Solon his follie, or a politique discourse, touching the reformation of common-weales conquered, declined or corrupted. By Richard Beacon ...

CAP. 13. The subiect and matter, as also the forme, from whence every distemperature of this pollitike bodie hath his being and subsi∣sting.

SOL:

But sith wee have discussed at large of the principall occasions of declining of estates and common-weales, and of the waies and meanes to suppresse the same, it remaineth that we intreat at large of the distemperature of this polliticke bo∣dy: for it behooveth princes not onely to foresee and prevent oc∣casions of their declining, but also to knowe the nature of this di∣stemperature, and howe it hath his subsisting and being, and by what meanes the same may be suppressed; for in vaine shall oc∣casions offer themselves, where this distemperature is not kindled, or being kindled where it is suppressed.

Epi:

You have moved a matter of good importaunce, whereof the first is a distempera∣ture of this polliticke body, the which is nothing els but a decli∣ninge

from a iust proportion eyther in obeyinge or governing the subiecte. This distemperature with all other thinges hathe his beeinge and subsistinge from his proper matter and forme: the matter also hath his beeing, eyther from a generall corrup∣tion of maners in the people, as in the times wherein Galba, and Pertinax lived and raigned, who though most iust and vpright kings, were notwithstāding slaine by their subiects; or els it procee∣deth from a corruption in the heade onely, the which sometimes raigned in Tarquine; for if the people had then beene corrupted in maners, they could not have beene founde so constant defendors of their liberties, and so desirous of reformation. The forme as in all other things, so vnto this distemperature as vnto his proper matter it giveth his subsisting & being, the which forme if we shal describe, it may be resembled to a faire cloake givē to cover foule practises, shaped out by a cunning workeman, whereby the people often∣times remaine deluded, and the common-weale subverted; for so ambitious persons desirous of innovation, have alwaies procee∣ded vnder an honest cloake and shew, to distemper and disquiet the common peace of the weale publike, and therefore it is true∣ly saide, Ambitio tam per virtutes quam per vitia nos oppugnat.

Epi:

But heere we are to observe this caution, that if this forme hath not his proper matter vvhich is the corruption of manners in the people, vvherein it maie make a deepe impression, the distem∣perature that groweth thereby, shall easilie be recovered: and for this cause the forme vvhich Tarquine gave to his ambition, was easilie defaced by Brutus, and Ʋalerius, for that the manners of the people vvere not then corrupted. In like manner Marcus Manlius, and Spurius Cassius, had set downe vnto themselves a forme of disturbing the peace of the common-weale, and for the advauncing of their owne ambition, but finding the manners of the people then vncorrupted, the matter wanting into which, the forme which they before had framed, might be received, they both failed of their purpose. But otherwise it fareth vvith the common-vvealth, when this forme hath founde his proper mat∣ter and embraceth the same, namelie the corruption of man∣ners in the people; for in such a case there is kindled foorthvvith

so mighty a distemperature, as without great resistaunce it maie not be quenched: and for this cause the forme of ambition vvhich sometimes Sylla, Marius, and Caesar, had framed vnto themselves, meeting and concurring at once vvith the corruption of manners in the people as his proper matter, did assuredly advaunce their ambition, to the overthrow of that estate. Therefore most false is that position, vvhich affirmeth, that the people corrupted in manners, are more easily held in subiection, then a nation vncor∣rupted. The seconde caution to be observed, is the considera∣tion of the sundry formes of disturbing common-weales, vvhich vsually doth advaunce her ambition not after one selfesame man∣ner, but sometimes vvith a shevv of profit, sometimes vvith the shevv of magnanimitie, and at other times shee promiseth an alteration and chaunge of thinges to the contentment of al. After this last manner she presented her selfe sometimes vnto the A∣thenians, and therefore it is saide, that notwithstanding the citi∣zens of Athens observed and obeyed the lawes, which you Solon made for their reformation, yet they were found so corrup∣ted in manners, partly by reason of their severall factions, and partly by idlenesse, vvherewith the citie of Athens was well neare destroyed, as they desired nothing so much as a change and alte∣ration of thinges, every man hoping thereby to be better then his adversaries. Secondarily by a shevv of magnanimitie, the peo∣ple of Rome were sometimes induced so farre to imbrace the coun∣sell of Ʋarro for the resisting of Hannibal, as thereby they neare perished themselves and the common-vveale. Finally, many are no lesse bewitched with a glistering shew of profit and gaine, the which Pericles vvel vnderstanding, did forthvvith devide the ene∣mies landes gayned by conquest, among the people, and did appointe them rewardes for all thinges, and did make large di∣stributions among them, whereby at the last he did withdravv their obedience from the counsell Areopagite, vnto his sole rule and governement: in like manner Phillip of Macedonie corrupted certaine tirauntes of the Ile of Euboea, who with money in like sort corrupted the people, vvhereby they became rebels and trai∣toures to their countrie; after the same manner he corrupted and

subdued the most partes of Greece, but shall not now the infinite calamities and miseries of the other partes of Greece: admonish vs not to be deceived with this forme of ambition vvhich Phillip of Macedonie hath now framed to our vtter destruction? O you Graeci∣ans, let him not say as heretofore, with my treasure I have corrupted and subdued the most parts of Greece, & have found there no fort so strong, but that with an Asse laden with golde, I might enter the same, fearing in the ende hee make vs his Asses and Mules, to carrie his silver & golde and not to vse the same, or rather slaves to be committed to perpetuall bondage: but let vs with the noble Ro∣maines, refuse the money of Spurius Cassius, Ne libertatem vendere eo pretio videamur; let vs not give credit to his flattering orators the Iesuits, which bribed by Polycarphon laboure the destruction of Athens; let vs not be infamous with the Neapolitanes for vncon∣stancie; let vs not be led this day to affect the French, and to mor∣row with a new insinuation of Ferdinando; for so it will be, when the yoke of the French shall once seeme heavie and vntollerable vn∣to our shoulders. In vaine then with the labourer of Phrygia, shal we digge the earth, and searching say, we seeke for Antigonus; for such as governe, doe rule as tyrauntes and oppressors over vs: in vaine with the vvorthy woman of Megara, shal we take vp the bones of Phocion in the night, & give vnto them the honorable ceremonies of buriall, for the affaires of the Athenians may not prosper, because Phocion is dead; in vaine shal we then cry and say, O deare hearth & toombe, we pray thee faithfully to keep the bones of this honourable personage, vntil such time as the Athenians shal repent them of the many iniuries and wrongs done vnto him, for Phocion is now dead, and the affaires of the Athenians may not pros∣per: in vaine shall we make vnto our selues a costly stand or image in remembraunce of so worthy a personage, for the affaires of the Athenians shall not prosper, in that Phocion is dead. Let vs therefore in time with the wise governour suspect the flattering of this our enemie, as the calmenes of the sea, which is naught else but a mani∣fest token of a present and imminent tempest; and with Cicero and Cato, withstande in time the flatterie and ambition of Caesar, least with the Romanes to late we repent the same: let vs not as men

overcome with the greatnes of the tempest, desperately seeke our safety in the middest of the rockes and sands, but rather let vs figh∣ting for our Prince and country, say, we will overcome, or die.