ordinarie reasonable and according to the custome of men yet accompayning the fame with Philosophicall histories The forme of our perfect commonweale was described in the ancient Athenian Monarchie That people being dispersed and like vnto beastes wandring in the field were first by Cecrope and after by Theseus constrained to inhabite a Citie which was then called Cecropiae and since named Athens and at length reduced to a kingdome descended to their posterity But what authority the Senate vnder those kings had which order did represent the Optimatie by reason the time is long since passed and few writers haue therof written cannot be to vs apparantly knowen yet must we beleeue that those kinges had about them wise men whose councell they imployed in gouerning The kinges of that age as Thucidides affirmeth did rule by consent of the people and with their suffrages determined many thinges whereof themselues were doubtfull Yet that gouerment indured not but was through tract of time which alterâ—th all things committed to the multitude whose force and power vtterly subuerted the commonweale The Lacedemonian state as is before said seemed to containe all three sortes of gouerment that is the King the Nobilitie and people What shoulde I say of the Romanes Shall I not call those times golden when kinges were content to be Councelled Romulia as Liuiâ— writeth being by consent both of Gods and men elected king notwithstanding the state was then little refused to gouerne the same alone calling vnto him an hundred Senators for his assistance whom eyther in respect of their age or vertue he called fathers And least the people should hold themselues ill satisfied and defrauded of all honours and thereby hatred might ensue eyther towards the King or Senate he made them capable of the iudiciall offices and suffered them to haue voyces in determining warre and concluding of peace with many other priuiledges And wolde God that forme of commonweale had still continued in Rome For then so great effusion of blood had not beene made in the aspyring to liberty and extending the boundes of the Romane Empyre Neyther shoulde the happines of that state haue beene with so many seditions disturbed whereby scarsly at any time it hath liued in peace But let vs now consider of commonweales in our age we see that the Empyre of Germanie consisteth of the Emperour the Princes and the people That state beeing gouerned by diuers potentates and the pollecy drawne into sundry gouermentes cannot easely be described The french Monarchie hath in it a king who ruleth at his owne discretion and although his authoritie be not confined to lawe yet against lawe and honour he doth not anything but liueth as a iust and honourable Prince In that kingdome the noble men whom they call peares represent an Optimatie the people is deuided into three sortes Gentlemen Priestes and popular multitude and a choise number compounded of these three and assembled by the kings commandement doe determine of matters which in the commonweale are of most importance This Councell was anciently called Pauceltium as the Aetâ—oli named their generall assemblie Panaetolium or as the vniuersall Councels of Ionia was termed Panionium In Spayne the king hath authority soueraigne the Councel royall resembleth the Optimatie and the three chiefe orders of knighthood may be likened to the popular state For the order of S. â—ago Callatraua Alâ—antara assembled with the king do determine of matters most important The kingdome of Polonia doth also consist of the said three sortes that is the king nobility and people But it is to be noted that this word people includeth only knights and gentlemen The liberty fellowship of those orders is so great as the king without aduise of his couÌ„cel their authority doth not any thing neither caâ— the couÌ„cel determine without the allowance of the King and consent of the people In that kingdome the lawes are of so great force as euery man religiously sweareth to keepe and obserue them and ifcontrarie to that othe any thing be done the same is accounted iniust and impious That othe which they sweare for the obseruation of their lawes and liberty is in their language called Captue which signifieth in Latine Tegmen capitis for as the heade is kept from cold by being couered so through vertue of that othe their lawes liberty and welfare is conserued because in maintayning thereof no good man feareth to aduenture his life against Tyrants and all others that labour to violate the boundes of publique liberty and happinesse That people therefore doe liue in great liberty beeing perswaded that to liue according to lawe is indeed perfect freedome In that kingdome the Prince gouerneth by lawes and proceedeth not according to will In making of warre or concluding of peace he vseth the aduise of his Councell neuer transgressing the lawes which worketh this effect that among the people the kinges person is not onely highly honoured but also for a God rightly reuerenced and adored For who is he that would not entirely loue honour and reuerence that Prince who in gouerning is of one selfe minde with the lawe contented to be led by the line of reason directing his doings according to the expert wisdome of his Councellors If authority be thus vsed what consent loue and mutuall affection doth it make among subiectes To conclude the king of Polonia seemeth such a Prince as Plato Aristotle Xenophon and other law-makers haue wished to be in commonweales as nature and God himselfe doth allowe The Senate doth in that state represent the Optimatie and hath as is aforesaid great authority For being chosen amongest the most graue and wise gentlemen they onely with the king doe consult of the commonweale Their authority is not vnlike to the Homotimâ— in Persia or the Ephori in Lacedemonia The gentlemen of Polonia doe represent the popular state for in them consisteth a great part of the gouerment and they are as a Seminarie from whence Councellors and Kinges are taken The kingdome of Brytannie now called England obeyeth one King who choseth his Councellors vnto whome the rest of the Nobility and popular order being ioyned doe make one common Councell which in their language is called Parliament The Venetian state seemeth framed after the same fashion but they within the name of people doe onely include Gentlemen and Citizens taking great heede least any other should vsurpe that title because they onely are capable of the magistracie Out of that number the Senate is chosen which representeth an Optimatie and is as foundation of that state The Duke is also elected of that number resembling a king And surely there is no Monarchie or commonweale that can compare with it for quiet gouerment and longe continuance whether the cause thereof proceedeth from God from fortune from the obseruation of Iustice or from the naturall seate of that Citie I neede not nowe to discourse But true it is
discipline which so being into their places entereth audaciousnes violence iniustice lasciuiousnes and barbarisme the sinke of all vices It is therefore necessary that good order and forme be obserued in the election of magistrates so as in the choise chiefe respect may be had to the vertue of good men As touching the meane offices of state by what order they should be bestowed it is not our intent to discourse It shall suffice that the lawes and common custome be therein obserued But for so much as among all sortes of magistrates the place of him whom we call a Counsellor is of most reputation vpon him as it were a foundation the whole waight of all other Counsels and welfare of the commonweale resteth It behoueth therefore that the choise of him be made with great care and circumspection Euery state hauing euill Counsellors is most euill gouerned and no signe of equitie iustice or religion will therein appeare But fraude deceipt iniustice and impietie raigning in magistrates shall easily by imitation corrupt others For we see by experience that through the vices of gouernours commonweales be changed Monarchies become Tyrannies Aristocraties are altered into Oligarchias Democraties conuerted into Ochlocraties Therefore in election of Counsellors these three things are chiefly to be obserued of whome to whome and how they ought be chosen To the first we haue as I hope already sufficiently spoken when we said that in the number of naturall subiects the Counsellor ought be elected and thereof a little before we discoursed Nowe are we to tell to whome and how Counsellors are to be chosen Wherein we haue thought good to resite the customes of other commonweales which being knowen we may the more easely conceiue what kinde of election fitteth with euery state and which of them ought be accounted best and most profitable In the election of all Magistrates and chiefly Counsellors all people in euery state were wont to respect three things libertie riches and vertue For what doth depende of those three and euery of them is to be considered Those that desire the forme of a popular state doe chiefly respect liberty for there is nothing that lâ—â—deth them to like and desire popular gouernment so much as the sweet desire of liberty Because they thinke libertie consisteth principallâ—e in commaunding and obeying by turne iudging it reasonable that all Citizens should commaund or at the least somtimes to coÌ„mand sometimes to obey Therfore in all such commonweales the Magistrates are chosen by lott wherin Chance Lucke doe helpe more then Reason or Wisdome Which order was inuented for the preseruation of liberty For all men desiring to be thought and accounted equals doe vse therein the ayde of fortune chance to the end that the rich poore the eloquent and simple the mightie and weake the wise and foolish shoulde be equall that no one by wealth eloquence wisedome or friendship shoulde oppresse an other and consequently vsurpe the state with the libertie thereof common to them all Imagening moreouer that the common good profit and liberty may be preserued better by many then one or diuers In those states therefore the condition of all men is a like and it maketh no matter whether they be rich or poore learned or foolish so long as they be borne free men In commonweales gouerned by a fewe the order is that a small number of wise discreete or rich men should gouerne but in popular states it is contrarie for there the ignoble poore men and artifizers haue equall procaedence with the rich men Wee reade that the popular state of Athens was gouerned in two sortes the one by fewe Magistrates which were eyther rich men or wise men the other consisted of all the whole number of free Citizens The first was instituted by Theseus who assembled the people into Cities liuing before dispersed sauagely in the fielde perswading the most potente personages that the Democratie ought be preferred before the Monarchie to the ende the soueraigntie should rest in the people and he himselfe would be but as a Captaine generall in warre and defender of the law but in all other respectes euery of them should be his equals Moreouer he instituted a conuocation of the whole people making this difference betwixt the Noble men and Artificers Housbandmen that is to wit that the noble sort should haue the ministerie of the Church the soueraigne offices and iudiciall places but otherwise to liue in equall honour and dignitie with the rest This first Prince as Aristotle saith would not frame any kingdome but conforming himselfe to the disposition of people contriued such a commonweale as in the iudgement of all men was thought most allowable most iust and most contentfull In like manner he deuised such a popular state as should not be gouerned by violence and furie of the multitude but all things to be qualified by iudgement and reason so as by honest liuing and obedience of lawe the commonweale might enioy her happines This commonweale begon by Theseus was after gouerned by Draco who gaue thereunto certaine bloodie lawes Then Solon through sedition discord of the Citizens reduced the gouerment into the handes of a fewe somewhat altering the lawes and magistrates Last of all that Democratie came vnto the hands of Clisthenes Aristides and Pericles and after all them to Demosthenes These men being pleasers of people reduced all the Citizens to equalitie increasing the tribes entering seruantes and strangers into the company of Citizens Clisthenes inuented the lawe called Ostracismus which was executed vpon those of whome there was any opinion conceiued that their wisedome or vertue might hinder the popular liberty Aristides iudged it a thing reasonable that banished men and the basest multitude should be capable of magistracie Pericles diminished the authoritie of the Senate and weakned the dignitie thereof Demosthenes finding the state fully in possession of the multitude by a solemne oration allowed and commended thereof Aristotle and his Tutor Plato with other politicall Philosophers doe thinke that the popular forme of commonweale is not vniust being accompanied with good lawes and a people willing to obey the same For who is he that can mislike that state wherein each man hath a lawe to be as king and keeper of his libertie and of the lawe himselfe is Prince and Lorde Surely I coulde well allowe of such a commonweale where it not subiect to greate tumultes seditions and sodaine mutations First who is he that knoweth not the nature of common people is mutable and will vse libertie immoderately For indeed the multitude eyther obeyeth slauishly or doth commaund cruellie being also entised or rather filled with the sweetnesse of libertie so soone as it hath by some action aspired to greatnesse or glorie it becommeth insolent desiring to be thought chiefe and holding equalitie vniust doth vse most intemperately to beare hate sedition and ambition So as of such a commonweale groweth
that all occasions of ciuill discention and subuersion are remooued Of good commonweales let this we haue sayde suffice and consider what are those thinges that doe chiefly make them perfect and happie In euery good and perfect commonweale three thinges are specially required that is to say Magistrates lawes and ciuill discipline for without these no Citie nor societie of men coulde euer be preserued The office of Magistrates is to rule and commaund the people to doe those thinges that be iust profitable and agreeable to lawe and reason Cicero no lesse learnedly then eloquently saith that as the lawes gouerne the Magistrates so the Magistrates ought to gouerne the people and the Magistrate may be iustly called the liuing lawe and the lawe a dombe Magistrate Hee therefore in all commonweales is of greate necessitie for without his wisedome councell fidelitie and discretion no state can stande nor be gouerned whereof also the state and order of euerye commonweale may be knowen As the shippe in tempestious seas is endangered and many time drowned vnlesse by the labour and industrie of the mariners it be saued So the commonweale tormented with tempest of seditions and discord must perish if through the diligence and wisedome of the Magistrates it be not preserued Or as mans bodie is ruled by reason so euery Citie and societie of men must of necessitie containe a soule which is the lawe to be thereby gouerned and that lawe proceedeth from the reason councell and iudgement of wise men For where no lawes nor Magistrates are there no God no men nor no society can be continued The true law of man is reason which wisemen doe giue vnto themselues others receiue from the Magistrates perswading them to eschue things forbidden by law no lesse then if the same were contrary to reason They therfore that in wisdom discretion do excell others are as is aforesaid made of golden or siluer nature because they can deserue best of mans society are to be aboue others aduanced For as Cities well walled and fortefied are thereby defended from the fury of enemies So tranquilitie and happie life is by the councell of wise men preserued Therfore it behooueth them first to be indued with such vertues as may make the commonweale happy then that they be affectionate to the state and liue therein contented to the ende they attempt no innouation and lastly that they be authorised to execute those thinges which they thinke profitable for the commonweale For so shall they commaund with more reputation and the subiectes more willingly obey them Surely whosoeuer shall without indignitie aspyre to the place of supreme gouerment hath neede to vse great art and singular wisedome For such a one is to gouerne not one onely house not one onely famely not one onely wife not one onely rase of children but the commonweale deuided into infinite and contrarie humors of men which by his wisedome must be reduced to one consent equality and concord Moreouer for somuch as in commonweales there are three degrees of magistrates among whom the king holdeth the most supreame place next vnto him is the Senate and the third is distributed to the people what profit may be reaped of euery of them let vs now consider The kinges authority contayneth great vertue high vnderstanding and diuine wisedome for as God is prince of the vniuersall world so is the King Lord of the whole commonweale It behooueth him therefore to gouerne iustlie and godlie because in the commonweale he is accounted the Lieuetenant of God For the Councell wisedome and knowledge of kinges is not their owne but giuen them of God Also for somuch as no king can with his diligence and onely wisedome equally gouerne the whole state for it is rather the vertue of God then man exactlye to know all thinges apperteyning to good gouerment they haue therfore vsed to call vnto their assistance some wise men whereby the common-weale might be the better gouerned Those men beeing as a meane betwixt the king and the people doe on the one side know the office of the king and on the other what are the customes and lawes belonging to the people thereof conceiuing what ought be done for preseruation of the kinges honour and what apperteyneth to the profitt of the commonweale people We thereof inferre that these magistrates or councellors are of all other most able to stand the coÌ„monweale in stead The king being but one onely man cannot looke vnto all thinges and sometimes it happeneth that eyther by giuing liberty to his appetites or yeelding to his affections hee is seduced from true reason and the ignorant multitude being as they say without head or discretion cannot be capable of that knowledge Yet the Senate being chosen and made of vertuous wise and expert men may from their place as from a watch-tower looke about and prouide thinges needefull for the state preuenting all seditions tumultes and perils that can be attempted which is the respect there is not skantlie any commonweale which vseth not to commit eyther the whole or the greatest charge of gouernment to the Senate For albeit they were indeede called Kings who first assembled the habitation of men into Cities liuing before sauagely dispersed in woods and fieldes yet with that course of gouernment the kings could not alone retayne them in obedience Neyther did the authority and wisdome of one Prince suffise when the mindes of men were reduced to ciuilitie and their wonted bestialitie reiected It therefore behoued kings to be accompanied with the Councell of wisemen to the ende the commoweale might be the better gouerned which we reade was done by Romulus For he supposing that the gouernment of one without aduise of Counsell would proue eyther perilous odious or without grauitie did call vnto his assistance a hundreth Senators whome eyther in respect of their age or wisedome he named Fathers The like was done by Theopompus king of Sparta who appoynted the Ephorâ— giuing them great authoritie in the state whereat his wife offended and saying that he â—ad thereby diminished the power of his posteritie in that kingdome answered that it was enlarged and strengthened being perswaded that thorough Counsell and authoritie of the Senate the state wold be exceedingly encreased and inforced Whereby it appeareth that the aduice of Counsellors were from the beginning by kings embraced and all men haue thought those resolutions to be most firme and assured which were by Councell and wisedome of the Senate digested I call that a Senate which is the chiefe magistracie appoynted to giue Counsell and gouerne the state And consequently the Senator is a man lawfully elected into the number authorised to counsell gouerne the commonweale It hath therefore alwaies beene that the order of Counsellors was framed of the most discreet wise and noble sort of subiectesâ— because there is not any society of men so barbarous but desireth the gouernment should
libertie is profitable to euery Citie but ouermuch libertie is euill and maketh men headdie or desperate To suppresse the licentiousnes of euill subiects seueritie of lawe is required Therefore it behoueth the state to foresee that through not punishing of euill mens offences the good subiects be forced to suffer at their handes For the common-weale ought be accounted the possession of good and not of euill men Moreouer it cannot be but in euery commonweale seditions and motions will arise and Hannibal said there was no great Citie that could liue long in quiet vnlesse it had some enemies abroade because otherwise domesticall foes would therein arise And as mightie bodies seeme assured from externall harme so are they euer bourdened with their owne waight Besides that sith we are men we must not as the Comoedian saith thinke our selues free from any misaduenture that may happen to mankind For although we be wise prouident and good yet are we men and by instinct of nature lesse proan to vertue then vice and in like sort there is no Citie that wanteth wicked vicious and disorderly people Therefore whensoeuer the floode of troubles doth happen to arise in the state the office of a Counsellor as Cicero saith is patiently to indure the peoples wilfulnesse to winne the heartes of those that are vnasiured keepe them that are alreadie wonne appease the offended and aboue all prouide that the worst sort may not in any thing haue the aduantage It is not also amisse that sometimes he winke and seeme not to see so that those faultes whereat he winketh doe proceede rather of errour then wilfulnesse But to pardon such as voluntarilie haue offended or committed any impious act against the commonweale the honest orders of men or the lawe is not onely to be thought pernicious but also wicked and detestable Wherefore in suppressing so great a furie and rashnesse of mens fancies the Counsellor ought to employ great wisedome and diligence and let him therein chiefly vse those two precepts which Cicero reciteth from the mouth of Plato the one is that alwaies he looke well vnto the common profit referring thereunto all his actions and forget euery priuate respect the other is to be carefull for the whole bodie of the commonweale least in taking the protection of part he doth abandon the rest For who so defendeth one onely sort of men doth induce hatred and sedition which two plagues doe debilitate and subuert the state He ought therefore to be as carefull of the people as of the King of the nobilitie as of the meaner sort of the rich as of the poore of the wise as the simple and so consequently of all sortes and estates of men The omission of which rule was that which afflicted the Athenians and filled Rome with sedition tumults and ciuill warres Let him therefore in al things obserue indifferencie and equalitie for thereby the commonweale shalbe assured and the people in good will loue and peace preserued In that state where small respect is borne vnto equalitie there quarrell contention and enmitie doe dailie arise which commeth to passe for that men equall do aspyre to things vnequall or vnequall men to things equal But men of one fortune do best consort together and like will to like as the prouerbe saith They therfore that excell others in riches or birth are not to be preferred neyther are they to be equally esteemed who are equall in liberty but those that excell others in vertue are to be accounted both superiors and equals that is in respect of law or number as the Arithmetricians call it they are equall but in dignitie they are superiour because in the bestowing of honours vertue is chiefly respected For who so is most vertuous dedeserueth most honour and glorie and this equalitie because it is measured by reason and iudgement is called Geometricall I doe therefore thinke fit that the Senator should obserue both equalities In the distribution of iustice and conseruation of libertie he is to be towards all men indifferent For whom the law hath made equall ought to liue in rule and libertie neither giuing nor taking from one more then an other as the line of law doth direct him The rule of which equalitie is easely obserued For the condition thereof is in all commonweales prescribed which is that each man should enioy so much as by lawe custome or conuention to him appertaineth wherin heede must be taken that neither wealth powre or parentage be respected but that aswell the poore as rich the noble as ignoble may be equally iudged As touching equalitie according to the iudgement of reason whereby men would be preferred and honoured more then others is not so easelie discerned For to iudge of each mans valewe wisedome and vertue with the honours to them due is rather proper to a deuine then humaine wit The reason thereof is we are often deceiued in our opinion of that which is accoūted good neither be we euer vpright Iudges of other mens deseruing Herein therfore resteth the difficultie for who so can truely iudge of mens vertue shall therby shew himself rather a God then man In conclusion the commonweale is not preserued by any vertue more then that who so then in gouerning is a iust iudge of ech mans value vertue for it resteth in his censure knoweth also vnto whose hands to commit or not cōmit the state whom to loue and whom to hate whom to reward and whom to punish shall make the gouernment most quiet but not knowing so to do the same becommeth of all other the most wicked corruptible and disordered Therefore in popular commonweales where the multitude is rude and ignorant of discourse and reason the people are rewarded and punished by lot for they pray God that each man may find fortune according to his merit Notwithstanding for so much as the temeritie of lotting obeyeth rather to fortune then reason in the conseruation of equalitie we allowe of wisedome and humaine pollecie to be Iudge rather then fortune With which vertues if the Counsellor be indued he shal easelie discern what ought in all things to be done And therein he shall imitate the duetie of a good husband For he hauing within his house diuerse honest persons esteemeth one for his age an other for his vertue a third for his condition So the Counsellor in the commonweale should haue respect to each mans age vertue condition and calling He must also vnderstand the right liberty of people which as they think do consist chiefly in being capable of the offices to haue power to make correct lawes to speake freely in matters that concerne liberty law or iniury not to be arrested or imprisoned without order of lawe or authoritie nor be vniustly iudged robbed or forced to pay tribute They desire moreouer not to obey officers contrarie to lawe not to be hurt of those that be more mightie nor be oppressed
Cateline are therof an example who being thriftles and licentious people attempted to make warre against the commonweale Therefore the life of euery subiect ought be trained to temperance prouiding that the state do not abound with excesse for by that meane the cōmon quiet the happines of subiects their welfare health and substances shalbe preserued and they at all occasions be ready to take armes for their country not fearing either want of wealth nor excesse of pleasure which two do many times bring Cities into seruitude It also standeth the state vpon to forsee that the life of subiects be neither in priuate or publique intemperate nor that any man should abuse welth and substance A temperate moderate life in priuate men is an ornament of common foelicitie Insolency of life is therfore to be suppressed for from thence as the head all conductes of mischiefe do take their beginning And the Counsellor himselfe ought to be no lesse free from intemperancy then he would haue others Wherin let him imitate the seuerity of the Censors who in old time were the masters of ciuill tēperance modesty He shall therfore aswell by priuate admonition as publique correction reduce them from intemperancie for the punishment due thereto ought be grieuous By the benefit of Temperancie we become modest bashfull honest and continent Through which vertue the happie life of man is beautified encreased and inlarged Modestie as the Stoicks affirme is a vertue that containeth the knowledge of all things to be done or spoken For in euery speech and action a measure ought be obserued least we doe speake more then necessitie requireth forgetting the Counsell of Solon ne quid nimis But therein time is to be obserued and a fit opportunitie awaited for actions not well vsed are oft times the cause of many inconuenients Let comelines therfore be kept in all actions and speeches framing our countenance eies gesture motion in briefe the whole bodie to modesty so that therby we may seeme to haue an honest plaine stable intent We are somtimes also recōmended by Bashfulnes which is that vertue that conserueth honest life because in all actiōs it shunneth reproch villany And as Iustice cōmandeth that no man should be spoiled so bashfulnes biddeth that no man should be offended for a good man refraineth from iniury not onely wilingly but is also terrefied with bashfulnes Yet do I not require in our Counsellor that bashfulnes which is peculier to yong men or offendors Because such persons are most commonly against their will bashfull and ashamed That perturbation of mind doth misbecome a graue temperate man But the bashfulnes we seeke for doth imitate vertue and therby a certaine habit and exercise of eschewing euill so as if at any time through ignorance error be committed we are therof ashamed which is very cōmendable Iulius Caesar fighting with the yonger Pompeius at Corduba and seeing his soldiers readie to runne away passed forth before the foremost ranke there most valiantly fought in person which the soldiers seing could not for shame but turne face to the enemie prouoked partly with the the valure of the generall partly with their owne shame fastnes There is in the capacities of men a certaine instinct of honesty wherewith they are cōpelled to perform things honest flie frō their contraries Also all the meanes to attaine vnto knowledge of honesty proceedeth frō vertue therin her excellency dignity resteth which may somtimes proceed of cōmon fame glory and opinion Moreouer who so through diligence and obseruation knoweth what is measure order and grauetie performing in wordes and workes that beauty sweetnes and rule taking heede not to doe or thinke anie thing vnseemely effeminately or licentiously is thereby made honest And the force of honestie is so great as it alone sufficeth to diuert men from all shamefull life and euill actions Among the praises due to Counsellors for their good conuersation continencie and abstinencie doe chalenge no meane place For they commaund not onely to contemne the inticements of desires but also staie our mindes our eies and our handes from following vnreasonable affections There is no spectacle of life more noble then to see men contented with their owne and not couet things appertaining vnto others Paulus Aemilius is commended for that of all the treasure which was brought from Macedon and Spaine he conuerted no part to his priuate vse but deliuered all into the publique Threasurie choosing rather to abstaine and continue poore then become rich by deceauing For after death his goods being sold vnder the Launce as the custome was there wanted whereof his wife might be sustained The example of Scipio Affricanus his continency is most admirable he being but twentie yeares of age at the taking of Carthage found there among many other captiues one maiden of most excellent beautie yet would he not touch hir virginitie but deliuered her vnto an husband whom she was before betrothed vnto and gaue her in mariage all that golde which her friends offered to redeeme her I omit to speeke of Alexander the great and many others who gained no lesse glorie by continency then martiall triumphes We will therefore that our counsellor should be continent following the counsell which Pericles vsed to his companion Sophocles and pretor in Rome beholding and commending the beautie of a y oung woman whom they met in their waie towards the Senate house saying It becommeth a Pretor to haue not onely hands free from corruption but also continent eyes voyd of vnchast lookes It was therefore thought to be wisely done of Cato the Sensor to remoue L. Quintus Flaminius from the Senate for his incotinency Because he being Consull in Fraunce was intreated by a harlot that without offence she might strike a prisoner condemned to die Manlius was also deposed from that dignitie because he kissed his owne wife in the presence of her daughter Likewise Salustius for adultery and light conditions was depriued the Senate Surely there is nothing that doth more dishonor the dignitie of a Counsellor then incontinency lewde life because it procureth priuate reproch and blemisheth the maiestie of commaunding Sardanapalus consumed whole daies in the nurserie among women sparing no time from incontinent exercises As appeareth by the Epitaph which liuing he commaunded to be written on his tombe Ede Bibe Lude Aristotle chancing to finde the Epitaph staied and read the first part thereof and smiling said A man would thinke this writing fitter to be fixed to the graue of an oxe then writtē vpon the tombe of a Prince And hauing perused the three last verses said further that Sardanapulus enioyed that being dead which liuing he neuer had but so long as he was in feeding his paunch All pleasures not being reduced to necessitie and honestie are reprochfull and aboue the rest those two which are taken by touching and tasting doe draw men most to offend
What kinde of lotting is best VVhat considerations the Romans had in the electioÌ„ of Senators The euill example of magistrates worse then their vices Lysander Lycurgus VVhat election of Magistratesis most perfect VVhether Senators ought be chosen by one or diuers The multitude no 〈◊〉 iudge 〈…〉 The election of Counsellors appertaineth to one What things are to be respected in choise of CouÌ„sellors The knowledge of commonweales necessary in a Counsellor The knowledge of sundry states very profitable The state of Polonia The art of Tyrantes The office of Kinges The differeÌ„ce betwixt kings and Tyrants The popular sort inconstant VVho are good subiectes Seditious subiectes The office of Counsellors The duetie of priuate persons Great states most subiect to trouble In appeasing sedition what order is to be taken Precepts of Plato Equalitie of commonw of great necessitie Wherein equalitie consisteth Equalitie Arithmeticall Equalitie Geometrical Wherin law and populer libertie consisteth Sedition the poâ—son of Commonw What to be considered in appeasing sedition In preuenting of sedition what the Counsellor ought doe In a perfect Counsellor fower vertues chiefly required Prudence What Prudence is Theoricall wisedome differeth froÌ„ Prudence Contemplatiue Philosophers called rightly Sapientes but not Prudentes The originall of Prudence Prudence of two kindes A wise man What is to be eschewed in Prudence The end of Counsellors wisedome The felicity of common-weales Law the conseruer of vertue What is to be considered in making of lawes Occasion of offending to be remoued by law The comodities and discommodities of commonâ— Knowledges necessary in Counsellors Loue to our country Companions to Prudence Witt. VnderstaÌ„ding Circumspection The circumspection of a Senator By what meane the felicitie of subiectes is preserued Prouidence Prouidence diuine Humaine prouidence Demâ—nium Socratis Caution VVhat is to be obserued in speaking Silence Sagacitie Wilines The meanes to suppresse sedition Consultation VVhereof to consult Consultation touching mony Consultation of warre Consultation of defence ConsultatioÌ„ of marchandize Consultation of lawes Counsell Matters consultable of three sortes The ende of good counsel The qualitie of counsell Hastie counsell daÌ„gerous Sentence Old men most apt to vtter sentence The ende of sentence The order of pronouncing sentence Sentences to be pondered by waight not by number The 〈◊〉 of the Counsellors speach The voice of a Counsellor Three things specially to be obserued by Counsels Who is a good man Abuse of authoritie Iustice Naturall 〈…〉 Iustice of three sortes Iustice naturall Iustice diuine What teligion is Ciuil Iustice The office of a iust Counsellor To whom honour ought be giuen Equality to be obserued in the bestowing of honor Equalitie of two sortes Fortaine Iustice Iustice to be sought in heauen VVhat is Iustice The ende of lawes Law commaundeth three things The Aegyptian law against idlenes The law of Draco SoloÌ„ Imperiall lawes Discipline of warre and peace in euerie common-weale Change of lawes dangerous The ordinance of the Locrensi against the change of lawes The princes life a lawe to the people Lawes are made for two endes Qualities required in a Iudge Cambises correction of Iudges The office of a Counsellor In Rome viii sortes of punishments VVhat is to be obserued in punishing Companions of Iustice Pietie VVhat to be eschewed in Pietie Goodnes Innocencie Courtesie Benignitie Clemencie 〈…〉 In what sorte things ought to be coÌ„mon In what sort to be liberall VVhat to eschew in liberalitie VVhereof to be liberall Lawes of liberalitie Magnificence VVhat to be eschewed in magnificence How mony ought be vsed Excesse iâ— commonw ought be restrained by lawe VVhat Magnificence is in a senator Friendship VVhat friendship is Ciuill friendship 〈…〉 The best kind of friendship Friendship requireth three tgings How to imploy friends Friendship of senators Hospitalitie Concord Discord of Couns daÌ„gerous Fortitude 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 vertues VVhat to eschew in fortitude Domesticall Fortitude Fortitude militarie The properties of Fortitude Followers of fortitude The properties of a magnanimious Counsellor Taxilis How to take quarrell The Counsellor no follower of each mans fancy Constancie VVhat to be eschewed in Constancie Papyrius Patience VVhatto be eschewed in Patience Confidence Genius vitator VVhat to eschew in confidence Securitie Publike secuâ—ritie VVhat to be eschewed in securitie VVhat moueth men to be valiant The rewardes due to soldiers VVhat to be eschewed in fortitude Anger Fortune Hanniball Temperance How perfection of man is attained Temperance the preserued of ciuill felicitie The followers of TeÌ„perance Modestie Bashfulnesse Two sorts of bashfulnes Honestie Continencie abstinency Order and rule of mans life How perfection of mind and bodie is attained Perfection of bodie Health VVhat temperature of bodie is best Comlines of person required in a coun Philopemen How a Counsellor should be apparrelled Latus clauus Cal ceilunats The degrees of men ought be knowen by their apparrell Badges of honour Strength of bodie The age of a Counsellor Critici vel iuditiarii dies The common weale chieflie to be gouerned by olde men The qualitie of decrepit age Goods of Fortune requisite for a Counsellor The felicitie of Alexand. and Diogenes diuers Good parentage required in a Counsellor New nobility How new nobilitie is CoÌ„mendable Honour and glorie rewards of vertue Glorie Fame The losse of Fame of all others greatest Friendes Children Riches Valewation of wealth Valewation necessarie Riches without vertue nor worthy honor Reward due to Counsellors Rewards of vertue diuers VVherein the glorie of a Counsellor consisteth Counsellors ought be honoured Iniurie of 〈◊〉 counsellors to be punished Ornaments and rewards of the Senators of Rome How much the Emperours esteemed their Senators Adrianus