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. XXVII. (Book 27)

The Argument.

By what wiles a Courtier may be suppressed, by ma∣levolent persons: First, That either he may go from Court himself, under some pretence; or else be spe∣ciously removed. Of such, who by the same Art, are called up out of the Provinces.

WE have seen how by his own default, a Courtier may fall into the displeasure of a Prince. We will now shew the means, by which his foes, such as are envious, or emulous, may depresse and abase him: For, they may endeavour to remove him from Court, upon some pretext not dishonourable; or may render him suspected or hated to the Prince; or lastly, in a publick and open manner, constrain the Prince to remove him.

2. The way of Amolition, or removing, which we said was the first way, hath divers means, and various ends; for some, out of a shew of honour, or occasion to live with some friends, and neer allies, are induced, not unwillingly, to with∣draw themselves from Court. This way Stippiota craftily used, (when Manuel Comnenus was Em∣perour) to remove Hagiotheodorita, who stood in his light; for there being a difference between Michael the Pedagogue, and Josephus Balsamon, Stippiota perswaded the Emperour, that if Hagio∣theodorita, Balsamons kinsman, were made Gover∣nour of Peloponnesus, the difference would be∣composed.

Hagiotheodorita being glad of an op∣portunity to help his kinsman, accepteth the courtesie; little minding, that Stippiota alone, would in the interim (his Competitor being re∣moved) have the ordering and managing of the chief affairs of the Empire, which also came to passe.

3. Some men, being wearied with the contentions & brablings of adversaries in Court, betake them∣selves unto any Province whatsoever, upon pretext of necessary departing thence. Thus did Agrippa, who (as Velleius testifieth) went into Asia, pre∣tending some principall businesse; but, as report went, for some private grudge between him and Marcellus, withdrew himself from the present time.

4. Tiberius (while Caius Caesar was yet alive, who envyed him) departed to Rhodes, pretending to turn Student there, and (as Suetonius saith) by his mothers means, obtained, that to cover his reproach, he might make shew, as if he had gone Ambassadour thither.

5. If he whom you desire to remove, have no pretence to get leave to withdraw, and will not take it as a courtesie, that he may depart wil∣lingly, and without compulsion, you may per∣swade the Prince to prefer him, to some charge and office, upon this account, that none is more worthy or fit for such an employment.

6. After the same manner do emulous and en∣vious persons, desire to have such abstracted and drawn from a Province, or subdued Country, whose authority they endeavour to weaken, whom they labour to bring into Court, as ne∣cessary

and usefull to the Prince, and to thrust him into the croud of Courtiers, by whose lof∣tinesse, he may be the more obscured and clou∣ded.

7. This was the artifice and trick, which Apel∣les used with Polybius, when he went about to deprive Taurio of the government of Peloponne∣sus.

8. So Darius (by the advice of Megabyzus) called back Hyesteus from the government of Jo∣nia, a Region of Greece; not because there was need of his presence, but that he might infringe and lessen his power and greatnesse.

9. If these Courtiers were content to enlarge their own place and bounds, by the removing of another, and would stop there, the comparing of others far worse, would render this Art tolerable; but for the most part, they stick not here.

10. When Constantius was Emperour, Sylva∣nus being Commander of the Infantry, (as Am∣mianus Marcellus reports) by the procurement of Arbetius, is sent into France, to correct and amend those mischiefs, wherewith the Barbarous people had infested the French; as one emulous, and that could not endure to see any one quiet, and out of trouble; declines so great and hazar∣dous a work, and turns it upon another. Sylva∣nus undertaking the journey, and having ingra∣tiated with the French, became thereby power∣full. Afterwards Arbetius compileing envy against him, with the Emperour, was at length himself brought to ruine.

11. The same fortune almost had Ursicinus, Commander of the Cavalry, under the same

Emperour: One Eusebius an Eunuch, with many other Courtiers, had conspired his death; by the machinations and devices of these conspirators, he is sent into the borders of Persia, that so he might be at distance from Court, where having continued by the space of ten years, he receives for his successor Sabinianus, a man, who neither for wit nor experience, was comparable to him, for such a charge. By and by, (a rumour being raised, that the Persians made ready for war) he is commanded to stay there, having delivered up his power to the other; Eusebius purposely so disposing the matter, that so Sabinianus should challenge to himself, the prosperous event of the war against the Persians, and that the adverse and ill fortune thereof might be imputed to Ursicinus, which the event afterwards confirmed: For Ur∣sicinus being dejected for anothers fault, spent the remainder of his life in private. You may see if you please, chap. 30. numb. 5.

12. The times of the same Constantius will supply us with another example; for Ruffinus, the uncle of Gallus, by the fathers side, being President of the Pretorian bands, was sent to ap∣pease the sedition of the Souldiery, with no other intention, then that he might perish amongst the hatefull hands of those mad and pee∣vish people. For the same end, Clytus complains, that he was sent by Alexander against the Sogni∣ans.