The works of the famous Nicholas Machiavel, citizen and secretary of Florence written originally in Italian, and from thence newly and faithfully translated into English.

CHAP. XVI.

Of Liberality, and Parsimony.

TO begin then with the first of the above-mentioned qualities, I say, it would be advan∣tagious to be accounted liberal; nevertheless liberality so used as not to render you formidable, does but injure you, for if it be used virtuously, and as it ought to be, it will not be known, nor secure you from the imputation of its contrary: To keep up therefore the name of liberal amongst men, it is necessary that no kind of luxury be omitted, so that a Prince of that disposition will consume his revenue in those kind of expences, and be obliged at last, if he would preserve that reputation, to become grievous, and a great exactor upon the people, and do whatever is practicable for the getting of Money, which will cause him to be hated of his Subjects, and despised by every body else, when he once comes to be poor, so that offending many with his liberality, and rewarding but few, he becomes sen∣sible of the first disaster, and runs great hazard of being ruined, the first time he is in dan∣ger; which when afterwards he discovers, and desires to remedy; he runs into the other extream, and grows as odious for his avarice. So then if a Prince cannot exercise this vir∣tue of liberality, so as to be publickly known, without detriment to himself, he ought if he be wise, not to dread the imputation of being covetous, for in time he shall be esteemed liberal when it is discovered that by his parsimony he has increased his revenue to a Condi∣tion of defending him against any Invasion, and to enterprize upon other people, without oppressing of them; so that he shall be accounted Noble to all from whom he takes nothing away, which are an infinite number; and near and parsimonious only to such few as he gives nothing to.

In our days we have seen no great action done, but by those who were accounted misera∣ble, the other have been always undone. Pope Lulius XI. made use of his bounty to get into the Chair, but (to enable himself to make War with the King of France) he never practised it after, and by his frugality he maintained several Wars without any tax or impo∣sition upon the people, his long parsimony having furnished him for his extraordinary expences. The present King of Spain, if he had affected to be thought liberal, could never have undertaken so many great designs, nor obtain'd so many great Victories. A Prince therefore ought not so much to concern himself (so he exacts not upon his Subjects, so he be able to defend himself, so he becomes not poor and despicable, nor commits rapine upon his people) though he be accounted covetous, for that is one of those Vices which fortifies his Dominion, If any one objects that Caesar by his liberality made his way to the Em∣pire, and many others upon the same score of reputation have made themselves great; I answer, That you are either actually a Prince, or in a fair way way to be made one. In the first case liberality is hurtful; in the second, 'tis necessary, and Caesar was one of those who design'd upon the Empire: But when he was arrived at that dignity, if he had lived, and not retrenched his Expences, he would have ruined that Empire. If any replys, Many have been Princes, and with their Armies performed great matters, who have been reputed liberal, I rejoyn, that a Prince spends either of his own, or his Subjects, or other peoples.

In the first case, he is to be frugal: In the second he may be as profuse as he pleases, and baulk no point of liberality. But that Prince whose Army is to be maintained with free quarter, and plunder, and exactions from other people, is obliged to be liberal, or his Army will desert him; and well he may be prodigal of what neither belongs to him, nor his Subject, as was the case with Caesar, and Cyrus and Alexander; for to spend upon anothers stock, rather adds to, than substracts from his reputation, 'tis spending of his own, that is so mortal, and pernicious. Nor is there any thing that destroys it self like liberality; for in the use of it, taking away the faculty of using it, thou becomest poor and contemptible, or to avoid that poverty, thou makest thy self odious and a Tyrant; and there is nothing of so much importance to a Prince to prevent, as to be either contemptible or odious, both which depend much upon the prudent exercise of your liberality. Upon these considerations it is more wisdom to lie under the scandal of being miserable, which is an imputation rather infamous, than odious, than to be thought liberal, and ••un your self into a necessity of playing the Tyrant, which is infamous and odious both.