Charles of Navarre call'd the Noble gain'd the Love of all by his Liberality King Henry the Second did thereby wipe out the Murder of his Brother King Peter and established his Right to the Crown What cannot a liberal Prince do What can't a golden Scepter oblige to Even Tyranny 3 Prov. 19. 6. is conniv'd at and born with when the Prince knows how to give especially when it gains the Applause of the people by supplying the publick Necessities and rewarding persons of Merit This vertue in my opinion maintain'd Tiberius in the Empire for this he always practis'd 4 Quam virtutem diu retinuit cum caeteras 〈◊〉 Tac. 1. ann But there is nothing more pernicious to a Prince than Liberality and Goodness for they usually go together if not used with Moderation Liberality says King Alphonso the Wise becomes all men of power but principally a King when he uses it to purpose and as he should Garcias Sancho King of Navarr lost his Subjects affections by the same Liberality with which he hop'd to have gain'd them for to maintain it he opprest them with Taxes and Impositions Prodigality is little distant from Rapine or Tyranny for when the Treasury is drain'd by Ambition it must of necessity be recruited by ill and indirect means 5 Ac velut perfringere aerarium 〈◊〉 si 〈◊〉 exhauserimus per scelera supplendum â—rit Tac. 2. ann He who gives more than he is able says Alphonso the Wise is not liberal but prodigal and when his own stock fails he will be obliged to make use of others so that if on one side he â—â—kes Friends by what he gives he on th' other side makes Eâ—â—mies by what he takes away Diego d' Arias Treasurer to King Henry the Fourth least he should fall into this inconâ—enience represented to him the Extravagance of his Liberality and that 't was convenient that his Retinue should be reduc'd to a lesser number and that the Salaries allow'd to such as did not actually serve or were any ways incapacitated might be taken off to whom the King made this Answer I too were I Arias should more respect my Money thâ—n my Liberality you say well as to your self but as for me I 'll act as becomes a King without fear of poverty or exposing my self to the necessity of raising new Taxes 'T is the duty of a King to give and to measure his Authority by the publick Good not his own particular which is the true fruit of Riches To some we give because they are good to others that they may 〈◊〉 be bad Words truly worthy a King if he had been guided by these considerations but his gifts were always excessive and without order without the least regard to the Merit of the Party as his Brother-in-law King Ferdinand observed in one of his Laws saying That he gave Rewards for Shew not for Merit Whence we may observe the circumspection a Prince ought to observe in his Liberality for fear of giving occasion to his Subjects to acknowledge his Authority only to receive from him not to obey him An extravagant Subject ruins only himself But a Prince himself and State too The Treasury would be soon at an ebb if the Prince should be extravagantly liberal without considering that they are the Magazines for publick Necessities The Mountains don't squander away the Snow which the Vapours of the Fields and Valleys heap upon its top but on the contrary preserve it against Summer and then in gentle Streams returns it upon the same grounds it was attracted from They don't descend all at once for so they would not answer their design and would be slighted as useless for Liberality is the greatest Enemy to Liberality nor do they immediately mix with the Rivers leaving the Plains and Vallies dry as Princes usually do who give to the Rich what ought to be distributed among the Poor and drain the thirsty sands to supply the brimfull Lakes which have no need of it 'T is a great fault to gain the favour of the Rich at the expence of the poor and by vain extravagance to oppress the body of the State whose ruin is always promoted by the pride and vanity of a few The people cannot brook to see that power vainly squander'd away which ought to be employ'd to the preservation of them and the Prince's dignity The rewards of a Prodigal are not esteem'd because they are common and proceed from the vice of Extravagance not the vertue of Liberality and by giving all to a few he offends many that which is given to some particular ones being wanted in general by all He who gives without care or choice enriches indeed but rewards not to give to those who deserve 't is necessary to be sparing to others So that a Prince ought to use great Prudence and Judgment in the Distribution of Rewards 6 Psal. 98. 4. For when they are well distributed though they fall on but few they affect many The Scriptures command all Offerings to be made with Salt which is the same as Prudence 7 Levit. 2. 14. Eccl. 35. 11. equally distant from Prodigality and Avarice But because a Prince ought to be generous to all let him imitate Aurora which as it passes always leaves something tho' but Dew and Flowers Nay often satisfies only with its Beauty and Pleasantness Let him give to all but with such Moderation that without putting it out of his power to give more he may content them Some by Presents some by Words and some by Affability 8 Eccl. 35. 11. for oftentimes the Eyes give more than the Hands Liberality is the only Vertue which should be sometimes in the opinion of others more than in the person of the Prince Experience teaching us that 't is sufficient that he express some Demonstrations with such Address that he may be generally esteem'd liberal so that he must avoid Refusals for 't is a great trouble to receive them from a Prince What he cannot give to day he may give to morrow and if he cannot 't is better to let time discover it than to tell it himself He who refuses either does not distinguish Merit or shews his want of Power or Will and neither of these Declarations become a Prince whose Power and Grandure the Petitioner acknowledges Let a Prince be generous in the Reward of Vertue but let it be with Offices and Imployments and other Revenues already allotted to Liberality not with the Crown-Rents and Treasury reserv'd for greater uses King Ferdinand the Catholick was very liberal but not to the Prejudice of the Crown He was at his first coming to the Crown slow in the Distribution of Offices the better to gain mens minds and to reward those who had followed his Party He knew with great Prudence to mingle Liberality with Frugality Of which he has not only left us an Example but also a Law in these words Kings ought not to be so generous and
of Subjects and the greater Ties of Friendship and Relation are loos'd and broken upon account of Religion King Witeric was put to Death by his own Subjects for endeavouring to introduce Arianism the same befel Witiza for altering the Rites and Ceremonies of Divine Worship Galicia rebelled against King Froilus for the abuse of the Marriage of the Clergy As soon as Dive sity of Religions was introduced among the Dutch they rebell'd against their lawful King and Master So Honour as it is the Defence and Preservation of States and the chief Spur to Loyalty so it also disturbs them to clear it self from Affronts Contempt and Injuries the People preferring Honour before Life and Fortune 8 Honor quoque quantâ—â— valeat quomodo sit causa seditionis 〈◊〉 est Arist. 5. Pol. c. 3. Count Iulian invited the Moors into Spain because he suspected that King Roderick had violated the Honour of his Daughter Cava the Nobles of Castile took up Arms against Alphonsus III. for that he would infringe their Privileges and oblige 'em to pay Taxes as did the Subjects of Ramires III. King of Leon for his severe and servile usage of them For Affronts received by the People always provoke to Revenge upon the Prince 9 Et multae conspirationes invasioâ—s in Monarchas propter pudendas contumelias in corpus illatas factâ— sunt Arist. 5. Pol. l. 10. and Contempt creates Seditions 10 Propâ—er contempâ—um etiam seditiones conspiratâ—â—â—quâ— fâ—â—nâ— Aâ—â—st 5. Pol. c. 3. And this either when the Prince contemns the People or the People the Prince which is when they don't find him fitly qualified thinking it base to obey one who knows not to Command and make himself respected and takes no Care of the Government So the People of Arragon served their King Iohn I. the same thing befel Iohn II. of â—astile for his insufficiency Henry IV. for his Vices and Alphonso V. of Portugal for suffering himself to be govern'd by others Nor do Subjects take it as â— less Injury and Contempt for the Prince to make Foreigners his chief Ministers and to dispose of all Dignities and Preferment among them for as King Henry said That is declaring plainly that his own native Subjects are insufficient and unworthy * L. 14. tit 3. lib. 2. recop This was the cause of the Commotions of Castile in the time of the Emperour Charles V. The same thing happens upon an unequal Distribution of Honours for that Men of great Spirits can't brook 11 Non multitudo quâ—dem gravitâ— fert inaequalitatem patrimoniorum praestantes autem honorum inaequalitatem Arist. lib. 2. Poâ— c. 5. and take it as an Affront that Men of leâ—â— Desert are preferr'd before them 12 Nam homines tum quod ipsi inhonorati fiunt inovent seditiones tum quod alios videant in honore Arist. 5. Pol. 3. The greatest Disease of a Government is Incontinence and Lust in the Governours hence proceed Seditions and Revolutions of States for that violates the Honour of many and is severely punished by God One such Action buried Spain in ashes for many Ages the same call'd down great Plagues upon Egypt 13 Gen. 12. 17. And David suffered great Troubles both in his own Person and in his Posterity 14 2 Sam. 12. 10. who were continually persecuted and destroy'd by the Sword There is danger in those States where many are excluded from Offices for they are all so many Enemies 15 Cum enim multitudo inâ—pum est in civitate eademque ab honoribus exclusa necesse est eam civitatem plenam hostium Reipub Arist. lib. 3. Pol. c. 7. no Man is so stupid as not to desire Honour and take it ill to be deprived of it 16 Honori incumbit tam ignarus quam bonus Arist. 2. Pol. 5. Those States also are subject to the same Inconveniency in which the Magistracy is divided among a set number of the Nobility all the rest being excluded The third Cause of the Revolutions and Troubles of States is the desire of preserving Life that is when the Subjects think the Prince so Lazy and Cowardly as that he can't preserve and defend them or else when they hate him for his Severity as they did King Alphonso III. or for his Cruelty as they did King Peter or for his Injustice and Tyranny which endangers all their Lives as they did King Ordonius for the ill usage and Murther of the Counts of Castile whence proceeded the Change of his State * Mar. Hist. Hisp. The last is Estates that is when a Prince idlely squanders away his Subjects Fortunes which occasion'd Garcias King of Galicia to lose both Kingdom and Life too or when he extravagantly spends his Revenues which was Ramon's Pretence for killing â— his Brother-in-Law Sancho King of Navarre or when he is very covetous as was King Alphonso or when through his ill management the State suffers by Scarcity or when the Price of things rises or Trade fails which render'd the same Alphonso so odious or when the Coin is bad as 't was in the time of Peter II. King oâ— Arragon and in many other Kings Reigns or when Places of Profit or Riches are unequally despos'd of For Envy and Necessity take up Arms against the Rich and so raise Commotions 17 Insuper seditiones oriuntur non solum ob patrimoniorum verum etiam ob honorum inaequalitatem Arist. lib. 2. Pol. 5. This also happens from the Male-administration of Justice from the quartering of Souldiers and from other Burthens which oppress the Subjects Estates and Goods Besides these general Causes there are others particular to the three Distinctions which I made of Kingdoms in the last Emblem which may be inferr'd from what I propos'd for their Preservation for the Knowledge of preserving a State implys the Knowledge of what will ruin it and so on the contrary 18 Sed illud primum omnium dubitarâ— non potest quin cognitis iis quae Reipub interitum important ea quoque quae salutem afferunt intelligantur Arist. lib. 5. pol. cap. 8. for all this I cannot but enlarge a little though I run a Risque of repeating what has been already said Hereditary States are usually ruined for want of Care and Diligence in the Successour especially when they are considerable for then their Greatness makes him secure and negligent careless of all Danger and dubious in his Councels In Execution timorous least he should disturb the Quiet he injoys he takes no Care to prevent misfortunes but thinks it sufficient if he can remedy them not considering that this latter is more chargeable and less effectual 19 〈…〉 diora sunt remedia quam mala Tac. in vit Agr. He thinks Bravery too dangerous and in procuring Peace by certain idle and uncertain means he brings a War upon himself and so ruins himself by the very means he us'd for his Preservation This is the misfortune
Abilities and that they penetrate all things report to the Prince for Certainty not that which is but that which they fansie may be they are too prone to Suspicions which they form from the least Shadow and then give credit to them whence proceed great Equivocations and Errors and is the chief cause of Quarrels and Wars among Princes for no Minister but has Power to promote Broils and Discord 2 In turbâ—s discordiâ—s pessâ—mo cuique plurima vis Tac. 4. Hist. Let Princes therefore be cautious of giving Credit to the first Relations of their Ministers but compare them first with those they receive from others And to form a more certain Judgment of what is written to them let them be perfectly acquainted with their Humour and Genius and with their Method of Conceiving Things whether they act by private Interest and Passion for it happens sometimes that the Minister is taken with a Love for the Country or Prince with whom he Treats and thinks all things Right and Just and sometimes suffers himself to be oblig'd by their Favours and Civilities and being naturally Grateful is of their Side and acts their Cause Sometimes is deluded by plain Appearances and by contrary Reports cunningly spread and so easily deceives his Prince for there is none more apt to deceive others than one who has been impos'd upon before Many Ministers are mov'd by slight Reasons or by some Passion or private Aversion which disturbs their Judgments and turn every thing to ill There are some also naturally enclin'd to Misconstrue all Actions and Designs whereas others are so Frank and Generous that they think nothing ill design'd Both the one and the other are dangerous and these last not less so than the others Sometimes the Minister thinking it part of his Duty to discover to the Prince his Enemies and that by that means he shall gain the Character of a Zealous and Understanding Person becomes so nicely suspicious that no one is safe from his Tongue and Pen and to make his Surmises and Apprehensions sure gives occasion by his Distrust to Friends to become Enemies to the great Detriment of the Prince to whom it were much better to have a good Confidence in all or for the Minister to apply Remedies to cure not to infect the Minds and Wills of the Subject Ministers also weary of Embassies that they may retire to enjoy the Conveniencies and Ease of a Domestick Life stick not to promote a Rupture between the Princes they assist or at least to suggest Counsels not less pernicious Princes are much deceived who think their Ministers act always as Ministers and not as Men. If it were so they would be much better served and find less Inconveniencies But they are Men and their Office does not strip 'em of their Inclination to Ease and to the Pleasures of Love Anger Revenge and other Affections and Passions which Zeal nor Duty are not always capable to correct But let Princes be apprized that those who can't seduce Good and Loyal Ministers for that they fathom their Artifices and Counsels and know what is their Prince's Interest what not they traduce them as Distrustful Passionate Perverse and Obstinate and therefore endeavour to remove them from the Management of Affairs and to introduce others less Knowing or to treat immediately with the Prince himself tendring him specious Propositions which oblige him to Resolves more prejudicial He must not give the least grounds to any one to think that he can't change the course of Affairs or displace Ministers for if such Thoughts take place the Prince will be ill served For such Confidence causes Disdain and Disobedience in the Accuser and the Fear of it discourages the Minister The Errors of these are less dangerous than those to admit the Accusations against them especially if they are Foreigners And were they true yet 't is more Prudence to deferr the Remedy till he from whom they came can't ascribe it to himself EMBLEM LXXVII THE farther those two Luminaries of Day and Night are distant from each other the greater their Influence and Light is Below But when they are in Conjunction their being Brethren does not prevent the one from obscuring the other's Rays and such Eclipse creates Shadows and Inconveniencies to the Earth Princes by the benefit of their Ministers and Letters maintain and uphold mutual Correspondence with each other But if they should Conferr Personally with one another their Interview would create shadows of Suspicion and Jealousie which would put all their States in Confusion for that they never find in one another what they promis'd to themselves and that neither measures himself by his own Rule but pretends always to much more than his Due An Interview of two Princes is almost like a Duel in which they fight with Ceremonies each endeavouring to conquer t'other The Families of each assist at the Engagement like two Hostile Troops each being zealous for his Prince's Triumph over the other in Personal Accomplishments or Grandeur and as in such a number all can't be Men of Prudence some light Expression or slight Affront causes Dissatisfaction in the rest So it happen'd in the Interview between King Henry and Lewis XI of France in which the Spaniards exceeding them in Pomp and Greatness and scouting the Meanness and Slovenliness of the French those two Nations departed Enemies who had till then maintain'd a good Correspondence together * Mar. Hist. Hisp. The Hatred between Germanicus and Piso was private till they saw one another 1 Discesserâ—ntque opertis Odiis Tac. 2. Anâ—al The Interview between Ferdinand IV. of Castile and Dionysius his Father-in-Law King of Portugal caused great Disorders as did that of King Philip I. and King Ferdinand And though the Meeting of Iames I. and King Alphonso produced very good Effects yet is it the safest way for Princes to manage their Affairs by Embassadors Sometimes Favourites sow Discord between the Prince and those of the Blood-Royal as we have before observ'd of which there are many Examples in our Histories Don Lopez de Haro procured a Separation between King Sancho the Strong and the Queen his Consort The Domesticks of Queen Catharine Mother to King Iohn II. incens'd her against the Infant Don Ferdinand Don Alvarez de Lara endeavoured thereby to keep the Government in his own Hands to persuade King Henry I. that his Sister Queen Berenguela design'd to poison him Those who were interested in the Quarrels between the Infant Sancho and King Alphonso the Wise his Father took what care they cou'd to prevent their Meeting and Agreement The Grandees of Castile hindred the Reconcilement of King Iohn II. to his Son Henry Don Alvarez de Luna that of King Iohn of Navarre to his Son Prince Carlos of Viana The Favourites of King Philip I. dissuaded him from an Interview with King Ferdinand Such Artifices we have seen us'd in France in these Times to the Detriment of that Kingdom and
than Wisdom 12 What is richer than wisdom that worketh all things And if prudence work who of all that are is a more cunning workman than shee Wisd. 8. 5. 'T was by this kind of Traffick with the Inhabitants of Tarsis and Ophir the same Solomon got his vast Riches for which he had never prepared so many and great Fleets exposed to so many and great Hazards at Sea if he could have saved the labour with a Crucible It is likely that he who could speak well of all things 13 And he spake of Trees from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon even unto the Hysop that springeth out of the Waâ—l 1 Kings 4. 33. who was endued by God with a Supernatural Knowledge should never find out this Secret also or actually have used it had it been feasible Besides 't is not credible that God will ever permit it for thereby in probability an end would be put to all Commerce which is maintain'd by nothing so much as by a Species of Money common to all the World and that made of some scarce and precious Metal EMBLEM VII THE Affections are born with us Reason comes not till many Years after when they are already possess'd of the Will and this deluded with a false appearance of good submits to them and owns no other Empire but theirs till Reason recovering strength by Time and Experience takes upon it the Right of Government it had by Nature and begins to make Head against the Tyranny of our Appetites This Light usually rises later in Princes because the Delicacies of the Court which they 're used to render their Affections more prevailing besides that their Courtiers strive generally to get their Favour which they know rather depends upon the Will than Reason hence all use the art of Flattery and make it their business to engage that but cast a Cloud on this A Prince ought therefore to be well acquainted with these Artiâ—ices and arm himself not against his own Passions only but all such Persons as would abuse them to govern him This is a great and general Negligence in those who undertake to form Princes Minds Useless and unfruitful Weeds which grow among Corn we spend time in â—â—adicating yet suffer vicious Passions and Inclinations that wage War with Reason to grow To cure a Prince's Body many Galens are always ready the Mind often has scarce one Epictetus though this is subject to no less Infirmities than the Body and those so much worse as that is more excellent than this If its countenance were visible and we could discover in it its ill and distempered Affections we should pity the Condition of many we at present take for happy Men whom that feverish Heat of depraved Appetites so miserably preys upon If the Hearts of Tyrants could be opened one might see Bruises and Wounds 1 Si recludantur tyrannorum mentes posse aspici laniatus ictus quando ut corpora verberibus ita saevitia libidine malis consultis animus dilaceretur Tac. 6. Ann. Alas What Tempests of Confusion and Distraction is a Mind in that Condition rack'd with It s Light is all obscured his Reason so disturbed that all things appear to him far different from what they really in themselves are Hence proceeds that variety of Judgments and Opinions in the World hence few weigh things aright but pass a different estimate according to the light by which they see them For 't is with the Affections as with Tellescopes which at one end magnify at the other diminish Objects The Crystals are the same the Objects nothing alter'd this only is the difference that the visual Rays falling inâ— at one end are dilated from the Center to the Circumference and consequently diffuse themselves and multiply more whereas at the other end they are contracted from the Circumference to the Center and so represent Objects considerably less Such is the difference between these two ways of looking upon things At the same time tho' in different Kingdoms the two Infants Iames the Son of Iames the Second King of Arragon and Alphonsâ— Son of Dionysio King of Portugal had in view the Succession of their Fathers Crown But see in how different a manner the first against his Father's Will refused to accept the other contrary to the Laws of Piety by force of Arms attempted to snatch it from the Head of his One considering the vast Cares and Dangers of Government bid adieu to the World and preferr'd a Monastick Life as the more quiet and happy the other look'd upon Life without Sovereignty to be burthensome and unprofitable and had more respect to his Ambition than the Law of Nature This look'd upon the Circumference of the Crown which border'd with Flowers was an agreeable sight that consider'd rather the Point and Center of it whence the Lines of Labour and Care are drawn All Men propose something that has the appearance of good as the end of their Actions 2 Omnia namque ejus quod speciem boni praefert gratiâ omnes agunt Arist. Pol. 1. Cap. 8. but because we are deceived in the knowledge of this Good hence proceeds our Error The greatest thing imaginable when in our own Power appears little and inconsiderable in others great and magnificent Our own Faults we are not sensible of those of others we easily discover Other Mens defects seem like Giants ours scarce so big as Dwarfs Nay further we know how to new-name Vices and give them the Colour of Virtue Ambition we call greatness of Mind Cruelty Justice Prodigality Liberality Rashness Valour In short few can with Prudence distinguish Honesty from its contrary what 's profitable from the prejudicial 3 Pauci prudentia honesta à deteriorâ—bus uttlia ab noxiis discernunt Tac. Lib. 4. Ann. 'T is thus we are deceived when we look on things by that end of the Prospective which Passions and Inclinations stop I know nothing but Benefits that are to be looked upon through both ends those we receive ought to appear great to us those we confer little This was King Henry the Fourth's Custom nay he seldom so much as remembred Kindnesses he had done others on the contrary those he had received he never let slip out of his Memory being always careful the first opportunity to repay them as a Debt A Prince ought not to imagine that a Courtesy is as it were a Mark of Slavery on the Person gratified I should not call that Generosity but Tyranny rather and a kind of Traffick for Mens Affections which the Prince buys at the price of Favours as they do Slaves for Money on the Coasts of Guinea He who does a good Office should not think he lays an Obligation he who receives it ought to think himself obliged In a word A Prince should imitate God Almighty who giveth to all Men liberally and upbraideth not 4 James 1. 5. In undertaking and carrying on Wars in procuring and establishing Peace
Courage that is without Reason provoked In a word no Vice is more unbecoming a Prince than that for to be angry supposes contempt or an injury received nor is any thing so disagreable to his Place and Office in as much as nothing so obscures the Judgment which should in a Governor be serene and clear A Prince that is exasperated and passionate upon any slight occasion gives his Heart into the Hands of the Person who provokes him and is subject to his pleasure If not a wrinkle in a King's Coat can be disordered without offence what will it be if he suffer any one to disturb his Mind Anger is a kind of Moth which Purple breeds and nourishes Pomp engenders Pride Pride Passion and Impatience is as it were a Propriety of Power The Sense of Princes is something too delicate a Looking Glass which the least breath sullies a Heaven that with the least Vapour is clouded and breaks out into Thunder A Vice that generally seizes great and generous Spirits as the Sea however vast and powerful is with the least blast of Wind raised into horrid Disorders and Tempests with this only difference that they are of much longer continuance in Princes Minds than in the Sea especially if their Honour be concerned which they imagine 't is impossible to retrieve without Revenge What a trifling piece of incivility was that Sancho King of Navarre put upon Alphonsus the Third after the Battel of Arcos in returning without taking leave of him Which however this so highly resented that he could never forget it or rest till he had got him out of his Kingdom The Anger of Princes is like Gun-powder which no sooner takes Fire but has its effect the Holy Spirit calls it the Messenger of Death 3 The Wâ—ath of Kings is as Messengers of Death Prov. 16. 14. and barely on this account 't were sufficiently reasonable to curb and restrain it 'T is very indecent for one in Authority to submit to this Passion Let Princes remember that nothing is put in their Hands for a Scepter with which they can hurt And if sometimes a naked Sword is carried before Kings 't is in token of Justice not Revenge and then 't is carried in another's hand to intimate that between Anger and Execution there ought to intercede a Command The publick Safety depends on Princes which will easily be in danger if they hearken to so rash a Counsellor as Anger Who can escape its hands For 't is like a Thunder-bolt when it comes from Supreme Power And because says King Alphonso Anger is stronger in a King and more dangerous than in others in that he can more readily satisfy it he ought to be more prepar'd to curb and correct it †L. 10. tit p 2. If Princes in a Passion could look upon themselves they would find a Countenance unbecoming such Majesty whose Tranquility and agreeable Harmony both of Words and Actions ought to please rather than terrify to acquire Love rather than Fear A Prince therefore should quench the Heat and Violence of Anger if he can't do so at least to defer the Fury and Execution of it for some time For as the same King Alphonso has said A King ought to keep in his Anger till it is over this will be of great advantage to him for so he will be able to judge truly and act justly in all things * L. tit 5 p. 2. The Emperor Theodosius experienced this in himself and for this reason enacted a Law That Capital Punishments should not be executed till thirty Days after Sentence passed Which Tiberius had before him decreed though for only ten Days and without giving the Senate power to revoke the Sentence once pronounced 4 Idque vitae spatium damnatis prorogaretur sed non senatui libertas ad poenitendum erat Tac. 3. Ann. Which indeed had been commendable if his design had been to make room for Pardon or give time for a second hearing of the Cause But Tiberius was a Man of too much Cruelty and Rigor to give that Indulgence 5 Nâ—que Tiberius interjectu temporis mitigabatur Tac. 3. Ann. It was the Counsel of Athenodorus to Augustus Caesar to determine nothing in a Passion till he had repeated the Twenty four Letters of the Greek Alphabet Since then Anger is a short Madness directly opposite to mature Deliberation there is no better Antidote against it than prudent Reflection that the Prince be not too hasty in Execution before he has had Council to examine a matter throughly King Ahasuerus when his Queen Vashti refused to come at his Command though he had reason to think himself contemned and highly resented the Affront yet would not be revenged till he had first called a Council and taken the Advice of his Noblemen 6 Esth. 1. 2. To talk of an Injury received inflames Anger more hence that of Pythagoras Stir not Fire with a Sword for Motion increases the Flame nor is there any more effectual Remedy for Anger than Silence and Solitude By its self it insensibly consumes and wears off whereas the most softning Discourse is often like the Water Smiths use to make their Fire burn fiercer Farther Anger has its seat in the Ears or at least keeps watch there these therefore a Prince is to secure that they be not too ready to hear ill Reports that may enrage him 7 Let every man be swift to hear slow to â—â—ak flow to wrath Iames 1. 19. This I imagine was the reason the Statue of Iupiter Cretensis had no Ears because they do more mischief to Governors than good However I think them necessary for Princes provided they be cautious and ruled by Prudence and let not themselves be moved at the first hearing of every trifling Story Anger is to be commended when kindâ—ed by Reason and moderated by Discretion without such as that there can be no Justice 8 Nunc Irasâ—i â—onvenâ— justitiae 〈◊〉 Sâ—ob Serm. 20. Too much Indulgence gives license to offend and makes Obedience bold To endure all things with content is igâ—orance or shews a servile Temper of one who has a â—ean Opinion of himself To continue in Anger when 't is to punish Offences or make Examples of such as affront Regal Authority is no Vice but a Virtue and by no means derogates from Mildness and Clemency Was any one more meek than David 9 Lord remember David and all his Afflictions Lat. Vers. 〈◊〉 suetudinis ejus Psal. 131. 1. a Man after God'â— own Heart 10 I have found David the Soâ— Iesse a Man after mine own heart Acts 13. 22. So mild in Vengeance in Anger so moderate that when he had Saul his greatest Enemy in his power was satisfied with cutting off the Skirt of his Robe and even that afterward repented of 11 And it 〈◊〉 to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him because he had 〈◊〉 off Saul's Skirt 1 Sam. 24. 5. Nevertheless with
comes upon this great Theatre of the World to act the part of a Prince and that he having his discharge another shall succeed to those Robes which he shall leave and that of both of them only this will remain that they once were Lastly Let him know that these Robes wherewith he is cloathed are not his own but the States which that only lends him that he may be a while its Head and may consult for the Preservation Increase and Prosperity thereof as we have said before When therefore a Prince has once begun to run the Race of this Life furnished with the lighted Torch of his State let it not be his only business to prolong his Race for the Goal is already fixt beyond which he can't go and who knows but that he may be now very near it the Flame being exposed to every blast of Wind. One single Gale wrenched it from the Hands of King Henry the First er'e he was fourteen Years old Also a fall from a Horse prevented Prince Iohn Son of their most Catholick Majesties from taking hold on 't Let a Prince consider also the fitness of his hand the occasion and right that he mayn't rashly grasp at more of these Torches than either Succession or lawful Election shall grant him Had Frederick Count Palatine considered this he had never lost his Electoral Dignity his Places and Titles so unfortunately for being ambitious of the Kingdom of Bohemia And truly Charles King of Naples had ended his Race more successfully had he been contented with the Torch of his own Kingdom and not attempted to grasp at that of Hungary where he was therefore poisoned Let not a Prince too readily trust his Torch to another nor suffer any one to touch it with so great Authority For Empire admits of no Companion The Infant Sancho attempted to snatch this Torch from his Father King Alphonso the Wise by the same Power and Authority which he receiv'd from him Nor were there wanting Pretences for the Infant of Portugal to attempt the same against his Father Dionysius These Torches of Kingdoms lighted by ill Methods are commonly soon extinguish'd for no Power acquired by wickedness is lasting King Garcias forc'd his Father Alphonso to quit his Kingdom but could not enjoy the Crown so gotten above three Years Fruela the Third possess'd but fourteen Months the Kingdom which he had attain'd rather by Force than Election Violent Counsels h'an't always their desired Success Ramon hop'd certainly to inherit the Throne of Navarre if he could make away with his Brother Sancho but the People abhorr'd him who had conceiv'd such a horrid Villainy and so offer'd it to Sancho King of Arragon his Uncle Let not a Prince unadvisedly trust his Torch out of his own Hands in his Life-time least if he should afterwards repent it should befal him as it did King Alphonso the Fourth who having once resign'd his Kingdom to his Brother Ramiro could never afterwards retrieve it though he desir'd it Ambition while in Possession regards not Justice having always Arguments and Pretences at hand to defend it self And who will not be mov'd by the difference between commanding and obeying Though these Torches do pass from Father to Son yet let Kings remember that they receive them from God and that when he pleases they are to Surrender them to him that they may know to whose Gift they ought to ascribe them and how strict an Account they are to give of them This King Ferdinand the Great did who with his last Breath pronounc'd these Words Thine O Lord is Power Empire is thine Thou art Supream King of Kings all things are under thy Providence The Kingdom which from thy Hand I receiv'd unto thee I resign The same Words did King Ferdinand the Holy use at the point of Death 'T is a glorious though laborious Race which Heaven has design'd for your Royal Highness which must be run not with one but with several Torches of shining Diadems which like the Sun but without ever leaving us in the dark will diffuse their extended Light from East to West Furious Winds rising from each part of the Horizon will perhaps threaten them but since God has lighted them to preceed the Standard of the Cross and to give light upon the Holy Altars of the Church it may well be hop'd that these may shine like that 2 I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou maist be my Salvation to the end of the Earth Isaiah 49. 6. especially if your Highness's Faith and Holy Zeal would by holding them upright make their Flame burn more clear and bright its natural tendency being towards Heaven and he who holds them obliquely will make the Flame its self feed upon and wast them but he who turns 'em directly downwards opposite to Heaven will immediately extinguish them for the Matter which would else nourish them will then extinguish them Let your Highness therefore take care with these Lights to finish your Course with Glory and Surrender them bright and flaming to your Successor not meerly such as you receiv'd them but illustrated and augmented with new Rays For God weighs both Kingdoms and Kings when they begin to Reign that he may afterwards require a just Account from them thus he did with King Balthazar 3 Thou art weigh'd in the balance and found wanting Dan. 5. 27. And if Otho thoguht himself oblig'd to deliver up the Empire to Posterity such as he had receiv'd it from his Ancestors 4 Vrbi nostrae institutum à Regibus usque ad Principes continuum immortalem sicut à Majoribus accepimus sic posteris tradamus Tac. 1. Hist. your Highness must acknowledge no less an Obligation deriv'd to you from your glorious Predecessors So the Emperor Charles the Fifth resign'd his while he was yet living to his Son Philip the Second And though the wickedness of some can't attend the end of their Career for fear of adverse Winds already rais'd as was the Case of Alphonso King of Naples who seeing he could not resist Charles the Eighth of France surrendred the Crown to his Son Ferdinand Duke of Calabria yet certain 't is that his design was to make a timely Restitution of his Crown to God and prepare himself for another not Temporal but Eternal one which once obtain'd may be securely enjoy'd without fear of ever being lost EMBLEM XX. AMONG the Ceremonies of the Athenians at their Marriages a certain little Boy with a Basket of Bread in his Hand and a Crown of Thorns upon his Head went before the Bridegroom by which I believe they intimated that Matrimony was not instituted for Pleasure only but also for Cares and Labours By the same if Emblems will admit Human Figures might also be meant a Prince For what thorny Cares does not he feel who endeavours to maintain his State in Justice Peace and Plenty What Difficulties does he experience What Dangers is he
of his Territories not sparing any pains for its Advantage and according to this he always acted Princes are as we shall observe elsewhere like Mountains as well because they are nearer the Favours of Heaven as because they should receive all Injuries of the Weather upon themselves being Depositaries of Ice and Snow which melting should flow thence and water and refresh the droughty Fields and Valleys beneath and by the Shade of their Bodies defend them from the scorching Heat of the Sun 10 For thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the Storm a shadow from the hear Isa. 25. 4. For this reason the Scriptures call Princes Giants 11 There were Giants in the Earth in those days the same became mighty Men Gen. 6. 4. for they that are born to sustain the weight of Government had need be of a more than ordinary Stature They are Giants which must undergo Fatigues and Groans as Iob says under the Waters 12 Vid. Iob 26. 5. by which are meant People and Nations 13 And the Waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues Revel 17. 15. They are the Corners which sustain the whole Fabrick of the State 14 Vid. 1 Sam. 14. 38. A Prince who believes he is not born to do this for his Subjects and does not prepare himself to shelter them from the Injuries of the Weather dwindles from a Mountain to a Valley nay 't is unlawful for him whom Heaven has design'd to Govern others to regard his own ease and quiet Wamba being elected King of the Goths and refusing the Crown a certain Captain with his drawn Sword threatned to stab him unless he accepted it Shall you alone says he to him oppose the Will of the whole Nation and prefer your own Private Ease to the Publick Good For this reason the States of Guadalajara would not suffer King Iohn to resign his Kingdom to his Son Henry he being too young and himself having a Constitution fit for Government Hence 't is evident That Princes are a part of the Commonwealth and that they are in some measure subject to it as Instruments of its Preservation so that their success or misfortunes respect it as Tiberius told his Sons 15 It a nati estis ut bona malaque vesâ—ra ad Remp. pertineant Tac. 4. Ann. Those who desired David for their King told him We are thy Bone and thy Flesh 16 2 Sam. 5. 1. intimating to him that he must with his own strength support them and take upon himself all their Toils and Grievances A Prince ought also to be taught while he is young to tame and govern the skittish Horse of Government for should he let him have his Head he would fall headlong with him He should use therefore the Bridle of Reason the Reigns of Policy the Whip of Justice and the Spurs of Valour keeping always fast in the Stirrups of Prudence He must not execute every thing that comes into his Mind but only what is honourable and just least he should transgress Piety Reputation Modesty or good Manners 17 Facta quae laedunt pietatem existimationâ—m verecundiam nostram ut generaliter dixeâ—im contra bonos more 's fiâ—â—t â—ec facere eâ—s credendum est L. 15. F. de Condit Iâ—stir Let not a Prince imagine that his Power is wholly absolute but subject by the publick Good and Interest of his State Not immense but limitted and expos'd to many Casualties one blast of Wind dissipated all Philip the Second's Naval Preparations against England Let the Prince also know that his Authority is not so Sovereign but that part of it remains in the Subject which they either reserv'd to themselves from the beginning or which Common Sence has since granted them for their defence against any Prince notoriously unjust and tyrannical Good Princes are pleas'd at the Liberty of their Subjects Tyrants only would be absolute 18 Quomodo pessimis Imperatoribus sine fine dominationem ita quamvis egregiis libertatis modum placere Tac. 4. Ann. The Safety and Preservation of the Kingdom depends upon the well-temper'd freedom of the People 'T is not that Prince who is most powerful that is most secure but he who is so with reason nor is he less Sovereign who defends the just Rights and Privileges of his Subjects 'T is rather prudence to let them enjoy 'em freely for they never derogate from the Authority of the Prince but when he thinks his Honour affronted and endeavours wholly to take 'em away Let him be content to maintain his Crown by the same means his Ancestors did It seems to be this which God would admonish Princes of though in another Sence by Ezekiel the Prophet 19 Bind the tiâ—e of thine Head upon thee Ezek. 24. 17. when he said bind the tire of thine Head to thee if any one shall wear it too loose 't will be very apt to fall off EMBLEM XXI JUstice is the Center from which the Circumference of a Crown is drawn If we could live without one there would be no need of t'other In former times all Princes Iudges were And to see Iustice done was all their Care In the first Age there was no need of Punishment for there were no Crimes nor of Rewards for Virtue and Glory were belov'd for their own sakes But as the World grew older Wickedness encreased with it and made Virtue more reserv'd which before liv'd freely and carelessly in the Fields When Equality was laid aside and Ambition and Force suppli'd the place of Modesty and Shame then Government was also introduc'd For Prudence urg'd by necessity and Common Prudence oblig'd Men to Civil Society that they might exercise Virtues which Reason prompted them to and make use of Speech which Nature gave them that by revealing to one another the Sense of their Minds they might inform assist and defend each other 1 Sermo vero datus est homini ad utile inutile ac proinde justum ac injustum declarandum Arist. Pol. 1. cap. 2. Society being thus by common Consent establish'd there arose at the same time a certain Supream Power necessary to the Preservation of its Parts which by punishing Vice and rewarding Virtue might defend them in Peace and Justice And because this Authority could not be diffused through the whole Body by reason of the Confusion which would arise in the Execution thereof and because 't was also necessary that some should Command and the rest Obey they quitted their Pretensions to it conferring it either upon one few or many which are the three sorts of Government Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy The first of which was Monachy for originally Men were govern'd by one in each Family afterwards they chose from among the People one who excell'd others in Goodness and Virtue whose Hand as his Authority encreas'd they
Let Justice and Mercy walk hand in hand so link'd together as if they were Parts of the same Body yet so that one may be us'd without Offence to the other For this reason God gave not the flaming Sword which guarded Paradise to a Seraphim which is all Love and Mercy but to a Cherubim a Spirit of Knowledge who knew better how to temper Justice with Clemency 13 And he plac'd at the east end of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming Sword Gen. 3. 24. Nothing is more pernicious than a Prince over-merciful In the times of Nerva they us'd to say That 't was more difficult to live under a Prince who bore with all than one who bore with nothing For he is not less Cruel who pardons all than he who forgives none nor is excessive Mercy less prejudicial to the People than Cruelty 14 Faliciores sunt imprâ—â—i supplicia luentes quam si eos nulla justitiae 〈◊〉 coerceat Boet. lib. 4. Phil. and sometimes Indulgence and Forbearance does more mischief than the Crime it self For wickedness grows bolder when it can promise it self pardon 'T was the Clemency or rather Negligence of King Henry the Fourth that made his Reign as Bloody as that of King Peter was by his Cruelty Clemency and Severity the one profuse and the other moderate make the Prince beloved 15 Mirumque amorem assecutus etat effuse clementiae modicus severitate Tac. 6. Ann. He who can neatly and prudently temper these Virtues can't chuse but govern well nay his whole Reign will be a tuneful Harmony like that which proceeds from a Base and Treble 16 I will sing of Mercy and Judgment unto thee O Lord will I sing Heaven produces Corn by the mildness of its Dew and preserves it by the rigour of its Frosts and Snows If God were not merciful we should fear him but not adore him both these Virtues make him both fear'd and lov'd Therefore Alphonsus King of Arragon us'd to say by Justice I oblige the good the bad by Clemency The one compels their Fear the other engages their Love Confidence of pardon makes Subjects arrogant and excessive Clemency creates Contempt and Disrespect and occasions the Ruin of Governments EMBLEM XXIII THERE are no greater Chymists than Princes who set a value upon worthless Trifles in bestowing them upon others as a Reward of Virtue 1 Imperator aliquando torquibus murali civicâ donat quid habet per se pretiosum quid prâ—texta quid fasces quid tribunal quid currus nil horum honor est sed honoris insigne Sen. lib. 1. de Ben. The Romans invented several sorts of Crowns as Mural Civick and Naval as glorious Badges of great and worthy Exploits these Nature suppli'd them with as Grass Palm and Bays of which without any cost they made those Crowns The Treasury would not have been sufficient to have rewarded Services had not that politick Invention of Crowns been thought on which being given as publick Testimonies of Valâ—ur were more valued and esteem'd than Gold or Silver The Soldiers underwent all Fatigues and Dangers to obtain them For the same reason the Kings of Spain founded Military Orders whose Badges were not only marks of Nobility but also of Valour so that all care ought to be taken to keep up their Value and Esteem by bestowing them with great attention and respect to Merit for they are so much esteem'd as they are tokens of Nobility and Bravery but if without distinction they should be promiscuously conâ—â—r'd on all they would grow cheap and contemptiâ—â—â— And Arminius might well jeer his Brother Flavius who follow'd the Roman Faction that when he had 〈◊〉 an Eye in Battel he should call to mind the Collar and Crown the cheap Rewards of Slavery 2 Irridente Armâ—nio vilia servitii praemia Tac. 2. Ann. The Romans so well knew of what advantage 't was to â—â—â—â—erve the Peoples Esteem for those Rewards that 〈◊〉 held a Council about the Qualifications which a Sâ—â—dier ought to be indow'd with to merit a Crown of Oak In the Badge of the Order of St. Iames the Figure of this present Emblem are express'd the Endowments which ought to be consider'd ere it is beâ—â—w'd for the ground-work is a Scollop-shell the â—â—â—duct of the Sea bred among Waves and Billows 〈◊〉 inur'd to Fatigues in its fair Bosom shines the 〈◊〉 the Emblem of Nobility and Virtue as well for 〈◊〉 Purity as that it is bred by the Dew of Heaven when these are bestow'd upon Children or such who 〈◊〉 not deâ—erv'd them by any signal Service they are 〈◊〉 of Favour not Rewards Who will endeavour 〈◊〉 merit them by Services if he can obtain them by diligence They were instituted for War not Peace 〈◊〉 so ought to be distributed among those only who 〈◊〉 signaliz'd themselves therein or serv d at least four Years in the Army and made themselves fit for Preferment 3 Honoâ—â— augmentum non ambitione sed labore ad unumquemque convenit perveâ—â— L. contra publicam C. de re milit which doubtless would induce more of the Nobility to apply their minds to Arms and the Art of War would flourish more This because the Athenians neglected they became a Prey to the Macedonians 4 Tunc vectigal publicum quo anteà milites remiges alebaâ—â—â—â— cum urbano populo dividi coeptum quibus rebus effectum est ut inter 〈◊〉 graecorum sordidum obscurum antea Macedonum nomen emergeret Trog â— 6. Alexander Severus considering the importance of gratifying the Soldiery as being the Foundation and Security of the Empire divided the Contributions among them esteeming it a great Crime to squander it away in Luxury or upon his Courtiers 5 Aurum argentum raro cuiquam nisi militi divisit 〈◊〉 esse dicens us dispensator publicus in delectationes suas suorum 〈◊〉 id quod provinciales dedissent Laâ—p in Vit. Alex. Let other Rewards be common to all who signalize themselves either in War or Peace to this end the Scepter was endow'd with Riches Honours and Offices as also with the Power and Authority of Justice that with these it might punish Offences with those reward Virtue and Valour Without Rewards and Punishments Governmenâ— would be in Confusion for they are the Spirit that maintains and preserves them without them they can't subsist for the hopes of Reward engage Respect and the fear of Punishment Obedience even against the natural desire of Liberty Hence the Ancients represented Empire by a Whip as may be seen in some Consular Coins and 't was a Prognostick of the Grandeur of Augustus who dreaming that Iupiter offer'd him a Whip he interpreted it to be the Roman Empire which had been erected and maintain'd by Rewards and Punishments Who would refrain from Vice if there were no Punishments Who would â—â—pose themselves to Dangers were there no Rewards Democritus considering that the World could
bountifull as that it may be term'd Extravagance for this vertue of Liberality ought to be used with order and measure without Detriment to the Crown and Royal Dignity †L. 3. tit 10. lib. 5. Recop To lay up the better to employ is not Avarice but premeditated Liberality To give inconsiderately is either Vanity or Folly By this Parsimony King Alphonso the Wise rais'd the Monarchy and lost the Crown by his profuse Extravagance one of the principal Complaints the Kingdom made against him was That he had given the Empress Marthâ— thirty thousand Marks of Silver to redeem her Husband Baldwin whom the Sultan of Aegypt retain'd Prisoner in which he was more vain than prudent King Henry the Second found the damage of having weakned the power of his Crown by his too great Bounty and therefore revok'd it by his last Will. Time and Opportunity ought to guide Princes in their Liberality sometimes it ought to be moderated when the Expences of War and the publick Necessities are great and to be apply'd to avert Dangers and to facilitate Designs in which he saves most who spends most for he who gives by little and little spends his Money without attaining his end War is avoided and Victory and Peace purchased by Liberality 9 Prov. 22. 9. The Prodigality of a Prince may be corrected by committing the management of his Treasures to thrifty frugal Ministers as may his Avarice by generous ones 'T is necessary sometimes to let a Prince see the summ of his Liberality for Grants are made sometimes without consideration and if the Prince kept an account of his Expences he would doubtless moderate them and 't is not always Liberality to grant Gratuities for Avarice is often vanquish'd by Importunity or sometimes weary with contending grants them through Despair 'T is natural to all Princes to give to those who have most I know not whether through Fear or Esteem of Power This that great Courtier Ioseph well understood when calling his Father and Brothers into Aegypt and offering them in Pharaoh's name all the Good of that Kingdom 10 Gen. 45. 18. he bid them bring with them all the Riches and Goods that they had 11 Ibid. ver 20. knowing that if they came rich the King would be more liberal to them so that he who expects Bounty from a Prince must not represent to him his Poverty and Misery There are no more ready means to have than to have 12 Luke 19. 26. EMBLEM XLI THE Motto of this Emblem has been famous to all Antiquity Some attribute it to Bias to Pythagoras Thales and Homer but I think 't is more reasonably ascrib'd to the Delphick Oracles for it seems rather a Divine than Humane Sentence fit to be engraven on all the Crowns Sceptres and Rings of Princes To this is reduc'd the whole Science of Government which consists in avoiding Extreams and loves the middle where Vertue keeps its Sphere 'T was ask'd Socrates Which was the properest Vertue for a young Man and he answer'd Nothing to Excess by which he comprehended all To this Motto the body of the present Emblem seems well suited Corn lay'd by the violence of unseasonable Rain when gentle Dews were sufficient 1 Magni animi est magna contemnere prudentis est mediocria malle quam nimia ista enim utilia sunt illa quòd superfluunt nocent Sic sâ—â— getem nimia sternit ubertas sic Rami onere franguntur sic ad maturitaâ—em non pervenit nimiâ— foecunditas Sen. Epist. 39. Honours by being too great suit ill with Subjects and rather disgrace than adorn them There are some favours so out of season that they pass for Injuries What avails it for the Prince to do a benefit if by his austere Looks and rugged Words he seems as 't were to throw it at one or does it so unseasonably that it does no kindness The Benefit and Favour is lost and the hand abhorr'd that gave it Which made King Alphonso the Wise say That Rewards should be given so â— propos that they may be beneficial to the Receiver †L. 1. tit 21. p. 2. As there are errors in Excess of Rewards and Favours so there is also in Punishments Such an exact Rigour better becomes a Minister of Justice than a Prince he is not at his Liberty but the Prince has the Keys of the Law in his own hand 'T is not Justice which is too severe nor Mercy which is not moderate and so of other Vertues The same Moderation a Prince out to observe in the arts of Peace and War so guiding the Chariot of the Government as they did in the Games of old that the Wheels may not touch the Goals for so they would be broken the art of the ancient Racers consisted in measuring the distance so exactly as to pass as near as possible without touching eitheâ— end What a Prince ought to take most care of is the Moderation of his Passions governing them with such Prudence that he may neither desire hope love or fear with too much Ardour and Violence rais'd by the Will not by Reason The desires of private persons may be easily accomplish'd but those of Princes not for those are proportion'd to their conditions and these are usually greater than the force of their Grandure tending always to Extreams Almost all Princes either ruin themselves or run into great inconveniences through Excess of Ambition mans desire being unlimited and the possibility of things very narrow it rarely happens that the first are measured by the latter or that there is any Justice between them Hence Princes seek pretences to rob their Neighbours nay their greatest Friends aspiring ever at the enlargement of their State without measuring their bodies with their Strength and their Government with Humane Capacity which cannot maintain all that may be acquired The Grandure of Empires lies upon their own Shoulders and are always ready to fall oppress'd with their own weight Let Princes therefore endeavour to maintain their States which either Succession or Election has given them and if any just occasion shall offer of enlarging them let them make use of it a God's name but with such caution as the Event shall shew to Prudence Ambition is not less dangerous in the Excess of its Fears than of its Desires especially in that which is acquired by Violence Fear suggests no means which are not immediately made use of for its preservation There is none of the line of the party wrong'd or any one who has the least pretension to the State though never so remote but is fear'd Tyranny usually proposes nothing less than a general ruin Thus Mucianus practis'd killing the Son of Vitellius 2 Mansuram discordiam â—btendens â—i semina belli restrinxisset Tac. â— ann The same also is taughâ— in the School of Machiavell whose Scholars forgetting the Example of David who sought out Saul's Relations that they might partake of his Mercy
sets he leaves not many but only one Vicegerent the Moon with a Lustre much greater than that of the other Stars who seem but as so many inferiour Ministers to assist her Yet neither this nor those shine with their own but borrow'd Light which the Earth acknowledges receiv'd from the Sun Nor does this favour misbecome Majesty when a Prince devolves part of the burden of Affairs upon his Favourite so as to preserve the sovereign power and authority to himself for this is not favour but imployment not so much an obligation as a communication of trouble nor is this so much to be envied if Princes would be so prudent as to give it another name as President of the Council or Chancellour as the Magistrates call'd Praefecti at Rome incurr'd no Envy though they were second Caesars The felicity of Subjects consists not in the Prince's being like a loadstone attractive of Iron and not of Gold but in his knowledge in chusing such a Minister as will attribute whatever is great and commendable to him and take all the Reflections and Odium of the people upon himself one whose mind is wholly bent upon the publick good who manages affairs without Ambition hears without Disdain and debates without Passion whose Resolves and Determinations have no respect to self-interest In a word whose whole aim is the service and advantage of his Country not himself or the preservation of his Master's favour By this rule one may know whether this Familiarity proceed from pure Zeal or Tyranny Princes ought to take great care in the choice of such a Minister endeavouring not to be byass'd by Affection or fansifull Inclination but by rare and excellent Qualifications and Merits for sometimes such Friendship is not the result of deliberation but accident it is not favour but diligence Courts usually erect and adore some Idol which they deify and treat with Royal Splendor and Magnificence they worship it upon their Knees burn Tapers and offer Incense to it imploring its assistance with Prayers and Vows 11 And so the multitude allured by the grace of the work took him now for a God which a little before was but honoured as a man Wisd 14. 20. As industry can change the course of Rivers and turn them another way so it often happens that those who have business at Court not regarding the Prince the true channel of affâ—irs apply themselves to the Favourite whose arts do by this so secure the Prince's favour that he can never disengage himself from it No Prince was more cautious none more free than Tiberius yet was he subject to his Favourite Sejanus 12 Tiberium variis artibus devinxit adeo ut obscurum adversus alios sibi uni incautuin intectumque efficereâ— In which case 't is difficult to say whether such favour be human choice or some superiour power for the greater good or ill of the Commonwealth The Holy Spirit says 't is a particular judgment of God 13 Prov. 29. â—6 Tacitus attributes the favour and fall of Sejanus to the anger of the Gods for the ruin of the Empire 14 Nâ—â— tam solâ—rtia quippe iisdem artibus victus est 〈…〉 pari exâ—tio viguâ—t â—â—â—iditque Tac. 4. ann A misfortune scarce avoidable when this favour falls upon a person of great quality as it usually does in Courts where the chief of the Nobility are Ministers For he who is once possess'd of it will by the preheminence of his Birth and Grandure of his Family endeavour what he can to preserve it nor will he easily suffer himself to be supplanted by any one As was seen in Iohn Alphonso Robles in the time of King Iohn the Second †Mâ—r. 〈…〉 lib. 20. l. 25. The heart of a Prince is never safe in the power of a Subject whose Nobility and Authority make him too much respected by others Though this inconveniency is lessen'd when this favour falls upon some great man who is truly zealous and intent upon his Prince's Service and the honour and welfare of his Country for then the people's Envy and Odium will not be so great and the orders which are dispatch'd through the hands of such a one will be the more readily observ'd yet 't is always highly necessary if a Prince could balance his favour between his own Authority and the Merits of his Favourite to commit only that part of the administration to him which he cannot manage himself for should he commit it wholly to him he would experience the same misfortunes with King Ahasuerus when he entrusted Hamon with the Government of his people 15 Esth. 3. 11. Let him not give by another's hand what he can dispose of with his own nor borrow others Eyes when he can see with his own As to what is done in Courts of Justice and Councâ—ls let him afterwards consult the Presidents and Secretaries from whose relations he may receive a just account of the affairs therein transacted and his Resolutions will be more concise and ready when he confers with those by whom the affâ—irs â—ave been managed This method the Popes and Emperâ—â—â—se as did also the Kings of Spain â—ill Philip the Second who being an excellent Pen-man introduc'd the custom of taking debates and consultations in writing which afterwards prevailing gave rise to private favour for the Kings being embrass'd with such a vast number of writings were oblig'd to communicate them to some one and this must of necessity be a Favourite On such a one let a Prince bestow more peculiar marks of favour and benevolence For he who merits his favour and shares his trouble ought to have Pre-eminence above others The shadow of St. Peter worked Miracles 16 Acts 5. 15. What wonder then if a Prince's Favourite who is but his shadow acts with more Authority than others Nevertheless some favours should be reserv'd for others nor should those other be so great as to exceed the condition of a Subject and make him equal to the Prince so as to have Court made to him as Co-partner in the Empire and to draw the whole body of affairs after him which derogates much from the Authority and Esteem of the Prince A Favourite should act as the shadow not the Substance In this the Kings of Castile who in times past had Favourites runâ— great Risques for as the power of the Kings being then not so large how little soever they granted it endanger'd the whole Kingdom as it befell King Sancho the Strong for his favour to Lopez de Hara King Alphonso the Eleventh for his to Count Alvaro Osorio King Iohn the Second and King Henry the Fourth for theirs to Alvaro de Luna and Iohn Pacheco The whole point of Favouritism consists in the Prince's knowing how much he ought to allow his Favourite and he how much he ought to receive from his Prince Whatever exceeds this rule creates as we shall mention anon Jealousie Envy and Danger 17 Sed uterque
Alexandria without his leave 8 Acerrimè increpuit quod contra institutum Augusti non sponte Principis Alexandriam introisset Tac. 2. ann but for the greater Security and the better to keep the Minister in obedience 't would be convenient to allow a little more Authority to the Magistracy of the Province for there are no Curbs stronger than that nor more ready to oppose the Faults of the Governor Mean and abject Spirits such as have no Ambition of Glory or thirst for Preferments are fit for no Employ The chief Quality which God found in Ioshuah to introduce him into the management of Affairs was that he had a great Spirit 9 Numb 27. 18. But yet the Courage should not be so great as to repine at his being born a Subject and not be contented with his Condition for the Loyalty of such is in great Danger because they aspire always to the highest step which if they attain not 't is either for want of Power or Wit besides they soon flag in their Zeal for the Publick and Obedience to their Prince Great Spirits are not less dangerous at least if they are not docile and modest for being very positive and conceited of their own Opinions they are apt to slight Commands and believe that all should be governed at their Pleasure A person is as troublesome for his good Qualifications as for his having none at all for there is no satisfying him who presumes too much upon his Merit Tiberius never desired great Vertues in Offices of Trust and hated Vices too for from one he feared Danger to himself from t' other Scandal to the Government 10 Neque enim imminentes virtutes sectabatur rursus vitia oderat ex optimis periculum sibi à pessimis dedecus publicum metuebat Tac. 1. ann Nor are those fit for Ministers who are rich and of great Families for having no need of the Prince and flowing in plenty of all things they won't expose themselves to Perils and Toils nor can nor will they be under Command 11 Qui in affluentia fortunae virium opum amicorum aÌ„lioruamque talium constituti sunt Reginaeque obâ—dire norunt Arist. 4. Pol. c. 11. Whence Sosibius Britannicus us'd to say Princes can't endure Riches in the Commons 12 Auri vim atque opes Principibus infensas Tac. 11. ann When a Prince shall have made Choice of a Minister with all due Circumspection let him seemingly put an entire Confidence in him but always keep an Eye upon his Actions and Intelligences and if they are any ways suspicious let him be removed to another Post where he will want opportunity to make a party to execute his ill Designs for there is more prudence and kindness in preventing a Crime than in forgiving it when committed if Germanicus's Victory and the Soldiers Applause pleas'd Tiberius on one hand on t' other they made him jealous and uneasie 13 Nuntiata ea Tiberium laetitia curaque affecere Tac. 1. ann And understanding the Commotions in the East he was glad of a Pretence ea expose him to Dangers by making him Governour of those Provinces 14 Ut to specie Germanicum suetis Legionibus abstraheret novâ—sque Provineiis impositum dolo simul casibus objectaret Tac. 2. ann Now if any Minister is to be removed it should be done under the pretence of Honour and before the Reasons are known with such prudence as mayn't give him Reason to mistrust the Princes disgust for as fear of being cheated is the way to be cheated so Suspicion of Loyalty makes Traytors for which Reason Tiberius having a mind to recall Germanicus to Rome did it under a pretence of a Triumph which he design'd him 15 Acriùs modestiam ejus aggreditur alterum Consulatum offerendâ— Tac. 2. ann offering him other Preferments of which Princes are very liberal when they would free themselves from their Jealousies If a Subject once loses the Respect he owes his Prince after Confidence will never secure him Sancbo the first King of Leon pardoned Count Gonzalo for having taken up Arms against him endeavouring to reconcile him by his Favours but those by which he thought to have oblig'd him only gave him opportunity to poyson him When Princes are concerned with one another there is no Obligation of Friendship or Affinity a sufficient Reason for their trusting each other Don Ferdinand the great King of Castile and his Brother Garcias of Navarre were at difference he as he lay sick at Nacar had a design to seize his Brother who came to pay him a Visit but his Design not succeeding he had a mind to dissemble his Intent by visiting his Brother who caused him to be apprehended * Mar. Hist. Hisp. Revenge and State-Policy is of greater Force than Friendship or Consanguinity The same befel Don Garcias King of Galicia for having trusted his Brother Alonso King of Castile the most irreconcileable falling out is that between Relations and dearest Friends 16 Difficiles fratrum dissentiones qui valdè amâ—nt valdè edio habent Arist. 7. Pol. c. 6. and perfect Hatred is the result of perfect Love from all which we may infer how difficult a thing 't is for a Prince to trust himself in the hands of his Enemies it cost the King of Granada his Life for going though with a Pass port to ask assistance from King Peter the Cruel Lewis Forza Duke of Milan was more cautious refusing an Interview with the King of France unless in the midst of a River or upon a broken Bridge A true piece of Italian Policy not to trust where they have once shew'd a Jealousie for which Reason the Italians were much admir'd at the Interview between the great Captain and King Ferdinand the Catholick as also at that between the same King and the King of France his Enemy In some Cases Confidence is more safe and necessary to gain peoples Affections than Distrust Don Alonso VI. having lost his Kingdom of Leon liv'd retir'd at the Court of the King of Toledo who was a Moor when upon the Death of Don Sancho his Sates recalled him to his Throne with the greatest privacy imaginable fearing lest if it should come to be known by the Moors they might retain him by force he like a prudent and grateful Prince discovered the whole Affair this Confidence so oblig'd the Barbarian King who before understood the Intrigue and design'd to seize him that he not only let him go free but also furnished him with Money for his Voyage See the power of Gratitude which disarms even the most savage Spirits * Mar. Hist. Hisp. Distrusts between Princes can't be cur'd by Satisfactions or Excuses but by their contrary if time won't heal them diligence never will these are a kind of wounds which the Probe and the Hand does but more exulcerate and a sort of apparent Jealousies which are an Introduction to Infidelity EMBLEM LII
Tongue and the Pen are the most dangerous Instruments of the heart by these 't is usually expos'd either through Levity or Vanity to be thought the Repositories of very important Secrets by discovering them either by discourse or writing to those from whom they should conceal 'em So that he is not fit for the Charge of a Secretary who can't modestly hear others rather than talk himself without changing the Air of his Face at any thing for oft-times the Secrets of the heart are discovered thereby EMBLEM LVII THE wheels of a Clock perform their Office with such silence that their Motions can neither be heard nor perceived and though the whole Contrivance depends upon them yet do they not attribute to themselves the Honour of it but lend to the hand its Motion which alone distinguishes and points out the hours and is esteem'd by all the only Rule and Measure of time This mutual Correspondence and Agreement should be between the Prince and his Counsellours for 't is highly convenient to have them for as King Alphonsus the Wise said Though Emperours and Kings are great persons yet can neither of them by themselves do more than a single Man ‖ L. 12. tiâ— 1. p. 2. and the Government of a Nation requires many but them so modest as not to attribute their successful Resolutions to their own Counsel but to the Princes let 'em share the Trouble but not the Power let 'em be Ministers not Companions let 'em know that the Prince can govern without them but not they without him Where a Prince can shew his Authority and Greatness without the assistance of others let him do it In Aegypt where the heat of the Sun is more powerful than in other parts it breeds Animals without any assistance if a Prince does nothing without Advice he 's more like a Client than a Prince The force of Government is lost unless the Summ of Affairs be reduced to one 1 Neve Tiberius vim Principatus resolveret â—uncâ—a ad senatum vocando eam conditionem esse â—mperanâ—â— ut non aliter ratio constâ—t quam si uni reddatur Tac. 1 ann Monarchy is distinguished from other methods of Government in that one only Commands and the rest obey and if the Prince shall permit several to rule 't will not be a Monarchy but an Aristocracy there is no Command where all are Masters The Holy Spirit takes this for a punishment of the Sins of the people 2 For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof Prov. 28. 2. and on the contrary a Blessing when only one Commands 3 And I will set up one Shephâ—rd over them Ezâ—â— 34. â—3 when the Ministers shall find a Prince so careless as to let others Reign they usurp to themselves what Authority they can Pride and Emulation grows among them every one tears a slip from the Royal Robe so that at last it remains a mere Ragg The people confounded between so many Masters no longer acknowledge their true and lawful one and so begin to despise and contemn the Government For they believe nothing can be well done but what they think the Prince does of himself whence they prepare a Remedy by force Histories furnish us with deplorable Examples of this in the Deposition and Death of Garcias King of Galaecia who would not be so much as the Index to point out the Motion of the Government but left all to the management of a particular Favourite of his who was afterwards kill'd with him We find Sancho King of Portugal depos'd because his Queen and a few other Scoundrel Servants had the whole management of Affairs the same thing beâ—el King Henry IV. for being so easie as to Sign all Dispatches which his Ministers brought him without ever reading or knowing the Contents of ' em The Prince exposes himself to all manner of Inconveniencies who without perusal or consideration agrees to whatever others desire him for upon him as upon soft Wax every one makes what impression he pleases so it was with the Emperour Claudius 4 Nihil arduum videbatâ—r in aniâ—o Principis 〈◊〉 non judiciuâ— non odium erat nisi indita jâ—ssa Tac. 12. ann God plac'd the Government upon the Princes own Shoulders not upon his Ministers 5 Isâ—â— 9. 6 as Samuel intimated to Saul at the Entertainment when he anointed him King when he on purpose ordered the Cook to set by for him a shoulder of Meat 6 And the Cook toâ—k up the Shoulder c. 1 Sam. 9. 24. Yet would I not have a Prince like a Camel merely to bear Burthens but his Shoulders should be full of Eyes like the Animals in Ezekiel's Vision 7 Ezek. 1. 18. lm LXX that they may see and know what they bear Elisha call'd Elias the Chariot and Horsemen of Israel because he sustain'd and manag'd the Government †2 Kings 2 12. He does not deserve the name of Prince who cannot of himself give Orders and contradict 'em as is visible in Vitellius who not being capable of commanding nor punishing was no longer Emperour but only the cause of War 8 Ipsâ— nâ—qâ—e jubâ—ndâ— neque viâ—anâ—i potâ—ns non jam Imperator sed tantum 〈…〉 Tâ—c 1. Hâ—st wherefore a Pâ—ince should not only perform the part of the hand in the Clock of the Government but that also of the Peâ—dulum which regulates the Motions of the Wheels In short upon that depends the whole Art of Government Not that I would have a Prince perform the Office of a Judge Counsellour or President for his Dignity is far above it 9 Non Aedilis aut Praetoris aut Consulis Partes sustineo majus aliquod excelsius à Principe postulatur Tac. 3. Hist. if he apply'd himself so to all Business he would want time for Affairs of greater moment He ought says King Alphonso to have Understanding Loyal and Trusty Persons to assist him and serve him faithfully in all things as well to advise him as to administer Justice to his People for he can't of himself duely weigh and examine all things so that he has need of some in whom he can confide He should use them as the Instruments of Government and let them operate yet so as he may inspect what they do with a superiour Direction more or less immediate or assistant as the importance of Affairs requires Those things which properly belong to the Ministers let the Ministers perform Those which are peculiar to the Princes Office let him only manage For which Reason Tiberius check'd the Senate for leaving the whole Burthen of Affairs to him 10 Et proximi Senatus die Tiberius castigatis per literas oblique Patribus quod cunctâ— curarum ad Principem rejicerent Tac. 3. ann the weighty thoughts of Princes ought not to be disturb'd by â—rivolous Consultations when without any offence to their Majesty they may be decided by the Ministers Wherefore Sanguinius advised the
Foreign Nations did soon after find the same Damage from the Discovery of the Indies from their too great Dependance upon their Riches all things grew dearer with them as with us their Expences surmounted their Revenues In a word they suffer'd all the same Inconveniencies with us which were so much greater to them as being farther Distance from those Provinces and the Remedy of Gold and Silver which is brought us from the Indies and which they must receive from us being more uncertain These are the Inconveniencies which the Discovery of the Indies caused In knowing the Causes of which we know also their Remedies The First is Not to neglect Agriculture upon Hopes of those Riches Those which we receive from the Earth being more natural sure and common to all Wherefore Husbandmen should be encourag'd and exempted from the Oppressions of War and all other Incumbrances The Second is That since all things are restored by the contrary Means to which they were ruin'd and the Expences are greater than the Hopes and Expectation of those Metals the Prince should like a prudent Governor provide as the Senators of Rome advis'd Nero 14 Vt ratio quaestuum necessitas erogationum inter se congruerent Tac. 13. Annal. That the Publick Revenues should rather Exceed than fall short of the Expences That he should moderate those that were superfluous and unnecessary imitating the Emperors Antoninus Pius and Alexander Severus the last of which us'd to say That 't was the Part of a Tyrant to support them with the Intrails of his State Such a Reform would only Disgust some few not the whole Nation And if Abuse or Imprudence has rais'd the Salaries of Offices and Charges in Peace and War and if they are only introduc'd by Vanity under the title of Grandeur Why should they not be corrected and reform'd by Prudence And as the greater the Kingdoms are those Abuses will be greater so also will be the Effects of this Remedy Frugality is the best Revenue Gold once spent returns not By damming up the Streams the Fountain-Head rises And the way to keep Silver is to fix the Mercury of it that being the True and Approv'd Philosopher's Stone Wherefore I am satisfy'd that if a Prince be inform'd by his Ministers of all superfluous Expences by Sea and Land and would resolve to moderate them he would soon find himself enabled to pay his Debts lessen his Taxes and fill his Treasury As King Henry III. who finding the Crown much in Debt consulted with his Parliament how to remedy it And they could not find a better Expedient than what we have here propos'd that is To Reduce Salaries and Pensions and Regulate Superfluous Expences The Treasurers also and other Officers in the Treasury and Exchequer should be reduc'd to a less number as also the Collectors of Taxes who all like the thirsty Sands of Africk soak and drink up all the Streams of the Revenue which pass by them The Great Emperor of the Turks though he has immense Revenues has but two Treasurers one in Asia and 'tother in Europe Henry IV. of France not less a Statesman than a Soldier was satisfy'd of the Inconveniency of this and therefore reduc'd the Ministers of his Revenue to a less yet sufficient number The Third Remedy is That since Princes are by Importunity often forced to grant those Things which are not in their Power all such Grants Privileges Immunities and Rewards as are prejudicial to the Crown should be revok'd especially when the same Causes concurr as mov'd Their Catholick Majesties to repeal those of King Henry IV. For said they in another Law A Princes Liberality should not be so great as to ruine him and the Immunities granted to Subjects should be such as may not prejudice the Crown But if a Prince through Negligence or Necessity has not consider'd this it must be remedy'd afterwards As was after the Abdication of Ramirez King of Arragon at which time all Grants that had weakned the Crown were made void King Henry the Liberal and Queen Isabella did the same thing And King Iohn II. repeal'd the Privileges and Immunities which himself and his Predecessors had granted 'T is with Princes as 't was with the Idols of Babylon from whose Crowns according to Ieremiah the People took the Gold and Silver and apply'd it to their own Use 15 Baruch 6. 9. King Henry III. perceiving the same Abuse Imprison'd several of his Nobility and made 'em refund what they had purloin'd from the Crown by which and a just Administration of his Revenues he amass'd a prodigious Treasure in the Castle of Madrid The Last Remedy which should have been the First is That a Prince should first regulate the Expences of his own Family if he would reform those of his People For their Reformation as King Theodatus said 16 A domesticis volumus inchoare disciplinam ut reliquos pudeaâ— errare quando nostris cognoscimur excedendi licentiam non praebere Cas. lib. 10. ep 5. must be begun by the Prince that it may be effectual St. Lewis King of France advised his Son Philip to take care that his Expences were moderate and reasonable 17 Da operam ut impensae tâ—ae moderatâ— sint rationi consentaneae Bell. in Vit. S. Lud. 'T is a Misfortune that Princes think it becomes their Grandeur to be Careless and keep no Accompts and take Extravagance to be Liberality not considering how contemptible they are when poor and that true Greatness does not consist in Shews and gaudy Ostentation but in Castles strong Garrisons and Armies The Emperor Charles V. in the Parliament of Valladolid moderated the Expences of his Houshold The true Greatness of Princes consists in being liberal to others and moderate and sparing to themselves For which Reason Sisenand King of Spain and France so stiled by the Fourth Council of Toledo us'd to say That Kings should be Mais Escasos que Gastadores that is Rather Rich than Lavish I well know the Difficulty of these Remedies but as Petrarch said in the like case I do my Duty And though all that is requisite cannot be executed it ought to be represented to accomplish the Design of this Book 18 Multa scribo non tam ut saeculo meo prosim cujus jam desperaâ—â— miseria est quà m ut meipsum conceptis exonerem animum scriptâ—â— soler Petrarch I dare hardly say any thing about the Remedies of Money it being the Apple of the Eye of the State which you cannot touch without hurting so that 't is better to let it alone than to alter the ancient Method The acutest Judgment cannot foresee all the Inconveniencies which attend every Alteration thereof until they are discover'd by Experience For it being as it were the Rule and Measure of Contracts every one feels the least Variation of it Commerce is disturb'd and the whole State disorder'd Wherefore after King Peter II. had Abdicated the Throne it was
discordias habeant Tac. 11. Annal. and sometimes sets up another King by whose Protection he may enjoy them As did those who Conspired against King Henry IV. for they would never be obliged by his Favours though never so great and numerous When a Prince resolves to quench the Fire of Sedition 't will be conducive that those Resolutions should be thought to proceed from his own Vertue not from the Persuasions of others for the People are generally more Incens'd when they find the Prince does nothing but by the Instigation of his Ministers But when a General Pardon is once granted the Prince ought punctually to observe it wholly forgetting all former Offences and Injuries for otherwise he would give occasion for fresh Commotions As Ferdinand King of Naples did when he offer'd to punish some Noblemen whom he had already pardon'd and who had put themselves under the Protection of King Ferdinand the Catholick But if they are afterwards found Delinquent they should be punish'd with the utmost Rigour of the Law to curb them and prevent others from abusing the Prince's Authority In these and all other Remedies there is nothing more useful than Expedition 33 Nihil in discordiis civilibus festinatione tutiâ—s â—â—i facto magìs quam conâ—ulto opus est Tac. 1. Hist. For the People grow Arrogant and Saucy when their Insolence meets wiâ—h no Check nor Opposition Time confirms them in their Revolt and makes those who were Dubious declare for them and so endangers the most Loyal Therefore Artabanus endeavoured with utmost Speed and Diligence to compose the Commotions of his Kingdom 34 Pergit properus praâ—veniens inimicoâ—um actus amicorum â—â—â—â—iteâ—tiam Tac. 6. Annal. As Seditions are suddenly raised they ought suddenly to be remedied There is more need of Action than of Consultation before the Venom takes Root and spreads When the People are once us'd to Murther Rapine and all other Ills that Sedition brings with it 't is very difficult to recall and pacifie them This King Henry well knew when upon the Death of his Brother King Peter he immediately seized upon the chief Cities and Garrisons of the Kingdom and by this Diligence soon establish'd its Tranquility Seditions therefore and Civil Wars being Distempers which consume the Life of the State 35 Paul ad Gal. 5. 15. and enervate the Prince by the Losses which he receives and the Gratuities which he is oblig'd to give 't is the best way to compose them upon any Terms This mov'd King Ferdinand the Catholick to agree with Alphonso King of Portugal in his Pretensions to the Crown of Castile For in such Disorders the Weakest and most Oppress'd are strongest 36 Quippe iâ— turbis discordiis pessimo cuique plurima vis Tac. 4. Hist. Princes are at the Discretion of those who have their Arms in their Hands and the Soldiers have more Authority than their Commanders 37 Civilibus bellis plus militibus quam ducibus licere Tac. 2. Hist. EMBLEM LXXIV ANIMALS naturally endeavour nothing but the Preservation of their Individuals and if at any time they injure one another 't is generally from that Reason and a certain Natural Fierceness which is not subject to the Command of Reason On the contrary Man animated with that Celestial Flame which gives him the Command of all Things easily persuades himself that he is not born only to live but also to enjoy all those Things even beyond the Bounds which Reason has prescribed him and his Imagination being cheated by the false Appearance of Good seeks this Enjoyment in several Objects and therein places his Felicity and Satisfaction Some think it consists in Riches others in Dainties and Luxury others in Dominion and every one in what the Errors of his Appetite or Fancy suggest for the Enjoyment of which they apply those Means which their rambling and unquiet Minds prompt 'em to though never so unjust 1 Vnâ— ac ca vetus causa bellandi profunda libido imperii dâ—â—â—tiarum Sal. in Cons. Catil Whence proceed Murthers Rapine and Tyranny which make Man the most unjust of all Animals And since one cannot be secure from another several kind of Arms were invented to repell Villany and preserve Innocence and Liberty and so War was introduced into the World 2 Iam. 4. 1. This was the Original of this Monster unless it came from Hell after the Fall of the Rebellious Angels War is so hateful to God that he would not permit David as Just as he was to build the Temple because he had shed much Blood 3 1 Chron. 22. 8. All good Princes dread it as knowing the various Events and Success thereof 4 2 Sam. 11. 25. War disturbs the Order and Harmony of States changes Religion violates Justice silences the Laws destroys Friendship and Relation makes Arts forgot Agriculture cease ruines Trade depopulates Cities and alters Governments King Alphonso calls Wars the Alienation from Peace the Disturber of Quiet and the Destruction of Order A Civil War is like a Burning Fever which soon scorches up the State A Foreign War cuts its Veins and dreins it of its Riches Strength and Vigour War is a Vice contrary to Reason Nature and the End of Man for God created him after his own Image and gave him the Command of all Things here below not to destroy them by War but to preserve 'em by Peace He did not create him for War but Peace not for Rage but Quiet not to Ruine but to Preserve For which Reason he sent him into the World Naked without Arms to offend others or a thick Hide to defend himself so indigent of the Assistance and Government of others that even in his most flourishing Estate he can't subsist without foreign Aid This Necessity oblig'd him to Society and Civil Correspondence from which by the Joint-Labour of all he might be supply'd with necessary Conveniencies for Life and that this Politick Felicity might unite all in the firmest Bonds of mutual Friendship and that one Country haughty with its own Riches might not disdain Communication with the rest he has shar'd his Blessings among all Wheat he has given to Sicily Wine to Crete Purple to Tyre Silk to Calabria Aromaticks to Arabia Gold and Silver to Spain and the West-Indies Diamonds Pearls and Spices to the East-Indies The Desire and Want of the Riches and Rarities creating Commerce by which the whole World became as one common House and that they might understand one another in this Correspondence and mutually express their Affections of Love and Benevolence he endued them with a Voice Articulate smooth and pleasant to explain their Conceptions Laughter to shew their Satisfaction Tears to shew their Sorrow Hands to exert their Faith and Liberality Knees their Submission and Obedience Which are all Tokens of a Civil Benign and Pacifick Animal But those Animals which Nature designed for War she created with Arms Offensive and Defensive for that
concerning him Esth. 3. 2. No Envy has more danger in it than that between Noblemen care should therefore be taken that Honours and Great Places seem not to be Hereditary to particular Families but be transferr'd from one to another yet so as that the wealthiest of the Nobility be employed in Places that require Pomp and Expence the poorer sort in those by which they may raise their Fortune and maintain the Splendor of their Birth There is some Emulation that is glorious I mean such as envies the Virtue and Merit of another but grieves to want them it self and endeavours by all the Efforts both of Valour and Wit to acquire them this I say is commendable nor is it to be reputed a Vice but a kind of spark of Virtue proceeding from a noble and generous Mind The Honour Miltiades got by his Victory over the Persians kindled such Flames in Themistocles's Breast as immediately consumed all his Vices he like another Man ran about Athens crying The Trophies of Miltiades would not let him Sleep As long as Vitellius had Competitors he abstained from Vices but as soon as he was without them both he and his Army abandon'd themselves to Cruelty Lust Rapine and Licentiousness 16 Tum ipse exercitusque saevitia libidine rapti in extremos moâ—es proruperunt Tac. 2. Hist. This is the Emulation Commonwealths should encourage by proposing Rewards erecting Trophies or Statues for that is the Soul and Spirit by which they are preserved and grow daily more flourishing And this I take to be the Reason the Republick of Switzerland takes so little pains to extend its Limits and why it produces so few famous Men though otherwise Nature has been by no means niggardly of Valour and Strength of Mind to its Inhabitants for their principal Design is to establish a general Equality which puts a stop to all Emulation and consequently all noble and Military Virtues are buried like burning Coals in Ashes But though this Emulation among Ministers may seem useful yet 't is not wholly without Danger in that the People who suffer no Man to be without a Rival are variously affected 17 Scientia militiae rumore populi qui neminem sine 〈◊〉 sinit Tac. 14. Ann. hence while these favour one those applaud another there arises a Contention between both Parties and these Factions breed Tumults and Seditions Besides that the heat of Ambition and desire of advancing themselves above others usually puts them upon unlawful Tricks and Artifices and that which at first was honourable Emulation degenerates at length into Hatred and Envy Metellus offended that Pompey was nominated to be his Successor in Farther Spain and envying the Glory of this Great Commander disbanded the Soldiers weakned the Army and carelesly neglected all Provisions Pompey did afterwards the same when he understood Marcus Pompilius was to succeed him in the Consulship and for fear possibly the Honour of Conquering the Numantines might redound to him made a Peace with them very dishonourable to the Roman Name In our own times Grol was lost upon no other account but a Dispute that arose among the Officers that were sent to relieve it about Preheminence In short nothing is so pernicious to Princes nothing more needs a Remedy Nor is here connivance to be admitted but both are to be punished as well he that seems to be Innocent as the Person in Fault This forgiving the occasion that because he renounced not his Right and let slip an opportunity of managing Affairs to advantage Which Rigour if it seems to any one excessive will be excused by considering the Emolument of the Publick Good and of the Example it will leave to Posterity There 's no great Resolution without some mixture of Injury A Subject ought to look upon the Duty he owes his Prince before his own Honour let him demand Satisfaction for the Injury received afterwards and think he has acquitted himself of his Duty to his Prince in having a little while put it up Patience in such a Case shews extraordinary Courage for a generous Mind ought to prefer the Service of the King before its own Passions and lay aside private Feuds when the Publick Interest is concerned 18 Privata odia publicis uâ—ilitatibus remittere Tac. 1. Ann. Aristides and Themistocles were bitter Enemies yet being both sent on an Embassy together when they came to the City-gate Aristides said Let us here Themistocles leave for a little time our private Grudges and at our return resume them again The same did Henry Guzman Duke of Medina who though otherwise an Enemy to Rodrigo Pontre Marquiss of Cadiz yet out of Love of the Publick Good went to his Assistance at the Siege of Alhama But because 't is much easier to prevent these Dangers than remedy them afterwards the Prince must take care not to put two Ministers of equal Authority in the same Office for 't is very difficult to make Power and Agreement subsist in the same place 19 Arduum eodem loco potentiam concordiam esse Tac. 4. Ann. Tiberius being to send another Minister into Asia of equal Quality with the then Governor of that Province thought that might be of dangerous consequence and therefore chose M. Aletus a Praetor least their equality might breed Emulation and that occasion some Impediment 20 Delectus est M. Aletus è pretoriis ne Consulari obtinente Asiam emulatio inter pares ex eo impedimentum â—riretur Tac. 2. Ann. EMBLEM X. THE Faulcon's no sooner let fly but he strives with his Beak to get off the little Bells that are hung at his Feet knowing them to prejudice his Liberty for their tingling shrill sound is like a Voice which with the least motion raised presently calls the Faulconer and so is the occasion that the poor Bird is brought again to Confinement how far soever it hid it self in the thickest Woods Alas how many Men has the noise of their Virtues and brave Exploits been mischievous to How many has Fame brought into Envy and insupportable Slavery Nor is great or good Fame less dangerous than bad 1 Nec minus periculum exâ—magna fama quam ex mala Tac. in Vir. Agr. Miltiades had never ended his Days so unhappily in Prison had his Valour been conceal'd and unknown or moderating his high Spirit he had been content with a fortune equal to that of other Athenian Citizens But the Reputation of his Victories increasing and the Eyes of Envy being not able to bear Fame's so bright Rays this Republick began to mistrust what merited Esteem and Recompence they feared forsooth their own Necks might at length be obliged to bear the Yoke he had put on that of their Enemies and dreaded more the future and uncertain Danger of Miltiades's Infidelity than that present and far greater one which threatned them from those who openly designed the Ruin and Destruction of their City Suspicion never admits Reason into
reconciling Enemies fitter to be Informers than Mediators Affairs require Persons of very different Qualities to Administer them That Man is above all the most proper who in his Air and Words discovers a Soul of Candor and Veracity whose private Person procures him Love and Esteem in whom Jealousy and Cunning are from Art not Nature who can keep them in the most secret Place of his Breast when they require Concealment who proposes with Sweetness hears with Patience replies with Force dissembles with Discretion urges with Attention who obliges by Liberality persuades by Reason and convinces by Experience who in a word designs prudently and executes effectually It was with these Ministers King Ferdinand the Catholick was able to succeed in all his Enterprizes The good Choice of these is of no leâ—s Consequence than the Conservation and Enlargement of any State for as much as all depends upon their Administration more Kingdoms having been destroyed by their Ignorance than by that of Princes Let this therefore be your Highness's chiefest Care to examine diligently all the Qualities of your Subjects and after having given them any Place look now and then into their Actions and not be presently taken with and deluded by the Draught of their Memoirs There being very few Ministers who in them draw themselves to the Life In Effect who will be so candid so much a Stranger to self-love as to confess what good he has neglected to do what Evil to prevent It will be much if he with Sincerity relate what he has actually done some using to write to the Prince not what they have done or said but what they ought to do or say They have thought of and designed every thing â—â—fore-hand they foresaw nay and executed all-Affairs enter their Closets like mishapen Logs but immediately come out again as from some Statuaries Shop exquisite Figures 't is there they are varnished giâ—â—ed and painted to beautify them and enhance their Value There Judgments are form'd and abundance of Preventions devis'd ever after the Success there they are more powerful than God himself make the past Time present and the present past by changing the Date of their Actions as they see convenient They are Ministers who transact Affairs in Imagination only Men that court Applause and steal Rewards by their false Letters Whence proceed the greatest Inconveniences in the World in that the Prince's Privy Counsellors being directed by those Intelligences and Advices if they are false the Orders and Resolutions founded upon them will necessarily be so too The Holy Scripture teaches us how Ministers and particularly Ambassadors are oblig'd punctually to execute their Commissions for we see in that Hazael had from Benhadad King of Syria to consult the Prophet Elisha about his Disease he chang'd not one word nor dared so much as to speak in the Third Person 8 2 Kings 8. 9. Ministers of extraordinary Experience are sometimes dangerous either for that the Prince puts too much Confidence in them or because biassed by Self-love or presuming upon their own Abilities they seldom think thoroughly of Affairs and born as 't were to overcome the most violent Tempests despise the small Storms of Inconveniences and Difficulties whereby they evidently expose themselves to Danger Those are in some Cases much safer who 〈◊〉 yet Novices in Navigation keep close to the Shore Though both together compose the best Counsels in that the Experience of those is qualified by the Timorousness and Caution of these in Debates between the Flegmatick and Cholerick the Bold and Circumspect the Quick and Slow there results a wholsome Composition of Opinions as there does in Bodies from the contrariety of Humours EMBLEM XXXI A Pillar supports it self balanced by its own weight If it once leans on either side it presently falls and that the sooner the heavier it is Thus Empires stand and are preserv'd by their own Authority and Repute when they begin to lose that they begin to fall nor is any Earthly Power sufficient to strengthen and prop them 1 Nihil rerum mortalium tam instabile ac flâ—xum est quam famae potentiae non sua vi niâ—a Tac. 13. Ann. Let no one trust too much to a streight Pillar when it inclines never so little the weakest Hand promotes its Ruin that very leaning I know not how inviting to push it but when falling the strongest is unable to uphold it One single Action sometimes overthrows the best establish'd Reputation which a great many can't erect again For scarce any Stain can so thoroughly be washed out but some sign of it will remain nor any Opinion in Mens Minds that can be entirely effaced Dress the Infamy as carefully as possible it will still leave some Scars Wherefore if the Crown stand not fixed and firm upon this perpendicular Pillar of Reputation it will soon fall to the Ground Alphonso the Fifth King of Arragon by his Credit not only preserved his own Kingdom but conquered that of Naples At the same time Iohn the Second King of Castile for his mean Spirit was so far the Contempt of his Subjects that he admitted what Laws they thought fit to impose The Provinces which under Iulius Caesar and Augustus Princes of great Esteem were Firm and Loyal rebell'd in the Reign of Galba a Man slothful and universally despised 2 Melius Divo Iulio Divoque Augusto notos eorum animos Galbam infracta tributa hostiles Spiritus induisse Tac. 4. Hist. Royal Blood and Large Dominions are insufficient to maintain Reputation where private Virtue and Magnanimity are wanting as it is not the Frame of a Glass but its Intrinsick Excellency makes it valuable Regal Majesty has not more Force than Respect which usually arises from Admiration and Fear and from these Obedience and Subjection without which the Princes Dignity cannot long maintain it self being founded upon the Opinion of others and the Royal Purple will be rather a Mark of Derision than Eminence and Majesty as was visible in Henry the Fourth It is the Spirits and Native Heat that keep the Body upright the Legs alone would not be a sufficient Basis. And what is Reputation but a kind of fine Spirit kindled in all Mens Opinions which raises and supports the Scepter Let the Prince therefore take all possible care that his Actions may be such as will nourish and foment these Spirits The Parthians grounded their Petition upon Reputation when they asked Tiberius to send as of his own accord one of Phraates's Sons to Rome 3 Nomine tantum auctore opus ut sponte Caesaris ut genus Arsacis ripam apud Euphratis cerneretur Tac. 6. Ann. This Repute and Authority has yet greater Influence in War where Fear is of more Efficacy than the Sword and Opinion than Strength whether of Mind or Body and therefore to be taken no less Notice of than Force of Arms. This made Suetonius Paulinus very prudently advise Otho to endeavour always to keep the
so obstinately persist in his fault Let Anger therefore and Mildness Punishment and Rewards be so intermixed as in the Golden Fleece the Steels and Flints are knit together and between them Flames of Fire to signifie that the Prince's Heart should resemble the Fire-stone or Flint which keeps the sparks of its Anger shut up least they should hurt any one rashly yet in such a manner that if it happen to be struck by Injury or Contempt it immediately breaks out into fire of Revenge and Justice yet those not so quick in execution but it has the Dew of the Fleece at hand to extinguish at least to moderate them God said to Ezekiel as Adamant and Flint have I made thy fore-head 15 Ezek. 3. 9. signifying by that the constancy of Justice and by this the fire of Piety But if the Prince cannot break his rough and savage Nature let him at least keep an obliging Family to supply his place giving a courteous reception to all Business and Petitions A Prince is often beloved or hated upon account of his Servants they very much cloak their Master's roughness if they have the skill to moderate it or to excuse it by their Affability and Discretion Some Nations hide the Royal Majesty behind Veils and Curtains when he gives Audience without exposing him to the people A Custom inhumane to the Prince severe and cruel to the Subjects who usually find comfort in their Prince's presence if not in his hands This Retreat may make the Prince more fear'd but never more beloved 'T is through the Eyes and Ears that Love strikes the Heart What we neither see nor hear we can't love A Prince who refuses the sight and speech of his Subjects refuses to hear their Necessities and to remedy them the Tongue is an easie instrument that ought to reconcile the Minds of all let not the Prince make it harsh and dis-agreeable King Iohn the First because he was short and had an impediment in his Speech lost the Portuguese in his Pretension to that Crown upon the death of King Peter 'T is not sufficient for the Prince to dispatch business by Memorials and Petitions for by them the Sentiments are not so well express'd They not being attended with Sighs and other moving Actions they are but dry Tears and have not that force upon the Prince The doors of Temples are always open so also should be those of Palaces for Princes are God's Vicegerents and the Altars as we have said which the people fly to in their Afflictions and Calamities 'T would be a scandalous thing for a Soldier to find it more easie to charge through a Squadron of Pikes than to come to the presence through the midst of Swiss and Dutch Guards who like armed Hedg-hogs are neither gain'd by Prayers nor Civility Let people come to me says the Emperor Rodolphus for I am not Emperor to be shut up in a box This retirement makes the mind savage 16 Etiam fera animalia si clausa teneas virtutis obliviscuntur Tac. 4. Hist. Attention to Government and Communication soften the temper and render it easie Princes like Hawks are tam'd by the assiduity of Affairs and by familiarity with Men. The Kingdom of Leon rebell'd against King Ramirez the Third for his difficulty of Access King Ferdinand the Holy was deny'd to none and every one had admittance even to his most private Apartment The Kings Alphonso the Twelfth and Henry the Third gave publick Audience three times a Week as did also their Catholick Majesties Ferdinand and Isabella †Mar. hist. Hisp. Nature has put doors to the Eyes and Tongue but has left the Ears open that they may be ready to hear at all times Let not a Prince then stop 'em but hearken favourably to those that would speak to him Let him comfort either by Reward or Hope for that is one kind of satisfaction which supports Merit Let him not always use set Forms and general Answers for those which are given to all satisfie none nor is it a small trouble to the Petitioner to receive an answer that he knew before Let him not always hear let him ask sometimes 17 Eccl. 23. 12. for he who does not enquire will never be well inform'd Let him throughly know the state of affairs and let his Audiences be instructive not merely ceremonial as were those of Ferdinand the Holy Alphonso King 〈◊〉 Arragon King Ferdinand the Catholick and the Empeâ—â—â— Charles the Fifth by which they were beloved and reâ—â—ected by their Subjects and esteem'd by Strangers As â—â—e Audience should be easie so it ought also to be speedy â—â—r the delay of a benefit diminishes the Obligation Tho' there are some affairs of that Nature that 't is better to let time undeceive them than either the Prince or his Miniâ—â—â—rs For all had rather be entertain'd with Hope than be dispatch'd with Despair which in prudent Courts is â—ound not given I don't approve of the Prince's exposing himself in the Streets and publick Places for the People 't is true admire him the first time observe him the second and slight him the third 18 Continuus aspectus minus verendos magnos homines ipsa societate fâ—it Liv. That which is not seen is respected most 19 Arcebantur conspectu quo venerationis plus inesset Tac. 4. hist. â—nd the Eyes often despise what the opinion esteem'd 'T is not convenient the people should know whether the chain of their Slavery be of Iron or of Gold passing judgment upon the parts and qualifications of the Prince We respect that most which is farthest distant 20 Cui major è lâ—nginquo reverentiâ— Tac. â— ann Some Nations take the Prince's Affability and Complaisance for a Vice Others dislike his reservedness and would have him mild and courteous as the Portuguese and the French The Extreams in one and t'other are always dangerous and he will be best able to moderate them who in his Actions and Government remembers that he is both Prince and Man EMBLEM XL. THE Scriptures call Princes Mountains and the rest of Mankind Hills and Valleys 1 Ye Mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord God 〈◊〉 saith the Lord God to the Mountains and to the Hills to the Rivers and to the Valleys Ezek. 6. 3. This compâ—rison comprehends the great Affinity between them for Mountains are Princes of the Earth as being nearâ—â— Heaven and superiour to the other works of Nature as also for their Liberality by which from their own generouâ— Bowels they supply with continual Streams the droughty Plains and Vallies beneath cloathing them with Flowers and Verdure this being the true property of Princes By this vertue more than any is a Prince ally'd to God who 〈◊〉 ever giving to all plentifully 2 â—ames 1. 5. 't is this renders obedience more prompt for a Present from him who could command forces Obligation Subjection is agreeable when 't is beneficial King
to obtain the Honour of Assertor of his Countrey 's Liberty 2 Itaque Monarchas non ut sibi vendicent Monarchiam invadunt sâ—d ut famam gloriam adipiscantur Arist. Pol. 5. cap. 10. It should therefore be the Princes Care to abolish this Superstition of false Honour and to promote the Worship of the true Let not a Prince disdain to honour Merit either in Subjects or Strangers for this does not derogate from the Prince's Honour no more than the light of a Torch is diminished by the lighting of another by it for which Reason Ennius compares the Charity of a person who instructs a wandring Traveller in his way to a Flame He who t' a wandring Man his way has shewn Lights t'others Torch and never hurts his own * Ennius From whence proceeds Cicero's Advice that whatever kindness can be done another without Detriment to ones self let it be done even to a Stranger 3 Ut quicquid sine detrimento accommodari possit id tribuatur velignoto Cicero From both these Sentences the present Emblem is taken a lighted Candle in a Candlestick the Emblem of Divinity and supream Authority at which two others are lighted to signifie that a Prince may bestow Honour upon those who deserve it without Detriment to his own His Honour is borrowed not his own who is afraid of wanting it when he confers it on others Springs continually flow and are never empty The Fund of Honour in Princes is inexhaustible be they never so profuse All respect them as the only Magazines of Honours from whence every one expects his share so the Earth with its Vapours refreshes the Air which returns them in Dew upon the Earth again And this mutual Correspondence between the Prince and his Subjects King Alphonso the Wise knew when he said that these in Honouring him honour'd themselves because from him they expect Honour and Preferment where this mutual Honour is there Affairs flourish in Peace and War and the Government is established Nor does a Prince shew his Majesty more in any thing than in the Honours he confers All natural Bodies the more noble they are are the more generous and free of their Vertues and Gifts To give Riches is humane but the distribution of Honour belongs to God or his Vicegerents In these Maxims I would perfectly instruct your Highness especially in that of honouring the Nobility who are the main support of Monarchy Let your Highness hearken to your glorious Predecessor King Alphonso the Wise who in laying down Maxims for his Successors speaks to this Effect Furthermore he ought to respect and honour the Nobility for their Riches and for that they are an Honour to his State and he should respect and honour the Gentry as being his Guard and the Bulwark of his Kingdom Without Rewards Services flag but rewarded they flourish and make the Kingdom glorious Under an ungrateful King never any great Action was aâ—chieved nor any glorious Example transmitted to Posterity Those three brave Souldiers who broke through the Enemies Squadrons and fetch'd water from the Cistern scarce did any thing else remarkable because David did not gratifie them A Prince by once rewarding the Merits of a Family binds them to his Service for ever The Nobility is as much urg'd to Glory by the noble Exploits of their Ancestors and by Honours with which they were rewarded as by those which they themselves expect 't was upon this Account that your Royal Highnesses Predecessors bestowed eternal marks of Honour upon the Services of some great Families of Spain So King Iohn II. rewarded those of the Counts Ribadeo by permitting them to eat at the King's Table upon Twâ—lfth-day and to have the same Coat which his Majesty wore that day his Catholick Majesty granted the same Honour to the Marquess of Cadiz And order'd that they should have the Coat which he wore upon the Feast of the Blessed Virgin to the Marquesses of Moya he gave the Cup which the Kings should drink out of upon St. Lucia's Day to the Earls of Roca of the Family of Vera and to all of that House a Grant for each to exempt thirty persons from all Taxes the same King Ferdinand when he met the King of France at Savona invited the great Captain Gonsalvo to Table with him at whose house also he staid at his Entry into Naples and what wonder since he ow'd him his Kingdom and all Spain its Glory and Success †Mar. Hist. Hisp. Of him might well be said what Tacitus says of another brave and valiant General In his Body was all the beauty of the Cherusâ—i and whatever was done with Success was the result of his Counsel 4 Illo in corpore decus owne Cheruscorum illius consilia gesta quae prosperâ— ceâ—idâ—rint testaâ—atur Tac. 2. ann The Valour and Conduct of one Minister is often the Foundation and Rise of a Kingdom That which is founded in America is owing to Herman Cortez and the Pizarrs The single Valour and Industry of the Marquess of Aytona kept the Netherlands from revolting upon the Death of the Infanta Isabella and some of our present Ministers have been the chief Instruments in preserving the Empire in the House of Austria and of the Tranquility which Italy has so long enjoyed whose great Rewards have been a spark to kindle a glorious Emulation in others By recompencing one Service you purchase many more 't is a noble Usury which enriches Princes and enlarges and secures their Estates the Ottoman Empire flourishes because it encourages and prefers Valour in whomsoever it is conspicuous The Fabrick of the Spanish Monarchy arrived at this Perfection because King Ferdinand the Catholick and after him Charles V. and Philip II. knew how to hew out and proportion the Stones to its bigness Princes complain of this Age of being barren and not productive of such great Spirits not considering that the Reason is that they don't look for them or if they do find them that they don't give them sufficient Encouragement but only promote those who are about them which depends more upon Chance than Choice Nature always produces some great Genius's but Princes don't always make use of them How many excellent Genius's and great Spirits are born and die in Obscurity who if they had been imployed and exercis'd in Business had been the Admiration of Mankind Ossat had died Chaplain of St. Lewis in Rome without the Glory of having done so many signal Services to France had not Henry IV. of France observing his great Abilities procur'd him a Cardinals Hat If a Prince suffers a great Soul to herd with the common Rout he will live and die like one of them without performing any thing remarkable or glorious Christ went up to the Mountain Tabur with three of his Disciples only leaving the rest with the multitude upon which their Faith immediately cool'd 5 Nam quod Domino in monte demorante ipsis cum turba