Fables of Æsop and other eminent mythologists with morals and reflexions / by Sir Roger L'Estrange, Kt.

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Title
Fables of Æsop and other eminent mythologists with morals and reflexions / by Sir Roger L'Estrange, Kt.
Publication
London :: Printed for R. Sare, T. Sawbridge, B. Took, M. Gillyflower, A. & J. Churchil, and J. Hindmarsh,
1692.
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Subject terms
Aesop.
Fables.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/a26505.0001.001
Cite this Item
"Fables of Æsop and other eminent mythologists with morals and reflexions / by Sir Roger L'Estrange, Kt." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/a26505.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 28, 2025.

Pages

FAB. CCCCXCIII. Matchiavel Condemn'd.

NO Man ever had a Worse Name in the World for a Promoter of Seditious and Atheistical Politicks, then Nicholas Matchiavel the Florentine: Insomuch, that he was Ba∣nish'd, not only the Conversation, but the very Libraries of all Learned Men, upon pain of being Burnt for his Pestilent Doctrins, wherever he should be taken; and a Severe Punish∣ment inflicted over and above upon any Man that should pre∣sume to Comfort, Abet, or Receive him. It was his Fortune after this, to be found upon a Search, in the Corner of a Friends Study, and to be made a Pris'ner; and then in course to Undergo a Sentence according to the Decree. But all these Formalities notwithstanding, he was yet by the Extraordinary Favour of his Judges, upon his Humble Petition for a Hearing, admitted to his Defence, which was to this following Effect. He made no Difficulty of Confessing the Fact, and of Acknow∣ledging himself the Publisher of Pernicious and Execrable Po∣sitions; but withal, says he, no Mortal upon the Face of the

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Earth, has a Greater Abhorrence for those Desperate Maxims then my self. As to the Inventing of those Tenets, he made Protestation, that he had no Hand in't at all, and that the Po∣litical Part of his Discourses, was only Copy'd out of the Ge∣neral Practices and Councils of Christian Princes; and that if they pleas'd, he was ready to Instance in the very Presidents. After this, he appeal'd to the Justice of the Bench, whether it were not very hard to make it Mortal, for One Man to write the Naked History of a thing done; and at the same time to allow the very Doing of it to be Praise-worthy in Another. This Plea had brought him off, but for a Fresh Accusation that was Immediately started against him; which was, that he was Taken in the Dark One Night among a Flock of Sheep, putting Dogs Teeth into their Mouths, which must enevitably be the Ruin of the Shepherds; for it could never be Expected that the whole Flock would ever submit to the Government of One, if it had either Teeth, Wit or Horns. Upon the Proof of this Charge, he was Deliver'd up immediately to Justice, and the Law Executed upon him.

The MORAL.

The Secrets of Government ought not to be Touch'd with Unwash'd Hands, and Expos'd to the Multitude; for upon Granting the People a Pri∣viledge of Debating the Prerogatives of Sovereign Power, they will Infer Naturally enough a Right, and a Title to the Controlling and the Over-ruling of it.

REFLEXION.

HE that Exposes the Arts of Government to the People, does in Ef∣fect Appeal to 'em, and give the Multitude some sort of Right to Judge of, and to Censure the Actions of their Superiors. For what is any thing Publish'd for, but to be Read, and to lve consequently at the Mercy of the Reader how to Understand it? As if the Author should say, Gentle∣men, here's a Scheme of Politicks submitted to your Grave Considera∣tion, pray'e what's your Opinion on't? Can any Body think, that in a Question of State Exhibited after this manner, the Mobile will not de∣termine in their Own Favour, and clap what Bias upon the Proposition they themselves please? So that let the Matter be Handled never so Tenderly, 'tis a main Point lost yet; the very Admittance of the Com∣mon People into the Council, and Allowing them to be of the Quorum. Matchiavel Excuses himself well enough, as to any thing of Malice in his Discourses, for (says he) these Maxims are none of My Invention, nei∣ther has any Man living a Greater Abhorrence for those Poysonous Doctrins then my Self; but my Writings are onl yHistorical Notes and Abstracts drawn from the Life of an Universal Practice. Now the Hazzard

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and the Mischief is this, that in all these Cases, Men are apt to take Things by the wrong Handle, and raise Arguments for their Own Ad∣vantage. And that's the Moral of Matchiavel's putting Dogs Teeth by Night into the Mouths of the Sheep: That is to say, 'tis a Sly way of Ir∣ritating Subjects to fall foul upon their Rulers, which certainly is a Crime Unpardonable in any State.

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