The foreste or Collection of histories no lesse profitable, then pleasant and necessarie, dooen out of Frenche into Englishe, by Thomas Fortescue.

¶ What daunger it is to murmer againste Princes, as also what commendation they gayne by Clemencie. Chap. 1.

A Woonted sayinge it is, and founde emonge the most auncient Prouerbes, Princes haue handes broade, and longe cares, hence none other thinge at al inferringe, but that Kinges and greate states, can a farre of reuenge themselues on these that offend them, as that they also vnderstande what so of them is spoken in place couerte or secrete. For so many are there that séeke to liue in his grace and fauour, that on the multitude hath rule and dominion, that nothing may be kepte from him either vnknowen or hidden. Whence to all men is ge∣uen by the Learned in counsell, that of the Prince wée speake in secrete nothinge, for that in sutche case the Walles bothe heare and disclose againe our Treasons: and Plutarche, that the Birdes carry these woordes in the Ayre. And farther if it be daungerous, to vtter vnto Princes a truthe frankely and boldely, what shall wée iudge of them that mutter againste them priuely? The examples, that a man might to this pourpose alleage, are infinite: emonge whiche, bothe in the Gréeke and La∣tine Histories wée reade, that Antigonus one of the Ca∣pitaines and successours of Alexander the greate, his Campe not marchinge, but arrestinge in open fielde, be∣inge on a night a bedde in his Tente, hearde certaine of his Souldiers without, passe in traiterous talke against

him, supposinge not to haue benne vnderstoode of any, but he without any farther semblante of wrothe, in chaunge of voyce, as if he had benne some other, bespake them this softely, without greate brute or noyse: when yée speake any sutche woordes of the Kinge, sée that yée goe farther from his Tente, least he heare you. An other time the saide Antigonus, marchinge with his Armye in the deade of the night, paste through a place very fowle and mirie, his Souldiers almost forweried and tyred, by meanes whereof, they vttered somme distoyall woordes againste him, thinkinge that he had benne farre of and behinde him, but he beinge presente and vnderstandinge their treachery, not knowen from an other by meanes of the darkenesse, after hauinge donne his paine to helpe diuers of them out of the myre, that had so liberally talkte against him, saide with voice as before well coun∣terfeited, speake of the Kinge hardly what so euer you please, for that he hath brought you into so watrie a soile, but of me you haue good cause to thinke and saye well, for that by my helpe you are nowe paste the daunger. The patiencie of Phyrrus Kinge of the Epirotes, meri∣teth no lesse to be remembered of the posteritie: who when he laye in Italie in Armes againste the Romaynes, bothe he and his whole troupe in the Citie of Taranta, he hearde after supper certaine of his yonge Souldiers sit∣tinge at their table, to outrage againste him, whome when he had caused to be brought before him: demaun∣ded, whether thei had paste against him in such woordes, or not, to whom, one of them with countenance lesse al∣tered, saide: Kinge what so euer thou haste charged vs with, that all haue wée spoken: and farther be thou assu∣red, that if the wine had not failed vs, wée had yet againe spoken many worse then are these: lettinge him thereby, for their excuse to vnderstand, that the wine in this sorte had forste them to exile from duety and reason. At which his woordes, Phyrrus waxte not onely angry, but rather

on the contrary side, brake out into a greate laughter, sendinge them backe to their lodgynge without any an∣noye or hurte what so euer. The Emperour Tyberius, though otherwise a tyranne moste cruell and execrable, hath lefte vs also to this pourpose somethinges woorthy memorie: for perceiuinge on a time that one had compo∣sed an infamous Libel against him, and farther that the people with woordes disloyall, complained eche where of his excessiue crueltie, wherefore perswaded by somme to doe sharpe animaduersion and streight Iustice on them, sayde: that all Tongues ought to be frée in a Citie: then streight againe moued by some of his Councell, to make diligent searche and busie inquirie, to finde out the Au∣thour of the fore saide Libell, whiche he also refused as afore, sayinge: that he was not yet so voyde of affayres, that he would trouble him selfe with so simple a matter. Greate also was the Clemencie of Denis tyranne of Si∣cilia, vsed towardes an olde wooman of poore and meane condition: for beinge aduertised, that shée dayly prayed for the continuance of his Health and Honour, sente for her to know the cause why shée so mutche affected his as∣sured state and maintenance, consideringe all other his Subiectes desired his deathe generally, whereunto shée answeared: knowe right mightie Prince, that when I was a yonge Mayde, there raygned in this Countrie a moste fell and wicked tyranne, wherefore I prayed con∣tinually to the Gods for his suddaine death & destruction, by meane whereof in shorte time my requeste was fully accomplished. But after him succéeded then an other, farre yet more cruell, and more blouddy then the firste, for whose deathe, I neuer lefte on the Gods incessantly to call, till it had chaunst to him, as to the other aboue saide. After bothe these nowe comest thou, the woorste of the thrée, a Monster in faithe most malicious and loth∣some: and yet because an other might followe moste de∣testable of all, I neuer leaue to praye for thy health and,

preseruation, wishinge thée many yéeres in healthe, to thy contentmente. This bolde, and hardye answeare naughte gréeued at all this Tyrante, nor therefore dis∣deigned he her, that of custome disdeigned al others: but pardoned her to goe without annoye or offence. When Plato, the Father, and Prince of all Philosophers had made his longe aboade with this foresaide Denis, in the ende required his fauour to passe home againe into his Countrie: which obtained, the tyranne him selfe in con∣ductinge him of parte out of Sicilia, demaunded what he woulde reporte of him at Athens emonge the Philoso∣phers. To whom Plato, without staie freely and boldely answeared: these that liue in Athens, are not so idle nor haue they (know thou) to loose so mutche good time or lea∣sure, that they once will inquire, either of thée, or of thy behauiour. Whence although in deede he well percei∣ued, that for his naughtie life he that had onely spoken, yet patiently he tooke it, not malicinge the partie. I re∣member againe other twoo olde wéemen, whiche with like fréedome bespake their Kinges or Princes, the one a Macedonian to the King Demetrius, Sonne of the aboue remembered Antigonus, the other a Romaine to the Em∣perour Adrian, to whom bothe they framed bothe one, & the same answeare: for eche of them crauinge iustice at the Kinges handes, receiued for answeare, that thei pre∣sently coulde not attende on them: then sayde they, if you maie not vnderstande of our complainte, geue ouer then your Crownes to them that will do Iustice: which woordes the twoo Princes tooke bothe in better parte, ac∣quaintinge themselues with theire cases, and did them forth with right. Phillippe Kinge of Macedonie, taking his leaue of the Embassadours of Athens, and offeringe them sutche courtesie as is vsuall in like cases, demaun∣ded in the ende, whether they would that he should doo any thinge yet for them: to whom, one of them that had to name Democrates, knowinge that he in harte hated

the Athenians, lesse able to hide that whiche in harte he thought, saide: wée woulde that thou shouldest goe and hange thy selfe, and besides that, nothinge. At whiche answeare, as well al his companions, as the others then there presente, fearinge the Kinges indignation, were not a litle troubled: but the Kinge, as was his woonted Clemencie (or it maie be dissemblinge) not alteringe to wrothe in any other manner, turned him to the other Embassadours, and saide: you shall saie to the Athenians from me, that he that can supporte these sutche oppro∣brious woordes, hathe mutche more modestie then the sagest of Athens, whiche are so litle wise, that they know not when nor where to holde their peace. Domaratus cō∣ming to sée King Phillip, on a time when he was freash∣ly fallen out as well with his wife, as with the yonge Prince Alexander, of whom amonge other thinges the Kinge at the first demaunded, if all the Cities in Greece were in peace and well acquieted. But Domaratus that well knewe, nothinge was to him more likinge; then to heare of perpetuall discorde amonge his Subiectes: an∣sweared him right boldely, but reuerently withall, as well became a subiecte. Assuredly Kinge, for that you liue disquieted still at home, you aske me what dissenti∣ons may be in these your Cities abroade: but if you were in peace with these your people here, it shoulde stande more with your Honour, then thus to inquire of the ad∣uersities of others. Whereat the Kinge founde not him selfe at all aggreued, & consideringe that for iuste cause he honestly had reproued him, immediately grewe to a perfecte attonement with the Quéene, as well as with his Sonne and others. In what bolde fréedome and li∣bertie of woordes, Diogenes bespake that famous Prince Alexander, as also with what modestie, and howe he ac∣cepted it, is euident in the firste parte, where something is saide of the life of Diogenes. Farther if wée affecte ex∣amples of Christians, Pope Sixtus the fourth of the order

of the orde of sainct Frances, maie serue in this place, as fittyng to our purpose. To whom on a tyme elected, and chosen Pope, came one of his brethren, an olde religious Frier, whiche, after salutations past to and fro, on bothe sides, withdrewe hym self with the Bishoppe, into his secrete rreasurie, where as he shewed his poore brother greate heapes of costlie stones and iuels, and saied: frater¦mi, now can I not saie, as some tyme saied S. Peter, gold or siluer haue I none. It is true {quam} the other, neither can you saie to the impotent and diseased, as saied he, rise vp, and go, lettyng him there by priuely to vnderstand, that the Popes in these ages, wer now more vowed to riches then vnto vertue, or holines: who perceiuyng, that he no¦thyng straied from reason, yelded there to, without con∣tradiction, quietly. The semblable happened to an Arch∣bishoppe of Colonne, who as he paste the countrie, with a houge troope of horse men, curiouslie all armed, accor∣ding to the custome, and maner of Almaignie, founde by happe a poore workeman, toilyng hardly for his liuyng, whiche at the first sight of this prelate, brake out, into a great laughter, the cause of whiche demaūded, the poore man for the with saied: I laugh at the follie of that good prieste sainct Peter, prince, and maister of all other pre∣lates, whiche liued, and died here in extreme pouertie, to leaue his successours, in suche pompe, and iolitie. But this Archbishoppe againe the better to acquite hym: fel∣lowe I ride thus as thou seest, for that I am a Duke, as well as also a bishoppe: where at he laught againe more hartely then before, and beyng demaunded the seconde tyme, of that his vehemente passion, aunswered righte boldlie, with a sure, and staied countenance. I demaunde of thée, right honourable, that if the Duke of which thou speakest, were hence fallen into helle, where supposeste thou this good Archbishop should finde his quiet harbour. Where by he well inferred twoo contrary professions, agréed not well in one persone, and that offendyng in the

one, he could not acquite himself, by any gilful pretext or shadow of thother. At whiche this gentleman, then pre∣sently graueled, not hauyng what to saie, departed with shame to muche, and paste forthe on his waie. To speake also of Gentiles, Artaxerxes kyng of Persia, vnderstan∣dyng that a certaine capitaine of his, whiche he at his coste, from his cradle, and infancie, had nourished, had muttered against hym in maner, no lesse traiterous, thā in truthe disloiall, whom he would other waie none pu∣nishe, but sent to hym by an other, that he might at his pleasure talke of his prince and maister, for that he again of hym might speake, and do the semblable. Philippe fa∣ther of Alexander, aduertised that Nicanor had abused hym in woordes, was aduised by certaine his frendes, by proces (as the maner is) to call hym to his triall: to whō he aunswered, that Nicanor was not the worst man in Macedonie, and therefore firste would knowe, whether he had nede of any thing, for that he felt hymfelf bounde in conscience to aide hym: so findyng hym verie poore, in steede of deserued correction, in presence of many gaue him, a great, and riche present incontinently. This doen the same that before had accused him, saied, that Nicanor now spake greate good of his maiestie, to whō the kyng saied: now sée I well Sinicus (for so hight this foresaied accuser) that to bee well or euill spoken of, it lieth onely in myne owne handes. This saied prince, by his frendes an other tyme was aduised, to exile a certaine subiect of his, lesse circumspecte in his talke, and intemperate of tongue, whiche to doe he vtterly refuced, and saied, for as muche as he hath spoken of me his pleasure here, I will not that he doe the semblable, in other straunge lā∣des, and countries, lettyng others vnderstande, that whiche he had dooen of magnanimitie, and clemencie, proceded of sadde aduice, and assured counsaile. In these and suche like matters, this prince excelled all others of his tyme. He saied he was muche bounde to the gouer∣nours

and princes of Athens, for that it pleased them in∣iuriously to talke still as well of hym, as also of the order and maner of his gouernment: for by his daiely industrie and chaunge in thynges, from better to beter, he proued them to be but slaunderous liers. He neuer chastised any that outraged against him, onely he would cut of th'occa∣sion, that moued them. Whiche his vsages, if thei were of all menne well obserued, twoo notable commodities should thēce be gathered: the first, th'amendment of our owne liues, and maners, the second, the perpetuall exile and banishemente of all detractours, and slaunderers. A rare vertue is it assuredly, for a man not to accompte of that euil, that he well knoweth to haue been spoken be∣hinde hym: but a greate note of temperancie is it, not to waxe or bilius, or angrie, for the iniurie that is dooen vs in our presence, and openly.