Policie vnveiled vvherein may be learned, the order of true policie in kingdomes, and common-wealths: the matters of justice, and government; the addresses, maxims, and reasons of state: the science of governing well a people: and where the subject may learne true obedience unto their kings, princes, and soveraignes. Written in Spanish, and translated into English by I.M. of Magdalen Hall in Oxford.

CHAP. XXIII.

How, and in what sort, Limitation in giuing, may sute with the Greatnesse of Kings.

NOw I see the reply, and the Argument, which may be made against that, which we haue mentioned in the former Chap∣ter. For this same sising of Kings fa∣uours, and these same short bounds of bounty, wherein some would shut them vp, seemeth no way compatible with the authoritie and greatnesse of Kings; Especially on such occasions, wherein they are forced to bestow them vpon persons that are deseruingly qualified for them, and that haue done notable seruices, who are not to be gratified with small gifts; nor may that seeme to bee much, which is giuen but once. First of all I answer here∣unto, that it stands with good reason, that they, who haue spent their meanes, and the better and greater part of their liues, in the seruice of their King and Common-wealth,

should be recompensed according to the qualitie of their persons and seruices, when Kings are well able to doe it, without putting themselues in necessitie, or charging their subiects (which they too vsually doe) with extraordinary Impositions. And if it be well considered, the maine drift of our former Chapter was, that things might be so or∣dred, that Kings might haue wherewithall to giue vpon such like occasions. That therefore which I say, is this; That they ought to holde their hand in those Gifts, which they giue meerely vpon their owne pleasure and humour, that they may the better cumply with those which lye vpon them by way of obligation. For they, that haue vnder their charge and Command such a multitude and number of subiects, it is not meete, that they should conferre many and great fauours vpon a few, and few or none vpon many; shewing grace vnto some with that, which in Iustice is due vnto others, whose often sweats, perpetuall labour, and extreame neede, serue now for riches, regalos, intertainments, and an∣nuall rents to those, who in all the whole course of their life, neuer knew what it was to moyle and toyle, or to take any paines for the Common-wealth. Nay, which is more (and it grieueth my soule to speake it) the sweat, and blood of poore labouring men, is conuerted into rose water, for to feede their delightes and pleasures, and that in such wast∣full, riotous, & loose intertainments, as certainely beseemeth not Christians but Epicures and Sardanapalians,* 1.1 who did denie, the immortalitie of the soule. Woe vnto them (saith God) that are at ease in Syon, woe vnto you great Poten∣tates and Rulers ouer the people, who enter in state into the Temples, and goe thence in pompe: who delight in lasci∣uiousnesse, lying vpon bedds of yuory: who eate the Lambes of the flock & the Calfes out of the stall; who drink wine in bowles, and annoynt themselues with the chiefe oyntments; who sing to the sound of the Violls, and inuent to themselues instruments of Musicke; no man in the meane while being sorie for the afflictions of Ioseph, or taking pitie and com∣passion

of those poore miserable wretches, who must wring and smart to maintaine these their idle and vnnecessary va∣nities. But the world will be altred with these men one day, and a time shall come, wherein (as that Princely Prophet saith.)* 1.2 Laetabitur justus, cum viderit vindictam; manus suas lauabit in sanguine peccatorum: The righteous shall reioyce when hee seeth the vengeance, he shall wash his hands in the blood of the wicked. And men shall say, Verily there is fruit for the righteous; doubtlesse there is a God, that iudgeth in the earth. Then shall Lazarus reioyce and be glad in Abrahams bosome; and the rich Glutton lying in Hell, shall begg a dropp of cold water and haue no body to giue it him. And if any man should say vnto me that the Grandeza, and Greatnesse of Kings, requireth, that great rewards should be giuen both to the one, and the other. My answer vnto him is; That nothing better be∣commeth Kings, for the conseruing of their Greatnesse, then to know that they are but men, and that they cannot stand in Competition with God, whose fountaine of riches, is infinite, and is able to fill and satisfie all, and neuer can be drawne dry, though it be imparted and distributed to neuer so many. Whereas that of men, is but like vnto the water of a Cisterne, which by being communicated to many is diminished and exhausted. King Nabucodonosor, and o∣ther Kings (of whose falls, there is mention made in the Scripture) for default of this knowledg, fel from their estates: And let that tree, whose top touched heauen, and whose boughes did ouerspread the whole world (whereof wee so lately made mention) serue now the second time for an Ex∣ample, which going about to imbrace all in it's owne armes, and to giue sustenance in aboundance to all, and pretending to exalt it selfe as high as heauen, did pay the price of this it's pride, autoritie, and Signorie: and did so farre pro∣uoke Gods anger against it, that hee commanded it to bee hewen down, & that being layd leuell with the earth, it might

acknowledge, how much limited, and how short was it's power. Sithence therfore that it is not possible for Kings to vse much liberalitie and bounty towards all, there is a great deale of reason, why they should forbeare voluntary Donatiues for to discharge obligatory paiments; whereun∣to in rigour of Iustice,* 1.3 he is strictly bound. The Apostle Saint Iames saith; That the debtes, which are due vnto them, that haue done seruice, cry vnto God, and that the teares of the poore ascend vp vnto Heauen, to the end that from thence may come forth a writ of Execution against those, that haue beene the cause thereof. And your Catho∣like and Christian Kings are not to place their greatnesse and authoritie, on that, as did your Heathen Kings, and those that were without the light of faith. Who pretended nothing else in their gifts and fauours, but vaine-glory, and the idle applause of the world. According to that saying of our Sauiour Iesus Christ.* 1.4 Reges gentium dominantur eorum & quipotestatem habent super eos, benefici vocantur. The Kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them, and they that beare rule ouer them, are called Bountifull. True authoritie, and Greatnesse, doth not con••ist, in Magnificencies, and Prodi∣galities, which are not regular, and ruled by reason: Which requireth, to cumply first with what is due, and that neither Kings, nor their subiects, should thrust themselues into ne∣cessity and want, to satisfie the ambition and couetousnesse of those,* 1.5 who (as Salomon sayth) like vnto Horse-leaches; Semper dicunt, Affer, Affer, still cry; Giue, Giue. That, which distributiue Iustice requireth, is; That Kings should repart the common goods of the Republicke, conformeable to the meritts and seruices of euery one; preferring alwayes the publicke, before any particular good, and ioyntly with this, that they goe clinching the hand for a while, that they may afterwards stretch it out more at large, when it shall be fitting for them so to doe. And this is Liberalitie, that ver∣tuous and noble Meane, betweene those vicious Extreames, Auarice, and Prodigalitie.

When our Sauipur Christ had sufficiently fed that great multitude which followed him into the desert, they no sooner found themselues full, but they presently resolued a∣mongst themselues to make him their king. And this their determination, grew from two things which they saw to bee in him. The one his noble disposition, in affording them such free and plentifull intertainment; The other for his great prudence and good gouerment, in giuing order that the peeces of bread, and other the fragments that were left,* 1.6 should be gathered vp. Colligite, quae super auerunt fragmeta, ne pereant. Gather vp the broaken meate, which remayneth, that nothing be lost. Nor did he doe this, that he had neede to set it vp, or keep it to serue at some other time vpon the like occasion; for he could (as often as he would) haue made bread of stones; but to instruct, and teach Kings to knowe both to spend, and saue, to giue, and hoord vp, where, how and when it is fitting, in regard that their power is limited.

Moreouer Kings are to consider that they, who at one clap receiue much from them, grow so fat and pur••ie, that they are not able to serue and follow them as they were wont, and sometimes they retire themselues, and nere returne againe, to see either King or Court, vnlesse meere Couetousnesse, and greedinesse of gaine draw them thither to beg, more and more,* 1.7 & to cramme their purses. Being like vnto that Crowe which Noah sent out of the Arke, who as soone as he had found firme footing, and whereon to feede his fill, neuer came back again. Kings Palaces are, like Noahs Arke, where there is a great diuersitie in the Conditions of men; and generally you shall meete there with more Crowes, then Doues. And here, I will with your good leaue, take a little libertie, to diuert my selfe from the Testimonies of Holy Scripture, to those of Great Kings and Monarckes, some of one nation, and some of another. And the first, that I shall begin withall, shall be king Don Alonso of Sicily, who

walking along by the Sea-side, caused many gobbets of flesh, some great, and some small, mingled one amongst an∣other to be brought vnto him, and still as the Crowes (which were many) came about him, to some hee threw out the lesser, to other the larger morsells. Those that went away with the great gobbets, came no more in sight, but fled their way; but those that had but a small pittance, and were not so full gorged, they followed the King whether so euer he went, and neuer forsooke him. Who tolde those that were then about him; In this (my Masters) yee may see, how much it importeth Kings to distribute their fauours with moderation and temper. Philip King of Macedon, did much reprehend his sonne Alexander for being too lauish of his fauours, and too excessiue in his giftes. Telling him, that thereby hee peruerted the mindes of those, that were to serue him, who in stead of seruing him with that loue & loyalty which in duty they were bound vnto, they would now onely serue him for their owne particular interest, and proper commoditie making, by this meanes, affection and fidelitie become a kinde of trading, and merchandizing. And certainely so it is, that when mens mindes make in∣terest their Aime, and daily to get more and more, they be∣come saleable, and tender their seruice to those, that wil giue them most. And they, which doe thus accustome themselues to craue and take, the loue of friendship and that thanke∣full acknowledgement, which is due to the Doner, is turned into interessed Loue; which is called by the name of Con∣cupisence, And are (as the Comicke Poet saith) like vnto those lewd huswifes which, Amore••carent, mun•••• amantis amant; Loue not so much the man, as his money, nor his person, as his purse. You shall seldome see a man, that is (as they say) a Pediguen••••, a crauing Companion, one that is still begging one thing or other, that hath not some touch of Couetousnesse, and some tincture more or lesse of vnthanke∣fullnesse. For, in regard that these men loue themselues, and

their owne interest so well, they haue not one drop of loue left for others, and if any doe remaine, they conferre it on a third person, through whose hands, that which they pretend is to passe. And the King, and Prince, to whom all is due, rest depriued of two things, that are the most substantiall and of most importance for the conseruation, perpetuation, and augmentation of his Kingdome, which are their subiects Loue, and Thankes. For the truest kinde of Raigning and the likest to Gods kingdome, is to gaine the heartes of their subiects, and to make themselues (as much as in them lyes) Lordes and Masters of their good Wills. And it is our dayly experience, to see persons that haue beene highly and richly gratified, and extraordinarily well rewarded, to haue proud very vnthankfull. For, this fault great benefits haue with them, and such as are dis-equall to the deserts of those persons that receiue them, that they are not thankfully accepted of; And those that are benefitted, to the end that they may not bewray this their imperfection (being such, as it is no lesse, then so great a sinne, as ingratitude) they soone learne to forget them; but those that are confer∣red on others, neuer slip out of their remembrance. In a word, of all that that is begg'd, and of all them that begg, few there are, that forbeare to goe this way. In confirma∣tion whereof, we may alleadge heere that question, which Christ made to one of those ten Leapers which hee healed, shewing himselfe not halfe well pleased with the rest of his fellowes. Nonne decem mundati sunt, Et nouem vbi sunt? Non est inuentus, qui rediret & dares gloriam Deo, nisi hic Alienigena:* 1.8 Are there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There is none found, that returned to giue God prayse, saue this stranger. In Kings Pallaces, your strangers and those that are newly come to Court, are your onely thankfull men; For those, that are well acquainted with the Court, familiarly attend the person of the King, and are still assistent vnto him vpon all occasion, neuer acknowledge

the fauours that are done them, bee they neuer so great: They are alwayes crauing, but are neuer satisfied; they swallow downe whole riuers, and wonder not at it; they thinke all Iordan is too little for them, and that they shall no soner open their mouth; but they must presently sup it vp. And the reason hereof, is; because they verily perswade themselues, that all whatsoeuer you giue them, (be it neuer so much) is due vnto them for their seruices, and their day∣ly Assistencies. I therefore say, (and therein say but the trut,) That one of the greatest happinesses, that can befall Kings, is; to be serued by noble persons, and men of honour gente granada (as the Spaniards tearme them) iolly, strong, lusty people, proper, comely men, and persons of best and most account both for riches and honour. But this is the mis∣cheife of it, that this golde, which should make such a glori∣ous shew in Court, and shine both in honour and goodnesse, is canckred and rusted by Auarice and Ambition, which eates into all mens mindes, and wholly possesseth them. So that from the highest to the lowest, they are all well read in the Schoole of Couetousnesse, Dissimulation, and deceit; And your Priests, and those that weare Miters on their heads, are not in this kinde the meanest Schollers amongst them. All complaine, they are not rewarded, that they haue nothing giuen them, & if they haue any thing giuen them they thinke it is all too litle. And betwixt this their complayning, & their thankefull acceptance, there is set vp such a strong partition, that it neither suffereth them to acknowledge a benefit, nor to intertaine it with that thankfullnesse as they ought. All now a dayes attend their own interest, and not their kings seruice; Who may say that of them, which God spake by Malachie;* 1.9 Who is there euen among you, that would shut the doores of my house, or kindle but a coale on mine Altar in vaine? Not one, I assure you, but will be well payd for his paines. There is not that Sexton, that Cloy∣ster Cleanser, nor scullion of the Kitchen, but will haue good

wages, & other ayudes de costa, or by-helps. This great traine (saith Seneca) of seruants and Attendants, seeke not so much after a Master, as Money, a friend, as a fortune. Miserable is the condition of kings, whom none loue for themselues but for their owne ends, and the good they expect from them; so that this their priuate interest fayling them, their seruices faile with it, & likewise faileth (so says S. Isidore) that loue & Loy∣alty which is due vnto them, Non sunt fideles, quos munus, non gratia copulat, nam citò deserunt, nisi semper accipiant; Those whom Lucre, not Loue linketh, cannot bee faithfull. For vnlesse they be still on the taking hand, they vanish, and are quickly gone. Yet is it not my intent and purpose in that which I haue sayd, to condemne those who demaund their pay and satisfaction for their seruices, to relieue their ne∣cessities. For therein they doe but vse that lawfull course which is appointed for them by way of petition. Howbeit, Aristotle, Plato, and other Philosophers, would haue sub∣iects to be solicitous not in sueing, but in seruing. And I far∣ther affirme, that Princes are to take it to their charge, to con∣tent those that haue done them good seruice; it being the principall Office of distributiue Iustice, carefully & vigilant∣ly to distribute riches and honours, to those that haue de∣serued them. And this vndoubtedly, is one of the most ef∣fectuall meanes for the good gouernment of a Common-wealth; For, as those three diuine vertues, Faith, Hope, and Loue, are increased and augmented by praying vnto God; so on the contrarie, are they lessned and diminished by sueing vnto Men. For when subiects serue, and not sueing obtaine that which they deserue▪ humane Faith, Hope, and Loue, is augmented in them; because thereby, they are taught to rely on the vertue and wisedome of their Soue∣raigne, who applyes himselfe to euery mans meritts, and the iustnesse and vprightnesse of his cause; For which cause they will loue him much, but much more, when he giues without being importuned with petitions. And it see∣meeth vnto them that hee giues not more willingly, then

he doth wisely, in applying himselfe onely to reason and Iustice, and not to the importunate Petitions of Pretenders. And therefore Kings are not to content themselues onely with paying that which they owe, and to doe mercedes and fauours to them that serue them; but that these should like∣wise goe accompanied with Loue and Good Will; for with remuneration are the seruices requited; and with Loue, are they obliged to doe them still more and better seruice. In that Case, which the Scripture recounteth of King Assu∣erus, who, one night being not able to sleep and take his rest, commanded Lights to be brought in, and some that were about him, to take that booke, and read vnto him, wherein were written the notable things that past in his raigne, and amongst the rest, there was mention made of a great peece of seruice, which Mardochee did him, freeing him from that death, which two of his Eunuches had plotted against him, by discouering this their treason, demanded of those there present; What honour and dignitie hath beene giuen to Mordochee for this his fidelitie towards me, and the good seruice he hath done mee? And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him, sayd; There is nothing done for him. Whereupon, he presently bestowed vpon him such great ho∣nors and dignities, that vnlesse he should haue giuen him his kingdome, he could not well haue giuen him more. Thus was this good seruant rewarded, honoured, and graced by his Lord and Master, who without being importuned, gra∣tiously called his good seruices to remembrance, and honou∣red him aboue all the Princes of his Kingdome. And I could wish, that all that are rewarded by their Kings, might receiue their recompence vpon the like good tearmes of Rea∣son, and Iustice. But now a dayes, poore and slender seruices (the more is the pitie) finde copious, and plentifull rewards; and those (ordinarily) accompanied with ingratitude; A thing, which Nature it selfe abhorreth; And which tyes Gods hands from giuing, who is so liberall and so rich; and

dryes vp that ouerflowing fountaine of his boundlesse mer∣cies, from affording vs any farther fauour, or Comfort.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Amos. 6. 1.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 58▪ 10. 11.
• * 1.3

  Iames. 5 ••.
• * 1.4

  Luk. 22. 25▪
• * 1.5

  Prou. 30. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.6

  Iohn 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.7

  Gen. 6. 7.
• * 1.8

  Luke 17. 17.
• * 1.9

  Malach. 1. 10.