¶ Of Obstinacy, a familiar vice, folowinge Magnanimitie. Cap. XV.

THE PRINCE OF Oratours, Mar∣cus Cullius, in his fyrst boke of of∣ficis, sayth, In height and greatnes of courage, is mooste soonest ingendred Obstinacye, and inordinate desyre of So∣ueraignetie. OBSTINACIE is an affection immoueable, fyxed to wylle, abandonynge reason, which is ingendred of Pryde, that is to say, whan a manne estemeth so moche him self aboue any other, that he reputeth his owne wytte onely, to be in perfection, and contemneth al other councell. Undou∣tedly this is an horrible & peryllous vyce, and very familiar with theym, whiche be of moste noble corages. By it many a valiant capitayne and noble prince, haue nat onely fallen them selfes, but also brought al theyr countreys in daunger, and oftentymes to subuercion and ruine.

¶ The wise king Salomon saith, Amonge proude men be all waye contentions: And Page  [unnumbered] they that do all thinges with counsayle, be gouerned by wysedome. I nede nat to re∣herse examples out of olde writers, what damage hath ensued of Obstinacie, consy∣deryng that euery hystorie is full therof, & we styll haue it in dayly experience. But of one thyng am I sure, where Obstinacy ru∣leth, and reason lacketh place, there coūcel auaileth nat: And where councell hath nat auctoritie and franches, there may nothing be perfect. Salomon sayth, Where be many * counsayles, there the people is in suretie. Nowe wyll I declare the resydue of Tul∣lies sentence, concernynge inordynate de∣syre of soueraignetie, whiche is proprelye callyd Ambition.