Aristippus, or, Monsr. de Balsac's masterpiece being a discourse concerning the court : with an exact table of the principall matter
Balzac, Jean-Louis Guez, seigneur de, 1597-1654., R. W.
Page  113

THE SEVENTH DISCOURSE.

HItherto we have assaulted no body, who could not defend himself; And if your Highness think it fit, let's even excuse those whom we have accused; let's not reproach men with the errors of their birth; let's be indulgent to humane infirmity; let's allow somewhat to the temperature of the body, which may mark the soul with its blemishes; let's be compatible with the weakness of minds, since we receive them as they are given us, and that we are not the chusers of 〈◊〉 our selves.

The subtilty of the Understanding, the solidity of Judgment, a couragious Prudence, a considerate Boldness, are not voluntary things. They depend no more from our e∣lection, then our healths or a fair proportion. We are responsible for our faults, but not for those of Nature; there is no man obliged to be able, but there is no body but is concerned to be good; and if we cannot furnish our selves Page  114 for the glory of the Publick with Courage and with Wisedom, we at least ought to contribute our innocency for the repose of Common Society.

What shall we say then of those insolent Happy men, who combate with displaid co∣lours, the authority of the Laws and of Justice, who in the Government of States produce a design formed for its ruine▪ which grow fat and become comely from the juyce and substance of exhausted Pro∣vinces, who build up their own house with the wrack and dissipation of a whole King∣dom?

What shall we say of those insufferable Varlets, who revenge their least quarrels with the hands and arms of their Master, who declare all those Guilty of High Teason who do not fall prostrate before them; who by a bloody and cruel Peace, all black with mourning and funerals, bring the people into dspair, reduce the honester sort of men to be unable to save themselves but in a Revolt?

Finally, What shall we say of such base Courtiers who triumph and yet were never victorious, who enjoy in idleness the swears and pains of great Captains, who at a Co∣medy or a Ball expect the news of the get∣ting of some Battel, of the taking of Towns, of which the Generals must give them an ac∣count?

Observe them in antient and modern Hi∣story; Page  115 observe how all to them is plunder, how all is prey, how they feed on all dead bodies (thus did they formerly speak at Rome) and left nothing but loss and afflicti∣on to desolate Families, to Orphans and to Widows. For although they came only out of the dirt, to speak truly, of kind to no bo∣dy, yet they believe themselves the Heirs of all the world. There is no Officer of the Crown, no Governor of a place, whose Succession they do not pretend unto, as be∣longing to them. They think they are not in safety so long as there is a hole or a preci∣pice in another Mans power.

Your Highness perswades me, that this Description pleaseth you; it's because you love the truth, how neglected or how much in disorder soever it be. You had found it fairer, and the pieces of this description had been better ajusted, had I but minded some∣what more the Rules of Art; but the crowd of things often breaks compass and measure; I represent onely, without any design of trimming or of imbellishing; the world fur∣nisheth me with all what I display, which is not ungrateful to your Highness. Let's once again, my Lord, consult the long ex∣perience of this world, an experience which imbraceth so many Ages and so many Coun∣tries: Let's enquire more particular news concerning those who govern it, in despight of it, of those People who have reigned without a Crown, without Right, and with∣out Merit.

Page  116 Such People commonly introduce them∣selves in Court by low means, and sometimes by such as are but little honest. They some∣times owe the commencement of their for∣tune to a well danced Saraband, to agility of body, to the beauty of their face; they make themselves valued by shameful servi∣ces, whose payment is not publickly 〈◊〉e demanded, they put themselves in credit by the recommendation only of vice.

Their design being onely to make plasing Propositions, they enquire not whether they profit or harm, so as they please it sufficeth. And to establish this strict commerce, which they meditate with the Prince, they insinuate themselves into his Mind, by the intelligence which they endeavor to keep with his Passions: But having once possest themselves of his Mind, they seise on all the avenues, and leave not so much as an ente∣rance for his Confessor. How weak and tender soever his inclinations may be to ill, they water it, and dress it with so much care that presently there springs up a great tree from a little seed, and a violent and opini∣onated habit from a light disposition.

These are the Petroniusses and the Tigil∣lio's about Nero; these are the Advocates of Voluptuousness, who plead its cause against Vertue, and often succeed better then Plea∣sure it self, when she presented herself to young Hercules, and made him an Oration at the foot of the two ways.

Page  117 It's incredible to think, how many charms they use without employing those 〈◊〉 Magick, of which the people forbear not to accuse them. Good God, how ingenious are they to invent new pleusures to a sated and disgust∣ed Soul, with what pungent sharpnesses do they awaken the sleeping lusts which lan∣guish and can no more! For this purpose ra∣ther then want extravagant appetites, stran∣ger objects and unknown meats, they will seek them at the ends of the world, even be∣yond the bounds of nature, even in the licen∣tiousness of fables; To their sence, the Siba∣rites were but grosly voluptuous for matter of delights, Naples and Capua the corrupters of Hannibal, understood nothing at all.

Nor do they at the first blow become Masters; Vertue and they for a time dis∣pteto gain favor in the Court of a Prince of eighteen years. Sometimes she gets the better, and sometimes she yields it them; They with her, share the Affections, the Mind, and the Time. Burrhus is hearkened unto, but they hinder him from being be∣lieved. They are like Seneca's ballance, but at last they carry away all with them: The Epicure destroys as much in three days as the Stoick builds in five years; at least a man may say, that having taken the place, they by piece-meals undo the whole frame; they assault their Masters good parts, the one after another. From Venial sins wherein they find this young soul resuming the battel, and Page  118 being upon his defence, they lead him from step to step to Tyranny and Sacriledge.

At first they content themselves to breath in his ears, That it is not necessary for a Prince to be so much an honest man, That its sufficient if he is not wicked; that he would put himself to too much trouble to make himself beloved; that he ought onely to hinder himself from being hated. That solid and perpetual Probity is too heavy and too difficult; But that its image which changeth not, hath the same splendor as the original, and produceth the same effect; That from time to time a vertuous action which is no great matter of cost, being fitly performed, may serve to entertain his re∣putation. Thence they go farther, and leave him not in so fair a way; after having made him esteem Good as an indifferent thing they make him approve Ill reasonable, they afford Vice the colour of Vertue.

If he have a mind to dispatch himself▪ of one of his Parents against the express defen∣ces of the Religion of the State, which for bids us To shed the blood of the Empire; they counsel him to cause them to be strangled with a Bow-string, that one drop of it may not be spilt, and that Religion may be sa∣tisfied. If there be an Incest in his thoughts, and that this Incest is combated with some remorse, they presently come to the relief of his disturbed spirit. They ease his pains by a wonderful subtilty, representing to him, Page  119hat there is indeed no law which permits a Brother to lie with his Sister; but there is a fundamental Law of Monarchy, and Mistris of all the Laws which permits a Prince to do what he will.

To authorize these great escapes, great examples are not wanting,

They tell him it is not in Turky, and amongst Barbari∣ans that he is to look for examples; Gods own People, the holy Nation will furnish you with more then enough. That King who built the Temple was also the foun∣der of a Seraglio, and we at this day see at Constantinople, but a copy of what was formerly to be seen at Jerusalem. You con∣tent your self with one woman onely, and he that was wise above others, the wise So∣lomon had six hundred, which the holy Scripture calls legitimate, without reck∣oning those which are otherwise. But you have heard speak of the last will of his Father David, and of those gallant things which he commanded by his Te∣stament. I shall not exaggerate these things, consider only by how many deaths he counselled his Son to secure his own.

In the Law of Grace you cannot find more sweetness; you stagger, you appre∣hend, at the driving away of a Brother; the committing of a Cousen German to prison. The Great onstantine, that most holy, most Religious and most Divine Emperor, as he hath been called by the Page  120 mouth of Councils, hath done more without deliberation. Do you not know that he caused his own Son to die upon the first suspition which he had of him, It's true, he regretted his death, and acknowledged his innocency. But this acknowledgement came too late, and his regret lasted but Four and twenty hours; he thought himself quit by causing a Sta∣tue to be erected to the deceased with this Inscription, TO MY SON CRISPUS, WHOM I CAUSED TO DIE UNJUST∣LY.

After this, do you make a difficulty to discharge your self of a burthen, which incommodates you, to take out of your way a man who disturbs you in the world, and who treads upon your heels, a Co∣sin in the third or fourth degree, who hath a design to leap over all these degrees, that he may put himself in your place?

Have you any consideration for the cha∣racter and for the person of Church-men, who refuse to render you a blind obedi∣ence; Charlemayn, who is oue of the Saints of the Church, and a Predecessor to the Kings of France, had not such a respect as you have. He killed with his own hands an Abbot in his Vesture at the Altar ready to say Mass, for having denied him I know not what.

Do you reserve your absolute Authority? dare you not use force when the good of Page  121 your affairs requires it; The example of the same Charlemaine will take from you all the scruples your conscience can make; although they tell you of his capitular de∣grees, he knew neither a better nor greater right then that of Arms; the pom∣mel of his sword served him for his Seal and Signet. Do not think that I would make you believe this; this is History, and is to be taken according to the letter. To this day there are still Priviledges found granted, and donation of Lands made by the good and orthodox Emperor, Rowland and Oliver being present, sealed with the pommel, and which he promised to war∣rant with the edge of the same sword.

There have been Favourites, I do not tell you where, but there have been Favourites, who have instructed Princes these dange∣rous Lessons, and I have it from the Doctors themselves who made a collection for them of these fair Histories.

Being at last tired out with defending crimes which were without a Judge, and to excuse an all-powerful cruelty, they have freely told the Prince, That when there was no example to be found, he might make one; that what had formerly been unheard of, would being done cease, to be so; That it would be shameful for the So∣vereign Authority to give an account of whatsoever it were, and misbecomming him who had Armies and Fleets to maintain hs Page  122 actions, to seek words and pretences to dis∣guise them.

There is not a man (for this is the lan∣guage of the Sejanusses and the Plautusses) innocent in all the parts of his life, and who in his soul hates not his Superiors; and consequently, the Prince cannot but con∣demn the guilty, nor strike any but his Ene∣mies: Consequently, he gratifies him whom he bereaves of his goods, in that he takes not away his honor, and leaves him his life. According to their principles, Loyalty is the vertue of a Merchant and not of a Sove∣reign. They alleadge I know not what Po∣et, That in Heaven they in the same scales put the oathes of Princes with those of Lovers: That the gods equally laugh at one as well as at the other; That Jupiter commands them to be thrown into the winde as vile things and of no concern.

Thus in a way of fooling and telling of fables, they quite perswade the Prince, that he is not obliged by his word; after having perswaded him that he is no longer subject to the fancies and visions of the Legislators; they maintain that it belongs to him a∣fresh to define unto men what is good or ill▪ To declare to the world what for the future he will have to be just or unjust, to set a price and value upon every thing, as well in Morality as in Policy.

Page  123 THus are Tyrants made, from this stock Monsters are engendred; from such Commencements we come to set Rome on fire, to butcher the Senate, to dishonor Na∣ture with desbauches, and declare War a∣gainst it by Parricides. These compliant persons are the first causes of so many mi∣series; and did not these winds blow, we should be sensible of none of these tempests. It is not without a cause therefore, that we speak with some esmotion, and that being in a good condition for that matter by Your Highness's good conduct; Huma∣nity invites us to be compatible of the suffer∣ings of deceased States and of afflicted Peo∣ple. But let us not content our selves to la∣ment them; Let's turn our pitty into indig∣nation.

Since that in the world there is no Good of so great use, and which so universally communicates it self as a good Prince; nor no Ill which disperseth it self more, and which is more pernicious then an ill Prince: There are no where punishments great e∣nough in all the extent of humane Justice for those persons who change this good into ill, and who corrupt so salutiferous and so ex∣cellent a thing; they had far better have poisoned all the wells and all the fountains in their Countries; should they infect even the Rivers themselves, water might be gotten from elsewhere, even Heaven would still Page  124 furnish us with some drops: But here of ne∣cessity, we must either drink water or poi∣son; against those Domestick Ills we are not permitted to use Foreign Remedies. We are obliged to continue miserable by the Laws of our Religion, and to obey furies and mad men, not onely out of fear but al∣so for conscience sake.

For which cause, since the persons of Princes, whatever they be, ought to be in∣violable and sacred, and that the characters of Gods finger makes an impression which we ought to reverence on what matter so∣ever it be engraven. Let us turn all our ha∣tred against those flatterers which cast us in∣to these miseries without redemption: Let us lay it on those evil Counsellors which give us ill Princes, which provoke innocents to mur∣ther, and Murtherers to burn Temples For in effect, their pernitious advice endears ever those resolutions which have been taken. Their Maxims of Fire and Blood assure and fortifie Malice when it is as yet timerous and doubtful; they sharpen what cuts, they pre∣cipitate what is falling, they encourage the violent when they run after the prey, they inflame the desires of the Avaritious for our Goods, and those of Impudent persons for our Wives.

NOw if they meet with natures which are not susceptible of those strong Passions, and which are in anequal degree distant from Page  125 and from Vertue. If they light on these soft Princes, who are without sting or offence, and have no inclination to ill, their nature inclining them so to idleness as not to suffer them to stir out of their places. It's still the worse for those people who are to live under them, for abusing the simplicity of their pliant Master, and taking the advantage which their spirit hath over his, they reign them∣selves openly. And observing it but as the right and title of their unjust Dominion, to the weight of Tyranny they add the shame there accrues for suffering it from a particu∣lar person.

You cannot imagine the wiles and artifice they use to attain hereunto, and totally to subject to themselves the Prince. First, the method is to spur him up with glory in the establishment of their fortune. They give him to understand through several Trunks, that his Predecessors who were nothing more powerful then he, made some far greater Crea∣tures of theirs. That it's far better to raise up new People, who have no dependance, and who shall onely hold from his Majesty, then to use persons of a good birth, and of a known Probity, whose affections and par∣ty are already made; That it concerns his honor not to leave his works imperfect, to labor for their imbellishment after having established their solidity. That he ought to put them in a condition that they may not be ruined but by themselves: That if Page  126 he yields to the desires of his Grandies, who will endure no Companions; and if he contents the complaints of his People, who are Enemies to all growing Greatness, he will not for the future have the power to do any good; he will be forced to call an As∣sembly of the States General to dispose of the least Office in the Kingdom. Last of all, that he cannot abandon a person who hath been so dear unto him, without condemning the conduct of many years, and rendring a publick testimony either of his past blindness or of his present fickleness.

It's certain, that having begun to love a thing, for the love of it self, time presently adds our own interest to the merit of the thing; the desire we have that all the world should believe that all our elections are good, makes that action out of necessity, which be∣fore was voluntary; so that what hath been done against Reason, being not to be justifi∣ed but by Constancy, we never think we have done enough; and upon this belief which we have, were we resolved to discon∣tinue our affection, yet it seems we are obli∣ged to defend our judgment.

Now if these considerations can shake stable minds, and sometimes make wisemen fail, we need not be astonished if they easily overthrow a weak Prince, who makes use onely of borrowed reason, and who will yield himself to be perswaded by a very mean eloquence, so as it do but favor his inclina∣tion.

Page  127 And now he is engaged in the making of this Subject whom he loves Great; he speaks of him no more, but as his enterprise, and his end in it; he is without minding it be∣come an Idolater; he adores what he hath made, and is like the Statuaries of Athens, who of their own Works made their gods. His thoughts which should be employed for Glory, and have no other object but the Safe∣ty of the People, are all at an end in this gallant Deign; he opens him his coffers, and poures out treasures on him as well in dispight of others as to benefit him. He hath already conferred on him all the Offices of his Kingdom, and all the Ornaments of his Crown; he hath nothing left to give him but his own Person; which at last he doth with so absolute and so total a resignation, that in the very Monasteries there is not an example of a will more subjected, and more perfectly renouncing it self.

He appears but when his presence is ne∣cessary to authorise Counils, in which he ne∣ver bore a part, and he is content to shew himself for no other purpose; he is amuzed with petty divertisements unworthy of his condition and of his age; but did they give him babies to play withal, neither would he be offended; his Domesticks are every day changed, and he likes it well; they take from about him all that speaks, and he guesseth not why; they make him altoge∣ther a new Court, and he admits of it; they Page  128 ruine under several pretences all that's mi∣nent and vertuous in the State, and he con∣sents thereunto.

Against those who are less suffering, and harder to be brought under the yoke, open arms and force is employed; Those that are rich and peaceable, are assaulted by ac∣cusers and calumnies; To those whose ser∣vices maintain them, and whose fidelity is without reproach, they grant ruining Com∣missions, or ill Armies to assault strong places, that they may lose their reputation or may lose themselves. Some are driven away with an absolute command to retire themselves, others are banished by an Embassie; and in the place of all, as many as there are of them, the ambitious Courtier placeth per∣sons at his devotion, who never look farther then their Benefactor, and stop at the next cause of their fortune.

Thus is the poor Prince at mercy and dis∣cretion of his Favorite, casts not forth a sigh but a Spy renders him an account, ut∣ters not one word but what is told him a∣gain▪ So that in the midst of the Court he is sensible of the irksomness of a solitude; he sees nothing about his person of his ac∣quaintance, and hath not one onely faithful ear to whom he may say, I suffer. But be∣sides that he is so far engaged that there is no way for him to release himself; the other hath made all the world either his Enemy, or suspected, that he may have none but him Page  129 to trust. By having long had the possession of Affairs, which he communicates with no man, he alone understanding all, and knowing the State, he at last becomes a ne∣cessary evil, which neither can the Prince be cured of but by a dangerous remedy.

After this manner, in an absolute Peace being well with all his neighbors, no for∣regn Army appearing on the frontier, with∣out stroke striking, or having ventured fur∣ther, then from the Palace to the street, he sees himself miserably fallen into another mans power, which is after the loss of a Bat∣tel, the worst thing which could happen him. The unhappy moment which first en∣gaged him to commence his affection, and to believe more then he ought, hath reduced him to this deplorable extremity. And to speak home, the Battel of Pavia was not so funeral to Francis the First, nor the taking of Rome to Clement the Seventh: For if their disgrace was great, at least, neither was it voluntary: If they lost their Liberty, they in their affliction preserved the greatness of their Courage; and if they were taken Priso∣ners, twas by a great Emperor, who was their enemy, and not by one of their petty Sub∣jects. There is no captivity so miserable, so base, nor so infamous as that of a Prince who suffers himself to be taken in his Cabinet, and by one of his own; He could not have exercised a more cowardly patience, nor be more shamefully unhappy.

Page  130 I shall go further yet, when a King eats his People to the very bones, and lives in his own State as in an Enemies Country, he doth not so far estrange himself from the duty of his Place, as when he obeys ano∣ther. There is a great difference betwixt Tyranny and Royalty; yet it resembles it a great deal more then Servitude. It's at least some kind of Government, and one way of commanding men, although it be not the most perfect. But for a Sovereign to give himself as a prey to three or four pety Fellows, and not reserve so much as the dis∣position of his own Will, to follow his own Inclinations, nor the use of his own Judge∣ment in the knowledge of affairs: In such a case I know not what name to give him, and there cannot be a more miserable In∣terregnum then his life, during which he doth nothing, and yet doth all those evils which happen to the People.

In this condition, he is civilly dead, and hath as it were deposed himself. It's onely his Effigies which is used in publick, which out of custom, and for a shew hath some duties paid unto it, and to whom many use∣less Congees are made. Men are no longer bound to the legitimate and natural power. They follow another which is stranger and usurped; which is in a violent way born from the first, and in adultery. Royalty is forsaken to run after favor, of which the A∣rabians say, That it's a Girle which often kills her own Mother.

Page  131 What a brave thing it was in former times to see a King of Castile, who durst not walk abroad, nor put on a new Sute without the permission of Alvare de Luna! all favours which others demanded of him, he was ob∣liged to obtain from him; the most he could do was to recommend his Servants to his Favo•••e, and to do good offices towards him, for those whom he loved. What a brave thing it would be to see such a Cour∣tier as he was, who revoked the elections of his Prince, restored those again to their places which his Master had endowed. What a brave thing it were, that he should not like that his Master should once in his life read a paper which he presented him to sign, and that he should complain it was to offend his Fidelity, and forget his past Services!

But it was a braver and far more excellent thing for this man who governs his Masters mind, and soveraignly commands over his Subjects, for himself to obey a Mistriss. What if it should happen, that Love should go∣vern the Politicks, and that the Fortune of a whole Kingdom were the pastime of a de∣bauched Woman? For it's too true, that such persons have strangely derided the au∣thority of the Laws and the Majesty of Em∣pire more then once; they have trampled un∣der foot Crowns and Scepters; they have ta∣ken pleasure and sported themselves with the violation of Justice, and have exercised cruel∣ty with afflicting and rendring Humane kind miserable.

Page  132 Let us for once pass by those Histories which with their remembrance terrifie and wound the imagination: Let's not menti∣on the blood which those Women have caused to be spilt: Let's suppress the fright∣fulness and formidableness of their Trage∣dies; and let's produce but one little touch of the bravery of their humor. Not long since there appeared one, who was risen to so high a degree of insolency, that having been sollicited about a certain business, which had been represented unto her just and facile to be done, that she might the more willingly employ herself therein, she answers with a fierceness worthy of her Na∣tion, and of that Country whence come all our Rodomontado's, That she used not her credit so lavishly, that another might serve in so slight an occasion, and do just and possible things, for her part she accustomed herself on∣ly to undertake those which were unjust and impossible.

How many Mischiess do you think follow such an one? How many violences are com∣mitted under the shadow of 〈◊〉 unjust For∣tune? And the Courtie hath not a Groom who believes it not to be his right to treat evil such persons who are free, and by al∣leadging onely their Masters name to com∣mit outrages with impurity? Are there any people about him, who at least do not plun¦der if they forbear from murthering; who do not make sale of a sight, or of an audi∣ence Page  133 of his; who enrich not themselves with the refuse of his Avarice, and with the su∣perfluities of his house?

All this while the Prince sins not, and yet he forbears not to be guil•• His ignorance is unpardonable; his Patience is not Vertue, and the disorder which either he knows not of, or which he suffers, is imputed to him be∣fore God even as if himself had made it. With a great deal of reason therefore, that Prince, who was according to Gods own heart, in express terms, desires him, and that in the fervency of his most ardent prayers, THAT HE WOULD CLEANSE HIM FROM SECRET FAULTS AND ACQUIT HIM FROM THE SINS OF OTHERS; This last word, signifies it not, that Kings ought not to content them∣selves with a personal and particular Inno∣cency; That it matters nothing for them to be Just, if they lose themselves by the Inju∣stice of their Ministers?

And to this purpose, I will not let slip a pretty escape which a religious man of Italy in our Fathers days made, preaching be∣fore a Prince of that Country; being in the middle of his Sermon, wherein he had dis∣coursed of the duties of Sovereigns, and not minded to tire himself with staying too long in the general Thesis, he all at once breaks forth in these words, which he ad∣drest to him who heard him.

Page  134

I saw, my Lord, a strange Vision last night; Methought the earth opened before me, and I distinctly looked into the centre there∣of, I considered the torments of the other life, and all that terrible train of Gods Justice, since which, my Imagination is scarce well reassumed Amongst the wick∣ed of the past ages; I knew many of these Detractors, Murtherers, Impious persons and Hypocrites ran thither in great troops, and crowded at the brim of this Gulf; but having observed in their lives the visi∣ble marks of their Reprobation, I thought it not strange to see them arrive whereto I had seen them march; what astonished me most extremely above all, was, that I perceived you there my Lord, in this un∣happy throng which was at the brink of destruction; and even as I was thus af∣frighted and interdicted by the novelty of so unexpected an encounter, I cried out to Your Highness, Is it possible that a man should damn himself by praying to God, and that you should go to hell, yo▪ my Lord, who are the best and the most re∣ligious Prince in the world? Whereunto Your Highness Answered me with a sigh, I DO NOT GO FATHER, BUT I AM LED THITHER.

THe fertility of this subject is so great, that it will furnish us with Discourse for all the next week, but we must end with Page  135 this, and conclude, That the distance is great enough betwixt the Sovereign and private Persons, to raise them up very high, and yet leave them room enough below him. IT'S GOOD THAT HE WHO IS NEAREST THE PRINCE SHOULD BE EXTREME∣LY DISTANT FROM HIM; IT'S FIT THERE SHOULD BE MANY THINGS WHICH THE BEST BELOVED MAY NOT REACH.

Justice admirs of favor, we have long since confessed it; Reason destroys not Humani∣ty, opposeth not it self against honest affecti∣ons, it condemns not Familiarity and Confi∣dence. Philosophy and Christianity agree in all these with Nature; and the Son of God when he made himself Man hath by his example authorized all this: Let there therefore be a Favorite at Court, Heaven and Earth allow of it; Let there be a man, we would have it so, who is the Princes Con∣fident; But let there not be a man who day and night besiegeth the King; who by a vi∣olent usurpation appropriates him to him∣self; he who will have to himself alone a good which ought to belong to all the world, exerciseth the same Injustice as if he hid the Sun from the world, as if he shut up Churches to all the People in it.

Let the Prince send forth as long as he please a reflection of his Greatness on those Subjects who have found favor in his sight; Let him communicate unto them the rayes of his Page  136 power; But let him not transfer it entirely into their persons; let him never cast off from himself his Globe of light; Let his Li∣berality enrich particular persons, so as it do not impoverish the Kingdom; Let his Benefits abundantly flow in some places, so as he remain Master of the Spring. The O∣racle of the Low Countries upon this sub∣ject, made me this answer, that knowing and wise man Justus Lipsius, when I consulted with him at Louvain.

Must the King and he who reigns be still two different persons? Must he correct all their Edicts, and change a word in all their days? Where there is the tenth or fif∣teenth of our Reign, must he blot out our Reign, and make it our Servitude, or at least our subjection; It never was the in∣tention of him who founded Monarchies, that Soveraignty should be so basely abu∣sed, as to make it change place, that it should never be where it ought to be. So∣vereign Power is of the nature of those things, which are so much ours, that we cannot give them to another, nor separate them from our selves. Its legitimate so long as it remains in the hands of those who have received it from the Laws of the State. But the same Law will have it so, that it cannot pass from one to ano∣ther, unless it be by means of birth, or the election of the People. Here ends that answer of the Oracle of Louvain.

Page  137 Our wise Predecessors were herein wise, as well as in other things; As they did not make the Crown elective in favor of them∣selves; they would not make it a propriety in favor of the King, nor so absolutely in∣trust it to him, that it should be in his power to institute an Heir, examples whereof may be seen in the Histories of other Countries; They would not the King should have the power to resign the Kingdom at his plea∣sure, and to whom he pleased; That he could deligate the whole or any part. But on the contrary, by a Law which is of the same age and of the same force as the Salick, they ordained it should be unalienable and indivisible.

And those Politicians who have taken most liberty; those insolent and temerous Doctors which have entred a process against their Judges, having had the boldness in their writings to touch the Lords Anointed, and to treat of the deposing of Kings; ex∣presly intimate this case wherein Subjects are not obliged to acknowledge their Prince, When himself, say they, acknowledgeth a for∣raign Authority, and makes himself Tributa∣ry to another. So incompatible with Royal∣ty, have they esteemed all manner of sub∣jection and dependance; and what is Roy∣alty, say they▪ but the vain Magnificence of a Feast, but a monster of ceremony, if he who exerciseth it hath a Superior or a Com∣panion?

Page  138 For my part I wade not so far: I am sa∣tisfied to say, that in Presumption there is somewhat more noble then in weakness; and that such like excesses are less to blame then such like defaults: Those who march at a venture in an unknown Country, and who bind themselves too much to their o∣pinions, are of far more value then those who follow blind Guides, and who out of too much docility fail. In fables there are Hero's which have been mad, but there are none which have been weak; Sometimes there appears the overflowing of their passi∣ons, but the stupidity of their minds is ne∣ver mentioned.

In effect, what would it be, my Lord, to be at one and the same time at the highest rise of Humane things, and at the lowest stage amongst men To be called His Maje∣sty, and His Highness, and to be possest of nothing but what's little and low; To need a Curator on the Throne, and a Pedagoge in Council. O God send this evill to those of Asia.

But we must speak more like Christians, and more charitably; Let's conclude with a Prayer which shall comprehend Asial with Europe, and which embraceth the general good of the World. LORD TURN AWAY FROM ALL STATES AN EVIL WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF SO MANY OTHER EVILS, DENY NOT SO∣VERAIGNS Page  139 THE SPIRIT OF COM∣MAND AND CONDUCT, WHICH IS FIT FOR THEM TO GOVERN; GIVE THEM UMDERSTANDING ENOUGH TO COUNSEL THEMSELVES WELL, AND TO CHOOSE THEIR COUN∣SELLORS AS THEY OUGHT.