which is the life and soule of Kings which sustaineth the weight of a Kingdome and without which be they neuer so rich neuer so powerfull they shall be as fit for gouernment as a body without a head or an head without a soule And as from the soule the Sences are origined and from that essence result your passions so in like sort from wisedome resulteth vnto King and Kingdome all that good and happinesse that can be desired Wisd 6. 24. Rex sapiens stabilimentum est Ciuitatis A wise King is the vpholding of the people And a foolish King the ruine of his Subiects You shall not name that Nation either barbarous or ciuill which where Kings were made by election did not make choice of a wise and prudent King Iudg. 9.8 In that generall Dyet where all the Nations of Trees and Plants met seeing that without Law and without a King they could not conserue themselues in peace and iustice the first resolution they tooke was to choose a wise King And in the first place they nominated the Oliue a tree of many good parts and qualities and amongst other this the chiefest that it was the Symbole or Hierogliffe of wisedome which is all whatsoeuer can be desired in a King Psal 119.144 This alone did King Dauid desire for himselfe Intellectum da mihi vivam Giue me vnderstanding and I shall liue He did not desire life nor health nor riches but onely vnderstanding and wisedome And with this alone did he promise to himselfe eternall life and a durable Kingdome And
Bases which the most wise King Salomon placed in the Temple 1 Kings 7.29 hee commanded Lions Oxen and Cherubins to be ingrauen in signification of so many the like qualities which Kings ought to haue who sustaine the whole weight of a kingdome He must be in perpetuall labour signified in the Oxe he must be endued with courage expressed in the Lion and he must abound in knowledge notified in the Cherubin Wherfore Cicero likewise maketh mention Cicero in Orat. pro lege Manil. Hae sunt saith that Heathen Orator virtutes Imperatoriae Labor in negotijs Fortitudo in periculis Industria in agendo To assist in businesses to be stout and valiant in dangers to be dextrous and wise in acting and aboue all to haue a liberall will without subiection and readily disposed for execution are vertues befitting an Emperour For to gouerne well great strength great courage great wisedome great power and a great willingnesse will be required For though a King know much and can doe much yet if he will not exercise his knowledge nor make vse of his power it is all one as if he neither knew nor could doe any thing The Leaper said to our Sauiour Christ Domine si vis potes me mundare If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And Christ made him answer not in word onely but in deed Volo mundare I will be thou cleane CHAP. VI. How Kings ought to carry themselues in those businesses which their vnderstanding comprehendeth not IN regard that the Vnderstanding is amongst all other faculties the Noblest it is that without doubt which doth least render and yeeld it selfe but is most sencible of the offence it receiueth in submitting it selfe Whereupon oftentimes it sticketh close to it's opinion and what it hath once intertained it obstinately maintaineth and defendeth And therefore the Philosopher said Amicus Plato sed maior Veritas Plato is my friend but the truth more In confirmation whereof we daily see that the dearest and neerest friends and that are one and the same in their will and affection in their vnderstanding and opinion are diuerse and different Each of them maintaineth his owne particular Tenet and yet without offence continew still good friends In a word in matter of Knowledge and Vnderstanding because it is a thing that cannot be measured out by the yard or meate out by inches there is not that Man that can indure Maioria or that another should goe before him or get the start of him in that kinde Euery one resteth satisfied with his owne Vnderstanding and conceiues that his reason is the best and few will bee brought to acknowledge that they are in an errour And in a manner all men flatter themselues with their owne opinion and thinking they are in the right they are so farre from yeelding that they stiffely maintaine what they haue vndertaken you shall not beate them out of it as being perswaded that they haue the better end of the staffe in their hands And hence arise those earnest contentions and endlesse questions in your Consultations and debating of Causes those crosse incounters and differences in determining great businesses persisting violently in their opinion though it bee neuer so contrary vnto reason And though this be a common infirmitie and a generall fault in all of what state and condition soeuer yet your great persons in this point runne the greatest perill For as the sonne of Sirach saith all doe approue and celebrate their sayings not in that onely wherein they speake home to the purpose but when they speake foolishly and vtter things not to bee spoken Eccl. 13.23 Locutus est diues omnes tacuerunt verbum illius vsque ad nubes perducent When a rich man speaketh euery man holdeth his tongue and looke what he saith they extoll it to the cloudes For opinion being now as long since Mistris of the World shew ouerswaies substance and authoritie checketh reason It is not Goodnesse but Greatnesse that strikes the stroke But if a Prince would bee so holy and so zealous of the good of his Kingdome haue hee neuer so able a braine neuer so much Knowledge and Vnderstanding acknowledging what a large extent of Wisedome is required for the gouerning of a Kingdome as it ought to be gouerned that hee would be pleased to receiue some helpe and assistance hee hath very secure and certaine remedies in this case and all of them ordred and ordained by the Holy Ghost The first is To begge of God and that with a great deale of faith and Confidence Light and Wisedome Conforming himselfe to that of S. Iames Si quis vestrum indiget sapientia postulet à deo Iames. 1.5 qui dat omnibus affluenter non improperat dabitur ei If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him And for asmuch as in Kings this acknowledgment is vsually more difficult for that they are free and without dependance on any in their owne kingdomes so much the more acceptable in this kind are their prayers vnto God As King Salomon exemplifieth it vnto vs who confessing the shortnesse of his vnderstanding and his want of Wisedome for to gouerne so great a people that could not bee numbred nor counted for multitude acknowledging himselfe to be but as a little child and that hee knew not how to goe out or come in and humbly beseeching God that hee would be pleased to supply this defect he found so much fauour in his sight that he appeared vnto him after a solemne sacrifice and said Postula quod vis vt dem tibi Aske what I shall giue thee 1. King 35. And this young King with a great deale of thankefulnesse and submission sayd Domine deus tu regnare fecisti servum tuum c. O Lord my God 2. Chron. 1.10 thou hast made thy Seruant King in instead of Dauid my father c. And thy seruant is in the midst of the people which thou hast chosen a great people c. Giue therefore thy Seruant an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people that I may discerne betweene good and bad and be able to goe in and out before thy people And howbeit this discreete young King saw the doore of Gods mercie set thus wide open vnto him and what a liberall offer he had made vnto him to bestow fauours vpon him according to the measure of his owne desire yet did hee neither set his eyes nor his heart vpon Gold Siluer Riches or long life but as one that knew so well how to aske desired that he would out of his grace and mercy giue him the gift of Wisedome that hee might know how to gouerne his State and Kingdomes and to conserue them in peace and Iustice And God was so well pleased with this his Petition that he did not onely bestow that vpon him but many other blessings with it and
receiue good Counsaile that they dissemble as much as they can their particular good will and liking in the businesse proposed But that which is heere of greater consideration is the vertue fidelitie and truth of a Counsailour a minde without passion disinteressed and pure For it oftentimes hapneth that he that craueth Counsaile hath not his intention so sound as is requisite nor his iudgement so strong as to reduce him into the right way and being set in it to follow the best But to grow to a Conclusion that cannot faile which Truth it selfe our Sauiour Christ said in his Gospell A good tree cannot bring forth had fruit nor a bad tree good And the badge or cognisance of good or bad Counsaile shall doubtlesse be the goodnesse or badnesse the wisedome or ignorance of the Counsailour And therefore I importunately presse that it mainly importeth a Prince to beware of whom he taketh Counsaile For by how much the more profitable is a wise vpright Counsailour by so much the more preiudiciall is he that is vniust and vnstreight And therefore the Holy Ghost saith Tob. 4.19 Consilum semper à sapiente perquire Aske Counsaile alwaies of the wise And in another place Eccl. 6.6 Pacifici sint tibi multi Consiliarius sit tibi vnus de mille Amongst a 1000. Men scarce will there be found one that is fit to giue Counsaile For some want wisedome prudence other some purenesse and cleannesse of heart and a third sort are so ouerswaied with passion that they do not simply sincerely perswade the truth A cleare Example wherof we haue in King Rehoboam the sonne and successour of King Salomon who though he succeeded his father in so rich a Kingdome and so inured to peace and obedience to their King yet notwithstanding was in an instant vndone vtterly lost by bad both Counsaile and Counsailours For good Counsellours are the life and soule of a Kingdome And when it is not vnderpropped with such like a body without a soule it presently sinkes falls from it's state wherin it stood And therefore the holy King sayd Psal 101.6 Oculi mei ad fideles terrae vt sedeant mâ—cum Ambulans in via immaculata hic mihi ministrabit Non habitabit in medio domus meae qui facit superbiam qui loquitur iniqua non direxit in conspectu oculorum meorum Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me Hee that walketh in a perfect way hee shall serue me Hee that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house hee that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight And in this particular Kings ought to be very wary and circumspect In the next Chapter we will treate of the Care which they are to take in choosing their Counsellours of State for the errour in this one is the fountaine of all errours and the totall Perdition of Kings and kingdomes CHAP. VIII Of the Diligences which Kings are to vse in the Election of their Ministers and Counsellours IT is a question that hath beene much sifted and winowed amongst your Morall Philosophers as also your Diuines whether Election be formally a worke of the Vnderstanding or the Will Gregory Nyssenus saith That it is composed of both partes To wit of the Act of the Will and of the Vnderstanding And hee said well For therein is required both a fullnesse of Knowledge and a freenesse of Will And it is the Doctrine of Diuus Thomas who saith That it is not of the will alone but also of the Vnderstanding because the electiue Act of the Will conference consultation Iudgement is to precede which is the proper Act of the Vnderstanding But the mischiefe of it is That in Elections wee many times see the contrary and what a strange diuorcement and seperation there is heerein from this true Philosophie For that which now a dayes most of all discouers it selfe in these Elections is our proper gust will and affection And therefore to remedy so great a malady it shall be requisite that the Prince who desireth to tread sure to hit the marke he aymes at and to please God in those whom he electeth and calleth to his Counsell that hee follow the Example of our Sauiour Christ written for our instruction by the Euangelists S. Mathew and S. Luke who recounting the Election of S. Peter and of S. Andrew Mat. 4. Luk. 4. 5. and other the Apostles as his principall Ministers there preceded a long and prolixe Oration or prayer full of feruour of zeale and of the Spirit and retyred himselfe into the desart and there fasted 40. dayes Luk. 6.12 Et erat pernoctans in Oratione Dei And continued all night in prayer vnto God Which as S. Ambrose and other fathers haue well obserued Christ did not doe that hee had any neede of these Dispositions and Preambles for to iumpe right in that Election but to teach kings and all other Princes that if they will hit right in their Elections they are to vse the like Diligences They are by good and pious workes to procure this fauour at Gods hands and to direct all their actions to this end Nor would hee that this Election should be left wholly to the declaration of those Saints for our Sauiour did declare himselfe more particularly in the 10. of S. Luke Luk. 10.2 Where speaking with the 70 Disciples which had nominated them he sayd vnto them Messis quidem multa operarij autem pauci rogate ergo Dominum Messis vt mittat operarios in messem suam The Haruest truly is great but the Labourers are few Pray yee therefore the Lord of the Haruest that hee would send forth Labourers into his Haruest And though in those former times these words were very seasonable yet now in this present age it 's necessitie is better knowne as likewise the truth thereof For the Haruests being so many and so great I meane so great and so many the varietie and multitude of important businesses for the welfare of the Common-wealth the Labourers are very few But to expresse my self a little more fully I say That very few are they that enter or seeke to enter into Offices for to labour and paines but for to liue at their pleasure to heape vp riches that they may increase the more in ambition and more freely take their ease The remedie of this consisteth in that which our Sauiour Christ commandeth vs To wit That we indefatigably pray vnto him that he will be pleased to send forth faithfull Ministers and good Labourers into his Common-wealth Ministers of knowen trust zeale vertue to whom may sute the name of Counsellours and not of Babblers of worthy men not of wordly men And kings to whom properly this Office of Election doth belong must put the more force insist the more in this prayer begging that which the wisest of Kings Salomon petitioned of God Da mihi
satisfaction in the Ministers and much distrustfullnesse in the Prince But let vs passe on CHAP. XIII The Author prosecutes the same subiect and shewes how Kings ought to carry themselues with their Counsells and Counsailours THis Order being thus settled for Kings they likewise are to haue a care that they keepe it by not altering businesses nor remouing either them or the men therein imployed out of their proper places for from the trucking and bartring of these things from this chopping and changing great inconuenienâ—es and mightie troubles are wont to rise in gouernment What a strange thing would it be nay what wouâ—d become of vs all if that order which God placed as we told you in this Machina of the World should be altred if the earth should get vp aboue the Ayre and the Ayre should passe beyond the Spheare of fire what were this but to destroy the World So good gouernment in like manner is destroyed by the Ambition and Couetousnesse of those who not contented with their imployments and places draw businesses out of their right Current for to make themselues Lords and Masters of all and to pursue by this meanes their idle vanities ambitious humours and particular interest The Holy Ghost in that Misticall booke of the Canticles compares the Gouernment of the Church to a well ordred Army or pitch't field where the pikes are ranked on the one side the shot on the other the horse in a third and all the rest in their due places appointed for them And in this well ordring and marshalling of the Men consisteth the strength of an Army A Christian and Church-like Common-wealth by the good order that is kept therein is as a terrible as an Armie with Banners to it's Enemies and as beautifull as Tirzah Cant. 6.4 and comely as Ierusalem in the sight both of God and Man And when Kings doe hit right the distribution of their Offices and in giuing to euerie one that which is fitting for him according to his condition and qualitie most certaine it is that euerie man shall get aduantage thereby and proue more excellent in his proper place and Office than those can bee who haue beene imployed in other Offices and places And that they who haue beene deputed to such a Councell and well exercised therein shall farre better know what belongs thereunto than those that haue not had experience and knowledge thereof Euermore presupposing that with the foresaid care and diligence choice hath beene made of the most sufficient For which reason wee are to giue credit to euerie one in particular and to all ioyntly in their Ministeries as to selected persons and such as are their crafts-Masters in these kinde of matters For as the holy Ghost saith Vnusquisque in arte sua sapiens est Eccl. Euerie one is wise in his owne Art knowing therein both how to speake and doe According to this ground Kings cannot doe any thing better or surer for the good gouernment of their kingdomes and satisfaction of their Consciences than to giue credit to each Councell in that which appertayneth vnto them and to leaue vnto their ordinarie Councellours and Councels the Dispatch of all your running businesses without any particular Consultation vnlesse it shall more neerely concerne the State whereof as the king ought onely to bee the Iudge and to giue his resolution what hee will haue therein to bee done So likewise must hee lend them his hand and authoritie as farre forth as is fitting proportionable to the bulke and qualitie of their Office without which they cannot well exercise the same Where as not to giue them that which they iustly deserue is a great impediment to their complying with the substantiall part of their obligation and giues occasion to others not to yeeld them obedience and respect which are the raynes of that bridle wherewith the people are to bee restrained and ruled And together with this they themselues must helpe to sustaine the weight and charge of gouernment wherein they haue so great a portion The Emperour Charles the fift of glorious memorie was much commended for the great care hee tooke in conserving the authoritie of his Ministers And it is not to bee doubted but those ancient graue Ministers whom the people reuerenceth and respecteth for the place wherein they are and for the opinion which they haue gayned by their yeares and experience and for the authoritie they haue to doe eyther well or ill and for that power they possesse and which the Lawes grant vnto them ouer mens liues and goods may doe much in authorizing or disauthorizing not onely all that they doe but euen the Prince himselfe Hence will issue this other benefit that a great part of your Audiences too ordinarie a trouble with Kings will bee much lessened whereby they shall bee the more disoccupied and recouer greater force and strength for to treat of weightier affaires not wasting and spending the time in matters of lesser moment And this bad and old custome ought to haue it's legges broken and hereafter bee disinabled for attributing vnto Kings those resolutions that are disagreeable and displeasing to the people For albeit those ineuitable offences and distastes which sometimes cannot bee auoyded ought to bee indured and passed ouer with dissimulation for the publicke good yet is it not safe to procure them for euerie particular thing nor that all men should know that all their dammages and hinderances proceede from the supreme will of the king And it is as old as vsuall a fashion with your Ministers when the people murmure at them I cannot tell whether it bee done with that wisedome and loyaltie which they owe to their King to lay the fault on their superiour and the people easily intertaineth it and apprehends it to be so Whereupon they throw all the stones that they can at him and although they cannot reach him yet is it not fit that they should grow to that insolency and contempt Let Kings by all possible meanes excuse those Iuntas or References which haue lately beene introduced for the deciding of businesses a thing as ill receiued in common as desired by the Ministers and that for many reasons First that the people and the Parties may not thinke or say that it is done to oppresse them by putting businesses out of their Course and recommending them to a few selected persons that they may so end them as he desireth who hath the nominating of them Secondly that they may not draw vpon themselues the hatred and burthen of those resolutions they shall take if they shall be either in offence and distast of the people or of the Partie whom it concerneth Thirdly because there is no cause or reason why they that are trusted with all other publike businesses should not likwise be trusted with particular greiuances Fourthly be cause your ordinary Councels haue more experience of those businesses which they treate dayly then your Iuntas haue which are formed of different
the punishment of the wicked as we haue it set downe in the booke of Wisedome Wisd 5.20 Et pugnabit cum illo orbis terrarum contrà insensatos And the world shall fight with him against the vnwise This order and naturall Law wherewith God conserueth and gouerneth the world Kings ought to imitate and follow in the gouernment of their Common-wealths giuing their Ministers iurisdiction and Authoritie proportionable to their Office without the which they cannot well exercise the same And as long as these his Ministers shall go on in an orderly Course or shall imitate in their constancie those naturall causes and shall be punctuall and faithfull in their Ministries the gouernment ought not to be altered or receiue any change But when they shall faile in their obligation another order must be taken with them And therfore I say that in some cases the best surest course that can be taken is That Kings proceede after another kinde of manner by being serued by other Ministers and Counsellers that they may comply with that which tends to the seruice of God and the good of their kingdomes Especially when as hath bin said Ministers abuse that power which is giuen them make it the meanes to afflict the good and to doe other wrongs and iniuries And this the sacred Scripture teacheth vs in that History of Daniel Dan. 3.27 where it is reported that when Shadrach and his two Companions were cast into the fiery fournace the kings Ministers caused the fournace to be heated so hot that the flames of fire ascended some 49. Cubits high But by how much the more power the fire had for to burne those innocent children in that occasion by somuch the more to the greater astonishment of the standers by God slaked the force thereof causing that in that very place where for to consume these Saints the fire was most kindled a coole fresh ayre entred in and did refresh them And the King himselfe who came to see this wonder told them that he espied in the companie of these three children a fourth man which seemed to be like vnto the son of God For indeed so it was that this his Diuine goodnesses did not content it selfe with deading the force of that intensiue flame but made meanes by his Angell to come free these Innocents from that torment Therein instructing kings That albeit it be fit that ordinarily they should suffer businesse to passe by the hands of those Ministers to whom they belong yet when the subiect is extremly wronged iniustice offred by them against the Innocent Kings ought not to respect the Order and ordinary course of Law but to take another course with them and if neede be wholy to change and alter it and in his own proper person to direct things to their due ends taking from the fire it 's Actiuitie instead thereof sending a pleasing coole gale of wind as God did For experience teacheth vs that this ill seede or bad race of Ministers makes post-hast quickly ouerrunnes a Common-wealth as ill weedes doe a ground to the great dishonour of kings and diminution of their credit and to the notable dammage and destruction of kingdomes Oh how doth it discouer it selfe in these our vnhappy and miserable times how much more and how many Cubits higher then it was wont doth the fire of Ambition and Auarice mount in many Ministers who grow by this meanes to be so great and so high that they quite loose the sight of themselues and goe beyond the reach of their own knowledge being in a manner besides themselues puft vp with their promotion and the high places they possesse seeming to be another kind of men then they were wont to be And this their folly and madnesse extends it selfe so farre that they will not suffer themselues forsooth to be seene or knowne by those whom not long since God he knowes they adored as Gods but now are growne so proud and into so good a conceit of themselues that they thinke themselues to be something more then men Of these S Bernard giues this admirable good note You shall see saith he many in the Church of God as also in Kings Courts without noblenesse made noble and of poore become rich to be sodainly puffed vp with pride forgetting their former Estate to be ashamed of their Ancestors and disdainfull towards their poore kinsefolke and by a strong hand and with lyes and falshoods they seeke and procure that which Nature hath deny'd them and being not noble by birth nor innobled by vertue set a good face on the matter and by such art and cunning as they will vse would seeme to the world to be great Princes and to be well descended fetching their feigned Pedigrees as farre as Noahs flood Farre vnlike vnto him who by his vertue came from a Potter to be a King who that he might not forget whence he came and yet represent what he was caused to be set on his Court-cupboord vessells of earth with this Letter Haec fecimus These we once made and vessells of gold with this other Letter Ista facimus These we now make I say that it is a matter of much importance and I purposly forbeare to speake so much as I know in this point for the conseruation of Kingdomes As also how fit it is that their Maiesties both in regard of that respect which is due vnto Kings and to the right and true administration of Iustice should by their seueritie temper and moderate the excesse of those which cloath themselues with the Kings royall command as with a garment and beare themselues too insolently-high vpon the Title of their Offices and vnder colour and zeale to the seruice of their Kings will make themselues their Tutors Masters of their libertie Lords ouer their vassalls and sole Commanders of the whole Kingdome like vnto that great Leuiathan or huge Whale in the Sea of whom holy Iob saith Before his face is pouertie and want for he spoyleth and deuoureth all that stands in his way Iob. 40.18 and trusteth that he can draw vp Iordan into his Mouth CHAP. XV. Whether it be fitting for Kings to vse much the remitting of businesses ALthough in the former Chapter something hath beene spoken which may tend to this Question yet shall it be necessary to answer heere thereunto in a more direct and clearer manner And howbeit the word remitting or referring doth seeme to notifie the care and poruidence which a Prince oweth vnto businesses certaine it is that it shall well beseeme him sometimes so to doe For amongst many other the miseries of humane nature this is one that it's forces as well internall as externall as well of the Soule as of the body are much limited and restrained and haue much need of many helpes Wherefore I say that Kings not being able as they are not to attend of themselues so many businesses as howerly occurre nor to comprehend so great
both waking and sleeping keepes his eyes open The Holy Ghost saith That a wise man hath his eyes in his head Eccl. 2.14 Sapientis oculi in capite eius And it seemeth that by Contrapositions he would giue vs thereby to vnderstand that a foole hath his eyes in his feete Which as they discouer but little so are they lyable to a thousand offences and deceits But the wise man beholds from high and as from a watch-Tower discouers things a farre off and is thereby better able to take notice of them and more punctually to comply with his obligation to the state and to that which neede shall require in those accidents that may occurre This is that sight which as before hath beene said befitteth Kings for that they are the Heads of their Common-wealths and therefore are to reserue for their own view those the more weighty businesses of their subiects there being a great deale of reason that they should see them as they say with their owne eyes For this end are those Visitations ordayned and those Entrances in State which Kings are wont to make into the Cities and Prouinces of their Kingdomes When the arrogant and vaine presumption of men grew to that passe that for to celebrate their name they went about to build that proud Tower of Babel with intent to touch euen heauen it selfe with the top thereof and to liue free from all feare of a second flood that sacred Historie tells vs Descendit autem Dominus vt videret Ciuitatem Gen. 11.5 Turim quam aedificauerint filij Adam That the Lord came downe to see the Citie and tower which the sonnes of men builded God came down himself to see this their so great insollencie that he might punish them accordingly as he did with such a confusion of languages that one could not vnderstand another and were amongst themselues as so many strangers without being able to communicate and conuerse together so that they were driuen to diuide themselues into different Countries and were scattred from thence vpon all the earth And in the said Historie of Genesis we read that when that abhominable filthines of the Sodomites grew to that highth of impudencie that it prouoked God vnto Wrath and in a manner bound him to consume them with fire from heauen he vttered vnto Abraham these words worthy the noting Gen. 18.20 Clamor Sodomorum Gomorrhaeorum multiplicat in est peccatum eorum aggrauiatum est nimis Descendam videbo vtrum clamorem qui venit ad me opere compleuerint an non est ita vt sciam Because the cry of Sodome and Gomorrha is great and because their sinne is exceeding grieuous I will goe downe now and see whether they haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto me And if not that I may know As if he should haue sayd Howbeit the abomination of these accursed Sodomites and Gomorrhaeans hath so farre increased that it doth cry aloud vnto me for vengeance and chasticement and hath pierced the heauens and come vnto mine eares yet notwithstanding because it is a thing that concernes a whole Common-wealth and a busines of that weight as to deserue exemplary punishment I will goe downe and see whether it be so or no as the report goes of it Though most certaine it is that God hath no need to come downe from heauen to take a particular viewe of the things of this world for he is present in all places here there and euery where he filleth all seeth all and with his infinite wisedome comprehendeth all But the Scripture speakes in this kinde of language that it may accommodate it self to the stile and capacitie of men for to instruct Kings in this place that graue and weighty businesses they are not to transferre them ouer vnto others but of and by themselues to see and looke vnto them nor ought they too be to facile in giuing credit to fame and report especially of the vulgar without hauing first fully informed himselfe thereof and that by themselues they should be able to dis-deceiue themselues and to see and consider things with attention and with a desire to search out the truth and to rectifie what is amisse In the Kingdomes of Castile there is a very commendable custome and of great authoritie and Maiestie worthy those most prudent Kings which first ordeyned it And this is that Consulta which euery friday towards the Euening the President of Castile makes with those of his Maiesties Councell Royall wherein an Account is giuen vnto his Maiestie of all the weightiest businesses and wherein the opinion and the authoritie Royall is necessarie And this is not without example in the sacred Scripture For in the first chapter of Deut. it is written That when that great Law-giuer Moses had named for good and quicke dispatch such Counsellours as before specified giuing them in charge what they were to keepe and obserue and how to administer Iustice with equalitie and without exception of persons he told them Quod si difficile vobis visum aliquid fuerit Deut. 1.17 referte ad me ego audiam The cause that is too hard for you bring vnto me and I will heare it You shall consult with me in that case that I may heare it and take such course therein as is fitting And if to this so commendable a Consulta of euery Friday weekely there should bee added another Meeting some certaine dayes in the yeare to the end that the President and those of the Kings Camaera should carry with them the Consulta of the Offices and should treate and conferre thereof by word of mouth with our Lord the King it would be one of the most important things in the iudgement and opinion of many graue men whom I haue consulted with in this particular that could be or-ordained for the good of these Kingdomes Whereby many of those inconueniences would be auoyded which wise and Christian Counsellours haue found out by many yeares experience And none of the meanest amongst the rest is the remitting by writing so weightie and important a thing as the Election of Officers recommending the same to a dead Letter which can make no replie And that paper which passeth through so many hands cannot come so clean as it shuld but be sullyed especially if it come to such hands as are not clean but corrupted with gifts presents And because this Course is taken the loue respect due to their Kings is lost who like Creatures to their Creator ought to acknowledge al that they haue from his hands Wheras now they giue this respect vnto his Maiesties Ministers with whom they haue held correspondency as knowing that their Prouision must solely passe through their hands and that their good or bad dispatch consistes in them or in a lesse full or more effectuall Relation inclosed in the paper of their Consulta Which cannot be carryed thus when the President and those of
of his intent suffice to execute his rashnesse in the meanes vnlesse hee first ballance the businesse and see which way the scale will incline as to see how farre hee may rely vpon the loue of his subiects and how the end may sorte with his designes lest the danger of the scandall disobedience may proue to bee greater then the profit that can arise from the execution of Iustice For in such cases it is great wisedome in a King to conforme himselfe according to the times And that that which at one time is worthy of punishment should be dissembled and reserued to be punished at another time Which course as Saluste reporteth was in Catilines time taken with that great and powerfull Courtier Crassus Salust In Anthem Quomodo oportet Isid lib. 3. Senten cap. 50. The Emperour Iustinian hee likewise aymes at this marke And it is the Counsayle which S. Isidore giues vnto Kings The like did King Dauid when Ioab so treacherously slew Abner Onely to some few that were very inward with him he discouered the reason that mooued him to dissemble the matter and not to punish him with death for the present telling them with a great deale of griefe Ego autem adhuc delicatus sum vnctus Rex 2. Reg. 3.39 I am this day weake or as the Hebrew renders it tender though annoynted King As if he should haue sayd To see the affaires of my Crowne and Kingdome in that tender and ticklish estate wherein they stand obligeth me not to make that demonstration of rigour and iustice as the heynousnesse of this fact doth require But the Lord shall reward the doer of euill accordding vnto his wickednesse Tribuat dominus facienti malum iuxta malitiam suam Here is much to be considered the great care which this King tooke in concealing his purpose from the people till some better occasion were offred For if he should haue declared himselfe before and manifested his meaning to the world hee might haue put the whole Campe in danger of Mutining or at least to haue shewd themselues in defence of their Captaine This perill he ouerpast by his great prudence dissembling the matter for that time and deferring it till the last vp-shut when now the businesses of the Kingdome were better settled For the most important point in gouernment is to make vse of Time and occasion facilitating with silence and dissimulation those orders and decrees which doe crosse the peoples humour or that stand not with his liking that is powerfull with them For if they should be divulged before their due time and season they would serue for nothing else but to incense mens mindes and peraduenture to turne them against himselfe Which certainly might well haue beene Dauids case with Ioab if hee had shewed himselfe offended and openly vented his spleene against him whilest he had his sword in his hand and stood so fayre in the peoples affection who in that hurre might haue done God he knowes what for the aduancing of his ambitious ends In such cases it is great prudence in a Prince contineuing still firme and constant in his purpose to benefit himselfe by dissimulation waiting for a fit time and season when without danger hee may vnmaske himselfe and with the safety of his realme and person put his resolution in execution A word well kept and fittly spoken is saith Salomon like apples of gold Prou. 25.11 in pictures of siluer which doth not onely shine and giue a glorious luster but worketh it's effect and discouereth the art and cunning of it's Master And King Dauid hauing heard the reproachfull words and reuiling tearmes which Shimei to the very face of him and in a loud voyce vttred in the presence of those that were with him wisely dissembled his rayling and was angry with Abishai because he was earnest with him that hee might presently take due chasticement of him and reuenge the great affront hee had done him and would by no meanes giue consent that any one of all his Army should once moue or stirre against him For that holy King thought it fit in his wisedome to leaue him to that occasion which hee afterwards specified to his sonne Salomon that he might teach Kings these two things First to relye on God and to attend his leasure who will doe that for them which they cannot doe for themselues As he did in that known case of Moses brothers murmuring against him which hee himselfe so mildely and fayrely dissembled But God to whose account runn's the honour of his Ministers tooke the cause into his owne hands Secondly That it is not fit to be solicitous in appointing Iudges and Informers at all howers and in all places against such as in some occasions assume libertie of speech and freely vtter their mindes For as another sayd In free places and persons that are likewise free-borne wee cannot at all times exercise that slauery vpon them as to clap a Locke and chaine vpon their tongues Who could haue done this better then that omnipotent King Christ Iesus when those licentious and loose-tongued Libertines reproached him with such sharpe bitter Tauâ—ts as toucht him to the quick in his honour and yet euen then with what a royall minde and princely reportment did he carry himselfe in those few milde and moderate words which he spake vnto them Kings ought not to expresse any alteration turbation or discomposure for those things which they see nor to be startled euery foote with that which they heare nor to shew themselues offended at that which is muttred and murmured of them But let them a god's name mend that which is amisse and then their muttering and murmuring will cease of it selfe Heere likewise Kings are taught not to be curious inquirers after those that speake ill of them nor to giue eare to euery idle complaint For if it be once perceiued that their eares irche after this infinite will the number of Delators and Informers be In the raigne of Tiberius and of Nero more then in any other were these Sycophants and priuie Accusers fauoured and things were then so glazed ouer that they had set spies that should curiously obserue the semblance which euery one made of his Actions euen to the knitting of the brow biting the lip or the like which kind of carriage seru'd as a condemnation and was seuerely punished But it is fitter for Tyrants then Christian Kings to stand thus in feare of the tongues of the vulgar it being the part of a magnanimous minde to know how to forget and forgiue iniuries especially those of the tongue to whose iurisdiction the most powerfull are most subiect And if they should reuenge this wrong vpon account the number would be so great and rise to such an infinite sum that they may quickly being their Monarchie to an end That which most importeth for their own and their Empires quiet is to shake all kinde of suspition out of their minde and whatsoeuer
22. Aug. lib. 5. de Ciuit. cap. 24. Isid lib. 3. Sent. cap. 52. S. Th. 2. 2. q. 137 art 2. ad 2. what remedy in this case is to be vsed Saint Ierom and Saint Austen are of opinion that a King by his owne person is to punish and premiate to execute chasticement with iustice and to mitigate it with mercy Nor is it vnworthy our consideration nor lyable to inconueniencie that a King should represent two persons so contrary in shew as iudging with Iustice and Mercie For two vertues cannot bee contrary And as the Saints and holy Doctors say and they are in the right Mercie doth not hinder the execution of Iustice but it moderateth the crueltie of the punishment And it is very necessary in a good Iudge that hee should haue a true and faithfull paire of balance in his hands and in either scale to put rigor and equitie that hee may know how to correct the one by the other The Kings of Portugall especially Don Iuan the third did vse to iudge Capitall crimes accompanied with his Councell and were alway accounted fathers of the people because with them Iustice and Mercie walked hand in hand shewing themselues iust in punishing the fault and mercifull in mitigating the punishment By which meanes they were of all both feared and beloued And let not Kings perswade themselues that this doth lessen their authoritie and take of from their greatnesse but giues an addition and the oftner they sit in iudgement they shall doe God the more seruice and the Kingdome more good And in conscience the surest and safest course for that reciprocall obligation which is between the King and his subiects For they owe obedience seruice and acknowledgement to him as their Lord and Master And he vnto them Iustice Defence and Protection For to this end and purpose doe they pay him so many great Tributes and Taxes Nor is it enough for him to doe it by others but he must also doe it by himselfe For neither that great Gouernor of Gods people Moses nor any other after him is in all the whole body of the Bible to be found that euer yet condemned the occupation of iudging the people to bee vnworthy royall Maiestie nor contrarie to the reputation of a King I know no other preiudice in it saue that it is impossible for one sole man to vndergoe so great a taske And this impossibilitie ariseth from the multitude of subiects and in that case they aduise That a King should not wholly take away his hand from the doing of Iustice but that the lesser and more ordinary businesses hee should remit and referr them to different Ministers and the weightier causes take to his owne charge and be present in person when they come to be sit vpon and determined as formerly haue done the wisest and greatest Monarkes that euer were in the world Who did euer equall King Salomon in wisedome greatnesse and Maiestie yet did hee hold it no disgrace vnto him to humble himselfe to heare suitors iudge their causes and to doe them Iustice The Kings of the Hebrew people were called Iudges because they did glorie in nothing so much as to heare and iudge the people And in all Nations this hath alwayes beene the principall Office appertaining vnto Kings And the Holy Ghost saith That the King Prou. 29.14 that faithfully iudgeth the poore his throne shall be established for euer §. III. That it much importeth Kings to haue the good Loue and affection of their Subiects KIngs as already hath beene sayd are the Heads of their Kingdomes Their Estates serue them as Members Without which it is impossible they should be that which their name speakes them And therefore it is not onely conuenient but necessarie that they should seeke to gaine the good wills of all suting themselues though they force their owne to the nature of their subiects and beholding them as if they were his children Which is the best course to keepe them well affected and contented and to be beloued and obayed by them Which they may easily doe if they will but thinke themselues that they are sheepheards and fathers of those people which God hath recommended vnto them easing them of those wrongs and grieuances which they vniustly suffer laying no more vpon them then they are able to beare suffring them when reason shall require to take their ease and their quiet and helping to sustaine them when they grow poore and are decayd Plato tells vs That for a Prince to be good and to be beloued of all hee must bestow all his loue and his whole heart vpon the Common-wealth his will on the Gods his secret on his friends and his Time on businesses For by thus reparting himselfe with all he shall haue a part in all by all of them comming to vnite themselues with him Onely in this good Correspondency of Loue betweene Kings and their subiects wise Periander placeth all the safetie and good fortune of Kings and Kingdomes Agesilaus King of Lacedaemon was once askt the question How a King might liue secure For that it is oftentimes seene that neither multitude of seruants nor a guard of Halbardiers can defend them from violence To which demand hee returned this answer Si suis populis ita imperet vt parentes filijs If he so rule ouer his people as a father doth ouer his children The King that loueth his subiects and is againe beloued by them neede no guarde they are his guard For Loue where it is true and faithfull plainesheth the knottiest peece of timber smootheth the roughest and most vnhewen disposition and makes all faire safe and peaceable It is a most strong wall and more durable yea then Kings themselues With this no difficulty can offer it selfe vnto them which they may not ouercome no danger whose impetuousnesse they may not oppose no command which they will not obay For as Kings desire no more of their subiects but to be well serued by them so subiects pretend nothing from their Kings but to be beloued by them And indeede the one dependeth on the other For if a King loue not his subiects he shall neither be well serued beloued nor obayed by them And as little if he loue himselfe too much For the more care he takes of himselfe and attends his owne particular so much the more his subiects loue departs from him For the harmonie of a Common-wealth consisteth in that all should liue by the Kings fauour and they by their subiects loue For they ought to be vigilant in all that belongs to their seruice and Kings most watchfull in that which concernes their generall good So that none is to haue lesse part in the King then the King himselfe And because it is impossible to content all by reason not onely of their different but contrary natures it is necessary at least to content the most There are two differences of States or two sorts of people to be considered in a
my fathers house King Ioram reigning in Israel there was so great a Famine and so sore a Dearth in that Kingdome that two women by consent did agree to kill their children and to eate them by turnes Which the King had no sooner heard of but that he was so inwardly grieued therewith that in expression of his sorrow he rent his garments according to the custome of the Hebrewes on such like sad occasions and put on sack-cloath within vpon his flesh 1 King 14.43 Because Prince Ionathan did but dip the tippe of his rod in the hony-combe when as his father King Saul and all his men of warre were fighting against the Philistins God was much offended with it Thereby teaching Kings that on the like occasions they ought to be the first that should abstaine from their pleasures and delightes signified by the Hony-combe That valiant Captaine Vrias was a good master of this doctrine who being returned from the Armie to the Court 2 King 11.11 called thither by the King would by no meanes be perswaded to goe home to his owne house to refresh himselfe and make merry with his wife though his Maiestie willed him so to doe And the reason which he rendred why he would not doe it was this Arca Dei et Iuda habitant in papiliâ—nibus c. The Arke and Israel and Iudah abiding in Tents and my Lord Ioab with the whole Army lying incamped in the open fields without any other shelter and being in that great danger that they are shall I then goe into mine house to eate and to drinke and to lye with my wife Por salutem tuam et per salutem anima tuae non facium reâ— haenc As thou liuest and as thy soule liueth I will not doe this thing And not only in the common calamities of a whole Common-wealth but also in those particular ones of great persons that haue beene seruiceable to the state it is fit and requisit and well will it become Kings that they make shew of their sorrow by laying aside their feastings and all other kinde of solacings and mirthfull Intertainments 2 King 3.33 When King Dauid vnderstood of the death of that braue Commander Abner he wept bitterly before the people and commanded that none should taste bread or ought else till the Sunne were downe saying vnto his seruants Ibi. vers 38. Num ignoratis quoniam princeps et Maximum cecidit hodiè in Israel Know yee not that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel But some will say that we do not well in aduising Kings or the Common people on sad occasions to forbeare their sports and pastimes it seeming vnto them that they ought rather then to seeke after them for the diuerting of melancholy and banishing of sorrow Vrging Pluâ—arâ—es authoritie who reprehendeth those men who when they are already merrily disposed hunt after intertainments and pastimes wishing them to doe that when they finde themselues sad and heauie for then they haue most neede of it Here vnto I first of all answer that the reason is not alike in a particular person as in a King and a Common-wealth which as wee sayd before are to be considered and vnderstood as a body with it 's Head And as in a mans body the head doth naturally feele the paine of the arme the foote or any other member So Kings which are the Heads of the people are to haue a feeling of their subiects miseries to pittie the ill case wherein they at any time are as if it were their owne And this was that which moued the Apostle S. Paul to say Quando patitur vnum membrum compatinutur omnia membra 1 Cor. 12.26 When one member suffreth all the members suffer with it This is that Trauazon or coupling peece of timber in a Common-wealth and this both humane policie and mans naturall disposition doth require that when we see others suffer we should suffer with them in our common coÌ„passion towards them And the Law of charitie goes somewhat farther and would stretch this obligation to a greater and higher perfection as was to be seene in the sayd Apostle Quis infirmatur et ego non infirmor 2. Cor. 11.29 Quis scandalizatur et ego non vror Who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended Cor. 11.2.29 and I burne not And in that which the Prophet Ieremie sayd Ierem. 20.9 who crossing the Kings humour and opposing his vaine pleasures and delights and representing the truth of things vnto him and what was fitting for him to doe his heart was all on a flame a burning fire was shut vp in his bones and hee was weary with bearing and could not holde so farre was he transported and so mightily inflamed with the zeale of the Kings and the Common-wealthes good Secondly I say That as before hath beene deliuered by mee I do not pretend to debarre Kings and Common-wealths of their pleasures and recreations But my desire is which I wish with all my heart that they may be such as may be harmelesse and vn-offensiue with out remordment and sting of Conscience and without the murmuration and notice of the people And this may easily be done by doing of that which the glorious S. Ierome aduiseth vs to doe ex necessitate virtutem making a vertue of necessitie but I doe not say ex necessitate but ex voluptate virtutem That is to say I would haue them to place their delight and content in that which is true vertue and godlinesse in cumplying with the obligations of their Office and Calling in giuing free and frequent Audience in hearing those that are wronged and oppressed in disposing of Offices in Dispatching of businesses or in causing them to be dispatcht and to spend their time or the most part thereof in these and the like cumplying with that of that Royall Prophet In virtute tua Laetabitur Rex Psal 21.1 super salutare tuum exultabit vehementer The King shall ioy in thy strength O Lord And in thy Saluation how greatly shall hee reioyce And from thence will follow that which presently followeth in the next Verse Desiderium cordis eius tribuisti ei Ibi. 2. et voluntate labiorum eius non fraudasti eum Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not with-holden the request of his lips King Salomon sayes of himselfe that he gaue his desires as much as they could desire that he gaue himself ouer to his delights contents with that freedome and libertie as suted with the greatnes of so powerful a king But that which he got therby was not the content which he sought after but distaste irkesomnes wearines griefe vexatioÌ„ of spirit which he himself hath left firmed signed with his own name for an example not only to all kings but to all the whole world Vidi in omnibus vanitatem Eccl. 2.11 et afflictionem animi et
another mans faith and credit by telling him hee lyes And it is a thing much to be laughed at or to say better much to be lamented to see the great folly and rash proceeding which passeth in this kinde and concerning this matter for they acknowledging in these their Lawes and Duels what a great obligation they haue to maintaine this their faith reputation and credit by alwayes saying and treating truth vpon the very least aspersion shadowe or note of falshood they risent it so much that they sticke not to fall into a worse sinne such as is a very Lye it selfe a loude lye by lying so easily and ordinarily as some doe I aske the question which is worse to bee lame or crooked or to say such a one is so when as there is no such thing Certainly it is much worse to be so then to be sayd to be so And to him that is not so me thinkes he should make but little reckoning of what they say in that kinde and should rather indeauour to flye from any default in himselfe then from the bare opinion and shadowe thereof Now a lye being a greater ill and a farre fouler default then all these men fall so easily thereinto and make so little scruple of Lying and more Lying vying Lye vpon lye yea euen those that will lay downe their life rather then indure that men should tell them they Lye though themselues know they lye and that they lye not who tell them they lye being onely offended with them that they will not take a Lye for a truth or at least let them goe away with it without the least reproofe or contradiction which ingenious natures can hardly indure especially when they know that they are in the right and the other in the wrong Certainely of all other Vices Lying is the most vnworthy noble and gentle blood And it is such a Labrinth that the more a man seekes to get out of it the more he findes himselfe out of the way So that a man striuing to get out of one lye falls into another and from that to a third and all of them worse then the former Heere I will aduertise by the way that it is a common and vsuall Language with your Courtiers which may seeme to carrye a shew of truth but indeede is full of lyes and falsehood And this it is When they will cumply in words with them who recommend themselues or their suites vnto them they say Sir vse you your best diligences for I will doe my part and God knowes that I haue and doe that which belongs to mee And true it is for God knowes that his part is to lye and onely to compliment with this poore pretender and to doe nothing at all in that which he pretendeth I apply my selfe to that olde and ancient language of the Noblemen of Castile ingrauen on the sword of Cid Rui DiaZ Si fi no no yea yea nay nay which is a Lesson that is taught vs by our Sauiour Christ in his holy Gospell This is that which befitteth all men but more especially Kings for to indeare this or that mans truth we vsually say Que tiene palabra de Rey That a King cannot keepe his word better then hee doth or is more precise of his promise And therefore I hold for certaine that that which Plato yeelds vnto Kings and Magistrates concerning this point if it bee well vnderstood is not to lye but to vse stratagemes and politicke deuises for to defeate and deceiue the enemies spyes and Intelligencers And I very well remember that my selfe communicating this conceit vpon occasion with one of the learnedst men and greatest Platonists that this Age afforded he approued of it and did much commend it for as concerning that truth and faith whereof we now treate Plato himselfe and all other the good Philosophers teach the rigour and strictnesse wherewith men ought to keepe their word In the booke of Iosua is recounted the craft wherwith the Ghibeonites mooued the Princes of Israel to plight them their faith that they would doe them no harme And though afterwards this their cunning dealing was discouered and brought to light and that all the people were willing that this promise should not be kept yet the Princes of the people made answer thereunto that they could not but cumply with their word especially hauing confirmed it with an oath Iurauimus eis in nomine Domini Dei Israel Iosh 9.15 idcircò non possumus eos contingere We haue sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel and therefore wee may not hurt them And because many yeares after King Saul out of a zeale to the good of his people broake that their word and promise there fell vpon him and his people a great famine which continued for the space of three yeares King Don Sancho whom they slew by treason confessed that that death lighted worthily vpon him because hee had broaken his word giuen to his father King Don Fernando to passe the partition made with his brethren And the constancie of Dauid is knowen to all in keeping that his word which all the while he liued hee gaue to Shimei that hee would not put him to death according to the desert of his irreuerent language and disrespect to his person And both diuine and humane Letters are full of the seuere chasticements which God hath inflicted vpon those who haue not beene faithfull in the keeping of their faith and word For being that he himselfe is most faithfull and doth boast himselfe to bee so he will likewise that men should be so one towards another S. Isidore with a great number of words affirmeth Isidor lib. 2. Synonimorum D. Th. 2.2 q. 100. art 4. ad 5. That we ought not to deceiue any man and that all infidelitie is sinne That no man ought to faile in that which he hath promised That it is requisite in all men that their workes concurre with their words without admitting any exception more then in two Cases As when that which is promised cannot be performed without sinne Or when the businesses or the persons admit some notable change And hee citeth the example of Saint Paul Who promised to go to Corinth 2 Cor. 1.19 but could not be as good as his word for those lawfull impediments which hindred this his intended Iourney Whence it followeth That things continuing in the same Estate a man may not for the conueniences of his priuate profit be wanting to his promise And to maintaine the contrarie is to lay trapps against the truth of faith and to arme policie against the religion of an oath In a word all doe resolue that all promises are to be kept and that no deceite or faithlesse dealing ought to be tolerated And the reason whereupon they ground it is common for that fidelitas est fundamentum Iustitiae Faithfullnesse is the foundation of Iustice and all Contractation And that this being taken away all commerce
Cities and Kingdomes haue beene lost and ouerthrowen for want of secrecie But let vs now begin to speake of Ministers and Secretaries of State in whom vsually lyes the greater fault And to whom by their Office secrecie more properly belongs The name it selfe expresing as much For out of that obligation which they haue to be secret they are called Secretaries and are the Archiues and Cabinets of the secrets of the King and the kingdom Though this name through the soothing and flattery of your suitors He means the Escrinanos and Notaries of Spaine hath falsely extended it selfe to those which neither keepe secret nor treate of such businesses as require secrecie And it is fit that these names should not be thus confounded or that that Honor and Title should be giuen to him to whom by Office it not appertaineth Secretaryes I say shut vp with that secrecie Apoc. 5.1 as was that booke of those secret Mysteries which Saint Iohn found sealed with seuen seales which none Tobit 12.7 but the King himselfe could open Sacramentum Regis bonum est sayd the Angel Raphael to Toby opera autem Dei reuelare honorificum est It is good to keepe close the secret of a King but it is honourable to reueale the worke of God Which is as much to say as that the determinations of a King should be kept secret but that the effects and execution of them should be published and made manifest when it is fitting for the seruice of God and the Kingdome For a Kings secret is his heart and till that God shall moue him to expresse it by some outward worke there is no reason that any one else should discouer it To reueale a secret is by the Lawes of God and Nature and by all men generally condemned and all Lawes and Nations doe seuerely punish the same for the great hurt and many inconueniences that may follow thereupon The Lawes they are defrauded the resolutions of Kings they are hindred their enemies they are aduertised their friends they are offended mens mindes they are perturbed kingdomes they are altered peace that is lost the delinquents they are not punished And lastly all publicke and priuate businesses are ouerthrowen And there is not any thing that goes crosse or amisse in a State or that miscarryes or is lost but by the reuealing of the secrets of Kings and of their Counsells As that great Chancellour Gerson told the King of France touching the ill successe of some things in his time for that some of his Ministers did publish that which was treated and determined at the Counsell-Table And the like befell Enrique King of Portugall Who because hee was deafe they were faigne to speake so loud vnto him Valer. lib. 2. Mirabi Caepola Simancus de rep lib 7 cap. 14. cap. 15. that all men might heare what they said Valerius Maximus much commendeth the secrecie of the Romane Senate and says that for this cause that Consistorie was held in high esteeme and that it was a great occasion of inlarging their Empire And they and the Persians did keepe with that faith the secrets of their Kings that there was no feare of plumping them or being able to draw any thing from them no not so much as the least word whereby to discouer the businesse Vse together with the feare of punishment and hazard of their liues had so settled and confirmed this silence in them For they did punish no offence with greater rigour then that of vnfaithfullnesse in matters of secrecie and with a great deale of reason because it is in so neere a degree vnto Treason and I thinke I should not say amisse if I stiled it in the highest Oser lib. 8. de Regis institutione Regis proditor Patriae euersor astimandus est saith Osorius such a one is to be hled a Traytour to the King and a subuerter of the state A Law of the Partida sayth Ley. 5. Tit. 9. p. 2. in fine Ibi. Faria traycion Excepto encaso detraycion y heregia culo qual por dottrina de santo Thomas se puedes dist 21. dist 10. q. 2. artic 3. q. 1. ad 2 L. 5. Tit. lib. 2. That those Counsellours which reueale their Kings secretes commit treason yea though secrecie be not inionyed them nor they charged there with But hee that takes an oath to be secret and reuealeth any thing contrary thereunto besides that he is a periur'd and infamous person hee sinnes mortally and is bound to satisfaction of all the harme that shall happen thereby and incurres the punishment of depriuation of his Office For if hee be sworne to secrecie or bee made a Secretary and hath silence for the seale of his Office he is iustly depriued thereof if he vse it amisse And the Law of the Recopilation saith that hee is lyable to that punishment which the King will inflict vpon him according to the qualitie of the offence or the hurt thereby receiued And the Imperiall Law chapter the first Quibus modis feudum amittit that hee shall loose the see which hee holdes of his Lord. Plutarke reporteth of Philipides that he being in great grace and fauour with Lysimachus King of Lacademonia begged no other boone of him but this That he would not recommend any secret vnto him As one that knew very well that saying of one of the wise men of Greece That there was not any thing of more difficultie then to be silent in matters of secrecie As also for that it being communicated to others though it come to be discouered by anothers fault and none of his yet the imputation is laid as well vpon him that was silent as on him that reuealed and so must suffer for another mans errour And in case any man shall incurre any iust suspition thereof let the King withdraw his fauour from him dismisse him the Court and put another in his place that shall be more secret for that which they most pretend is their fidelitie in this point And howbeit they haue neuer so many other vertues and good abilities yet wanting this they want all and are of no vse no more then were those vessells in Gods House which had no Couers to their mouthes For such open vessells are they that cannot keepe close a secret and altogether vnworthy the seruice of kings The substance and vertue of your flowres goes out in vapours and exhalations of the Lymbecke And heate passeth out through the mouth of the fornace and a secret from betweene the lipps of a Foole it being a kinde of disease amongst those that know least to talke most and to vent through their mouth whatsoeuer they haue in their heart In ore fatuorum Eccl. 21.26 Cor illorum sayth the Wise man in corde sapientium os illorum The heart of fooles is in their mouth but the mouth of the wise is in their hearts Cogitauerunt Psal 72. et locuti sunt Looke what a Foole hath
beginning of it's Sensation in the braine and from thence goes to this and to all the nerues of sensibilitie that are either more or lesse subtill and delicate according to their seuerall necessities It is a wonderfull thing that our of this trunke onely nay this little chip mâ—â— Nature should hew and cut out so many Materialls for instruments for such prime and subtill Operations as those of the sences and so different that it is impossible for one exteriour sense to doe that which another doth And therfore speaking of the Head whence all and euery one haue their sensible Instrument it is fitting that we should likewise say something of Touching and to set downe it's Office which is to haue a sense and feeling of the foure primarie Qualities Frigiditie Calidirie Humidiâ—â—â— and Siccitie and some other which from a mixture with these doe arise as are hard soft rough plaine sharpe flat great little And in a word all that whatsoeuer that is knowne and discerned by touching It hath no set place or determinate situation in the body but is equally scattred and diffused throughout the whole bulke of man by vertue of a nerue which like a fine thine net doth ouer spread and comprehend the whole lumpe or masse both within and without by meanes whereof it hath a feeling in all the parts but there the more and the better where the body is more soft and tender whereunto assisteth the subtiller Arist lib. 2. de â—ui c. 17. 27. and colder blood Aristotle saith That it is the first of the sences and the foundation of all the other foure and that there is not any creature but hath it And as we said of the Tast they say of this that it is so necessary that without it no liuing Creature can liue But without some of the other may And in man in regard of the goodnesse of his Complexion which in him is better then in other Creatures it is more subtill and delicate then in any one or all of them and farre more certaine and lesse lyable to be deceiued and supplieth as Nissenus affirmeth the defects of the other Greg. Nit. de homi opifici Et videtur datus a Natura propter caecos And it seemes to be giuen by Nature for the good and benefit of blinde men For when that spiritfull sense of the sight faileth them which should be their Guide they make vse of this more grosse and materiall sense by groping and feeling the walls Is caecus est manu tentans said Saint Peter and S. Ambrose Quod Tactu probamus 2 Pet. Ambr. lib. 6. Exam c. 9. quae oculis probare non possumus That wee proue those things by Touching which wee cannot try by the eyes Some of the qualities of this sence which appertaine to Kings hath already beene handled in those that went before all of them hauing their delight which wee commonly call Guste or Taste That which remaineth is to aduise them to beware thereof if they will not die by their owne hands for it is an ill and vnruly beast and makes men brutish and beastly S. Basil saith thereof That of all the other sences it is the most pernicious Basil lib. de verâ— Virginit because it trailes and draggs the rest after it or seemed to haue hired them to serue it in it's pleasures and delights making them pay it tribute and custome of all their gaines and commodities For that which the eies see the eares heare the nose smells and the heart desires is onely therewith to serue this sence letting it share with them and inuiting it to take part of their best and choysest morsells The rest haue recourse but to one thing this to all nothing comes amisse to it it lays hand on all The rest are but as the Media and breues dispositiones But this is the finis or end which all doe pretend To touch that which is not lawfull doth discompose and put the heart out of order and confoundeth mans soule For thence saith S. Bernard first arise euill thoughts fowle motions Bern. de interiâ— domo c. 39. then consent next Act and lastly Death It is not fit we should suffer flaxe to come to neere the flame nor is it it conuenient that man should Regalar and cocker vp himselfe with this sence for that presently such sparkles thence fly forth as inflame the body and set the soule on fire And therefore it is requisite that we carrie a hard hand vpon this sence looke well thereunto For euen in the plainest and euenest way man often times stumbles how much more where there is apparent danger And let not kings thinke because they are kings that they are free from this Tyrant but in that they are kings are so daintilie bread so deliciously sed and make so much of themselues they are more subiect thereunto for that their naturall condition conformes it selfe more to it 's guste pleasure and is a great friend of Regalas of daintinesse and nice vsage of fine linnen soft raiment choice deliacies and all that which causeth delight prouoketh pleasure And in Courts and Kings Pallaces and in the houses of Princes and great Persons Luk. 7.25 these things are in greatest request Ecce qui in veste pretiosa sunt delicijs in domibus Regum sunt Behold they which are gorgeously apparelled and liue delicately are in Kings Courts So says our Sauiour Christ And many dangers doe they runne who measure out all their life by the Compasse of Contents and passe times that goe cloathed in Silkes and Veluetts and are continually conuersant amidst the sweetest perfumes the purest Holland the finest Damaske and the richest cloathes of Silke and Gold Yet for all this doe not I say That Princes and great Lords liuing in this State and Pompe cannot eo nomine bee saued but to shew that in all Estates there is a great deale of danger but much more in your daintier and nicer sort of people Nor will I with all my force straine this vnto Kings as well witting what their Estate and Greatnesse doth admit and require And that as Nature did difference them from the rest both in blood and birth so likewise ought there to be a distinction in their diet raiment and in the furnishing and adorning of their houses But I say that which cannot be denied that in excuse of this their state and conueniencie they take vnto themselues heerein too large a licence and passe to soone from the foote to the hand from the hand to the mouth making of an inch an ell and of an elll an Aker So hard a matter is in for great Princes to moderate themselues and vse a meane And that Heathen was not much wide of the marke who sayd in the Senate That that is an vnfortunate Estate that obligeth a man to liue alwayes vp to the eyes grazing in his pleasures and delightes And that it is a very bad O
the clattering of armour and taking pleasure in the sound of musicke in putting off harnesse and putting on silkes in changing a field-Tent for a soft bed and forsaking the conuersation of soldiars and Captaines to follow the companie of women they stuck a naile in the wheele of their fortunes These are examples that cannot be excepted against But much lesse that which followes of King Salomon whose pompe musick dancings feastings huntings dainties delights and passe-times were such as he himselfe inspired by the Holy Ghost reckons vp Now that which he got by all these what was it Onely this that these Vices and wanton delights made him forget himselfe and to blot out all the good of his felicitie and that good correspondence which hee held with God and in such sor◠did turne his braines that hee came to committ idolatrie and to call his saluation in question And therefore let euery one command his flesh as hee would command his slaue lest it make him a slaue For to him that yeelds himselfe thereunto it is a fierce to him that feares it a cruell and to him that deliuers the keyes of his libertie vp vnto him a dominering Tyrant which like a haltred beast it hales after him There are two remedies found for the curing of so many dammages and disorders as we perceiue to be in this sense of Touching and that of the Tast One generall for all which is Temperance whereof wee will treate by and by The other more particular drawne from the example of Kings whereof we will discourse hereafter §. I. Of Temperance THe Office of Temperance is to keepe a man from flying out and to make him not to incline to a little more or a little lesse but to liue alwayes in very good Order not exceeding in any thing the bounds of Reason Cicero lib. 2. de sin Aug. lib. de moribus Est moderatio Cupiditatum rationi obediens It consisteth in a certaine moderation and mediocritie in pleasures and delights from which a Temperate man abstaineth refrayning from superfluities and excesses vsing things according to necessitie and not according to his appetite And it is that rule and Compasse which doth mete and measure out the desires of man that they may not passe from their point and Center not suffring the heart like the Rauen to flesh it selfe on the dead flesh of sensuall delights Dionis S. Dionisius saith That it serueth to incline a Man to all good according to the rule of reason as well in that which appertaineth to the sense of Touching as of the Taste that it may not like an vnbridled colte breake out into those two vnruly appetites whose operations are so furious and vehement that in earth water and ayre they leaue nothing safe and secure and therefore had neede of this great vertue to restraine their disorders and concupiscences These are those that make the cruellest warre against both body and soule and this is that which bridleth tempreth and moderateth her in her Excesses S. Prosper lib. 3. de vita Contemp. cap 19. Temperantia saith Prosperus temperantem facit abstinentem parcum sobrium moderatum pudicum tacitum serium verecundum Temperance makes a man temperate abstemious sparing sober moderate modest silent serious yet shamefac't It is a Vertue worthy Kings and Princes and much commended by the Saints and many are those Vertues which accompany it As modestie shamefastnesse chastitie abstinence faire and comely behauiour moderation sobrietie grauitie and humilitie Aristotle calls it Arist 6. Ethic. cap 5. 6. Conseruatricem prudentiae sapientiae the Conservresse of prudence and wisedome For intemperance in eating and drinking or in any other kinde of delight doth ouerthrow the braine dull the vnderstanding darken the iudgement blunt the best and sharpest wit and makes man as it were a beast as is to be seene by experience Quotidiano experimento probatur saith Pope Leo potus satietate S. Leo. Serm. de Ieiun aciem mentis obtundi vigorem cordis hebetari It is made good by daily experience that facietie of drinke dulleth the edge of the minde and blunteth the vigour of the heart Temperance likewise preserueth the health and makes mans life more long more sound and more pleasing For to be Princes and Monarkes and Lords of all the world and whatsoeuer therein is is not sufficient to content them if they want their health which is of more worth then all the world besides Melior est pauper sanus Eccl. 30.14 fortis viribus quam diues imbecillis corpus validum quà m census immensus Better is the poore being sound and strong of Constitution then a rich man that is afflicted in his body Health and good state of body are aboue all gold and a strong body aboue infinite wealth In distempering the humours the Lotts of mens Estates are changed The sicke man be hee neuer so great a Lord would be content to change States to haue a poore plough-mans health To what vse serue Kingdomes Signories and great treasures if day and night a King leade a more miserable life then a day-Labourer To what vse serue his rich bed and downe pillowes if he can take no rest in them To what vse serue his delicate Cates and dainty dishes if hee no sooner sees them but loaths them To what vse serue his rich and pretious wines if he must be driuen to drinke Barly-water Or what guste and content can hee take in any thing whose taste is as bitter as gall Or how can he haue contentment in these outward things that hath it not within himselfe Iulius Caesar wearyed out with his want of health did hate and abhorre his life For as the wise man saith Melior est mors quà m vita amara Better is Death then a bitter life A sicke life is no life nor is there any happinesse where health is wanting And all things without it are as nothing For to liue without paine is more to be prized then all And this doth Temperance effect This preserued Marcus Valerius more then a hundred yeares sound in iudgement and strong in body And by this Socrates liued all his life time free from sicknesses and diseases It was the saying of the elder Cate that hee gouerned his house increased his wealth preserued his health and in larged his life by Temperance In multis escis erit infirmitas saith Ecclesiasticus Qui autem abstinens est adijciet vitam Exceste of meates bringeth sicknesse By surfeiting haue many perished but hee that taketh heede prolongeth his life King Māsinoja was wonderfull temperate his fare was ordinary and with out curiositie which made him liue so sound and so healthy that at 87. yeares of age hee begat a Sonne and at 94. wanne a battaile wherein he shewed himselfe a very good Soldiar but a better Captaine And therefore let those dis-deceiue themselues and acknowledge their errour who thinke they shall preserue their life
and vrgent occasions fall speedily to worke themselues without any further consultation but in ordinarie diseases heare resolue and consult with others Againe let Fauourites for their learning reade the Histories and peruse the generall booke of Time and they shall there finde a thousand of these examples and other as many faire warnings worthy their sight and knowledge for the admonishing of men for to feare their priuacie with Kings and to tremble at humane prosperitie and the securitie wherein they liue And hee that shall diligently reade these things will seeke to come fairely off from these his high fortunes and fauours For ordinarily from a prosperous and high-raised estate great disasters haue had their beginning as from your highest places come your greatest falls And peraduenture because this desenganno and dis-deceiuing of our selues doth so much import mankinde and that men might liue in this feare God hath and doth permit of such like examples and admonitions And it may likewise be beleeued that such violent and sudden accidents haue not onely happened through the default of those that fall or for want of wisedome but by a diuine prouidence and permission for their owne particular sinnes or for that God was willing as being the master workeman and onely Potter of these our earthen vessells to breake these with a rodde of iron and to choose others for vessells of honour through which the holy liquor of his Gospell and other good graces might be poured forth and diffused throughout the world CHAP. XXXIII Whether it be fit for Kings to haue any more then one Fauourite THe name wherewith the Greekes named God is deriued from a word which signifies to see So that to say God is to say Hee that sees For as the Apostle Saint Paul and faith teacheth vs all is subiect to Gods view and vnto Kings who are his Lieutenants here vpon earth nothing can conuene so well with them as to seeme to the world to haue so quicke and large a fight that they may see all whatsoeuer mans capacitie is able to reach vnto And because they cannot doe this alone by themselues Xenophon said very well and wisely that it was needfull that they should haue other eyes whereunto to trust as much as vnto their owne and to see as it were by spectacles for Kings are so vnhappy that they cannot come to see all without them And those as the same Philosopher said are those friends and Fauourites who are to see and know that which passeth in the world as also what is needfull in common-wealths and to giue notice thereof vnto their Kings and to helpe them to ordaine and execute that which is fitting and conuenient And Fauourites being intertained as we said before for this end and for the publike good of the common-wealth it is requisite that Kings should not haue one onely but many One day some about the person of Alexander the Great shewed him a maruellous faire Pomegranate which being cut in two discouered a great company of kernels and one of them asking him of what he would wish to haue such store as of those Pomegranate kernels which appeared vnto him He answered that he would wish that hee might haue so many Zopiri This Zopirus being a Fauourite of his and one that was very faithfull vnto him and of great abilities For it is not contrary to royall greatnesse to haue many but very necessary for the better dispatch of businesses For if they should passe onely through the hands of the Prince their dispatch would bee very slow and subiect likewise to many errours whereinto they would ordinarily runne for want of their care and assistance Darius King of Persia tooke three Fauourites vnto him to whom the rest of the Princes rendered an account of all the affaires of the kingdome And from the beginning of the world euen to this present time Kings haue had some more and others lesse For this must be regulated and ordered according to the greatnesse of the kingdomes For by how much the more they are in number and greatnesse so much the more increase haue those weightie affaires which are necessarily to haue their recourse to their royall persons and according to the measure of them is there an addition to be made of those that are to assist and attend businesses to passe through all to prouide for all and in all places The people of Israel when Moses gouerned them were all ioyntly together in one body in forme of an Armie and all that made not vp so much as a meane kingdome and they remaining as then they did without possessions incamped in a desart and being all Israelites it seemeth in all likelihood that their ordinary businesses could not be either so many or so great as those which are incident to a King who is Lord and Master of diuers kingdomes and Prouinces and of sundry seuerall Nations And yet notwithstanding that great Gouernour Moses by negoâ—ating from morning vntill night without diuerting himselfe could not giue conuenient dispatch vnto all but was forced as is before specified to take vnto him no lesse then seuenty assistants all chosen men and endewed with those good qualities whereof we now treate Let Kings therefore haue many for to aide and helpe them and let them be the Ministers of his minde and the Conducts whereby to conuay his will and pleasure to his Subiects For in the administration of publike affaires it is euermore to bee indeauoured that many beare a part therein As well for the common satisfaction that shall thereby be giuen vnto all as also for that they may be able to make the better account of all businesses bee they neuer so many And likewise for that few being instructed and experienced in them occasion may not bee giuen that those failing the commonwealth and publike gouernment may thereby incurre any danger This was Augustus his conceit deliuered by Suetonius which that he might the better execute and that his bounty might inlarge it selfe towards the more persons he inuented new publike Offices wherein to imploy them But I do not speake this as inferring thereby that there should bee so many but that at least for the foresaid reasons there should bee some And in conclusion more then one because it will bee more easie to negotiate with them and lesse costly and troublesome and bee a meanes that the Prince may be the better eased and freed in great part of those cares and troubles which otherwise must needs weary him out and worke his vnrest and disquiet For his body is not made of brasse nor can he occurre to all occasion Besides being more then one their competition will make them the more both carefull and fearefull as knowing that in case they shall grow carelesse there are persons enough besides of sufficiencie to supply their place Whereas the opinion and conceit of the contrary puffes him vp with pride and vndoes it's Master For they fondly and foolishly perswade themselues
that their King and Master cannot liue and subsist without the assistance of their wit and that there is not that fault they commit but must be forgiuen them out of the necessitie of their seruice Forgetting in the meane while that their King may imagine them to bee dead and how that in such a case though it grieue him yet must hee prouide himselfe of others Let Kings therefore bee beaten from this their errour for he that shall otherwise aduise them and seeke to be the onely man in their fauour and seruice and take vnto himselfe both the right side and the left thrusting all others from thence and gouerning both high and low letting nothing escape his fingers which hee pretendeth out of the necessary vse of his person and so absolutely to become Master of their wills and to haue that hand ouer their Kings that they must not looke vpon any but with their Fauorites eyes such a Fauourite I say pretends to tyrannize a kingdome and by little and little will go crushing the Princes of the bloud the ancient Nobilitie and such as are of power to stand in their way thrusting this man out of Court to day and that other to morrow that hee alone may rule all without any contradiction or opposition in the world Let euery man say or thinke as they list for mine owne part I am perswaded that this is his maine end and drift And the cause thereof is his feare of falling knowing besides his owne consciousnes that there are not onely one or two but many in Court that are able to supply his place and farre better deseruing then himselfe Your Alchymists make gold But how Onely in the colour they will not let it come to the Touch nor any other reall Essay neither will they endure to haue it compared with any other minerall gold for feare lest it should bee discouered that theirs hath no more but a bare shew and apparence Let Princes therefore assure themselues that those Fauourites are but Alchimists that will not admit of any other companie as being priuie to themselues that their vnderstanding is not such pure gold that it can abide the Touch nor any reall Essay But say it should passe for currant and that their mindes were all made of pure gold me thinkes they should aduise and consider with themselues that those that are ingenious and wise men will therefore the rather desire that there should be many for by comparing the one with the other the true light shineth the more and makes it selfe knowne whether it be so or no. And onely your fooles and such as are vnworthy of that they possesse are iealous of that good which they feare to loose when by comparing they shall come to be knowne God did not in vaine place so many members in mans bodie and most of them double had it not beene thereby to teach vs that many are needfull in humane actions and that one is not able to doe all without an infinite deale of toyle extraordinary spending of his spirits and the sudden wasting and consuming of his body And here will suite very well to this our purpose that which Tiberius affirmed when feigning not to bee willing to accept of the Empire hee said going about the bush to discouer the mindes of the Romane Nobilitie and Senate that he alone of himselfe was not sufficient nor yet with the helpe of another for so great a gouernment Whereupon Salustius Crispus taking his Qu a great Fauourite of his starts mee vp and makes me a long Harenga or artificiall oration shewing that Signiorie and Empire could not well consist without being conferred vpon one particular person which is the maine foundation and ground-worke of the good and safetie of a Monarchicall gouernment and that therein himselfe if no body else would take the paines would bee as it were another Ioseph his faithfull Vice gerent lest the resolution of things depending on the will of many it might cause a distraction in businesses either by way of competition or of passion In conclusion after Tiberius had heard this and had throughly sounded their mindes he tooke occasion to tell them That in such a Citie as Rome was sustained and vpheld by so many and such illustrious persons it was not fit that the businesses of State should be remitted to one man alone for many would much more easily execute the offices and affaires of the commonwealth by a fellow-bearing of the burthen For as vnitie in some degrees is both profitable and pleasing so in other some it is hatefull and preiudiciall And therefore out of this consideration I say That a King as the supreme person and principall Head of a kingdome ought to be one alone For the couetousnesse of ruling being insatiable and the nature of power incommunicable it is not possible that two Princes of equall authoritie should continue any long time but both of them suffer in the end or at least the businesses that are committed to their charge But for Fauourites there may bee two or three or more the vnitie remaining reserued for the greater and supremer person And likewise this pluralitie will not be much amisse for if any one of them shall by some accident faile there be others whom the King knoweth and they know him that are fit for his seruice and that haue good experience and knowledge of businesses and all such matters as are current and passable in the commonwealth without being driuen to seeke out new Ministers or to instruct them what to doe in a time of necessitie when things go not well but stand in ill Tearmes laying otherwise hold on the first that offer themselues vnto them to the ouerthrowing of the businesses in hand and the proper hurt and dammage of their Lord and Master at whose cost and by meere erring in great matters they must come to get their learning Let Kings a Gods name reserue for themselues those businesses that are of greatest importance for in this likewise must there bee a setled course and order as is in all well gouerned kingdomes Referring as we said before to the ordinary Councells and Tribunalls ordinary businesses consulting with their Kings those that are of most importance And these Kings by themselues as before mentioned ought to dispatch if therein they be not hindered by default of their health and not to remit and referre them to their Fauourites who in matter of Iustice were it but distributiue should haue no kinde of power For thereby they oppresse those Tribunalls and seates of iustice together with their Ministers and Officers who for that they know they must haue much dependancy on the Fauourite if he shall haue a hand in Courts of Iustice and distribution of Offices cannot but remaine much oppressed and debarred of their libertie and the more if they haue any pretension for their owne interest or increasing of their estate and honour And the reason of all this will plainly appeare if wee
Question which is disputed and doubted of by some and may likewise serue for an Auiso vnto Kings whether it be better that the great Lords should be farre off from them or neare about them The Emperour Charles the fifth of famous memory amongst other Aduertisements which hee gaue to his sonne Philip one was That he should not let the great offices of the kingdome nor places of great command rest any long time in one mans hands nor should put his Grandes and great Lords into them but Gentlemen of good qualitie such as were creatures of his owne making And as for his Grandes hee should honour them with some places and offices neare about his person which would be a greater grace both to himselfe and his Court. Others are of a quite contrary opinion and alledge reasons for the maintenance thereof Great men they say if they be not like those little ones which Christ speaketh of are ordinarily of an extraordinary spirit and endeauour all they can increase of honour till they come to occupie the highest place And then will it bee seene of what little esteeme are those great fauours which they haue already receiued There is not that friendship that kindred nor any other bond be it neuer so strong which is not broken through the greedy ambition of ascending to some higher throne For to bee a King saith Euripides all Law is broken For this Appetite is of that force and strength that it breaketh all Lawes both Diuine and Humane For proofe whereof they cite many examples which I purposely omit that I may not offend and tire out the Reader All of them admonishing Kings that they should throughly weigh and consider where and in what places they put them For if they be neare about their royall person it is the torment of Tantalus vnto them to see the warre and the fruit so neare their mouth that greatnesse and power I meane and not to enioy it Which will but prouoke a more hungry appetite in those which doe not possesse it and will breake through hedge and ditch and runne as they say through fire and water transported with this so faire and beautifull a prize as is set before their eyes neuer being at quiet till they come to enioy it For there is not that loue to any thing here vpon earth which doth so much alter suspend and seaze on the minde and heart of man as that of ruling and commanding and to grow great therein And when they see things succeed not according to their minde yet at least in satisfaction of their enuie they will be well content that the waters should be troubled and the world be turned topsie-turuy taking pleasure therein though it be to their owne hurt And what King can secure himselfe that such ambitious persons being neare about him will not at one time or other attempt their ends For greatnesse say they after that it is once possessed quits the memory of the meanes whereby it came to bee so great and findes a thousand excuses for it's weaknesse in offending And the rather for that ill vse hath taught all men this lesson That the reputation of an honest man is not to be preferred before his proper profit and greatnesse Lastly they say That he that ouercommeth and makes good his clayme by his sword needeth not to study excuses and to make Apologies let those doe that that haue the worst end of the staffe and stand at the mercy of the Conquerour In conclusion they resolue this question thus That it is very fit that your great Noble-men should rather liue farre from Court then neare about their King For all of them will be of good vse for the gouernment of Prouinces and Armies whereby both the one and the other will be secured And when they cannot content them in all that they would haue they may entertaine them with these which will be a good meanes to diuert their thoughts and to bridle those Prouinces that are committed to their charge with whom the Maiestie and greatnesse of their Gouernours will be able to doe much And there they are not of that danger For in kingdomes by succession and well setled and where there is no colour of wresting the Scepter out of the bloud-royall there is no feare of trusting the Grandes and great Noblemen with these kinde of Gouernments but it is rather requisite that it should be so For like vnto starres in heauen and their influences on earth they serue for ornament and conuersation in those kingdomes and Prouinces wherein there are ancient and noble Houses for which they are to seeke out men of Noble bloud and good qualitie and of knowne greatnesse to bee conuersant amongst them For the Nobilitie of those kingdomes and Prouinces will thinke themselues not well dealt withall if they shall haue but an ordinary man set ouer them to be their Gouernour be he neuer so wise or neuer so valiant For being that they are to attend all at the gates of him that holdeth that place they may esteeme it as an iniurie to see themselues obliged to acknowledge homage vnto him whom out of that place they would sence vouchsafe him their companie Besides that greatnesse and largenesse of minde and heart that knowes not how to shrinke or be deiected with aduerse fortune a thing so necessary in him that gouernes will sooner bee found in these then men of meaner ranke For as Saint Ierome saith hee that owes much to his bloud and familie will alwayes beare that obligation about him and neuer faile therein Againe he that is borne to command will be lesse insolent in his gouernment as hauing that noble qualitie from his cradle And the people on the other side will more willingly obey him whom they haue alwayes knowne to haue liued in honour and greatnesse And his example will bee of greater importance to reforme the disorders and abuses that shall there be offered Ouer and aboue they further adde That your Grandes and great Noblemen may and haue obligation to content themselues with their present estate if they will but weigh the difference of that it was with that which it is now did not men that are now in honour grow forgetfull of their former meane condition That grieuing them more which falls short of their desire then that doth please and content them which fortune hath with so liberall a hand bestowed on them For no man rests contented with his present estate and condition nor doe we esteeme that so much which wee possesse as the lacke of that we desire doth torment vs. And therefore doe they say that they are not so good to be about Kings and more particularly those which are so qualified for they are like a lingâ—ing kinde of Caleature or aguish Feuer which makes an end of vs before we are a ware of it working it's effect before wee can looke into the cause Or like vnto the hand in a Clocke or Dyall which tells
diuided through diuers parts of the world by seas and enemies in the midst thereof should striue and indeauour by all possible meanes to make himselfe likewise Lord and Master of the sea for thereby shall he come to bee Lord and Master of the Land And an absolute dispenser of those things wherewith we sustaine our selues and liue For by the helpe of Nauigation we passe from one part to another and communicate of what they haue by way of commerce or otherwise And by this meanes is made of many Prouinces and kingdomes yea euen of the whole world one sole Citie and commonwealth This was the counsell of Themistocles and Plutarch makes it good saying Let no man deceiue himselfe in imagining with himselfe that Armies will suffice for to conserue himselfe and to make himselfe Lord of those kingdomes and Prouinces that haue the Sea to friend For if he be not likewise prouided and well furnished with a strong fleete at Sea howbeit hee may with a Land-armie ouercome the naturalls of those kingdomes or Prouinces yet it is impossible for him without the other to make an intire conquest and to go through with that which hee pretendeth That disposeth the Land to his will and giueth Lawes thereunto The Carthaginians saith Polibius were not ignorant of what great consequence this was for all kinde of businesses and therefore aduiseth That that which a Prince ought to procure whereby to come to be a great Monarch is by a strong Nauy to make himselfe Lord of the Sea For there are not any forces that worke such strange and great effects or so much import as these And all your Ancients held it for a Maxime that without the command at Sea there was nothing safe or secure on the Land Archidamus a great Captaine and King of the Lacedemonians was wont to say That those that are to deale with a strong enemie being powerfull at sea need not to put themselues vpon the ficklenesse of fortune but to place all their care in maintaining their Nauie for with this alone will they be able to wearie out the enemie to quit him of the succour of their friends to debarre him of Nauigation and of the commodities thereof and vtterly by this to vndoe him And which may seeme a thing impossible be able to beleaguer and girt in a whole kingdome and to take it forcing it by famine and other wants as if it were onely one single Citie that were besieged For that as Tacitus saith a strong fleete at sea is the Castle and Magasine of victualls And therefore the Empire and Signiorie of the Sea by a powerfull and commanding Nauy is held to bee of much more power and safetie then your Land-armies or Citie-garisons which of force must in the end yeeld vnto him which shall become Master of their ports and thereby hinder them of all commerce and traffique and humane communicatâ—on And this was the aduice which that great Monarch and Emperour Charles the fifth gaue likewise vnto his sonne to whom hee left so many and such great kingdomes so farre distant and diuided one from another with such large and deepe seas Hee saith he that is or will bee Master of them must haue his fleetes still in a readinesse well fitted and furnished as well with good tall ships well rigg'd and mann'd and all other necessary prouision as with store of Gallies for the safeguard and defence of his subiects as also to resist and offend Turkes Moores and Pyrats because he cannot repose any confidence or assurance in those Leagues and Truces which he shall make with them With this shall hee keepe them all in awe when they shall see his great forces at Sea by which he may as it were in an instant from all parts send succours and reliefe and whatsoeuer else shall bee needfull And it will bee no lesse then a hard rayne and cruell strong curbe for to bridle and restraine the sinister intents and vaine pretensions of such as shall plot strange proiects dangerous designes and scandalous attempts And vtterly to discourage them from vndergoing any enterprise or to vndertake any action of aduenture with hope of recouering such Townes or Prouinces as they haue lost or by landing of their men to encroach vpon new And say they should serue for no other vse saue to hinder the excursions of Pyrats and Sea-rouers in these our seas onely in regard of that it could not choose but bee a matter of mighty consequence and of wonderfull great importance considering the daily incursions losses flaughters the continuall captiuatings and robberies which they vsually commit vpon these our Coasts so that if there were not a fitting preparation and sufficient defence of ships and Gallies it were impossible for vs to occurre against those necessities and to bee prouided against those new and strange accidents which may offer themselues in those Estates kingdomes and Signiories Seas Coasts frontiers ports promontories Castles and forts which we hold in them Which by this our continuall nauigation and prouision of good shipping are well man'd and victualled and sufficiently prouided of armes munition and whatsoeuer else is necessarie in fit and conuenient both time and manner against all occasions Whereby the enemie perceiuing how well they are prouided for them dare not approach those places nor touch vpon them Besides this easie and short aduice there are many other causes that may moue vs not to be wanting herein In a word it will put the enemy into a continuall care and driue him to take a different resolution in those his ill-grounded motiues and pretensions And howbeit it be true that the charge is great so likewise great losses are thereby excused and some such sometimes as can neuer bee repaired So that there is no passing to and fro without nauigation and the vsing and maintaining of these fleetes They are the words of that victorious Emperour which no King for want of experience should dis-esteeme And for the better and fuller prouision in this kinde it is very fit that these Fleetes should haue their particular rent approprietated vnto them and that it should not vpon no occasion whatsoeuer be spent or laid out in any other thing For a set and deputed treasure for this purpose or the like is that which most importeth for the good dispatch of businesses and that they may bee done in their due time and with lesse charge and more profit This course did the Grecians take and after them the Romanes And of Augustus Caesar both Suetonius and Dyon report that he was the first inuenter of a perpetuall militarie treasure raised out of a certaine kind of Tributes which out of his owne curiositie he had sought and found out For Souldiers and warlike prouisions in your great Empires require a particular treasure wherewith to be payed which must not in any hand be otherwise imployed nor go intermixed with those other expences Hauing persons of much experience and honestie appointed for the good
a sentence pronounced from the mouth of a most iust Iudge And therefore they ought well and wisely to consider what they speake and not to inlarge themselues in words putting those that are pretenders in great good hopes Which if they shall not afterwards take effect will proue to bee no other then that faire and beautifull fruite whose sight pleaseth the eye but whose taste killeth the body In conclusion this Fauourite by round after round clambred vp to all the honourablest offices and greatest dignities of the kingdome He came to bee Consull which charge hee administred with extraordinary integritie and vertue All the Magistracies Offices and Gouernments which he held were but as so many steps one to the other which the Princes vnder whom he serued went still increasing and augmenting For he carried himselfe so wisely and discreetly in them that there was not that office that hee bore which did not make him the meritour and deseruer of another farre greater and better then it And all did acknowledge and confesse that his merits and deserts were farre greater then all the offices put together which hee enioyed and administred In those whom he represented and recommended to his King to the end that his Maiestie might conferre some one fauour or another vpon them he euermore had an eye to the necessitie of the office and the qualitie of the person Things wherein Fauourites ought to bee very carefull when they imploy their fauour in furthering any man as whether they be moued thereunto vpon a iust or ill affection or by the sole vertue and merit of the person c. And not to thinke with themselues that because they are in great grace and fauour with their King that it is lawfull for them to violate the Law of Iustice which ought to bee equall to all which in eyes not blinded with passion and coâ—â—etousnesse she her selfe makes it plainly appeare and to thrust the better deseruer besides that dignitie and office which is due vnto him Which is a Law that obligeth all for that it is a naturall obligation and hath all the Lawes of reason on it's side which are more powerfull then either the will of Kings or their Fauourites The not keeping whereof is but a large and swift running fountaine of complaints and distatâ— The one to see themselues reiected and excluded from publike honours The other to see them put forward whom nature hath not adopted nor learning nor vertue but either good or bad diligences And that these shall haue preserâ—enâ—â— and get the start of other men it is because either loue or interest makes them to be held more worth when at the other onely for that they are not in the like fauour or not so fit for their ends for Fauourites fauour few same such as will bee instruments of their wills though otherwise they bee of better parts better qualified and of stronger abilities are left vnrewarded and are quite forgotten And these that are thus made vp in haste and so suddenly raised from that nothing which they were to that greatnesse wherein they are must of force sometimes with the same haste and speedinesse though sore against their wills for the auoiding of inconueniences bee pulled downe from this their high seate and placed in some other that may seeme to fute better with them wherein the like suspition may iustly bee conceiued of their insufficiencie This great Fauourite had likewise so good a Head-peece and knew so well how to gouerne vpon all occasions and all the accidents of that age as well the good as bad the fortunate and vnfortunate successes of those times that howbeit many were the changes of those Kings yet was he still in the same height of esteeme was superiour vnto fortune being in all those alterations her Lord and Master All the Kings of the Gothes whom hee serued did him very particular fauours And although King Theodoricus was a very fortunate and valiant Prince yet did a great part of his happinesse and felicitie consist in this in hauing his Fauourite Cassiodorus alwayes at his elbow and in receiuing his good proiects and sound aduice which when occasion offered were neuer wanting vnto him Sen lib. 10. Epist 72. That being according vnto Seneca the best part of counsell which comes in it's due time and season Whereas that comes toolate and without any fruit which is not ready at hand For occasion whereunto wee must occurre oftentimes betakes her selfe to her wings and flies out of our reach if we be not quicke and nimble in laying hold on her foretop So that all the while that this Cassiodorus was in their seruice their kingdome and Signorie continued in a most flourishing estate So much can a man of such courage and counsell doe in a commonwealth For with such a Ministers presence all things stand vpright and go well and handsomely on but in his absence and when he is wanting all things go backward For being that all these things depend next after God on the worth and wisedome of him that hath the managing of them by his death or absence they runne a great hazard of miscarrying or suffer some great hurt or detriment as was to be seene in those successes of the Grecian Empire which no sooner was that great gouernour Alexander dead vnder whose protection it went increasing and liued in so much peace and securitie but it vanished like so much froath For of how much the more price and esteeme peace is by so much the more is it hazarded in the losse of those that maintaine and vphold it Now this so excellent and worthy a Minister when as nothing was wanting vnto him saue the putting on of a Kings Crowne refused it became a Friar and tooke vpon him the habite of the order of San Benito And did so exercise himselfe in continuall prayer and contemplation that euen whilest he liued here vpon earth they held him for a Saint And if he were so worthy a man in that age seruing the Kings of the earth with so much punctualitie and sinceritie it is not to be doubted but that hee was as precise in his sanctitie and holinesse of life when he rendred himselfe a slaue and seruant to his Lord and Master the King of heauen For your excellent wits which know how to make aduantage of all things and that nothing comes amisse vnto them when they are once resolued to serue God they do truly humble themselues and with a strong determination tread and trample the world vnder their feet and whatsoeuer therein is and imbrace and take hold on Christ And being thus occupied in holy exercises laden with yeares hee departed out of this life to that which was eternall hauing inioyed some yeares of that quietude and abundance of peace wherewith he did essay to die well which being so dangerous so difficult and darke a passage too little care is commonly had therein hee passed from this short stride betwixt life and death
autoritie and Signorie and did so farre prouoke Gods anger against it that hee commanded it to bee hewen down that being layd leuell with the earth it might acknowledge how much limited and how short was it's power Sithence therfore that it is not possible for Kings to vse much liberalitie and bounty towards all there is a great deale of reason why they should forbeare voluntary Donatiues for to discharge obligatory paiments whereunto in rigour of Iustice he is strictly bound Iames. 5.4 The Apostle Saint Iames saith That the debtes which are due vnto them that haue done seruice cry vnto God and that the teares of the poore ascend vp vnto Heauen to the end that from thence may come forth a writ of Execution against those that haue beene the cause thereof And your Catholike and Christian King are not to place their greatnesse and authoritie on that as did your Heathen Kings and those that were without the light of faith Who pretended nothing else in their gifts and fauours but vaine-glory and the idle applause of the world According to that saying of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Luk. 22.25 Reges gentium dominanturâ—orum quipotestatem habent super eos benefici vocantur The Kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them and they that beare rule ouer them are called Bountifull True authoritie and Greatnesse doth not consist in Magnificencies and Prodigalities which are not regular and ruled by reason Which requireth to cumply first with what is due and that neither Kings nor their subiects should thrust themselues inâ— necessity and want to satisfie the ambition and couetousnesse of those who as Salomon sayth like vnto Horse-leaches Prou. 30.15 Semper dicunt Affer Affer still cry Giue Giue That which distributiue Iustice requireth is That Kings should repart the common goods of the Republicke conformeable to the meritts and seruices of euery one preferring alwayes the publicke before any particular good and ioyntly with this that they goe clinching the hand for a while that they may afterwards stretch it out more at large when it shall be fitting for them so to doe And this is Liberalitie that vertuous and noble Meane betweene those vicious Extreames Auarice and Prodigalitie When our Sauiour Christ had sufficiently fed that great multitude which followed him into the desert they no sooner found themselues full but they presently resolued amongst themselues to make him their king And this their determination grew from two things which they saw to bee in him The one his noble disposition in affording them such free and plentifull intertainment The other for his great prudence and good gouerment in giuing order that the peeces of bread and other the fragments that were left Iohn 6.13 should be gathered vp Colligite quâ— superouerunt fragmeta ne pereant Gather vp the broaken meate which remayneth that nothing be lost Nor did he doe this that he had neede to set it vp or keep it to serue at some othere time vpon the like occasion for he could as often as he would haue made bread of stones but to instruct and teach Kings to knowe both to spend and saue to giue and hoord vp where how and when it is fitting in regard that their power is limited Moreouer Kings are to consider that they who at one clap receiue much from them grow so fat and pursie that they are not able to serue and follow them as they were wont and sometimes they retire themselues and nere returne againe to see either King or Court vnlesse meere Couetousnesse and greedinesse of gaine draw them thither to beg more and more Gen. 8.7 to cramme their purses Being like vnto that Crowe which Noah sent out of the Arke who as soone as he had found firme footing and whereon to feede his fill neuer came back again Kings Palaces are like Noahs Arke where there is a great diuersitie in the Conditions of men and generally you shall meete there with more Crowes then Doues And here I will with your good leaue take a little libertie to diuert my selfe from the Testimonies of Holy Scripture to those of Great Kings and Monarckes some of one nation and some of another And the first that I shall begin withall shall be king Don Alonso of Sicily who walking along by the Sea-side caused many gobbets of flesh some great and some small mingled one amongst another to be brought vnto him and still as the Crowes which were many came about him to some hee threw out the lesser to other the larger morsells Those that went away with the great gobbets came no more in sight but fled their way but those that had but a small pittance and were not so full gorged they followed the King whether so euer he went and neuer forsooke him Who tolde those that were then about him In this my Masters yee may see how much it importeth Kings to distribute their fauours with moderation and temper Philip King of Macedon did much reprehend his sonne Alexander for being too lauish of his fauours and too excessiue in his giftes Telling him that thereby hee peruerted the mindes of those that were to serue him who in stead of seruing him with that loue loyalty which in duty they were bound vnto they would now onely serue him for their owne particular interest and proper commoditie making by this meanes affection and fidelitie become a kinde of trading and merchandizing And certainely so it is that when mens mindes make interest their Aime and daily to get more and more they become saleable and tender their seruice to those that wil giue them most And they which doe thus accustome themselues to craue and take the loue of friendship and that thankefull acknowledgement which is due to the Doner is turned into interessed Loue which is called by the name of Concupisence And are as the Comicke Poet saith like vnto those lewd huswifes which Amore carent munus amantis amant Loue not so much the man as his money nor his person as his purse You shall seldome see a man that is as they say a Pediguenno a crauing Companion one that is still begging one thing or other that hath not some touch of Couetousnesse and some tincture more or lesse of vnthankefullnesse For in regard that these men loue themselues and their owne interest so well they haue not one drop of loue left for others and if any doe remaine they conferre it on a third person through whose hands that which they pretend is to passe And the King and Prince to whom all is due rest depriued of two things that are the most substantiall and of most importance for the conseruation perpetuation and augmentation of his Kingdome which are their subiects Loue and Thankes For the truest kinde of Raigning and the likest to Gods kingdome is to gaine the heartes of their subiects and to make themselues as much as in them lyes Lordes and Masters of their good Wills
And it is our dayly experience to see persons that haue beene highly and richly gratified and extraordinarily well rewarded to haue proud very vnthankfull For this fault great benefits haue with them and such as are dis-equall to the deserts of those persons that receiue them that they are not thankfully accepted of And those that are benefitted to the end that they may not bewray this their imperfection being such as it is no lesse then so great a sinne as ingratitude they soone learne to forget them but those that are conferred on others neuer slip out of their remembrance In a word of all that that is begg'd and of all them that begg few there are that forbeare to goe this way In confirmation whereof we may alleadge heere that question which Christ made to one of those ten Leapers which hee healed shewing himselfe not halfe well pleased with the rest of his fellowes Nonne decem mundati sunt Et nouem vbi sunt Non est inuentus qui rediret daret gloriam Deo nisi hic Alienigena Luke 17.17 Are there not ten cleansed But where are the nine There is none found that returned to giue God prayse saue this stranger In Kings Pallaces your strangers and those that are newly come to Court are your onely thankfull men For those that are well acquainted with the Court familiarly attend the person of the King and are still assistent vnto him vpon all occasion neuer acknowledge the fauours that are done them bee they neuer so great They are alwayes crauing but are neuer satisfied they swallow downe whole riuers and wonder not at it they thinke all Iordan is too little for them and that they shall no soner open their mouth but they must presently sup it vp And the reason hereof is because they verily perswade themselues that all whatsoeuer you giue them be it neuer so much is due vnto them for their seruices and their dayly Assistencies I therefore say and therein say but the truth That one of the greatest happinesses that can befall Kings is to be serued by noble persons and men of honour gente granada as the Spaniards tearme them iolly strong lusty people proper comely men and persons of best and most account both for riches and honour But this is the mischeife of it that this golde which should make such a glorious shew in Court and shine both in honour and goodnesse is canckred and rusted by Auarice and Ambition which eates into all mens mindes and wholly possesseth them So that from the highest to the lowest they are all well read in the Schoole of Couetousnesse Dissimulation and deceit And your Priests and those that weare Miters on their heads are not in this kinde the meanest Schollers amongst them All complaine they are not rewarded that they haue nothing giuen them if they haue any thing giuen them they thinke it is all too litle And betwixt this their complayning their thankefull acceptance there is set vp such a strong partition that it neither suffereth them to acknowledge a benefit nor to intertaine it with that thankfullnesse as they ought All now a dayes attend their own interest and not their kings seruice Who may say that of them which God spake by Malachie Malach. 1.10 Who is there euen among you that would shut the doores of my house or kindle but a coale on mine Altar in vaine Not one I assure you but will be well payd for his paines There is not that Sexton that Cloyster Cleanser nor scullion of the Kitchen but will haue good wages other ayudes de costa or by-helps This great traine saith Seneca of seruants and Attendants seeke not so much after a Master as Money a friend as a fortune Miserable is the condition of kings whom none loue for themselues but for their owne ends and the good they expect from them so that this their priuate interest fayling them their seruices faile with it likewise faileth so says S. Isidore that loue Loyalty which is due vnto them Non sunt fideles quos munus non gratia copulat nam citò deserunt nisi semper accipiant Those whom Lucre not Loue linketh cannot bee faithfull For vnlesse they be still on the taking hand they vanish and are quickly gone Yet is it not my intent and purpose in that which I haue sayd to condemne those who demaund their pay and satisfaction for their seruices to relieue their necessities For therein they doe but vse that lawfull course which is appointed for them by way of petition Howbeit Aristotle Plato and other Philosophers would haue subiects to be solicitous not in sueing but in seruing And I farther affirme that Princes are to take it to their charge to content those that haue done them good seruice it being the principall Office of distributiue Iustice carefully vigilantly to distribute riches and honours to those that haue deserued them And this vndoubtedly is one of the most effectuall meanes for the good gouernment of a Common-wealth For as those three diuine vertues Faith Hope and Loue are increased and augmented by praying vnto God so on the contrarie are they lessned and diminished by sueing vnto Men. For when subiects serue and not sueing obtaine that which they deserue humane Faith Hope and Loue is augmented in them because thereby they are taught to rely on the vertue and wisedome of their Soueraigne who applyes himselfe to euery mans meritts and the iustnesse and vprightnesse of his cause For which cause they will loue him much but much more when he giues without being importuned with petitions And it seemeeth vnto them that hee giues not more willingly then he doth wisely in applying himselfe onely to reason and Iustice and not to the importunate Petitions of Pretenders And therefore Kings are not to content themselues onely with paying that which they owe and to doe mercedes and fauours to them that serue them but that these should likewise goe accompanied with Loue and Good Will for with remuneration are the seruices requited and with Loue are they obliged to doe them still more and better seruice In that Case which the Scripture recounteth of King Assuerus who one night being not able to sleep and take his rest commanded Lights to be brought in and some that were about him to take that booke and read vnto him wherein were written the notable things that past in his raigne and amongst the rest there was mention made of a great peece of seruice which Mardochee did him freeing him from that death which two of his Eunuches had plotted against him by discouering this their treason demanded of those there present What honour and dignitie hath beene giuen to Mordochee for this his fidelitie towards me and the good seruice he hath done mee And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him sayd There is nothing done for him Whereupon he presently bestowed vpon him such great honors and dignities that vnlesse he