will be reputed skilfull in Ciuill gouernement he shal find that he had need of experience In which neuerthelesse this euil happeneth that it is not learned by precepts but taught by time For as the Poet sayth Olde age bringeth experience Whereupon this prouerbe is sprong Wiseaome belongeth to old men And wise Solon said by learning dayly he postea on to old age CHAP. IX The fruite that proceedeth of the memorie of things or of a historie That this way is very easie not onely to attaine vnto prudence but to goodnesse likewise AS concerning Memorie another parent of prudence I do not onely equall it with vse but preferre the same in certaine things before it She is more familiar and easie extendeth her bounds further and bringeth more things that are profitable both to prudence and besides to more persons then vse doth Shee agreeth with all men and fitteth all times and seasons And whereas the iourney we make by our owne experience is long and dangerous this way is more safe and assured therefore more plaine and beaten and they are not fewe in number who are instructed by the euents and examples of others that is by historie which is no other thing then the soule and life of memory For all examples should be obscured with darkenesse if the light of learned authors did not cause thē shine This is shee who is the keeper and preseruer of the vertue of worthie personages a witnesse of the wretched actes of wicked men a benefactresse to all mankind She is the light of truth the mistresse of life yea the true Ladie thereof For in her as in a glasse thou mayest adorne and frame thy life by the vertues of other men wherein this thing is of especiall moment and profit that thou mayest therein euidently behold all maner of instructions and examples to traine thee vp to benefit thy selfe and the estate thou liuest in and to teach thee that thou oughtest to auoyd that which is dishonest either to be begunne or ended In which regard it is most necessarie in this part of Ciuill life neither did Polybius without good cause affirme histories to be the truest doctrine to practise vs in the managing of Ciuill affaires And most necessarie they are in matter of publicke counsell the memorie of things past being most profitable in common consultations which was the cause why the Emperour Alexander did admit learned men Lamprit in Alex. to his counsels of peace and warre and especially those who had knowledge and vnderstanding in histories And another king said the best counsellers were the dead meaning thereby the bookes and treaties of histories CHAP. X. A briefe addition concerning doctrine how profitable it is both to vertue and prudence The right vse thereof The end thereof and meanes to attaine thereunto I Haue alreadie giuen you two guides and would leaue off these preambles but that I intend briefly to adde somwhat concerning doctrine as an aide and helpe to the guides I gaue you For it is manifest doctrine is not onely much auaileable vnto Prudence but to vertue likewise the which albeit it receiueth from nature her selfe certaine motions it is neuerthelesse to be perfected by doctrine * Neither yet can it be attained vnto in any large and full measure except it iumpe with a minde well disposed and trained vp Notwithstanding I intend not hereby that learning is able to giue vertue vnto vs but prepareth our mindes to embrace it Doctrine then is diligently to be sought for but to this end that we may put it in practise for it is not sufficient for vs to obtaine wisedome onely but we must likewise vse it and take profite thereby I hate with the Poet those men who are Philosophers in words and make no shew thereof in deeds and with Marius in Salust that learning pleaseth me litle that doth not aduance the learner in vertue Nay it doth rather hurt because many vnder this vayle do hide and shadow their vices being traitors and deceiptfull couering their couetousnesse lust dissemblers * false in friendship vnder a colour of Art and science the most part of them who make profession of learning with their lips and neuer beautifie their minde with worthy sciences are of this sort Contrarily do not thou embrace learning for a shew and ostentation nor to couer thy vnfruitfull idlenesse with a glorious name but to th' intent thou mayest be able to serue the common wealth thou liuest in being firmely armed against al accidents Neuerthelesse thou oughtest to vse a discretiō herin for to desire to know more the reason requireth is a kind of intēperancie * Not he that knoweth many things but he that vnderstandeth those things which are necessarie and profitable is right wise And therefore it is very truely spoken that many times the rude multitude are more wise then others because they haue knowledge of so much as is requisite and necessary for them Wherefore imitate Agricola who kept backe and restrained his mind set on fire with a desire of learning knowing it to be a very hard thing to hold a meane in wisedome For the most part of vs at this day are as intemperate in our studie as in all other things and we learne not how to liue but how to dispute with which true saying I will close vp and seale this booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF POLITICKES OR CIVIL DOCTRINE WRITTEN IN LAtine by Iustus Lipsius CHAP. I. He intreateth generally of Gouernement He sheweth the necessitie and fruit thereof in the societie of men I Haue pointed you out two guides to leade you on this way yet but in generall termes and onely in a bare shew I beseech you set forward in your iourney I will instruct you how you may follow them and ouertake thē and that not onely mile by mile but almost pase by pase Ciuill life consisteth in societie societie in two things Traffique and Gouernement The first is the argument of an other discourse the latter the matter and subiect I intreat of which I define to be A certaine order as well in commanding as in obeying the power or rather the necessitie wherof is so great that it is the onely stay of humane affaires For without gouernement no house no citie no nation neither the whole state of mankind nor the vniuersall nature of things no nor the world it selfe can stand and continue Whereof it followeth that the profit thereof is great for to beare rule and to be ruled is not onely in the number of those things which are necessarie but amongest those likewise that are profitable Surely this is the chaine by which the common wealth is linked together this is the vitall spirit which so many
Cassiodorus Cato Censorinus Claudianus Columella Cornel. Nepos Cyprianus Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiast historia Egesippus Festus Pompeyus Florus Frontinus D. Gregorius Guil. Neubrigensis Horatius Ieremias Isidorus Iustinus Iuuenalis Lactantius Lampridius Lucanus Lucretius Manilius Martialis Origenes Ouidius Pacuuius D. Paulus Persius Petronius Plautus Plinius Senior Porcius Latro. Propertius Prouerb Salomonis Publius Mimus Quinctilianus Seneca Tragicus Silius Italicus Statius Suetonius Terentius Tibullus Titinnius Valerius Flaccus Valerius Maximus Varro Velleius Virgilius Vlpianus Vopiscus Vulcatius Amongst the Grecians Adagia GraecoruÌ„ Aeschylus Appianus Archilochus Aristophanes Basilius Callimachus Democritus Demosthenes Dio Cassius Diogenes Laertius Diodorus Siculus Diphilus Epicharmus Euripides Eustathius Gregorius Nazianzenus Herodotus Hesiodus Homerus Iamblichus Isocrates Lucianus Menander Mercurius Trismegistus Philo Iudaeus Pindarus Polybius Serenus Sophocles Stobaeus Synesius Theocritus Theognis Faults escaped in the printing Fol. 10. line 16. for into reade vnto Fol. 14 line 3. in the margent for be reade by Fol. 19. line 7. in the margent are is wanting Fol. 29. line 11. in stead of for reade of Fol. 48. line 13. for Sepidus reade Lepidus Fol. eod line 27. and 32. for shadowes reade shallowes Fol. 65. line 14. for abroad reade abroach Fol. 68. line 4. put a coma after vse Fol. 75. line 34. for yet reade yea Fol. 80. line 7. for like reade likewise Fol. 83 line 3. for at reade to Fol. 100. line 6. for netles reade nets Fol. 101. line 10. for note reade not Fol. 102. line 3. for assuring reade censuring Fol. 140. line 20. for factes reade fasts Fol. 154 line 16. for experience reade expence Fol. 156. line 9. for it was spoken reade it was not spoken Fol. 165. line 4. for moode reade moone THE FIRST BOOKE OF POLITICKES OR CIVIL DOCTRINE WRITTEN IN LATINE BY IVSTVS LIPSIVS CHAPTER I. The scope of the author with the argument of his discourse The definition of ciuill life The praise of vertue in general I Intend to instruct thee how thou mayst safely set forward in the way of Ciuill life and finish thy iourney without wandering that not by my owne sayings but by the precepts of ancient authors deliuered also in their own wordes O great God be thou my guide and so direct my hand and mind that I may vnderstand discerne and set forth to view that which shall be wholsome and profitable I define Ciuill life to be that which we leade in the societie of men one with another to mutuall commoditie and profit and common vse of all I assigne vnto it two guides Prudence and Vertue in the first I follow the iudgement of manie in the other particularly mine owne because I can not be induced to beleeue anie can possibly be a good Citizen except likewise he be an honest man Without vertue such wisedome should rather be subtill craft and malice and any other thing rather then prudence And albeit that by the sterne thereof properly ciuill life be gouerned yet is it not without the vse and aide of the other loadstone I will therefore first intreate of vertue and that by right being the proper good appertaining to man All other humane things are not durable for the glorie of beautie and riches is fraile and slightly â—adeth away but vertue euer shineth and is eternall * which thing is onely immortallin a mortall mâ—n Wherefore all that men till the ground for all that they hazâ—rd their liues for by sea all that they build for of right doth 〈…〉 for she in her selfe contaâ—neth all things 〈…〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing She is no stranger vnto vs but offreth her selfe of her owne accord lightening the vnderstanding of all 〈…〉 her selfe knownâ—â— to those who 〈◊〉 not after her She is easie to be met with she is milde and tractable 〈…〉 her selfe vnto all men neuer bisdaining any 〈…〉 worthy of her Let vs then runne vnto her as to a sanctuarie sith that she onely is quiet safe and assured and vnder her owne command and all other things besides 〈◊〉 vnto fortune who beareth rule ouer them * miseries calamities and reproaches hauing no other power against vertue then a litle cloude against the sunne CHAP. II. Of Pietie the first part of vertue The definition of pietie and the deuision thereof into beleefe and worship And first of beleefe I Deuide vertue into two branches Pietie and goodnesse Pietie is a right beleefe concerning God and the true worship of him For of these two Pietie consisteth and without the either of them she is lame and vnperfect We ought then before all things to labor as much as in vs lyeth to attaine to the knowledge of this supreme godhead when we vnderstand what it is to worship adore it religiously and purely The true light of both is to be seene in holy Scriptures albeit certaine sparkles lye scattered here and there in prophane authors which I will gather together concerning beleefe these which follow And this beleefe is most necessary for to deeme well of God is the beginning of Pietie Let this then be resolued and set downe as a principle that there is one God who ruleth and gouerneth all things so I terme that soueraigne and eternall immutable immortall essence the which partly I will describe for who can define that which is infinite to be A certaine spirit or intelligence which is free and in the greatest libertie separate from all mortall and elementarie frame and composition giuing all things life and mouing being not moued by any but of it selfe in continuall motion I will not adde any thing hereto for euen certaine things though true are not vttered of God without danger * whom we seeme best to know when we confesse him to be incomprehensible Yet it shall be lawfull for me to present to your loue and admiration his Effects and Affects if I may be permitted to vse those termes He is most great his power is not to be measured neither hath it any end and whatsoeuer his will leadeth him vnto is a soone accoÌ„plished brought to passe He is most iust he neither in any 〈◊〉 nor place doth any wrong or iniurie but is euen as much as may be most righteous He beholdeth mortall things with an vpright and iust eye He considereth and iudgeth of the workes the counsels and desseignments of men Nothing is hid from him he is present in our minds and still accompanieth vs in the midst of our secret thoughts and cogitations * It is he surely who is an eare and eye witnesse of those things we do * who because he alone seeth all things we may rightly call him the very Sunne or eye of the world Neither is he onely a beholder of that we do but a rewarding reuenging iudge likewise and this I hold for an vndoubted troth that
perceaue he is not only ouer them but for them CHAP. VII Of the right way which a Prince ought to take and first of vertue Which is shewed to be necessarie in regard of himselfe I Haue defined what a iust prince ought to be I wil now fashion and frame him in such sort and guide him as it were by the hand that he may attaine to that happie hauen I confesse this way is inclosed within the bounds and limits of the publike weale but yet very secretly for no man can discharge himselfe thereof as he ought except he be an honest man which is not sufficient of it selfe for he must likewise be indued with wisedome I will bring foorth and lay open all this way of gouernment and will strew the same if I may so say with a slender grauell of wholesome precepts There are two things which make a Prince lawfull and sufficiently accomplished Prudence and Vertue that the one may appeare in his actions the other in his life I will first speake of vertue which the Prince ought to labour for and associat to himselfe that by him they ouer whome he commaundeth may likewise possesse it it being as seemely for a king to be endued with honestie as with dignitie Willingly do I assent vnto Cyrus who was of opinion that no man was fit for an Empire except he did excell those ouer whom he did beare rule Such is our common iudgement and where he is made by election oftentimes it falleth out that he is chosen amongst the number of those who are most sufficient and capable for their preheminence in vertue or for those actions which proceed of vertue I agree with the Poet who sayth He vvhich shall liue vprightly not he which commaundeth shall indeed be a king His fame and renowne doth require this which shall neuer be pure and vnspotted if his life be not so for report doth register all the deeds and sayings of the Prince * And he can no more couer and hide himselfe then the sunne Wherfore he hath good cause to haue care of his reputation which as he deserueth so shall it be spred abroad And so much the rather because if he once be hated whether he do well or ill they tax him Further the establishment of his estate doth require it for where there is no shame no care of right and equitie no holinesse of life no pietie no faith that kingdome cannot long continue * Set before you Nero and what other tyraunt you please who were ruined and depriued of their estate by the resistance of the people thorow their owne crueltie and riotous life These speeches tend to the ouerthrow of a Prince that holinesse pietie fayth belong to priuate persons but let kings liue as they list By experience you shall know whether it be so or not CHAP. VIII That the Prince ought to cloath himselfe with vertue for his subiects sake likewise and communicate the same vnto them without the which no societie is either honest or permanent NOw the Prince ought to haue another care that he being good his subiects may be so likewise For where vertue is wanting what societie is there I will not say praise-worthie but firme and stable That which a Poet spake of a citie may well be applied to a whole state If the inhabitants be good men the same is well and sufficiently fortified but if they be otherwise giuen surely a wall or bulwarke a hundred fold double is not auaileable for their defence Giue eare to that which one fostered by wisedome hath left vnto vs that estate of common wealth is to bee wished and is of al other most setled and sure where priuatly men liue holily and innocently and publikelie clemencie and iustice do flourish Heare what another of the same schoole sayth If thou intend to gouerne a common wealth rightly and commenâ—â— dâ—bliâ— communicate thy vertue with thy citisens Let vs rather credit these men then those bad polititians who imagine that Kings are so much the more jure and est ablâ—shed by how much they are more wicked and worse then those ouer whome they do commaund and decrne that they will with most patience suffer bondage who are fit for nothing else then to be boudmen But sure herein they do greatly erre for the worst sort of men do hardly and most vnwillingly endure a commaunder On the other side good men of a mild and harmlesse disposition do rather stand in dread then imprint feare in others This is a most true saying It is an easie matter to gouern good men Wherfore the prince ought with great diligeÌ„ce care labour to bring to passe that as he himselfe is good and vertuous those ouer whome he commaundeth may likewise excell in goodnesse CHAP. IX That the subiects are especially framed to goodnesse by the example of the Prince Which is of wonderfull force in both kinds THis goodnesse is attained vnto by two means by lawes and example of the first I wil speake hereafter of the latter I intend presently to discourse Such as Princes are in a common wealth of like condition of life the subiects are wont to be and euery one fashioneth himselfe after the example of the king The reason whereof is manifest for that all men turne their minds and their eyes to behold those that are placed in such dignitie which is the cause that we haue lesse need of gouernment then of good example which doth worke more effectually then the lawes themselues For the desire to follow and imitate the Prince is of greater force then the punishment of lawes And yet euen this emulation is a certaine hidden law For this is the nature and condition of Princes that al their actions do seeme precepts and instructions Doest thou long to haue thy citizens trained vp in goodnesse be thou a patterne vnto them A prince by doing that which is lawfull and right teacheth his subiects to do the like and if the king couet that which is honest all men vvill desire the same Hast thou a mind to haue them liue dissolutely and dishonestly giue thy selfe to loosenesse of life For Princes do not onely ingender vices but do likewise bring them forth and sowe the same in the citie and doe more harme by their example then by the ili they commit To which purpose my author affirmeth that by the enuie or fault sayd I of onâ— all do amisse CHAP. X. He entreateth more distinctly of the vertues of a Prince and first of lustice how necessarie it is especially for a Prince VErtue then is decent and profitable for a Prince What euery vertue Yes surely in my opinionâ— yet in such manner that I confesse some kind therof to be more necessarie for him then the other
which ought especially to shine and properly to carrie a maiestie and rule in this roiall dignitie The vertues proper for a Prince seeme vnto me to be of two sorts For some are as it were small starres others as great resplendent lights Amongst the great lights I place Iustice and Clemencie whereof I account the first as the sun the which except by the clearenesse thereof it doth beautifie and enlighten the whole bodie of kingdoms they remaine darkened and full of storms and tempest For the power and efficacie thereof is so great that euen they which mayntaine themselues by villâ—nie and mischeefe cannot liue without some parcell of Iustice which in this place I define to be a vertue obseruing that which is iust and right as well ech man towards himselfe as towards others I sayd towards himselfe because I tie the prince hereto whom it shall not displease to be vnder the censure of the lawes albeit some are of opinion that they are not written for a Prince But that Principallitie which is lawlesse is irkesome and displeasaunt to the which no man will willingly submit himselfe This is a verie ill instruction what so the Prince liketh is lawfull for him to do But this is a worthie sentence When thou hast full libertie to do more then is lawfull it then best beseemeth thee to bridle thy will And let the Prince remember not only how much is committed to him but likewise how much is permitted That saying of the Poet is false dishonest and bad that all the power of a scepter is weakened if it once begin to ballance iustice And that which an Orator vttered is more true that right and equitie are the bonds of cities as that speech likewise proceeding from the mouth of a godly person If iustice be taken away what are kingdoms like to be but great thefts This is a barbarous opinion comming from a Barbarian In an ample and large fortune that is most iust which is most profitable In confutation whereof this kingly sentence was spoken by a king Albe it we haue power to do all things let vs beleeue those things only are lawfull for vs which are iust and lawdable It was wisely sayd by a Poet It is not lawfull for great personages to doe that which is vnlawfull Finally Eufemus saying is to be detested that nothing is to be accounted vniust in a citie or Prince that bringeth in commoditie Follow not those teachers but put in practise this precept purer then refined gold I esteeme that no riches can grace and adorne any man but especiallie a Prince more then vertue and Iustice But what do they talke of profit let them rather put the Prince in mind that it bringeth glorie For Iustice is the foundation of eternall same and renowne without the which nothing can deserue to be praised and commended The prince of princes hath left vs a verie notable lesson that through piety and iustice Princes become Gods CHAP. XI That Iustice ought to be administred to the subiectes equally tempâ—ratly and that without a heape and confusion of lawes And likewise that the studie of pleading ought to be taken away THe Prince then ought not only to obserue Iustice to him selfe but as I added towards others likewise because it is his dutie to embrace and maintaine this Goddesse together with the charge for his kingdome If you make search of the originall and first beginning of authoritie you shall find that wise and prudent Princes were first made and ordained to administer iâ—stice And what is the meaning here of thinke you but that they were chosen and inuested in their royall throne to oppose them selues against force and breach of peace to th'end that they might with an equalitie and indifferencie maintaine and vphold both high and low vnder the same lawes Aristotle said wisely that a good Prince ought to be a protector of his people and so he will to the ende no vniust thing be enterprised against the mightie and that the commonaltie receiue no wrong Hesiodus likewise rightly affirmeth that in times past kings were created onely to this ende to declare vnto the people that which was right and to punish offences Let then our king speake that which is right and administer iustice to euery one which he ought to apply anâ— sct against all wrong and iniurie Let there be nâ— briberie in his Court nor gap set open and way made to ambition Let him giue eare to the complaints of his subiectes and heare the accuser and the accused for they which are executed without examination and triall of their cause do die as innocents Let him not violate the lawes for in them doth consist the saâ—egard of the citie yet let him sometimes temper them for it is not spoken in vaine that auncient vvriters were of opinion that the extremitie of the lawe was meâ—re iniustice Let him verie seldome establish newe lawes for it is certaine that that common wealth is most corrupt that hath most lawes If you looke into this our age you will confesse that as heretofore we were molested with miseries so we are nowe ouercharged vvith new lawes From whence the arte of pleading hath proceeded For as the vehemencie and multitude of diseases doth bring in the Phisitions gaines so the contagion of pleading courtes filleth the lawyers purses Whence it commeth to passe that there is no kind of marchandise so vendible as their craft and deceipt And why should I not speake the troth This brawling studie infecteth all Europe the which a certaine person did rightly tearme a lawfull robberie or theft My wish doth agree with the prayer of olde Cato that the courtes might be set vvith ginnes and caltraps to take them vvithall And our Prince ought to vse the meanes and prouide that a citie and state established by lawes be not by lawes ouerthrowne and brought to ruine * In former age common-wealthes haue bene happily gouerned without lawyers and so they may well be hereafter CHAP. XII The definition of Clemencie That it is praise worthie in a Prince and causeth him to be beloued renowmed and assured I Present now vnto our Prince Clemencie the other light which is as I may call it the Moone of Empires This goddesse is milde and gracious who doth mollifie and temper matters taketh away the hurtfull rayseth vp them that fall and runneth to preserue those that throw themselues headlong into daunger I know not how I should describe it in other wordes then to be a vertue of the mind which with iudgement enclineth from punishment or reuenge to lenitie This of all other vertues is most fit for man because it agreeth best with his nature