A memento treating of the rise, progress, and remedies of seditions with some historical reflections upon the series of our late troubles / by Roger L'Estrange.

Subsection. I. Over-greatness in one Counsellor.

THe Over-greatness in one Counsellour, is to be understood Principally, in Respect of his Credit with his Master; and partly, in Regard of those great Offices, and Riches which are commonly heap'd upon great Favourities, giving them the means of over-awding the Honesty of their Inferiours, and of ingratiating themselves with the People; at least with so ma∣ny of them as will be drawn to their Party, either by Fear, or Promotion.

Where it happens that a Prince his Heart is touch'd with the Magick of so much Kindness for a Subject,* 1.1 as to make him dangerously Over-great: it is not either Wisdom, or Virtue, that can properly deliver him from That Charme, but it must be rather Time, and Experience, that shall Dis-enchant him, Nor is it a Fault in a Prince, to comply with a Natural Incli∣nation; but it is a Barbarous Ingratitude in a Subject to abuse it, by Endeavouring, (Comparatively) to Darken the Sun, with the sparklings of a Refracted light, shot from his own Glory.

In This Case, the Happiness of a Nation depends not abso∣lutely upon the Prudence of the Governour; but, in some De∣gree, upon the Honesty of the Favourite: not altogether up∣on Counsell, but much also upon Enformation: nor upon That neither, so much concerning the State and Quality of Affairs, as touching the Fitness of Instruments to menage them, and the Faith, and Abilities of Persons. [In vain is it,* 1.2 (says the Profound St. Albans) for Princes to take Councell concerning Mat∣ters, if they take no Councell likewise concerning Persons.]

Is a Kingdom in Danger of Invasion, or Sedition? To Ob∣viate That Danger by a Force, is a Rational Expedient. But he that Arms his Enemies instead of his Friends, Encreases the Danger. It were neither safe, nor Royall, for a Prince to Walk, or Sleep without a Watch about him. But

were he not better be Alone, then take Assassins into his Guard, or Red-chamber? In fine; Great is the Hazard of Mistaking Persons? Great is the Crime of the Industrious Au∣thors of such Mistakes; and Great the Infelicity of a Monarch so Mistaking.

Nay, which is worst of all, in This Particular, the Noblest Dispositions are the most lyable to be Deceiv'd,* 1.3 and only Om∣niscience, or Ill-Nature can totally Secure a Prince from the Delusion. Imagine a Servant receiv'd into the Arms of his Master, Crowned with Honour and Bounty; and in This State of Favour, giving advice concerning Persons that are mere strangers to the Monarch: Who fit, or unfit, for such or such Employment; who false, or Loyall, &c. How should a Prince suspect a Subject under so many Obligations to Fidelity?

Although Abuses of This Kind are in Themselves suffici∣ently Mischievous,* 1.4 yet are they the more so, by reason of the Difficulty, and Perill to Rectifie them; for, in many Cases, (as Sir Francis Bacon) the Truth is hard to know, and not fit to utter.

He that would duely Execute This Office, must first, Resolve to feel the weight of a Potent Adversary;* 1.5 and Sacrifice his Hopes, his Fortunes, his Freedom, (nay, and perhaps, in Con∣sequence, his Life) to his Duty.

He must be wary too, that not a Syllable pass from his Lips, or Pen, which by the utmost force of Misconstruction, may seem to glance upon the Monarch: wherein, his Loyalty is not less concern'd, than his Discretion; for 'tis a fouler Crime Publickly to Defame a Prince, then Privately to mis-persuade him. Let him but keep himself to the Fact, (as whether This or That be True or False, not medling with the Equity, and Reason of the matter) he may with as much Honour, and good-manners, advertise his Prince of a Mistake, as believe that he is no God.

The Application of This Over-greatness is exceeding vari∣ous, nor is the Grace it self less Beneficial to the Publick, when Nobly Lodg'd, than it is the Contrary, when so large a Bounty is pour'd into a Thirsty and Narrow soul. But we are Ty'd in This Place to discourse the Irregularities of Power, not the blessed Emprovements of it.

We might reckon the Art of Flattery,* 1.6 among the main Condurements to a Court-Design: But, That's one of the Knacks we Learn without a Teacher. So Common it is, that he that cannot shift his Face and Humour, 'tis odds, can hardly shift his Linnen: (he is so Poor, I mean) In This Particular: the Confidents of Princes, being generally of their Masters Age and Inclination, or thereabout, have great Advantages, both for the Freedom of Access, and Privacy: the Timeing of Af∣fairs; and the more Clear Discovery of their Natures.

How the aforesaid Inconveniences may be holpen, shall be the Subject of the next Chapter; but to Discern them in the Intention, falls properly under Consideration in This.

To give the better Guess at the Design of This Over∣great-One, see how he stands Affected,* 1.7 first to the Religion of the Place he Lives in. 'Tis possible, the Conscience of a Ca∣tholick Good, may over-rule him, to the Hazard of a Good which he conceives less Vniversal: and some Light, may be taken toward this Discovery, from the Observation of his Familiars; but much more from his Natural Temper, and from the Tenor of his Life. (i. e. if he be Naturally Melan∣cholick, and Scrupulous) he may be suspected to be Conscien∣tiously Seditious.

Is it Ambition moves him?* 1.8 Ye shall then find him scatter∣ing his Donatives among the Souldiers. The Town has not Poor enow for him to Relieve, nor Rich enow for him to Ob∣lige. He carries his Hat in One Hand, and his Heart in the O∣ther. Here he Lends a Smile; There he Drops a Nod: with These Popular Incantations bewitching the Multi∣tude.

Is the Good of the Subject the Question? Who but He to Ease the People in Publick, of the Grievances which himself had Procured in Private; and in fine, no man so fit to be made a Iudge in Israel. To All This; he must be Daring in his Person, Close in his Purpose, Firm to his Dependencies, and rather stooping to the Ordinary People, than mixing with them, he'l do no good on't else.

To Proceed; let him be Watch'd,* 1.9 how he Employs his Power, and Faveur, whether (with Machiavel) more to the Advantage of his Master; or, to his own particular Benefit: and Then, whether (according to the Lord St. Albans) He applies himself more to his Masters Business, or to his Nature;

And rather to Advise him, than to feed his Humour. If he be found to study his Masters Passions, more than his Ho∣nour, and to Prefer his Private Interest, to his Duty, 'tis an Ill sign.* 1.10

* 1.11And 'tis no good one, if the Favourite grows Rich, and the Prince Poor: (especially if the Former be the Cause of the Latter) but it is much a worse, if he Presume to grasp Authority, as well as Treasure. It looks as if the suppos'd Equality of Friendship, had Drown'd the Order of Subjection.

* 1.12Take Notice next, of the Proportion betwixt the means he uses, and his suspected ends.

Does he Engross the Disposition of all Charges and Prefer∣ments? See in what Hands he Places Them. Does he endea∣vour to obstruct all Grants of Grace, and Benefit, that pass not through his own Fingers? That's Dangerous: For (says Sir Francis Bacon) [When the Authority of Princes, is made but an Accessary to a Cause, and that there be other Bands that Tye fa∣ster, than the Band of Soveraignty, Kings begin to be put almost out of Possession.

Mark then again what Kind of Persons he Promotes, and for what likely Reasons,* 1.13 whether for Money or Merit; Ho∣nesty, or Faction? Observe likewise the Temper and Quality of his Complicates and Creatures; and whether his Favours be Bounties, or Purchases. If the Former, Judge of his Design, by his Choice. If the Latter, 'tis but a Money-business; which Avarice meeting with an over-weening vanity of mind, is ma∣ny times mistaken for Ambition. In fine; what Ambition does at Hand, Corruption does at Length; nor is the Power of the One, more dangerous, than the Consequence of the Other.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Time is the best Tryal of Fidelity.
• * 1.2

  The Know∣ledge of Per∣sons, is more then the Un∣derstanding of Matters.
• * 1.3

  The Noblest Natures most easily Decei∣ved.
• * 1.4

  Abuses from Great Persons hardly Recti∣fy'd.
• * 1.5

  What he must do that under∣takes it.
• * 1.6

  The Art of Flattery.
• * 1.7

  Conscientious Sedition.
• * 1.8

  An Ambitious Person.
• * 1.9

  The Test of an Honest Favourite.
• * 1.10

  An ill sign.
• * 1.11

  Another as bad.
• * 1.12

  Note.
• * 1.13

  Mark again.