Of wisdome three bookes written in French by Peter Charro[n] Doctr of Lawe in Paris. Translated by Samson Lennard

CHAP. XLIIII.

The third distinction and difference of men accidentall, of their degrees, estates and charges.

THis accidentall distinction, which respecteth the estates and charges, is grounded vpon two principles and foun∣dations of humane societie, which are, to command and o∣bey, power and subiection, superioritie and inferioritie; im∣perio & obsequio omnia constant. This distinction we shall bet∣ter see, first in grosse in this Table.

All power and subie∣ction is ei∣ther

• ...Priuate, which is either in
  • ...Families and hous∣holde go∣uernmēt, and it is fourfold:
    • ...Mariage, of the husband and * 1.1 the wife. This is the source of humane societie.
    • ...Paternall of parents ouer their children. This is truely na∣turall.
    • ...Herile, which is twofold, of
      • ...Lordes, ouer their slaues.
      • ...Masters, ouer their seruāts.
    • ...Patronall, of patrons ouer their pupils: the vse whereof is lesse frequent.
  • ...Corporations and Colleges, Ciuill commu∣nities ouer the particular members of that communitie.
• ...Publike, which is either
  • Souereign, which is three∣folde, and they are three sorts of estates, cunctas nationes & vrbes, po∣pulus aut primores, aut singuli regunt. i.
    • ...Monarchie, of one.
    • ...Aristocratie, of a few.
    • ...Democritie, of all.
  • ...Subaltern, which is in those who are supe∣riors and inferiors, for diuers reasons, places, persons, as
    • ...Particular lords in manie degrees.
    • ...Officers of the soue∣reignty, whereof there are diuers sorts.

This publicke power whether it be soueraigne, or subal∣terne, * 1.2 hath other subdiuisions necessarie to be knowne. The soueraigne, which, as hath been said, is threefold, in regard of the maner of gouernment is likewise threefold; that is to say, euery one of these three is gouerned after a threefold manner, and is therefore called Royall, or Signoriall, or Tyrannicall. Royall, wherein the soueraigne (be it one, or many, or all) o∣beying the lawes of nature, preserueth the naturall libertie and proprietie of the goods of his subiects. Adreges potestas omnis pertinet, ad singulos proprietas: omnia Rex imperio possidet, singuli dominio. Seignoriall or lordly, where the soueraigne is lord both of men and goods, by the right of armes, gouerning his subiects as slaues. Tyrannicall where the soueraigne con∣temning all lawes of Nature, doth abuse both the persons and goods of his subiects, differing from a lord, as a theefe from an enemie in warre. Of the three souereigne states, the Mo∣narchie, & of the three gouernments, the Lordly, are the more ancient, great, durable and maiesticall, as in former times As∣syria, Persia, Egypt, and now Ethiopia the most ancient that is, Moscouie, Tartarie, Turkie, Peru. But the better and more naturall state and gouernment is the Monarchie Royall. The most famous Aristocraties hath sometimes beene that of the Lacedemonians, and now the Venetians. The Democrities, Rome, Athens, Carthage, Royall in their gouernment.

The publike subaltern power, which is in particular lords, is of many kindes and degrees, principally fiue, that is to say, * 1.3 Lords Tributaries, who pay only tribute.

Feudetaries, simple Vassals, who owe faith and homage for the tenure of their land. These three may be souereignes.

Vassals bound to do seruice, who besides faith and homage owe likewise personall seruice, whereby they cannot trulie be souereignes.

Naturall subiects, whether they be Vassals or Censors, or otherwise, who owe subiection and obedience, and can not be exempted from the power of their souereigne: and these are Lords.

The publike subaltern power which is in the officers of the souereigntie, is of diuers kindes, and both in regard of the * 1.4 honour and the power may be reduced to fiue degrees.

The first and basest are those ignominious persons, which [ 1] should remaine without the citie, the last executioners of iustice.

The second, they that haue neither honour nor infamie, [ 2] Sergeants, Trumpeters.

The third, such as haue honour without knowledge and [ 3] power, Notaries, Receiuers, Secretaries.

The fourth, they that haue with honour, power and know∣ledge, [ 4] but without iurisdiction, the Kings seruants.

The fift, they that haue with the rest iurisdiction; and [ 5] these are properly called Magistrates: of whom there are many distinctions, and especially these fiue, which are all double:

• 1
  • Maiors, Senators.
  • Minors, Iudges.
• 2
  • Politiques.
  • Militaries.
• 3
  • Ciuill.
  • Criminall.
• 4
  • Titularies in offices of form, who haue it by inheritance.
  • Commissaries.
• 5
  • Perpetuall, as the lesser both in number and otherwise should be.
  • Temporall and moueable, as the greater should be.

OF THE ESTATES AND DEGREES OF MEN in particular following this precedent Table. An Aduertisement.

HEere we are to speake in particular of the parts of this Table, and the distinctions of powers and subiections (beginning with the priuate and domesticall) that is to say, of euery estate and profession of men, to the end we may know them; and therefore this may be called The Booke of the Knowledge of man: for the duties of euery one shall be set downe in the Third Booke, in the vertue of iustice; where in like maner and order, all these estates and chapters shall be resumed and examined. Now before we begin, it shall be ne∣cessarie summarily to speake of commanding and obeying, two foundations and principall causes of these diuersities of estates and charges.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The first ge∣nerall diui∣sion.
• * 1.2

  The subdi∣uision of the souereigne power.
• * 1.3

  3 Of particu∣lar lords.
• * 1.4

  4 Of offices.