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

CAP. 19. The readie waies and meanes to reforme and resist a generall corruption of manners.

EPI:

The chiefe and principall remedies are found to be in number three: namely a secret prudence and wisedome; secondarily good lawes well executed; thirdly a succession of severe Magistrates: for no doubt like as the wilde olive and figge tree, by the continuall addressing of a skilfull husbandman, is made at the last kindely, profitable, and fruitfull, and not in∣feriour to the naturall braunches; so a common-wealth over∣growne with a generall corruption of manners, and thereby become savage, barbarous, and barren, like vnto the vvilde

olive and figge tree may by the continuall pruning and addres∣sing of a skilfull magistrate, be made obedient, civill, and profita∣ble vnto that prince, whom God hath constituted to be the labou∣rer in that vineyarde; the which is to bee effected by the three waies and meanes before remembred: the first whereof is a secret prudence and vnderstanding, wherein two matters principallie are found worthy of consideration: first the subiect and matter; se∣condarily the time; for as the infirmities in our naturall bodies, growing vppon contrarie causes, receive not their cure by one selfe same councell, and medicine, for the which cause we ende∣vour, to cure the frenzie by rest, and by motion the lethargie; so it fareth with the infirmities of a pollitike body; for where the corruption of manners in the multitude groweth by wealth, rest, and securitie, there it receiveth his present cure with the lethargie by motion, dispersing the humours, and finally by sharpe corre∣ction and discipline: but otherwise it is where the same procee∣deth from extreame aduersitie for there it receveth a happy cure, with the frenzie by ease, pacience, and sufferance, for Contraria sub∣iecta non debent eodem modo tractari: Wherein Charles the fift hath lefte vnto vs an example, when as he stoode before Meats in Loranie with his army, vvhich vvas then so distressed by extreame sicknesse and famine, as they openly railed on him, especiallie his Spanish woulde call him the sonne of a mad woman with all the vile wordes they could devise, yet he would not heare them, but threw crownes amongest them, saying to his nobilitie, harken these knaves, yet if I call the worst by his name, he will not refuse to doe anie thing for me though it cost him his life. The like wise∣dome was shewed in the like matter by Caro, and other Senatours of Rome, at such time as when the poore and needy persons which at that time had reposed all their hope and confidence in Caesar, had compassed the Senate house and called aloude for Caesar then accused before the Senatours, bidding them to let him out, Ca∣to then to acquite the common-weale of the insurrection of the poore and needy persons, did not severely correct them, but con∣trariwise perswaded the Senate to make a francke distribution of corne amongst them for one moneth the which amounted to one

hundreth and fiftie Myriades made at the common charge of the citizens, by the which councell he quenched not onely a present great feare, but did in happy time scatter and disperse abroade the best part of Caesars force and power, at such time as hee was made Praetor, and that for respect of his office he vvas most to be feared. The same councell did Pericles sometimes imbrace, when as the people of Athens did mutine against him, for that he would not suffer them to hazarde the battaile with the Lacedaemonian army, then burning and spoiling in all the partes of their countrie; for he did not then with bitter speeches and sharpe punishmentes paci∣fie that mutinie, but contrariewise with a large distribution which he caused to be made amongst them out of the common treasure, and division of lands that were gotten by conquest, he did quench that sedition. And it is said, that when Luctatius, one of the greatest authority at that time in Rome, did inveigh against Caesar, in that he had seditiously set vppe the honoures and victories of Marius contrarie to their publike lawes and decrees, and vrged then a condigne punishment aunswerable to so greate an offence, he spake nothing for the punishment of the people which then ga∣thered themselves together for the aide of Caesar, and the rather for that they being of the faction of Marius, had bene long oppres∣sed and troden vnder foote by the authoritie of Sylla. In like manner, when we shall beholde men of rare vertues and great de∣sertes towardes the common-weale, in times of peace and libertie contemned and despised, with Narcetus that rare and excellent captaine, least thereby they fal with him into a generall corruption of manners, and combine with the king of Lombardy, for the inva∣ding of Italy, wee shall wisely vvith the Venetians in such cases, al∣waies better the fortune of those which have faithfully served, & never remoue them from their former dignity, without giving to them places of higher and greater commaundement, and vvith Themistocles not only speedily revoke the banishment of Aristides, and such others of his quality, but also to advaunce them to grea∣ter honour then before, fearing least otherwise he take part with the Barbarian nation to the ruine of the state of Greece. But herein one caution is wisely observed, that in such cases contending to

remove a corruption of manners, which may otherwise possesse the mindes of rare and excellent personages, by a contempt and disdaine vvhich followeth them, chiefely in times of happinesse, wealth, and securitie, wee doe not endaunger thereby the whole state of the common-wealth, the which vvee shall then easilie prevent, if we shal not imploy them in the greatest places of com∣maundement, least contending to acquit themselves vvith Clau∣dius Nero, of all disgraces and iniuries wrought by the deceit of Hasdruball, they desperately hazarde, and put in adventure the vvhole state thereby. Neither are wee in such cases with the Ro∣maines, to giue vnto Camillus discontented with his banishment the supreame commandement of the City and army; for after slaugh∣ter made of all other their captaines by the power of the Gawles, they vvere ledde therevnto rather by necessitie, then by vvise∣dome; neither doe all men banished and disgraced, carry vvith them that honourable minde of Camillus, and that ripenesse of iudgement, to preferre the honour and publike good of the com∣mon-vveale before his private reputation and vvelfare: But on the contrary, if vve shall labour to cure the corruption of manners that groweth by peace, vvealth, and securitie, vve are in such cases, vvith Luctatius to remove the same by sharpe discipline, whose councell if the Senatours had then followed, many miseries and publike calamities, vvhich the ambition of Caesar soone after vvrought against the citie of Rome, had beene vvisely foreseene and prevented: or otherwise in such cases, if wee shall like vnto the wise phisition disperse abroad those pestilent humours accor∣ding vnto the example of Camillus, and with him imploye the citizens of Rome, novv puffed vp with the pride and insolency of their nevv obtained victorie and conquest of Vies, and with the rich spoiles thereof, now in mutinie against the Senatours and no∣bles, novv resorting vvith great tumult about the pulpit for ora∣tions, for establishing of laws tending rather to the destructiō then to the division of Rome, as in the warres against the Phalerians, and there besiege the chiefe citie, not so much with a purpose to winne the same, but rather with him to keepe our countrie men busied, least by repayring to Rome, they should take occasion to mutine;

whereby with the wise phisition we shall disperse abroad those hu∣moures, which may trouble the quiet state at home. Lastly if wee shall wisely take holde of time, whilst she is running her swif∣test course with her force and violence, perhaps vve may be ca∣ried more then vvith an ordinary expedition vnto the height of our thoughtes and desires; for the times which shall represent vn∣to vs the shevv and face of publike calamities, as famine, plague, pestilence, povertie, and warres shall mightily advaunce this ac∣tion of reformation: for so the Senatours of Rome by an appea∣raunce of forraine warres did often pacifie the mutinies and sediti¦ons of the citizens of Rome, raised for the law of division of lands gained by conquest: and the Romaines after the battell of Cannes gave due obedience vnto Magistrates, and did severely prose∣cute their lawes against the Vestall Nuns, and finally whatsoe∣ver the Magistrates did commaunde, the people would most rea∣dily obey. The like obedience was sometimes found vnto lawes and Magistrates, after the people of Rome had received their o∣verthrow by the power of the Gawles, in such sort, as the corrup∣tion of manners that then reigned in them vvas soone quenched and reformed. The times also which did produce sundry publike calamities in Vlster parcell of the dominions of Salamina, did worke there the like effectes, as it appeareth in the statute of Attainder of Shane Oneile; where it is saide after many publike calamities sustained by the warres, they cried first for mercy, and then for Iustice, in such sort, as the reformation of that country did offer it selfe easie vnto the handes of the Magistrates that woulde laie holde thereof, as by expresse wordes of that statute more at large may appeare. Wisely therefore Plutarch in comparing the actes of Fabius with Pericles, saith, that Pericles governed the Athenians in their chiefest prosperity and wealth, whereby they were cor∣rupted in manners, and rendered insolent, and mutenous, and not easily governed; but Fabius then governed Rome, when as it was humbled by many adversities, esteeming it a matter of no great difficultie, to rule a citie all ready brought low by adversi∣tie, and which compelled by necessitie is contented to be gover∣ned by a wise man.

Sol:

But sith this matter is at large discoursed, let vs proceede vnto the other meanes which are lefte vnto vs for the better resi∣sting of a generall corruption of manners, and what force, good & profitable lawes may have therein.