and therefore the people murthered him This Emperour was the more hated because he entertayned Halotus and Tygenlinus who were principall seruants to Nero and instruments in all his wickednesse So Otho likewise Emperor after Galba though hee thought by good words and liberality to get the hearts of the people yet did they hate him for that he had some about him who had beene instruments and Counsellors to Nero. The Kings of France for forty yeares giuing wholly to their pleasures permitted the Maior of the Palace of Paris to gouerne all at his pleasure which gaue opportunity to Pipin to make himselfe King Who being wise vertuous and well beloued was thereby admitted their King But the Emperour Tyberius giuing himselfe to pleasure and committing the gouernment to Seanus who grew proud thereof and tooke vpon him as he had bene Emperor and had statues made him before which they offered sacrifice and happy were they that had his fauour The Emperour hearing of his pride and insolency committed him to prison then those that did most honour him contemned him and spoke euill of him And the Emperour put both him and all his children to death Zoticus had that credite with Halingabalus as he was held Lord ouer all the rest his counsell as a Law and by his direction all Offices were sould Hee made Consuls the sonnes of slaues and base men And King Attolus gaue himselfe so to his pleasure as one Phylopaemen gouerned him as hee listed Insomuch that the Romanes when they did see any ship of Asia come by asked if the King was still in the good grace and fauour of Phylopaemen But Charles the seauenth King of France hauing diuers wise and faithfull Counsellours of meane parentage at the time he had ciuill Warre with the Duke of Burgundy whom the Duke of Brittany secretly fauoured mooued the Dukes to peace who answered if the King would remooue his Counsellours from him and take others that they would accord Whereuppon the Kings Councell perswaded him to accept thereof and they most willingly refused the Court and retyred themselues to their owne houses and so the Warre was ended Therefore a Prince should take care for the good education of his Nobility and honour the Noble and worthy families whereby they may continue in the Vertue and Valour of their Ancestors and the Prince thereby be the better serued In Rome there was a Law made called Prosopina by which the off-spring of Siluius of Torquatus and of Fabricius were more honoured and priuiledged then any other because they were ancient Families and more valiant then others They had a Law also that those who were descended of wicked persons as of Tarquinius Superbus of the Consull Escaurus of Catelin of the Censor Fabatus and of the Traytor Bicinus should beare no Office in the Common-wealth nor dwell within the circute of Rome But Nobility marrying basely do oftentimes degenerate For when nature sayth Plato produced man she gaue vnto him three properties of the mettals as to those that were fit to gouerne the people the property of Gold To them of force and valour to defend the Common-wealth the property of Siluer and the property of Iron and Brasse to handy-craftes men and common people to work and labour And he sayth that marrying the Noble with the Ignoble is to mixe good mettal with base mettall which is the ouer-throw of Nobility and changing of gouernment of the Common-wealth Therefore he counselleth euery oâ—e to marry with their equals Nobles with Nobles and ignobles among themselues CHAP. 22. A Prince not to place a Stanger in Authority A Prince is also to haue speciall regard that hee giues not a Stranger authority in the Common-wealth nor trust him too much For the ancient Romanes would neuer giue any charge or Office in the Common-wealth to a Stanger Insomuch that after the Battell of Cannas for want of sufficient men to be Senators in Rome Spurius Curulius making a motion to haue had some of the Latis chosen for Senators they would not agree thereunto but all hated Spurius for that motion And William King of Cicily descended of the house of France making a French-man his Chancellour the Noble-men much grieued thereat conspired and in one night killed all the French-men in Cicily in Apulia and in Calabria Charles the 8. King of France expulsed the Spaniards out of Naples by the helpe of the Neapolitanes and placed Frenchmen in all authority and gouernment there Whereupon the Neapolitans grieued made a generall reuolte and did driue out the French-men againe The Duke of Britaine hauing married an English woman was so affected to the English as his subiects much disliked thereof and hee mistrusting thâ—m sent for English-men to gouerne vnder him but before they came his owne subiects seized vpon all the Forts and Townes in Britany and forced the Duke to flye into England The Prince of Wales placing English-men in all Offices and authority in Aquitaine made the Country-men grudge thereat and in the end reuolte by which meanes Aquitane was lost Alexander King of the Epirots giuing entertainement to a number of the Lucamans banished out of their Country and after making Warre against their Country thought he should be well serued by them who promised to yeelde their Country into his hands but they made a secret compact with their Country-men to the contrary for drawing the King into a conuenient place for their purpose they shewed themselues his enemies and he swimming a riuer to escape in landing was killed by one of them The Emperour Gordian making an Arabian his Lieutenant called Phillipus a man of base parentage he procured the Emperours ouerthrow and in the end killed him most barbarously Charles Duke of Burgundy was betrayed by an Italian the Earle of Campobach and killed before Nancy CHAP. 23. Dangerous for a Prince to take ayde of a Stranger ANd if a Prince take ayde or succours of a stranger stronger then himselfe he may thereby endanger his estate For the Esterques called but to aide the Citty of Vulture subdued it The Herules Gothes and Lombards called into Italy for succours became Lords thereof So did they of Franconia with their King Pharamond by the Gaules now France And the Saxons did the like by England The Turkes in like manner got the East Empire and Hungaria called first in by the Emperour of Constantinople and by the States of Hungaria Cairaam a Pyrate called by the Inhabitants of Alger to expell the Spaniards after hee had vanquished the Spaniards slew Selin Prince of the Towne and made himselfe King leauing the estate to his brother Aradin Barbarossa Saladin a Tartarian Captaine called by the Calipha and Inhabitants of Cair to driue the Christians out of Soria after the Victory agaynst the Christians slew the Calipha and became absolute Lord thereof The Romanes called into Cicily by the Mamertins or Campanois to aide them did subiect both them and all Cicily in the end Francis King of France had a
by Caesar notwithstanding put him to death and sent his head to Caesar which he refused to see and wept for sorrow and commanded them that brought it to be put to death Shortly after Caesar assisted Cleopatra killed Ptolomeus her brother and made her Queene of Egypt Alfonsas sonne to Ferdinando King of Naples vnder the promise and safegard of his father got to come to him foure and twenty Princes and Barons who notwithstanding his promise put them in prison and vpon the death of his father being foure and twenty yeares after put them all to death Charles the seuenth King of France when he was Dolphin made John Duke of Burgundy beleeue that he would make a peace with him whereupon they met at a place appointed where Charles caused the Duke to be presently killed But Charles after this wearied with the warres Phillip sonne to the Duke made against him and of the subiection England brought France into by this opportunity did reconcile himselfe to Phillip and asked him forgiunesse openly by his Ambassadours Charles the last Duke of Burgundy hauing giuen safe conduct to the Earle of Saint Paul Constable of France tooke him prisoner and deliuered him to the French King who put him to death But Sultan Soliman the great Turke did worthily punish his Bascha for falsifying his word who sent into Valona to passe into Jtaly landed at the Hauen of Castro where the Inhabitants being astonished yeelded vnto him vpon his word and fidelity that they should depart with bag and baggage neuerthelesse he slew them all except those that were fit to serue for slaues But he returning to Constantinople Sultan caused him to be strangled for his disloyalty and perfidiousnesse and sent backe all the prisoners with their goods into Italy Thus you may see how honourable it is for one to keep their word and what they deserue that falsifie their faith for a faithlesse Prince is beloued of none but hated of all suspected of his friends not trusted of his enemies and forsaken of all men in his greatest necessity CHAP. 5. A Prince to be constant in his Act. IT is likewise very fitting that a Prince should be constant in his Act. First to aduise well before hee resolue but after resolution to be constant and not changeable For Saint Ambrose writing to Simplician saith that a foole is mooueable as the wind but a wise man is not astonished by feare nor changed by force nor sunke by sorrow nor proud by prosperity The Romans besieged Casselin Fabius would haue giuen ouer the siege but Marcellus perswaded him to the coÌ„trary saying that as there are many things a good Captaine ought not to attempt so ought he not to desist or giue ouer an enterprise once begun and taken in hand Bertrand de Guesclin a Frenchman seruing Henry against Peter King of Spaine was by the Prince of Wales taken prisoner and Peter by this victory restored to his Kingdome The Prince offered to giue Bertrand his liberty without ransome so he would serue Henry no more which he refused because Peter had murthered the Queene his wife Blanche de Burbon and married a Sarizen kings daughter the better to strengthen himselfe and had renounced the Catholicke faith Then the Prince asked him whither he would goe if he were at liberty he said where he would soone recouer his losse and desired the Prince to aske him no further Well said the Prince consider what ransome you will giue me for I referre it to your selfe With thankes he said he would giue him 100000 doubles of gold The Prince thought he mocked him offering him so much and said he would take the fourth part I thanke you said Bertrand and you shall haue 60000 doubles willingly Of which the Prince accepted Then said Bertrand very constantly and confidently Henry may now say and brag that he shall die King of Spaine for I will Crowne him whatsoeuer it cost me The Prince was astonished at his so haughty speeches yet vsed him very houourably and gaue him his liberty whereupon hee paid his ransome by the helpe of the King of France and of Henry of Spaine And after siue battels tooke Peter prisoner put him to death and made Henry King The Priuernates warring against the Romans and not able to resist their forces sent their Ambassadours to Rome to demand peace but because they had not obserued the Treaties of Peace before time some thought it not fit to yeeld to their demand and to conclude a Peace with those that would not keepe it Whereupon the Ambassadours were asked what punishment they had in their iudgement deserued for breaking the Peace before To which one of the Ambassadours answered that the Priuernates had deserued the punishment which those deserue that thinke themselues worthy of freedome and liberty and hate slauery and bondage Some thought this answer too proud and peremptory for men ouercome neuerthelesse they were asked againe if that they being pardoned for their former breach of peace would froÌ„ thenceforth keep the Peace granted them to which the Ambassadours answered againe very constantly that if they gaue them a good peace they would faithfully and perpetually keepe it but if they gaue them an euill peace it should not long continue Vpon this answer diuers of the Senate were moued but the greatest part did not condemne them for this constant and resolute answer considering that the Ambassadour spake as a free man and that euery one in bondage will seeke for liberty therefore it was concluded that the Priuernates should haue such a peace as they should be admitted and receiued for Citizens of Rome and enioy the same liberty and priuiledge as the City of Rome did Agiges King of the Cretians about to giue battell to the Licaonians his Captaines told him that his enemies were too great in number but he not feared therwith nor any thing changed said that he that would raigne ouer many must fight with many Leouidas likewise sonne to Anaxandridas when his men told him fighting in battell that the Arrowes of his enemies were so many as they couered the Sunne was not dismaid thereby but constantly continuing his fight said then shall we fight vnder their shadow And the great Prince Bias falling by chance in the danger of his enemies the Athenians and being asked of his Captaines what they should do he seeing their feare and inconstancy was not moued but answered that they should report to the liuing that he dyed figthing and hee would report to the dead that they went away flying Scipio though hee got the victory against Antiochus yet was he not changed but gaue him the same condition of peace he had offered him before the victory Spurius Seruilius Consull being accused before the people for the same matter for which they had condâ—mned Menemius his fellow Consull who through griefe thereupon dyed was of that constancy and courage as he freed himselfe and condemned the people for their proceeding against Menemius Perses
them to pray to their God for his and the Armies deliuery out of that danger Which they presently did and incontinent a great thunder fell amongst the enemies and abundance of water vpon the Romans wherby their thirst was quenched and the enemy ouerthrowne without any fight But prayer will not auaile euery Christian vnlesse he walke vprightly for God wil not heare the prayers of those that lye and wallow in sinue as appeareth Joh. 9. And Dauid saith Psal 65. Jf J finde iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me And God saith when you shall extend and lift vp your hands I will turne mine eyes from you and when you shall multiply your prayers I will not heare you for your hands are full of bloud I saias chap. 1. Therefore if a man be in wicked or bloudy sinne his prayer is in vaine CHAP. 11. A Prince not to shed innocent blood IT behoueth therefore a Prince to be vertuous and to haue speciall care that he put not his hand in innocent blood neither by tyranny malice ambition pollicy or vpon false reports and informations For to be a Tyrant is odious to God and man and to bring himselfe to an euill end As the Emperour Nero who after he had put to death his mother Agrippina his wife Octauia his brother Brittannicus and his Master Seneca Besides many others being proclaimed an enemy to the Common-wealth could get no body to kill him but was glad to kill himselfe saying Turpiter vixi turpius morior The Emperour Caius Caligula amongst other his tyrannies caused at his dinner and supper ordinarily one to cut off before him the heads of poore prisoners wherein he tooke great pleasure in the end he himselfe was killed by his men who conspired against him Nabis the Tyrant who vsurped the gouernment of the Lacedaemonians sent for eighty of their yong Princes and without any cause put them all to death And shortly after Alexamenes vnder pretence to serue him with some company suddenly strucke him off from his horse and killed him And as these tyrants had their iust rewards so all others had the like measure And for their wicked instruments the people oftentimes did Iustice vpon them For Plutarch writeth that the wicked Counsellors and Instruments of Apollodus of Phalaris Dionysius Nero and other tyrants were cruelly tormented to death by the people and iustly saith he because they who corrupt or seduce a Prince deserue as much to be abhorred of euery one as those who should poyson a publicke Spring or Fountaine whereof all the people doe drinke But sometimes those Princes that doe vse instruments for their murthers will not auow their Commission but doe themselues many times put them to death whom they imployed therein sometimes secretly sometimes publikely either to rid themselues of the suspition and infamy thereof or for feare of discouery As Alexander Magnus at his fathers Funerals commanded publike Iustice to be done vpon those who himselfe had secretly imployed to kill him The Emperour Tiberius did not onely dissauow his Commission giuen to a Souldier to kill Agrippa but put to death Seianus his speciall fauourite and instrument of his mischiefe Caesar Borgia did the like by a fauourite of his And let no Prince thinke that he can so contriue his matters but in the end truth will be discouered and knowne to the world and through ambition many haue shewed themselues very barbarous and bloudy as Tullia daughter to Seruius seeing her selfe married to Aruus a man of milde disposition and her sister of a gentle spirit married to Lucius Tarquinius who was ambitious and she not enduring to be thus matched killed her husband Aruus and her sister and then married Tarquinius whom she perswaded to kill her father Seruius to haue the Kingdome and she being in the streets when he was killed went with her Coach very inhumanely ouer his body that his bloud besprinkled her cloathes Soliman King of the Turks when he heard the great noyse and shout of ioy his Army made for the returne of his sonne Sultan Mustapha out of Persia caused him presently to be strangled in his outward Chamber and his dead body to be cast out before the whole Army and one to cry with a loud voyce that there was but one God and one Sultan vpon the earth He put to death also Sultan Soba because he wept for his brother and Sultan Mahomet his third sonne because he fled for feare leauing one onely aliue to auoyde the inconuenience of many Lords The Emperour Seuerus hauing vanquished Albinus and Niger his Competitor in the Empire embrued with blood put a great number to death and told his sonne Geta that he would not leaue him an enemy Geta asked him if those he put to death had neither parents friends nor kinsfolke yes said the Emperour a great number Then said Geta you will leaue vs many moe enemies then you take from vs. His sonne Bassianus hauing murthered his brother Geta to haue the Empire alone and doubting that the Senate would greatly mislike thereof made a shew that he was sorry for his brothers death and that he did it by the perswasion of Letus his fauourite whom therefore he put to death and all those that did assist him in that action likewise all those that were friends to Geta lest they should attempt any thing against him yet in the end he was killed Alphonsus King of Naples hauing vniustly murthered twenty foure of his Barons could neuer sleepe quietly for representation of their shapes which alwayes vexed him in his dreames And in the end hee fell into that feare of the French as leauing his Kingdome to his sonne he fled into Spaine to liue a in a Monastery making such haste as he would take nothing with him And his men perswading him to stay two or three dayes to make his prouision no no said hee let vs be gone doe you not heare how all the world cryes France France Hee knew himselfe to be so hated King Iohn of England murthered his nephew and in the end was murthered himselfe Richard likewise Duke of Glocester murthered his two nephews sonnes to Edward the fourth to make himselfe King and after was slaine in battell by Henry the seuenth for blood requires blood and let a bloody Prince neuer looke for better end CHAP. 12. A Prince to be circumspect in giuing credit to reports BVt many Princes haue been mightily abused by false reports and wrong informations yea sometimes by the nearest and dearest vnto them and those that should be most faithfull Dauid therefore prayed God to deliuer him from wicked lips and a lying tongue Psal 119. And in Eccle. 31. we are warned to take heed of our children and of our houshold seruants And in the sixt chapter it is said Seperate thy selfe from thine enemies and beware euen of thy friends for where a man doth trust the most there he may soonest be deceiued As was the Emperour Glaudius a
Bajazet Their Generall was the Earle of Neuers who against the will of the King of Hungary and of all the Campe gaue the first charge and without order and was ouer-throwne whereupon the Army of the Christians fled Anno 1396. by reason whereof the Turk tooke al Greece and the greatest part of Bulgaria and then besieged Constantinople And it is also very requisite that the Generall should keep his souldiers from idlenesse for Segnities robur frangit longa otianeruos Sloath weakneth the sinewes and diminisheth a mans force and is the nurse of all vice making a man most base Therefore Aeleas a King of Scythia sayd that hee thought himselfe no better then his Horse-keeper when hee was idle A vice to which Gentlemen alwayes haue beene too much giuen Insomuch that in Athens where they did not suffer the people to be idle a Citizen being iudicially condemned for idlenesse one Herondas requested one to shew him the party that was condemned for a Gentle-mans life In Carthage to auoyde this vice the Noble-men did alwayes exercise Armes the common people laboured and the Learned men were euer teaching and instructing others And in the Common-wealth of the Lacedemonians none were idle for all men laboured and they sending one Chilon to Corinthe to treate of a League hee found the Magistrates idlely exercised playing at Dice whereuppon hee returned home and would not speake of his Commission saying That hee would not stayne the glory of Sparta with so great an ignominy as to ioyne them in society with such kinde of people Marius caused his souldiers to make Trenches when there was no cause onely to keepe them from idlenesse Claudius hauing an assured peace for the avoyding of idlenesse kept thirty thousand men twelue yeares in working the Channell Fucinus that Rome might haue good water And when the Lawes were well kept in Rome at the time they had Warres with the Celtiberians in Spaine and with Alexander the Senators went three dayes about Rome with the Censors and could not find one idle man for a messenger to carry their letters But in Marcus Aurelius time there were plenty for he confesseth that hee banished punished and put to death in his time 30000. idle Vagabonds and 10000. idle women And France being troubled with a great number of idle vagabond souldiers Bertrand de Guesclin to free the Countrey of them drew them all to goe with him into Spaine agaynst the Sarazins Bruce King of Scotland exhorted his subiects to exercise Armes alwayes for that idlenesse would corrupt them and for want of practise they would not be able to resist their enemies A Prince therefore being the Lanterne to his subiects should giue good example herein Alfred King of England had that care to eschew idlenesse and to spend his time well as he diuided the day into three parts by a Taper that burned continually in his Chappel 24. houres The first part he spent in Prayer and in study The second part hee employed in the affaires of the Common-wealth and the third part he tooke for his recreation and rest A good president for other Princes CHAP. 26. A Prince to be well aduised before hee begin Warre and carefull in his fight IT is not for a Prince vpon euery quarrell to make War but to be sure that the cause bee good and iust which then wil bring honor to his Person safety to his soule and great encouragement to all his souldiers Yet according to the saying of Octauius Caesar neyther battell nor War is to be vndertaken vnlesse there may be euidently seene more hope of gayne then feare of damage for such as sought after the smallest commodities not with a little danger he likened vnto those that Angle with a golden hooke for the losse whereof if it hapned to be suapped or broken off no draught of Fish whatsoeuer was able to make amends And it is necessary that a Prince or his Generall should consult and take counsell before hee fight for the aduice of his Captaynes heerein may doe great good Therefore the Carthagintans commaunded those Captaynes to be hanged that got Victory without any consultation before And those that did first consult and then were ouer-throwne they did neuer punish And hauing taken counsell and resolution execution is to follow without delay least occasion be lost For Aristotle sayth that a wise man ought to counsell slowly and execuâ—e speedily and if Victory be gotten to follow it hotly is the best before the enemy being discouraged be able to make head agayne For if Hanniball had done so after the battell of Cannas and not lingred to refresh his men he had taken Rome Likewise Pompey in a skirmish put Caesar to the worse which if he had pursued he had quite ouer-throwne Caesar Yet a man must take heed he follow not the Victory too fiercely nor out of order For so Phillip King of Macedonta by following the Romanes too fiercely was defeated So likewise Gaston de Foix hauing wonne the battell at Rauenna pursuing too fiercely a squadron of Spaniards that fled by them was ouer-throwne lost his life and made all that a prey to the enemy which before hee had Conquered in Italy And an enemy is not to be contemned though his Forces be inferiour for oftentimes it is not the multitude of men that getteth the Victory but the couragious and resolute mindes of the fouldiers assisted by God For King Alexander with 33000. foote-men and 25000. horse-men ouer-threw the Persians and Darius army of 400000. foot-men and 100000. horse-men Robert le Frison with a few and without experience defeated Phillip King of Frances great Army and old Souldiers The Earle of Namure with the Flemings being but a few ouer-thre the Earle of Artois sent by Phillip the fayre King of France with 40000. French-men into Flanders whereof 300. efcaped not At the battell of Peitiers the Prince of Wales with 8000. English ouerthrow 40000. French tooke King Iohn and his Sonne prisoners and also a number of Princes and Noble-men Henry the fifth at the battell of Agincourt with 7000 ouer-threw 80000. French Simon Earle of Monford besieged in the Castle of Mirebeau in France by the King of Arragon and others and hauing with him but 2. Knights 60. horse-men and 700. foot-men hauing commended themselues to God sallied and charged the King so valiently that he ouerthrew his Army killed him and 17000. of his men and lost not aboue eight foot-men of all his Therefore a Prince should not presume too much of his owne strength nor be carelesse of his enemy nor charge him but in good order For fighting without order the Carpentines Olcades and Vaceos in Spaine hauing an Army of 100000. were ouer-throwne by Hanniball for they trusted in the number of their Souldiers and kept no order Both the Scipioes being slayne in Spaine Lucius Martius being a man of meane calling yet a good Souldier and of great courage gathered the dispersed souldiers together and was chosen for their
de of Soliman the great Turke against Charles the fifth who fearing by continuing the War that the Turke might get that footing as to ouercome all Christendom made peace with France But then the Turkes Bascha being in Marcelles the King of France could not get him out before hee had succours from the Emperour who was forced to ayde him Therefore when Pope Iulius the second Maximilian the Emperour Ferdinando King of Spaine and Lewes King of France had entred league against the Venetians Selin the great Turke offered to send the Venetians succours which they refused fearing that accepting thereof they should be in danger of the Turke CHAP. 24. A Prince to get and keepe the loue of his Subiects A Prince therefore to the end he may be strong at home and neede no Forraine force should alwayes respect his owne subiects especially men of worth and seruice as well in peace as in VVarre that hee may winne the loue and hearrs of his subiects the meanest whereof may be able to doe him some kinde of seruice at one time or other For Seneca sayth that the onely inexpugnable force of a Prince is the loue of his subiects Wherefore the Emperour Marcus Aurelius in his speeches to his Councell commending his sonne vnto them sayd It is not the aboundance of money and Treasure nor the multitude of sâ—uldiers that maintayneth a Prince and causeth him to be bâ—yed but the loue of his subiects For those sayth hee doe onely long and sarely Reigne who doe ingraue in the hearts of their subiects not a feare by force and cruelty but a loue by bounty and liberality And those that willingly yeelde to obedience and are not contrayned by seruitude ought not to be suspected of the Prince And subiects sayth he neuer refuse to obey but when they are vsed withviolence and contumely Mesissa King of Numidia exhorting his sonnes at his death to keepe amity and concord amongst them sayd It is not the great forces nor Armies nor great Treasure by which a Prince should preserue and maintayne his estate but friends who are not gorten by force of Armes nor with money but by good vsage and loyalty And Cornelius Tacitus sayth that a Prince can haue no greater better nor fitter instruments to keepe and conserue his estate then good friends Wherefore a Prince should haue care alwayes of his subiects and vse them well For Antonius Pius would say that hee had rather preserue one of his subiects then kill a thousand of his enemies And Pribagoras affirmeth that subiects are to the Prince as the Winde to the fire for the stronger the Wind is the greater is the fire So the richer the Subiects be the stronger the Prince But where Matcheuils principle taketh effect there the subiects must be made poore by continuall Subsidies exactions and impositions that the people may be alwayes kept vnder as slaues and feare the Prince which course extinguisheth the loue of the people towards the Prince and ingendreth hatred Therefore Pythagoras counsell is better And a Prince to enrich his subiects the only way is to keepe them in peace without quarrels and dissentions and too gricuous exactions Therefore Philip Commines blameth greatly such Princes as doe not seeke to compound and end dissentions and quarrels amongst their greatest subiects but rather doe nourish the one part wherein they doe but set their owne house on fire as did the Wife to Henry the sixt taking part with the Duke of Somerset against the Earle of Warwicke which caused the Warre betwixt the House of Yorke and Lancaster Likewise Charles the seauenth King of France beeing Dolphin taking part with the Duke of Orleans against the Duke of Burgundy was the cause that the Duke of Burgundy brought Henry the fifth into France And for exactions the Emperour Augustus made a Law called Augusta that no payment should be exacted of the people but for the profite of the Common-wealth And when Marcus Antonius layd a double taxe vppon the people they answered That if he would haue two taxes in one yeare hee must giue them two Summers two Haruests and two Vintages For the people cannot endure to bee ouercharged if they bee great inconuenience may grow thereby For Phillip Le Bell King of France being receiued in Flanders as Lord thereof charged the people with excessiue taxes and suffered the French to commit all insolency and iniuries against the people fauouring the Nobility and exempting them from all taxes impositions and charges whereupon they of Bruges begunne to reuolte and killed all the French in the Towne After this the Flemengs ouer-threw the forces of King Phillip and freed themselues from the French Therefore if the Princes Councell or Nobility doe yeelde to haue any thing imposed vpon the people it is fitting they should not be exempt but beginne and lay it first vppon themselues as the Romanes did for the people murmuring against the Consuls for imposing a great charge vppon them Consull Leuinius sayd As the chiefe Magistrate is in honour aboue the Senate and the Senate aboue the people so ought he to be a guide and the first to submit himselfe to endure all kinde of paine and trouble For if thou wilt impose a charge vppon thy inferiour first beginne and lay it vpon thy selfe and the rest will more easily follow therefore let vs beginne with our selues sayd hee and so they did The great impositions the Prince of Wales layd vppon the Councrey of Guienne was a great cause of the losse thereof The Duke of Orleans Gouenour of France for Charles the sixt was extreamely hated of the Parisians for a great imposition he layd vpon them for reformation whereof the Duke of Burgundy leuyed great forces and in the end caused the Duke of Orleans to bee killed The Duke of Aniou regent of France laying a great imposition vpon the people a Collector thereuppon demaunding a Denier of a poore VVoman for a basket of Herbes which shee refusing to pay hee forced to take her Herbes but she crying was rescued by the people and an vproare did arise which did great hurt before it could be appeased The Earle of Flanders likewise laying a great imposition vppon the people made them rebell against him And Lewes the twelfth King of France making Warre against Lodowicke Sforce Duke of Milan who knowing himselfe to be very edious to his subiects for his great exactions and impositions and fearing that they would abandon him assembled the people at Milane and to gaine their good wills remitted diuers taxes which he had imposed vpon them and gaue them many reasons and excuses for his former proceedings But such hatred they had conceiued against him as all would not serue for within few dayes after they tooke armes called in the French killed his Treasurer and made him flee When the Battell of Cressy was fought the people of France were in extreame pouerty by reason of the euill gouernment of the publicke Treasure of the false-hood of the