detrahentem audire quid horum damnabilius sit non facile dixerim To detract or to heare him that detracteth which is the more damnable I cannot easily define But more especially in Kings persons of authoritie who with a blast only of their breath or with a sower looke may make them hold their peace I leaue the charge of this vnto them and charge their consciencs with it And for the discharge of mine owne I will now aduertise them of another sort of people whom for their tongue and talke none can exceede §. IIII. Of Flatterers and their Flatteries AMongst those infinite hurtes and mischiefes which an euill tongue causeth one amongst the rest and not the least is that of Adulation and flattery Which is so much the greater by how much the more dissembled and feigned it is The sacred Scripture tearmes it absolutely a sinne and says that a flatterer is absolutely a sinner So some doe paraphrase vpon that Verse Oleum autem peccatoris The oyle or balme of a sinner For in it is included all sortes of sinne whatsoeuer and aboue all a great neglect and contempt of God for although this be to be seene in all kinde of sinnes yet doth it more particularly expresse it selfe in those which draw not with them any delight which they doe as it were vnprofitably and sine pretio for it brings them no profit at all vnlesse when most a little Vanitie which they more esteeme then God These that they may gaine the kings elbowe or that they may not bee put from it speake alwayes vnto him in fauour of that which hee desireth and all their Artifice and cunning is to conceale the Truth and that the doore may be shut against him that may tell it him or those that know not like themselues how to please the Kings palate And being confident that they will giue eare to euery word which they speake they lay falsehoods and lyes athwart their way fathering such Actions of Prowesse and valour vpon Kings that they haue much adoe to for-beare laughing that heare their folly For there are some prayses that are dis-prayses and redound much to the disgrace and dishonour of Princes For by those vntruths wherewith they sooth and flatter them they breed suspition of that good which is in them And because they make pleasing the marke whereat they shoote they neuer looke whether it be a lye or a truth which they deliuer nor haue an eye more vnto good then ill iuste or vniust against God or his neighbour all is one Cannonizing their King for a Saint though they know the contrary These saith Nazianzene are like to your Sorcerers of Egypt which were about Pharaohs person who with feigned Prodigies did pretend to ease his heart of that griefe which those plagues did cause in him Ambitious and proud men are these which thus resist the truth and that they may not fall from their bias oppose themselues to those that speake the truth and minde nothing else but to cast a fayre colour on those things whereunto they see their Prince stands affected They come of the race of your Cameleons which liue by the ayre and cloath themselues with the colour of that whereunto they approach neerest If they see the King troubled they are troubled if merry they are merry if sad they are sad Hauing their teares as neere at hand as their smiles for to deceiue him And the better to content him they change themselues into a thousand colours in all they imitate him in all doe they labour to represent him to the true life There is not that glasse which so liuely represents the face the semblance and actions of those that looke therein as the flatterer who is that shadow which alwayes followes the body of him hee flattereth doth his Kings countenance his motions his postures his gestures his saying and his doings For as they see him either say or doe so doe they Being like vnto the Echo which answereth to the last syllable of euery word that is voyced in the Ayre These are the Kings Echos which answer him in all not onely in that which the voyce soundeth but in that which they imagine to be to his liking Being herein very like vnto those lying Hypocrites which thinke one thing and make shew of another But they are presently discouered and this their second intention soone vnderstood which is To lye and flatter to make themselues gratious and to bring their businesses the better about though it be to the hurt of others With one single truth they will dawbe ouer a thousand lyes As perfumers doe a great deale of Leather with a little Ciuit. And thus soothing and suppling the eares of Princes with a subtill softenesse and deceitful sweetnesse thy powre lyes into them and working them with a gentle hand they passe for truths Whilst these false perswaders falsifie the Truth and are worse members in a Common-wealth then those that falsifie the Kings Coine and sinne more grieuously then those that beare false witnesse For these by their testification deceiue onely the Iudge that is to sentence the cause but these with their faire and false flatteries not only cozen and deceiue Kings but corrupt and infect them make them to perseuere in their errours Per dulces sermones benedictiones seducunt Corda innocentium saith S. Paul by good words and faire speeches they deceiue the hearts of the simple And therefore with the greater and more grieuous punishments ought they to be punished They are not so squezy stomackt as to make dainty of Lying nor make they any bones to tell an vntruth if thereby they thinke they may please And as soone will they lay hold on a Lye as a truth so as they rest well apayd therewith to whom they vent their flatterie and their Leasings And some are so trayned and bred vp to them that they take delight to heare them and doe as verily beleeue them as they doe their Creede And so close doth this falsehood cleaue vnto them that without any occasion or cause giuen they leane thereunto and stedfastly beleeue that they haue that goodnesse in them which they want and not that badnesse wherein they exceede For being sencelesse of their owne defects they no sooner heare themselues commended but they are presently puffed vp and conceit themselues to surpasse all other Princes And thus doe they liue all their life long deluded taking themselues to be othewise then they are being abused and vndone by Lyes and flatteries Whence it is now growne to be a Prouerb Princeps qui libenter audit verba mendacij omnes Ministros habet impios If a Ruler hearken to Lyes all his seruants are wicked For euery man will frame his Tongue according to his eare and feede him with that fruit which they know best pleaseth his palate It being a dangerous disease in Kings not to indure the truth and as mortall in the subiects that they know not well
from himselfe but doth rather desire that all should fauour him in this his opinion And it is a strange thing and much to be wondred at that without himselfe and in another a man should so easily perceiue adulation and should not see it in himselfe But the reason of it is That some doe rest so well satisfied of themselues that all whatsoeuer they imagine in their owne conceit they opinion it to be truly in them and to be their due Let vs therefore conclude this discourse with aduising Kings that it is basenesse in a brest and heart that is truly noble and royall to suffer himselfe to be so lightly led away by men of such vile thoughts and base pretensions which follow more a Prince his fortune then his Person They feare not his hurt nor pittie his paines for that they are Traytours and easily vary from their faith and loyaltie and passe ouer to another They flatter this man and backbite that They sooth one and flout another Their tongues are like double sawes which sawe on both sides which comming and going cut wheresoeuer they come and slice and mince all that they light vpon not sparing any man There is no trusting of these men nor can we safely haue ought to doe with them for to serue their turne they haue still two contrary weapons ready at hand and with one and the same Prince make vse of them both One while they lye and another while speake truth but flatter in both Their tongue droppeth forth words of hony and their lips are canded with Sugar for they know that in Kings houses much sweete meates are spent and they hold him that shall season things with a contrary relish for their palate to be offensiue and troublesome and it will not goe downe with them so harsh doth it seeme vnto them in the swallowing King Ahab renders no other reason of his hatred towards the Prophet Micah but because hee did not speake pleasing things and such as did agree with his guste and palate for hee that is accustomed to this kinde of diet will hardly be brought to digest any other Quia non prophetat mihi bonum sed malum saith the text There is yet one man by whom wee may inquire of the Lord But I hate him for hee neuer prophesieth good vnto mee but alwayes euill Hee had signified some truthes vnto him but hee did not like well of them for those eares that haue beene accustomed to flatteries will hardly indure to be tolde their owne and to heare that which may dis-deceiue them and put them out of their errour But this wicked King payd the price of his â—olly at no lesse a rate then his life For these his false Prophets and flatterers led him along into the doores of death as fooles by faire words are led vnto the stocks But hee that is a good King will not suffer himselfe to be carried away with euery winde nor be moued with soothing and artificiall words and all such as are of a generous minde and of a graue and constant disposition and men of reckoning and authoritie are enemies to such kinde of lightnesse and meere strangers to all manner of leasings and adulation This being so wee ought not only to keepe the doores of our eares shut against these their accursed tongues but of our houses against these vaine and lying Sycophants and to desire of God that he will be pleased to illighten the vnderstanding of Kings and Princes that they may get at least out of this blindnesse wherein they liue and that he will free them from these eare-wiggs and incroaching flatterers who onely for to please and for their particular Interest celebrate their euill actions and approue for lawfull all their disordinate appetites Whilest they out of seelinesse or willfullnesse will not see the truth of that saying Qui te beatum dicunt ipsi te decipiunt c. They which call thee blessed cause thee to erre and destroy the way of thy pathes Lastly That wee may put an end to this discourse I say That there are another sort of flatterers which they call Iesters and men of pleasure very hurtfull and preiudiciall both in the Common-wealth and Kings Courtes And by so much the more by how much the more eare is giuen vnto them Their Laughters their applause their flatteries and their fooleries are all Lyes one word crossing another and their last reasons incountring with their first and by laying hold on all confound themselues in the end in all Their Office is to persecute the truth and wheresoeuer they are there is heard nothing but Musicke songs and inchantments of lyes and falsehoods wherewith they deceiue and fill mens heads with ayre Hee hath small store of braine saith a wise man which hearkens vnto such kinde of idle Companions who for that they finde they haue entrance into the Courtes and Palaces of Kings loose all shame and feare and assume vnto themselues the libertie to runne this large course of life whereby they thriue so well and get their bread with so much ease Salomon amongst those beasts which represent the Actions and gestures of men which liue by their trickes and sustaine themselues by their arte and industrie reckoneth vp the Ape And according to the Hebrew truth and Pagninuâ— his translation that word Stellio signifieth as much And saith thereof that it hath it's reception in Kings houses Stellio manibus nititur moratur in aedibus regis And thereby vnderstand this linage of mimick men which liue meerely by their industry exercising a thousand Apish gestures before Kings and Princes to please them all they can and to make them to laugh and be merry They are birdes of rapine hauing long bills and double pawes seazing on what they see and you must part with something to them either by faire meanes or by force vpon paine of putting you in feare that they will speake that of you which they doe of others These ill condition'd birdes are vsually bred in high places although like lewd women they stoope to all admit of all and take of all with a pretension to deceiue all fitting euery one according to his humour soothing that sinne whereunto they see the party most affected They are traytours of their tongue cogging Companions and lying Knaues who a man hath no sooner turned his backe but they scoffe most at him that giues them most and not onely rob him of his money but his honour and goe laughing away at their owne folly They are Rogues by consent Villaines by permission Knaues Cum priuilegio instruments of the Diuell and Hawkes-meate for Hell Deseruing to be banished for euer from the presence of Kings and men of authoritie But the greife of it is That the more they lye the more they are beleeued and the more impudently and vnciuilly they talke they are the better heard Vnhappy are they in themselues and as vnhappy they that heare them The one in
seruile inclination and make it their common custome to intertaine him with matters of mirth or iollitie and intertaynment if they be his freinds or his fauourites they also are not without their applauding and adulation and by so much the more to be suspected by how much the greter it is But what if all these shall ioyne to abuse a good King Then this miserie likewise comes of it That what a few of them shall begin to say all the rest will approue it And if Kings as they cannot without being knowen could but heare their talke and conuersation they might heare and know many truths they should know the mindes of many and the desires of all and they would reioyce in knowing the truth of that which none durst tell them For some nay many of them will report what they heare and amongst themselues speake plainely the truth one to another so as they be sure that the King cannot heare them This would be somewhat if not much remedyed if Kings would but doe that which we but euen now deliuered of the Emperour Constantine the Great who would not suffer that Minister or Fauourit that hee had once caught in a Lye euer to see his face any more but wholly dismist him from his seruices For both in wisedome and Christianitie it is to be presumed that in all or alwayes that hee can at least as oft as it toucheth his owne particular hee will not make him a faithfull relation and liuing in this iust iealousie and suspicion of his truth and plaine dealing with much scruple of conscience and in great danger doth that King liue which giues him his eare or vpholds him in his office But let vs pause heere and passe to that second point which is the faith and word which Kings ought to keepe §. II. That Kings ought to keepe their faith and word THis word Faith in our Common Language signifies Credit And sometimes Faith is taken for that beliefe which wee giue vnto that which others tell vs. And other whiles for that which others giue vnto that which we tell them And to say that a man is such a one is Hombre de fee a man of faith is all one as if we should say that he is a man of Credit and that wee giue saith and credit to that he saith Marcus Tullius who knew better then all the Latinists besides the proper signification and elegancie of the Latin words saith That fides is so called quasi fiat quod dictum est That faith hath it's denomination from not fayling in our word And hence it is that men hauing shewen themselues honest in doing that which they had past their word they would doe we grew in the end to giue faith and credit vnto them And this humane faith being taken in this sence is so necessary that people were not able to liue nor conuerse together or hold any commerce or traffick if they shouâ—d not giue Faith and credit one to another For the conseruation whereof it is very fitting that euery one should make good his word by his workes and to see that faithfully performed and indeede for which hee hath past his honest word and promise And by how much the more noble a man is so much the more obligation hee hath to keepe this his faith and word And if not see the offence which is taken at it when men are taxed with this faulte who are satisfied with no lesse then with taking away that mans life that goes about to take away another mans faith and credit by telling him hee lyes And it is a thing much to be laughed at or to say better much to be lamented to see the great folly and rash proceeding which passeth in this kinde and concerning this matter for they acknowledging in these their Lawes and Duels what a great obligation they haue to maintaine this their faith reputation and credit by alwayes saying and treating truth vpon the very least aâ—persion shadowe or note of falshood they risent it so much that they sticke not to fall into a worse sinne such as is a very Lye it selfe a loude lye by lying so easily and ordinarily as some doe I aske the question which is worse to bee lame or crooked or to say such a one is so when as there is no such thing Certainly it is much worse to be so then to be sayd to be so And to him that is not so me thinkes he should make but little reckoning of what they say in that kinde and should rather indeauour to flye from any default in himselfe then from the bare opinion and shadowe thereof Now a lye being a greater ill and a farre fouler default then all these mâ—n fall so easily thereinto and make so little scruple of Lying and more Lying vying Lye vpon lye yea euen those that will lay downe their life rather then indure that men should tell them they Lye though themselues know they lye and that they lye not who tell them they lye being onely offended with them that they will not take a Lye for a truth or at least let them goe away with it without the lest reproofe or contradiction which ingenious natures can hardly indure especially when they know that they are in the right and the other in the wrong Certainely of all other Vices Lying is the most vnworthy noble and gentle blood And it is such a Labrinth that the more a man seekes to get out of it the more he findes himselfe out of the way So that a man striuing to get out of one lye falls into another and from that to a third and all of them worse then the former Heere I will aduertise by the way that it is a common and vsuall Language with your Courtiers which may seeme to carrye a shew of truth but indeede is full of lyes and falsehood And this it is When they will cumply in words with them who recommend themselues or their suites vnto them they say Sir vse you your best diligences for I will doe my part and God knowes that I haue and doe that which belongs to mee And true it is for God knowes that his part is to lye and onely to compliment with this poore pretender and to doe nothing at all in that which he pretendeth I apply my selfe to that olde and ancient language of the Noblemen of Castile ingrauen on the sword of Cid Rui Diaz Si si no no yea yea nay nay which is a Lesson that is taught vs by our Sauiour Christ in his holy Gospell This is that which befitteth all men but more especially Kings for to indeare this or that mans truth we vsually say Que tiene palabra de Rey That a King cannot keepe his word better then hee doth or is more precise of his promise And therefore I hold for certaine that that which Plato yeelds vnto Kings and Magistrates concerning this point if it bee well vnderstood is not to lye
finde them head-strong For being that they are those horses which guide the chariot of a Monarchie if they bee not well bridled of a gentle and tender mouth and an easie reyne they will play the iades and breake both their owne neckes and their Masters In a word euery King hath or at least representeth two persons one publike the other priuate And therefore his actions ought likewise to be of two qualities In those that are particular let them proceed therein as they will themselues according to their owne guste and pleasure but in those that are publike as shall make most for the publike good Hauing still an eye to it's conseruation and augmentation and to the common approbation of the people And those qualities which formerly wee required in Councellers of State wee here likewise conclude that all of them are necessary for Fauourites And if Kings peraduenture in regard of humane imperfection cannot meete with men so perfect let them bee as absolute as they can possibly light vpon at least let them haue these two qualities of loue and an vnspotted life And let not Kings content themselues that they haue them in a mediocritie but in all perfection For without these two there are not any Statuas so â—â—profitable as are such men being not good enough to be slaues or to serue in the basest and vilest offices about a house much more vnworthy to be Fauourites and priuie Councellours And because the heart of man which God hath hid out of sight to the end that he might reserue it to bee the seate and mansion of his loue is hard to bee knowne and the thoughts thereof very secret and hid for that by one and the same instruments it worketh and expresseth it's conceits be they false or be they true it is necessary that by some meanes the truth or deceit of it's words may be knowne for to difference thereby the true loue from the false Amongst other signes and coniectures whereof Kings may make vse for to know the minde of those that are to hold so great and neare a place about their persons and to treate and communicate with them as it were the secrets of their soules let them consider and obserue very well in what kinde of manner they do proceed and haue proceeded with those with whom they haue formerly held friendship and to whom they stand indebted and obliged for curtesies already done if they shall see they carry themselues well towards them and performe all offices of true loue and friendship then may they be induced to beleeue that shewing themselues louing and thankfull to others they will be so towards them And he that loueth not him whom hee ought to loue out of this or that other respect will not loue his King do he neuer so much for him For this difference of more or lesse altereth not the substance nor condition The true loue of Fauourites they being such as they ought to be consisteth as we said already in louing their King dis-interessedly and to aduertile him of all that which is fitting and conuenient for him and that all or the most desire that in their workes and actions for their greater perfection there should be credit and estimation And lastly of all that which according to the more common opinion requireth reformation and amendment for onely the workes of the most high can be wholly inculpable And of that which may in some sort withdraw his Subiects loue from him and aduising him thereof worke so with him for to gratifie them in this or that publike benefit whereby to wedge the peoples loue the faster vnto their Prince and Soueraigne But false and feigned loue that runnes a contrarie course it alwayes hunts after it's owne commoditie it commendeth all whatsoeuer his Prince doth he excuseth it in his presence and qualifies it for good iust and conuenient Which being no other but a tricke of Court-cunning and though they may well march vnder the standard of vnknowne enemies yet are they esteemed and rewarded as friends And notwithstanding all this their Kings backe is no sooner turned but they murmure at him or set others a worke to doe it for them Complaining that in regard of the naturall ill disposition of Kings and great Princes eares facile enough to heare smooth flatteries but too harsh and hard to hearken to the truth they dare not for their liues tell it him not aduenture to giue him the least distaste though it concerne him neuer so neare and that they plainly see the not doing of it cannot but redound much to his hurt And the true reason thereof is for that the former loue more the person of their Prince then his fortune and let him take it ill or well all 's one they will treate truth especially in those things that may concerne his safetie or the good and quiet of his kingdome and their good minde true heart and plaine-honest meaning make them bold to speake without fearing to offend in that their good aduice which they shall giue him But this second sort of Fauourites loue not his person but his fortune And these for their owne proper interest and that they may not hazard their hopes dare not speake the truth though they see the danger before their eyes as persons that would easily alter their faith and loyaltie and take part with him whose sword is strongest and therefore care not though their King fall so as they may stand And of such it may bee suspected that they desire a change like those which in gaming liue by Baratos who for their owne benefit would haue fortune turne from the one to the other their good wishes no longer following their first man as not hoping to haue any more from him then what they haue already receiued not caring to see them blowne vp one after another so as they may get by the bargaine And most certaine it is that those who so much loue themselues and their owne proper interest there is no trusting of them for they haue no loue left either for their owne Lord and Master or any body else For such base soules and vngenerate spirits drowned and swallowed vp in those muddy materialls of Interest and Auarice cannot loue any other thing with excellencie and in a noble fashion And therefore it importeth much that Fauourites bee disâ—roabed and stript quite and cleane of all that which goes vnder the name of proper or selfe-loue priuate interest vsefull friendship faction or kindred and that they should bee clothed with a wise and discreet kinde of goodnesse which nor knowes nor can nor will fauour ought but vertue and Iustice and that which is good and honest It is likewise spoken by way of Prouerbe Quien ama à su Rey ama à su grey He that loues his King loues his flocke And he that is in the place of a Fauourite and so neare about his Kings person ought to bee as a common father to all his
knowledge of such persons as ought to be nominated for the said offiâ—es Chap. 25. Whether Honours Offices and dignities are to be conferred on those that sue for them Chap. 26. Of the sense of smelling that is of the prudence of Kings Paragraph 1. Of the Magnanimitie of minde which Kings ought to haue Paragraphe 2. Of the blandure gentlenesse and loue which Kings ought to haue Parag. 3. That it much importeth Kings to haue the good Loue and affection of their Subiects Parag. 4. Of sagacitie sharpnesse of wit and quicknesse of apprehension which Kings ought to haue Parag. 5. Of the Discretion which Kings ought to haue Chap. 27. Of the sense of Tasting and of the vertue of Temperance and how well it befitteth Kings Chap. 28. When and at what time sports and pastimes are worthiest reprehension in Kings Parag. 1. Of the Language and Truth which Kings and wherewith Kings are to treate and to be treated Parag. 2. That Kings ought to keepe their Faith and Word Parag. 3. Of that secrecie which Kings and their Ministers ought to keepe Parag. 4. Of Flatterers and their flatteries Chap. 29. Of the sense of Touching Parag. 1. Of Temperance Parag. 2. Of another remedie against Excesses and superfluities depending on the example of Kings Chap. 30. Whether it be fit for Kings to haue Fauourites Chap. 31. Of another sort of Fauourites Chap. 32 Whether it bee fit for Kings to haue any more then one Fauourite Chap. 33 Of the Conditions and Qualities of Fauourites Chap. 34 How Kings ought to carry themselues towards their Fauourites Chap. 35 Whether the Kinsfolke and Friends of Fauourites are to be excluded from Offices Chap. 36 The Conclusion of the former Discourse with some Aduertisements for Kings and Fauourites Chap. 37 Adâ—ertisements for Fauourites and Councellours of State SAP 6. V. 10. Ad vos O Reges sunt hi Sermones mei vt discatis sapientiam non excidatis Qui enim custodierint iusta iustè iustificabuntur qui didicerint iusta invenient quid respondeant VVISDOM 6. V. 10. Vnto you therefore o Kings doe I speake that yee may learne VVisedome and not goe amisse For they that keepe holinesse holily shall be holy and they that are learned there shall finde defence CHAP. 1. Wherein it is breifly treated what is comprehended in this Word Republicke together with it's Definition MAny and those of the grauest sorte that haue beene well versed in all kinde of Learning haue written of a Republicke or Common-wealth And hauâ— diuided and sub-diuided it into many and sundry species and defined it after diuerse and different maners A prolixe and tedious businesse and full of difficulties and farre wide of my pretension which is in few both words and reasons to describe a mysticall body with it's Head and principall members and the peculiar Offices belonging to euery one of them leauing to such as shall take pleasure therein the multitude of vnprofitable Questions the ornament of humane Eloquence and the Magazine of prophane histories being of little truth lesse efficacie And taking thence my beginning whence all begin To wit from the definition or Description I say with Aristotle and Plato That a Common-wealth is no other thing saue an Order of Citizens and Cities in which and amongst whom nothing is wanting that is necessary and needefull for the life of Man It is a iust gouernment and disposition of many families and of a Communitie amongst them with a superiour authoritie ouer them And it is a Congregation of many people vnited together fraternized with certaine Lawes and rules of gouernment And because I will not loose time in things not necessarie I omit that gouernment which the Greekes call Aristocratia which is the gouernment of the Nobility as it is with the Signorie of Venice And your Democratia which is popular and consistes of the Many as that of Genoa and the Cantons of the Switz Which though approued by many haue their inconueniences and those no small ones For the Nobilitie and powerfull persons if they not perseuere in the obseruance of the Lawes of good gouernment they presently grow to be couetous and are much subiect to Ambition And because they are but a few they feare the multitude and for to conserue themselues exercise cruelty whereby in the ende it turnes to a Tyrannie For as Mecoenas saith The state of a few Lords is the state of a few Tyrants And he that is the most powerfull the most ambitious and best befriended and respected of the people vpon the least dissension ioynes with the multitude which being it is naturally enuious mutable and a friend to innouation will with a great deale of facilitie ouerthrow the Common-wealth And say the Nobles do not side but agree amongst themselues yet cannot they but liue in feare of the infidelitie of the Vulgar for ordinarily those that haue a hand in the gouernment are more enuied then those that haue none at al. Besides it is a weake kind of gouernment nor is it possible that these few Lords can in large conquer conserue a great Empire as can a King or a Monarke because the forces are lesse vnited in them then in him And the people which is little interessed hath no share or part in those honourable places carry a Capital hatred to your great persons and are hardly drawn to such liberall Contributions as may sustaine a War and subdue kingdomes Your popular Estate in falling from that equality which it pretendeth is easily conuerted into a licentious libertie or rather loosenesse pulling down some setting vp others and is much subiect to Alterations through it's inconstancie weake head-pieces of the Popular For as Tully saith the sea hath not so many stormes perills tempestes as hath this kind of CoÌ„monwealth And of force euery one attending his owne proper good and priuate interest it must runne vpon one of these two rockes Either on the Tyrannie of him that is the strongest and vpheld by the fauour of the Maior part liftes vp himselfe aboue them all Or on the Plebeian gouernment then which none can be worse for all then falls into the hands of ignorant people who put ordinary people into the highest places of honour and command without any distinction or reckoning of rich noble wise or vertuous What good Counsaile or sound Aduise can all the Communaltie giue put all their braines together in a doubtfull case or businesse of importance when as Salomon saith there is scarce one to be found of a thousand of abilitie and sufficiencie in this kinde But put case that such a one may happily be found amongst them how shall he be heard with silence What patience will their eares lend him What secrecie will be had in that which is treated be it of Peace or War that it be not divulged before it 's due execution your Tumultes and seditions shall be more ordinary and greater then in other states because
and grauitie made answer Y miâ—hya que sabe desso What Has my Daughter a hand in this Can she iudge of his worth Giuing his President by this his Answer to vnderstand that he should not haue alleaged vnto him that for to make a good election which should passe the bounds of the consideration of those parts and qualities wherewith hee was to be furnished were his pretension neuer so much fauoured by the mediation and intercession of great persons And heereunto I farther adde that a king should in no hand content himselfe with the bare knowledge of those onely whom he knowes by sight and walke dayly vp and downe in his Court but that hee should take leysure to informe himselfe of as many as hee can and to follow the ancient custome in giuing order to his Generalls Vice-kings Prelates and Gouernours of euery Prouince to giue him information of the best and sufficientst subiects that are in their Gouernment and that after due consultation had with them they should nominate three or foure vnto him that from amongst many good hee might choose the best And the rest to bee listed and taken notice of that vpon occasion they might receiue imployment From whence likewise this good will arise that All in all partes great and small will study the Science and Arte of good gouernment fly Vice and follow Vertue that they may in their due time be numbered amongst the Chosen Let a King goe Con su spassos contados as they say with a slow foote in those Elections which he is to make giuing way vnto Time and to information Which hee ought willingly to heare neither in all giuing credit to all nor being as many are too incredulous Let him remit things to Tryall and Examination it being a thing needefull for him so to doe For if it be not wisedome to lend a facile eare to all that we heare for the wise man saith Qui citò credit leuis est corde So likewise doth it betoken little prudence to liue alwaies suspicious and distrustfull Something must be left to Experience But to come to the qualifying of persons if the one's qualities be of ten the other of nine quilates and all of them necessarie for the Office of a Counsellour the first ought to be preferred though the other out strip him in Estate in fauour in riches and greatnesse For in that Ministry there ought respect to be had onely to the aduantages of sufficiencie and not of power Nor seruices albeit two be equall in sufficiencie must loose their place and right But that hee who hath done the greater seruices for his King and Countrie ought to bee preferred before the other Now there is this difference amongst many others betwixt a good Prince and him that is not so that a good Prince conferrs his Offices according to the sufficiencie and vertue of the Minister he maketh choise of the other vpon fauour and humane respects vsing therein his power but not attending distributiue Iustice which rewardeth euery one according to his deserts without respect either vnto persons or particular intents CHAP. IX Of the Qualities which Kings are to consider in those whom they are to make choise of for Ministers and Counsellours WE may very well answer that which is heere questioned with that which is recounted in the 18. Chapter of Exodus where it is said That Iethro seeing his son in law Moses wearyed and tyred out in the gouernment of that great body of Gods people and that it was more then one mans worke to giue sufficient dispatch to so many businesses did aduise him to choose but a certaine number of Ministers and Counsellours that might helpe to ease him of that burthen which was too heauy for his shoulders Vltra vires 〈◊〉 est negotium solus illud noâ— poteris sustinere This thing is too heauy for thee Thou art not able to performe it thy selfe alone Cadendo cades saith another Letter By falling thou shalt fall and all this people that is with thee Daras de ojos as they say à cada passo Thou must looke well about thee And ioyntly with this hee propounded the qualities which hee ought to consider in those whom hee was to choose for that Ministrie Proinde ex omni plebe viros sapientes timentes deum in quibus sit veritas Or as another letter hath it Viros veridicos qui oderint avaritiam Thou shalt prouide out of all the people able men such as feare God men of truth hating Couetousnesse c. Now let vs goe pondering euery word in particuler and in them the qualities of Ministers The first is Prouide Which signifieth not onely to prouide but to fore-see and consider For the election of a Minister is a businesse of great prouidence and consideration and the most important and necessarie for a King in matter of gouernment On the good or bad Election of Counsellours dependeth the whole honour and profit both of King and Kingdome And he that erres in this must necessarily erre in all For the spring of a fountaine being spoyled all the water is spoiled And a King failing in this Principle all goes to destruction For without doubt all good dispatch growes from the force and vertue of good Counsaiâ—e Then therefore is a King held to be wise and prudent when he hath wife and prudent Counsailours Hee succeedeth well with all his Intentions and inioyeth same credit and reputation both with his subiects and with strangers Of the one he is beloued and obayed and of the other dreâ—ded and feared and of all esteemed and commended The whole kingdome resteth contented and satisfied And though in something hee sometâ—me erre none will beleeue it But when Priuie-Counsailours are no such manner of men all murmur and proclaime to the world That there is not an able man in all the Counsell and if in some one thing or other hee hap to haue good successe few or none will giue credit thereunto but rather conceiue it was done by Chance The sacred Text says farther De omni plebe Out of all the People As if he should haue said out of all the 12. Tribes or families of this people thereby to giue vs to vnderstand That for to make a good Election it is requisit that there should not remaine a nooke or corner in all his kingdomes where diligence should not be vsed as before hath beene sayd to search out the fittest Ministers And likewise it may in this word be giuen vs to vnderstand that in matter of Election wee are not to haue respect to Linage Kindred or Parentage but to vertue sufficiencie and courage accompained with other good qualities which adapt a man to be a Counsellour And therefore it is said anon after Viros sapientes Wisemen men of vnderstanding heads and stout hearts which dare boldly and plainely to speake the truth and to maintaine and put it in execution when they see fit time for your pusillanimous
Vt iudicent populum justo iudicio nec in alteram partem declinent nec accipiant personam nec munera That they may iudge the people with iust iudgement that they wrest not iudgement nor respect neither take a gift For this briberie and Corruption is that dust which blindes the Iudges and that plague which consumes a Common-wealth Moreouer they must bee wise men cleane and sound at heart and of much truth All of them qualities which all Nations required in their Ministers expressing them in their Herogliffes Of the Aegyptians Diodorus Siculus reporteth That they had their Councell and Audience in a great Hall where there sate thirty Counsellors or Iudges Et in medio iudicandi Princeps cuius a collo suspensa veritas penderet oculis esset sub clausis librorum numero circumstante And in the midst of them sate the President with his eyes shut a number of bookes standing round about him and Truth hanging about his necke curiously cut as Aelian expresseth it in a Pectorall Saphire like vnto that which God fashioned for the adorning of his Minister and President Aaron wherein were ingrauen these words Hurim Thummim Which some interprete to be Iudicium Veritas Iudgement and Truth But S. Ierome would haue it to signifie Doctrinam Veritatem Learning and Truth For these three things Iudgement Learning and Truth are much about one and in them consisteth the whole perfection of a Minister In quibus sit Veritas For in the brest of a good Iudge there must neither raigne passion nor affection but the pure Truth which hee cannot possibly avoyd vnlesse hee will wrong nature it selfe For our soule is naturally inclined to Truth And it is so proper to a wise and prudent Man that hee that doth not say it vnsaies himselfe And certaine it is that the gouernment of a Kingdome is so much the more good or ill by how much the truth therein hath more or lesse place For if businesses be not seasoned therewith as meates are with salt neither the poore shall be defended from the oppression of the rich nor the rich possesse their goods in safety men and womens honors shall runne danger and no one person can promise to himselfe securitie And therefore it is so much the more needfull that a iudge should treate Truth and desire that all should doe the like by how much the more are they that abhorre it and seeke to conceale it an olde disease which was almost borne with vs into the world And if Iudges shall not fauour Truth and plaine dealing treachery and Lying will reigne and beare rule Let Kings take heede how they choose men that are fearefull and timerous to be their Ministers who out of cowardize and pusillanimitie hide the Truth and dare not bring her forth to Light For as shee is the foundation of Iustice and Christian iudgement if a Iudge shall not loue it with his heart tracke the steps of it and draw it out of that darke dungeon wherein shee lyes Iustice will be in danger of being crush't and falshood will preuaile As in that peruerse Iudgement in Christes cause where the Iudge was so farre from being desirous to know the truth that hee did not know what kinde of thing it was And therefore demanded in the face of the open Court Quid est Veritas What is Truth To whom that diuine wisedome made no answer perceiuing him to be such a foole as to be ignorant of the first vndoubted Principle of Iustice and suffring himselfe to be carryed away with false accusitions and feigned relations which had no bulke nor body in them no substance in the world nor any shew saue of a poore shadow to be thus mis-led Librorum numero circumstante The President before specified had a great many of bookes about him To shew how much it importeth that Iudges and Presidents bee Learned and well read in the bookes of their facultie Epiphanius saith That hee saw a Sâ—atua of Truth which in it's forehead had two letters the first and the last of the Greeke Alphabet in it's mouth other two and other two in it's brest and so through aâ—l the parts of it's body to it 's very feete So that this was all enamelled with Letters as the other was rounded with bookes Thereby giuing vs to vnderstand that that Man which is truly the man he ought to be and is to aduise and gouerne others his head hands and feete must be stucke full of Letters He must be learned from the sole of the foote to the Crowne of the head full of Letters hee must bee for in the discourses of the Vnderstanding in the working of the hands and in the moouing of the feete wee may easily guesse whether a man be wise or no Whether he hath studied or doth studie For though a man be neuer so wise neuer so learned hee still forgetteth somewhat So that it is not enough for him to haue studyed but it is requisit that he still continue his study that hee may repayre with that which he learneth the losse of that which hee forgetteth As in a naturall body that by dayly eating and drinking is restored which is by our naturall heate consumed Et oculis esset subclausis His eyes which are the windowes by which Passion enters vnto the soule were shut Because hee should not be led away with the respect to those about him For hee must not haue an eye and respect to the Estate and condition of persons to doe more fauour when it comes to point of Iustice to one then another And for this reason the sayd Aegyptians did ordinarily paint Iustice without a Head The Head is the common seate of all the Sences signifying thereby that by no one sence a Iudge should open a doore to Passion but that he should place them all in heauen without respect to any thing vpon earth And this is not to respect persons but Iustice. Plutarke in his Moralls reporteth of the Thebans That in their Courts of Iustice they had the Pictures drawne of certaine reuerend olde men sitting in their due order and in the midst the President all of them without hands and their eyes fixed on heauen To intimate that they should alwaies stand in the presence of the Lord from whence is to come that Light which is to cleare the eyes of their intentions avoyding to cast them downe towards the ground that the Vapour of humane respects which is raysed from thence may not cloude and darken the sight of their vnderstanding They must be olde and wise because they are to iudge with mature Counsaile which accompanyeth that age And as it is ordred by their Lawes they must haue neither eyes to see nor hands to receiue bribes And if they would cut off their wiues hands too the cause would be the better iustified For in them your bribes finde an open gate and are so easie to be knowne in this kind
remoued from that wherein they are already placed vnlesse it be to your Presidentships of your Chanceries and Visits of the Kingdome and that they themselues of euery particular Councell should haue the nominating of their Presidents it would in matter of gouernment be of great importance First of all by these meanes would cease those anxieties vexations and cares wherewith all of them liue of being translated from one Councell to another as also that extraordinary negociating and labouring for this end and purpose Those that are of the Councell of Hazienda pretend to be preferred to that of the Indies de los Ordines And when they haue attained to these they aspire to that of Castile So that out of this ambitious humour none of them sticke fast or keepe firme footing but from the very first day wherein they enter into one of these Councells their mindes are wandring pretending to better themselues by chopping and changing from Councell to Councell And the mischiefe of it is That in these Pretensions they wast and spend that time which they should bestow in studying those points which belong to their own Tribunall For the curing of this sore in the Councell of the Indies in former times those Counsellours had a larger allowance and greater Pension then any of the other Councells obliging them thereby to settle themselues where they were placed without pretending to budge or to leape from one Councell into another making themselues thereby capable of all those difficult businesses of the Indies which good effect then ceased when the Salaries were made all a like And if this Order which I speake of had beene well and truly kept the disorder which is in these pretensions of change had beene remedied and men would haue beene more practicke and better seene in those businesses which are treated in euery one of them being so different and of so great consequence and so hard to be vnderstood that they will require the study and assistance of many yeares to vnderstand and know them aright And as the holy Ghost sayth it is contrarie to the rules of good gouernment and of prudence to put one vpon that he vnderstands not and to commit weighty affayres vnto him who vndertaking them as being tyed thereunto by his imployment knowes not whether he be in the right or no though perhaps he presume he is Likewise there should be much more care had in the prouision of those places of other Audiencies and inferiour Courtes of Chancerie to the end that in them might be bred vp such subiects in qualitie learning and vertue that out of them Election might be made of fit men for greater Counsells And that the Presidents should be chosen out of the said Councells in which they were bred vp it is very conuenient and grounded vpon good reason For hauing beene conuersant in them some yeeres by the concourse of so many things as dayly offer themselues thereby will be better knowen their talent and capacitie their truth their treating their integritie and all the worth and parts of their person whereby the election that shall be made will be much the better more certaine in the things vndertaken and more safe and secure in matter of conscience And who is he can doubt but that those Counsailours which haue beene for a long time in your supremer Councells will haue greater knowledge of the qualitie and substance of those businesses which are treated in them together with those necessary circumstances which make for their better expedition Besides they will more prefectly know the State wherein the businesses of that Tribunall stand without being driuen to haue recourse vnto others to be better informed spending and loosing much time therein Againe they know which is a matter of no small consideration the rest of the Counsailours as also their condition their abilitie their cleannesse of hands and heart and their good or bad parts for there better then else where are they discouered And this knowledge is very necessary in Presidents for to deliberate and make choise vpon all occasions of the fittest persons that are to be trusted with businesses of importance And it is of no lesse consequence to take notice of the suitors and pretenders for to know how to carry themselues towards them to take particular knowledge of the good customes ceremonies preheminencies and priuileges of those Councells that they may be kept and obserued and that the authoritie of the Tribunall may be maintained and all discordes and Competitions a voyded All these things are learned with time and that experience which euery one hath of his proper Councell wherein it is very requisite that the President be a Master and not a Schollar as he is who enters newly into a Councell though he haue serued many yeares in another and of no little inconuenience are the nouelties which they both attempt and do who are admitted without this experience being desirous to accommodate and order things according to the measure of their own dâ—scourse And howbeit the want of experience be in Counsailours a matter of much consideration and may be tolerated and borne withall in some yet in realtie of truth the lacke thereof in a President is intolerable and very preiudiciall to the whole Common-wealth And from thence arise many great mischiefes and those remedilesse For some out of ignorance and some out of flatterie do leane to their opinion whereby many vniust decrees passe whilest the experienced and wiser sort which euermore are the fewer haue not power equall to their sufficiencie to turne the course of the streame And for this reason so many difficulties offer themselues so many differences are raised amongst them and so many resolutions delaâ—d and put off and peraduenture erre in the end too which would haue required a quicke and speedy Dispatch But when a President hath that experience which is needfull he will not gâ—ue way to these delayes but being priuie to his own sufficiencie and confident that he is in the right looke whaâ— he presseth and affirmeth the authoritie of his persâ—â— and place will make it good and strike a great if not the only stroake in the businesse For these and dâ—uerse other reasons in all well gouerned Common-weaâ—ths and Communities I would haue them make choise for Gâ—uâ—rnment of such subiects as haue beene bred vp and â—u'd some yeares in them for they cannot but haue a great aduantage of those that are strangers thereunto tâ—ough otherwise of equall parts And this is the trace and trâ—cke of the Holy Ghost marked out vnto vs by S. Paul Omnis enim Pontiâ—ex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constuâ—itur For euery high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men For it matetreth much that the head be of the same substance as is the body and that all the members be of one and the same kinde not to haue a head of gold a body of braffe and feete of clay like vnto
tyrannicall taxe which is payd to the palate What sumptuous tables What costly diet What dainty dishes What exquisite curiosities What rich and precious wines What Regalos And what recreations more befitting Heathens then Christians And all for to pay the Taste this vnlawfull custome Which in plaine language is a greater taske and a greater Tribute then the poorest labourer or the meanest hedger and ditcher is seassed at For when he pays this Tribute it is onely with a peece of houshold bread and a dish of small drinke and other the like poore contentments denying to his Taste those excessiue Tributes which your Kings and greater persons pay being in this particular better gentlemen then they O the blindnesse of our Christian Nobilitie Let me put this question vnto you when the Collector of Subsedyes comes to a poore husbandmans house to demand so much of him as he is â—eassed at if hee should pay him more then is due vnto him by the Law or any Act ordained in that kinde or should be earnest with him to take more then hee is set at would not all men thinke him to be a foole and a very simple fellow The like errour doe they commit who consume their goods their lands and their whole Estates in seruing the belly and satisfying the Taste with such diuersitie of delicate Viands and choyse wines when as they may well pay this Tribute with that little or small modicum mentioned by the Apostle Habentes alimenta quibus tegamur his contenti simus Hauing foode and raiment let vs be therewith contented And with this let vs goe dayly redeeming those seassements and Tributes which were imposed vpon vs by sinne and in particular this sinne of eating and drinking wherewith so often euery day we make such large payments And if wee cannot quit the whole score let vs doe herein like your bad paymasters who doe huck and pinch and pay as little as they can But this the more is the pitie is not in vse amongst them For men when they are call'd vpon to pay either priuate debts or publick seassements they driue the demander off with delayes and when they should make payment fall a caffling and refuse to lay downe what is due But in eating and drinking they will pay much more then is due and presse the belly to take more then either it is willing or able to receiue When Caesars Collectors came to demand Tribute of our Sauiour Iesus Christ hee put this question to Saint Peter Reges terrae à quibus accipiunt Tributum velcensum A filijs an ab Altenis The kings of the earth of whom doe they receiue Tribute Of the Children or of strangers To whom Peter answered of strangers Thereupon our Sauiour persently replyes Ergo liberi sunt filij Therefore the children are free And if Kings and their children are and ought to be free from this royall Tribute it standeth with much more reason that they should be freed as much as is possible from the Tribute of their proper gusts and pleasures which is much more preiudiciall vnto them then that can be should they pay it For that payment is made but once yeare at most or from halfe yeare to halfe yeare and it is payd in money But this is daily and howerly and must be payd with a mans wealth with his Health with his life and with his honour A man cannot lap vp in a little peece of paper the misbehauiours and misdemeanors which Princes haue fallen into by giuing themselues to riotous banqueting nor the excesses which they haue beene forced to commit when they haue broke the bounds of Temperance There are two things sayth the Wise man which disquieteth the world and turneth it topsie-turuy To see a slaue when he reigneth And a foole when hee is filled with meate And therefore the sayd Wiseman forbiddeth wine vnto Kings And Seneca doth much reproue Alexander the Great and Marcus Antonius for their distemper in their diet A thing so vnworthy the royall dignitie that Cicero did affirme that cruditie of the stomack in Princes was a great indignitie and altogether vnbeseeming them For by delighting in drinking they dull their spirits enfeeble their strength and discouer a thousand weaknessâ—s to the world the concealing whereof did import them very much and neerely concerne them King Salomon sayth in his Prouerbs Much more strong is that man which ouercomes himselfe and subdues his owne affections then hee that getteth great victories ouer his enemies Suting with that vulgar saying Fortior est quise quà m qui fortissima vincit moeâ—a And therefore it not so much importeth Kings to conquer others and to make themselues Lords of new Prouinces and Kingdomes as not to become perpetuall slaues to their proper gustes appetites For this doth not fit and sute so well with the greatnesse of their Office nor is eating in it selfe so generous an Act that they ought so much to prize and esteeme it In the booke of the Iudges we finde a Parable of the trees who hauing resolued with themselues to choose a King to whom all the rest should owe homage they came first to the Oliue afterwards to the Fig-tree and lastly to the Vine intreating them that they would be pleased to take the Crowne vpon them and to raigne ouer them The first answered That he could not leaue his fatnesse to goe to be promoted ouer the Trees The Fig-tree hee excused himselfe in the like manner saying Hee could not forsake his sweetnesse and his good fruite for the inioying of a Crowne And the Vine he plainly told them that he would not leaue his wine which cheereth God and Man to become a King The purpose and intent of Parables according to the doctrine of glorious S. Austin and other holy Doctors is to infold in them the truth And in this is it giuen Kings to vnderstand that excesse in their Tastes and delicious meates is not compatible with their Estate nor doth it become a Crowne Royall that wee may say all we can though we somewhat exceede from the obiect of the Tast to loose it's time in pleasures and pastimes but that in that very instant wherin Kings take them they should as sodainly leaue them in regard that they haue so many and so great businesses committed to their charge wherein if they should bestow all their time they haue scarce time enough Which requiring so much as it doth the assistance and obseruation of kings if they should mis-spend this time in sports and intertainements they must of necessitie want time for that which is more necessary be driuen considering that there is not any thing that doth cause a greater relaxation and distraction in the vnderstanding and that more abateth the edge and vigor of graue and weighty consideration then sports pastimes and pleasing of their owne gustes and palates to neglect State-businesses vnlesse they will be pleased to vse them seldome and with
with the fewest Many moe therebe which speak much in matter of tongues and languages vsed throughout the world But I will onely treate of those which imports Kings and Kingdomes Such as is that truth and sinceritie wherewith they are to treate that faith and word which they are to cumply withall and that secret which they are to keepe Two things sayth Pythagoras did the moderate men of the earth receiue from heauen well worthy our consideration in regard of the great fauour done them therein The one that they should haue the power to be able to doe good vnto others And the other to treat Truth And that in them they should hold competition with the Gods Properties both of them well befitting Kings Of the power that Kings haue to doe good vnto their friends and to defend themselues from their enemies wee haue already signified vnto you how proper it is to the greatnesse of a King and how like therein hee is vnto God But the sayd Philosopher being demanded wherein man was likest vnto God made answer Quandò veritatem sciuerit When hee shall know the Truth For God is truth it selfe And that man that treates truth resembles him in nothing more and it is so proper to our vnderstanding that it intertaines it for it's obiect and still goes in search thereof the contrary whereof is repugnant to the nature as likewise to the essence and greatnesse of Kings from whom wee are euer to expect the iudgement of truth Non decet Principem labium mentiens Lying lipps becometh not a Prince It is the saying of a King and of a King that was a Salomon who spake with the tongue of the Holy Ghost and it is an avouched and ratified Conclusion that the pen and the tongue of a King should alwayes tell the truth though it were against himselfe As likewise for to teach and instruct his subiects that they doe the like as also all others that shall treate with them For in vaine doth hee desire to heare truth that will not deale truly And perhapps for this cause the shortest of all other your words in allmost all Languages are your Yea and Nay There can be no shifting or doubling in them no going about the bush These words will admit no other construction but a bare affirmation or negation In the fewest words are the least falsehood and the least quarrell to be pick't against them Men cannot expatiate their excuses as they may where larger Language is vsed And therefore the other as it is the shortest so it is the surest way Wherefore Kings ought all wayes and in all and with all to treate truth being that it may be vttred with so much ease and facility and to suffer himselfe to be plainely vnderstood Contrary to the Tenent of a sort of vp-start Hereticks which these Times tearme Politicians who for to make good their Policie and Tyrannicâ—ll gouernment affirme That a King may for reason of State if hee see it may make for the conseruation thereof Dissemble deceiue breake his word and plight his faith without any purpose or meaning to keepe it fraud dissimulation and deceit of what condition soeuer it be being contrary vnto truth and contrary to the Law of nature which in all that it treates requireth truth and contrary to the Diuine Law which condemneth him that speakes not the truth but goes about to deceiue And our Sauiour Christ calls King Herod Foxe reprouing his wily shifts and deepe dissimulations and more particularly in putting on a face of sorrow before his Guestes that he feasted when he commanded Iohn Baptist's head to be smitten off it being the onely thing that hee most defired And hee likewise condemneth those Pharisaicall Hypocrites who by exteriour showes would haue that to be supposed of them which they neuer interained in their heart And the Angelicall Docter renders the reason of this Truth To dissemble saith he is to lye in the deed or thing it selfe For a Lye doth not cease to be a Lye nor to alter it's nature be it either in workes or in words So that a Lye may be found in the behauiour gesture or semblance that one maketh wherewith to deceiue and to giue vs to vnderstand that which is not As also in the manner of the word spoken or some circumstance to be gathered out of it Now that which makes it culpable is the doublenesse in the heart Which S. Austen subtlely considereth in that incounter of a mans meaning with his wordes Wherein there ought to be all equalitie and consonancie which is not truly kept when in our words wee shall say the contrary to that which is in our mindes Therefore a Christian King or his Minister may silence some things cast a cloake ouer them and not suffer themselues to be vnderstood and cunningly to dissemble that which they know of them as long as they shall thinke it necessary to be kept close and secrete for the good expedition of that which is in Treaty But a King or his Minister may not faigne deceiue dissemble or to giue that to be vnderstood by any open Act of his which he had not in his heart and bosome to doe All which hath no place in that which appertaineth vnto Faith wherein by the Law of God we haue obligation not onely to beleeue but also to confesse with all truth and plainnesse that which we beleeue without giuing to vnderstand by the least word or gesture ought to the contrary nor for the least moment of time though thereby we might saue our liues Whereby Kings and Christian Ministers are admonished how they may vse dissimulation how farre and for what time without treading in the path of their priuate profit through which your Politicians pretend to leade them leauing the high way of Truth wherewith accordeth whatsoeuer is iust and right shunneth all manner of lying which Truth and Time will at last bring to light It was the saying of King Theopompus That kingdomes and great Estates were conserued by Kings speaking Truth and by suffring others to speake the Truth vnto them For they being those whom it most importeth to heare truths none heare lesse King Antiochus all the time of his raigne sayd that he did not remember that euer hee had heard any more then one only truth It being the plague of Kings and Princes to haue that verified in their Pallaces and Courtes which was deliuered by Democritus Quod veritas in profundo puteo demersa latet That Truth lâ—es buryed in a deepe pit You shall scarce meete with one in an Age that dare tell Kings the Truth there being so many about them that sooth them vp with lyes and flatteries Seneca saith That of ten hundred thousand souldiers which Artaxerxes had in his Army there was but one onely that told him the truth in a case wherein all the rest did lye And amongst innumerable Prophets which concealed the truth from the king only Michah made
but to vse stratagemes and politicke deuises for to defeate and deceiue the enemies spyes and Intelligencers And I very well remember that my selfe communicating this conceit vpon occasion with one of the learnedst men and greatest Platonists that this Age afforded he approued of it and did much commend it for as concerning that truth and faith whereof we now treate Plato himselfe and all other the good Philosophers teach the rigour and strictnesse wherewith men ought to keepe their word In the booke of Iosua is recounted the craft wherwith the Ghibeonites mooued the Princes of Israel to plight them their faith that they would doe them no harme And though afterwards this their cunning dealing was discouered and brought to light and that all the people were willing that this promise should not be kept yet the Princes of the people made answer thereunto that they could not but cumply with their word especially hauing confirmed it with an oath Iurauimus eis in nomine Domini Dei Israel idcircò non possumus eos contingere We haue sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel and therefore wee may not hurt them And because many yeares after King Saul out of a zeale to the good of his people broake that their word and promise there fell vpon him and his people a great famine which continued for the space of three yeares King Don Sancho whom they slew by treason confessed that that death lighted worthily vpon him because hee had broaken his word giuen to his father King Don Fernando to passe the partition made with his brethren And the constancie of Dauid is knowen to all in keeping that his word which all the while he liued hee gaue to Shimei that hee would not put him to death according to the desert of his irreuerent language and disrespect to his person And both diuine and humane Letters are full of the seuere chasticements which God hath inflicted vpon those who haue not beene faithfull in the keeping of their faith and word For being that he himselfe is most faithfull and doth boast himselfe to bee so he will likewise that men should be so one towards another S. Isidore with a great number of words affirmeth That we ought not to deceiue any man and that all infidelitie is sinne That no man ought to faile in that which he hath promised That it is requisite in all men that their workes concurre with their words without admitting any exception more then in two Cases As when that which is promised cannot be performed without sinne Or when the businesses or the persons admit some notable change And hee citeth the example of Saint Paul Who promised to go to Corinth but could not be as good as his word for those lawfull impediments which hindred this his intended Iourney Whence it followeth That things continuing in the same Estate a man may not for the conueniences of his priuate profit be wanting to his promise And to maintaine the contrarie is to lay trapps against the truth of faith and to arme policie against the religion of an oath In a word all doe resolue that all promises are to be kept and that no deceite or faithlesse dealing ought to be tolerated And the reason whereupon they ground it is common for that fidelitas est fundamentum Iustitiae Faithfullnesse is the foundation of Iustice and all Contractation And that this being taken away all commerce amongst men must expire with it without the which the world cannot be conserued For they not resting assured that that which is promised shall be performed they will not trust one another Marcus Tullius sayth very well that this humane faith is so necessary amongst men that euen Thieues and Pyrates could not liue if they were not true amongst themselues and kept their word one with another And though all euen the meanest ought to keepe their word yet much more carefully ought Kings and Princes for there is nothing more vnworthy them then to fayle in their faith and word which aboue all earthly things they ought to keepe and cumply with all because they are as Gods vpon earth and the Head of their people Wherefore their single word ought to be as an Oracle and to be more firme sure and of greater credit then any bond or obligation whatsoeuer that is sealed and signed with an oath Let the Politicians say what they please and that it is good and sound aduise that a Prince for to conserue his State may do an act contrary to Faâ—th Religion and neither keepe his word nor oath yet must I be bold to tell them that this is wicked vngodly and beastly Counsaile and contrary to the whole Schoole of learned Doctors and holy fathers who affirme that a Prince is bound to keepe his word though hee take not an oath for the performance thereof but much more if he shall sweare and binde it by an oath And if they will not yeeld to this let these Politicians plucke off their maske and let those that be their sectuaries speake plaine language and tell mee what they thinke of those Princes as of Sigismâ—nd and others who made no reckoning of that they promise and sweare when as by the breach thereof they haue beene vtterly ouerthrowne when they most assured themselues of Victorie I doubt not but they will hold it for a foolish reason of State For by this falsifying Princes shall presently loose all their credit and reputation and all their cunning shall not profit them for they will neuer afterwards be beleeued As it is in one of the lawes of the Partida No le creerian los homes que le oyessen maguer que dixessen verdad Men will not beleeue what they heare from them though they speake truth Titus Liutus holdes it a barbarous Act That Princes should tye their faithfullnesse to Fortune to runne along with the times and to shift sayles with euery winde For by this meanes the word of a Prince will come to be like vnto the Lesbian rule which changeth and altereth it selfe according to the building and is crooked and streight short or long sutable to the bignesse or proportion of the stone or timber which the carpenter or mason heweth or cutteth But let vs conclude this second point with this That realitie and sinceritie both in words and deedes is very necessary for all sortes of persons but more particularly for Kings and Princes who should rather see Heauen and earth to fayle then that they should faile in their promises Let them first well weigh and consider with themselues what they either say or promise that it be agreeable to the Law of God and to the precepts of the Church but afterwards let them infallibly obserue and keepe the same For in this consisteth the conseruation and augmentation of great States And is that true reason of State which makes Kings more powerfull more rich more esteemed and more obeyed For hee that keepes his faith
and his word holdes the hearts of men in his hand is Master of all their wealth and all because they rest assured that they may confidently relye vpon his faith and word Wheras by the contrary hath insued the destruction of Common-wealths the distrustfullnesse of their subiects the scorne and contempt of their enemies and the iealousie of their friends and confederates who all hang and depend vpon the truth of his words and the performance of his Contracts And this being once lost with it hee looseth his credit and after that all goes to wracke with it For Malignitas saith the Wise man enertet sedes potentium Malignitie or ill-mindednesse which is nothing else but a Lye or deceit shall ouerthrowe the seates of the Mighty And Cicero saith That it is a most wicked and abhominable thing to breake that word which conserueth a sociable life betwixt man and man For as Aristotle affirmeth Pacts and Couenants being broaken violated there is taken away from amongst men the vse trading and commerce of things These and the like effects cause in a King either the keeping or loosing of his Credit But of no lesse importance is that third point which followeth in the next place concerning secrecie § III. Of that secrecie which Kings and their Ministers ought to keepe IT is likewise the Tongues Office to holde it's peace And as it is not of the least difficultie so in nothing more doth mans wisedome and prudence shew it selfe Plato will not haue him held to be a wise man that knowes not how to hold his peace Diogenes Laertius that there is no greater token of a Foole then to be loose-tongued and lauish of talke Nâ—minem stultum tacere posse It is impossible for a foole to hold his peace The Ancient esteem'd him a God vpon earth that was a friend to silence representing him in a creature of that Region which hath no tongue Implying thereby that that man is the liuely image and true picture of God whose discretion teacheth him how when and where to holde his peace Alluding happily vnto that of Dauid who finding eyes eares and hands in God seemeth not to finde that hee had a tongue For as hee is God he neuer spake but once Semel locutus est Deus God hath spoaken once And the Spouse speaketh much of all the parts of her beloued but of his Tongue as if hee had no such thing And he that shall not speake a word out of season nor say any more then what is fitting it may bee sayd of that man that hee hath no Tongue And therefore did that holy King Dauid so often beg of God that hee would open his mouth with his owne hand and so order his Tongue that he might not speake but when he would haue him and that he would teach him what and how to speake Illius labia aperit saith S. Austen qui non solum quod loquâ—tur sed etiam quandò vbi cuiloquatur attendit God opens that mans lips who attendeth not onely what he speaketh but also when where and to whom he speaketh Merito igitur sapiens est addeth the same holy father qui accipit a Domino quo tempore loquendum sit Deseruedly therefore is he to be held a wise man which receiueth instruction from the Lord when he ought to speake And the Scripture saith Vir sapiens tacebit vsque ad tempus A wise man will holde his peace till hee see his time Nay Christ himselfe that King of Kings saith of himselfe by the Prophet Esay that his eternall Father gaue him an exceeding wise and prudent tongue Dedit mihi Dominus linguam eruditam The Lord God hath giuen me a learned tongue Or as the Hebrew renders it Eruditiorum The tongue of the learned Not an ordinary tongue but such a Tongue wherin was to be found the wisedome and prudence of all the wise men of the world and from whence all might learne Vt sciam sustentare eum qui lapsus est verbo That I may know how to vphold him that hath slipt in his word Or as the 70. translate it Vt sciam quando oporteat loqui verbum That I should know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary So that a wise discreete and prudent Tongue and such a one as is giuen by God is that which knowes when to speake and when to hold it's peace Teaching Kings who are in a manner Gods at least Gods Liuetenants should in this particular imitate him That they should haue a wise Tongue to know when to open the doore of the lips and when to shut them what to vtter and what to conceale For this is the Learning and wisedome of the Tongue either to speake or be silent as shall sute best with time and occasion Tempus tacendi tempus loquendi It is Salomons A time to keepe silence and a time to speake And in Kings this is so much the more important by how much the more graue and weighty are those businesses which are treated with them For it doth not onely benefit them in not hauing their purposes preuented nor their designes ouerthrowne but likewise winn's them much authoritie and credit For the world will stand as it were astonished and amazed and men will wonder at that which they both doe and say and out of euery kinde of gesture or word of theirs will make a Mystery deliuer their iudgements and draw thence a thousand discourses all which are but cranes and pullyes to make them mount higher in opinion and reputation Likewise when Ministers shall take notice that their King knowes how to heare and how to hold his peace and in it's due time to execute his intentions they liue in a great deale the more awe and feare lest such and such things wherein they doe amisse might come to his knowledge And when they see that he knowes how to conceale a secret till it 's fit time and season it keepes them within their Compasse and is the only bridle that restraines them from doing ill either by way of oppression whereunto great Ministers are too much subiect or otherwise And therefore it shall much concerne a King not onely to be secret in those things which might cause some inconuenience if he should speake of them and make them knowen but also in those things which bring no profit by their publication For if they shall once perceiue that their King cannot conceale what is deliuered vnto him vnder the seale of silence in preiudice of this or that particular party no man will dare to informe and aduise him of that which may redound to Gods seruice and the good of the Common-wealth And so like bad gamesters they will for want of keeping close their cardes let their contrary winne the game by discouering their hand A Kings hâ—art should be so deepe and profound that none should be able to pry into it nor to know
how to acquaint them therewith The one because they minde no other things The other because they dare not speake their minde Many seekeing to please them most to flatter them and some not to contradict them being loath to distast them of whose helpe fauour they may stand in neede hauing so much the kings eare and such great power in Court They know that the bread of Lyes is sauory and that flatterers are too well heard that they buzze into Kings eares a thousand fictions and falsehoods which they themselues inuent and by their smooth carriage of them perswade them to be truths And for that Kings vsually treate with few they cannot be informed of the truth and so are forced to beleeue those who of purpose seeke to deceiue them And therfore the wise men of Athens did set such a watch about their Kings that flatterers should not bee suffred to speake with them For these their smooth words their adulations and flatteries when they are once receiued by the eare do not slightly passe away entring in at one eare and going out at another but they cleaue vnto the Soule and make their way euen to the innermost part of the heart and there make their seate and abode Verba susurronis quasi simplicia ipsa perueniunt ad intima cordis The words of a Tale-bearer carry a faire shew but they are as wounds and they goe downe into the innermost parts of the belly And albeit they be cast out and doe not wholy either possesse or perswade vs as knowing of what stampe they are and in what mould they are cast yet at least they leaue behind them a kinde of guste and content and with that wherewith they seeme to please they kill As water doth those that are sicke of a Hectick-feuer which they drinke with so much pleasure and swallow downe with so much greedinesse so these men come to tast that which turnes to their owne hurt Crossing the opinion of Iob who would haue none to tast that which being tasted should occasion his death Of your rich red wine the wise man saith that it is pleasant and sweete in the going downe but afterwards that it biteth and gnaweth in the belly like a Serpent In like manner soothing is very sweete and sauory and and seemeth least sower to those that are most powerfull and although they see the poyson that it is mingled with yet they drinke it downe with a good will and their seruants will be sure to serue them with the best and the strongest contrary to that precept of Gods which saith Noli vinum dare regibus Giue not wine vnto Kings lest they drinke and forget the Law and peruert the iudgement of any of the afflicted Let Kings therefore take heede of these flatterers and false deceiuers who pretend no more then to vphold themselues in their place and grace and to receiue thankes for doing ill And the miserie of it is that they finde this to be a good way for their rising in Court and to grow in fauour with Princes and the onely sure course whereby to shape and worke out their aduancement Plutarke sayth That it is the fashion and Language of vile and base people and besides many other infamous names and foule Attributes that hee giues them hee declares them to be of as base condition as are your slaues which of necessitie must cumply in all their Actions and their Answers with their Masters liking and pleasure The doing whereof were there no other slauerie is slauerie inough of it selfe But in some cases it may be somewhat more tollerable as when their flatteries shall doe little or no hurt and when as their lyes and vntruths shall tend to no other end but merriment and to intertaine and please him whom they serue But in the rest it is Treason and Treacherie King Don Alonso surnamed the Wise in a Law of the Partida sayth Que si alguno c. That if any one should speake words of Leasing and of flatterie to the King that hee should not bee suffred to come neere him For such kinde of men are like like vnto their tamer sort of Bees that are housed in their hiues which haue honey in their mouthes but wound with their stings They speake sweete words but their tongues are full of poyson Venenum aspidum sub labijs eorum The poyson of Aspes is vnder their lipps Sagiita vulnerans lingua eorum Their tongue is as an arrow shot out And they bend their tongue like their bow for lyes They are worse saith Saint Ierom then Scorpions who wooe vs with their face and wound vs with their taile And therefore the Prophet Ezechiel discoursing of Kings aduiseth them saying Looke well to your seâ—ues for you dwell among Scorpions And well was that holy King acquainted with their ill condition who did cast them off from him when he said Depart from me ye wicked Quare persequimini me carnibus meis saturamini Why doe yee persecute me saith Iob and are not satisfied with my flesh Other Creatures though neuer so fierce and cruell content themselues with feeding on dead carkasses but these must liue and be sustained by liuing flesh and like your birdes of rapine prey vpon the bosomes and hearts of Kings Nullum quidem animantium genus saith Plutarke assentatoribus est perniciosius No creature so dangerous as is the flatterer Diogenes and Bias both great Philosophers were of opinion that amongst your wilde beastes the most hurtfull and which did bite sorest were the Tyrant and the Tale-bearer but amongst your tame ones and such as are bred by hand the flatterer The Scripture tearmes flattering biting They are snarling Currs Qui mordent dentibus suis Which bite with their teeth They come towards you with a fleering Countenance but no sooner haue you in their reach but they snap at you And therefore a great Monarch to one that made towards him with a feigned smile and fawning looke when hee came neere him gaue him as to a Dogge a Kick saying Cur me mordes Why doest thou bite mee Isocrates affirmeth that there is not any Pestilence more pernicious and praeiudiciall to Kings then the flatterer and aduiseth them that they should shunne them that applaud all that they say or doe but should cherish and make much of those who in good tearmes tell them their errours for these are true friends and loyall subiects and those other kinde enemies and familiar Traytours who with the soft silken scarfe of smooth-tongued flatterie gently strangle them receiuing but not perceiuing their death like little children that insensibly fall asleepe being lull'd in their nurses lapps And they are by so much the more dangerous saith S. Gregory by how much the lesse they are knowen and vnderstood Kings carefully guard their royall persons with many guardes of Porters halbardeers and Soldiars But there is no guard set nor no doore shut
should bee either suspected or found culpable in points of Heresies Errours and depraued Sects contrary to the Catholicke saith For therein consisteth all our good words all of them worthie consideration and worthy so Catholicke a Prince esteemed approued and perpetually obserued by his most happie sonne howbeit to his great cost As one that knew very well that in the obseruance of Religion and Catholicke faith all the happinesse that we can hope for in this or that other life dependeth thereupon and hath it 's sure ground and foundation And therefore Saint Paul calls it Substantiam rerum sperandarum c. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene c. For it is the foundation whereupon is built in our soules all our spirituall good insomuch that the selfe same Apostle said Sine fide c. Without faith it is impossible to please God And seeing it is a Iewell of such great worth and value Kings are to make that esteeme of it that they doe not onely retaine it but maintaine and defend it especially in their owne kingdomes and in all other places where they haue any power For besides the obligation which they haue as Christian Kings it concernes them likewise in their owne proper interest For in giuing way to their Subiects that they be not faithfull vnto God it will pull that punishment vpon them that they shall not be loyall vnto them And most certaine it is that they who shall not cumply with the greater obligation shall easily faile in the lesser And this is made cleare vnto vs in the sacred History of the Kings where whosoeuer shall diligently obserue the same hee shall finde That after Ieroboam King of Israel had set vp those Idolls in Dan and Bethel of purpose to withdraw the people from the true worship of God were commenced and continued as there wee may reade the treasons and rebellions of the Subiects against their Kings For this vnfortunate Prince thought with himselfe that for to settle and secure himselfe in the kingdome by those ten Tribes which had rebelled and made choice of him for their King that it would be a good meanes to induce them to his deuotion to draw them to forgo the adoration of the true God which they were wont to performe in the holy Citie and Temple of Ierusalem and to humble and prostrate themselues before those Idolls But the iust vengeance of God ouertooke him for instantly thereupon he lost his eldest sonne who dyed a violent death For Baasha the sonne of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against him and smote him at Gibbethon and anon after all the house of Ieroboam not leauing vnto him any that breathed And not onely hee and his did miscarry but the whole kingdome was laid waste and desolate for that sinne and led away captiue And as when one man hath receiued from another some extraordinary great wrong he can hardly forget it so vpon all occasions wherein mention is made of the sinnes of the Kings which afterwards succeeded and of the punishment which they deserued for them still is the remembrance reuiued of this most grieuous sinne of Ieroboams and are attributed vnto him as being the first that opened the gappe vnto them And all those troubles which are there particularly set downe in those sacred bookes befell that kingdome for a punishment to them and a warning to all Christian Kings that by how much the greater light they haue for to know the excellencie of Faith and the truth of Christian Religion so much the lesse are they to be obeyed and the more seuerely to bee punished if they should be wanting to so great and so apparent an obligation Let Christian Kings therefore know that if they shall continue firme in the faith and cause all their subiects to continue constant therein God will protect both King and people and will establish their kingdomes and all shall obey and feare them but if they shall faile therein all runs to wracke and vtter ruine So that as a naile if you will haue it to hold must be fastened in some other thing that is firme and strong lest it and all that hangs thereon come tumbling downe to the ground So in like manner if a King will vphold himselfe firme and sure in his power Maiestie and greatnesse hee must be firmely fixed to the faith strongly vnited with God and close wedged to his diuine will but if he begin once to sinke or shrinke in this all his kingdomes or whatsoeuer depend thereon come tumbling downe to the ground with a sudden and fearefull fall For nothing doth more vphold a sociable life a Monarchie and kingdome then Religion linked with Iustice. Noah for his Religion and Iustice was after the Flood obeyed by all The Romans for the vpholding and inlarging of their Empire held not any meanes comparable to that of Religion and Iustice wherein they surpassed all of those times The Emperour Seuerus being at the point of death which is a time for men to speake truth ended his life with these words Firmum impeâ—ium filijs meis relinquo si boni erunt Imbecille si mali A strong Empire leaue I to my Sonnes if they proue good a weake if bad For the greatest force and strength of a kingdome both for the present and the future is the vertue of it's king So that with no lime and sand are the walls and foundations of States more firme and surely setled for lasting and continuance then with a Kings vertue and goodnesse Which is that recompence and reward which God promised to his most faithfull seruant Dauid for his vertue Firmaboregnum eius stabiliam thronum regni eius in sempiternum I will establish his kingdome and I will stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer That is the title and dignitie of a King should bee continued and confirmed vnto him tanquam in vsum proprietatem for euer and euer This firmnesse in the faith and this obseruance of Religion and Iustice are those strong pillars and columnes which being truly cumplyed withall do not onely vphold for the present but doe likewise increase and perpetuate kingdomes If good King Iehosaphat had not entred into league and amitie with King Ahab the Idolater it had not fallen out with him so ill as it did nor his life beene put to that danger as it was Iudas Machabeus heard tell of the great and famous deeds that the Romanes had done in feates of Armes being a stranger-Nation to Gods people Whereupon he sent his Ambassadours vnto them to make a perpetuall league and confederation with them Wherewith God was much displeased and so hurtfull vnto them was this amitie and alliance that many haue obserued that after this Peace was concluded betweene them Iudas neuer after obtained any victory ouer his enemies but was flaine in the first battell that he fought And some say the like succeeded to