banishment I did helpe him with money and moreouer he was banished another time for the lightnes hee did commit in the night in the Citie and I maruell not hereof For we see by experience that Olde men which are fleshed in vices are more obstinate to correct then the young Oh what euill fortune haue the old men which haue suffered themselues to waxe olde in vice For more dangerous is the fire in an old house then in a newe and a great cut of a sword is not so perillous as a rotten Fistula Though olde men were not honest and vertuous for the seruice of the Gods and the commonwealth for the saying of the people nor for the example of the young yet he ought to bee honest if it were but for the reuerence of their yeares If the poore old man haue no teeth how shall he eate If he haue no heate in his stomacke how can he disgest If hee haue no taste how can he drinke if he be not strong how can hee be an adulterer if he haue no feet how can he goe if he haue the palsey how can he speake if he haue the gowte in his hands how can he play Finally such like worldly vicious men haue employed their forces being young desirous to proue al these vices and when they are old it grieueth theÌ extreamly that they caÌnot acomplish their desire Amongst all these faultes in olde men in myne opinion this is the chiefest that since they haue proued all things that they should still remaine in theyr obstinate follie There is no parte but they haue trauelled no villanie but they haue essayed no Fortune but they haue proued no good but they haue persecuted no euill but hath chanced vnto them nor there is any wickednes but they haue atteÌpted These vnhappie men which in this sort haue spent all their youth haue in the ende theyr combes cut with infirmities and diseases yet they are not so much grieued with the vices which in them doe abound to hinder them from vertues as they are tormented for want of corporall courage to further them in their lustes Oh if wee were Gods or that they would giue vs licence to knowe the thoughtes of the olde as wee see with our eyes the deedes of the young I sweare to the God Mars and also to the Mother Berecynthia that without comparison wee would punish more the wicked desires which the aged haue to be wicked then the light deedes of the young Tell mee Claude and Claudine doe you thinke though you behaue your selues as young you shall not seme to be olde Knowe you not that our nature is the corruption of our bodie and that our bodie hindereth our vnderstandings and that the vnderstandings are kept of our soule and that our soule is the mother of desires and that our desires are the scourge of our youth and that our youth is the ensigne of our age and age the spye of death and that death in the end is the house where life taketh his harbor from wheÌce youth flyeth a foot froÌ whence age caÌnot escape a horseback I would reioyce that you Claude and Claudine would but tell mee what you finde in this life that so much therwith you should be contented since no we you haue passed foure-score yeares of life during the which time either you haue bin wicked in the worlde or else you haue bin good If you haue bin good you ought to thinke it long vntill you bee with the good Gods if you haue bin euill it is iust you dye to the ende you be no worse For speaking the truth those which in threescore and ten yeares haue bin wicked in workes leaue small hope of their amendment of life Adrian my Lord beeing at Nola in Campania one brought vnto him a nephew of his from the studie whereas the yong childe had not profited a little for hee became a great Grecian and Latinist and moreouer hee was faire gratious and honest And this Emperour Adrian loued his Nephew so much that he saide vnto him these wordes My Nephewe I knowe not whether I ought to say vnto thee that thou art good or euill For if thou be euill life shall be euill employed on thee and if thou be good thou oughtest to dye immediately and because I am worse then all I liue longer then all These words which Adrian my Lord said doe plainly declare and expresse that in short space the pale and cruell death doth assault the good and lengtheneth life a great while to the euill The opinion of a phylosopher was that the gods are so profound in their secrets high in their mysteries and so iust in their works that to men which least profite the commonwealth they lengthen life longest and though he had not saide it we others see it by experience For the man which is good and that beareth great zeale friendship to the Commonwealth eyther the Gods take him from vs or the Enemyes doe slay him or the daungers doe cast him away or the trauells doe finish him When the great Pompeyus and Iulius Caesar became enemyes and from that enmitie came to cruell warres the Gronicles of the time declare that the kings and people of the occidental part became in he fauour of Iulius Caesar and the mightiest and most puissant of al the oriental parts came in the ayde of great Pompeius because these two Princes were loued of a few and serued and feared of all Amongst the diuersity and sundry nations of people which came out of the Orientall part into the hoast of the great Pompeius one nation came maruellous and cruell barbarous which sayde they dwelled on the other side of the mountaine Riphees which goe vnto India And these Barbarians had a Custome not to liue no longer then fifty yeares and therefore when they came to that age they made a greater fire and were burned therin aliue and of their owne wils they sacrificed themselues to the Gods Let no man be astonied at that we haue spoken but rather let them maruell of that wee will speake that is to say that the same day any man had accoÌplished fifty yeares immediately hee cast himselfe quicke into the fire and his friends made a great feast And the feast was that they did eate the flesh of the dead halfe burned and dranke in wine and water the ashes of his bones so that the stomacke of the childreÌ being aliue was the graue of the Fathers being dead All this that I haue spoken with my tongue Pompeius hath seene with his eyes for that some being in the camp did accomplish fifty yeares and because the case was strange hee declared it oft in the Senate Let euery man iudge in this case what he will and condemne the barbarians at his pleasure yet I will not cease to say what I thinke O golden world which had such men O blessed people of whom in the World to ome shall be
his diuine power And of the superstition of the false and faigned goddes chap 9. fol. 20. How there is but one true God and how happy those Realmes are which haue a good Christian to be their King How the Gentiles affirmed that good Princes after their death were changed into gods and the wicked into Deuils which the Authour proueth by sundry examples chap. 10. fol. 23. Of sundry gods which the Ancients worshipped Of the offices of those gods How they were reuenged of such as displeased them And of the twentie elected gods chap. 11. fol. 26. How Tiberius was chosen Gouernour of the Empire and afterward created Emperour onely for being a good Christian And how God depriued Iustinian the younger both of his Empire and senses because he was a perfidious heretique chap. 12. fol. 29 Of other more naturall and peculier gods which the ancient people had and adored chap. 13. fol. 32 What words the Empresse Sophia spake to Tiberius Constantinus then being Gouernour of the Empire reprouing him for lauishly consuming the Treasure of the Empire gotten by her chap. 14. fol. 36 The answere of Tiberius to the Empresse Sophia Augusta declaring that Noble Princes neede not hoord vp treasures And of the hidden treasure which this good Emperour foundeby reuelation in the Palace where he remayned chap. 15. fol. 38 How the Captayne Narsetes ouercame many Battailes onely by reposing his whole confidence in God And what hapned to him by the Empresse Sophia Augusta relating the vnthankfulnesse of Princes towards their seruants chap. 16. fol 41 Of a letter which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sent to the King of Scicille remembring the trauels they had endured together in their youth and reprooning him for his small reuerence to the Temples ch 17 fo 46 The Emperours prosecution in his Letter admonishing Princes to bee fearefull of their Gods And of the sentence which the Senate gaue vpon the King for pulling down the church ch 18 f. 49 How the Gentiles honoured those that were deuout in the seruice of their gods chap. 19 fol 52 Of fiue causes why Princes ought to be better christians then their subiects ch 20 fol. 55 What the Philosopher Bias was Of his constancy when hee had lost all his goods And of the ten lawes he gaue deseruing to be had in perpetuall memory chap 21 59 Questions demanded of the Philosopher Bias. fol. 61 The lawes which Bias gaue to the Prienenses 62 How God from the beginning punished men by his iustice and especially those Princes that despised his church how all wicked Christians are Parishioners of hel ch 22 63 Of twelue examples why Princes are sharply punished when they vsurpe boldly vpon churches and violate their temples ch 23 65 Why the children of Aaron were punished eodem The cause why the Azotes were punished eodem The cause why Prince Oza was punished 66. Why King Balthazar was punished 67 Why King Ahab was punished 69 Why King Manasses was punished cod Why Iulius Pompey Xerxes Cateline Germanicus Brennus were punished 70 How Valentine the Emp. because he was an euil Christian in one day lost both the Empire and his life ch 24 72 Of the Emp. Valentinian Gratian his son which raigned in the time of S. Ambrose and because they were good Christians were alwayes fortunate and how God giueth victory to Princes more by the teares of them that pray then thorow the weapons of theÌ that fight ch 25 76 Of the goodly Oration which the Em Gratian made to his Souldiers before hee gaue the battell ch 26 78 Of the Captaine Theodosius who was father to the great Emp. Theodosius died a good Christian Of the K. Hismarus and the Bishop Siluanus and the lawes which they made and established ch 27 60 What a happy thing it is to haue but one Prince to rule the publike weale for there is no greater enemy to the Common-weale then he which procureth many to commaund therein ch 28 84 That in a publike weale there is no greater destruction then where Princes dayly consent to new orders and make an alteration of ancient customs ch 29 f. 88 When Tirants began to raigne and vpon what occasion commaunding and obeying first began and how the authority which a Prince hath is by the ordinaÌce of God chap. 30 91 Of the golden age in times past and worldly misery at this present ch 31 94 How K. Alexander the Great after hee had ouercome K. Darius in Asia went to conquer the great India and of that which hapned to him with the Garamantes and that purity of life hath more power then force of warre ch 32 96 Of an Oration which one of the Sages of Garamantia made vnto K. Alexander a good lesson for ambitious meÌ ch 33. 98 A continuation of the sage Garamants Oration and among other notable matters he maketh mention of seuen lawes which they obserued chap. 34 101 That Princes ought to consider for what cause they were made Princes What Thales the Philosopher was of 12 questions demaÌded of him his answer c. 35. 104 What Plutarch the Philosopher was Of the wise words he spake to the Emperour Traiane how a good Prince is the head of the publique-weale chap. 36. fo 108 As there are two Sences in the Head Smelling and Hearing So likewise a Prince who is the head of the Common-weale ought to heare the complaints of all his subiects and should know them all to recompence their seruices ch 37. fol. 111 Of the great Feast which the Romaines celebrated to the God Ianus the first day of Ianuary And of the bounty and liberality of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius the same day chap. 38 114 Of the answer which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius made to the Senatour Fuluius before all the Senate beeing reproued by him for the familiarity hee vsed to all men contrary to the maiesty and authority of the Romane Emperour wherein hee painteth enuious men ch 39 fol. 118 Of a Letter which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sent to his friend Pulio declaring the opinion of certaine Philosophers concerning the felicity of man chap. 40. 124 Of the Philosopher Epicurus fol. 129 Of the Philosopher Eschilus 131 Of the Philosopher Pindarus 132 Of the Philosopher Zeno 133 Of the Philosopher Anacharsis 134 Of the Sarmates 135 Of the Philosopher Chilo 137 Of the Philosophers Crates Stylphas Simonides Gorgias Architas Chrysippus Antistenes Sophocles Euripides Palemon Themistocles Aristides and Heraclius 138. 139 That Princes and great Lords ought not to esteeme themselues for being fayre and well proportioned chap. 41 140 Of a letter written by the Emperour Marcus Aurelius to his Nephew worthy to be noted of all young Gentlemen chap. 42 146 How Princes and great Lords in olde time were louers of men that were wise and learned chap. 43 153 How the Emperor Theodosius prouided wise men at the houre of his death for the education of his two noble sonnes Archadius and Honorius chap. 44 158
in heauen he had been blessed but now he is in the world enuironed with cares and afterwards he shall bee throwne into his graue and gnawne of the Wormes Let vs now see the disobedience wee had in the commaundement of God and what fruit we haue gathered in the world For hee is very simple that dare commit any vice taking no delight nor pleasure thereof in his body In my opinion through the sinnes which our forefathers committed in Paradise the seruitude remaineth in vs their children which are on the earth For so much as if I enter into the water I drowne if I touch the fire I burne if I come neare a dogge hee biteth mee if I threaten a horse hee easteth mee if I resist the winde it bloweth me downe if I persecute the serpent hee spoyleth me if I smite the beare hee destroyeth me and to be briefe I say that the man that without pitty eateth men in his life the Worms shall eate his entrals in his life after his death O Princes and great Lords lode your selues with cloth of gold heape vp your great Treasures assemble many Armies inuent Iusts and turneis seeke pastimes and pleasures reuenge your selues of your enemies serue your selues with your subiects marry your children to mighty Kings and set them in great estate cause your selues to bee feared of your enemies imploy your bodies to all pleasures leaue great possessions to your heyres rayse sumptuous buildinges to leaue memory of your persons I sweare by him that shall iudge mee that I haue more compassion to see your sinfull soules then I haue enuy to see your vicious liues for in the end all pastimes will vanish away and they shall leaue you for a gage to the hungry wormes of the earth O if Princes did consider though they haue beene borne Princes created and nourished in great estates that the day they are borne death immediately commeth to seeke the end of their life and taketh them here and there when they are sicke now tumbling then rising hee neuer leaueth them one houre vntill their wofull buriall Therefore sith it is true as indeed it is that that which Princes possesse in this life is but small that which they hope in the other is so great Truely I maruell why Princes the which shall lye so straight in the graue dare lye in such and so great largenesse in their life To be rich to be Lords and to haue great estates men should not thereof at all bee proude since they see how frayle mans condition is for in the end life is but lone but death is enheritage Death is a patrimony and heritage which successiuely is inherited but life is a right which dayly is surrendered For death counteth vs so much his own that oft times vnawares hee commeth to assault vs life taketh vs such strangers that oft times we not doubting thereof it vanisheth away If this thing then bee true why will Princes and great Lords presume to commaund a strange house which is this life as in their owne house which is the graue Leauing aside the sayd opinions I say that for sinne onely scruitude came to dwell in vs and entered into the world for if there had beene no sinners wee ought to beleeue there had beene no Lords nor seruants For asmuch as seruitude generally entreth into this World through sinne I say that the Seigniory of Princes is by the diuine commaundement for he sayeth By mee the King doth gouerne and by mee the Prince doth minister Iustice I conclude in this sort with this reason That since it is true Princes are sent by the hands of God for to gouerne vs Wee are bound in all and for all to obey them for there is no greater plague in a publike weale then to be disobedient to the Prince CHAP. XXXII How King Alexander the great after hee had ouercome King Datius in Asia went to conquer the great Indea and of that which happned vnto him with the Garamantes and how the good life hath more power then any force of warre IN the yeare of the Creation of the World 4970. in the first age of the World and in the 4027. yeares of the foundation of Rome Iado being High Priest in Hierusalew Decius and Mamilius at Rome Consuls in the third yeare of the Monarchie of the Greekes Alexander the Great sonne to Philip King of Macedonia gaue the last battell to Darius King of Persia wherein King Alexander escaped very sore wounded and Darius slaine so that the whole Empire of the Persians came vnder the gouernment of the Greeks For the vnfortunate Princes do not onely lose their liues with which they came into the world but also the Realmes which they did inherite After that Darius was dead and Alexander saw himselfe Lord of the field and that the Persians and Medes were become subiect to the Grecians though many Kings and Lords dyed in those cruell batailes yet it seemed to Alexander a trifle to be Gouernor of all Asia wherefore he determined in person to goe conquere the great India For Proude and stoute hearts obtayning that which they desire immediately beginne to esteeme it as little All his Armies repayred and placing gouernours in all the Realme of Asia Alexander departed to conquere the great India for hee had promised sworne to his gods that through all the World there should be but one Empire and that that should be his and moreouer that hee would neuer passe thorow any strange Realme or Country but it should giue obedience vnto him or else forthwith hee would destroy it for tyrannous harts haue neuer any regard to the damage of another vntill they haue obtained their wicked desires Alexander then going to conquer Realmes and destroy Prouinces by chance one sayde vnto him That on the other side of the mountaine Riphei towards the partes of India was a barbarous Nation which were called Garamantes as yet neuer conquered by the Persians and Medes Romaines nor Greekes neyther any of them euer triumphed ouer them for they had no weapons nor esteemed them not sith they had no riches King Alexander who for to conquer and subdue Realmes and strange countreys was very diligent hardy and to see new things very desirous determined not onely to send to see that countrey but also to goe himselfe in person and in that place to leaue of him some Memoriall which thing forthwith he accomplished For hee left them Altares as Hercules left in Gades pillars For mans heart is so stout that it Trauelleth not onely to compare with manie but also to excell all The Embassadours of Alexander were sent to Garamantes to aduertise them of the comming of King Alexander the great of the terrible and cruell battells which he in the warres had ouercome and to declare vnto them how the puissant K Darius was slayne and that all Asia was vnder his subiection and how euery Citie did yeelde themselues against
noble courages Of Antisthenes the Philosopher ANtisthenes the Philosopher put al his felicity in renowne after his death For sayeth hee there is no losse but of life that flitteth without fame For the Wise man needeth not feare to die so he leaue a memory of his vertuous life behinde him Of Sophocles the Philosopher SOphocles had al his ioy in hauing children which should possesse the inheritance of their Father saying that the graft of him that hath no children surmounteth aboue all other sorrowes for the greatest felicity in this life is to haue honour riches and afterwardes to leaue children which shall inherite them Of Euripides the Philosopher Euripides the Philosopher had all his ioy in keeping a fayre woman saying his tongue with wordes could not expresse the griefe which the hart endureth that is accombred with a foule woman therefore of of truth hee which hapneth of a good vertuous woman ought of right in his life to desire no more pleasure Of Palemon the Philosopher PAlemon put the felicity of men in eloquenee saying and swearing that the man that cannot reason of all things is not so like a reasonable man as he is a brute beast for according to the opinions of many there is no greater felicity in this wretched world then to be a man of a pleasant tongue and of an honest life Of Themistocles the Philosopher THemistocles put all his felicity in discending from a Noble lynage saying that the man which is come of a meane stocke is not bound to make of a renowmed fame for truly the vertues and prowesses of them that are past are not but an example to moue them to take great enterprises which are present Of Aristides the Philosopher ARistides the Philosopher put all his felicity in keeping temporal goods saying that the man which hath not wherwith to eate nor to sustaine his life it were better couÌsell for him of his free will to goe into the graue then to do any other thing For he onely shall bee called happy in this world who hath no neede to enter into an other mans house Of Heraclitus the Philosopher HEraclitus put al his felicity in heaping vp treasure saying that the prodigall man the more begetteth the more he spendeth but he hath the respect of a wise man who can keep a secret treasure for the necessitie to come Thou hast now sufficiently vnderstood my friend Pulio that 7. moneths since I haue been taken with the feuer quartaine and I sweare vnto thee by the immortall Gods that at this present instant writing vnto thee my hand shaketh which is an euident token that the colde doth take mee wherefore I am constrained to conclude this matter which thou demaundest mee although not according to my desire For amongst true friendes though the workes doe cease wherewith they serue yet therefore the inward parts ought not to quaile wherwith they loue If thou doest aske mee my friend Pulio what I thinke of all that is aboue spoken and to which of those I doe sticke I answere thee That in this World I doe not graunt any to bee happy and if there be any the gods haue them with them because on the one side chosing the plaine and drye way without clay and on the other side all stony and myerie wee may rather call this life the precipitation of the euill then the safegard of the good I will speake but one word onely but marke well what thereby I meane which is that amongst the mishaps of fortune wee dare say that there is no felicitie in the World And hee onely is happy from whom wisdome hath plucked enuious aduersity and that afterwards is brought by wisedome to the highest felicitie And though I would I cannot endure any longer but that the immortall Gods haue thee in their custody and that they preserue vs from euill fortune Sith thou art retired now vnto Bethinie I know well thou wouldest I should write thee some newes from Rome and at this present there are none but that the Carpentines and Lusitaines are in great strife dissention in Spaine I receiued letters how that the barbarous were quiet though the Host that was in Ilium were in good case yet notwithstanding the Army is somwhat fearefull and timorous For in all the coast and borders there hath beene a great plague Pardon me my friend Pulio for that I am so sickly that yet I am not come to my selfe for the feuer quartane is so cruel a disease that he which hath it contenteth himselfe with nothing neyther taketh pleasure in any thing I send thee two of the best horses that can be found in al Spaine and also I send thee two cups of gold of the richest that can bee found in Alexandria And by the law of a good man I sweare vnto thee that I desire to send thee two or three howers of those which trouble mee in my feuer quartane My wife Faustine saluteth thee and of her part and mine also to Cassia thy olde mother and noble Widdow we haue commended Marcus the Romane Emperour with his own hand writeth this and againe commendeth him vnto his deere friend Pulio CHAP. XLI That Princes and great Lords ought not to esteeme themselues for being fayre and well proportioned IN the time that Ioshua triumphed amongst the Hebrewes and that Dardanus passed from great Greece to Samotratia and when the sons of Egenor were seeking their sister Europe and in the time that Siculus raigned in Scicil in great Asia in the realme of Egypt was builded a great City called Thebes the which K. Busiris built of whom Diodorus Siculus at large mentioneth Plinie in the 36. Chapter of his naturall history and Homer in the second of his Iliades Statius in al the booke of his Thebiade doe declare great maruels of this City of Thebes which thing ought greatly to bee esteemed for a man ought not to thinke that fayned which so excellent authours haue written For a truth they say that Thebes was in circuit forty miles and that the walles were thirty stades hie and in bredth sixe They say also that the City had a hundred gates very sumptuous and strong and in euery gate two hundred Horsemen watched Through the midst of Thebes passed a great riuer the which by milles and fish did greately profite the City When Thebes was in his prosperity they say that there was two hundred thousand fires and besides all this all the Kings of Egypt were buried in that place As Strabo sayeth De situ orbis when Thebes was destroyed with enemies they found therein seuenty seuen Tombes of Kings which had bin buried there And here is to bee noted that all those tombes were of vertuous kings for among the Aegyptians it was a law inuiolable that the King which had beene wicked in his life should not bee buried after his death Before the noble and worthy Numantia
was founded in Europe the rich Carthage in Affricke and the hardy Rome in Italy the goodly Capua in Campaigne and the great Argentine in Germanie and the holy Helia in Palestine Thebes onely was the most renowmed of all the World For the Thebanes amongst all Nations were renowned as well for their riches as for their buildings and also because in their lawes and customes they had many notable and seuere things and all the men were seuere in their works although they would not bee knowne by their extreame doings Homer saith that the Thebanes had fiue customes wherein they were more extreame then any other Nation 1 The first was that the children drawing to fiue yeeres of age were marked in the forehead with a hot Iron because in what places soeuer they came they should be knowne for Thebanes by the marke 2 The second was that they should accustome their children to trauaile alwayes on soote And the occasion why they did this was because the Egyptians kept their beasts for their Gods and therefore whensoeuer they trauelled they neuer rid on horsebacke because they should not seeme to sit vpon their god 3 The third was that none of the Citizens of Thebes should marry with any of straÌge nations but rather caused theÌ to mary parents with parents because the friendes marrying with friends they thought the friendship and loue should be more sure 4 The fourth custome was that no Thebane should in any wise make a house for himselfe to dwell in but first hee should make his graue wherein hee should bee buried â Mee thinketh that in this point the Thebanes were not too extreame nor excessiue but that they did like sage and wise men yea and by the law of verity I sweare that they were sager then wee are For if at least we did imploy our thought but two houres in the weeke to make our graue It is vnpossible but that wee should correct euery day our life 3 The fift custome was that all the boyes which were exceeding fayre in theyr face should be by them strangled in the cradell and all the gyrles which were extreame foule were by them killed and sacrificed to the Gods Saying that the Gods forgot themselues when they made the men fayre and the women foule For the man which is very fayre is but an vnperfect woman and the woman which is extreame foule is but a sauage and wilde beast The greatest God of the Thebanes was Isis who was a red bull nourished in the riuer of Nile and they had a custome that all those which had red haire immediate should be sacrifised The contrary they did to the beasts for sith their God was a Bull of tawny colour none durst bee so bold to kill any beasts of the same colour In such forme and maner that it was lawful to kill both men and women and not the brute beasts I doe not say this well done of the Thebanes to slay their children nor yet I do say that it was well done to sacrifise men and women which had red or tawny haire nor I thinke it a thing reasonable that they should doe reuerence to the beasts of that colour but I wonder why they should so much despise foule women and faire men sith all the world is peopled both with with faire and foule Then sith those barbarous liuing as they did vnder a false law did put him to death whom the gods had adorned with any beautie we then which are Christians by reason ought much lesse to esteeme the beauty of the body knowing that most commonly thereupon ensueth the vncleannesse of the soule Vnder the Christall stone lyeth oft-times a dangerous worme in the faire wall is nourished the venomous Coluler within the middle of the white tooth is ingendred great paine to the gummes in the finest cloth the moths do most hurt and the most fruitfull tree by wormes is soonest perished I meane that vnder the cleane bodyes and faire countenances are hid many and abominable vices Truly not onely to children which are not wise but to all other which are light and frayle beutie is nothing else but the mother of many vices and the hinderer of all vertues Let Princes and great Lords beleeue me which thinke to be fayre and well disposed that where there is great aboundance of corporall goods and graces there ought to be great bones of vertues to bee able to beare them For the most high trees by great winds are shaken I say that it is vanity to bee vaine glorious in any thing of this world be it neuer so perfit and also I say that it is a great vanitie to bee prowd of corporall beautie For among all the acceptable gifts that nature gaue to the mortals there is nothing more superfluous in man and lesse necessary then the beauty of the body For truly whether be we faire or foule we are nothing the better beloued of God neither thereby the more hated of men O blindnesse of the world O life which neuer liueth O death which neuer shall end I know not why man through the accident of this beauty should or durst take vpon him any vaine glory or presumption sith he knoweth that all the fairest and most perfitest of flesh must be sacrificed to the wormes in the graue And know also that all the propernesse of the members shall be forfeited to the hungrie wormes which are in the earth Let the great scorne the little as much as they will the fayre mocke the foule at their pleasure the whole disdaine the sicke the well made enuy the deformed the white hate the blacke and the Giants despise the Dwarfes yet in the ende all shall haue an ende Truly in my opinion the trees beare not the more fruit for that they are straight onely nor for being high neither for giuing great shadow nor for being beautifull nor yet for being great By this comparison I meane that though a noble and stout man be proper of person and noble of linage shadowing of fauor comely in countenance in renowne very high and in the commonwealth puissant that therefore he is not the better in this life For truely the common wealthes are not altered by the simple laborers which trauell in the fields but by the vicious men which take great ease in their liues Vnlesse I be deceiued the Swine and other beasts are fed vnder the Oakes with the Acornes and among the pricking briers and thorns the sweet Roses doe grow the sharpe Beech giueth vs the sauory chestnuts I meane that deformed and little creatures oft times are most profitable in the commonwealth For the litle and sharpe countenances are signes of valiant and stout hearts Let vs cease to speak of men which are fleshly being eftsoons rotten and gone and let vs talke of sumptuous buildings which are of stone which if we should goe to see what they were we may know the greatnesse and the height of them Then
eye to thy childe whom of thy own bloud thou hast begotten And if thou doest it not because he is thy childe thou oughtest to doe it because hee is thy neerest For it is vnpossible that the child which with many vices is assaulted and not succoured but in the ende hee should be infamed and to the dishonour of the father most wickedly ouercome It is vnpossible to keepe Flesh well sauoured vnlesse it bee first salted It is vnpossible that the Fish should liue without water It is vnpossible but that the Rose should wither which is of the thorne ouergrowne So like it is vnpossible that the Fathers should haue any comfort of their children in their age vnlesse they haue instructed them in vertue in their youth And to speake further in this matter I say that in the Christian catholike Religion where in deede there is good doctrine there alwaies is supposed to bee a good conscience Amongst the Writers it is a thing well knowne how Eschines the Phylosopher was banished from Athens and with all his familie came to dwell at Rhodes The occasion was because that hee and the Phylosopher Demosthenes were in great contention in the common-wealth Wherefore the AtheniaÌs determined to banish the one and to keepe the other with them And truely they did well for of the contentions and debates of Sages Warres moste commonly arise amongst the people This Phylosopher Eschines being at Rhodes banished amoÌgst others made a solemne Oration wherin he greatly reproued the Rhodians that they were so negligent in bringing vp their children saying vnto them these words I let you vnderstand lords of Rhodes that your Predecessours aduaunced themselues to descend and take theyr beginning of the Lides the which aboue all other Nations were curious and diligent to bring vp theyr Children and hereof came came a Law that was among them which saide Wee ordeine and commaund that if a Father haue many Children that the most vertuous should inherite the goods and riches and if there were but one vertuous that he alone shold inherit the whole And if perchance the Children were vicious that then all should be depriued from the heritage For the goods gotteÌ with trauell of vertuous Fathers ought not by reason to be inherited by vicious childreÌ These were the wordes that the Philosopher spake to the Senate of the Rhodes and because he sayde in that oratioÌ many other things which touch not our matter I will in this place omit them For among excelleÌt Writers that writing loseth much authority when the Author from his purpose digresseth into an other matter To say the truth I doe not maruell that the children of Princes and great Lords be adulterers and belly-gods for that on the one part youth is the mother of idlenesse and on the other little experience is the cause of great offences And furthermore the fathers being once dead the children enherite their goods as quietly being loden with vices as if in deed they were with all vertues endued If the young children did know for a certaine that the lawes of the Lydes should be obserued that is to say that they should not inherite vnlesse they be vertuous it is vnpossible but that they would leade a vertuous life and not in this wise to run at large in the worlde For they doe abstaine more from doing euill fearing to lose that which they doe possesse then for anie loue to doe that which they ought I do not denie but according as the natures of the Fathers is diuers so the inclination of the children is variable For so much as some following theyr good inclinations are good and others not resisting euill sensualities are euill But yet in this matter I say that it lyeth much in the Father that doeth bring them vp when as yet they are young so that the euill which nature gaue by good bringing vp is refrayned For oft times the good custome doth ouercome all euill inclination Princes and great Lordes that will be diligent in the instruction of theyr children ought to enforme their maisters and tutors that shall teach them to what vices and vertues their Children are moste inclined And this ought to bee to encourage them in that that is good and contrarie to reproue them in all that is euill For men are vndone for none other cause when they be olde but for that they had so much pleasure when they were young Sextus Cheronensis in the second booke of the auncients saith that on a day a cittizen of Athenes was buying things in the market and for the qualitie of his person the greatest parte of them were superfluous and nothing necessarie And in this case the poore are no lesse culpable then the rich and the riche then the poore For that is so little that to sustaine manslife is necessarie that he which hath least hath therevnto superfluous Therefore at this time when Athens and her common-wealth was the Lanterne of all Greece there was in Athens a Law long vsed and of a great time accustomed that nothing should be bought before a Philosopher had set the price And truly the law was good and would to God the same law were at this present obserued For there is nothing that destroieth a commonwealth more then to permit some to sell as tyrantes and others to buye as fooles When the Theban was buying these things a philosopher was present who saide vnto him these words Tell me I pray thee thou man of Thebes Wherefore doest thou consume and wast thy money in that which is not necessarie for thy house nor profitable for thy person The Thebane answered him I let thee knowe that I doe buye all these things for a sonne I haue of the age of xx yeares the which neuer did any thing that seemed vnto mee euil nor I neuer denyed him any thing that hee demaunded This Philososopher answered Oh how happy wert thou if as thou art a Father thou wert a sonne and that which the Father saieth vnto the sonne the sonne would say vnto the father but I am offended greatly with that thou hast told me For vntill the childe be xxv yeares old he ought not to gainesay his father and the good father ought not to condiscend vnto the appetites of the sonne Now I may call thee cursed father since thou arte become subject to the will of thy sonne and that thy sonne is not obedient to the will of his Father so that thou alterest the order of nature For so much as the father is become sonne of his sonne and the sonne is become father of his father But in the ende I sweare vnto thee by the immortall Gods that when thou shalt become old and aged thou shalt lament and weepe by thy selfe at that which with thy Sonne thou diddest laugh when he was young Though the words of this Phylosopher were fewe yet a wise man will iudge the sentences to be manie I conclude therfore that Princes and
young Princes more then for that they commit not their affairs to their old and faithfull seruants for in fine the vnfained loue is not but in him that eateth the Princes breade dayly It is but reason that other Princes take example by this Prince to seeke good masters for their Children and if the Masters bee good and the Schollers euill then the Fathers are blamelesse For to Princes great Lords it is a great discharge of conscience to see though theyr children bee lost yet it is not for want of doctrine but for aboundance of malice The Romane Prince had a custom to celebrate the feast of the god Genius who was god of their birth and that feast was celebrated euerie yeare once which was kept the same day of the birth of the Emperour ioifully throughout all Rome for at this day all the prisoners were pardoned and deliuered out of the prison Mamortina Yet notwithstanding you ought to know that if any had sowed sedition among the people or had betrayed the Armies or robbed or done any mischiefe in their temples those three offences were neuer pardoned nor excused in Rome Euen as in Christian Religion the greatest oath is to sweare by God so amongst the Romanes there was no greater oath then to sweare by the God Genius And since it was the greatest oath none should sweare it but by the licence of the Senate and that ought to be betwixt the hands of the priests of the God Genius And if perchance such an oath were taken of light occasion hee which sware it was in danger of his life For in Rome there was an ancient Law that no man should make any solemne oath but that first they should demaund licence of the Senate The Romaines did not permitte that lyers nor deceyuers should bee credited by their oathes neyther did they permit them to sweare For they sayde that periured men doe both blaspheme the gods deceiue men The aboue named Marcus Aurelius was borne the 27. day of Aprill in Mount Celio in Rome And as by chance they celebrated the Feast of the god Genius which was the day of his birth there came masters offence Iuglers and common players with other loyterers to walke and solace themselues For the Romaines in their great feasts occupied themselus all night in offering sacrifices to the gods and afterwards they consumed all the day in pastimes Those iuglers and players shewed so much pastime that all those which beheld them were prouoked to laugh and the Romaines to say the truth were so earnest in matters of Pastime and also in other matters of weight that in the day of pastimes no man was sad and in the time appointed for sadnesse no man was merry So that in publike affaires they vsed all to mourne or else all to reioyce Sinna Catulus saith that this good Emperour was so well beloued that when he reioyced all reioyced and when the Romane people made any great feast he himselfe was there present to make it of more authoritie and shewed such mirth therein as if he alone and none other had reioyced For otherwise if the Prince looke sadly no man dare shew himselfe merry The Historiographers say of this good Emperour that in ioyfull feasts and triumphs they neuer saw him lesse merry then was requisite for the feast nor they euer saw him so merry that it exceeded the grauitie of his person For the Prince which in vertue presumeth to bee excellent ought neither in earnest matters to be heauy nor in things of small importance to shew himselfe light As Princes now adayes goe enuironed with men of armes so did the good Emperour goe accompanyed with sage Phylosophers Yea and more then that which ought most to bee noted is that in the dayes of feasts and pleasures the Princes at this present goe accompanied with hungry flatterers but this noble Emperour went accompanied with wise men For the Prince that vseth himselfe with good company shall alwaie auoyde the euill talke of the people Sextus Cheronensis saith that a Senatour called Fabius Patroclus seeing that the Emperour Marcus went alwayes to the Senate and Theaters accompanied and enuironed with Sages saide one day to him merrily I pray thee my Lord tell me why thou goest not to the Theater as to the Theater and to the Senate as to the Senate For the Senate Sages ought to goe to giue vs good counsell and to the Theaters fooles to make vs pastime To this the good Emperour answered My friend I say thou art much deceiued For to the sacred Senate wherein there are so many sages I would leade all the fooles to the end they may become wise and to the Theaters where all the fooles are I would bring the sages to the end to teach them wisedome Truly this sentence was fit for him that spake it I admonish princes and great Lords that in steed to keepe companie with fooles flatterers and parasites they prouide to haue about them wise and sage men in especially if the fooles bee malitious for the noble harts with one malitious word are more offended then if they were with a venemous arrow wounded Therefore returning to our matter as the Emperour was in the feast of the god Genius and that with him also were the foureteene Sages Masters of the prince Comodus a iugler more cunning then all the rest shewed sundry trickes as commonly such vaine loyterers are wont to doe for hee that in like vanities sheweth most pastime is of the people best beloued As the Emperour Marcus Aurelius was sage so he set his eyes more for to behold these foureteene Masters then he did stay at the lightnes of the fooles And by chance he espied that fiue of these laughed so inordinatly at the folly of these fooles that they clapte their hands they bette their feete lost the grauity of Sages by their inordinate laughter the which was a very vncomely thing in such graue persons for the honest modesty of the body is a great witnesse of the wisedome and grauity of the minde The lightnesse and inconstancy of the Sages seene by the Emperour and that all the graue Romanes were offended with them he tooke it heauily as well to haue brought them thither as to haue beene deceyued in electing them Howbeit with his wisedome then he helped himselfe as much as hee could in not manifesting any griefe in his heart but he dissembled and made as though hee saw them not For Sage Princes must needes feele things as men but they ought to dissemble them as discreet The Emperour presently would not admonish them nor before any reproue them but let the feast passe on and also a few dayes after the which being passed the Emperour spake vnto them in secret not telling them openly wherein he shewed him selfe a mercifull Prince for open correction is vniust where secret correction may take place The things which Marcus Aurelius sayde to those fiue Masters when
thousand to helpe to marry her and the other thousand to helpe for to releeue your pouerty My wife Faustine is sicke and I send you another 1000. Sesterces to giue to the Vestall virgins to pray to the Gods for her My wife sendeth to thee Claudine a Cofer by the immortall Gods I sweare vnto thee I cannot tell what is in it I beseech the Gods sithence you are aged to giue you a good death and to me and Faustine they suffer vs to leade a good life Marcus of mount Celio with his own hand writeth this CHAP. XXIII Princes ought to take heede that they be not noted of auarice for that the couetous man is both of God and man hated THe great Alexander King of Macedony and Darius the vnfortunate King of Persians were not onely contrary in wars and conquests which they made but also in the conditions and inclinations which they had For Alexander naturally loued to giue and spend and Darius to the contrarie to heape locke and keepe When the fame of Alexander was spredde abroade throughout all the word to bee a Prince of honour and not couetous his owne loued him intirely strangers desired to serue him faithfully The miserable King Darius as he was noted of great auarice and of small liberality so his did disobey him and strangers hated him whereof may be gathered that Princes and great Lords by giuing do make them selues rich and in keeping they make themselues poore Plutarch in his Apothegmes declareth that after King Darius was dead and Alexander had triumphed ouer all the Orientall parts a man of Thebes being in the market place of Athens setting forth the fortune of Alexander for the sundry Countryes which hee had conquered and describing the euill fortune of Darius for the great number of men which hee had lost a Philosopher with a loude voyce sayd O man of Thebes thou art greatly deceyued to think that one prince loseth many seigniories and that the other Prince winneth many Realmes For Alexander the Great wann nought but stones and couerings of Cities for with his liberality hee had already gotten the good wils of the Citizens and on the contrary the vnfortunate Darius did not lose but stones and the couertures of Cities for with his couetousnesse and auarice hee had now lost all the hearts of those of Asia And further this Philosopher sayde vnto him that Princes which will enlarge their estates and amplifie their realmes in their conquests ought first to winne the hearts and to bee noble and liberall and afterwards to send their armies to conquer the Forts and wals for otherwise little auayleth it to winne the stones if the hearts do rebell Whereby a man may gather that that which Alexander wanne he wanne by liberality and stoutenesse and that which King Darius lost he lost for being miserable and couetous And let vs not maruell hereat for that Princes and great Lordes which are ouercome with auarice I doubt whether euer they shall see themselus Conquerours of many realmes The vice of auarice is so detestable so euil so odious and so perillous that if a man should employ himselfe for to write all the discommodities thereunto belonging my penne shoulde do nought else then to presume to drye vp all the water in the sea For the stomacke where auarice entreth causeth a man to serue vices worship Idols If a vertuous man would prepare himselfe to thinke on the great trauel and little rest that this cursed vice beareth with him I thinke that none would be vicious therein Though the couetous man had no other trauell but alwayes to goe to bed with daunger and to rise vp with care Mee thinketh that it is a trouble sufficient for such a one when he goeth to bed thinketh that hee should bee killed in his bedde or that sleeping his coffers should be rifled and from that time he riseth hee is alwayes tormented with feare to lose that which he hath wonne and carefull to augment that little too much The diuine Plato in the first booke of his Common-wealth sayde these words The men be made rich because they neuer learned to bee rich for he which continually and truly will become rich first ought to abhorre couetousnesse before he begin to occupie himselfe to locke vppe goods For the man which setteth no bond to his desire shall alwayes haue little though hee see himselfe Lord of the world The sentence of the Stoyckes doth satisfie my mind much whereof Aristotle in his politikes maketh mention where he sayth That vnto great affayres are alwayes required great riches and there is no extreame pouertie but where there hath beene great aboundance c. Thereof ensueth that vnto Princes and great Lordes which haue much they want much because vnto men which haue had little they can want but little If wee admonish worldlings not to be vicious they will alwayes haue excuses to excuse themselues declaring why they haue been vicious the vice of Auarice excepted to whome and with whom they haue no excuse For if one vaine reason be ready to excuse there are two thousand to condemne them Let vs put example in all the principall vices and wee shall see how this onely of Auarice remaineth condemned and not excused If we reason why a noble Prince or great Lord is hautie and proude He will aunswere that hee hath great occasion For the naturall disposition of men is rather to desire to commaund with trauell then to serue with quyetnes and rest If we reproue any man that is furious and giuen to anger hee will aunswere vs that we maruell not since we maruell not of the proude For that the enemy hath no more authority to trouble any man then the other to take reuenge of him If we blame him for that he is fleshly and vicious he will answer vs that hee cannot abstaine from that sinne For if any man can eschew the actes he fighteth continually with vncleane thoughts If wee say that anie man is negligent hee will answere vs that he deserueth not to be blamed For the vilenes of our nature is such that if we do trauell it immediately it is wearie and if we rest it immediately it reioyceth If wee rebuke any man that is a glutton hee will answere vs that without eating and drinking wee cannot liue in the world for the Diuine Word hath not forbidden man to eate with the mouth but the vncleane thoughts which come from the heart As of these few vices we haue declared so may wee excuse all the residue but to the vice of couetousnesse none can giue a reasonable excuse For with money put into the coffer the soule cannot profite nor the bodie reioyce Boetius in his booke of consolation said That Money is good not when wee haue it in possession but when wee want it And in very deede the sentence of Boetius is very profound For when man spendeth money he attaineth to that he
be so many couetous men in the common wealth for nothing can bee more vniust then one rich man heape vp that which wold suffice 10000. to liue with all we cannot deny but that cursed auarice to al sorts of men is as preiudicial as the moth which eateth all garments Therefore speaking the truth there is no house that it doth not defile for it is more perillous to haue a clod of earth fall into a mans eye then a beame vpon his foote Agesilaus the renowmed king of the Lacedemonians beeing asked of a man of Thebes what word was most odible to be spoken to a King and what word was that that could honor him most hee aunswered The Prince with nothing so much ought to bee annoyed as to say vnto him that hee is rich and of nothing hee ought so much to reioyce as to be called poore For the glory of the good Prince consisteth not in that hee hath great treasures but in that hee hath giuen great recompences This word without doubt of all the world was one of the most royallest and worthyest to be committed vnto me morie Alexander Pyrrhus Nicanor Ptholomeius Pompeius Iulius Caesar Scipto Hanniball Marcus Porlius Augustus Cato Traian Theodose Marcus Aurelius c. All these Princes haue bin very valiaunt and vertuous but adding hereunto also the Writers which had written the deeds that they did in their liues haue mentioned also the pouertie which they had at their death So that they are no lesse exalted for the riches they haue spent then for the prowesses they haue done Admit that men of meane estate be auaritious and Princes great Lords also couetous the fault of the one is not equall with the vice of the other though in the ende all are culpable For if the poore man keepe it is for that hee would not want but if the knight hoord it is because he hath too much And in this case I would say that cursed bee the Knight which trauelleth to the end that goods abound and doth not care that betweene two bowes his renowm fall to the ground Sithens Princes and great Lordes will that men doe count them Noble vertuous and valiaunt I would fayne know what occasion they haue to be niggards and hard If they say that that which they keepe is to eate herein there is no reason for in the end where the rich eateth least at his table there are many that had rather haue that which remaineth then that which they prouide to eate in their houses If they say that that which they keepe is to apparrell them herein also they haue as little reason for the greatnes of Lordes consisteth not in that they should bee sumptuously apparrelled but that they prouide that their seruants goe not rent not torne If they say it is to haue in their chambers precious iewels in their hals rich Tapestry as little would I admit this answere for all those which enter into Princes Pallaces doe behold more if those that haunt their chambers bee vertuous then that the Tapestries be rich If they say it is to compasse their Cities with walles or to make fortresses on their frontiers so likewise is this answere among the others very cold For good Princes ought not to trauell but to be well willed and if in their realms they be welbeloued in the world they can haue no walles so strong as in the hearts of their Subiects If they tell vs that that they keepe is to marry their children as little reason is that for sithence Princes and great Lords haue great inheritances they need not heape much For if their children bee good they shall encrease that shall be left them and if by mishappe they be euill they shall as well lose that which shall bee giuen them If they say vnto vs that which they heape is for the wartes in like manner that is no iust excuse For if such warre bee not iust the Prince ought not to take it in hand nor the people thereunto to condiscend but if it be iust the common-wealth then and not the Prince shall beare the charges thereof For in iust warres it is not sufficient that they giue vnto the Prince all their goods but also they must themselues in person hazzard theyr liues If they tell vs that they keepe it to giue and dispose for theyr soules at their dying day I say it is not onely for want of wisedome but extreame sollie For at the houre of death princes ought more to reioyce for that they haue giuen then for that at that time they giue Oh how Princes and great Lordes are euill counselled since they suffer themselues to be slaundered for being couetous onely to heape a little cursed treasure For experience teacheth vs no man can be couetous of goods but needs he must be prodigall of honour and abandon libertie Plutarche in the Booke which hee made of the fortunes of Alexander saith That Alexander the great had a priuate seruant called Perdicas the which seeing that Alexander liberally gaue all that which by great trauell hee attained on a day he said vnto him Tell mee most Noble Prince sithens thou giuest all that thou hast vnto others what wilt thou haue for thy selfe Alexander answered The glorie remaineth vnto mee of that I haue wonne and gotten and the hope of that which I will giue and winne And further he said vnto him I will tell thee Perdicas If I knew that men thought that all that which I take were for couetousnes I sweare vnto thee by the God Mars that I would not beate downe one corner in a Towne and to winne all the world I would not go one dayes iourney My intention is to take the glorie vnto my selfe and to diuide the goods amongst others These words so high were worthy of a valiant and vertuous Prince as of Alexander which spake them If that which I haue read in books doe not beguile mee and that which with these eyes I haue seen to become rich it is necessarie that a man giue For that Princes and great lords who naturally are giuen to bee liberall are alwayes fortunate to haue It chaunceth oft times that some man giuing a little is counted liberal and another giuing much is counted a niggard the which proceedeth of this that they know not that liberalitie and niggardnesse consisteth not in giuing much or little but to knowe well how to giue For the rewardes and recompences which out of time are distributed doe neyther profite them which receyue them neyther agree to him which giueth them A couetous man giueth more at one time then a noble and free heart doeth in twentie thus saith the prouerbe It is good comming to a niggardes feast The difference betweene the liberality of the one and the misery of the other is that the noble and vertuous doth giue that he giueth to many but the niggard giueth that hee giueth to one onely Of the which vnaduisement
ÎΡΧÎÎΤÎΡÎÎÎÎÎÎÎ OR THE DIALL OF PRINCES CONTAINING THE GOLDEN AND FAMOVS BOOKE OF MARCVS AVRELIVS Sometime Emperour of Rome DECLARING What Excellency consisteth in a Prince that is a good Christian And what euils attend on him that is a cruell Tirant WRITTEN By the Reuerend Father in God DON ANTONIO of Gueuara Lord Bishop of Guadix Preacher and Chronicler to the late mighty Emperour CHARLES the fift First translated out of French by THOMAS NORTH Sonne to Sir EDWARD NORTH Lord NORTH of Kirthling And lately reperused and corrected from many grosse imperfections With addition of a Fourth Booke stiled by the Name of The fauoured Courtier LONDON Imprinted by Bernard Alsop dwelling by Saint Annes Church neere Aldersgate 1619. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR HENRY MOVNTAGVE Knight Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Pleas Holden before his most Royall Maiestie c THe Emperour Traiane Right Honourable writing a Letter to the Senate of Rome concerning the weightie and carefull condition of Princes among many other matters vsed these wordes of himselfe I doe freely confesse vnto you that since I tasted the cares and trauels attending on this Imperiall dignitie I haue repented a thousand times that euer I did vndertake it because if it bee accounted Honour to enioy an Empire there consisteth farre greater paine and labour to order and gouerne it as it ought to be But beside what enuie doth hee expose himselfe to multitude of mislikes that hath the charge of gouerning others If hee be iust hee is branded with cruelry if mercifull hee is contemned if beautifull tearmed lauish and prodigall if hee hoorde vp money then basely couetous if inclined to peace then hee is a coward If full of courage proudly anbitious if discreetly graue surly and scornefull if affably courteous silly and simple if affecting solitude a dissembling hypocrite if addicted to mirth and pleasure then wantonly dissolute In the end of all te worthy Emperour thus concluded Although willingly I accepted this high office at the first yet sorrow hath since made mee shrinke vnder so brdensom a charge For the Sea and dignitie are thinges pleasing to looke ân but very perillous to meddle withall I haue alledged his example worthie Lord because present vnto your gracious acceptance his ancient and famous Booke called The Diall of Princes wherein is at lige and amply set downe what care and respect awayteth on the liues of Prinââs and great persons for if they canot runne into the smallest errour but redoundeth to the hurt of many nor neglect their duty without other mens userie Then sayde the Philosopher well A Prince should not appropriate the Common-wealth to himselfe but shape himselfe wholy to the Common wealth And so much the rather because he standing accountable to no man in this Life ought to remember a farre stricter account before him that maketh no respect of Princes saue onely in this that they shall finde the Iudge the more seuere against them by how much they haue abused their place of eminencie as also their power and princely authority In the learned Discourses following set downe by that good Emperour Marcus Aurelius the honourable Argument of all this worke are three especiall duties and actions obserued necessarily required in an absolute and perfect Prince as namely In Ruling Iudging and Defending To rule by iust lawes and good Example To Iudge by Wisedome Prouidence and Iustice And Defend by valour care and vigilancy And this is that which the Spirit of God so often intimateth by the Prophet Ieremie âap 22. verse 3. To execute Iudgement and righteousnesse To deliuer the oppressed from the handes ââ the oppressour Not to vexe the Stanger fatherlesse or Widdow Neyther to doe violence or shedde the innocent bloud Into infinite other famous presidents for Princes I could enter and set them downe expressely but that I know they are so frequent to your Honour both in reading and memorie that it were as lost labour as to hold a burning Taper in the bright Sunne at Noone-day and therefore these few shall suffice Nor doe I dedicate this vnto your graue and learned iudgement as a new labour of mine owne or as a worke neuer seene before because it hath already past diuers impressions albeit not in so exact a maner nor with the like paines as hath now bin bestowed vpon it from many absurde and grosse imperfections and yet not so cleanely purged as I could wish it were nor as it shall bee if euer it come to the Presse againe Wherefore I humbly entreate your Honour to accept it as it is and as an oblation of my loue vnfainedly to you which gladly would shew it selfe by any possible meanes as time hereafter may better enable me Til when I remain ready at your Honours seruice to the very vtmost of my best abilitie Your Honors in all duty A. M. A GENER ALL PROLOGVE VPON THE BOOKE ENTITVLED THE DYALL OF PRINCES WITH THE FAmous Booke of MARCVS AVRELIVS Compyled by the Reuerend Father in GOD the Lord ANTONY of GVEVARA Byshop of Guadix Confessor and Chronicler to Charles the fifth Emperour of Rome vnto whom and to all other Princes and Noble-personages this worke was directed APolonius Thianeus disputing with the schollers of Hiareas said that among all the affections of nature nothing is more naturall then the desire that all haue to preserue life Omitting the dispute of these great Phylosophers herein wee our selues hereof haue daily proofe that to liue men do trauell to liue byrds do flie fishes do swimme and to liue beasts do hide themselues for feare of death Finally I say there is no liuing creature so brutish that hath not a naturall desire to liue If many of the auncient Paynims so little regarde life that of their owne free willes they offered themselues death they did it not for that they despised life but because they thought that for their little regarding life wee would more highly esteem their fame For wee see men of hauty courages seeke rather to winne a long-during-Fame then to saue a short lasting-life How loth men are to die is easily seen by the great paines they take to liue For it is a naturall thing to all mortall men to leaue their liues with sorrowe and take their deaths with feare Admit that all doe taste this corporall death and that generally both good and euill doe die yet is there great difference between the death of the one and the death of the other If the good desire to liue it is onely for the greater desire they haue to do more good but if the euill desire to liue it is for that they would abuse the world longer For the children of vanity call no time good but onely that wherein they liue according to their owne desires I let you vnderstand that are at this present and you also that shall come heereafter that I direct my writings vnto those which embrace vertue and not vnto such as are borne away with vice GOD
the state of the rich is good if they will Godly vse it I say the estate of the Religious is good if they be able to profite others I say the estate of the communaltie is good if they will content themselues I say the estate of the poore is good if they haue pacience For it is no merite to suffer troubles if wee haue not pacience therein During the time of this our miserable life we cannot denie but in euery estate there is both trouble danger For then onely our estate shall be perfite when we shall come gloriously in soule and bodie without the feare of death and also when we shall reioyce without daungers in life Returning againe to our purpose Mightie Prince although wee all be of value little wee all haue little we all can attaine little wee all know little we all are able to doe little we all loue but little yet in all this little the state of Princes seemeth some great and high thing For that worldly men say There is no such felicitie in this life as to haue authoritie to coÌmaund many and to be bound to obey none But if eyther subiects knew how deere Princes by their power to command or if princes knew how sweet a thing it is to liue in quiet doubtles the subjects would pittie their rulers and the rulers would not enuie their subiects For full fewe are the pleasures which Princes enjoy in respect of the troubles that they endure Since then the estates of Princes is greater then all that hee may do more then all is of more value then all vpholdeth more then all And finally that from thence proceedeth the gouernement of all it is more needefull that the House the Person and the life of a Prince be better gouerned and ordered then all the rest For euen as by the meate-yard the Marchaunt measureth all his wares So by the life whole of the Prince is measured the whole common-weale Many sorrowes endureth the woman in nourishing a way-ward child great trauell taketh a Schoolmaster in teaching an vntoward scholler much paines taketh an Officer in gouerning a multitude ouer-great How great then is the paine and perill wherevnto I offer my selfe in taking vpon mee to order the life of such an one vpon whose life dependeth all the good estate of a Common-weale For Noble Princes and great Lords ought of vs to bee serued and not offended wee ought to exhort them not to vexe them wee ought to encreate them not to rebuke them wee ought to aduise them and not to defame them Finally I say the right simple reckon I that Surgion which with the same plaisters hee layed to a harde heele seeketh to cure the tender Eyes I meane by this comparison that my purpose is not to tell Princes and Noble-men in this booke what they be but to warne them what they ought to bee not to tell them what they do but to aduise them what they ought to doe For that Noble-man which will not amende his life for remorse of his owne conscience Iidoe thinke hee will doe it for the writing of my pen. Paulus Dyaconus the first Hystoriographer in the second booke of his Commentaryes sheweth an antiquitie right worthie to remember and also pleasaunt to read Although indeed to the hinderaunce of my selfe I shall rehearse it It is as of the Henne who by long scraping on the Dung-hill discouereth the knife that shall cut her owne throate Thus was the case Hanniball the most renowmed Prince and captain of Carthage after hee was vanquished by the aduenturous Scipio fled into Asia to king Antiochus a prince then liuing of great vertue who receyued him into his realme tooke him into his protection and right honourably intertayned him in his house And truly king Antiochus did heerein as a pittyfull prince For what can more beautifie the honour of a Prince then to succour Nobilitie in their needefull estate These two Noble Princes vsed diuers exercises to spende the time honourablie and thus they diuided their time Sometime to hunt in the mountains otherwhiles to disporre them in the fields oft to view their Armeys But chiefly they resorted to the Schooles to heare the Phylosophers And truely they did like wise and skilfull men For there is no houre in a day otherwise so well employed as in hearing a wise pleasant tongued man There was at a time in Ephesus a famous Philosopher called Phormio which openly and publikely read and taught the people of the realme And one day as these two Princes came into the Schoole the Philosopher Phormio chaunged the matter whereupon he read and of a sudden began to talke of the meanes and wayes that Princes ought to vse in warre and of the order to bee kept in giuing battell Such so strange and high phrased was the matter which hee talked of that not onely they maruelled which neuer before saw him but euen those also that of long time had daily heard him For herein curious and flourishing wits shew their excellency in that they neuer want fresh matter to entreate vpon Greatly gloried the King Antiochus that this Philosopher in preseÌce of this strange Prince had so excellently spoken so that strangers might vnderstand he had his realme stored with wise men For couragious and noble Princes esteem nothing so precious as to haue men valiaÌt to defend their Frontiers and also wise to gouerne their common-weales The Lecture read King Antiochus demaunded of the Prince Hannibal how he liked the talke of the Philosopher Formio to whom Hanibal stoutly answered and in his answer shewed himselfe to bee of that stoutnesse he was the same day when he wan the great battell at Cannas for although noble hearted and couragious Princes lose all their estates and realmes yet they will neuer confesse their harts to be ouerthrowne nor vanquished And these were the words that at that time Hannibal sayde Thou shalt vnderstand K. Antiochus that I haue seene diuers doting old men yet I neuer saw a more dotard foole theÌ Phormio whom thou callest such a great Philosopher For the greatest kinde of folly is when a man that hath but a little vaine science presumeth to teach not those which haue onely science also such as haue most certaine experience Tell me King Antiochus what hart can brooke with patience or what tongue can suffer with silence to see a silly man as this Philosopher is nourished all his life time in a corner of Greece studying Philosophie to presume as hee hath done to talke before the prince Hannibal of the affayres of warre as though hee had beene eyther Lord of Affrique or Captaine of Rome Certes hee eyther full little knoweth himselfe or else but little esteemeth vs For it appeareth by his vaine wordes hee would seeme to know more in matters of warre by that hee hath read in bookes then doth Hanniball by the sundry great battels which he hath fought in the fields Oh King Antiothus how
aunswered him that it was Calistratus the Philosopher a man which in eloqueÌce was very sweete and pleasant hee determined to stay and heare him to the end hee would know whether it were true or vaine that the people tolde him For oftentimes it hapneth that among the people some get theÌselues great fame more by fauor then by good learning The difference betwixt the diuine Philosopher Plato and Calistratus was in that Plato was exceedingly wel learned and the other very eloquent and thus it came to passe that in liuing they followed Plato and in eloquence of speech they did imitate Calistratus For there are diuers men sufficiently well learned which haue profound doctrine but they haue no way nor meanes to teach it vnto others Demosthenes hearing Calistratus but once was so farre in loue with his doctrine that he neuer after heard Plato nor entered into his Schoole for to harken to any of his lectures At which newes diuers of the Sages and Wise men of Grecia maruelled much seeing that the tongue of a man was of such power that it had put all their doctrine vnto silence Although I apply not this example I doubt not but that your Maiesty vnderstandeth to what ende I haue declared it And moreouer I say that although Princes and great Lordes haue in their Chambers Bookes so well corrected and men in their Courts so well learned that they may worthily keepe the estimation which Plato had in his Schoole yet in this case it should not displease me that the difference that was between Plato and Calistratus should bee betweene Princes and this Booke God forbid that by this saying men should thinke I meane to disswade Princes from the company of the sage men or from reading of any other booke but this for in so doing Plato should bee reiected which was diuine and Calistratus embraced which was more worldly But my desire is that sometimes they would vse to reade this booke a little for it may chaunce they shall finde some wholesome counsell therein which at one time or other may profite them in their affayres For the good and vertuous Prince ought to graffe in their memory the wise sayings which they reade and forget the cankred iniuries and wrongs which are done them I do not speake it without a cause that hee that readeth this my writing shall finde in it some profitable counsell For all that which hath bin written in it hath beene euery word and sentence with great diligence so well wayed and corrected as if therein onely consisted the effect of the whole worke The greatest griefe that learned men seele in their writing is to thinke that if there bee many that view their doings to take profite thereby they shall perceyue that there are as many more which occupie their tongues in the slaunder and disprayse thereof In publishing this my worke I haue obserued the manner of them that plant a new garden wherein they set Roses which giue a pleasant sauour to the nose they make faire greene plattes to delight the eyes they graft fruitfull trees to bee gathered with the hands but in the end as I am a man so haue I written it for men and consequently as a man I may haue erred for there is not at this day so perfect a painter but another will presume to amend his worke Those which diligently will endeauour themselues to reade this booke shall finde in it very profitable counsels very liuely lawes good reasons notable sayings sentences very profound worthy examples and histories very ancient For to say the truth I had a respect in that the doctrine was auncient and the Stile new And albeit your Maiesty bee the greatest Prince of all Princes and I the least of all your Subiects you ought not for my base condition to disdaine to cast your eyes vpon this booke nor to thinke scorne to put that thing in proofe which seemeth good For a good letter ought to be nothing the lesse esteemed although it be written with an euill pen. I haue sayde and will say that Princes and great Lords the stouter the richer and the greater of renowme they bee the greater need they haue of all men of good knowledge about them to counsell them in their affayres and of good bookes which they may reade and this they ought to doe as well in prosperity as in aduersity to the end that their affayres in time conuenient may be debated and redressed For otherwise they should haue time to repent but no leasure to amend Plinie Marcus Varro Strabo and Macrobius which were Historiographers no lesse graue then true were at great controuersie improouing what things were most authenticke in a common weale and at what time they were of all men accepted Seneca in an Epistle hee wrote to Lucullus praysed without ceasing the Common wealth of the Rhodians in the which with much ado they bent themselues altogether to keepe one selfe thing and after they had therupon agreede they kept and maintained it inuiolably The diuine Plato in the sixt booke entituled De Legibus ordained and commanded that if any Cittizen did inuent any new thing which neuer before was read nor heard of the inuentour thereof should first practise the same for the space of ten yeares in his own house before it was brought into the Common-wealth and before it should bee published vnto the people to the end if the inuention were good it should be profitable vnto him and if it were nought that then the daunger and hurt thereof should light onely on him Plutarch in his Apothegmes sayeth that Lycurgus vpon grieuous penalties did prohibite that none should bee so hardy in his Common wealth to goe wandring into strange Countries nor that hee should be so hardy to admit any strangers to come into his house and the cause why this law was made was to the end strangers should not bring into their houses things strange and not accustomed in their Common wealth and that they trauelling through strange countries should not learne new Customes The presumption of men now adayes is so great and the consideration of the people so small that what soeuer a man can speake he speaketh what so euer he can inuent he doth inuent what hee would hee doth write and it is no maruell for there is no man that wil speak against them Nor the common people in this case are so light that amongst them you may dayly see new deuises and whether it hurt or profit the Common wealth they force not If there came at this day a vaine man amongst the people which was neuer seene nor heard of before if hee bee any thing subtill I aske you but this question Shall it not bee easie for him to speake and inuent what hee listeth to set forth what he pleaseth to perswade that which to him seemeth good and all his sayings to be beleeued truly it is a wonderfull thing and no lesse slaunderous that one should be sufficient
yea and surmount and surpasse many but yet I doe aduise theÌ not to employ their force but to follow one For often times it chanceth that many which suppose themselues in their life to excell all when they are dead are scarcelie found equall vnto any Though man hath done much and blazed what he can yet in the end he is but one one mind one power one birth one life and one death Then sithence hee is but one let no man presume to know more then one Of all these good Princes which I haue named in the rowle of iustice the last was Marcus Aurelius to the intent that he should weaue his webbe For suppose we reade of many Princes that haue compiled notable things the which are to bee reade and knowne but all that Marcus Aurelius sayde or did is worthy for to be knowne and necessary to bee followed I doe not meane this Prince in his Heathen law but in his vertuous deedes Let vs not stay at his beleefe but let vs embrace the good that hee did For compare many Christians with some of the Heathen and looke how farre we leaue them behind in faith so farre they excell vs in good and vertuous works All the olde Princes in times past had some Philosophers to their familiars as Alexander Aristotle King Darius Herodorus Augustus Pisto Pompeius Plauto Titus Plinie Adrian Secundus Traion Plutarchus Anthonius Apolonius Theodotius Claudinus Seuerus Fabatus Finally I say that Phylosophers then had such aucthoritie in Princes pallaces that children acknowledged them for Fathers and Fathers reuerenced them as masters These Wise and Sage men were aliue in the company of Princes but the good and vertuous Marcus Aurelius whose doctrine is before your Maiesty is not aliue but dead Yet therefore that is no cause why his Doctrine should not bee admitted For it may bee peraduenture that this shall profite vs more which hee wrote with his handes then that which others spake with their toÌgus Plutarch sayeth in the time of Alexander the great Aristotle was aliue and Homer was dead But let vs see how hee loued the one and reuerenced the other for of truth he slept alwayes with Homers booke in his hands and waking he read the same with his eyes and alwayes kept the doctrine thereof in his memory and layde when he rested the booke vnder his head The which priuiledge Aristotle had not who at all times could not be heard and much lesse at all seasons be beleeued so that Alexander had Homer for his friend and Aristotle for a master Other of these Philosophers were but simple men but our Marcus Aurelius was both a wise Philosopher and a very valiant Prince and therfore reason would hee should be credited before others For as a prince hee will declare the troubles and as a Philosopher hee will redresse them Take you therefore Puisaunt Prince this wise Philosopher and Noble Emperour for a Teacher in your youth for a Father in your gouernment for a Captaine generall in your Warres for a guide in your iourneyes for a friend in your affayres for an example in your vertues for a Master in your sciences for a pure white in your desires and for equall match in your deedes I will declare vnto you the Life of an other beeing a Heathen and not the life of an other beeing a Christian For looke how much glory this Heathen Prince had in this world beeing good and vertuous so much paines your Maiesty shall haue in the other if you shall bee wicked and vicious Beholde behold most Noble and illustrious Prince the Life of this Emperour and you shal plainly see and perceyue how cleare hee was in his iudgement how vpright hee was in his iustice how circumspect in the course of his life how louing to his friends how patient in his troubles and aduersities how hee dissembled with his enemies how seuere against Tirants how quiet among the quiet how great a frieÌd vnto the Sage and louer of the simple how aduenturous in his warres and amiable in peace and chiefly and aboue all things how high in wordes and prosound in sentences Many and sundry times I haue beene in doubt with my selfe whether the heauenly and eternall Maiesty which giueth vnto you Princes the Temporall Maiesty for to rule aboue all other in power and authoritie did exempt you that are earthly Princes more from humane fraylety then hee did vs that be but Subiects and at the last I know hee did not For I see euen as you are children of the World so you doe liue according to the World I see euen as you trauell in the Worlde so you can know nothing but things of the world I see because you liue in the Flesh that you are subiect to the miseries of the flesh I see though for a time you doe prolong your life yet at the last you are brought vnto your graue I see your trauel is great and that within your Gates there dwelleth no rest I see you are colde in the winter and hote in the Summer I see that hunger feeleth you and thirst troubleth you I see your friendes forsake you and your enemies assault you I say that you are sadde and do lacke ioy I see that you are sicke and bee not well serued I see you haue much and yet that which you lacke is more What will you see more seeing that Princes dye O noble Princes and great Lords since you must dye and become wormes meate why doe you not in your life time search for good counsell If the Princes and noble men commit an errour no man dare chastice them wherefore they stand in greater need of aduise and counsell For the traueller who is out of his way the more he goeth forward the more hee erreth If the people doe amisse they ought to be punished but if the Prince erre he should be admonished And as the Prince will the people should at his hands haue punishment so it is reason that he at their hands should receyue counsell For as the wealth of the one dependeth on the wealth of the other so truly if the Prince bee vitious the people cannot be vertuous If your Maiesty will punish your people with words commaund them to print this present worke in their hearts And if your people would serue your Highnesse with their aduise let them likewise beseech you to reade ouer this booke For therin the Subiects shall finde how they may amend and you Lords shall see all that you ought to doe whether this present Worke be profitable or no I will not that my pen shall declare but they which do reade it shall iudge For wee Authours take pains to make and translate and others for vs to giue iudgement and sentence From my tender yeares vntill this present time I haue liued in the World occupying my selfe in reading and studying humane and diuine Bookes and although I confesse my debility to bee such that I haue not read so
as pleasaÌt a voice to sing as euer I heard Romane tongue prompt to speake This was the order of my life and the time that I spent in learning And of good reason a man so occupied cannot chuse but bee vertuous But I sweare and confesse to thee that I did not so much giue my selfe to studie but that euery day I lost time enough For Youth and the tender flesh desireth liberty and although a man accustome it with trauels yet he findeth vacant time in it also for his pleasures Although all the ancient Romaines were in diuers things very studious yet notwithstanding amongst all ouer and besides these there were fiue things whereunto they had euer a great respect and to those that therein offended neyther requests auayled rewards profited nor law olde nor new dispensed Truly their good wils are to be commended and their diligence to bee exalted For the Princes that gouern great Realms ought to employ their harts to make good lawes and to occupie their eyes to see them duely excuted throughout the common-wealth These fiue âeings were these 1 The first they ordayned that the Priests should not be dishonest For in that Realme where Priests are dishonest it is a token that the Gods against the people are angry 2 The second it was not suffered in Rome that the Virgines Vestals should at their pleasure stay abroad For it is but reason that shee which of her owne free will hath heretofore promised openly to bee good should now if shee change her mind be compelled in secret to bee chast 3 The third they decreede that the Iudges should bee iust and vpright For there is nothing that decayeth a common wealth more then a Iudge who hath not for all men one ballance indifferent 4 The fourth was that the Captaines that should goe to the warres should not bee Cowards for there is no like daunger to the Common-wealth nor no like slaunder to the Prince as to commit the charge of men to him in the Field who will be first to commaund and last to fight The fifth was that they which had charge of bringing vp of children should not be vicious For there is nothing more monstrous and more slanderous then he that is a Master of children should bee subiect and seruant to vices How thinkest thou my friend Pulio when all these things were obserued in Rome Thinkest thou that the youth was so dissolute as at this present Thinkest thou indeed that it is the same Rome wherein in times past were so notable good and auncient men Beleeuest thou that it is that Rome wherein in the golden age the old men were so honest and the children so wel taught the Armies well ordered and the Iudges and Senatours so vpright and iust I call God to witnesse and sweare to thee that it is not Rome neyther hath it any likenesse of Rome nor yet any grace to be Rome and hee that would say that this Rome was the olde Rome knoweth little of Rome The matter was this that the auncient and vertuous Romans being dead it seemeth to the Gods that we are not yet worthy to enioy their houses So that eyther this is not Rome or else we bee not the Romanes of Rome For considering the prowesse and vertuous deedes of the auncient Romanes and weighing also our dissolute liues it were a very great infamy for them to call vs their Successors I desired my friend Pulio to write vnto thee al these things to the end thou mayest see what we were and what wee are For great things haue need of great power and require a long time before they can grow and come to their perfection and then afterward at one moment and with one blow they fall down to the ground I haue beene more tedious in my letter then I thought to haue beene and now I haue tolde thee that which with diligence by reason of my great affaires in three or foure times I haue written of that that wanteth in thine and is too much in mine We shall make a reasodable letter and since I pardon thee for being too briefe pardon thou mee also for being too long I saw thee once enquire for Vnicornes horne in Alexandry wherefore now I send thee a good peece and likewise I send thee a horse which in my iudgement is good Aduertise mee if thy daughter Drusilla bee aliue with whom I was wont to laugh and I will helpe her to a marriage The immortall Gods keepe mee O my Pulio thy wife thy stepmother and thy daughter and salute them all from me and Faustine Marke of Mount Celio Emperour of Rome with his owne hand writeth vnto thee CHAP. IIII. Of the excellency of Christian religion which manifesteth the true God and disproueth the vanity of the Ancients hauing so many Gods And that in the olde time when the enemies were reconciled in their houses they caused also that the Gods should embrace each other in the Temples HE that is the onely diuine Word begotten of the Father Lord perpetuall of the Hierarchies more auncient then the Heauens Prince of all Holinesse chiefe head from whom all had their beginning the greatest of all Gods and Creator of all creatures in the profoundnesse of his eternall sapience accordeth all the Harmony and composition of Christian Religion This is such a manner of sure matter and so well layed that neyther the miseries which spring of the infections of naughtie Christians can trouble nor yet the boisterous windes of the Heretiques are able to moue For it were more likely that Heauen and Earth should both perish then it should suspend for one day that there should be no Christian Religion The ancient Gods which were inuentors of worldly things as the foundation of their reproued sects was but a flying sand and an vnstable ground full of daungerous and erroneous abuses so some of those poore wretches looking perhaps like a ship running vpon a rocke suspecting nothing were drowned Other like ruined buildings were shaken in sunder and sell down dead Finally these Gods which only bare the name of Gods shall be for euermore forgotten But hee onely shall bee perpetuall which in God by God and through God hath his beginning Many and sundry were the multitude of the Nations which haue been in times past That is to wit the Sirians the Assyrians Persians Medians Macedonians Grecians Cythians Arginians Corinthians Caldeans Indians Athenians Lacedemonians Africans Vandales Sweuians Allaines Hungarians Germaignes Britons Hebrews Palestines Gentiles Iberthalides Maurians Lucitanians Gothes and Spaniards And truly in al these looke how great the difference amongst them in their customes and manners was so much diuersity was of the Ceremonies which they vsed their Gods which they honoured For the Gentiles had this errour that they sayd one alone was not of power sufficient to create such a multitude as were created If I were before all the Sages that euer were they would not say the contrary
of the comming of this cruel Tyrant was published throughout all Italy Whose determination was not onely to raze the wals of Rome downe to the earth batter towers dungeons houses walles and buildings but also he purposed to abolish and vtterly to bring to nought the name of Rome and likewise of the Romanes Of this thing all the Italians were in very great and maruellous feare and the most puissant and couragious Knights and Gentlemen agreede together presently to retire within the Walles of Rome and determined to dye in the place to defend the liberty thereof Fot amongst the Romanes there was an ancient custome that when they created a Knight they made him to sweare to keepe 3. things 1 First he sware to spend all the dayes of his life in the wars 2 Secondarily hee sware that neyther for pouerty nor riches nor for any other things hee should euer take wages but of Rome onely 3 Thirdly hee sware that hee would rather chuse to dye in liberty then to liue in captiuity After all the Romanes scattered abroad in Italy were together assembled in Rome they agreede to send letters by their Purseuants not onely to their Subiects but also to all their confederates The effect whereof was this CHAP. VIII Of a Letter sent from the Senate of Rome to all the Subiects of the Empire THe sacred Senate and all the people of Rome to all their faithfull and louing Subiects and to their deare friends and confederates wisheth health and victory against your enemies The variety of time the negligence of you all and the vnhappy successe of our aduentures haue brought vs in processe of time that wheras Rome conquered realms and gouerned so many strange Seignories now at this day commeth strangers to conquere and destroy Rome in such sort that the barbarous people whom we were wont to keepe for slaues sweare to become our Lords and Masters Wee let you know now how all the barbarous nations haue conspired against Rome our mother and they with their King haue made a vow to offer all the Romanes bloud to their Gods in the Temples And peraduenture their pride and fiercenesse beeing seene our innocency knowne Fortune will dispose another thing For it is a geuerous rule That it is vnpossible for a Prince to haue the victory of that warre which by malice is begunne and by pride and fiercenesse pursued It hath seemed good vnto vs since their cause is vniust and ours righteous to endeuour our selues by all meanes how to resist this barbarous people For oft times that which by iustice was gotten by negligence is lost For the remedy of this mischiefe to come the sacred Senate hath prouided these things following and for the accomplishing thereof your fauour and aide is necessary 1 First of all wee haue determined to repayre with all diligence our ditches walles gates and bulwarkes and in these places to arme all our friends But to accomplish that and diuers other for the necessity of warfare we lacke money for yee know well inough That the warre cannot bee prosperous where enemies abound and money is scarce 2 Secondarily wee haue commaunded that all those which bee sworne Knights and souldiers of Rome repayre immediately to Rome and therefore yee shall send vs all those which are vnder the age of 50. and aboue the age of 20. For in great warres auncient men giue counsell and young men and lusty to execute the same are required 3 We haue agreede and concluded that the City bee prouided of victuals munition and defence at the least for two yeares Wherefore we desire yee that yee send vs from you the tenth part of wine the fift part of flesh the third part of your bread For we haue all sworne to die yet we meane not to dye for famine assieged as fearefull men but fighting in plain field like valiant Romanes 4 Fourthly wee haue prouided since the vnknowne barbarous come to fight with vs that you bring vs to Rome strange Gods to helpe and defend vs. For you know well inough that since great Constantine we haue been so poore of Gods that we haue not but one God whom the Christians do honour Therefore we desire you that you wil succor vs with your Gods in this our extreame necessity For amongst the Gods wee know no one alone sufficient to defend all the Romane people from their enemies The wals therefore being well repayred and all the young and warlike men in Garrison in the City the batteries well furnished and the Treasure house well replenished with money and aboue all the Temples well adorned with Gods wee hope in our Gods to haue the victory of our enemies For in fighting with men and not against Gods a man ought alwayes to haue hope of victory for there are no men of such might but by God and other me may be vanquished Fare ye wel c. After this letter was sent through all the dominion of the Romaines not tarrying for answere of the same they forthwith openly blasphemed the name of Christ and set vp idols in the Temples vsed the ceremonies of the Gentiles and that which was worse then that they sayde openly that Rome was neuer so oppressed with Tyrants as it hath beene since they were Christians And further they sayde if they called not againe all the Gods to Rome the City should neuer bee in safeguard for that they haue dishonored and offended their Gods and cast them out of Rome and that those barbarous people were sent to reueÌge their iniurie But the diuine prouideÌce which giueth no place to human malice to execute his forces before the walles were repayred and before the messengers brought answere and before the strange Gods could enter into Rome Randagagismus King of the Gothes with 2000000. of barbarous without the effusion of Christian bloud suddenly in the mountains of Vesulanes with famine thirst and stones which fell from heauen lost all his Armie not one left aliue but himselfe who had his head strucken off in Rome And this thing the eternal wisdome brought to passe to the end the Romanes should see that Iesus Christ the true God of the Christians had no need of strange Gods to defend his seruants CHAP. IX Of the true and liuing God and of the maruailes wrought in the olde Law to manifest his diuine power and of the superstition of the false Gods O Grosse ignorance vnspeakable obstinacy O iudgements of God inscrutable What thinke these Gentiles by the true God They searched the false Gods to helpe them and had a liuing God of their owne they sought Gods full of guile and deceit and worse then that they thought it necessary that that God which created all things should be accompanied with their gods to defend them which could make nothing Let now all their gods come forth into the fieldes on the one side and I will goe forth alone in godly company that is to say with
neyther our memory can comprehend and much lesse our tongue can declare it That which Princes and all other Faithful ought to belieue of GOD is that they ought to know God to bee Almightie and incomparable a God immortall incorruptible immoueable great Omnipotent a perfect and sempiternall GOD For all mans power is nothing in respect of his diuine Maiestie I say that our LORD GOD is the onely High God that if the creature hath any good it is but a mean good For a man comparing well the good which hee possesseth to the miserie and calamity which persecuteth him without doubt the euil which followeth after is greater then the good which accompanyeth him Also our GOD is immortall and eternall which like as he had no beginning so shall hee neuer haue ending And the contrarie is to the miserable man which if some see him borne other see him die For the byrth of the children is but a memory of the graue to the aged And GOD only is incorruptible the which in his Beeing hath no other corruption nor diminution but all mortall men suffer corruption in their soules through Vice and in their bodies through wormes for in the end no maÌ is priuiledged but that his body is subiect to corruption and his soule to be saued or damned Also GOD is no changeling and in this case though hee changeth his worke yet hee changeth not his Eternall counsell But in men it is all contrarie For they oftentimes beginne their busines with grauitie and afterward change their counsell at a better time and leaue it lightly I haue now shewed you that God onely is incomprehensible the Maiestie of whom can not be attained nor his Wisedome vnderstanded which thing is aboue mans intelligence For there is no man so sage nor profound but that an other in an other time is as sage and profound as he Also GOD onely is Omnipotent For that he hath power not onely ouer the liuing but also ouer the dead not only ouer the good but also ouer the euil For the man which doth not feele his mercie to giue him glory he will make him feele his wrath in giuing him paine Oh ye Princes of this world truely it is both iust and necessarie that you acknowledge subiection vnto the Prince of Heauen and Earth which in the end although yee be great and thinke your selues to be much worth although that you haue much and can do much yet in respect of that Supreame Prince you are nothing worth neither can you doe any thing For there is no Prince in the world this day but can doe lesse then he would would more theÌ he hath Since all that wee haue spoken of before is true let Princes great Lords see how consonaÌt it is to reason that sith all the creatures were not created but by one Why then doe they not honour ONE aboue all For as a Prince will not suffer that an other be called King in his Realme so likewise GOD will not permit that any other should be honoured in this world but he onely The Father did a great benefite to vs for to create vs without the desire of any man and also the Sonne to redeeme and buy vs without the help of any man and aboue all the holie Ghost to make vs Christians without the deserts of any man For all the good deeds and seruices which we are able to doe are not sufficient to requite the least benefit that he shewed vnto vs. Princes ought greatly to esteem such a gift that God hath created theÌ men not beasts and much more they should esteeme that they are made Lords and not seruants but most of all they ought to reioyce that God hath made them Christians and not Gentils nor Moores For it profiteth them little to haue scepters and Realms to condemne if they shall not acknowledge the holy Church without the which no man may or can bee saued Oh diuine Bountie how many Paynims had bin better peraduenture then I if thou hadst chosen them for the Church and if thou hadst made me a Paynime I had bene worse then they Thou leauest them which haue serued thee and hast chosen me a sinner which offend thee Oh Lord God thou knowest what thou doest and where thou art but I know not what I doe nor what I speake For wee are bound to prayse the workes of God haue not licence to call them back Those Emperours and Painim Kings which haue been good as there hath been manie so much lesse they haue to answere for that in time of charge they were not called And likewise the contrarie to the wicked Christian Princes the more goodnes they haue receyued without measure so much the more torments shal be giueÌ them in eternall fire For according to the ingratitude which they haue shewed for the benefites by them receyued in this world so shall the bitternesse of theyr paines bee which they shall receyue in Hell Princes are much bound to doe wel because they were created of God reasonable men but they are much more bound because they be Christians more then others bouÌd because they were made mightie and placed in so high estate For the greatest power is not for a Prince to haue and possesse much but to profite much They doe not require of a little and weake Tree much but that hee beare his Fruit in due time For a great and high tree is bound to giue wood to heate them that be a colde shadow to refresh the weary trauellours fruit to comfort the needie also it ought to defend it selfe from all importunate windes For the vertuous Prince ought to bee a shadow and resting place where the good may couer themselues beeing weary The Church doth moue vs to doe many things and our conscience willeth vs to obserue more But if the Princes will promise me they will doe two things onely that is to say that they wil be faithfull in the law of God whom they honour and that they wil not vse tyrannie against their people whom they gouerne From henceforth I promise them the glory felicity which they desire For that prince only dieth in safegard which dieth in the loue of our SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST and hath liued in the loue of his neighbour Princes and great Lords which presume to bee good Christians should watche greatly that all things might be done to the Seruice of GOD begunne in God followed in God and ended in God And if they wil watch in this I let them knowe that as touching the Exaltation of Faith they should watch so much that all should know that for the defence of the same they are readie to dye For if the Prince belieue that there is paine for the euill and rewarde for the good in an other life it is impossible but that hee amend his life and gouerne well his Common-wealth Thinke this for a surety that where the Princes feares not
those which were new apparrelled And to say the truth we determined not to goe thither thou because thy garments were torne and I because my shoes were broken and that both the times wee were sicke in Capua they neuer cured vs by diet for our diseases neuer proceeded of excesse but of extreame hunger And oftentimes Retropus the Physition for his pleasure spake to vs in the Vniuersity sayd Alas children you dye not through surfetting and much eating And truely hee sayde truth for the Country was so deare and our mony so scarce that wee did neuer eate vntill the time we could endure no longer for famine Doest thou not remember the great famin that was in Capua for the which cause wee were in the war of Alexandria wherein my flesh did tremble remembring the great perils which wee passed in the gulfe of Theberinth What snowes at winter what extreame heate all Summer what generall famine in the fields what outragious pestilence amongst the people and worst of all what persecution of strangers and what euill will we had of ours remember also that in the city of Naples when wee made our prayer the Prophetesse Flauia shee tolde vs what should become of vs after vvee left our Studies Shee tolde mee that I should bee an Emperour and sayde that thou shouldest be a King To the which answere wee gaue such credite that wee tooke it not onely for a mocke but also for a manifest iniury And now I do not maruell in that then we both maruelled wonderfull much For enuious fortune practised her power more in plucking downe the rich then in setting vp the poore Beholde excellent Princes the great power of the Goddesse the wheele of fortune and the variety of times who would haue thought when I had my hands all rough and scuruy with rowing in the Galley that betweene those hands the Scepter of the Romane Empire should haue been put Who vvould haue thought when I was so sicke for lacke of meate that I should euer haue surfetted by too much eating Who vvould haue thought when I could not bee satisfied vvith cattes flesh that I should haue then glutted with too much dainty meates Who vvould haue thought at that time when I left going into the Temple because my shooes were broken that another time should come when I should ride triumphing in Chariots and vpon the shoulders of other men who would haue thought that that which with my eares I heard of the Prophetes in Campagnia I should see heere with my eyes in Rome O how many did hope at the time we were in Asia to be gouernours of Rome Lords of Sicille which not onely fayled of the honour that they desired but also obtayned the death which they neuer feared for oftentimes it chaunceth to ambitious men that in their greatest ruffe and when they thinke their honour spun and wouen then their estate with the webbe of their life in one moment is broken If at that time one had demaunded the Tirant Laodicius aspiring to the Kingdome of Sicille and Ruphus Caluus who looked to be Emperour of Rome what they thought of themselues assuredly they would haue sworne their hope to haue been as certaine as ours was doubtfull For it is naturall to proud men to delight themselues and to set their whole mind vpon vaine deuises It is a strange thing and worthy of memory that they hauing the honour in their eyes fayled of it and wee not thinking thereof in our hearts should obtaine it But herein fortune shewed her might that shee prouided hope for those which looked for least and despayre for others that hoped for most vvhich thing grieued them at the very heart For no patience can endure to see a man obtaine that without trauell which hee could neuer compasse by much labour I cannot tell if I should say like a simple Romane That those things consist in fortune or if I should say like a good Philosopher That all the Gods doe ordaine them For in the end no Fortune nor chaunce can doe any thing without the Gods assent Let the proud and enuious trauell asmuch as they will and the ambitious take as much care as they can I say and affirme that little auayleth humane diligence to attaine to great estates if the Gods bee theyr enemies Suppose that euill Fortune doe ordaine it or that the God and Gods doe suffer it I see those which haue their thoughts high oftentimes are but of base estate and so in fine to come to mischiefe or extream pouerty those that haue their thoghts low are humble of heart and for the more part are greatly exalted by fortune For many oftentimes dreame that they are Lords and men of great estate which when they are awake finde themselues slaues to all men The condition of honour is such as I neuer read the like and therfore such as haue to doe with her ought to take good heed For her conditions are such shee enquireth for him whom she neuer saw and she runneth after him that flyeth from her she honoureth him that esteemeth her not and she demaundeth him which willeth her not she giueth to him that requireth her not and she trusteth him whom she knoweth not Finally Honour hath this custome to forsake him that esteemeth her to remaine with him which little regardeth her The curious Trauellers aske not what place this or that is but doe demand what way they must take to leade them to the place they goe I meane the Princes and Noble men ought not directly to cast their eyes vpon honour but in the way of vertue which bringeth them to honour For dayly wee see many remaine defamed onely for seeking honour and others also exalted and esteemed for flying from her O miserable World thou knowest I know thee well and that which I know of thee is That thou art a Sepulchre of the dead a prison of the liuing a shoppe of vices a Hangman of vertues obliuion of antiquity an enemy of things present a pittefall to the rich and a burden to the poore a house of Pilgrimes and a denne of theeues Finally O World Thou art a slaunderer of the good a rauenour of the wicked and a deceyuer and abuser of all and in thee O world to speake the trueth It is almost impossible to liue contented and much lesse to liue in honour For if thou wilt giue honour to the good they thinke themselues dishonoured and esteeme thy honour as a thing of mockerie And if perchance they bee euill and light thou sufferest them to come often to honour by way of mockery meaning infamy dishonour vnto them O immortall Gods I am oftentimes troubled in my thought whose case I should more lament eyther the euill man aduanced without desert or the good man ouerthrowne without cause And truely in this case the pitifull man will haue compassion on them both For if the euill liue hee is sure to fall and if
are but what wee desire to hee Christian Princes maruell much what the occasioÌ should be that they are not so fortunate as the Gentiles were To this may bee aunswered that eyther they bee good or euill If they bee good truly God should do them wrong if for the payment of their faithfull seruices hee should recompence them with these worldly vanities For without doubt one onely louing countenance of God in the world to come is more worth then all the temporall goods of this world present But if these such great Lords bee euill in their persons ambitions in gouerning their Dominions not pittifull to widdowes and father lesse not fearefull of God nor of his threatnings and moreouer neuer to haue mind to serue him but onely when they see themselues in some great ieopardy in such case God will not heare them and much lesse fauour them For without doubt The seruice is more acceptable which of free will proceedeth then that which of necessity is offered CHAP. XX. For fiue causes Princes ought to be better Christians then their Subiects IN mine opinion Princes ought and are bound to bee vertuous for fiue causes I say vertuous in that they should loue fear God for hee onely may bee called vertuous which in the Catholike Faith of the Church and in the feare of God hath alwayes remayned constant First Princes should feare loue serue and loue one only God whom they worship for that they acknowledge him onely and none other to bee the head both of heauen earth For in the end there is nothing so puissant but it is subiect to the diuine power And truely that Prince is in great perill of damnation of his soule if in his gouernement he hath not alwayes before his eyes the feare and loue of the supreame Prince to whom wee must render of all our doings an account For the Prince hath great occasion to bee vicious thinking that for the vice hee shall not be chastised I haue read in diuers and sundry writings and I neuer found one ancient Prince to bee contented with one onely God but that they had and serued many Gods Iulius Caesar carriedfiue Gods painted in a Table and Scipio the great carried seuen purtraied in mettall And furthermore they were not contented to haue many but yet in sacrifices and seruices they offered vnto them all The Christian Princes which keepe and haue but one very true and omnipotent God are so vnthankefull that they thinke it much to serue and giue acceptable seruice vnto him And though peraduenture some say that it is more painefull to serue one true God then all these false Gods To this I aunswere That to serue them it is both trauell and paine but to serue our God it is both ioy and felicity For in seruing those it is costly and without profite and in seruing God great profite ensueth For those Gods require great and rich sacrifices and our God demaundeth nothing but pure and cleane hearts Secondarily Princes should be better christians then others because they haue more to loose then al And hee that hath more to lose then any other ought aboue all other to serue God For euen as hee alone can giue him so likewise hee alone and none other can take from him And if a Subiect take any thing from his neighbour the Prince whome hee serueth maketh him render it again but if the Prince bee iniuried with any other Tyrant hee hath none to complaine vnto nor to demaunde helpe of but onely of his mercifull God For in the end one that is of power cannot bee hurt but by an other which is likewise mighty Let Princes behold how the man that will make any great assault first hee commeth running a farre of as fast as he can I meane that the Prince which will haue God mercifull vnto him ought to bee content with his onely God For he in vaine demandeth helpe of him to whom before he neuer did seruice Thirdly Princes ought to be better Christians then others and this shall bee seene by that they succour the poore prouide for those that are vnprouided and visite the Temples Hospitals and Churches and endeanour themselues to heare the Diuine Seruice and for all these things they shall not onely receiue rewards but also they shall receyue honour For through their good example others will doe the same Princes not fearing God nor his commandements cause their Realmes and Subiects to fall into great misery for if fountains bee infected it is vnpossible for the streames that issue thereof to bee pure We see by experience that a Bridle mastereth a horse and a sterne ruleth a shippe I weane that a Prince good or bad will leade after him all the whole Realme And if he honor God all the people do likewise if hee serue God the people also serue him if he prayse God the Subiects also prayse him if he blaspheme God they likewise will doe the same For it is vnpossible that a Tree shoulde bring forth other leaus or fruits then those which are agreeable to the humour that are in the roots Princes aboue all other Creatures haue this preheminence that if they bee good christians they shall not only receiue merite for their own works but also for all those which others shall doe because they are occasion that the people worke well And for the contrary they shall not only be punished for the euill which they shall do but also for the euill which by occasion of their euill examples others shal commit O Princes that now liue how do I wish that ye should speake with some one of those Princes which now are dead especially with those that are condemned to eternal flames theÌ yee should see that the greatest torments which they suffer are not for the euils that they did commit but for the euils which through their occasion were done for oftentimes Princes and Prelates sinne more because they dissembled with others then for that they do commit themselues O how circumspect ought Princes and great Lords to be in that they speake and how diligently ought they to examine that they doe for they serue not God onely for themselues but they serue him also generally for their subiects And contrariwise Princes are not onely punished for their owne offences but also for the sinnes of theyr people for the shepheard ought grieuously to bee punished when by negligence the rauening Wolfe deuoureth the innocent Lambe Fourthly Princes ought to bee better Christians then others because that to God onely they must render account of their estates for as much as we are sure that God to whom we must render account is iust so much the more we should trauell to bee in his fauour because whether hee find or not find in our life any fault yet for loue and pitty sake hee may correct vs. Men one with another make theyr accounts in this life because they are men and in the
end count they well or euill all passeth amongst men because they are men but what shall the vnhappy Princes doe which shall render no account but to God onely who will not bee deceiued with words corrupted with gifts feared with threatnings nor answered with excuses Princes haue their Realms full of cruell Iudges to punish the frailetic of man they haue their courts full of Aduocates to plead against them that haue offended they haue their Pallaces ãâ¦ã and Promoters that note the offences of other men They haue through all theyr Prouince Auditours that ouersee the accounts of their routs and besides all this they haue no remembrance of the day so strict wherein they must render an account of their wicked life Me thinkes since all that which Princes receyue commeth from the hands of God that the greatest part of the time which they spend should bee in the seruice of God and al their trade in God and they ought to render no account of their life but vnto God then sith they are Gods in authority which they haue ouer temporall things they ought to shew themselues to resemble God more then others by vertues For that Prince is more to be magnified which reformeth two vices among his people then hee which conquereth ten Realmes of his enemies But we wil desire them from henceforth They presume not any more to bee Gods on the earth but that they endeuour themselues to bee good Christians in the Commonwealth For all the wealth of a Prince is That hee bee stout with strangers and louing to his owne Subiects Fiftly Princes ought to bee better Christians then others For the prosperity or aduersity that chanceth vnto them commeth directly from the hands of God onely and none other I haue seene sundry times princes which haue put their whole trust and confidence in other Princes to be on a sodaine discomfited and for the contrary those which haue litle hope in men and great confidence in God haue alwayes prospered When man is in his chiefest brauery and trusteth most to mens wisedome then the secret iudgement of God soonest discomforteth him I meane that the consederates and friends of Princes might helpe and succour them but God will not suffer them to be holpen nor succoured to the ende they should see their remedy proceedeth not by mans diligence but by diuine prouidence A Prince that hath a Realme doth not suffer any thing to bee done therein without his aduice therefore since God is of no lesse power in Heauen then Princes are on the earth it is reason that nothing bee done without his consent since he taketh account of all mens deedes and as hee is the end of all things so in him and by him all things haue their beginning O Princes If you knew how small a thing it is to bee hated of men and how great a comfort to be beloued of GOD I sweare that you would not speake one word althogh it were in iest vnto men neyther would you cease night nor day to commend your selues vnto God for God is more mercifull to succour vs then wee are diligent for to call vpon him For in conclusion the fauour which men can giue you other men can take from you but the fauour that God will giue you no man can resist it All those that possesse much should vse the company of them which can doe much and if it bee so I let you Princes know that all men cannot thinke so much together as God is able to doe alone For the crye of a Lyon is more fearefull then the howling of a Wolfe I confesse that Princes and great Lords may sometimes gaine and winne of them selues but I aske them whose fauour they haue neede of to preserue and keepe them we see oftentimes that in a short space many come to great authority the which neyther mans wisedome sufficeth to gouerne nor yet mans force to keepe For the authority which the Romanes in sixe hundred yeares gained fighting against the Gothes in the space of three yeares they lost Wee see daily by experience that a man for the gouernment of his owne house onely needeth the counsell of his friends and neighbours and doe Princes and great Lords thinke by their own heades onely to rule and gouerne many realmes and dominions CHAP. XXI What the Philosopher Bias was of his constancy when hee lost all his goods and of the ten lawes hee gaue worthy to bee had in memory AMong all nations sorts of men which auaunt themselues to haue had with them sage men the Grecians were the chiefest which had and thought it necessary to haue not onely wise men to reade in theyr schooles but also they chose them to bee Princes in their dominions For as Plato sayeth Those which gouerned in those dates were Philosophers or else they sayde and did like Philosohers And Laertius writeth in his second booke De antiquitatibus Graecorum That the Grecians auaunted themselues much in this that they had of all Estates persons most notable that is to say Seuen women very sage seuen Queenes very honest seuen Kings very vertuous seuen Captaines very hardy seuen Cities very notable seuen buildings very sumptuous and seuen Philosophers very well Learned which Philosophers were these that follow The first was Tales Milesius that inuented the Carde to sayle by The second was Solon that gaue the first lawes to the Athenians The third was Chilo who was in the Orient for Ambassadour of the Athenians The fourth was Pittacus Quintilenus who was not onely a Philosopher but also Captaine of the Mitilenes The fifth was Cleobolus that discended from the ancient lynage of Hercules The sixt was Periander that long time gouerned the realme of Corinth The seuenth was Bias Prieneus that was Prince of the Prieneans Therefore as touching Bias you must vnderstand that when Romulus raigned at Rome and Ezechias in Iudea there was great warres in Grecia betweene the Metinences and the Prieneans and of these Prieneans Bias the Philosopher was Prince and Captaine who because hee was sage read in the Vniuersity and for that hee was hardy was Chiefetain in the warre and because hee was wise he was made a Prince and gouerned the Common-wealth And of this no man ought to maruell for in those daies the Philosopher that had knowledge but in one thing was little esteemed in the Common-wealth After many contentions had betweene the Metinenses and Prienenses a cruel battell was fought whereof the Philosopher Bias was Captaine and had the victory and it was the first battell that euer any Philosopher gaue in Greece For the which victory Greece was proud to see their Philosophers so aduenturous in wars and hardy of their hands as they were profound in their doctrine and eloquent in their tongues And by chance one brought him a number of women and maides to sell or if hee listed to vse them otherwise at his pleasure but this good Philosopher did not
resisted if it be not by wise men and graue counsells The sixt was What thing that is wherein men are praised to be negligent and that is in choosing of Friendes Hee answered In one thing onely men haue licence to be negligent Slowly ought thy Friends to bee chosen and they neuer after for any thing ought to be forsaken The seuenth was What is that which the afflicted man doth most desire Byas answered It is the chaunce of Fortune and the thing which the prosperous man doth most abhorre is to thinke that Fortune is somutable For the vnfortunate man hopeth for euery chaunge of Fortune to be made better and the wealthy man feareth through euery change to be depriued of his bouse These were the Questions which the Philosophers demaunded of Byas in the Playes of the Mount Olympus in the 60. Olympiade The Phylosopher Byas liued about 95. yeares and as he drewe neere his death the Prienenses shewing themselues to be maruellous sorrowfull for the losse of such a famous man desired him earnestly to ordayne some lawes whereby they might know how to choose Captaines or some Prince which after him might guide and gouerne the Realme The Phylosopher Byas vnderstanding their honest and iust requests he with his best counsell and aduisement gaue them certaine wholsome Lawes in fewe wordes which followe And of these Lawes the diuine Plato maketh mention in his Booke De Legibus and likewise Aristotle in the booke of Oecenomices The Lawes which BIAS gvue to the Prienenses WEe ordayne and command that no man bee chosen to bee Prince among the people vnlesse hee bee at least forty yeares of age For gouernours ought to be of such age that neyther youth nor small experience should cause them to erre in their affayres nor weakenesse thorow ouermuch age should hinder them from taking paines Wee ordayne and commaund that none bee chosen amongst the Prienenses Gouernour if hee bee not well learned in the Greeke Letters For there is no greater plague in the publike weale then for him to lacke wisedome which gouerneth the same Wee ordayne and commaund that there bee none amongst the Prienenses chosen Gouernour vnlesse hee hath beene brought vp in the warres ten yeares at the least for hee alone doth know how precious a thing peace is which by experience hath felt the extreame miseries of warre Wee ordayne and commaund that if any haue beene noted to bee cruell that hee bee not chosen for Gouernour of the people for that man which is cruell is likely to be a Tyrant Wee ordaine and commaund that if the Gouernor of the Prienenses bee so hardy or dare presume to breake the auncient lawes of the people that in such case hee be depriued from the office of the Gouernour and likewise exiled from the people For there is nothing that destroyeth sooner a publike-Weale then to ordaine new and fond lawes to breake the good auncient Customes Wee ordaine and commaund that the Gouernour of the Prienenses doe worship and honour the Gods and that hee bee a louer of the sacred Temples For otherwise hee that honoureth not God will neuer minister equall iustice vnto men Wee ordaine and command that the Prince of Prienenses bee contented with the warres which his Auncesters left him and that he doe not forget newe matters to inuade any other strange Countries and if perchance he would that no man in this case bee bound neyther with money nor in person to follow or serue him For the God Apollo told mee that that man which wil take another mans goods from him by force shall loose his owne Iustice Wee ordaine and command that the Gouernour of the Prienenses go to pray and worship the Gods twice in the weeke and likewise to visite them in the Temples and if hee doe the contrary he shall not onely bee depriued of the gouernement but also after his death he shall not bee buried For the Prince that honoreth not God in time of his life deserueth not his bones should bee honoured with sepnlture after his death CHAP XXII How God from the beginning punished men by his iustice and especially those Princes that despise his Church and how all wicked Christians are Parishioners of Hell WHen the Eternall Creatour who measureth all the things by his Omnipotency and weigheth them by his effectuall wisedome created all things aswell celestiall as terrestriall visible as inuisible corporate as incorporate not onely promised to the good which serued him but also threatned the euil with plagues which offended him For the iustice and mercy of GOD goe alwayes together to the intent the one should encourage the good and the other threaten the euill This thing seemeth to bee true for that wee haue but one GOD which hath created but one World wherein hee made but one Garden in the which Garden there was but one Fountaine and neere to that Fountaine he appointed onely one man one woman and one Serpent neere vnto which was also one tree only forbidden which is a thing maruellous to speake and no lesse fearefull to see how God did put into the terrestriall Paradise the same day that the creation of the World was finished both a sword and a gybet The gybet was the tree forbidden whereof they did eate Wherefore our Fathers were condemned And the sword was the penishment wherwith wee all as miserable children at this day are beheaded for truely they did eate the bitternesse of theyr fault and we doe feele the griefe of their paine I meane to shew how our God by his power doth rayse vp that which is beaten downe how with his wisedome he guideth those which are blind how by his will hee dissembleth with the euill doers neyther wil I tell how hee through his clemency pardoneth the offences and through his light lightneth the darkenesse nor how through his righteousnesse hee amendeth that which is broken and through his liberality payeth more then wee deserue But I will here declare at large how our omnipotent God through his iustice chastiseth those which walke not in his pathes O Lord God how sure may thy faithfull seruants be for their small seruices to receyue great rewards and contrary the euill ought alwayes to liue in as great feare lest for their hainous offences thou shouldest giue them cruell punishments for though God of his bounty will not leaue any seruice vnrewarded nor of his iustice will omit any euill vnpunished yet for all that wee ought to know that aboue all and more then all hee will rigorously chastice those which maliciously despise the Catholike faith For Christ thinketh himselfe as much iniured of those which persecute his Church as of those that layd handes on his person to put him to death We reade that in times past God shewed sundry grieuous and cruell punishments to diuers high Lords and Princes besides other famous renowned men But rigour had neuer such power in his hand as it had against those which honored
Azotes carryed away the Arke full of Relickes vnto their temple in the Cittie of Nazote and set it by Dagon theyr cursed Idoll The most High true God which will not suffer any to be coequall with him in comparison or in anie thing that hee representeth caused this Idol to be shaken thrown downe and broken in pieces no man touching it For our God is of such power that to execute his Iustice he needeth not worldly helpe God not contented thus though the Idoll was broken in pieces but caused those to bee punished likewise which worshipped it in such sort that al the people of Azotes Ascalon Geth Acharon and of Gaza which were fiue auncient and renowmed Citties were plagued both man and woman inwardly with the disease of the Emerodes So that they could not eate sitting nor ride by the wayes on horse-backe And to the end that all men might see that their offences were grieuous for the punishment they receyued by the diuine Iustice he replenished their Houses Places Gardens Seedes and Fields full of Rats And as they had erred in honouring the false Idol and forsaken the true God So hee would chastice them with two Plagues sending them the Emerodes to torment their bodyes and the Rats to destroy their goods For to him that willingly giueth his soule to the diuel it is but a small matter that God against his will depriue him of his goods This then being thus I would now gladly knowe whether of them committed most offence Eyther the Azotes which set the Arke in the Temple which as they thought was the most holiest or the false Christians which with a Sacrilegious boldnesse dare attempt without anie feare of GOD to robbe and pill the Church goods to theyr owne priuate commoditie in this world Truely the Law of the Azotes differed as much froÌ the Christians as the offence of the one differeth from the other For the Azotes erred not beleeuing that this Arke was the Figure of the True God but we beleeue it and confesse it and without shame coÌmit against it infinite vices By this so rare and seuere a sudden punishment mee thinks the Princes great Lords should not only therefore acknowledge the True God but also Reuerence and honour those things which vnto him are dedicated For mans lawes speaking of the reuerence of a Prince doe no lesse condemne him to die that robbeth his house then him which violently layeth hands on his person ¶ The cause why Prince Oza was punished IN the booke which the sonne of Helcana wrote that is the second booke of the Kings and the vi Chapter hee saith That the Arke of Israel with his Relikes which was Manna the rodde and two stones stood in the house of Aminadab which was the next neighbour to the citie of Gibeah the sonne of Esay who at that time was King of the Israelites determined to transpose the Relikes into his Cittie and house For that it seemed to him a great infamy that to a mortal Prince a house should abound for his pleasures to the immortall God there should want a Temple for his reliques The day therefore appointed when they should carrie the Relique of Gibeah to Bethlehem there met thirty thousand Israelites with a great number of Noble men which came with the King besides a greater number of strangers For in such a case those are more which come of their owne pleasure then those which are commaunded Besides all the people they say that all the Nobility of the Realme was there to the end the relique should bee more honoured and his person better accompanied It chanced that as the Lords and people went singing and the King in person dancing the wheele of the Chariot began to fall and go out of the way the which prince Oza seeing by chance set to his hand and his shoulder against it because the Arke where the Relique was should not fall nor breake yet notwithstanding that suddenly and before them all hee fell downe dead Therefore let this punishment be noted for truly it was fearefull and ye ought to thinke that since God for putting his hand to the Chariot to holde it vp stroke him with death that a Prince should not hope seeking the destruction and decay of the Church that God will prolong his life O Princes great Lords and Prelates sith Oza with such diligence lost his life what doe yee hope or looke for sith with such negligence yee destroy and suffer the Church to fall Yet once againe I doe returne to exclaime vpon you O Princes and great Lords sith Prince Oza deserued such punishment because without reuerence hee aduanced himselfe to stay the Arke which fell what punishment ought yee to haue which through malice helpe the Church to fall Why King Balthasar was punished DArius King of the Perses and Medes besieged the auncient City of Babylon in Chaldea whereof Balthasar sonne of Nabuchodonozar the great was King and Lord who was so wicked a child that his father being dead hee caused him to be cut in 300. peeces gaue him to 300. hawkes to be eaten because hee should not reuiue againe to take the goods riches from him which he had left him I know not what father is so foolish that letteth his Son liue in pleasures and afterwards the entralles of the Hauke wherewith the sonne hawked should be the wofull graue of the Father which so many men lamented This Balthasar then beeing so besieged determined one night to make a great feast and banquet to the Lords of his Realme that came to ayde him and in this he did like a valiant and stout Prince to the end the Perses and Medes might see that hee little esteemed their power The noble and high hearts do vse when they are enuironed with many trauels to seeke occasions to inuent pleasures because to their men they may giue greater courage and to their enemies greater feare He declareth of Pirrus King of the Epirotes when hee was besieged very straightly in the City of Tharenta of the Romane Captaine Quintus Dentatus that then hee spake vnto his Captaines in this sort Lordes and friendes bee yee nothing at all abashed since I neuer here before saw ye afraid though the Romans haue compassed our bodies yet we haue besiged their harts For I let you to know that I am of such a complection that the straighter they keepe my body the more my heart is at large And further I say though the Romanes beate downe the walles yet our hearts shall remaine inuincible And though there bee no wall betweene vs yet wee will make them know that the hearts of Greekes are harder to ouercome then the stones of Tarentine are to be beaten downe But returning to King Balthasar The banquet then being ended and the greatest part of the night beeing spent Belthasar the King being very well pleased that the banquet was made to his contentation though he
graue countenance eloquenr in speech yet hee spake little stout in his affaires and diligent in his businesse in aduersities patient and a great enemie of the vicious temperate in eating drinking and a friend of religious persons so that they sayde hee resembled the Emperour Aurelius For after that the Emperour Marcus Aurelius dyed with whom the felicitie of the Roman Empire ended they euer vsed theÌcefoorth in Rome to compare and liken the yong and new come Princes to the ancient Emperours their Anrecessors That is to say if the Prince were couragious they sayde hee was like Iulius Caesar if he were vertuous they sayde he was an other Octauian if he were fortunate that hee was Tiberius if hee were rash they say de he was Caligula if he were cruell they compared him to Nero if hee were mercifull they said he was like to Traian or Antoninus Pius if he were beaucifull they likened him to Titus if idle they compared him to Domitian if he were patient they called him Vespasius if he were temperate they likened him to Adrian if he were deuout to their gods then he seemed Aurelianus Finally he that was sage and vertuous they compared him to the good Marcus Aurelius This Emperour Valentinian was a good Christian and in all his affaires touching the Empire very wise and circumspect and yet he was noted for one thing verie much and that was that hee trusted and fauoured his seruants so much and was so led by his Friends that through their occasion they abusing his loue and credite there arose many dissentions amongst the people Seneca saide once vnto the Emperour Nero I will that thou vnderstand Lorde that there is no patience can suffer that two or three absolutely commaund all not for that they are most vertuous but for that they are most in fauour with thee O yee Noble Princes and great Lords if you were as I am I know not what you would doe but if I were as you bee I would behaue my selfe in such sorte to them of my house that they should be seruants to serue and obey mee and not to boast themselues to bee so farre in fauour as to commaund mee For that Prince is not sage that to content a fewe getteth the hatred of all The Emperour Valentinian dyed in the fiue and fiftie yeare of his byrth and the eleuenth yeare of his Empire languishing of a long sicknes that his vaynes were so dryed vppe that they could not drawe one drop of bloud out of his bodie And at the day of his Funeralles where the dead corps was greatly bewayled Saint Ambrose made an excellent Sermon in commendation of him For in those dayes when any Noble Prince departed that loued and succoured the Church all the holy Bishops met together at his buryall The two brethren beeing Emperours that is to say Valentinian and Valent through the desire of the Father in law of Gracian who was father to his wife and desirous to haue one of his daughters childreÌ chose ValentiniaÌ to bring vp who had a sonne named Gracian which was created Emperor so young that as yet he had no beard And truly the Senate would not haue suffered it if the Father had not bin vertuous and the childe sage But the Senate would haue done this and more also for Valentinian because hee did deserue it well of the Romaine people For it is reason in distributing of the Offices That Princes haue more repsect to the deserts of the Fathers then to the tender age of the Children This young Gracian began to be so temperate and was so good a Christian in fauouring the Church that it was much quiet and great pleasure to the Romaine people to haue chosen him and greater ioy to the Father being aliue to haue begotten him so that he left for him after his death an immortall memorie of his life For the childe that is vertuous is alwayes the memorie of the Father after his death In the yeare of the Foundation of Rome a thousand an hundred thirtie and two the said Gracian the younger was created sole Heyre of the whole Empire his vnckle Valent and his Father being departed the world And after Gratian came to the Empire many Bishops which were banished in the time of his Vnckle Valent were restored to the Church againe and bannished all the sect of the Arrians out of his Region Truely he shewed himselfe to bee a very religious and Catholike Prince For there is no better iustice to confound humain malice then to establish the good in theyr estate In the first yeare of the raigne of Gracian Emperour all the Germanes and the Gothes rebelled against the Romane Empire for they would not onely not obey him but also they prepared an huge Army to inuade his Empire Imagining that sith Gracian was young hee neyther had the wit nor yet the boldnesse to resist them For where the Prince is young there oftentimes the people suffered much wrong and the Realme great misery Newes came to Rome how that the Gaules and Germaines were vp the Emperour Gracian wrote to all the Catholike Bishops that they should offer in their Churches great Sacrifices with prayers vnto God and in Rome likewise it was ordayned that generally processions should be had to the end Almighty God should moderate his ire against his people For good Christians first pacifie God with Prayers before they resist their enemies with weapons This good Prince shewed himselfe to be no lesse warlike in his outward affayres then a good Christian in his Religion for God giueth victories vnto Princes more through tears then through weapons These things thus finished and his affayres vnto God recommended the noble Emperour Gracian determined to march on and himselfe in person to giue the battell And truly as at the first hee shewed himselfe to bee a good Christian so now he declared himselfe to bee a valiant Emperour For it were a great infamy and dishonour that a Prince by negligence or cowardnes should lose that which his Predecessors by force of armes had gotten The army of the enemies exceeded farre the Romane army in number and when they met together in a place called Argentaria the Romaines being inferiour to their enemies in number were afraide For in the warres the great multitude of enemies and their puissant power maketh oft-times the desired victorie to be doubtful This thing seene of the Romanes and by them considered importunately they besought the Emperour not to charge the battell for they sayde hee had not men sufficient And herein they had reason For the sage Prince should not rashly hazard his person in the warre nor yet should lightly put his life in the hands of Fortune The Emperour Gracian not changing countenance nor stopping in his words to all the Knights which were about him answered in this wise CHAP. XXVI Of the godly Oration which the Emperour Gracian made to his Souldiers before hee gaue the battell VAliant
diminished We ordaine that from two yeares to two yeares all the Bishoppes Abbots and Prelates of our Realme doe assemble and celebrate a Prouinciall counsell and that in this counsell there be no temporall matters spoken of but of the disorders and misgouernances of Churches For the Church is not lost for the lacke or scarsitie of Money but for the too great aboundance of riches We ordaine that all Prelates which are now and shall be hereafter wee desire that when they will call any counsell in our Realmes that before the celebration of the same they certifie vs lest vnder that colour or cloake of a holy Counsel there should some suspicious Assemblie bee had Wee ordaine that from henceforth the Princes and great Lords be bound to repaire to the sacred Counsell with all the company of the holy Bishops For it were more meete they should come to destroy false Heretickes in winning their soules then to fight against their Enemyes in losing theyr liues Wee ordaine that the Prince which commeth not to the counsels through negligence that vnto him the Sacrament of the Bodie of Christ be not ministred vntill the next counsell be celebrated And if perchance hee refuse not to come through negligence but through malice wee will that they proceed against him as a suspect person in the Faith of Christ For the Christian Prince that of malice only committeth an offence is not perfite in the holie Catholike Faith Wee ordaine that at the first assemblie of the Counsell all the Prelates together openly and afterwards eache one by himselfe priuately shall say the Creede singing the which thing finished the King himselfe alone shall say the Creede likewise For if the Prince be suspected of the holy Catholike Faith it is vnpossible that his people should bee good Christians Wee ordaine that in this Counsell the Prelates haue libertie and authortie to say vnto the King that that is comely and decent and the King likewise to say in the Counsell what he thinketh best so that the Prelates might tell the King without feare of his little care he hath in destroying the Heretickes and Heresies of his Realme and likewise the King might tell the Prelates their negligence that they vse in the charge of their flocke For the end and intention of Counsells ought not to be any otherwise then a scourge for offences past and a reformation of the euils to come We ordaine that all the Princes of Affricke immediately before they doe any other thing in the morning doe openly and diligently come to Morning prayer And wee will also that there be present all his Courtiers and priuate Counsellors which with theÌ ought to enter into counsell For that creature cannot giue any good counsell who hath not reconciled himselfe vnto God before Wee ordaine that the Archbishops Bishops and Abbottes continually during the time of the counsell doe euery day confesse themselues to Almighty God seruing him deuoutly and that one of them doe preach vnto the people Gods word For if euery Prelate bee bound to giue good example alone then beeing all together they shall giue it much better Wee ordaine that Princes as much as lyeth in them doe giue vnto their subiects good examples and that on the Sabboth day in especiall and other Feastiualldayes they repayre vnto the Cathedrall Church to heare diuine Seruice and there reconciling themselues to God that they do publikely in the presence of the congregation receyue the holy Communion and Supper of the Lord. For it would bee a great slander to Princes which ought to reprehend others of theyr faultes that a man should neuer see them come to the Church and be partakers of the holy Sacrament Wee ordaine that al Easter chiefly Princes doe goe to the church Cathedrall and that the Metropolitane bee there in person to celebrate the holy Communion and the Gospell beeing said the Prince himselfe shal be bound to say with a lowde voyce the Creede confirmed in the sacred counsell of Nicene For that good Princes ought not only in theyr hearts to befaithful vnto IESVS CHRIST but are also bound openly with theyr mouthes to confesse it before the people Wee ordaine that Princes be not so hardie to haue in their Court aboue two Bishops the one to giue him ghostly counsell and the other to preach vnto him the word of God And those we will that the Councell assigne vnto him and that they bee bound to finde two persons of the most ancient and vertuous which shall remaine in the Court no more but two yeares and that afterwards others be placed there in their steades For there is nothing more monstrous then to see the Church long without Prelates CHAP. XXVIII What a godly thing it is to haue but one Prince to rule the publike weale for there is no greater enemie to the common weale then hee which procureth many to commaund therein as by reasons following it shall be proued OFt times with my selfe alone I consider that sith the diuine prouidence which dooth all things by weight measure and that of her and none other all creatures are ruled and gouerned and that furthermore with God there is no exception of persons for hee maketh the one rich and the other poore the one sage and the other simple the one whole and the other sicke the one fortunate and the other vnlucky the one seruant and the other master And let no man maruell though I muse thereat for the variety of time is the beginner of dissentions among the people In mans iudgement it seemeth that it were better all were alike in apparrell all equall in commaunding none greater then others in possessions all to content themselues with one kind of meate and that the names commaunding and obeying were vtterly abolished brought to naught So that if the miseries of the one and prosperities of the other were put out from that day forward I protest there should bee no enuy in the World Laying aside mans opinion which ought not to be compared to the diuine mystery I demand now what reason sufficed to thinke that of two brethren that is to say Iacob and Esau both children of holy and deuout persons the diuine prouidence would the one should be chosen and the other despised that the one should commaund and the other obey the one to be disinherited beeing the eldest and the other to inherite being the youngest That which chaunced to Iacob with Esau the same chaunced to the children of Iacob and Ioseph who being partaker and chosen God prouided and ordayned that to Ioseph beeing the youngest his brethren should serue and obey him This thing was repined at of all the eleuen brethren howbeit their intentions auayled not for it is vnpossible for mans malice to disorder that which the diuine prouidence hath appointed wee see dayly nothing else but that which man decreeth in a long time God disposeth otherwise in one moment Truly it is not euill
done but well ordained For in the end sith man is man in few things hee can be eyther certaine or assured and sith God is God it is vnpossible that in any thing hee should erre It is a great benefite of the Creator to bee willing to reforme and correct the words of the Creatures For if God would suffer vs to doe after our owne mindes wee should bee quite contrary to his pleasure God without a great mistery did not ordayne that in one family there should bee but one Father among one people there should be but one Cittizen that should commaund in one Prouince there should be but one Gouernour alone and also that one King alone should gouerne a prowde Realme and also that by one onely Captaine a puissant Armie should be ledde And furthermore and aboue all he willeth that there bee but one Monarchiall King and Lord of the Worlde Truely all these things are such that wee with our eyes doe see them and know them not wee heare them with our eares and vnderstand them not we speake them with our tongues and knowe not what wee say For truely mans vnderstanding is so dull that without doubt he is ignorant of more then he knoweth Appolonius Thyaneus compassing the most part of Asia Affrike and Europe That is to say from the bridge of Nilus where Alexander was vnto Gades where the pillers of Hercules were hee beeing one day in Ephese in the Temple of Diana the Priestes asked him what thing hee wondered at most in all the world For it is a general rule that men which haue seene much alwayes doe note one thing aboue another Although the Phylosopher Appolonius greatlyer esteemed the workes then the speaking of them that demanded the question yet foorthwith hee made them this answere I let you know Priests of Diana that I haue bin throughout France England Spayne Germanie through the Laces and Lydians Hebrues Greeks Parthes Medes Phrygians and CorinthiaÌs and so with the Persians aboue in all the great Realme of India For that alone is more woorth then all these Realms together I will you vnderstand that all these Realmes in many and sundry things doe differ as in languages persons beasts mettals waters flesh customs Lawes Lands buildings in Apparell and Forts and aboue all diuers in their Gods and Temples For the Language of the one differeth not so much from the language of the other as the Gods of Europe differ from the Gods of Asia and the Temples and Gods of Asia and Europe differ from them of Affricke Amongst all things which I haue seene of two onely I did maruell which is that in all the parts of the world wherein I haue trauailed I haue seene quiet men troubled by seditious persons the humble subiect to the proude the iust obedient to the Tyrant I haue seene the cruell commaunding the mercifull the coward ruling the hardie the ignorant teaching the wise and aboue all I saw that the most Thieues did hang the innocent on the gallowes The other thing whereat I maruelled was this That in all the places and where I haue bene I knowe not neyther could I finde any man that was euerlasting but that all are mortall and in the end both high and low haue an ende For manie are layd too night in theyr graue which the next Day following thought to bè aliue Leaue aside the diuine iudgement in that hee spake hee said highly and like a Philosopher for it seemeth to bee a pleasant thing to see how men gouerne the World Therefore now to the matter It is but reason we know the cause of this so ancient a noueltie which is That God willeth and ordayneth that one onely command all and that all together obey one For there is nothing that God doeth although the cause thereof bee vnknowne vnto vs that wanteth reason in his Eternall wisedome In this case speaking like a Christian I say that if our Father Adam had obeyed one onely Commaundement of Almightie GOD which was forbidden in the Terrestriall Paradise we had remained in liberty vpoÌ the earth and should haue bin Lords and maisters ouer all But sith hee would not then obey the LORD wee are now become the abiects and slaues of so many Lords Oh wicked sinne accursed be thou sith by thee onely the Worlde is brought into such a bondage without teares I cannot speake that which I would that through our first Fathers which submitted themselues to sinne we their childreÌ haue lost the Seignoric of the world For sith they were prisoners vnto sinne in their soules little auaileth the libertie of their bodies There was great diuersitie betwixt the opinions of Pythagoras and the opinions of Socrates for so much as those of Socrates schoole said That it were better all things should be common and all men equall The other of Pythagoras schole saide the contrarie And that the Common-wealth were better wherein each one had his owne proper and all should obey one so that the one of them did admitte and graunt the name of seruants and the others did despise the name of Lords As Laertius in his first booke of the lise of Phylosophers saide that the Phylosopher Demosthenes was also of the same opinion that to the ende the people should be well gouerned hee would two names should be vtterly abolished and taken away That is to say Lords and subiects Maisters and seruants For the one desirous to rule by fiercenesse and the others not willing to obey to tyrannie would shed the bloud of the innocent and would be violent against the poore They would destroy the renowmed and famous people and Tyrannie would waxe stoute the which things should be taken away if there were no seignorie nor seruitude in the world But notwithstanding these things the Philosopher in his first booke of his Pollitiques saith That by foure naturall reasons wee may prooue it to be very necessarie that Princes doe commaund and the people obey The first reason is of the parts of the Elements simple and mixt For wee see by experience that the Elements doe suffer to the ende they would be ioyned together the one to haue more power then all the which is shewed by experience Forasmuch as the Element of the Fire the Element of the Ayre and the Element of the Water doe obey the Element of the Earth doth commaund For against their nature he bringeth them all to the Earth But if all the noble and chiefest Elements were obedient to the most vile Element only to forme a bodie mixt it is a greater reason that all obey to one vertuous person that the Common-wealth might therby the better be gouerned The second reason is of the bodie and the soule in the harmonie wherof the Soule is the mistresse which commaundeth and the bodie the seruant which obeyeth For the bodie neyther seeth heareth nor vnderstandeth without the bodie The sage Philosopher by this inferreth that the
sage men should naturally be Lords ouer others For in the world there is nothing more monsterous then that Fooles should commaund and wise men obey The third reason taketh his ground on beasts For wee see by experience that diuers beasts by the onely knowledge of men are gouerned therefore it is but meete that many men which are more liker Beastes then the beasts themselues do suffer themselues to be gouerned and ruled by wise men For the Commonweale is more profited by a brute beast then it is by witles men The 4. reason proceedeth of women For we see that they being created to the image of GOD God coÌmandeth ordaineth that they should be subiect to man presupposing their knowledge not to be so great as the knowledge of men Therefore if this thing bee thus why could not diuers mortasl men who without comparison know lesse then women take themselues for happy that one alone would commaund and gouerne them so that such a one were a sage and vertuous person Sith man is naturally politique which is to bee a friend of company the company engendreth enuie and afterwardes discord nourisheth war and warre bringeth in tyranny and tyranny destroyeth the Common-wealth and the Common-wealth being lost all men thinke their liues in perill Therefore it is very necessary that in the Common-wealth many bee gouerned by one alone For to conclude There is no Common-wealth well gouerned but by one alone The great trauels and inconueniences which the Auncients found in times past were the occasision that it was ordayned in the publike weale that all should obey one Sith that in a Campe one onely Captaine is obeyed and in the Sea one Pilot followed In the Monastery all obey one Prelate and in the Church all obey one Bishoppe and since in a Hiue of Bees one Bee onely leadeth all the rest It were not reason that men should bee without one King nor the Common-wealth without a Gouernour These men that will not haue a King in a Common-wealth are like vnto drones and waspes which without trauell eate the sweate of others And my opinion in this case should be that euery man that will not bee commanded as an abiect of the common weale should bee expulsed and cast out thereof For in a common-wealth there can bee no greater enemie then hee that desireth that many should rule therein In that publike Weale where one alone hath care for all and all obey the commandements of one onely there God shall bee serued the people shall profit the good shal bee esteemed and the euill despised and besides the Tyrantes shall bee suppressed For a gouernance of many is not profitable vnlesse they refer themselues to the iudgement of a few and to the arbitrement of one alone Oh how many people realms because they would not obey their Princes by iustice haue since by cruell tyrants been gouerned with tyranny For it is euen a iust plague that they which desire the scepters of righteous Princes should feele and proue the scourge of cruell tyrants Alwaies it was and shall be that in the world there was one to command another to obey one to gouerne and another to be gouerned In this case let no man say I am excepted for vntill this day there hath no Prince nor Knight bin seene but hath trauelled vnder this yoake I warne and pray and importunately require you all that you be loyall and faithfull seruants to the end you may deserue to haue louing Lords For the Prince that is wicked causeth his subiects to rebel the seditious subiect maketh his Lord becom a tyrant It is a great thing to the people their Princes be good or euill For there are no Princes so stable that alwayes wil disemble the euill nor there is no gouernor so very a tyrant but somtimes will acknowledge the good Oftentimes God suffereth that there be Emperors in the Empire Kings in Realms Lords in Cities and Prelates in Churches not all only as the Common wealth desireth nor as the good gouernment requireth but as the offence of the multitude deserueth For we see many that haue the charge of soules which deserue not to keepe the sheepe That to be true plainly appears For such doe not gouerne but disorder they doe not defend but offend they doe not resist the enemies but engage and fell the innocent they are no Iudges but Tyrants they are not gentle Pastors but cruell Hangmen they are not encreasers of the Common-wealth but destroyers of Iustice they are not ordayners of the Lawes but inuentors of tributes their hearts wake not to good but to inuent and worke all mischiefe And finally God sendeth vs such Prelates and Gouernours not for that they should bee Ministers of his lawes but for that they should bee scourgers of our offences CHAP. XXIX That in a publike weale there is no greater destruction then where Princes dayly consent to new orders and change olde customes IN the first booke of the Kings the 8. Chapter of the holy and sacred scripture is sayde that Samuel when hee was olde in his stead placed his two sonnes to gouerne the people whose names were Iohel and Abiah for that naturally the Fathers are desirous to aduance their childreÌ to honour The sonnes of Samuel were resident and held the iudgement in the City of Beersheba which was the furthest part of Iudea and the olde Samuel went to dwell in the City Ramah The honourable and most auncient men among the people of Ierusalem assembled together and decreede to send Ambassadours to Samuel which should bee the wisest men of all the Synagogue for the ancients in those dayes were so circumspect that they neuer committed any affayres in the common wealth into the handes of young men The Ancients then being arriued at Ramah spake these words vnto Samuel Samuel thou art now olde and for thy yeares thou canst not gouern the people therefore thou like a pittifull Father hast committed the gouernement of the people into the hands of thy children Wherfore we let thee know in this case that thy children are couetous First they doe receyue bribes of the suters And secondarily they doe great iniurie to the people Therefore wee are come to require thee to giue vnto vs a King that may gouerne vs and that might leade vs in battell for we will no more Iudges to iudge vs but Kings for to gouerne vs. The aged Samuel hearing the ambassage was ashamed of that the Ancients of Iudea had tolde him first seeing his children to bee euill Secondarily because they would take their offices from them And truely herein Samuel had iust occasion both to bee ashamed and also sorry For the enormities vices and wickednesse of the young children are swords that passe through the hearts of the old and auncient Fathers Samuel seeing that the Hebrewes were determined to depriue them of their office and gouernement of the people had none other remedy but euen to make
World beside peraduenture it is not folly to winne with the tears of the poore and comfortlesse widdowes so great and bloudy victories peraduenture it is no folly willingly to wet the earth with the bloud of Innocents onely to haue a vaine glorie in this World Thou thinkest it no folly peraduenture God hauing diuided the World into so many people that thou shouldest vsurpe them to thee alone O Alexander Alexander truly such workes proceede not from a creature nourished among men on the earth but rather of one that hath beene brought vp among the infernall Furies of Hell for wee are not bound to iudge men by the good nature they haue but by their good and euill works which they do The man is cursed if hee haue not been cursed hee shal be cursed that liueth to the preiudice of all others in this world present onely to be counted couragious stoute and hardie in time to come For the gods seldome suffered them to enioy that quietly in peace which they haue gotten vniustly in the warres I would aske thee what insolencie moued thee to reuolte against the lord K. Darius after whose death thou hast sought to conquer all the world and thus thou doest not as a King that is an inhertitor but as a tyrant that is an oppressor For him properly we cal a tirant that without iustice reason taketh that which is another mans Eyther thou searchest iustic or thou searchest peace or else thou searchest riches and our honor Thou searchest rest or els thou searchest fauour of thy frends or thou searchest vengeance of thine enemies But I sweare vnto thee Alex that thou shalt not find any of all these things if thou seekest by this meanes as thou hast begun For the sweet Sugar is not of the nature of the bitter gumbe How shall wee belieue thou searchest iustice sith against reason and iustice by Tiranny thou rulest al the earth how shal we belieue thou searchest peace sith thou causest them to pay tribute which receiue thee and those which resist thee thou handlest theÌ like enemies How can we belieue that thou searchest rest sith thou troublest all the world How can wee belieue thou searchest gentiles sith thou art the scourge and sword of humaine frailnes how can we belieue that thou searchest riches sith thine owne Treasures suffiseth thee not neyther that which by thee vaÌquished coÌmeth into thy hands nor that which the conque rors offer thee How shall we belieue thou searchest profit to thy frieÌds sith that of thy old friends thou hast made new enemies I let thee vnderstand Alex that the greatest ought to teache the least the least to obey the greatst And Friendship is onely amongst equalls But thou sith thou sufferest none in the World to bee equall and like vnto thee looke not thou to haue any Friend in the world For Princes oftentimes by ingratitude loose faithfull Friends and by ambition winne mortall enemies How shall we belieue thou searchest reueÌge of thine enemies sith thou takest more vengeance of thy selfe beeing aliue then thine enemyes would take of thee if they tooke thee prisoner though perchance in times past they vsed thy Father Philip euill and haue now disobeyed thee his Sonne It were farre better counsel for thee to make them thy Friends by gentlenes then to confirme them Enemyes by crueltie For the Noble and pitifull harts when they are reuenged of any make of themselues a butcherie Wee cannot with truth say that thy Trauells are well employde to winne such honor sith thy conuersation and life is so vnconstant For truely honour consisteth not in that Flatterers say but in that which Lords doe For the great Familiaritie of the wicked causeth the life to be suspected Honour is not gotten by liberall giuing of Treasours at his death but by spending it well in his life For it is a sufficient profe that the man which esteemeth renowme doth little regard Money and it is an apparant token that man who little esteemeth Money greatly regardeth his renowme A man winneth not honor by murdering Innocents but by destroying Tyrants for all the harmony of the good gouernment of princes is in the chastising of the euil rewarding the good Honour is not wonne in taking and snatching the goods of an other but in giuing and spending his owne For there is nothing that beautifieth the Maiestie of a Prince more then for to shew his noblenes in extending mercie and fauour vnto his subiects and giuing gifts and rewards to the vertuous And to conclude I will let thee know who hee is that winneth true honour in this life and also a perpetuall memorie after his death and that is not hee which leadeth his life in Warres but hee that taketh his death in peace O Alexander I see thou art young and that thou desirst honour wherefore I let thee vnderstand that there is no man farther from true honor then hee which greedily procureth and desireth the same For the ambitious men not obtaining what they desire remaine alwaies defamed and in winning and getting that which they search true honour notwithstanding will not follow them Belieue mee in one thing Alexander that the most truest honor ought through worthie deedes to bee deserued and by no meanes to bee procured For all the honour which by tyrannie is wonne in the ende by infamy is lost I am sorrie for thee Alexander For I see thou wantest Iustice since thou louest Tyrannie I see thou lackest peace because thou louest warre I see thou art not Rich because thou hast made all the world poore I see thou lackest rest because thou seekest contention and debate I see thou hast no honour because thou winnest it by infamie I see thou wantest friends because thou hast made them thine enemies Finally I see thou doest not reuenge thy selfe of thine enemyes because thou art as they wold be the scourge to thy selfe Then since it is so why art thou aliue in this World sith thou lackest vertues for the which life ought to be desired For truely that man which without his owne profite and to the dammage of an other leadeth his life by Iustice ought forthwith to lose his breath For there is nothing that sooner destroyeth the Weale publike then to permit vnprofitable men therein to liue Therefore speaking the truth you Lords and Princes are but poore I beleeue thou conquerest the World because thou knowest not thy superiour therein and besides that thou wilt take life from so many to the end that by their death thou mayest win renowne If cruell and warlike Princes as thou art should inherite the liues of them whom they slay to augment prolong their liues as they doe inherite goods to maintaine their pride although it were vnmeete then warre were tollerable But what profiteth the seruant to lose his life this day and his Masters death to bee differred but vntill the morrow O Alexander to be desirous to
ought to be friend to one and enemie to none Besides all this wee haue amongst vs great friendshippes good peace great loue much rest and aboue all wee holde our selues contented for it is better to enioy the quietnesse of the graue then to liue a discontented life Our Lawes are few but in our opinions they are good and are in seuen words onely included as here followeth Wee ordaine that our children make no more Lawes then wee their Fathers doe leaue vnto them for new Lawes maketh them to forget good and ancient customes We ordaine that our Successors shall haue no moe Gods then two of the which the one God shall bee for the life and the other for the death for one God well serued is more worth then many not regarded Wee ordaine that all bee apparrelled with one cloath and hosed of one sort and that the one haue no more apparrell then the other for the diuersity of garments engendreth folly among the people Wee ordaine that when any woman which is maried hath had three children that then shee bee separated from her husband for the aboundance of children causeth men to haue couetous hearts And if any woman hath brought forth any mo children then they should bee sacrificed vnto the Gods before her eyes We ordaine that all men and women speake the truth in all things and if any bee taken in a lye committing no other fault that immediately hee bee put to death for the same For one lyer is able to vndoe a whole multitude We ordaine that no woman liue aboue forty yeares and that the man liue vntil fifty and if they dye not before that time that then they be sacrificed to the Gods for it is a great occasion for men to bee vicious to thinke that they shall liue many yeares CHAP XXXV That Princes ought to consider for what cause they were made Princes and what Thales the Philosopher was of the 12. questions asked him and of his answere he made vnto them IT is a common and olde saying which many times by Aristotle the noble and vertuous Prince hath beene repeated That in the end all thinges are done to some purpose for there is no worke neyther good nor euilâ but he that doth it meaneth to some end If thou demaundest the Gardener to what end he watereth so oft his plants hee will answere thee it is to get some money for his hearbes If thou demaundest why the riuer runneth so swift a man will answere thee that it his to the end it should returne from whence it came If thou demaundest why the trees budde in the spring time they will answere to the end they may beare fruite in haruest If wee see a traueller passe the mountaines in the snow the riuers with perill the woods in feare to walke in extreame heate in Sommer to wander in the night time in the colde winter and if by chance a man doth aske one of them saying Friend whether goest thou wherefore takest thou such paines And hee aunswereth Truly sir I know no more then you to what end neyther can I tell why I take such paines I aske thee now what a wise man would answere to this innocent Traueller Truly hearing no more hee would iudge him to bee a foole for he is much infortunate that for all his trauell looketh for no reward Therefore to our matter a Prince which is begotten as an other man borne as an other man liueth as an other man dyeth as an other man And besides all this commaundeth all men if of such a one wee should demaund why God gaue him signiory and that he should answere hee knoweth not but that he was borne vnto it In such case let euery man iudge how vnworthy such a King is to haue such authority For it is vnpossible for a man to minister iustice vnlesse hee knew before what iustice meaneth Let Princes and noble men heare this word imprint it in their memory which is that when the liuing God determined to make Kings and Lords in this world hee did not ordaine them to eate more then others to drinke more then others to sleepe more then others to speake more theÌ others nor to reioyce more then others but hee created them vpon condition that sith he had made theÌ to commaund more then others they should be more iust in their liues theÌ others It is a thing most vniust and in the Common wealth very slaunderous to see with what authority a puissant man commandeth those that bee vertuous and with how much shame himselfe is bound to all vices I know not what Lord he is that dare punish his subiect for one onely offence committed seeing himselfe to deserue for euery deede to bee chastised For it is a monstrous thing that a blinde man should take vpon him to leade him that seeth They demaunded great Cato the Censor what a King ought to doe that he should be beloued feared and not despised he answered The good Prince should be compared to him that selleth Tryacle who if the poyson hurteth him not hee selleth bis Triacle well I mean therby that the punishment is takeÌ in good part of the people which is not ministred by the vitious man For hee that maketh the Tryacle shall neuer bee credited vnlesse the proofe of his Triacle bee openly knowne and tryed I meane that the good life is none other then a fine Triacle to cure the Common-wealth And to whome is he more like which with his tongue blazeth vertues and imployeth his deedes to all vices then vnto the man who in the one hand holdeth poyson to take away life and in the other Triacle to resist death To the end that a Lord bee wholy obeyed it is necessary that all that he commaundeth bee obserued first in his owne person for no Lord can nor may withdraw himselfe from vertuous works This was the answere that Cato the Censor gaue which in mine opinion was spoken more like a Christian then any Romane When the true God came into the World he employed 30. yeares onely in workes and spent but two yeares and a halfe in teaching For mans heart is perswaded more with the worke hee seeketh then with the word which hee heareth Those therfore which are Lords let them learne and know of him which is the true Lord and also let Princes learne why they are Princes for he is not a Pylot which neuer sayled on the seas In mine opinion if a Prince will know why he is a Prince I would say to gouern well his people to command well and to maintaine all in iustice and this should not bee with words to make them afrayde neyther by works which should offend them but by sweet words which should encourage them and by the good workes that should edifie them for the noble and gentle heart cannot resist him that with a louing countenance commaundeth Those which will rule and make tame fierce and wilde beasts do
in keeping them they haue great expences and for to defray such charges they haue but little money For in this case let euery man doe what hee will and let them take what counsel they like best I would counsell all others as my selfe haue experimented that is that the Prince shuld be of so good a conuersation amongst those which are his and so affable and familiar with all that for his good conuersation onely they should thinke themselues well apaide For with rewards Princes recompence the trauells of theyr Seruants but with gentle and faire words they steale and robbe the harts of their subiects Wee see by experience that diuers Marchants had rather buye dearer in one shop because the merchaÌt is pleasant then to buy better cheap in an other wheras the merchant is churlish I meane that there are manie which had rather serue a prince to gaine nothing but loue onely then to serue an other prince for money For there is no seruice better imploied theÌ to him which is honest good and gracious and to the contrary none worse bestowed then on him which is vnthaÌkfull and churlish In Princes Pallaces there shall neuer want euill and wicked men malicious and diuelish flatterers which will seeke meanes to put into theyr Lords heads how they shal raise their rents leuy Subsidies inuent tributes and borrow money but there are none that will tell them how they shal winne the hearts and good willes of their Subiects though they know it more profitable to bee well beloued then necessary to be enriched He that heapeth treasure for his Prince and separateth him from the loue of his people ought not to bee called a faithfull seruant but a mortall enemy Princes and Lords ought greatly to endeauour themselues to bee so conuersant among their Subiects that they had rather serue for good Will then for the payment of money for if mony want their seruice wil quaile and hereof proceedeth a thousand inconueniences vnto Princes which neuer happen vnto those that haue seruants which serue more of good will then for money for hee that loueth with all his heart is not proude in prosperity desperate in aduersity neyther complayneth he of pouertie nor is discontented being fauourles nor yet abashed with persecution finally loue and life are neuer separated vntill they come vnto the graue Wee see by experience that the rablement of the poore Labourers of Sicill is more worth then the money of the Knight of Rome For the Labourer euery time he goeth to the field bringeth some profit froÌ thence but euery time the Knight sheweth himselfe in the market place he returneth without money By the comparison I meane that Princes should bee affable easie to talke with all pleasant mercifull benigne and stout and aboue all that they bee gratious and louing to the end that through these qualities and and not by money they may learne to winne the hearts of their subiectes Princes should greatly labour to bee loued specially if they will finde who shall succour them in aduersity and keepe them from euill will and hatred which those Princes caÌnot haue that are hated but rather euery man reioyceth at their fall and misery for each man enioyeth his owne trauel and truly the furious and sorrowfull hearts take some rest to see that others haue pitty and compassion vpon their griefes Princes also should endeauour themselues to bee loued and well willed because at their death they may of all their seruants and friends bee lamented For Princes ought to bee such that they may be prayed for in their life and lamented and remembred after their death How cursed is that Prince and also how vnhappy is that Common-wealth where the seruants will not serue their Lord but for reward and that the Lorde dooth not loue them but for theyr seruices For there is neuer true loue where there is any particular interest With many stones a house is builded and of many men and one Prince which is the head of all the Common wealth is made For hee that gouerneth the Common wealth may be called a Prince and otherwise not and the Common-wealth cannot bee called or sayde a Common wealth if it hath not a Prince which is the head thereof If Geometrie do not deceyue me the lime which ioyneth one stone with an other suffereth well that it bee mingled with sand but the corner-stone that lyeth on the toppe ought to bee medled with vnslâked lime And it soundeth vnto good reason For if the nether-stones seperate the wall openeth but if the corner stone should slippe the building incontinently falleth I suppse Fathers conscript you vnderstand very well to what end I applie this comparison The loue of one neighbour with an other may suffer to be cold but the loue of a Prince to his people should bee true and pure I meane that the loue amongst frends may passe sometimes although it bee colde but that loue betweene the King and his people at al times ought to be perfect For where there is perfect loue there is no fayned wordes nor vnfaithfull seruice I haue seene in Rome many debates and hurly-burlyes among the people to haue bin pacified in one day and one onely which betweene the Lorde and the Commonwealth ariseth cannot be pacified vntill death For it is a dangerous thing for one to striue with many and for many to contend against one In this case where the one is proud and the other rebelles I will not excuse the Prince nor yet let to condemne the people For in the end he that thinketh himselfe most innocent deserueth greatest blame And from whence thinke you commeth it that Lords now adayes commaund vniust things by furie and the Subiects in iust matters will not obey by reason I will tell you The Lord doing of will and not of right would cast the wills of all in his own braine and deriue from himselfe all counsell For euen as Princes are of greater power then all the rest so they thinke they knowe more then all the rest The contrary hapneth to subiects who beeing prouoked I cannot tell you with what Frensie despising the good vnderstanding of theyr Lorde will not obey that which their prince willeth for the health of them all but that which euery man desireth particularly For men now a dayes are so fonde that euery man thinketh the Prince should looke on him alone Truely it is a strange thing though it be much vsed among men that one man should desire that the garments of all others should be meete for him which is as vnpossible as if one mans Armour should arme a whole multitude But what shall we be Fathers conscript and sacred Senate sith our Fathers left vs this world with such follie and that in these debates and strifes wee theyr children are alwayes in dissention and controuersie and in this wilfalnes wee shall also leaue our children and heyres How many Princes haue I seen and read
of in my time of my predecessors which were vtterly vndon by too much pride and presumption but I neuer read nor hearde of any which were destroyed for being courteous and louing to his subiects I will declare by some examples which I haue read in bookes to the end that the Lords may see what they win by theyr good conuersation and what they loose by being too hautie The Realme of the Sidonians was greater then that of the Chaldeans in weapons and inferiour in antiquitie vnto that of the Assyrians In this Realme there was Debastia which was called a King of Kings that endured two hundred and xxv yeeres because all these Kings were of a commendable conuersation And another of Debastia endured no longer then forty yeares And our ancients tooke pleasure of peace wherof we are ãâã and were ignorant of the ãâ¦ã which wee now vse so much Alwayes they desired to haue Kings which should bee good for the Common-wealth in peace rather then valiant and couragious in the warre as Homere in his Ilyades saith The auncient Egiptians called theyr Kings Epiphanes and had a custom that Epiphanes should enter into the temples barefoote And because it chanced the Epiphane on a time to come into their Church hoased hee was immediately for his disobedieÌce depriued and expulsed the Realme and in his stead an other created Homere declareth here that this king was prowde and euill conditioned wherfore the Egyptians depriued him and banished him the Realme taking oceasion that hee did not enter into the temple barefoot For truely when Lordes are euill-willed and not beloued for a little trifle and occasion the people will arise and rebell against them The said Homer saide also that the Parthes called theyr Kings Assacides and that the sixt of that name was depriued and expulsed the Realme for that of presumption hee bad himselfe to the marriage of a knight and being bidden and desired would not goe to the marriage of a poore Plebeyan Cicero in his Tusculanes sayth That in olde time the people perswaded theyr Princes to communicate with the poore and that they should abstaine flye from the rich For among the poore they should learne to bee mercifull and with the rich they shall learne nothing but onely to bee prowd Yee knowe right well Fathers conscript how this our countrey was first called Great Greece afterwards it was called Latium and then Italie And when it was called Latium they called their kings Marrani and truely although theyr borders were but narrow yet at the least theyr stoutnesse was great The Annales of those times say that after the thirde Syluius succeeded a Marrine who was proude ambicious and euill conditioned in such sorte that for feare of the people alwaies he slept locked vp and therefore they both depriued him and banished him the Realme For the auncients sayd That the king should locke his dores at no houre of the night against his Subiects neyther he should refuse in the day to giue them audience Tarquine which was the last of the seuen Kings of Rome which was very vnthankfull towards his Father in law he was an infamie to his bloud a traitour to his countrey and cruell of his person who also enforced the Noble Lucretia and yet notwithstanding this they doe not call him vnthankfull infamous cruell traitour nor adulterer but Tarquine the proude onely for that he was euill conditioned By the faith of a good man I sweare vnto you Fathers conscript that if the miserable Tarquin had bin beloued in Rome hee had neuer bin depriued of the Realme for committing adulterie with Lucretia For in the end if euery light offence which in youth is committed should bee punished within short space there should be no Common-wealth All these euils both before and after Tarquine were committed by the ancients in the Romaine Empire which were such as these of this young and light prince and were nothing in comparison vnto thee For truly considering the youth of the one and the experience of the other the greatest offence of the young is but a counterfeit to the least that the olde committeth Iulius Caesar last Dictatour and first Emperour of Rome beeing a thing commendable both to Senatours to salute the Emperour on theyr knees and to the Emperour to rise against them and resalute eache one according to this order because of presumption and that he would not obserue this ceremonie with xxiii woundes they dispatched him of his life Tiberius was an Emperour whome they blame for drunkennes Caligula was an Emperor also whome they accuse of Incest with his Sisters Nero was an Emperour who for that hee slew his Mother and his maister Seneca hath for euer bin named cruell Sergius Galba was a deuouring and a gluttonous Emperor for that he caused for one onely Banket seuen thousand Bynds to be killed Domitian was an Emperour who was greatly noted of all euils For all euils which in manie were scattered in him alone were found All these miserable Princes in the ende were betrayed hanged and beheaded And I sweare vnto ye Fathers conscript that they died not for theyr vices but because they were proud and euill conditioned For finally the Prince for one vice onely cannot much endamage the people but for being too haultie and presumptuous and of euill conditions they may destroy a Commonwealth Let Princes and great Lords be assured that if they giue many occasions of euill example afterwardes one onely-suffiseth to stirre theyr subiects to destroy them For if the Lord shew not his hatred it is for that hee will not but if the subiect do not reuenge it is for that he cannot Beleue me fathers conscript sacred Senate that euen as the Physition with a little triacle purgeth many euil humors of the body so the sage Princes with very litle beneuolence draw out of theyr Subiects much rancour and inward filthinesse of heart diuerting their euill wills into true and faithfull loue And because the members should be agreable with the head in mine opinion it behoueth the people to obey the commaundements of theyr Prince and to doe honour and to reuerence his person and the good Prince to bee iust and equall to all in generall and gentle in conuersation with euery one O happy commonwealth wherein the Prince findeth obedience in the people and the people in like manner loue in the Prince For the loue of the Lord springeth obedience in the subiect and of the obodience of the Subiects springeth loue in the Lord. The Emperour in Rome is as the Spyder in the midst of her Cobweb the which beeing touched with the needles point by one of the threedes of the same bee it neuer so little immediately the spyder feeleth it I meane that all the worke which the Emperor doth in Rome are immediately published throughout all the countrey For in fine since princes are the myrrour of all they can not well cloake theyr vices
it is he that shall hereafter destroy the Romaine people as Suetonius Tranquillus affirmeth in the booke of Caesar Albeit that Iulius Caesar was vncomlie in his behauior yet in naming onely his name he was so feared through the world as if by chance any king or Princes did talke of him at their table as after supper for feare they could not sleepe that night vntill the next day As in Gallia Gotica where Iulius Caesar gaue battell by chance a French knight tooke a Caesarian knight prisoner who beeing led prisoner by the Frenchmen said Chaos Caesar which is to say Let Caesar alone Which the Gaulloys hearing the name of Caesar let the prisoner escape and without any other occasion hee fell besides his horse Now then let Princes and great Lords see how little it auaileth the valiant man to bee faire or foule sith that Iulius Caesar being deformed only with naming his name caused all men to feare to change their countenance Hanniball the aduenterous captaine of Carthage is called monstruous not onely for his deedes he did in the world but also for the euill proportion of his bodie For of his two eyes he lacked the right and of his two feete he had the left foote crooked and aboue all he was little of body and verie fierce and cruell of countenance The deeds and conquests which Hanniball did among the people of Rome Titus Liuius declareth at large yet I will recite one thing which an Historiographer declareth and it is this Frontine in the book of stoutenesse of the Penians declareth that in seuenteene yeeres that Hannibal warred with the Romaines he slue so great a number that if the men had bin conuerted into Kine and that the blood which was shed had beene turned into Wine it had beene sufficient to haue filled and satisfied his whole armie being foure score thousand footmen and seuenteene thousand horsemen in his campe I demand now how many were at that time fairer and more beautifull of their bodyes and countenance then he was whose beautie at this day is forgotten whereas his valiantnesse shall endure for euer For there was neuer any Prince that left of him eternall memorie only for being beautiful of countenance but for enterprising great things with the sword in the hand The great Alexander was no fairer nor better shapen then another man For the Chronicles declare of him that he had a litle throte a great head a blacke face his eyes somewhat troubled the body little and the members not well proportioned and with all his deformitie hee destroyed Darius king of the Perses and Medes and he subdued all the tyrants he made him selfe Lord of all the Castles and took many kings and disherited and slue mightie Lords of great estate hee searched all their riches and pilled all their treasors and aboue all things all the earth trembled before him not hauing the audacitie to speake one word against him Of a letter the Emperour Marcus Aurelius wrote to his Nephew worthie to be noted of all yong Gentlemen CHAP. XLII SExtus Cheronensis in his second booke of the life of Marcus Aurelius declared that this good Marcus Aurelius had a sister called Annia Melena the which had a sonne named Epesipus who was not onely nephew but also Disciple to Marcus Aurelius And after he was created Emperour he sent his nephew into Greece to study the Greeke tongue and to banish him from the vices of Rome This yong Epesipus was of a good and cleare iudgement well made of his body and faire of countenance and sith in his youth he esteemed his beauty more then his learning the Emperour his vncle wrote him a letter in Greeke which sayd thus Marcus Aurelius the Romaine Emperour first Tribune of the people and Bishop wisheth to thee Epesipus his Nephew and Scholler health and doctrine In the third Calends of December came thy cousin Annius Verus at whose comming all our parentage reioyced and so much the more because that hee brought vs newes out of Grecia For truely when the heart hath the absence of that he loueth it is no minute of an houre without suspition After that thy cousen Annius Verus had spoken in generally to all bringing newes from their friends and children we talked together and he gaue me a letter of thine which is contrary to that which was written mee out of Greece because thou writest to mee that I should send thee mony to continue thee in studie and they did also write vnto me from thence that thou art more youthfull and giuen more to the pleasures of the world then becommeth thee Thou art my blood thou art my Nephew thou wert my Scholler and thou shalt bee my sonne if thou art good But God wil neuer that thou be my Nephew nor that I shall call thee my sonne during the time that thou shalt be yong fond light and frayle For no good man should haue parentage with the vitious I cannot deny but that I loue thee from the bottome of my stomacke and so likewikewise thy vnthriftinesse greeueth me with all my heart For when I read the letters of thy follies I will content my selfe For the sage wise men though against their willes they heare of such things past yet it pleaseth them to redresse other things that may come heareafter I know well that thou canst not call it to minde though perhaps thou hast it that when thy vnlucky mother and my sister Annia Melena died she was then yong enough for she was no more but eighteene yeares of age and thou haddest not then foure houres For thou wert borne in the morning and shee dyed iust at noone-tide so when the wicked childe possessed his life then the good mother tasted death I can tell thee that thou hast lost such a mother and that I haue lost such a sister that I beleeue there was no better in Rome For she was sage honest and faire the which things are seldome seene now a dayes For so much as thy mother was my sister and that I had brought her vp and marryed her I read then Rethorike at Rhodes because my pouertie was extreame that I had no other thing but that which by reading Rethorike I did get When newes came vnto me of the death of thy mother and my sister Annia Milena al comfort laid on side sorrow oppressed my heart in such wise that all members trembled the bones shiuered my eyes without rest did lament the heauy sighes ouercame me at euery minute my heart vanished away from the bottome of my heart I inwardly lamented and bewayled thy vertuous mother and my deare sister Finally sorrow executing his priuiledge on mee the ioyfull company greeued me and onely with the louely care I quieted my selfe I know not nor cannot expresse vnto thee how and in what sort I tooke the death of my sister Annia Milena thy mother for in sleeping I dreamed of her and dreaming I saw her when I was awake
decline or the young that are wise I had rather holde my selfe to the wisedome of the young then to the white beardes of the aged My wife Faustine saluteth thee and be thou assured that in thy affayres at the least in my seeming shee is very fauourable vnto thee and dayly shee instantly requireth mee not to bee angry with thee saying that Sage men ought not to esteeme the lightnes of youth and that there is no olde man that is sage but he which in all things was light and youthfull I say no more to thee in this case but if thou wilt be good I cannot deny that thou art not my Nephew my old Scholler and seruant for if in thee I see amendment I will withdraw mine ire For truly among the louing hearts there is nothing that plucketh vp the euill will vnlesse it be the good life At the request of my wife Faustine I haue written thee this word and I say no more but of her part and mine thou commend vs to all the Vniuersity The Gods haue thee in their custodie to whom it may please to giue thee amendment of life Marcus Aurelius the Romane Emperour to thee Annius Epesius writeth with his owne hand CHAP. XLIII How Princes and great Lords in olde time were louers of wise men ONe of the chiefest things that wan reputation and eternall memory to the ancient Princes and Gouernours was that they sought wise men to bee alwayes conuersant about them whose graue counsell their Realmes alwayes obserued and obeyed It profiteth a King little to leade with him a great number of Sages to gouerne him and his Realme if his Subiectes are armed with malice not to obey him Let Princes know which esteeme not the counsell of Sages that their commaundement of other shall not bee regarded for the Law which by will is made and not of right ordayned deserueth not to be obeyed Wee which turne and tosse the leaues of the auncient Histories cannot deny but that the Romaines naturally were proud Yet wee must confesse that as they haue beene stout in things touching warres so they haue shewed themselues temperate in the affayres of the publike weale And truly herein Rome declared her wisdome and might for as by hardy and stout Captaines the enemies were destroyed in warre so by Sage and Wise men the common wealth was gouerned and maintained in peace Oft times with my selfe I muse whereupon all these discords grew betweene Lords and subiects Princes and vassels and my count beeing made I finde that they haue both reason for the subiects complaine of the little loue of their Lord and the Lords complaine of the great disobedience of their subiects for to say the truth disobedience is so much augmented the desire of commandement is become so licentious that it seemeth to the Subiects that the weight of a feather is leade and on the contrary it seemeth to Princes that for the flying of a flie they shuld draw their swords All this euill and damage commeth not but because that Princes haue not with them wise men which may counsell them for there was neuer any good Prince that credited euill counsell There are two things in Princes and Prelates which gouern the soule the one is the dignity of the office and the other is the nature of the person It may well be that one may bee good in his person and euill in his gouernment and the contrary hee may bee euill of his person and good in gouernment And therefore Tullius Cicero saith that there neuer was nor shall be such a Iulius Caesar in his person nor so euill a Gouernour as hee was for the Common-wealth It is a great grace in a man to be good but it is much more that hee bee a good Prince And for the contrary it is a great euill for a man to be euill but it is much worse for him to be an euill Prince For the euill man is onely euill to himselfe but the euill Prince endamageth all others for the more the poyson is scattered through the bodie in so much more danger he is of his life I meane the more power a man hath ouer the Common-wealth so much the more euill and dammage hee doth if his life bee euill I maruel why Princes great Lords should bee so curious to search the best medicines to cure their bodies and that they are so slacke and slow in seeking sage persons to gouerne their Common wealth For without comparison it is greater damage that the Common wealth bee euill gouerned then if the Prince and Gouernour thereof should be sicke in his person Hetherto wee haue neither read nor seene that any Prince hath perished for lacke of physicke but for lacke of Counsellours Wee haue seene and reade of infinite Kings and Realmes that haue beene destroyed and vtterly vndone The lacke of a Physitian may cause danger in mans person but the lacke of a wise man may set discord among the people for where there is any tumult amongst the people a ripe counsell of aâ Wise man profiteth more then a hundred purgations of rubarbe Isidorus in the fourth book of his Etimologies affirmeth that the Romans were foure hundred yeares without Physitions For Esculapius the sonne of Apollo was the last Physition in Greece And in the Temple of the same Esculapius they set by the Image of Archabuto a man very notable in Surgery For the Romanes were so beneficiall to vertuous persons that to euery one that exceeded other in any kind of vertue they rewarded him with money they set vp a Statue of him for memory or else they made him free in the common wealth And then when the Surgian Archabuto was become auncient and very rich and when by occasion of great and daungerous wounds hee did cut off the armes and legges of certaine Romans thought him a cruell and an vnnaturall man Wherefore they droue him out of his house and killed him with stones in the field of Mars And let no man man maruell therat for oftentimes meÌ suffer lesse harm in enduring the paine then to tarry for the cruell remedies the Surgians apply vnto it Some will say that when Rome was without Surgeans the Romanes were discomfited and halfe lost To this I will answere that they neuer had a more prosperous time then in the foure hundred yeares when they were without Surgeans for then was Rome vndone when they receyued Surgeans for at that time they droue Philosophers out of Rome I doe not speake this as a preiudice to any Surgean for mee thinketh that Princes cannot be without som among them For as the flesh is seeble and delicate so dayly needeth it remedies to comfort it The sage Surgeons giueth vs none but good and healthfull counsels for they doe not perswade vs to any other thing but that wee bee sober and continent in eating drinking sleeping trauelling and working and that in all things we should be temperate The end why I
speake these things is to perswade princes prelates and great Lords that the great diligence they haue to seeke Surgeans and the summe of mony they waste to maintaine and content them they should spend part of that to seeke wise men to counsell their persons for if men knew what it were to keepe a wise man to commaund in their house they would giue for one onely wise man all their goods yee ought for to haue pitty and compassion vpon those princes and great Lords which lose so many dayes in the moneth and so many houres in the day in speaking of warres buildings weapons meats beasts of huntings and medicines oftentimes of other mens doings and of other vain things not necessary for mans life And this communication they vse with those that are neither vertuous nor wise the which can neyther wisely talke nor yet answere directly vnto that which is asked Oftentimes it chanceth that a prince at randon moueth a matter which they neuer saw written before nor with their eares they neuer heard the like neyther in all their life time they had knowledge thereof and yet they wil seeme to giue iudgement of it or better to say obstinately to contend as if all the dayes of their life they had studied it which thing proceedeth of great shame and euill bringing vp For the priuie Councell may speake before their princes but be they neuer so priuie with licence or without licence it is not lawfull for them to contend Helius Spartianus in the life of Alexander Seuerus sayeth that the Emperour Seuerus was demaunded onceby an Ambassadour of Greece What thing was most painefull to him in Rome whereunto the Emperour answered There is nothing grieueth mee more then when I am merry that my seruants should raise any strife or debate I am not displeased that matters should be debated but this grieueth mee when one will obstinatly striue that hath no ground of that hee speaketh hee cannot otherwise but be called obstinate Theodosius the Emperour was once demanded What a Prince ought to doe to be good wherunto he answered The vertuous Prince when he goeth abroade ought to haue graue and wise men in his company to discourse withall when he is at his meat to haue wise men at his board disputing and when he withdraweth him selfe a part to be reading with wise men and finally at all vacant times he ought to bee found with sage men counselling for the Knight which entreth into battell without weapoÌs is as hardy as the prince which will gouerne the common wealth without the counsell of wise men Lampridius in the booke of the Roman gests sayth that the Emperor Marcus Aurelius neyther at his meat at his going to bedde at his vprising in his trauell openly nor secretly suffered at any time that fooles should sing or communicate with him but onely wise and vertuous men whom alwayes he most entirely loued Of truth hee had reason for there is nothing be it in iest or in earnest but it is better liked of a wise man theÌ of a foole If a Prince bee sad cannot a wise man peraduentur by the saying of the holy Scripture counsell him better then a foole by foolish words If a Prince be prosperous shall it not bee better to keepe him in the same property to associate himselfe with a wise man rather then to put his trust in a foole and malitious person If a Prince be destitute of money cannot perchance a wise man finde him better meanes to get it then a foole which doth nothing but aske If a Prince will passe the time away shall not hee bee more comforted with a wise man that reckoneth vnto him the sauoury histories done in times past then hearkning a foole speake foolishly and declaring things dishonestly with the sayings of the malitious of the time present That that I speake of Surgians the selfe same I speake of fooles For I doe not say that they keepe them for their pastime though truely wee might better say to lose their time then to passe their time for that may iustly bee called time lost which is spent without the seruice of God and profit of their neighbours That which I most maruell at is not so much for the great authoritie that fooles haue in the Pallaces of Princes and great Lords as for the little succour and credite which wise men haue among them For it is a great iniurie that fooles should enter into the pallace of princes euen vnto their beds side and that one wise man may not nor dare not enter into the hall So that to the one there is no dore shut and to the other there is no gate open Wee which are at this present of right doe commend those that were before vs for no other cause but that in times past though the Sages were few in number and the world was replenished with barbarous people yet the Sages of those barbarous people were greatly esteemed and had in reuerence And this custome endured long time in Greece that when a Philosopher passed by a Greeke hee rose and spake vnto him and hee might not sit for the contrary all those which shall liue hereafter will reprooue vs which are at this present Forasmuch as wee haue so great a multitude of Sages and do not liue amongst barbarous but amongst Christians and it is a griefe to see and shame to write how little wise men are esteemed for at this day through our offences not those which haue most science but those which haue most riches in the common wealth do commaund I know not whether the diuine wisedome hath depriued them or that the worldly malice hath lost the taste of them For now a dayes there is no sage that liueth al alone to be wise but it is necessary for him to trauell how to gaine his liuing for necessity enforceth him to violate the rules of true Philosophy O world world I know not how to escape thy hands nor how the simple man and ideot defendeth himselfe out of thy snares when the Sage and wise men yea with al their wisedom can scarsely set their foot sure on the ground For all that Wise men of this World know is little enough to defend them from the malitious Reading that which I read of time past and seeing that which I see of time present I am in doubt which was greater the care that vertuous Princes had in seeking out Sages to counsell them or the great couetousnesse that others haue at this present to discouer mines and treasures Speaking therefore in this matter as I thinke I desire that those which haue the charge of gouernmentâ whether hee bee Prince Prelate or priuate person I passe not that they once may haue about them sage men that bee wise in deede and that they would loue them aboue all the treasure they had heaped For in the end of good counsell there commeth profite and much treasure is a token of great
danger In the olde time when vertuous Princes dyed and that they left their children for Successors in their Realmes and besides that forasmuch as they saw their children young and euill instructed in the affayres of their Realmes they committed them to Tutours that should teach them good works and doctrine rather then they would giue them Suruayors which should encrease and augment their Cofers and Rents For truely if the Common-wealth bee defended with great treasures it is not gouerned with good counsels The princes which are young accustomely are giuen to vices for in the one part youth raigneth and on the other part honesty wanteth And to such truely vices are very dangerous specially if they want Sages to counsel them to keepe them from euill company For the couragious youth will not bee brideled nor their greate liberty can bee chastised Princes without doubt haue more neede of wise and stayed men about them to profite them in theyr counselles then any of all their other Subiects for since they are in the view of all they haue lesse licence to commit vice then any of all For if you behold all and that they haue authority to iudge all will they nill they they are beholden and iudged of all Princes ought to be circumspect whom they trust with the gouernement of their Realmes and to whom they commit the leading of their Armies whom they send as Ambassadours into strange Countries and whom they trust to receyue and keepe their treasures but much more they ought to bee circumspect in examining of those whom they choose to bee their Counsellours For looke what is he that counselleth the prince at home in his pallace so likewise shall his renowne be in strange countries and in his owne Common-wealth Why should they not then willingly examine and correct theyr owne proper palace Let Princes know if they do not know that of the honesty of their seruants of the prouidence of their Counsels of the sagenesse of their persons and of the order of their house dependeth the welfare of the Common-wealth for it is impossible that the branches of that tree whose rootes are dryed vp should bee seene to beare greene leaues CHAP. XLIIII How the Emperour Theodosius prouided âise men at the houre of his death for the edification of his two sonnes Archadius and Honorius I Gnatius the Historian in the booke that he made of the two Theodosij of the 2. Archadij and of the 4. Honorii declareth that the first great Theodosius being â0 yeares olde and hauing gouerned the empire 11. years lying on his death bed called Archadius and Honorius his two sons and committed them to Estilconius and Ruffânus to be instructed and ordayned them likewise for gouernours of their estates and signiories Before that the father dyed hee had now created his children Caesars being then of the age of 17. yeares Therefore the Father seeing them not as yet ripe nor able to gouerne their Realms and Signiories he committed them vnto masters and tutors It is not alwayes a generall rule though one be of 25. yeares of age that he hath more discretion to gouerne realms then another of fifteene for dayly wee see that wee allow and commend the ten yeeres of one and reproue the forty yeares of an other There are many Princes tender of yeares but ripe in counsels and for the contrary there are other Princes olde in yeares and young in counsels When the good Emperour Vespatian dyed they determined to put his sonne Titus in the gouernement of the Empire or some other aged Senatour because they sayde Titus was too young And as they were in controuersie of the matter the Senator Rogerus Patroclus said vnto the Senate For my part I require rather a Prince which is young and sage then I do a Prince which is olde and foolish Therefore now as touching the children of Theodosius one day Estiltorius the tutor of Archadius speaking to a Greeke Philosopher very sage whose name was Epimundus sayd thus vnto him Thou and I long time haue beene acquainted together in the Palace of the Emperour Theodose my Lord who is dead and we are aliue thou knowest it had been better that we two had dyed and that he had liued for there bee many to bee seruants of Princes but there are few to be good Princes I feele no greater griefe in this world then to know many Princes in one Realme For the man which hath seene many Princes in his life hath seene many nouelties and alterations in the common wealth Thou knowest well that when Theodosius my master dyed hee spake to mee these words the which were not spoken without great sighes and multiplying of teares O Estilconus I dye and am going into an other world wherin I shall giue a streight account of the Realmes and Seignories which I had vnder my charge and therefore when I thinke of mine offences I am maruellously afrayde But when I remember the mercy of God then I receyue some comfort and hope As it is but meet wee should trust in the greatnesse of his mercy so likewise is it reason wee should feare the rigour of his iustice For truely in the christian law they are not suffered to liue as we which are Princes that liue in delights of this world without repentance to goe to Paradise Then when I thinke of the great benefites which I haue receyued of God and of the great offences which I haue committed and when I thinke of the long time I haue liued and of the little which I haue profited and also that vnprofitably I haue spent my time On the one part I am loath to dye for that I am afrayde to come before the tribunall seate of Iesus Christ and on the other part I would liue no longer because I doe not profite The man of an euill life why doth hee desire to liue any longer My life is now finished and the time is short to make amends And sith God demaundeth nought else but a contrite heart with all my heart I doe repent and appeale to his iustice of mercy from his iustice to his mercy because it may please him to receyue mee into his house and to giue mee perpetuall glory to the confusion of all my finnes and offences And I protest I dye in the holy catholike faith and commend my soule to God and my body to the earth and to you Estilconus and Ruffinus my faithfull seruants I recommend my deere beloued children for hereby the lone of the children is seene in that the Father forgetteth them not at the houre of his death In this case of one onely thing I doe warne you one onely thingââ require you one thing I desire you and one onely thing I command you and that is that you occupie not your minds in augmenting the realms and seignories of my children but onely that you haue due respect to giue theÌ good education and vertuous seruaÌts for
it was onely the wise men which I had about me that thus long haue maintained mee in this great authority It is a goodly thing for a Prince to haue stout captains for the warres but without comparison it is better to keepe and haue wise men in his palace for in the end the victory of the battel confisteth in the force of many but the gouernment of the commonwelth oftentimes is put vnder the aduise of one alone These so dolefull and pittifull words my Lord and Master Theodosius spake vnto me Now tell mee Epimundus what I shall doe at this present to fulfill his commendement For at his heart hee had nothing that troubled him so much as to thinke whether his children would vndoe or encrease the Common wealth Thou Epimundus thou art a Grecian thou art a Philosopher thou hast vnderstanding thou art an old seruant thou art my faithfull friend therefore for all these things thou art bound to giue mee good and healthfull counsell For many times I haue heard Theodosius my master say That he is not accounted sage which hath turned the leaues of many bookes but hee which knoweth and can giue good and healthfull counsell Epimundus the philosopher answered to these words Thou knowest well Lord Estilconus that the ancients and great Philosophers ought to be briefe in words and very perfect in their works for otherwise to speake much and worke little seemeth rather to bee done like a tyrant then like a Greeke Philosopher The Emperour Theodosius was thy Lord and my friend I say friend because it is the liberty of a Greeke Philosopher to acknowledge no homage nor seruice to a superiour for hee in his heart can haue no true licence that to rebuke the vitious keepeth his mouth shut In one thing I content my selfe in Theodosius aboue all other Princes which were in the Romane Empire and that is that he knew and talked wisely of al his affairs and also was diligeÌt to execute the same for all the fault of princes is that they are apt bold to talk of vertues in executing them they are very slacke and fearfull For such Princes cannot continue in the vertue which they doe commend not yet resist the vice which they doe disprayse I graunt that Theodosius was an executor of iustice mercifull stout sober valiant true louing thankfull and vertuous and finally in all thinges and at all times he was fortunate for Fortune oftentimes bringeth that to princes which they will and desire yea many times better then they look for Presupose it be true as it is most true that the time was alwayes prosperous to the Emperour Theodosius yet I doubt whether this prosperity will continue in the succession of his children For worldly prosperity is so mutable that with one onely man in a moment shee maketh a thousand shrewde turnes and so much the more it is hard to continue stedfast in the second houre Of slow and dull horses come oftentimes couragious and fierce colts and euen so of vertuousfathers come children euill brought vp For the wicked children inherite the worst of the Father which is riches and are dishenherited of the best which are vertues That which I perceyne in this matter as wel of the father which is dead as of the children which are aliue is that Theodose was vertuous in deede and the children are capable to follow both good and euill and therfore it is requisite that you now go about it for the Prince which is yong is in great perill when in his youth he beginneth not to follow the steps of vertue To speake particularly of Archadius Honorious I let thee know Estilconus that it is a thing superfluous to talk of it for I should lose my time because the things of princes are very delicate and though wee haue licence to prayse their vertues yet wee are bound to dissemble their faults As a sage father Theodose I desire thee to giue his children good doctrine and alwayes to accompany theÌ But I as a friend do counsell thee that thou keepe them from euill for in the end all is euill to accompany with the euill and forsake the good but the worst euill pursueth vs rather by the presence of the euill then by the absence of the good It may wel be that one being alone without the company of the good may yet notwithstaÌding be good but for one that is accompanied with euil men to be good of this I greatly doubt for the same day that a man accompanieth himselfe with the vicious the selfe same day he is bound to be subiect to vice O Estilconus since thou so much desirest to accomplish the commaÌdemeÌt of thy Lord and master Theodose if thou canst not cause that Archadius Honorius which are yong princes do accompany with the good yet at the least withdraw them from the company of the euill for in the courts of princes vitious men are none other but solicitors in this world to tempt others to be vicious how many and what solicitors haue we seen thou and I in Rome the which forgetting the affaires of their Lords did solicite for themselues vices and pleasures I will not tell what seruants of princes haue bin in times past but what they were and what they are euery man may easily see I will tell thee onely not of those which ought to be couÌsellors to princes but also of those which ought not to liue in their courts For the counsellors and officers of princes ought to be so iust that sheares cannot find what to cut away intheir liues nor that there needeth any needle or thred to amend their fame If thou Estilconus hast heard what I haue sayd marke now what I wil say and keepe it in memory for it may profit thee one day In the Courts of Princes proude men ought to haue no familiarity nor entertainement For it is vnseemely that those which are not gentle in words should commaund and those that haue not their hearts ready to obey should bee familiar with the Prince In the Courts of Princes there ought not to bee of Counsell and much lesse familiar enuious men for if enuy raigne amongst Princes and Counsellours there shall alwayes bee dissentions in the common-wealth In the Courts of Princes hasty men ought not to haue familiarity for oftentimes it chanceth that the impatience of Counsellours causeth the people to be euill content with their Princes In the Courts of Princes there ought not to be familiar nor of counsell greedy nor couetous men for the Princes giue great occasion to the people to bee hated because their seruants haue alwayes their hands open to receyue bribes In the Courtes of Princes there ought not to be familiar fleshly men for the vice of the flesh hath in it so little profite that he that is wholy ouercome therewith is or ought to be to the Prince alway suspected In the Pallace of a King there ought not
to bee drunkards or gluttons for whereas the familiars ought principally to serue their Princes with good counsel in mine opinion a man being full surcharged with excesse is more like to bleach and breake wind after his surfet then able to giue any profitable counsell in the Common wealth In the Pallace of Princes ought not to be resiant nor familiar blasphemers for the man which is a servant and openly dare blaspheme his Creator will not spare in secret to speake euill of the Lord. In the palace of Princes ought not to be of counsell nor familiar the negligent and delicate persons for there is nothing next vnto the diuine prouidence that helpeth Princes more to be puissant and mighty then when their seruants are faithfull and diligent In the pallace of Princes defamed men ought not to haue familiarity for the Prince cannot excuse himselfe to bee thought culpable when they doe rebuke him if in his house he maintaine seruants which openly are defamed In the pallace of princes they ought not to suffer Ideots and fooles for the realmes are not lost for that the Princes are young vncircumspect and vitious but for that their Counsellours are simple and malitious Woe woe be to the land where the Lord is vitious the subiect seditious the seruant couetous and the Counsellour simple and malitious for then the common wealth perisheth when ignorance and malice raigneth in the prince and gouernour of the same Those words passed betweene the noble Knight Estilconus and the wise Philosopher Epimundus vpon the bringing vp of those two princes Archadius and Honorius And because that princes and prelates might see which now haue the charge to gouerne people how much the Auncients did desire to haue sage men about them notwithstanding that I haue spoken I will shew you heere some notable and ancient examples CHAP. XLV How Cresus King of Lydea was a great friend and louer of Sages Of a letter the same Cresus wrote to the Philosopher Anacharsis And of an other letter of the Philosophers answere to the King IN the yeare of the Creation of the World 4355. and in the third age Sardanapulus being king of the Assyrians Ozias King of the Hebrewes and Elchias being high Bishop of the holy temple at that time when Rea the mother of Romulus liued in the second yeare of the first Olimpiade the great and renowmed Realme of Lydes had beginning as Plinie in the fift booke of the Naturall History sayth Lidia is in Asia minor and first was called Meonia afterwards was called Lidia and now is called Morea This Realme of Lydes had many worthy Cities that is to say Ephese Colose Aclasomena and Phorea The first King of Lydes was Ardisius a man of great courage and a Grecian borne and raigned 36. yeares The second was Aliaces who raigned 14 yeares The third was Meleus and he raigned 12. yeares The fourth was Candale and raigned 4. yeares The fift was Ginginus and raigned 5. yeares The sixt was Cerdus and raigned 6. yeares The 7. was Sadiates and raigned 15. yeares The eight was Allates and he raigned 49. yeares and the ninth was Cresus and raigned 15. yeares and of this King Cresus Zenophon declareth that hee was more valiant in feates of warre then comely of personage for though he was lame of one foote blemished of one eye lacking one eare and of body not much bigger then a dwarfe yet for all this hee was a iust man very constant stoute mercifull couragious and aboue all hee was a great enemie to the ignorant and a speciall friend to the Sage Of this king Cresus Seneca speaketh in his booke of Clemency and sayeth that the Sages were so entirely beloued of him that the Greekes which had the fountaine of eloquence did not call him a louer but entituled him the loue of Sages for neuer no man did so much to attaine to the loue of his Lady as hee did to draw to him and to his Country sage men This king Cresus therefore beeing Lord of many barbarous nations the which loued better to drinke the bloud of the innocent then to learne the science of the wise like an excellent prince determined for the comfort of his person and remedy of his Common wealth to search out the greatest Sages that were in Greece At that time flourished the famous and renowmed Philosopher Anacharsis who thogh he was born and brought vp amongst the Seythians yet hee was alwayes resident notwithstanding in Athens For the Vniuersity of Athens did not despise those that were Barbarians but those that were vitious The King Cresus sent an Ambassadour in great authority with riches to the Philosopher Anacharsis to perswade and desire him and with those gifts and presents to present him to the end it might please him to come and see his person and to set an order in his Common wealth Cresus not contented to send him gifts which the Ambassadour carried but for to let him vnderstand why he did so wrote him a letter with his owne hand as hereafter followeth The letter of King Cresus to Anacharfis the Phylosopher CResus King of Lydes wisheth Anacharsis great Phylosopher which remainest in Athens health to thy person and increase of vertue Thou shalt know how well I loue thee in that I neuer saw thee nor knew thee to write vnto thee a letter For the things which with the eyes haue neuer bin seen seldomtimes with the heart are truely beloued Thou doest esteeme little as truth is these my small gifts and presents which I send thee yet I pray thee greatly esteeme the will and heart wherewith I do visite thee For noble hearts receiue more thankefully that which a man desireth to giue them then that which they do giue them in deede I desire to correct this my Realme and to see amendement in the common-wealth I desire good order for my person and to take order touching the gouernement of my palace I desire to communicate with Sages somethings of my life and none of these things can bee done without thy presence for there was neuer any good thing made but by the meane of wisedome I am lame I am crooked I am bald I am a counterfeit I am blacke and also I am broken finally amongst all other men I am a monster But all these imperfections are nothing to those that remaine that is to say I am so vnfortunate that I haue not a Phylosopher with me For in the world there is no greater shame then not to haue a wise man about him to be conuersant with all I count my self to be dead though to the simple fooles I seeme to bee a liue And the cause of death is because I haue not with me some wise person For truely he is onely aliue amongst the liuing who is accompanyed with the Sages I desire thee greatly to come and by the immortall gods I coniure thee that thou make no excuse and if thou wilt not
But of those two the worst is too soone For if by determining late a man looseth that which he might haue gotten by determining too soone that is lost which is now gained and that which a man might haue gained To men which are too hasty chance daylie manie euills and daungers as saith the old prouerbe The hasty man neuer wanteth woe For the man being vnpacient and hauing his vnderstanding high afterwards come quarrels and brawlings displeasures varieties and also vanities which loseth their goods and putteth their persons in danger Sith all naturally desire to bee happie hee alone amongst all others may be called happie of whom they may truely say Hee gaue good doctrine to liue lest good example to dye These and many other sentences of Phalaris the Tyrant wrote in his Letters whereof Cicero profited much in his works and Seneca also in his Epistles and manie other writers besides For this Tyraunt was verie briefe in wordes and compendious in Sentences This Phalaris being in his Cittie of Agrigentine a Phylosopher of Greece wrote him a taunting Letter charging him with Tyrannie to which he made answere with this Letter following The Letter of Phalaris the Tyrant to Popharco the Phylosopher PHalaris Agrigentine wisheth vnto thee Popharco the Phylosopher health and consolation through the comfortable Gods I receyued thy Letter heere in Agrigentine and though it sauoured somewhat Satyr-like I was not agrieued therewith For of Phylysophers and Sages as thou art wee should not bee grieued with the sharpe wordes you tell vs but onely to consider the intention whervpoÌ you speake them Quarrellers malicious persons will haue the words by weight and measute but the vertuous and patient men do not regard but the intentions For if wee should goe about to examine euery word they speake vnto vs wee should giue our selues to much paine and we should alwayes set in the Common-wealth debate I am a Tyrant and as yet am in tyrannie but I sweare vnto the immortal gods whether the words were good or bad I neuer altered it For if a good man tell it mee I take it for my pastime Thou writest vnto me that all Greece is offended with mee there but I let thee vnderstand that all Agrigentine is all edified with thee here And thereof thou maist praise mee For if the Tyrants were not so much dispraysed the Phylosophers should not be so well loued Thou art counted for good and art good and I am counted for euill and am euill But in mine opinion thou shuldst not be proud for the one neither I should dispaire for the other For the day of the life is long and therein Fortune doth many things and it may wel be that from a tyrant I shall be a Phylosopher and thou from a phylosopher shalt be a tirant See my Friend that the long time maketh oftentimes the Earth to be turned to siluer and the siluer and Gold becommeth nothing worth I meane that there neuer was a tirant in any realme but that first he had bene brought vp in the studie of Greece I will not denie that all the renowmed Tyrants haue not bin nourished in Scictle but also thou shalt not deny me that they were not borne in Greece Therefore see and beholde to whom the faulte is from the mother which bare them or from the Nurse which gaue them sucke I doe not say that it shall bee but I say that it may well be that if I were there in Greece I should bee a better philosopher then thou and if thou wert heere in Agrigentine thou wouldest be a worser Tyrant then I. I would thou shouldest think that thou mightest be better in Greece where thou art that I might be worse in Agrigentine where I am For that thou dost not so much good as thou mightest do and I doe not so much euil as I may doe The cunning man Perillus came into these parts and hath made a Bull wherin he hath put a kind of torment the most fearfullest in the world and truely I caused that that which his malice had inuented should be of none other then of himselfe experimeÌted For there is no iuster law that when any workmaÌ hath inuented Engins to make other men die then to put them to the torments by them inuented to know the experience in themselues I beseech thee hartily to come see me and be thou assured thou shalt make me good For it is a good signe for the sick when he acknowledgeth his sicknes to the phisitian I say no more to thee but that once againe I returne to solicite thee that thou failest not to come see mee for in the ende if I doe not profite of thee I am sure thou shalt profite by me if thou winnest I cannot lose CHAP. XLVII How Philip K of Macedonie Alexander the great the K Ptolomeus the K Antigonus the K Archelaus Pirrus K of the Epirotes were all great louers and friendes of the Sages IF Quintus Curtius deceiue me not the great AlexaÌder sonne to k. Philip of Macedonie did not deserue to bee called great for that hee was accompanied with thousands of men of Warre but onely hee wanne the renowne of Great for that hee had more Phylosophers on his Counsell then all other Princes had This great Prince neuer tooke vpon him Warres but that first the order of executing the same should before his presence be examined of the Sages and wise Phylosophers And truely hee had reason for in affayres where good counsells haue proceeded they may alwayes looke for a good ende These Hystoriographers which wrote of great Alexander as well the Grecians as the Latines knowe not whether the fiercenesse wherewith he strooke his Enemyes was greater or the humanity wherewith hee embraced his counsel Though the sage philosophers which so accompanyed the great Alexander were manie in number yet notwithstanding amongst all those Aristotle Anaxarcus and Onesichrates were his most familiars And heerein Alexander shewed himselfe very wise For wise Princes ought to take the counsell of manie but they ought to determine and conclude vpon the opinion of fewe The great Alexander did not content himselfe to haue Sages with him neyther to send onely to desire those which were not his but oftentimes himself in person would go see them visite them and counsell with them Saying That the Princes which are the seruants of Sages come to be made Maisters and Lordes ouer all In the time of Alexander Magnus Diogenes the philosopher liued who neither for intreatie nor yet for any promises that were made would come for to see Alexander the Great Wherefore Alexander the Great went for to see him and when hee had desired him that hee would goe with him and accompany him Diogenes answered O Alexander since that thou wilt winne honour in keeping of men in thy company it is not reason then that I should loose it to forsake my studie For in following of
liue very circumspectly when they know they are conceyued with childe I should bee excused to speake of this matter since it is not my profession and that as yet I was neuer marryed but by that I haue read of some and by that I haue heard of others I will and dare be so bolde to say one word For the Sage oft times giueth better account of that he hath read then the simple doth of that hee hath proued This thing seemeth to bee true betweene the Physitian and the Patient For where the patient suffereth the euill hee oft times demaundeth the physitian what his sicknes is and where it holdeth him and what it is called and what remedie there is for his disease So the Physitian knoweth more by his science then the patient doth by his experience A man ought not to denie that the women and in especially great Ladies know not by experieÌce how they are altered when they are quicke and the great paines they suffer when they are deliuered wee could not denie but that there is great danger in the one and great perill in the other but they shall neuer know froÌ whence all commeth and froÌ whence all proceedeth and what remedie is necessarie For there are manie which complaine of robberyes but yet they knowe not what the thieues are that haue robbed them First according to my iudgement opinion that which the woman quicke with childe ought to doe is that they go softly and quietly and that they eschue running eyther in comming or going for though she little esteem the health of her person yet shee ought greatly to regarde the life of the creature The more precious the liquor is and the more weaker the vessell is which containeth it so much the more they ought to feare the danger lest the liquor shead and the vessell breake I meane that the complexion of Women beeing with Childe is very delicate and that the soule of the creature is more pretious and therefore it ought with great diligence to be preserued For all the treasure of the Indies is not equall in value to that which the woman beareth in her bowells When a man planteth a vineyard forthwith he maketh a ditche or some Fence for it to the ende that Beastes should not crop it whiles it is young nor that Trauellers should gather the Grapes when they are ripe And if the Labourer doeth this thing for to get a little wine onely the which for the soule and bodie is not always profitable How much more circuÌspection ought the woman to haue to preserue her childe since she shall render an accosit to the Creator of her creature vnto the Church of a christian and vnto her Husband of a childe In mine opinion where the account at the houre of death is so streight it is requisite for her that in the time of her life she be very circumspect For GOD knoweth euery thing so well in our life that there is none that can beguile him in rendring his account at his death There is no wight can suffer nor hart dissemble to see a man haue his desire that is to say to haue his Wife great with chllde and ready to bring forth good fruite and afterwards to see the wofull Mother by or throgh some sudden accident perish the innocent babe not to be borne When the VVoman is healthfull and big with childe she is worthie of great reproach if eyther by running leaping or dauncing any mischaunce hap vnto her And truly the Husband hath great cause to lament this case For without doubt the Gardener feeleth great griefe in his heart when in the Prime-time the tree is loden with blossomes and yet by reason of some sharpe and bitter Frost it neuer beareth fruite It is not onely euill that women should runne and leape when they are bigge and great with childe but it is also dishonest specially for great Ladyes For alwayes women that are common dauncers are esteemed as light houswiues The Wiues in generall Princesses and great Ladyes in particular ought to goe temperately and to be modest in theyr mouings For the modest gate argueth discreetnesse in the person All women naturally desire to be honoured and reuerenced and touching that I let them know that there is nothing which in a commonwealth is more honour for a woman then to be wise and warie in speaking moderate and quiet in going For it is vnpossible but that the woman which is light in her going and malicious in her talking should bee despised and abhorred In the yeare of the Foundation of Rome 466. the Romaines sent Curius Dentatus to make warre against King Pyrrus who kept the citie of Tharent and did much harme to the people in Rome For the Romaines had a great courage to conquer strange Realmes and therefore they could haue no patience to suffer any stranger to inuade theirs This Curius Dentatus was he which in the end ouercame King Pyrrus and was the first that brought the Elephants to Rome in his triumphe wherfore the fiercenesse of those Beasts astonished the Romane people much for they weighed little the sight of the Kings loden with yrons but to see the Elephants as they did they wondred much Curius Dentatus had one onely Sister the which he entierly loued They were seuen children two of the which died in the warres and other three by pestilence So that there were none left him but that sister wherefore hee loued her with all his heart For the death of vnthrifty children is but as a watch for children vnprouided of fauors This sister of Curius Dentatus was marryed to a Roman Consull and was conceyued and gone 7. moneths with childe and the day that her brother Triumphed for ioy of her Brothers honour she leaped and daunced so much that in the same place shee was deliuered and so vnluckely that the Mother tooke her death and the Childe neuer liued wherevpon the feast of the Triumph ceased and the Father of the infant with sorrowe lost his speech For the heart which suddenly feeleth griefe incontinently loseth vnderstanding Tibullus the Grecian in the 3. booke De casibus Triumphi declareth the hystorie in good stile how and in what sorte it chaunced Nine yeares after that the Kings of Rome were banished for the rape that Tarquine did to the chaste Lucretia the Romaines created a dignitie which they called Dictatura and the Dictator that had this office was aboue all other Lord and chiefe For the Romaines perceyued that the Commonwealth could not be gouerned but by one head alone And because the Dictatour had so great authoritie as the Emperour hath at this present and to the end they shold not become Tyrants they prouided that the office of the Dictatorship should last no longer then vi moneths in the yeare the which past and expired they chose another Truely it was a good order that that office dured but 6. moneths For oft times Princes thinking
though man doth what hee can as a maid and that he do all that he ought to do as a husband though he taketh painesfor her sake aboue his force and though with the sweat of his browes he relieueth her neede though euery houre he putteth himselfe in daunger yet in the ende shee will giue him no thanks but wil say that he loueth another and how hee doeth that but to please and satisfie her It is a long time since I desired to tell thee this Faustine but I haue deferred it vntill this present houre hoping thou wouldest not giue occasion to tell it thee For amongst wise men those wordes ought chiefly to bee esteemed which fitly to the purpose are declared I remember that it is six yeares past since Antonius Pius thy Father chose me to bee his Sonne in law and that thou chosest mee for thy Husband and I thee for my wife all the which things were done my wofull aduentures permitting it and Adrian my Lord commaunding it The good Anthonius Pius gaue his onely daughter in marriage vnto me and gaue mee likewise his Noble Empire with great treasures Hee gaue mee also the gardens of Vulcanali to passe the time therein But I thinke on both sides we were deceiued He in chosing mee for his Sonne in law and I in taking thee for my wife Oh Fanstine thy Father and my Father in law was called Anthontus Pius because to all hee was mercifull saue only to mee vnto whom he was most cruell For with a little flesh he gaue me many bones And I confesse the truth vnto thee that now I haue no more teeth to bite nor heate in my stomacke to digest and the worst of all is that many times I haue thought to rage on my selfe I will tell thee one word though it doeth displease thee which is that for thy beautie thou art desired of manie and for thy euill conditions thou art despised of all For the faire women are like vnto the golden pilles the which in sight are very pleasant and in eating very noysome Thou knowest well Faustine and I also that wee saw on a day Drusio and Braxille his Wife which were our neighbours and as they were brawling together I spake vnto Drusio such wordes What meaneth this my Lorde Drusio that being now the Feast of Berecinthia and being as we are adioyuing to her house and present before so honorable an assemblie furthermore thy wife being so faire as she is How is it possible there should bee any strife betweene you Men which are marryed to deformed persons to the ende that they might kil them quickly should always fall out with their Wiues but those that are married to faire women they ought alwayes to liue together in ioy and pleasure to the end they may liue long For when a faire woman dyeth although shee haue liued an hundred yeares yet shee dyeth too soone and on the contrarie though a deformed woman liueth but a small time yet notwithstanding shee dyeth too late Drusio as a man being vexed lifting vp his eyes vnto the heauens fetching a grieuous sigh from the bottome of his hart said these words as followeth The Mother Berecinthia pardon me and her holy house also and all the companie besides forgiue mee for by the immortall gods I sweare vnto thee that I had rather haue beene Marryed with a Moore of Chalde that is so fowle then being marryed as I am with a Romaine beeing very faire For shee is not so faire and white as my life is wofull and blacke Thou knowest well Faustine that when Drusio spake these wordes I did wipe the teares from his eyes and I gaue him a word in his eare that hee should proceede no further in this matter For such women ought to be chastened in secret and afterwards to be honoured openly Oh thou art most vnfortunate Faustine and the Gods haue euill deuided with thee giuing thee beautie and riches to vndoe thy selfe and denying thee the best which is wisedome and good conditions to keepe thy honor O what euil lucke coÌmeth vnto a man when God sendeth him a faire daughter vnlesse furthermore the Gods doe permit that shee be sage and honest for the womaÌ which is yong foolish and faire destroyeth the Common-wealth defameth all her parentage I say vnto thee againe Faustine that the gods were very cruel against thee since they swallowe thee vppe by the goulfes where all the euill perisheth and tooke from thee all the sayles and owers whereby the good doe escape I remained xxxviij yeares vnmarried and these vj. yeares only which I haue bin married mee thinketh I haue passed vj. hundreth yeares of my life for nothing can bee called a torment but the euil that man doth suffer that is euill married I will assure thee of one thing Faustine that if I had knowne before that which now I knowe and that I had felt that which now I feele though the Gods had coÌmanded me and the Emperour Adrian my Lorde desired mee I had not chaunged my pouerty for thy riches neither my rest for thy Empire But since it is fallen to thine and mine euill fortunes I am contented to speake little and to suffer much I haue so much dissembled with thee Faustine that I can no more but I confesse vnto thee that no Husband doth suffer his wife so much but that hee is bound to suffer her more considering that hee is a man and that she is a woman For the man which willingly goeth into the bryers he must thinke before to endure the prickes The Woman is too bolde that doeth contend with her Husband but that Husband is more foole which openly quarrelleth with his wife For if shee be good hee ought to fauour her to the end that she may be better if she be vnhappie he ought to suffer her to the end she be not worse Truly when the woman thinketh that her husband taketh her for eulll it is a great occasion to make her to be worse For women are so ambitious that those who coÌmonly are euil wil make vs belieue that they are better then the others Belieue me Faustine that if the feare of the gods the infamy of the person the speech of men do not restraine the woman all the chastisements of the worlde will not make her refraine from vice for all things suffereth chastisement and correction the woman only except the which must be wonne by intreatie The heart of the man is very noble and that of the woman very delicate because for a little good hee will giue a great rewarde and for a great offence hee will giue no punishment Before the wise man marieth it behoueth him to beware what he doth and when hee shall determine to take the companie of a Woman he ought to be like vnto him that entreth into the warre that determineth with himselfe to suffer all that may happen bee it good or euill I doe not
great Carthage who being of the yeares of 81 dyed in the first yeere of the wars of Punica they demaunded this Philosopher what it was that he knew he answered He knew nothing but to speake well They demaunded him againe what hee learned He answered Hee did learne nothing but to speake well Another time they demaunded him what hee taught Hee answered He taught nothing but to speake well Me thinketh that this good Philosopher in fourescore yeares and one said that he learned nothing but to speake well hee knew nothing but to speake well and that he taught nothing but to speake well And truely hee had reason for the thing which most adorneth mans life is the sweet pleasant tongue to speake well what is it to see two men in one counsell the one talking to the other the one of them hath an euill grace in propounding and the other excellent in speaking Of such there are some that in hearing them talke three houres wee would neyther be troubled nor wearied and of the contrary part there are others so tedious and rude in their speech that as soone as men perceiue they beginne to speake they auoyde the place And therefore in mine opinion there is no greater trouble then to hearken one quarter of an houre a rude man to speake and to be contrary there is no greater pleasure then to heare a discreete man though it were a whole weeke The diuine Plato in the Booke of Lawes sayde that there is nothing whereby a man is known more then by the words he speaketh for of the wordes which we heare him speake we iudge his intention eyther to bee good or euil Laertius in the life of the Phylosopher saieth that a young childe borne at Athens was brought vnto Socrates the great phylosopher being in Athens to the ende he should receyue him into his companie and teach him in his Schoole The yong childe was strange and shamefast and durste not speake before his Maister wherefore the Phylosopher Socrates sayd vnto him Speake friend if thou wilt that I know thee This sentence of Socrates was very profound I pray him that shall reade this writing to pause a while thereat For Socrates will not that a man be known by the gesture he hath but by the good or euill wordes which he speaketh Though eloquence and speaking well to euery man is a cause of augmenting their honour and no diminisher of their goods yet without comparison it shineth much more is most necessary in the Pallaces of Princesses and great Lords for men which haue common offices ought of necessity hearken to his naturall Countrimen and also to speake with strangers Speaking therefore most plainely I say that the Prince ought not to trauell onely to haue eloquence for the honour of his person but also it behoueth him for the Common-wealth For as the Prince is but one and is serued of all so it is vnpossible that hee haue so much as will satisfie and content them all And therefore it is necessary that hee requite some with money and that hee content others with good words For the Noble heart loueth better a gentle worde then a reward or gift with the tong of a rude man Plato Liuius Herodotus Vulpicius Eutropius Diorus Plinie and many other innumerable ancient Historiographers doe not cease to prayse the eloquence of Greeke princes and Latines in their workes Oh how blessed were those times when there were sage Princes and discreete Lordes truely they haue reason to exalt them For many haue obtayned and wonne the royall crownes and scepters of the Empire not so much for the great battels they haue conquered nor for the high bloud and generation from whence they are discended as for the wisedome and eloquence which they had Marcus Aurelius was naturall of Rome borne in Mount Celio hee was poore in patrimony and of base lynage little in fauour left and forsakeÌ of his parents and besides all this onely for being vertuous in this life profound in doctrine and of so high eloquence the Emperour Antonius called Pius gaue him his daughter Faustine for wife who being reproued of many because he gaue his daughter to so poore a Philosopher answered I had rather haue a poore Philosopher then a rich foole Pulio in his seuenth booke of the Romaine lawes sayth that in Rome there was a law very well kept and obserued of the Consels by a custom brought in that the Dictators Censor and Emperors of Rome entred into the Senate once in the weeke at the least and in this place they should giue and render account in what state the common wealth remayned O would to God that at this present this Law were so kept and obserued for there is none who doth minister so good iustice as he which thinketh to giue account of his doings They say that Caligula the fourth Emperour of Rome was not onelie deformed infamous and cruell in his life but also was an Idiot in eloqueÌce and of an euill vtterance in his communication so that hee among all the Romane Princes was constrained to haue others to speake for him in the Senate This wicked man was so vnfortunate that after his cruell and infamous death they drew him throughout Rome and set vpon his graue this Epitaph Caligula lyeth here in endlesse sleepe That stretcht his raigne vpon the Empires head Vnfitte for rule that could such folly heape And fitte for death where vertue so was dead I Cannot tell why Princes do praise themselues to be strong and hardie to bee well disposed to bee runners to iust well and doe not esteeme to be eloquent since it is true that those gifts doe profite them onely for their life but the eloquence profiteth them not onely for to honour their life but also to augment their renowne For wee doe reade that by that many Princes did pacifie great seditions in the common wealth and besides that they deserued immortall memory Suetonius Tranquillus in the first book of Caesars sayth that the aduenturous Iulius Caesar being as yet but 16. yeares of age when there dyed in Rome an aunt of his called Cornelia at her buriall hee made an Oration in the which hee beeing so young shewed maruellous great eloquence which was so accepted that day in al people that in the end euery man iudged him to bee a valiant Romane Captaine And as Appianus declareth they say that Silla spake these words That which I perceyue of this young man Caius Caesar is that in the boldnesse of his tongue he declareth how valiant he ought to bee in his person Let therefore Princes and great Lordes see how much it may profite them to know to speake well and eloquently For wee see no other thing dayly but that a man of base lynage by his eloquence commeth to be exalted and the other which of linage is nobly borne for want of speaking well and being eloquent is the first that discendeth most vilest of all other
The intention whereupon I wrote these things was for no other but to admonish perswade and pray all princes and great Lords that whiles their children are young they should put them to wise and learned men to the end they should teach them not onely how they ought to liue but also how they ought to speake For to persons of estate it is a great infamy to doe or to inuent to doe a thing afterward not to know how to giue a reason thereof Polidorus in the third booke of his Commentaries sayth that when the Lacedemonians were put to flight by the Athenians In rota milina it is called Milina because the battell was in the riuer of Miline the Lacedemonians sent a Philosopher called Heuainus to treate of peace with the Athenians who made such an eloquent Oration to the Senate of Athens that he did nor onely obtaine the Peace which hee desired for his Countrey but for himselfe also hee wan perpetuall renowne At the Philosophers returne the Athenians gaue him a letter which sayd in this sort CHAP. XXVI Of a Letter which the Athenians sent to the Lacedemonians THe Senate people Sages of Athens wisheth health to the persons and peace to the Common wealth of you of the Senate and people of the Lacedemonians Wee take the immortall Gods to recorde that in the last battell we had no lesse displeasure to see you ouercome then on the contrary wee had pleasure to see vs remaine victorious for in the end the daungers and inconueniences of the cruell warres are so great that the euill and danger is certain to them that are vanquished and the profite is doubtfull to them that haue ouercommed We would gladly that that which now yee will yee would haue willed sooner and that which now yee require and demaund that before yee had required and demanded But what shall we doe since it was ordayned to your and our wofull destinies that hee should lose the battell and that wee of your losse can take no profite For it is a rule vnfallible that all that which the Gods haue ordayned no worldly wight can auoyde nor humane power resist Yee demaund that warre may leaue and cease off and that wee take truce for three monethes and that duriyg this time peace and concord may be concluded To this wee make answere That the Senate of Athens hath not accustomed to grant peace afterward for to returne to warre for amongst vs Athenians wee haue an ancient Law that freely wee doe accept the cruell warre and liberally we doe graunt perpetuall peace In our Schooles and Vniuersities we trauell to haue Sages in time of peace for to help vs with their counsels in the time of warre And they doe counsell vs that wee neuer take vpon vs truce vpon suspect condition And indeed they counsell vs well for the fayned and dissembled peace is much more perillous then is the manifest warre The Philosopher Heuxinus your Ambassadour hath spoken to vs so highly and eloquently in this Senate that it seemed to vs very vniust if wee should deny him and gaine-say that hee requireth vs. For it is much more honesty to grant him peace which by sweet and pleasant words doth demaund it then him which by force and sharpe sword doth require it Let the case therefore be that the Senate people and Sages of Athens haue ordained that warre doe cease with the Lacedemonians and that all discordes contentions dissentions and debates doe end and that perpetual peace bee granted vnto them And this thing is done to the end all the world should know that Athens is of such courage with the hardie and so very a friend to the Sages that she knoweth how to punish the foolish Captaines and suffereth to bee commanded and gouerned by sage Phylosophers Yee know right well that all our warre hath not been but onely for the possession of Cities and limits of the riuer Milina Wherefore by this letter wee declare vnto you and by the immortall Gods wee sweare that wee doe renounce vnto you al our right on such condition that you do leaue vs Heuxinus your Ambassadour and Philosopher The great Athens desireth rather a Philosopher for her Schooles then a whole Prouince of your Realmes And do not you other Lacedemonians thinke that that which wee of Athens doe is light or foolish that is to say that wee desire rather one man to rule then to haue a whole Prouince whereby wee may commaund many For this Philosopher shall teach vs to liue well and that land gaue vs occasion to dye euill and sith wee now of your old enemies do become your true friendes we will not onely giue you perpetuall peace but also counsell for to keepe it For the medicine which preserueth health is of greater excellency then is the purgation which healeth the disease Let the counsell therefore bee such that as yee will the young men doe exercise themselues in weapons that so yee doe watch and see that your children in time doe learne good letters For euen as the warre by the cruell sword is followed so likewise by pleasant words peace is obtained Thinke not yee Lacedemonians that without a cause we do perswade you that you put your children to learne when as yet they are but young and tender and that yee doe not suffer them to runne to vices for on the one part wise men shall want to counsell and on the other fooles shall abound to make debate We Atbenians in like manner will not that yee Lacedemonians doe thinke that wee bee friends to bablers For our Father Socrates ordained that the first lesson which should be giuen to the Scholler of the Vniuersity should be that by no meanes hee should speake any word for the space of two yeares for it is vnpossible that any man should be wise in speaking vnlesse he haue patience to be silent Wee thinke if you thinke it good that the Philosopher Heuxinus shall remaine in our Senate and thinke you if wee profite by his presence that yee may bee assuted that others shall not receyue any damage by the counsels hee shall giue vs For in Athens it is an ancient Law that the Senate cannot take vpon them wars but by the Philosophers first it must bee examined whether it be iust or not We write none other thing but that wee beseech the immortall gods that they bee with you and that it please them to continue vs in this perpetuall peace for that onely is perpetuall which by the Gods is confirmed CHAP. XXVII That Nurses which giue sucke to the children of Princes ought to be discreete and sage women THe Pilgrims which trauell through vnknowne Countries and strange mountaines wth great desire to goe forward and not to erre doe not onely aske the way which they haue to goe but also do importune those whom they meete to point them the way with their finger For it is a grieuous thing to trauell doubtfully in feare
often times it chanceth that the wisedome of the good child doth remedy the folly of the wicked Father The Historians say that this Lelya Sabina had not onely a great grace in reading but also shee had much excellency in writing for she wrote many letters and orations with her own hand which her Father Lucius Sylla afterwards learned by hart and as he was indeed quicke of spirite so he vsed to recite them to the Senate alwayes for his purpose And let no man maruaile hereat for there are some of so grosse vnderstanding that that which they write and studie they can scarcely vtter others againe are of such liuely wits that of that onely which they haue heard it seemeth maruellous to heare with what eloquence they will talke Because Sylla had such and so excellent a daughter in his house hee was esteemed for a sage and wise councellour throughout all the Common wealth He was counted very absolute in executing strong in maintaining for right eloquent in speaking Finally of this came this ancient prouerbe which sayth Lucius Sylla gouerneth his own countrey with the eloquence of his tongue and is Lord of strange nations by the force of his sword What the great Plato hath beene and what great authority he hath had amongst his countrey men and amongst the strangers it is apparant for so much as the Greekes do acknowledge him of all other Phylosophers to be the Prince and likewise the Latines by one consent call him diuine And me thinketh that in doing this they doe no Phylosopher iniurie for as Plato in his life time had great modestie so truely in his writing hee exceeded mans capacitie An Historian called Hyzearchus declareth that Lasterna and Axiothea were two Greekes very well Iearned and amongst the Schollers of Plato chiefly renowmed The one was of so perfect a memory and the other of so high an vnderstanding that Plato oft times beeing in the chayre and these two not readie hee would not beginne to reade And being demaunded wherefore hee reade not his Lecture hee answered I will not reade for that there wanteth here vnderstanding to conceyue and also memory to retaine Meaning that Lasterna was absent that Axiothe was not yet come The wisedome of these two women ought to bee much since Plato without them would not vtter one word vnlesse they were present in his Schoole For Plato esteemed more the vnderstanding and memory of those two women alone then hee did the phylosophy of his other Schollers together Aristippus the phylosopher was Scholler to Socrates and of the most renowmed of Athens Hee had a daughter called Aretha the which was so well learned in Greeke and Latine letters that the common renowme sayd the soule of Socrates was entred into Aretha and the cause that mooued them to say this was because shee read and declared the doctrine of Socrates in such wise that it seemed to most men shee had rather write by hand then learne by studie Bocchas in the second booke of the prayse of women sayeth that this Aretha was so excellent a woman that shee did not only learne for her selfe but also to teach others and did not onely teach in diuers Schooles but also shee wrote many and sundrie bookes one especially in the prayse of Socrates an other of the manner of bringing vp children an other of the Warres of Athens an other of the tyrannicall force an other of the Common Wealth of Socrates an other of the infelicity of Women an other of the tillage of the Auncients an other of the Wonders of the Mount Olimpus an other of the vaine care of the Sepulchre an other of the care of the Antes an other of the Workemanshippe of the Bees in honey and shee wrote two others the one of the vanities of youth and the other of the miseries of age This woman did reade openly naturall and morall Phylosophy in the Schooles of Athens for the space of fiue and twenty yeares she made fortie bookes she had a hundred and ten Phylosophers to her Schollers shee dyed being at the age of seuentie and seuen yeares and the Athenians after her death engraued on her graue these words THe slysed stones within their bowels keepe Wise Aretha the great and onely wight That forceth enuie gentle teares to weepe For Greekes decay on whom the losse doth light The eye of Fame the heart of vertues life The head of Greece lyes here engraued loe More heauenly forme then had that heauenlie wife Which vnderminde the Phrigies toyes with woe Within the chest of her vnspotted mind Lay Thyrmas truth and eke her honest faith Within her hand as by the gods assignde Stoode Aristippus penne that vertue wayeth Within the dungeon of her body eke Imprisoned was wise Socrates his soule That liued so well and did so wisely speake That follies brest he could to wisodome toule Within her head so ouer heapt with wit Lay Homers tongue to staine the Poets arte Erst was the golden age not halfe so fit For Vertues Impes as when her life did part As Marcus Varro sayth the sects of the Philosophers were more then seuenty but in the end they were reduced into seuen and in the end they were brought into three sects chiefly That is to say Stoickes Peripatetickes and Pythagoriques Of these Pythagoriques Pythagoras was the Prince Hizearcus Annius Rusticus and Laertius with Eusebius and Boccas all affirme one thing whereunto I did not greatly giue credite which is that this Phylosopher Pithagoras had a sister not onely learned but if it bee lawfull to speake it excellently learned And they say that not she of Pythagoras but Pythagoras of her learned phylosophy And of a truth it is a matter whereof I was so greatly abashed that I cannot tell who could bee maister of such a woman since shee had Pythagoras the great phylosopher to her Scholler The name of the woman was Thecclea to whom Pythagoras her brother wrot and sent her a letter when hee read phylosophy at Rhodes and she at Samothracia doing the like The Epistle was thus CHAP. XXIX Of a Letter which Pythagoras sent to his sister Theoclea hee beeing in Rhodes and shee in Sam othracia reading both Philosophie PYthagoras thy brother and Disciple to thee Theoclea his sister health encrease of wisedome wisheth I haue read the book which thou diddest send mee of fortune and misfortune from the beginning to the end and now I know that thou art no lesse graue in making then gracious in teaching The which doth not chance very oft vnto vs which are men and much lesse as wee haue seene to you women For the Philosopher Aristippus was rude in speaking but profound in writing and Amenides was briefe in writing and eloquent in speaking Thou hast studyed and written in such sort that in learning that thou shewest thou seemest to haue read all the Philosophers and in the antiquities that thou doest declare it seemeth that thou hast seene all
your Bookes full of lawes and the common wealth full of vices Wherefore I sweare vnto you that there are more Thebaines which follow the delitiousnesse of Denis the tyrant then there are vertuous men that follow the lawes of Lycurgus If you Thebaines doe desire greatly to know with what lawes the Lacedemonians doe preserue their Common-wealth I will tell you them all by word and if you will reade them I will shew you them in writing but it shall bee vpon condition that you shall sweare al openly that once a day you shall employ your eyes to reade them and your persons to obserue them for the Prince hath greater honour to see one onely law to be obserued in deed then to ordaine a thousand by writing You ought not to esteeme much to be vertuous in heart nor to enquire of the vertue by the mouth nor to seeke it by labour and trauell of the feet but that which you ought greatly to esteeme is to know what a vertuous law meaneth and that knowne immediately to execute it and afterwards to keepe it For the chiefe vertue is not to doe one vertuous worke but in a swet and trauell to continue in it These therfore were the words that this Philosopher Phetonius sayde to the Thebaines the which as Plato sayeth esteemed more his words that hee spake then they did the Lawes which he brought Truly in mine opinion those of Thebes are to bee praysed and commended and the Philosopher for his word is worthy to be honoured For the ende of those was to search lawes to liue well and the end of the Philosopher was to seeke good meanes for to keepe them in vertue And therefore he thoght it good to shew them and put before their eyes the gibbet and the sword with the other Instruments and torments for the euill do refraine from vice more for feare of punishment then for any desire they haue of amendment I was willing to bring in this history to the end that all curious and vertuous men may see and know how little the Ancients did esteeme the beginning the meane and the end of vertuous works in respect of the perseuerance and preseruation of them Comming therefore to my matter which my penne doth tosse and seeke I aske now presently what it profiteth Princesses and great Ladies that God doe giue them great estates that they be fortunate in marriages that they bee all reuerenced and honoured that they haue great treasures for their inheritances and aboue all that they see their wines great with Childe and that afterward in ioy they see them deliuered that they see their mothers giuing their children sucke and finally they see themselues happy in that they haue found them good nurses health full and honest Truly all this auayleth little if to their children when they are young they doe do not giue masters to instruct them in vertues and they also if they doe not recommend them to good guides to exercise them in feates of Chiualry The Fathers which by sighes penetrate the heauen by praiers importune the liuing God onelie for to haue children ought first to thinke why they will haue children for that iustly to a man may be denied which to an euill end is procured In mine opinion the Father ought to desire to haue a child for that in his age he may sustaine his life in honour and that after his death hee may cause his fame to liue And if a Father desireth not a sonne for this cause at the least he ought to desire him to the end in his age hee may honour his hoary head and that after his death hee may enherite his goods but we see few children do these thinges to their fathers in their age if the fathers haue not taught them in their youth For the fruit doth neuer grow in the haruest vnlesse the tree did beare blosoms in the spring I see oftentimes many Fathers complaine of their children saying that they are disobedient and proude vnto them and they do not consider that they themselues are the cause of all those euils For too much abundance and liberty of youth is no other but a prophesie and manifest token of disobedience in age I know not why Princes and great Lords do toyle oppresse so much scratch to leaue their children great estates and on the other side wee see that in teaching them they are and shewe themselues too negligent for Princes and great Lordes ought to make account that all that which they leaue of their substance to a wicked heyre is vtterly lost The wise men and those which in their consciences are vpright and of their honours carefull ought to bee very diligent to bring vppe their children and chiefly that they consider whether they bee meete to inherite their estates And if perchance the fathers see that their children bee more giuen to folly then to noblenes and wisdome then should I bee ashamed to see a father that is wise trauell all the dayes of his life to leaue much substance to an euill brought vp childe after his death It is a griefe to declare and a monstrous thing to see the cates which the Fathers take to gather riches and the diligence that children haue to spend them And in this case I say the sonne is fortunate for that hee doth enherite and the Father a foole for that he doth bequeath In my opinion Fathers are bound to instruct their children well for two causes the one for that they are nearest to them and also because they ought to be their heyres For truly with great griefe and sorrow I suppose hee doth take his death which leaueth to a foole or an vnthrift the toyle of all his life Hyzearchus the Greeke Hystorian in the booke of his Antiquities Sabellicus in his generall hystory sayeth that a father and a sonne came to complain to the famous Philosopher and ancient Solon Solinon the Sonne complained of the father and the father of the sonne First the sonne informed the quarrell to the Philosopher saying these words I complaine of my Father because hee being rich hath disinherited mee and made me poore and in my steade hath adopted another heyre the which thing my father ought not nor cannot doe for since he gaue me so frayle flesh it is reason hee giue me his goods to maintaine my seeblenes To these wordes answered the father I complaine of my sonne because hee hath not beene as a gentle sonne but rather as a cruell enemie for in all things since hee was borne hee hath beene disobedient to my will wherefore I thought it good to disinherite him before my death I would I were quit of all my substance so that the gods had quit him of his life for the earth is very cruell that swalloweth not the child aliue which to his father is disobedient In that he sayeth I haue adopted another child for mine heyre I confesse it is true and for so much
the high wayes And after that he was forty yeares of age he became King of the Lusitaines and not by force but by election for when the people saw themselues enuironed and assaulted on euery side with enemies they chose rather stout strong and hardy men for their Captaines then noble men for their guides If the ancient Historiographers deceyue me not when Viriatus was a thiefe hee ledde with him alwayes at the least a hundred theeues the which were shod with leaden shooes so that when they were enforced to runne they put off their shooes And thus although all the day they went with leaden shooes yet in the night they ranne like swift buckes for it is a generall rule that the looser the ioynts are the more swifter shall the legges be to runne In the booke of the iests of the Lumbardes Paulus Diaconus sayeth that in the olde time those of Capua had a Law that vntill the children were married the fathers should giue them no bed to sleepe on nor permit them to sit at the table to eate but that they should eate their meate in their hands and take their rest on the ground And truly it was a commendable law for rest was neuer inueÌted for the yong man which hath no beard but for the aged being lame impotent and crooked Quintus Cincinatus was second Dictator of Rome and indeed for his deserts was the first Emperour of the earth This excellent man was brought vp in so great trauell that his handes were found full of knots the plough was in his armes and the swette in his face when hee was sought for to bee Dictator of Rome For the Ancients desired rather to bee ruled of them that knew not but how to plough the ground then of them that delighted in nothing else but to liue in pleasures among the people Caligula which was the fourth Emperour of Rome as they say was brought vp with such cost and delicatenesse in his his youth that they were in doubt in Rome whether Drusius Germanicus his father employed more for the Armies then Caligula his sonne spent in the cradle for his pleasures This rehearsed againe I would now know of Princes and great lords what part they would take that is to say whether with Cincinatus which by his stootenes wan so many strange Countries or with Caligula that in his filthy lusts spared not his proper sister In mine opinion there needeth no great deliberation to aunswere this question that is to say the goodnesse of the one and the wickednesse of the other for there was no battell but Cincinatus did ouercome nor there was any vice but Caligula did inuent Suetonius Tranquillus in the second Booke of Caesars sayeth That when the children of the Emperour Augustus Caesar entred into the high Capitoll where all the Senate were assembled the Senatours rose out of their places and made a reuerence to the children the which when the Emperour Augustus saw hee was much displeased and called them backe againe And on a day beeing demaunded why bee loued his childreÌ no better he answered in this wise If my children will bee good they shal sit hereafter where I sit now but if they bee euill I will not their vices should bee reuerenced of the Senators For the authoritie and grauitie of the good ought not to bee employed in the seruice of those that be wicked The 26 Emperour of Rome was Alexander the which though he was young was as much esteemed for his vertues amongst the Romanes as euer Alexander the great was for his valiantnes amongst the Greekes Wee cannot say that long experience caused him to come to the Gouernment of the common-wealth for as Herodian saieth in his sixth booke The day that the Senatours proclaymed him Emperour hee was so little that his owne men bare him in theyr armes That fortunate Emperour had a Mother called Manea the which brought him vp fowel and diligently that she kept alwayes a great guard of men to take heed that no vicious man came vnto him And let not the diligence of the Mother to the childe be little esteemed For Princes oft times of their owne nature are good and by euill conuersation only they are made euill This worthie woman keeping alwayes such a faithfull guarde of her childe that no Flatterers should enter in to flatter him nor malicious to tell him lyes By chaunce on a day a Romane saide vnto her these wordes I thinke it not meete most excellent princesse that thou shouldest be so diligent about thy Sonne to forget the affaires of the commonwealth for Princes ought not to be kept so close that it is more easie to obtaine a suite at the Gods then to speake one word with the Prince To this the Empresse Manea answered and saide They which haue charge to gouerne those which do gouern without comparison ought to feare more the vices of the King then the enemyes of the realme For the enemyes are destroyed in a Battell but vices remaine during the life and in the end enemies doe not destroy but the possessions of the Land but the vicious prince destroieth the good maÌners of the commonwealth These words were spoken of this worthy Romane By the Hystories which I haue declared and by those which I omitte to recite all vertuous men may knowe how much it profiteth them to bring vppe their children in trauels or to bring them vp in pleasures But now I imagine that those which shall reade this will prayse that which is well written and also I trust they will not giue their childreÌ so much their owne wils for men that reade much and worke little are as belles which doe found to call others and they themselues neuer enter into the church If the fathers did not esteeme the seruice they doe vnto God their owne honour nor the profite of their owne children yet to preserue them from diseases they ought to bring them vp in vertue withdraw them from vices for truly the children which haue beene brought vp daintily shall alwayes be diseased and sickly What a thing is it to see the sonne of a Labourer the coate without points the shirt tattered and torne the feet bare his head without a cap his body without a girdle in summer without a hat in winter without a cloke in the day plowing in the night driuing his heard eating bread of Rye or Otes lying on the earth or else on the straw and in this trauell to see this yong man so holy and vertuous that euery man desireth and wisheth that hee had such a sonne The contrary commeth of Noble mens sonnes the which wee see are nourished and brought vp betweene two fine Holland sheetes layed in a costly cradell made after the new fashion they giue the Nurse what she will desire if perchance the child be sicke they change his Nurse or else they appoint him a dyet The father and the mother sleepe neyther night nor day all
made a great ship and bestowed vj. or vij thousand ducates if hee be wise hee will first prouide a man that may gouerne her before hee will seeke Marchandise for to fraight her For in perillous Tempests the greatnes of the shippe little auaileth if the Pylote be not expert The Housholder that hath manie Cowes and sheepe and likewise hath faire fieldes and pleasant pastures for his cattell doth not only seeke Heardmen to keepe the cattell but also dogs to feare the wolues and cabbaines to lodge the Heardsmen For the cabbaine of the Shepheards and the baying of the dogge is but as a salueguard of the sheepe from the rauening of the wolfe The mightie and valiaunt Princes which in the Frontieres of their enemies keepe strong fortresses seeke alwayes stout and hardy captains to defend their walls for otherwise it were better the Fort should be battered to the ground then it should come into the power of the enemyes By the comparisons aboue-named there is no discreat man but doth vnderstand to what end my penne doth write them that is to know to keepe and proue how that men which loue their Children well adding this vnto it haue great neede of good maisters and gouernours to teach and bring them vp For whilest the Palme tree is but little a frost doth easily destroy it I meane whiles the childe is young if he haue no tutour he is easily deceiued with the world If the Lorde be wise and of vnderstanding there is no Fortresse so esteemed neither ship so faire nor Heard so profitable nor Vine so fruitfull but that hee better esteemeth to haue a good sonne then all these things together or anie other thing in this world For the Father ought to loue his children as his owne proper and all residue as gifts of fortune If it be so as it is indeede since that for to keepe and watch the Heard they seeke a good Shephearde If for the Vyne they seeke a good Labourer If for to gouerne the shippe they seeke a good Pylot and for to defend a Forte they seeke a good captaine why then will not the wise Fathers seeke for good maisters to teache and to bring vp theyr Children Oh Princes and great Lords I haue tolde you and againe doe say That if you trauell one yeare to leaue your children goods you ought to sweate 50. yeares to leaue them well brought vp For it auaileth little to carry much corne to the Mill if the mill be out of frame I meane that in vaine Riches and treasures are gathered when the childe that shall inherite them hath no witte to vse them It is no small matter to knowe how to choose good gouernours For the Prince is sage that findeth such a one and much more happie is hee that of him shall be taught For in my opion it is no small charge for one man to bring vp a Prince that shall gouerne manie As Seneca saith The wise man ought to conferre all things with his Friende But first hee ought to know who is he that is his Friend I meane that the wise Father ought for his Children to seeke one good maister and to him he should recommend them all but first he ought to know what hee is For that man is very simple which wil buy a Horse before he see and proue him whether he be whole or lame Hee ought to haue many good conditions and qualityes that should bring vp the children of Princes and great Lords for by one way they nourish the tender trees in the Orchard and after another sort they plant the wilde trees in the mountaines Therefore the case shal be this that weewill declare here what conditions and behauiours the Maisters and gouernors of Noblemens sonnes ought to haue which may bring them to honour and theyr disciples to bee well taught and brought vp For the glorie of the disciple alwayes redoundeth to the honour and praise of his maister The first condition is that he which ought to bee a Tutor to Noble mens children should bee no lesse then 40. yeares of age no more then 60. because the maister that is yong is ashamed to commaund and if he be aged he is not able to correct The second it is necessary that Tutors be very honest and that not onely in purenes of conscience but also in the outward appearance and cleanenes of life For it is vnpossible the childe bee honest if the Master be dissolute The third it is necessarie that Tutors and gouernours of Princes and great Lords be true men not onely in their wordes but also in then Couenauntes For to say the trueth that mouth which is alwayes full of lyes ought not by reason to be a teacher of the truth The fourth condition it is necessarie that the gouernors of Princes and great Lorde of their owne nature be liberall For oft times the great couetousnes of Masters maketh the hearts of Princes to be greedy and couetous The fifth it is necessarie that the masters and gouernours of Princes and great Lordes be moderate in wordes and very resolute in sentences so that they ought to teach the Children to speake little and to harken much For it is the chiefest vertue in a Prince to heare with patience and to speake with wisedome The sixt condition is it is necessarie that the maisters tutors of Princes c. be wise men and temperate so that the grauitie of the Maister may restrain the lightnes of the Schollers For there is no greater plagues in Realms then for Princes to be young and their teachers to be light The seuenth it is necessary that the masters and tutors of Princes great Lords be well learned in diuinitie and humanity in such sort that that which they teach the Princes by word they may shew it by writing to the ende that other Princes may execute and put the same in vre For mens harts are sooner moued by the examples of those which are past then by the words of them that are present The eight condition it is necessary that the Maisters and tutors of Princes bee not giuen to the vice of the flesh For as they are young and naturally giueÌ to the flesh so they haue no strength to abide chaste neither wisedome to beware of the snares Therefore it is necessarie that their maisters be pure and honest for the disciples shall neuer be chaste if the maister be vicious The ninth it is necessarie that the maisters and tutours of Princes and great Lordes haue good conditions because the children of Noble-men beeing daintily brought vp alwayes learne euil conditions the which their Maisters ought to reforme more by good conuersation then by sharpe correction For oft times it chaunceth that whereas the Master is cruell the scholler is not mercifull The tenth it is necessarie that the maisters and tutours of Princes and great Lords haue not onely seene and read many things but also that they haue proued changeable
weight and measure plentifull and chiefly if there be good doctrine for the young and little couetousnesse in the old Affro the Historiographer declareth this in the tenth booke De rebus Atheniensium Truly in my opinion the words of this philosopher were few but the sentences were many And for none other cause I did bring in this history but to profite mee of the last word wherein for aunswere hee sayeth that all the profite of the Common wealth consisteth in that there be princes that restraine the auarice of the aged and that there bee Masters to teach the youthfull We see by experience that if the brute beasts were not tyed and the corne and seedes compassed with hedges or ditches a man shold neuer gather the fruit when they are ripe I meane the strife and debate will rise continually among the people if the yong men haue not good fathers to correct them and wise masters to teach them Wee cannot deny but though the knife be made of fine steele yet sometimes it hath neede to bee whet and so in like manner the young man during the time of his youth though he doe not deserue it yet from time to time hee ought to bee corrected O Princes and great Lords I know not of whom you take counsell when your sonne is borne to prouide him of a Master and gouernour whom you chuse not as the most vertuous but as the most richest not as the most sagest but as the most vile and euill taught Finally you doe not trust him with your children that best deserueth it but that most procureth it Againe I say O princes and great Lords why doe you not withdraw your children from their hands which haue their eyes more to their owne profite then their hearts vnto your seruice For such to enrich themselus doe bring vp princes viciously Let not Princes thinke that it is a trifle to know how to finde and chuse a good Master and the Lord which herein doth not employ his diligence is worthy of great rebuke And because they shall not pretend ignorance let them beware of that man whose life is suspitious and extreame couetous In my opinion in the pallace of princes the office of Tutorshippe ought not to be giuen as other common offices that is to say by requests or money by priuities or importunities eyther else for recompence of seruices for it followeth not though a man hath beene Ambassadour in strange Realms or captaine of great Armies in warre or that hee hath possessed in the royall pallace Offices of honour or of estimation that therefore he should bee able to teach or bring vp their children For to bee a good Captaine sufficeth onely to be hardy and fortunate but for to bee a Tutour and gouernour of Princes hee ought to be both sage and vertuous CHAP. XXXV Of the two children of Marcus Aurelius the Emperour of the which the best beloued dyed And of the Masters he prouided for the other named Comodus MArcus Aurelius the 17. Emperour of Rome in the time that hee was married with Faustine onely daughter of the Emperour Antonius Pius had onely two sonnes whereof the eldest was named Comodus and the second Verissimus Of these two children the heyre was Comodus who was so wicked in the 13. yeares he gouerned the Empire that hee seemed rather the Disciple of Nero the cruell then to discend by the mothers side from Antonius the mercifull or sonne of Marcus Aurelius This wicked child Comodus was so light in speech so dishonest in person and so cruell with his people that oft-times hee being aliue they layed wagers that there was no vertue in him to bee found nor any one vice in him that wanted On the contrary part the second sonne named Verissimus was comely of gesture proper of person and in witte very temperate and the most of all was that by his good conuersation of all hee was beloued For the fayre and vertuous Princes by their beauty draweth vnto them mens eyes and by their good conuersation they winne their hearts The child Verissimus was the hope of the common people and the glory of his aged Father so that the Emperor determined that this child Verissimus should bee heyre of the Empire and that the Prince Commodus should bee dishenherited Wherat no man ought to maruell for it is but iust since the childe dooth not amend his life that the father doe dishenherite him When good will doth want and vicious pleasures abound the children oft times by peruerse fortune come to nought So this Marcus Aurelius being 52. yeares old by chance this childe Verissimus which was the glory of Rome and the hope of the Father at the gate of Hostia of a sodaine sicknesse dyed The death of whom was as vniuersally lamented as his life of all men was desired It was a pittifull thing to see how wofully the Father tooke the death of his entirely beloued son and no lesse lamentable to beholde how the Senate tooke the death of their Prince being the heyre for the aged Father for sorrow did not go to the Senate and the Senate for a few dayes enclosed themselues in the hie Capitoll And let no man maruell though the death of this young Prince was so taken through Rome for if men knew what they lose when they lose a vertuous Prince they would neuer cease to bewayle and lament his death When a Knight a Gentleman a Squire an Officer or when any of the people dyeth there dyeth but one but when a Prince dyeth which was good for all and that he liued to the profite of all then they ought to make account that all do dye they ought all greatly to lament it for oft times it chanceth that after 2. or 3. good Princes a foule flocke of Tyrants succeede Therfore Marcus Aurelius the Emperor as a man of great vnderstanding and of a princely person though the inward sorrow from the rootes of the heart could not bee plucked yet hee determined to dissemble outwardly to bury his grieues inwardly For to say the truth none ought for any thing to shewe extreame sorrow vnlesse it be that hee hath lost his honour or that his conscience is burdened The good Prince as one that hath his vineyarde frozen wherein was all his hope contented with himselfe with that which remaineth his so deerly beloued sonne being dead and commaunded the Prince Comodus to be brought into his pallace being his onely heire Iulius Capitolinus which was one of those that wrote of the time of Marcus Aurelius saide vpon this matter that when the Father saw the disordinate frailenesse and lightnes and also the little shame which the prince Comodus his Sonne brought with him the aged man beganne to weepe and shed teares from his eyes And it was because the simplenesse and vertues of his deere beloued Sonne Verissimus came into his minde Although this Noble Emperour Marcus Aurelius for the death of
any misfortune where ripe counsell is euer present It shall seeme vnto those that shall profoundly consider this matter that it is a superfluous thing to treate of these thinges for eyther princes chuse the good or els they chuse the euill If they chuse not good masters they labour in vain to giue them good counsell for the foolish master is lesse capable of couÌsell then the dissolute scholler is of wholesome admonition If perchance princes doe make elections of good Masters then those Masters both for themselues and also for others ought to minister good counsels For to giue counsell to the wise man it is eyther a superfluous deed or else it coÌmeth of a presumptuous man Though it be true that hee which dare giue counsell to the Sage man is presumptuous I say in like manner that the Diamond beeing set in gold loseth not his vertue but rather increaseth in price and value I meane that the wiser a man is so much the more hee ought to desire to know the opinion of another certainely he that doth so cannot erre For to none his owne counsell aboundeth so much but that hee needeth the counsel and opinion of another Though Princes and great Lords do see with their eyes that they haue choseÌ good masters tutors to teach their children yet they ought not therefore to be so negligent of themselues but that sometimes they may giue the masters counsell for it may be that the masters be both noble stout that they be ancient sage and moderate but it may be also that in teaching childreÌ they are not expert For to masters and tutors of princes it is not so much necessary that sciences do abound as it is shame that experience should want When a rich man letteth out his farme or manor to a farmor he doth not onely consider with himselfe before what rent hee shall pay him but also he couenanteth with him that he shal keepe his grounds well fenced and ditched and his houses well repayred And not contented to receyue the third part of the fruit of his vine but also he goeth twice or thrice in a year to visite it And in seeing it hee hath reason for in the end the one occupieth the goods as a Tenant and the other doth view the ground as chiefe Lord. Then if the father of the family with so great diligence doth recommend the trees and the ground to the Labourer how much more ought the Father to recommend his children to the Masters for the father giuing counsell to the Master is no other but to deliuer his child to the Treasurer of Science Princes and great Lords cannot excuse themselues of an offence if after that they haue chosen a knight or Gentleman for to be Master or els a learned and wise man to be tutour they are so negligent as if they neuer had had children or did remember that their children ought to be theyr Heires certainely this thing should not bee so lightly passed ouer But as a wise man which is carefull of the honour and profite of his child hee ought to bee occupied as well in taking heed to the master as the master ought to be occupied in taking heede to the child For the good fathers ought to know whether the master that he hath chosen can commaund and whether his child will obey One of the noblest Princes among the Ancients was Seuleucus King of the Assyrians and husband of Estrabonica the daughter of Demetrius King of Macedony a Lady for her beauty in all Greece the most renowned of her fame though indeed she was not very fortunate This is an old disease that hapneth alwayes to beutiful women that there be many that desire them and more that slaunder them This King Seuleucus was first married with another woman of whome hee had a sonne called Antigonus ' the which was in loue with the second wife of his Father that is to say with the Queene Estrabonica and was almost dead for loue The which the father vnderstanding married his son with her so that she that was his stepmother was his wife and shee that was a faire wife was a faire daughter and hee which was his Sonne was made his sonne in law and hee which was Father was stepfather The Authour hereof is Plutarch in his liues as Sextus Cheronensis sayeth in the thirde booke of the sayings of the Greekes The king Seuleucus laboured diligently to bring vp his sonne Antigonus wel wherfore he sought him two notable masters the one a Greeke the other a Latine The K Seuleucus herewith not contented prouided secretly by the means of a seruant of his named Parthemius that he should haue no other office in the Pallace but that what the masters taught or did to his sonne Antigonus in the day hee should secretly come and tell him in the night But by the diligence of Parthemius it came to the knowledge of the Tutors that they had ouer-seers for in the ende there is nothing accustomablie but at the last will bee reuealed Since the two Phylosophers knew the secret one day they saide vnto the King Seuleucus these wordes Most mighty Prince Seuleucus since thou hast of trust committed thy Sonne Antigonus into our handes why doest thou appointe thy Seruaunt Parthemius as accuser of our liues If thou accountest vs euill and him good thou shalt shewe vs great fauour if thou wilt discharge vs and committe to him the âuâtion of thy Sonne For wee let thee to knowe that to men of honour it is vntollerable euill to shame them and no dishonour to licence them Thou hast appointed Parthemius to goe and dog vs to see what we do or say openly and afterwards to make relation vnto thee secretly And the worst is that by relation of the simple wee should be condemned beeing Sages For triacle is not so contrary to poyson as ignoraunce is to wisedome And truely most Noble Prince it is a great matter that daily inquisition is made of man for there is no Beard so bare shauen but it wil growe againe I meane that there is no man of so honest a life but if a man make inquisition he may finde wherewithall to detect The K Seuleucus answered them thus Consider my Friendes that I knowe right well that neyther the authoritie of the person nor the good credite of renowme would bee stayned for any other Friende in this world and if the rude men doe it not much lesse ought the Sages to doe it For there is nothing that men trauell for so much in this life as to leaue of them a good renowme after theyr death Since you are Sages and Maisters of my Sonne and likewise counsellers of my house it is not meete that you should with any bee offended For by all good reason hee alone ought to bee esteemed in the Pallaces of Princes that will giue vnto Princes good counsell That which I haue saide to Parthemius was not for the doubt
of your faith neyther to thinke any daunger in your authoritie And if the thing be well considered it goeth well for you and not euill for me and the reason hereof is that eyther you are good or else you are euill If you be good you ought to be glad that daily your good seruices be reported vnto mee For the continual beating into the Princes eares of the good seruices of his Seruants must needes cause at the last theyr good seruices to be well rewarded If you bee euill and in teaching my Sonne negligent it is but reason that I bee thereof aduertised For if the Father be deceyued in his opinion the Sonne shal receiue poyson in his doctrine and also because you shall not vndoe my Realme nor slaunder mee by your euill councell If the fatall Destinies permitte that my Sonne be euill I am hee that loseth most therby for my Realme shall be destroyed and my renowne vtterly abolished and in the ende my Sonne shall not enioy the Heritage And if all passe so you will care little For you will say you are not in fault since the childe would not receiue your doctrine Wherefore mee thinkes it not euill done to ouer-see you as you ouersee him For my duety is to see that you be good and your duety is to trauell that your Disciples be not euill This King Seuleucus was an honourable man and died aged as Plutarche saieth and Patroclus more plainely declareth in the third book of the warre of the Assyrians and for the contrarie his sonne Antigonus came to be a wicked prince in all his doings And this a man may well perceiue that if he had not been of his Father so much corrected and of the Schoolmaisters so well instructed without doubt hee would haue proued much more wicked then he was For young men on the one parte beeing euill inclined and on the other parte euill taught it is vnpossible but in the end they should grow to be most vicious and defamed In my opinion though children be not euil inclined yet the fathers thereof ought not to cease to corect them for in time to come those that write will commend the diligence of the fathers in correcting the vices of their children I haue declared this example to counsel that the Father be not so negligent that he should vtterly forget to looke vnto his Sonne thinking that now the Maister hath charge of him And of my counsell that Father ought in this thing to bee so aduertised that if at the first hee behelde the Childe with two Eyes that then he should looke vnto him with sower eyes For oft times it is more requisite that the Masters be punished then the Schollers Though Princes are not dayly enformed of the life of the Masters as King Seleucus was yet at the least ofttimes they ought to enquire of the state of the life and of the behauior both of the Masters and also of the children And this thing they ought not to doe onely once but also they ought to call the Masters and counsel them likewise that they haue great respect to the doctrine of their children thinking alwayes to giue them good counsell to shew vnto their Schollers afterwards for otherwise the master immediately is discouraged when hee seeth the Father to be negligent and nothing carefull for the bringing vp of his children Princes in one thing ought to haue great respect that is to say least the Masters beare with the secret vices of children And he ought not to doe thus but also to call them vnto him to aduise them to warne them to pray them to counsell and commaund them that they haue great respect to the bringing vp of his children and further that he giue them some notable counsell to the entent that the Masters afterward may make relation thereof to their schollers for there is no man so weake nor child so tender but the force which hee hath to bee vicious is enough if hee will to be vertuous I would now demaund the Masters and Tutors which doe gouerne the children of noble and vertuous men what more strength is required to be a glutton then to be a sobermaÌ to be a babler or to be silent to be diligent or to be negligent to be honest then to be dissolute and as of these few I speake so I could recite many others In this case I will not speake as a man of science but as one of experience and that is that by the faith of a Christian I sweare that with lesse trauell of the Master and more profite of the scholler hee may bee sooner vertuous then vicious For there is no more courage required in one to be euill then strength in an other for to be good Also the Masters commonly haue an other euill property worse then this which is they beare with theyr Schollers in some secret vices when they are young from the which they cannot bee withdrawne afterwards when they are olde For it chanceth oft times that the good inclination is ouercome by euill custome and certainely the Masters which in such a case should be apprehended ought to bee punished as Traytors periured For to the Master it is greater treason to leaue his Disciple among vices then to deliuer a Fort into the hands of the enemies And let no man maruell if I call such a Master a Traytor for the one yeeldeth the Fort which is but of stones builded but the other aduentureth his sonne who is of his proper body begotten The cause of all this euill is that as the children of Princes ought to enherite Realmes and the children of great Lords hope to enherite the great estates so the Masters are more couetous then vertuous For they suffer their puples to runne at their owne wils when they be young to the end to winne their harts when they shall be old so that the extreme couetousnesse of the Masters now a dayes is such that it causeth good mens sonnes commonly to bee euill and vicious O Tutors of princes and Masters of great Lords I doe admonish you and besides that I counsell you that your couetousnes deceiue you not thinking you shal be better esteemed for being clokers of vices then louers of vertues For there is none olde or young so wicked but knoweth that good is better then euill And further I may say to you in this case that oft times God permitteth when those that were children become olde their eyes to be opened whereby they knowe the harme that you haue don them in suffering them to be vicious in their youth at what time your duty had been to haue corrected theyr vices You thought as it should seeme by your goods to be honoured for your flatterie but you finde the contrary that you are despised worthily For it is the iust iudgement of GOD that hee that committeth euill shall not escape without punishment and hee that concealeth the euill committed shall not liue
and vertuous workes are now ful of babling Orators and none issue out from thence at this present but the euill and vitious So that if the sacred Romane lawes are exalted once in a weeke with their tongs they are broken ten times in the day in their works What will you I say more since I cannot tell you any thing without hurting my mother Rome but that at this present all the pleasures of vaine men is to see their children ouercome others by disputing but I let you vnderstand that all my glory shall bee when my sonne shall surmount others not in words but in silence not to be troublesome but to bee patient not in speaking subtill words but in doing vertuous works For the glory of good men is in working much and speaking little Consider my friends and doe not forget it that this day I commit my honor vnto you I put into your hands the estate of Comodus my sonne the glory of Rome the rest of the people which are my subiects the gouernement of Italie which is our Country and aboue all I referre vnto your discretion the peace and tranquility of the whole common wealth Therefore hee that hath such a charge by reason ought not to sleep for as the wise men say To great trust is required much diligence I will say no more but that I would my sonne Comodus should be so wel taught that he should haue the feare of God the science of Philosophers the vertues of the ancient Romanes the approued counsell of the aged the courage of the Romane youth the constancy of you which are his Masters Finally I would that of all the good he should take the good as of me hee ought to take the heritage succession of the Empire For hee is the true prince and worthy of the Empire that with his eyes doth behold the great Signiories he ought to inherite and doth employ his heart how to gouerne it whereby hee shall liue to the great profite of the Common wealth And I protest to the immortall Gods with whom I hope to goe and to the goodnesse of my predecessors whose faith I am bound to keepe I protest to the Romane lawes the which I did sweare to obserue in the conquest of Asia wherein I am bound my selfe to continue and to the friendshippe of the Rhodians the which I haue offered my selfe for to keepe to the enmitie of the Affricanes the which not for me but for the oath of my predecessors I bound my selfe to maintaine And I protest vnto the vessell of the high Capitoll where my bones ought to bee burnt that Rome doe not complaine of mee beeing aliue nor that in the world to come shee curse mee after my death If perchance the prince Comodus my sonne by his wicked life should bee occasion of the losse or hinderance of the Common-Wealth And though you which are his Masters vndoe it for not giuing him due punishment and hee thorow his wicked gouernement destroy it yet I discharge my selfe by all these protestations that I haue made which shall bee witnesses of my will For the Father is bound no more towardes his Childe but to banish him from his pleasures and to giue him vertuous Masters And if hee bee good hee shall bee the glory of the Father the honour of himselfe the wealth of you and the profite and commodity of the whole Common wealth CHAP. XXXIX The Tutors of Princes and Noble mens children ought to be very circumspect that their Schollers doe not accustome themselues in vices whiles they are young and specially they must keepe them from foure vices THe good and expert Surgeons vnto great daungerous wounds doe not onely apply medicins and ointments which do resolue and stoppe but also minister other good playsters for to restraine and heale them And verily they shew themselues in the one no lesse sage then in the other expert for as great diligence ought to bee had to preserue the weake flesh to purge the rotten wound to the end it may be healed so likewise the wise Trauellers learne diligently the way before they take vpon them any iourney that is to say if there bee any dangers in the way eyther of robbing or slaying wherein there is any by-path that goeth out of the high-way Truly hee that in this point is circumspect is worthy to bee counted a Sage mam for according to the multitude of the perilles of the world none can be assured vnlesse hee know first where the daunger is wherein hee may fall To shew therfore that which by these parables I meane I say that the Tutours and Master of Princes and great Lordes ought not to bee contented onely to know what science what doctrine and what vertue they ought to shew and teach their Schollers but also with greater care and diligence they ought to know from what euilles or wicked customes they ought to withdraw them For when the trees are tender and young it is more necessary to bow them and cut off the superfluous branches with kniues then to gather their fruits with baskets Those which take vpon them to gouerne Moyles of great price and value and those that tame breake horses of a good race take great paines that such beasts be light that they leape well and be well made to the spurre and bridle but they take much more paines that they be gentle familiar and faithfull and aboue all that they haue no euill qualities Then sith it is so Masters ought diligently to watch if they bee good that in young Princes there be no apparance of any notable vices for the vertues which the young doe learn doth not them so much profite as one onely vice doth them hurt if they doe thereunto consent knowing that thereby they may bee hereafter blamed or despised For if any man knew a beast that is wilde and stubborne and not gentle and will buye him at a great price such a one hath his head more full of follies then of wisedome Albeit that Masters ought to withdraw their Schollers from many euill customes amongst all there are foure principals in any of the which if the Prince bee defamed the master which hath taught him should deserue great punishment For according to the humane Lawes and Customes all the damage and harme that the beasts doe to the vineyarde the keeper that hath charge thereof shall as he is bound recompence First the Master ought to reform in such sort the tongus of their schollers that neyther in sport nor in earnest they permit them to tell lyes for the greatest fault that is in a good and vertuous man is to bee briefe in the truth and the greatest villany that is in a vicious man is to bee long in lyes Merula in that 5. booke of Caesars sayeth that the first warre that Vlpius Traianus made was against the Romanes and with no small victory ouercame the Emperour Domitian in a battell which they
true pittifull honest and vertuous nor yet to be iust but that it is as well necessarie they bee obseruers of iustice For let them know that there is great difference between him that is iust and another that doth minister iustice for to the Prince that is good commeth honor to his person but from him that ministreth iustice commeth profite to the Common-wealth Peraduenture it is no wonder to see the Prince that will tell no lye and to see his Ministers not to speake one truth Peraduenture I do not thinke my selfe slaundered to see the Prince temperate in eating and to see all his seruants distempred both with eating and drinking peraduenture and it is no cause to muse vpon to see the Princes chast and honest and to see their seruants in flesh filthy and dissolute peraduenture it is no cause to maruell to see the Prince iust and to loue iustice and that very few of his ministers do minister it The end why all these thinges are spoken is to aduertise Princes that they be not so carefull to be chast sober true and iust but that they know whether their Gouernours and Iudges are corrupted couetous greedy vnshamefast lyers or bribers for if it toucheth vs much that our Princes be good so much more it toucheth vs that the Ministers be not euill One of the things wherein Princes ought to prouide with their Iudges and gouernours is that by no meanes they suffer their lawes and and ancient customes to be broken in their commoÌ welth and that in their steads strange customs be not introduced for the Comminalty is so variable in that they say and so light in that they aske that they would dayly see a new king and hourely change a new law Plinie in an Epistle that he writeth to Escario sayeth Optime apud Persius capitalem per legem fuit prohibitum nouos aut perigrinos mores inducere As if hee spake more plainely Amongst the Persians it was a Law inuiolable that no man should bring into the Common-wealth any strange custome for such an offence they should pay none other ransome but the losse of their heads As men dayly doe diminish in vertue vnlesse by force they be withholden and augment in vanity so they would inuent new deuises and strange customes wherewith men should bee decayed and the Common wealth destroied for straunge meates doe alter mens stomackes When those of Creta were vngently vsed of the Rhodians they did not pray to their gods to send them pestilence warre famine or sedition among their enemies but that they would suffer som euil maners to be brought in amongst the people Let not those thinke that shall reade this that it was a small curse that those of Creta desired and that it was a small reuenge which God gaue them of their enemies if he gaue them that which they did require for from war famin and pestilence som may escape but with deuises we see all perish Of many things the historiaÌs do reproue the Emperor Sergius Galba for one alone they praise him That he neuer coÌsented that in Rome any new law shold be made nor any old custom broken And he commanded that those should be grieuously punished which brought in any new law he rewarded those which put him in mind of any olde custome the which bee commaunded to bee obserued It is a mockery yea better to say a slaunder to see that some young Iudges will doe that of the Common-wealth which a Taylour doeth of a gowne that is to say to turne him within and without before behind which they ought not to doe nor the people to consent therevnto For the Prince doeth not sende them to make lawes nor to bring in new orders but to the ende that they do only preserue the commonwealth in their good customes Princes ought also to take great care that vnto litle and great rich poor they minister equall iustice sith there is no diuine nor humaine law that giueth them power and aucthoritie to corrupt it For if a Prince cannot without reason d pose of his owne goods much lesse he can make lawes and sell Iustice Wee doe not denye a Prince but that hee is lorde of Beastes of Fysh of Byrds of Mynes of Mountains of seruants and of fields Finally that hee is lord of the sea and land but therefore we will not graunt him that he is lord of iustice For there is none other true Lorde of Iustice but GOD which is the selfe same Iustice When a Prince dyeth and maketh his will he sayeth I bequeath all my Realms and Seigniories to the Prince my sonne and legitimate heyre and doe leaue vnto my second sonne such an Estate and dowrey and to my daughter such Lands and to all I recommend Iustice to the end they do obserue it and cause it to be obserued euery one in his owne Countrey It is much to note that the Father doth not say that hee leaueth vnto his Sonne Iustice but that hee doeth recommend it vnto him so that the good Princes ought not to think that they haue inherited Iustice of theyr predecessors in form of a patrimony but that God gaue it vnto theÌ of trust Princes of all things may be called Lords saue onely of Iustice whereof they are but onely ministers Wee dare boldely say that the Prince or great Lord which iudgeth causes not according to the Diuine will but according to their owne affection wee will not call him a iust iudge but a rouing Theefe For the Prince is much worse which robbeth God of Iustice then the Theefe which stealeth the goods from men Suetonius Tranquillus reciteth much wickednes of Domitian and the greatest of al was the poore the Orphans and those which could doe little hee alwayes punished and the other that were rich and of authoritie he pardoned He compounded with some for money and with others hee dissembled for fauour Lampridius sayde of Alexander Seuerus the 25. Emperour of Rome that hee neuer kept in his Court any euill man or suffered any of his parents to be vicious And when he was demanded on a time why hee banished one of his cousines since he was young and a Childe Hee aunswered them which intreated for him and alleadged That though he was young and his Cousin yet Charior est mihi Respub as if more plainely he had saide I haue none other neerer of kinne to mee in my Pallace then the Commonwealth O high much more higher words worthy for a truth to be writteÌ in princes hearts whereby they ought to be aduertised that hee said not I take for my kinne one part of the Commonwealth For the Prince which feareth GOD and desireth to be found iust as he wil indifferently be obeyed of al so ought he equally to administer iustice to all If they wil not credit me nor my pen let them credit Plato in the books of his commonwealth who giueth libertie and
licence to all the Plebeyans to the end that euery one doe loue his wife his children and his Parents And this sorte of loue hee will not that Princes haue to whome hee perswadeth that first aboue all things they loue theyr coÌmon-wealth For if the prince doe loue anie thing aboue his Common-wealth it is vnpossible but that one day for the loue of that he will wring Iustice When Plato gaue not licence vnto Princes not to enlarge theyr loue on diuers things peraduenture he would counsell them least they should doe some wrongs It chaunceth oft times that Princes doe omit iustice not for that they will not administer it but because they will not bee informed of things which they ought to remedie and looke vnto And this is vnexcusable where hee hurteth his honour burdeneth his conscience For at the day of iudgement though hee be not accused for malice yet hee shall be condemned for negligence The Prince which is carefull to see and to enquire the dammages of his Realmes we may say that if he doeth not prouide for them it is because he can do no more but he which is negligent to see them and know them we cannot say but if he leaue to prouide it is for that hee will not The Prince or great Lorde which dare take vpon him such things what name or renowme may we giue him I would not we should call such a one father of the commonwealth but destroyer of his countrey For there can be no tyrannie greater nor more vnequall then for the physitian to aske his duety for his cure before hee hath begunne to minister the medicine That Princes and great Lords desire to know their reuenues I allow them but in that they care not to knowe the daÌmages of their commonwealths I do discommend them For the people pay tribute to their Princes to the ende they should deliuer them from their enemies and defend them from tyraunts For the Iudges which wil be euill though I say much it will profite little but vnto those which desire to bee good that which is spoken as I thinke sufficeth Notwithstanding that which is spoken I say that Iudges and gouernors ought to consider wel with themselues and see if they wil be counted for iust ministers or cruell tirants For the office of a Tyrant is to robbe the Common-wealth and the Office of the good Prince is to reforme the people Noble Princes and great Lordes haue more businesse then they thinke they haue to see all those which will see them and to heare all those which will complaine vnto them And the cause hereof is admitte that which the Subiect demaundeth hee presently cannot giue nor that whereof hee complaineth he cannot remedie yet notwithstanding they remaine after a sort contented saying that they haue now shewed all their complaynts and iniuries vnto their princes For the wounded harts oftentimes vtter their inward paines which they feele without anie hope to receyue comforte of that which they desire Plutarche in his Apothegmes sayeth that a poore and aged woman desired king Philippe of Macedonie which was father of king Alexander the great that hee would heare her with iustice and sith shee was very importunate vpon him K Philip saide on a day vnto her I pray thee woman bee contented I sweare by the gods I haue no leysure to heare thy complaint The old woman answered the king Beholde K Philippe if thou hast not time to heare mee with iustice resigne thy Kingdome and another shall gouerne thy Commonwealth CHAP. III. Of an oration which a villaine dwelling neere to the riuer of Danuby maae before the Senatours of Rome concerning the tyrannies and oppressions which their officers vsed in his countrey And the Oration is diuided into three Chapters IN the tenth yeare of the raigne of the good Emperour Marcus Aurelius there happened in Rome a generall pestilence the which being so outragious the good Emperour went into Campaigne which at time was very healthfull without diseases though it was very drie and wanted much of that which was necessarie yet notwithstanding the good Emperor was there with all the principall Senatours of Rome for in the time of pestilence men doe not seeke where they should reioice their persoÌs but where they may saue their liues Marcus Aurelius being there in Campagnia was sore vexed with a Fener and as his condition was alwaies to bee amongst sages so at that time his sicknesse required to be visited by Physitians The resort that he had in his Pallace was very great as well of Philosophers for to teach as of Physitians for to dispute For this prince ordered his life in such sorte that in his absence things touching the warre were well prouided and in his presence was nothing but matters of knowledge argued It chaunced one day as Marcus Aurelius was enuironed with Senators philosophers physitians and other Sage men a question was moued among them how greatly Rome was changed not onely in buildings which almost were vtterly decayed but also in maners which were wholly corrupted the cause of this euill grew for that Rome was full of flatterers and destitute of those which durst say the truth These and such other like wordes heard the Emperour tooke vp his hand and blessed him and declared vnto them a notable example saying In the first yeare that I was Consull there came a poore villaine from the riuer of Danuby to aske iustice of the Senate against a Censor which did sore oppresse the people and in deed hee did so well propound his complaint and declare the folly and iniuries which the Iudges did in his Country that I doubt whether Marcus Cicero could vtter it better with his tongue or the renowmed Homer haue writen it more eloquently with his pen. This villaine had a small face great lips hollow eyes his colour burnt curled hayre bare-headed his shoes of Porpyge skinne his coat of goates skinne his girdle of bul-rushes a long beard and thicke his eye brows couered his eyes the stomacke and the necke couered with skinnes heared as a Beare and a clubbe in his hand Without doubt when I saw him enter into the Senate I imagined it had beene a beast in forme of a man and after I heard that which he sayd I iudged him to bee a God if there be Gods among men For it was a fearefull thing to behold his person it was no lesse monstrous to heare his words At that time there was great prease at the dore of the Senate of many diuers persons for to solicite the affayres of their Prouinces yet notwithstanding this villaine spake before the others for two causes The one for the men were desirous to heare what so monstrous a man would say The other because the Senators had this custome that the complaints of the poore should bee heard before the requests of the rich Wherefore this villaine afterwards in the middest of the Senate beganne to tell
Captaines haue wonne many Realms by shedding bloud yet notwithstanding your Iudges ought to keepe them not with rigorous shedding of bloud but with clemency and winning their heats O Romanes admonish command pray and aduertise your Iudges whom you send to gouerne strange Prouinces that they employ themselues more to the Common-wealth of the Realme then their hands to number their fines and forfeites For otherwise they shal slaunder those which send them and shal hurt those whom they gouern Your Iudges in iust things are not obeyed for any other cause but for as much as first they haue commaunded marrie vniust things The iust commaundements make the humble hearts and the vniust commandements doe turne and conuert the meeke and humble men to seuere and cruell persons Humane malice is so giuen to commaund is troublesome to be commaunded that though they commaund vs to do good wee doe obey euill the more they commaund vs euill the worse they bee obeyed in the good Beleeue me Romanes one thing and doubt nothing therein that of the great lightnesse of the Iudges is sprung the little feare great shame of the people Each Prince which shall giue to any Iudge the charge of Iustice whom he knoweth not to be able doth it not so much for that hee knoweth wel how to minister Iustice but because hee is very craftie to augment his goods Let him be well assured that when he least thinketh on it his honour shal be in most infamy his credit lost his goods diminished and some notable punishment light vpon his house And because I haue other things to speake in secret I will heere conclude that is open and finally I say that if yee will preserue vs and our Realme for the which you haue hazarded your selues in many perills keepe vs in Iustice and wee will haue you in reuerence command vs Romans and we will obey as Hebrewes giue a pittifull president and yee shall haue all the Realme in safegard What will yee I say more but that if you be not cruel to punish our weaknesse we will bee very obedient to your ordinances before yee prouide for to commaund vs thinke it well to entreat vs for by praying with all meekenesse and not commaunding with presumption ye shall finde in vs the loue which the fathers are wont to finde in their children and not the treason which the Lords haue accustomed to finde in their seruants CHAP. XI The Emperour concludeth his letter against the cruell Iudges and declareth what the Grandfather of King Boco spake in the Senate AL that which aboue I haue spoken the Hebrewes sayde and not without greate admiration hee was heard of all the Senate O Rome without Rome which now hast ought but the walles and art made a common Stewes of vices What did dest thou tell mee when a stranger did rebuke and taunt thee in the middest of thy Senate It is a generall rule where there is corruption of custom liberties are alwayes lost which seemeth most true here in Rome For the Romanes which in times past went to reuenge their iniuries into strange Countries now others come out of strange Countries to assault them in their owne houses Therefore since the iustice of Rome is condemned what thinkest thou that I beleeue of that Isle of Cicile Tell mee I pray thee Antigonus from whence commeth thinkest thou so great offence to the people and such corrupton to iustice in the Common wealth If peraduenture thou knowest it not harken and I will tell thee It is an order whereby all goeth without order Thou oughtest for to know that the Counsellors of Princes being importunate and the Prince not resisting them but suffering them they deceyue him some with couetousnesse other with ignorance giue from whome they ought to take and take from whom they ought to giue they honour them who do dishonor them they withhold the iust and deliuer the couetous they despise the wise and trust the light Finally they prouide not for the offences of persons but for the persons of offices Hearke Antigonus and I will tell thee more These miserable Iudges after they are prouided and inuested in the authority of their Offices wher of they were vnworthy seeing themselues of power to commaund and that the dignity of their offices is much more then the desert of their persons immediately they make themselues to be feared ministring extreame iustice They take vpon them the estates of great Lords they liue of the sweat of the poore they supply with malice that which they want in discretion and that which is worst of all they mingle another mans iustice with their owne proper profit Therefore heare more what I will say vnto thee that these cursed Iudges seeing them selues pestered with sundry affayres that they want the eares of knowledge the sayles of vertue and the ancors of experience not knowing how to remedy such small euills they inuent others more greater they distribute the common peace onely for to augment their owne particular profite And finally they bewayle their owne damage and are displeased with the prosperity of another Nothing can bee more iust that since they haue fallen into offices not profitable for them they doe suffer although they would not great damages so that the one for taking gifts remaine slaundered and the other for giuing them remaine vndone Hearken yet and I will tell thee more Thou oughtest to know that the beginning of these Iudges are pride and ambition their meanes enuy malice and their endings are death and destruction for the leaues shal neuer be greene where the roots are drie If my counsell should take place in this case such Iudges should not bee of counsell with Princes neyther yet should they be defended of the priuate but as suspect men they should not only be cast from the coÌmon wealth but also they should suffer death It is a great shame to those which demaund offices of the Senate but greater is the rashnesse and boldnes of the Counsellers which doe procure them and wee may say both to the one and to the other that neyther the feare of God doth with draw them nor the power of Princes doth bridle them nor shame doth trouble them neyther the Common wealth doth accuse them and finally neyther reason commaundeth them nor the Law subdueth them But hearke and I will tell thee more Thou oughtest alwayes to know what the forme and manner is that the Senatours haue to diuide the offices for sometimes they giue them to their friends in recompence of their friendship other times they giue them to theyr seruants to acquite their seruices and sometimes also they giue them to soliciters to the end they should not importune them so that few offices remaine for the vertuous the which onely for beeing vertuous are prouided O my friend Antigonus I let you to vnderstand that since Rome did keepe her renowne and the Com-wealth was well gouerned
for this also it is a thing superfluous For manie goe to the warres being wronged onely with one thing and afterwards they returne iniuried with manie If Princes take vpon them Warres for none other cause but to winne honour me thinketh also that that is an vnprofitable conquest For me thinketh that Fortune is not a person so famous that into her hands a man may commit his honour his goods and his life If Princes take vpon them warre to leaue of them in the worlde to come some memorie this no lesse them the other seemeth to me vaine For without doubt if we examine the hystories that be past we shall finde those to be more in number which haue bin defamed then those which for vanquishing of their enemyes haue bin renowmed It Princes take vpon them warres supposing that there are in an other countrey more pleasures and delights then in their owne I say that to thinke this proceedeth of little experience and of lesse conscience For to a Prince there can bee no greater shame nor conscience then to beginne warres in straunge Realmes to maintaine his owne pleasures and vices at home Let no Princes deceyue themselues in thinking that there are in straunge Countries more things then in their owne For in the end there is no Land nor nation in the world where there is not Winter and Summer night and day sicknesse and health riches and pouerty mirth and sadnesse friends and enemies vitious and vertuous aliue and dead Finally I say that in all parts all things agree in one saue onely the dispositions of men which are diuers I would aske Princes and great Lords the which doe and will liue at theyr pleasure what they want in theyr Realmes yea though they bee little If they will hunt they haue mountaines and Parkes if they will fish they haue pondes if they will walke they haue riuers if they will refresh themselues they haue baynes if they will bee merry they haue Musitians if they delight in apparrelling them selues they haue rich clothes if they will giue they haue money if they desire women they haue wiues if they will take their rest they haue their Gardens if Winter annoye them they haue hote Countries if they will eate they want no meats Hee that with peace hath all these things in his owne Dominion why then with warre doe hee seeke them in a strange Country Men oftentimes flye from one Countrey to another not to be more deuoute nor more vertuous but to haue greater liberty and oportunitie to haunt vices And afterwards when they see the endes of their deeds they cannot refrayne their hearts from sighes since they might haue enioyed that at home with peace which in straunge Countries they sought with troubles There are so few thinges wherewith we are contented in the world that if perchaunce a man finde in any one place any one thing wherewith to content him Let him beware that the Diuell doe not deceiue him saying That in such another place he may receate himselfe better For whether soeuer wee goe wee shall finde such penurie and want of true pleasures and comforts and such plenty and copious aboundance of troubles and torments that for to comfort vs in an hundred yeares wee scarcely finde one and to torment vs wee finde at euery foot a thousand CHAP. XIII The Author reciteth the commodities which come of peace declaring how diuers Princes vpon light occasions haue made cruell warres Dimo an ancient king of Ponto sayd vnto a Philosopher that was withhim Tel me Philosopher I haue health I haue honour and I haue riches Is there any thing more to bee desired amongst men or to bee giuen of the Gods in this life The Philosopher aunswered him I see that I neuer saw and I heare that I neuer heard For health riches and honour the Gods seldome times doe thrust in one person his time is so short that dooth possesse them that they haue more reason for to pray that they might bee quieted of them then for to bee proude for that they possesse them And I tell thee further King Dimo It little profiteth that the Gods haue giuen thee all these thinges if thou dooest not content thy selfe therewith the which I thinke they haue not giuen thee nor neuer will giuen thee For the Gods are so iust in diuiding their gifts that to them to whom they giue contentation they take from them their riches and those whom they giue riches they take their contentation Plutarch in the first of his pollitikes putteth this example and hee declareth not the name of this Philosopher O how great a benefit is that which the Gods giue to Princes and great Lords in giuing them their health in giuing them riches and in giuing them honour but if besides those hee giueth them not contentation I say that in giuing them the goods he giueth them trauell and danger for if the trauell of the poore be greater then the trauell of the rich without comparison the discontentation of the rich is greater then the discontentation of the poore Men little regarding their health become sicke little esteeming theyr riches become poore and because they know not what honour is they become dishonoured I meane that the rash Princes vntill such time as they haue bin well beaten in the wars will alwayes little regard peace The day that you Princes proclaime wars against your enemies you set at liberty all vices to your subiects Yet you say your meaning is not they should bee euill I say it is true Yet all this ioyned together ye giue them occasioÌ that they be not good Let vs know what thing warre is and then wee shall see whether it bee good or euill to follow it In warres they doe nought else but kill men robbe the Temples spoyle the people destroy the Innocents giue liberty to theeues separate friends and rayse strife all the which things cannot bee done without great hurt of iustice and scrupulosity of conscience The seditious man himselfe cannot denie vs that if two Princes take vpon them warres betweene them that both of them seeme for to haue right yet the one of them onely hath reason So that the Prince which shall fight against Iustice or defende the vniust cause shall not escape out of that warre iustified Not issuing out-iustified hee shall remaine condemned and the condemnation shall bee that all the losses murthers burnings hangings and robberies which were done in the one or other common-wealth shal remaine vpon the account of him which took vpon him the vniust warre Although he doth not find another Prince that will demand an account of him heere in this life yet hee shall haue a iust Iudge that will in another place lay it to his charge The Prince which is vertuous presumeth to bee a Christian before he beginne the warre ought for to consider what losse or profite will ensue thereof Wherein if the end be not
of counsel they themselues imagine and other flattrers telleth that thogh they haue much in respect of other princes yet they can doe little Also they say vnto them that if their substaunce bee great their Fame ought to bee greater Further they tell them that the good Prince ought little to esteeme that hee hath inherited of his predecessors in respect of the great deale more hee ought to leaue to his successours Also they tell them that neuer prince left of him any great memory but inuenting some cruell Warre against his enemie Also they tell them that the houre that one is chosen Emperour of Rome hee may boldely conquer the whole earth These vaine reasons being heard of the princes afterwardes as their Fortune is base and their mindes high immediately they defie their enemies they open their Treasures they assemble great armies and in the end of all the Gods suffer that they thinking to tkae an other mans goods they waste and lose their owne Oh Princes I knowe not who doth deceyue yee that you which by peace may be rich and by war wil be poore Oh Princes I know not who doth deceiue you that you which may be loued doe seeke occasions to be hated Oh princes I knowe not who doth beguyle yee that yee which may enioy a sure life doe aduenture your selues to the mutabilitie of Fortune Oh princes I knowe not who doeth deceyue you that you so little esteeme and weigh your owne aboundance and so greatly set by the wants of others Oh princes I know not who doth deceiue you that all hauing need of you you should haue neede of others I let thee to knowe my Cornelius though a prince bee more quicke and carefull then all other his predecessors haue bin in Rome yet it is vnpossible that all things touching warre should succeede vnto him prosperously For in the greatest neede of warres eyther he wanteth money or his subiects do not succour him or time is contrarie vnto him or he findeth perilous pasges hee lacketh Artillerie or the captaines rebell or else succour commeth to his aduersaryes so that hee seeth himselfe so miserable that thoughtes doe more oppresse his heart then the enemies do harme his land Though a prince had no warre but for to suffer men of warre yet he ought to take vpon him no warre I aske thee now my Cornelius what trauell so great to his person or what greater damage to his Realme can his Enemies do then that which his own men of warre doe c The Enemies to doe the worst they can will but robbe our Frontiers but our men of War do robbe the whole countrey The Enemies we dare and may resist but to ours we cannot nor dare not speake The Enemyes the worst they can do is once in a moneth to robbe and runne their wayes but ours daily do robbe and remaine still The Enemyes feare their enemies only but ours doe feare their enemyes and haue no pitie on their friends The enemies the further they goe on the more they diminish but ours the further they goe the more they encrease I know no greater warre that Princes can haue then to haue men of warre in their realmes For as experience doth shew vs before the Gods they are culpable to Princes importunate and to the people troublesome so that they liue to the damage of all and to the profit of none By the God Mars I swear vnto thee my friend Cornelius as hee may direct my hands in the war that I haue more complaints in the Senate of the thefts which my Captaines did in Illyria then of all the enemies of the Romane people Both for that I say and for that I kept secret I am more afraid to create an Ensigne of two hundred men of warre then to giue a cruell battell to thirty thousand men For that battell fortune good or euill forthwith dispacheth but with these I can bee sure no time of all my life Thou wilt say vnto me Cornelius that since I am Emperour of Rome I should remedy this since I know it For that Prince which dissembleth with the fault of another by reason hee will condemne him as if it were his owne To this I answere that I am not mighty enough to remedy it except by my remedy there should spring a greater inconuenience And since thou hast not beene a Prince thou couldest not fall into that I haue nor yet vnderstand that which I say For Princes by their wisdom know many things the which to remedy they haue no power So it hath beene so it is so it shall be so I found it so I keepe it so will I leaue it them so I haue reade it in bookes so haue I seen it with my eyes so haue I heard it of my predecessors And finally I say our Fathers haue inuented it and so will wee their children sustaine it and for this euill wee will leaue it to our heyres I will tell thee one thing and imagine that I erre not therein which is considering the great dammage and little profite which men of warre do bring to our Common wealth I thinke to doe it and to sustaine it eyther it is the folly of men or a scourge giuen of the Gods For there can be nothing more iust then for the Gods to permit that wee feele that in our owne houses which wee cause others in strange houses to lament All those thinges I haue written vnto thee not for that it skileth greatly that I know them but that my heart is at ease for to vtter them For as Alcibiades sayde the chests and the hearts ought alwayes to be open to their friends Panutius my Secretary goeth in my behalfe to visite that Land and I gaue him this Letter to giue thee with two Horses wherewith I doe thinke thou wilt be contented for they are Genets The Weapons and riches which I tooke of the Parthians I haue now diuided notwithstanding I do send thee two Chariots laden with them My wife Faustine greeteth thee and shee sendeth a rich glasse for thy Daughter and a iewell with stones for thy sister No more but I doe beseech the gods to giue thee a good life and me a good death CHAP. XVII An Admonition of the Author to Princes and great Lordes to the entent that the more they grow in yeares the more they are bound to refrayne from vices AVlus Gelius in his booke De noctibus Atticis sayeth that there was an auncient custome among the Romanes to honour and haue in great reuerence aged men And this was so inuiolate a Law amongst them that there was none so noble of bloud and linage neyther so puissant in riches neyther so fortunate in battels that should go before the aged men which were loden with white hayres so that they honoured them as they did the Gods Amongst other the aged men had these preheminences that is to say that in feasts they sate highest in the
nothing but lyes CHAP. XIX Of a letter of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius to Claudius and Claudinus reproouing them being olde men and that they liued youthfully MARKE Emperor borne in Mount Celio desireth to you my neighbours Claude and Claudine health of your persons and amendment of your liues I beeing as I am at the Conquest of Asia and you remayning alwayes in the pleasures of Rome wee vnderstand your newes very late and I thinke our letters arriue there as late Notwithstanding to those which goe thither I giue answeres for you others and of all those which come hither I demaund of your health And doe not demand of others how well and how much I loue you but of your owne proper hearts and if your heart say that I am a fained friend then I take my selfe condemned If perchance your harts doe tell you that I loue you beeing true indeed that I hate you or if I tel you that I hate you being true that I loue you of truth I would plucke such a heart out of my body and giue it to bee eaten of the beasts For there is no greater deceit then that which the man doth to himselfe If a stranger beguile mee I ought to dissemble it if an enemie deceiue mee I ought to reuenge it if my friend misuse mee I ought to complaine of him but if I deceyue my selfe with whom shall I comfort my selfe For there is no patience that can suffer the heart to deceiue himselfe in any thing which hee hath not deepaly considered Peraduenture yee will say I doe not esteeme you and that I haue not written any letter vnto you of long time To this I answere That you doe not attribute the fault to my negligence but to the great distance of countries that there is from hence to Rome and also to the great affaires of Asia For amongst other discommodities the warre hath this also that it depriueth vs of the sweet conuersation of our Country I haue alwayes presumed to bee yours and at this present am at no mans pleasure more then at yours And since you haue alwayes knowne of mee what you desired to know I haue espyed in you others that which of force I must speake For in the end I haue not seene any possesse so much to bee worth so much to know so much nor in all things to bee so mighty but that one day hee should neede his poore friend The diuine Plato sayde and also well That the man which loueth with his heart neyther in absence forgetteth neyther in presence becommeth negligent neyther in prosperity hee is proud nor yet in aduersitie abiect neyther he serueth for profit nor yet hee loueth for gaine and finally he defendeth the case of his friend as his owne Diuers haue beene of the opinions which the Auncients held to affirme for what end friendes were taken and in the end they were fully resolued that for foure causes we ought to chuse friends The first we ought to haue friends to treate and to bee conuersant with all for according to the troubles of this life there is no time so pleasantly consumed as in the conuersation of an assured friend The second is wee ought to haue friends to haue friends to whom we may disclose the secrets of our hearts for it is much comfort to the wofull hart to declare to his friend his doubts if he perceiue that hee doth feele them in deede The third we ought to search chuse friends to the end they helpe vs in our aduersities For little profiteth it my heart that with teares the friends doe heare all that I bewayle vnlesse afterwards in deede hee will take paines to reforme the same The fourth wee ought to seeke and preserue friends to the end they be protectors of our goods and likewise Iudges of our euils for the good friend is no lesse bound to withdraw vs from the vices whereby wee are slaundered then to deliuer vs from our enemies by whom wee may bee slaine The end why I tolde you all this was if that in this letter you chance to light vpon any sharpe word that you take it patiently considering that the loue that I beare you doth moue mee to speake and the faith which I owe vnto you dooth not suffer mee that I should keepe it close For many things ought to be borne among friends though they tell them in earnest which ought not to be suffered of others though they speake it in iest I come therefore to shew the matter and I beseech the immortall Gods that there be no more then that you haue tolde mee and that it bee lesse then I suspect Gaius Furius your Kinsman and my especiall friend as hee went to the Realme of Palestine and Hierusalem came to see mee in Antioch and hath tolde me newes of Italy Rome and among others one aboue all the residue I haue committed to memory at the which I could not refrain laughing and lesse to bee troubled after I had thought of it O how many things doe wee talke in iest the which after wee haue well considered giue occasion to be sorrie The Emperor Adrian my good lord had a Ieaster whose name was Belphus yong comely and stout albeit he was very malicious as such are acustomed to be and whiles the Embassadors of Germanie supped with the Emperour in great ioye the same Belphus began to jeast of euery one that was present according to his accustomed manner with a certaine malicious grace And Adrian perceyuing that some chaunged colour others murmured and others were angrie hee saide vnto this ieaster Friend Belphus if thou loue me and my seruice vse not these spitefull ieasts at our supper which being considered on may turne vs to euill rest in our beddes Gaius Furius hath told me so manie slaunders chaunced in Italie such nouelties done in Rome such alteration of our Senate such contentions and strife betweene our Neighbours such lightnes of you two that I was astonnied to heare it and ashamed to write it And it is nothing to tell after what sort he tolde them vnto me vnles you had seen how earnestly he spake them imagining that as he tolde them without taking any paines so did I receiue them as hee thought without anie griefe though in deede euery worde that hee spake seemed a sharpe piercing arrowe vnto my heart For ofte times some telleth vs things as of small importance the which do pricke our hearts to the quicke By the opinion of all I vnderstand that you are very olde and yet in your own fantasies you seeme very young And further they say that you Apparrell your selues a newe now as though presently you came into the worlde and moreouer they say that you are offended with nothing so much as when they call you olde and that in Theaters where comedies are played and in the Fieldes where the brute beasts doe run you are not the hindmost and that there is
will but hauing it with him it profiteth him nothing Wee may say of these rich and couetous men that if they heape and keepe they say it is for deere and drye yeares and to relieue theyr parents and friends We may aunswer them that they doe not heape vp to remedie the poore in like necessityes but rather to bring the Common-wealth to greater pouerty For then they sell all things deere and put out their money to great vsurie so that this couetous man doth more harme with that he doth lend them then the drie yeare doth with that it hath taken froÌ them The noble and vertuous men ought not cease to doe well for feare of dry yeares For in the ende if one deare yeare come it maketh al deere and at such a time and in such a case he onely may be called happie which for being free and liberall in Almes shall reioyce that his table should be costly Let all couetous men beware that for keeping of much goods they giue not to the diuell theyr soules For it may bee that before the deare yeare commeth to sel their Corne their bodyes shal be layd in the graue Oh what good doeth GOD to the Nobles giuing them liberal harts and what ill lucke haue couetous men hauing as they haue their harts so hard laced For if couetous men did taste how sweet and necessarie a thing it is to giue they could keepe little for themselues Now sithens the miserable and couetous men haue not the heart to giue to their friendes to depart to their parents to succour the poore to lend to their neighbours nor to sustaine the Orphanes It is for to bee thought that they will spend it on themselues Truly I say no more for there are men so miserable and so hard of that they haue that they thinke that as euill spent which among themselues they spend as that which one robbeth from them of their goods How will the couetous and miserable wretch giue a garment to a naked man which dare not make himselfe a coate How will hee giue to eate to the poore familiar which as a poore slaue eateth the bread of branne and selleth the flower of meale How shal the Pilgrims lodge in his house who for pure misery dare not enter and how doth he visite the Hospitall and releeue the sicke that oft times hazardeth his owne health and life for that hee will not giue one penny to the Physition how shall hee succour secretly the poore and needy which maketh his owne children goe barefoote and naked how can hee helpe to marry the poore maides being orphanes when he suffereth his owne daughters to waxe olde in his house how will hee giue of his goods to the poore Captiues which will not pay his owne men their wages how will he giue to eate to the children of poore Gentlemen which alwayes grudgeth at that his owne spend how should wee beleeue that hee wil apparrell a widdow which will not giue his owne wife a hoode How doth hee daily giue almes which goeth not to the Church on the Sunday because hee will not offer one penny how shall the couetous man reioyce the heart sith for spending of one penny oft times hee goeth supperlesse to bed And finally I say that hee will neuer giue vs of his own proper goods which weepeth alwayes for the goods of another CHAP. XXIIII The Author followeth his matter and with great reasons discommendeth the vices of couetous men ONe of the thinges wherein the diuine prouidence sheweth that we do not vnderstand the maner of her gouernement is to see that shee giueth vnderstanding to a man to know the riches shee giueth him force to seeke them subtilly to gather them vertue to sustaine them courage to defend them and also long life to possesse them And with all this shee giueth him not licence to enioy them but rather suffereth him that as without reason hee hath made himselfe Lord of an other mans of right hee should bee made slaue of his owne thereby a man may know of how greater excellency vertuous pouerty is then the outragious couetousnesse for so much as to the poore God doth giue contentation of that little hee hath from the rich man he taketh contentation of the great deale hee possesseth So that to the couetous man wee see troubles encrease howerly and the gaine commeth vnto him but monethly Let vs compare the rich and couetous man to the poore potter and wee shall see who shall profite most eyther the potter with his pots that he maketh of the earth or else the couetous with his money which he hath in the earth Though I make no answere to this yet answer herein hath already been made that the one is much better at ease with the earth then the other is with the good For the Potter getteth his liuing by selling pots and the couetous man loseth his soule by keeping riches I humbly require the high Princes and also I beseech the great Lordes and further I admonish the other nobles and Plebeians alwayes to haue this word in memory I say and affirme that the more strongly the man keepeth and locketh his treasure the more strongly and priuily is he kept for if hee put two keyes to keepe his treasure he putteth seuen to his heart not to spend them Let the noble and valiant men beware that they giue not their mindes to heape vp treasures for if once their hearts bee kindled with couetousnes for feare of spending a halfe penny they will dayly suffer themselues to fall into a thousand miseries The Plebeians which are very rich may say that they haue not heaped vp much treasures sithence they cannot behold a hundred or two hundred duccats To this I answere that the estates considered ten duccates doe as much harme to a Treasurer as to others ten thousand For the fault consisteth not in keeping or hiding much or litle riches but forsomuch as in keeping them we cease to doe many good workes To mee it is a strange matter that niggardlinesse hath a greater force to the couetous then conscience hath in others For there are many which notwithstanding conscience do profite with the goods of others and the couetous hauing more misery then conscience cannot yet profite with their owne With much care and lesse diligence the couetous men doe prouide that the millers do not rob the meale that their beasts make no wasts that the Hunters run not through the corne that their wine perish not that those which owe them any thing doe not go and make themselues bankroutes that wynets do not eate their corne and the theeues rob not their goods but in the end they watch none so well as themselues for all the others earely or late haue alwayes oportunitie to robbe from them somewhat but the couetous hath neuer the heart to change a duccate Men ought to take great pitty of a couetous man who by his own will
princes ought carefully to beware For if in such case one man alone should be found which would commende his liberality there are ten thousand which would condemne his couetousnes It happeneth ofte times to princes and great Lordes that indeede they are free to recompence but in giuing they are very vnfortunate And the cause is that they giue it not to vertuous persons and wel conditioned but to those which are vnthankefull and doe not acknowledge the benefite receyued So that in giuing to some they they haue not made them their frieÌds and in not giuing vnto others they haue made them their Enemyes It sufficeth not vnto Princes and great Lordes to haue a great desire to giue but to know when how or where and to whom they ought to giue For if they bee accused otherwise to heape vp treasures they ought also to be condemned for that they doe giue When a man hath lost all that he hath in play in Whores in Banquets and other semblable vices It is but reason they bee ashamed but when they haue spent it like noble stout and liberall men they ought not to bee discontented for the wise man ought to take no displeasure for that he loseth but for that hee euill spendeth and hee ought to take no pleasure for that hee giueth but for that he giueth not well Dion the Grecian in the life of the Emperour Seuerus sayth That one day in the Feast of the God Ianus when hee had giuen diuers rewardes and sundry gifts as well to his owne seruants as to strângers and that he was greatly commended of all the Romanes he sayde vnto them Doe you thinke now Romans that I am very glad for the gifts rewards and recompences which I haue bestowed and freely giuen and that I am very glorious for the prayses you haue giuen mee by the God Mars I sweare vnto you and let the God Ianus bee so mercifull vnto vs all this yeare that the pleasure I haue is not so great for that I haue giuen as the griefe is for that I haue no more to giue CHAP. XXIX The Author followeth his intention and perswadeth Gentlemen and those that professe Armes not to abase themselues for gaines sake to take vpon them any vile function or office PLutarch in his Apothegmes sayeth that King Ptolomeus the first was a Prince of so good a nature and so gentle in conuersation that oft times he went to supper to the houses of his familiar friendes and many nights he remayned there to sleepe And truely in this case hee shewed himselfe to be welbeloued of his For speaking according to the truth a Prince on whose life dependeth the whole state of the CommoÌwealth ought to credite few at the Table and also fewer in the bed Another thing this Ptolomeus did which was when he inuited his friendes to dinner or supper or other strangers of some he desired to borrow stools of others napkins and of others cups and so of other things for hee was a prodigall Prince For all that his seruants in the morning had bought before the night following he gaue it away One day all the Nobles of his Realme of Egypt assembled together and desired him very earnestly that hee would bee more moderate in giuing for they sayd through his prodigality the whole Realme was empouerished The king answered You others of Egypt are maruellously deceiued that the poore and needy prince is troubled In this I dare say vnto you that the poore and needie Prince ought to thinke himselfe happie For good Princes ought more to seeke to enrich others then to heape vp Treasures for themselues Oh happie is the Common-wealth which deserueth to haue such a prince and happy is that tongue which could pronounce such a sentence Certainly this Prince to all princes gaue good example and counsell That is to say that for them it was more honor and also more profite to make others rich then to be rich themselues For if they haue much they shal want no crauers and if they haue little they shall neuer want seruants to serue them Suetonius Tranquillus in the booke of Caesars sayth that Titus the Emperour one night after supper from the bottome of his heart fetched a heauie sighe and hee being demaunded of those which were at his table why hee sighed so sore hee aunswered Wee haue lost at this day my Friendes By the which wordes the Emperour meant that he counted not that day amongst those of his life wherin he had giuen no reward nor gift Truly this Noble Prince was both valiaunt and mightie since hee sighed and had displeasure not for that which in many dayes hee had giuen but because that one day he had failed to giue any thing Pelopa of Thebes was a man in his time very valiaunt and also Rich and sith hee was fortunate in getting and liberall in spending one asked him why hee was so prodigall to giue he aunswered If to thee it seemeth that I giue much to mee it seemeth yet I should giue more sithens the goods ought to serue me and not I to honor them Therefore I will that they call mee the spender of the goods and not the stewardes of the house Plutarche in his Apothegmes saith that K. Darius flouting at K. Alexander for beeing poore sent to know where his Treasures were for such great Armyes To whom Alexander the great aunswered Tell King Darius that hee keepeth in his coffers his treasours of mettall and that I haue no other Treasours then the hearts of my Friendes And further tell him that one man alone can robbe all his treasors but he and all the world can not take my Treasures from mee which are my Friendes I durst say affirming that Alexander saide That hee cannot bee called poore which is rich of Friends For we say by experience Alexander with his Friendes tooke king Darius treasures from him and king Darius with all his treasures was not puissant enough to take Alexanders friendes from him Those which of theyr naturall inclination are shamefast and in estate Noble they ought aboue all things to flye the slaunder of couetousnes For without doubt greater is that honour which is lost then the goods that are gotten If Princes and great Lordes of their owne naturall inclination be liberall let them followe their nature but if perchaunce of their own nature they are enclyned to couetousnes let them enforce their will And if they will not doe it I tell them which are present that a day shall come when they shall repent For it is a generall rule that the disordinate couetousnes doe raise against themselues all venemous tongues Thinke that when you watch to take mens goods that others watch in like manner to take your honor I doe not thinke that your life can be sure For there is no law that doeth ordaine nor pacience that can suffer to see my neighbour liue in quiet by the sweat of my browes
blush to heare the count that pleasures cast So now I see the masse of huge delight With flattering face doth promise but decay Whose flitting foote entyced one to flight His restles wings doe seeke to sore away Loe thus he slippes reclaimde with endles paine Possest a while departing soone againe Thus sayeth the sage Salomon talking of the things of the world the which as he spake of the world so had hee proued it in deede in his owne person Crediting as it is reason to such high doctrine I cannot tell what my pen can write more in this case since hee saith that after he had all proued experimented possessed and tasted he found that al we procure and haue in this worlde is vanitie Oh Noble Princes and great Lords I beseeche you and in the Name of IESVS CHRIST I exhort you with great discretion to enter into this deepe Sea since this order is so disordered that it bringeth all disorders and euill customs For all those which shall trauell by the way when they shall thinke to goe moste sure in the midst of their iourney they shal finde themselues to be lost None ought to agree with the world for that hee might liue secure in his house for day and night to all worldlings hee hath his gates open making their entrie large and sure But let vs beware we enter not and much more that wee loade not our selues with his vices and be delighted with his pleasures For since we doe waxe worse and that wee are entred therein though wee doe repent by no way wee finde the sure comming out but that first wee must well pay for our lodging I maruell not though the Worldlings at euery moment be deceyued since superficiously they beholde the world with their eyes and loue it profoundly with their hearts But if they desired as profoundly to consider it as they doe vainely followe it they should see very plaine that the world did not flatter them with prosperitie but threaten them with aduersitie So that vnder the greatest poynt of the Dye which is the vi is hidden the least which is the Ase I would counsell Noble-Princes and great Lords that they would not beleeue the world nor his Flatterers and much lesse beleeue themselues nor their vaine imaginations The which for the most part doe thinke that after they haue traueled heaped vp great treasure they shal enioy but their own trauel without the trouble of any man or that any man doe go againe them Oh how vaine is such thought and how often doth it change contrarie The world is of such an euill conditition that if hee let vs rest our first sleepe as well vs as that which wee haue gotten immediately in the morning yea oftentimes an houre from thence he awaketh vs with a new care and now he hath prepared for vs some meane to occupie our selues about some other trouble CHAP. XL. ¶ The Authour followeth his intention and speaketh vehemently against the deceyts of the World THe Emperor Traiane said one day to his maister which was Plutarche the great philosopher Tell mee maister why there are commonly more euill then good why without comparison there are moe which follow vices then those which embrace vertue The great Plutarch aunswered As our naturall inclination is more giuen to lasciuiousnes and negligence then to chastity and abstinencie so the men which doe enforce themselues to follow vertue are fewe and those which giue slacke the reynes vnto vices are manie And know thou if thou knowest it not moste Noble Prince that all this euill proceedeth that men doe followe men and that they suffer not reason to folow reason Feeble and miserable is our nature but in the ende wee cannot deny that for our trauells we may finde remedie in it which seemeth to be true For so much if the sunne doth annoy vs we retire to the shadow If we are grieued going on foote wee doe remedy it going on Horsebacke If the sea be dangerous we sayle with ships If the colde doe vexe vs we approche neere the Fire If thyrst doth trouble vs we do quench it with drinke If the raine doth wet vs wee goe into houses If the plague be in one place wee flie into another If we haue enemies we comfort ourselues with our frieÌds Finally I say that there is no sorrow nor trauell but that a man hath found some rest and remedie This presupposed to be true as it is truth indeed now I aske al the worldlings if they haue found any remedie against the troubles and deceytes of this world If I be not deceyued and if I vnderstand any thing of this world the remedie which the worlde giueth for the troubles certainly are greater trauells then the trauels theÌselues so that they are salues that doe not heale our wounds but rather burn our flesh When the diseases are not very olde rooted nor daungerous it profiteth more oftentimes to abide a gentle feauer then to take a sharpe purgation I mean that the world is such a deceiuer and so double that he doeth contrary to that he punisheth That is to say that if hee doe perswade vs to reuenge an iniurie it is to the end that in reuenging that one wee should receiue a thousand inconueniences And wheras we thinke it taketh from vs it increaseth infinite So that this cursed guyde maketh vs to belieue it leadeth vs vpon the drye land among our friends causeth vs to fall into the Ambushments of our enemyes Noble Princes great Lords in the thoughts they haue and in the words that they speake are greatly esteemed and afterwardes in the workes which they doe and in the affayres they trauell are as little regarded The contrarie of all this doeth the wicked world who with all those hee acompanyeth in his promises hee is very gentle and afterwardes in his deedes hee is very prowd For speaking the trueth oft times it costeth vs deere and wee others doe sell it good cheape I say much in saying that wee sell it good cheap but in a maner I shold say better that wee giue it willingly For fewe are those in number which carrie away wages of the world and infinite are those which doe serue it onely for a vaine hope Oh Noble Princes and great Lordes I counsell and require you that you doe not trust the world neither in word deed nor promise though hee sweare and sweare againe that he will keepe all he hath promised with you Suppose that the world doth honor you much flatter you much visite you oft offer you great treasures and giue you much yet it is not because hee will giue it you by little and little but that afterwards he might take it all froÌ you againe in one day For it is the olde custome of the world that those which aboue all men hee hath set before now at a turne they are furthest behind What may wee haue in this world and
his arme so that from thence forwards hee could not put on his gowne nor draw his sword and much lesse carrie a staffe The good Empreour being so loaden with yeres and no lesse with cares the sharpe Winter approching more and more great aboundance of water and snow fell about the Tents so that another disease fell vpon him called Litargie the which thing much abated his courage and in his Hoast caused great sorrow For he was so beloued of all as if they had been his owne Children After that he had proued all medicines and remedyes that could bee found and all other things which vnto so great and mightie Princes were accustomed to be done he perceyued in the end that all remedie was past And the reason heereof was because his sicknes was exceeding vehement and hee himselfe very aged the Ayre vnwhol-some and aboue all because sorrowes and cares oppressed his hart Without doubt greater is the disease that proceedeth of sorrowe then that which proceedeth of the Feuer quartaine And thereof fensueth that more easily is hee cured which of corrupt humours is full then hee which with profound thoughts is oppressed The Emperour then beeing sicke in his chamber and in such sort that hee could not exercise the feates of armes as his men ranne out of their Campe to skyrmish and the Hungarians in like manner to defend the fight on both sides was so cruell through the great effusion of bloud that neither the Hungarians had cause to reioyce nor yet the Romaines to be merrie Vnderstanding the euill order of his and especially that v. of his Captaines were slaine in the conflict and that he for his disease could not bee there in person such sorrows pierced his hart that although he desired forthwith to haue dyed yet hee remained 2. dayes and 3. nights without that hee would see light or speak vnto any man of his So that the heat was much the rest was small the sighes were continuall and the thyrst very great the meate little and the sleepe lesse and aboue all his face wrinckled and his lips very blacke Sometimes he cast vp his eyes and at other times he wrong his hands alwayes hee was silent and continually hee sighed His tongue was swollen that hee could not spit and his eyes very hollow with weeping So that it was a great pittie to see his death and no lesse compassion to see the confusion of his pallace and the hinderance of the warre Many valiant captains many noble Romaines many faithfull seruants and many old friends at all these heauines were present But none of them durst speake to the Emperour Marke partly for that they tooke him to be so sage that they knewe not what counsell to giue him and partely for that they were so sorrowful that they could not refraine their heauie teares For the louing and true Friendes in their life ought to bee beloued and at theyr death to be bewailed Great compassion ought men to haue of those which dye not for that we see them dye but because there are none that telleth them what they ought to doe Noble Princes and great Lords are in greater perill when they dye then the Plebeyans For the counseller dare not tell vnto his Lorde at the houre of death that which hee knoweth and much lesse will tell him how he ought to die and what things hee ought to discharge whiles hee is aliue Manie goe to visite the sicke that I would to GOD they went some other where And the cause heereof is that they see the sicke mans eyes hollowe the flesh dryed the armes without flesh the colour enflamed the ague continuall the paine great the tongue swollen nature consumed and besides all this the house destroyed and yet they say vnto the sicke man Be of good cheere I warrant you you shall liue As young men naturallie desire to liue and as death to all olde men is dreadfull so though they see themselues in that distresse yet they refuse no Medecines as though there were great hope of life And therof ensueth oftentimes that the miserable creatures depart the worlde without confessing vnto GOD and making restitutions vnto men Oh if those which doe this knewe what euill they doe For to take away my goods to trouble my person to blernish my good name to slaunder my parentage and to reproue my life these works are of cruell enemies but to bee occasion to lose my soule it is the works of the diuell of hell Certainly hee is a Diuell which deceyueth the sicke with flatteryes and that in steed to helpe him to dye well putteth him in vain-hope of long life Herein hee that sayeth it winneth little and he that beleeueth it aduentureth much To mortall men it is more meete to giue counselles to reform their consciences with the truth then to hazard their houses with lyes With our friends wee are ashamelesse in their life and also bashfull at their death The which ought ought not to be so For if our Fathers were not dead and that wee did not daylie see these that are present die mee thinketh it were a shame and also a feare to say to the sicke that hee alone should die But since thou knowest as well as he and he knoweth as well as thou that all doe trauell in this perillous iourney what shame hast thou to say vnto thy friend that hee is now at the last point If the dead should now reuiue how would they complain of their friends And this for no other cause but for that they would not giue them good counsell at their death For if the sicke man bee my Friend and that I see peraduenture he will dye Why shall not I counsell him to prepare himselfe to dye Certainly oftentimes we see by experience that those which are prepared and are ready for to dye doe escape and those which thinke to liue doe perish What should they doe which goe to visite the sicke perswade them that they make their Testaments that they confesse their sinnes that they discharge their conscience that they receyue the Communion and that they do reconcile themselues to their enemies Certainely all these things charge not the launce of death nor cut not the threed of life I neuer saw blindenesse so blinde nor ignorance so ignorant as to be ashamed to counsell the sicke that they are bound to do when they are whole As we haue sayd here aboue Princes and great Lords are those aboue all others that liue and dye most abusedly And the onely cause in this that as their Seruants haue no hearts to perswade them when they are merrie so haue they no audacity to tell them truth when they are in perill For such seruants care little so that their masters bequeath them any thing in their willes whether they die well or liue euill O what miserie and pitie is it to see a Prince a Lord a gentleman and a rich person die if they haue no
further since both rich and poore doe daylie see the experience hereof And in thigs verie manifest it sufficeth onely for wise men to be put in memorie without wasting any more time to perswade them Now the Emperor Marcus Aurelius had a secretarie verie wise vertuous through whose hands the affaires of the Empire passed And when this secretarie saw his Lord and Master so sicke and almost at the houre of death and that none of his parents or friends durst speake vnto him he plainly determined to doe his dutie wherein hee shewed verie well the profound knowledge hee had in wisedome and the great good wil he bare to his Lord. This Secretary was called Panutius the vertues and life of whom Sextus Cheronensis in the life of Marcus Aurelius declareth CHAP. L. Of the Comfortable words which the Secretary Panutius spake to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius at the houre of his death O My Lord and Master mytongue cannot keepe silence mine eyes cannot refraine from bitter teares nor my heart leaue from fetching sighs nor yet reason can vse his duty For my bloud boyleth my sinews are dried my powers be open my heart doth faint and my spirit is troubled And the occasion of all this is to see that the wholesome counsels which thou giuest to others ether thou canst not or will not take for thy selfe I see thee die my Lord and I die for that I cannot remedy thee For if the gods would haue granted me my request for the lengthning of thy life one day I would giue willingly my whole life Whither the sorrow bee true or fayned it needeth not I declare vnto thee with wordes since thou mayest manifestly discerne it by my countenance For mine eyes with teares are wet and my heart with sighes is very heauie I feele much the want of thy companie I feele much the dammage which of thy death to the whole commonwealth shall ensue I feele much thy sorrowe which in thy pallace shall remaine I feele much for that Rome this day is vndone but that which aboue all things doth most torment my heart is to haue seene thee liue as wise and now to see thee dye as simple Tell me I pray thee my Lord why do men learne the Greeke tongue trauell to vnderstand the Hebrew sweate in the Latine chaunge so many Maisters turne so many bookes and in studie consume so much money and so many yeares if it were not to knowe how to passe life with honor and take death with patience The end why men ought to studie is to learne to liue well For there is no truer science in man then to know how to order his life well What profiteth it me to know much if thereby I take no profite what profiteth me to know straunge Languages if I refrain nor my tongue from other mens matters what profiteth it to studie many bookes if I studie not but to begyule my friendes what profiteth it to know the influence of the starres and the course of the Elements if I cannot keepe my selfe from vices Finally I say that it little auayleth to to bee a master of the Sage if secretly hee bee reported to bee a follower of fooles The chiefe of all Phylosophie consisteth to serue GOD and not to offend men I aske thee most Noble Prince what auaileth it the Pilot to know the Arte of Sayling and after in a Tempest by negligence to perish What auaileth it the valiaunt Captaine to talke much of Warres and afterwards he knoweth not how to giue the Battell What auayleth it the guyde to tell the nearest way and afterwards in the middest to loose himselfe All this which I haue spoken is saide for thee my Lord For what auayleth it that thou beeing in health shouldest sigh for death since now when hee doeth approche thou weepest because thou wouldest not leaue life One of the things wherein the wise man sheweth his wisdome is to know how to loue and how to hate For it is great lightnes I should rather say follie to day to loue him whome yesterday we hated and to morrowe to slaunder him whom this day wee honoured What Prince so high or what Plebeyan so base hath there been or in the world shall euer be the which hath so little as thou regarded life and so highly commended death What things haue I written beeing thy Secretarie with mine owne hand to diuers Prouinces of the world where thou speakest so much good of death that sometimes thou madest mee to hate life What was it to see that letter which thou wrotest vnto the noble Romaine Claudinaes widdowe comforting her of the death of her Husband which dyed in the warres Wherein shee aunswered that she thought her trouble comfort to deserue that thou shouldst write her such a Letter What a pittifull and sundry letter hast thou written to Antigonus on the death of thy childe Verissimus thy sonne so much desired Whose death thou tookest so that thou exceedest the limits of Phylosophie but in the ende with thy princely vertues thou didst qualifie thy woful sorows What Sentences so profound what wordes so well couched didst thou write in that booke intituled The remedy of the sorrowfull the which thou didst send from the warre of Asia to the Senatours of Rome and that was to comfort them after a sore plague And how much profite hath thy doctrine done since with what new kinde of consolation hast thou comforted Helius Fabatus the Sensour when his son was drowned in the riuer where I do remember that when we entred into his house we found him weeping and when wee went from thence wee lest him laughing I doe remember that when thou wentst to visite Gneus Rusticus in his last disease thou didst speake to him so effectuously that with the vehemency of thy words thou madest the teares to runne downe his cheekes And I demanding him the occasions of his lamentations he said The Emperor my Lord hath told me so much euils that I haue won and of so much good that I haue lost that I weepe I weepe not for life which is short but for death which is long The man whom aboue all thou hast loued was Torquatus whom thou didst obey as thy father and seruedst as thy master This thy faithfull friend being readie to die and desiring yet to liue thou sendest to offer sacrifices to the gods not for that they should graunt himselfe but that they should hasten his death Herewith I being astonied thy noblenesse to so satisfie my ignorance sayd vnto mee in secret these wordes Maruell not Panutius to see me offer sacrifices to hasten my friends death and not to prolong his life for there is nothing that the faithfull friend ought so much to desire to true friend as to see him ridde from the trauels of the earth and to enioy the pleasures of heauen Why thinkest thou most noble Prince that I reduce all these things to thy memory but for to
demaund thee how it is possible that I which haue heard thee speake so well of death doe presently see thee so vnwilling to leaue life since the gods commaund it thy age willeth it thy disease doth cause it thy feeble nature doth permit it the sinfull Rome doth deserue it and the sickle fortune agreeth that for our great miserie thou shouldest die Why therefore sighest thou so much for to die The trauels which of necessitie must needes come with stout heart ought to be receiued The cowardly heart falleth before hee is beaten downe but the stout and valiant stomacke in greatest perill recouereth most strength Thou art one man and not two thou owest one death to the gods and not two Why wilt thou therefore being but one pay for two and for one onely life take two deaths I meane that before thou endest life thou diest for pure sorrow After that thou hast sayled and in the sayling thou hast passed such perill when the gods doe render thee in the safe Hauen once againe thou wilt runne into the raging Sea where thou scapest the victorie of life and thou dyest with the ambushments of death Threescore and two yeeres hast thou fought in the Field and neuer turned thy backe and fearest thou now beeing enclosed in the Graue Hast thou not passed the pykes and bryers wherein thou hast beene enclosed and now thou tremblest being in the sure way Thou knowest what dammage it is long to liue and now thou doubtest of the profit of death which ensueth It is now many yeeres since death and thou haue beene at defyance as mortall enemies and now to lay thy hands on thy Weapons thou flyest and turnest thy backe Threescore and two yeeres are past since thou wert bent against fortune and now thou closest thy eyes when thou oughtest ouer her to triumph By that I haue told thee I meane that since wee doe not see thee take death willingly at this present we do suspect that thy life hath not in times past beene very good For the man which hath no desire to appeare before the gods it is a token he is loaden with vices What meanest thou most noble Prince why weepest thou as an infant and complainest as a man in despaire If thou weepest because thou dyest I answer thee that thou laughest as much when thou liuedst For of too much laughing in the life proceedeth much wayling at the death Who hath alwaies for his heritage appropriated the places being in the common wealth The vnconstancy of the minde who shall bee so hardy to make steadie I meane that all are dead all die all shall die among all wilt thou alone liue Wilt thou obtaine of the gods that which maketh them gods That is to say that they make thee immortall as theÌselues Wilt thou alone haue by priuiledge that which the gods haue by nature My youth demandeth thy age what thing is best or to say better which is lesse euill to die well or to liue euill I doubt that any man may attaine to the meanes to liue well according to the continuall and variable troubles and vexations which daily we haue accustomed to carrie betweene our hands alwayes suffering hunger cold thirst care displeasures temptations persecutions euill fortunes ouerthrowes and diseases This cannot be called life but a long death and with reason wee will call this life death since a thousand times we hate life If an ancient man did make a shew of his life from time he is come out of the intrailes of his mother vntill the time hee entreth into the bowels of the earth and that body would declare al the sorrowes that he hath passed and the heart discouer all the ouerthrows of fortune which he hath suffered I imagine the gods would maruell and men would wonder at the body which hath endured so much and the heart which hath so greatly dissembled I take the Greeks to be more wise which weepe when their children bee borne and laugh when the aged dye then the Romanes which sing when their children are borne and weepe when the olde men die Wee haue much reason to laugh when the olde men die since they dy to laugh and with great reason wee ought to weepe when the children are borne since they are borne to weepe CHAP. LI. Panutius the Secretarie continueth his exhortation admonishing all men willingly to accept death vtterly to forsake the world and all his vanities SInce life is now condemned for euill there remaineth nought else but to approoue death to be good Oh if it pleased the immortall gods that as I oftentimes haue heard the disputation of this matter so now that thou couldest therewith profite But I am sorry that to the Sage and wise man counsell sometimes or for the most part wanteth None ought to cleaue much to his owne opinion but sometimes he should follow the counsell of the third person For the man which in all things will follow his owne aduise ought well to be assured that in all or the most part hee shall erre O my Lord Marke sith thou art sage liuely of spirit of great experience and ancient didst not thou thinke that as thou hadst buried many so likewise some should burie thee What imaginations were thine to thinke that seeing the ende of their dayes others should not see the end of thy yeares Since thou diest rich honorably accompanied olde and aboue all seeing thou diest in the seruice of the commonwealth why fearest thou to enter into thy graue Thou hast alwaies beene a friend as much to know things past as those which were hid and kept secret Since thou hast prooued what honours and dishonours deserue riches and pouertie prosperitie and aduersitie ioy and sorrow loue and fear vices and pleasures mee seemeth that nothing remaineth to know but that it is necessarie to know what death is And also I sweare vnto thee most noble Lord that thou shalt learne more in one houre what death is then in an hundred yeares what life meaneth Since thou art good and presumest to be good and hast liued as good is it better that thou die and goe with so many good then that thou scape and liue amongst so many euill That thou feelest death I maruell nothing at all for thou art a man but I doe maruell that thou dissemblest it not since thou art discreet Many things doe the sage men feele which inwardly doe oppresse their heart but outwardly they dissemble them for the more honour If all the poyson which in the sorrowfull heart is wrapped were in small peeces in the feeble flesh scattered then the wals would not suffice to rubbbe neither the nayles to scratch vs. What other thing is death but a trap or doore wherewith to shut the shop wherein all the miserie of this wofull life are vendible What wrong or preiudice doe the gods vnto vs when they call vs before them but from an old decayd house to change
Princes ought to take the dammages of their persons light and the dammages of the commonwealth for the most grieuous O Panutius let therefore this be the last word which I will say vnto thee that is to say that the greatest good that the gods may giue to the man that is not couetous but vertuous is to giue him good renowme in life and afterwardes a good heire at our death Finally I say that if I haue any thing to do with the gods I require and beseech them that if they should be offended Rome slandered my renowme defamed and my house diminished for that my sonne be of an euill life that they will take from him life before they giue me death CHAP. LIIII Of the words which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius spake vnto his sonne Commodus at the houre of death necessary for all young gentlemen to vnderstand SInce the disease of Marcus Aurelius was so extreme that euery houre of his life he was assaulted with death after he had talked a long time with Panutius his Secretarie he commanded his sonne Commodus to be wakened who as a yong man slept soundly in his bed And being come before his presence all those which were there were moued immediatly with compassion to see the eyes of the father all swollen with weeping and the eyes of the childe closed with ouermuch sleepe They could not waken the childe he was so carelesse and they could not cause the good father sleepe he tooke so great thought All those which were there seeing how the father desired the good life of the sonne and how little the sonne wayed the death of his father had compassion of the olde person and bare hate to the wicked childe Then the good Emperour casting his eyes on high and directing his words to his sonne sayde When thou wert a childe I tolde thy masters how they ought to bring thee vp and after that thou diddest waxe greater I tolde thy Gouernors how they should counsell thee And now I will tell thee how thou with them which are few and they with thee beeing one ought to gouerne and maintaine the Common-wealth If thou esteeme much that which I will say vnto thee my sonne Know thou that I will esteeme much more then thou wilt beleeue me for more easily doe wee olde men suffer your iniuries then yee other young men doe receyue our counsels Wisdome wanteth to you for to beleeue vs yet wee want not boldnesse to dishonour you And that which is worst the aged in Rome were wont to haue a chayre of wisdome sagenesse but now a dayes the young men count it a shame and folly The world at this day is so changed from that it was wont to bee in times past that all haue the audacity to giue counsell and few haue the wisedome to receyue it so that they are a thousand which tell counsels and there is not one that buyeth wisedome I beleeue well my sonne that according to my fatall Destenies and thy euill manners little shall that auayle which I shall tell thee for since thou wouldest not credit these words which I spake vnto thee in my life I am sure that thou wilt little regard them after my death But I doe this more to satisfie my desire and to accomplish that which I owe vnto the Common-wealth then for that I hope for any amendment of thy life For there is no griefe that doth so much hurt a person as when hee himselfe is cause of his owne paine If any man doth mee an iniurie if I lay my hands vpon him or speake iniurious words vnto him my heart is forthwith satisfied but if I doe iniurie to my selfe I am he which wrongeth and am wronged for that I haue none on whom I may reuenge my wrong and I vexe and chase with my selfe If thou my sonne bee euill after that thou hast enherited the Empire my mother Rome wil complaine of the gods which haue giuen thee so many euill inclinations Shee will complaine of Faustine thy mother which hath brought thee vp so wantonly she will complaine of thee which hast no will to resist vice but shee shall haue no cause to complaine of the olde man thy Father who hath not giuen thee good counsels For if thou hadst beleeued that which I tolde thee meÌ would reioyce to haue thee for theyr Lord and the Gods to vse thee as their Minister I cannot tell my sonne if I bee deceyued but I see thee so depriued of vnderstanding so vncertaine in thy words so dissolute in thy manners so vniust in iustice in that thou desirest so hardy and in thy duty so negligent that if thou change and alter not thy manners men will hate thee and the Gods will forsake thee O if thou knewest my sonne what a thing it is to haue men for their enemies and to be forsaken of the gods by the faith of a good man I sweare vnto thee that thou wouldest not onely hate the Seigniorie of Rome but with thy handes also thou wouldest destroy thy selfe For men which haue not the Gods mercifull and the men friendly doe eate the bread of griefe and drinke the teares of sorrow I am sure thy sorrow is not so great to see the night doth end my life as is that pleasure which thou hast to see that in short space thou shalt bee Emperour of Rome And I do not maruell hereat for where sensuality raigneth reason is banished and constrained to flye Many loue diuers things because of truth they know them not the which if they did know without doubt they would hate them Thogh men loue in mockerie the Gods and men hate vs in earnest In all things wee are so doubtfull and in all our works so disordred that at some time our vnderstanding is dull and loseth the edge and another time it is more sharpe then it is necessary Thereby I meane that the good we will not heare and much lesse wee will learne it but of the euill wee know more then behoueth vs or necessitie requireth I will counsell thee my sonne by words that which in sixtie two years I haue learned by science and experience And since thou art as yet so young it is reason that thou beleeue him which is aged For since wee Princes are the mirrour of all euery man doth behold vs and wee other doe not behold our selues This day or to morrow thou shalt enherite the Romane Empire and thinke that inheriting the same thou shalt bee Lord of the world Yet if thou knewest how many cares and perils commaunding bringeth with it I sweare vnto thee that thou wouldest rather choose to obey all then to command one Thou thinkest my sonne that I leaue thee a great Lord for to leaue thee the Empire which is not so for all they haue neede but of thee and thou alone hast neede of all Thou thinkest I leaue thee much treasure leauing thee the great reuenues of the Empire that which also is
as little for though a Prince haue treasures in aboundance yet if hee want friends hee hath great want of treasures Thou thinkest also my sonne that I leaue thee to bee obeyed of all and that none dare againe say thee Truly it ought not to bee so for it is more meete for the Prince which deserueth to preserue his life and augment his honour to bee conformable to the will of all then to desire that all should bee agreeable to him For thou my sonne that knowest not what truth is lyes will not grieue thee for as much as thou knowest not what rest is the broyles and motions of the people shall not vex thee For that thou knowest not what friends meane thou shalt esteeme it little to haue enemies for if thou wert patient reposed true and a louing man thou wouldest not onely refuse the Empire of Rome but also thou wouldst curse the father which would leaue thee such inheritance I would know if thou knowest it not that in leauing thee the Empire I doe leaue thee not riches but pouerty not rest but trauel not peace but war not friends but enemies not pleasures but displeasures Finally in peace I do leaue thee where alwayes thou shalt haue somwhat to bewayle though thou wouldest thou shalt not laugh I aduertise admonish and also exhort thee my son to think all which I leaue thee is vanity lightnes folly and a disguised mockery And if thou beleeuest it is in mockry henceforth I know thou art deceiued I haue liued longer then thou haue read more and with pain haue gon further then thou And in the end I find my selfe mocked hopest thou to liue surely and escape without fraude when thou shalt think to haue the Empire in rest then shall arise a prouince in Africa or Asia the losse should come to great damage to recouer it great charges wold ensue When thou thinkest to recouer Friends then shall strange enimies inuade thee So that in flattering and reioycing our Friendes wee can not keepe them and in flying and reiecting them wee cannot defend our selues When thou shalt thinke to be in greatest ioy then shall some care oppresse thy hart For Princes which haue and possesse much the newes which giue them pleasure are very seldome but the things which annoy them come hourely When thou shalt thinke to haue libertie to doe what thou wilt then shalt thou bee most restrayned For the good and well ordered Princes ought not to goe whither their wanton desires moueth them but whither it is most lawfull and decent for the honour of their Estates When thou shalt thinke that none dare reproue thee for that thou art Emperour then oughtst thou most to beware For if they dare not threaten euill Princes with wordes they haue the hardinesse to sell them by Treason If they dare not punish them they dare murmour at them and these which cannot bee their friends doe procure to bee their enemies Finally if they lay not hands on their persons they let their tongue runne at large to prate of their renowme When thou shalt thinke to haue satisfied thy Seruaunts then will they demaund recompence for their seruices For it is an olde custome among Courtyers to spend freely and to couet greedily Therefore if thou dost credite these things I knowe not who is so foolish that for his enheritance desireth such sorrow For admit that any man come to the Empire without comparison the rest is more worth which the Fmpyre taketh from him then all the pleasures which it giueth him If the Empyre of Rome were as well corrected and ordered as in olde time it was accustomed to be though it were great paine to gouerne it yet it were more honour to keepe it but it is so rooted in vices and so many Tyrants are entred therein that I would take them more wise to iudge it is a mockery then those which embrace it as an honour If thou knewst what Rome is worth what Rome hath what Rome may and what Rome is I sweare vnto thee that thou wouldest not labour much to be lord thereof For though Rome with walls be strongly compassed yet of vertuous Citizens is greatly vnprouided If the inhabitants be great the vices are without number Finally I say that the stones which are in the buyldings in one day may be counted but the euills which are therein in a thousand yeares cannot bee declared By the faith of a good man I sweare vnto thee my sonne that when I began to reigne in three yeares I repayred the decayed walles that were of Rome fallen and one onely streete to liue well in twenty yeares I could not reforme The diuine Plato sayd verie well That much more ought the great cities to glorifie to haue vertuous Citizens then to haue proud and sumptuous buildings Beware beware my sonne that the inconstancie of youth and the libertie which thou hast to possesse and gouerne the Empire cause thee not to vndo thy selfe For he is not couÌted free which in liberty is borne but he that dieth in libertie O how many I haue read heard and also seene which are borne slaues and afterwards haue died free and this for that they were vertuous And how many I haue seene die slaues beeing borne free onely for being vitious so that their libertie remaineth where noblenesse is resident Princes which haue great Realmes of necessitie shall haue occasion to punish many excesses wherfore it is requisite that they be couragious And beleeue mee my Sonne that they ought not to take courage vpon them because they bee mightie and puissant but because they are vertuous For to punish these excesses of others that good life is more requisite then is the great authortitie of the Empire A vertuous Prince ought to leaue no vice vnpunished For the good to follow good and the euill for feare of his correction dare not commit any offence in the Common-wealth He that liueth like a wise man is hardy to giue punishment but hee that liueth in feare dare not almost speake For the man which dare bee so hardie to punish an other for the selfe same faulte and transgression for the which hee deserueth to be punished of the Gods hee is iustly hated and of men despised Let Princes take it for an assured thing that they shall neuer haue the loue of the people the libertie of the Common-wealth the order of their house the contentation of their Friendes the subiection of their enemies and the obedience of their people but with manie Teares shed on the earth and with manie prowesses of his person To a vertuous Prince all doe render and against the vicious Prince all the earth doth rebell Now if thou wilt bee vertuous heare what thing vertue is Vertue is a Castle which neuer is taken a Riuer which is not passed ouer a Sea which is not sayled a Fire which neuer is quenched a Treasure that neuer is wasted an Armie that neuer is
but thy good report and courteous acceptance hereof Which doing thou shalt make me double bound to thee First to be thankefull for thy good will Secondly to bee considerate how hereafter I take vpon mee so great a charge Thirdly thou shalt encourage mee to encrease my talent Fourthly and lastly most freely to bestow the encrease thereof on thee and for the benefite of my Country and Common-wealth whereunto duety bindeth mee Obseruing the sage and prudent saying of the renowmed Oratour and famour Cicero with which I end and there to leaue thee Non nobis solum natisumus ortusque nostri partem patria vendicat partem parentes partem amici In defence and preseruation whereof good Reader wee ought not alone to imploy our whole wits and able sences but necessity enforcing vs to sacrifice our selues also for benefite thereof Thine that accepteth me T. N. THE PROLOGVE OF THIS PRESENT WORKE SHEWeth what one true friend ought to doe for an other Addressed to the Right Honourable the Lord Fraunces Cenos great Commaunder of LYON THe famous Philosopher Plato besought of all his Disciples to tell them why he iournyed so oft froÌ Athens to Scicile being the way hee trauelled indeed very long and the sea he passed very dangerous answered them thus The cause that moues mee to goe from Athens to Scicile is onely to see Phocion a man iust in all that he doth and wise in all that hee speaketh and because he is my very friend and enemy of Denys I go also willingly to him to ayde him in that I may and to counsell him in all that I know and tolde them further I let you vnderstand my Disciples that a good Philosopher to visite and helpe his friend and to accompany with a good man should thinke the iourney short and no whit painefull though he should sulke the whole seas and pace the compasse of the earth Appolonius Thianeus departed from Rome went through all Asia sailed ouer the great floud Nile endured the bitter colde of Mount Caucasus suffered the parching heate of the mountaines Riphei passed the land of Nassagera entred into the great India and this long pilgrimage tooke hee vpon him in no other respect but to see Hyarcus the Philosopher his great old friend Agesilaus also among the Greekes accounted a worthy Captaine vnderstanding that the King Hicarius had another Captaine his very friende Captiue leauing all his owne affayres apart trauelling through diuers Countries went to the place whete hee was and arriued there presented himselfe vnto the King and sayde thus vnto him I humbly beseech thee O puissant King that thou vouchsafe to pardon Minotus my sole and onely friend and thy subiect now for what thou shalt doe to him make thy account thou hast done it to me For in deed thou canst neuer alone punish his body but thou shalt therewith also crucifie my heart King Herod after Augustus had ouercome Marke Antonie came to Rome and laying his Crowne at the Emperiall foote with stout courage spake these words vnto him Know thou mighty Augustus if thou knowest it not that if Marke Antony had beleeued mee and not his accursed loue Cleopatra thou shouldest then haue proued how bitter an enemy I would haue beene to thee and hee haue found how true a friend I was and yet am to him But hee as a man rather giuen ouer to the rule of a womans will then guided by reasons skill tooke of me but money onely and of Cleopatra coonsell And proceeding further sayde Loe here my kingdome my person and royal crowne layde at thy princely feet all which I freely offer to thee to dispose of at thy will and pleasure pleasing thee so to accept it but yet with this condition Inuict Augustus that thou commaund mee not to heare nor speake ill of Marke Antony my Lord and friend yea although he were now dead For know thou sacred Prince that true friendes neyther for death ought to bee had in obliuion nor for absence to be forsaken Iulius Caesar last Dictator and first Emperour of Rome did so entirely loue Cornelins Fabatus the Consull that trauelling together through the Alpes of France and beeing benighted farre from any towne or harbor saue that only of a hollow caue which happily they lighted on And Cornelius the Consull euen then not well at ease Iulius Caesar left him the whole caue to the end he might bee more at rest and he himselfe lay abroad in the cold and snow By these godly examples we haue recited and by diuers others wee could recite may bee considered what faithfull friendshippe ought to be betwixt true and perfect friendes into how many dangers one friend ought to put himselfe for another for it is not enough that one friend be sory for the troubles of another but hee is bound if neede were to goe and dye ioyfully with him He onely deseruedly may bee counted a true friend that vnasked and before hee bee called goeth with his goods and person to helpe and relieue his friend But in this our yron age alas there is no such kinde of amity as that wee haue spoken of More then this that there is no friend will part with any thing of his to releeue his friend much lesse that taketh care to fauour him in his troubles but if there be any such that will helpe his friend it is euen then when time serueth rather to pitty and lament him then to ayde or succour him It is a thing worth the knowledge that to make a true and perpetuall friendshippe we may not offer to many persons but according to Seneca his saying who saith My friend Lucillus I counsell thee that thou be a true friend to one alone and enemy to none for numbers of friends brings great incumbrance which seemeth somewhat to diminish friendship For who that considereth the liberty of the heart it is vnpossible that one should frame and agree with the conditions of many much lesse that many should content them with the desires and affections of one Tully and Salust were two famous Orators amongst the Romanes and great enemies betweene themselues and during this emulation betweene them Tully had purchased all the Senators friendshippe and Salust onely had no other friend in all Rome but Marke Antony alone And so these two great Orators beeing one day at words together Tully in great anger sayde to Salust What force or power art thou of or what euill canst thou doe or attempte against mee sith thou knowest that in all Rome thou hast but one onely friend Marke Antony and I no enemie but one and that is he To whom Salust answered Thou gloriest O Tully that thou hast no moe but one onely enemy and afterwards iests at mee that I haue no more Friends but onely me but I hope in the immortall Gods that this onely Enemie thou hast shall bee able enough vtterly to vndoe thee and this my sole Friend that I haue shall bee
will credite the ancient Hystoriographers wee shall finde it true that the most Noblest and vertuous Emperours the fortunate Kings and the valiant Captaines when they should enterprise to go conquer their enemies eyther they sought for some Philosopher or they chose some other honest learned man of whome they tooke counsell touching all their affayres before they prest any Souldiers Comparing the times past with the times present wee thinke that haue read somewhat that the time past was as pure graine and this now as chaffe and straw that one as the time calme and still in the sea and this as wauering and tempestuous that then the fine and pure mertal and this now the drosse thereof The other the marie and this the bones the one the cleare day and the other the darke night For in these dayes in Princes Courts and noble mens houses they glory more to haue a scoffing knaue or iester to make them laugh then they reckon of a graue and wise man to giue them counsell Alexander the Great in all his wars would alwayes be accompanied with the wise Aristotle Cyrus King of Persia with the Philosopher Chilo King Ptholomie with Pithinns the Philosopher Pyrrhus King of Epyre with Zatirus Augustus the Emperour with Simonides Scipio the African with Sophocles Traian the Emperour with Plutarch and Antoninus the Emperour with Gorgias Now all these famous Princes carried not with them so many learned Philosophers to fight in battell with armed weapon in hand like other their Souldiers but onely to vse their counsell and aduise so that the great battels they ouerthrew and the worthy victories they wan with the noble triumphes done was as much by the graue counsell of these good and wise Philosophers as by the force of their army and prowes of their captaines The greatest good turne and benefit one friend can doe for another is to know to giue good counsell to his friend in his greatest neede and not without cause I say to giue counsell For it happeneth oft times that those that thought to haue giuen vs good remedy by their counsell wanting indeed discretion iudgement in the same haue caused vs to runne into further dangers And therefore Seneca beeing once demaunded of the Emperour Nero what he thought of Scipio the Affrican and Cato the Censor aunswered him in this manner I thinke it was as necessary that Cato was borne for the Common-wealth as Scipio for the warres for the good Cato with his prudent counsell expelled vice out of the Weale-publike and the other with his noble courage and great armies did euer withstand the force of the enemies According to the saying of Seneca let vs also say after him that hee is very arrogant that presumes to giue an other counsell but withall wee say againe that if the counsell be found good hee hath giuen to his friend in his need and necessity as much praise deserueth he that gaue it as he that knew how to take it Now after the example of the ancient Philosophers which went to the warres not to fight but onely to giue counsell I will sir for those things that pertaine to your seruice and profite take vpon mee the office of a Philosopher and for the first doctrine of my Philosophie I say that if it please you to receiue these counsels which my penne doth write vnto you at this present I promise you by the faith of a Christian man I sweare that they shall bee such excellent helpes to you for the preseruation of your credite and fauour you are now in as you may bee enriched by the true and diligent seruice of your seruants For if a man woulde with an oath aske the truth of Plato Socrates Pythagoras Diogenes Lycurgus Chilo Pittachus and of Apolonius and also of all the vniuersity and company of the other Philosophers they would sweare and affirme that the felicitie of man consisteth not in great might in great authority and possessions but onely in deseruing much For the honor fauour and dignities of this mortall life are more to be praysed and had in veneration when they are placed in a condigne worthy person then they are being possessed of an vnworthy and gracelesse man allotted to him not by vertue but by fortune And therefore your authority being great at this present exalted thereto by Gods diuine will and prouidence and now in the highest degree of prosperity I would wish you my good Lord lesse then any other Courtier to trust to fortunes impery For if the earthquakes sooner bring to ground the proud and stately pallaces then the meane and lowe houses if ofter fall the highest mountaines the dreadfull lightnings and tempests then on the lowest hilles if among the greater multitude of people the plagues be rifer then amongst the fewer number if they vse rather to spread their nets and lay the birdlime on the greene and thickest bows then on the drye and withered sticks to snare the seely birds withall If alwayes the stillest seas doe foreshew to vs a greater tempest following and if that long health bee a watch vnto a great and dangerous sicknesse ensuing by this also I will infer that those that are atchieued to sublime estate and high degree are commonly more subiect to fall then those of meaner baser sot The Emperour Augustus on a time demaunded of the Poet Virgill that hee would teach him how hee might conserue himselfe in the Empire and alwayes bee acceptable to the publike weale To whom Virgil aunswered I I thinke O mighty Caesar that to raigne long in the Empire thou must considerately looke into thy seife examining thy life and doings and how much thou shalt see thy selfe excell and exceede all those of thy Empire in dignity So much more must thou endeauour thy selfe to surmount all others in vertue and worthinesse for hee is vnworthy to rule a multitude that is not chiefe himselfe in all vertues Those therefore that in Court of Princes beare office and authoritie ought earnestly to desire and endeauour themselues to auoyde the filthy sinke of vice and to seeke the cleare Spring of vertue For otherwise they shall bee more defamed for one vice or defect found in them then honoured for their office and authority they haue The Author concludeth According to the saying of the Poet Virgill to the Emperour Augustus I am also of opinion my Lord that you ought to bee very circumspect and well aduised in looking into your selfe who you are what power you are of what you are worth and what you possesse and doing thus you shall find that among your wise Counsellours you are the greatest among the rich among the best esteemed among the most fortunate among your Secretaries among the Rulers amongst all those of your Realme and Subiects you are euer the greatest And therefore as you are greatest and supreme aboue them all so you ought the more to force to bee the most vertuous of them all For els it
ability in the rents of an other mans goods and their liberty in seruice and subiection of those that gaue them wages and hired them by the day And would to God their bloud were not tainted with some other notable blot There is a plague also in the Court which alwayes dureth and neuer leaueth Court that is that those that are alwayes least worth and are of least calling doe presume and take vpon them most and also are worst to please of all others And this they doe their power being small that they would supply that in wordes countenance which they want in deeds and effects Ilye if I saw not once in the country of Aragon a Gentleman that hired a whole house where himselfe and his family were very well lodged and commodiously after that I remeÌbred I met with him in Castilla where he could not content himself with the charge of eight houses besides his first hee was appointed to and the occasion was for that in Aragon hee payed for that house hee had and for these he payed nothing So that of an others purse euery man coueteth to shew his magnificence and to declare his follies but wheÌ they defray their own charge they are as hard as flint and goe as neere to worke as may be It is very true that if there be any disorder and trouble to bee lodged in the Court it commeth also for the most part of the Harbingers without whom the Courtiers could neuer be well lodged although the Prince had commaunded they should be lodged neere him Albeit in the court a man may easily exempt himselfe from the Princes counsell and iustice of the same hauing no sutes there and from the counsel and affayres of wars being no captaine From the Sinod of the Spirituality being no Ecclesiasticall person and from that of the Indians going to no Magitians from the conuentions of Marchants keeping safely their Marchandise and from the correction of the Lord high Marshall of the Court not being foolish and insolent yet neuerthelesse there is no Courtier be hee neuer so high or great in fauour that can auoyde himselfe from the Harbingers authority but hee must needs come vnder his lee being in their power to dispose the lodgings as they thinke good to lodge them honourably or meanely to please or displease them to lodge or dislodge them And if the Courtier happen at any time to quarrell or fall out with them I warrant him he shal be remembred of the Harbingers in his lodging and possibly a Horsekeeper yea perhapps his enemy shall bee better lodged then he or else hee may seeke his lodging in the streets where he will For all other iniuries or offences in Courte whatsoeuer the Courtier may easilie redresse them by iustice but for those he receiueth of the harbinger he must take them quietly and be contented with them For otherwise we shoulde not only offend them but iniure our selues make them prouide vs of no lodging so hereby wee should vtterly be dislodged vnprouided And therfore they beare with many thinges in that office which they would not doe in any other office as for example Those kind of officers must be much made of of others well intreated accoÌpanied feasted flattred folowed yea many times serued and wayted vpon I meane in seruing their turne annointing their hands and alwayes enriching their gloues with sompeece of gold or siluer and alas the silly Courtier that hath not such soueraign ointment in his boxe to cure these aboue recited sores but onely to serue his owne turne if hee be not his kinsman or neare allyed let him yet at least get acquainted with him and make him his friend an easie thing to bring to passe if hee doe not vexe him nor giue him ouerthwart language and sometimes he must inuite him to dinner and supper For in the court there is no goodnes gotten neyther by the King by the beloued by the noble men by the honourable of his Councell Treasurers nor yet by the Harbingers but in suffering them and doing them alwaies good and acceptable seruice And if perchance the Harbingers wrong you and doe you displeasure or that they should say you were troublesome and importunate yet be you wise for to beare with them in any case seeme not to heare them For what loseth the Courtier if hee beare now and-then with a few crooked words at the Harbingers hands marry by forforbearing them he happily commeth to be lodged the better Suppose the Courtier bee not alwayes lodged to his mind and desire should he immediately complaine of them or murmur at them no sure he he should but so doing shew himselfe of small education For what skilleth it though among many poundes of good meate the Butcher sometimes mingle a morsell of liuer lungs or lights of the Beast And therefore a man should not blame the poore Harbingers so much as they doe for they are not commanded of the King to build new lodgings but such as they are to diuide them among the traine of his Court So that they do lodge Courtiers in such as they finde and not in those they would adding thereto that they haue regarde vnto their estates and demerits and not to the affections and willes of the persons they lodge For it were more reason they should appoint the greatest and best lodgings to the noblest pesonages eldest seruants of Court then to the late and new come Courtier whose youth can better away with an ill nights lodging then the gray hayres of the old Courtier Otherwise the seruice of the olde Courtier that hath spent his young yeeres in Princes Courts to the great paine and trouble of their persons and in his seruice should for guerdon bee payde with ingratitude if hee should not be preferred to the best commodious lodging for his ease and also the first to be aduanced by the Prince before the young Seruiture Now if it be honest and reasonable that the Harbinger haue greate consideration to the merites of him that hee lodgeth Euen so it is fitte the Courtier should weigh the presse of the Court and incommodious place where the Harbingers are constrained to lodge them knowing that to day the Court remoueth to such a place where there are happily sixe thousand houses and to morrow perhaps there are not a thousand therefore if in such a place hee find but narrow Fustian to make him a doublet let him take patience till such time as they remoue to another place where they shall finde broad cloath inough to make them large clokes CHAP. III. How the Courtier should entreate his host or master of the house where hee lyeth THe good and ciuill Courtier must also entreate his Hoast well where he lieth for else if hee come into his lodging brauling and thretning it may be that besides hee will keepe his heart and good cheare secret froÌ him he will not also open his
they should be throwne at their tayle and kept filthily for as charily and daintily doth a poore labouring and hus bandman keepe his woollen coverlet and setteth as much by it as doth the iolly Courtier by his quilt or ouerpaine of silke And it chanceth oft times also that though at a neede the poore mans bed costeth him lesse money then the rich mans bed costeth him yet doth it serue him better then the rich and costly bed serueth the Gentleman or Nobleman And this to be true we see it by experience that the poore husbandman or Citizen sleepeth commonly more quietly and at his case in his poore bedde and cabben with sheetes of towe then doth the Lord or rich Courtier lying in his hanged Chamber and bed of sickenesse wrapped in his finest Holland sheetes who still sigheth and complaineth And finally wee conclude that then when the Court remoueth and that the Courtier departeth from his lodging where he lay hee must with all courtesie thanke the good man and good wife of the house for his good lodging and courteous intertainment hee hath had of them and must not sticke also to giue them somewhat for a remembrance of him and besides giue certaine rewards among the maides and men seruants of the house according to their ability that he may recompence them for that is past and winne their fauour for that is to come CHAP. IIII. What the Courtiers must doe to win the Princes fauour DIodorus Siculus saith That the honour reuerence the Egyptians vsed ordinarily to their princes was so great that they seemed rather to worship them then to serue them for they could neuer speake to them but they must first haue licence giuen them When it hapned any Subiect of Egypt to haue a suite to their Prince or to put a supplication to them kneeling to them they sayde these words Soueraigne Lorde and Mightie Prince if it may stand with your Highnesse fauour and pleasure I will boldly speake if not I will presume no further but hold my peace And the selfe reuerence and custom had towards God Moses Aaron Tobias Dauid Salomon and other Fathers of Egypt making like intercessioÌ when they spake with God saying Domine mi Rex Si inueni gratiam in oculis tuis loquar ad Dominummeum O my Lord and King if I haue found fauour in thy sight I will speake vnto thee if not I will keepe perpetuall silence For there is no seruice ill when it is gratefull and acceptable to him to whom it is done as to the contrary none good when it pleaseth not the party that is serued For if he that serueth be not in his masters fauor he serueth he may wel take paine to his vndoing without further hope of his good wil or recompence Wherfore touching that I haue said I inferre that hee that goeth to dwell and abide in the Court must aboue all endeuour himselfe all hee can to obtaine the princes fauour and obtaining it hee must study to keepe him in his fauour For it should little preuaile the Courtier to bee beloued of all otherr and of the Prince onely to be misliked And therefore Alcamidas the Grecian being once aduertised by a friend of his that the Athenians did greatly thirst for his death and the Thebans desired his life hee answered him thus If those of Athens thirst for my death and them of Thebes likewise desiring my life I can but bee sorry and lament Howbeit yet if K. Philip my soueraigne Lord and Master holde me still in his grace and fauour and repute me for one of his beloued I care not if all Greece hate maligne me yea and lye in waite for me Indeed sir it is a great thing to get into the princes fauour but when he hath gotten it doubtlesse it is a harder matter to know how to keepe it For to make them loue vs and to win their fauour wee must doe a thousand manner of seruices but to cause them to hate and dislike of vs the least displeasure in the world sufficeth And therefore the paine and trouble of him that is in fauour in the Court is great if hee once offend or bee in displeasure For albeit the prince do pardon him his fault yet he neuer after returneth into his fauor againe so that to conclude hee that once onely incurreth his indignation hee may make iust reckoning neuer after or maruellous hardly to be receyued againe into fauour Therefore sayeth the diuine Plato in his bookes De Republica That to be a King and for to raigne to serue and to be in fauour to fight and to ouercome are three impossible thinges which neyther by mans knowledge nor by any diligence can be obtained onely remaining in the hands and disposing of fickle fortune which doth deuide and giue them where it pleaseth her and to whom she fauoureth best And truely Plato had reason in his saying for to serue and to be beloued is rather happe and good fortune then industry or diligence Since wee see oft times that in the Court of princes those that haue serued but three yeares onely shall bee sooner preferred and aduanced then such one as hath serued perhaps 20. or 30. yeares or possible all his life time And further hee shall bee both displaced and put out of seruice by meanes of the other And this proceeds not through his long and faithfull seruice hee hath done but onely by reason of the good happe that followeth him Although Plato telleth that to gette Realmes and Seigniories to ouercome battels and to be fauoured and beloued of princes be things graunted to vs rather by hazard and fortune then by force of good works and laudable actes or by long toyling in painefull seruice yet the Noble and stout heart therefore should not cease at any time to enterprise and manfully to execute in euery occasion presented to him to atchieue to fame and honour neyther for any pain and labour to lose the hope to obtaine his pretended purpose for men sometimes lose many things rather through timerousnes and want of audacity then for that they lacke good happ or fortune To see in the Court of princes some to bee richer more honoured more noble more esteemed better beloued more wayted vpon better serued and better welcome then others and more seared then others we may by these tokeÌs know that fortune hath not vsed to reward those with such fauours and preferments which liue at home idely and much lesse Courtiers who liue in Court with all pleasure and delicacie wherewith they are neuer wearied Let no man bee so fond to thinke that fortune is so bountifull and liberall that for his authority or onely thought shee will be once moued to lift him out of misery to exalt him to higher place and dignity without som secret and priuate respect had to his vertue For when shee many times vpon a suddaine rayseth any to high and great estate it commeth by the
strife comming to the Noble-mans eare whome they accompanie it might easily happen that that companie that came to wayte vpon him and to doe him honour and seruice should then seeme to dishonour and offend him Little knoweth he what honor meaneth when in these trifles hee seeketh it For the wise and courteous Courtyer hath not only to seeke honour with them with whom he rideth cheeke by cheeke but also with those that are beloued of the Prince Now when the Noble-man is accompanyed and that hee is come hard by the Court your Courtyers bee readie to alight off your horse quickely before him and when hee shall likewise take his horse againe be as ready to take your horse backe before him For doing thus you shall bee neare about him when hee lighteth off his horse and afterwards helpe him when hee mounteth on his horse againe If perhaps at the comming in of a Chamber the Lordes seruants want consideration or that they remember not to holde open the cloth ouer the dore the good and diligent Courtier should sodenly put himselfe before him to lift and hold it vp For many times it is as great an honour for a Courtier to be accounted one of good maner and bringing vp in the Court as out of the Court it is to be reputed a great and famous Captaine in wars And since the Courtier is determined to accompany some noble man to the Court hee is also bound by the Lawes of the Court to wayte vpon him home againe which if hee doe the Noble man shall bee more beholding to him for the attendance hee hath giuen vpon him then for his coÌpany to ride with him If any come to speake with the courtier that were equall with him in degree or meaner of calling or condition then himselfe it is one of the first and chiefest points of ciuility good manner not to suffer him to open his lips to speake to him before hee haue his cappe on his head for one to talke commonly with the other with his cappe in his hand is of great authority and reuerence as from the duty of the subiect to the Prince or that of the seruant to the Master The good Courtier must euer speake againe to him that speaketh to him do him reuerence that doeth him reuerence put off his cappe to him that putteth off his and this hee must doe without any respect that hee is his friend or foe for in the effects of good maners no man ought so much to bee an Enemie that the enmitie should breake the boundes of curtesie and humanity It is rather fit for common persons then for Courtlike gentlemen in so meane things to shewe their enmitie For to say truely the good Courtyer should not shewe the enmitie of the heart by putting on or pulling off his Cap but by taking sworde in hand to reuenge his quarrell And if the Courtyer were in the Church Court or in the Chappell of the Prince and set and an other gentleman happely commeth in the same place where he is he must doe him the curtesie to giue him the place and seat and to pray him to sit downe yea and if there were no other place fit for the gentleman to sit in and that of curtesie also hee would not offer him that iniurie to accept it yet at the least let the Courtyer doe what hee may to make him take a peece of his stoole that parting with him his seate the other may also come to part with him his heart If those that were set hard by the Courtyer begun to talke in secrete together he should rise from thence or goe a little aside from them For in the Court they wil say he is ill taught and brought vp and wanteth ciuilitie and good manners that will seeme to harken to any bodyes tales or secrets The Courtyers must haue frienship also with the Porters to open him the Court-gates that are kept fast chained in that they be contented to suffer their Moyle or Foot-cloth-nagge to enter into the vtter-court And the like must be practised with the gentlemen-Vshers of the Chamber and Captaine of the Garde to whom hee must doe a thousand pleasures that they may respect his person and let him come in when he wil. and the next way to winne his friendship and to continue them friendes and to be welcome of them is to feast them otherwhiles sometimes with a banket but especially not to faile them with a new-yeares gift on New-yeares day what Trifle or present soeuer it bee That Courtyer that is not acquaynted with the Vshers and doth them no pleasures may bee well assured that those aboue in the Hall will make him tarry in the vtter-Court and those that stand at the gate of the Cheyne they will make him light in the myre With the Vshers of the priuie-Chamber hee must needes deale honourably withall as to come and see them sometimes and to do them much honour in giuing them some faire iewell or presenting them with a Gowne or Coate-cloth of silke or veluet And thus he shall be assured they will not only let him into the priuie-chamber but they will also procure him to speake with the Prince at his best leysure To make the yeomen of the Guarde also that make gentlemen giue place and stand a loose off-from the Prince it cannot bee but very profitable for the Courtyer to haue them his friends For many times they may helpe vs to a fit place to talke with the King it is such a trouble and charge to speake with the Prince that if wee haue not greaat Friendship with these we haue spoken of and that we doe them some pleasures before we come to the Court they will shut the dores against vs and wee shall come home ashamed of our selues For a Courtyer to bee acquaynted with the Ladies and gentlemen of the Court it is rather of pleasure then of necessitie albeit it be true that the young-Courtyer that serueth not some Ladie or Dame in the Court shall be rather blamed of his shamefastnesse and Cowardly heart then approued for his modestie and grauitie In deede for a young-Gentleman that is rich noble and free-harted it is an honest and comely entertainment to become some Ladyes seruaunt of the Court But for him that is poore liuing in disgrace and out of fauour let him vtterly flye the loue of Courtly Dames and sticke to the poor-friends ship of deuout Nunnes For the property of Courtly Mistresses is to empty their seruants-purses and the manner of religious-Nunnes to beg alwayes of him that visites her The Courtyer that offereth himselfe to serue any Ladie or gentlewoman in court doth bind himselfe to a streight religion For sometimes hee must kneele by her of one knee sometimes he must stand vppon his Feete before her and alwayes he must haue his cap in his hand and he may not speake to her vnlesse shee commaund him first and if shee aske any thing
apparrelled like Priests Haman was also very familiar with the King Assuerus and although all those of his Realme did him great seruice and that strangers had him in great veneration and did honor him maruellously yet was there a glorious Mardocheus that would neuer do him reuerence nor once put off his cappe to him by reason whereof this Haman that was in so great fauour commaunded a gybbet of fifty yardes high to bee set vppe for Mardocheus whom hee would haue hanged on that gibbet to be reuenged on him for the iniury he had done him But the Diuine wil of God was such and fortune did permit it that on the same Gallowes Hamon thought to haue put Mardocheus to death on the selfe same himselfe was hanged Themistocles and Aristides were 2. famous men among the Greekes and because they were both great Princes and Philosophers and had in great reputation of all those that knew them there was such a secret emulation and ambition betweene them the one to raigne ouer the other that both aspiring each to commaund other there followed great disorders and oppressions of the subiects of their Common-Weale Wherefore Themistocles moued with pitty and compassion of so great a Tirant which for their sakes their Common weale endured one day in the Market place before all his people with a loude voyce hee spake these words Know you O you people of Athens that if you doe not lay handes on my exceeding presumption and on the ouer great ambition of Aristides that our Gods will bee offended the temples will fall down to the hard foundation our treasures will bee consumed our selues destroyed and our common weales brought to vtter ruine and decay Therefore once againe good people I say bridle these our inordinate and vnspeakeable affections betime lest the reines layde in our neckes be runne too farre O golden wordes of a Prince and worthie eternall fame Lucanus also when hee would reproue the pride and presumption of the Romane Princes sayde that Pompey the great could neuer abide to haue any for his companion or equall with him within Rome And Iulius Caesar also wold neuer suffer that there should bee any greater in the Worlde then himselfe And therefore to discourse a little of this abominable and horrible vice of pride we haue not without great reason layde before you these approued examples before wee beginne to reproue it For in al things the examples wee shew you are wont to moue vs more then the reasons we seeme to tell you of For that which I haue seene for that I haue read and for that I haue heard say also of others I am most assured and resolued therof that by the onely cause of this wicked sinne of pride proceedeth the ruine and vtter decay of all our greatest things and affayres of this life for by all other sinnes a man may indeede discend and decline from his degree and state of honour and estimation but by this onely sinne hee cannot chuse but hee must fall downe flat to the ground They finde out the middest and center of the earth the depth of the sea and the highest toppes of Riphey Mountaines the end of the great mount Caucasus and the beginning of the great floud Nile and only the little heart of man touching desire to rule and commaund can neuer finde ende The insatiable couetousnesse is such that it cannot bee contented with the things wee haue but onely with those wee repute of lesse price Likewise Ambition pride to commaund cannot bee contained within boundes but onely by obeying For neuer no vice can haue end if hee that haue it doe not leaue it and banish it from him After Alexander the Great had conquered all Asia and had subdued the great India he was one day reproued of the great Philosopher Anacharses who tolde him these words Sith thou art now O Alexander Lord of the earth why doest thou weary thy selfe so much in thy affayres as no paine seemeth troublesome to thee To whom Alexander answered Thou hast tolde mee many times Anacharses that besides this world there are also three others And if it bee so as thou sayest how great a reproach and infamy it were to me that being three other worlds I should bee Lord but onely of one Therefore I doe dayly sacrifice to the Gods that though they take mee out of the life of this World yet at least they will not deny mee of so glorious a conquest I confesse that the Scriptures excepted I haue no wordes so rise in memorie as these whereby may easily be perceyued that for to quiet and to content a proud and haughty heart the seigniorie of the whole World is not yet sufficient and how ended the pride of this glorious prince euen thus Hee that hoped for to conquere and to bee Lorde of three other Worldes did not rule this one onely aboue three yeares Wee may boldly say this and sweare it and may also plainely proue it to any that desire to see it that he wanteth both wit and knowledge that taketh vppon him to bee proud and presumptuous For the more hee looketh into himselfe and reconsidereth and considereth his state and calling and what he is hee shall finde in him a thousande occasions fitte to humble him but neuer a one onely to make him proude and naughty How great rich mighty noble and worthy soeuer the person be euery time that wee happen to see him and that we haue no acquaintance of him And that we desire to know what hee is wee doe not aske of what Element of what Sea of what Fire of what Planet of what Climat of what Sunne of what Moone nor of what ayre but onely of what Countrey hee is of and where he was born For wee are all of the earth wee liue in the earth and in the end wee haue to turne into the earth as to our naturall thing If the Planets and the beasts could helpe vs with the Instrument and benefite of the tongue they would take from vs the occasions of vaine glory For the starres woulde say that they were created in the firmament the Sunne in the Heauens the birdes in the ayre the Salamander in the fire and the fish in the water but onely the vnhappy man was made of earth and created in the earth So that in that respect wee cannot glory to haue other kinsfolke neerer to vs then are the wormes the flyes and horse-flyes If a man did consider wel what he were hee would assertaine vs that the fire burns him water drowns him the earth wearies him the ayre troubles him the heate grieues him the colde hurtes him and the day is troublesome to him the night sorrowfull hunger and thirst makes him suffer meate and drinke filles him his enemies dayly follow him and his friendes forget him So that the time a man hath to liue in this wretched world cannot be counted a life but rather a long death The first day wee
wee now at this present doe also aduise them to take heede that they doe not accept and take all that is offered and presented although they may lawfully doe it For if hee be not wise in commaunding and moderate in taking a day might come that hee should see himselfe in such extremity that he should be inforced to call his Friends not to counsell him but rather to helpe and succour him It is true that it is a naturall thing for a Courtyer that hath twenty crowns in his purse to desire suddenly to multiplie it to an 100. from a 100. to 200. from 200. to a 1000. from a thousand to 2000. and from 2000 to an hundred thousand So that this poore wretched creature is so blinded in couetousnes that hee knoweth not nor feeleth not that as this Auarice continually increaseth and augmenteth in him so his life daily diminisheth and decreaseth besides that that euery man mocks and scorns him that thinketh The true contentation consisteth in commanding of Money and in the facultie of possessing much riches For to say truly it is not so but rather disordinate riches troubleth and grieueth the true contentation of men and awaketh in them daily a more appetite of Couetousnes We haue seen many Courtiers rich and beloued but none indeede that euer was contented or wearyed with commaunding but rather his life should faile him then Couetousnes Oh how many haue I seene in the Court whose legges nor feete haue bin able to carry them nor their bodie strong enough to stand alone nor their hands able to write nor their sight hath serued them to see to reade nor their teeth for to speake nor their iawes to eate nor their eares to heare nor their memory to trauell in any suite or matter yet haue not their tongue fayled them to require presents and giftes of the Prince neyther deepe and fine wit to practise in Court for his most auaile and vantage So incurable is the disease and plague of auarice that hee that is sicke of that infirmity can not bee healed neyther with pouerty nor yet bee remedied with riches Since this contagious maladie and apparant daunger is now so commonly knowne and that it is crepte into Courtiers and such as are in high fauour and great authoritie by reason of this vile sinne of auarice I would counsell him rather to apply himselfe to bee well thought of and esteemed then to endeauour to haue enough Also Queene Semiramis was wife to king Belius and mother of king Ninus and although by nature shee was made a woman yet had shee a heart neuer otherwise but valiant and Noble For after shee was widdow shee made her selfe Lord by force of armes of the great India and conquered all Asia and in her life time caused a goodly tombe to bee made where she would lye after her death and about the which she caused to bee grauen in golden Letters these words Who longs to swell with masse of shining golde And craue to catch such wealth as fewe possesse This stately Tombe let him in hast vnfolde Where endlesse heapes of hatefull coyne do rest Many dayes and kinges raignes past before any durst open this Sepulchre vntill the comming of the great Cyrus who commaunded it to be opened And being reported to him by those that had the charge to seeke the treasure that they had sought to the bottomlesse pit and Worldes end but treasure they could find none nor any other thing saue a stone wher in were grauen these words Ah haplesse Knight whose high distracted mind By follies play abused was so much That secret tombes the carcasse could none binde But thou wouldst reaue them vp for to be rich Plutarch and also Herodotus which haue both written this history of Semiramis doe shew and affirme that Queen Semiramis got great honour by this iest and King Cyrus great shame and dishonour If Courtiers that are rich thinke and beleeue that for that they haue money inough and at their will that therefore they should be farre from all troubles and miseries they are deceyned For if the poore soule toyle and hale his body to get him onely that he needeth much more dooth the rich man torment and burne his heart till hee be resolued which way to spende that superfluitie he hath Iesu what a thing is it to see a rich man how bee tormenteth himselfe night and day imagining and deuising with himselfe whether hee shall with the mony that is left buy leases milles or houser anuities vines or cloth lands tenemeÌts or pastures or some thing in see or whether he shal enrich his sonne with the thirds or fifts and after all these vaine thoughts Gods will is for to strike him with death suddenly not onely before he hath determined how hee should lay out or spend this money but also before he hath made his will I haue many times tolde it to my friends yea and preached it to them in the Pulpit and written it also in my bookes that it is farre greater trouble to spend the goods of this world well and as they ought to be spent then it is to get them For they are gotten with swette and spent with cares Hee that hath no more then hee needeth it is hee that knoweth well how to parte from them and to spend them but he that hath aboundance and more then needfull doth neuer resolue what hee should doe Whereof followeth many times that those which in his life time were enemies to him shall happen to bee heyres after his death of all the goods and money he hath It is a most sure and certaine custome among mortall men that commonly those that are rich while they are aliue spend more money vainely in thinges they would not and that they haue no pleasure in and wherein they would lest lay it out and after their death they leaue the most part of their inheritance to those whom they loued least for it hapneth many times that the sonne which hee loueth worst enheriteth his goods that sonne which hee loued best and made most of remaineth poore Therfore continuing still our matter I say that I know not the cause why the fauoured of the Court desire to bee so rich couetous and insatiable sith they alone haue to gette the goods where afterwardes to spende them they haue need of the counsell and aduise of many Let not those also that are in fauour with the Prince make too great a shew openly of their riches but if they haue aboundance let them keepe it secret For if their lurking enemies know not what they haue the worst they can doe they can but murmur but if they see it once they will neuer leaue till they haue accused him To see a Courtier builde sumptuous houses to furnish them with wonderfull and rich hangings to vse excesse and prodigality in their meates to haue their cupbordes maruellously decked with cups and pots of golde and siluer to
then all others and otherwise to fall in disgrace and to make the Prince forget all the good seruice he hath don him his whole life time hee need but the least displeasure and fault he can commit Eusenides was maruellously beloued with Ptolomey who after Fortune had exalted and brought him to honour and that he was grown to great wealth sayde one day to Cuspides the Philosopher these words O my friend Cuspides tell mee I pray thee of thy faith is there any cause in mee to be sadde sith Fortune hath placed me in so great authoritie and honour as she can deuise to doe and that the King Ptolomey my Lorde hath now now no more to giue me he hath already beene so bountifull to me To whom the Philosopher aunswered saying O Eusenides if thou wert a Philosopher as thou art a beloued seruant thou wouldest tell mee an other tale then that thou tellest mee now For although King Ptolomey hath no more to giue mee knowest thou not that spightfull fortune hath power to take away from thee many things For the noble heart feeleth more griefe and displeasure to come downe one stayre or steppe then to clime a hundred Not many dayes after these words passed betweene Cuspides and Eusenides it happened that one day King Ptolomey found Eusenides talking with a Lemman or Curtesan of his which hee loued dearely whereat hee was so much offended that hee made her straight drinke a cuppe of poyson and caused him to bee hanged before his owne gates The Emperour Seuerus had one in so great fauour and credit which was called Plautius and he loued him so extreamely and trusted him so much that he neuer read letter but Plautius must reade it and hee neuer graunted commission or licence to any man but it must passe vnder Plautius Seale neither did hee euer graunt anything but at the request of Plautius nor did make warres or peace without the counsell and aduise of Plautius The matter fell out so that Plautius entring one night into the Emperours Chamber with a priuy coate his ill happe was such that a little of his breast before was open whereby was spyed the male which Bahhian seeing being the Emperours eldest Sonne sayde vnto him these sharpe words Tell me Plautius Doe those that are beloued of Princes vse to come into theyr Bed-Chambers at these howers Armed with yron-coates I sweare vnto thee by the immortall Gods and so let them preserue me in the succession of the Empyre That since thou commest with yron thou shalt also dye with yron Which presently tooke place For before hee went out of the Chamber they strake off his head The Emperour Commodus that was sonne of the good Emperour Marcus Aurelius had a Seruant called Cleander a wise and graue man olde and very pollitike but withall a little couetous This Cleander was oft times requested of the Praetorian company that is to say of the whole band of souldiers that he would commaund they might be payd their pay due vnto them and to perswade him the better to pay it they shewed him a bill signed from the Emperour to which he answered That the Emperour had nothing to do in the matter For althogh he were lord of Rome yet had he not to deale in the affayres of the Common-weale These discurteous and vnseemely wordes related to the Emperour Comodus and perceyuing the small obedience and respect of duty that Cleander shewed to him hee commaunded forthwith he should be slaine to his great shame and that all his goods should be confiscate Alcimenides was a great renowned King among the Greekes as Plutarch writeth of him and hee fauoured one Pannonius entirely well to whom only hee did not commit his person his trust but also the whole affaires and doings of the common weale and hee might dispose of the goods of the king at his will and pleasure without leaue or licence So that all the Subiects found they had more benefite in seruing of Pannonius then in pleasing of the King Therefore the King and the beloued Pannonius playing at the ball together they came to contend vpon a Chase and the one sayde it was thus the other sayde it was contrary and as they were in this contention the king commaunded presently those of his guarde that in the very place of the Chace where Pannonius denyed they should strike off his head Constantius the Emperour also had one whome hee liked very well and made much of called Hortentius which might well bee counted a Princes darling for hee did not onely rule the affayres of the common weale of the pallace of warres his goods and person of the Emperour but also hee was euer placed aboue all the Ambassadours at his table And when the Emperour went in progresse or any other iourney he euer had him to his bedfellow Thus things being in this state I tell you it happened that one day a Page giuing the Emperour drinke in a glasse the glass by mishappe fell out of the Pages hand and brake in pieces whereat the Emperour was not a little displeased and offended And euen in this euill and vnhappy howre came Hortensius to the king to present him certaine billes to the signe of hasty dispatch which was a very vnapt time chosen and the Emperour yet contented to signe it could neyther the first nor the second time because the penne was ill fauouredly made the inke so thicke that it woulde not write which made the king so angry that euen presently for anger he commaunded that Hortensius head should be strucken off But to the end wee may come to the knowledge of many things in few words I will shew you how Alexander the Great slew in his choller his deere accounted Cratherus and Pirrhus king of the Epirotes Fabatus his Secretary The Emperour Bitillion his greatest friend Cincinnatus Domitian the Emperour Rufus of his Chamber Adrian the Emperour his onely fauoured Ampromae Dâcclesian his friende Patritius whom he loued as himselfe and alwayes called him friend and companion Diadumeus Phamphilion his great Treasurer for whose death hee was so sorrowfull that hee would haue made himselfe a way because he caused him to be so cruelly slaine All these aboue named and infinit others also some were Masters some Lordes some kings and som of great authority and fauour about Princes by whose tragicall histories and examples wee may plainely see that they did not onely loose their goods fauor and credit but also vpon very light occasions were put to death by sword Therefore mortall men should put no trust in worldly things sith that of little occasion they become soone great and of much lesse they suddenly fall and come to worse estate then before And therefore king Demetrius asking one day Euripides the Philosopher what hee thought of humane debility and of the shortnesse of this life answered Mee thinkes O king Demetrius that there is nothing certaine in this vnstable life sith all men liuing
thy malice onely sufficeth to poyson many that bee good the euilnes only of one woman shal be enogh to spoile take away thy good renowm One difference there is betwen thee and me thy Faustine which is that my facts are in suspect yours done in deede mine bee secrete but yours known openly I haue but stumbled but ye haue fallen For one only fault I deserue punishment but you deserue pardon for none My dishonor dyed with my fact and is buryed with my amendment but your infamie is borne with your desires nourished with your malices and still with your works Finally your infamie shall neuer dye for you liued neuer well Oh Marke malicious with all that thou knowest doest thou not know that to dye well doth couer an euill fame and to make an ende of an euill life doth beginne a good fame Thou ceasest not to say euill onely of suspect which thy false iudgements giueth and yet wouldest thou wee should conceale that wee see with our eyes Of one thing I am sure that neither of thee nor of Faustine there are or haue been any false witnesses For there are so many true euils that there needeth no Lyes to be inuented Thou sayest it is an olde custome with the amorous Ladies in Rome though they take it of many yet they are the poorest of all because we want credit we are honoured for siluer It is most certaine that of holly wee looke for prickes of acornes husks of netles stinging and of thy mouth malices I haue seriously noted I neuer heard thee say well of any nor I neuer knew any that would thee good What greater punishment can I desire for thy wickednenes nor more vengeance for my iniuries then to see al the amorons Ladies of Rome discontented with thy selfe and ioy to think on thy death cursed is the man whose life many doe bewayle and in whose death euery one doth reioyce It is the property of such vnthankefull wretches as thou art to forgette the great good done to them and to repent the little they giue How much the noble hearts do reioice in giuing to other so much they are ashamed to take seruice vnrewarded For in giuing they are lords and in taking they become slaues I aske what it is thou hast giuen me or what thou hast receyued of mee I haue aduentured my good Fame and giuen thee possession of my person I haue made thee lorde of mee and mine I banished mee from my countrey I haue put in peril my life In recompence of this thou doest detect mee of miserie Thou neuer gauest mee ought with thy heart nor I tooke it with good will nor it euer did me profit As all things recouer a name not for the workes wee openly see but for the secret intention with which we work Euen so thou vnhappie man desirest mee not to enioy my person but rather to haue my money Wee ought not to call thee a cleere Louer but rather a Theefe and a wily person I had a little Ring of thine I minde to throw it into the riuer and a gowne thou gauest me which I haue burnt And if I thought my bodie were increased with that Bread I did eate of thine I would cut my flesh being whole and let out my bloud without feare Oh malicious Marke thy obscured malice will not suffer thee to vnderstand my cleare letter For I sent not vnto thee to aske mony to relieue my pouertie and solitarines but onely to acknowledge and satisfie my willing hart Such vaine and couetous men as thou are contented with gifts but the harts incarnate in loue are not satisfied with a little money For Zoue is rewarded alwayes with loue The man that loueth not as a man of reason but like a brute beast and the woman that loueth not where she is beloued but onely for the gaine of her bodie Such ought not to bee credited in words nor their personages to be honoured For the loue of her ends when their goods faileth and his loue when her beautie decayeth If the beautie of my face did procure thy loue and thy riches onely allured my good will it is right that wee should not bee called wise Louers but rather foolish persons O cursed Mark I neuer loued thee for thy goods although thou likedst me for that I was faire Thou sayedst the Gods vsed great pittie on me to giue me few children and them manie Fathers The greatest fault in women is shamelesse and the greatest villany in men is to be euill sayers Diuers things ought to bee borne in the weaknesse of women which in the wisedome of men are not permitted I say this for that I neuer saw in thee temperance to cloke thine owne maliciousnes nor wisdome to shadow the debilitie of others Then I loued with my hart and now I abhorre thee with all my heart Thou sayest my Children haue many Fathers but I sweare vnto thee that the children of Faustine shall not be fatherles although thou dye And if the Gods as thou sayest haue beene pittifull to my Children no lesse art thou vnto straunge children For Faustine keepeth thee but to excuse her faultes and to bee tutor to her Children Oh cursed Marke thou needest not to take thought for thy children haue no need to be marryed For one thing wee are bound to thee that is the example of thy patience for since thou sufferest Faustine in so manie open infamyes it is no great neede wee suffer any secretes in thee For this present I say no more I ende my Letter desiring shortly to see the ende of thy life CHAP. X. ¶ Marcus Aurelius writeth to the Ladie Macrine the Romane of whome beholding her at a window he became enamored Which declareth what force the beautie of a faire woman hath in weake man MArke the verie desirous to the Ladie Macrine greatly desired I knowe not well whither by euill chaunce or by hap of my good aduenture not long agoe I saw thee at a window where thou haddest thy arms as close is I mine Eyes displayed that cursed be they for euer for in beholding thy Face forthwith my heart abode with thee as prisoner The beginning of thy knowledge is the ende of my reason and falling in shunning one euil come infinite trauells vnto men I say it for this if I had not bin idle I had not gone out of my house and not gone out of my house I had not passed by the streete And not going through the street I had not not seen thee at the windowe and not seeing thee at the window I had not desired thy person and not desiring thy person I had not put thy fame in so great peril nor my life in doubt nor we had giueÌ no occasion to Rome to speake of vs. For of truth Lady Macrine in this case I condemne my selfe For very willingly I did behold thee I did not salute thee thogh thou desiredst to be seene Sith thou wert set vp as
great Lordes ought to recommend their children to their Maisters to the ende they may teache them to change their appetites and not to follow their owne will so that they withdrawe them from their owne will and cause them to learne the aduise of another For the more a man giueth a Noble mans sonne the bridle the more harder it is for them to receyue good doctrine CHAP. XXXIII Princes ought to take heede that theyr Children bee not brought vp in pleasures and vayne delightes For ofte times they are so wicked that the Fathers would not onely haue them with sharpe discipline corrected but also with bitter teares buryed BY experience we see that in Warre for the defence of men Rampiers and Forts are made according to the qualitie of the enemyes and those which saile the daungerous Seas doe chuse great Ships which may breake the waues of the raging Seas So that all wise men according to the quality of the danger doe seeke for the same in time some remedie Ofte times I muse with my selfe and thinke if I could finde anie estate anie age anie Land anie Nation anie Realme or any World wherein there hath beene any man that hath passed this life without tasting what aduersitie was For if such an one were found I thinke it should bee a monstrous thing throughout all the earth and by reason both the deade and liuing should enuie him In the ende after my count made I find that he which but yesterday was rich to day is poore hee that was whole I see him to day sicke he that yesterday laughed to day I see him weepe he that had his hearts ease I see him now sore afflicted hee that was Fortunate now I see him vnluckie Finally him whome lately we knew aliue in the towne now wee see buryed in the graue And to be buryed is nothing else but to be vtterly forgotten For mans friendship is so fraile that when the Corps is couered with earth immediatly the dead is forgotten One thing me thinketh to all men is grieuous and to those of vnderstandng no lesse painfull which is that the miseries of this wicked world are not equally deuided but that oft times all worldly calamityes lyeth in the necke of one man alone For we are so vnfortunate that the worlde giueth vs pleasures in sight and troubles in proofe If a man should aske a Sage man now a daies who hath liued in meane estate and that hee would bee contented to tell him what hee hath past since three yeares that he beganne to speake vntill fiftie yeares that hee began to waxe olde what things thinke you he would telvs that hath chanced vnto him truely all these that follow The griefes of his Children the assaults of his enemyes the importunities of his wife the wantonnes of his daughters sicknes in his person great losse of goods generall famine in the citie cruel plagues in his countrey extreame colde in winter noysom heate in Summer sorrowfull deaths of his friendes and enuious prosperities of his enemyes Finally hee will say that hee passed such and so manie things that oft times he bewailed the woful life and desired the sweet death If the miserable man hath passed such things outwardly what would he say of those which he hath suffered inwardly the which though some discrete men may know yet truly others dare not tell For the trauells which the bodie passeth in 50. yeares may well bee counted in a day but that which the heart suffereth in one day caÌnot be counted in a hundred yeres A man cannot denie but that wee would count him rash which with a reede would meet another that hath a sword and him for a foole that wold put off his shooes to walke vpon the Thornes But without comparison we ought to esteeme him for the most foole that with his tender flesh thinketh to preuaile against so manie euill fortunes for without doubt the man that is of his body delicate passeth his life with much paine Oh how happie may that man bee called which neuer tasted what pleasure meaneth For men which from their infancie haue bin brought vp in pleasures for want of wisedome know not how to chuse the good and for lacke of force cannot resist the euill which is the cause that Noble-mens children oft times commit sundry heinous offences For it is an infallible rule that the more a man giueth himselfe to pleasures the more he is intangled in vices It is a thing worthie to be noted and woefull to see how polliticke we be to augment things of honour how bolde we be to enterprize them how fortunate to compasse them how diligent to keepe them how circumspect to sustaine them and afterward what pittie it is to see how vnfortunate we are to loose all that which so long time we haue searched for kept and possessed And that which is most to bee lamented in this case is that the goods and Honours are not lost for want of diligence and trauell of the father but for the aboundance of pleasures and vices of the sonne Finally let the Riche man knowe that that which hee hath wonne in labour and toyle waking his Sonne beeing euill brought vp shal consume in pleasures sleeping One of the greatest vanities that reigneth at this day amongst the children of vanitie is that the Father cannot shewe vnto his Sonne the loue which he beareth him but in suffering him to be brought vp in the pleasures and vanities of this life Truly he that is such a one ought not to be called a pittifull father but a cruell step-father for no man will denie me this but that where there is Youth liberty pleasure and Money there will all the vices of this world be resident Lycurgus the great King giuer of lawes and sage Philosopher ordained to the Lacedemonians that all the children which were borne in Citties and good Townes should bee sent to be brought vp in villages till they were xxv yeares of age And Liuius saith that the Lygures were which in olde time were confederates with those of Capua and great enemyes to the people of Rome They had a Lawe amongst them that none should take wages in the warres vnlesse he had bin brought vp in the fields or that he had bin a heard man in the MouÌtains so that through one of these two waies their flesh was hardned their joyntes accustomed to suffer the heate and the cold and their bodies more meete to endure the trauells of the warres In the yeare of the foundation of Rome 140. the Romalnes made cruell warres with the Lygures against whome was sent Gneus Fabritius of the which in the end he triumphed and the day following this triumph hee spake vnto the Senate in these words Worthie Senatours I haue beene these fiue yeares against the Ligures and by the immortall Gods I sweare vnto you that in all this time there passed not one weeke but wee had eyther battell or some
fortune For since Noble mens sonnes by the gifte of GOD haue great Estates they ought therfore to prouide to speak to manie to answer to manie and to entreat with manie it is very profitable for them to be conuersant with expert men for in the end the approued man in counsell hath preheminence I was willing to bring in these rules in my writing to the end that fathers may keepe them in their memory when they doe seeke Masters to teach their children for in my opinion the father is more in fault to seeke an euil master then the Master is to make an euill Scholer For if I choose euill Taylers to cut my gowne it is my fault that the cloth is lost and my gowne marred Albeit the Romans were in all their doings circumspect yet for this one thing I must enuy the good doctrine which they gaue to noble mens children for without doubt it is vnpossible that in any City there bee a good Common-welth vnlesse they are very circumspect to bring vp young children Sabellicus in his rapsodies sayeth that in the 425. yeares of the foundation of Rome Quintus Seruilius and Lucius Germinus then Consuls being in the warre against the Volces the stout aduenturous Captaine Camillus there rose a great strife and contention in Rome amongst the people and the Knights and that contention was vpon the prouision of offices for in great Common-Wealthes it hath beene an auncient quarrell that in Knights and Gentlemen there surmounteth pride in commaunding and among the people there wanteth patience in obeying The Kinghtes and Gentlemen would they should choose a Tribune Militare in the Senate to speake in the name of all the Knights that were absent and present for they sayde that since they were alwayes at the warre the whole Common wealth remayned in the power of the people The Commons on the other part importuned and desired that a new Officer should be created the which should haue the charge to examine and take account how the youth of Rome were brought vp because the common people did accuse the Knightes and Gentlemen that the longer they remained in the warres the more sensually their children liued in Rome It was decreede then that a Tribune Militare should bee erected the which in authority and dignitie should be equall with the Senators and that hee should represent the state of Warlike Knightes but the office continued no longer then 4. yeares in Rome that is to say til the time that Camillus returned from the warres for things that are grounded of no reason of themselues they come to nought All the Knightes and Gentlemen sought to the vttermost of their power to maintain their preheminence and on the other side all the Comminalty of Rome were against it In the end the good Captaine Camillus called all the Knightes and Gentlemen together and sayde vnto them these words I am greatly ashamed to see that the stoutenesse should be so litle of the Roman knights that they shold condiscend to the will of the Plebeians for indeed the mighty do not get so much honor to ouercome the little as the little doe to striue with the great I say that the strife and debate amongst you in Rome doth displease me much therefore you knights if you will not lose your honours you must eyther kill them or ouercome them You cannot ouercome them because they are many and kill them you ought not for in the end they are yours and therefore there is no better remedie then to dissemble with them For things which suffer no force nor obserue not iustice ought alwaies vntill conuenient time to bee dissembled The immortall Gods did not create Romaine knights to gouern people but to conquer Realmes And I say further that they did not create vs to teach lawes to ours but to giue lawes to strangers And if we be the children of our fathers and imitators of the ancient Romaines we will not content our selues to commaund in Rome but to commaund those which do command in Rome For the heart of a true Romaine doth little esteeme to see himselfe Lord of this world if he know that there is another to conquer You others did create this Tribune Militare we being in the warre whereof now there is no necessity since wee are in peace And the cause why I was willing there shoulde bee none in the Common wealth was for that there was not riches in Rome sufficient to acquite the deserts of the Romane chiualrie And if you esteeme an honourable office to be a Tribune Militare since you cannot all haue it mee thinketh you should all want it For among the Noble men and Plebeians it is not meete that one alone should enioy that which many haue deserued This History Sabellicus declareth and alleadgeth Pulio for his authour and reciteth that for this good worke that Camillus did in Rome that is to say to set the great and the small at one He was as well beloued of the Romaines as hee was feared of the enemies And not without a iust cause for in my opinion it is a greater vertue to pacifie his owne then to robbe strangers As touching the office of this Tribune wherupon this great contention rose in Rome I cannot tell which was greater the foolish rashnesse of the Knightes to procure it or the wisedome of Camillus to abolish it For to say the truth the art of Chiualry was inuented more to defend the common wealth then to bide at home and haue the charge of iustice For to the good Knight it seemeth better to bee loaden with weapons to resist enemies then to be enuironed with bookes to determine causes Returning therefore to that which the people sayde against the Souldiers It was ordained by consent of all that in Rome an office shoulde be erected and that he which should haue it should haue the charge to goe thorow Rome to see what they were in Rome that did not instruct their children in good doctrine and if perchance he found any neighbors child that was euill taught he chastised and banished the Father And truly the punishment was very iust for the father deserueth more punishment for that he doth therunto consent then the child deserueth more the offences which he doth commit When Rome was Rome and that of all the world the Common wealth thereof was commended they chose for an officer therein the most auncient and vertuous Romane who was called the Generall visiter of the children of Rome and it seemeth to bee true for so much as hee which had this office one yeare hoped to bee Consul Dictator or Censor the next as it appeared by Marcus Porcio who desired to bee corrector of the children and afterwards succeeded to bee Censor of the Romane people for the Romanes did not offer the office of iustice to any man vnlesse hee had experience of all Offices Patricius Seuensis in the booke of the Common-wealth sayth that before
fields then to see my neighbours hourely to lament in the streets For there the cruell beastes do not offend me vnlesse I do assault them but the cursed men though I do serue them yet dayly they vexe mee without doubt it is a maruellous paine to suffer an ouerthrow of fortune but it is a greater torment when one feeleth it without remedy And yet my greatest griefe is when my losse may bee remedied and he which may wil not and he that wil cannot by any means remedy it O cruell Romanes yee feele nothing that we feele specially I that speake it ye shal see how I feele it only to reduce it to memory my tongue wil waxe weary my ioints shiuer my hart trembles and my flesh consumeth What a woful thing is it in my country to see it with my eies to hear with my eares to feele it with my hands Truly the griefes which woful Germany suffers are such so many that I beleeue yet the mercifull gods will haue pitty vpon vs. I desire you not to think slander of my words but I desire you that you would vnderstaÌd wel what I say for you imagining as you presume to be discreet shall see right well the troubles that come to vs from men among men with meÌ and by the hands of men it is a small matter that we as men do feele them speaking for according to truth and also with liberty if I should declare euery other iust aduertisement which came from the Senate the tirannie which your iudges commit in the miserable Realme one of these two things must ensue eyther the punishment of men or the depriuation of your Officers if I say true One thing onely comforteth me wherof I with other infortunate people haue had experience in that I doe thinke my selfe happy to know that the iust plagues proceede not from the iust Gods but through the iust deserts of wicked men And that our secret fault doeth waken those to the end that they of vs may execute open iustice Of one thing only I am sore troubled because the Gods cannot be contented but for a small fault they punish a good man much and for many faultes they punish euill men nothing at al so that the Gods doe beare with the one and forgiue nothing vnto the other O secret iudgements of God that as I am bound to prayse your workes so likewise if I had licence to condemne them I durst say that ye cause vs to suffer grieuous paines for that yee punish and persecute vs by the hands of such Iudges the which if iustice take place in the World when they chastice vs with their hands they doe not deserue for to haue their heades on their shoulders The cause why now againe I doe exclaime on the immortall Gods is to see that in these 15. dayes I haue beene at Rome I haue seene such deedes done in your Senate that if the least of them had beene done at Danuby the Gallowes and gibbets had beene hanged thicker of theeues then the vineyard is with grapes I am determined to see your doings to speake of your dishonesty in apparrel your little temperance in eating and your disorder in affayres and your pleasures in liuing and on the other side I see that when your prouision arriueth in our Country wee carry into the temples and offer it to the Gods wee put it on their heads so that the one meeting with the other wee accomplish that which is commaunded and accurse those that commaunded And sith therefore my heart hath now seen that which it desireth my mind is at rest in spitting out the poyson which in it abideth If I haue in any thing heere offended with my tong I am ready to make recompeÌce with my head For in good faith I had rather winne honour in offering my selfe to death then you should haue it in taking from me my life And heere the villaine ended his talke immediately after Marcus Aurelius sayde to those which were aboute him How thinke yee my friendes what kernell of a nut what golde of the mine what corne of straw what rose of bryers what mary of bones and how noble and valiant a man hath he shewed himselfe What reasons so hie what words so well couched what truth so true what sentences so well pronounced and also what open malice hath hee discored By the faith of a good man I sweare as I may bee deliuered from this feuer which I haue I saw this villaine standing boldly a whole houre on his feet and all we beholding the earth as amazed could not answere him one word For indeede the villaine confuted vs with his purpose astonyed vs to see the little regarde he bad of his life The Senate afterwardes beeing all agreede the next day following wee prouided new Iudges for the riuer of Danuby and commaunded the villaine to deliuer vs by writing all that he sayde by mouth to the end it might bee registred in the booke of good saying of strangers which were in the Senate And further it was agreede that the saide villaine for the wise words hee spake should be chosen Senator and of the Free men of Rome he shold bee one and that for euer he should bee sustained with the common treasure For our mother Rome hath alwayes beene praysed and esteemed not onely to acquite the seruices ' which haue beene done vnto her but ' also the good words which were spoken in the Senate CHAP. VI. That Princes and Noble men ought to be very circumspect in choosing Iudges and Officers for therein consisteth the profite of the publike weale ALexander the great as the Historiographers say in his youth vsed hunting very much specially of the mountaines that which is to be marueled at he would not hunt Deare Goates Hares nor Partridges but Tygers Leopardes Elephants Crocodils and Lions So that this mighty Prince did not onely shew the excellency of his courage in conquering proud Princes but also in chasing of cruell sauage beasts Plutarch in his Apothegmes sayeth that the great Alexander had a familiar seruant named Crotherus to whome oftentimes hee spake these wordes I let thee to vnderstand Crotherus That the valiant Princes ought not onely to be vpright in their realm which they gouerne but also to bee circumspect in pastimes which they vse that the authoritie which in the one they haue woune in the other they doe not lose When Alexander spake these words truely hee was of more authority then of yeares But in the ende he gaue this example more to bee followed and commaunded then to bee reproued or blamed I say to be followed not in the hunting that he exercised but in the great courage which hee shewed To the Plebeians and men of discretion it is a little thing that in one matter they shew their might and in other things their small power is known but to princes and great Lords it is a discommendable thing
that in earnest matters any man should accuse them of pride and in things of sport they should count them for light For the Noble and valiant Prince in thinges of importance ought to shew great wisdome and in meane things great stoutenes The case was such that Alexander the Great hunting on the wilde mountaines by chance met with a cruell Lyon and as the good Prince would winne his honor with the Lyon and also the Lyon preserue his owne life they were in griepes the one of the other so fast that both fell to the earth where they striued almost halfe an houre but in the ende the Lyon remayned there dead and the hardy Alexander escaped all bloudy This hunting of Alexander and the Lyon through all Greece was greatly renowmed I say greatly renowned because the Grauers and Painters drew a portrait forthwith in stone-worke of this hunting and the grauers hereof were Lisippus and Leocarcus maruellous grauers of anticke workes which they made of mettall where they liuely set forth Alexander and the Lyon fighting and also a familiar seruant of his named Crotherus being among the dogges beholding them So that the worke seemed not onely to represent an ancient thing but that the Lyon Alexander Crotherus and the dogges seemed also to bee aliue in the same chase When Alexander fought with the Lyon there came an Ambassadour from Sparthes to Macedonie who spake to Alexander these Wordes Would to God Immortall prince That the force you haue vsed with the lyon in the mountain you had employed against some Pr for to be lord of the earth By the words of the Embassadour and the deedes of Alexander may easily bee gathered That as it is comely for Princes to bee honest valiant and stout so to the contrary it is vnseemly for them to be bolde and rash For though Princes of theyr goods be liberall yet of their life they ought not to be prodigall The diuine Plato in the tenth booke of his laws saith that the two renowmed Phylosophers of Thebes whose names were Adon and Clinias fell at variance with themselues to knowe in what thing the Prince is bound to aduenture his life Clinias saide that hee ought to die for any thing touching his honor Adon saide the contrarie That hee should not hazard his life vnlesse it were for matters touching the affaires of the coÌmonwealth Plato saith those two philosophers had reason in that they said but admit that occasion to dye should be offered the Prince for the one or the other he ought rather to die for that thing touching iustice then for the thing touching his honor For there is no great differeÌce to die more for the one then for the other Applying that wee haue spoken to that we will speake I say that we doe not desire nor we will not that Princes and great lords doe destroy themselues with Lions in the chace neither aduenture their persons in the warres nor that they put theyr liues in perill for the coÌmon-weale But wee onely require of them that they take some paines and care to prouide for thinges belonging to iustice For it is a more naturall hunting for Princes to hunt out the vices of their commonweales then to hunt the wilde boares in the thicke woods To the end Princes accomplish this which we haue spoken we will not aske them time when they ought to eate sleepe hunt sporte and recreate themselues but that of the 24 houres that bee in the day and night they take it for a pleasure and commodity one houre to talke of iustice The gouernment of the comonweale consisteth not in that they should trauell vntill they sweate and molest their bodyes shead their bloud shorten theyr liues and loose their pastimes but all consisteth in that they should be diligent to foresee the dammages of their common-wealth and likewise to prouide for good mimisters of iustice Wee doe not demaund Princes and great Lordes to giue vs their goods Nor wee forbidde them not to eate to forsake sleepe or sport to hunt or put their liues in daunger but we desire and beseeche them that they would prouide good ministers of iustice for the common-weale First they ought to be very diligent to search them out and afterwards to be more circuÌspect to examin them For if wee sigh with teares to haue good Princes we ought much more to pray that we haue not euil officers What profiteth it the knight to be nimble and if the horse be not ready What auayleth it the owner of the ship to be sage and expert if the Pilot be a foole and ignorant What profiteth the king to be valiant and stout the captain of the warre to be a coward I meane by this I haue spoken what profiteth it a prince to be honest if those which minister iustice bee dissolute What profiteth it vs that the Prince be true if his Officers be lyers what profiteth it vs that the Pr be sober if his ministers be druÌkards what profiteth it that the P be gentle louing if his officers be cruell malicious what profiteth it vs that the Pr be a giuer liberall and an almes-man if the iudge which ministreth justice be a briber and an open Theefe What profiteth it the prince to bee carefull and vertuous if the Iudge bee negligent and vicious Finally I say that it little auayleth that the prince in his house be secretly iust if adioyning to that hee trust a tirant open theefe with the gouernment of the Common-weale Princes and great Lords when they are within their pallaces at pleasure their mindes occupied in high things doe not receyue into theyr secret company but their entire friends Another time they will not but occupie themselues in pastimes and pleasure so that they know not what they haue to amend in their persons and much lesse that which they ought to remedy in their common-weales I will not bee so eager in reprouing neyther so Satyricall in writing that it should seeme I would perswade princes that they liue not according to the highnesse of their estates but according to the life of the religious for if they wil keepe themselues from being tyrants or being outragiously vitious we cannot deny them sometimes to take their pleasures But my intention is not so straightly to commaund Princes to be iust but only to shew them how they are bound to doe iustice Common-wealthes are not lost for that their princes liue in pleasure but because they haue little care of iustice In the end people doe not murmur when the Prince doth recreate his person but when he is too slacke to cause iustice to be executed I would to God that Princes took an account with God in the things of their conscience touching the common wealth as they doe with men touching their rents and reuenues Plutarch in an Epistle hee wrote to Traian the Emperor saith It pleaseth mee very well most puissant prince that the Prince be such