his owne iudgement is thought rather a selfe-liker then a wise man As therfore the aduise of Councellors is profitable in commonweales where the resolution is reserued to the king only So where the determination resteth in many the same becommeth vnprofitable For as a man hauing many seruantes and commaunding somwhat to be done euery one runneth yet nothing is done but committing his busines to one alone findeth the same performed So happeneth it in commonweales where many haue authority one trusting to another they become careles the affaires of the commonweale receiue preiudice The multitude of gouernours ' doth as experience teacheth proue vnprofitable therfore the prouerbe saith Rex vnicus esto And as the head without perill of life cannot be taken from the heart so may not the king be remoued from his Councell because such disiunction breedeth discord to the common weale and in the ende confusion and destruction may followe thereof In euerye commonweale a Councell is of greate necessitie for it giueth aduise not onely to the king but vnto the state also not vnlike vnto the vitall parte of mans soule which being in the hearte giueth life to that which is pertaker of Reason is placed in the head The king also through aduise of the Senate doth more profitably directe the commonweale because hee onely doth gouerne although in gouernment hee vseth to be councelled For as reason doth in all proceedinges thereof employe the seruice of the sences Yet is it that alone which determineth and ought aboue the reste to bee honoured A Prince therefore contente to be councelled becommeth of all other men the wisest because hee beareth aboute him a iudgemente perfecte and fullye furnished with the instructions and aduise of many Thus doing a Kinge shall well gouerne all things not onelye through his owne opinion which may many waies be deceiued but also by the common aduise and councell of others whereby his reason and iudgemente is brought to perfection Of which two thinges who so euer is possessed may deseruinglye bee thought a GOD among men Euen as the hand deuided into many fingers is thereby made strong and apte to laye holde of all things So he that gouerneth with the assistance of Councellors and ministers shall doe all thinges with better discretion and wisedome For one man is not fitt to performe all actions Alexander of Macedon with his small hande conquered greate enemies Pyrhus excelled in choosing places of fortification Haniball was often victorious yet ignorant howe to vse the victorie Philopemen was skilfull in the warres by sea Cleon coulde manure landes and possessions Cicero was an excellente Orator Pompeius a Captayne Cato a Councellor and Scipio skilfull both in warre and peace So were diuers others for euerye man as saith the prouerbe is Roscius in his owne facultie Wee will that the popular order or meane officers of this our commonweale who ought also to participate of the gouerment shall be chosen amongest the better and moste vertuous sorte of subiectes wherein an Optimatie is resembled for they are as a Seminarie of Councellors and other magistrates Betwixt which two sortes of men this is the onelye difference that those which are placed in the soueraigne offices beeing both for age and dignitie the worthier persons shall be most esteemed and honoured As for the rest of the people it shall suffice that they bee maintayned in ciuill life and obedience of the Magistrates For our meaning is not that anye of the multitude as Plowemen Artizanes and other persons of vile occupation shall aspyre vnto the offices which oughte bee giuen vnto welthye Citizens Gentlemen and others of good education and wisedome Moreouer for so much as all our discourse tendeth to describe a perfecte commonweale which is that wherein the people doe liue happilye and happinesse proceedeth of vertue it behooueth that men beeing borne in that state shoulde bee capable of vertue felicitie and honestie Wee maye not therefore permitte that any Artizan Merchant or bondman shall exercise the gouerment because their trade of life is vile and voyde of vertue And albeit they are necessarie for the societie of men yet in respect they bee occupyed in actions vnfitte for free men they are not to bee admitted to gouerne the commonweale Which was the reason that mooued Constantinus the Emperour to determine by lawe that none of the base multitude or mechanicall people shoulde beare office in the state because it is presumed that Cities were builded aswell for the habitation of wise and honest men as persons of necessitie Yet are not such men to be contemned or reputed miserable for it were vniuste and againste the vnitie of a commonweale to depriue them of all honour and rewarde beeing partakers of euerye burthen and also of such condition as withoute them the state cannot bee maintayned It is therefore necessarie that they doe participate of such offices as are fit for their callinges and receiue rewardes accordinge to their qualitie For as the noble and wealthie subiectes bee honoured in their vocation so these hauing vertuouslye deserued oughte to bee aduanced Aristotle and Plato his Maister doe affirme there are sixe thinges wherewith euerye Citie shoulde abounde and that without them it cannot bee The first is victuall or foode the prouiding whereof belongeth to husbandmen and heardemen The seconde is necessarye handie craftes which is performed by the Artificers The thirde is Armes to resiste forraine enemies and represse ciuill disorder It is therefore expediente to haue Soldiours prepared and exercised to the ende that the commonweale may be defended from forraine inuasion and conserued in liberty and in peace Fourthly the state hath neede of money both for ciuill and militarie vses Fiftlie it requireth ministers of diuine sacramentes Sixtlie Iudges and Councellors are needefull because euerie commonweale is gouerned by good Councell to the ende that iniustice and the iniquitie of men may be extirped By meane whereof iniurers contemners of lawe and all iniust persons be punished Thus it appeareth that euery commonweale consisteth of sixe sortes of men to witt husbandmen Artizans Merchantes Soldiours Priestes Iudges and Councellors Of this number wee will leaue aside three as men vnfitte to gouerne which are husbandmen Merchantes and Artizantes beeing borne rather to serue then commaunde For to the happinesse of euerie commonweale the councell of wise and free men is required and the state needeth liberall quiete and honest ayde which wanteth in men that are occupied in vncleane and illiberall artes Two sortes of men therefore are onelie to be imployed as gouernours that is to say Soldiours and Councellors For seeing that in all commonweales two time are looked for that is to witt a time of peace and a time of warre It behooueth that those onelye shoulde be accounted gouernours vnto whome the care of peace and warre is committed For in time of warre the commonweale is defended by Armes and in time of peace the
ordinarie reasonable and according to the custome of men yet accompayning the fame with Philosophicall histories The forme of our perfect commonweale was described in the ancient Athenian Monarchie That people being dispersed and like vnto beastes wandring in the field were first by Cecrope and after by Theseus constrained to inhabite a Citie which was then called Cecropiae and since named Athens and at length reduced to a kingdome descended to their posterity But what authority the Senate vnder those kings had which order did represent the Optimatie by reason the time is long since passed and few writers haue therof written cannot be to vs apparantly knowen yet must we beleeue that those kinges had about them wise men whose councell they imployed in gouerning The kinges of that age as Thucidides affirmeth did rule by consent of the people and with their suffrages determined many thinges whereof themselues were doubtfull Yet that gouerment indured not but was through tract of time which alterâ—th all things committed to the multitude whose force and power vtterly subuerted the commonweale The Lacedemonian state as is before said seemed to containe all three sortes of gouerment that is the King the Nobilitie and people What shoulde I say of the Romanes Shall I not call those times golden when kinges were content to be Councelled Romulia as Liuiâ— writeth being by consent both of Gods and men elected king notwithstanding the state was then little refused to gouerne the same alone calling vnto him an hundred Senators for his assistance whom eyther in respect of their age or vertue he called fathers And least the people should hold themselues ill satisfied and defrauded of all honours and thereby hatred might ensue eyther towards the King or Senate he made them capable of the iudiciall offices and suffered them to haue voyces in determining warre and concluding of peace with many other priuiledges And wolde God that forme of commonweale had still continued in Rome For then so great effusion of blood had not beene made in the aspyring to liberty and extending the boundes of the Romane Empyre Neyther shoulde the happines of that state haue beene with so many seditions disturbed whereby scarsly at any time it hath liued in peace But let vs now consider of commonweales in our age we see that the Empyre of Germanie consisteth of the Emperour the Princes and the people That state beeing gouerned by diuers potentates and the pollecy drawne into sundry gouermentes cannot easely be described The french Monarchie hath in it a king who ruleth at his owne discretion and although his authoritie be not confined to lawe yet against lawe and honour he doth not anything but liueth as a iust and honourable Prince In that kingdome the noble men whom they call peares represent an Optimatie the people is deuided into three sortes Gentlemen Priestes and popular multitude and a choise number compounded of these three and assembled by the kings commandement doe determine of matters which in the commonweale are of most importance This Councell was anciently called Pauceltium as the Aetâ—oli named their generall assemblie Panaetolium or as the vniuersall Councels of Ionia was termed Panionium In Spayne the king hath authority soueraigne the Councel royall resembleth the Optimatie and the three chiefe orders of knighthood may be likened to the popular state For the order of S. â—ago Callatraua Alâ—antara assembled with the king do determine of matters most important The kingdome of Polonia doth also consist of the said three sortes that is the king nobility and people But it is to be noted that this word people includeth only knights and gentlemen The liberty fellowship of those orders is so great as the king without aduise of his couÌ„cel their authority doth not any thing neither caâ— the couÌ„cel determine without the allowance of the King and consent of the people In that kingdome the lawes are of so great force as euery man religiously sweareth to keepe and obserue them and ifcontrarie to that othe any thing be done the same is accounted iniust and impious That othe which they sweare for the obseruation of their lawes and liberty is in their language called Captue which signifieth in Latine Tegmen capitis for as the heade is kept from cold by being couered so through vertue of that othe their lawes liberty and welfare is conserued because in maintayning thereof no good man feareth to aduenture his life against Tyrants and all others that labour to violate the boundes of publique liberty and happinesse That people therefore doe liue in great liberty beeing perswaded that to liue according to lawe is indeed perfect freedome In that kingdome the Prince gouerneth by lawes and proceedeth not according to will In making of warre or concluding of peace he vseth the aduise of his Councell neuer transgressing the lawes which worketh this effect that among the people the kinges person is not onely highly honoured but also for a God rightly reuerenced and adored For who is he that would not entirely loue honour and reuerence that Prince who in gouerning is of one selfe minde with the lawe contented to be led by the line of reason directing his doings according to the expert wisdome of his Councellors If authority be thus vsed what consent loue and mutuall affection doth it make among subiectes To conclude the king of Polonia seemeth such a Prince as Plato Aristotle Xenophon and other law-makers haue wished to be in commonweales as nature and God himselfe doth allowe The Senate doth in that state represent the Optimatie and hath as is aforesaid great authority For being chosen amongest the most graue and wise gentlemen they onely with the king doe consult of the commonweale Their authority is not vnlike to the Homotimâ— in Persia or the Ephori in Lacedemonia The gentlemen of Polonia doe represent the popular state for in them consisteth a great part of the gouerment and they are as a Seminarie from whence Councellors and Kinges are taken The kingdome of Brytannie now called England obeyeth one King who choseth his Councellors vnto whome the rest of the Nobility and popular order being ioyned doe make one common Councell which in their language is called Parliament The Venetian state seemeth framed after the same fashion but they within the name of people doe onely include Gentlemen and Citizens taking great heede least any other should vsurpe that title because they onely are capable of the magistracie Out of that number the Senate is chosen which representeth an Optimatie and is as foundation of that state The Duke is also elected of that number resembling a king And surely there is no Monarchie or commonweale that can compare with it for quiet gouerment and longe continuance whether the cause thereof proceedeth from God from fortune from the obseruation of Iustice or from the naturall seate of that Citie I neede not nowe to discourse But true it is
that all occasions of ciuill discention and subuersion are remooued Of good commonweales let this we haue sayde suffice and consider what are those thinges that doe chiefly make them perfect and happie In euery good and perfect commonweale three thinges are specially required that is to say Magistrates lawes and ciuill discipline for without these no Citie nor societie of men coulde euer be preserued The office of Magistrates is to rule and commaund the people to doe those thinges that be iust profitable and agreeable to lawe and reason Cicero no lesse learnedly then eloquently saith that as the lawes gouerne the Magistrates so the Magistrates ought to gouerne the people and the Magistrate may be iustly called the liuing lawe and the lawe a dombe Magistrate Hee therefore in all commonweales is of greate necessitie for without his wisedome councell fidelitie and discretion no state can stande nor be gouerned whereof also the state and order of euerye commonweale may be knowen As the shippe in tempestious seas is endangered and many time drowned vnlesse by the labour and industrie of the mariners it be saued So the commonweale tormented with tempest of seditions and discord must perish if through the diligence and wisedome of the Magistrates it be not preserued Or as mans bodie is ruled by reason so euery Citie and societie of men must of necessitie containe a soule which is the lawe to be thereby gouerned and that lawe proceedeth from the reason councell and iudgement of wise men For where no lawes nor Magistrates are there no God no men nor no society can be continued The true law of man is reason which wisemen doe giue vnto themselues others receiue from the Magistrates perswading them to eschue things forbidden by law no lesse then if the same were contrary to reason They therfore that in wisdom discretion do excell others are as is aforesaid made of golden or siluer nature because they can deserue best of mans society are to be aboue others aduanced For as Cities well walled and fortefied are thereby defended from the fury of enemies So tranquilitie and happie life is by the councell of wise men preserued Therfore it behooueth them first to be indued with such vertues as may make the commonweale happy then that they be affectionate to the state and liue therein contented to the ende they attempt no innouation and lastly that they be authorised to execute those thinges which they thinke profitable for the commonweale For so shall they commaund with more reputation and the subiectes more willingly obey them Surely whosoeuer shall without indignitie aspyre to the place of supreme gouerment hath neede to vse great art and singular wisedome For such a one is to gouerne not one onely house not one onely famely not one onely wife not one onely rase of children but the commonweale deuided into infinite and contrarie humors of men which by his wisedome must be reduced to one consent equality and concord Moreouer for somuch as in commonweales there are three degrees of magistrates among whom the king holdeth the most supreame place next vnto him is the Senate and the third is distributed to the people what profit may be reaped of euery of them let vs now consider The kinges authority contayneth great vertue high vnderstanding and diuine wisedome for as God is prince of the vniuersall world so is the King Lord of the whole commonweale It behooueth him therefore to gouerne iustlie and godlie because in the commonweale he is accounted the Lieuetenant of God For the Councell wisedome and knowledge of kinges is not their owne but giuen them of God Also for somuch as no king can with his diligence and onely wisedome equally gouerne the whole state for it is rather the vertue of God then man exactlye to know all thinges apperteyning to good gouerment they haue therfore vsed to call vnto their assistance some wise men whereby the common-weale might be the better gouerned Those men beeing as a meane betwixt the king and the people doe on the one side know the office of the king and on the other what are the customes and lawes belonging to the people thereof conceiuing what ought be done for preseruation of the kinges honour and what apperteyneth to the profitt of the commonweale people We thereof inferre that these magistrates or councellors are of all other most able to stand the coÌ„monweale in stead The king being but one onely man cannot looke vnto all thinges and sometimes it happeneth that eyther by giuing liberty to his appetites or yeelding to his affections hee is seduced from true reason and the ignorant multitude being as they say without head or discretion cannot be capable of that knowledge Yet the Senate being chosen and made of vertuous wise and expert men may from their place as from a watch-tower looke about and prouide thinges needefull for the state preuenting all seditions tumultes and perils that can be attempted which is the respect there is not skantlie any commonweale which vseth not to commit eyther the whole or the greatest charge of gouernment to the Senate For albeit they were indeede called Kings who first assembled the habitation of men into Cities liuing before sauagely dispersed in woods and fieldes yet with that course of gouernment the kings could not alone retayne them in obedience Neyther did the authority and wisdome of one Prince suffise when the mindes of men were reduced to ciuilitie and their wonted bestialitie reiected It therefore behoued kings to be accompanied with the Councell of wisemen to the ende the commoweale might be the better gouerned which we reade was done by Romulus For he supposing that the gouernment of one without aduise of Counsell would proue eyther perilous odious or without grauitie did call vnto his assistance a hundreth Senators whome eyther in respect of their age or wisedome he named Fathers The like was done by Theopompus king of Sparta who appoynted the Ephorâ— giuing them great authoritie in the state whereat his wife offended and saying that he â—ad thereby diminished the power of his posteritie in that kingdome answered that it was enlarged and strengthened being perswaded that thorough Counsell and authoritie of the Senate the state wold be exceedingly encreased and inforced Whereby it appeareth that the aduice of Counsellors were from the beginning by kings embraced and all men haue thought those resolutions to be most firme and assured which were by Councell and wisedome of the Senate digested I call that a Senate which is the chiefe magistracie appoynted to giue Counsell and gouerne the state And consequently the Senator is a man lawfully elected into the number authorised to counsell gouerne the commonweale It hath therefore alwaies beene that the order of Counsellors was framed of the most discreet wise and noble sort of subiectesâ— because there is not any society of men so barbarous but desireth the gouernment should
them was giuen absolute power to reuenge iniuries preserue liberty and beiudges of each mans vertues and vices A good king ought therefore to haue no lesse care of those he gouerneth then hath the shepheard of his flocke that is to make them blessed and happy Homer calleth king Agomemnon the sheepheard of people whom Plato doth imitate calling him sheepheard and keeper of mankinde Moreouer a king ought to gouerne his people Not as maisters doe their seruants but as the father ruleth his children Wherefore as it is the part of good parents sometimes to rebuke their children sometimes to admonish and cherish them and sometimes also to correct and punish them So shoulde a Prince behaue himselfe towardes his subiectes as well for the peoples preseruation as the safetie of the commonweale shewing himselfe sometimes seuere sometimes gentle and placable defending and enlarging the common profit with no lesse care then a father prouideth for the sustentation of his children Thus appeareth the difference betwixt kinges and Tyrantes the one doth care for the common commoditie the other studieth onely for priuate profitte The ende of the Tyrants indeuour is voluptuousnes but the ende of a kinges studie is honour To excell in riches is proper to Tyrants but a kings chiefe desire is honour A Tyrant desireth the ayde of strangers but a king is garded with his owne subiectes Alfonsus king of Arragon being asked which of his subiectes he helde most deare answered I loue them better that wish me well then those that feare me which seemeth reasonable because feare is accompanied with hatered A King therefore should be no more safe by defence of Armes then loue good will and fidelitie of subiectes He is also to be honored as the minister of publique Counsell the defender of lawes and conseruer of common right and liberty For better performing of all which offices he shall doe well to harken to the aduise of his Counsellors and as his parentes loue and honour them Traianus that great Emperour of the world vsed continually to call the Senate his father For like as the father doth foretell his sonne of those things he thinkes profitable so doth a Senate Counsell the king howe the state may be preserued and by what lawes and orders it shoulde be gouerned Of these and other thinges appertayning to the office of a king or that haue beene receiued by lawe vse or custome a Counsellor ought to be fully enformed The popular sorte of men is for the most parte mutable by reason of the diuersitie of their ages For of them some being young some olde and some of middle age it must needs be that great dissentions should arise euery man hauing a will and opinion diuers from others and because they are all free men each man frameth his life and manners according to his owne fancie supposing there is libertie where all men doe that which they lust and like The diuersitie of manners doth breede among them varietie of mindes and thereof doth followe sundry iudgementes touching the state lawe and liberty whereof hate displeasure and seditions doe ensue so as all men are not equallie affected to the common-weale Those that be honestlie brought vp naturally good and well trained in learning not surious nor voluptuous not womannish or licentiously giuen are most willing obseruers of lawes rights concord and ciuill society not sweruing as men say one inch from the rules of vertue fidelity glory of their ancestors because they keepe and retaine all those things as inheritance descended from their forefathers That sorte of men is in the commonweale to be reputed good subiectes But they whose follie hath bene nourished by domesticall libertie being borne at home and not trained vp abroad wherby they haue neuer seene done or heard any thing notable magnificent or noble are to be thought persons seditious crastie and perilous subiectes yet would they be called and thought good honest quiet and modest notwithstanding the contempt they haue to imitate honestmen And to the ende they shoulde not be thought blockheades and fit for nothing deuise some new practise to gaine themselues fame glory and commendation And it commeth many times to passe that pretending the patronage of liberty by publique perswasion and furie they take matters in hande in apparance godlie but in trueth profane And if any of them be by birth or education apt for sedition and excell the rest in witt and eloquence they offer themselues vnto the ignorant sort to be captaines and reformers of lawes religion and order conspiring against the King the Counsell and all good subiectes as men that had taken in hand the renouation of the whole commonweale Such men were of the Romanes called Plebicolae who to saue themselues from some punishment which before they deserued doe take vpon thē the name of defending libertie stirring newe troubles and alterations in the state eyther else moued by some sodaine furie of minde doeperswade the people to discorde and sedition or else hauing intangled or rather prodigally consumed their inheritance and substance desirous to haue fellowes in miserie and perish rather publiquely then alone were alwaies wont to attempt rebellion Of such disposition were the Romaines called Gracchus Clodius Catiline And in Athens Calistines with many others As the bodie of our commonweale consisteth in the coniunction of three estates whose vniuersall consent and temperature doth make it most perfect and happy so if the same bodie be deuided or dismembred that state becommeth of all others the mostlame imperfect and infortunate For all other commonweales are subiect to one onely mutation because they rest vpon one onely simple gouernment But our state being mixed and made of three must of force be subiect to as many conuersions and inclinations If the king abuseth his office the state hath one Tyrant if the Senate so doe there are diuers Tyrants But if the power of people doth surpasse the authority and force of both the other then the commonweale is afflicted with an infinite number of most pernicious Tyrants Wherefore if in such a State the office libertie dignitie authoritie and iurisdiction of euery of them be not confined and bound by lawes certaine so as both by feare and punishment they be compelled to obserue lawe and liue honestlie all good men shall there in vaine looke for quietnes The proper office of a Consellor as Cicero saith is to imagine he beareth the person of the state the reputation whereof he is bound to maintaine to obserue the lawes set forth the proceedinges and be mindfull of things committed to his fidelitie Also it becommeth him as a priuate man to liue in equality with other subiects neither debasing nor extolling him selfe and to desire onely those things in the common-weale which be peaceable and honest so shall euerie one performe the true duetie of a good and loyall subiect It also becommeth subiects moderately to vse their libertie For as Quintius saide temperate
What kinde of lotting is best VVhat considerations the Romans had in the electioÌ„ of Senators The euill example of magistrates worse then their vices Lysander Lycurgus VVhat election of Magistratesis most perfect VVhether Senators ought be chosen by one or diuers The multitude no 〈◊〉 iudge 〈…〉 The election of Counsellors appertaineth to one What things are to be respected in choise of CouÌ„sellors The knowledge of commonweales necessary in a Counsellor The knowledge of sundry states very profitable The state of Polonia The art of Tyrantes The office of Kinges The differeÌ„ce betwixt kings and Tyrants The popular sort inconstant VVho are good subiectes Seditious subiectes The office of Counsellors The duetie of priuate persons Great states most subiect to trouble In appeasing sedition what order is to be taken Precepts of Plato Equalitie of commonw of great necessitie Wherein equalitie consisteth Equalitie Arithmeticall Equalitie Geometrical Wherin law and populer libertie consisteth Sedition the poâ—son of Commonw What to be considered in appeasing sedition In preuenting of sedition what the Counsellor ought doe In a perfect Counsellor fower vertues chiefly required Prudence What Prudence is Theoricall wisedome differeth froÌ„ Prudence Contemplatiue Philosophers called rightly Sapientes but not Prudentes The originall of Prudence Prudence of two kindes A wise man What is to be eschewed in Prudence The end of Counsellors wisedome The felicity of common-weales Law the conseruer of vertue What is to be considered in making of lawes Occasion of offending to be remoued by law The comodities and discommodities of commonâ— Knowledges necessary in Counsellors Loue to our country Companions to Prudence Witt. VnderstaÌ„ding Circumspection The circumspection of a Senator By what meane the felicitie of subiectes is preserued Prouidence Prouidence diuine Humaine prouidence Demâ—nium Socratis Caution VVhat is to be obserued in speaking Silence Sagacitie Wilines The meanes to suppresse sedition Consultation VVhereof to consult Consultation touching mony Consultation of warre Consultation of defence ConsultatioÌ„ of marchandize Consultation of lawes Counsell Matters consultable of three sortes The ende of good counsel The qualitie of counsell Hastie counsell daÌ„gerous Sentence Old men most apt to vtter sentence The ende of sentence The order of pronouncing sentence Sentences to be pondered by waight not by number The 〈◊〉 of the Counsellors speach The voice of a Counsellor Three things specially to be obserued by Counsels Who is a good man Abuse of authoritie Iustice Naturall 〈…〉 Iustice of three sortes Iustice naturall Iustice diuine What teligion is Ciuil Iustice The office of a iust Counsellor To whom honour ought be giuen Equality to be obserued in the bestowing of honor Equalitie of two sortes Fortaine Iustice Iustice to be sought in heauen VVhat is Iustice The ende of lawes Law commaundeth three things The Aegyptian law against idlenes The law of Draco SoloÌ„ Imperiall lawes Discipline of warre and peace in euerie common-weale Change of lawes dangerous The ordinance of the Locrensi against the change of lawes The princes life a lawe to the people Lawes are made for two endes Qualities required in a Iudge Cambises correction of Iudges The office of a Counsellor In Rome viii sortes of punishments VVhat is to be obserued in punishing Companions of Iustice Pietie VVhat to be eschewed in Pietie Goodnes Innocencie Courtesie Benignitie Clemencie 〈…〉 In what sorte things ought to be coÌ„mon In what sort to be liberall VVhat to eschew in liberalitie VVhereof to be liberall Lawes of liberalitie Magnificence VVhat to be eschewed in magnificence How mony ought be vsed Excesse iâ— commonw ought be restrained by lawe VVhat Magnificence is in a senator Friendship VVhat friendship is Ciuill friendship 〈…〉 The best kind of friendship Friendship requireth three tgings How to imploy friends Friendship of senators Hospitalitie Concord Discord of Couns daÌ„gerous Fortitude 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 vertues VVhat to eschew in fortitude Domesticall Fortitude Fortitude militarie The properties of Fortitude Followers of fortitude The properties of a magnanimious Counsellor Taxilis How to take quarrell The Counsellor no follower of each mans fancy Constancie VVhat to be eschewed in Constancie Papyrius Patience VVhatto be eschewed in Patience Confidence Genius vitator VVhat to eschew in confidence Securitie Publike secuâ—ritie VVhat to be eschewed in securitie VVhat moueth men to be valiant The rewardes due to soldiers VVhat to be eschewed in fortitude Anger Fortune Hanniball Temperance How perfection of man is attained Temperance the preserued of ciuill felicitie The followers of TeÌ„perance Modestie Bashfulnesse Two sorts of bashfulnes Honestie Continencie abstinency Order and rule of mans life How perfection of mind and bodie is attained Perfection of bodie Health VVhat temperature of bodie is best Comlines of person required in a coun Philopemen How a Counsellor should be apparrelled Latus clauus Cal ceilunats The degrees of men ought be knowen by their apparrell Badges of honour Strength of bodie The age of a Counsellor Critici vel iuditiarii dies The common weale chieflie to be gouerned by olde men The qualitie of decrepit age Goods of Fortune requisite for a Counsellor The felicitie of Alexand. and Diogenes diuers Good parentage required in a Counsellor New nobility How new nobilitie is CoÌ„mendable Honour and glorie rewards of vertue Glorie Fame The losse of Fame of all others greatest Friendes Children Riches Valewation of wealth Valewation necessarie Riches without vertue nor worthy honor Reward due to Counsellors Rewards of vertue diuers VVherein the glorie of a Counsellor consisteth Counsellors ought be honoured Iniurie of 〈◊〉 counsellors to be punished Ornaments and rewards of the Senators of Rome How much the Emperours esteemed their Senators Adrianus
whatsoeuer hath heeretofore beene spoken knowen or founde eyther by learning of schooles by Councels in commonweales by pollicy in gouernmente by forraine experience by the Histories touching the qualitie and perfection of a Councellor And as Plato hath set downe those things which he thought fittest for the felicitie of his Citie the like will we doe in the discription of our Councellor and imagining to haue mett with wise men of all nations Cities and common-weales repayring to a market of wisedome we will take from euery one such vertues customes lawes and dueties as seemeth to vs most excellent and therewith furnish our Councellor But for so much as through the diuersitie of commonweales it seemeth that the quality and offices of Councellors be diuers we haue iudged that forme of commonweale to be of all others most iust and indifferent where the Kinges authoritie and the peoples power by the councellors wisedome and aduise is qualefied We haue therefore thought fitt first to discourse the diuersitie of commonweales as well in kinde as forme of their felicitie of the happinesse of subiectes of the education and instruction of a Councellor to the ende he may the rather vnderstand the state where he gouerneth and be skilfull in the precepts of vertue So as in that sort furnished he may direct his life in all honesty and deseruingly be aduanced to a charge of so greate honour and reputation And we will that the vertues of our Councellor be such as are not onelie profitable for the gouerment of one state but shall be of that excelencie as the same may be practised in the proceedings of all others For we haue learned of Plato that those commonweales be moste happy which are gouerned by Phylosophers or where the gouernours are wholy disposed to the studie of Philosophie Therefore from such a wise man and such a ciuill science wee haue determined to take matter whereof to frame our excellent Councellor Among all creatures contayned within the circle of the earth that which we call man is the chiefest and of most reputation For he alone of all other liuing thinges of what nature so euer is made not onely an inhabitant and Citizen of the world but also a Lorde and Prince therein Which authoritie honour and greatnesse from God the supreame gouernour of heauen and earth is giuen who hath also vouchsafed to receiue him as it were a companion in the gouerment of this vniuersall Citie common to God and men adorning him with diuine vnderstanding to the end that through his godly reason and councell this worldly Empyre might be wisely holily and iustly gouerned The cause of this societie betwixt GOD and men proceedeth from reason which beeing perfect doth make men like vnto God and seeme as it were mortall Gods whereof may be conceiued that betwixt God and men some affinitie aliance or kinred remaineth Notwithstanding without the presence of God no reason is good and perfect for the diuine seedes beeing sowen in mens bodies so much thereof as happeneth into the handes of good till-men doth bring forth fruite according to him that did sowe them but of the rest beeing handled by euill husbandry doth like vnto corne sowen in barren soyle become brâ—mbles and within short space decay and die Man therefore knowing himselfe and conceiuing that within him all things are diuine shall be perswaded that his minde and reason doth represent an holy Image and must therefore continually indeuour to doe and imagine thinges worthie so heauenly a grace Thus beeing made of God his societie and reputed of his race and progenie it must needs be that in the gouernment of this world we haue from him him the authoritie of rule and commaunding Sith then he is the author and director and that our beeing proceedeth from him as the creator of all thinges euery councell lawe and ordinance is at his handes to be required to the ende that this diuine worlde may be knowen and gouerned not by men but the will wisedome and prouidence of God For as brute beastes cannot without a heardman of other beastes be gouerned Euen so men by men without the guiding of GOD cannot be ruled For if it so happen that any man doth take in hande to gouerne without GOD that is to say without his diuine will wisedome and knowledge It must needs be that euery commonweale so gouerned and the life of euery priuate Citizen therein shall become vnhappy and miserable For in vaine it were to studie the welfare of any state if God be not the defendour and keeper thereof It may then be conceyued that all vertue and wisedome of man proceedeth from God which was the cause that our auncestors in times past were wont to dedicate publique temples to vertue faith concord wisedome and peace But are the Councels of gouermente to be asked of God or ought all requestes and prayers aswell for small as greate graces ascende vnto his heauenly hearing Yea surely So that our suite and prayers doe not discente form reason Good lawes therefore are obtayned at Gods handes by intercession of wise men and not by holding vppe the handes of fooles or be their lowde cries or prostrating their bodies vppon the earth For God is onely present with wise men and as Ouidius saith well Est Deus in 〈◊〉 agitante calescimus illo Spiritus hic sacrae lumina mentis habet The wisedome of GOD doth enter and possesse their mindes and as they doe honour it so dooth it honour them whereby they are made as it were Gods Without GOD no good or wise man liueth For hee onelye is prouidente politique and full of councell The wise man by his vertue resembleth the likenesse of God which proceedeth of perfect reason It behooueth vs therefore not as some men teach onely to be men and vnderstand things humaine and mortall but also if possiblie it may bee excell all mortalitie and liue according to that parte which is in vs moste excellente But what is that which in man is moste excellente surelye reason by meane whereof wee knowe God vse vertue imbrace good and eschewe euill This is that which maketh men perfect wise valiant and iust Thus it appeareth that through diuine reason the worlde is gouerned by man It shall therefore behooue him in all his proceedings of gouerment to follow the direction thereof and as of a diuine Oracle in all his councels lawes cogitations to pray for the grace and assistance of the almighty wherby he shal gouern all things wisely godly iustly For as the reason in God is the law most supreame So the reason of a wise man being perfect may be called God or law In respect wherof the Lacedemonians called those men Gods whom for wisedome iustice they thought to excell all others And as such a one Homer describeth Hector saying Non hominis certe mortalis filius ille Esse videtur sed diâ—â— semine natus Who so therefore obeyeth reason and by
and most perfect But such gouerment being without lawes is heauy hard to those that liue therin Yet if the other states be also without lawes that is the best the seuenth except For a King gouerning in that sorte is of all other gouernours to be obeyed and honoured as a GOD among men The diuersitie of commonweals doth not proceed from fortune nor the disposition of the heauens but euery gouernment is framed according to the mindes of men their wits and education Also the varietie not onely of mens inclinations but also the nature of commonweales is made diuers through the diuersitie of countries their climate and beeing What shall I say of sedicions warre and factions for they oftimes doe vtterly subuert commonweales or chaunge them into states contrariwise gouerned Such is the condition of worldly thinges that mischance standeth next to good fortune and vice is mixed with vertue so as with facilitie men fall from good into euill Sometimes it also happeneth that common-weales well framed through euill ministers are eyther extinguished or altered into other formes of gouerment Hereof it commeth that kingdomes become Tyranies Optimaties are made the gouerment of a fewe and populer states are conuerted into licentious liberty and from that brought backe vnto Tyranie Plato writeth that the change of common-weales is fatall through disposition of the heauens and planets The variations of states doe also otherwhiles proceede from the varietie of mens mindes and order of life For in some state there be many rich men in others many poore in others plentie of noble men soldiers and ploughmen in others plenty of merchants craftes men and artificers Then whensoeuer the number of merchants artifizants and ploughmen doe surmount the rest that state most commonly beeommeth popular But where rich men are most plentifull there groweth the gouerment of a fewe great men Where the most part of Citizens be good men wise and vertuous that state is apt to be gouerned as an Optimatie There are three thinges as Aristotle thinketh which contende for the gouernment Libertie Riches and Vertue For nobilitie which holdeth the fourth place is companion both to vertue and riches because the equall mixture of rich and poore men is called a popular state A faction onely of rich men is named the gouerment of a fewe and the consent of all three that is to say free men rich men and good men is accounted an Optimatie Such a one was the Carthagenian commonweale for riche men good men and noble men were therein equally esteemed Thus haue wee discouered all kinde of common weales which either by mans experience haue beene founde or by the industry of law makers or Philosophers coulde bee deuised but which of them is most perfect and excellent cannot as hath before beene saide easilie be determined For there is no man that preferreth and praiseth not the state wherein he was borne and bredde Some more willingly doe liue in kingdomes then any other state who are chiefely such men as are naturallie apt to honour those that be virtuous and fitte for action The Cappadocians hauing many ages liued vnder kinges whose rase was extinguished were offred by the Romaines to haue their state conuerted into popular libertie but they refused it Then the Romaines appointed Ariobarsanes their friende to bee King of Cappadocia The contrary course was followed by the Athenians for they affecting a popular state would neither consent to be gouerned by one nor many Yea some there are that doe most allowe the Tyranical gouernment as in oulde time the Siculi whose state was alwaies accustomed to tyrants and so are well neere all the people of Asia who being by nature seruile are euen till this age subiect to tyrannicall gouernment Such as are fittest to be ciuilly gouerned are men accustomed to honest riches and glory for their vertuous enterprises in warre For they not forgetting the condition of their gouernment are content by turnes aswell to obey as commaunde But let vs nowe discourse of the best common weales Whosoeuer shall take in hande to speake thereof it behoueth him first to vnderstande what is the best kinde and order of life For being therof ignorant a perfect commonweale cannot be conceiued It standeth him also vpon to vnderstand by what meanes men be brought to good order of liueing For the state is alvvaies like vnto the men that liue therein but which kinde of life ought bee accounted best the Philosophers haue not by consent determined The Stoicks the Peripatetickes the Epicures doe diuerslie iudge of that matter and into diuers sectes and opinions haue deuided the vvorlde But our intent is to concurre vvith the Perepatetickes because their scholes haue brought fourth men of most perfection and to their virtues they haue ioyned the vse of externall thinges vvherevvith the felicitie of man is not onelie ornified but also perfected Wee therefore accounte their preceptes to bee most profitable asvvell for men as common vveales The Stoicks louing austeritie of life doe grounde their felicitie vppon vertue onlie which we mislike not so as therewith they consent that to the vse of vertue men haue neede of externall goods which both nature and fortune haue made for vse of man to the ende he might become the more happy better and perfect For seeing that felicitie of man is numbred among thinges of perfection and that thing is onely perfect which wanteth nothing surely whosoeuer desireth to be happy must of force be furnished fully so as his felicitie may be absolute and without want It behoueth him therefore to be wise iust temperate valiant rich honourable comely healthie and strong And sith the happinesse of mans life consisteth in his felicitie and that he is made of bodie and minde it is necessarie that he be no lesse happy in minde then in bodie For beeing in any of them infortunate or disabled he cannot be called perfectly happie Moreouer if all good things doe tende to mans felicitie it is requisite to haue of them abundance which whosoeuer hath must vnderstand that onely for himselfe he was not borne but as Cicero saith his country his friendes his kinsfolke and aliance doe claime their share in the fruites of his felicitie because to euery of them if he will be thought happye it behooueth him to giue part not onely of his treasure of minde as iustice and wisedome but also of all other thinges bestowed on him for the vse and life of man The liberall man needeth money to performe the actions of liberality and the iust man therewith must reward and make satisfaction The valiantman requireth force and powre to be therby inabled to execute somewhat worthy his vertue The temperate man asketh authoritie and liberty wherby he might shew himselfe to be such a one The Philosophers affirme that there are three sortes of life The first consisteth in action the second in contemplation and the thirde in pleasure which beeing exercised in lustes
happen in popular states For if any good man liuing there shall happen to mislike the plebeyall life and doth labour by admonishing reprehending and correcting the Citizens to reduce them to honesty and vertue he is forthwith iudged an enemie to liberty and by the law Ostracismo arested and many times put to death With this kind of persecution many notable Citizens inhabiting the popular states of Graecia were afflicted as Cymon Aristides Thucydides Socrates Themistocles and Damon also in Rome Camillus and Scipio were in like manner handled The fame of Aristides is of all posterity worthy to be remēbred he being a man singularly vertuous wise for his integrity of life honest cōuersatiō was with the assent of all men surnamed Iustus At such time as the law Ostracismas was vsed in Athens a certaine rude rustical felow bearing a scrol of paper in his hand hapned to mete him with great earnestnes required that the name of Aristides might be therin writtē Aristides much marueiling thereat asked whether any man had euer beene by him iniured no quoth hee but I cannot in anye wise indure thy surname of Iustus Cicero reporteth that at such time as the Ephesi banished their Prince Hermodorus they pronounced this sentence Let none of vs excell an other but if anye so doe let him no longer heere dwell but inhabite elsewhere O moste straunge customes of popular commonweales Plato vseth that speach before of vs remembred that no state doth continue beeing gouerned with Iron or Brasse that is to say by foolish men borne rather to obey then commaunde For they after some fortunate successe of warre taking vnto them loftie mindes haue at hande tutors and popular Captaines to extoll and commende their vertue Then after long hunger allured with the sweete baite of glory they reiect the authoritie of their leaders and all wise men taking the gouerment wholy into their owne handes directing the same by their owne willes and discretion which is the cause that such common-weales are not of long continuance For through diuersitie of minds those men become voyde of councell and after much insolencie contention and faction they yeelde their obedience eyther to a fewe or some one mightie personage So did the people of Athens which beeing author of the victorie by sea against the Medians puffed vp with pride of that fortune stirred greate troubles and seditions in that state and all good Citizens laboured in vaine to preuente that mischiefe Also the originall of popular states doth sometimes proceede of Rebellion attempted against the nobilitie as it many times happened in Rome when the people tooke armes against the Kings and Senate Sometimes also the cause of such popular gouerment proceedeth through good successe of some action enterprised by the people Who taking vppon them the minde of Lordes doe vsurpe the state as did the Athenians when they had vanquished the Medians and as the Romaines hauing ouerthrowne the Carthaginenses The same also otherwhiles chanseth when the people is made desperate by tyrannie of their Prince and gouernours for then by force of armes or oppression of their king they frame a forme of gouernment among themselues which in our dayes the Swisseis haue done A popular state established with good lawes is manie times gouerned iustlie and poletiquelye but the same wanting lawes or consente of the people doth not merite the name of a commonweale Of the Oligarchia or Tyrannie I meane not to entreate because such gouerment is in all respectes vniuste contrarie to vertue and ciuill life The excellencie of euerie people or commonweale may be knowen by the gouermente lawes and liberties thereof For those people are accounted the beste which within a good commonweale doe liue with iustice and libertye and they deserue the more commendation that doe continue the same with most constancie and longe preseuerance which thinges are thought chiefly to appertaine to the antiquity of men liuing in honour and nobilitie The Lacedemonians are highly praised for hauing continued seauen hundred years without any alteration of their customs their lawes or their gouerment But the Venetians haue in that respect deserued greater glory because they till these our daies haue cōstantly liued in one forme of gouerment by the space of a thousand years or more Thus haue we discoursed the diuers formes of commonweales with the natures disposition of men there liuing Among them as easely appeareth the Principalitie and Optimatie are the best This for that therein most good men doe exercise the publique functions and that because the publique commoditie is preserued by one with generall consente of minde So as if any doe excell the reste to him the commonweale is committed In these two states men doe liue best because the order of them doth not onely preserue Cities but also make the Citizens happie Some men haue thought the moste perfect commonweale should be tempered and framed of all the three estates Which is the cause that they preferre the Lacedemonian gouerment being compounded of the nobilitie which was the Senators of the authoritie of one which was the King and of the people which were the Ephori For they were alwaies chosen among the number of popular men Polibius extolleth the Romane state because it consisted of the King the Nobilitie and the people supposing that the king for feare of the people coulde not become insolente and the people durste not disobeye him in respecte of the Senate Which forme of commonweale was with good reason accounted most iust For as perfect harmonie is compounded of treble meane and base tewnes euen so a good commonweale and the surest agreement amongest men is as Cicero saith made by mixture of the best the meane and the base people We are also of opinion that commonweale is perfect which containeth good and vertuous subiectes and is gouerned by a king a Senate and consent of the people wishing the King should obserue his lawes and doe those thinges which be honourable and agreeable to the aduise of his councell For the lawe is most perfect reason whereunto whosoeuer obeyeth doth seeme a God among men Wee wish likewise that all Councellors should be men of much vertue for they being a meane betwixt the king and people may the rather giue councell by what meanes the state may be safely gouerned The authoritie of Councellors consisteth in consulting iudging and commaunding The king vseth these men as friendes and Councellors imploying their vertue and aduise in matters of most difficulty which is the cause that men say the king hath many hands many eyes and many feete Moreouer for that it seemeth a thing rather diuine their humaine that one man alone should gouerne the whole state it is necessary to haue the aide of many others yet referring the determination to the king alone all things are like to proceede well But he that doth manage all matters without Councel trusting only to
and so being wanteth-both wisedome and iudgement Of which two things ignorance the mother of vice and all euill hath bereft him Sith then by the benefit of nature onely we cannot be made happy and wise our mindes being ouercharged with burthen of body indued with the knowledge of things euill and that we liue in such an age as doth not as in olde time bring forth plenty of good men It behoueth to deuise good meanes whereby the minde may shake of the incumbers and vices of body so as cleared from the rage of time present we may be reuoked to the ancient diuine and perfect life of men which thing may be done by the helpe of art and exercise the one is attained by labour the other gotten by Philosophy For the name of Philosophy includeth all things humaine diuine the knowledge of all artes all vertues all gouernment of state and euery other thing which is eyther in heauen or in earth contained This is that which deliuereth the minde imprisoned in the body from all affections teacheth it counsell to liue well commaund and gouerne Our Counsellor then instructed in the precepts of Philosophie shall not from thence forth be shut vp lurke vnseene be solitarie walke vnaccompanied auoyde the sight of men nor couer his slouth with keeping himselfe within doores but shall conuerse with the multitude and Citizens and with his presence honour and aide the societie of men For no vertue wit or wisedome can be famous being shut vp within the wals but of force it must come forth and shew it selfe And the wisdome of a solitary Citizen is no more profitable then the treasure of a couetous man buried in the ground which ferueth him no more then if he possessed it not What can be so great or noble as that the vertue of euery particular man shoulde be seene and brought forth to be heard seene of all men For it is not easely knowen of what capacity wisedome and iudgement man is vnlesse proofe be made thereof As the strength of wrastlers is knowen by the fall and the swiftnes of the horse by his carrire so the vertue of a Senator is by his actions tried Thus haue we as I hope sufficiently spoken of that discipline wherby a Counsellor becommeth happy and fitt to gouerne the commonweale according to iustice And sith onely by the vertue of nature that happines knowledge cannot be attained the same is to be supplied by vse For we ought to learne so long to learne as we are ignorant or as Seneca saith so long as we liue repent not that we haue profited The most assured signe that we haue profited in vertue is if we finde in ourselues that the force of our reason vertue hath suppressed vnreasonable desires and affections and if among men we haue liued iustly wisely and temperately But let vs now discourse of the manner of chosing our Counsellor determining therin chiefly to obserue comlines and equity Among other things which do preserue the common-weale happines therof there is nothing better then to elect such men for magistrates as be indued with greatest wisedome iudgement vertue and such as aspyre vnto honour not by power not by force not by ambition not by corruption but by lawe vertue modesty worthines Magistracy in all commonweales is a thing of most reputation because the magistrates are called the best wisest and most honorable men Magistracy is as it were an ornament of vertue bestowed on the best sorte of men for their vertue and well deseruing of the state It is therefore the part of a good Citizen and good man entring into magistracy to preferre the welfare honour of the commonweale before his priuate reputation and domesticall commoditie not imitating Sylla Cinna Carbo Marius Pompeius Caesar and such other Senators whose ambition sedition and factions brought there commonweale well neere to vtter destruction For they woulde not liue with equalitie preferring the fruite of priuate glory before the profit and tranquilitie of their countrie As Lucanus writing of Pompeius and Caesar saith Impatiensque loci fortuna secundi Nec quenquam iam ferre potest Caesarue priorem Pompeiusque parem In euery well gouerned commonweale this insatiable desire of honour must be brideled which the Romanes did so long as their state flourished oppressing practises and punishing the ambition of such men as contrarie to lawe and honestie eyther by force corruption or any other dishonest meane aspyred to office Some men distrusting their owne vertue doe by bribes aduance themselues vnto the most soueraigne dignities which thing is more then any other fowle and pernitious to all estates For such men in respect of riches doe dispise both vertue and honesty and thinke that honour or vertue doth not become any man but him that is rich which is the cause that they attend too their priuate not the publique commoditie because they knowe all honours and dignities are giuen to rich and not to vertuous men whereof proceedeth that in euery such state raigneth couetousnes immesurable desire of wealth and of them groweth voluptuousnes deceipt fraud enemitie contempt of God Law and Magistrates Insuch states men imbrace not that which is honest but that which is profitable for finding no rewarde due vnto vertue euerie one holdeth the vertuous man vnder by fraude deceipt and power so as the poorer sorte doe liue in the commonweale oppressed with miserie and are forced to serue the rich as more worthy persons not in respect of vertue but of power fraude and subtiltie For they doe alwaies preferre priuate vtilitie before honestie and vertue selling coarsing and reiecting all lawes liberty rightes and iustice it selfe Iugurtha seeing great store of corruptible Senators in Rome as it were exclaming saide That that Citie was salable and would quickely perish if any buier coulde be founde The Lacedemonians consulting of the continuance of their state were by Appollo answered That Sparta should be destroyed by no meanes but onely by auarice and to auoyde that fatall prediction they reiected the vse of all golde siluer and brasse making a coyne of iron wherwith men should be lesse delighted and in keeping thereof more combred Great care therfore must be taken in euery commonweale that the offices should not be giuen rather to the rich then the vertuous men and that those may be punished that seeke with money to oppresse vertue For it is a most readie meane to bring that state to ruine where more regard is had to riches then vertue because the subiectes will labour rather to attaine welth then vertue disposing themselues wholly to heape vp coyne which maketh them effeminate fraudulent desirous of other mens goods lasciuious and abounding in all kindes of vices Where vertue is not esteemed the Priest contemneth pietie the soldier layeth by his sworde the Senator seeketh not wisedome fidelitie and diligence and the people make no account of ciuill
discipline which so being into their places entereth audaciousnes violence iniustice lasciuiousnes and barbarisme the sinke of all vices It is therefore necessary that good order and forme be obserued in the election of magistrates so as in the choise chiefe respect may be had to the vertue of good men As touching the meane offices of state by what order they should be bestowed it is not our intent to discourse It shall suffice that the lawes and common custome be therein obserued But for so much as among all sortes of magistrates the place of him whom we call a Counsellor is of most reputation vpon him as it were a foundation the whole waight of all other Counsels and welfare of the commonweale resteth It behoueth therefore that the choise of him be made with great care and circumspection Euery state hauing euill Counsellors is most euill gouerned and no signe of equitie iustice or religion will therein appeare But fraude deceipt iniustice and impietie raigning in magistrates shall easily by imitation corrupt others For we see by experience that through the vices of gouernours commonweales be changed Monarchies become Tyrannies Aristocraties are altered into Oligarchias Democraties conuerted into Ochlocraties Therefore in election of Counsellors these three things are chiefly to be obserued of whome to whome and how they ought be chosen To the first we haue as I hope already sufficiently spoken when we said that in the number of naturall subiects the Counsellor ought be elected and thereof a little before we discoursed Nowe are we to tell to whome and how Counsellors are to be chosen Wherein we haue thought good to resite the customes of other commonweales which being knowen we may the more easely conceiue what kinde of election fitteth with euery state and which of them ought be accounted best and most profitable In the election of all Magistrates and chiefly Counsellors all people in euery state were wont to respect three things libertie riches and vertue For what doth depende of those three and euery of them is to be considered Those that desire the forme of a popular state doe chiefly respect liberty for there is nothing that lâ—â—deth them to like and desire popular gouernment so much as the sweet desire of liberty Because they thinke libertie consisteth principallâ—e in commaunding and obeying by turne iudging it reasonable that all Citizens should commaund or at the least somtimes to coÌ„mand sometimes to obey Therfore in all such commonweales the Magistrates are chosen by lott wherin Chance Lucke doe helpe more then Reason or Wisdome Which order was inuented for the preseruation of liberty For all men desiring to be thought and accounted equals doe vse therein the ayde of fortune chance to the end that the rich poore the eloquent and simple the mightie and weake the wise and foolish shoulde be equall that no one by wealth eloquence wisedome or friendship shoulde oppresse an other and consequently vsurpe the state with the libertie thereof common to them all Imagening moreouer that the common good profit and liberty may be preserued better by many then one or diuers In those states therefore the condition of all men is a like and it maketh no matter whether they be rich or poore learned or foolish so long as they be borne free men In commonweales gouerned by a fewe the order is that a small number of wise discreete or rich men should gouerne but in popular states it is contrarie for there the ignoble poore men and artifizers haue equall procaedence with the rich men Wee reade that the popular state of Athens was gouerned in two sortes the one by fewe Magistrates which were eyther rich men or wise men the other consisted of all the whole number of free Citizens The first was instituted by Theseus who assembled the people into Cities liuing before dispersed sauagely in the fielde perswading the most potente personages that the Democratie ought be preferred before the Monarchie to the ende the soueraigntie should rest in the people and he himselfe would be but as a Captaine generall in warre and defender of the law but in all other respectes euery of them should be his equals Moreouer he instituted a conuocation of the whole people making this difference betwixt the Noble men and Artificers Housbandmen that is to wit that the noble sort should haue the ministerie of the Church the soueraigne offices and iudiciall places but otherwise to liue in equall honour and dignitie with the rest This first Prince as Aristotle saith would not frame any kingdome but conforming himselfe to the disposition of people contriued such a commonweale as in the iudgement of all men was thought most allowable most iust and most contentfull In like manner he deuised such a popular state as should not be gouerned by violence and furie of the multitude but all things to be qualified by iudgement and reason so as by honest liuing and obedience of lawe the commonweale might enioy her happines This commonweale begon by Theseus was after gouerned by Draco who gaue thereunto certaine bloodie lawes Then Solon through sedition discord of the Citizens reduced the gouerment into the handes of a fewe somewhat altering the lawes and magistrates Last of all that Democratie came vnto the hands of Clisthenes Aristides and Pericles and after all them to Demosthenes These men being pleasers of people reduced all the Citizens to equalitie increasing the tribes entering seruantes and strangers into the company of Citizens Clisthenes inuented the lawe called Ostracismus which was executed vpon those of whome there was any opinion conceiued that their wisedome or vertue might hinder the popular liberty Aristides iudged it a thing reasonable that banished men and the basest multitude should be capable of magistracie Pericles diminished the authoritie of the Senate and weakned the dignitie thereof Demosthenes finding the state fully in possession of the multitude by a solemne oration allowed and commended thereof Aristotle and his Tutor Plato with other politicall Philosophers doe thinke that the popular forme of commonweale is not vniust being accompanied with good lawes and a people willing to obey the same For who is he that can mislike that state wherein each man hath a lawe to be as king and keeper of his libertie and of the lawe himselfe is Prince and Lorde Surely I coulde well allowe of such a commonweale where it not subiect to greate tumultes seditions and sodaine mutations First who is he that knoweth not the nature of common people is mutable and will vse libertie immoderately For indeed the multitude eyther obeyeth slauishly or doth commaund cruellie being also entised or rather filled with the sweetnesse of libertie so soone as it hath by some action aspired to greatnesse or glorie it becommeth insolent desiring to be thought chiefe and holding equalitie vniust doth vse most intemperately to beare hate sedition and ambition So as of such a commonweale groweth
an insolent plebeyall domination It also sometimes happeneth that men blinded with loue of riches and wealth doe chose rich men onely to be gouerners and keepers of common libertie supposing them to be most worthy and fit to beare office in the state Such a commonweale is called the authoritie of a fewe or an Oligarchia for those Citizens doe beare the soucraigne offices who are aboue the rest of most wealth and substance The Senators and other Magistrates in that state are partly by election partly by lot and partly by generall consent and sometime by a fewe created And because the choise is made according to mens riches each man indeuoreth himselfe not to attaine vertue but welth knowing the offices are as it were thereunto due In such commonweales so greate veneration and worship is giuen to riches as there is nothing so holie so godlie or religious that couetousnesse the fatall plague of all gouermentes cannot violate and subuerte They that in the election of Magistrates doe onely respect vertue and by it doe measure the felicitie of the state doe inhabite kingdomes or Optimaties For those that obey Kinges whether they be by election or naturall discent the people beleeue them aboue all other men to be most diuine most wise and most worthy And they that desire to be gouerned not by one alone but diuers doe in election of their gouernours obserue the like reason Because among those men choise is made of the best most iust and sufficient persons to be Magistrates without attributing any thing to lot or fortune for each man examineth his owne iudgement touching the vertue of them whome they desire to aduance which is a respect of singular commendation in the bestowing of honours For as the Poet saith it is a great matter to be poynted out with the finger euerie one saying this is he Wheresoeuer chance hath more power then reason there is little place left for vertue Yet doe I not in a free state mislike the suffrage of chance that goeth before or followeth the iudgement of good men touching particular mens vertue For in that cōmonweale where is most plenty of good men there to admit chance for iudge of each mans worthines may be thought reasonable By that meanes men in office shall account themselues the most worthie Citizens knowing they are aduanced aswell by the iudgement of good men as the sentence of fortune This order of election is obserued by the Venetians The like institution Solon did make in Athens for chosing the 500 Senators For out of euery Tribe was chosen so many as were thought fit to become Senators whose names they vsed to put into one Pott and into an other Pott as many beanes the one halfe white the other halfe blacke then so many as happened vpon the white beanes were pronounced Senatos and those that lighted vpon the blacke beanes as repulced returned home without office Therefore Thucydides called that Counsell Senatum a Faba Among the Romaines sometime Lordes of the whole worlde the Senators were chosen diuers waies according to the diuersitie of times For eyther they were chosen by the Kings Consuls Dictators Tribunes of the people Censors or Chieftaines In all which elections till the time of Augustus no mention is made of lottings but the vertue fame familie age order office before borne wealth and profession were chiefly respected Nowe for so much as there is nothing more excellent nor more diuine then vertue we thinke expedient that in the choise of Counsellors chiefe regard must be had thereunto because through it Counsellors be made iust valiant and wise It behoueth all Magistrats in euery well gouerned commonweale to be indued with vertues and chiefly those that are aspired to the dignity of Cousellors For Counsellors be reputed the defenders of lawes the moderators of liberty and conseruers of the whole commonweale And as the commonweale is many times infected and corrupeed by the vices and wickednes of Magistrates so is the same corrected and repaired by their vertues Neyther is the mischiefe of their faultes so great as that many others will imitate those euill examples Such are the people of euery state as are the manners of those that gouerne and what mutation of manners the Prince vseth the same is by the subiectes followed Plato most excellently and wisely saith that the estate of commonweales is changed like vnto the alteration of musitions voyces But it was better said of one other that the change of a Princes life the alteration of maners in great Magistrates would also change the māners customs institutions rights the cōmonweale it selfe And truely I think that euil Princes do deserue worst of the cōmonweale not in that they do euill-themselues but that thereby all others become infected and therefore the vices are noe so hurtful as are their vicious exsamples Such men therefore as not onely with their owne actions but their examples doe preiudice the state are most seuerely to be punished How is it possible for any man to perswade others to vertue and obseruation of lawe himselfe liuing otherwise The Romaines laughed Scylla to scorne that being a man most intemperate and delighting in licenciousnes did notwithstanding vse to exhorte and compell others to sobrietie temperance and frugalitie Who woulde not also finde faulte with Lysander though he did contrarie to Scylla allowe those vices in the Citizens from which himselfe refrained But Lycurgus is in deede iustlie to be commended because he neuer commanded others to doe any thing which himselfe would not first doe and firmely obserue Therefore they vnto whome the commonweale hath giuen authoritie to choose Counsellors and other Magistrates ought to be of greate iudgement and high wisedome For they shoulde electe those whome they thinke to excell all others in witt wisedome iudgement vertue and good action I doe therefore greatly dislike the popular order of lotting to finde out men fitt for this purpose because the people by helpe thereof desiring to preserue their equalitie and libertie doe incurre such errour as they commonly choose men most vnworthy the name and vertue of a Senator Wherefore they ought in preferuing of libertie to be most carefull of that which might chiefly profit the commonweale not giuing in respect of commaunding and obeying by turne the gouernment to the slouthfull and foolish sort for euery man liueth with equalitie enough in the state so long as the same be gouerned by the wisest discretest and grauest Citizens We therefore determine that election of Counsellors is most perfect which proceedeth from men excelling in wisedome and iustice because they being vertuous cannot permit any thing iniust eyther in themselues or in the commonweale In this our estate being gouerned by a King a Senate and people some man may doubt whether the Senators ought be chosen by diuers or one alone Where diuers haue authority to choose eyther all subiects are included or part
of them as in a popular state the one and in an Optimatie the other is vsed Which so euer of them doth claime right of electio must of necessity disdaine the other for the people doe affect liberty the noblemen desire authority Wherefore eyther they fall into sedition one against the other 〈◊〉 agree by law or consent that eyther of them shall enioy the liberty of election And though it so doe â—â—â—ne to passe yet will if not be long before they returne to their former discention For euery one knowing he hath gotten a partiall iudge of his vertue wisdâ—â—â— beleeuing himselfe to be disdained of the contrary faction practiseth â—aâ—red conspitacy in the state reiecting the ornaments of verâ—ue trusting to â—oâ—â—ed friends studieth ambitously by followers corruption to aspire unto authority what cannot be attained vnto by vertue he extorteth by force and violence So as good subiectes are by euill oppressed and in place of iustice vertue and wisedome deceipt fraud vice iniustice doe gouerne all Surely it is a thing most perilous that the magistrates of any state should be chosen by the multitude which is no reasonable of indifferent iudge of menworthines For many times eyther it enuieth or fauoureth those vnto whome they giue their libertie not iudging according to reason but is often moued by fauour or drawen with desire to honour those that ambitiously labour to aspyre And to conclude whensoeuer the multitude doe make choise the same is not performed according to discretion knowledge and iudgement but fury and rashnes There is not as Tully saith any Counsell Reason Iudgement or diligence in the base people and wise men haue euer thought good to suffer those things which the people doe but not euer to commende their doings The multitude haue alwaies had the desire but not the iudgement to bestow the dignities for their voyces are wonne by flattery not gained by desert This custome being by lawe or vse allowed in other common-weales shall not be admitted in our state forwe recommend the election of our Counsellor to one alone being of all men iudged for vertue wisdome knowledge most worthy thinking that one may more easely then many eschew those perils which happen in chosing Counsellors But let him to whome this authority belongeth receiue the same as giuen him by lawe or consent of the people not aspyre therto by force corruption or Tyranny The custome of free people in the election of their Senators vnto whome they commit their welfare is to chose them among themselues or else to giue that authoritie of election to an other which we reade the Romaines sometimes to haue done who did not theÌ„selues choose the Senate as they did other magistrates but committed the doing thereof to one man alone of most excellencie good life manners authoritie wisedome and iudgement Romulus the first father of that Citie elected a hundred Senators which custome was vsed by the other kings succeeding But when the kings through the insolent gouernment of Tarquintus were remoued this power of election according to the qualitie of time was somewhat altered yet not giuen to many For till the state returned to a Monarchie the Senators were chosen eyther by the Consuls the Censor the dictator or cheiftaine Our ancestors haue most discretely brought that custome of the Romaines into this commonweale giuing vnto the Kinge power and authority to make choise of Counsellors and be an onely iudge of each mans vertue electing those whome for age wisedome and nobilitie he thought worthie We therefore doe determine the power and right of electing Counsellors to appertaine onely vnto the king wherein his greatest wisedome and iudgement ought be employed not calling any to Counsell for skill in domesticall affaires for riches gained by agriculture nor for skill in architecture but for wisedome in gouernment of the commonweale for preseruation of Subiects and knowledge in good and wholsome lawes If our bodies be diseased with sicknes we consult with learned Phisitions or if we want garments or howses we seeke for skillfull Artificers why should we not also as a thing of most importance looke out and choose such men to gouerne the people and commonweale whose wisedome can conserue the same in peace and tranquilitie It therefore behoueth a Prince in the choise of such men to vse the whole force of his capacitie wisedome and diligence For he is not onely to see that in the Counsellor there be those partes whereof we haue spoken to wit that he be a naturall subiect well borne and bred and indued with those artes and disciplines which are thought worthy a ciuill man destined to gouerne the state but he must also consider the quality of his manners fame famelie age and vertue It is moreouer to be knowen in what office or seruices the Counsellor before his election hath bene vsed and with how much endeuour fidelity wisedome and diligence he hath serued For from some other place of imployment the Counsellor ought be chosen which the Romaines vsed electing their Senators onely out of that number whome they called Patres which was as it were the nourserie of Counsellors To be short whosoeuer choseth Counsellors ought aboue all to lay before his eyes the profit of the commonweale whereby he shall easely conceiue what men and Counsellors the state wanteth and how much or little euerie one can helpe how great a burthen each man can beare and what is to waighty for his force Let vs hereafter discourse wherein all these thinges consist what good the state receiueth by a Counsellors wisedome and what dueties he is bound vnto By that which hath beene alreadie saide the King may sufficiently conceiue what things are considerable to knowe a perfect Counsellor and likewise a Counsellor shall finde what is to be obserued and vsed in gouerning But lest the discourse of this institution should seeme ouer long we thinke fit to speake of those qualities in one other booke following for not werying the readers minde with many wordes and thereby become ouer tedious Finis Libri Primi ⧠The second Booke WE haue as I hope in the former Booke sufficientlie at large discoursed of the first principles appertayning to the Counsellors dignitie how many kindes of commonweale there is and which of them ought be accounted most perfect We haue also laide the foundation of ciuill felicitie which is in the societie of men a thing most notable and diuine Nowe our entent is in this booke to set downe those vertues which are required not onely in a newe magistrate but an olde and expert Counsellor so shall the science of gouernment be complete perfect and fully finished First it behoueth a Counsellor to know the forme of that common-weale wherin he is to giue counsell and be a minister what people what lawes liberties are therunto belonging what manners are there vsed by what discipline vse and custome the state is gouerned
by force to haue libertie to desire and doe allthinges that is not by law and reason forbidden to defend their law and libertie from Tyrants to be partakers of the Parliaments to beleue the King of highest authority the Councell of greatest vnderstanding For where the Senate is Lord of publique Councelles and all thinges by it determined are of other estates of men obeyed where libertie is in the people authoritie in the King the Councell in the Senate there is the best temperature of libertie and equalitie chiefelie if the lawes be alwaies obeyed The Counsellor ought likewise to foresee that the commonweale be not molested with any sedition for in times of such troubles the life of men is miserable and vnhappie There is nothing so deuine humaine holie or religious that sedition doth not contataminate disturbe and subuert That is the poyson of all states which maketh the greatest dominions small and mortall The causes of sedition in all commonweales are more then the witt and reason of man can imagine Wherefore continuall watch ought to be lest the mischiefe begun should more and more increase The mindes of great men much honoured in the state must be reconciled for the discords of mightie personages doe drawe the whole commonweale of small beginnings most miserable euentes doe follow In appeasing sedition two things are chiefly to be obserued that is in what sorte men are disposed to rebellion and for what causes It happeneth sometimes that mens mindes are moued with furie desire feare anger or such like affections eyther else they are drawen with couetise gaine contempt iniurie disdaine honour and sometimes with religion Sedition doth also follow where one part of the people doth gaine great reputation and authoritie ouer the rest and by some prosperous successe beeing insolente desire to be aduanced aboue others as the Areopagi among the Athenians and the noble men of the Argiui who hauing victorie of the Lacedemonians sought to reiect the popular gouernment Also the multitude of Siracusa puffed vp with pride of their prosperous warre vppon the Athenians changed their state from a Democratie to an Ochlocratie In Rome likewise the multitude not induring the dignitie of the Senate made manie motions and in the ende created Tribunes by whose furie and insolency the authoritie of the Senate was diminished and by sedition and troubles brought the state to vtter destructioÌ„ Sedition doth also sometimes happen in the commonweale by reason one man doth exercise diuers offices which thing is perilous in euery state for that others doe seeme thereby defrauded and iudged vnworthy of honour Let each man therefore content himselfe with one office so shall the state haue many ministers with diligence to attende the well doing thereof Yet is it sometimes profitable that in small commonweales one man shoulde exercise diuers offices but in great states the same vseth to moue sedition A Counsellor therefore ought foresee chiefly in extirpation of seditions that nothing be done contrary to the ordinances lawes and customes preuenting all disorders in due time for mischiefe growing by little and little is not easely perceiued but hauing gained force it sheweth it selfe and cannot be lightly suppressed He ought also not to be ouer credulous of perswasions craftely inuented to abuse the people which are many times deuised by popular men and flatterers who louing innouation dare enterprise any thing to make them owners of their desire and resting in that minde they conspyre against the prosperitie of good men cloaking their vice with the rashnesse and fury of people which flame and insolency not being quenched in time doth commonly runne so farre as with the fire thereof the whole state is consumed The commonweale therefore requireth the Counsell of some notable and diuine man in whome it may reposethe care of hir happines and welldoing By his directions and gouernment all perils seditions discordes mutations and inclinations may he suppressed and therby enioy a happy peace and tranquility Whosoeuer endeuoreth himselfe to be such a one it behoueth him to be prudent iust valiant and temperate for from those fower vertues all humaine things wordes and workes doe proceede Surely wisedome is a great singular vertue so great as I know not any thing in this world that may be therunto compared For without it the other vertues can neither be exercised nor coÌ„prehended which is the cause that Socrates though therin he dâ—â—enteth froÌ„ Aristotle doth call PrudeÌ„ce the only vertue meaning as I think that without Prudence no vertue can be or continue Bion thought that Prudence excelled all other vertues as far as the sight doth exceed all the other senses affirming moreouer that vertue to be as proper to olde men as strength or currage was to yoong men Wherfore we will that our Senator should be indued with this vertue for he can neyther say or doe any thing worthy his commendation and age if the same be not as with a sawse seasoned with wisedome But what this prudence is and wherein it consisteth it seemeth necessary we shoulde heere declare The Latines haue called this vertue Prudentia of prouidendo because through it the minde doth foresee things to come disposeth of things present and remembreth things passed For he that thinketh not of things past forgetteth his life and he that foreseeth not things to come is subiect to many perils and vnaduisedly falleth into euery misaduenture Prudence as Cicero saith is the knowledge of things good euill and indifferent consisting wholly in the chosing and knowing what is to be desired or eschewed and as Aristotle thinketh it is an habit coupled with perfect reason apt for good action and is exercised in those things which may happen to men well or euill Therefore Theoricall wisedome doth differ from Prudence because that passeth not the boundes of contemplation and this is wholly giuen to action and humaine busines Moreouer this kinde of wisedome needeth counsell and fortune to defend those things wherein it delighteth because it is occupied in certaine and no variable sciences which is the cause that Geometricians Mathematicians with all the crew of naturall and solitarie Philosophers are men learned and skilfull but not prudent In like manner Diogenes Zenocrates Chrysippus Carneades Democritus Metrocles Aristippus Anaxagoras and Thales were men of great knowledge but not prudent because their manner of wisedome or Philosophy was different from true prudence being ignorant in those things which were profitable for themselues and others delighting in matters secret hidden and obscure which sciences although they be good and notable yet vnprofitable and impertinent to humaine felicitie Because prudence consisteth in those things whereof deliberation and counsell is to be taken but if those contemplatiue Philosophers had not estranged themselues from the conuersation and actions of men but beene employed in the affayres of gouernment as was Pericles Solon Lycurgus Plato Demosthenes Cato Cicero and others they had no
doubt beene men in wisedome most excellent For true wisedome proceedeth from perfect reason which if the Counsellor attaineth eyther by Philosophy ciuill discipline or experience he shall thereby know how to foresee things to come gouerne well and wisely things represent and when trouble or doubtfull accidents happen speedely resolue and giue present counsell according to the time and occasion Plato saide there were two things most notable in the life of man the first was a wise man to knowe all things the second to know himselfe Therefore with this most notable great and diuine vertue let our Counsellor be fully furnished for without it no reason no vertue no action nor cogitation can be good or perfect The chiefe propertie or force of this wisedome as wise men affirme it to be wise for our selues because the prudent man doth first settle his owne affaires for wanting wisdome to gouerne well his owne priuate estate he may be rightly called foolish Vnder Prudence is contained the skill of well handling matters domesticall the knowledge of making lawes ciuill wisedome and the conning of consulting and iudging Therefore Prudence in a mans owne affaires is by Cicero called domesticall wisedome and the same vsed iu publique matters is named ciuill wisedome For the perfect conceiuing of all these things it behoueth him to vnderstand what is true and iust because the knowing of trueth is proper to Prudence For if we abandon trueth all things said or done will be false iniust and euill Wherefore who so wisely with a sharpe conceipt seeth knoweth what in all things is comely and true performing the same speedily wittely is in my iudgement to be reputed a wise man And to the ende the wisedome of a Counsellor may haue certaine groundes whereunto his imagination may resort for reasons to leade him to the trueth let him keepe in minde these two things that is honesty and profit Then whatsoeuer he speaketh or doth eyther in priuate or publique the same must be as at a marke directed and leuelled by honesty and profit For all things which are conceiued by reason or expressed by speach within the boundes of these two are included We therefore require a sharpe and sounde conceipt in finding out what is honest and profitable least the minde blinded with affections and desires doth seduce the iudgement of our Counsellor and leade him from the path of true reason Many men there are who finding themselues to haue a little abused reason by giuing head to their affections lustes do fall forth with into opinions from wisdom diuers and contrarie wherof followeth that they are not onely deceiued in their opinion of things honest profitable but are also with the loue of dishonesty improfitable desires blinded For auoiding wherof these two errors must be eschewed First not to take things vnknowen for knowen and rashly assent vnto them next not to yeeld vnto that which is euill and contrarie to vertue and honesty A thing most easie it is for the Counsellor to comprehend the endes of honesty and profit if he layeth before his eyes the good and welfare of the state which is the end and scope whereunto all wisedome and prudence of euery Counsellor ought be referred because neyther God the people his country nor wisedome it selfe can at his hand require more then that the commonweale may be preserued in safetie and happines And euery state is happy which doth abound with all good things and if the people therein be iust temperate valiant free wise and therewithall rich healthy vnited and voyde of factions The office of a Senator is also not onely to take care of those things which tend to the felicity of the commonweale but he ought be much more carefull to know by what meanes it may be therin continued and preserued For it oftimes happeneth that by negligence of magistrates the subiects as each man is by nature proane rather to euill then good by little and little doe decline from vertue infecting the state with diuers mischiefes wherin the commonweale must of necessity be drowned For preuenting wherof it behoueth those euill accidents to be met with and remoued by law For the nature of law in all commonweales is a bond to tye each man to his duty and defend them in vertue and fidelity But it sufficeth not onely to make lawes wherby men are rewarded or punished according to their merrits but it behoueth as the Lacedemonians did to prescribe examples customes and exercises of vertue wherin the people may take delight Therunto ciuill discipline is to be added which both in time of peace warre shall make men apt and obedient to all exercises of vertue I wish also aboue all things that in making of euery law such iudgement should be vsed that therin all occasion of offending may vtterly be remoued And as the Phisition doth heale the sicke body by medicine so ought the Counsellor by good lawes to cure the mind Yet can I not allow of those who finding an inconuenience begun and growing doth forthwith execute punishment without deuising a reason how the same mischiefe may after be extirped For I thinke it more expedient by Counsell and reason to prouide how men may be made iust and honest rather then how they might be put to death or punished What man is so cruell that would not take away occasion of these rather by making prouision of corne for the poore then through want thereof enforce them to become theeues and put them to death And who is he that seeth the commonweale inclined to vice and the people spoyled with licenciousnes but would reforme the same rather by pecuniall then capitall lawes Therefore Tullius said if thou wilt take away couetousnes thou must first remoue her mother excesse A counsellor ought to haue euer before his eies all the commodities discommodities of the common weale which being to him vnknowen it is impossible to cure the sores and woundes wherewith it may be greeued He ought therfore to be informed what life euerie notable subiect leadeth how he is affected to the state whether he obeyeth the lawes or be enclined to faction whether the magistrates be faithfull and diligent in the publique affaires whether they be couetous cruell and vnmercifull or whether they be iust gentle and pitifull Also whether the Iudge be wise and learned in the ciuill ordinances and whether they determine according to lawe or their owne pleasure Let him also so well comprehend in mind the whole commonweale as to know all rightes liberties lawes belonging to the people as Cicero doth counsel what munition the state hath what soldiers what tresure what confederats what friendes what stipendaries and by what lawe condition or compact euery of them is bound he must also be perfect in the custome of iudgements and the presidents of times past All these things it behoueth a Counsellor to know
of men the walles of Sparta The felicitie of subiects is preserued by giuing to euery man his right vniting them by fauour by seueritie of lawes and iustice In all which things it behooueth the Counsellor to shew himselfe wise and circumspect for to neglect those things which appertaine to the conseruation of peace and repressing of rebellion is not only foolish ignominious but also impious wicked And who is he that may better preuent these mischiefes then the Counsellor for he being placed amid'st the people seeth not onely the order of each mans life his right libertie licentious and seditious disposition but is as it were purposely placed in a tower diligently to behold both things present and also foresee things afterwardes to follow And as the Phisition findeth the disease increasing the Captaine conceiueth the subtiltie of his enemies and the shipmaster preuenteth the tempest of the seas So ought the wise Counsellor to foresee the perils inclinations chances and mutations of the commonweale For his office is not onely to see things present butalso foresee things to come wich vertue of foreseeing is called Prudence and they that are therewith indued be named prouident and prudent Because Prouidence as Cicero writeth is that wherby things to come are scene before they happen Yet true it is that to foreknowe things is rather proper to wits deuine then humaine because God onely knoweth things to come and such knowledge is the proper vertue and condition of mindes deuine Notwithstanding for that we haue in vs a certaine shadow or likenes of diuinitie it happeneth that we also doe coniecture and forsee things to come which may be by two meanes eyther by inspiration and will of God or by our owne proper instinct To the first kinde belong prophesying diuination such like knowledges which are in men by inspiration and reuelation from God Secondly the soule being seperated from the bodie remembereth things past beholdeth things present and foreseeth things to come And of that prouidence this our present speach entreateth For those things which are written touching dreames intrailes of beastes and fowles lotts monsters stars southsaiers Aaguri Arâ—oli Astrologers spirits and infinite other meanes whereby the Achei iudged of things to come seeme not to appertaine to our purpose But if the minde of our Counsellor be holy pure and vndefiled with dregs or spot of vices and that his bodie be an habitation of that celestiall spirit and diuine minde absolute and perfect by vertue thereof he may prognosticate and foresee things to come and may be called not onely prudent wise or prouident but also holie diuine godly and religious Such men were the prophets in our law and the Sibille and southsaiers with all those whom they say were instructed by the Nymphes and Gods as Tircsias Mopsos Amphiaraus Calchantas But how this celestiall prouidence is attained our intent is not here to discourse This skill of prophecy being put into men and by diuine inspiration shut vp in our bodies is most strong when the soule deuided from the bodie is by diuine instinct moued But let vs returne to humaine prouidence the exercise wheâ—of is also to be accouÌ„ted diuine For wheÌ„ the mind of a wise man is indued with the knowledge of all humaine thoughts and actions and vnderstandeth also the beginning euent mutations and declinations of things present and future comprehending likewise in minde the Idaea and forme of things to be done which nature or reason doth gouerne by a certaine and inuoluble course being I say in all these things studied and informed hauing sharpened the edge of his witt and conceiued the state of mens actions and affaires of the commonweales he may by such meanes foresee and foreknow what is in them good what euill what infirme what durable because in such men there is somewhat diuine called a spirit which Socrates had and was therewith alwaies accompanied which spirit is nothing else then the minde of a wise man chast vndefiled and exercised in the iudgement of things for such a one by euerie small coniecture may at occasions conceiue what is hereafter to come A certaine prouidence is also also learned by vse and examples which the Counsellor shall do well not to contemne In which knowledge he shall be chiefly helped by reading Histories because examples are of great force to diuert or remooue in coÌ„uenients sith euerie man flieth that willingly which he hath found most dangerous in others Therefore a Counsellor ought be wise in foresight and conceiuing euils long after to come and omit none oportunitie to forewarne and consult what is fittest for the state because loked for mishapâ— are with more patience indured Sodaine mischiefes are for the most part with difficultie or great danger eschewed because in things sodaine our mindes are dismaied and voyde of counsell but those things which are naturally looked vnto are well avoided We must therefore take heede in time least our wisedome be learned to late and it were a shame to say in vaine had I wist If the Pilot before the tempest prouide not that the ship may saile in safetie when windes do rage his prouidence proueth to no purpose So the Counsellor should thinke how the state may be preserued before the same be hurt offended or assaulted with enemies For it is better to be warie by foresight of perils past then make proofe of misaduentures present because men say errors by past may be reprehended but not amended Prouidence is alwaies accompanied with caution wherby we eschew those present euils which may happen vnto vs for nature hath so framed vs as naturally we desire good things and shunne euill Which shunning of euils if it proceedeth from reason is called Caution and therwith onely wise men are indued The profit of this vertue is chiefly seene in words and works for to vtter thy conceipt warely and worke that thou art to doe aduisedly is the part of a wise and well experienced man Wherefore in all consultations it behooueth the Counsellor to be in speach not onely graue and short but also warie and heedefull as Horace doth well warne him saying In verbis etiam tenuis cautusque serendis It happeneth also that so often as any thing be spoken rashly we repent the vnaduised vtterance of that speach and many times our selues and the commonweale also are brought to disaduantake when forraine affaires be done rashly or any consultation of publique causes be carelesly performed because in sodaine speech we powreforth many things which ought to be concealed Therefore the Comediâ—n warneth vs well saying It is folly to discouer that which ought to be concealed In speach a Counsellor must alwaies remember to speake nothing in anger in feare in mirth in hast or vnpremeditated which things obserued he shall declare himselfe both graue and wise Hauing also occasion to conferre or speake with the enemies neighbours or ambassadors the indeuor of whome is
to discouer secrets he must be most warie for therein they vse great cunning to vent our thoughts by coniectures and gather our meaning by signes In those actions therefore a Counsellor must haue a setled minde shewing the constancie thereof in iesture countenance words and mouing of his eies For they are the bewraiers of mens thoughts He must be also nothing hastie in beleeuing other mens words for there is nothing more profitable for a wise man then incredulitie Yet let him so vse the matter as not to seeme hard of beliefe or be altogether incredulous vnlesse the reputation or troth doth otherwise require For against apparant trueth to maintaine any thing is very vnseemely Neither would we haue him so silent as thereby to be thought dull or effeminate for the one is imputed to want of kuowledge the other to a certaine maidenly bashfulnes which in men is alwaies to be reproued Therfore a certaine meane is to be used aswell in silence as speach yet so as he be a greater hearer then speaker which was the respect that nature gaue vnto man two eares one tongue Surely it is a singular wisedome to know in what sort to be silent euery man ought to consider wel what how where to whom in what place to speake Also in all negotiatiōs buisines counsels great cawtion is to be vsed which may be done by such as search wisely what is in euery thing comely or vncomely what profitable or vnprofitable Let his counsell be sound prouident and prudent and in vtteting thereof he must vse great sagacitie and be warie How necessarie warines and cawtion is in warre needeth not here to be discoursed for our intent is frame to a Counsellor of state in counsel in court in iudgement and in peace gowned not in warre armed Yet this I say that warrs haue not beene better gouerned nor armies more safely preserued nor the subteltie enemies of more wisely discouered then by the vertue of caution which if a chieftaine wanteth he is ignorant in all other vertues belonging to a Captaine generall We will also that our Counsellor should be quicke witted to conceiue and search out the reason of matters propounded to consultation For in deede sagacitie is a sharpe and present conceipt and as it is the propertie of a wise man to consult well So is it the property of a quicke spirit wittily to vnderstand and soundly to iudge of that which an other man speaketh Moreouer I wish him to be not onely sharpe in conceiuing but also craftie and subtill in searching what subiects doe thinke what they desire what they hope for and what they aspect By that meanes he shall retaine the multitude in obedience and by knowing their counsels and cogitations direct those things which be in them euill Some lewde subiectes doe vse to conspire the destruction of good men eyther induced thereunto by hate furie or insolencie sometimes also they so doe of will hauing the gouernment in their hands sometimes for that they finde themselues inferiors to others in riches honour authoritie and sometimes because they thinke themselues disdained lightly regarded in the state So as for these causes they beare displeasure to others mouing warre and sedition practise their death if their force doth so suffice they aduenture to bring the state into apparant hazard In suppressing of these motions and cogitations of euill men the counsellor must shew himselfe warie and subtle not euer dealing openly or by direct opposition but rather charging the force of such men eyther behinde or on the side and by perswading admonishing desiring and courteously chastising reduce them to be better more tractable and more perswasible He must also at occasions threaten them with authoritie by seueritie diuert thē from such wicked execrable enterprises alwaies cōsidering deeply pōdering in mind by what art and meanes the quiet and tranquility of subiects may be preserued and how sedition discord with their causes should be extirped For that is a thing which appertaineth chiefly to the conseruatiō of cōmonweales For bringing of which thing to passe prudent consultatiō deliberation must be vsed because consultatiō is the scholler of good counsel It therfore behoueth a Coūsellor in this all other things to be carefull that whatsoeuer is determined may before execution with great wisedome and found iudgement be considered and examined The force of all consultation consisteth in those things which appertaine to the common life of men and conseruation of a commonweale He ought not therefore to consult of things eternall or celestiall as of the world or of things which cannot happen or of them that doe happen by nature chance or fortune as of findings treasure and such like neither shall he consider of trifles as of emptines nor of things past for what is done cannot be againe to doe But all consultation should be of things to come and that which may happen or not happen after this or that sort the reason whereof seemeth to belong vnto the profit of men Of which things Aristotle rekoneth fiue kindes Of getting money of peace and warre of conseruation of our countrie of commodities to be brought in or caried out and making of lawes If consultation be for leuying money then must the reuennues customs and imposts of state be seene and knowen to the ende they may be increased or diminished Yet vnlesse great necessitie so requireth the imposts would not be inlarged For all new impositions although reasonable are commonly offensiue to the subiects and breede much occasion of trouble Tiberius the Emperor being perswaded to increase the tributes of his people said it was the propertie of a good shepeheard to shere his sheepe but not to fleae them He shall also perswade necessary charges of state to be continued and remoue superfluous expences For the better knowing whereof let him aswell imitate the examples of other nations as his owne country wherein the knowledge of histories will greatly helpe him If consultation be of warre and peace it is to be considered of what force the enemie is or may be what kind of warre is to be made and against whom It is also good to know the strength of neighbours whether their force consisteth in footemen or horse whether it be equall or vnequall to ours in what respect they be stronger or weaker to the end that peace may be made with the stronger and warre with the weaker which thing must be performed with great iudgement sound deliberation Moreouer he shall consider whether the cause of warre be iust and whether without armes our desire may be brought to passe For a wise man ought to proue all meanes before he taketh armes because honest peace is euer to be preferred before cruell warre Touching the defence of our countrie it behoueth to know how much force is required how it is garded and what places of strength
is thereto belonging It is also necessary to remember the order of our warre and seruice But if we consult of portage and reportage of commodities aboue all heede is to be taken that the commonweale may not at any time want things necessary and that whatsoeuer is superfluous may be solde and caried away Care must be likewise taken that in exchanging marchandize the prises of things may be considered to the end that the state be not â—â—bbed of money and in lue thereof such needles merchandize brought in as doe make the peoples mindes vaine and effeminate In the ordaining of lawes also great wisedome is required For in them resteth the well doing of the whole commonweale Therein it helpeth much to vnderstand the course of the state what lawes haue bene receiued and by which of them it hath bene conserued and by what new ordinances it may be assured Whereof may be inferred that the lawes ought be framed for the commonweale not the commonweale for the lawes because one kind of lawes are not fit for all countries Neither are these knowledges onely profitable but it is also necessary to know all the confines of our countrie the better to forsake those forraine things which be euill and receiue the good In coÌ„sultation of matters of most importance it is many times good to vse the aduise of others for one man foreseeth not all which proueth that saying of Homer to be true Bini vbi conueniunt melius rem perspicit alter For of good and prudent consultation wise counsell doth commonly proceed which is the chiefe foundation to performe things commendable It therefore behoueth a Counsellor to excell all others in Counsell For Counsell is a certaine aduised reason touching the doing or not doing of things propounded which a Counsellor must of necessitie at all occasions be readie to giue grauely wisely and honestly For sith in all matters three things are required that is counsell reason and successe it is requisite that good consultation should aswell go before action as good successe follow good consultation And as a man fighting doth deuise how to hurt his enemie so must the Counsellor in counselling accommodate his counsell vnto the time and persons The things wherof we are to consult as Cicero teacheth are of three sortes eyther we consult of things honest things profitable are of those things wherein profit and honestie doe contend These three being exactly knowen to a Counsellor doe fully informe him how to giue Counsell in all matters whatsoeuer Yet is great wisedome required in knowing what is honest and what is profitable and it is a matter of no lesse vertue to vnderstand of two honest and profitable things which is the most honest or most profitable We vse sometimes to take counsell of the matter the time and occasion wherein as in all other things we must neuer flie from honesty or profit for we flie that which offendeth imbrace that is profitable and among many euils choose the least Furthermore in euerie good Counsell we should resort to that which of all other good things is the best as well in the particular good of our owne life as the publique good whereon common felicitie dependeth Herein all the originall causes of our cogitations and Counsels ought to consent For all Counsels are vaine which tende not vnto this ende of publique felicitie as no winde is prosperous for him that knoweth not in what hauen he desireth to ariue In taking counsell great wisedome and in giuing counsell fidelitie and religion is desired For euill counsell is worse in him that counselleth but wise and faithfull aduise is accounted most commendable Let the Senator also take heede least in giuing counsell he attribute any thing to fortune or chance for they doe seldome or neuer perfectly follow the trueth Euen as the man is not valiant who doth valiantly by chance or vnaduisedly So he that followeth fortune or hap without reason and iudgement is not wise The Counsell of a senator must be wise good faithfull mature deliberate and free not foolish craftie hastie or pernicious All craftie and audatious Counsels are in apparance pleasant in execution hard and in euent dangerous Let him also know that there is nothing so great an enemie to good counsell as hast being alwaies followed by vile and shamefull repentance which is proued true not onely in ordinarie actions but also in martiall enterprises Neuerthelesse we perswade not our Counsellor to trifle the time but execute speedely For celeritie tempered with wise counsell is alwaies profitable many things there are also wherein a wise Counsellor should not intermeddle but if he happen so to doe they may not be abandoned Therefore wee commonly saye that aduise should be slowe but execution speedie for the end and not the beginning of euery Counsell must be considered and all things referred to necessitie Neither haue commonweales appointed meetings and assemblies of Counsellors for other purpose then that of aged and wise men all matters might be first pondered and after maturelie performed At which deliberations and consultations of great matters we will that these men should be present For it proueth greatly expedient and profitable that matters propounded in Counsell should be much and long considered it were follie in one howre to determine matters of most importance After Counsell followeth sentence which is nothing else then the plaine demonstration of a mans minde and counsell For it behoueth in words and speach to expresse what we haue thought to the end we may know what lieth hid in the minde and reason of man This secret seemeth to proceede of nature that diuers men who are not wise yet in vttering their sentence and concept doe seeme reddie witted of good vnderstanding and subtill all which giftes they commonly attaine vnto by a certaine habit of age whereunto Prudence is an handmaid and follower Olde men are therefore most perfect in vttering their conceits notwithstanding they be vnlearned for by vse and experience they haue as it were a third eye wherewith they easely descerne the beginning and euents of things As euerie man is by speach discouered So a Counsellor by vttering his opinion declareth how wise and prudent he ought be accounted Socrates vpon a time behoulding a young man neuer before seene said vnto him speake that I may know thee as though a man should say vnto a Counsellor by grauity of thy speach let me know thee for a good Counsellor And we commonly say speach is the touchstone of mens mindes Therefore a Counsellor ought in vttering his sentence employ all the force and strength of minde to speake things profitable for the state which is the ende of sentence Some men doe vse certaine cunning and plausible speaches set forth with painted words which seeme more then true yet triall sheweth that in them there is no sinceritie fidelitie or grauitie And indeed it is not euer necessarie
that the Counsellor should speak to the wiser sort eloquently nor to the foolish truely Others there be swelling with priuie grudge anger and hate so soone as they haue caught occasion to speake doe forthwith fall into blaming and slaundering others hoping by that meanes to win good will and reputation Which kinde of men doe no waies profit the commonweale but rather by hatred displeasure and discords hinder the state For if they were good men in causes concerning their countrie they eyther would not or should not be angrie hate or grudge at others Some also being scarse of counsell in pronouncing their sentence doe follow the footesteps of other Counsellors saying after them and therfore were among Romaines called Pedarâ—j Senatores Yet iâ— they so doe not through ignorance ought be allowed for it is reasonable and profitable for the state to imitate and follow the opinion of wise and good Counsellors And sometimes it happeneth that all Counsellors are of one minde and meaning which so being it is better to affirme that which was spoken by others then with many wordes as it were of one effect consume the time A Counsellor must also beware that in speaking his sentence there appeareth in his speach not selfe liking or ostentation And albeit diuersitie of opinions will sometimes occasion contention in Counsell yet therein all slaunder offence and other perturbation which may peruert or disturbe the state ought be eschewed And in reconciling of opinions let the greater number preuaile for that which seemeth good to most men must be thought iust and most agreeable to reason The order of speaking in Counsell is in diuers states diuersly vsed for in some the eldest men do speake first in other the yonger Counsellors and in some also they that are of most experience and wisedome are preferred In that matter the custome of euerie place is to be obserued and that order to be reputed good iust profitable conuenient which reason common vse among men froÌ„ time to time hath receiued Yet doth it seeme best that the opinions of the most aged and experienced men should be first hard to the end the yonger sort may haue the more time to deliberate of their speach Besides that the younger Counsellors opinion being first pronouunced doe sometimes deuide the elder and drawe them into sundrie conceipts Therefore the best is that euerie one should speake not when he would but when he is asked For by such meanes order shall be obserued and all occasion of contention remoued In speaking it is lawfull sometimes to speake doubtfully because the difficultie of the matter may excuse the speaker also by the diuersitie of other mens opinions the minde is distracted not knowing to which side to yeeld wher in the suspicion of rashnes must be eschewed least of set purpose or affection more then of iudgement we yeeld to the opinions of other men For the censures of other men are to be pondred not numbred and â—eede must be taken that the greater part doe not oppresse the truer Aristotle doth permit that a man in saying his sentence may twise speake doubtfully But if the third time he trip or fayle he shall not aster be suffered to speake in that cause We must also take heede least our speach be ouer long for therein a double fault is committed by making our selues wearie with speaking and others with hearing Which error Caesar sometimes reproued in Cato Let the Counsellors speach therefore be short sincere and not obscured with inticing termes not vnaduised not doubtfull or deceiptfull but graue simple holy and true And it is fit each man should speake sworne to the ende God may be the witnes of his minde It importeth not much whether his sentence be written or rehearsed in words yet the reasons written are commonly set downe with more diligence chiefly if the matter requireth a long oration His voyce would be manly and framed rather to grauitie then effeminacie cleare and audible not soft nor so low as cannot be well heard In conclusion the Counsellor ought to obserue three things by Cicero prescribed that is to be present in counsell for the ordinarie meeting of Counsellors doth adde thereunto a grauitie to speake in place vnto that is asked and in good sort or vse measure which is that this speach be not infinite That the Counsellor which absenteth himselfe is blameable wherefore being called he must obey Neither is it fit that any Counsellor should goe into forraine nations vnlesse he be publiquely sent as Ambassadour Gouernour or Commaunder in warre least by such absence the commonweale be damnified The chiefe substance and ground of a Counsellors wisedome is that in all his wordes and workes he performe the part of a good and iust man which chieflie consisteth in the comlinesse of his life For it suffiseth not that we be wise vnlesse we are also good For prudence without iustice is meere subtiltie and holden rather a vice then vertue By the benefit of vertue we are made good that is iust courteous and honest but by wisedome we become onely wise Besides that in respect of vertue we are called good but for wisedome alone we are not Therefore he is indeed as Plato also affirmeth to be named a good man that embraceth the vertues liuing accordingly and feareth not to die for his countrie whensoeuer the same is assaulted or oppressed and be content to suffer all things rather then that the state should be changed which is commonly brought to passe by men of the worst condition Wherefore the Senator must be carefull to be no lesse good and iust then prudent or wise For wisedome without iustice is euill sith of iustice men are called good Some men in authoritie doe prooue themselues eloquent and wise but therewith full of subtiltie and dishonest sleight For they hauing in hand the patronage of libertie and lawe doe in speach and apparance seem carefull therof but their actions well examined dee detect them for men vniust vnworthie and dissembling And being indued with a false kinde of wisedome hauing their tongues but not their mindes instructed doe commonly indeuor to alter and not amend the publique pollicie There is not in anie commonweale a worse mischiefe then the authoritie of such men For they doe alwaies aduance persons licentious subtill deceiptfull vniust and seditious and in practising subtiltie doe somewhat whereby to be thought good men But as a man come to his perfection is of all creatures the best So if he forsake iustice and lawe is of all other accounted the worst For extirpation of which sortes of subiectes we ought pray vnto God and euery Counsellor carefull that his life be well exercised and employed But men being wise must also be iust therefore what iustice ought be in a Counsellor we are now to discourse Whosoeuer will with an attentiue minde behold and search the condition of things diuine and humaine shall see that nature
to the ende that if it were thought pernitious or vnprofitable as an author of euill he might forthwith be hanged Periander was wont to say that olde lawes ought be obserued and they being growne from vse newe might be receiued It doth also greatly profit the state that princes and others hauing authoritie to ordaine lawes should aswell obserue them in their owne persons as compell them to be obeyed by others For there is nothing which subiects so much behold as their Prince whose life is looked vpon and followed as a lawe Seleucus made a lawe that whosoeuer were token in adultrie should loose both his eies Afterwardes his owne sonne being found in that fault was desired by all his subiects to pardon him but that suite preuailed not otherwise then that first he caused one of his sonnes an other of his owne eies to be taken out to the ende the seueritie and reputation of lawe might be obserued and that the force thereof might be more regarded then the authoritie of men The endes why lawes be ordained in euerie state are two the one that Iustice may be entred into men the other to continue it in them The first appertaineth to the lawmaker who frameth the people fit for vertue the second belongeth to the Iudge for he represseth the desires of offenders and conserueth all the right appertaining to the commonweale The Iudge as Aristotle thinketh ought from the lawmakers to receiue the lawes whereupon he should giue iudgement First for that it is intended one law-maker is of more wisedome then many iudges And next because he foreseeing things to come doth determine without perturbation Which the Iudge doth not being subiect to affection in that he dealeth with things present and iudgeth of persons certaine Euen as to make good lawes and obserue them is profitable for the state so to determine and end contentions by lawe is thought a thing commendable Among men sometimes contention of doubtfull matters doth arise whereof it behoueth the iudge to determine The Iudge therefore is no lesse necessarie to compound controuersies in the commonweale and administer iustice then is the soule in a liuing bodie For being indifferent to both parties he reduceth that to equalitie which he thinketh vnequall not vnlike vnto a line cut into vnequall partes that part which is to long is cut shorter and added to the other So doth the Iudge being the liuing lawe and as it were an Oracle in the commonweale The Iudge ought also to account himselfe an interpreter to law-makers a minister of iustice his chiefe vertue must be to know what is iust and true He ought therfore not to swerue from lawe and the meaning therof but giue iudgement as the lawes equitie and iustice doth commaund For which respect it behoueth him to be sworne to the end God may be present to witnesse his intent and conscience which of all other things God hath made in man most diuine Let the Iudge likewise be free from ire and all suspition of hope loue and hatred not corruptible with giftes not fearefull of threats nor by flatterie abused or seduced For where iudges are subiect to these passions Iustice is farre remoued both from the iudiciall seate and the Iudge himselfe and there is nothing that infecteth the commonweale more with seditions hate and iniuries then the corruption and iniustice of iudges By good and equall iudgements the loue vniuersall of men is preserued quarrels enimitie warre and sedition are thereby appeased because they are in euerie state of so great force as by good iudgements the whole commonweale doth seeme maintained and by euill iudges subuerted This iustice which concerneth iudgement hath greatest power to extirpate vices in all states for if offenders be punished there will be no place left for violence fraud and audaciousnesse presumption or iniurie The person of iustice was by the ancient Pholosophers painted like vnto a faire virgin hauing a seuere and fearefull aspect peircing eyes chast and modest countenance inclined to grauâ—tie which Image seemeth to represent that Iudges ought be incorrupt and chast seuere sharpe witted good conceiuers of all things graue constant inexorable Cambises king of Persia caused the skin of one vniust iudge to be fleade from his bodie and hanged vp in the place of iudgement to the end that therby all other iudges might be warned to be iust and vpright In like manner ought our Counsellor to take heed that his iustice which extendeth to all sorts of people may be most duetifull and that both in making and executing of lawes he may declare himselfe a man of singuler iustice for it were shame to him not to obserue lawes who is the executor and maker of theÌ„ he commaundeth others and the lawe commaundeth him not that lawe onely which is written in bookes and tables of brasse but the liuing lawe of reason which remaineth in our mindes Solon being asked how the commonweale might be preserued answered if the people obey the magistrates and the magistrates obey the lawe Bias also said that commonweale might be best assured where all men feared the lawes no lesse then a Tyrant It were a thing most inconuenient in all states that the lawes should be reputed like the spiders webbe to take hold of the weake or simple and suffer the strong and mightie to passe Of which errour our Counsellor shall be heedfull indeuouring himselfe to loue obserue and continually be carefull howe the lawes may in violablely be preserued For it is the true office of a Counsellor to know the lawes and honour iustice yetdo we remember him in the execution of lawe to auoid ouer much seueritie crueltie Because extream iustice is accouÌ„ted extreame iniurie he must therefore so behaue himselfe as the subiects may more feare his seueritie then detest his bitternes and crueltie Conformable seueritie as Cicero saith doth ouercome the vaine hope of clemencie Crueltie is proper to tyrants barbarous people neither is there any vice in the commonweale more vile cruell and destable Let the Counsellor be neither extreame nor ouer pitifull so as in punishing the punishment shall not be greater then the offence We read that in Rome there were eight sortes of punishments that is domage imprisonment stripes recompence ignominie exile bondage and death In punishing he ought to resemble lawes which are not disturbed or moued but executeth reuenge vpon all offences moderatelie and peaceably as hating the fault not the men He shall also remember that the more authoritie a man hath the more moderately he ought to vse it Albeit that Iustice in ayding the societie of men doth imploy the seruice of all other vertues and is therefore called their Queene Yet hath she her peculiar companions handmaidens and followers which are not so common to all other vertues The chiefe of them is petie goodnes innocencie courtesie gentlenes clemencie friendship and concord With these whatsoeuer Senator is indued furnished
of youth was cooled and the minde attained to perfection for as the perfection of bodie commeth by age so is the minde thereby made ripe in wisedome and experience Yet denie I not that many men are olde at thirtie yeares that is to say they be then both prudent and wise for they desiring to be olde long begin soone to be graue We read that in Rome diuers were made Senators before the thirtie yeare of their life which we also allow For men may be reputed olde aswell in respect of vertue as age Yet care must be taken That the state be chiefly gouerned by olde men for Plutarch saith that commonweale proueth happie wherein is plentie of yong mens Lances and olde mens Counsels The saying of Euripides is also notable Dictum est vetustum facta iuuenum ceterum magis valent consilia senum In Athens no man was created a Counsellor before fiftie yeares of age and in Rome it was lawfull for any man of sixtie yeares to come into the Senate although he had neuer beene elected a Senator and after that yeare he had liberty to come or not at his pleasure In that point therefore the custome of each commonweale must be obserued and euery Counsellor though he were in age euen with Nestor ought to endeuour himselfe at all times and in all places to employ his power for the Commonweale Plato saith that men should learne till they be so aged as one foote is entred the graue but why doth it not become them aswell to counsell and serue their countrey Notwithstanding we forbid men much aged decrepit and decayed as well in minde as body to giue counsell Because their counsels be commonly doubtfull and their iudgements are rather coniectures then affirmations alwaies vsing these wordes perchance and perhaps The cause thereof is that they haue proued sundrie perrils and are affraid to feele them againe Now for so much as the felicitie of man without externall goods cannot be absolute therefore they are for a Senator of much necessitie aswell to ornefie his estate and dignitie as the more commodiously to performe the actions of vertue Vpon this pointe the philosophers doe grealty contend for some of them doe exclude the goods of Fortune and others affirme the possession of Fortunes giftes to be of necessitie in mans felicitie Both which opinions are true if we consider the condition and ende of each mans life For they that affect priuate felicitie haue none or very little need of Fortune but others that doe exercise vertue publiquely liuing in the societie of men and gouerne the commonweale cannot without the goods of Fortune performe any great notable or liberall action Therefore riches lands and possessions are of necessitie for a ciuill man magistrate aswell to exercise the offices of vertue as to relieue the people and repulse iniuries so as it is apparant that without externall goods euery state is miserable and vnhappie Me thinks therfore the philosophers had done more wisely if they had disputed of the vse of riches and not of riches it selfe deuiding felicitie according to the condition of persons For it is not felicitie but the life of man which needeth things requirable to the sustentation of life Whereof the condition being diuerse it behoueth each man aboue all things to know the state of his life felicitie possessing so much substance as is thought necessarie to liue well and happely For which respect the felicitie of Diogenes was farre other then the felicitie of great Alexander the one was poore the other rich the whole world could not suffice the one the other was contented with a silly cabbin Their orders of life were diuerse so was also their felicitie yet were they both philosophers but the one delighted in priuate felicitie and the other affected publique happines this ought be commended the other not dispraised That course of life is to be followed imbraced and retained whereunto God nature election or will hath called vs and the same should be ornified as vertue reason God and nature it selfe requireth Which is the cause that some had rather be poore then rich learned them wealthie priuate then publique soldiers then priests for for each man esteemeth the life he best liketh But for so much as the life and felicitie of a Counsellor is laid open to the face and sight of the commonweale it behoueth him in any wise to be furnished with the goods of Fortune as good parentage honour glorie fame friends kinsfolke children riches and money I wish the parentage of a Counsellor should be good for that many times of honest parents good children be gotten Let him therfore be borne a gentleman and discended from a stocke or house of nobilitie or gentrie for that honour left from his ancestors was giuen by the commonweale to the ende that at occasions he should with the more fidelitie fight for his countrey There was a lawe in Rome whereby Senators were forbidden to marry women that had beene slaues Neither was it lawfull for any gentlewoman to take a husband of base parentage or that was discended from such parents as exercised any mistery or gainfull traffique Yet do I not dislike of those that take the badges of honor from thēselues and make the foundation of their nobilitie vpon their owne vertue For vertue entreateth both new and ancient men after one fashion for she refuseth none that resorteth vnto her for honour It is reported that Cato being in contention with Scipio Affricanus said merely that Rome would become glorious if great noble men did not yeeld the chiefe part of vertue vnto their inferiours and contrariwise if the multitude whereof he was one did contend in vertue with those that were noble in parentage Moreouer touching the beginning and originall gentrie is to be considered who is in deed aspired to honour by the right degrees of vertue for the new gentleman ought not be accounted inferiour to the olde if he be aduanced for no light or fained vertue but is made noble in reward of his great laboursome and honest industrie In consideration whereof the vertue militarie and the vertue of wisdom doūsell be preferred before all contēplatiue vertues wealth riches In euery commonweale two rewards are prepared for vertue the one is honour the other glorie which who so hath cannot be called infortunate Honour consisteth partly in hauing authoritie and office and partly in the reputation which is giuen by great and notable men for the excellent vertue they thinke to be in him who is honoured Tullius saith that is true honour which is giuen to noble men not in hope to haue benefit from them but for their excellent deserts Who so therefore desireth honour must not onely attaine therunto by shewing olde painted armes or images engraued in brasse but by his owne vertue whereunto the true and euerlasting rewardes are belonging Cato seeing Rome filled with the portratures of noble
lande houses houshold stuffe sheepe slaues and such like things which are imployed in honest and liberall labours There was a custome in many commonweales and chieflie populer states to create the Senators according to their wealth and for that purpose a valewation was made of each mans substance Solon deuided his valewation or cesments into foure The first was of â—00 Medimnâ— the second of 300 the third of 200. and in the fourth were the poore men artificers and mercinarie people Those that were rated at the second valewation were called Equites They that were rated in the third valewation were termed Zeugitae as men that deserued one horse and in the first valewation all Senators Magistrates and great noble men were included Among the Lacedemonians no man was admitted a magistrate that had not of wealth sufficient to contribute to the publique feast called Phidicia Plato likewise deuided his commonweale into foure valewations so as the whole number of Citizens were included in the first second third and fourth valewation In like manner the Romaine state had a certaine diuerse valewation for in the one the Senators and in the other the Citizens were valewed It seemeth therefore necessarie in all common-weales for thereby order of state is obserued that customes and taxations be continued the famelies numbred the peoples manners reformed all excesse extyrped and men made diligent in defending their countrey The Censors or valewers of Rome were the tutors for good manners and conseruers of ciuill and honest discipline as were the Nomophilaces among the Graecians Notwithstanding it seemeth not good to me be it spoken without offence the Counsellors should be chosen onely in respect of their riches For to giue the gouernment into the handes of the most wealthie sort doth seeme as though the charge of a ship were deliuered not to the best saylor but the richest passenger whereof perils and shipwracke will ensue Plinius finding fault with the Romaine magistrates their errours and euill manners doth attribute the cause of all their iniquitie to the respect they bare towards the wealth of men saying thus after Senators were created for their riches Iudges promoted for substance magistrates aduanced for money and chieftaines elected because they were rich the price of mans life was troden vnder foote True it is that riches without vertue it little worth but being ioyned to vertue doth increase a happie life Therefore Counsellors ought be both rich and vertuous and if any tich and good man being of sufficiencie to gouerne in the commonweale do refuse the dignitie of a Counsellor he ought by the law of Sensures to be therunto coÌ„pelled for it is a shamefull thing not to serue that state which begot him that couÌ„trey which gaue him life honour substance education But here heed must be taken that witlesse rich men fit for nothing should not in any sort be made magistrates for honour giuen to such persons doth transforme them froÌ„ fooles to mad men It is very reasonable that rich men of good desert should haue some preferment in the state because they haue most substance chiefly if they be iust prudent and learned Otherwise to aduance men for riches only is against Iustice for they are apt to iniurie the poore and proane to sedition and innouation We are now to declare what rewards are due to Counsellors what fruit belongeth to their labour and what recompence the commonweale ought giue to their excellent wisedome and worthines For we are all allured and drawen by hope of reward to exercise the actions of vertue The opinion of Solon was that commonweales were preserued by two things that is to say by reward and punishment which not being bestowed according to the vertue and vices of men the state might be accounted vnhappy and miserable It is therefore fit that Counsellors should receiue rewards not only of vertue but also of honour authority The reward bestowed by coÌ„monweales as Cicero thinketh do consist either in fauours in profit or in honour These are therefore to be looked for eyther at the hande of the commonweale or of God But the most noble reward is glory for vertue desireth none other recompence of her labour but the glory and praise thereunto due All honest trauell of Senators ought be rewarded with honour glory and renowne There is no pleasure among men as Xenophon saith which approcheth so neare the nature of God as to enioy honour and glorie The graces which God hath bestowed on men are so great as neyther in word or thought can be expressed Yet doe we giue vnto him honour praise and glory as that which is thought greatest and most notable As therefore in all other things so therein let the Counsellor imitate God esteeming that reward for his vertue dignitie and labour to be greatest which consisteth in commendation glorie and exaltation of his name And euerie good man setteth his chiefe glorie in vertue As the soldier in fight and the captaine in victorie So the whole glorie and honour of a Counselor is discerned by preseruing the people wel gouerning the state and doing things worthy commendation He must also account the office of a Senator to be the greatest reward of his vertue For as dignitie in a person vnworthie is indignitie so the same in a man worthie is a signe of greatest honour and glorie For indeed to greate men greate honours are due Our Senator therefore shalt repute himselfe to be best honoured and rewarded for his vertue When he is applauded of the people of all men highly esteemed and by publique consent pronounced to be a father preseruour and defendour of his countrie The badges due to such honour are not vaine or mortall but immortall and eternall for they remaine for euer impressed in the Poeples mind extant in the memory of posteritie and in mouthes and the eares of the whole commonweale Of that praise and honour our children our neighbours and friends doe participate supposing it their duetie to imitate such actions to be equall vnto such ancestors and if it be posble surpasse them in glory so as all good men by this desire of praise and glorie doe deserue well of their commonweale and countrey The houses of Senators must be as it were nurseries of vertue where the commonweale may as a field replenished with vertue reape good fruit The Senators ought therefore to be highly honoured and reuerenced of other subiectes not onely in respect of their age which is due to all aged men but for their authoritie dignitie wisedome fidelitie and diligence in gouerning the commonweale Who so therefore shall dishonestly or irreuerentely abuse them is with great seueritie to be punished In Rome the respect and reuerence to magistrates was so great that to offer them iniurie was accounted a crime capitall For by lawe it was enacted that his head that did iniurie to a Tribune an Edile a Iudge or a Decemuirat should be sacrificed
and licentiousnes is beastly and proper to men of basest condition That which resteth in action vnlesse it be also accompanied with wisedome and vertue proueth improfitable and is subiect to great vices and imperfections That which is imployed in contemplation not beieng ioyned with some action becommeth vaine and without effect For as men that earnestly behold the brightnes of the sunne with the vehement heat and light thereof are made blinde Euen so the minde of man continually wrought with imagimations speculation of hie mysteries doth become dull heauy and languishing Who so therefore desireth to liue vertuously and happely must participate both of the ciuill and philosophicall liues which are action and contemplation The mixture of which two doth make man to be like vnto GOD blessed and fortunate For hee that vseth his minde to the cogitation of thinges diuine is thereby made moste acceptable to GOD who doth greatelye esteeme of those men that liue according to the spirite and reason because it appeareth thereby that they labour to bee like vnto him who is also a spirite and thinges of one nature doe willinglye conioyne in loue They that vnto speculation doe adde honest action may also bee called diuine and happye There is nothing more apparante then that GOD among manie other graces hath giuen reason vnto men as a gifte most singular to the ende that through vertue thereof hee may beholde the nature of all thinges aswell coelestiall as terrestriall and therewith honour reuerence and loue him Who so therefore beeing mindefull of GOD and natures benefites doth well employe this heauenlie gifte of reason and both in action and contemplation imitate the eternall GOD doth thereby become as his childe and is holden as a God among men Contrariwise such as doe forget nature and humanitie delighting onelye in sensualitie neclecting or vtterlye forsaking reason are accounted to haue of men nothing but the face and name because the true and proper nature of man is in them wanting Heereof proceedeth the diuersitie of men that through the exercise of reason and vertue some are borne free noble wise and fitt to gouerne others slaues rusticall and witlesse destined to seruitude and bondage Euerye societie of men doth also willinglie obeye the wisest aduauncing them to offices and honours with greate respecte and reuerence Plato writeth that God in the creation of mens natures hath taken such order as in the generation of those that are apte to gouerne hee hath mixed golde To them that are destined to assiste the gouernours hee hath put siluer And with the nature of Plowe-men and Artizanes Brasse and Iron is compounded Which similitude Aristotle doth applye to the manners vertues and capacities of men For albeit that euerie man naturally desireth his children might resemble himselfe Yet doth it often happen that of golde commeth siluer and of siluer some mettell of other nature God hath therefore commaunded Princes to vndestande the nature of their thildren to the ende thaâ— they whose disposition is like vnto Iron should be conuerted to gold or that prouing impossible he hath willed the gouerment shoulde be to others allotted It hath beene also oraculously prophycied that those Cities which are gouerned with Brasse and Iron shoulde perish and come to confusion Xenocrates appointeth the first parte of mans life to the exercise of vertue the second to good health the third to honest pleasure and the fourth to the gathering of riches iustly As without vertue mans life is vile so is it without health weake and feeble For the minde shut vp within a sickly bodie doth languish and become disable to performe his owne duetie All men therefore through force of good lawes ought be trained vnto happy life for by such meanes common-weales become good and blessed Let vs nowe consider with which of these three states first remembred the diuine and happy life doth best agree which beeing knowen the face and forme of a perfect common-weale is easily discerned To the election of kinges men are induced by their vertue and beholding their egregious actes For whensoeuer we see a man to excell in those thinges wee accounte him as a God among men and forthwith consent to make him king following the common prouerbe Rexeris sirecte facies Because that gouerment is iust where the gouernour is vertuous commaunding himselfe and ruling his subiectes not as as Maister gouerneth his seruantes but as a father ruleth his children The Athenians as Demosthenes in his oration against Neaera writeth when Theseus had framed their commonweale were wonte to choose some one of the vertuous number and by holding vp their handes elected him Kinge In olde time the election of kinges was among all people holden a thing diuine and holy Romulus after the sight of twelue Rauens as Liuius sayeth or rather because the lightning had pearced his bodie from the lefte to the right side as Dionisius writeth was by diuination chosen king which was the respecte that by lawe it was prouided that no man shoulde take vppon him any magistracie or be made kinge without diuination In so much as that ordinance called Ius Auspiciorum was obeyed and religiouslye obserued The authoritie of kinges hath euer beene accounted a thing diuine for Homer and Isocrates affirme that hee who gouerneth alone doth reprepresent a diuine maiesty The kinges of Persia were honoured as Gods and the people beleeued their authoritie to be the onelie defendour and mainteynour of the commonweale The anciente Latines called their Kinges Indigetes that is to saye deified as Eneas and Romulus were whose bodies after death coulde neuer be founde The election of kinges was in time paste proper to the moste vertuous people vnto whome the gouernment of Tyrantes was odious Yea the ancient lawe of God doth as it were allowe or rather commende the gouernment of one An Optimatie consisteth of vertuous Citizens who deserue commendation in respecte of vertue because they gouerne the commonweale as becommeth good men in no wise digressing from the rule and line of lawe In popular commonweales all thinges be contrarilie handled for libertie beeing the ende thereof the state is ruled according to will and popular furie most commonly without vertue and reason In such Cities men are called good because they are profitable to the commonweale not for that they are indued with honestie which confisteth in action of vertue So as vertue is measured not by honestie but by common profite and libertie For popular iustice called Ius populare is where the honours are giuen not according to vertue of him that receiueth them but the number of those that giue them who thinke those thinges not to bee iust which by iustice ought be but that which to the greatest number doth seeme iust esteeming that also to be honourable which by popular fame is accounted glorious Therefore although in all sortes of commonweales the lawes of vertue are sometimes peruerted yet doth the same most commonly