No More Learning

Nicholas {74b}) loseth no less the opportunity of his cruelty than of his
benefits: for then to use his cruelty is too late; and to use his favours
will be interpreted fear and necessity, and so he loseth the thanks.
Still the counsel is cruelty. But princes, by hearkening to cruel
counsels, become in time obnoxious to the authors, their flatterers, and
ministers; and are brought to that, that when they would, they dare not
change them; they must go on and defend cruelty with cruelty; they cannot
alter the habit. It is then grown necessary, they must be as ill as
those have made them: and in the end they will grow more hateful to
themselves than to their subjects. Whereas, on the contrary, the
merciful prince is safe in love, not in fear. He needs no emissaries,
spies, intelligencers to entrap true subjects. He fears no libels, no
treasons. His people speak what they think, and talk openly what they do
in secret. They have nothing in their breasts that they need a cypher
for. He is guarded with his own benefits.

_Religio_. _Palladium Homeri_. --_Euripides_. --The strength of empire is in
religion. What else is the Palladium (with Homer) that kept Troy so long
from sacking?
Nothing more commends the Sovereign to the subject than
it. For he that is religious must be merciful and just necessarily: and
they are two strong ties upon mankind. Justice the virtue that innocence
rejoiceth in. Yet even that is not always so safe, but it may love to
stand in the sight of mercy. For sometimes misfortune is made a crime,
and then innocence is succoured no less than virtue. Nay, oftentimes
virtue is made capital; and through the condition of the times it may
happen that that may be punished with our praise. Let no man therefore
murmur at the actions of the prince, who is placed so far above him. If
he offend, he hath his discoverer. God hath a height beyond him. But
where the prince is good, Euripides saith, "God is a guest in a human
body. "

_Tyranni_. --_Sejanus_. --There is nothing with some princes sacred above
their majesty, or profane, but what violates their sceptres. But a
prince, with such a council, is like the god Terminus, of stone, his own
landmark, or (as it is in the fable) a crowned lion. It is dangerous
offending such a one, who, being angry, knows not how to forgive; that
cares not to do anything for maintaining or enlarging of empire; kills
not men or subjects, but destroyeth whole countries, armies, mankind,
male and female, guilty or not guilty, holy or profane; yea, some that
have not seen the light. All is under the law of their spoil and
licence.