The boke named the Gouernour, deuysed by syr Thomas Elyot knight

That in a publyke weale ought to be infe∣riour gouernours called Magistrates, whiche shal be appoynted or chosen by the soueraygne gouernour. Capitulo. iii.

THere be bothe reasons and examples vndoutedly infy∣nite, wherby maye be pro∣ued, that there can be no per¦fect publyke weale, without one capitall and soueraygne gouernour, whiche maye longe endure or continue. But sens one mortal man can not haue knowlege of all thynges done in a re∣alme or large dominion, and at one time dis∣cusse all controuersics, refourme all trans∣gressions, and exploite al cōsultations, cō∣cluded as well for outwarde, as inwarde affayres: it is expedyente, and also nede∣full, that vnder the capytall gouernour be sondry meane auctorities, as it were ay∣dynge hym in the dystribution of iustice in sondry partes of a huge multitude: wherby his labours being leuigate, and made more tollerable, he shal gouerne with the better aduyse, and consequently with a more per∣fecte gouernaunce. And as Iesus Sirach,

saythe, The multitude of wyse men is the welth of the world. They which haue such auctorities to them cōmitted, may be called inferiour gouernours, hauynge respect to theyr office or duetie, wherin is also a re∣presentation of gouernance: All be it they be named in latine Magistratus. And heraf∣ter I intende to cal them Magistrates, lac kynge an other more conuenient worde in englyshe: but that wyll I do in the seconde parte of this warke, where I purpose to write of theyr sondry offices, or effectes of theyr auctoritie.

¶ But for as moche as in this parte, I in∣tende to write of theyr education and ver∣tue in maners, whiche they haue in cōmune with princes, in as moche as therby they shal as wel by examble, as by auctoritie, or∣dre wel them, whiche by theyr capital go∣uernour, shall be to theyr rule commytted, I may without anoyance of any man, name them gouernours at this tyme, aproprya∣tinge to the soueraygnes, names of kinges and princis, sens of a longe custome, these names, in cōmune fourme of speking, be in a higher preemynence and estimation than gouernours. That in euery cōmune weale ought to be a great nombre of suche maner of persons, it is partly proued in the chap∣tre next before written, where I haue spo∣ken

of the commoditie of ordre.

¶ Also reason and commune experyence playnely declare, that where the dominion is large and populouse, there it is conueni∣ent, that a prynce haue many inferiour go∣uernours: whiche be named of Aristotel, his eies, eares, handes, and legges: whi∣che if they be of the beste sorte (as he fur∣ther more saith) it semeth impossible, a coū tre not to be wel gouerned by good lawes. And excepte excellent vertue and lernyng do inhable a manne of the base astate of the communaltie, to be thought of al men wor∣thy to be so moche auaunced, els suche go∣uernours wold be chosen out of that astate of men, whiche be called worshypfull, if amonge them may be founden a sufficiente nombre, ornate with vertue and wysedome, mete for suche purpose: and that for son∣dry causes.

¶ Fyrste it is of good congruence, that the superiours in condition or hauiour, shulde haue also preeminence in administration, if they be not inferiour to other in vertue.

Also they, hauynge of theyr owne reuen∣nues certayne, wherby they haue compe∣tente substaunce to lyue withoute takynge rewardes: it is lykely, that they wyll not be so desirous of lucre (wherof may be en∣gendred corruption) as they, whiche haue

very lytteli or nothynge so certayne.

¶ More ouer, where vertue is in a gentyl man, it is commonly myxte with more suf∣ferance, more affabilitie, and myldenes, thā for the more parte it is in a person rurall or of a very base lynage, and whan it hapneth other wyse, it is to be accompted lothsome and monstruous.

¶ Furthermore, where the person is wor∣shyppefull, his gouernaunce, though it be sharpe, is to the people more tollerable, and they therwith the lesse grutche or be dysobedient.

¶ Also suche menne hauynge substaunce in goodes by certeyne and stable possessions, which they may aporcionate to theyr owne lyuynge and bryngynge vp of theyr chyl∣dren in lernynge and vertues, maye (if na∣ture repugne not) cause them to be soo in∣structed and furnyshed towarde the admi∣nistration of a publyke weale, that a poore mannes sonne, onely by his naturall wytte, without other helpe, neuer or seldome may atteyne to the lyke. Towarde the whiche instruction, I haue prepared this warke.

Notes

• Sapi. vi.
• Politic. li. iiii.
• Gentilmē.