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. XXXIX. (Book 39)

The Argument.

Of the pleasures of Princes. Veneriall Love. Compani∣ons in evill actions. The affections of avarice and covetousnesse. Pretext of publique exactions and ••azes. The morosity and peevishnesse of exacters denoted. The envy of Riches. What kind of avarice in a Prince may be consummated and accomplished. The too much faci••ity and gentlenesse, and the inso∣lency of Mi••isters, denoted and observed. A just occasion of enriching a mans selfe, is not to be re∣fused.

I Shall not here meddle with all the volupties to which a Prince's natures are prone, because they are not all such, as upon which the heighth of Court-fortune can be superstructed and built. There is a three fold kind of them, too common and familiar with Princes which I will rehearse v••z. Veneriall Love, Cruelty, and Covetuous∣nesse.

2. Veneriall Love, as it is mostly vehementer then the rest, so is it the more unconstanter; which although it may last in him, yet will he not long love and like one and the same party; and though he may not change the subject, yet (to use the Scholastick terme) he will change and vary the object. Neverthelesse, very many have used this as the basis and foundation wherein they have reared and buil•• up their fortunes, not stick∣ing to prostitute and debauch their own wives

that they might attain the Prince's favour. As we read in ••aci••us's 13th book of Annal. that one Ortho did, yet this succeeded not so, as to ingrati∣ate him: for Nero removed him from Court, lest he should have a Rival neer him.

3. Others, that they might oblige the Prince, have associated themselves with him, and been contented to be witnesses and ministers of his misdeeds and lust. An example whereof was Tigel∣linus. Annal. 14th. These consider not, that Prin∣ces scrupple not to sacrifice such men at length to publique envy, to free themselves there from. Such servants of Lust may expect the same which Remirus d'Orco (that Minister of Cruelties to Caesar Borgia) experienced, whom Borgia at length commanded to be put to death, as the persor guilty of all those things, which himself had cru∣elly acted and done.

4. And by this example of Remirus we may learn their fate and destiny, who lend their aid to the cruelty of a Prince. Seldome is the Princes affection towards such, long••lived; both because he afterwards reads his own vices in them, and also, because he is afraid himself of them, whom he perceives and find so apt for villany.

5. Nero although of a cruell disposition, and an old and crafty Polititian, after his mother was slaine hated Anicetus, whom he perceived to have upbraided him with his Matricide.

6. But least of all, is that affection of covetu∣ousnesse mutable. The diversity of object changes not that, as it doth Love; it is not lessened and impaired with age, but increased; and although it be equally and alike hatefull to the people as

Cruelty is, yet is longer indured; because exacti∣ons have commonly a pretext of publique ne∣cessity, and honest parsimony, and likewise a spe∣cies and shew of common utility. Hence there∣fore they who are Ministers herein, may seem lon∣ger to be sheltred by the Prince's amity, whiles that they (which is rare in such kind of men) be ne∣ther froward, nor testy and difficult, nor too gree∣dy of wealth and gain.

7. Morosity, which for the most part is also con∣tumelious and reproachfull, procures odium and envy both to the party, and to the Governour and Ruler of a people. The Author whereof the Prince at length will reject and cast off, that so he may remove the envy from himself. Riches are ob∣noxious to envy, not only of the multitude, but sometimes of the Prince himselfe; who, if truly covetous, will seldome be contented to have wrung out and squeezed the full sponge, which (as we read) Vespatian was wont to do, but will imitate the Peasants and Rustick people, who at last devoure and eat up those swine, which they have formerly cramm'd and fatted.

8. Certes, the Kingdome of France hath seen many such, who being rough and sharp beyond measure, or too hasty to enrich themselves, when they have acted too insolently, after a great and lofty fortune, have been brought to perdition and ruine.

9. In the Reign of Philip the faire, one Peter Berchy being Chauncellor of the Exchequer, and of the Prince's bed Chamber, was strangled at Paris. Lewis the son of Philip having after∣wards attain'd to the Kingdom, Enguerra••dus Ma∣Marigny

fell into the like misfortune, under Charls the seventh. Guise in dignity equall to Berchy, being questioned by the law, was after∣wards sown up in a Sack, and drowned. His suc∣cessor Camus Beauly, was slain at Poitiers. The like Fate had befaln Peter Essart, in the time of Philip the first, had he not redeemed himself with a hun∣dred thousand Florens.

10. I could name others, but I spare their memory, meane while the examples produced do sufficiently instruct, that the facility of such kind of Ministers brings too much detriment and hurt to the Princes utility; but their own in∣solency, attracteth hatred and destruction even to themselves. Too much Riches are to be avoided, which may stirre up against us; as also it is lawfull, not to refuse a just occasion of being weal∣thy.