The boke named the Gouernour, deuysed by syr Thomas Elyot knight

The true definicion of abstinence and Contynence. Cap. XVI.

ABSTINENCE and continencie be al∣so cōpanions of fortitude, and be no¦ble and excellent vertues, and I can not tel, wheter there be any to be preferred before them, specially in men hauynge au∣toritie, they being the brydles of two capi∣tall vices, that is to saye, Auarice and Le∣cherie. Whiche vices being refrayned by a noble man, that lyueth at libertie and with∣out controlement, procureth vnto hym, be∣syde the fauour of god, immortall glorye.

And that cite or realme, wherof the gouer∣nours with these vices be lyttel or nothing acquainted, do abide longe in prosperytie. For as Ualerius Maximus saythe, where so euer this feruent pestilence of mankynd hath entry, Iniury reygneth, reproche or infamy is spradde and deuoureth the name of nobylitie. The propretyes of these two vertues, be in this maner.

¶ Abstinence is, wherby a man refraineth from any thyng, which he may lefully take, for a better purpose. CONTINENCE, is a vertue whiche kepeth the pleasaunte ap∣petite of man vnder the yoke of reasō. Ari∣stotell, makynge them bothe but one, des∣cribeth them vnder the name of continēce, * 1.1 sayinge, He that is continent, for as moche as he knoweth, that coueitous desyres be yuell, dothe abandone theym, reason per∣swadynge hym. For this tyme I take ab∣stynence, for the refusynge of money, pos∣sessions, or other thynge semblable. Conti∣nence, the only forbearyng the vnlefull cō∣pany of women.

¶ Martius Coreolanus, a noble yonge * 1.2 man, whiche lyneally descended from An∣cus, sometyme kynge of Romaynes, whan he had done many valyaunte actes, and a∣chyeued sondrye enterpryses, was accor∣dyng to his merites commended in the ar∣mye

by Postumius, than being consull, and by theyr vniuersall assente, was rewarded with all suche honours, as than appertey∣ned to a good warryour: Also with one hū¦dred acres of arable lande, the election of ten prisoners, ten horsis apparayled for the warres, one hundred of Oxen, and as mo∣che syluer as he moughte beare. But of all this wolde he take no thynge, but one one∣ly prysoner, whiche was of his acquayn∣taunce, and one courser, whiche al wayes after he vsed in batayle.

¶ Marcus Curius, the very rule & paterne * 1.3 of Fortitude and moderate liuing, whā the people, called Samnites, which had war∣res with the Romaynes, founde hym syt∣tyng in his house by the fire vpon a homely fourme, catyng his meate in a dyshe oftre, they bringing to him a great some of golde by the consent of the people, and wondring at his pouertie, with courtaise langage, de∣syred hym to take that they had broughte him, he therat smylyng, said thus vnto thē, Ye ministers of a vaine and superfluous mes¦sage, shewe you to the Samnites, that Cu∣rius had leuer haue domynyon ouer theym that be ryche, than he hym selfe to haue ri∣chesse. And as for this golde, which ye ac∣counte precious, take it agayne with you, & remembre, that ye can neyther vaynquishe

me in batayle, nor corrupte me with money

¶ Quintus Tubero, surnamed Catelius, what tyme he was Consull, the people in * 1.4 Greece, called Aetoli, sente to hym by theyr ambassadonrs, a great quantitie of sil∣uer vessel, curiously wrought and grauen. But whan they came to hym, they founde on his table vessel only of erthe. And whan he sawe them, he exhorted them, that they shulde not suppose, that his contentation in pouertie, shulde be with theyr presentes re¦lyued. And with that saying, commaunded them to depart.

¶ To Epaminondas, the Thebane, beinge * 1.5 in his tyme, as well in vertue as prowesse, the moste noble man of all Grece, Arthax∣erses, kynge of Persya, to make hym his frende, sent one of his seruauntes to The∣bes, with a greatte quantitie of treasoure, whiche seruaunte knowynge his maners, darste not offre it vnto hym whan he came, but speakynge to a yonge man, which was famyliar with Epaminōdas, gaue vnto him a great rewarde, to meue Epaminondas to receiue the kinges present. Who vneth he∣rynge the fyrste wordes of the yonge man, commaunded the kynges seruaunte to be broughte vnto hym, vnto whome he hadde these wordes.

Frende, shewe to the kynge, that he ne∣deth

not to offre me money: for if he haue any thynge to do with the Thebanes for a good purpose, he may haue theyr assistence with out any rewarde: if the purpose be nought, he can not with al the treasoure of the worlde hope to obteyne it

¶ Whiche wordes were spoken with suche a grauitie, that the sayde seruaunte, beinge a ferde, desyred Epamynondas, that he mought be saulfly conuayed out of the cite: whiche he graunted with good wyll, leaste if the money were taken away, he mought of the receyuynge therof, haue ben suspe∣cted. More ouer, he caused the Thebane, whiche was his frende and companyon, to restore to the messager the money that he had receyued.

¶ Semblable abstinence was there in Pho * 1.6 cion, a noble counsaylour of Athenes, vn∣to whome the ambassadoure of the greatte kynge Alexaunder, broughte from theyr mayster a hundred Talentes of gold, whi∣che were of englyshe money .xii. thousand pounde. But before that he herde theym speke any thynge, He demaunded of them, why to him onely the kynge sente so boun∣teous a rewarde. And they answered, for as moche as kynge Alexander iuged hym only to be a good man and a iust. Than suf∣fre ye me (say de Phocion) to be & to seme

the same man, that your king doth iuge me, and cary your golde agayne to hym.

¶ To the same Phocion, the ambassadour of Antypater (who succeded the greatte kinge Alexander in Macedonia) offred to gyue a great some of money: whiche Pho∣cion despysynge, sayde in this wyse, Sens Antipater is not greatter than Alexander, nor his cause better, I doo nothynge per∣ceiue, why I shulde take any thing of him. And whan the Oratour wolde haue hadde Phocions sonne, to haue taken the money, Phocion answered, If his sonne wolde be lyke vnto him, he shuld haue no nede, ney∣ther of that money, nor of none other. If he wolde be vnlyke vnto hym, and of dysso lute maners, neyther Antipaters gystes, nor none others, were they neuer so great, shulde be sufficient.

¶ By these examples it doth appere, how good men dyd alwaye flee from rewardes, all though they mought haue ben lefully ta¦ken, whiche in them was neyther folyshe∣nes nor yet rusticitie, but of a prudent con∣sideracion. For as moche as bothe by wise∣dome and experyence they knewe, that he which taketh a rewarde before any thinge done, is no lenger at lybertye, but of a free man is made bonde, bycause he hath taken erneste for his true endeuour. Also by the

takynge, he is become an yuel man, though before he were good, For if he receyue it for an yuel purpose, he is than a wretche & detestable: If the matter were good, than is he not ryghtwyse in selling a good dede, which he ought to do thankfully, and with out rewarde.

¶ And I doubte not who soo euer is con∣tented with this presente astate, and suppo¦seth felycitie to be in a meane, and al excesse to be peryllous, wyll alowe these senten∣ces, and thynke them worthy to be had in remembraunce, specyally of theym that be gouernours. For that realme, or Cytie, where men in auctorytie haue theyr han∣des open for money, and theyr howses for presentes, is euer in the way to de subuer∣ted▪ Wherfore Caius Pontyus, prynce of Samnytes, was wont to saye, I wold god, that fortune had reserued me vnto the time and that I hadde be than borne, whan the Romaynes shulde begynne to take gyftes, I shulde thanne not suffre them any lenger to rule.

¶ Paulus Emilius, whan he had vaynqui∣shed * 1.7 kynge Perses, and subdued al Mace∣donia, brought into the commune treasory of Rome an infinite treasure, that the sub∣staunce of that one prynce dyscharged all the Romaynes to paye euer after any taxe

of subsidie. And yet for all that goodes E∣milius brought nothing into his own house but onely perpetuall renoume.

¶ Scipio, whan he had goten and destroi∣ed * 1.8 the greatte Citie of Chartage, was not therfore the rycher one halfepeny.

¶ By this appereth, that honour resteth not in rychesse, all though some perchance wyll saye, that theyr reuenues be smal, and that they muste take suche rewardes as be lefull, only to maynteyne theyr honour: but let them take hede to the sayinge of Tulli, Nothynge is more to be abhorred, than A∣uarice, specially in princis, and in them whi¦che * 1.9 do gouerne publyke weales.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ethi. vii.
• * 1.2

  Absteynig from re∣wardes, Coreolan{us}
• * 1.3

  Curius,
• * 1.4

  Tubero.
• * 1.5

  Epaminō∣das.
• * 1.6

  Phocion.
• * 1.7

  Paul{us} Ae∣milius.
• * 1.8

  Scipio Af¦frican.
• * 1.9

  Ci. off. ii.