The remains of Sir Fulk Grevill Lord Brooke being poems of monarchy and religion : never before printed.

The Excellency of Monarchy compa∣red with Aristocracy. SECT. XIII.

580.

NOw, if the tediousness of Mortal days, (Which suffers no man in his state content) Will seek a change in all things that displease, Then can no real form be permanent; Vain Lust and Novelty will never rest, Pleasing diseased natures ever best.

581.

Yet first let these light spirits which love change, Consider whence and whether they would go; Lest while they grow bewitcht with what is strange, They think that, Happiness, which is not so; And by affecting Mortal Heavens here. Hold only those things which they have not, dear.

582.

Doleful Alcyon had, perchance, good cause Both to suspect the frauds of Men and Beasts; Yet over-acting passion makes ill Laws, For to avoid which fear, she built her nest Upon the Oceans shoar, where storm and wind Since Tyrannise both her and all her kind.

583.

From like grounds, do not thoughts impatient, Which work new fangledness in peoples minds, And have their proper Lord in discontent, By such dislike of every air they find, While they would run from shadows that offend, Like rowling stones change place, but never mend?

584.

For if men will according to the name, Conceive th' Aristocratical estates Of Government, to be the perfect frame, And number able to give proper rates To lavish humours, then a Monarch can; What is this but new fangledness in man?

585.

And let not man examine this by book, As States stand painted, or enamel'd there; But rather upon life then pictures look, Where practice sees what every State can bear; And where the Peoples good, the wealth of Realms. Shew cleerly what forms spread forth sweetest beams.

586.

Which view will prove, how speciously soever These many heads enter with glorious stile Of conquering Worthies, yet they have never Long born those Titles, but within a while Been forc't to change their many heads to one; As blest by inequalities alone.

587.

For instance of which strange inconstancy, Take Rome, that sublime Senators estate; Did she not first the Sons iniquity Plague in the aged guiltless Fathers fate? And then her Monarch into Consuls throw, Under which yet Rome did an Empress grow?

588.

Soon after she erects the state of Ten, And even before th' ungrateful memory Of Appius Claudius buried was with men, She still affecting change of policy; Carelesly left her Government in trust, For some years, to her Martial Tribunes Lust.

589.

Lastly, as if in that unconstant wit They had concluded to dissolve the frame Of their Republick, by oft changing it; To such descent of Anarchy they came; As in five years they Governours had none, * 1.1 But stood upright by hap of time alone.

590.

For had there any undertaking state Assail'd them then, this France wherein they stood 'Twixt life and death, must needs have given fate To wandring humours stain'd with native blood, And by the factious government of Three, Have freed her slaves, to bring in Tyranny.

591.

Thus sick, and fully ripe for cure, or death, Rome did enforce a Caesar of her own To loose his honour or to break his faith; Her state alike being each way overthrown; Wherein yet he that brought back Monarchy * 1.2 Err'd less then he that set the people free.

592.

For after Tarquin, though Rome stood entire, Yet fell she into many headed pow'r. By which, like straws, light people set on fire, Did by confusion, which waits to devour, Yet raise again that brave Monarchal State; As souls well organ'd to be fortunate.

593.

Besides in Athens, what were Codrus merits That after him they should endure no King? Was it not he that sacrific'd his spirits, To qualifie Apollo's threatening? In which work this captiv'd unthankfulness, Which stained her, soon made her fortune less.

594.

Again, what comfort, or true estimation Can active vertue either take or give, Where many heads have power of Creation? Or wherein can these brave enticements live, Which raise exorbitant aspiring merit, Since many Judges never have one spirit?

595.

Must not Laws there, and Ordinances be Like Oracles, meer abstract and ambiguous, Fit for discourse, or books, not Policy, All practice dull, delaying, or litigious? Mans Justice seldom cleer, and never wise, As seeing right or wrong with chances Eyes?

596.

What Symptome is besides so dangerous To Mortal Orders, apt to be diseas'd, As Faction, on whose Crisis ominous Those States depend where many must be pleas'd, And where unequals are, by government, With equal measure forc't to be content.

597.

For as to make all Rulers of estate Alike wise, honest, rich, and honourable, A work is hardly possible to fate; So (without disproportion) who is able True worth and inequalities ambition, To please with equal ballanced condition?

598.

Out of which swallowed discontentment grows That Monster which then most the publick spoils, When to the world it best pretences shews, And as with Faction, Emulation, Broils, These many heads oft Civil war invite, So against forraign force they worse unite.

599.

Under three Leaders did not Athens wain * 1.3 Her right to Samos, and her reputation? As she before at Siracuse did stain Her Glory, and let fall her Estimation Under the guide of Alcibiades Joyn'd with stern Nicias, faint Demost∣henes.

600.

Whence the Athenian Orator aver'd, * 1.4 That their State never prospered in War, But when all pow'r was upon one confer'd; And when again was Rome engag'd so far, * 1.5 As under Canna's many-headed flight; Where chance & mischance, had pow'r infinite,

601.

Besides, as mild streams in an Ocean sea Loose both their Current, Sweetness and their Name: So here the best men must be sent away By Ostracisme, to qualifie their Fame, As for this State too great, which feareth Worth, Knowing that it still Monarchy brings forth.

602.

For is it not to them of Banishment Sufficient ground, to be reputed just? What other cause was there of discontent Gainst Aristides, but his worth's mistrust? How us'd they him that conquer'd Marathon? Or him, who Xerxes host had overthrown?

603.

Rome shew'd her greatness, when she did subdue Africk and Carthage, yet who will observe How little she thought to the Scipio's due, Or from Camillus how soon she did swerve, Shall see, in Aristocracies, the fate Of Noble actions is the peoples hate.

604.

Besides, where this name publick shall have pow'r To bind reward, with wreath'd frugality; Where sad stil'd Justice shall Mankind devour, Thorough a bloody stern severity; Must not these Glorious stiles of Common-weal, Wound even that worth wherewith it should deal?

605.

Faction again is ever soonest made, Where many heads have part, and Councils known There soonest are, where men with many Trade; Besides alliance here binds not her own; Nor adds unto the publick any might: Which makes their League, their Love, their Malice flight.

606.

Lastly our finite natures do not love That infinite of multiplicity: Our hopes, affections, fears, which ever move, Can neither fixt, nor yet well govern'd be, Where idle, busie rulers, with a breath, Give doom of honor, Grace, Shame, Life, or Death.

607.

Thus is Mankind, in numerous estates Wantonly discontent with liberty, Where equals give and take unequal rates, Moulding for good and bad one destiny: Whence Athens swaying to Democracy, For ever changing her Archontes be.

608.

And as ill luck makes man of man despair, And thence appeal a Supreme Soveraign, So grows adversity the peoples stair, Whereby they clime to Monarchy again: What wants Dictator but the name of King, Being as Soveraign else in every thing?

609.

So as if Aristocracies will claim To be the best of humane Government, Why do they from their Magistrates disclaim, As in extremities still impotent? Since who in storms the fittest Pilots be, Are ablest sure to guide prosperity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Livius lib. 2,
• * 1.2

  Velleius Patercu∣lus. lib. 2.
• * 1.3

  Charo. Timotheus. Iphicrates. Emil. Prob 9. in vita Ti∣mothei. Iustin. lib. 4.
• * 1.4

  Isocrates in nicocles.
• * 1.5

  Terentius Varro, Pau∣las Emilius. Livius.