Miscellanea spiritualia: or, Devout essaies: composed by the Honourable Walter Montagu Esq.

The ninth Treatise. Of the Condition of Courts, Princes, and Courtiers. Divided into three Sect. (Book 9)

§. I.

The best Notion of Courts proposed.

IN the Law of Moses, all the Rites and Ceremonies were not only declaratory formes of the present Religion, but significative figures of a future state; and howsoever, most of the vulgar looked no farther then the glosse and lustre of the exterior vaile, which was the beauty and decency of the forme, and order that affected them; yet the nobler sort passed their sight through that vaile, and fixed it upon the significati∣on,

and mysterie it selfe, and thereby, had not only their eye of sense delighted, but that of their understanding enlightned by these objects.

In reference whereunto I may hope not improperly to ap∣ply these considerations to the Courts of Princes, since all the exteriour state of Ceremony and Reverence (being truly con∣ceived) is significative as referr'd to the images of God, and thus all the distinguished ranks of honour, which compose the formall order of Courts, are figures of those different degrees of Ministers, which attend their Originall, the King of Kings: and in this order, the Glory and Majesty which exteriorly in all sorts, resideth about the persons of Princes, may be fitly understood to represent (in such shaddowes as these materi∣alities can make) the celestiall magnificence of the King of Heaven: so that one who will interpret religiously the Cere∣monies of Princes Courts, may say, all things befall them in * 1.1 figures.

But certaine it is, there are many in Courts, who determine and center their thoughts upon the fronts and out-sides of these mansions, which are honour, riches, & pleasure, and raise all their Devotions to the place upon those objects, (and such are truly the meaner sort of Courtiers, though they be grea∣test in the measure of the world) and there are some of the other party, who penetrate into the religious sense of these ex∣teriour figures, and derive from them, spirituall conceptions and appetities; concluding by these glories, (which are but the shaddowes of those they signifie that the substance it self must needs be above what eye hath seene, or eare heard, or hath entred into the heart of Man; and so by this view are quick∣ned in their ambition, towards those originall honours; and these are the nobility of Courts, though they be never so infe∣riour in office.

Of these two kindes of Courtiers is verified, The first shall be * 1.2 last, and the last first. And likewise of the first sort we may say, as the Apostle saith of the Law, the Letter kils. If the litte∣rall sense of the faire text of this worlds glories take up and

fix their mindes; and of the latter sort the spirit quickens, when out of these specious objects they extract a spirituall sense, which excites in them a celestiall aspiring and emulati∣on.

Such a figurative conception Saint Fulgentius framed out of these images, when he was asked, whether the beauty and Majesty of Rome did not worke upon his affections? he answe∣red, If terrestriall Rome be so beautifull, how glorious must be celestiall Jerusalem? His minde was so little taken or retarded on her way, as she stayd not at all in the outward Court of the Gentiles, but passed on, as in her way through it, to the Holy of Holies; and by this method, who attend the offices of their mindes upon earth, and waite not upon the places of their bodies, concluding that they are but strangers, and passengers through these courts, and Fellow-citizens of the Saints, and * 1.3 Domestikes of God; make excellent use of all the lustrous, and polished glories of the place: for instead of looking on them as flattering glasses, and mirrours which reflect only the materiall beauty of the earth, they make opticke glasses of them, through which, they do the easilier take the height of the celestiall glo∣ries: and surely, the sight of our minde is much helped by such materiall instruments, in the speculation of spiritualities, by reason that in this her prison, all the intelligence of our minde with immaterialities, passeth as I may say, through her keepers hands, which are her senses, that can carry nothing but corporeall images to her; and therefore we see the Apostle Saint John drawes the image of the court of heaven, in such * 1.4 colours as are most visible and most affecting in the Courts of the earth; whereby to raise our imaginations upon these steps, which they can tread upon to some proportionate concep∣tion of such fruitions, as are truly all spirituall, and Intelle∣ctuall.

And under this notion, all the lusters and splendors of Courts, (being understood as figures of the sublimer, and pu∣rer state of the Kingdome of heaven) are convenient ascents for our weak apprehensions to rise up to the love and estima∣tion

of these spirituall objects; for the same affections which move us so strongly in the valuation of the state of Princes, may work upon us towards the pursuite of that condition, which is proposed to us, of sitting on the throne with the King of kings, and enjoying more Majesty and pleasure then we can wish in this life, by such little paterns presented to our appe∣tites. Nay by this order, even the vanities and excesses of this world (which were stumbling blocks to our minds as long as they looked but upon them, and not through them) are by this perspection and through light laid under our feet, and made steps or gradations for our minds to ascend the easilyer even to the contempt of them, and the contemplating the sin∣cere and secure glories of our Spirituall Coronation.

And since, as the Apostle saith, We see now but through a * 1.5 glasse, and darkly through the brightest creatures, some faint beames or glances of the Creator; Surely the Majesty and splendor of Princes is the most clear and best polished glasse we can look through, in order to the speculation; and so Courtiours who studie the Spirituall opticks in these glasses, may make instruments of protracting their sight, of the same glaring temporalities, which others make the dazling and dissipation of it; whereby of such students at Court, I may say with the wisest of Kings, In vain the net is spread in the sight of such birds, for they can easily flie over all the snares of va∣nity, * 1.6 which catch those who want these wings of contem∣plation.

§. II.

The vitiousnesse of Heathen souls censured, and the consequence of the example of Princes, urged as a charge upon the virtue of their lives.

CHristianity hath repealed this Canon against Courtiers made by the Poets (the Divines of the Heathen) Exeat aulâ qui vult esse pius, that one must either quit the Court or his conscience; this caution might be pertinent in the courts of such Princes, as were rather the images of those they made their gods, then of the God that made them; f〈…〉〈…〉 as the Psalmist saies, The gods of the Gentiles are Devils, & their Prin∣ces were the gods of those Courtiers; every flatterer was a statuary, who cast his Prince into a god, of that gold he had either received, or expected from him; and thus most of them set up their own fortunes in their thoughts, which they adored under the image of their Prince; and by this course the Kings of the Gentiles, seemed animated idols of gold and sil∣ver, whose breath passed for divine ayre, as it melted those mettals, and made them run, and flowe about their flatterers▪ in such Courts likely all the offices, and complacencies of the Courtiers, were immolations and sacrifices to idols; true it is, that there must have been too much danger to live in such Courts, where the very ayer was pestilentiall.

This was in the Monarchy of Lucifer over the world, when most Princes lived like his vice-Kings; but since this Tyrant hath been deposed by our King of kings, who took * 1.7 not all the Kingdomes of the earth of him upon the termes that usurper offered him, but dispossessed him of them by his own right, and invested his Deputies in the Crowns of the earth; by which act Christian Princes are now lnaugurated

Vice g〈…〉〈…〉nts to the King of righteousnesse; and as they reign by his Commission, so the offices and dutyes of their servants are copies of their Alleg••ance to the Supream Soveraign of them both, who faith truly, By me Kings reign; and when they are images of both his properties, viz: of his righteousnesse, as well as of his reg••••••ty, the offices o•• Courtiers may be e∣steemed neerer Sacred functions, then seducing temptations.

Princes then are so much engaged to Personal Piety, as they seem depositaries, not onely of the Politique, but even of the Moral virtue of their state; as they have the first trust given them by the Ordinance of God, so have they the last reference made to them, by the inordinatenesse of man: For our nature traffiqueth with virtue commonly, as she ••ees it makes returnes in the world; and so Courtiers, when they find this Royall exchange (of the Princes disposition) open and promising honourable returnes of their commerce with vir∣tue, are easily perswaded to imploy their stock upon this adventure, and are as easily discouraged by Balaa〈…〉〈…〉s returne from the King, I thought ••o have raised thee to preferment, but * 1.8 the Lord hath kept thee back from honour: Such wrecks of ex∣pectations will easily fright many adventurers.

In this respect Princes had need to be very considerate, what Moral Lawes they passe for their Court by their lives, since Courtiers are likely very religious in such observances. All factions at Court likely agree in this voice of We have no King but Cesar; Christ is not immediately looked upon as our p〈…〉〈…〉tern; we are much readier to copie those his images, because we are soon paid for our work: Wherefore Princes are bound to be very accurate in preserving the similitude of the Originall, in the figure of their lives; they had need as the Apostle adviseth, bear the image of the Celestiall man, since * 1.9 the terrestriall man is so apt to bear their image; ••est they incur then our Saviours Woe to those who did not onely not come themselves into the Kingdome of heaven, but kept also others out of it. Let them for Gods sake be followers of Christ, since whether they be or no, men will be followers of them.

There is me thinks such a difference between any noted vitiousnesse in Princes, and a much greater depravation in pri∣vate persons, as is between the Maligne influence of the Pla∣nets, or the Celestiall bodies, and the poyson of plants and minerals; for although the ill of the first be not simply so great, viz: intensively so mortal in the operation, yet con∣sidering this circumstance of the extensive quality of it, that the malignity hath a generall influence, and offends imper∣ceptibly, and so is lesse evitable, in these regards it may be counted the greater nocency in nature: So the lives of Princes have such an universall influence upon their Court, (at least) as a small infection thus spread by them, may be esteemed a greater ill, then the rank poysonous lives of such whose examples are not operative; and this rule holds in all Courtiers descending in proportion to their several degrees, since all of them according to their respective magnitudes, have like the lesser starres, some power of insinuating their tempers to their dependencies; since our interested nature doth commonly, as the Prophet saies, do some worship to all the militia of this fir∣mament, respectively to that fertility of the earth, they are likely to impart to us; for as among the Gentiles there were lesser gods for severall speciall necessities, houshold as well as temple gods: so in Courts, there are superior powers of many sises, that have votaries proportionate to such powers.

Considering then the communicative felicity which Prin∣ces have of their dispositions, ought they not to be most cha∣ry and tender of this highest Prerogative? which is, to impose virtue by their practice of it, & this Spirituall levy made upon the mindes of the people, facilitates the raising upon them all other tributes.

Therefore Princes should be as religious in their lives, as they are politickly just in their coines; they must take heed of crying up any base species to an over-value, since their stamp and impression makes all their morall coyne so currant in their Court, by reason the images of their humor, are as it were privy seales for the receit of those images wherewith their fol∣lowers

are most affected: and because it is no crime to coun∣terfeit this kinde of the Princes signature, but rather a warrant for their pretensions, likely the whole Court is a stamp of the Kings humour and affection.

This influence of Princes, upon the dispositions of their Courts, needs not the deposition of examples, since it hath the Authority of a knowne principle; therefore I shall only offer one precedent in the case, in which the example and extrava∣gancy is so singular, as the very foulnesse of the Testimony must make the proofe the fairer, and the more irrefragable. There was a Grecian Emperour, called Constantinus, surnamed Copronimus, which Surname he gave himselfe before he could * 1.10 speake, when he was first brought into the Church, by fouling it as much as his nature could then extend unto; and after∣ward, his life was a truer performance of that unclean promise he made himselfe, then of those bonds of Christianity, and purity he entered into by his sureties: for this first was the least uncleannesse wherewith he polluted the Church in the rest of his life. This Emperour (who seemed to have a soule meerely vegetative, by the inclinations of it, (for it grew, & thrived on∣ly upon dung) had such a fancy to the smell of horse-dung, as he besmeared himselfe with it; and all his Court in com∣placency to that fancy, qualified themselves for his com∣pany with the same per••umes, and so offered him continually this odor, which was fi••incense for such a deity: and this na∣turall immundicity was but a figure of that spirituall impurity of him and his Court, for in this Princes humour, this was the least brutish of all his other bestialities, so that his Court was rather a parke of the locusts, and scorpions of the Revela∣tion, then a Congregation of reasonable creatures. This is an * 1.11 unhappy trophee of the power of example in Princes, erected, to evidence that conclusion.

The sacred History is so pregnant in these examples, how the prevarication of the Prince, hath alwayes beene the per∣version of the people, as I shall not need to instance any: there∣fore I may properly apply to Princes, this advise, which was

given by a holy Father of the Church to Priests, Since they speak as Oracles, let them live as Deities, for the lying spirit is often more credited in their mouthes, then in those of the Prophets. And this same prescript is likewise very requisue for all persons neere in office, trust, or familiarity with Princes, since there is a naturall influence from such conversations, even upward upon their superiours, according to what some Physitians hold, in point of a circulation of the blood, to wit, that which is in the feet, to have a reflux back into the heart. This motion may be truly affirmed in the course of the spiritu∣all blood, in the civill body of society, for the affections and ha∣bits of the inferiour parts of the company, flow often upward upon the superiour, as well as they runne downward by their influence on the lower stations; wherefore this morall circula∣tion of virtue and vice in humanity, makes the infection of any parts of the company familiar with Princes, very dange∣rous for their contagion, we see this in Roboams young Coun∣cellors, who were not only the mediate instruments of rendring the Kingdome, but also in some relation, were the erectors of Jeroboams calves.

§. III.

The importance of their Company, for the education of Princes, and a rule proposed for Counsellors, and companious to both ru∣ling, and young Princes.

UPon this information, let the Familiars and Coun∣sellors of Princes understand, they have a very pre∣cise charge of integrity upon them in their morall conversation, as well as in their politicke comportments; for indeed, their vocations in many respects are rather sacred fun∣ctions,

then simply civil conditions, in regard they are imployed in the ministeries of the most speciall images of God on earth; in which respect, the scandall of their lives is not only propha∣nesse, but a kinde of s••c••iledge, as it endangers the viola∣ting of the most sacred part of a Princes Character, which is the divinenesse of his life and Government.

The life of King Joas is an unhappy precedent in this case, who while he had Joh〈…〉〈…〉a in his eye, was himselfe a singular patern of piety to the people, and eminent for the reparation of the Temple; but after the change of such a companion, when the Princes of Juda came, and adored the King; he being * 1.12 moved by their insinuations, concurr'd with them quickly in leaving the Temple he had so much merit in, and followed them into the groves, to secke out, and set up new Idols. This was the sad effect of infectious familiars, therefore such as are neer in office, or privacy to the persons of young Princes, have a most strict: obligation to be virtuous, and exemplary in their lives and conversations, for humane Nature, like Jacobs sheepe, in the a••dor and ••eat of youth; is very apt to conceive, with some tincture of the colours it sees in those waters whereof it drinks in that season; & the conversations of our familiars, are the waters where with our imaginative faculty is nourished, and so Princes had need to have them kept very cleere and serene; for according to the colours they looke upon in them, their conceptions likely prove, whereby the issues of their mindes become sported, and staind according to such images as are represented to their imaginations in the pregnancy of their youth.

In this regard, they (who have choice of those, to whom they will commit such trusts, as the company and famili∣arity of young Princes) should no•• be lesse••••act, then when their Pictures are to be taken; for which alwayes, such who are the best reputed, are preferr'd: for indeed, their famili∣ars doe this intellectuall office to their mindes, though this spirituall worke is done by acuite contrary manner, to that of the images of their persons; for the familiar companions of

Princes may be said to worke upon the image of their mindes, by sitting to them, that is, by exposing their owne figure to the young fancy, they draw the other to that resemblance; such is the active virtue of example upon the tender age of educa∣tion.

Surely those then who are trusted with this office, of be∣ing a familiar object to young Princes, (which is a nobler place then they can conceive by any name it hath at Court) should set their dispositions in a virtuous posture, knowing they are working upon Gods most speciall image, and that they are to be accountable for what dis-figurements in that forme their workes shall occasion: So that taking Courtiers under this notion, one may advice them a good use of flattery; which is, to flatter the figure of their own humours, and inclinations, to make them as good, and gracious an object as they can, though they be not so like their nature; to the end the exterior representation, which workes upon Princes, may be proper for imitation; this favouring their minds, in the colouring of ver∣tue, is more conscientious then the exposing the naturall ill complexion of them, before young Princes; for when the ex∣emplary part, (which only workes upon their minds) is faire, and vertuous; the un-sincerenesse of it for the present, can have no ill operation on them, because those eyes do not penetrate farther then the superficies of goodnesse; and so peradventure the very flatterd pictures of vertue may work such an impressi∣on upon Princes in their youth, as they may derive the love of truth, even from the face of dissimulation. For as a beautifull Curtizan may be a fit object for a Painter, whereby to make a good image of a Saint by, seeing he takes only the lovely spe∣cies for his pattern; so, even the faire glosse of a counterfeit ver∣tue, may be a convenient object for youth, which commonly only copies the aspect, and countenance of such exposures.

Upon all these considerations methinks this may be a religi∣ous rule for both sorts of great Courtiers: viz. That Counsel∣lors should advise Kings, as if they thought them invested with the Prerogative of their originall, to wit, of the knowledge of

hearts, and companions should live with young Princes, as if they thought they could not discover their hearts, but by their lives before them. This rule will produce sincerity in the for∣mer, and exemplarity in the latter, which are the two things whereby Kings who are in age of Government, and Princes who are in years of Discipline, are the most advantaged; and so may be said to be these, the mediate conveyances, by which God gives judgement to the King, and righteousnesse to the Kings * 1.13 sonne.

To conclude, let Princes and Courtiers of all degrees consi∣der themselves as ministers of the King in the Gospel, who is gone into a farre countrey, and as being all to account by the severall proportions of their talents, wherewith they are trust∣ed. For they who are set over many cities, here, are by the good account of their Governments, to be preferr'd to the command of many greater in their Masters Kingdome: so * 1.14 that this is the most proper Motto they can set upon all their coates, which are blazon'd with so many shining, and glorious colours of the fruitions of the world, To whom most is given, of them most shall be required.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 1.
• * 1.2

  Matth. 19.
• * 1.3

  Ephe. 2. 9.
• * 1.4

  Revel. 21.
• * 1.5

  1 Cor. 13.
• * 1.6

  Prov. 1. 17.
• * 1.7

  Luke 3.
• * 1.8

  Numb. 24.
• * 1.9

  1 Corin. 15.
• * 1.10

  He fouled the font in which he was bap∣tized.
• * 1.11

  Of all sorts of Her••sies.
• * 1.12

  2 Paralip. 24▪ 17.
• * 1.13

  Psal. 1. 71.
• * 1.14

  Luke 19.