eius finem esse incipere cuiuis etiam ignauo licet deponere vero cum victores velint All warres are easily begun but with great difficultie finished it is not in one mans power both to beginne and end the warre euery dastardly coward may begin but it resteth in the pleasure of him that vanquisheth to make an end thereof The foote or end of warre therefore must be precisely looked vpon with the toppe and occasion For example when it is soundly warranted by the Lawes of nations as in lawfull levying of armes either in the cause of God which is principal being moued assisted by diuine spirit against his enemies such as you shal finde in ages not long past which by the Emperor being confederated and vnited in force with the princes of Christendome were auspiciously stirred vp ingenerall against the Turke and against other blasphemous opposites of Christ and of his people or in defence of the Common-wealth against all forraine inuasions or impeachments of their naturall liberties As it was in my remembrance prouided by the dearly remembred nâ—…rrice of this Nation Queene Elizabeth Pro aris focis against the puisant Armado of Spaine which purposed a conquest of this Nation and was confounded by the spirit of God mouing in the windes and waters against those forraine ships vnder the propitious and euer-admired valor of Gods hand-maiden whose apport carriage in those difficulties are worthy to be recorded with a pen of finest gold in hardest marble or in that if any thing be more durable which is most permanent and diuine vpon earth For being then amongst her souldiors heroically mounted she promised with many comfortable words of encouragement to share with them in fortunes if the Spaniard durst shew his face aland Such and so marueilous was her natiue fortitude and true pietie published in her Campe at Tilburie vpon the zeale and motherly loue of Gods cause and of the safegard of his chosen people vnder her scepter as is euerlastingly registred already with her soule aboue the starres Out of this brancheth a lawfull kinde of inuasion vpon forraine states in case of some honor or right which is vniustly detained by violent hand after that restitution hath beene peaceably demanded As that which the right wise and most renowned Prince the beautifull president of peace and the deuouring thunder-bolt of warre King Edward the third your Maiesties most worthy Progenitor breathed out against France which martiall lighttening was so terrible that it deuoured the disobedience of that people and established him in his right which first was wonne with the weight of most honourable battell And those warres which the valorous French King maintained a long time after the venemous murther of his predecessor brother in Law King Henry the third of France and Poleland against the Duke Du Mayne great Chamberlaine of France with the Duke of Parma and others that resisted him in his hereditarie dominions vntill the Pope had restored him to the crowne There is likewise a iust warre grounded vpon charitie which vndertaketh the protection of our friends or confederates Such were they which our prementioned soueraigne Lady lately levyed to succor the Free-states of base Germanie thereby to protect them from the rigorous and vnspeakeable seruitude of Spaine and Castille whose approoued faithfulnesse of old to this Realme is many times noted in our Chronicles Onely such warre as is vndertaken for amplification of dominion and Empire and that which ambition marshalleth with such iniurious quarrels as are scandalously picked out of counterfeit grounds and heads more fit for Turkes Infidels or traytors then for sacred and royall minded princes may not bee fummoned to this throne of heroicall iustice but vnrespected or reiected vtterly Vnto the performance of these warres thus iustly to be commenced and raised the choise of soldiors is first required as well Captaines as ordinarie seruitors including soldiors for fight and labourers for worke Of these in their particular offices and degrees successiuely The first and highest place of power and reputation in the field the Prince himselfe vpon some principall causes in his owne person houldeth vnder whom all other Generals and Captaines are waged and beare office But forsomuch as at this day few princes are seene militant in forraine countries vnlesse they stand appealed to such battels forcibly through some forcible iniustice of others either vpon detinew of due tributes or territories the custome and possession whereof hath beene of most ancient memorie continued in his antecessors by discreet succession to the very point of his own raigne and also because fewe Princes are personally seene in battels of our dayes vpon their ownesoyle vnlesse against assailants or tirannous vsurpers such as were expected of which I spake before by our soueraigne Elizabeth and prouided against the inuasion of King Philip Anno 1588. and for some other particular reasons I will passe ouer the particulars of his highest place in martiall Campe referring my selfe to his commission by vertue whereof vpon ordinary tearmes of warre the Prince or Emperor deputeth his Lieutenant generall to supply the place and office of maiestie hauing sometimes certaine priuate and princely directions not expressed by which in dearest trust to him by his soueraigne committed he must shape his course In all outward apparance he must cape according to the strict tenor of his instructions in commission vnder the Prince his great seale deliuered The least sillable in sence being expressed therein he may not without high danger to himselfe transgresse vnlesse the soueraignes aduice and opinion be first had and knowne or after vpon more firme reconsideration deliuered The princes deepe Iudgement and discretion in electing of his Leiutenant generall ought to be principally grounded vpon good aduice and sure notice taken of his sufficiencie for such a place First he should be a man of able strong and actiue bodie well knit of a durable complexion neither too much brent nor drowned as I sayd in the secret councellor hard and at defiance with tendernesse delighting in paines and practise of Armes and in him fiue principall things are required The first is fidelitie rebounding from his dignities and noble education opposite to which standeth infidelitie issuing from auarice and malice for such as are couetous and malicious be faithlesse and therefore by the lawes imperiall not eligible to the place of Princes or Generals of Armies Science the second garbe of a noble Commander conuerseth in the knowledge of Topographie both by the Carde and Mappe as by practise in much trauell By this he discerneth what Marches are competent for the souldiers answerable vnto their bodies strength vnto the present need which the seruice in hand shall impose By this he disposeth of all aduantages which the places times and seasons shall offer as by the benefit of hils valleys lanes riuers marshes woodes with all the sunnes and windes of the compasse also such obseruations
penurie succeede being a most pestilent feauer or consumption rather to the king and Common-wealth A curious eye with vigilant regard must bee bent vpon the Collectors Receiuers Auditors and other inferior ministers belonging to this office least in exactions or by fraudulent deuises they satisfie there priuate auarice with a kind of extortion or crueltie For auarice is an inordinate lust of hauing whose appetite is infinite whose acquisition immoderate whose possession vnlawfull whereby the prince vndoubtedly may bee brought into daunger It is like that Hydra which Poets talke of that though the stroke of Iustice execute vpon it continually yet will it miraculously reuiue againe it forceth not either the lightening thunder or thunderbolts of the law prouided against it Salust describeth it a beast rauenous cruell and intollerable where it haunteth huge Cities Fields Churches and Houses are laid wast Heauen and Earth prophanely mingled Armies and strong wals cannot restraine the violence thereof It spoileth all mortall people of good Report Modestie Children Nation Parents c. So doth this brightnesse of gold bleare mens outward sences so fuming in their heads and fastened in their hearts that they feare not any mischiefe which can accompanie Lucre. Such wicked vniust and rauenous officers eating the people as bread are to be squeezed like sponges full of water Great caution therefore must be vsed against the violence of officers in such extortion least the prince after some few yeares patience of the people vpon new grieuances become odious which king Henry the eight in the second yeare of his raigne did most politickely prouide in his proceedings against Sir Richard Emson and M. Dudley late inward and of counsell in such cases vnto his sage father king Henry the seuenth By good example of whose punishment others might vpon the like inconueniences suffer For if the people find not redresse vpon their complaints then will they rise as at that time it was feared in open hostilitie which if the blood of those extorting officers can expiate without some humane slaughter sacrificed to tenne hundred scpulchers then is it happie but such generall hurts haue commonly no compensation without a generall confusion The peoples payments ought so to be disposed therefore that all men according to their faculties by due discretion of good and honest sworne officers in euery shire or prouince may take such reasonable dayes and times of payment limited as they may without any grudging or disease contribute heartely Moreouer that such as are in speciall affaires of their prince and for the Commonwealth employed hauing by such occasions largely spent of their owne priuate for the common good as euery good man will in such cases bee for examples sake for the good encouragement of others precisely exempted from all kind of burthens and impositions Also such as haue formerly done much grace and honour to their countries and princes if they be not at that time so high in blood that they may well away with phlebotomie should bee graciously spared according to the French order for all courtiers and seruants attendant vpon the kings person in his house are by the ciuile lawes of Fraunce excepted in time of peace from all collections tallages gabels exactions customes and impositions whatsoeuer which others are tied vnto likewise in the times of warre from any burthen of receiuing quartering and billetting of souldiors Obseruation concerning these collectors and ministers before named dependeth vpon the chusing and displacing of Officers either iust or corrupt First the choice of such ministers is made out of men honest stayed and well approoued for such a purpose bad Officers which did extort or vnlawfully compasse being with losse of their places and possessions punished Dispensation of these tributes and subsidies must bee to the generall and not any particular vse for no man will sticke at a little charges employed to publicke behoofe if it once appeare that the prince doe not consume his treasure in vnnecessarie cost and riot but keepe a moderation with decencie which albeit the vulgar do not generally marke for they respect onely the princes proper faculties and reuenewes which ought to be by the treasurers concealed so much as may bee yet certaine captious and dangerous heads full of quarrels and aduantages such as are of fierie spirits coueting innouation which commonly lead the blind and abused vulgar into dangerous actions will narrowly sift and make a breach into the common peace vnder the pretext of taxes and impositions as hath beene found in certaine commotions in the dayes of king Richard the second and king Henry the sixt with other princes vpon the like occasions Such gettings therfore as proceed from the subiects beneuolence must bee sparingly spent and husbanded and so should the Treasurers beare themselues in that Office as stewards of other mens goods and not of their owne That most prudent and worthy Lord Treasurer William Cecill goodly well approued ouer all causes and in all businesse either publike or priuate during the late and most deare mirrour of good gouernment Queene Elizabeth of most renowmed and euerliuing memorie did leaue behind him a liuely patterne and precedent of his singular care and excellent wisedome to the great encrease of that stocke committed then to his charge as may serue euerlastingly to them which yet are or euer may be credited with that office to get and maintaine eternall reputation The generall good opinion and report of him after his death in the mouths of all good men may stirre vp his successours in that place truely to resemble his vertues and integritie The treasure therefore may not bee wilfully wasted or exhausted for satisfaction of any prince in his priuate prodigalitie Vera enim simplex via est magnitudinem animi in addendo non demendo reipublica ostendere For persons of lauish humours and exorbitate affections thinke not that there is any true fruition of treasure without profusion Diue deepe therefore into the bottomelesse danger thereof by manifold and most manifest example and obseruation as in Archigallo king of the Brittaines who was deposed by the people for his extortion after hee had raigned fiue yeares and then vpon his reformation restored And amongst diuers vnaduised princes consider that it was not the least cause of decay to Edward of Carnaruan king of England when hee by such meanes lost the loue of his commons by listening vnto flatterers and wilfully robbed himselfe of the fealtie of his nobles which opened his sepulchre for other matters more securely Men of such profuse qualitie which extort much as if they could not keepe any thing but that which is taken with a violent extortion are in themselues miserably poore From hence likewise brauncheth another speciall rule of moderation that no leuies surmount the princes occasions for if it tend not to the subiects great benefit being very necessarily dispensed it dishonoureth any Soueraigne to straine them in so small a matter And such
I haue spoken more at large elswhere Vnto prudence therefore as companions are assigned Intelligence which is as I said a perfect vnderstanding of matters Science a iust apprehension of causes Art a true demonstration or ensignemnt of things and Sapience a sure and certaine indagation of diuine knowledge Aristotle attributeth to prudence three parts the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a kind of power or facultie to giue good counsell in time of neede then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respecting a mature deliberation and perfection in doing of businesse thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or intelligence which is a prouidence cunning or expert iudgement to put that in execution which hath beene by right counsell preconsulted and determined It is likewise the part of a prudent person to know much in generall and in particulars to keepe in readiestore and memorie things long before done and past if they bee notable to see darts arrowes and all seâ—…ious accidents of good hope and danger long before they come by which gift they may preuent and auoid the worst turning that which is good to the best successe and weighing the condition of things as they stand in present state within the scales of reason and discretion likewise to be well aduised in all considerations and consultations to be circumspect iudicious and of a good conuersation as well in respect of others as for his owne sake to ponder well the circumstances and attributes of men and matters for by the mutations of such things wee find it often succeede how that will bee ratified and made lawfull on the morrow which was the day before prohibited and punished The difference likewise of persons of their qualities by the respects had vnto their faults and punishment as for example in malicious killing vpon reuenge in comparison of them that doe it in defence of their owne persons by the law of nature and for necessities sake in making sacriledge the worst kind of theft and in generall when by due discretion the state and condition of people and causes either high great humble or small are examined and respected for by this course is the rule of decencie kept Moreouer prudence disperseth her force and vertues into three parts first into the condition monasticall if I may so tearme it which appertaineth all particular persons in their peculiar estates seuerally the second into the state Oeconomicall which respecteth the administration of each priuate familie which Xenophon tearmeth the art of dispensation The third and last being the best and right excellent part wherin prudence sheweth most force is the state politicall alwayes employed in ciuile causes generally working for the Common-wealth beeing a true kind of science to which those of this counsell must bee first bound apprentises before their adoption into this societie Hee therefore that would bee a good master in his owne familie must first by good demeanure and conuersation amongst his neighbors hold himselfe vp that he may purchase a generall good opinion witnesse and commendation of his integritie being by those excellent deserts made fit for the gouernment of a familie Which when he knoweth by that circumspection accustomed in his owne particular carriage how to gouerne then shall hee likewise haue his faculties by good helpe of morall obseruations and practise of vertues surely kniâ—… and enhabled to giue counsell and administer in this principall Office vnder the King or Commonwealth for if hee cannot moderate himselfe how shall he rule in Oeconomie Neither can any man not being exceedingly perfect in them both with other excellent suppliments and vertuous helpes such as you shall hereafter reade in this booke of Offices deserue the place of a Counsellor Howbeit for as much as these two last concerning the administration of priuate families beeing called a Domesticall and this other noble part semblably tearmed a Ciuile gouernement are specially directed and guided by Prudence I will therefore in briefe declare what the learnedest Philosophers haue noted concerning them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the forme of house-gouernment respecteth the good order of euery mans familie correspondent in profite and honestie to the places degrees and habilities of the maisters whether they bee princes noblemen citizens or priuat persons consisting of men which includeth the maister wife children and seruants and of possessions comprehending house and domesticall substance They which might haue first beene worthely reputed Oeconomicall maisters were Adam Enoch Noah with diuers euen to the time of Ioseph the patriarch who did gouerne the kingdome of Egypt establishing it with new lawes Amongst these Melchisedech named a king and Abraham who though in forraine countries he were a stranger yet ioyned with kings gouerning his familie by politicall and Oeconomicall Empire and maintaining warres in defence of his people The maister of the house-hold therefore ought first to know and put his whole power in practise towards the preseruation of his wife and children in vnion and societie which both Reason and Law doth naturally moderate beeing by sacred writ of the Testaments ordained and vnder that commaundement established by the diuine sanctions of Christianitie that they should be legitimate begotten in wedlocke and not the children of many fathers according to the licencious rule of Plato secondly that the father vnto them and to his seruants shew beneuolence and be tractable His familie must be disposed in decent order food cloth maintenance with house conuenient and answerable to the retinue must be prouided according to the nature of that place where he liueth Wherin he must prudently consider whether the ayre which fostereth the places enuironing his house be cold hot or temperat whether scituate vpon the continent or sea coast neere a riuer or poole high low fennish moist fertile barren neere the barbarous and aduerse borderer or remote or to what winds it is most opposed with such like for according to these obseruations houses are edified and fortified streets enlargened or straightened Vnto which publicke workes for the edification amplification or restauration of houses villages or cities a Counsellors prudence is needfully required Let them take heed of exceeding sumptuousnesse and ouergorgeous magnificence in building aboue the proportion of their lands and reuenewes enuironning and answering the same for it were better that large demesnes required mansion houses than that glorious mannors should want meanes to support and furnish out their magnificence Concerning familiar maintenance which is either domesticall respecting tyllage pasturage parkes for game warrens of hares and conies hawking fishing vineyards orchards hop-yards gardens and such like or artificiall conuersing in arts handy-crafts trades and mysteries in part liberall as painture typographie masonrie with the like and partly not it must bee decent honest needfull and allowable for the worthinesse of a good house-holder is mentall and not corporall Qui enim domum aut villam extruit eamque signis aulaeis alijsque operibus exornat omnia potius quam semet
which are so free at the first that they bee soone poore and thredbare of vnderstanding before the bruit of their rare pregnancie be well dispersed and those young men were so well instructed from their infancie that they did contend how to bee thought most noble vertuous and fit for places of reputation in their countrey by suppressing many lusts motions commotions and vnperfect passions of the mind with a moderate domination of reason and constancie They were full of modestie full of dutie and full of such religion as then was professed amongst the prophane Gentiles obseruing in all words and deeds a temperat moderation without any deturpation or deformitie And these qualities in those young Romans worthily made them eligible and fit for such great dignities and offices The Lord high Treasurer of England his office is in the Exchequer erected by king William the first for safe custodie of his crown lands and of those records which may concerne them To which Queene Marie ioyned the Surueyors generall the court of Augmentations and reuenewes of the Crowne with the first fruits and tenths of Benefices being erected by that king of good memorie Henrie the eight This office is called Scaccarium of a certaine large square table which according to Geruas of Tilburie cited by M. William Camden hath a chequered cloth brought and spread vpon it in the tearme of Easter as a place or table of iust proportion account or iudgement in all causes respecting the royall treasure or reuenewes where all ciuile causes betwixt the prince and his tenants are indifferently decided Iudges in this court are the Lord high Treasurer of England the Chancelour of the Exchequer the Lord chiefe Baron of that court with other foure Barons assistants the Remembrancer Engrosser Controller Clearkes of the Pleas and of the Pipe-office Auditors with their clearkes Apposer Chamberlaine Clerke of the Streights Marshall Clearke of the Summons deputie Chamberlaines Secondaries to the Remembrancer to the Treasurer and to the Pipe-office Also in the office of receit M. Vice Treasurer Clerkes of the Tally and of the Parchments with diuerse other inferiour officers All which are ordained for the conseruation and amplification of those foresaid reuenewes and of diuers other pecuniarie duties ordinarie and extraordinarie by which the ciuile state of all principalities is necessarily sustained for it is manifest that without the competent force of mony no Commonwealth can hold together absolute in her members And to that purpose was it first deuised when people and nations were necessarily constrained to require supplies and succours out of remote countries by commutation of cōmodities through exportation and importation of them from and to forraine places howbeit the principall exchange is for gold and siluer coyned in little round plates and besantes of greater and lesse value being authorised by the edicts of those princes and Commonweales where they bee stamped and passe currant amongst the people Foure kinds of mettall haue auntiently beene coyned amongst the Romanes one of lead which when it first was deuised exceedeth all records of true memorie as Iust. Lipsius writeth another of brasse or copper which the Romanes therefore called Pecunia quod esset nota pecudis signata of which coynes diuerse vnder the Romanes here in Brittaine as well of copper as yron likewise were stamped according to M. William Camden in his booke of Brittaine antiquities Siluer amongst the Romanes was first coyned Anno ab vrbe cond 484. F. Pictore Qu. Oculeio Coss. The coyne of gold 62 yeares after the siluer C. Claudio Nerone Marco Liuio Salinatore Coss. The beginning and end of coyning was for commerce as by pieces of some value for exchange of other commodities to people of other nations by whose diuers and seuerall stamp◅s the countries with whom they traffiqued were knowne And hence is it that those coynes of mettall are infinite which dependeth vpon two reasons also the first is vpon couetousnesse of people which would abundantly bee serued with things which their minds couet for some needfull vses the second vpon pleasures for which many men seeke for great heapes of money but the want of things desired amongst men is infinite and the choice of pleasures endlesse all which are attained by money The desire of treasure therefore can neuer bee fulfilled according to the saying of Cicero Expetuntur diuitiae cum ad vitae vsus necessarios tum ad perfruendas voluptates Dilectant enim magnifici apparatus vitaeque cultus cum elegantia copia quibus rebus effectum est vt infinita pecuniae cupiditas esset A Treasurers prudent care and whole studie therefore leuelleth at all such honourable meanes and iust occasions as may serue to bring in diuers summes and how to maintaine a continuall haruest of getting to sustaine those infinite burthens of necessarie disbursement how to leuie for the Common-wealth with good discretion and nothing without vrgent cause Vnto which contribution that it may be more liberall and cheerefull is required that the people be generally well affected both towards the prince and vnto that common necessitie which importuneth the same for the better effecting whereof some plausible and effectuall declaration published vnto them by their Soueraigne readily prepareth their hearts moouing in them a more benificent kind of alacritie and therefore it is in such cases most behoofefull Vt omnes intelligant si salui esse velint necessitati esse parendum For beeing persuaded that the generall safetie dependeth thereupon you shall find the couetous readiest to contribute Moreouer it addeth very much vnto the loue of people towards their princes and to their good opinion of his grace and meekenesse vnto them correspondently when he by suit seeketh that which his regall authoritie might exact The respects are great and those necessities important which should vrge a prince to violence in those cases yet a good Soueraigne can neuer haue cause of compulsion For when the king which hath authoritie to constraine vseth a facilitie to persuade it importeth some vehement necessitie Can any priuate Commonweale mount without tributarie wings Or could the firmament of peace be cleere if all clouds had not first beene dispersed with the thunder of warre Are armes exercised without wages Are ships prouided of men victuals and of artillerie without mony How shall officers which be continually busied in ceaselesse seruice for the common securitie haue reliefe without salaries May vertuous or needie persons bee rewarded or succoured without some generall supplies Few be those princes of Christendome so neere as I can iudge whose owne priuat reuenewes are able to supply the publicke charge onely so that the more puissant any prince is in dominion and territorie so much more the common charge doth aggrauate his necessities For this office therefore all honest and needfull meanes of getting are to bee carefully studied and prouided towards the true maintenance whereof it highly benefiteth to forbeare all superfluous damnable and
of vice to giue a liuely spirit to the desire of vertue to maintaine a due proportion in all Offices and to win the constant loue of a Commonwealth with excellent prudence and desert yet without these either in the prince in him that counselleth or in them both no Commonwealth can flourish for the natures of mens wits are threefold that which is principall and sacred can out of his owne iudgement without assistance aduise and execute soundly with all commendable facilitie the second dealeth wisely by direction the third can doe neither the first excellent in it selfe the second laudable by the first the last vnprofitable in all If therefore the prince haue this principall gift then is hee the Sunne to those starres of his Counsell which giue a reasonable light from his influence being a sweet perfection of goodnesse in any Commonwealth And if his Counsellours haue that diuine spirit of Sapience in themselues by Gods ordinance for the weale of his people where the prince hath this second facultie to be directed or perswaded by them yet is that notwithstanding a strong sufficient and good state But if both the Prince and his Counsell hold the substance of all good wisedome in themselues wisely to consult and direct being willing also to be counselled and directed in wisedome without doubt that dominion will flourish and amplifie Contrarily what a wretched and ruinous estate which faileth both in the prince and in his counsell As when God had purposed to destroy the state of Israel he threatened to that nation how children should beare their scepter and feeble persons direct their publicke counsels Which kind of feeblenesse is attributed not vnaptly to foolish and ambicious counsellors whom Salust in one Oration to Caius Iulius Caesar resembleth vnto the superfluous ballase of a ship which as things vnprofitable minimique precij vpon the suddaine violence of any tempest the masters and Officers being puzzled and in distresse hoise first ouer board Neither can it serue that the prince haue all which may be required in himselfe onely but that they which must ayde him in administration of his estate bee furnished with competent knowledge also for as it sufficeth not to keepe the bodie in health by withdrawing all euill humors and infirmities from the head vnlesse the heart with other principall and inward members of the bodie bee semblably with due correspondence attempered in their seuerall functions so doth it not accord that the king being absolute in his parts onely the state also should be safe if his Senatours doe not by some dutifull diligence and proportion of vertues answerable knit all up in perfection For what is hee that can consult and dispatch many serious causes at once and absolutely without helpe Suppose him more found in wisdome and knowledge than Salomon or stronger by three degrees than Hercules yet doth experience in nature teach vs that a necessarie necessitie requireth this election of approoued good Counsellors without which ayde no prince can support the burthen of a kingdome neither can his owne outward sences properly performe those inward Offices which are required towards the ruling of a multitude Besides according with Tacitus No man is so naturally prompt or hath that dexteritie to deale in his owne cause which he shall find in himselfe solliciting for another And in another place Grauissimi principis labores queis orbem terrae capessit egent adminicutis The most serious labours of a prince by which hee winneth the whole earth stand in need of helpes For they to whom much businesse and many people are committed haue much need of counsell Euery good Prince which did formerly gouerne was attended with as many Counsellors as he was with eyes eares and hands Caius Caesar with Quintus Paedius and Cornelius Balbus Augustus with Mecoenas and Agrippa Adrianus with Celsus Saluius and Neratius Marcus Antoninus with Scaeuola Mutianus and Volatianus Seuerus with Papinianus And to be short our late Princes of most fortunate and blessed memorie Queene Elizabeth and your Maiestie with Sir Nicholas Bacon Sir Walter Mildemay Sir Iohn Cheeke Sir Francis Walsingham William Lord Burghley Robert Earle of Leycester Robert Cecyll Earle of Salisburie Sir The. Egerton Lord Elesmere and Chancellor Sir Tho. Sackuylle Earle of Dorset now Lord Treasurer with diuerse others And hence is it that Cicero noteth Not with swiftnesse and bodily strength great matters are ordered but with counsell and authoritie Likewise Salust With much reading and hearing I find that all Nations haue beene prosperous so long as iust counsell preuailed with them but being once with partialitie feare and pleasure corrupted presently their wealth wasted their Empire vanished and slaâ—…erie tyrannized vpon them And as Dionysius Halicarnassaeus writeth the cause why Rome so long flourished was That the gouernours of the Empire were directed by Counsels of the Senate not following their owne opinions for by the assembly of wise Counsellors the princes wisedome is encreased As Capitolinus writeth Bonus fit si bonis amicis vtatur That Prince which maketh vse of good friends is made a good Prince By their Counsels likewise saith Otho the Emperour in Tacitus is the goodnesse and wisedome of princes opened also Salust calleth Prosperitatem regis famam Consiliarij The kings prosperitie to depend vpon the Counsellors fame and so by good inuersion the fame of a Counsellour to depend vpon the kings prosperitie But it is needlesse to stand so much vpon the necessitie thereof being so well knowne to the weakest iudgement A Counsell therefore according to Bodin is a lawfull congregation or assembly of choise persons which aduise the king in times of peace and warre how to gouerne the Commonwealth and as Furio Ceriolano defineth them Counsellors are apt persons chosen for fit businesse in whom there is required good sufficiencie towards the administration of all matters debated in Counsels Demosthenes therefore calleth consultation The chapiter and constancie the base of all vertues I will particularly speake in my third booke of Offices somwhat concerning the Councels of England and hauing in these Offices occasion generally to touch the secret councels of a state also I will breifely write what I haue in part gathered concerning the strict and priuat councell of France omitting the councell at large which is called the Grand Counsell consisting vpon the L. Chauncellour to whom with the maisters of the Requests for their more ease and expedition in publicke businesse with which theyformerly were much entangled king Charles the eight added seuenteene councelours spirituall and temporall After whom his successor Lewes the 12 superadded one prelate and two more counsellours fulfilling the number of 20 besides two secretaries whereof one did serue in place of an actuarie it being further ordayned that these should keepe six moneths continually together in councell betwixt seuen and ten in the forenoone and after dinner betwixt three and fiue houres This Senate therfore which the French king doth
in that worke most of whose patternes were taken and translated out of Latine French and Italian intermingled with some other excellent inuentions of their owne not including any great matters tending vnto gouernment and moralitie Diuerse of whose words by times continuance and the choice of better being antiquated like hearbes withered from the root haue beene seconded with richer inuentions according vnto that saying of the Poet Horace Multa renascuntur quae iam cecidere Cadentque Quae nunc sunt in honore vocabula Many words long time out of vse renew And th'after age our best words will eschew For words he sayth like leaues yeerely wither and renew Towards this excellent worke we find for our more helpe that the Latine verbes sweetely consound with our English tongue the French aptly doth offer it selfe to polish this workemanship and the Italian doth in many things yeeld much helpe and dignitie to the same The Germane from whose old stocke our first Monasyllabicall roots by their old Colonies were inducted is of it selfe the garden plot alreadie well tylled and copiously manured to bring forth this language And since those dayes of more difficult obscuritie the Latine Bible by diuers learned Bishops in the reignes of king Henry the â—…ght and of his sonne king Edward was translated into the vulgar also certaine Chronicles Treatises and Translations of that time haue added much light to the former darknesse But since the dayes of blessed Queene Elizabeth whose happie reigne is as the dayes of heauen what seas of paper haue beene alwayes furthering polishing and encreasing this honorable enterprise First by that holy Bibles more exquisite and polite translation than before after by the bookes of Monuments Chronicles Treatises and Translations Theologicall and humane by most ingenuous Poets and other Poeticall pamphlets alwayes with studious addition and curious composition of words phrases and sentences howbe it amongst the rest as a very memorable register of English eloquence highly deseruing endlesse remembrance which liueth in his owne liuing workes Sir Philip Sidney that diuine starre of sweet wit and inuention hath so much honoured the language of this nation in that his small hyue of all excellent humanitie inueloping vnder the true Poeticall vine leaues of his labours such excellent sweet clusters of Philosophicall grapes and inuentions both morall naturall as haue mightily benefited towards this rich vintage of our English knowledge Since therefore these great hopes and helpes are left vnto vs first by God in his grace plentifully poured into the wits of this nation secondly vnder his great power by the kings most excellent Maiestie through that auspicious amity and perfect Monarchie established and growing more more mightie betwixt all good Christian princes and vs and lastly by that golden gift of peace deriued from Gods sweet mercy seat and from the true prudence and sapience of our gracious Soueraigne and of his reuerend Counsell which may giue all liuely perfections and faculties to learning why doe we not then with a cheerefull and mutuall alacritie combine in our wits studies knowledge to make our countrey famous with our owne bookes and writings Certainely this enterprize as it is vertuous and laudable so is it glorious and highly profitable Let vs therefore with cheerefull consent imitate those other great Empires that our wits learning and inuentions by diuine benefite equalling the best of theirs our bookes and languages with our men and marchandizes may louingly bee receiued and embraced amongst them also Then shall this our puissant little Monarchie like a sweete fountaine which the further it floweth imboketh into the more spacious and deepe channell bee more and more magnified Cum ingeniorum ist torpor ignauia When this drowsie slothfulnesse of our wits cannot bee found amongst vs but that we still studie to become famous in our vulgar as those ancient Greeke and Romane writers declared in their ancient mother tongues Encourage and gird your selues therefore with a pleasant equanimitie to this excellent seruice for the ground being enlarged hath left ample space for many seeds and choice of hearbes and roots than was before it shall bee strongly fenced with peace and plentie when vertuous spirits shake off that idlenesse which hindereth so glorious a worke so well fenced and fortified it shall bee that nothing shall come in hereafter to corrupt or deface your garden so Geometrically set and deuised For sure it is if the world and Gods blessing continue but one age of a man from this instant our language will bee so much required by these childrens children in Fraunce Spaine and Italie as those their tongues with vs at this day Then shall bee left matter sufficient and as King worthie for Commentaries to bee written by our learned Caesar in his warres or in his peaceable affaires so much diuine morall and naturall Philosophie by the Salomon of our nation then shall wee find substance for the penne of Liuie and pleadings for the bookes of Cicero Seneca shall haue his place againe but in a glorious Sunne-shine and fill this new Monarchie with his sage considerations I write this therefore oft and againe iterating it that many Liuies Senecaes and Ciceroes shall flourish vnder our Caesar if wee will worke out the fruit of our vertues by such vertuous contemplations and exercises as may much dignifie their countries It is most certaine that ingenuous natures and vertuous spirits whose diuine rationall ought to be fixed vpon perfect glorie are in a continuall combate and ciuile commotion within themselues if they doe not imploy their cogitations and studies in morall contemplation still labouring like a woman with child to bring forth some excellent faire birth like themselues But this luxurious whirlepoole of idlenesse and sloth into which such excellent wits are very soone and violently throwne ouer-whelmeth that sweete reason oppressing this noble birth made abortiue in the very chest of conception Gloria namque industria alitur vbi eam dempseris ipsa per se virtus amara aspera est c. Industrie is fostered by glorie take away glorie which is the reward of vertue and the tast thereof is harsh and bitter When therefore the vertuous Prince himselfe and those noble arches of his Monarchie shall perceiue this their towardnesse and trauaile in vertues little doubt is there that the reward of their studies and vertues shall not encourage posteritie more and more to make learning as cheape in England and Scotland as euer it was amongst the Greekes and Romanes The knowledge of Hystories is another quality most concerning a Counsellour as with notable attention and dilligence to peruse and marke the Records Annales and Chronicles of all ages people and princes together with the written stories of friends neighbours and enemies Historie is a viue experience of matters the parent of Philosophie a collection of all things in all ages authorized by good triall and practise of many men This is it which Diodorus in the
as all Philosophers hold it the most naturall and best course of nourishing infants that she teach vnto them frugalitie reseruing and encreasing her husbands stocke with her owne huswiferie In briefe as Freigius in his Oeconomicks noteth that she be modest stout iust and silent In like sort that children should bee brought vp in the true knowledge feare and worship of God in obedience loue and honour to their parents in patience of their fathers seueritie that they bee silent without procacitie when he speaketh that they be dutifull vnto their schoolemasters and vnto those that teach vnto them the gouernment of themselues that they be studious of those arts and professions to which their parents haue applied them that they be taught to loath pestilent idlenesse and voluptuositie beeing the perdition and confusion of all youth from the highest to the basest that they be reuerend towards magistrates and vnto their betters that they bee true in word and deede that they lend dutifull and willing eares vnto the words and instructions of men learned honest and wise that they bee modest For in all his Dialogues wee find that Plato with most vehemence and principally doth adhort parents to be carefull in education of their children verely beleeuing Non posse genus humanum absque gubernataribus vel honestè viuere vel foeliciter gubernari That the children of men can neither liue honestly together nor be gouerned happily without Masters and Rulers Lastly the duties required in seruants are subiection fidelitie promptnesse attention assiduitie with obedience vnto their maisters frugalitie moderation in diet and apparrell truth in matters concredited vnto their truth patience and facilitie howbeit I will as before referre my selfe in this true moralitie vnto the spirit of God speaking in those Oeconomicall precepts and commaundements which were deliuered by the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule in their Epistles and by our Sauiour Christ himselfe in diuerse places and parables of his holy Gospell diuinely shewing and teaching the duties of fathers wiues children husbands seruants and of all other magistrates in their places by the lore of decencie All which Offices of wiues seruants and children haue reference vnto a superiour by which they bee secluded from hauing absolute power ouer themselues Such is that diuine force of order and true disposition in all thinges which are created of God Whether it be lawfull for Christians to retaine slaues to whom the Gospell hath graunted libertie such as in diuerse parts of Christendome vnder the Popes Supremacie be tollerated and vsed being in part naturall and partly legall slaues as you shall find in the imperiall institutions Sub tit de seruis I referre my selfe to the learneder opinions of Diuines Cannonists and ciuile Doctors which can make a perfect decision of that doubt but sure am I that amongst the true professors of Christs Gospell seruitude is disallowed and abrogated by the generall libertie which was graunted by Christ Iesus to them that beleeue Concerning seruants by nature I referre my selfe to Aristotle As euery familie composed is of seuerall persons so doth each Common-wealth or citie consist of many families This assembly being thus associated in the tutelage combination or communion of one Empire and Law out of his owne proper force can maintaine protect and gouerne the state of his affaires by policie being the third part of prudence which as Plutarch defineth in his booke of three Commonweales is that state and order that euery citie should obserue in the rule and gouernment of things We find in holy Scripture how God himselfe ordained this politicall doctrine and order by his immediat seruant and interpreter Moyses proposing an example to posteritie from whence many most behoofefull precedents towards the administration of Kingdoms Estates and Seignories may be taken by this is the Prince himselfe directed as by some diuine caball according to his capacitie and to that grace which God hath poured into the hearts of his secret counsell how to gouerne all the people of this earth For euen as to the Pylot his course and compasse by which he capeth and wendeth euen as health to the Physition and victorie to the captaine so to the Prince and Magistrate the blessed and peaceable life of his people and citizens is proposed that they may grow plentifull in riches powerfull in armes ample in glorie constant and honest in vertue Likewise wee find those policies most excellent which king Dauid the figure of our Sauiour Christ vsed for hee did amplifie the realme of Israel both by peace and warre adorning it with lawes iudgements treasure armes and power encouraged and aduaunced the studies of learning instituted the Leuites Doctors Musitians and other professors of good arts This ciuile prudence doth as it were prescribe vnto citizens their actions conuersing in the maintenance of ciuile societies by the vniformitie of religion vniuersalitie of iustice and vnanimitie in vertuous contemplation and practise whereby they liue together in pietie towards God in honestie one towards another in prudence and tranquilitie respecting their owne priuat and particular estates Aristotle maketh this difference betwixt the Commonwealth and a priuat familie That Iustice by the distribution of equall measure to poore and rich is most specious in euery Commonwealth whereas in Oeconomie the maister of each familie doth at his owne discretion gouerne and dispose matters as in the person of a prince ouer his children seruants and slaues According to the generall opinion of all good writers there are sixe formes of policie whereof the three good are first placed and the three bad drawne out of the excesse of those best The first of the good doth consist of the prince his absolute authoritie ouer the people in yea and nay which men call a Monarchy But of this more at large in other places ensuing Bodin writeth that there are two sorts of Empire or Soueraignetie Vnum summum alterum legitimum illud legibus ac magistratuum imperio solutum hoc legibus obligatum summum autem magistratus est proprium legitimum Maiestatis The first is highest freed from the strayne of lawes and from any subiection vnto magistracie the second legitimate and obliged vnto the lawes but the highest rule is proper to magistrates and the legitimate peculiar vnto Maiestie Wee must consider also that the king is not onely a parent and author of the lawes but a most studious and diligent conseruator and steward of iustice For in the Common-wealth a Prince is placed as vpon a stage whose words and actions the people vnder and about him obserue him if they find iust and of good demeanure as I touched in the beginning of this booke they will imitate if insolent and wicked then will they behaue themselues accordingly Quales enim sunt in Repub. principes tales reliqui solent fieri ciues For such as bee the Princes such are the people in euery Common-wealth sayth Plato Howbeit kings in respect of their Empire are superiour to
laureate plough and in a ploughman which had borne triumph froÌ„ the warres Semblably we reade that Deiotarus king of Armenia was a most diligent husbandman and Xenophon obserueth in the life of Cirus how painefull hee was in tillage and rusticall labour For it is manifest that out of such folke very strong and apt souldiers are chosen and enabled for the warres because through laborious exercise their bodies are better knit and confirmed in health and strength then either merchants or artificers which dwell in the walled townes And hence was it that the Romanes erected without the city those temples to their saint of Medecine Esculapius constantly beleeuing and meaning that villagers were in better health then citizens or such as inhabited walled townes They which haue written of the dignities of agriculture and husbandrie were Chares Parius Hesiodus Apollâ—…dorus and Lemnius in the Greeke language amongst the Latines Cato Varro Columella Virgillius c. And in this order according to my weake inuention and iudgement haue I fashioned and appropriated the politike parts and members of a Common-wealth hauing also giuen soule and life vnto it Now for as much as it behooueth needfully that these members vnder one head and of one body should harmoniously conuerse and consent in loue and sympathie which nature teacheth in our owne bodies by the compassion and succour that one member hath of and in another by supplying health to the common defects and mutually mitigating the maladies in themselues with a kind of reciprocall tolleration passion and consent indifferently I will speake somewhat of that vnitie which God out of his infinite benignitie offereth and teacheth vnto vs of this nation so coupled and aduned vnder your highnesses sanctified scepter The lawes of nature as I said teach vs how pleasant and consonant it is with the spirit of life that all members accord in affection and mutuall aide one towards another Since therefore it hath pleased the true wisedome and omnipotent grace of God to make of these two kingdomes one bodie vnder one head meseemeth it should not sticke in any mans opinion how the same can any way prooue vnfit or vnprofitable Which diuerse more vpon peruerse opinion than any reasonable consideration impudently seeme to beleeue But the wiser sort which though fewest in number are soundest in iudgement perfectly know the contrarie In magna namquè repub multa varia ingenia sunt For the wits of people in a great Commonwealth be variable and many Yea such as are of repugnant opinions considering therefore that by nature euery bodie hath one head onely like one roote from which many braunches vnited in one tree doe spring if it be not a monstrous bodie so semblably should each head haue but one bodie for how deformed and horrible were it in the sight of nature that one head should haue two bodies especially whereas they bee knit by nature from the beginning as these kingdomes both in one roote being all members of one bodie from the first vnited then seuered againe by the great and most mysticall prouidence of Almightie God and now reunited in your Maiesties blessed gouernment for the accomplishment of Gods vnreuealeable and incomprehensible iudgement Since therefore we draw together in one yoake wee may not separate by dissent some with their stiffe neckes behind and others with their obedient heads before for oxen yoaked in such sort can neuer tyll the land nor tread out the corne but leaue it barren and out of order For it is impossible that the labour should succeede well when some kicke with their heeles when they should haue drawne with their heads making a distraction so much more violent through their disobedience by how much more force there is in them that are so distracted and from hence breaketh out the ruine and confusion of all good gouernment and policie which answereth to the saying of our Sauiour Christ Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur Euery kingdome diuided in it selfe becommeth desolate And if this should happen against which all good men should make their deprecations that God might auert the calamitie which would impend it Doubtlessely the same cannot but proceede from our owne maleuolence and peruerse distortion according to that true saying of Salust Vbi boni mores nunquam discordia nec auaritia vbi auaritia nunquam boni mores nec vera concordia c. Where good manners and honest fashions are vsed neither can discord nor auarice bee found but where auarice reigneth you shall neuer find good manners nor true charitie And therefore let vs watch and pray that wee fall not into discord at any time after this our blessed vnion composed by that sacred and most charitable hand of our liege soueraigne least by those disastrous means we become fearfull of those nations whoÌ„ otherwise we may retaine in due fear of vs. Turne we therefore with ioyfull vnanimitie one towards another and let vs which haue receiued much light and true glory from so gracious powerfull a king detest all malicious factions and distractions which assuredly breake out of minds and spirits bare of honour and abiect vnto themselues in all vnworthinesse which are persuaded that auarice and ambition are the truest dignities in man more than all his other mentall and intellectuall faculties Firmanda sunt igitur concordiae vincula discordiae mala expellenda Let vs therefore make strong the bonds of our concord and expell the mischiefes of discord For it hath beene our auncient honour and the Brittaine glorie recorded of this Nation by Cornelius Tacitus Commune periculum concordia propulsandum cognouere Britanni in vit Iul. Agricolae The Brittaines by their mutuall and intestine concord knew well how to repell all common dangers to themselues Vnite we therefore cheerefully for according to Socrates this vnion of a Commonwealth is the very worke and scope of friendship and such as are true friends Ettam â—…b vehementiam amoris cupiunt connasci vnum ex duobus fieri Desire euen in the vehement heate of their loue to bee borne together againe and one entire to be made out of two bodies Which vnion or communion of the lawes and liberties with other emoluments answerable to the rule of need and decencie is confirmed by discipline and discipline comprehended in the Lawes and in Philosophie When England and Scotland were separated yet were they brethren for in one Prouerbe they did consent That England was the elder and Scotland the younger brother And of late yeares their accord was so naturall prognosticating this indissoluble vnion that to the breake-necke spight of our enemies our late peace of Englands dauncing in spirituall consolation fed vpon that counsell which the diuine Psalmist vttered Ecce quà m bonum quà m iucundum est fratres habit are in vnum And in the dayes of our fathers when any iarres happened betwixt vs they were such cauils or emulations rather as commonly fall amongst brethren which though they
thereof is to this day knowne and called by name of thâ—…â—…dly Tower Hereupon this odious Vncle vsurped the crowne but within liâ—…le 〈◊〉 two yeeres was deposed confounded in the Battell at Bosworth in Leycester shire 1485. by King Henry the seuenth sent by God to make restiâ—… of the peoples liberties and after so long and hâ—…ble a shâ—…re of ciuill blood 〈◊〉 send a golden sun-shine of peace closed vp in the pâ—…ely leuies of that sweet modest Rose of Lancaster which being woâ—…e in the 〈◊〉 bosome of Lady Elizabeth the daughter of King Edward late mentioned of the Family of Yorke dispersed those seditious cloudes of warre which had a long time obscured our firmament of peace banishing that sulphurous smoke of the newly deuised Cannon with the diuine odour of that blessed inoculation of Roses yeelding by their sacred vnion the Lady Margaret the firstflower of that coniunction and great Grand-mother as I declared to our Soueraignes Maiestie in these happy bodyes raigning ouer vs whose blessed raigne I beseech God to lengthen as the dayes of heauen Henry Duke of Guyse father to this yong Duke now liuing in France aspiring couertly to that greatnesse which neither his birth nor conscience albeit well guarded by the Church of Rome could assure him fell in the very bowels of his ambition vnder that guard which if he could should haue been spectators of their Soueraignes tragoedie Charles du Lorreyne likewise iâ—…ke du Mayne and brother to that Duke of Guyse after that he had many yeeres waged warre against his naturall Soueraigne Henry of Burboâ—… now the fourth French King of that name and had vsurped the titles coynes crowne and royalties of that Realme which he then miserably tortured holding his liege Lord at the pikes point in most hostile defiance was at length shamefully put to flight in restoring of which vngratefull Duke to his office of Le graâ—…d Chambellane du France though it was done by mightie means and mediation the king liuing hath declared much clemencie The late successe of Marischall Byron in France for practizing against the crowne and life of his Soucraigne with the faction of Spaine being sofresh in our memories by the ransome of that capitall treason with his head which payd it need not to be much stood vpon Neither those ambitious conspiracies of the Earle Gourey in Scotland against his Highnesse sacred life miraculously protected and preserued by God for the weale and gouernment of his people Adde herevnto the late practises of our vnworthy Gentlemen of England against his annoynted Maiestie whosemercy doth yet appeare much great as were their treasons By these and other examples infinite of that nature appeareth how needfull it is that Magistrates in such place haue great care and feare of falles when they seeke to scale flipperie promotions beyond their reach which are onely bestowed by diuine prouidence and not any wayes disposed by humane policie This also did the diuine Scalliger obserue in his aduise to such ambicious firebrands which after th'eruption of a fewe turbulent sparkes soone and on a sudden ende in cold and dead embers Certo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tua metire probando Ne scande Locos equibus inde sit vuendum By good proofe and experience learne to moderate thy selfe seeke not to clime vnto such places from whence thou must haue a fall Beware therefore of this fearefull elation of the spirit towards corporall promotions and benefits and if griefe or discontentment vpon good ground seaze vpon vs let vs arme our selues with constancie to beare and to conuert all wrongs and tribulations into the practise and vse of vertues by which meanes we shall so charme all dolours and perturbations that they can haue no power to brande or torture vs. Adde hereunto this precept of Master Francis Guycciardine that counsellors in weigtie matters shew deliberation and slownesse of tongue and foote the cnstome of their seruice fed with the bitter hearbe patience which bringeth peace at the last should so farre preuaile with them in most causes that the more wrongs they receiue at their Princes hands the more patience and dutie they should declare This least I become more tedious then pleasant or profitable to the Reader I thinke sufficient concerning the principal qualities and offices in a counsellor many more seuerally might be recounted howbeit as adiuncts or dependances vnto these before specified And some fewe which herein are exexpressed will make a man honourable and esteemed according to that saying of Salust Multa variâ—…que sunt artes animi quibus summa claritudo comparatur Herein not presumptuously nor ouer weaningly to limit men in wisedome and authoritie so far beyond my censure and aboue my degree to such things which proceed from my weake and vnripe opinions but to giue a methodicall taste of my iudgement grounded vpon the sound opinions of men prudent and very learned consorting in sweete Harmonie with the Lawgiuers Commonwealths-masters and prudent Philosphers of former ages In them for my part resting well satiffied yet with such due respect as by submitting my selfe in all reuerence and humiltie to the sounder iudgements approued wisedomes and gentler corrections of men learned and experienced in offices of state with a decent obedience and readinesse I doe desire to bee both instructed better and reformed in any point which their wisedomes shall deeme expedient herein To conclude therefore in opposition to them that haue violently and sodainly fallen from the throne of soueraigntie by their ambition with such as merely by their vertues haue been aduanced and established kingdoms in their long succeeding posteritie through many generations I will speake somewhat as well for their encouragement which are verely noble as for the reformation of those that are proude abiect ambitious Hee which deserueth well and laboureth in the common cause of his Countrey with iustice and sinceritie may worthily seeke for condigne prefeâ—…ment at the Prince his hands for if euery laborer meriteth wages what doth he which incessantly busieth himselfe in procuring ayding and maintaining the peace and riches of the Common-wealth Magnae namquè curae magna merces est The reward is great which appertaineth to a great charge as Salust in his Oration to Caesar. This care and zealous desire to dignifie that Nation which gaue the first light to his life is the perfectest token of a good Counsellors vertue Virtutique perfectae nonfiet condignus honor Perfect vertue cannot be sufficiently honoured saith Aristotle And according to Patricius Virtus semper secum comitem habet honorem velut corpus vmbram laudataquè crescit Vertue is continually accompanied with honor as the body is with a shadow and florisheth by good fame Nay the most kindely milke which nourisheth vertue is honor And as Aristotle writeth in another place Homines dij dicuntur propter virtutum excellentiam c Men in respect of their vertues excellencie be called Gods What then shall we study therefore to become
are these First a ripe demurrer in weightie causes wherein is required his circumspection that he trifle not away the time of his action in vnprofitable delayes or waste the dayes of his busines in vaine words next that he lend a iudicious care without pertinacie to them that consult vpon any serious matter concerning his weale hearing all their opinions beneuolently but warily concealing his owne mind within himselfe or imparting it albeit vpon necessitie to very few iudging and pondering euery mans censure according to the weight of prudence Tunc demuÌ„ elucet regia maiestas cum potest qua cuiusque sententia in senatu melior non numero sed pondere dijudicare Royall maiestie then most luculently disperseth her glorie when it hath power to ponder euery Senator his opinion according to the sound substance of reason and not perswaded by the multitude of voices Lastly but most needefully that his grace admit a generall libertie for his Counsellors franckly to declare their minds without restraint of any thing which may concerne the subiect of their consultations for miserable is that prince which willfully but more sluggishly rather occasioneth his owne wretchednesse by prohibition or punition of that libertie which openeth vnto him th'impostumes or dangers of his present state in disposing of which kinde of causes he should decline from any taste of partialitie which herein is expressed when he neither rewardeth them that aduise him soundly to the best nor punisheth those which ministred counsell to the worst sence And this is one principle or caueat rather to euery wise prince which as I should thinke is a good member of his true fortitude that he gouerne of himselfe be not gouerned entirely by the counsels and opinions of others as if he should fearefully distrust his owne priuate wisedome in any publike matters of the commonwealth Nihil est 〈◊〉 in imperio pernicioâ—…us quà m ex alio sapere And as Tilius writeth in his Commentaries of France Videant principes ne munera sua â—…egligant sed procurent ea ex mandato dei nec incumbant toti in alienam fidem Princes should haue a most vigilant and circumspect care vnto their offices which they should execute according to the commandement of God and not entirely repose their trust in others It is likewise very behoofull that euery Prince take open notice and vnderstanding of the singular good vertues and demerites of such valiant and excellent persons as haue highly worthied his Highnesse honoured the Commonwealth or benefited any speciall members thereof Tam etiam beneficij quam iniurae memor esse debet He must remember a benefit as presently as a wrong done vnto him Semblably true munificence as I said before in my first Booke is most worthy the royall Maiestie Armis nempè regem quà m munificentia vinci minus flagitiosum The dishonor of a king is not so great which is gotten by his ouerthrowe in warres as by his want of due munificence To that prince likewise that tempereth his raigne with benignitie and clemencie all things seeme ioyfull pleasant Etiam hostes huic aequiores quà m alijs ciues sunt Euen enemies are more fauorable to such princes then subiects are to those of a contrary condition Which that morall Tragoedian witnesseth in many places though his Scholler would neuer learne that Lesson Qui vult amari languida regnet manu He that would be beloued amongst his people must punish with a languishing hand Moreouer euery wise prince will haue his Court furnished with store of reuerend Byshops and Noble-men of port aswell for his owne more fame and honour in forreine places as for the maiestie of his State at home by which meanes if any matters happen amisse either in the Church amongst the nobility or in the Commonwealth he may sagely communicate consult and worke out with their forces about him towards a generall or particular pacification and tranquilitie The reputation and ancient offices of a prince amongst the Romaines was to summon a Parliament senate or counsell to giue directions vnto the Senators to deliuer the law to constitute guardians for wards and orphanes in pupilage to make free men of seruants to dispose and bestow the publike tribute His meanes to conciliate the peoples loue is the fame opinion of libertie beneficence iustice faith and of other qualities apperteining his royall apport in manners and facilitie for in iust and good princes in and from whom no deceits nor iniuries appeare nor proceede the people franckely repose all their fortunes wiues liues children as they did here in your most excellent Maiestie vpon the decease of our late deare Soueraigne Elizabeth which how firme a kingdome that is cannot but be with much comfort knowne vnto your highnesse Cum multo tutius sit volentibus quam coactis imperitare Considering that it is a fafer course to beare rule ouer such as are voluntarily then those that by constraint are subiected This hapinesse hath iustice and prudence wrought in and for your grace that no people can be more franke hearted in loyall alleageance and reuerend affection towards their Soueraigne then your subiects of England For as we find that men for many reasons subiect themselues voluntarily to princes some vpon a good opinion conceiued of their iustice and prudence others in hope of benefit to be gotten at their royall hands some for honor a multitude for other preferments of diuers natures peraduenture not a few which stand in feare of some disaduantage if they should not subiect themselues vnder theÌ„ whose true right and inheritance void of any the least colour of exception doth command and inioine them so nothing can be more specious then your maiesties excellent vertues and knowledge wherewithall God hath admirably blessed you nothing more liuely declared then your true royall munificence and bounty nothing equiualent with your kingly beneficence in honoring preferring vertuous persons that which is most apparant cleare as the sunne in his purestlight your maiesties royall right of inheritance vndoubted lineall discent vnto these crownes kingdomes vnder your Scepter imperiously by right commandeth it But one thing more then all the rest to the vnspeakeable comfort of your highnes vnder God there is which mainly conquereth preserueth all Empire being a zealous vnfained loue of your people towards your grace so that in these three pointes your maiesties glories are with most renowne emblazoned First with the peoples loue secondly by the confidence reposed in their prince through his vertues and lastly through the reuerence dutifull obedience exhibited vnto him Parua namque res tantum ingenium atting ere nequit For such a mightie wit is not apprehensible of small matters Such infinite blessings hath the God of righteousnesse powred into your graces head and heart hauing girded impaled and fastened th' one in constancie with those graces of wisedome within your royall crowne and of sacred
houses which should be demolished All criminall causes according to the forme of our Lawes are either treasons or felonies and those courts in England which are ordained for tryall of them that stand appealed for such crimes are the Kingsbench or Gaole deliueryes Which iudgements are through all Counties of this Realme once each yeere at the least and in some oftner according to the greatnesse of the shire and of that necessitie which may happen vpon the manifold offences tryable where the factes were committed if it bee not otherwise determined by the Kings priuie Counsell Treasons according to the lawes of our Nation are crymes of such heinous nature as either concerne the Prince in his life or State As when a man compasseth or imagineth the Kings the Queenes or their eldest son his death the violation or constupration of the Queene or of the kings eldest daughter vnmaried or of the Prince his wife the levying of war against the King in his Realme or abroad the counterfeiting of his great or priuy Seale or of his moneys th'importation of false money counterfeit to the stampe of his Realmes and knowing it to be false to kill the Ghancellor Treasurer or Iudges of the Kings bench or of the common plees or the Iustices in Eire the Iustices of assise or any Iustices of Oyer derminer doing their offices there is another petit treason when a seruant slayeth his Master and a wife her husband a man secular or religious any Prelate to whom he oweth faith and obedience Moreouer if any thing should happen vnnamed respite must bee graunted till by Parliament it be adiudged and ordayned treason or felonie Paricides such as kill their parents openly or closely and such as are either accessaries or abettours punished with extreame torture of death according to th' imperiall Lawes Howbeit such as kill their kinsfolke or allyes vndergoe the law prouided against murtherers Felonies are of diuers natures including any capitall iniustice as in life or liuing towards diuers persons of which some be murtherers others in theft and robberies and some in deceit appendant to that nature but in a more venemous degree Murtherers therefore which with artificiall instruments poysons or sorceries take away the liues of people according to th' imperiall lawes are punished with death Theeues secretly stealing and purloyning publicke treasure or sacrilegious persons yea Iudges themselues if hauing charge of any common treasure they should imbezill the same with all assistants receptors and abbettors are condemnable to death Other thefts not of such heynous condition are satisfied with exile The rapes of widowes wiues or virgines are comprehended herein by the same punishment Falsifying or counterfeiting of written Chartiers Euidences Records Leases or counterfeiting of seales with such like of the same nature punished with death Publicke violence which is done with weapon or artificiall instrument finable to the the third part of his goods which offendeth Pettie thefts sometimes with losse of life and in certaine cases with lighter punishment at the Iudges discretion The lawes of ambition of requiring a restitution of goods taken away with those that concerne victuall c. are all handled in the publike iudgements expressed in th' imperiall Institutions For as much as concerneth the studies and readie knowledge of our owne Lawes I haue sufficiently spoken before In iudgements criminall generally requiring the deepest and soundest discretion of Iudges there is one question which I haue heard controuerted Whether in them it be better and more expedient to shew mercie then rigor but it is by the stronger part of opinions confirmed that in the gouernment of a multitude where the crimes are treasonable or infectious seuere punishment much more auaileth then lenitie Which Tacitus no lesse sagely though liuing in a tyrannous Empire doth confirme Yet forsomuch as it is no part of my profession but in somewhat impertinent to declare the substance of all these causes criminall according to their natures I will pretermit and handle only such things as are required of a Iudge in his general decision or execution of them Punishments therefore are either frequent or rare mitigate punishments of multitudes together with frequent practize of them And he which hastily proceedeth to sentence of condemnation will be generally said and condemned to haue done it willingly If occasion so require that for a genenerall good and quiet a multitude must vndergoe punishment make specious demonstration that it is onely done to preuent further offence and not in regard of the fault shew neither wrath nor gladnesse in punishing inflict not any strange or extreame punishments for they be dangerous the Iudges which punish after new fashions are vndoubtedly cruell Be not partiall in punishing as in dealing more seuerely with some then with others whose faults are of equall qualitie Neither be present spectators at the execution of malefactors which violent irous appearance hath drowned many princes in the blood of their Tyrannie And whereas it doth happen frequently that many persons and some of the best estate and qualitie cannot be punished with death but with the great danger and hatred of the Iudge which he should wholy neglect honourably respecting the person of veritie represented in himselfe it is required that in heinous causes all the heads be cut off together and that not leasurely one by one For often reiteration of blood giueth suspition of mercilesse truculencie stirring malice in many men and pleasing few onely the due respect of seueritie bent against them whose pardons are full of perill presently washing out the note or malice of that seueritie with remission and indulgence of other offendors whose crimes being of a more humble nature include not much danger in them Hauing and retaining alwayes a precise respect of the natures and qualities of the persons offending and of their offences according with that rule in Salust Vos sceleratissimis hominibus quiaciues sunt ignos◅ere aequo animo paterer ni miserecordia in perniciē casura esset I could be contented that great offendors shold be pardoned were it not that such mercie would turne to mischiefe Onely this should be regarded that amongst many persons combined in offence a few of the principals be cut off Necem etenim paucorū aut vnius hominis calamitati publicae maiores nostri semper anteponendam esse putauerunt Our fathers alwayes thought it expedient to preferre the death of some few persons or of one man rather then to permit a generall calamitie by the effusion of much blood It hath been anciently customed but I will not prescribe such dangerous phisicke to wash away the enuie of blood-shed with shedding the blood of certaine vile persons as sacrifices piacular against publike hatred as I noted in my first booke by the example of Sir Richard Emson and Master Dudley in the second yeere of King Henry the eight To great offences therefore either presumptuously or bloodily
left flancke of each battell onely the first battell of pikes standing nearer then the rest in ranckes and files as our battels of forelorne hope at this day were so perfectly taught and instructed that they might the better endure the first brunt or charge when it should come to their turne for fight the second battell of those principals and strong men which followed being larger in space to receiue the pikes vpon occasion by retire and the Triarij so large as would admit them both vpon necessitie to their ranckes without confusion but when the Triarij haue both receiued the pikes and principals into their battels then they forthwith close their ranckes and with most resolute and victorious courage endure and surrechardge vpon their enemies in a terrible fashion which finding a new battell stronger and more puisant then both the first vniting them that were driuen backe are frustrated of all hope and courage And this in my iudgement must of necessitie be both sure and honourable when the whole force is not ventured at the first but hath meanes if neede require left for a succour when two charges are already passed Now for asmuch as it behoueth to reason a little of martiall stratagems seruing for campe or any place fortified I will take occasion in this place to discourse somewhat Subtilties though in priuate actions they be detestable yet are in militarie seruices very commendable and commonly more worthied then open force is against enemies howbeit fraud in the violation of faith or breach of conditions amongst men in armes is excepted For these dishonesties may percase augment Empire with assured losse of honour much more precious The subtilties of which I speake are the substance of stratagems by subduing of professed enemies and by diffidence had of their opposits such as for instance Anniball ad lacum Perusinum vsed by turning face from the Romanes his enemies that the Consull and his hoast by pursute might be brought into places full of danger And hereupon note by the way that if thine aduersarie turne his backe towards you pursue not in further heat and greedinesse of victorie but rather according to the Prouerbe Make him a siluer bridge to be gone least being constrained to fight vpon necessitie they become desperate of which there is infinite example of diuers being pursued after the fight which haue vpon that example finished in much effusion of blood and victorious conquest had of them that followed Souldiors therefore should neither be too slowe nor hastie but keepe a prudent moderation which temperature will guide them to many fortunate aduantages and executions least that be verified vpon them which Iohn Basilides the Rushian Tyrant spake of the Moscouites and Polonians that these were too forward and those ouer backward which hee by long experience found in his armies Another excellent example of lawfull stratagem in the Captaine Annibal to secure himselfe and his armies is recorded by tying matches and firebrands to the hornes of cattell driuing them by night a contrary way to misguide his enemies that in the meane while he might prouide for the safe allodgement of his owne forces The like commendable kinde of stratagem Cymon a Captaine of the Athenians which both Plutarch and Diodorus Siculus record put in practise he perceiuing that the Persian fleet houered too and againe neere the Coast of Cyprus with 250. ships of his Nauie gaue fight to 340. of the aduerse of which hee through his good successe and valour grappled 100. the rest being sore shattered and broken in fight recouered Cyprus which glad of such harbor left their ships vnarmed marching a certaine of leagues into the land a foote Hereupon Cymon possessed himselfe of the whole remainder of the Persian fleet furnishing diuers of those his enemies shippes with souldiors drawne out of his owne and vpon the riuer Euribas where his enemies were incamped brought in the Nauie his souldiors being attyred in Persian habit with sur-coates and turribants found aboard them their enemies by this meanes mistaking the Athenians for their owne soldiers knowing the sleet supposed them to be returned which had lately losed anchor from them before so with quietnes gaue them leaue to come in with their fleet into the Hauens mouth Cymon therfore at the dead time of night landing himselfewith his soldiers in that falsed habit slewe them all which met him and made spoyle of his enemies Tents giuing to Pheridates the Persian Generall a mortall camisado besides the losse of his and many more Persian liues with a bloody destruction and hauocke of others so that such error and horror was amongst the Persians in this dead darke season that they knew not what nation it was which did inuade them So terrible and sodaine a charge went beyond their present reason Likewise amongst the Athenians with such another cunning aduantage Clearchus surprised Bizantium Diuers martiall slights are recorded of Pontius Captaine of the Samnites Portius Cato Miltiades Themistocles and others of which Thucydides and Diodorus make mention but these shall suffice for copie There is yet another adiunct of wylinesse sometimes vsed in warre which resteth in taking occasion vpon good aduantages to fight with confederates and then the meane to worke it is quarrelling or martially moouing against some other friend being with his confederate in confederacie so that he must be forced in honesty to partake and breake truce with him that cunningly seeketh it he giuing the first signall to Battell or declare himselfe false or perfidious towardes his friend and Client Also there is a certaine oblique prudence if a mā may so terme it of another nature yet not vnlike the former after the example of the Campanians which sithence their exceeding weaknes would not otherwise admit but that they must necessarily fall into the danger of those enemies vpon whom they breathed defiance presently put thēselues into the protection of some mightie prince of more force to defend them and their liberties and this rule is generally certaine that such people as stand in feare of oppression or tiranny by some great Prince will offer send voluntary succors with any comfort to the best of their power to some other more puisant prince which may when good time shal serue collaterally protect and assist them in their extremities against all violence and oppression of others as may be read in the Romane Hystories of the Massilians Rhodians Hiero king of Siracuse Massinissa Eumenes with others which had in the same case aided the Romanes in their warres And as in our late English expeditions Anno 1596. and in Anno 1597. was sent vnto vs by the States of base Germanie vpon our taking of Cales accosting Andalusia and towards that seruice intended but vnfortunately crossed when our Generals after ominous beginnings reconducted vs to the Ilands Tercaere where they made very small proofe and farre short in fathome of their expectation What I haue spoken here in particular respecting the
office of a Leiutenant generall may serue for other inferiour Captaines and Officers of warre also Yet considering that it were semblably behoofull for me to declare what the places of most reputation are in the field according to the seruice of our English warres the brute and ioyous rebounding honour of which battels haue formerly sounded aloud from their drums trumpets in the most flourishing parts of Christendome I will brieflly touch them so neere in the sequell as I can gather Next vnto the L. Leiutenant Generall which absolutely representeth and vseth for the time the person and dignities of the Prince are these principall persons of honor seruing as counsellors and assistants immediate and vnder his Excellencie The first place is assigned to the Lord Marischal adioyning him the Coronell generall of foote and he seconded with the Coronell generall of horse ensuing them the Captaine or Coronell of euery Regiment or battell after these the Campe-master next him the master of the Ordinance successiuely the Treasurer of the whole hoast and lastly the Sergeant maior generall in field these be principals and of counsell to the L. Leiutenant Generall There are Offices also deputing vnto the former and some others which are not of such speciall reputation as the Leiutenant to the Coronell of foote Leiutenant of the Coronell of horse the Prouost Marischall the Muster-master generall the Corporals of foote and horse the Sergeants maiors of euery battell or Regiment the Scout-master the Trench-master the forrage-master the prouant master the captaine of the carriages the captaine of the Pyoners most of which are in office and degree superior to priuate captaines of Companies The Lord high Marischalls office vpon which the whole charge of an Armie dependeth is very noble and commonly taketh the second place of honor in the field it importeth him therefore of necessitie to know through what manner of ground the whole armie must passe if in Champion how the wayes open for rancks in cōpanyes or for battels if in vallyes or lanes how they be straitned for troupes and confused marches hauing soundly considered of all meanes which may giue aduantage against the enemie by marching incamping and disposing or ordering of his forces noting with iudicious and well experienced obseruation all the disabilities which his enemies must haue in meeting with him eskairmouching or giuing present charge vpon his armies here there or in any place in his way with such meanes as may be deuised how to redresse and recouer them from all dangers and disaduantages of land hill or riuer in the way making a safe and sure audite of the best worst of all which can happen prouiding remedies against dangers if they chaunce and redinesse with expedition towards the imbracement of all fortunate occasions In him likewise is required perfectly to know the extreme force of his Prince for the present and likewise the power of his enemies what horse what foote what yong what old instructed souldiers what leaders of note experience and valour comparing one with another and working out to the best aduantage the renowne of his Princes armies he must also take notice of the strength which his enemies attaine by confederates how much they make with the mercenaries and auxiliaries of others hee should consider and conferre by iudicious reading the warres and battels of his Princes Progenitors and Predecessors wherefore they were leuied how performed and fought vpon what conditions ordered and the meanes mouing either partie to the taking or offering of those Articles with such speciall instructions as I partly noted before in the Leiutenant generall When therefore he knoweth and is well instructed through what manner of ground the Armie must passe then he presently giueth notice and warning to the Coronells of horse and foot in what formes they should order their troupes and battels for their more present and commodious passage narrowly respecting that euery Commander doe with diligence respect his charge without intermeddling further in matters beyond his office or short of it Hee therefore causeth first in audi◅nce of the whole Armies a proclamation to be made aduertising what time the Lord Lieutenant Generall purposeth to march forward into the field that they may sutably be prepared and the same day that his excellencie shall set forth the Lord Marischals trumpet soundeth and giues warning of a remouall after him all other trumpets follow that vpon the third flourish euery captaine souldier and seruant may be readie to performe their offices in each degree for that seruice The scoutmaster therefore is first set forth to dispose of his scurriers for espiall that he may for the armies more safety certifie whether the countrey round about be cleare after him the master of the Ordinance setteth forward with his Artillerie furnished of all needfull instructions for the dispatch of any thing which resteth in his charge after them the treasurer seconded with the prouaunt master with victuall and lastly the carriages which by directions of the captaine or master of them take their places in marching When these offices are thus fitted and that the Coronels and captaines by their directions haue out of troupes ordered their armies then the Lord Marischall seeth the footmen march vpon which there are guides attending to direct them in the sure and readiest way which guides the Lord Marischall seeth prouided one to wait vpon the Lord Leiutenant another vpon the Coronel of foot another vpon the Coronell of horse in like case seuerall guides for the master of the Ordinance to point out the surest and most conuenient way for the conuayance of his Artillerie for the master of the carriages one for the Sergeant maior and for the scoutmaster attending the auaunt curriers each of them one This being orderly disposed there are by the Lord Marischals direction to the captaine of the pioners a certaine number of labourers attending the Ordinance which may mend the wayes for the better passage thereof After this the Lord Marischall taketh with him certaine of his horse and foote to view the ground where the forces should lodge or encampe Likewise the Campemaster the prouost Marischall and harbinger with the foure quartermasters when he shall come to the place his foresight is what forrage water and other needements for the armies are there abouts and when this is seene into the Campe-master with the prouost marischall quarter out the ground according to the seuerall regiments making the middle space within the quarters so large that the regiments vpon a sudden allarme may presently meet and be set in array for the present seruice The Marischall also noteth what number shall out of euery priuat companie walke the round and keepe centrenell with the places where they shall abide he giueth watch word which the clerke of the watch doth write by his direction deliuering to euery counsellor of the field to the scout-master and to euery priuate captaine a note thereof if the L. Marischall see cause he may
after the state of his prince and countrey which if the captaines doe neglect ought to be with due seueritie punished in them We read that Moyses who was a carefull warrior against the Egyptians did send out sâ—…outs centrenels and escurriers and that Iosua that diuine and triumphant captaine purposing the destruction of Ierico sent espials which were lodged in Rhahabs house When Saul had pitched in Hachilah before Ieshimon Dauid sent espials out of the wildernesse which brought tidings of his approach There is a kind of souldiers which are chiefe men of the nobler sort vsed amongst the Frenchmen which in that Realme are by common and ancient custome in time of speciall seruice to maintaine themselues and seruants in those warres three moneths the Frenchmen call them Banne and Retrobanne Which as Procopius saith Romani bannum signum dixerunt bandoferum ducis belli signum ferentem the Romanes did call this word bannum that which we call ensigne and Bandoferus him which beareth the captaines ensigne from thence should seeme that anciently the name of ensignes were called banners wherein certaine emblemes and armorie of the noble leaders and captaines were knowen and distinguished from others also when any publike edict was diuulged or proclaimed it was called Bannire in bannum soluere which signifieth as much as to set it to the view and knowledge of the whole hoast Likewise the creation of knights according to their deserts after the warres being many and of diuers orders I will not insist vpon because they be so well known The creation of knights bannerets which is vnder the princes standard being displayed is the most honorable knighthood in the field for they be called equiâ—…es redubitati twise knighted for their martiall prowesse such as in honor of warre and for their noble atchieuments by militarie worthinesse attaine knighthoods of collers such as the Cheualliers sans â—…proch deuised by Lewis the eleuenth at Ambois 1469. of the first Institution being thirtie sixe Nobles of the Realme and since more according to the Kings pleasure and such Noble men his friendes of other nations as for their valour in seruing him in his warres are invested to that honor at this day Likewise the order of Saint George instituted by King Edward the third the ceremonies whereof being so well knowne and celebrated at Windsor I let passe with that Order of the golden Fleece which Philip Duke of Burgundie instituted at Dijoun in France which King Philip of Spaine and the Emperor Randolph by right of the Emperor Charles the fift whose mother was heire of that Dutchie at this day retaine as their order of honorable Knighthood and all these noble Orders with diuers of like fashion first deuised as a reward and mâ—…d of their militarie vertues and in that respect the Romanes did bestow vpon their worthiest captaines and militarie commanders horse and furniture with rich caparisons bracelets chaines girdles and crownes of pure gold lanâ—…es with other warlike habilimenâ—… and armorie such as Cicinius Dentatus receiued of theÌ„ for his fortitude shewed in their waâ—…es which were golden spurres and a sword with the kings personall embrace as our 〈◊〉 of honour are created at this day The most famous and best renowned souldiers that in our times haue bene noted were Ambrose Dudley the old Earle of Warwike Thomas Ratcliffe Earle of Sussex the three brethren of that honourable race of Ricot the two noble and vnfortunate Earles of Essex both deceased the father and sonne the Lord Willoughbie late Gouernour of Barwicke Sir Roger Williams Sir Philip Sydney who singeth in heauen crowned both with martiall and ciuill girlands Sir Thomas Morgan but there haue bene so manie and yet are of gallant heroicall spirits aliue amongst vs that it were infinite to reckon and would rather bring one into suspition of that fault for which I detest to conuerse in the houses of great princes then any wayâ—…s answere to the worthinesse of them whom I commemorate And heere least I might vnhappilie seeme too curious or tedious will I knit vp my labours satisfying my selfe with a little taste of some principles in euery counsell forasmuch as if I should write all that ought in these discourses to be set downe it would be both infinite in regard of the matter and needelesse if your Grace respect the learneder writings of others not crauing more then beneuolence for my voluntarie liberalitie which is the best treasure that a double pouertie proceeding from my single fortunes in ward and exterior affordeth From the profane multitude full of error and confusion whose opinions distand from veritie so farre as England according to 〈◊〉 tables is diuided from the Indies I will appeale by protestation that they which leane vpon vaine hope and idle counsels which threaten and disdaine sea-stormes slouthfully wallowing in their warme beddes at land and which in tempestuous times are immeasurably blasted with ignominious feare and pusillanimitie may not bee taken for equall iudges of my studies How meane my matter is how naked my sentences how little my trauels how bare my knowledge I must acknowledge that I know neither is it written in arrogancie and it is well spoken that nothing can be spoken which hath not beene first spoken and I will pray that my studies being published may not be forespoken with iâ—…enomed tongues swolne too great for their mouthes but to them that are iust and truely noble I will simply submit them such as they bee with all modesty heartily loathing as I still professe without and within all ostentation and hypocrisie All Glorie be to the blessed seede of all in all immortall perfection of incomprehensible goodnesse euerlastingly raigning in that vnconceiueable power of saluation by miraculous faith inanimate in the true charitable roote of the ineffable Trinitie mistically reueiled in omnipotent vnitie FINIS Imprinted at London by Adam Islip 1606. Barth Cassan. in 〈◊〉 terâ—… partis catal gâ—…or mundi Bart. Cassan. 78. consid 12. partis catal glor mundi Il. Prencipe cap. 18 commâ—… se debbe osseruar la fede Office of Treasurers Lib. 52. Cap. 16. de Mag. Romanorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barth Cass cons. 13. 7. partis cat gloriae mundi Geo. Bened. in Repet cap. Rayn in verb. Bonus de curtili Lib. 4. 7. Cap. 16. de Mag. vet Pop. Ro. Vinâ—…ent Lupan Annal. lib. 3. Arist. in Polit. Cap. 1. de re Peâ—… Plin. lib. 18. cap. 3. Plin. lib. 1. Lib. 2. Oss. Cic. 2. Oâ—… Cic. 2. Off. In vita Iuliani Salust bell Iugurth lib. George Clifford Cic. Off. 1. Barth Cassan. 32 Consid. 6. partis Catol glor muÌ„di Oratio Philippi in Senat. ex Salust Edw. 2. Cor. Tac. lib. 13. Annalium Ioh. Tilius lib â—…m de rebugall Nicolo Maâ—… il preu cap. 16. De liberalita miseria c. Ad Caes de Rep. ordinanda Lib. 3. ad Heren Lib. 2. de innent Plato lib. 20. Charmides siue de temp