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. XI. (Book 11)

The Argument.

Age, Businesse, and Custome, do alter and change the Temper, Disposition, and Actions of Princes; and that Inclination which by reason of fear lay h••d (this fear ceasing) they betray many wise men and Philosophers, noted and observed for the same things.

BUt although these things are often thus, yet are they not for perpetuity and alwaye•• so to be accounted. Age, Businesse, and Custome do vary and change the temper of the body, why not then the Inclinations and Actions of Prin∣ces?

2. In time of Warre, Princes will imbrace mi∣litary and fighting men, whose favour (after∣wards. by degrees when things are pacified) will easily wear out and wax old. If the Prince incline to pleasures or any other affection, he will also in∣cline to love such as are ministers and furtherers to him therein.

3. See what Tacitus testifies of Tiberius. The times wherein he was had divers changes of customes and manners; he was notable in his life and reputation when a private man, or in com∣mand under Augustus; close and crafty, in counter∣feiting vertue, whilest Germanicus and D••usus were alive; mixt of good and bad, while his mo∣ther

was healthfull; of intestable and incredible cruelty, but covertly lustfull whilst he loved or feared Sejanus. At last he broke forth into lewd∣nesse and dishonorable actions, after that he (having set aside shame and fear) followed his own Inclination. Acute and tart was the Judg∣ment which Passienus passed upon Caligula: That there was never a better Servant, nor ever a worse Master.

4. 'Tis incredible to be spoken with what va∣rious manners, Marius and Sylla acted: And Plutarch makes a doubt whether Fortune chang∣ed their Inclinations, or only unvailed and disco∣vered those mischievous dispositions which had long laid hid in them.

5. To speak rightly, The disposition and in∣geny of such is not altered, but that which lay hid through feare (that being removed) breaks forth: as Leontius said of Zeno he was like a Ser∣pent which being frozen with cold cannot hurt, but being thawed and refreshed by the heat of the fire draws forth his sting.

Tripho, as Josephus witnesseth, while a private person and only a Collector of the Popular bene∣volencies and Subsidies, personated a good man; but being made a King, presently slipt off his Vi∣zard and disguise, and openly shewed, that what∣ever of goodness had appeared in him, 'twas on∣ly colourable and counterfeited.

7. Nor was Agamemnon much unlike him, if that be true which Euripides objects to him that he was modest, and easie to be spoken with, before he was made Captain of the Grecians; but present∣ly after became an Enemy to his friends, inac∣cessible

to all, and cloystered himself up in his own house. The Poet addeth a usefull pre∣cept.

Frugi viros ad alta vectos munerum Mutare mores convenit nunquam suos.

Englished thus.

It sutes not well with honest men, though ne're so highly rais'd: To change their fashions which are good, and cause them to be prais'd,

A worthy sentence, but practised by very few or none; yet Pollio 〈◊〉〈◊〉 somewhat to follow it (if we will credit 〈◊〉〈◊〉) who saies thus: After he was promoted to the most ample degrees of honour, being corrupted by no occasion, would he decline from his accustomed and imbred love of abstinency, never was puft up wi••h prosperity, nor ever through variety of negotiations, did he diminish his deserved commendations and glory.

8. For the most and chief defects of Princes take their rise and originall from Arrogancy, the most individuall and unseparable hand-man and attendant of great Ones. This ushers in con∣tempt of other mens Counsells, with such who are perswaded, That by how much they ex∣cell others in power, by so much they exceed them in prudence: and some are so transported that they disdain and think it below them, to be under the bonds of either law or reason, and that

they cannot be Princes unlesse they may do what they list according to that saying.

Sanctitas, pietas, fides, Privata bona sunt: quà juvat, Reges eant.

Sanctity Piety and faith, are good to private and common persons. Let Kings go which way they please.

9. I should lesse wonder if vulgar Ingenies were only corrupted with such opinions, but I see that the best of mortalls have their minds blinded with these delusions and cheats of power and Puissance.

10. No man heretofore surpassed the seaven wise men of Greece in the precepts of moderation: and none that ever came to the Empire were more cruell Tyrants then those who came from among them.

11. Appianus being about to speak of Aristo the Philosopher rehearseth some; who pro∣fessing that name formerly, had exercised Tyranny at Athens: he addeth moreover that some of the Pythagoriaens (whom he names) who had gotten imployment in Italy had very unjustly abused their command, which makes us doubt whether those Philosophers who so proudly contemned honour and dignities, did it bonâ fide and in good earnest; or rather took it up as a pretext, and a cloake for their beggerlinesse and sloath.

12. Certes, if we may credit Aristophanes, those Pythagorians lived frugally and sparingly,

not for vertue, but through poverty, not re∣fusing to sup daintily, if any invited them.