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spirit_n father_n show_v son_n 5,912 5 5.7697 4 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A59167 Lucius Annæus Seneca, his first book of clemency written to Nero Cæsar.; De clementia. English. 1653 Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, ca. 4 B.C.-65 A.D. 1653 (1653) Wing S2510; ESTC R37363 21,694 48

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just desirs t' advance So neither is he cruell to unjust But hath a speciall intrest in the trust Of all his subjects whom from inward sense They love defend and truly reverence Of whom the people speak the same at home They do abroad all seeking to become Fathers of children wishing barrennesse Caused in time of civill wars might cease And hoping they their children shall ingage The more because th' are born in such an age This Prince by his own benefit secur'd Needs not to be in Cittadells immur'd And though he have his guards yet they are meant Not for defence but for an ornament What is his dutie then the very same Of a good father who sometimes does blame His children with mild words somtimes with threats And them if they be stubborn sometimes beats Who having sense his sonne will disinherit For the first fault unlesse his lewd demerit By many enormities his patience moves Unlesse he feares beyond what he reproves His resolution is not easily bent To wipe his name out of his Testament He many tryalls makes to work upon The doubtfull disposition of his sonne Although he fears him gon so far past shame That he his nature hardly can reclame But when he finds him desperat he flies With resolution to extremities Hope makes him use all meanes that helpfull are Extremities accompany dispaire What Parents do a Prince should do the same Whom we the Father of his Country name Not with vaine flattery for we apply All other sirnames to his dignity We call him happy great and royall use All titles which proud majesty would choose But Father of his Country makes it known That he thereby a Fathers power must own Which is a mild authority confer'd For childrens sakes whose good should be preferr'd Before his own A father makes not hast To cut off his own limbs and if at last He does it he would them again restore And in the very action does deplore His losse so long delayd for when a fact Is quickly don t is near a willing act And too much punishing suspition drawes That the chastiser does it without cause Within our memory a Roman Knight Erixo was run through in open fight With writing-pins because he scourg'd his sonne To death with rods Nor could the rage begun By fathers and by children have been stayed But that Augustus power the fame alay'd When Titus Arius plainly had descri'd That his sonne meant to become paricide He punisht him with exile which decree Was much extold by all by reason he Was so indulgent as to be content In such a crime with only banishment And that an easie one for he confind Him to Marselles and with all assign'd The pension to him which he had enjoy'd Before his guilt This bounty did avoid Even in that City where no lewd offence Wants patronage all thought of innocence In him whom in so great and high debate His father could condemn and yet not hate We by this fit example will now gather How a good Prince agrees with a good Father Arius intending of this crime t' inquite The counsell of Augustus did desire VVho to his house at his request repair'd And with a private man in counsell shar'd Not saying let him come to me for so The Judgment which from that consult should grow VVould have been Caesars and not his The cause Being discuss'd according to the Lawes And th' allegations of both parties heard Caesar before his sentence he declar'd Caus'd every Judge his verdict to write down Least th' Emprors Vote might seem to be their own Then ere the bookes were opened he did swear That he had no intent to be the heire Of wealthy Arius Here some abject spirit VVill say he feard to shew a hope t' inherit The fathers goods by the sonnes condemnation But I think otherwise For in relation To a good conscience we should make defence Gainst ill opinions by firme confidence And Princes ought especially to looke Upon their fame a solemn oath he took That he would not inherit his cstate By which meanes Arius had that day the sate To lose an other heir But the decree Of Caesar was declared to be free Who after he had made it evident That he by his opinion never meant To make a benefit a care that ought To be establisht in a Princes thought He sentenced the son to be confind Only according to his fathers minde Not that he should into the sack be put Or thrown forth among serpents or be shut In some close Goale nor had he so much thought Of him he consur'd as of him that brought Him to his counsell It is fit said he That the most easie punishment should be Inflicted by a father on a sonne Young and seduced to a crime not done But which to innocence comes very neer Not entertain'd But with reluctant fear Yet that he ought to be remov'd of right Both from the City and his fathers sight O Prince whose counsell should be still implor'd By fathers in their need and be ador'd O Prince deserving for his tender care With all distressed sonnes to be co-heire This a Kings mercy justly may be stil'd That where he present is makes all things mild And no man should to him appear so vile But he should also be in trouble while He suffers who howere unfortunate Is yet a part and member of the State Great Empire may admit comparison With smaller powers for there are more than one Princes their subjects rule fathers beare sway Over their children Masters to obay Do teach their Schollers Captains to their bands Of soldiers daily send forth their commands Who would not blame that father which for light Offences does his children beat and fright Which of those tutors hath the worthier parts Or is most fit to teach the liberall arts He that his schollers fleas because they stick Upon some words their sight not being quick Because their memories do sometimes faile Or he that rather chooses to prevaile With admonitions and to reprehend With modesty thereby to make them mend A Captaine that too cruell is will make His soldiers out of hatred him forsake And justly too for why should we forbear To be to beasts yet not to men severe A skilful rider when he tames a horse Seekes not to do 't with frequent blowes and force But with soft stroking and a gentle hand Lest he grow restie and refuse command A hunter trayning up young dogs to hunt Makes use of older hounds which have been wont To trace wild beasts nor does he often rate The young ones lest their mettle should abate By a degenerate feare or make them run Quite from the rest their masters rage to shun Nay duller cattle that to toyle are bred When they are too much goard and threatned The yoake and burthen will decline No creature Is so untractable as man by nature And therefore he should alwayes be prepar'd VVith greater industry and be more spar'd For what 's