like publike matters of the State which deserueth a publike and peculiar regard of subiects State and taketh away the hatred of taxes and impositions by rendering the same back againe to the hands of particulars and States good wherby profit honour and securitie ariseth Fourthly vpon the due payment of Souldiers and men of Martiall affaires the which argueth discretion and high care to encounter infinite occasions of euills both growing in the Commanders as common souldiers whereof a prying care must be had Fiftly vppon strangers as Embassadors and such of forraine Nobilitie as are therby retained in loue and office to bee tenderers of the honour and weale of those States of visiting Princes and also vpon Officers and men of good deserte within the State Lastly vpon the policie of the State it self for retaining of friends or procuring thē by donatiues politicke lendinges out of which arise many secreates according to the seuerall motions or actions of a Prince or State in vertuous or vitious dispending the same The last point of this common secreat is to note what ordinarie and extraordinarie treasure is euermore reserued in the State And as it is a daungerous thing in times of warre and troubles to vndertake businesse vppon borrowings or vsurie vnlesse in speciall cases so also it is perilous to assemble a greater treasure then is meete for that causeth subiectes oft to murmur if the same come from them or inuiteth other States to picke quarrelles to be nibbling therewith Lastly whether there be such niggardlinesse of the Prince seeking to spare treasure as hee diminish much the dignitie of his household and also the Maiestie of his person Whereof wee read that King Lewis the Eleuenth of France whome Philip de Comines so much extolleth so farre diminished his houshold as hee forbad his Nobles to followe him in Court at the least at their owne charges as that hee was faine to employ his Taylor for his Heralde at Armes his Barbar for an Ambassadour and his Physician for Chauncellor And for his person hee was so respectlesse as hee continually ware an olde course cloth Cappe and leauing a recorde for buying a paire of meane sleeues to an olde plaine doublet of his And also in his accomptes was obserued to pay xv pence for so much dripping to grease his bootes Thus much concerning the common Secreats Quaere tamen si sit frugalitatis causa propter Reip. bonum The Accidentall follow which are such as chance daiely in or without a State and that so diuersely as that we can but giue an assaie or taste of thē to Trauailers in this treatise For euerie action of the State wherin one trauaileth or of other forraine States vnfould secreates and are meete materialles to diuine of future things which now in the interim is to be required of Trauailers Those accidentall secrets are to bee sought in three thinges namely in the persons gouerning in the persons gouerned and in the instrumēts From the persons gouerning I obserue these points First what be the negotiations and contractes the State or Prince offereth and maketh with other States frō time to time the which although they seeme hard to come by yet discreet carriage and liberalitie will purchase them Secondly what order euerie principalitie hath in the succession of their gouernour whether by election or by inheritance The first ordaining of a Prince by election was good to auoyde all such wants and imperfections as raigne ordinarily in Princes hereditarie yet such corruption inuadeth this age that sildome soueraigne Princes will constitute their vicegerent or elect Prince of an other State a man popular or that is wiser then themselues And sildome wil subiects that are few in number to make election elect men of more spirit wisedome worthinesse then thēselues vnlesse in special cases wherof the Colledge of the Cardinalls and the Electors of the Emperor find ease and profitte Those Countries that are by succession of inheritance are likewise of two sorts generall and speciall Moreouer vnder this maine secret dependeth the insight into the Lawes concerning the disposing of the Crowne and the Wils testaments and deuises that are made by Princes to bequeath the same so farre forth as they in right may be stretched Thirdly concerning States that go by inheritance let it be considered who be the next apparant heires to the State either by the law of the Countrie or the law of Nature or other pretences Vnder which also let it be noted how where and after what order those infants are brought vp and what hope there is of them Fourthly what wisedome and discretion the Prince is of whether hee be wise enough to discerne the aduise of his Councell subtile enough to perceiue whether his Councell plot more for their owne particulars then for the publike good and honour of their Soueraigne or whether he rule not all things at his wil without consult of his Councell what spirit he is of how studious to warre and peace what care and order the Prince taketh to see good iustice done to euerie one and so of all other vertues that crowne Princes with honor and establish their gouernment the like arise of the Magistrates But the contrarie must bee gathered from the imperfections vices of the Prince and Magistrates mutatis mutandis Lastly what choise of persons the Prince hath about him for fauourites and whether hee carrieth an euen hand amongst them By which secrette the inclination of the PRINCE and his abilitie and weakenesse maye bee concluded Concerning the persons gouerned our assaie resteth in sixe Considerations First whether the people bee giuen to much libertie and so suffered to continue as in the State of Venice and through Italie Secondly howe they stand affected to their Prince and gouernment Thirdly whether the Commons suppose not they see much into gouernment and think themselues wiser then the Councell of State the which is dangerous whether the same be deriued from presumptiō of Nature or frō the inspectiō the people haue into the gouernours cariage conuerting all things to priuate commoditie Fourthly how the people stand affected in rumors of warre like accidents Fiftly who are the persons in greatest fauor and estimation amongst the people besides the Prince Lastly whether the Nobilitie contemne not the Commons and Citizens and whether the Commons hate and enuie not the Nobles in outward shew the which breedeth a great thirst after alteration either of religion or of policie the one springing from zeale the other from malcontednesse and factiousnesse The Instruments follow which likewise be the subiects of many secrets and may be included vnder eight heads namely vnder Dearth of the commodities of the land Secondly vnder Mortalitie of men and the heauie hand of God on the people Thirdly vnder the Losse of shipping of Munition and Dominions Fourthly vnder the Want of Iustice and good
is not much betweene the home States man not hauing spent some time in trauaile the compleate Trauailer for forraine matters Yet herein hath a Trauailer the start of a home States man which is fed by aduertisements only and is ledde by other mens eyes Euen as a Soldier in Action may presume of better euēt then the Theorist whose booke rules in accidentall things faile many times as in particular motions For the eye hath a more perfect sense in iudgement then the eare if the same be rightly considered by iudgement Of these sixe the tongue is the first by right to be discoursed of the right knowledge whereof is somewhat more then wee required such to learne before they vndertooke trauaile For now in the interim of trauaile it is requisite that Trauailers grow in perfection otherwise such as stay at home may ranke with them which is reproachfull The perfection wherof consisteth in three things namely in vnderstanding speaking and writing the same To vnderstand a tongue perfectly is not barely to vnderstand what is read or heard pronounced but to obserue the peculiar phrase idiom constructiō of words and singularly to note whereof the tongue hath his speciall deriuation if it be a deriuatiue or his composition wherin Trauailers cānot be too good Grāmarians For in these dayes there is the true confusion of Babell and languages through the world either deriuatiuely or compositiuely or both And though at all times the like might be auouched howsoeuer there was generally held many ancient Tongues as the Hebrue the Chaldean or Assyrian the Arabian and the Egyptian yet by their characters and composition it is euident that they were all confounded or perished sauing the Hebrue which was the most auncient of all the rest and the spring from which the rest deriuatiuely or compositiuely are descended necessitie and imitation being the parent of these and succeeding languages For Adam the good Grammarian of the Hebrue tongue appropriated words not ad placitum but according to the nature of things and framed a certaine idiome of speach which in his dayes was generally spoken till the confusion of Languages So since other Monarches of the world haue excogitated words according to the light of nature and operation of things vnknowne to perfect their deriued languages by composition and meere inuention Now as we see the simple and vncorrupt Hebrue Tongue was the originall to other Languages and singularly to the Phoenician Chaldean Assyrian these two only differing in that the Assyrian had the purer dialect and rellish of the Hebrue so euerie Monarchie haue arrogated the deriuation and composition of the Tongues subiected vnto them Hereof it comes that the foure Monarchiall tongues are accompted originals by vsurpatiō and not of proprietie namely the Chaldean or Assyrian which in the first Monarchie was famous to particular States subiected gaue words and manners of speach Howbeit the Armenian and Arabian languages held their own though in some wordes and phrases they might be by commerce cōfounded as we see other neighbour Countries through the world borrowe and search from others to appropriate their tongues So was it of the second Monarchie the Persian when not onely the Chaldean becāe corrupted but that Language also was driuen to search after the phrases and words of the Persian till the third Monarchie came vp by Alexander namely the Grecian the singularitie of which tongue for proprietie of words hath deriued it selfe into the veines of all Ciuil Countries but singularly of States tributary making the fourth Monarchie glorious namely the Romaine And this Monarchie stretched it self far and neere We see the generall esteeme of the Latine tongue through Europe giuing as it were deriuation vnto the Italian and Spanish tongues with many proper and apt words making also France Germanie England and other Iles Coūtries fertile by the proper idiom of that tong as tributary States to the same especially wher Colonies or gouernmēts be established Herof it coms to passe that our English tongue hath a smacke of the Britanish which is a deriuatiue from the Grecian or Natolian tongue of the Latine of the Scottish and Pictish of the Danish Gothish Vandalish and Norwegian of the Norman and French tongues and also of the Flemish and Wallonish which though not by conquest yet since the reigne of Henrie the first by permissiō haue inhabited this Land whereof our tongue rellisheth also as in these dayes through commerce and affaires of the Italian and Spanish and Irish tongues howbeit we hold that the Brittish tongue is one of the Eleuen mother tongues in Europe In like sort stāds the French tongue the Italian Spanish Scottish and Dutch though of others the most pure being fallats and good gallimaufries of others tongues according either as they haue beene conquered and gouerned by strangers or thorow comemerce stand in neede of one anothers wordes and phrases Wherof it may be concluded that euerie language in his owne Countrey is most honorable and equally ancient though it be a a deriuatiue quoad tempus but not quoad perfectionem Neuerthelesse we see some Languages more general then other more esteemed here in Europe and that for two causes One through situatiō of the Coūtrie which maketh other neighbour Nations of necessitie acquaint themselues with one anothers Language the which chanceth to few Ilands that they may trafficke and haue commerce Hence the French the high Duch and the Sclavonian tongues are generall tongues passing through many kingdomes and States The like may also bee alleaged for some other States within the Continent that haue been at any time great and enforced others to seeke to them The other cause is thorow the perfection of the tongue as of copiousnes learning cōtained therin the which also make the same generally to bee regarded for necessitie of knowledge or for perfecting their owne barbarisme Hence the Greeke and Latine tongues are so generally taught and learned thorow the greatest parts of the whole world the words and phrases whereof are so well knowen that the Princes of Europe negotiate and contract in writing in the Latine as the Turke with Christian Princes in the Greeke as also for that princes Soueraigne will not yeeld at this day the honour to other Kings than to those that are indifferent and cannot bee challenged of any people And hence haue the French and Italians gotten the starte of vs in that their tongue was sooner refined and cast into bookes of many arts and histories and points of knowledge though at this day the English tongue draweth neere to the glory of the best of them Lastly hence it commeth that the yong Gentlemen of England affect so much the Italian tongue For that containeth spirit of inuention good phrase vtterance and delightfull matter to their appetites But to returne to our point let Trauailers hauing made obseruance of these things concerning the
Moreouer what inconstant luxuriousnesse and superfluitie of vnciuilitie in fashions and apparell toucheth the French The which except of vs English is reproued of most Nations in the world And amongst many barbarousnesses of manners how strange is that of the French mens dissimulation to their verie friends The which is left also hereditarie from the Lumbards to the Italians that haue any education I feare me other Nations trauailing thither will say that we beginne to smell of that disease Lastly what fencerlike and gladiatorious behauiour bemaddeth the Germanes What corruption of manneâ—s generaly reigne in the Italians Insomuch that other lesse accort Countries then ours haue this coÌ„mon prouerbe wherof it shall suffice to touch that of the Germanes Multi Germani rustici In Italiam proficiscuntur angeli Redeunt diaboli vrbani What inconstant countenance do these Italians sauor of What arrogancie and insolencie discouereth the Spaniard to his superior and equall what insupporrablenesse to his inferior and subiect What falsehoods may men finde in the Gelderlanders whereas Turkes being Heathens are keepers of promise What crueltie and tyrannie do the Spaniards and Irish discouer to their enemies What pride of the French What pertinacitie generally do Schollers Courtiers and Souldiers discouer What inhospitalitie do the Germanes keepe What anger and hastinesse of the Irish yea of the poorest kerne Thus by these examples may a Trauailer suruey the ciuilitie and barbarousnesse of Nations in euerie vertue actiue or morall chiefly in the Court and Citties For the Countrie people rellish of rudenesse euermore though in some points they may serue for samplers of great ciuilitie and true carriages of the which a trauailer must in particular make obseruance But considering that which is Ciuilitie in one Nation is vnaccustomed and reiected in other State it may be doubted how a Trauailer shall demeane himselfe to be compleat and know which to retaine The answere is easie for it is euer presupposed that it is no breach of office or of ciuilitie being in another Nation to obserue the fashions guises and customes of the same in things indifferent and ceremoniall although they grate on barbarisme as superfluitie of complements and words such as the French and Italians vse the manner of eating and drinking whether vppon the ground lying along as in Turkie and Africke or standing The manner of saluting with the hatte on without bending of the knee without bowing of the bodie without imbracing without profering of the hand without conioyning without kissing and such like externall customes of indifferencie becomming well enough the boundes of euerie Countrie For though it be a rule with vs that those ceremonies and ciuill vses come neérest to the point of true cariage and consequently most commendable that expresse humilitie and curtesie and encrease affection of most kindnesse and humanitie hence comes our salutations bareheaded and hand kissing bowed bodies and knees embracings conioyning and shaking of the hand peculiar to great personages hence the Italians and French haue gotten probatum of their humilious phrases and kind complements of kissing their hands the Spaniardes of humbly kissing the hands of those they respect and conuerse with men as women the Dutch in their carrowsing in like sort as we vse in contracts by imposition of hands and afterwards by kissing them yet we see the nature of the Italians caÌ„not brooke kissing openly of women nor the French being long bareheaded and in like expressions other Nations are as precise Notwithstanding in the expressions of moral vertues and vices a Trauailer must be so curious and graue that hee not only beware to committe sinne and do as the people do but cleaue wholly to the vertue and meane of things abhorring blaspheming swearing rayling malreporting and such like vices of the tongue as of all other actions and customes of wickednesse which are euill in their owne nature without circumstances And these Trauailers haue prerogatiue of other Nations to prescribe against many though indifferent and against all euill customes that swarue from the rule of Nature humanitie Thus hauing long stayed vpon this haunt of the first discouerer of the nature of people the second offereth it self for the Trauailer to know Whether the people be Free or Seruile For al people considered as Subiects are one of these two And though by nature largely coÌ„sidered one man is equally so free as another none more seruile for seruitude is politicke yet we see some people politickly seruile as free some more some lesse according to the alteration of times and things By the words seruile free then are meant not the naturall since all by nature are seruile to sinne and vnrighteousnesse and are equally free from miserie and subiection but the politicall which maketh some people free in regard of misery and seruitude and other seruile to slauery miserie and subiection Now seeing all people of a State are vnder subiection in generalitie in this place the nature of a people must bee sought out of such as are free from slauery and miserie and of those that are seruiled vnto them Of people free in this sense there be some by prescription enfranchised the gouernment of whose States by good lawes haue made them free from long miserie or slauery Such are the Commons and Nobilitie of this land whose freedome is such as they enioy their owne things so freely as the Prince The like may be sayd of the States of France and Germanie and of other well ordered Common wealths Moreouer such freedome generally reigneth in France as with vs here in Kent that what slaue or bondman shal but land in France is immediatly made free and whosoeuer abideth one yeere in Kent shall be euer after enfranchised Moreouer there be others free by arrogation who according to the state of times and things licentiously vse their libertie Such in times past were the people of Denmarke whose force was their law in so much that their Prince held his royaltie at their placitum For if at any time they misliked any of his actions he was instantly deposed and an other set in his place Such at this day is the freedome of the Venetians that they seeme to beare a hard hand ouer their Dukes And such is the common nature of euery Democracie and Aristocracie Lastly there bee some whose policie and state haue continued them in much freedome from miserie and slauerie as euer striuing against seruitude Such were the Sclauonians the Switzers and the Lumbards the Neapolitanes in the Romane gouernement in so much as these people being euer confederates with that mightie Empire yet durst they giue succour to the banished from Rome Such were the Hungarians against the Turke Such generally are the Nobility of most Christian States who as Libertines are euer out of tyranny before the CoÌ„mons Such are the Spaniards that chuse rather to die than to be made slaues And such is the naturall affect of those
this Land and of France or in trades and merchandise as the Nobility of the Venetian and Genoa States Moreouer with whom they vent that which is superfluous in their Towne from what other places they ordinarily bring such things as they want and stand in need of and whether they be driuen to carie out their owne commodities or are sought vnto by forreine parts Let these things suffice till the gouernement of the State in generall shall offer it selfe to be handled in the fift part to which we do referre Trauailers that make doubt of any thing considerable in Townes or Cities The seuenth and last consideration then of Cities is of the priuiledges immunities liberties and freedomes of them whether Colonies Municipials Prefectures Cities confederate assemblies and such like Now the other part of Artificiall buildings resteth to our Trauailer namely of fortifications Of which forasmuch as the true suruey of them is in many States very daungerous we haue obserued for the better ease and securitie of Trauailers three safe wayes to prie into the secrets of them if accesse bee inhibited First to learne what are fortified holdes within the land and what front and coast the sea and where seated Moreouer within the land whether they stand vpon riuers or waters or were built for other purposes than for the warres and naturall defence of the land whereof in most States there haue been diuerserected as by the Nobilitie of England and Ireland for their priuate vses and for ciuill warres fortified singularly in France where the Noblesses for their priuate safegard haue many strong holdes as other Nations that a long season haue either feared enemies or sought freedome from subiection Whereof wee haue of late time experience by the fortifications of the Lowe Countrey people The second considereth the naturall and artificiall strength of them The naturall attribute defence vnto a place in regard of situation which may be cōsidered in hils rockes or waters that make the same vnaccessable or defenceable wherof we haue a wonderful example in the Isle of Sarke in our Brutish sea which is by nature so fortified as one man may defend the same Isle against the greatest Army that is able to come against it Of like defence is in some respect the castle of Garnsey for a land Army the city of Venice and of Mexico in West India Moreouer let it be considered whether equally in all places as the aforenamed or but on some sides that defence groweth as that of Douer castle to the sea-ward and towards the towne Likewise what other naturall strengths be within as plenty of ground to preserue victuall good springs that cannot be withdrawen or corrupted such like which naturally doe fortifie places greatly in times of besiegings Now th' artificial strēgths of Forts cōsisteth in y e Matter or Forme and figure whether without or within Touching the matter substāce of euery particular let it be questioned whether they be of old or new erectiō for the olde in times past were made of stone bricke or such like hard stuffe which now in the perfectiō of artillery are more easie to be battered thā Forts of earth are foūd more hurtful to the friend within fauorable to the enemy yet in speciall cases where Artillery cannot come to batter are notwithstanding momentable the which if it be well considered seldome shall men find old fortifications but they were euen seated so as Artillery could not play vpon them In like sort are those new fortifications to be considered of what matter for of earth ther is diuers sorts to make good fortifications of what greatnes largenes thicknes depth and height are the members of them as wals vammures ramparts curtins cauallirs parapets counterscarfes mounts platforms trenches ditches c and how replenished with water what sluces what Saleis what droit and oblique passages are to the same the which discreet questioning good indgement of the eye shall enforme a Trauailer of Touching the formes and figures of Forts that is either regular or irregular The regular be either Rotunds Quadrats Pentagonons Hexagonons c. according to the quantity of the Fort euery part answering in correspondencie The irregular retain those formes which most naturally may helpe the weaknes of the place yet answerable one to another according to the rules of fortifications wherof we had a notable piece of work for example in that in Ostend in Flanders And for better iudgement herein let it not be grieuous to any Trauailer if so he happen into the warres to obserue the notable means is taken in the field by good Souldiers for the fortifying of their Campes daily after this irregular distribution Now the last of these 3 that prie into the fortifications of Countries is to vnderstād what Captains souldiers ordinarily belong to them their munitions their paies finally their ordinances priuiledges Let these things suffice for the first of the artifical commodities of the Country The second is that of Trades and Mechanical Sciences the which are fashioners and finishers of handicraft works made through mans inuention are in number sixe for a Trauailer to consider of thorow which al commodities passe and repasse namely Husbandry Clothing Masonry Carpentry Smithery Engining these are generall heads whereunto all other trades of necessary obseruation may be referred that accommodate a Land Let vs take Husbandry for an example vnder which is comprised the sciences of gardening of planting and grafting of manuring of grasing of breeding and cherishing of Vegetables Plants beasts and such like fostering sciences for the nourishment of the creatures but singularly of man Vpon which also other infinite trades depend wherof we will omit to speake But to our point in hand a Trauailer shal discerne the husbandry of each countrey in three points first by obseruing what corne and graine the countrey yeeldeth generally and that with what paines and meanes the land is tilled and manured what vsuall increase the land yeeldeth and such like whereof there is such difference as is almost incredible yea between setting and sowing Secondly what cattell are vsually bred there for the state aswell of the Land as of other Countries As in Muscouie and Poland Bees in the Lowe Countries Kine in England Sheepe and such like Lastly what fruits the countrie yeeldeth as Grapes Wine Oile Apples Peares Plummes Orenges Limons Nuts and such like and lastly with what fuell the Land most aboundeth Touching the second Mechanicall trade namely Clothing a Trauailer must note what speciall stuffe that Countrey yeeldeth for the same whether of Lether Furres beasts skins haire flaxe wooll barks of trees bombasie silke gold siluer or such like and also how the same is imployed for garmēts or otherwise So the third which is Masonry requireth the knowledge of such as are workers of stone brick or morter their artificiall compositions and symmetries The fourth which is Carpentrie
to decree warre or peace or to enter into treaties concerning them The third is to institute and ordaine principal officers The fourth is to haue the last Appeale which is one of the true markes of Souereigntie vnder which dependeth the power to grant pardon to the condemned by course of law in fauour to redresse the rigor of the lawe and formall proceedings of Magistrates whether concerning life goods honor banishment or libertie In all which Trauailers shal find in most States great defect in fewe all absolutely For concerning the first what honourable Prince not naming the Pope the Turke the Tartarian and such like tyrants of himself without associates decreeth lawes And not without good cause for it noteth iustice and desire to gouerne aright knitting the Subiects to their Prince Neuerthelesse we see that in former times the Princes of this Land and of France as of òther States did constitute of themselues many good lawes in force at this day So touching the second there be some States that by custome and willingnes to complease their subiects will seldome make warre or entertain peace without priuate consent of their Councell or general debating of the Parliament Likewise of the third there is amongst States and gouernements a great diuersitie in the instituting and ratifying of principall officers which custome hath been brought from the Prince or State no doubt for the shew of the Common-weales good so the same be not transported to forraine States as the Pope arrogateth in Ecclesiasticall promotions And touching the last point we see also how great Princes are stripped of their Souereignty reigntie by the Pope in matters of appeale of giuing pardons and such like regalities to subiects and great offenders against their Prince and countrey Thus in these let Trauailers euerie where make obseruation how of custome either the States doe hold their Souereigntie or howe by like Custome they haue abbridged or lost their marks of absolutenesse Lastly let it be considered of the customes and prerogatiues of the Nobilitie of a nation the chiefe whereof resteth in their superioritie and preheminence in sitting going talking eating washing subscribing arrogating peculiar phrases and order of stile in writing and such like All which are to be considered by times places and persons that thus and by a customarie dutie and respect honour each other Wherein if Trauailers wil be verie iudiciall they had neede to be good heralds and studious in the customarie lawe and discipline of Armes of that nation Hitherto concerning the lawes and customes of a nation so briefly as we could to the vnexpert in the affaires of the countrey The fift point of knowledge now offereth it selfe which is concerning the gouernment of the countrey 5 The Gouernment hath a twofold managing therof the one exterior and discernable the other interior secret and priuate onely in a wise State to the Counsel thereof or onely lodged in the breast of the Prince which to a wise Prince is a high pointe of politicke gouernment Of this interior we will giue Trauailers a secret taste in the last part namely in the Secrets For the obiect of a Trauailer is properly the publike and reuealed gouernment In this Gouernment three things concurre First the persons gouerning secondly the people gouerned lastly the common and speciall policie or instruments that subsist for the establishing of a cōmon good towards all men by the vertue wherof life health peace prosperitie and happinesse without interruption is conueyed vnto the bodie politick Wheras the defect and vicious ordering of things soon corrodeth or putteth the same into a consumptiō irreuocable Concerning the persons gouerning we obiect to Trauailers a triple consideration according to the three-fold diuersitie of Cōmon-weales For by the persons gouerning we meane also those simple variable three formes of gouernment namely the Monarchial which is when the Soueraignty and supreme authority without controlment resteth in one person or Prince as in our King of Great Britaine The Aristocraticall is when as the lesser part of the people or of the Nobilitie haue the Souereigntie in body giuing lawes to the rest of people in generall and particular as the Seigniorie of Venice and the State of the vnited Prouinces in the Lowe Countreys And the Democraticall or popular Estate which is when as the whole people or greater part thereof in bodie hath the Souereigne authoritie Which had neede to bee well considered of Trauailers by so much the more as they see great learned men confounded or deceiued in the iudgements of them For neither the qualities of persons can change the nature or number of them nor can there bee any mixt State of forme and continuance but either by Graunt Permission Communication Association or Assignation of the Souereigne power to the members subiect But lest Trauailers might be misseled by the opinions of others let them obserue diligently in what persons and in which of these those foure markes of Souereigntie before spoken of in the Customes of the Countrey doe reigne which here for breuitie I omit especially the ordering of officers the decreeing of peace and warre and taking of Appeales But for the publishing of lawes the most ciuill States for the better securitie of them and content of the people are euer assisted in Monarchies with the three Estates And in some States also for the better dispatch of things many of the other three markes are committed but yet restrictiuely and vnder controulement Wherefore let Trauailers consider now these things aright and proue the censures of other men by those markes of Souereigntie which inuest the formes with supreme power Moreouer in the second place let Trauailers note what principall officers are in the commitment ordained to helpe the motion and gouernment of the helme of the State And lastly how farre their seuerall offices doe extend For the better insight into which there may bee gathered a triple consideration of officers namely first such as stand by ancient right and Custome as those which we cal Officers at the Common Lawe Secondly such as haue their authoritie by Commission and that from the prerogatiues of the Prince or State Souereigne Lastly such as are ordained by the positiue lawes of the land to vndergo any businesse for the good of the Common-weale Finally let Trauailers be carefull to obserue the maner and order of making publishing of lawes there vsed the course of entertaining warres the ordinarie policie vsed in time of peace concerning preparation for warres defensiue and offensiue the common course of proceeding in iustice and iudgement the places and times and ministers the fashion of punishing rewarding of all sorts of people acording to their deserts and such like appurtenances appendices of the gouernment Let these suffice for the persons gouerning The People gouerned wee cast into sixe moulds namely into that of Husbandmen of Handicrafts men and Labourers of Marchants of the Nobilitie and Gentrie of stipendarie
Souldiers and of Ecclesiasticall persons As touching the three first of these the lawes of most States will discouer howe they bee gouerned But as concerning the Nobilitie and Ecclesiasticall persons they assume in most States much libertie Of whome let it be sufficient for our Trauailer to note how they liue and what they are enclined vnto And as concerning Stipendarie Souldiers if the State afford any let it be considered how they are disciplined and by whom their number their priuiledges and lastly their entertainment Now the last point to be considered in the gouernment concerneth the common and speciall policie or instruments whereby the gouernors conuey nourishment vnto the gouerned to vphold the cōmon health of the State or to plucke the same vpon the knees These speciall policies or instruments may be surueyed of Trauailers in three things First in the goodnesse or illnesse of the Coūtries laws and customes Secondly in the accidents that moue the soueraigne Power for the presēt standing of things to cōstitute and decree timely and broche such policies as may encounter cure and remoue any disease surfaite or distemperature growen or growing in the bodie politick till by a law those inconueniences may be preuented The contrarie will chaunce where such defect reigneth Lastly in the due execution of such lawes as are enacted and in force the which vnite or disioyne the bodie most firmely or in piecemeales so as there cannot but arise from the one a sweet and tuneable harmonie of gouernment and from the other all iarres and discordes the which shall minister to Trauailers plentie of matter to plot policies vpon Thus much of the policies The sixt and last point of knowledge now remaineth which is of the Secretes of the State where men trauaile The singular point that ennobleth a Trauailer aboue the home-politician the foundatiōs of momentall policies The Secrets are those things which are neither noted nor learned of the vulgar sort of people they are notwithstanding common and accidentall the which doe oft change one into another The Common Secretes rest in two points in the intelligence of such as are forreine friends newters or enimies to the Countrie wherin one trauaileth And in the knowledge of the ordinarie strength of the State of the Countrie in which men trauaile The first of these considereth friends newters and enimies Out of which though there be seuerall secrets to be extracted yet we will for breuitie giue our Trauailer a release of them in the discouerie of friends since the rest may either è diuerso or conuer so be displaied Of friends therefore in this kind namely political there is a triple regard First by bloud and neerenesse of kinne Secondly by religion and profession of one and the same faith Lastly by meere politicall coniunction of friendship confedracie alliance and league to settle secure c. each others State in peace safetie Now since all these friends in matters of State are euer neerest to themselues running the straightest course for the good of their owne estates few can be found so honest firme as their friendships are neuer disioynable Howbeit we might see a rare example twixt France and Scotland in times past And thoughe Religion bee the streightest conioyner of States yet when Ambition or couetousnesse or selfe-loue inuade a body politicke sildome the friendshippe of such continue longer then they will aide and cherish those greedie appetites Enuy and feare of ouermuch greatnesse making the one an hypocrite to hunt with the hounde and runne with the hare according to the prouerbe From the politicall cōiunction of friendship we gather two sorts of friends to euerie State namely the pleasurable who for commodities marchandise are chiefly retained for friends to enrich their States in times of peace accommodate them with things needefull mutually Hence we behold the lawfulnesse of Christian States to traffick with Pagans and Infidels For contractes of peace and entercourse of commodities may be betweene any Nations since the partition wall is broken down it being a rule of charity for one State now to entertain relieue another with such commodities as the one either standeth in neede of or excelleth the other in Neuerthelesse in leagues alliances and confederacies for war it standeth otherwise twixt Christian and Pagan Princes That other sort of friends are the profitable who for the politicall defence and offence are collegued and allianced or cōfederated with either to be relieued for iniurie and wrong receiued or to be defended against oppression and violence or in policie only for feare of sensiblenesse and feare of the worst Moreouer it is not sufficient for a Trauailer to note thus who be pleasurable profitable friends to that Countrie wherein he trauaileth but to weighe also by all meanes the power and strength or weakenesse of those friends Newters or enimies to that Countrie The which may be discouered to our Trauailer in foure points As first in the populousnesse of them or defect of people and in the well disciplining of them or sufferance to liue ad libitum and without any Martiall gouernment For from hence ariseth one maine secreat to our Trauailer That those Coūtries so strengthened may be presumed vpon for great friends and contrariwise So the second resteth in the neere neighbourhood or fitnesse of such friends to impeach an enimie The third may bee noted in the commodities of those friends to aide and succour that State in cases of necessitie with victuall munition Armes horses shipping and money which are the arteries veines sinews and muscles of bodies politicke in forreine troubles Of which this secret riseth That such friendes so well furnished must euermore bee well and euenly dealt with considering they are daungerous enemies or neuters the rather in regard before a State can be sensible of their enimitie they can suddainly offend Neuerthelesse let Trauailers in this point consider what care those States take to reteine from trafficke munition offensiue For it is a weaknesse and danger to tolerate the trafficke of munition offensiue to friend or neurer the which in time may beard ones selfe and speake terrour in the eares of the first owners The fourth and last concerning the strength of friendes remaineth that Trauailers prie into the reuolution of those States in three things as in the Religion of those States in their Warlikenesse and in their Freedome Of these briefly And first let vs treate of their religion whether those friends hold the same religiō that the State whereof they are friends doth or whether of a contrarie profession the one yeelding euer a more steady loue than the other And in case of contrary religion such friends are soone lost and soone presse a people to be mortall enemies From whence flowe infinite secrets of this kinde familiar to good States-men Touching the warlikenesse of friends that may be considered either in their good discipline at home or
the employment of their people abroad in forraine warres Out of which let a Trauailer note this secret that such are strong friends and to bee put in trust whereas those States that bee so exceedingly desirous of peace that they neglect the ordinary discipline of warre are either weake and impotent friends or vnsteady and wauering Moreouer from whence an other maine secret ariseth that populous and rich States which chuse rather to yeeld to seruitude by paying tribute taxes and other intolerable burdens then to defend their liberties vnlesse in special cases are neither trustie friends nor great enimies to bee feared For that State which preferreth not his owne libertie cannot be sensible of anothers in such sort as is requireable Lastly concerning the freedome of friends there is a diuers standing namely from miserie and from subiection Of freedom from misery we see most States of Europe at this day vnlesse where vsurpers or tyrants rule and dominiere Of freedom from subiection there is a proper improper constitutiō Those States are properly free whose policie hangeth not vpon any forrain power acknowledging no other superiour than God either in Temporal or Ecclesiasticall matters nor that are tributary or homagial to any forreine State Such at this day is England Moscouy Turkie Persia Tartaria and that of Prester Iean who of the rest vanteth that his Nation was neuer conquered or acknowledged any other forreine Prince Those that improperly are free are such States as either acknowledge other superiour or equall Lord or Lords in Ecclesiasticall or Temporall matters than God their politicall Lord or Lords or are tributary or homagiall in any respect to forreine powers Such in the first sense at this day are France Spaine the Empire Italy Denmarke and all those States that hold of the Pope or Emperour So such of the second clause are those States thorow the world that pay and yeeld a certain taxe homage or tribute for acknowledging and respecting their subiection Hence it may bee inferred that those friends can doe a State little profit that are in distresse themselues as ingaged with intestine ciuil distemperatures or afflicted by an equal or greater enemie as iealous of some great and imminent danger themselues or that be not well disciplined or not at libertie to dispose of themselues without those States to whom they are subiect or in case any of their possessions bee in question as belonging to an other equall or greater Power All which in a word may Trauailers cōfirme to themselues in those States ouer which the Pope hath any stroke who arrogating a power to disioyne the members from the head and to set the Subiects against their Prince can also make debate twixt Prince and Prince State and State Thus much of the first poynt of forreine friends c. to the Countrey into which men trauaile Now touching the second which we named to consist in the knowledge of the ordinarie strength of the State of the Country in which men trauaile there are 4 things cōsiderable the Sufficiēcie of the people Store of commodities not only to nourish the people within the land but to make procure friendship in speciall cases plenty of Munition either offensiue or defensiue and the fulnesse of Treasure Reuenue and Domaine Of these foure we haue handled the three former thorowout our Treatise sufficiently for a Trauailer But the fourth that is to say the Domaine or Treasure wee had neede to touch a little First let it be considered therefore that in Monarchies there is a priuate and a publike reuenue and treasure the publike being dispended for the good of the Common-weale whereas the priuate patrimonie of Princes are dispendable on their necessities priuate yet these are oft confounded But the first that chaunceth to the consideratiō of Trauailers is to note what summe those ioyntly or seuerally doe amount vnto Whereby they shall be able to discerne the riches and pouertie of States computatis computandis This maine secret brocheth three considerations First how and on what the summe is gathered secondly how that is disposed thirdly whether there be not alwayes a reseruation of treasure for the suddaine and needfull vse of those States Touching the first of these we obserue from politicians seuen wayes that amasse publike treasure and reuenew honourably First by reuenue which wee tearm here in Englād the profits of the Crown-lands of Wards Mariages of Reliefs of Eschetes of Fines of Forfeitures of Amercemēts of Iurisdictions ordinary as extraordinarie and such like Secondly by conquest vpō the enemie Thirdly by gifts of friends and wel wishers to the State and Crowne Fourthly by pension and tribute of subiected States and Allies Fiftly by trafficke the which to some States is very gainefull Sixtly by Merchandise and trade of strangers or subiects frō whence ariseth the Impostes Customs vpon euery commoditie brought in or caried out of States Lastly in case of necessity the seuēth may be added wherof in some driuē States there is ordinarie and extraordinarie as for casuall they be included in the former The ordinarie are such as we call Subsides Lones Tenths Fifteenths stipends and asseasments for Souldiers prest The extraordinarie are taxes tallages gabels and beneuolences either imposed vpon particulars or in speciall cases vpon the most in generall Out of all which let Trauailers note what and how much of either and in what order the same are rated leauied and assembled into the treasurie From whence they may collect this and such like secrets That vnlawfull and great impositions and taxes in a free State do oft cause a heart-burning of the Commons and openeth the passage of sedition vnlesse in especiall cases in which there ought to bee a publike ouerture for the same as for the expense Moreouer that may not be ouerslipped Whether the the Princes or States where men trauaile are enforced vppon important accidentes to take vp money by imprestes and borrowinges or by mortgages or at interest For as amongst priuate persons so in publike States more sodainely there groweth a great defect and bankeruptnesse which is subiect to daungers Now as touching the maine secret of employing the treasure and reuenewe of the State in the second place wee finde sixe honorable causes to dispend the same out of which a Trauailer may cull seuerall secrets as the good and orderly gouernement or contrariwise of the Prince or State his or their vertues or vices c. namely Almeshouses and publike reliefe and prouision for the poore of the Realme whereby is discouered a religious and charitable care of such as stand in neede Secondly vpon the honorable and necessarie support of the house-hold and publike Court of the Prince or State which being well husbanded argueth maiestie bountie and wisedome Thirdly vpon reparations and edifications of fortifications and buildings of building ships and shipping and such