The image of gouernance compiled of the actes and sentences notable, of the moste noble Emperour Alexander Seuerus, late translated out of Greke into Englyshe, by syr Thomas Eliot knight, in the fauour of nobylitie

¶Of the great prudence of Alexander vsed in the election of his counsaylours and offycers. Capi. xii.

IT OFTEN tymes hapneth, that where god dothe ornate a prynce with naturall gyftes, and also great vnderstandyng and sharpenesse of wytte, he for lacke of electi∣on (whiche is a greate parte of Prudence) hauynge about hym counsayllours, companions, and officers vnmete or vnworthy, maketh the sayde orna∣mentes vnprofitable, or peraduenture incommodious to the weale publyke, whereof, he hath gouernaunce, wherby the renoume, whiche were condigne, and as it were incident to rare and excellente qualities, is loste and dyeth with the body, orels (which is moche warse) is tourned to perpetuall reproche and dishonour: whi∣che the Emperour Alexander circumspectlye consyde∣derynge, he with an incomparable studye prepared for him selfe certayne rules of election, as hereafter fo∣loweth.

¶Fyrste he determyned to loue all, that was vertue, and to hate all, that was vyce, in what person so euer the one or the other shulde happen.

¶Also what so euer pleasure or commoditie mought come to hym by embracynge or tolleratyng of any no∣table vyce, he wolde rather lacke it, thoughe it were to his detryment, than to be seene to chaunge his opi∣nion, lest any man shuld therby take occasyon to com∣mende vyce.

¶And for as moche as vnder his Empire were dy∣uerse and sundry nations, whereof also the people by naturall disposition be dyuersely inclyned to vertue or vice, he therfore applyed him selfe to knowe the sundry wyttes, maners, affectes, and studyes of men, borne in euery region countrey and notable cite, throughout the worlde: whiche knowlege he apprehended soo ex∣quisitely, as wel by studiouse readinge of many histo∣ries and other notable warkes of morall philosophye, as by dylygent examyninge of capytaynes, and mar∣chauntes, whiche had trauayled and benne in sundry countreys: wherby he was wonderfully holpen in his elections and iugementes, as it shal hereafter appere.

¶He wolde neuer accepte commendation of any per∣sonne, before that he hym selfe had spoken with hym, and that by secrete scrutiny he had ben truely infour∣med of hym. And yet the commendation that he wolde afterwarde here, shulde be a parte, none other manne herynge, but hym selfe, leste if manye were presente, and he that commended were in auctorytie, other he∣rars althoughe they knewe the contrary, shuld eyther affyrme a false commendation, or elles feare to saye truthe, if they shulde be therof demaunded.

¶In them that were counsaylours, he vtterly abhor∣red ambition and flattery. In iudges, he hated with extreme detestation couetyce and wrathe. In bothe the one and the other he loued Syncerytie, vulgarly cal∣led vprightnesse.

¶The perfecte knowledge of mennes conditions•• he had not by the reporte of theyr superiours or equalles, ne by them whiche dwelled farre from the habytation of those whom they praysed, but by the examynation

of theyr nyghest neybours, being men of honesty, and not theyr ennemyes. And that was practised by suche of his owne yemen as were moste auncient and sage: whiche fyndynge occasion to ryde through the coun∣treys, where they were neyther borne nor had posses∣sions, shulde make this dyligente scrutiny or serche. And to suche maner of personnes the common people wold more familiarly and playnely declare theyr opi∣nions than to gentylmen or men in auctoritie. But if the Emperour perceyued afterwarde, that he had ben vntruely informed by any of his sayd espialles (whi∣che sometymes he dyd by further experience, as being in his progresse, or hym selfe heryng and discussynge complayntes of the common people openly and with a great delyberation and grauitie) he than extremely and without hope of remission, punyshed the false re∣porters, were it in prayse or detraction: causyng their tunges to be perced throughe with a hotte brennynge iron, and to be banysshed his courte and presence for euer. Whiche punishement, althoughe it wyll seme to some men sore and cruel, yet consyderyng, that vsing this meane, he was neuer deceyued by counsaylours, and also that Iustice was dewely executed by theym that were in auctoritie, that maner of rigour maye be thoughte necessary and very expediente. Also the pu∣nysshemente beinge in a fewe executed at the begyn∣nynge, the seueritie of the prynce became so terryble, that men so greuousely feared hym, that neyther de∣syre, rewarde, nor dreade of any other man coulde let the sayde espialles to reporte trewelye, accordynge as they had founden by theyr diligent scrutiny.

¶One meruaylous cawtell he vsed, that is to saye:

One man was not oftentymes in that truste of espy∣all. And those personages were chosen and appoyn∣ted onelye by hym selfe, without makynge any other man priuie, vntil he had deprehended them with some maner of falshode.

¶Fynallye he was of suche a wonderfull discretion and sobrenesse, that no reporte coulde brynge him out of pacience, or into suspition, vntyll he had well try∣ed the reporte with some praty experyence, as it shall be declared hereafter.

¶And thus I make an ende of the fyrste parte of his gouernaunce, whiche was in orderynge of his owne person and courte: wherby pryncipally he broughte not onely the citie of Rome but also al the hole empire (not withstandinge the beastely lycence brought in by Heliogabalus) in as good estate as euer it was in the tyme of any of his moste noble progenitours.

Notes

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• Sinceritie.