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

Of Moderation a spyce of tem∣peraunce. Capi. XX.

MODERATION in the lymyttes and boundes, whiche honestie hath ap∣poynted in speakynge and doynge: lyke as in rennynge, passyng the gole, is ac∣counted but rasshenesse, so rennynge halfe way is reproued for slownesse. In like wise, wordes and actes be the paces, wherin the witte of man maketh his course, and mode∣ration is in stede of the gole, whiche yf he passe ouer, he is noted eyther of presumpti on, or of foole hardynesse, if he come short of the purpose, he is contempned as dulle and vnapt to affayres of great importance. This vertue shall best be perceyued by re∣hersyng of examples shewed by noble men, whiche is in effecte but dayly experience.

¶ Fabius Maximus, beynge fyue tymes Consul, perceyuyng his father, his graūd father, and greate graundefather, and dy∣uers other his auncetours, to haue hadde often tymes that moste honourable digny∣tie, whan his sonne by the vniuersal consent of the people shuld be also made consul, er∣nestely intreated the people, to spare his sonne, and to gyue to the house of Fabius, as it were a vacatiō time from that honour: Not for any mystruste that he hadde in his sonnes vertue and honestie, but that his mo¦deration was suche, that he wolde not that excellente dignitie shulde alwaye continue in one familie.

¶ Scipio Affricanus the elder, whan the senate and people had purposed, that accor¦dynge to his merytes he shulde haue cer∣taine statues or imagis set in al courtes and places of assembly, Also they wolde haue set his image in triumphāt apparayle with∣in the capitole, and haue graunted to hym to haue ben consul and Dictator duryng his lyfe, not withstandyng he wolde nat suffre, that any of them shulde be decreed, eyther by the acte of the senate, or by the peoples sufferage. wherin he shewed hym selfe, to be as valyaunt in refusynge of honours, as he was in his actes, wherin he hadde them well deserued.

¶ There is also moderation in tolleration of fortune of euery sorte, whiche of Tulli * 1.1 is called equabilitie. whiche is, whan there semeth to be alway one visage and counte∣naunce, neyther changed nor for prospery∣tie nor for aduersitie.

¶ Metellus, called Numidicus, in a com∣mune sedicion being banished from Rome, and abydynge in Asia, as he hapned to syt with noble men of that countrey, in behol∣dynge a great play, there were letters de∣lyuered hym, wherin he was assertayned, that by the hole consente of the senate and people, his retourne into his countrey was graunted. Not withstandynge, that he was of that tidinges excedinge ioiful, yet he re∣meued not, vntyll the playes were ended, nor any mā sitting by him, mought perceiue in his countenaunce any token of gladnes.

¶ Whan the gret kinge Antiochus, which long time had in his dominion al Asia, whi∣che is accoūted to be the third parte of the world, was at the last vāquished by Lucius Scipio, & had lost the more part of his em∣pire, & was assigned but to a small portiō, v∣sed his fortune so moderately, that he gaue gret thākes to the Romains, that being de∣lyuered of so gret burdō & charge, he more casely mought gouerne a lyttell dominion.

¶ Alexander beyng elect and made empe∣rour

of Rome at .xvi. yeres of his age so ex¦celled al other in vertue, that the senate and people wolde haue hym called, the greatte Alexander, and father of the coūtrey, whi∣che of al names was highest, he with a wō∣derfull grauitie refused it, saying, It beho∣ued, that those names were obteyned by merites and ripenesse of yeres.

¶ The same prince also wold not suffre his empresse to vse in her apparayle any richer stones than other ladyes, and if any were giuen her, he either caused them to be sold, or els gaue them vnto Temples, affyrming that the examples of pompe and inordinate expensys, shoulde not procede of the Em∣perours wyfe.

¶ And whan for the honoure, that he dyd to the Senate and lawes, his wyfe and his mother rebuked hym, sayinge, he shulde brynge the imperiall maiestye into to lowe astate, he aunswered, It shuld be the surer, and continue the longer.

¶ There is also a Moderatiō to be vsed a∣gaynst * 1.2 wrathe or appetite of vengeaunce.

¶ Hadriane the Emperour, while he was but a pryuate person, bare towarde a capy∣tayne greuous dyspleasure, who afterward herynge, that he was made emperour, was in great feare, least Hadrian wolde be ad∣uenged. But whanne he came to the Em∣perours

presence, he nothynge dyd or said to hym, but onely these wordes, Thou hast well escaped. By whiche wordes he well declared his moderation, and also that who so euer putteth on the habyte of a comune person or gouernour, it shal not beseme him to reuenge priuate dyspleasures

¶ Architas, whan he had ben a long space out of his countrey, & at his retourne foūde his possessyons and goodes dystroyed and wasted, sayde to his balyfe, I wolde surely punysshe the, if I shulde not be angry.

¶ Moche lyke dyd Plato. For whan his seruaunte had offended hym greuously, he desyred Speusyppns his frende to punishe hym, leaste (sayde he) if I beate hym, I shulde hap to be angry. Wherin Plato de∣serued more prayse than Arthitas, in as mo¦che as he obserued pacience, and yet dyd not suffre the offence of his seruaunte to be vnpunyshed. For most often tymes the omit¦tyng of correction redoubleth a trespace.

¶ Semblable moderation and wysedome Aulus Gellius remembrethe to be in Plu∣tarche * 1.3 the philosopher, whiche was may∣ster to Trayane the emperour. It hapned that the bondeman of Plutarch had cōmit∣ted somme greuous offence: wherfore his mayster wylled, that he shulde be sharpely punysshed: and commaundynge hym to be

stryded naked, caused an other of his ser∣uantes in his prnesence to beate hym. But the slaue, who as it semid was lerned, while he was in beatyng cried out on Plutarche, and in maner of reproche saide vnto hym, Howe agreeth this with thy doctrine, that preachest so moche of paciēce, and in al thy lessons reprouest wrath: and nowe contra∣ry to thyne owne teachynge, thou arte all inflamed with wrathe, and clene frō the pa∣cience, which thou so moch praysest? Unto whom Plutarche, without any chaunge of countenaunce, aunswered in this fourme, Thou embraydest me causeles with wrath and impacience, I praye the, what percei∣uest thou in me, that I am angry or oute of pacience? I suppose (excepte I be moche deceyued) thou seest me nat stare with myn eyen, or my mouth imbosed, or the coloure of my face chaunged, or any other defor∣mitie in my persone or gesture, or that my wordes be swyfte, or my voyce louder than modestie requyreth, or that I am vnstable in my gesture or motion, whyche be the si∣gnes and euydent tokens of wrathe & im∣pacience. Wherfore said he to the correc∣tour, sens he can not proue, that I am yet angry, in the meane tyme, whyle he and I do dispute of this matter, and vntyll he vt∣terly do cesse of his presumption and obsti∣nacy,

loke that thou styl beate hym.

¶ Uerily in myne opinion Plutarch herin declared his excellent wysedome and gra∣uitie, as well in his exaumple of pacience, as also in subduyng the stubborne courage of an obstinate seruaunte. Whyche hystory shall be expediēt for gouernours to haue in remembrance, that whan accordyng to the lawes, they do punysshe offendours, they them selfes be nat chaufed or meued with wrathe. But (as Tulli sayth) be like to the lawes, whiche be prouoked to punyshe nat * 1.4 by wrathe or displeasure, but only by equi∣tie. And immediatly the same auctour gy∣ueth an other noble precepte, concernyng moderation in punyshment, saying, In cor∣rectynge, wrath is principally to be forbo∣den, for he that punyssheth whyle he is an∣gry, shall neuer kepe that meane, whyche is betwene to moche and to lyttell.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tollerati∣on of for∣tune good and badde.
• * 1.2

  Modera∣tion of wrathe.
• * 1.3

  Aul{us} Gell.
• * 1.4

  Off. 1.