Which is an argument that the good
counsellors
to princes are the
best instruments of a good age.
best instruments of a good age.
Ben Jonson - Discoveries Made Upon Men, and Some Poems
All is under the law of their spoil and
licence. But princes that neglect their proper office thus their fortune
is oftentimes to draw a Sejanus to be near about them, who at last affect
to get above them, and put them in a worthy fear of rooting both them out
and their family. For no men hate an evil prince more than they that
helped to make him such. And none more boastingly weep his ruin than
they that procured and practised it. The same path leads to ruin which
did to rule when men profess a licence in government. A good king is a
public servant.
_Illiteratus princeps_. --A prince without letters is a pilot without eyes.
All his government is groping. In sovereignty it is a most happy thing
not to be compelled; but so it is the most miserable not to be
counselled. And how can he be counselled that cannot see to read the
best counsellors (which are books), for they neither flatter us nor hide
from us? He may hear, you will say; but how shall he always be sure to
hear truth, or be counselled the best things, not the sweetest? They say
princes learn no art truly but the art of horsemanship. The reason is
the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a prince as soon as his
groom.
Which is an argument that the good counsellors to princes are the
best instruments of a good age. For though the prince himself be of a
most prompt inclination to all virtue, yet the best pilots have needs of
mariners besides sails, anchor, and other tackle.
_Character principis_. --_Alexander magnus_. --If men did know what shining
fetters, gilded miseries, and painted happiness thrones and sceptres were
there would not be so frequent strife about the getting or holding of
them; there would be more principalities than princes; for a prince is
the pastor of the people. He ought to shear, not to flay his sheep; to
take their fleeces, not their the soul of the commonwealth, and ought to
cherish it as his own body. Alexander the Great was wont to say, "He
hated that gardener that plucked his herbs or flowers up by the roots. "
A man may milk a beast till the blood come; churn milk and it yieldeth
butter, but wring the nose and the blood followeth. He is an ill prince
that so pulls his subjects' feathers as he would not have them grow
again; that makes his exchequer a receipt for the spoils of those he
governs. No, let him keep his own, not affect his subjects'; strive
rather to be called just than powerful. Not, like the Roman tyrants,
affect the surnames that grow by human slaughters; neither to seek war in
peace, nor peace in war, but to observe faith given, though to an enemy.
Study piety toward the subject; show care to defend him. Be slow to
punish in divers cases, but be a sharp and severe revenger of open
crimes. Break no decrees or dissolve no orders to slacken the strength
of laws. Choose neither magistrates, civil or ecclesiastical, by favour
or price; but with long disquisition and report of their worth by all
suffrages. Sell no honours, nor give them hastily, but bestow them with
counsel and for reward; if he do, acknowledge it (though late), and mend
it.
licence. But princes that neglect their proper office thus their fortune
is oftentimes to draw a Sejanus to be near about them, who at last affect
to get above them, and put them in a worthy fear of rooting both them out
and their family. For no men hate an evil prince more than they that
helped to make him such. And none more boastingly weep his ruin than
they that procured and practised it. The same path leads to ruin which
did to rule when men profess a licence in government. A good king is a
public servant.
_Illiteratus princeps_. --A prince without letters is a pilot without eyes.
All his government is groping. In sovereignty it is a most happy thing
not to be compelled; but so it is the most miserable not to be
counselled. And how can he be counselled that cannot see to read the
best counsellors (which are books), for they neither flatter us nor hide
from us? He may hear, you will say; but how shall he always be sure to
hear truth, or be counselled the best things, not the sweetest? They say
princes learn no art truly but the art of horsemanship. The reason is
the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a prince as soon as his
groom.
Which is an argument that the good counsellors to princes are the
best instruments of a good age. For though the prince himself be of a
most prompt inclination to all virtue, yet the best pilots have needs of
mariners besides sails, anchor, and other tackle.
_Character principis_. --_Alexander magnus_. --If men did know what shining
fetters, gilded miseries, and painted happiness thrones and sceptres were
there would not be so frequent strife about the getting or holding of
them; there would be more principalities than princes; for a prince is
the pastor of the people. He ought to shear, not to flay his sheep; to
take their fleeces, not their the soul of the commonwealth, and ought to
cherish it as his own body. Alexander the Great was wont to say, "He
hated that gardener that plucked his herbs or flowers up by the roots. "
A man may milk a beast till the blood come; churn milk and it yieldeth
butter, but wring the nose and the blood followeth. He is an ill prince
that so pulls his subjects' feathers as he would not have them grow
again; that makes his exchequer a receipt for the spoils of those he
governs. No, let him keep his own, not affect his subjects'; strive
rather to be called just than powerful. Not, like the Roman tyrants,
affect the surnames that grow by human slaughters; neither to seek war in
peace, nor peace in war, but to observe faith given, though to an enemy.
Study piety toward the subject; show care to defend him. Be slow to
punish in divers cases, but be a sharp and severe revenger of open
crimes. Break no decrees or dissolve no orders to slacken the strength
of laws. Choose neither magistrates, civil or ecclesiastical, by favour
or price; but with long disquisition and report of their worth by all
suffrages. Sell no honours, nor give them hastily, but bestow them with
counsel and for reward; if he do, acknowledge it (though late), and mend
it.
