THE Picture of a perfect Common wealth, describing aswell the offices of Princes and inferior Magistrates over their subjects, as also the duties of subjects towards their Governors.  
Gathered forth of many Authors, aswell human, as divine, by Thomas Floyd master in the Artes.  
Printed at London by Simon Stafford, dwelling on Adling hill. 1600.   

Honoratisses. & magnifico Domino, D. Thomae Egertono, Equiti aurato, D. Custodi magni sigilli Angliae, ac Regii Senatus dignissimo Conciliario: Necnon D. joanni Egertono, unico eius filio & Haeredi. S. P. D.  
QVI celeberrimum iurisprudentiae stadium studiumque sive philosophiae, quam vulgo Ethicen appellant, ac aliqua saltem politices notitia contingere autumant: aut alternatim in Ethicis disciplinis, & politica philosophia se anteire posse sine iurisprudentiae adminiculo arbitrantur: certe, illi, veluti pisces hamo irretiuntur, decipiuntur, & toto aberrant coelo. Omnium rerum est vicissitudo, discolorque vsusrerū, & vnares adiumento alterius indiget: sic mercatores vicissim nobis aduehunt commoda.  
Mercibus ac Anglis mutant sub sole recenti.  
Rugosum piper, & pallentis grana cumini.  
quip iurisprudentiae absque Ethicis & politicis disciplinis, levidensis, horridula, & semianimis quaedam facultas, dicenda, & ducenda est. Illarumque praecepta nisi iurisprudentiae typo, ceu gemelli ursarum foetus formentur, etiamque atque etiam lambantur minus, fermentata censentur, & veluti veratro seu helleboro atro inebriantur. Nec iniuria itaque Bartalus, aliique iurisprudentiae antesignani utrasque facultates tanquam speculativas cum practicis copulandas esse judicant. In eo proculdubio judicio tu (Nobilissime heros omnimodisque literarum dotibus insignite judex) es constitutus, qui ad nominis tui sempiternam gloriam cum practicis speculativasfa cultates semper coniunxisti, idque non in philosophia solum, sed etiam (ut inquit Cicero de seipso) in dicendi exercitatione fecisti, ita ut iam, te esse in utraque facultate parem quis nisi luscus neget? Quae quidem cum ego mecum alta mente reputauerim, hominumque huius tempestatis mores tam incultos, & tam rudes esse animaduerterim, cōmouebar animo, & quasi oestro extimulabar, ut illis, quantum in me esset, consulerem, utque hoc qualecunque sit opusculum, construerē, constructumque tibi, tuoque Gnato & Haeredi, praeclarae indolis & magnae spei Iweni coniunctim consecrarem. Quis enim in tanto morum naufragio tacere potest? Ne ego quidem. Accipite igitur placida & placata mente (magnifici DOMINI) hoc ingenioli mei symbolum, accipite (inquam) & meipsum, cui cordi erit quicquid vobis & honori & gloriae fuerit, toto animo perficere. Deus optimus maximus amplitudines vestras et dignitatem prorogare, fulcire, et conseruare dignetur. Oxonii, e collegio jesu, Anno a partu virginis. 1600.  
V. A. Thomas Floyd.   

To the Reader.  
EVEN as the music of an Instrument, whose harmonious sound either delighteth or displeaseth the hearers, according to the skill of him that playeth thereon: So these my first fruits, proceeding from my barren invention and shallow wit, do yield like content or discontent, resembling well my silly Muse, which makes me more to fear, that it will be as hard for me to obtain thy plausible favour, as it was for hard conceited Anthony to gain the good will of the Senators, when his deeds had proved him a peremptory foe to Rome. Nevertheless, Aristotle, who all his days in a manner had been an Atheist, yet crying, O Ens entium miscrere mei, in his last and lost day, caused the people to think that he had some knowledge of God. Whereupon afterward being dead, they eternised his name. So now I in like sort do hope, thou wilt suspense thy favourable censure, and grant me a pardon of course, that I may use the like excuse, differing in effect, as an answer for my defence: which if it seem sero to any one, yet serio, as observed of the Philosophers & husbandmen, who with one assent agreed, perfectionem prioris esse aliquam privationem consequentis, proceeding from the self same stock: for the tree that beareth twice a year, or oft, first bringeth fruit savouring of sweetness, the last tasting somewhat sour. So this my little one and first borne hath more imperfections (I confess) and therefore craveth some pardon: for as Hercules, which conquered and overcame by his wreaths and victories, the most part of the world, and when he could proceed no further, thereat ending and making a full period, caused pillars to be set up, which were termed after his name, on which was written non ultra: But of late days, Christophorus Columbus, finding a farther passage, and going beyond Hercules his non ultra, in respect thereof there were other pillars set up, on which was written, Plus ultra. So I in like manner (gentle Reader) with Hercules, being equal in number, though far interior in quality, wading as far as my simple ability could afford, and my slender wit allow, according to that small talon of learning and knowledge I had, having more perfectly composed and compild this my little pamphlet, that I might well with Hercules say, Non ultra. Of which I was by some domestical younker privily bereft, being thereat not a little moved, & almost discomfited, unless the entire love and fervent affection I bore towards my high renowned Lord, & towards the young virtuous Gentleman his son, M. john Egerton, who jointly as a Paracelsian Quintessens, re-edified the wrack of my decay, and caused me again to take heart of grace, & to redouble my courage, that I was thereby rather enforced by affection, than persuaded by reason, to attempt with Columbus, the finding out of Plus ultra, fearing to incur the backbiting of the envious, which might say, that my sting was lost in the first assault, and my courage was quailed in the bud; applying that saying unto me, that Milo Crotoniates used to apply to himself, being not able to attempt and perform any Chivalry or Act, which before he used: and thereupon beholding his arms and thighs, lamented and cried, At high iam mortui sunt. So should it be said of me, His spirits are dead, his courage abated, that he can perform and accomplish no more. Entering (courteous Reader) with a strict regard of these considerations, iam tandem clasping hold on me, that I deemed it better to adventure this my torn, rend and lacerated ship into the main sea, than to be carped at, or to desist from my intended purpose: which considerations caused me rashly to reach above my pitch, and to adventure the more, presuming upon thy gentle courtesy, to pardon this my rude and barbarous style, being willing (according to the proverb) to be beaten on the anvil by Vulcan, & withal, to yield myself to the censure of thy verdict to conjecture, committing thee to the tuition of Almighty God.  
T. F.   

A Table of all the contents and matter contained in this book.  

FIrst, what is a Common wealth, cap. 1. f. 1.  
2 How many sorts are there of Common wealths. cap. 2. f. 11.  
3 What is an aristocraty, cap. 3. f. 12.  
4 What is a Democraty, cap. 4. f. 14.  
5 What is a Monarchy, cap. 5. f. 20.  
6 Which of these sorts is best, cap. 6. f. 24.  
7 What things are requisite in a king, cap. 7. f. 46.  
8 Magistrates ought to see justice administered, cap. 8 f. 47.  
9 What is a Tyrant, cap. 9 f. 48.  
10 What is the nature and condition of an oligarchy, cap. 10. f. 53.  
11 What difference between an oligarchy and a Democraty, cap. 11. f. 54.  
12 Of law, cap. 12. f. 55.  
13 Of Magistrates, cap. 13. f. 65.  
14 Of Counsellors, cap. 14. f. 76.  
15 Of judges, cap. 15. f. 85.  
16 Of Economics or domestical government, cap. 16. f. 93.  
17 Of Virtue, Cap. 17. f. 106.  
18 Prudence, cap. 18. f. 111.  
19 Fortitude, cap. 19 f. 123  
20 Patience, cap. 20. f. 135.  
21 Constancy, cap. 21. f. 142.  
22 Of Temperance, cap. 22. f. 150.  
23 Modesty, cap. 23. f. 158  
24 Chastity, cap. 24. f. 164.  
25 justice, cap. 25. f. 172.  
26 Charity, cap. 26. f. 182:  
27 Obedience, cap. 27. f. 187.  
28 Hope, cap. 28. f. 196.  
29 Faith, cap. 29. f. 207.  
30 Truth, cap. 30. f. 207.  
31 Friendship, cap. 31. f. 212.  
32 Liberality, cap. 32. f. 220.  
33 Clemency, cap. 33. f. 227.  
34 Peace, cap. 34. f. 235.  
35 Of Idleness, cap. 35. f. 239.  
36 Pleasures and delights, cap. 36. f. 246.  
37 Intemperance and gluttony, cap. 37. f. 253  
38 Lust and lawless delights, cap. 38. f. 258.  
39 Envy, cap. 39 f. 264.  
40 Covetousness, cap 40. f. 271.  
41 Usury, cap. 41. f. 276.  
42 Ambition, cap. 42. f. 281.  
43 Anger, cap. 43. f. 288.  
44 Sedition, cap. 44. f. 244.  
45 War, cap. 45. f. 297.  
46 Conclusion to the magistrates, cap. 46. f. 303.   
FINIS.   

What is a Common wealth. Cap. 1.  
A Common wealth is a living body compact of sundry estates and degrees of men: this body is composed of two sorts, namely of the soul the worthiest wight, and of the members or parts. 
Aristotle  The soul is the king or supreme governor: which I so term, for two considerations: first by a simile, in respect of his authority: for as Aristotle saith, that anima is tot a in toto, 
Aristotle de anima lib. 2.  et tota in qualibet part. That is, is wholly in the whole body, and in every part thereof: so the king in regard of his authority is accounted. The second & last reason, is in respect of his being & ending, who is no sooner said a king, than a king of some Common wealth, nor no Common wealth can be rightly a common wealth, without a king: so the body is no living body without the soul, nor no longer liveth, than the soul remaineth. For as Augustine saith, 
August.  Anima in hominem creando infunditur, infundendo creature. Or as some would have it, A common wealth is a congregation, or a multitude of inhabitants; being as it were, 
Arist. politic.  the mother of us all. Which we ought to hold so dear, that in defence thereof we should not fear, to hazard our lives. 
Cicer. off. lib. 1.  For (as Cic. saith) we are borne not for ourselves, but for our country, kindred, friends & parents: children, parents, and friends are dear to us: but our country challengeth a greater love, and exacteth a farther duty. This word Common wealth is called of the Latin word, Respublica, quasi res populica, the affairs of the people: which the latins call the Government of a common wealth, or of a civil society, and is termed of the Grecians a political government, derived of the Greek word Polutia, which signifieth the regiment and estate of a city, disposed by order of equity, and ruled by moderation of reason, which answereth and concurreth most fitly to this my present discourse & purpose, as the order & estate whereby one or many towns are governed, administered, ordained, to that end, that every society should by due order or policy be framed. 
Arist po 〈…〉.  All men are naturally borne to affect society, whereof there be 3. sorts; the one being given to the engendering and procreating of human race, as that of man and woman and this is wholly by nature, Nam omnium societatum nulta est magis secundum naturam, quam maris & foeminae. 
Plato.  The other addicted to policy and civil government, as lawmakers within their several precincts & limits; & this proceedeth partly by nature, partly by other causes. The 3. to lewdness, and wickedness, as that of pirates, thieves and conspirators, which society nature needeth not: this happeneth in many places, either for want of law, or the execution thereof. This natural inclination of society in general, is in itself rude and barbarous, unless it be governed by counsel, and tempered by wisdom: wherefore some of themselves, either by instinct of nature, or by divine essence or secret influence from above, have delivered unto their posterities, a perfect way and sure reason, as a sugared potion or sweet balm of their benevolence, to mitigate this human society, among whom many were termed authors: but God alone hath so framed the state of the whole common wealth & the government thereof, by his own eternal providence, & also constituted & appointed Moses, as an instrument, to publish the same, for our instructions & knowledge, by which means, many profitable things, for the due ordering of a common wealth, may be reaped & gathered, for whose preservations, as amongst the Grecians, Persians, jews, & in these our days, many were accounted authors of reformations: yet howsoever, we ought somewhat to restrain our liberty, diminish our credit, & endamage our lives, in the greatest jeopardy, for the safety hereof. So dear was the love of Ulysses to his country, 
Homer Odiss.  that he preferred his native soil Ithaca, before immortality. Camillus a noble Roman, being Dictator six times, & though banished, yet when the Frenchmen had taken the City of Rome, & compelled the Romans to redeem their heads with gold; he with the Ardeats, with whom he lived exiled, slew the Frenchmen, & saved the city from bondage. So Horatius Cocles a valiant Roman, with two more, at a bridge that entered into Rome, kept back, and caused the whole army of Porsenna to retire, until the bridge was broken down behind them; & then in spite of his enemy, armed as he was, did swim safe into the city, and saved his country. So likewise Cynegirus a man of excellent virtue, willing to incur any torture or torment for his country's safety: who after many conflicts had with his enemies, whom he put to flight, and hardly pursued, until they were compelled to take shipping, yet this valiant man being not willing to let them sail scotfree, fastened his right hand on one of their ships, not letting go his hold, until it was cut off, and then he held with his left hand: of which also he being deprived, held at last with his teeth. Such was his excellency, 
Trogus Pomp.  and loyalty towards his country, that no enterprise how great soever, could cause him to desist, to patronize the safety thereof. But contrariwise, Coriolanus, whom if the fates had prescribed his end in his infancy, had not so treacherously, & unnaturally borne arms to the ruin of his own natural country. 
Dictis Cretens. Plutarc.  Antenor also blemished with this detestable vice, & spotted with this stain, most caitifly fled, with two thousand men, into Italy, and yielded his native city into the hands of his enemies the Grecians. And no marvel, seeing neither the love of their country, nor their own loyalty could move them to desist from so loathsome & detestable a fact. Alas, who is he that would not lament, to see the wrack and ruin of his own country, and the happy stay thereof turned into hellish state? much more, perverting the laws of nature, yield his consent to level at the bitter bane, and lay a plot for the final destruction of his native soil, considering and calling to mind the pain due to such graceless disobedient conspirators, & lewd caterpillars, who never missed to sup of the same sorrow, and taste of the first fruit of their dismal misery. Happy then is that common wealth, whose safety is no less joyful to itself, then to all, and whose loyalty may be said with Sulla's host to cry out, to Sylla, Solus ego extinct a patria non relinquar, now that my country is destroyed, I will not live alone. Most happy then is the city and common wealth, where the people in general do observe the customs and rights of law, fearing them as a tyrant.  
1 That life which is due to death is canonised; & reaped double reward, if eclipsed in the defence of his country.  
2 All men are by nature bound to embrace their native soil, not in regard of the possessions which they enjoy therein, but for the mere love thereof.  
3 In the love of our country we ought to persever, as being not sufficient once to have loved it, unless we continued to the end.   

How many sorts are there of Common wealths. Cap. 2.  
OF Common wealths there are three sorts, 
Arist. Po lit. lib. 3.  aristocraty, Democraty, and Monarchy.   

What is an aristocraty. Cap. 3.  
aristocraty is a government, or empire, depending on the arbitrement of the best nobility, derived of the Greek word Aristocratiae, in Latin, Optimorum potentia, in English, the rule of men of the best disposition, from which regiment Kings were discarded and excluded. Such was the government or estate of Rome, wherein the Senators ruled: this in the original had experience, of the Empire of Kings, which within a little after was changed into an aristocraty, as into a worse & meaner estate: at which time Tarqvinius was banished, for the detestable crime and rape of Lucretia, committed by his son: after which time, the tried moderation of nobles or ancient Peers of Rome steeded as a law: for all the authority and jurisdiction consisted in the hands of Senators or Aldermen, which were in number a hundred; who were accustomed to create two yearly consuls, so named, for the provision and consultation that they made for the common wealth. The Thebans of a long time observed this government. This manner of government is this day in Venice, howbeit there is a Duke, which standeth for nought else but for a vain cipher. Such hath been the imperial state of Carthage. In this Aristocratical government, mercenary craftsmen, have not been thought worthy, to have any place of any desert or estimation, appertaining to this or the like government.   

What is a Democraty. Cap. 4.  
DEmocracie is a popular regiment, tending to the common good. 
〈◊〉 de origine iur. 〈◊〉 ex●●●●● usque ad §.  This word Democraty is derived of the Greek word Democratia, in Latin Popularis potentia, in English, the Rule of the Commonalties, who obtained the superiority. This Empire was sustained by gentlemen, whom we this day in England do term Esquires, such a government is at this present time at Switzerland, where the people are divided into Cantons or hundreds, from whence the nobility have been rejected and excluded. Such sort of government was at Florence, until 60. years ago, which afterwards was changed into a Monarchy. So likewise was that Empire of Athens, in which Democraty aforesaid the seed of rashness & lawless lust held the superiority: because in a disordinate multitude the fruits of displeasure, as hate, rebellion, sects, & factions, and other heinous crimes must needs be nourished, by a confusion of misgovernment, for defect of one sole sovereign, in whose hands the first & chiefest form of government depended: which being rightly established, is termed a kingdom, or royalty, which falling into these vices, having most affinity therewith, and being nearest unto it, as into a tyranny of their abolition, ariseth an aristocraty, which is commonly or often changed into an oligarchy & when the people conspireth revengement of the injustice of the governors, there happeneth this inferior government of Democraty, because the virtue of commanders are not always alike. Those men are accounted good members of the Common wealth, which to themselves live least, and most to their citizens, & is hardly to be found in the pernicious state of Democraty, because it is thought a cruel conflict in divers, cumbered with sundry cogitations, to level & aim at the self same mark: insomuch that the desire of the one is the content of the other, & all their desire tend to the commodity of the Common wealth: In which there are 3. principal things to be noted in the governors thereof: First their love towards it that is now established: Secondly, their authority in governing: Thirdly, their virtue and justice: all which are banished out of a Democraty. Wherefore I worthily judge this sort of government, to be the meanest and worst of the three, because there are many that see the beginning of the miseries which arise, but few respecting their own commodity least, that seek to suppress the same. There is no Common wealth more loose than that wherein the common people have most liberty, 
Cicero.  which is their wished desire, Nihil enim magis cupit popularis multitudo, quam potestatem vivendi ut velit, 
Cicero et Floren.  The common people do desire nothing more, than liberty to live at their pleasure, which argueth & showeth their immoderate vanity and lightness, their headlong doings, and unadvised dealings, void of discretion, which procureth deadly sedition, mutinies, & uproars, to the utter destruction of their kingdom. Wherefore there can no greater danger ensue, or happen to a Common wealth then to tolerate the rude, & common sort to rule, who (as their property is) are always noted to be unconstant and wavering, tossed with every sudden blast, and carried with every light chaff, as the Proverb is, Scinditur in contrarium semper instabile vulgus. The weatherlike vulgar are prone to admire every thing, & ready to turn as often as the tide. Wherefore they are rightly accounted to resemble the ugly Hydra, which is said, no sooner to lose one head, then immediately another groweth. here-hence they are called the monstruous beast of many heads, whose Empire beginning Ordine retrogrado resembling the Hebrew, Chaldeake, and Syriake, that are written from the right hand to the left with points in stead of vowels: so this democratical government beginneth topsie turuy, from the meanest to the highest, and as wanting vowels, with the Hebrews, that is, imperial o● royal government, endeth without any point or period, with Fiat destructio.   

What is a Monarchy. Cap. 5.  
A Monarchy is the royal estate of an empire or government, where one sole Prince most magnificently reigneth, assigned unto us as a perfect calm of permanent felicity, against sturdy storms of pinching misery. This word Monarchy is derived of the Greek word Monos & Archos, which in Latin is unius principatus, in English the government of one, in which Commonwealth many cannot fitly govern, 
Homer.  wherefore it is thought expedient, that one should be created sovereign. In the beginning of the world, all people were willing to subject themselves unto a Monarch which was Nimrod; 
Gen. 11.  and so they became civil, calling to mind, that mighty men did lay engines, traps & devices to rifle them. Not long after, being sundry times annoyed by fierce and savage beasts, betook themselves to societies, frequented & resorted unto consorts of a settled stay, fenced and environed within one circuit as their defence and safeguard, which were termed Cities. Likewise every country as hope of safety, desire of security, enforced them to choose a Monarchy, the jews only excepted, who were governed by judges and Commissioners especially elected to administer justice, & continue peace: but they after the custom and manner of other nations desired to have a king, to whom Saul, according to their wished desire was granted, and then were all people governed by kings, and one king of all the world was the Monarch, which Empire or Monarchy first began in Babylon and Assyria, consequently to the Persians', than to the Grecians, last to the Romans it was translated. Plato that divine and famous Philosopher, wished that there were on earth but one King, as there is in heaven but one God, to the end that human government might resemble the divine, which Lord of the world, as a true Messias or shepherd of mankind, should affect & love all men alike, as his natural subjects, guiding them with good manners, laws & judgements, affording them a secure intercourse in all places, so mighty a Sovereign or Potentate, envying no person, and desiring no occasion to enlarge has frontiers by ambition, which would be a means of ceasing so many enormities, wars, slaughters spoils & robberies, incident to men, in respect of plurality and dissensions of government. 
Plato de legibus.  Likewise Zeno the first and chiefest author of the sects of the Stolkes, imagined one universal form of government, tending to this effect, that all men should not live by people & nations, being separated by particular laws, rites, and customs, but that they should acknowledge themselves fellow citizens: & as there was but one sort of life, as there was but one world, none otherwise than as it were but one flock, feeding under one shepherd in common pastures, which is more easily to be wished than effected, considering the disorder amongst men.   

Which of these sorts is the best. Cap. 6.  
THere is no estate so highly established, or so perfectly ordered & managed, to be compared to the royal sceptre of a Monarchy guarded with good and wholesome laws, preventing perils, by imposing penalties on such as haply in tract of time eclipsed with lascivious perturbations of the mind, might otherwhiles infringe the rights of justice, and derogate from equity & truth, if the severity of laws did not somewhat bridle their haughty minds, & repress their froward dispositions, whereupon that the Empire of a Monarch is the soveraignest and chiefest, if my censure may stand for a sentence, may be evidently proved by four reasons. First, in that the peace, unity, concord and tranquillity of the commonalties, 
ff de off. presil. congruit in princ. & autem de mendatis princ. §. deinde conveniens col. 3.  is said and accounted to be the final end of the governor. But this peace, unity & concord, may rather be maintained and augmented through the rule of one, then of many: therefore a Monarchy is best. Secondly, by the rule and government of one, the power of the Common wealth is rather fortified, which may be thus proved: 
Vt autem de consangui. & ut e. infra. § quia igitur col. 6.  Virtue by how much more it is united, is so much the more corroborated, then if it were dispersed into many parts. If therefore the Common wealth be guided by the hands of one supreme governor, it is the rather munified, and by this means the Prince shall with greater power, pomp, and might rule. 
Vt. l. si pri. in. fi. cum l. sequent. ff. de adop.  Thirdly, art or handicraft is the more excellent, by how much more it doth imitate nature. But an universal Common wealth, is nothing else saving an imaginary, 
ff. de iure. l. preponebat & de fideius. l. mortuo.  or artificial perpolited body, seeing that in such a natural body, we do conjecture and see one head and many members: wherefore a City or Monarchy, if it be so governed, it far exceedeth: 
Ad idem ex de off. oc. c. quoniam plerisque & hoc ver. determinatum seven. q. I. cum apibu●.  because it more imitates & resembles nature. Fourthly, provinces which are subject unto many, cannot enjoy peace & tranquillity, but are the rather molested & cumbered with jars, bicker, turmoils, never living in quietness, or possessing rest. But chose, in a Monarchy men are ignorant of quarrels, living in safety & security void of all annoyances, 
Bart. tract. de regimine civitat.  encumbered with no care, abounding with store, & flowing with plenty of all abundance: to which if any will object, that by how much the more the number of rulers are, by so much the more excellent is the government, 
L. hac consultissima infi. et ar. c. de testi. l. iure.  because many are more provident to foresee and prevent casualties which might happen to ensue, & withal, one is easier to be corrupted than many: Therefore the government of many is to be preferred before the government of one: To which I answer, that although a king or Prince is but one, yet he ought to have many prudent and wise counsellors, and in respect thereof he seemeth as many: and amongst many, one who cannot possibly be corrupted, unless all be corrupted, perverted, and prove mutable. Shall we then prove far inferior, and more senseless than the unnatural bruit beasts, which only are by sense guided? they do create & elect one to be their king and chief governor, as experience of the Bees teacheth us, which do make choice of the chiefest Bee, to be a king over all the hieve, 
l. hac consultissima infi. et ar. c. de testi. l. iure.  by which the whole swarm are led and guided, as being more provident and wise than the rest.   

What things are requisite in a King. Cap. 7.  

If. de just. & iure ●. 1.  FIrst a king ought to have reason and knowledge to distinguish justice from injustice, truth from falsehood, lawful from unlawful, allotting no privilege to defraud any of his right, remembering dominion, power, and superiority not only granted him: but withal confidence and trust to be reposed, not to that end he might at his pleasure condemn whom he lust, and effect what he wished; 
Cicero.  but what both law & religion should require, abandoning cruel fear: for the Prince, that is feared of many, needs most to fear many. Quis enim cum diligat quem metuit, aut cum à quo se metui putet? Secondly, a king should have free will, a right and a true meaning to levy every one, not according to affection, but to desert & justice, every man by even portion his own: 
Aristot.  for as the mind of man in itself is more precious and excellent than all the other parts, as being void of indignity and blemish: so ought the judgement and sentence of a king be incorrupt and irreprehensible in all points. Also he should have a perfect constancy to persevere in well doing, that at all times his deeds might prove his doctrines; for constancy & temperance in all points maketh virtue strong. This is proved by the definition of justice, 
Instit. li. 1. Arist. Ethic. li. 1. cap. 4.  which is a constant & a perpetual will, yielding every one his own. For the better accomplishment hereof, four things herein are to be noted: first, the subject wherein this justice is contained, which is Mens omnium pars nobilissima. Secondly, the consideration of the parties in behalf of whom it is put in ure, who are the most dear and loving creatures of God: Thirdly, in respect of the original cause from whence it proceedeth, that is to say, from the omnipotent God, from whom all good things do proceed: Fourthly, in respect of the authority of the person whom he representeth, which is the most glorious father. Also it is expedient for a K. to have wisdom to decide controversy, fortitude to defend his Common wealth, valour to patronize his commonalties security. Wisdom without justice, is but craftiness, justice without temperance is mere cruelty, temperance without fortitude is extreme savageness. To the first, Nunquam enim temeritas cum sapientiae comitatur, 
Cicero.  neque ad consilium casus admittitur. Rashness never accompanieth wisdom, neither is blindhap admitted to counsel. Except wisemen be made governors, or governors wisemen, mankind shall never live at rest, nor virtue be able to patronize and defend herself. 
Plato.  To the second, it behoveth a Prince to have such a zeal & godly courage, that he may always show himself a strong wall for the defence of the truth and security of his subjects. Quis enim non obstare cupiat, 
Cicero.  quis non tantum quantum audet et potest, conferat ad communem salutem. It is requisite for a king to have severity tempered with lenity, to repress the fury of the froward and wicked men, as a scourge allotted to extirpate and root out all iniquity, carrying a majesty in his thought, which might guard his mid from cowardice, as the only privilege to contempt. Majesty is accounted to resemble the lightning from the East; and the threats of a king, the noise of a thunder: wherefore it behoveth a king to place such in authority, as are of an exquisite virtue, & aim lest thereat, and to repel them from government, that press most forwards to attain the same. Also it is expedient for a King, in executing of justice, 
Aristot. Ethi.  in diverse matters to make no procrastination or delay, which causeth oftentimes great dangers to happen: which had it been observed at the first, might easily have been prevented, when as letters were sent from Athens to Archias governor of Polemarches, detecting the treason of certain outlaws who had conspired against him, which letters after the receipt thereof, careless without any perusing he laid all night under his pillow, saying, Because I judge they are weighty matters, I will adjourn them till the morrow. But before the morning his life was taken from him. Which caveat Cicero did put in practice being consul, having a decree and an order to suppress rebels: who assoon as Fulvia the paramour of Quintus Curius had disclosed their intent, prevented it, otherwise he had the same night been slain in his own house, and the whole City fired. It is necessary for a King to be stout & rich, 
Plutarc.  that by the one he may boldly challenge his own, and by the other repress his enemies, which for want thereof many become tyrants, and of over abundance become envious. 
Agesilaus.  A King ought to govern his realm and reign over his people, as a Father over his children, and consider the cause of the innocent, following the example of God, in hearing and regarding the complaint of the distressed & needy, whom God regardeth and pitieth, and as he will not suffer the reprobate to escape unpunished, so will he not permit the injuries done to the innocent, to escape the grave without revenge. Also it is expedient for a prince to have a chary care to his counsellors, in noting who sooth his lust, & tender the public commodity, for thereby shall he decern the good from the bad. 
Plutarc.  In decerning good from evil, he may eschew all enormities and vices, as envy, anger and other odious crimes: for envy is a filthy slime and an impostume of the soul, a perpetual torture to him in whom it resteth, a venom, a bitter bane, a caterpillar or fretting corrosive, which consumeth the flesh, 
Socrat.  and drieth up the marrow of the bones. What destroyed countries? subdued kingdoms? depopulated Cities? but envy. julius Cesar waged war with his own son in law Pompeius, being moved with envy. Qui summum imperium in Repub. gesturi sunt, tria habere debent, primo, amorem erga Rempub. iam constitutam, secundo facultatem adminisirandi et gubernandi: tertio virtutem et justitiam, according unto that of deuteronomy, 
Deut. ca 16.  Thou shalt do according as they teach thee, and not bow either to the right hand, 
August.  or to the left. justice is to God the chiefest incense, and equity without guile is a sacrifice of the sweetest savour, whereby governors must measure nothing by report, but by the way of conscience: for it little availeth a Prince to be Lord of many Monarchies, if on the otherside he become a bondslave to vice: wherefore a Prince ought to abandon anger as a notorious vice. For as Solomon saith, Anger in a King is death: grim & terrible is his countenance, when he is puffed with wrath, hurtful to many, odious to all is the sight thereof. Alexander waxed so furious and angry, 
Valerius li. 9 c. 3.  that he could not permit his dear friend Clitus, to commend his own father king Philip of Macedony. O witless will, O fancy fraught full of frenzy & fury, in stooping without a stall, to such a frantic & vain fury, which in whosoever it resteth, enforceth either to break or bend: as therefore holding the flag of defiance against these lewd vices, let virtue be thy life, justice thy love, honour thy fame, & heaven thy felicity.  
1 Kings ought to be the shelters to poverty, their seats the sanctuaries for the distressed.  
2 As a king excelleth in pomp, power and riches, so ought he to exceed in virtue and wisdom.  
3 Rulers do more heinously offend, in tolerating the company of vicious persons, yielding ill example, because the offence that is committed in his company, is accounted evil.  
4 The duty of a king is to listen & consider the complaint of his people without respect of person.   

Magistrates ought to see justice administered. Cap. 8.  
THe greatest part of the office & duty of kings in ancient time, was to see the administration of justice. Homer the poet may be a sufficient witness, when he faith of Agamemnon, that the Sceptre & law was committed to him by GOD, to do right to every man: answerable to the which (Virgil describing the Queen of Carthage) saith she sat in judgement in the midst of the people, as if there nothing beseemed such a person, but such an action, and therefore the poets not without a cause fame jupiter always to have Themis, that is, justice, at his elbow: signifying, not that whatsoever Kings or Princes did, was justice and lawful, be it never so vile in his own nature, (as that wanton flatterer Anaxarchus said to Alexander) but that equity and justice should always accompany them, and never depart from their sides: & hereupon it was that Adacus, Minos, and Rhadamanthus, the first king of Grecia, were so renowned of old antiquity, because of their true and upright execution of justice; and therefore were not honoured with greater title, than with the name of judges. It is said of K. Alexander, that although he was always busied in the affairs of the wars & in giving battles, yet he would sit personally in judgement to hear criminal causes & matters of importance pleaded; & whilst the accused laid open his accusation with one hand he would stop one ear, to the end the other might be kept pure, & without prejudice for the defence & answer of the accused. The Roman Emperors also were very careful & diligent in this behalf: as first julius Cesar, who is recorded to have taken great pains in giving audience to the parties, & in dealing justice between them. In like manner Augustus Cesar is commended for his care in this behalf, for he would ordinarily sit in judgement upon causes and controversies of his subjects, and that with such delight & pleasure, that oftentimes night was fain to interrupt him before he would give it over: yea, although he found himself not well at ease, yet would he not omit to apply himself to the division of judgement, or else calling the parties before him to his bedside. joran king of Israel son of Achab, though a man that walked not uprightly before GOD, but gave himself to work abomination in his sight, yet he despised not the poor. A famished woman of Samaria, when she demanded justice at his hands, although it was in the time of war, when laws use to be silent, and in the besieging & famishment of the city, neither did he request the Sunamite for the recovery of her house and lands, but caused them to be restored unto her. So that then it is manifest, that those which in old time reigned over the people of God, albeit they had in every city judges, yea, and in jerusalem also, as it appeareth in the 19 chapter or the 2. book of Chronicles, yet they ceased not to give ear to suits and complaints that were made unto them, and to decide controversies that came to their knowledge: & for this cause it is that Wisdom saith, That by her king's reign, & Princes decree justice: whereunto also belongeth that which is said in an other place, that a King setting in the throne of judgement, chaseth away all evil with his eyes.   

What is a tyrant. Cap. 9  
A Tyrant is a superior Governor that ruleth as he listeth, who only reigneth to pleasure a few, & not to the public profit, 
Aristot.  who is accounted a rigorous ill disposed king, that persisteth in extremes, persevering in moodlesse modesty, accustoming to chastise many for the fault of one, which is amongst evils the greatest evil, & amongst tyrants the greatest tyranny, that they of themselves will not live within the precincts, & under the rights of law & justice, nor yet consent that malefactors should receive punishment: he esteemeth it better to have his own palace costly furnished, & the common weal poor, than his palace poor, & the common weal rich. A tyrant is a king chosen by popular & ambitious election, on the behalf of the commonalties, to patronize their cause against the chiefest citizens, preventing injuries, whose property is not to respect the public utility, but only his private commodity, whose glory consisteth in riches & delight, in pleasure and pomp. Such a one was Dionysius the tyrant choose of the Syracusians. The like king was Atreus, brother to Thyestes, & son to king Pelops, who tyrannously slew without compassion three sons of his brother Thyestes, whose blood he caused his brother and their own Father to drink unawares, and having hidden their bodies in a cave, cut off their members, and made their Father to eat thereof. So likewise Astyages played the tyrant, enforcing Harpagus to eat his own son, 
Trogus Pomp.  dressed and served at his table before Harpagus, of which as being ignorant he fed: but not long after, as a reward for this detestable tyranny, Harpagus caused his own nephew young Cyrus to wage war against him: of whom he was overcome & exiled out of his kingdom. Like as a battered or a crazed ship by letting in of water, not only drowneth herself, but all that are in her: so a king or a vicious tyrant, by using detestable enormities, destroyeth not himself alone, but all others beside that are under his government; and though unjust offences escape for a time without penalty, yet never without revenge: wherefore, as many have been remembered through equity & justice, advanced to great honour, even so injurious invasions, oppressions, cursed and reprobated speeches, & sundry enacted cruelties, have been the utter wrack, ruin, and endless decay of famous men, and honourable peers: therefore the miserable wretchedness almost of all savage tyrants, may well yield a sufficient testimony: for not only they were bereaved of their lives, and deprived of dignities, but such as were allied unto them by blood & consanguinity, or adherents by confederacy, in so much that the greatest died the like death, & the rest being spoiled of their goods and possessions, hardly escaped death by banishment, nevertheless they could not happily escape, and avoid the spot of slander and shameful obloquy: and that I may here without offence speak of Phalaris the lewdest and unsatiablest bloodsucker that ever nature yielded, against whom rebelled the whole multitude of the city Agrigentinum; & that I may lightly pass over diverse others with silence, whose manners were infected with the like barbarous cruelty, as being nulled with vice, and weaned from virtue, assuredly all the blood & race of Phistratus by this only way lost their government & principality. What should I speak of the Tarquines? were not they traced in the same vice, and trained in the same ininiquitie, and for the same cause banished Rome, because they regarded no right, but doing all by violence and extreme cruelty? and whereas Sextus Tarqvinius, imitating the lewd and abominable steps and wickedness of his Father, had after many injuries, whereby he had wronged the Romans, before committed, and used violence to chaste Lucretia, lived with his Father and brethren as an outcast and a straggling stranger in a strange country. 
Aristot.  Wherefore it may be well imagined, that such an Empire cannot long endure, because all the government thereof consists in extremes & violence, doing all things without the consideration of justice, truth & equity. Lastly, amongst government or sovereignty, a tyrannical government is the worst, Democraty the second; but amongst these evils, oligarchy is the least evil.  
1 In vain is that Prince which is fortified with terror, & is not guarded with justice.  
2 The tyrant that will lose many friends, to be rid of one foe, may be admired for his policy, but condemned for his impiety.  
3 Tyrants, which by feigned government and blazed virtue do win admirations, are said to buy just possessions with wrongs.  
4 The tyranny of Princes openeth every gap for ruin to enter, which justice keepeth back.   

What is the nature and condition of an oligarchy. Cap. 10.  
THe nature or condition of an oligarchy is, that few nobles, and the chiefest rich men should have the superiority, because the state thereof doth consist of abundance of wealth and riches: therefore what cities or Common wealths were noted to flourish with sumptuous excess of variety, wealth and chivalry, and therein excelled, such cities were termed an oligarchy; as amongst the most people of Asia.   

What difference is between an oligarchy, & a Democraty. Cap. 11.  

Aristot. Politic.  THe politic government of an oligarchy is more severe and strict, and more royal and magnificent, than the government of a Democraty, being of equal authority in all degrees of persons, & more remiss & mild; which government continued in diverse places, & especially at Athens, until such time they sustained the heavy yoke of the thirty tyrants: 
Herodo.  which democratical Empire, as Cicero saith, is most disordinate: for there is no Common wealth more loose, than that, wherein the people have overmuch liberty. This sort of popular government is two fold: the one consisting in the rule & government of the chiefest citizens, the other consisting in the rule of free men. The first, of Theseus and Draco instituted, the second, by Aristides, Pericles and others, haunting after popular applause.   

Of Law. Cap. 12.  
XEnophon that famous philosopher, extolling the Persian laws, testifieth, that their citizens, from their very childhood, were taught to attempt, or almost imagine nothing dishonest or unlawful: after which manner, as it were for the confirming thereof, Draco, as Gellius reporteth being a citizen of Athens, and endued with wisdom & prudence, first of all decreed a law to the Athenians, the which, as Plutarch reporteth, was so bitter and strict, imposing deadly punishment to the transgressors thereof, for every light offence. Whereof proceeded this excellent voice of Demadis, saying, The laws of Draco were written with blood, and not with ink. Of which speech being demanded a reason, he answered, that those Laws imposed overmuch severity. This or the like speeches have been uttered by Anaxerxes to the like effect, who hearing that Solon made a law to the Athenians, he smiled thereat, comparing it to the web of a spider, which is wont to take the lesser flies, and suffer the greater flies to escape and break the web. Whereby he meant, that Solon had used partiality in the constituting thereof, by which means grow many inconveniences: for the law is not too cruel in her frowns, nor too partial in her favours. First, too much extremity and overmuch lenity should not be used, because extreme law sometimes is thought to be extreme wrong, and overmuch lenity breedeth illicentiousnes and sundry vices in all sorts. But omitting these particularities, who so deemeth of the general nature & disposition of laws, taketh his aim amiss, and shooteth wide from the mark: for doubtless the law will tolerate no partiality, the condition thereof being alike to all ages and all degrees: for as Cicero sayeth, Vera lex est recta ratio, naturae congruens, diffusa in omnes, constans sempiterna. True Law is a right reason of nature, agreeing therewith in all points, diffused & spread in all Nations, consisting perpetual: and though men err in construing the true meaning thereof, and albeit diverse in the executing thereof have used partiality, being moved by affection or the like occasion, as Alexander told his father Philippe of Macedon, who hearing and judging the cause of Macheta negligently, & giving no right judgement, told his Father that he had done amiss: against whom also Macheta exclaimed. The which Philip hearing, demanded, Whom dost thou mean? He answered, I speak unto you, desiring that you would hear my cause more attentive, & judge more circumspect. But for that time departing as being angry, within a little after Macheta returned unto him, he considered thereupon, Et quasi meliori judicio, Taking counsel of his pillow, changed his former sentence and judgement. Nevertheless the law, God himself being author thereof, cannot prove mutable: for as Plato saith, Lex nullo affectu movetur, non irascitur, non odit, non ambitione ducitur, diligit omnes, pariterque omnibus indulget. The Law is moved by no affection, and is not puffed up with anger, hatred or ambition, for it loveth all men, and embraceth every one alike, which breedeth quietness to all, increaseth love, augmenteth Charity, and continueth peace and concord amongst all estates; whereof we have manifest proof: For what caused Moses to be highly esteemed, and exceedingly beloved of the jews, but the establishing of their Law, which according to the original hath been invented, both for the maintaining of equity and justice, embracing of virtue, and to salve the decayed estate and frailty of man's nature, which hath been guided by justice, tempered with honesty, instructed by rules, examples and exhortations, from which having swerved to chastise the insolent and haughty behaviour of lewd persons, laws were invented, enacted and devised: whereof there were three sorts: the law of nature, whose virtue is all one, 
justinianus institu. lib. 1.  and the same every where in all, or rather a very notice of God's laws, engrafted in the mind of man. The second is the law of nations, which no otherwise may be described, than of customs, manners, and prescriptions, which is of like condition to all people. Thirdly, Civil law, which is an abridgement derogating many illicentious customs, which grew by perverseness and corruptness of nature: and this is termed Peculiar, used by one kind of people; 
justinian. lib. 1.  civil, Quasi unius civitatis proprium. Besides these, there have been other laws called Moral, of the x. Commandments, & ceremonial laws & rites enjoined to the Levites, besides the laws of Moses, & many other judicial statutes of natural policies, of which I need not to speak. But to draw nearer to my purpose, and to speak more proper, I think it not amiss, to lay down somewhat of the law of Aristotle, which he calleth, Ius legitimum, & seemeth to have some affinity with this our law of England, being made by common consent prescribing thereunto: wherefore in my judgement, it may well challenge the name of Statute law, or Act enacted and concluded in a parliament: all which laws were invented for the upholding of truth, maintaining of justice, being as a measure which God hath ordained amongst men in earth, to defend the feeble from the mighty, for the suppressing of injuries, & to root out the wicked from among the good, which prescribeth these special points, To live honestly, to hurt no man wilfully, to render every man his due carefully, as proceeding from the mind of God, furthering what is right, & prohibiting what is wrong, according to the definition thereof; which is termed a singular reason imprinted in nature, as an unviolable & perpetual good, without which no house, no city, no country, no estate of man, no natural creature, nor yet the world itself can firmly consist: for those cities, in which there are no laws, imposing penalties of sin, and yielding a reward to the good, may be counted rather wild forests for Tigers, then inhabitable places for men: yet the most necessary law for the Common wealth is, that the people among themselves live in peace & unity, without strife and dissension.  
1 Every man in general loveth law, yet they all hate the execution thereof in particular.  
2 The law judgeth with extremity, and equity with lenity.  
3 He is much to be condemned, that lives in fear of judgement, neglecting the rights of law.  
4 The heart that loveth the Prince loyally, observeth his laws carefully, and defendeth his country valiantly, is to be commended far above all others.   

Of Magistrates. Cap. 13.  
FOr the executing of laws, and the observing of justice, Magistrates are to be ordained, which are the tongues of law, and law a mute Magistrate, who should be both religious and godly: for the only motions thereof, are the most special guard of a flourishing Common wealth, whose property above all others, is to show themselves godly patterns of equity and piety, because the people might so much the more fear to live reckless and ruthful: in the discharging & accomplishing whereof, they should remain constant, & not subject to any chance or transmutation, nor by any way led either by friendship or affection, or seduced by any other sinister means, as bribery, or riches, which though a man abound with never so great store, yet deserveth he not to enjoy the function of a magistrate, unless he be adorned with sundry virtues, and qualified with rare qualities, as diverse learned men have verified, weighing not the outward value, but the inward virtue. Wherefore Demonax when he saw a jolly swain sit in his Scarlet gown, well pleasing his own humour, beholding himself placed in the Theatre of dignity, said unto him, Sir, this rob of yours was a sheeps coat, before it came to your back; noting that his wealth or gay attire could not shroud his rustic manners. Whereby we may learn, that it is not only wealth, gay attire, or gorgeous robes, nor yet gravity of years without wisdom, knowledge, prudence, and other virtues, that can cause a man to deserve that place, wherein he is to minister justice & equity: riches cannot alter simplicity, nor wealth procure prudency; and as for gravity of years & ripeness of age, it is a thing which ought somewhat to be regarded, if so be it carrieth a smack of virtue and a taste of wisdom, for experience hath a great prerogative, because gravity of years furthereth credit: but as for wealth only they are not to be esteemed, neither should a Magistrate in consideration thereof be chosen; for abundance of riches maketh him to live securely, and want of wisdom, to attempt any thing wilfully, for ignorance is a blind guide, and a rude mistress, & none prove more bold than blind baiards: but yet I deny not, but measure of wealth is necessary to maintain honour: but how soever, it is hard to rule, and troublesome to undertake the charge: for the executing of justice is an office that must be strengthened by zeal, and zeal maketh equity invincible, by which means they must needs offend some; for that which seemeth just to many, is offensive to others, and seemeth unjust: so by judging rightly they must offend men, and in effecting the contrary, they displease God: wherefore as being difficult, and the burden over-weighty, it was reported, that Pompey being cumbered with his honour, exclaimed to see Sulla's cruelty, being ignorant after what sort to behave himself in the dignity he had, & cried out, O peril and danger never like to have an end. Whereby it appeareth, that he thought it far better, to proceed from a mean and base stock, that thereby he might lead a private and quiet life, then to be employed in any politic government. As therefore the consideration of the charge is great, and the execution weighty, so for the better accomplishment of both, should none but the worthiest approach thereunto, whose worthiness and dignity should as much grace the place, as the place his person. But leaving these circumstances, I will approach unto the Magistrates, of which, as Aristotle sayeth, there are in general two kinds which do bear office; whereof he calleth one a necessary Magistrate, without which a city cannot rightly stand. Of the sorts of Magistrates belonging to the first kind, there is one politic, which is employed about civil matters, as were those of the city of Rome, conversant about civil affairs, & munera municipialia, by which means they were partakers with the citizens of any gift or reward, which by right they might challenge in regard of their civil offices. There is an other holy or godly magistrate which is busied in divine affairs. The aforesaid politic Magistrate, is either a superior officer, or an inferior: superior officers were they, in whose hands all the government did depend or consist, as in the city of Rome, wherein the Senators were the superior officers, or as some would have, the Patricians were the superior officers, who were made by the Centurion convocation, and as thought necessary, confirmed Lege curia. The inferior officer was accustomed to care and foresee common matters, and inquired of any lawful or unlawful thing committed, and after what sort they were done, whether just or unjust, & assisted other officers in executing their duties. Such officers also were in the city of Rome, which were thought to be the common people, created Lege Tributa and this inferior was of two sorts, either of small note or account, or of lesser regard or estimation▪ they that were of small account, they again were either in the town, because townsmen, or without the town and precincts, which were termed of the suburbs, The urbane and town officers, were those which were careful overseers, providing all things necessary, & supplying the want thereof, instituted to make provision, and procuring reformation either of dilapidations, or any decayed or ruinated thing to be amended. The Magistrates that were without the city or suburbs, were the overseers of the fields, and provided wood and such necessaries. The foresaid Divine officers, were those which were busied in godly and holy matters: of which there were two sorts, either those which did accomplish holy and divine things, or else did care and provide for holy matters: they that busied themselves in holy matters, were Priests and Preachers: those that cared for holy and divine affairs, were inferior ministers, unto whom the charge of the holy sanctuary was committed, and those were termed, Quaestores sacri: or High priests. The Magistrate belonging to the first kind, that Aristotle called, Less needful, was required as an ornament for civil life, for reformation of manners.  
1. Magistrates are commonly called Physicians of the public weal, yielding a potion for the ridding out of all distemperate humours.  
2. The Magistrate that politicly intendeth the good of the common weal, may be termed upright, but he that practiseth only for his own profit, is a vicious, and a lewd Magistrate.  
3. A Magistrate is likened to a running or springing fountain, which the more it runneth, the greater and wider it openeth the path: even so a good Magistrate, the longer he ruleth, the greater sway in subverting vices he beareth.  
4. The only scope of a magistrate, is to glorify God in the executing of justice, discharging of his duty, and causing men to live uprightly, and further the truth.   

Of Counsellors. Cap. 14.  
FOr the advising and directing of the commonalties in all affairs without confusion, and the procuring of the security of the common wealth in all estates, counsellors are necessary to be required, and thought expedient, to resolve all doubts, to decide debates, & deliberate wisely, as well in time of peace, as war, what are to be effected, what enterprise to be taken in hand, lest that folly giving the mate, the commonalties by their wisdom might with more ease avoid the check: for he that is forewarned by counsel, of imminent danger, against all future mishap and calamity, may thereby prevent perils, if it be possible, or if by sinister fortune it may not be eschewed, than he may bear the cross with more patience and smaller grief: for happy is he that is warned by other men's harms, and such are most miserable, that are wise by their own woes. Counsellors are called by Lycurgus, The Champions of the Common wealth, and by divers other learned authors, The keys of certainty, The sacred anchor or defence of the Common weal, being one mind, seeing with many eyes, and working with sundry hands, and for wisdom, exceeding in consultation, as being many, and yet consenting in one, and all for the prosperity of the common wealth, to which end they are constituted, some weighing & forecasting imminent perils and inconveniences, which want no damage; others, searching out remedies, which have their profits and emoluments. These counsellors being garnished with learning and experience, ought deliberately and vigilantly, to tender the security of the common wealth, preferring the public profit, before their particular commodity, as having these circumstances before their eyes, premeditating whether it be lawful or unlawful, whether necessary, with the considerations thereunto annexed, comparing honesty and credit, as twins and adherents together; and in the diversity of these causes, which is most honest and most profitable, omitting no circumstances: for as Cicero saith, A discreet and wise counsellor never yieldeth his consent, or prescribeth to any Act or Statute, to be promulgated & proclaimed, before he hath some singular reason conceived with himself, as a sufficient token and proof thereof, or else hath learned of others, the cause wherefore the same should be worthily executed & established. He that doth nothing without counsel or advice, needs not to repent him of his deed: for it is the beginning and ending of every good work. 
Cicero.  He that will not at the first hand buy counsel good cheap, shall at the second hand, buy repentance dear. Wherefore let none contemn the counsel of their friends, 
Pythago.  nor reject the advice of the wise, preferring his wit before their wisdom, nor lean to wilfulness, lest had I wist come too late. For none is of such perfection, that he may have an instant remembrance of all things. Romulus the first king of the Romans, in the first constitution of their common weal, having of his own people, not above three thousand footmen, and three hundredth horsemen, yet selected and picked out of the eldest and wisest of them all, one hundred counsellors, thinking that the common wealth could not rightly be governed without them.  
A common wealth, is like the Celedonie stone, which retaineth her virtue no longer, than it is rubbed with gold: so the happy state of the common wealth flourisheth no longer, than it retaineth counsellors: which whosoever wanteth, though he possesseth never so great store of riches, enjoyeth care to himself, envy for his neighbours, spurs for his enemies, a pray for thieves, toil for his person, anguish for his mind, a cumbersome scruple and care for his conscience, danger for his friends, woe for his children, wretchedness to his heirs, in that he findeth ready way to heap riches, and wanteth counsel to dispose his gettings. The Ninivites overweaned with wantonness, their surcoates being of bliss, all polished with gold, pampering themselves with palpable follies, as wanting counsel, until jonas by his Ambrosian and divine counsel, reclaimed them to a better conformity.  
The Oracle of Apollo at Delphos, being demanded, Why jupiter should be the chiefest of the gods, sith Mars was the best soldier? answered, Mars is valiant, but jupiter wise: concluding by this, that counsel and policy are of more force to subdue, than valour: parva sunt arma foris, 
Cicero.  nisi sit consilium domi: Weapons do little stead in wars, unless there be Counsel at home to direct them. The necessity whereof, the equal authority in all degrees of a Democratic, may be a lively witness, who did all things without counsel or advice, void of discretion in their furious outrages and follies, imposing most cruel torments undeservedly upon divers innocent persons, and condemning most sage & wise Counsellors by false surmises, as Solon, & Photion, to the utter decay and ruin of their Common wealth: & therefore in no wise are counsellors to be wanted in a common weal, that are meet for so necessary a charge, whose worthiness (no doubt) consisteth in manner, wholly in their good example of honest and godly conversation & orderly living. The which saying, Demosthenes well declared to the people of Athens, when Philip king of Macedon, under colour dissembled peace with the city, and so offered truce, upon condition, that they would deliver Demosthenes and nine other, which he thought of most force against him in their common counsels: of which if he had obtained his expectation, no doubt but he thought, the want thereof would the sooner cause him to captivate their whole city, and endanger their lives; which being denied, procured the city's security.  
1 Counsel is a sweet conserve, and advice the purest auditor.  
2 In counsels we must be hard to resolve, and constant to perform.  
3 We are warned by the wise, not to accept the counsel of the worldly man, whose advice will prove to be his own desire.  
4 Counsel is the sure ground of reason, and the scourge of the wicked is law.   

Of judges. Cap. 15.  
Judges are the Physicians of the Common wealth, ordained to administer justice, to decide controversies, and for the punishing of malefactors, by whose means worldly quietness is preserved & truth maintained. In these judges there are 4. things to be considered: first, to hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly, and to give judgement without partiality: which are no less necessary, then is the soul in a living body. For being indifferent to both parties, he reduceth that to equality, which he thinketh unequal: not unlike unto a line cut into unequal parts; that part which is too long is cut shorter, & added to the other. So doth the judge, being the living law, & as it were an Oracle in the common weal. The judge ought also to account himself an interpreter to lawmakers, a minister of justice, and his chief virtue must be, to know what is just and true: he ought therefore not to serve from law, and the meaning thereof, but give judgement as the law, equity, & justice doth command: for which respect it behoveth him to be sworn, to the end that God may be present to witness his intent & conscience, which of all other things God hath made in man most divine. Let the judge be free from ire, and all suspicion of hope, love, and hatred, not corruptible with gifts, not fearful of threats, nor by flattery seduced: for where judges are subject to these passions, justice is far removed from the judicial seat, and the judge himself. For there is nothing that infecteth the Common wealth more with seditious hate, and injuries, than the corruption and injustice of judges, By good & equal judgements, the love universal of men is preserved, quarrels, enmities, wars and sedition are thereby appeased, because they are in every estate of such great force, as by good judgements, the whole Common wealth doth seem to be maintained, and by evil judges subverted. This justice which concerneth judgement, hath greatest power to extirpate vices in all estates: for if offenders be punished, there will be no place left for violence, fraud and audaciousness, presumption & injuries. The person of judges was by the ancient Philosophers painted like unto a fair virgin, having a severe & fearful aspect, piercing eyes, chaste and modest countenance, inclined to gravity: which image seemeth to represent, that judges ought to be incorrupt, chaste, severe, sharp witted, good conceivers of all things, grave, constant, & inexorable. Cambyses, king of Persia, caused the skin of one unjust judge, to be slayed from his body, & hanged up in the place of judgement, to the end that thereby, all judges might be warned to be just and upright. In like manner ought our counsellors to take heed that their justice (which extendeth to all sorts of people) may be most dutiful, and that both in making and executing of Laws, he may show himself a man of a singular justice: for it were shame for him not to observe Laws, who is the executer of them. He commandeth others, & the law commandeth him, not that law only which is written in books, & tables of brass, but the living law of reason which remaineth in our minds. julius Cesar had such regard of equity and justice, after he had obtained the government of Rome, that he never omitted any pain or labour, as well in common causes, concerning the defence and assistance of the innocent, as also in hearing and studiously discussing all controversies, almost daily in his own proper person. But happy were those days wherein Basil the Emperor of Constantinople lived, that whensoever he came to his judgement seat, found neither party to accuse, nor defendant to answer; which was a sign of an upright living. Herein might that of Solon be said to be observed, who being asked how the common wealth might be preserved: answered, If the people obey the Magistrates, & the Magistrates be vigilant in executing justice, and in obeying the Laws. And also that of Bias verified, who said, that the Common wealth might be best assured, where all men lived uprightly, not transgressing the laws, yet fearing them no less than a tyrant. It were then a thing most unfit and unconvenient in all estates, that the law should be reputed, as the spider's web, to take hold of the weak or simple, and suffer the strong and mighty to pass: of which error judges should be heedful, endeavouring themselves to love, observe, & continually be careful, how the Laws may inviolably be preserved, to which all men are servants, that they might be freemen.  
1 A wise judge always prefers consideration before conclusion.  
2 judges ought to dispatch with speed, and answer with patience.  
3 The judge himself incurreth the fault, when the guilty person is pardoned.  
4 Happy is the country, whose judges are just men, & whose just men are judges.   

Of Economics, or domestical Government. Cap. 16.  
Having handled of the two parts of regiment, which are requisite in every action in general of all men, either in a Monastike life, that is solitary, or in a politic; now it followeth next, that I should handle of that part, which is required in a Domestical government, ordered for the right managing of the affairs thereunto belonging, which consisteth in the well governing & disposing thereof, whose end is to be prudently governed, for the credit of every one that is a governor or master thereof: for a family consisteth either of those things which are to be ordered or governed, or else of them which are the Lords, Masters or governors thereof, who have authority of all things thereunto appertaining, as of wife, children and servants. First, the man and wife being by a divine ordinance of God, linked together in wedlock, and of two bodies being made one, should love one another mutually without dissension, jars, & broils, comforting one an other in distress, and rejoicing with one another in prosperity, so that the desire of the one, should be the content of the other, the husband tendering the wife, as the weaker vessel, and providing all things needful, supplying the wants of his family: so likewise the wife obeying her husband, with all modesty and decency, and of that provision made by the husband, endeavouring herself to play the good housewife, which procureth love and unity on both parts: otherwise there would be no domestical government, neither is that man fit to govern any where, or to bear authority, that cannot govern his own house: the which was objected to Philip King of Macedony, who would have pacified the strife risen in the City, and read a book of exhortation unto the people: to whom they said, his admonition would little prevail to govern them, when he could not govern his own house at home, because he, his wife and son were at a continual discord at home. Wherefore in this government, and for the maintaining hereof, man and wife should not disagree, imitating the example of Hector & Andromache his wife, who loved each other so entirely, that Hector grieved more at his departure from his wife, than for parents, children & his whole country, as Homer testifieth. By the observing hereof, all things may rightly be ordered, and household affairs well managed, being so governed. First, the parents of children are to have great care in the orderly bringing up of them, who first begin to live with the mother, which should have great care in the nursing and tenderly using thereof, after the manner of the Grecians and Persians, who never were accustomed to see their sons, until they were ready to be trained up in wars: the mother having discharged her charge and done her task, than the Father is to have them brought up in learning, & trained in nurture: for after what sort they are at the beginning taught, they will taste of the same in their old age, even as a twig that youngly sprouting is bend & made crooked, proveth a crooked old tree: which Aristotle in the end of his moral books testifieth, arguing upon certain opinions, that most of all may fashion an honest & civil life, to the which some partly thereunto are inclined by nature, some reformed & framed by good usage & custom, as by doctrine & other precepts: Hereupon he concluded at last, that use and custom are of most force: for wherein children are trained up in their young & tender age, thereof they must needs savour in their ripe years: As that of Horace, Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem, testa diu: That which is once bred in the bone, is hardly rooted out of the flesh, wherefore education is so necessary, that it doth not only guide them, which nature hath made of a perfect disposition: but also correcteth & reformeth that which nature hath left unpolished. What difference is between man and beast, but reason? what instructeth reason, but education? without which we are worse than the senseless brute beasts. Doubtless then we are as much bound to our teachers for our education, as to our parents for the begetting of us: for of the one we have our being, and of the other our well-being, who temper our crooked nature, which otherwise should remain deformed. What force therefore this education worketh, may be well approved by Socrates answer to the physiognomer that judged him lewd by his exterior countenance. To whom Socrates said, I confess that I am by nature such a one, but by good instruction & education I am better fashioned. By which answer, he likened youths unto soft wax, apt to receive every impression, who should be handled as one would fill a glass with a narrow mouth, by pouring in the water with a pipe by little and little: meaning that the tender childhood of young ymps, is most gently to be handled and mildly to be entreated, until they approach unto the age of discretion, which is limited to be at 14. years, at which time obedience & good manners should be engrafted in them. Hereof may Photion be a lively witness, who was wished by a friend of his to provide for his children, that they might increase & maintain the honour of his ancestors: to whom he said, As for my children if they embrace virtue, which I ever endeavoured to teach them, the little possessions I have shall make them deserve more, but if they prove otherwise, let no man be of that opinion, that I their father will provide any thing to maintain their pomp & riot. This is a worthy sentence of all men to be embraced, and a right precept for the fathers to instruct their children, confirmed with that saying of Menedemus which he used to his son Clinia, 
Terence , Ego te meum ●antisper dici volo, dum id quod te dignum est facias. So long shalt thou be my son, as thou behavest thyself with honesty: but if the father neglects to reform his son with this precept, or forgets to have him instructed and brought up by a right compass of education, what pity doth the want of education breed, whereof the child shall have just cause to curse the parents, and the parents in their decrepit age to condemn themselves, when the child shall impute all to the security of his licentious nurturing, which bringeth oft-times to the children an unhappy end, and causeth the father with Augustus to repeat that saying of Homer, Coniuge non ducta natis utinam caruissem. I would that I had never married wife, so that I had never been troubled with children: which he uttered in respect of his vicious daughter julia, whom his overmuch remissness at first had caused to prove so lewd. But omitting to speak further of this reformation, leaving it to the consideration of parents, who have more discretion in the governing hereof, than I can prescribe, I think it not a miss to speak a word or two concerning the government of servants: for as magistrates & officers are ordained and instituted to minister justice: so it is expedient that every householder and master of servants, should rightly govern the state of his own house, that servants therein excersicing obedience, might the rather be admitted to the general condition of the public government, imitating the good example of their Master laid before them, who is to use his servants after a moderation of chastisement: because many servants are of that nature and condition, that they will do more by one mild or gentle word, than with a thousand severe stripes: the Master thus teaching & instructing them unto honesty, they may live more uprightly, and think the yoke of service sweet, and the burden light, which procureth credit to the Master, & commendation to the servants.  
1 Every beginning cometh by nature: but the progress by household education.  
2 Governors of families not endued with wisdom, in stead of good government do bring forth briars and brambles.  
3 That man holdeth his goods in danger, his house in suspicion, his honour in balance, and his life in peril, that cannot govern his own family.  
4 The force of Samson, the prudence of Augustus, the cautels of Pyrrus, the patience of job, the sagacity of Hannibal, & the vigilancy of Hermogenes, be not sufficient to govern that house, where man and wife are not at unity.  
5 That house may be rather termed a den for wild beasts, and a receptacle of fools, than a dwelling for man & wife, which is not rightly managed.   

Of Virtue. Cap. 17.  
NOw I come to entreat of the means whereby a Common wealth is preserved, safely munified, and rightly polished. 
Aristot.  Which as Aristotle & divers others do affirm, is by virtue; for the end of a city and Common wealth (that is, the happiness and felicity thereof) is concluded to proceed of a good life, which must require virtue, which to us is an impregnable tower, a flood that needeth no flowing, a perpetual during treasure, an invincible army, a strong fortress, a true harbinger, a burden supportable, a balm that presently cureth, & an eternal honour that never dieth. 
Socrat. in Phoed.  For (as Socrates saith) virtue is a thing that conducteth us unto immortality, and maketh us equals with the heavens, and is called, An elective habit of the mind, agreeing with reason and moderation of nature, 
Aristot. Politic. cap. 8. & 9  consisting in a Mediocrity between two extremes, the one in defect, and the other in excess: wherefore it excelleth all other things in goodness. For if by liberality, substance, health, and living, our country, parents, and children do well, it happeneth in respect of virtue, which doth advance all, and under whose wings all things are hatched, which resembleth the Chameleon, that is of all colours saving white: so virtue tasteth of all diversity excepting vice. This virtue is well compared by a wise Philosopher, to the letter Y: which is small at the foot, and broad at the head, meaning, that to attain virtue, it was difficult and hard, but the possessions thereof were passing pleasant, for thereby we are said to attain everlasting felicity, that is to wit, by virtues actions, which are of two fold: The one variable or mutable, the which may soon be changed or hindered, especially the objects & means which are used in the attaining thereof being taken away: and this action hath no fellowship, society, or affinity with felicity. The other constant and invariable, which is firm and perfect, intending a good effect, always persevering in action and contemplation, which by no means may be hindered or enforced to prove a changeling; and this action is mere felicity, which ought to be in a Common wealth well established: which being otherwise neglected, or lightly regarded, and slightly practised, or on the contrary side immoderately used, might engender sundry vices: 
Plato in Tymae●.  for all immoderate actions on both sides are hurtful to nature. For he that on this side flieth peril in an honest cause, is termed timorous and fearful: and he that on the other side adventreth overmuch, is termed rash: therefore virtue is said to consist between extremes, as not participating thereof. The due observation of this virtue, maketh a stranger grow natural in a strange country, and the vicious a mere stranger in his own native soil, which if it be so, that the efficacy of this virtue is so great and worketh such wonders, no marvel that Aemilius Paulus, when it was reported him being a sacrificing, that one of his sons, the elder by birth, was slain in the field: therewith being moved, threw off his laurel and triumphing crown, & within a little pausing and deliberating with himself, at last asked after what sort his son lost his life, and yielded up the ghost: to whom it was told, that he was deprived thereof valiantly fight, & at last breathing became breathless. At which saying being comforted, he laid on his triumphing crown again, protesting and calling the gods to witness, that he conceived greater pleasure at the death of his son (because of his virtue) than grief and sorrow for his death. Seeing virtue hath such a disposition and power of the reasonable part of the mind and soul of man, which bringeth unto order and decency the unreasonable part being out of square and frame, causing it anew to propound a convenient end, to her own affections & passions, by which means the soul abideth in a comely and decent habit, accomplishing and discharging in all duty and uprightness of life, what ought to be done according to reason. Who then respecting the properties thereof, would not with all might and main, endeavour to be traced and trained herein, wearing this as his recognisance and chief badge, which ever glistereth and shineth, though it be never so much obscured whereof Socrates having sufficient trial, was wont to give these precepts to his scholars, That they should every morning behold their Physiognomy in a looking glass, wherein if they should seem fair, than they should employ themselves in Virtue, that they might inwardly resemble the outward appearance: if deformed, then should they especially endeavour themselves in virtuous actions, that thereby they might by the inward virtue, shrowded their outward deformity.  
1 It is the property of virtue, in suffering patiently to overcome.  
2 The first degree to virtue, is, to admire virtue in an other man.  
3 Virtue getteth no superiority by birth, nor prudence by years: for there may be old fools, and young counsellors.  
4 Virtue is a seemly goddess of toil, imagination the mistress of fools, levity the pride of nature, and dissension the ruin & overthrow of families.   

Of Prudence. Cap. 18.  
PRudence is a busy searcher, and true inventor of verity, which alloweth nothing to have fellowship with the truth, except it be seasoned with reason, and tempered with wisdom. This virtue is allowed as a sovereign precious good and is termed the very touchstone of truth, which guideth the steps of men, in an unfallible way, to the attaining and understanding of virtue, which procureth felicity. Cicero defineth this virtue to be the knowledge of things which ought to be wished or obtained, & of those things which ought to be eschewed, like a provident mother foreseeing what with decency should be accomplished in every enterprise, who prepareth a convenient & fit abode, where all other virtues might securely execute and discharge their several duties and offices: for she accustometh to be conversant in the choosing of good and evil, being the captain and mistress of all other virtues whom she feedeth. This virtue cannot easily be tainted, or inveigled with any lewd canker of vanity, nor fettered within the bonds of folly, being guarded with all the troops of virtues, and tried in the fire of zeal, shining bright, and yielding a fragrant smell and favour to the nostrils of the lovers and possessors thereof, like a beam proceeding from the clear sun, which doth not only lighten and kindle the affection, but also doth illuminate the understanding and knowledge of man: wherefore wise men have laid a difference between science & prudence, saying, that science is a dead knowledge of things, which of itself cannot change the will, in such sort that it may embrace and follow the known good, and avoid the evil, which is evident in wicked men, imbrued with vice, & endued with knowledge. Wherefore Socrates was wont to admonish his scholars, that in all their life time, they should have these three things in memory, to wit, Prudence in mind, which is an inviolable castle (as Antisthenes saith) Silence in their tongue, and shamefastness in their countenance, without which, nothing may be done wisely: because prudence is the prince and guide to all other virtues, wherein the knowledge of our sovereign good, and the end of our life dependeth. Wherefore we may in no sort behave ourselves more prudently, then by considering how we may deal imprudently. Such a prudent man was Agesilaus king of the Lacedæmonians, who, when there was a battle to be pitched at Mantinia, by his subjects the Lacedæmonians, counseled them thus wisely, that they should bend all their force and strength, and level at Epiminondas, saying, It was a point of prudence to cut off the heartiest soldier first of all; meaning that valiant men were the causers of victory, which when they had observed, obtained the conquest, and so prevented the danger, and preserved their lives & safety. Whereby it was concluded, that in war one prudent man was of greater force to subdue, than an whole army of unwisemen. For (as Homer saith) Ille sapit solus, volitant alii velut umbrae. Likewise joseph so excelled in prudence, in advising Pharaoh to provide a man of wisdom and understanding, and set him over the land of Egypt, saying, Let Pharaoh make and appoint Officers over the land, and take up the first part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years: also let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the city, and let them keep it; so the food shallbe for the provision of the land, 
Gen. 41.  against the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not for famine. & the saying pleased Pharaoh and all his servants, and therefore accounted joseph a most prudent and wise man. In like sort the prudence of Lycurgus, the reformer & lawmaker of the Lacedæmonians was the cause of the maintenance of their flourishing estate above 500 years, so that it was the chiefest in all Greece, both for glory, & excellency of government: from whence they digressed not, until such time as they wholly neglected those laws, and godly ordinances the which he gave them. Wherefore to conclude, the vigour & strength of this virtue in all actions, whether it be in general to all in a Monastike life, or Economical appertaining to families, or politic which is the chiefest of all, used to the good of the Common wealth, hath such efficacy, that nothing without the same may rightly be effected: for the confirmation whereof and a final conclusion, we need no more than the lively example of Argos, which had his head environed with a hundred watching eyes: signifying unto us, that he was every way endued with great prudence, and singular discretion: wherefore if a Pagan and a Heathen man, by the reports of the Poets, so excelled in the atchivement of virtue, wisdom, and prudence, how much the rather ought we Christians to be furnished with the same, as an only ornament of all actions? For although the wit of man is most precious and apt to all goodness, glistering as the iron & brass, more & more in wearing, whose sharpness and brightness is like the sparkle that soonest kindleth desire; though eloquence be a divine influence, and invention the daerling of nature: nevertheless invention bringeth forth oft times a rude & deformed matter, and eloquence singeth a song harsh, void of tune & concord of true melody, without prudence: by which men are always clothed and invested with a mild and settled disposition, wherein it steadeth them no less, than a ship floating on the Sea, doth the presence of a Pilot that may prudently undertake, & wisely execute whatsoever he knoweth to be good, after mature deliberation and consideration of all the circumstances of the fact. If therefore a governor be not endued with prudence & learning, civil policy cannot be maintained, and his Empire or government availeth not.  
1 Prudence reformeth abuses past, ordereth things present, & foreseeth things to come.  
2 justice without Prudence, is dissolved into cruelty, temperance into fury, and fortitude into tyranny.  
3 It is a point of great Prudence, to lament the life of a wicked man, more than the death of the just.  
4 To the prudent it is more pleasant to hear counsel mixed with mirth, then to the foolish to want sport mixed with rudeness.  
5 He that searcheth out prudence, findeth treasure in this life and enjoyeth perfect happiness in the life to come.   

Of Fortitude. Cap. 19  
FOrtitude is an invincible virtue, or courage of the mind, undertaking any peril in an honest & good cause: also it is defined of some, to be a fiery humour of the spirit, inflaming the mind with boldness in all assays, & conducting the body thorough a million of perils, in attempting hard adventures, because nothing ought to be hard for a valorous man to attempt, which might daunt & abate his courage. This virtue is of two sorts, either consisting of the mere strength of the body, which ought not to be termed fortitude, because there be many men that have stout bodies and great strength, and yet cowards: And is therefore called natural vigour, or else fortitude, otherwise it is taken for the constancy of the mind, and so it is termed a moral virtue: wherefore by the assent of the Philosophers, it deserveth the uppermost room and the greatest dignity amongst moral virtues, for two considerations. First, in respect of the primate and chiefest man, whose mind attaineth this virtue. Secondly, in respect of the whole city which he enjoyeth, and in enjoying defendeth her territories and turrets, adventuring any enterprise for the security thereof. The properties of this virtue consist in two things: First in despising outward casualties, not being moved to admire thereat: in admiring, not to desire or wish any thing but what is honest, holding the flag of defiance against the allure and beck of fortune, suffering all things patiently, if any thing happen bitter or grievous, which is a token of an invincible mind, as Cicero saith, 
Cicero.  Si quid obtigerit, aequo animo paratoque morear, neque enim turpis mors forti viro potest accidere, neque immatura consulari, nec misera sapienti. The second is, that if thou art of that mind and courage, see thou employ thyself in those things which are most difficult and full of peril, which may as well conserve the life of man, as sundry other things thereunto appertaining, that it may be said as it was of a certain Philosopher, who being busied touching his countries affairs, and pleading truce for his friends lives, happened to fall into the lapse of his enemies, and having many cowardly soldiers, who regarding neither their friends lives, nor their own countries security, most timorously flying, demanded of this valiant man what they should do: to whom he answered, that they should report to those that were alive, that he valiantly fight for their security died: and I will in like sort report to the dead, that you escaped cowardly, as being the last in the field, and first in flight. We see therefore, that courage, and magnanimity, are daunted with no danger, and yet conquer by perseverance, & triumph with honour. So then as we shall find our bounden duty to honour our country, with all gratitude, & to defend it with all power and might, showing ourselves valiant and courageous, following the example of Curtius the Roman, when there appeared a great gulf in the market place, which could by no means be stopped; & an answer being given by the Oracle, that it was only to be stopped by that which was of most value to the city of Rome, he deeming that the city had nothing so precious as stout & valiant men, armed himself and leapt into the gulf, which stopped immediately: declaring thereby how light, men ought to esteem their lives, when as the same might yield profit and commodity to their country, in regard of such adventures which every man ought in the behalf of his country to enterprise. here-hence it happeneth out sometime, that divers rash & wilful men, carried with an erroneous opinion, do esteem it mere cowardness, not to fight for every light offence, which is well approved to be otherwise, as Alexander the son of Mammena testifieth: who hearing that Artaxerxes the king of the Persians, came with a great army of soldiers, about to invade the Roman Empire: it behoveth valiant & moderate men (said Alexander) to wish always the best, & to bear patiently whatsoever happeneth contrary to their expectation: for it is the point of fortitude, neither to encombate for every small trifle, triumph in prosperity, nor yet to be dismayed in adversity: concluding with Cicero, that a valiant man should be always girded with patience, & guarded with constancy: the one to persever in well doing, the other to tolerate sundry enormities: 
Cicero.  for, Forts & magnanimi sunt, non qui faciunt, sed qui propulsant iniuriam. Calling to mind, that not only they which do offend are valiant men, but they which do defend. Hereupon Laches demanded of Socrates what Fortitude was: he answered, It was a virtue, by which a man not forsaking right and custom, repelleth the force of his enemy: which he confuted, saying, 
Plato.  A man after the manner of the Scythians, no less in flying, then in persisting, overcometh his enemy, and so in like manner may be called a valiant man. Wherefore Homer calleth him a valiant man, which dareth according to opportunity, and as time, place, and occasion shall require, boldly resist or fear his enemy: gathering hereby, that a valiant man or light not for every trifle or light occasion fight or encombat: For it is a rude thing (as Cicero saith) after the manner of beasts to commit such wilful rashness, unless it be in defence of country, or for virtue & honesty sake, regarding both time, place, & the person: for as he is called desperate and rash, that fighteth for every small matter: so again are they accounted valiant, that suffer and tolerate small injuries, unless they impair their credit, or derogate ●●om their honesty: then if they resist not an ini●●e if it be offered, they are in as great a fault (as Cicero saith) as if they should forsake both country, 
Cicer. offic.  parents, & children: deeming it better to die free, then to live captive: of which opinion was Mucius Scaevola that valiant man, who willing to incur any sinister hap for the safety of his country, was taken of his enemies, at which time he thought to slay the king his enemy, but missing the king, slew the secretary, and was afterwards brought to a great fire to be burnt: into the which he willingly thrust his hand that had falled to slay the king, and suffered it to be burnt to ashes. Likewise also Abraham was of such excellent valour, that when he heard that his brother was taken by the kings of Sodom and Gomorrha, 
Gen. 14.  brought forth of them that were borne and brought up in his house three hundred & eighteen, and pursued them unto a place called Dan.  
In like manner Mithridates' king of Pontus, after he had pestered the Romans with wars the space of 40. years, during which time he behaved himself no less valiant in mind, then hardy in body, in resisting their strong forces, and withal in attempting the fortitude of the Romans, though he was by fortune shaken in his old years, and eclipsed of his wealth, friends, country, kingdom, & all worldly chivalry, yet in despite of fortune went to Celta, meaning with them to transport into Italy, whereby the Romans might have intelligence, that albeit he of his friends and country, by the frown of fortune was deprived, yet neither fortune, nor the Romans could subdue his valiant heart. In this triumphed valiant men, because they might not be vanquished, and gloried, being free from subjection.  
1 Lightning or thunderclaps dismay infants: and threats annoy fools, but nothing dismayeth the resolution of a valiant man.  
2 Fortitude is the champion to equity, which never ought to strive, except in righteous actions.  
3 Valour is a wise man's coat, & a fools cognizance.  
4 Those that are stout in body & cowards in mind, are dissemblers with God & man: with God, because they may be good and will not: with man, because they seem and are not.   

Of Patience. Cap. 20.  
PAtience is an excellent virtue, belonging aswell to outward empire as to inward governance: it is said to be the shield of intolerable wrongs, the vanquisher of wickedness, that lighteneth the burden of adversity, and is a sure card against all assaults and passions of the soul, seasoning the joys of prosperity, and retaining a continual glad assemblance in adversity and dolour, consisting stoutly and valiantly in sustaining all labours and griefs for the love of honesty and virtue. For as S. Augustine sayeth, it is more commendable to contemn an injury, the therewith to be grieved or to pine, by reason that in despising, we seem a● though we were not moved therewith, or felt nothing, regarding it nothing at all: but on the contraryside, he that is thereat stirred or grieved, endureth torment & feeleth the smart, because the more impatient we be in sustaining injuries, we aggravate the grief by so much the more, and grievous, and uneasy is the burden thereof. Patience then sucking the dregs of sorrow, and pestered with the bitter pills of distress is made more strong and perfect: which seemeth to be well approved by the Lacedæmonians, who were noted to be patterns of patience, sustaining all pains, wars, vinde, and weather. So likewise, as Pliny reporteth Anarchus, of all men was most patient in all his torments: which is a special token of an heroical mind, to set light by small wrongs, and little regard mean adventures: But as for this kind of patience these examples may serve, because we have sufficient daily before our eyes: wherefore I will draw nearer unto the inward governance, upon whom patience should attend, to the subversion and oppressing of natural passions, to the sustaining of the frowardness of fortune, lest that they which have the function of authority, & be employed in matters of great importance, their lives be not only replenished with toils and heinous displeasures, but withal be subject unto divers casualties. To these the only proviso and ready way to have patience, is thought by two ways invented. First a direct and an upright conscience, a true & constant opinion in the estimation of goodness, which seldom proceedeth by instinct of nature, unless it be exquisite, and excellent; but by the diligent study & attaining of virtue. For he which bendeth himself to revenge, doth imitate his doings who is molested with impatience, and he that imitateth an evil man, will hardly prove good himself: it were difficult and hard for a valiant man, to tolerate any injury without revenge, though oftentimes he is accounted more valiant in suffering, then in hasty revenging: for he that enterpriseth any thing hastily, may repent him by leisure: Nevertheless I deny not, but it is almost a thing impossible for a courageous man, to tolerate an indignity, the which if he doth suffer, the only and the surest way to be revenged, is to contemn & rebuke it, and to live with such godly courage, behaviour, and upright life, that the doer and actor of the wrong, shall have sufficient occasion thereat to be ashamed, or at leastwise lose the fruits of his envy, having no joy of thy hindrance and damage. 
Laerti. lib. 6.  Antisthenes' was wont to glory that he had sufficient virtue to the attaining of felicity, & wanted nothing, save only the strength of Socrates meaning, his mail coat of patience, was a sufficient armour of proof. Tiberius Cesar was in this one thing most highly commended, because he refused honours that were gratefully proffered him, 
Guid. vitu vicen. ex Suet.  shunned flattery, and suffered all reproaches patiently, saying, that in a free city there ought to be free tongues: that is to say, void of iniquity, and tempered with this mild sovereign, named Patience. Whose advice julius Cesar seemed to imitate, when Catullus the Poet wrote very many contumelious Epigrams against him, he notwithstanding not only forgave him, but was reconciled, and often invited him to his house. But omitting to speak any more of this virtue, sithence it seemeth sufficient, to the instruction of a governor, if any thing remain, I refer him to Plutarch and Plato, where he may find sufficient to satisfy his mind, and accomplish his expectation.  
1 The sweetest salve to a deformed shape, is patience, and no greater revenge can be proffered to Fortune, then to live contentedly in the midst of misery.  
2 The final end of patience, is the expectation of promises.  
3 He may be well verified to be right patient, which in his outrage can bridle his own affections.  
4 Patience winketh at apparent follies, and refraineth to prosecute manifest injuries.   

Of Constancy. Cap. 21.  

Aristot.  COnstancy is a fortitude, as Aristotle saith, persevering in well doing, defined of Cicero to be a provident guide, teaching us the force & efficacy of wisdom, and directing us to tread our steps steadfastly in the continual trace of virtue, our nature being frail, lest that any puff of vanity, or gale of wind should toss our light affections: like the bramble, being wavering and wanting stay, we are ready to shipwreck at every sudden wave or the least blast, unless we be cunningly guided by a Pilot of experience, whom, neither fear of adversity, exterior damage, nor private familiarity may cause to desist from so commendable and comely a virtue as constancy, in which remaineth nothing worthy of blame as a note of blemish: for albeit we have both by nature and nurture, obtained the guerdon due unto our labour, & do miss of constancy, when experience claspeth hold on us; if we then omit any part of our got talon or effected virtue, moved by private affection, fear of adversity, or any other exterior damage, desisting from constancy, proving unstable and wavering in our actions, then is the estimation of our credit eclipsed, & what may be worthy of commendations in us. A man in nothing less resembleth a man, then to prove in his action unconstant, which is a great blemish in any man, as appeared in Metellus, which after his master Diodorus being dead, laid upon his sepulchre a stone, made after the fashion of a Crow: which Cicero understanding, said, that he had well rewarded him, 
Plutarc.  because he taught him to fly, and not to speak. Whereby he noted the inconstancy of Metellus. Also heretofore men were rebuked for their inconstancy, and likened to women and to children: to the one, because in respect of their infancy and young years, were not able to effect any thing: to the other, as being the weaker sort, at whose hands no great exploit was to be expected; but now a days it is contrary: for women are noted for the most part to be of greater constancy than men, and if any prove unconstant, the feminine sort are accustomed to term the same to resemble some wavering or unconstant man: what should be the cause of this, I know not, unless it might come to pass, that men for their levity are too often said to resemble women, and so with Caeneus changing sex, who of a woman became man, so men become women. Constancy being a property only unto man, aught to be of no small reputation: for as the wise man saith, It is better to have a constant enemy, than an unconstant friend, whereof we have divers lively examples: therefore I will draw a little nearer to the nature and property of constancy. The property of a constant man, (as the Philosophers do affirm) is, not to insult in prosperity, nor to pine in troubles or calamity, nor to mourn in adversity, but as Plato saith, to hold a mean between submission & ambition, guided by reason; whereby we may note the ambitious and envious men to be excluded, of whom there is no mean observed, nor true constancy used, being by these vices, as by a cable rope, haled with unsatiable desire, making no period or comma, from the highest Zodiac & climate, to the lowest Centre, by which means their minds cannot be permanent. Moreover we must not deceive ourselves, in deeming that the stiff necked and stubborn man is constant, although he continueth, as being void of all virtue, in his perverse opinion, as Zeno the philosopher well testifieth, saying, Facilius esse ventrem inflatum emergere, quam quemuis improbum ad aliquid agendum cogere: Who yieldeth to no man is sooner like a Serpent to be broken, then bend: but on the contrary side, the constant man persisteth not according to opinion as the stubborn man, which is grounded, Innanibus (as they say) & quasi labentibus fundamentis, upon no certain foundation, but upon true knowledge or science, wherein he is assured not to err. Such a constant man was Anaxarcus the philosopher, that when he was beaten in a hollow stone of Micocreon the tyrant, was of such invincible mind, that he bade the tyrant, Knock, knock this carcase of Anaxarcus, but thou shalt never infringe his constancy. Likewise Alexander had such great constancy, in trusting his friend against misreport, that it saved his life, whereof all men despaired. Xantippe the wife of Socrates, did report that Socrates had always the same countenance, both going from home, & returning home, which was a sign of great constancy: wherefore nothing is more requisite in a governor, then during all his life time, in all actions to prove stable and constant.  
1 To live to God, to contemn the world, to fear no mishap, are the ensigns of constancy.  
2 The treasure that men gather in process of time, may fail, friends may relent, hope may deceive, vain glory may perish, but constancy may never be conquered.  
3 Constancy is the blessing of nature, the sovereign salve of poverty, the mistress of sorrow, the end of misery.  
4 It is the sign of levity and lightness of wit, unadvisedly to promise, what a man may not, or will not perform.   

Of Temperance. Cap. 22.  
TEmperance is a virtue, moderating and bridling lusts, defined by Aristotle, to be a mean in moderating of the pleasures of the body, & may be fitly likened to a lamp that shineth, lighteneth and expelleth away the dim and obscure passions that may environ it: before this virtue can be rightly settled, we must be void of distemperature, or annoyance of contrary vice: to the attaining whereof we must use such means, as the chirurgeons do: Before they apply any medicine or salve to cure any festered ulcer or wound, they first draw out all bad and corrupt humours, dead and rotten flesh, and then do proceed further to the cure thereof: so must we begin first, to cleanse & purge the mind of all distemperate humours, or noisome passions which may seek harbour & rest therein, so that this virtue may have no seat or room to abide: whereby as her nature and property is, it may preserve both private and human society, curing the soul, most miserably thrown down in vice, restoring it again to her accustomed abode therein, foreseeing all disordered and unbridled appetites, to yield to the yoke of reason & discretion, which is not only effected by the abstaining from meat and drink: but also in vanquishing the lust, and bridling lascivious affections, and suppressing wanton wills, which are the utter wrack and ruin of man, the which to subdue, is thought by wise men a greater conquest, than to overcome an enemy in the field, as by their deeds & doctrine it evidently appeareth. Antisthenes' that famous man, did so much loath untemperate pleasure, that he was wont to say, that he had rather wax mad, 
Laertius.  then to be moved thereby, proclaiming openly, I will be distracted, rather than I will delight in untemperature, because the Physician may cure this malady and madness, but pleasure or any untemperature, when it causeth a man to be void of reason, & without himself, is a mischief that hath no remedy, and is uncurable. Likewise Demosthenes that famous Orator of Greece, affirmed, no greater evil to happen to any earthly wight, which had any taste of virtue, than incontinence and untemperature: accounting it the greatest virtue that could be, to abstain and utterly to abandon banqueting, swilling, and drinking, because temperance doth very much avail us, which is especially tried in contemning and abandoning pleasures in all actions. This is it that deserved that daily commendation of Solon which was wont to cry out, Ne quid nimis. Wherefore the Persians listening thereunto, caused their children in all actions daily to be exercised herein. Likewise the Turks do observe daily this virtue with all modesty, in such fort, that they excel the greeks and the Romans, who are wont in war to sustain themselves with bread half baked, and rice, with the powder of flesh which is dried in the Sun; their drink is fair water, such as the ancient Carthaginians used in war by prescription of law, as Plato saith. In like manner, Agesilaus king of the Lacedæmonians, passing through the city of Thracius, being met and entertained by the Nobles and the people, with diversity of banquets and rare dainties, to gratify his coming, who nevertheless tasted not their dainties, feeding only on bread and drink, & commanded his foot men to feed upon such cheer, saying, that a Prince ought not to pamper himself with varieties or dainty cheer, but to abstain: meaning, that immoderate eating and drinking do infer great damages to man's body, which were only ordained to sustain the life of man, which otherwise used do cause great sin before God and man, and engendereth divers diseases and sicknesses, as dropsies & sundry other infections. Who would not therefore, considering the discommodity hereof, refrain, and willingly loathe all unsatiable gluttons, as Vitellus & Appitius, to which cormorants, neither land, water, air, might be sufficient? which is the greatest blemish that can be in any man. julius Cesar so much abhorred intemperance, as Plutark rehearseth, that he was accounted in regard thereof, the very lamp and Lantern of all Europe for his abstinence, & thought the very mirror of Italy, who by overcoming of himself, overcame all Europe: so, no less are all governors for their temperance and abstinence to deserve praise and fame, than dignity & honour for their rule and Empire.  
1 Heroical virtues are made perfect by the unity of temperance, and fortitude, which separated, becomes vicious.  
2 There is nothing in the world that deserves greater felicity, than moderation, that overcometh the assaults of the flesh, and the fruits of a good life are revived by it.  
3 Temperance enforceth us to yield to reason, bringeth peace to the mind, and mollifieth the affections with concord and agreement.  
4 It is unpossible for him to praise temperance, whose delight is in pleasure, or affect government, that delighteth in riot.   

Of Modesty. Cap. 23.  
MOdesty is a temperate virtue, or a precinct or limit, which honesty commandeth to be observed: so called, as Aristotle saith, because it observeth a mean, not exceeding nor declining in any thing: And as Osorius saith, It is a vehement fear & shamefastness of ignominy or reproach: but Plato calleth it the only preserver of all virtue, which first shineth or appeareth in youths, like a lamp, and especially in those which are of the greatest towardness, whom we perceive to blush, not for any infamy or reproach which they have committed, but for fear of committing any thing worthy the reprehension, which is the only felicity in all estates, and may be called, the only repairer of decayed virtue. Sith then the country which we must desire to inhabit, is so high and heavenvly, and the way thither is Modesty, wherefore then desiring to enjoy this happy country, do we refuse the way? for doubtless, as Osorius saith, that he which altogether hath lost this virtue, and passeth the goal, is either of presumption or of mere slowness reputed, and may be well thought to have no sparkle of honesty. Was not impudence and overboldness one of the greatest blemishes that Cicero was wont to reprehend in Catiline? But modesty now a days, as Plato saith, is exiled out of the land. Wherefore did the Lacedæmonians and Romans banish out of their country, all vanity and other lewdness passing the limits of modesty: but because they hated & utterly detested this vice, as deeming nothing honest which wanted this virtue? Aristotle admonished, that no man should praise or dispraise himself: which on the one side he thought to be the property of a vain glorious man, and on the other side to be the point of an unwise and foolish person: deeming on every side, that it was the point of no modesty, seeing it is accounted so unseemly a vice, & detestable a crime amongst all good men, who would be overslow in the observing hereof. The very Turks do so embrace this virtue, and follow her train so much, though being addicted unto wars, yet to prevent immodesty which they greatly detest, they carry no weapons in court, towns, nor yet in camp: but when they are to fight, they show great staidness in their manners, avoiding haughtiness and lightness in their deeds, gestures, apparels, and speeches: As for example, when Amirath, whom they account and canonize as a Saint, who was very valiant and fortunate in arms, went to the temple to hear prayers without any pomp, accompanied only with two servants, would not be saluted or flattered with acclamations. Seeing such modesty hath been used amongst those Turkish infidels, what should be used amongst Christians, and in well ordered common weals, where nothing, but what with virtue and decency should agree, aught to have any place? for the chiefest point of honesty consisteth in modesty, which subjecteth and reclaimeth all distemperature, and enforceth it to observe a moderate decency. Consider well the grave matrons of Rome, & it shall suffice for an example, who used themselves so modestly & decently, both in behaviour and diet, & called those shameless and impudent, that did drink wine or favour thereof, the which Cicero testifieth in his fourth Book De Rep. saying, that they observed it for a token of shamefastness, & not for any reprehension: wherefore Cato by report of Pliny in his 14. book De historia naturali, said, That the neighbours for no other reason did use to kiss and buss the female kind, as we do now for fashion sake upon seldom meetings in kindness, but for that purpose only, that they might know whether they savoured of wine, from which to abstain was a token of modesty. Juvenal.  
1 Modesty hath often effected that, which no virtue nor reason can perform.  
2 Men are in nothing more like to their maker, than in soberness and modesty.  
3 The glorious seat and throne of the highest is in heaven: if thou presumptuously endeavour to lift up thyself unto him, he will fly from thee; but if otherwise thou observe true modesty before him, he will descend unto thee.  
4 After that Dio was made king of the Siracusians, he would never change his accustomed diet and apparel, which he was wont to wear being a student of the University.   

Of Chastity. Cap. 24.  
CHastity is a bridled temperance of lawless lust, or as Aristotle saith, is a sweet blossom of the soul, and an integrity of life, which raiseth up slewces to avoid the floods of vain pleasure, or refrain the act of carnal appetite, whereunto a man is vehemently moved, or else enjoyeth his wished desire therein: which to refrain, undoubtedly is a thing almost impossible, and betokeneth a great wonder in a man of noble race & of great dignity: but in whosoever it happeneth to be, must of necessity be reputed of great wisdom & virtue, considering that it is enjoyed only of those, that keep their bodies clean and unspotted. This chastity abideth neither in sincere Virginity, not sacred Matrimony, yet being good in wedlock, as a peace to desire, commendable in virginity and widowhood, as an only dignity and grace to their bodies: gracious is that face that accomplisheth only pure love, and most celestial is the resolution grounded upon chastity: for what can be more acceptable before GOD and man, then to keep our bodies and minds clean from all blurs, spots, or blemish? He that stoopeth to the lure of vain delight, whereby he might breed his own content, and satisfy his lawless lust, striketh often his foot against dangerous rocks, and by haunting after vain follies, falleth into most perilous dangers, not respecting the end, which is the only salve to tame the flesh, that wanton is and bold, well to weigh what it shall be, once dead and laid in mould: For, Non melius poterit caro luxuriosa dominari, quam bene (qualis erit post mortem) recordari. Which to forget, is a most detestable sin in all ages, and especially in old years to be stained with the spot of incontinency. Wherefore it is reported by learned Authors, that amongst the Caspions there was a law decreed, that who soever should marry after he had passed fifty years of age, should in common assemblies be placed in the lowest room and the meanest seat, as one that had committed a heinous fact against nature, whom they entitled no better than a filthy doting old lecher: meaning, that to live chaste, was the only felicity of an earthly man, the which in this world could be effected: wherefore Cyrus, as thinking it a thing most needful to live in chastity, abstained from the sight of Pantha: and when Araspus told him, that she was a woman of excellent beauty, and worthy to be a king's paramour, Therefore, said Cyrus, the rather must I abstain: for if by thy advice I shall go unto her, when she is solitary, peradventure she will persuade me to use & frequent her company when she hath no need; then must I daily be with her, neglecting the serious business and affairs of the Common wealth: concluding hereby, that he detested unchastity: for if thereunto he should be addicted, than he could not as a king, rightly discharge the duty of a governor: for he had daily experience before his eyes, of those which have been employed in war, who after many wreaths and victories, being once entrapped & inveigled with the love of unchastity (their minds being linked thereunto) could no more use any of their former Stratagems, or busy themselves in such affairs, being employed otherwise: whereof we have divers examples, as namely that of Alexander, who in stead of his Pole-axe and Curtilax, had a courtesan, whose favour he wore, as a sign of the devotion he bore to this his mistress: which is a thing greatly to be admired, that men of such resolutions and courage, should be so quickly entrapped and weaned from so great affairs, to such toys & vanities, considering the discommodities incident thereunto: which Socrates well weighed, who beheld on a time Sophocles the writer of tragedies, following after a young boy, being rauish● with his beauty: To whom Socrates said, O Sophocles, it is the part of a man, not only to abstain his hands from incontinency, but also his eyes. Which is a saying worthy of all men to be embraced, & especially of such as have authority or government, or are admitted into any place of dignity, or estimation in the Common wealth.  
1 Pure chastity is beauty to our souls, a heavenly grace to our bodies, & peace to our desires.  
2 Chastity is the seal of grace, the mark of the just, the crown of virginity, the glory of life, and comfort in matrimony.  
3 Chastity is like the stars in heaven, and beauty is like the marigold which openeth her leaves no longer than the sun shineth: so beauty endureth but for a moment.  
4 Chastity is a sign of true modesty, which in extremity is crowned with eternity, whose presence striketh more shame, than the sight of many wicked and immodest persons can stir to filthiness with their immodest speeches.   

Of justice. Cap. 25.  
Justice being an excellent and matchless virtue, is thought expedient to be in all degrees, and especially in the governors of the Common wealth, without the which nothing is commendable: for it is the right guide unto godliness, goodness, and the knowledge of God; the which virtue Cicero called the Queen and mistress of all virtues, and defined it to be the habit of the mind, which respecteth the public commodity, & yieldeth equally every man his own. This virtue Aristotle calleth the affection of the mind, by which men are prone to administer justice, as being the foundation of all other virtues, which allots no privilege to defraud any man of his right: wherefore, as being by the providence of God invented, for the accomplishment hereof, there were certain Images of judges (by report) set up at Athens, having neither hands nor eyes: describing that rulers and Magistrates should neither be infected with bribes, or any other way drawn from that which was lawful & right. To this purpose, as it seemeth, in the original, an upright and a just man was chosen by full consent and assent of the commonalties, of an equal indifferency, which should excel in virtue, to decide all controversies, lest the inferior fort should be overpressed by mighty and wealthy men: such a man at that time held the superiority, and ruled as a King. All this was effected for the executing of justice, and the right administration thereof: which is so necessary, that no governors without it can rightly rule, nor no Common wealth be well established, which ought to be of force amongst the greatest enemies, according to the nature and disposition thereof, 
justin. de justitia & iure.  which is a perpetual and a constant will, yielding every one his own by even portion, wherein prudence, magnanimity, and constancy, as assistants or guards, are requisite: the one to distinguish lawful things from unlawful: the other, not to be daunted or held back by any sinister chance: the third and last, to persevere in yielding justice. For as Osorius saith, In repub. bene constituta, leges sunt in armorum tutela: sic in bene moratis animis omnia justitiae praescripta, fortitudinis praesidio, prudentiae auxilio, & constantiae adminiculo muniuntur. In a well ordered Common wealth, laws are in stead of weapons: so in well moderated minds, all the rights and prescripts of justice are patronized by the safeguard of fortitude, by the aid of prudence, and under the wing of constancy. Of this justice, as Cicero saith, there be two sorts, the one Distributive, the other Commutative, and is of Aristotle called in greek Diorthotick, in English Corrective, or as the Philosophers do say, there are four sorts of justice, the first celestial, the second natural, the third civil, the fourth judicial. Celestial is the perfect consideration and duty to God: natural is that which all men have among themselves by nature: civil is that which is made either by laws of nature, the statutes of the people, the consultation of the Senators, or the authority of grave and wise men, and the device of Princes, as amongst the Athenians & Romans: judicial justice depended upon laws made for the commodity of the common wealth: But because of these, Plato (de legibus) and Cicero with divers others have spoken sufficiently, I will leave off to speak any thing of the diversity of the sorts and nature thereof, but yet not forgetting the quality, I think it meet to proceed farther, because as Cicero testifieth, without this virtue there is nothing done or effected any manner of way, which in process of time weareth not away, excepting justice, which the more ancient it is, the more it flourisheth: wherefore there ought to be no time which should be void of justice, as it well appeared by Bias the sage and grave Philosopher, being to judge a man to die, bewailed and lamented the misery of the man, and thought worthily he should bewail his sinister fortune: whom a certain man beholding, demanded why he should weep and power tears, when it rested at his pleasure to condemn or free any man. To whom Bias answered, I must of necessity pardon the frailty of nature, but to err from justice & law, is a pernicious thing, and not to be tolerated: meaning that justice was a measure ordained from God, amongst his creatures, to his honour, & the defence of the feeble and innocent, without which he esteemed nothing perfect, except it were guided by this virtue: wherefore he ought not to err herein, nor derogate any thing from the property, being the foundation of all creatures. Therefore, as it were for the averring of this saying, Manlius Torquatus showed himself so just in the executing of justice, that he condemned his own son, & caused him to be put to death, being against equity a conqueror: deeming that he owed more duty to maintain the rights of justice, than either love towards his son, or else to the triumph & glory of the conquest that his son had gotten. Photion also of Athens, being of Antipater requested, that he would use injustice privily, answered him, Thou canst not use me both a friend and a flatterer: for a friend doth so long continue a friend, as justice and equity do permit him. Meaning, that neither friends nor kinsmen should be an occasion to hinder the execution of justice, which being neglected, both the love of God & man is contemned, and the destruction of the state of the Common wealth almost in a moment decayed and ruinated, as we may see in divers cities and countries, and also in the governors thereof: as King Philip was killed by Pausanias a gentleman, for denying justice at the marriage of his daughter Cleopatra, and divers others by the transgression hereof. Wherefore let every good christian, and especially governors, eschew injustice, and be moved with zeal to discharge their duty, and execute with equity and justice whatsoever they undertake, for the reverence they do owe towards God, and the regard of their country's safety.  
1 justice is the mother of virtues, the right spouse of fortitude, for which kings be created, and by whose virtue they rule.  
2 justice allots no pardon to the wicked, which might bring the hazard of the country.  
3 justice requireth equity, equity judgeth with lenity, lenity procureth laws which do judge with extremity.   

Of Charity. Cap. 26.  
CHarity is a virtue proceeding from the highest throne, attributed to all Christians, as an undissoluble yoke, for the knitting & joining together with loving hearts of both body & soul in Christ; without which there is no certainty, save only in the full assurance hereof: for hope & faith without charity are of no effect. This virtue in the midst of calamities is secure, that neither infinite toils, nor continuance of service abateth her courage, being in displeasure meek and humble, in concealing wrongs innocent, in truth quiet; not like hatred, rejoicing at others calamity, and pining with their prosperity: But on the contrary doth as human nature is, Humanis casibus ingemescere, at others misfortune she bewaileth, & at their prosperity is joyful, observing the right precepts of GOD, in obeying him, and loving her neighbours as herself. The Carthaginians & Egyptians, of all vices hated immodesty, and of all virtues embraced charity. 
Trogus Pomp.  Thrasybilus was so charitably devoted towards his country, that safely he defended it from the thirty tyrants. jonathan so entirely loved David, that he told him all whatsoever his father intended against him. Likewise the Turks, which are inferior to all others, as Histories do report, never use to be above ten in a company, in which society they are so marvelous loving, and charitable one towards an other, that they need of none other means to govern themselves within the compass of comeliness and decency, save only by signs of hand, & beckoning of countenance, without uttering any word, which is to be wondered at, that there should be such love and charity amongst those, who do wander in so great darkness and obscurity of life, which is of no less marvel than truth as credible authors do report. Seing they are so given to embrace this virtue, what should we, that have the clearness of the gospel, and the truth always before our eyes? yea we should be so fettered and linked thereunto, as the only patterns of charity, whereby we might rest blameless before the presence of our glorious God, abounding with joys, hearing that comfortable voice of our blessed Lord, which shall sound unto us: Come, O ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom provided for you. For the attaining of this virtue we have a good example of a certain elderly man amongst the Egyptians, who being demanded, why he refused to have any thing in his house, which was either money, or else appertained to the use of human life? he answered, that the use of those things availed not to the atchiving of charity, but charity was sufficient to procure any other thing: concluding hereby, that it was impossible for man, either to level his own life after a right line, or else to govern others within the compass or limits to him prescribed according to duty, without charity; in accomplishing whereof he might be called absolutely perfect, and a right upholder of this virtue.  
1 Charity ransometh us from the fetters of iniquity, and delivereth us from the sting of death.  
2 Charity is compared to an everturning spy, always providing and labouring for him in whom she resteth.  
3 It is the point of a charitable minded man, to invite the poor, courteously to entertain them, and speedily to let them depart.  
4 Charity is commonly in the mouth of many, but regarded of a few.   

Of Obedience. Cap. 27.  
OBedience is the final period or end, whereunto true felicity tendeth, & whereupon it dependeth, because it is a zeal and a testimony of an upright and an humble conscience, showing in all enterprises that we should observe decency and honesty, which constraineth the soul, Intus & incute, willingly and wittily, without instigation to yield every one his proper duty; as honour to whom honour belongeth, reverence to to whom reverence, tribute and succour, to whom they belong; which is an infallible observation to guide our steps unto eternal bliss: for first, the neglecting of this duty showeth our rebellion, and in accomplishing it, we leave an example of the fear and diligent care we have in the observing & effecting of that, that we are commanded. The diversity of this virtue is manifold, as belonging unto divers persons. First, our obedience towards God, unto whom belongeth all honour, duty, and obedience, whereupon all our stay, hope, and felicity is built: secondly, our obedience towards our king and superiors, to whom we ought in all humbleness and submission, to show ourselves obedient and loyal, as we are commanded by the holy scriptures in these words, Let every one submit himself unto the higher power. Thirdly, we are bound to obey our parents; for as Tully saileth in his book of the answer of soothsayers, that nature in the beginning had made a concord between us and our parents: so than it were detestable to infringe the rights of nature, and not to obey them. Fourthly, and lastly, is the obedience of servants towards their masters, whom in all honest & meek sort they should obey & reverence. In neglecting of this general duty, we show ourselves bastards & reprobates deserving the curse of our saviour, & the severity of law, not imitating the example of Christ, who obeyed his father, even to death. Is it not then the duty of subjects, with all humbleness to obey their superiors, holding them in such high estimation, and serving them both with life and goods, which is the proper duty of every natural subject? for therein consisteth the stay and state of all countries, because nothing thriveth where there is strife & contention; and on the contrary side all things do flourish, where there do remain love, unity, and obedience. When Solomon deliberated with himself in this behalf, viz. after what sort a city might be safely preserved: he answered, If the citizens obey the magistrates, and the magistrates observe the laws: meaning, that obedience in the subjects was a sign of great love and loyalty, and a cause why the common wealth should long flourish, as having notice and sufficient knowledge of the ruin & wrack of many Cities, because of disobedience. Wherefore we should utterly detest this kind of vice, which hath bred so many calamities, & engendered sundry depopulations & destructions of countries, & aught to endeavour and show ourselves obedient, imitating the example of Abraham, who obeyed the will of God, in offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice: so ought we with all might and main, to behave ourselves obediently toward our governors, so that neither the banishment of Aristides, neither the imprisonment of Anaxagoras, nor yet the destruction of Photion should terrify or cause us to desist from the executing of our obedience. But leving this general duty, I mean to express somewhat in particular of our several duties & obedience towards our parents, whereof we have divers and sundry examples. First, of Christ himself, which obeyed his mother Marie and her husband joseph: then of David, who after he was anointed King, obeyed his parents, and followed their direction in all domestical affairs. Whereby we may gather, the great duty we owe unto our parents, to be no less than a firm bond of nature, fixed in the minds & bowels of every one: 
Cicer. pro Plan.  the which obedience Cicero so highly commended, that he said, The obedience of children towards their parents, is the foundation of all virtue. Of which mind Torquatus son was, who thought nothing so wicked, as to disobey the will of his parents: wherefore being upon the displeasure of his father banished, he killed himself. So likewise the duty which servants do owe to their masters, is not much inferior to this, whom they are to serve with all lowliness and seemly demeanour, sustaining with patience all corrections, though I deem them not so much subjects, as the servants of Frenchmen were, over whom their masters had power of life and death; and as Gellius saith in his 15. book and 19 chapter, The ten wisemen thought, that authority not only of masters over their servants, but also of parents over their children, was very necessary throughout all dominions, by which means they report the Common wealth long to have stood. Doubtless, if parents over their children, & masters over their servants, had such authority, that in respect thereof the common wealth flourished: then the supreme governor should in equity have far greater pre-eminence, being of both parents, children, masters & servants a commander, unto whom all should be most obedient, whereby the state of the Common wealth might perfectly stand, and that it might be said in respect of this obedience, as it was of a certain man coming to Sparta, who beheld what honour, obedience, and reverence, the younger sort did to the elders, and the elders to their superiors, & said, It is expedient in this city to become an old man, and of authority: meaning, that the Magistrates being so much regarded by the commonalties the Common wealth should of necessity long continue. Herein I conclude of obedience, determining to pass further.  
1 Obedience formeth peace, establisheth common wealths, & prevents discords: wicked men obey for fear, but good men for love.  
2 It is a commendable virtue in a servant, to know how to obey well.  
3 That country is well kept where the prince governeth rightly, and the people are submissive & obedient.   

Of Hope. Cap. 28.  
HOpe is a sure ground of future things wished for, whether they be divine or transitory, extolling the mind of man with great ecstasy, being grounded upon good foundation, & having laid an unfallible anchor, depending thereon with a sure confidence to effect and accomplish his desire; which means is a sure remedy to help our frail nature being full of mistrust and diffidency, whereby the spirit of man putteth great trust in weighty affairs, reposing such certainty and confidence in himself, which otherwise would be vain & unperfit: for he that is void of all hope, may be accounted to be partaker of the incident mishap to an unhappy man. Having then so sure a sovereign kindling our desire, & emboldening our courage, we cannot possibly miss a good effect proceeding from so heavenly a stay, & so sure a safeguard, who resembleth the pure Indian spice, which the more it is pund, the more fragrant smell it yields: so the more our hope is, the greater is our comfort to enjoy that happiness which we expect; for a good and virtuous man should always hope well and fear no mishap, especially being grounded upon the grace of God. Such a man was one of Rhodes, who was cast of a tyrant into a hollow cave, wherein he was fed after the manner of a beast, being enforced to sustain reviles and torments, his face being mangled & martyred with wounds: who being admonished of one of his friends, that he should seek an end of his torments, answered, All things are to be hoped of man, as long as he enjoyeth life. Even so Thales Milesius, being demanded what was common to all men, answered, Hope: meaning, it was a sovereign good, and a confederate to faith, which whosoever hath, may well assure himself, that he in continuance of time, may attain any thing how difficult so ever. Whereupon Socrates the Philosopher said, that it was impossible, that either woman without man should bring forth good fruit, or good hope without labour: whereby he judged, that good hope should not be grounded upon any unconstancy, which is the subject of a vain and licentious life, whereupon evil hope which taketh no toil is planted: therefore Socrates said, hope without labour could effect no good thing; which like a careful nurse should be always employed or busied about some affairs or other, which hinder the increase of vice: for security and idleness are accounted the mother of all enormities & lewdness: by which means true hope is excluded out of doors, which in whosoever it remaineth, never faileth them in the greatest extremity. Such a man was Daniel, who hoped so much in the mercy of God, that being thrown into the Lion's den, yet escaped harmless only by his mere hope. Likewise also job, a man that was full of good hope, who in his greatest distress mistrusted not, saying, Lo, though the Lord slay me, yet will I put my trust in him. Whereby it may appear, that he that hopeth well, shall never be frustrated of his expectation.  
1 Hope grounded on God, never faileth, but built on the world, it never thriveth.  
2 Hope, of all the passions yieldeth the sweetest savour, and the most pleasant delight: whereof it is said, that hope only comforteth the miserable.  
3 A dastardly lover shall never without hope gain fair love, without frowning fortune.  
4 Mellifluous words procure hope, large protestations cherish it, and contempt spills it.  
5 Hope is the fools sovereign, the merchants comfort, the Soldiers confederate, and the ambitious man's poison.   

Of Faith. Cap. 29.  
FAith (as Cicero saith) is a constant & firm bond of all sayings, and contracts, appointed for the accomplishing of promises, and what should be assuredly decreed upon, or as Divines term it, is a sure stay and rock of all Christians, whereupon consisteth all their felicity, and if it be firmly settled, it never deceiveth: the which to infringe, there can be nothing worse unto any man, especially to him that ruleth, because this blemish by how much the more excellent the party is wherein it resteth, by so much the more openly it is to be seen, and more hardly to be rooted out. Ennius' reprehended the Carthaginians, because they violated their faith and fidelity, which was the first cause of the subversion of their city, who contended for the empire of the whole world, with the Romans, which of all nations, were a people of most prowess and valour. But what marvel is it that these were so slender in observing of faith, which is the foundation of all equity, when in all places it is little regarded, and utterly excluded out of doones, begging her bread with tears, as a vagabond of no reputation, that I am almost ashamed to speak of the diffidency of men, and the little regard which they have of their faith, which ought to be of effect amongst enemies, unless it be unlawful, by constraint and compulsion assured? And yet we have experience of many, that would rather die, then upon compulsion or constraint pawn their faith and credit: as for example, Pontius Cesar the Centurion, being taken of Scipio, the father in law of Pompey, to whom Scipio promised pardon, upon condition that he would be the Soldier of Cnaius Pompeius: to whom Pontius answered, Scipio, I yield thee thanks; but I need no such condition of life, for I had rather die, then to violate my faith. Whose fidelity may be unto us a most lively pattern to imitate: in so doing we purchase ourselves eternity, and the safety of our realm hereby is maintained: for what else doth cause the common wealth to be overwhelmed, but where the people are unloial and disobedient towards their governors? But on the contrary side, happy is that estate, wherein the subjects are most loving and faithful unto their governor, and where the governor studieth his commonalties security, and is full of clemency, which is the next way to bind and unite affection in duty: seeing them nothing keepeth together a Common wealth as faith, which is both the original, and as it were the chief constitutor & seruator thereof: therefore it is a reproach, either to promise lightly without performing, or in firmly promising to infringe and neglect it: as Alphonsus' king of Arragon was often wont to say, that the very bare word of a king to the performing of his fidelity, was so much reckoned, as the oath of private men, and said, It was an unseemly thing for any man to prove unfaithful, much more for a king. But omitting many other notable examples, which both in writing and of late remembrance are extant, I will only speak of the diversity and difference of this word Faith, how it is taken. Sometimes it is called faith, sometimes credence, sometimes trust, after the imitation of the Latins, faith, by the Frenchmen, loyalty. First, in the assured belief of the precepts of God, it is termed faith: in contracts between man and man, it may be called credence: between persons of equal degrees, it is called trust: in respect of the servant or subject to his sovereign or master, it is properly named fidelity. And so much touching the difference hereof.  
1 Faith being honest, may reap disdain, but no disgrace.  
2 Faith is the daughter of destiny, the Sympathy of affections is foreappointed by the stars.  
3 Faith moveth mountains, vanquisheth tyrants, conquereth the malice of the envious, reconcileth mortal foes, to perfect love & amity.  
4 Faith is not to be suppressed by wisdom, because it is not to be comprehended by reason.   

Of Truth. Cap. 30.  
Truth is the just performance of speech, observing integrity, & the true messenger of God, which every one ought to embrace for the love of his master, as being an infallible way to reason, which revealeth the creation of the world, the power of our creator, the eternal crown of bliss, which we hope for, & the punishment due for our transgressions. It is also termed a virtue, whereby we attain to speak no otherwise with our tongues, than our hearts do conceive: which consisteth not in glozing speeches, or sugared melody, proceeding only from the brim of the mouth. This excellent champion lieth not hidden nor obscured with any cloudy mist, but shineth in the greatest darkness, yet hidden under a Chaos like the Mineral, which lieth not upon the face of the earth, that every one should carelessly without any pains find it: but in the bowels of the earth secretly hidden, to that purpose, that those which were willing to attain it, should toil & labour in the getting thereof. So is this virtue enclosed and compassed within the vale of blessedness, to the which, what man soever will knock at that heavenly palace, shall have entrance. This is the right square of speech, which effecteth stratagems in the hearts of men: wherefore let all christians endeavour to the artaining thereof, that they may boldly approach before the tribunal seat, & be accepted before God: otherwise they shall be disinherited as bastards and unlawful heirs. For none is accepted before God, but he that hath no guile, and speaketh the truth from his heart. 
Elia. lib. 12.  When as Pythagoras the Philosopher disputed of divers matters, he said, that two things were divinely given to man: the one was to embrace truth, the other to do good turns, which both were to be compared to the works of the immortal gods. 
Maximius.  So likewise Demosthenes being demanded what men had, that most resembled God, he answered, To be charitable and embrace the truth. Concluding, that in all estates, and amongst all degrees, nothing could be rightly established, or by due course observed, without this virtue, which needeth no help of any eloquent Orator, but is sufficient of itself to effect all things. 
Mat. 14 Mark. 6  john Baptist was such a lover of this truth, that he doubted not to tell King Herod openly of his incest, the which of all men ought in like manner to be of so great account and reputation, that neither loss of goods, hazard or damage of life, should cause them to forsake it; by which means they might be acceptable servants unto their masters.  
1 Truth hath no need to impair: for it is a sure pledge, a shield that is never pierced, a flower that never dieth, a stately stay that fears no frown, a port that yields no danger.  
2 Truth is the only anchor whereon all things depend, the Card whereby we sail, the sweet balm whereby we are cured, the strong tower whereon we rest, the glistering light, that lighteth us, & the only shield of our defence.  
3 Truth may incur blame, but never shamed, whose privilege is such, that when time may seem to crop her wings, then as immortal she taketh her defence.  
4 Truth is a sure pledge to maintain justice, to govern a common weal, to kill hate, to nourish unity, & to disclose secrets.   

Of Friendship. Cap. 31.  
FRiendship, 
Aristo. Ethic.  in general is a mutual and secret good will of those, which do affectionate each other, and endeavour to profit and better the good: more particularly, it is termed a virtue, by which good and learned men, for conformity and likeness of manners, are conglutinated & united in charity and love. This connection of sundry wills and mutual consent of minds, is hardly to be found, unless it be between good men, and withal cannot be found without virtue: because as Aristotle saith, Friendship is a virtue joined to virtue, & requireth equality. Wherefore in all that be good this friendship cannot be, except they be of like condition, equal degree, and not exceeding one an other in age; for where there is repugnance of nature, there may be no amity, because it is an entire consent of wills and degrees. In respect hereof, Aristotle saith, that friendship hath three objects, that is, Honesty, profit, and pleasure. According to the first, the friendship of good men consisteth (as I have afore mentioned) that there could be no friendship but amongst good men: according to the second, proceedeth a familiarity of daily conversion, and that is between merchants, and divers other mercenary trades men, given to the world, and regarding profit, amongst whom there is no friendship: for as Cicero saith, Amicus est alter ego: that is, I esteem my friend as myself: but they regard more their wealth, than friendship, which they think may procure them sufficient friends every where. Is not this an odious thing in a Common wealth, that friendship should be contemned, which procureth concord and unity, unity peace, peace tranquillity, tranquillity security of life, which are the only causes of the maintaining and long continuance of the good estate of the Common wealth? The third, & last object, is pleasure, according to which, the friendship of young youths & children dependeth, for the delight they enjoy in pleasure and pastime together; which is not to be termed friendship, because in such there wants constancy and discretion, as it evidently appeareth: for this friendship endureth but for a time. The like unto this (though a worse) is that of thieves, robbers, conspirators, and divers other malefactors, who, as birds of the same feathers, do flock and resort together, not for any love they owe one the other, but for the good will they bear unto those lewd practices which they do use. Wherefore they are excluded of all men, and in respect hereof, they consort together for friendship sake, as they term it, which is no friendship, but carrieth a show of friendship: because friendship only is said to be amongst good and virtuous men, which is the necessariest thing that should be esteemed amongst men. For as Socrates was wont to say, 
Erasm. lib. 3.  there could not be a more excellent possession enjoyed of any man than a good friend; wherein Epaminondas much delighted, and was wont to glory, that he never returned from any town, before he had gotten the friendship of some man or other. Whereby he conjectured, that there could be nothing of greater efficacy & force, than friendship: which was well approved by Lucullus & Volumnius, who were such intimate friends, that when Marcus Antonius had the Empire of Rome after the death of Cesar, and also had put Lucullus to death, for his conspiracy against Cesar, Volunnius hearing of his friend Lucullus death, came with sobs and tears before Anthony, requesting on his knees one grant, and desiring Anthony to send his soldiers to kill him upon the grave of his friend Lucullus: which being denied of the Emperor, then immediately he wrote upon a piece of paper, the which he carried in his hand, until he had access unto the grave wherein Lucullus was laid; and there holding fast the paper in one hand, and his dagger in the other hand, imbrued his hand with his own blood, upon the very grave of his friend, having also clasped his hand fast upon the piece of paper, wherein was written this worthy sentence, Thou that knowest the loyal friendship betwixt Volumnius and Lucullus, link our bodies together, as our minds were one, being alive. Such friendship was between Pomponius and Cesar, that the one wanted nothing that the other had: whose examples we should in general imitate: for though wealth decay, fortune frown, and we be of honours and dignities deprived: yet shall not fortune with all her troops change or alter friends, who in prosperity or adversity might rejoice one with an other, or else in bewailing, ease one an others calamity, which is the chiefest sacrifice that may be offered unto God, and the greatest terror unto our enemies.  
1 The smile of a foe that proceedeth of envy, is worse than the tears of a friend flowing with pity.  
2 We make experience of a friend, as the goldsmith doth of his gold, in trying him before we have need.  
3 To set on forwards in folly, argueth no discretion, & to dissuade a man in course of honour, were not the part of a friend.  
4 The counsel and persuasion of a friend are always fortunate in prosperity, and his company in misery is always delightful.   

Of Liberality. Cap. 32.  
LIberality is a virtue, gratefully bestowing gifts upon others, and is said to be the increase and yearly fruits or annuities, of those blessings which God hath bestowed upon us, for the relieving of the distressed. For the chiefest honour thereof consists in helping of the poor. And as Ambrose saith, this virtue is in league with justice: wherefore it should be ruled by moderation and reason, aiming at her revenues, and thereof giving freely: as Bion Borystenite was wont to say, it was good to bestow a portion of that talon we have, upon others, yea far better than to receive any gift, though bestowed. So Demosthenes being asked, what was most possessed of men, that resembled GOD, answered, To bestow bountifully, and to effect good things. Nevertheless in bestowing we must be circumspect, and consider where, when, and to whom; because liberality consisteth not in the quantity of the thing bestowed, but in the true meaning and natural inclination and disposition of the giver. For he is never said to give in vain, as Augustine saith, that giveth with a zeal and devotion: & they are accounted liberal and bountiful, which bestow gifts upon him that deserveth well, & requesteth nothing. For doubtless, that gift is double to be accepted, which proceedeth from a free hand and a liberal heart: because Plautus saith, that he giveth too late, that giveth when he is asked: for the request of the thing that is given, deserveth the gift: wherefore he is rightly accounted liberal, that giveth of his own accord, and receiveth not, and withal the benefit of the giver doth more profit him that giveth, than the receiver; which Photion, the whole credit of Athens, did esteem rightly to be no otherwise, who when Alexander the great had presented him with gifts, and sundry costly jewels from Persia, did show a lively example hereof in refusing the gift, adding this sentence, I will not learn to take, lest I forget to give. Wherein he showed himself a pattern of liberality, well befitting the worthiness of his person. Herby we may conjecture, that to be liberal, is a sign of an excellent mind. This property of bestowing, is a commendation in noble persons: for in liberal giving & beneficial doing, are princes compared unto God. For what may be more commendable in subjects towards their Prince, then to be faithful and loyal? or what may deserve greater praise, than liberality and clemency in a prince towards his subjects? What made julius Cesar to be beloved of his soldiers, but magnificence and liberality? who vanquished Darius, whose treasure and substance were brought before him, which amounted in ready coin, to two hundred thousand pounds, beside infinite treasures and jewels, whereof he took nothing from his soldiers, but a little book, named Homer's Iliads, in which he delighted much, only to note the exploits of the Grecians, and the worthy feats of the Troyans'. This man exceeded so much herein, that happy was that soldier, that could be a soldier to Cesar. O liberal heart, O passing policy, O happy estate, and glorious stay of such a Common wealth, wherein like liberality of Princes towards their subjects is found, & such loyalty and fidelity of subjects is showed and performed. Seing liberality is a virtue that deserveth so great praise, what man is he that carrieth never so base and abject a mind, that having any possessions or wealth, and would not be moved with some remorse of conscience, to bestow a small portion thereof, upon the poor distressed and needy? if not as being addicted to liberality, yet as being moved with pity, he would gladly impart some of the increase thereof, for his sake that bestoweth the stock, and yieldeth the increase.  
1 Liberality hath a zealous heart, open hands, invincible faith in earth, and a perpetual dwelling in heaven.  
2 The liberal man reconcileth displeasure, the unliberall engendereth hate.  
3 A liberal man beginning to decay, shall in his feebleness and want, find his friends and foes.  
4 He that is liberal, concealeth nothing from them whom he doth affectionate, by which means true love increaseth, & amity is made more firm, and stable.   

Of Clemency. Cap. 33.  
Clemency is a virtue which belongeth to the invincible part of the soul, whereby we are slowly addicted to any kind of vices, which all decay in process of time: only this mercy or clemency increaseth. Haughtiness seeing this virtue to be honoured, desireth oftentimes to be covered with the cloak thereof, fearing, lest appearing in her own shape, she should be little regarded. The property of this matchless virgin, is to sustain those crimes which are laid upon her, not tolerating herself to be hastily carried to revenge, nor easily spurred to wrath: but enforcing him in whom she resteth, to be of a settled & stayed resolution, and to carry a mild and gracious mind: for he that purchaseth otherwise, wanting clemency, is said to carry dust against the wind. Wherefore let all Governors, which do know for a certainty they have their power from above, ponder in their minds in what case they themselves be daily, if God did not abound in mercy, who would speedily, assoon as they had grievously offended, smite them with his rod of correction, although as the Scripture saith, the purest man living passeth not one hour, which deserveth not some punishment: but God being infinite in mercy, upon hope of amendment pardoneth. As therefore imitating his example, and following his steps, let all men most willingly embrace clemency, which is of such excellency, that the heart of man cannot conceive, nor his tongue utter either the infinite goodness thereof, or how admirably it linketh human society. Wherefore as Demonax was wont to say, men ought not to want clemency, nor to wax angry in correcting faults, using the example of Physicians, which are not moved to fret at their sick patients, but mildly to cure the disease: meaning hereby, that the only remedy, and surest way to win the good will of the subjects, is always for the ruler to be courteous and gentle, which causeth love in the subjects, and procureth the good of the Common wealth. Of such clemency was Pompey the great, who, when Tigranes' king of Armenia by him conquered, kneeled before him, yielding up his Crown and Sceptre at his feet, and himself to his mercy as a captive, took him up in his arms, embraced him, put on his crown on his head, and restored him to his kingdom again. Was there ever Monarch more feared of his enemies, than Alexander the great, invincible in all enterprises he attempted, in so much that he could not only force all human powers, but also time & place themselves? & yet who hath left greater proof of meekness than he? for as he was on his voyages, undertaken for the conquest of the Indians, he & Taxilles might not war one against the other. If thou (saith this king unto him) art less than I, receive benefits: if greater, I will take them of thee. Alexander greatly commending, & withal admiring the gravity and courteous speech of this Indian, answered thus, At the least we must combat for this, namely whether of us twain shallbe most beneficial unto his companion. So loath was this noble Monarch to yield to the other the superiority in clemency. What can more stir up human hearts to great affections? what more maintaineth love? what joineth the hearts of subjects unto their sovereign? Nothing so much as clemency. Adrian a noble Roman, conceived great hatred against a famous gentleman of Rome: but assoon as this noble Adrian was made Emperor, by chance meeting his enemy in the street, that very day that he was created Emperor, said with a loud voice, in the presence of all the people, Euasistime, Thou hast won the conquest: meaning, that he being made a Prince, might in no sort revenge the wrongs that he conceived before. O unspeakable humanity, and passing clemency in a Prince. julius Cesar was also of such courteous behaviour, that having conquered Pompey, & all his enemies, he wrote to his friends in Rome, that the greatest and most estimable fruit, which he of his victory conceived, consisted in saving daily the life of men, being his own country men, who had borne arms against him. For especial proof of this meekness and gentleness, that speech may serve which he uttered, when he understood, that Cato returning unto the town of Utica, after the loss of the battle, had violated his own life. O Cato (saith this Monarch being then very pensive) I envy thee for this thy death, seeing thou hast envied me the glory of saving thy life: I never yet denied clemency (said that good Emperor Marcus Aurelius) to him that demanded it of me, much less have I evil entreated, or offered dishonour to any that reposed any confidence in me: affirming, that there could be no victory, which should enjoy the name of a true and perfect victory, excepting that which harboureth clemency, alleging, To overcome, was human, but to pardon, was divine. Wherefore, saith this Prince, of whom we made mention, that we ought to esteem the magnificence of the immortal Gods, not so much for the chastisement, as for the mercy which they use.  
1 Clemency is the character of an unspotted soul, which never lightly suffereth innocency to be trodden under feet.  
2 Pride is vain, cruelty is hated, but clemency alone for her meekness is canonised.  
3 Clemency overmuch used, is no clemency: to be too submissive and human in general, is to prove human to none, because that generality can never at any time prove particular.  
4 Clemency in majesty, is the rightest path to bind affection in duty.   

Of Peace. Cap. 34.  
PEace is a virtue, that purchaseth the security and quietness of kingdoms, suppressing all tumults, uproars, and factions, planting quietness and tranquillity of life▪ But as Cicero saith, Peace is the end of war; dignity & renown, the joy of peace; and in a well established government, an anchor to both, without which no life is quiet, no estate well stayed, nor no affairs rightly managed. Wherefore, they that wish the want hereof, and refuse the conditions, may rightly be said to deserve the sword of war, which no man, except he be void of reason & senseless, would willingly desire: for as Cicero saith, there is nothing so much to be wished, as peace, by which, not only those things which have sense in them by nature, but also the very walls and houses do seem to glory & rejoice thereat: for when there is no trouble of war, the spirit is quiet, & fit for every kind of honest rest, justice flourisheth, virtue showeth her effects, vice languisheth, the zeal of pity increaseth, the discipline of the Church is authorized, both the noble and mean man preserveth & governeth his wealth, trade and traffic is free: briefly, every one receiveth good and commodity, & so consequently the whole body of the common wealth. Archidamus king of Lacedemonia, knowing well the effects of peace and war here briefly touched by us, and hearing that the Elians sent succour to the Archadians, to war against him, took occasion to write unto them, after the laconical manner, in stead of a long discourse, Archedamus to the Elians: peace is a goodly thing. And an other time he gave a notable testimony, how far he preferred peace before war, when he made answer to one that commended him, because he had obtained a battle against the foresaid Archadians, It had been better if we had overcome them by prudence, rather than by force: every prince that desireth war, stirreth up against himself, both the hatred & weapons of his neighbour, he vexeth his subjects unworthily; seeking rather to rule over them by violence, then to gain their good will by justice, he quite overthroweth his country.  
1 Peace triumpheth, where reason ruleth, and security reigneth, where wisdom directeth.  
2 It is a sign of godliness, to be at peace with men, and at war with vices.  
3 Peace from the mouth of a tyrant, is often promised, but seldom performed.   

Having laid down somewhat of the virtues, which are the cause of the flourishing estate of a Common wealth, it followeth in brief of the vices which are the destruction, and utter ruin of all governments, and of every Common wealth.  
Of Idleness. Cap. 35.  
Idleness is a fear of labour, desisting from necessary actions, both of body and mind: it is the only nurse & nourisher of sensual appetite, and the sink which entertaineth all the filthy channels of vices, and infecteth the mind with many mischiefs, and the sole maintainer of youthly affections. They therefore that do nothing, saith Cicero, learn to do ill, and through idleness the bodies & minds of men languish away, but by labour great things are obtained; yet travail is a work that continueth after death: therefore it was well ordained in the primitive Church, that every one should live of his own labour, & sweat of his own brow, that the idle & slothful might not consume unprofitably the goods of the earth: which reason brought in that ancient Roman edict mentioned by Cicero in his book of Laws, that no Roman should go through the streets of the city, unless he carried with him the badge of that trade whereby he lived; insomuch that Marcus Aurelius speaking of the diligence of the Romans, writeth, that all of them followed their labour. It is our duty therefore, to abide firm and constant in that good & commendable kind of life, which we have chosen from the beginning, so that the end thereof be to live well: and let us shun idleness in such sort, as to say with Cato, that it is one thing whereof we ought to repent us most, if we know that we have spent a whole day, wherein we have neither done nor learned any good thing. Phocilides minding to instruct us in this matter, said, that in the evening we ought not to sleep, before we have thrice called to memory whatsoever we have done the same day, repenting us of the evil, and rejoicing in our well doing. Apelles the chiefest painter that ever was, would not suffer one day to pass, without drawing some line: meaning thereby (as he said) to fight against idleness, as with an enemy. Eleas King of Scythia, said, That he deemed himself to differ nothing from his horse-keeper when he was idle. Dionysius the elder, being demanded if he was never idle, answered, God keep me from that horrible vice: for as a bow (according to the common Proverb) is broken, by keeping it in too much bending: so is the soul through too much idleness. This is that which Masinissa the Aphrican would learnedly teach us, of whom Polybius writeth, that he died when he was fourscore and 10. years of age, leaving behind him a son that was but four years old a little before he died, after he had discomfited the Carthaginians in a main battle, he was seen the next day eating of course brown bread, saying, to some that marveled thereat, That as iron is bright and shineth as long as it is used by the hand of man, and as a house falleth to decay wherein no man dwelleth (as Sophocles saith) so fareth it with this brightness and glistering light of the soul, whereby we discourse, understand, and remember. The same reason moved Xerxes' father to say to Darius, that in perilous times and dangerous affairs he increased in wisdom. Likewise political knowledge, is so excellent a prudence, settled mind, justice, & experience, as knoweth full well how to make choice of, and to take fit time and opportunity in all things that happen, which cannot be maintained but by practice & managing of affairs, by discoursing and judging. Now to conclude our present treatise, seeing we know that we are borne to all virtuous actions, let us fly from idleness and sloth, the wellspring of all injustice, and poverty, the stirrers up of infinite passions in the soul, and the procurers of many diseases in the body, even to the utter destruction of men: And let us embrace diligence, care, travel, and study, which are sure guides to lead us to that end, for which we ought to live, wherein consisteth all the happiness and contentation of the life of good men: and let us not doubt, but that all time otherwise spent, is lost time, knowing that all times in respect of themselves are like: but that which is employed in virtue in regard of us, and that which is unprofitably wasted, & in vices, is nought.  
1 Idleness maketh of men women, of women beasts, of beasts monsters.  
2 To fly with idleness from that we should follow, is to follow our own destruction.  
3 To idleness belongeth correction, to correction amendment, to amendment reward.   

Of Pleasures and delight. Cap. 36.  
DElight is a pleasure, that moveth and tickleth our senses, raising our hopes on hills of high desire, which quickly fadeth & vanquisheth away, and rather leaveth behind it an occasion of repentance (how delectable soever these pleasures be) than any reason to call it again to remembrance, albeit amongst the pleasures & delights which men have in this world, some are decent, holy & honest; as those which we conceive in the reading and meditation of the law of God, in our obedience towards him, and of the faith and hope we have in his promises. All which (as David saith) are more to be desired then gold, yea then fine gold, & are sweeter than the honey & honey comb. It is also a singular pleasure to behold the providence, wisdom and goodness of God towards his creatures, and to consider how every one of them, and every part of them, are appointed to some good purpose, and ordained for the use, pleasure and profit of man: in these pleasures there is neither shame, sorrow, nor repentance: for every thing is holy, and there is no evil, unless it be, that we are not greatly desirous to fall into these considerations, or because we are over-weary of them. There are other pleasures which are natural, as to eat when we are hungry, to drink when we are thirsty, to rest when we are weary, & such like; by the sweetness whereof, our good God, which is a lover of our welfare, would stir us up to be careful of ourselves. There are also some which are superfluous & unprofitable, as that of Socrates, which was accustomed to stand in one place gazing at the Sun, from the rising thereof until Sun set: or as the Dear that delighteth to gaze so long on the bow, until he is hit with the bolt: or that of sundry others, which they take in tricking toys, as in engraving or such like: othersome spend the most part of the day at the door, to show their beauties, & to behold the passengers by: not unlike the wolves of Syria, which delight to bark against the Moon, spending their time about nothing, which every man ought to hold most precious, and especially governors, who are always to be employed in matters of great consequence, whereof the charge is such, that if they discharge their duty, they shall hardly have so much leisure, as to eat their meat, & take their rest, unless they omit some of that time which should be employed in public affairs. Moreover there are other pleasures which are lewd, & are termed by the name of carnal & worldly pleasures, & these are they whereof at this present I purposed to discourse. Herein let us resolve ourselves, that it is not sufficient to do our endeavour, that according unto the example of S. Paul, & following his advice & counsel, we do apply ourselves to the persons with whom we live, and that we transform ourselves unto them, though that their natures be oftentimes different & disagreeing from us; but withal, we must apply ourselves to the sudden chances and sundry accidents of this life, and keep our minds always in one estate and condition, whether we be poor or rich, as it is said of Socrates, that unto what house soever he came, were it to the King's palace, or the beggars cottage, were he in Silks, Velvet or Frise, he always kept a decorum & a comeliness in his behaviour, beseeming such a philosopher as he was. So in like manner must we apply ourselves & learn to use all alterations and changes, whether they should be ease or labour, honour, or dishonour, poverty & riches, friends and enemies, health & sickness, imprisonment & liberty, rest & pains, sorrow and gladness, without doing any thing unprofitable or not befitting a Christian, or disagreeing, & not beseeming our estate & conditions and in so doing, a man that shall moderately & wisely enjoy any pleasure as God shall minister him occasion, giving thanks unto him, & acknowledging his goodness, ought much more to be commended, than he that refuseth his grace and favour, depriving himself of those gifts & talents which God hath given and offered him: for he doth it either through contempt, superstition, or detestable pride, thinking himself to be more wise in rejecting, then accepting the goodness that God hath offered him.  
1 Worldly gladness rideth upon the wings of time, but he that sitteth surest, may be overthrown.  
2 Conceal thy delights in thy heart, lest shamefully they be discovered.  
3 Delight is the brook of evils, quenching the light of the soul, & hindering counsel, turning men aside from the right way.  
4 The delight of the heart addeth length to life, but sorrow of life hasteneth death.   

Of Intemperance and Gluttony. Cap. 37.  
INtemperance is an enemy to frugality, a daughter to excess, a foe to temperance, & a favourite to immoderate appetite, that craveth daily more than it needeth, like an unthankful beast, unwilling to gratify the pleasure done it, which lives as a slave to the mouth & belly: for what can be more vile & loathsome, than is the drunkard, whose mouth is the lodge of poisoned savours, whose body through excess doth tremble & shake, whose promises are large, whose tongue bewrayeth secrets, whose mind is soon changed, whose countenance is transformed: for where drunkenness reigneth there secrety beareth no sway: for commonly when the head is full of wine, the tongue is set at liberty; beside, this wine doth not only suffice a drunkard, neither is he content with many sorts of wine, as sack, bastard, hippocras, & such like, but he drowneth his senses in all variety of liquor, making himself the monster of excess. O desire insatiable, O fire inquenchable. This is the nursery of all contention and strife: for as the wise man saith, Much drinking of wine kindleth the coals of wrath, and is the root of all misbelief & ruin, and the sequel thereof is fornication, yea fornication, wine, & drunkenness, bereave noble minds of all strength and courage, corrupt the blood, dissolve the whole man, & finally make him forgetful of himself altogether. Therefore the Apostle writeth, Be not drunk▪ with wine, wherein is lascivious wanton lust. And that wise king saith, That wine is a lecherous thing, and that drunkenness is full of strife & dissension. The children of Rachab, & the sons of Zachary drank no wine, nor no other kind of strong drink that might overcome their senses, Gluttony the mother of uncleanness, bringeth forth a more unclean daughter: for it is very agreeable to reason, that what is already unclean, should become as it were more disparged with uncleanness. For all those which commit fornication, are like unto the bakers oven made hot with fire. The princes & rulers begun to rage through wine: for the belly which is daintily fed, most willingly of itself embraceth carnal pleasures, & extreme rage of unclean lust, which doth not only effeminate the mind, but also weakeneth the body, and indaungereth the person in this life, and bringeth both body and soul in peril of damnation in the life to come: for all the sin that a man committeth, is without the body, but he that offendeth infornication, committeth an offence against his own body. Heat & lust are the harbingers of fornication, & it is always combinat and accompanied with uncleanness, & undecentnesse, but sorrow & repentance do speedily overtake it: for the lips of an harlot (saith Solomon) or like unto a dropping honey comb, and her throat is more neat and cleaner than oil, but the and & latter days of her are as bitter as wormwood, and her tongue is as sharp as a two edged sword. Let all men therefore eschew this odious vice, which though at the first it seem pleasant, yet in the end it will wound like Basi●icocks, which slay & kill men with the poison of their sight.  
1 Sobriety containeth that in a wise man's thought, which a fool without discretion hath in his mouth.  
2 Gluttony stirreth up lust, drieth the bones, and more die by it, then perish by the sword.  
3 Intemperance is a root proper to every disease, and he that too much pampereth himself, is a heavy foe to his own body.  
4 Intemperance increaseth anger, & anger in extremity extinguisheth understanding opinion and memory.   

Of Lust, and Lawless delights. Cap. 38.  
LVst is a desire against reason, that enforceth us to covet beyond our power, a furious and an unbridled appetite, which procureth us to act beyond our nature, & to die before our time, in that it rooteth all good motions out of the mind of man, leaving no abode for virtuous actions: for in the beginning of man's life bread & water was his food, & a simple garment with a poor cottage were thought sufficient to cover his deformity: but now the fruits of trees, the sundry sorts of grains, the roots of herbs, the fishes of the sea, the beasts of the land, the fowls of the air, do not satisfy the greedy appetites of gluttons, and ravening men; now they seek for pleasant dishes with painted colours, they procure delicates and hot spices, choice meats, sugared morsels for their dainty mouths, those things do they feed upon, which be curiously wrought by the art of cookery & other officers: one by stamping & straining changeth some things from their proper nature, labouring by art to make that accident, which of itself is a substance: an●●●er compoundeth things together, to make that delicate, which of itself is unpleasant: & all this is to turn excess to hunger, to bring an appetite to the stomach oppressed with saturity, and to fill the greedy desire of gluttony, rather than to sustain the weakness of nature. Gluttony is an enemy to health, a friend to sickness, the mother of wanton lust, and the instrument of death. Be not greedy, saith the wise man, at any banquet, nor feed not on every dish: for with the diversity of dishes the health is endangered, and through surfeit of wine many have perished: meat is ordained for the belly, and the belly to receive the meat, but God shall destroy both the one and the other. Gluttony requireth a costly & chargeable tribute, but yet yieldeth a very base and vile rent: for how much more delicate the meat is, so much more odious are the fruits thereof. Gluttony distempereth the body, corrupteth the stomach, and maketh all parts noisome: 
Gen. 3.  gluttony did shut up the gates of Paradise against mankind: gluttony caused Esau to sell his inheritance: 
Gen. 25.  gluttony was the main path which led Pharaos' baker to the gallows: 
Gen. 40.  
Mat. 14  gluttony was the instrument that wrought john Baptist his death: Nabuzardon the chief cook of the king of Babylon, burned the temple, and destroyed the city jerusalem. 
Dan. 5.  Balthasar the king of Babylon in his great and sumptuous banquet, saw a hand writing on the wall, Mane, Thekel, Phares, & the same night he was killed by the Chaldeans. The people o● Israel sat down to make good cheer, and rose up to play: but whilst the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God fell upon them, and destroyed them all, for their voluptuous and lewd kind of living. The rich man which did feast, banquet, and abound in worldly pomp & vanity, is buried in hell. Vitellius also was so much given to gluttony and excess, that at one supper he was served with two thousand several kind of fishes, and with 7000. flying fowls. Also Aristotle mocking the Epicures, said, That upon a time they went all to a temple together, beseeching the gods, that they would give them necks as long as Cranes and Herons, that the pleasures & taste of meat might be more long, complaining against nature for making their necks too short.  
1 Lechery is a strong tower of mischief, and hath many upholders, as neediness, paleness, anger, lust, discord, love, and longing.  
2 Concupiscence in decrepit old age, is loathsomeness, in youth excess, & between both, the fruit of idleness.  
3 Concupiscence is an enemy to the purse, and a foe to the person, a canker to the mind, procuring blindness to the understanding, hardness of heart, & want of grace.  
4 Concupiscence is a sin finished with sorrow, a lust that groweth by continuance, an infamy nourished by lasciviousness.   

Of Enuy. Cap. 39  
Envy is a grief arising of other men's prosperity, to which vice malignity is always a confederate: this hate or envy springeth of certain pleasure or delight, conceaned by other men's harm, although it reapeth nor enjoyeth pleasure or profit thereby, yet as being an enemy to unity, rejoiceth thereat. This trivial vice is said to be the mother of wickedness, and accounted to sit in an immaginary theatre, her palace is a dim & hollow vault, wherein she waxeth pale & wan, as having the consumption of the liver, looking askwint, as borne under Saturn, flowing with gall, as having no affinity with the dove, never rejoicing, being conceived without a spleen, yet smileth at other men's misfortune, being in a league with the Crocodile: she is always careful, and never resting, as though she were an arm of Ixion's wheel. This vice, as the Poets do say, is a monstrous vermin, and an enemy to concord, engendered and hatched by the ugly Megaera of hell, that feeds and crammes her gorge with dragons, and foams out again deadly poison; than which vice, nothing is more pernicious to the estate of the common wealth: for what may be more unseemly and detestable, than one man to pine away at an others good estate, or rejoice at an others harm? The causes that do bring forth this vile bratte, are many, (as divers do rehearse) whereof one, as I myself by experience have partly known, is, that whereas some springing from base stock, and withal like the Scaribe, bearing low thoughts, yet have envied and grudged at others, that both by nature and nurture, were well qualified, & of good deserts, because they were not willing to see any other prosper or of any estimation and dignity; not because they hate praise or dignity themselves, but because they have nothing in themselves worthy of fame, nor any sparkle left by their posterities, that might rightly challenge any prerogative: and this is the meanest sort of envy. Some other are envied by the better sort, for their haughty & insolent pride, who will admit no coequal, or second. Such a one was Sesostris, who was so proud & haughty, that whensoever he went to the temple or any whither in public, caused his chariot to be drawn by four tributary Kings or great Lords, instead of horses: showing thereby, that none of the other kings or captains were to be compared to him in virtue and prowess. And this sort of envy is somewhat tolerable. Some others are envied, being promoted to honour and dignity, or increasing in wealth & substance: so likewise the good of the evil & lewd sort, are hated for their goodness and virtue, which vice is intolerable, and as unfit to be in the Common weal, as a coward in wars: wherefore saith a worthy man named Demor●s, that the laws did not forbid every man to live according to his own wished desire, unless the one were envious & injurious to the other: meaning, that envy was the only beginner and stirrer up of hatred, and of other vices. Such was the envy of Themistocles, who repined and was puffed up with great envy, when he perceived Melciades to be honoured for his conquest, that he could not take quiet rest, and being demanded what might be the cause thereof, answered, that the triumphs of Melciades would not suffer him to take any rest. Wherein he showed himself a vicious man and worthy of reproach. But on the contrary side, Socrates being told that he was envied of one, appeased his anger and answered, It is not material: alleging, The harm will be his, and not mine: for both his own ill hap, and my good success, shall torment and put him to pain: Adding that of Horace, Inuidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis: The envious man pines away, to see an others prosperity.  
1 A discreet man had rather be envied for provident sparing, then pitied for his prodigal spending.  
2 Envy is the daughter of pride, the companion of magnificence, the beginner of secret sedition, & the perpetual corrupter of virtue.  
3 Envy swalloweth up the greatest part of her own poison.  
4 The envious man that carrieth hatred in his face, and folly in his head, is cumbered with two worms, the one fretteth life, the other consumeth goods.   

Of Covetousness. Cap. 40.  
Covetousness is a deformity of the soul, whereby a man most greedily desireth to heap riches from all parts without measure, regarding not how unjustly he detaineth goods belonging unto others, so that he may augment his riches, which he gathereth with great travails, & keepeth them with more danger. The covetous man is always ready to ask, but slow to give, and bold to deny: all that he spendeth, he thinketh it lost, and after expense he is full of sorrow, full of complaints, froward and hard to please, he is priest with care, & sigheth through the remembrance of that which is spent, he is troubled in mind, tormented in body, & if ought go from him, it is much against his will, GOD wot, he maketh his own gifts glorious, and embraceth not that which he receiveth from others, he giveth in hope to receive, and of his gifts he maketh his gain, he is free of expense where others bear the charge, very sparing in spending of his own, he forbeareth his food, his treasure to increase, he pineth his body, to multiply his gain, he putteth back his hand, when he ought to give, but he stretcheth it far forth, when he is to receive any thing: howbeit, the wealth & substance of the unrighteous shallbe dried up as a river, because goods evil gotten are soon again consumed; for it is a just judgement, that wealth of evil beginning, should have an evil ending, & that those things which be unjustly gathered, should be unjustly and unthriftily scattered: The covetous man hath therefore his condemnation in this life, and in the life to come. Tantalus, as the poet saith, thirsteth amidst the waters; even so the covetous man standeth in need amongst all his great wealth, to whom that which he hath, doth as much good, as that which he hath not, because he never useth it, but always gapeth after things not as yet obtained: he is, saith the Wise man, as though, he were rich, when he hath nothing, and is as though he were poor, when he flourisheth in wealth. The covetous man & the pit of hell do both of them devour, but they do not digest, they receive both, but they do not render again: the niggard doth neither pity those that suffer affliction, nor yet have compassion of those that are in misery, but he forgetteth his duty to GOD, and the due to his neighbour, seeking his own harm and disquietness: for he holdeth back the due unto God, he denieth to his neighbour things necessary, and withdraweth from himself things that be needful, he is unthankful to GOD, unkind to his neighbour, & cruel to himself. To what use hath the covetous man substance, and to what end hath the spiteful & malicious man gold? how can he that is evil to himself, be good to others? Or he that taketh no profit of his own got goods? He that hath the substance of this world, and seeth his brother in necessity, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of GOD in him? For he loveth not his neighbour as himself, whom he suffereth to perish for hunger, and consume for need, neither doth he love God above all things, who more than God, respecteth gold and silver.  
1 The covetous man bettereth no man, and worse befriendeth himself.  
2 A covetous man's purse is the devils mouth, his life is to live a beggar, and his end to die in want.  
3 Riches gathered by the covetous, are lightly wasted by the prodigal person.  
4 The covetous man can learn no truth, because he loatheth the truth.   

Of Usury. Cap. 41.  
Usury is an active element that consumeth all the fuel that is laid upon it, gnawing the debtors to the bones, and sucketh out the blood & marrow from them, engendering money of money, contrary to the disposition of nature, and holding a disordinate desire of wealth; of which it may be said, as it was to Alexander, of the Scythians, What needest thou of riches which constrain thee always to desire? thou art the first, which of abundance hast made indigence, to the end that by possessing more, thou mightest with more ease by unlawful usury enjoy that thou hast not. This vice is so loathsome, and contrary to equity and reason, that all nations, which were led by the instinct of nature, have always abhorred and condemned it, in so much as the condition of thieves hath been more tolerated, than usury: for theft was wont to be punished but with double restitution, but usury with quadruple: and to speak truly, these rich & gallant usurers do more rob the people, & purloin from them, than all the public thieves that are made examples of justice in the world. It is to be wished, that some would examine usurers books, & make a bonfire of their obligations, as that Lacedaemonian did, when Agesilaus reported, that he never saw a clearer fire: or that some Lucullus would deliver Europe from that contagion, as that Roman did Asia in his time. Lycurgus banished this canker worm out of Sparta, Amasis punished it severely in Egypt, Cato banished it out of Sicilia, & Solon condemned it in Athens. How much more should it be held in detestation amongst Christians? S. Chrysostome compareth it fitly to the biting of an Asp: as he that is stung with an Asp, falleth asleep as it were with delectation, but dieth yet he awaketh: so money taken in usury, delighteth & contenteth at the first, but it infecteth all his possessors, & sucketh out the marrow of them suddenly. Seeing that it is so abominable by the law of God and nature, let us shun it as a toad, & fly from it as from a Cockatrice. But if these persuasions will not serve, let them turn their eyes to these examples following, wherein they shall see the manifest indignation of GOD upon it. Sergius Galba, before he came to be Emperor, being precedent of Africa under Claudius, when as through penury of victuals, corn, & other food were very sparingly shared and divided amongst the army, punished a certain soldier, that sold a bushel of wheat to one of his fellows, for a hundred pence, in hope to obtain a new share himself: in this manner he commanded the Questor or treasurer to give him no more sustenance, since he preferred lucre before the necessity of his own body, and his friend's welfare, neither suffered he any man else to sell him any, so that he perished with famine, and became a miserable example to all the army of the fruits of that foul dropsy covetousness.  
1 Usury is like a whirl pool, that swalloweth what so ever it catcheth.  
2 The serpent hidden in the grass, stingeth the foot, & the usurer under shadow of honesty, deceiveth the simple.  
3 Usury deceives the belly, taketh away the title of gentry, and becometh careless of the soul's safety.  
4 Covetousness findeth out usury, usury nourisheth idleness, idleness is the bringer forth of evils.   

Of Ambition. Cap. 42.  
AMbition is an unmeasurable desire to enjoy honours, preferments, estates & great places of dignity; it is a vice of excess, and contrary to modesty: repugnant to this, amongst the Romans there was decreed a law, to this end or purpose, viz. that none might obtain any dignity, or other function, by proving liberal, bestowing gifts, or in using any other unlawful means; which law yielded no favour to the offender: For whosoever were found guilty & condemned, should assuredly suffer death. Which law, doubtless, was needful, weighing what sundry calamities by ambition happen: for they that be ambitious, are, as it were, with Iccarus wings carried with an unsatiable desire of sufferaignty, admitting of no period, or stay, from the lowest centure, to the highest heavens. If they that are with this vice attainted, do obtain any authority, then as supposing the rights of law to be in their own hands, they will effect what they list, deeming whatsoever is pleasing unto them, is lawful. By reason hereof, they do sever themselves, as though they were by nature melancholic, & given to embrace solitariness, fearing contradictions, or censure of any others touching their enormities, whereby divers injuries have risen: For as Osorius saith, The more haughty mind and noble a man hath, that is desirous of glory & estimation, the more easy he is to and fro carried by every blast, to accomplish any thing against equity. To this loathsome vice covetousness, must needs be annexed a property, otherwise the vain glory of ambition and proud ostentation of the ambitious man, could not be suggested: whose summum decus & chief decorum of honour, do consist in being imperious, & carry a great port, & sway: to the vnderpropting whereof, his authority must needs be a means to procure him coin, to cure his care, and uphold his calling, which is contrary both to the law of God and man, & against the right rule of modesty. Aristotle termeth him modest, who desireth honour as he ought, and no otherwise than it becometh him: but he that desireth it more than he ought, by an unlawful means, is ambitious, & is carried away with the perturbation of intemperancy. Ambition never suffereth those that have once entertained it, as a guest, to enjoy their present estate quietly, but maketh them always empty of goods, and needy, it causeth them to contemn that which they have gotten by great pains and travail, and which not long before they desired very earnestly, by reason of their new imaginations and conceits of great matters, which they continually practised, but have never their minds satisfied and contented: the increase of power & authority is the cause whereby they are induced, and carried headlong to commit all kind of injustice, flattering themselves in furious and frantic actions, that they may have access to the end of their infinite plots, and enjoy that proud and tyrannical glory, which contrary to all duty they haunt after. Spurius Melius a Senator of Rome was murdered for his ambition, and his house razed by Ticimantus the dictator of Rome, because he sought by means of certain dole or distribution of wheat, to make himself king of Rome. Marcus Manlius was also for the like occasion, thrown down from the top of a rock. Therefore it appeareth sufficiently unto us, how pernicious this vice of ambition is in the souls of great men, and worthy of perpetual blame.  
1 Ambition is a serpent, which prieth into every man's thoughts, & slily insinuateth herself into the bowels of men.  
2 The ambitious man, that endeavoureth to plunge and depress another, to enjoy preferment, in stead of superiority, attaineth indignity.  
3 Men that are envious, placing their thoughts in the highest theatre of honour, their fortune being low, must needs live a malcontented life.  
4 An ambitious person will alway wander astray out of the right way, to attain to the height that his heart desireth.  
5 The ambitious is of such unacquainted fits, and moving spirits tempered, that he never contents himself in any vocation.   

Of Anger. Cap. 43.  
ANger is furor brenis, a shortfury, or as Aristotle saith, the sudden inflammation of the blood, causing the motions of the spirits, and alteration of the heart: it is also a desire of revenge, or a reckless care of friendship, and an enemy to reason; whereby springeth such a hurly burly in the mind, that reason, during this fury, cannot be heard, nor understanding obeyed, no more than laws or magistrates are regarded in a state torn and rend with evil dissension: but in this trouble, the passions, which do wax most mutinous and troublesome to the quiet rest of the spirits, do first arise in the appetible and concupiscible part: that is to say, in that part where the soul doth exercise his faculty of desiring or rejecting things presented unto her, as being things contrary to her welfare and preservation. Choler knoweth not how to be silent, but is very rash, unwary & unadvised in all things: whereby it happeneth, that those headlong persons run often into such danger, as they never get out, by reason of their anger. Clitus & Calisthenes were the occasion of their own destruction, for that they had been overbold in reproving Alexander; whereas by modest & humble admonition they might have reclaimed him, saved themselves, and gotten the grace and favour of their lord and master. C. Flaminius, and M. Marcellus, two consuls of Rome, both valiant and hardy soldiers, were notwithstanding surprised and overthrown in the end by Hannibal, by reason of their overmuch frowardness, & making too hasty trial of their fortune: whereas contrariwise, Fabius Maximus being a more sober and temperate Captain, never enterprised any thing, but with great advisedness, and with such deliberation considered of the circumstance of each thing, that Hannibal could never entrap him in his ambushes, though he placed them never so cunningly. When Hieron king of Sicilia had murdered certain of his friends, and the report known thorough the country, Epicharmus, who understood of the matter, within a while after was bidden to supper with the king, and by reason of his abundance of choler he could not dissemble, but cried out assoon as he saw the king, and reproved him for his infidelity and horrible murder, saying, Why didst thou not call me to the sacrifice that thou madest of thy friends? which was the cause that he lost his own life also, and by this means made the tyrant more fierce and cruel than he was before. Plutarch also reporteth, that when Dionysius the tyrant asked the wise men of his Court, which copper was the best, Antiphon answered very readily, that in his opinion that was the most excellent, whereof the Athenians had made the pictures of the two tyrants, Armodius & Aristogiton. This was a quick answer, & spoken in anger; which notwithstanding so stuck in the mind of the tyrant, that he could never be appeased, but with the life of him that uttered it: which verifieth the saying of Quintilian, concerning those bitter and choleric natures, viz. that had rather lose their lives, then have a bitter gird.  
1 There is no safe counssell to be taken from the mouth of the angry man.  
2 He detaineth himself from anger, that remembreth his end, and feareth GOD: the one restraineth presumption, the other appeaseth impatience.  
3 Anger is an inward grief, and vexation of the mind, thirsting after revenge.  
4 With the angry man we must not be importunate in matters of consequence, but should defer our petition until a convenient time, which might mitigate his anger.   

Of Sedition. Cap. 44.  
SEdition is an evil quality, which so much troubleth the quiet rest, & passions of the soul, & is accompanied with most dangerous effects, and yet nothing so dangerous as those which follow after. For why? These first motions, being bred and form in that part, by means of the object which presenteth itself, do pass forth in continently into the irascible part of the mind, that is to say, to that part, where the soul seeks all means possible of obtaining or avoiding that which seemeth unto her good or bad: for the avoiding hereof we must not imitate nature, which, as Empedocles saith, useth no other means to destroy, ruinated and overthrow her creatures, than discord, & sedition, and (as Thucydides saith) comprehendeth in it all kind of evils. Sedition them being taken generally, is nothing else but an evil impostume, so hurtful to all estates and Monarchies, that it is the seed and root of all kind of evils, even of those that are most execrable, it engendereth & nourisheth want of reverence towards God, disobedience to magistrates, corruption of manners, change of laws, contempt of justice, & base estimation of learning & science. Thucydides speaking of the general dissension amongst the Grecians, for diversity of governments, which they sought to bring in among themselves, some desiring to be governed in a Democraty, others in an oligarchy, rehearseth incredible evils that arose of that war. As soon (saith he) as any mutinies, disturbances or uproars were known to be committed in one place, others were encouraged to do worse, as to enterprise some new Stratagem, to show that they were more froward than others, or more insolent & hot in revenging themselves. This is that which Diamades objected to the Athenians by way of reproach, that they never entreated of peace, but in mourning gowns: namely after they had lost many of their kinsfolks in battles & skirmishes after long sedition.  
1 Sedition is a hell to the mind, a horror to the conscience, suppressing reason, and inciting hatred.  
2 There is no greater cruelty than sedition, whereby a man continually murdereth himself living.  
3 A seditious man waxeth lean, with the fatness of his neighbour.  
4 Hidden sedition is more dangerous, then open enmity.   

Of War. Cap. 45.  
War is of two sorts; either civil, or foreign: civil war is the overthrower of all estates & monarchies, and the very root of all evil, which engendereth want of reverence towards God, disobedience to Magistrates, contempt of justice, being sprung of the diversity of religion; but in effect, ambition. And foreign war is a more lawful contention, as being ordained for religion sake, and to procure peace and unity. This civil war stirreth up against himself, both the hatred & weapons of his neighbours, to him that desireth it. For he that vexeth his subjects unworthily, seeking rather to rule over them by violence, then to gain their good will with justice, he quite overthroweth his country, preferring dominion and greatness of his power, before the benefit of the same: he is brought oftentimes in subjection to his enemies, and diminisheth his own authority, whiles he laboureth to possess another man's right by violence. Augustus' the Emperor said, That to have lawful war, it must be commended by the gods, and justified by the philosophers. And Elius Spartianus affirmeth, that trajan only of the Romans, was never overcome in battle, because he undertook no war, except the cause thereof was very just. But we may well say, that no wars between Christians a so justified, but that still there remaineth some cause of scruple. Moreover we see, that the famine and pestilence most commonly follow war: for the abundance of all things being wasted, want of victuals must needs follow, whereupon many diseases do grow. Briefly it bringeth nothing with it, but a heap of miseries, and easily draweth and allureth the violence and evil disposition of many, to follow the estate of time: for they that desire a change, are very glad of such an occasion, to ground their platforms upon, which they could not do in time of peace, because men are then of better judgement and affection, as well in public, as also in private matters. It was for these considerations, that Photion the great Captain of the Athenians laboured to stop the war, which the people of Athens determined to make against the Macedonians, at the persuasion of Leosthenes: and being demanded, when would he counsel the Athenians to war? When I see (quoth he) that the young men are fully resolved to leave their riot, that rich men contribute money willingly, and Orators abstain from robbing the Common wealth. Nevertheless, the crime was levied against his counsel: and many wondering at the greatness and beauty thereof, asked him, how he liked that preparation. It is fair for one brunt, said Photion: but I fear the return and continuance of the war, because I do perceive, that the city hath no other means to get money, or other furniture, or men of war besides those. And his foresight was approved by the event: for although Leosthenes prospered in the beginning of his enterprise, (whereupon Photion being demanded, whether he would not gladly have done all those great and excellent things, answered that he would, but not have omitted that counsel which he gave) yet in the end he was slain in the voyage, the Grecian army overthrown by Antipater & Crateres too Macedonians, and the city of Athens brought to that extremity, that it was constrained to send a blank for capitulation of peace, & to receive within it a garrison of strangers. Thus it falleth out commonly to those, that seek for war by all means, either by right or by wrong.  
1 War should be considerately begun, but speedily ended.  
2 The events of war are doubtful, but the damage certain.  
3 War by might maketh his ancestors whom he pleaseth.  
4 Where there is confusion, there is division, & both are the procurers of war.   

A Conclusion to the Magistrates. Cap. 46.  
TO further the government of a common wealth, many provisoes may be invented, which must be aswell noted to the simple, as to the careful magistrate, upon whom relieth the charge hereof, not applying himself outwardly to that which his conscience inwardly reproveth, lest he should be said, wilfully to resist the law of God. What greater felicity can happen to any earthly wight, when he is by the highest Father pressed with care of civil regiment, that wholly dependeth upon virtue, and only for the accomplishment thereof is put in ure, then as being surcharged with this great burden, or overladen with it, to find a comfort to mitigate his distress, tempered with a mild medicine of hope, that rooteth out the cankered flesh of despair, with the plaster of trust? In this form of government, & in the flourishing state of all people, by the reforming of all degrees, it is good to strike the stith whilst the iron is hot, and amend all faults while they are green and fresh, which may not be but by the servitude of laws; & also to provide, that in all points, the common sort be tractable and obedient, and the magistrates diligent and careful to rule, as conscience and duty bindeth them: which being once stained with injustice, is always tied with a guilty remorse. Otherwise if they practise discreetly & reverently those things that are godly and lawful, that their consciences may be clear, and others by their doings not offended, than it may be said generally, as it was of the great king of Muscovy, (who was thought to control all the monarchs of the world, having gotten such authority over his own subjects, as well ecclesiastical as secular, to whom it was lawful to dispose, as it were, at his pleasure, of their lives and goods: no man being willing to gainsay him, they also confessing publicly & openly his imperial regiment, alleging withal, that the will of their Prince was the will of God, and all what soever he did, they acknowledging it to be done by divine providence. He is (said they) The porter of Paradise, The chamberlain of God, and the executor of his will. By which means he grew so mighty within a little while, that all his neighbours, which were the Tartarians, Suevians, yea and the Turks themselves, canonised him. Where such love and obedience is wrought in subjects towards their sovereign, and of the sovereign towards his subjects, there shall virtue enjoy her freedom, and possess her privilege by the rights of law, & all the people shall flourish with equity: justice shall maintain peace, peace shall procure security, security shall nourish wealth, wealth felicity. Where want hereof breeds a flat denial or not like sufficiency to all, in respect of this defect, let none be dismayed, at his small talon, or grudge at an others greater prosperity: for without doubt, nature hath by her secret motion, denied none some perfect quality to supply that want, which in himself breeds discontent or mislike: for even as the fish having no ears, hath most clear eyes, so though want of dignity be a disgrace to some, though want of coin discontent divers, & though lack of wealth impairs the credit of many, yet nature hath supplied that outward ornament, with such an internal guerdon, as a loyal and a loving heart guided with constancy, willingly dieth for the good of the common wealth, or spendeth all his time in the procuring of the security thereof. But on the contrariside, if the commonalties continue rude, & stiff-necked in behaviour, reclaiming against the precepts of virtue; or if officers or magistrates securely neglect the execution of laws: then will the want of government breed licentious liberty, liberty procure open wrong, wrong doing escape scotfree: whereby the people, as taking heart at grass, are encouraged unto lascivious lewdness, & the most part shall be oppressed with violence, by lawless practices, robberies, & intolerable oppressions; & the silly simple shall be quelled with extremities, and pressed with open wrongs, & the chiefest of all shall enjoy securely neither life, nor goods, to the great dishonour of officers, and utter disparagement and scandal of the Common wealth.  
FINIS.