A briefe discourse of royall monarchie, as of the best common weale: vvherin the subiect may beholde the sacred maiestie of the princes most royall estate. VVritten by Charles Merbury Gentleman in duetifull reuerence of her Maiesties most princely Highnesse. Whereunto is added by the same gen. a collection of Italian prouerbes, in benefite of such as are studious of that language.

TO THE READER.

I Had thought, vvhen shortly af∣ter my cōming from beyonde the Seas, I first entred into this bold∣nes of vvriting (prouoked ther∣vnto for not loosing altogether the remembraunce of those fevv studies vvhich I had vsed in my late trauelles: enforced also by the vacantnesse of my time (as then attending in Courte vpon her Maiesties seruice:) and not a litle incouraged by the vertuous and learned companie of my good friende maister Henry Vnton, vvith vvhome I had both in the languages and in other good letters, vvherin he is rarely indued, daily conference:) I had thought I saye (vvhen moued vpon these good occasions I first tooke penne in hande) to haue onely, by calling some thinges to my remembraunce and by imparting them after vnto some fevv of my priuate Friendes, the better esta∣blished therby my ovvne vnderstanding, and somevvhat also enriched and confirmed theirs: litle or nothing at all thinking that any such idle exercises of mine should euer come vnto the open sight, and light of the vvorlde. VVher∣fore calling to minde hovv I had othervvhiles bestovved some time in Oxford (vnder the gouernement of my lear∣ned Tutor maister Doctor Humfry) in the studies of hu∣manitie: and remembring also hovv I had lately taken some litle paines in seeing of Cities, and Countreyes, and obseruing their customes, and sundry sortes of Gouernement:

I thought good to take such a kinde of enterprise in hande, as might best minister vnto me occasion to put those thinges in vse and practise, vvhich I had before time seene, and learned. Being minded therefore to reduce such my intent and purpose in Imitation of Aristotles Humane Philosophie into three seuerall partes, all tending vnto the iust consideration of a best and a most perfect common vveale (The fittest fielde me thought vvherin to runne at large my pretended course:) I beganne first vvith a morall treatice; vvherin after the maner of the saide Aristotle in his Ethickes, I shevved vvhat is the last Ende of a best Common vveale, applying vnto the same all such perfec∣tion of vertue, and humane felicitie, vvith all the com∣plementes and ornamentes of externall good thinges be∣longing thervnto, as he did in his Moralles vnto his Sum∣mum, and ciuile bonum. A treatie, allthough not al∣together to be dispised (as none such of that matter being to my knovvledge vvritten in this our English tongue:) yet because I desired not as then to bring my name in que∣stion vnto the vvorlde (hauing onely shevved such my indeuour vnto some fevv priuate friendes of mine) I laide the same a side, and proceeded vnto the seconde parte of my Institution, concerning the best forme and facion of a perfect Commonvveale. VVherin, not follovving my for∣mer Guide in his bookes of Polletickes, but relying rather vpon the riper iudgement of later vvriters, and adding somevvhat also of my ovvne small experience, gathered of my late studies, and trauailes: I tooke iust occasion to pre∣ferre Monarchie aboue all other kindes of Commō vveales, and vnder the Royall mantell of the same to discouer a per∣fect shape of the best, and most happy state of gouerne∣ment. This Treatice both for the vvorthinesse of the mat∣ter, and for the good ende, and duetifull intent of the same,

as also for some other priuate causes of my ovvne; I thought good to preferre vnto a fevv honorable and vvorshipfull of my speciall Fauourers and freindes; nothing at all desi∣ring that the same should any othervvise be seene or layed open vnto the variable speeches, and censures of the vvorld. But being further incouraged since by some, vvhose iudge∣ment I ought not to despice, and requested also by others, vvhome I vvould be loth any thing to denie, I haue novv taken this boldnesse to publish, and impart it vnto my Coun∣trie: hoping, that though the handling therof be but rude, and simple, yet forasmuch as the matter tendeth vnto the honour, and duetifull reuerence of our most gracious Mai∣strisse (her Maiesties Highnesse) you vvilbe as vvell contēt to reade it, as I am vvilling to recommend it vnto you. I haue added also for the benefit of such young gentlemen, as are studious of th' Italian tongue, a Collection of Prouerbes, and sentences, the vvhich I gathered in diuers places of Italie, and out of sondry approued authors: some parte vvher∣of also I borrovved of my freinde maister Henry Vnton; vnto vvhome, if you reape any commoditie therof, I praye you, that vvhat thankes you vvould be∣stovv vpon me, you vvill imparte them vnto him. Fare you vvell.

C. MEBVRY.