§. I.

Of the Magnanimitie of minde which Kings ought to haue.

BY this high Tower, and nose of the Spouse, some vnderstand the Pope; Quia in facie Ecclesiae eminet: Because he is an eminent man in the face of the Church. But Rabbi Kymki, and Philo Iudaeus, will haue it, by the selfe same reason, to bee vnderstood of a King; Adding withall, that the nose doth betoken Maiestie, Grauitie, Longanimitie, and excel∣lencie of minde, wherein a King ought to exceede all o∣ther. And therefore the Persians would neuer choose him to be their King, who had not a hooke nose like the Eagle, well shap't, and proportioned, which is the en∣signe of a magnanimous minde. And hence it is, that they say of the God of the Hebrewes, that hee hath great and large nostrils.* So sounds that word of the Psalmist; Lon∣ganimis, & multum misericors: id est, longus naribus. The Lord is mercifull and gracious, slow to anger, and plentious in mercie: that is; Of wide nostrills, full of sufferance and patience; for the smoake of fury and choler doth not so soone runne vp the chimney, as in those which haue straight and narrow nostrils, who are soone hot, and sodainely incensed to anger. And the selfe same Philo saith, that in the Leuiticall Law, they were not admitted to the Preisthood, who had either a little, crooked, or dispropor∣tioned nose, as being lesse fit for that Ministery. The one, are hot and cholerick; the other, ill-inclined. Those againe, which haue too great a nose, are naturally cruell, and proude, Page  238 and these are mislik't of all; but that, as much commen∣ded, which signifies magnanimitie, bountifullnesse, and ge∣nerousnes, and is of sufficient largenesse to suffer and dissem∣ble anger, and not to haue the chimney choaked with a little smoake. A qualitie, so much importing Kings, that from thence did arise that Prouerb; Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare: Hee that knowes not how to dissemble, knowes not how to rule. And there was a King of late times, which stickt not to say; that hee would not haue his sonne know any more Learning, then that which this sentence doth containe; for that it was so good and pro∣fitable a Lesson for Princes. Tiberius Caesar, did glorie in no one thing more, then in the Arte of Dissimulation, wherein he was so excellent, that neuer any, vpon any, though neuer so great occasions giuen by him, could search into his intents, or diue into his thoughts. In the story of the Kings, it is written; That at the very same time, that God commaunded the possession of the King∣dome, to be giuen vnto Saul, which was the first King he had nominated, some ill disposed persons, that were malitiously bent against him, did murmure at him, and speake ill of him, seeming to scorne, and set light by him. But God had giuen him such a measure of wisedome, and discretion, that although all that they had sayd, came to his eare, Ipse verò dissimulabat se audire:* Yet hee held his peace, and would not seeme to take notice of it. For, when Kings come newly to their Crownes, and that the things of the Kingdome are not yet throughly settled, it is great pru∣dence to reserue with dissimulation the punishment of great persons, that with better occasion, and in a better coniuncture, he may proceed against them, as reason and Iustice shall require. That King shall not be accounted wise, that shall pretend execution of Iustice with the dan∣ger of Insurrections, and seditions; nor shall the iustifica∣tion of his intent, suffice to execute his rashnesse in the Page  239 meanes, vnlesse hee first ballance the businesse, and see which way the scale will incline; as to see, how farre hee may rely vpon the loue of his subiects, and how the end may sorte with his designes, lest the danger of the scandall & disobedience, may proue to bee greater, then the profit that can arise from the execution of Iustice. For in such cases, it is great wisedome in a King, to conforme himselfe according to the times; And that that which at one time is worthy of punishment, should be dissembled, and reser∣ued to be punished at another time. Which course (as Saluste reporteth) was, in Catilines time, taken with that great and powerfull Courtier,* Crassus. The Emperour Iu∣stinian, hee likewise aymes at this marke: And it is the Counsayle, which S. Isidore giues vnto Kings. The like did King Dauid when Ioab so treacherously slew Abner. Onely to some few, that were very inward with him, he discouered the reason, that mooued him to dissemble the matter, and not to punish him with death for the present, telling them with a great deale of griefe; Ego autem adhuc delicatus sum,* & vnctus Rex: I am this day weake, (or as the Hebrew renders it, tender) though annoynted King. As if he should haue sayd; To see the affaires of my Crowne and Kingdome in that tender and ticklish estate wherein they stand, obligeth me, not to make that demonstration of ri∣gour and iustice, as the heynousnesse of this fact doth re∣quire. But the Lord shall reward the doer of euill accor∣ding vnto his wickednesse. Tribuat dominus facienti malum, iuxta malitiam suam. Here, is much to be con∣sidered; the great care, which this King tooke in concealing his purpose from the people, till some better occasion were offred; For, if he should haue declared himselfe before, and manifested his meaning to the world, hee might haue put the whole Campe in danger of Mutining; or at least to haue shewd themselues in defence of their Captaine. This perill, he ouerpast by his great prudence, dissembling the Page  240 matter for that time, and deferring it till the last vp-shut, when now the businesses of the Kingdome were better settled; For, the most important point in gouernment, is, to make vse of Time, and occasion: facilitating with silence and dissimulation, those orders and decrees, which doe crosse the peoples humour, or that stand not with his liking that is powerfull with them; For if they should be divul∣ged before their due time and season, they would serue for nothing else, but to incense mens mindes, and perad∣uenture to turne them against himselfe. Which certainly might well haue beene Dauids case with Ioab, if hee had shewed himselfe offended, and openly vented his spleene against him, whilest he had his sword in his hand, and stood so fayre in the peoples affection; who in that hurre might haue done (God he knowes what) for the aduan∣cing of his ambitious ends. In such cases, it is great pru∣dence in a Prince, (contineuing still firme and constant in his purpose) to benefit himselfe by dissimulation, wai∣ting for a fit time and season, when without danger hee may vnmaske himselfe, and with the safety of his realme and person, put his resolution in execution. A word well kept,* and fittly spoken is (saith Salomon) like apples of gold, in pictures of siluer; which doth not onely shine and giue a glorious luster, but worketh it's effect, and dis∣couereth the art and cunning of it's Master. And King Dauid hauing heard the reproachfull words, and reuiling tearmes which Shimei to the very face of him, and in a loud voyce, vttred in the presence of those that were with him, wisely dissembled his rayling, and was angry with Abishai, because he was earnest with him, that hee might presently take due chasticement of him, and reuenge the great affront hee had done him, and would by no meanes giue consent, that any one of all his Army should once moue or stirre against him. For, that holy King thought it fit in his wisedome, to leaue him to that occasion, Page  241 which hee afterwards specified to his sonne Salomon; that he might teach Kings these two things. First to relye on God, and to attend his leasure, who will doe that for them, which they cannot doe for themselues; As he did in that known case of Moses brothers murmuring against him, which hee himselfe so mildely and fayrely dissembled. But God, to whose account runn's the honour of his Ministers, tooke the cause into his owne hands. Secondly; That it is not fit to be solicitous in appointing Iudges, and Informers, at all howers, and in all places, against such, as in some occasions, assume libertie of speech, and freely vtter their mindes. For, as another sayd; In free places, and persons that are likewise free-borne, wee cannot at all times exercise that slauery vp∣on them, as to clap a Locke and chaine vpon their tongues. Who could haue done this better, then that omnipotent King Christ Iesus, when those licentious and loose-tongued Libertines, reproached him with such sharpe & bitter Taunts as toucht him to the quick in his honour, and yet euen then with what a royall minde, and princely reportment did he carry himselfe, in those few milde and moderate words, which he spake vnto them. Kings ought not to expresse any alteration, turbation, or discomposure, for those things which they see, nor to be startled euery foote with that, which they heare, nor to shew themselues offended at that, which is muttred and murmured of them. But let them (a god's name) mend that, which is amisse, and then their mutte∣ring and murmuring will cease of it selfe. Heere likewise Kings are taught, not to be curious inquirers after those, that speakeill of them, nor to giue eare to euery idle com∣plaint; For if it be once perceiued, that their eares itche af∣ter this, infinite will the number of Delators, and Informers be. In the raigne of Tiberius, and of Nero, more then in any other were these Sycophants and priuie Accusers fauou∣red; and things were then so glazed ouer, that they had set spies, that should curiously obserue the semblance, which e∣uery Page  242 one made of his Actions, euen to the knitting of the brow, biting the lip or the like, which kind of carriage, seru'd as a condemnation, and was seuerely punished. But it is fitter for Tyrants then Christian Kings, to stand thus in feare of the tongues of the vulgar, it being the part of a magnanimous minde, to know how to forget, and forgiue in∣iuries, especially those of the tongue, to whose iurisdiction, the most powerfull, are most subiect. And if they should re∣uenge this wrong vpon account, the number would be so great, and rise to such an infinite sum, that they may quick∣ly bring their Monarchie to an end. That which most im∣porteth for their own and their Empires quiet, is to shake all kinde of suspition out of their minde; and whatsoeuer others thinke of them and their affaires, they ought to be so farre from being troubled therewith, that it should no whit moue them.* Holding it to be (as Seneca sayth) the sweetest maner of pardon, to pretend ignorance of the delict, and to exa∣mine with care his owne care ese carriage, and open neglects, if he haue committed any, and if not, not to care a pin what they say. For the Vulgar is a beast of many heads, and as it is impossible to satisfie al of them, so is there no rea∣son, that they should haue an Account giuen them of that which the Prince doth. It is sufficient, that the wiser and grauer sort, know, and esteeme both him, and his procee∣dings. This was the doctrine of that great King, Philip •he second, who wrote vnto his Viceroy in Naples, as fol∣loweth: Necessario es, que gouerneys de manera, quae todos buenos y malos, no se quexen de vos. It is requisit, you should so carry your selfe in your gouernment, that all, as well good as bad, may not complaine of you. And this was ano∣ther of his which he deliuered to his successour, Forc, oso sera, que los malos nos murmuren, y aborr•zca•; Lo que à nosotros toca, es proceder de manera, que tambien no nos aborrezean los buenos: It cannot otherwise be, but that the bad will murmure at vs, and hate vs; But that which be∣longeth Page  243 vnto vs, is, To proceede so, that the good may not likewise hate vs. And this King very well vnderstood, that it is proper vnto Kings (as Alexander said) to doe well, & to heare ill. Yet are they not to imagine, that that which is causelesse sayd against them, can any whit diminish or lessen their honour; For it stands not with their condition and greatnesse, that none should speake ill of them, but that they should doe no ill: And then no such thing can be sayd of them, but by the way of falshood and lying, which wil soone vanish. Yet notwithstanding will I not say, nor shall it once enter into my thought, to approue the impudencie and insolencie of the licentious Satyrists but rather holde them worthy of seuere punishment, especially when they touch vpon the persons of Kings, whom all their sub∣iects, both by Gods Law, and the Law of nature, ought to respect, honour, and obey. Yet withall I say, that it is great prudence, to dissemble vpon some occasions, be they neuer so great, and to be close and secret in their intentions, till they see a fit time to inflict punishment, and when it may be done with least noyse. For some men sometimes, seeking to sup∣presse the fire, by turning and stirring the sticks, inflame it the more. And if at any time vpon vrgent occasions, and vp∣on the odiousnesse and foulenesse of this or that other fact, (reason and iustice so requiring it) they shall be forced to vse seuere punishment, let it be mingled with moderation and mildenesse, that all men may vnderstand, that it doth not arise out of anger and displeasure, but out of zeale and loue to the publick good, which forceth them thereunto, & obligeth them in conscience thus rigorously to proceede a∣gainst them.* For (as Saint Chrysostome saith) Qui cum causa non irascitur, peccat, He sinnes in not being angrie, that hath iust cause to be angrie. And then (saith Saint Austin) shall a Prince be happy, when his subiects shall perceiue, that hee punisheth not onely vpon iust ground;* but (as Seneca saith) non tanquam probet, sed tanquam inuit us, & cum magno tor∣mento Page  244 ad castigandum veniat: That it grieueth him to the very Soule, that he is driuen, contrary to his nature and dis∣position, to let the sentence of death, or other torment, to passe vpon them. And when they shall know, that in this punish∣ment, he only pretendeth the conseruation of the Common∣wealth, and not the reuenging of any particular wrong or offence done vnto himselfe. And that, if he doe extend his pardon, it is not for that he is willing to leaue sin vnpunish∣ed, but because hee pretendeth the amendment of the delin∣quent. And more especially, when they see, that he recom∣penceth with benefits, the rigour and sharpenesse of his cha∣sticements by throwing fauours on a brother, a father or a sonne of that party, whose Head he hath commanded to be taken from his shoulders. Which gracious dealing will assure the people of the sweetnesse of the Princes nature, and his pitifull disposition, nor will they attribute the iustice he shall doe vpon them to crueltie. The conclusion of this Discourse shall be, this; That it is of great importance, that all men should know, that nothing can be hid from the King, be it neuer so close and secret, for the many and priuate diligences which he vseth for intelligence, by the meanes of sundry per∣sons of all sorts, high and low, of all Estates and qualities, (whom the wisest and the waryest cannot avoyde) deputed by his Maiestie diligently to labour to heare, and vnderstand the rumours and complaints of the people, and the good & ill, that is either said or done, and to giue him aduise there∣of, that he may informe himselfe of the truth of them, and ap∣ply such remedies, as he in his wisedome shall thinke fit. And let all men know, that there was neuer any thing so closely carried, which either early or late, at one time, or other, hath not (by good diligences vsed) bin brought to light,* & made known to the king. And therfore my aduise vnto thee, shallbe that which Salomon giues thee; Curse not the King, no not in thy thought: For a birde of the ayre, sha•l carry the voyce, and that which hath wings, shall tell the matter. And when thou thinkest thy selfe safest, then shalt thou be taken in the Page  245 snare. And let Kings likewise know, that if they haue a minde to see, and know all, they ought also to be milde, and mercifull in punishing, mingling mercie with seuerietie. For it is fit and necessary, that he that desires to know all, should likewise dissemble, and pardon much.