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SVCHE IS THE excellencye of this vertue Iustyce, that the practyse ther∣of hath not onely opteyned digne com∣mendatyon of suche personnes, betwene whome hath benne mortall hostylytie, but also often tymes, hathe extyncte the same hostylytie. And the fyerce hartes of mu∣tuall ennemyes hath benne thereby rather
subdued, thanne by armure or strengthe of people. As it shall appere be examples en∣suynge.
¶ Whan the valyaunte kinge Pyrrus war∣red moste asprely agaynste the Romaynes, * 1.1 one Timochares, whose sonne was yomā for the mouthe with the kynge, promysed to Fabricius, than being consul, to sle kynge Pyrrus: which thinge beinge to the senate reported, by theyr ambassade warned the kynge, to be ware of suche maner of treasō, sayinge, The Romayns maynteyned their warres with armes, and not with poyson. And yet not withstandynge, they dyscoue∣red not the name of Timochares, so that they embraced equytie as well in that they slewe not theyr enemye by treason, as also that they betrayed not hym, whiche purpo¦sed them kyndnes.
¶ In so moche was Iustice of olde tyme e∣stemed, that without it none acte was alo∣wed, were it neuer so noble or profitable.
¶ What tyme Xerxes, kynge of Persya, * 1.2 with his army was expulsed out of Grece, all the nauye of Lacedemonia laye at rode in an hauen, called Gytheum, within the do minion of the Atheniensis. Themistocles, one of the princis of Athenes, a moche no∣ble capitayne, sayde vnto the people, that he had aduysed hym selfe of an excellente
counsayle, where vnto if fortune inclyned, nothynge mought more augment the po∣wer of the Atheniensis. But it aught not to be diuulgate or publyshed. He therfore de∣syred to haue one appoynted vnto hym, to whom he mought secretly discouer the en∣terprise. Where vpon there was assigned to hym one Aristides, who for his vertue was surnamed ryghtwise. Themistocles decla∣red to him, that his purpose was to put fire in the nauye of the Lacedemones, whiche laye at Gytheum, to thentent that it beinge brenned, the dominiō and hole power ouer the see, shulde be only in the Atheniensis. This deuyse herde and perceyued, Aristi∣des commynge before the people, sayde, The counsayle of Themistocles was very profitable, but the enterprise was dishonest and agaynste iustice. The people herynge that the act was not honest or iuste, cryed with one voyce, Nor yet expediente. And furthwith they cōmanded Themystocles, to cesse his enterpryse. Wherby this noble people declared, that in euery acte, speci∣all regarde, and aboue all thyng, considera¦tiō ought to be had of Iustice & Honestitie.
Treason hated of e¦nemies.
Honestye preferred before cō∣moditie.