The accomplish'd courtier consisting of institutions and examples, by which courtiers and officers of state may square their transactions prudently, and in good order and method / by H.W. Gent.

CHAP. X. (Book 10)

The Argnment.

Princes have a four-fold Temperature, from their originall ••n in Nature: How a man may converse with each of them. The Art of Courtiers, in asso∣ciating others to them.

THat these things may more prosperously be prosecuted and effected, it greatly condu∣ceth to know the Princes temperature, which they for the most part have in common with others, this onely excepted, That whereas in other matters they are more powerfull, so are they more impotent and weak, in moderating their affections and inclinations; and these, for the most part, are more violent in them, then in others.

2. He in whom yellow Melancholy, (which in Greek is called Choller) is prevalent, will be prompt and ready for action, proud, subject to anger, a lover of humble and obsequious duties and services, heavily offended with such as are refractory, impatient in executing, precipitate and hasty in Counsells, a contemner of other mens judgments, if they discord with his own; cruell to such as injure him, but placable to such as are hurt, if they remember not again the injuries; hating such as are mindfull of an of∣fence; a speedy and preventing revenger of such, whom he fears or doubts.

3. He who shall be a manuall servant to such

a one, had need to have his eyes and Eares open, that he may readily understand and execute at the beck of his Command not objecting, nor pro∣tracting, least by his contradictions he move the opinion and Imagination of the Prince to Arro∣gancy, and seeme to him to think him selfe more wise then hee. Let him not be shie to submit to the meanest office, even to that which may seem below his owne fortune, let him bear injuries and not long remember them, and after an affront or rubb, be the more officious. Let him not shew or tell to any what admonitions and advisements he gives him, least he seem to upbraid him; hide∣ing and covering over one office with another as one sayes, lest the raine beat thorough. When the Prince is angry, let him not come neere him, for then all things will offend him, and even such as are most deere to him, neither by word nor deed, can then curry favour with him: Familiarity with such a Genius is easily turned into Contempt, (which therefore is to be avoyded) although the Prince himselfe incline towards it. Let all things therefore be composed rather to Reverence and Modesty: for such are Lyons, sometimes kind, but in the end cruell and fierce to such, who are most known to them, even to their keepers.

4. Such as are of a sanguine complexion are mostly of a merry Genius, lovers of pleasures and witty conceits, avoyding the sad intricacyes, and contests in business, desirous of peace and quiet∣ness, committing the administration of affairs to others, and bearing nothing more temperately then complaints, Courteous and full of humanity, pleasant and amiable abstaining from injuries espe∣cially

great ones, not more mindfull of things received then of things done, very desireous to please and accommodate others, and for the most part frank and bountifull.

5. They who are employed under such, may not in any wise neglect the duty of veneration, and must handle serious matters very sparingly. They who transact the weighty and difficult business of the Common-weale, ought not to approach his presence before they be called in, or be assured that he be not at his vacant disports and plea∣sures; otherwise they interrupt his chiefe delights, and cause him to blush by their sudden approach, and being taken at unawares feare a secret and tacite check or taunt from them. While Philip of Macedon was sporting, and in his pasta Tiempo one comes and tells him that Antipater was at the dore, whereupon he being disturbed, and not knowing how to obscure himselfe hid the dice in the bed, blushing to be seene by Antipater, when he was at his pastimes. Wherefore, as they who have the principall care of the Empire by the prin∣ces command, are supereminent to others in seri∣ous businesses; even so are they themselves out∣stript by others in their free and familiar accesse to the Prince, who avoydes and shunnes the more serious and grave, as discording with his owne Genius and naturall disposition.

6. They who have Jove for their propitious starr, and are capable both of serious matters, and of gameing and pastimes, are for the most part very acceptable to such Princes; so that they be cautious, that while they are absent from the Prince, their too much facility and courtlinesse

diminish not their Authority with others. With∣out this observation (as the vulgar Proverb hath it) Familiaritas contemptum pariet Familiarity will breed contempt, Contempt will give Audacity and boldnesse to make complaints, as if you did them a kind of wrong and injury, which the Prince going about to take away as being an Enemy to mournfull and sad things, will endeavour to re∣move him whom he shall find most manifestly culpable.

7. The Prince who is of Melancholy complexion and disposition is slow in Counsells, pensive museing, diffident, suspicious, witty, and for the most part malizing, disposed to silence, uttering ambiguityes, and rather serving and traceing o∣ther mens senses and opinions, then discovering his owne; a dissembler, an enemy to merry con∣ceits and familiarity, loving solitude, difficult of accesse, a friend to few and but a cold one, easily hateing, by reason of diffidence and distrust (which never leaves him) avaricious, and absurdly timo∣rous, equally hating offences and offenders; im∣placably desirous of Revenge, and whom (though reconciled) you had need to feare.

8. With these kinds of dispositions a man must deale circumspectly and warily, & first he ought to be moderate in his speech, and as it were to advise upon every word, lest he speak any thing imper∣tinent or offensive, and speak not unless compell∣ed. In veneration and reverence let him be more then ordinary, abstaining from contradictions, de∣murring in counsells unless urged to speak, lest his black Melancholly being incensed turne into Choller, and that into hatred; chiefly, where you

think the repulse will be facile and easie. In re∣questing be not unreasonable, for to be sent away empty from a Prince is oftimes dangerous, and a Melancholick and sad person is alwayes excessive and superfluous, and will deny that he thought he had offended him whom he so dismissed and ac∣count him an enemy; this feare will hardly be bought out by any Artifice whatsoever. Such will remember injuries a long time, and do mea∣sure other men by their owne Genius and dispo∣sition,

9. In briefe, This constitution is the sharpest of all, difficult, and most uneven and disordred by reason of the variety of things which the imagi∣nation representeth and offereth to it. By which their life is made the more laborious who have re∣lation to such mens service.

10. The Phlegmatick participateth of the weight and slownesse of the Melancholick; but, as it is unlike in nature and inclination, so is it in malignity and diffidence. He hath his heart as it were environed with Cold, and from hence it is that he distrusts rather himselfe, then others, fear∣ing to undertake great matters because he des∣paires of the successe, or is ignorant of the way and meanes how to carry them on. He is doubt∣full in consults, fearefull in executing, of a stupid Genius, not sharp and harsh in hating, nor vehe∣ment and eager in loving.

11. For such, an active Minister, and one prompt, and ready in mind and hand, is very con∣venient for the Prince when he shall find one fit to execute and accomplish what he accoun••ed desperate, perceiving the imbecillity of his owne

Genius: and he will love and admire such a one, and imbrace him as a necessary Creature, and such favour which is bound with an opinion of ne∣cessity, is for the most part durable, which such a man observing may so act, that he may effect those things which the Prince looks upon as hard and impossible, and bring them to a prosperous issue, and this shall he do (if possibly) himself; at least, let him not have an associate more prompt then himself, and also beware he be not long ab∣sent from Court, lest the chief of businesses be o∣mitted by the Prince. For if any be found fitter for such imployment; you shall be lesse valued, or at least, lesse needfull; and so being once or twice passed over, and not imployed in such com∣missions, be at last neglected and not accounted of.

12. It is the old art of Courtiers not to choose associates, but such as they themselves doe very much excell in vertue and prudence, that the darknesse of others may be a foil to their splendor, and the Prince may not easily find one whom he may oppose and set against them, or prefer be∣fore them. Adde that these lesser ones, as oft as there is need, will easily be open to and ready to serve those to whom they either did, or may owe their fortune, although by base and corrupt wayes and arts. This cannot justly be expected from an equall, or from him who strives in his own strength.

13. These are the kinds of humane Inclinations to which Princes are no lesse obnoxious then Peasants; being propense and readily bent, some∣times to to this, sometimes to that course, accor∣ding

to the prepollency and force and prevalency of this, or the other Temper and constitution.