a mediocrity as neither avarice nor prodigality may euer blemish â—r for as Valor temâ—rs that heat of courage which makes danâ—rs seeme lesse then â—ey are and disperseth â—are which makes them to seeme greater â—o Liberality brings a moderation betwixt the insatiable desire of â—etting and the blinde contentment of giuing The couetous man is pleased to bury his gold â—n his coffers The couetous man and to hide it from the Sunne which doth produce it his vnmeasured heat to gather riches cannot be satisfied and it is like vnto fire which the more matter it encounters the more it deuoures The prodigal man on the other side poures forth his goodâ— vnprofitably in idle expences The Prodigall and doth not impart it to any but to vicious persons and such as are most riotous So as the subtile Stoicks had reason to compare his riches to â—ose fruits which grow on precipices and â—me to bee onely for 〈◊〉 vse of rauening â—ds and wild beasts â—t he that is truely liâ—rall knowes how to â—ue without losing â—at which he giues â—e vnto those goodly â—rings which neuer â—ying vp furnish the â—owers herbes with much water as shall â—ee needfull to keepe â—em fresh and in vigour so hee knowes how to imploy his bounty vpon honest men and not to draw the bottome of his liberality dry Hee will learne the art to make his presents in good sort Of presents and to accompany them with iudgment so as nothing shall seemâ— little that hee giues And doubtlesse the rarenesse is many times more coÌ„siderable then the magnificence In winter a Nosegay of Roses well preserued of inestimable price â—o a curious Lady and â—n the spring a ripe Aâ—ricock is worthy to be serued to a Queenes â—able Wherefore wee must obserue the things which may please him whom we desire to obâ—ige and seeing it is in our choice to giue what we please let vs haue a care that the thing which wee desire they should receiue from vs may last long to the end that our present may bee in some soâ— immortall In this so ingratefull persons anâ— forced not to forget them for that their memory is often refresheâ— by the obiects which their eyes represent vnto them But aboue all things he must haue a speciall care not to present any thing that may be vnprofitable or vnseemely as to present monsters to a woman great with child Looking-glasses to a â—ule creature Gloues a religious person â—ooks to an ignorant â—an and Armes to a â—hilosopher who loues â—othing but his books â—ally not to faile in â—is practice it doth â—waies import to conâ—der the rancke the â—ge the reputation the â—eanes and the birth â—f those to whom wee will shew our liberaâ—ty But not to insist longer to examine alâ— the kinds of actions Of other actions in generall iâ— shall suffice to say vpon this subiect that it is most necessary that he which aspires to make himselfe pleasing in the Cabinets of the Court and in all other good assemblies must accompany all his actions with great discretion He must be aduised and actiue in all his doings and he must not only be carefull to attaine vnto all the good conditions which haue propounded vnâ—o him but the course â—nd order of his life must be regulated with â—uch a disposition as â—he whole may be answerable to euery part Let them bee equall in all things and neuer contradicting himselfe â—et him frame a perfect and solid body of these goodly qualities so as â—his least actions may seeme to bee quickned with a spirit of wisdome and virtue Let him be ready without rashnesse vigilant without disquietnesse hardy without insolency let him bee modest without melancholly respectiue without fear let him bee pleasing without flattery let him be sufficient without intricatenes and aboue all let him be iust without dissembling Of words which make the second part of the diuision of life After actions come words which makes the second part of our diuision and are the greatest and most ordinary coÌ„merce of mans life Here memory doth reigne particularly for that besides that this pleasing facility to expresse depends of her the which wee obserue in many persons and admire in women in whom it doth chiefly abound she doth also furnish suddainly an infinite number of things which serue as a nourishment to entertainment It is impossible to prescribe certaine rules how a man should vse his words That iudgment serues for a guide by reason of the infinite diuersity of encounters which are in the world where wee shall hardly finde two spirits that are altogether like Wherefore he that will accommodate himselfe to the conuersation of many must make vse of his owne iudgment for a guide to the end that knowing the difference of one another he may at euery instant change his language and his maxime according to the humour of those with whom chance or his designes haue ingaged him Of the Entertainment of the Prince THE most glorious and most profitable obiect that he can make choice of to employ his entertainment worthily is without doubt towards his Soueraigne The first thing that is necessary for him to attaine vnto this honour is to bee well knowne but I would haue it in the best manner Of the first entrance of an honest man to the King and how it should be made I find nothing so flat nor cold as those dry reuerences which so many impudent persons presume to make vnto the King when as they haue nothing to say vnto him nor any man hath any cause to speak of them A gallant man will neuer be infected with this vanity if his reputation hath not past before him to make his accesse the more easie or if he which presents him hath not a long subiect to entertain the Prince with the famous seruices which this new man hath done him or may doe him hereafter of the occasions of honour where he hath been an actor of the good qualities which hee doth possesse and finally if hee hath not in him wherewith to giue a pleasing subiect to court him who in bringing him in shall be bound vnto him for that hee had made choice of him to doe this office Being setled in this manner in his Masters conceipt I would haue him imploy all his thoughts and all the forces of his soule to make him to know his worth let him at the least loue his person aswell as his dignity and that all his actioÌ„s desires words may tend to please him without flattery Hereby in profiting one alone hee makes himselfe profitable at the same instant to the whole Monarchy and his knowledge and wisdome like noble and vigorous seeds produce in the soule of Princes flowers whose fruits are imparted to all their subiects So as hee which shall loue his Country will bee prest with a desire to bee beloued of great powers and will loue those which are seated in the
vices of great talkers 28â— Of the difficulty which men haue 〈◊〉 keepe the secrets which are committed vnto them 28â— An example vpon this subiect 283 Of commendation of honest men 289 Of their wisdome 291 Of the gouernment of their tongues 292 Of their facility to doe good 293 Of the mildnesse of their spirits 296 Of their manner of exposing what they know 298 Of their modesty to iudge and speak of themselues 299 Of their integrity 302 Against lyars periured persoÌ„s 303 Of Iesting 308 That honest iesting giues life to conuersation 309 That wilfull iesting is dangerous 312 Of pleasant words 315 〈◊〉 the excellency of pleasaÌ„t words 316 〈◊〉 those things which he must obserue 319 That he must auoid iesting 320 That he must neuer iest vpon miserable men nor wicked persons 322 Nor honest men 324 Nor Officers ibid. Nor great men 325 Nor himselfe 326 Nor his friends 327 Nor honest women ibid. â—incipall rules of pleasant speeches 328 〈◊〉 the difference of ages manners and conditions which must be obserued 330 â—w an honest man should carry himselfe amidst these different conditions 33â— The last precept in the conuersatioâ— of equals 33â— Of conuersation with women 338 Description of a Circle 340 The Queene and Princesses 341 The Ladyes 343 Maids of honour 344 Of the conuersation of the Louver and of its discommodity 345 Of the choice must bee made in the City 347 Of small precepts 348 Of the exteriour presence 349 Of apparrell 351 Of the manner of the fashion of apparrell and of the suting of it 353 Of the apparrelling of men 357 Of action which is the soule of words 360 〈◊〉 the accent of the voyce 361 â—hat they must respect women 364 〈◊〉 pleasing among women 365 â—easons why they should honour women 368 â—hat the virtue of women is equall to that of men 370 â—ow necessary women are in Court 375 â—f the seruices that are to be done to women 377 â—hat the most chaste are many times most subiect to slanders 379 â—ice is odious in the conuersation of women 383 â—f slanderers ibid. â—f blasphemers 384 â—he obstinate and dull 385 â—he proud ibid. That iudgment giues order to 〈◊〉 conduct of life 39â— Diuers aduertisements vpon the designe of this Treaty 39â— Errata Emendata Page 82 line 13 no not P. 104 l. 7 it it it is P. 125 l. 5 belly belye P. 141 l. 11 sitting fitting P. 143 marg quality equality P. 247 l. 13 he same the same THE HONEST MAN OR The Art to please in Court A Table of the Court. IF Ambition doeth not rayse the whole â—ame of Princes Courts yet at the least wee may say that she puffes them vp to that boundlesse growth as many times it makes euen Soueraignes to hate their owne glory and the pompe which doth enuiron them proues insupportable vnto them The naturall desire which all men haue to attaine vnto honor and riches ingageth them insensibly in this goodly confusion and there are few found which 〈◊〉 wise enough to auoid 〈◊〉 surprizall of this â—asing disease amidst many obiects which 〈◊〉 procure it The King Princes and great men Princes 〈◊〉 great men are about â—ing like goodly stars â—ich receiue all their â—t from him but it is 〈◊〉 confounded in this â—at light and alâ—ough their brightnes â—th not appeare but â—hen they are remote â—m him yet it is neuer â—rious nor full of â—tre but when as this first fountaine of gloâ— poures forth it selfe vpon them and distributeâ— vnto them certain beams of his magnifâ—cence The greatest paâ— of the meaner sort consume themselues neaâ— this fire Meane men before they caâ— be warme and fortune who takes delight to display vpon this Theater the most remarkable tricks of her malice and lightnesse makes a sport at the ruine of a thousand ambitious men to raise one to the top of 〈◊〉 precipice Fortune and the vices which follow her which she â—pares in a manner 〈◊〉 all those which sufâ— themselues to bee â—nded with her fauors â—uy Auarice and Amâ—ion which alwayes â—end her raigne parâ—ularly with her about â—ngs whither they â—aw an infinite number 〈◊〉 mercenary spirits â—hom the disorder of â—satiable couetousnes â—ill not suffer to conâ—in themselues in a life full of sweetnesse anâ— tranquillity to caâ— themselues into the tâ—mults wherewith greâ— Courts like vnto greâ— Seas are continual tossed There these furâ— sow hatred and discoâ— amongst those that aâ— nearest allied they practice treason of all sideâ— and make the seeds 〈◊〉 basenes and cowardizâ— to spring vp euen iâ— those soules which naturally haue impression of generosity They in â—re so many ruinous â—signes which arme â—en one against anoâ—er and make most â—rishing Monarchies â—esolate and in the end â—ouble the whole frame â—f humane societie and â—iolate the most sacred â—awes which are observed in the world Amidst these pernicious dangers which they procure in my opinion such as follow them cannot bee too well aduised Necessiâ— of counsâ— to preserue himselfe from the misfortunes which do accompany them and there is not any man setled in so firme a station whom the authority of those that are more powerfull or the enuy of his equals or the malice of those which are vnder him may not pull down from the top of his greatest prosperities The Subiect of this Discourse IT is my designe to represent in this Discourse as in a little table the most necessary qualities bee it of minde or body which hee ought to haue that desires to make himselfe pleasing in Court But to imagine that my advice can raise him aboue Fortunes wheele so as others which haue the like proiects may not stay him in climing Of Preâ—eps their â—rofit and â—eaknesse or pull him down when he shall be mounted it is a proposition too ridiculous to fall into my resonable sense Precepts serue but as a guide and execute nothing of themselues they facilitate the beginning and progresse of those things which you vndertake but they haue not the power to finish any thing and there is nothing but the happy birth which with these forreine aides raise a man vnto the height of that perfection whereof we haue but a grosse Idea Of the Birth IN the mean time not to trouble the order which I haue propounded vnto my selfe to abridge as much as possibly I may the infinite number of things which may bee written vpon this subiect I will first of all say that I hold it most necessary that he which will enter into this great commerce of the world should bee borne a Gentleman and of a house of some good note Yet I will not banish all those to whom Nature hath denied this priuiledge Vertue hath no affected condition and the examples are frequent enough of those which from a base birth haue raised themselues to heroique actions and to eminent greatnesse Of the aduantage of Nobility Yet we must confes that they which are well
vs then beleeue that God is and that hee is an eternall wisdome an infinite bounty and an incomprehensible virtue whose definition is not to haue any who hath neither beginning noâ— ending and of whom the most perfect knowledge that we can haue is to confesse that wee cannot know enough It is true that it it a dangerous presumption to speake the truth But how abhominable is the weaknesse of that new and proud sect of frantique spirits Against Atheists who hauing not submission nor reuerence enough to humble their weak and blinde vnderstandings before this greaâ— and immortall Light and finding no proportion betwixt their grosse and ignorant discourses the wonders of this holy and first essence dare exceed so farre in their impiety as to deny â—â—thing which the Birds â—ublish brute Beasts â—cknowledge the most â—nseÌ„sible things proue â—ll nature doth confesse before whom the Angels tremble and the Deuils benâ— their knees Of the other virtues in generall Vpon this great anâ— firme support of Religion all the other virtues must be grounded which after they hauâ— made vs agreeable vnto God they make vs pleasing vnto men and giue vs a certaine secret satisfaction to our selues Of the feare of God which makes vs to enioy a solid peace in the midst of the distractions of the Court It is the feare of God which is the beginning of this true wisdome which comprehends all the precepts which Philosophy hath giuen us to liue well It is this feare which makes vs hardy in dangers which fortifies our â—ope which guides our â—esignes which orders our maners and makes vs to bee cherished by good men and feared by the wicked By her we appeare good without hypocrisie deuout without superstition discreet without malice modest and humble without basenesse and generous withouâ— arrogancy Whosoeueâ— feeles himselfe furnished with this treasure and with the qualities which wee haue represented and moreouer supported by a good naturall vnderstaÌ„ding to assure his carriage may boldly expose himselfe in Court and pretend to bee respected with esteeme and approbation Of a Courtiers life â—T is true that there â—are an infinite nuÌ„ber of reasoÌ„s which might diuert any man that knowes the miseries and it had beene better for many to haue had but one vnknown virtue then a life so full of lustre and danger Euery man sees that the corruption is in a manner generall and that the good which is done is without any designe and the euill as it were by profession Of seruitude Seruitude is so necessary as it seemes that the liberty which a man reserues to himselfe is an usurpation which he makes vpon the Soueraignes authority who hath for his noblest obiect the glory to extend his Empire vpon the wils as well as ouer the liues and fortunes of his subiects And what can be more vnworthy of the condition of a wise man then to subiect his reason to that of another whose it may be is dazled with the splendor of his glory and pompe Of toiles To this troublesome condition are tied a thousand paines toiles which spring from this furious heat which they haue to testifie their affection to great men to giue them proofe of their perfect seruitude Of disquietnesse so as they hold themselues the most vnfortunate whose sweatings they spare and whose quiet they do not disquiet If to the toyle of the body they did not adde that of the minde the best part would faile to accomplish his misery that is engaged in this kinde of life Of ambition Ambition which consumes him and the insatiable desire of wealth and honour which torture him make him to conceiue a thousand proiects aboue his strength The body in the end vanquished by weaknesse and wearinesse yeelds the spirit only to its losse is infatigable and whilest the members rest it afflicts it selfe with a thousand cares which deuoure it Feare assaults it and makes it to sinke Of feare and hope and hope supports it and releeues it to giue it in prey to this first feare and in this intestine warre are stirred vp all the other passions which nourish a secret hell in our souls whose torments cannot be expressed Of the cares of ambitious men In an instant wee must thinke of the means to preserue that which wee enioy to attaine to that which wee want to frustrate the attempts of those which crosse vs to surmount hatred and enâ—y to keepe back such â—s will goe before vs 〈◊〉 hinder those which â—ollow vs and it seemes â—hat euery mans health â—oth not so much conâ—st in his owne preserâ—ation as in the ruine of others Of the tranquillity of wise men How much more sweet and calme is the life of wise men who haue peace with themselues and know how to entertaine it with all the world These saith Aristotle are gods among men and if it bee lawfull to speak boldly in words we may say that God is an Eternall VViseman and that a wiseman is a god for a time A good man may liue in the corruption of the Court without blemish In the meane time mauger all these reasons and difficulties a wise man may in the middest of vices and corruptions preserue his virtue pure and without blemish There is nothing required but good designes and although the hell of the damned bee not full but of good intentions yet that of the Court being accompanied with lawfull and resonable thoughts it will haue no troubles but they will be easie to support Of all the errors of the minde there is none so dangerous as not to see the end that is propounded vnto vs and commonly they see that of the true knowledge and wise election of a good end depends the conduct and successe of those things wee vndertake Wherefore their most profitable knowledge that will liue in Court is to vnderstand what may be the most worthiest subiect of so dangerous a commerce Of the end a good man should propound to himselfe in Court. VVhen as men vnite their desires and willes in any one thing there is great likelihood that they hope for support and aduantage and those things which they desire by a common consent are most comoÌ„nly such as they beleeue to bee most noble most perfect and most profitable The consent they bring to obey one alone is a signe that they hold this kinde of gouernment more excellent then all others As in effect the true and lawfull power of Soueraignes is nothing but the tying and vniting of Authority and Iustice for the preseruation of the publique good And consequently all they which haue subiected themselues to this power aspire to approach neare vnto it and seek to maintain it with the hazard of their liues fortunes And therfore the good of the Prince is not separated from that of the State whereof hee is the soule and heart aswell as the head and the good of priuate men is