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. XXVIII. (Book 28)

The Argument.

The second way, is; Calumnies and Commendations are made use of, to make others suspected and hatefull to the Prince. Touching Detraction, Ex∣amples.

THus much concerning Amolition and re∣moving, as the primary means and way, which is used by enemies, and envious and emu∣lous persons, to bring others into disfavour with their Prince and Soveraigne. The second is, that whereby they render men suspected and odious to the Prince, by the help of detractions and ca∣lumnies, or else by commendations.

2. In Calumnies we must attend unto two things; First, Whether they be fit and sufficient to change the Prince's will. Secondly, Whether they have a likenesse to truth. Of the first, judg∣ment is to be made, both by the present state of affairs, and also, by the genius and inclination of the Prince, and the very nature and condition of negotiations.

3. No calumnies do abound with more ruines of great men, then such as do accuse and impeach them, of machinations and plots, against the Prince, and his rule and government, or of con∣tempt and disdaining to obey him, or such as are of detracting speech, and mocking or scorning the Prince's words or actions.

4. Calumnies, and false accusations, are then

rendred probable and likely, if the accusation, which makes the party accused guilty, be branded with a note of arrogancy, either in the words or actions of themselves, or else of their servants, friends, parents, or those who are tied and obli∣ged to them, by necessity or alliance. If they be supposed to have counterfeited Letters, the judgment and sentence will be such, as that which the Prince hath already conceived in his mind, even the faithfulnesse of the calumniator, and the guiltinesse of the party accused.

5. Those things which by calumny are wrested into a crime, are such, as the party traduced is said to have spoken, or done; either spontane∣ously, and of his own accord, or else being in∣duced by the deceits and circumventings of ene∣mies, or envious persons. Such wits, by allure∣ments and enticeing words, can fetch and pump up things that are not; and in every matter, find occasion and opportunity, wherewith to help themselves.

6. There are some, who having counselled and perswaded a man to do something; when they have found him yield, they make this the very weapon of their accusation, and feigne, that he hath attempted some horrible designe against the Prince.

7. A certain Magician a Monk, one Santaba∣rinus by name, was (before others) beloved by Basilius, Emperour of Constantinople, but envyed beyond measure by Leo his son: And therefore, having endeavoured by all obsequious readinesse of feigned devotion, to allure his good-will, at length wrought the young man to credulity:

For afterwards, (having gotten some credit with him) he advises Leo, to wear a dagger for his de∣fence, privately, under his Mandilion or Jacket, if at any time he went out to hunting with his father. Following his instruction, the Magician goes to his father, and feignes to him, that his son had privately conceived parricide, and shewes the Dagger, as a detection and token thereof, which he, watching his opportunity, had carried about him. To be brief, the matter was so han∣dled, that the son was imprisoned; and although protected with the most intensive and vehement prayers and entreaties of the Nobility, he scarcely escaped punishment.

8. In the time of Valentin••an the Emperour, Aetius accuseth Boniface his companion, (who was very deer to the Emperour, and made Go∣vernour of Africa) of treachery against Placidia, the Prince's mother, and that he intended to sub∣ject Africa to himself; advising also, that he might be speedily recalled thence. At the same time, he admonisheth Boniface by Letters, that he was accused at Court, and upon that account recalled; but bade him yet take heed of comming back, lest he should be an enemy to his own safe∣ty. Boniface giving credit to these things, so far disobeyed the Emperesses recalling him, that she agreed with Gontarus, King of the Valid••li, and Genseri••us his son, then manageing the affairs in Spain, to reduce him, if he opposed by force; who by this occasion, possessed themselves of Mauritan••a. At length, the chear being discove∣red, Placidia permitted, that after the custom of that age, a Duell should be appointed, where∣in

Aetius being conquered, he was commanded to avoid the Court.

9. Not unlike to this was the subtilty and wi∣linesse of Samonas, who being deerly beloved to Leo the son of Basilius the Emperour; for detect∣ing the Conspiracy of one Basilius a kinsman of Z••a the Empresse, who would have destroyed Andronicus being chosen Chiefraine, together with Amerinus Log••the••a against the Saracens; he wills his friends to admonish him by Letters, that he should beware of Hymerius; who came with an intention to accuse him (exoculation, and depriving of the sight, was a sort of punishment in that age, wherewith principall men, and those whose power they thought fit to abate and wea∣ken, were afflicted and chastised) An••ronicus be∣lieveing these things to be of truth, which were but feigned by Samonas; having made his escape from Hymerius, possesseth himselfe of a certaine Castell. This hindered not Samonas to exaggerate and heape up businesse against him to the Empe∣rour, and by his perswasions, an army is sent, which drives Andronicus together with the Sara∣cens from the confines of the Empire.

10. We have a little before (Chap. 27. Numb 10) made mention of Arbetius. It seemes worth observation how he superaddeth Treachery upon treachery. When he sees that Constantius was offen∣ded with Silvanus, and doubted least he coming to Rome, should obliterate and wipe off the Cri∣minations objected against him, he takes care that the Emperours Letters (by which he calls Silvanus unto him) might be committed to the charge of one Apodemius. He coming into France, and

suppressing the Letters, tells him that he was in very imminent danger. Here upon Silvanus moving sedition as a remedy and cure of his owne safety, imprudently and unawares verified the Calumin∣ation.

11. But truly we have too long been silent concerning Sejanus; who, as he was wonderfully crafty in all things, so was he not unaccustomed to this Art whereof we now treate. That he might render Agrippina the more suspected to Tiberius, he suborneth his friends, that they might puff up and increase her hopes beyond what was lawfull. Her neighbours also are provoked and inticed, to stimulate and prick forward the haughty and smelling spirits of Agrippina, by depraved and stubborne words and speeches. Himselfe being the Engineere and contriver of the plot, Claudia Pul∣chra Neice to Agrippina is accused and slandered; to the end that Agrippina complaining hereof, and being a woman, hot and fell, ill able to beare a discontentment, might the more vehemently and sharply touch and gaule the suspicious mind of the Emperour.

12. Sejanus, not herewith satisfied, strikes higher and harder at the discontented and improvident Lady: and having suborned some, who in shew of friendship should admonish her, that there was an intent to poyson her; and that therefore, she should shun to eate of the Banquet which Tiberius, her father in law had invited her to; She (unhap∣pily credulous and rash of beliefe), when Tiberius offered her an Apple, withdrew her hand, and thereby very much offended him.

13. He also, (when there was appointed unto

Agrippina and her sons a Scout-souldier to lye perdue, and to watch and observe their actions), instructed and suborned some to admonish her▪ that she should fly to the Armyes of Germany; or else lay hold on the effigies and pourtraiture of Augustus, in the most frequented place of judica∣ture; and also should invoke the aide and assist∣ance of the Senate and people of Rome.

14. Moreover, by what kind of wickednesse he also circumvented his Client Titius Sabinus, that he might render him altogether suspected of Am∣bition to Tiberius; is to be read in the very His∣tory. Which being no lesse abominable, then worthy your remembrance; t'will not be irksome to thee Reader, that we have here run it over, in the very words of the worthy Historian, which are extant in the fourth Book of his Annals.