402 late Lord St. Alban entitle his work Novum Organum which though by the most of superficial men, who cannot get beyond the title of Nominals, it is not penetrated nor understood, it really openeth all defects of learning whatsoever, and is a book Qui longum noto scriptori proroget ævum.* My conceit of his Person was never increased toward him by his place or honours but I have and do reverence him for the greatness that was only proper to himself, in that he seemed to me ever, by his work, one of the greatest men, and most worthy of admiration, that had been in many Ages. In his adversity I ever prayed that God would give him strength; for Greatness he could not want. Neither could I condole in a word or syllable for him, as knowing no accident could do harm to virtue, but rather help to make it manifest. De Corruptela Morum.-There cannot be one colour of the mind, another of the wit. If the mind be staid, grave, and composed, the wit is so; that vitiated, the other is blown and deflowered. Do we not see, if the mind languish, the members are dull? Look upon an effeminate person, his very gait confesseth him. If a man be fiery, his motion is so; if angry, 'tis troubled and violent. So that we may conclude wheresoever manners and fashions are corrupted, language is. It imitates the public riot. The excess of feasts and apparel are the notes of a sick state; and the wantonness of language, of a sick mind. De rebus mundanis.-If we would consider what our affairs are indeed, not what they are called, we should find more evils How belong to us than happen to us. often doth that, which was called a calamity, prove the beginning and cause of a man's happiness? And, on the contrary, that which happened or came to another with great gratulation and applause, how it hath lifted him but a step higher to his ruin! As if he stood before, where he might fall safely. which makes that a prince has more busi- Princeps.-After God, nothing is to be De eodem.-Orpheus' Hymn.-He is the arbiter of life and death: when he finds no other subject for his mercy, he should All his punishments are spare himself. rather to correct than to destroy. Why are prayers with Orpheus said to be the daughters of Jupiter, but that princes are thereby admonished that the petitions of the wretched ought to have more weight with them than the laws themselves. De opt. Rege Jacobo.-It was a great accumulation to his majesty's deserved praise, that men might openly visit and pity those, whom his greatest prisons had at any time received, or his laws condemned. De Princ. adjunctis.-Sed verè prudens haud concipi possit Princeps, nisi—simul et bonus.-Lycurgus.—Sylla.-Lysander. Vulgi Meray - Morbus comitialis.-The-Cyrus.-Wise, is rather the attribute of Vulgar are commonly iii-natured, and al- a prince, than Learned or Good. ways grud fing against their Governors: *Horat. de Art. Poetica. [It is worth noting that the folio for proroget reads porriget, which most probably Jonson wrote. His own translation of the line is "With honour make the farknown author live."-F. C.) The learned man profits others rather than himself; the good man, rather himself than others but the prince commands others, and doth himself. The wise Lycurgus gave no law but what himself kept. Sylla and Lysander did not so; the one living extremely dissolute himself, inforced disputations (carried with more labour than profit) are odious; where most times the truth is lost in the midst, or left untouched. And the fruit of their fight is, that they spit one upon another, and are both defiled. These fencers in religion I like not. frugality by the laws; the other permitted ments are as fluxive as liquor spilt upon a those licences to others, which himself ab-table, which with your finger you may stained from. But the Prince's prudence drain as you will. Such controversies, or is his chief art and safety. In his counsels and deliberations he foresees the future times in the equity of his judgment, he hath remembrance of the past, and knowledge of what is to be done or avoided for the present. Hence the Persians gave out their Cyrus to have been nursed by a bitch, a creature to encounter it, as of sagacity to seek out good; shewing that Wisdom may accompany fortitude, or it leaves to be, and puts on the name of Rashness. Morbi.-The body hath certain diseases that are with less evil tolerated than removed. As if to cure a leprosy a man should bathe himself with the warm blood of a murthered child: so in the church, some errors may be dissimuled with less inconvenience than they can be discovered. Jactantia intempestiva.-Men that talk of their own benefits are not believed to talk of them because they have done them, but to have done them because they might talk of them. That which had been great if another had reported it of them, vanisheth, and is nothing, if he that did it speak of it. For men, when they cannot destroy the deed, will yet be glad to take advantage of the boasting, and lessen it. Adulatio. I have seen that Poverty makes men do unfit things; but honest men should not do them; they should gain otherwise. Though a man be hungry, he should not play the parasite. That De Malign. Studentium.-There be some men are born only to suck out the poison of books: Habent venenum pro victu; imò, pro deliciis. And such are they that only relish the obscene and foul things in Poets; which makes the profession taxed. But by whom? Men that watch for it; and (had they not had this hint) are so unjust valuers of Letters, as they think no learning good but what brings in gain. It shews they themselves would never have been of the professions they are, but for the profits and fees. But if another learning, well used, can instruct to good life, inform manners, no less persuade and lead men, than they threaten and compel, and have no reward; is it therefore the worse study? I could never think the study of Wisdom confined only to the Phi-hour wherein I would repent me to be losopher; or of Piety to the Divine; or of honest, there were ways enow open for State to the Politic: but that he which can lock of tender ears; especially of those me to be rich. But Flattery is a fine pickfeign a Commonwealth (which is the Poet) whom fortune hath borne high upon their can govern it with counsels, strengthen it with laws, correct it with judgments, in-wings, that submit their dignity and auform it with religion and morals, is all these. We do not require in him mere Elocution, or an excellent faculty in verse, but the exact knowledge of all virtues, and their contraries; with ability to render the one loved, the other hated, by his proper embattaling them. The philosophers did insolently, to challenge only to themselves that which the greatest generals and gravest counsellors never durst. For such had rather do, than promise the best things. fitable the bitterness of truth were, than all thority to it by a soothing of themselves. For indeed men could never be taken in that abundance with the springes of others' flattery, if they began not there; if they did but remember how much more prothe honey distilling from a whorish voice, it is come to that extreme folly, or rather which is not praise, but poison. But now madness, with some, that he that flatters them modestly, or sparingly, is thought to malign them. If their friend consent not Controvers. Scriptores. — More Anda- to their vices, though he do not contradict batarum qui clausis oculis pugnant. them, he is nevertheless an enemy. When Some controverters in divinity are like they do all things the worst way, even then swaggerers in a tavern, that catch that they look for praise. Nay, they will hire which stands next them, the candlestick, fellows to flatter them with suits and or pots; turn everything into a weapon: suppers, and to prostitute their judgments. ofttimes they fight blindfold, and both beat They have livery-friends, friends of the the air. The one milks a he-goat, the dish, and of the spit, that wait their turns other holds under a sieve. Their argu-as my lord has his feasts and guests. De vita humanâ.-I have considered our whole life is like a Play: wherein every man forgetful of himself, is in travail with expression of another. Nay, we so insist in imitating others, as we cannot (when it is necessary) return to ourselves; like children, that imitate the vices of stammerers so long, till at last they become such; and make the habit to another nature, as it is never forgotten. De Piis et Probis.--Good men are the stars, the planets of the ages wherein they live, and illustrate the times. God did never let them be wanting to the world: as Abel, for an example of innocency, Enoch of purity, Noah of trust in God's mercies, Abraham of faith, and so of the rest. These, sensual men thought mad, because they would not be partakers or practicers of their madness. But they, placed high on the top of all virtue, looked down on the Stage of the world, and contemned the Play of Fortune. For though the most be players, some must be spec tators. Mores Aulici.-I have discovered that a feigned familiarity in great ones, is a note of certain usurpation on the less. For great and popular men feign themselves to be servants to others, to make those slaves to them. So the fisher provides bait for the trout, roach, dace, &c. that they may be food to him. Impiorum querela.-Augustus.-Varus. -Tiberius.- The complaint of Caligula was most wicked of the condition of his times, when he said, They were not famous by any public calamity, as the reign of Augustus was, by the defeat of Varus and the legions; and that of Tiberius, by the falling of the theatre at Fidena; whilst his oblivion was eminent, through the prosperity of his affairs. As that other voice of his was worthier a headsman than a head, when he wished the people of Rome had but one neck. But he found (when he fell) they had many hands. A tyrant, how great and mighty soever he may seem to cowards and sluggards, is but one creature, one animal. vice, of nature, or self-direction, avoid business and care. Yet these the Prince may use with safety. The other remove themselves upon craft and design, as the architects say, with a premeditated thought to their own, rather than their Prince's profit. Such let the Prince take heed of, and not doubt to reckon in the list of his open enemies. The Principum varia. — Firmissima verd omnium basis jus hæreditarium Principis. -There is a great variation between him that is raised to the Sovereignty by the favour of his Peers, and him that comes to it by the suffrage of the people. first holds with more difficulty; because he hath to do with many that think themselves his equals, and raised him for their own greatness and oppression of the rest. The latter hath no upbraiders, but was raised by them that sought to be defended from oppression; whose end is both the easier and the honester to satisfy. Beside, while he hath the people to friend, who are a multitude, he hath the less fear of the nobility, who are but few. Nor let the common proverb (of he that builds on the people builds on the dirt) discredit my opinion: for that hath only place where an ambitious and private person, for some popular end, trusts in them against the public justice and magistrate. There they will leave him. But when a Prince governs them, so as they have still need of his administration (for that is his Art) he shall ever make and hold them faithful. Clementia. - Machiavell. A Prince should exercise his cruelty not by himself, self and his dignity with his people, by but by his ministers; so he may save himsacrificing those when he list, saith the great doctor of state, Machiavell. But I say, he puts off man, and goes into a beast, that is cruel. No virtue is a Prince's own, or becomes him more, than this Cleable to save with his power. Many punishmency and no glory is greater than to be much discredit a Prince, as many funerals ments sometimes, and in some cases, as a physician. The state of things is secured by Clemency; severity represseth a few, but irritates more." The lopping of trees makes the boughs shoot out thicker; and the taking away of some kind of enemies, * *Haud infima ars in principe, ubi lenitas ubi severitas-plùs polleat in commune bonum callere. increaseth the number. It is then most gracious in a Prince to pardon, when many about him would make him cruel; to think then how much he can save, when others tell him how much he can destroy; not to consider what the impotence of others hath demolished, but what his own greatness can sustain. These are a Prince's virtues: and they that gave him other counsels, are but the Hangman's factors. Clementia tutela optima.-He that is cruel to halves (saith the said St. Nicholas)' loseth no less the opportunity of his cruelty than of his benefits: for then to use his cruelty is too late; and to use his favours will be interpreted fear and necessity, and so he loseth the thanks. Still the counsel is cruelty. But Princes, by hearkening to cruel counsels, become in time obnoxious to the authors, their flatterers and ministers; and are brought to that, that when they would they dare not change them; they must go on, and defend cruelty with cruelty; they cannot alter the habit. It is then grown necessary, they must be as ill as those have made them and in the end they will grow more hateful to themselves than to their subjects. Whereas, on the contrary, the merciful Prince is safe in love, not in fear. He needs no emissaries, spies, intelligencers, to entrap true subjects. He fears no libels, no treasons. His people speak what they think, and talk openly what they do in secret. They have nothing in their breasts that they need a cypher for. He is guarded with his own benefits. Religio. Palladium Homeri.-Euripides.-The Strength of Empire is in Religion. What else is the Palladium (with Homer) that kept Troy so long from sacking? nothing more commends the Sovereign to the subject than it. For he that is religious, must be merciful and just necessarily and they are two strong ties upon mankind. Justice is the virtue that innocence rejoiceth in. Yet even that is not always so safe, but it may love to stand in the sight of mercy. For sometimes misfortune is made a crime, and then innocence is succoured no less than virtue. Nay, often-times virtue is made capital; and through the condition of the times it may happen, that that may be punished with our praise. Let no man therefore murmur at the actions of the Prince, who is placed so far above him. If he offend, he hath Le. Machiavell his discoverer. God hath a height beyond him. But where the Prince is good, Euripides saith, "God is a guest in a human body." with some Princes sacred above their maTyranni.-Sejanus.-There is nothing jesty; or profane, but what violates their sceptres. But a prince, with such a council, is like the god Terminus, of stone, his own landmark; or (as it is in the fable) a crowned lion. It is dangerous offending such an one; who being angry, knows not how to forgive that cares not to do any thing for maintaining or enlarging of empire; kills not men, or subjects; but destroyeth whole countries, armies, mankind, male and female, guilty or not guilty, holy or profane; yea, some that have not seen the light. All is under the law of their spoil and licence. But rinces that neglect their proper office thus, their fortune is often-times to draw a Sejanus to be near about them, who will at last affect to get above them, and put them in a worthy fear of rooting both them out and their family. For no men hate an evil Prince more than they that helped to make him such. And none more boastingly weep his ruin, than they that procured and practised it. The same path leads to ruin which did to rule, when men profess a licence in government. A good King is a public Servant. All his Illiteratus princeps.-A Prince without letters is a Pilot without eyes. government is groping. In sovereignty it is a most happy thing not to be compelled; but so it is the most miserable not to be counselled. And how can he be counselled that cannot see to read the best counsellors (which are books ;) for they neither flatter us, nor hide from us? He may hear, you will say; but how shall he always be sure to hear truth? or be counselled the best things, not the sweetest? They say Princes learn no art truly, but the art of horsemanship. The reason is, the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a Prince as soon as his groom. Which an argument, that the good counsellors to Princes are the best instruments of a good age. For though the Prince himself be of most prompt inclination to all virtue; yet the best pilots have needs of mariners, besides sails, anchor, and other tackle. Character principis.—Alexander Mag nus.-If men did know what shining fetters, " raised, it brings gladness to his friends, grief to his enemies, and glory to his posterity. Nay, his honours are a great part of the honour of the times: when by this means he is grown to active men an example, to the slothful a spur, to the envious a punishment. Divites.-Heredes ex asse..-He which is sole heir to many rich men, having (beside his father's and uncles') the estates of divers his kindred come to him by accession, must needs be richer than father or grandfather: so they which are left heirs ex asse of all their ancestors' vices; and by their good husbandry improve the old, and daily purchase new, must needs be wealthier in vice, and have a greater revenue or stock of ill to spend on. Fures publici.-The great_thieves of a state are lightly the officers of the crown; they hang the less still, play the pikes in The net the pond, eat whom they list. was never spread for the hawk or buzzard that hurt us, but the harmless birds; they are good meat. Dat veniam corvis, vexat censura columbas.* gilded miseries, and painted happiness, thrones and sceptres were, there would not be so frequent strife about the getting or holding of them: there would be more Principalities than Princes: for a Prince is the pastor of the people. He ought to shear, not to flay his sheep; to take their fleeces, not their fells. Who were his enemies before, being a private man, become his children now he is public. He is the soul of the commonwealth, and ought to cherish it as his own body. Alexander the Great was wont to say, "He hated that gardener that plucked his herbs or flowers up by the roots." A man may milk a beast till the blood come: churn milk, and it yieldeth butter; but wring the nose, and the blood followeth. He is an ill prince that so pulls his subjects' feathers, as he would not have them grow again: that makes his Exchequer a receipt for the spoils of those he governs. No, let him keep his own, not affect his subjects': strive rather to be called just than powerful. Not, like the Roman tyrants, affect the surnames that grow by human slaughters: neither to seek war in peace, or peace in war; but to observe faith given, though to an enemy. Study Non rete accipitri tenditur, neque milvio.† piety toward the subject; shew care to deLewis XI.-But they are not always safe fend him. Be slow to punish in diverse cases; but be a sharp and severe revengerwise masters. They can take down all the though, especially when they meet with of open crimes. Break no decrees, or dissolve no orders, to slacken the strength of laws. Choose neither magistrates civil or ecclesiastic, by favour or price: but with long disquisition and report of their worth, by all suffrages. Sell no honours, nor give them hastily; but bestow them with counsel, and for reward; if he do, acknowledge it (though late) and mend it. For princes are easy to be deceived: and what wisdom can escape, where so many court-arts are studied? But above all, the prince is to remember, that when the great day of account comes, which neither magistrate nor prince can shun, there will be required of him a reckoning for those whom he hath trusted, as for himself, which he must provide. And if piety be wanting in the priests, equity in the judges, or the magistrate be found rated at a price, what justice or religion is to be expected? which are the only two attributes make kings a-kin to gods; and is the Delphic sword, bóth to kill sacrifices, and to chastise of fenders. De gratiosis.-When a virtuous man is huff and swelling of their looks; and like dexterous auditors, place the counter where he shall value nothing. Let them but remember Lewis the Eleventh, who to a clerk of the exchequer that came to be Lord Treasurer, and had (for his device) represented himself sitting on fortune's wheel, told, he might do well to fasten it with a good strong nail, lest turning about, it might bring him where he was again. As indeed it did. De bonis et malis.-De innocentia.-A good man will avoid the spot of any sin. The very aspersion is grievous; which makes him choose his way in his life as he would in his journey. The ill man rides through all confidently; he is coated and booted for it. The oftener he offends, the more openly; and the fouler, the fitter in fashion. His modesty, like a riding coat, the more it is worn, is the less cared for. It is good enough for the dirt still, and the ways he travels in. An innocent man needs no eloquence; his innocence is instead of it: |