BEing over-ruled by your Lordships Command, first by word, and since by your letters, I have chosen rather to shew my Obedience, then to dispute the danger of discovering my weakness in adventuring to give advice in a subject too high for me. But, I know, I commit it to the hands of a noble friend, and to any others, for the nature of the discourse, it is not communicable.e.

My Lord, When the blessing of God, (to whom in the first place, I know, you ascribe your preferment) and the Kings favour (purchased by your noble parts, promising as much as can be expected from a Gentle­man) had brought you to this high pitch of Honour, to be in the eye, and eare, and even in the bosome of your gratious Master, and you had found by experience, the trouble of all mens confluence, and for all matters to your self as a mediator between them and their Soveraign, you were pleased to lay this Command upon me.

First in general, to give you my poor advice for your Carriage in so eminent a Place, and of so much danger, if not wisely discharged. Next in particular, by what means to give dispatches to Suitors of all sorts, for the Kings [Page 2] best service, the Suitors satisfaction, and your own ease. I humbly return unto you mine opinion in both these, such as an Hermite, rather then a Courtier can render.

You are now the Kings Favourite, so voted, and so e­steemed by all.

In the first place, then give me leave to tell you, what this signifies; and next, what is the duty that lies upon you towards the King. That being done, in a few words, I shall then come to the particulars, which you must insist upon, to facilitate your dispatches. It is no new thing for Kings and Princes to have their Privadoes, their fa­vourites, their Friends. They have done it sometimes out of their affection to the person of the man (for Kings have their affections as well as private men) sometimes in contemplation of their greatabilities (and that's a hap­py choice) and sometimes for their own ends, to make them whom they so stile, and are contented should be so stiled, to be interposed between the Prince and the Peo­ple. Take it in either, or any of those significations, let it be a caution unto you. If the King have made choice of you out of his affection, or out of the opinion of your worth, to communicate his bosome thoughts with you, or perhaps to debate them, and so ripen his own Judge­ment; you are bound in gratitude to return so much as possibly you can to advance your Masters service and ho­nour. But were it, (as I am confident it is not) to inter­pose you between himself and the envie of his people in general, or of some discontented party in particular, then you are bound for your own sake to watch over your Actions.

Remember then what your true condition is, the King himself is above the reach of his people, but cannot be above their censures, and you are his shaddow, if ei­ther he commit an errour, and is loath to avow it, but ex­cuses [Page 3] it upon his Ministers, of which you are the first in the eye: or you commit the fault, or have willingly Per­mitted it, and must suffer for it; so perhaps you may be offered as a sacrifice to appease the multitude. But ad­mit you were in no such danger, as I hope you are not, and that you are answerable only to God and the King for your Actions, yet remember well the great trust you have undertaken, you are as a continual Centinel, always to stand upon your watch, to give him true Intelligence; If you flatter him, you betray him, If you conceale the truth of those things from him, which concern his Justice or his honour (although not the safety of his Person,) you are as dangerous a Traytor to his State, as he that ri­seth in Arms against him. A false friend is more dan­gerous than an open Enemy; Kings are stiled Gods upon Earth, not absolute, but Dixi dii estis, and the next words are, sed moriemini sunt homines, they shall dye like men, and then their thoughts perish; they cannot pos­sibly see all things with their own eyes, nor hear all things with their own ears; they must commit many great trusts to their Ministers; Kings must be answerable to God Almighty (to whom they are but Vassals) for their actions, and for their negligent Omissions. But the Ministers to Kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands, they are, must be answerable to God and man, for the breach of their duties, in violation of their trusts, whereby they betray them. For the general, I say no more but apply my self to the particular wherein you desire satisfaction; in which my answer shall be plain, and as clear as I can. And Sir, know this I beseech you, that which I now write and recommend immediately to you, concerns also the King, and much more then you, and because he cannot intend all things, and ordinary Persons cannot have ac­cesse unto him, or if they had, durst not speak with [Page 4] that freedome, you are bound to supply it, and to be his Monitor, not in a saucy male part way, which may not take with him, but at seasonable times, which you may, nay which you must watch for.

It is true that the whole Kingdome hath cast their eye upon you, as the new rising Star, and no man thinks his businesse can prosper at Court, unlesse he hath you for his good Angel, or at least that you be not a Malus Ge­nius against him, this you cannot now avoid unlesse you will adventure a precipice, to fall down faster than you rose. Opinion is a Master wheele in these cases. That Cour­tier who obteyned a boon of the Emperour, that he might every morning at his coming into his Presence humbly whisper him in the ear, and say nothing, asked no unprofitable suite for himself: but such a fancie rai­sed only by an opinion cannot be long lived, unlesse the man have sollid worth to uphold it, otherwise when once discovered, it vanisheth suddenly. But when a favorite in court shall be raised upon the foundation of merits, and together with the care of doing good service to the King, shall give good dispatches to the Suitors, then can he not chuse but prosper: Thus Sir I finde is your uoble ambition, and it is worthy the honour you possesse: And that this may succeed according to your desire, I shall humbly propound unto you these rules to be observed, and I beseech you, if you approve of them, constantly to persue them...

1. If the suit be either of Importance for value, or of difficulty, direct that it be set down in writing, then ap­point it to be left with you in writing, and appoint the Suitor to attend for his answer so many days after, as may be competent, of which time let a note be taken by your Secretary. So shall you be eased of the Suitor in the mean time, and he rest quiet till the day appointed in expecta­tion of his dispatch.

[Page 5]2. To prepare your self for these answers in their times, set a part an houre in a day or two to sort your Petitions, which will be easily done, if your Secretary draw lines un­der the matter, which alwayes lies in a narrow room.

3. Think not your self nor any one or two private friends or servants to be able to comprehend the true rea­son of all things, there is no such omnisciency to be look'd for. But deviding the Petitions as they come to your hands into several sorts, according to the nature of the matter, first, cause two or three several Copies to be made of the Petition, or the substance of it.

4. Then make choice of several men well versed in these several professions or qualities, whom you think you may trust, and to them severally send Copies, desiring them within twenty days after to retun unto you in wri­ting their opinions of the Petition, and their reasons for it, or against it; and let not one of them know what the other doth.

5. Then set a part an hour or two twice in a week, to peruse these Petitions again, and the Answers of the Re­ferrees, out of which compared together, as out of Respon­sa prudentium, you may collect such a judgment, as, with­in a short time, you shall be able to judge of the fidelities and abilities of those you trust, and return Answers to Pe­titions of all natures as an Oracle. And be assured of this, that next to the granting of the Request, a reasonable and a faire denial, (if the matter will not bear it to be other­wise) is most acceptable.

That you may dispose of all these sorts of business, in a fit and a dexterous way, I conceive that all matters of diffi­culty, which will be presented to you, will be one of these eight sorts, either Concerning,

• 1. Religion and Church-men, or Church-matters.
• 2. The Laws and the Professors thereof.
• [Page 6]3. The Councel Board, and matters of State:
• 4. Negotiation with forreign Princes or States.
• 5. War by Sea or Land.
• 6. Forreign Plantations and Colonyes.
• 7. Matter of Trade.
• 8. The Court or Curialitie.

What cannot be kauked under one of these heads, will not be worthy of your thoughts, and you will finde enough of these to take up your time.

But that you may not study your ease onely, but chief­ly your honour, and the honour of your Master: I beseech you to take these materials, thus devided into these eight Sections, into your more serious thoughts, and propound to your self some Rules as Land-marks to guide your judgment in the examination of every one of them, as shall come to your hand, wherein I shall adventure to make an essay; please you to perfect it.

1. For Religion, if any thing be offered to you, touching it or touching the Church or Church-men, or Church-go­vernment, relye not only upon your self, but take the opi­nion of some grave & eminent Divines; especially such as are sad and discreet men, and exemplary for their Lives.

2. If any Question be moved concerning the Doctrine of the Church of England, expressed in the 39. Articles, give not the least ear to the movers thereof, that is so soundly, and so Orthodoxally settled as cannot be questi­oned, without extream danger to the honour and stabili­ty of our Religion, which hath been sealed with the blood of so many Martyrs and Confessors, as are famous through the Christian World. The Enemies and underminers thereof are the Romish Catholiques (so stiling them­selves) on the one hand, whose Tenents are inconsistent with the truth of Religion, professed and protested by the Church of England (whence we are called Prote­stants) [Page 7] and the Anabaptists and Seperatists, and Sectaries on the other hand, whose Tenents are full of Schisme, and inconsistent with Monarchy: For the regulating of ei­ther, there needs no other Cohertion than the due execu­tion of the Laws already established by Parliament.

3. If any attempt be made to alter the discipline of our Church, although it be not an essential part of our Reli­gion, yet it is so necessary, not to be rashly altered, as the very substance of Religion will be interessed in it: There­fore I desire you before any attempt be made of an Inno­vation by your means, or by any Intercession to your Ma­ster, that you will first read over, and his Majesty call to minde that wise and weighty Proclamation, which him­self penned, and caused to be published in the first Year of his Reign, and is prefixed in Print before the Book of Common Prayer (of that Impression) in which you will finde so prudent, so weighty Reasons, not to hearken to Innovations, as will fully satisfie you, that it is dangerous to give the least ear to such Innovators, but it is desperate to be misled by them: But to settle your judgment, mark but the admonition of the wisest of men King Solomon, Prov. 27. v. 21. My son fear God and the King, and meddle not with those, who are given to change.

II. Next, touching the Laws (wherein I mean the Common Laws of England) I shall be the more sparing to speak, because it is my profession, but thus much I shall say with confidence, that if they be righty administred, they are the best, the equallest in the world between the Prince and People; by which the King hath the justest Prerogative, and the People the best Liberty, and if at any time, there be an unjust deviation, Hominis est vitium non professionis. But that it may in all things have a fairer proceeding; Let the King take a care, and as much as in you lyes, doe you take care for him, that the Judges of [Page 8] the Law may be alwayes chosen of the Learnedst of the Profession (for an ignorant man cannot be a good Judge) & of the prudentest and discreetest, because so great a part of the Civill Government lyes upon their Charge; and indeed little should be done in legall Consultations with­out them, and very much may be done by their prudent advices, especially in their Circuits, if right use were made of them: Believe me Sir, much assistance would be had from them, besides the delivering of the Gaols, and trying of Causes between party and party; if the King by himself (which were the best) or by his Chancellor, did give them the Charge according to occurrences, at their going forth, and receive a particular accompt from them at their return home: They would then be the best Intelligencers of the true state of the Kingdome, and the surest means to prevent, or remove all growing mischeifes within the body of the Realm. Next to the Judges let care be taken that the Serjeants at Law be such as are most probable to be made Judges in the next turn, and never to be advanced to that state and degree. (For it is so stiled) for favour or for reward, but onely with an eye upon the publick good. For the Kings Councel at Law, the Kings particular inte­rest will easily perswade him, and those who love his service, to make choice of the most eminent, and most active; their experience in these places will make them able for any imployment in that profession afterwards. In the Laws we have a native Interest, it is our Birth-right, and our Inheritance, and I think the whole Kingdome will alwayes continue that minde, which once the two Houses of Parliament publiquely professed, Nolimus Le­gem Angliae mutare: under a Law we must live, and un­der a known Law, and not under an arbitrary Law is our happinesse that we do live; and the Justices of Peace, if a good choice be made of them, are excellent Instruments to this State.

[Page 9]III. For matter of state and affaires proper for Coun­cel board, I dare not take upon me to say much, they are Secrets & arcana, and are not fit to descend to too low, to too petty matters, or private interests. Let the King be president of this Councel himself, not so much by perso­nal presence, (but only in great and weighty affairs) that may over [...]aw the board too much, where in Councels there should be a freedome of discourse and of determi­nation, but in pursuing the acts of his Councell table. And I do heartily wish, that the Councellors themselves would be so advised in their resolutions, that they should never be suddaine, but that all things there propounded and debated one day, should be revised the next, and then confirmed, or altered upon second thoughts, such gravity in their proceedings would much become the honour of that Board; and what is thus settled, should not be al­tered again but upon great necessity.

In the choice of Privy Councellors, thus much onely in the generall, that there may be some of the number, who are severally versed in all knowledges, for their bet­ter assistance upon Councels of that nature; And al­though to some persons of great Birth, the place of Princes Councellors may be bestowed as an honour un­to them; yet generally the motive should be the Parts of the man and not his Person.

IV. The Negotiations of Ambassadors, and Treaties with Forreign Princes and Estates, the subject matter of the Treaty must guide the Choice of the Persons to be imployed. But give me leave, I pray to remember unto you the constant practise of that famous and wise Lady Q. Elizabeth (who was very happy, not so much in a nu­merous as a wise Councel to advise Her.) If it were an Embassie of Gratulation of Triumph, she ever made choice of a person of Honour and Eminency in his de­gree, [Page 10] who taking the imployment as a work of favour was willing to undertake it at an easie rate for the ex­pence of the Crown (which hath not often been so of la­ter times:) But if it were upon some matter of impor­tance from the State, there were alwayes imployed (at least joyned in the Commission some persons of great judgment and known experience, and in such Cases men over-green in years were never the principal Agents; yet some younger men were joyned with the elder, to train them up in State Affaires.

V. For matter of War, either by Land or Sea, Your graci­ous Master so settled in his judgment for Peace, as he hath chosen for his Motto, that part of our Saviours beatitudes, Bea­ti pacifici; It is a happiness to this Nation to be in this blessed condition, God send we surfet not with it; yet I must tell you, the best way to continue a secure peace, is to be prepared for a War. Security is an ill guard for a Kingdome. But this Bul-Kingdome, where the Seas are our Walls, and the Ships our works, where safety and plenty (by trade) are concomitant, it were both a sin and a shame, to neglect the means to attain into these ends; Let brave spirits that have fitted themselves for Command, either by Sea or by Land, not to be laid by, as persons unnecessary for the time; let Arms and Ammunition of all sorts be provided and stored up, as against a day of Battell; let the Ports and Forts be fitted so, as if by the next winde we should hear of an Allarum; such a known Providence is the surest protection. But of all wars, let both Prince and people pray against a War in our own bowels: The King by his Wis­dome, Justice and Moderation must foresee and stop such a storm, and if it fall must allay it, and the people by their obe­dience must decline it. And for a Forreign War intended by an Invasion to inlarg the bounds of your Empire, which are large enough, and are naturally bounded with the Ocian, I have no opinion either of the justnesse or fitnesse of it, and it were a very hard matter to attempt it with help of successe, seeing the subjects of this Kingdom believe it is not legal for them to be enforced to go beyond the Seas, without their own consent, [Page 11] upon hope of an unwarranted Conquest; But to resist an Inva­ding Enemy, or to suppresse Rebels, the Subject may and must be commanded out of the Counties where they inhabite. The whole Kingdome is but one intire body, else it will necessarily be verified, which elswhere was asserted. Dum singuli pugnamus, omnes vincimur.

VI. But in the next place for Forreign Plantations and Collonies abroad, thats both honourable and profitable to disburthen the Land of such Inhabitants as may well be spared, and to imploy their labours in the Conquest of some Forreign parts without injury to the Natives. Yet these cautions are to be observed in these undertakings.

1. That no man be compelled to such an employment, for that were a banishment, not a service fit for a freeman.

2. That if any transplant themselves into plantations abroad, who are known Schismaticks, outlaws, or criminal persons, that they be sent for back upon the first notice, such persons are not fit to lay the foundation of a new Colony.

3. To make no extirpation of the Natives under pretence of planting Religion, God surely will no way be pleased with such sacrifices.

4. That the people sent thither be Governed according to the Lawes of this Realm, whereof they are, and still must be Subjects.

5. To establish there the same purity of Religion, and the same discipline for Church-Government without any mix­ture of Popery or Anabaptisme, least they should be drawn in­to Factions and Schismes, and that place receive them there bad, and send them back worse.

6. To imploy them in profitable trades and manifactures, such as the Clime will best fit, and such as may be usefull to this Kingdome, and returne to them an exchange of things necessary.

7. That they be furnished and instructed for the militarie part, as they may defend themselves, least on a suddain, they be exposed as a prey to some other Nation, when they have fitted the Colony for them.

8. To order a Trade thither, and thence, in such a manner [Page 12] as some few Merchants and Tradesmen, under colour of furni­shing the Colony with necessaries, may not grinde them, so as shall alwaies keep them in poverty.

9. To place over them such Governours as may be qualifi­ed in such manner as may Govern the place, and lay the foun­dation of a new Kingdom.

10. That care be taken that when the industrie of one man hath setled the work, a new man by insinuation or misinfor­mation, may not supplant him without a just Cause, which is the discouragement of all faithfull endeavours.

11. That the King will appoint Commissioners in the na­ture of a Councel, who may superintend the works of this na­ture, and regulate what concernes the Colonyes, and give an accompt thereof to the King or to his Councel of State.

VII. For matter of Trade, I confesse, it is out of my profes­sion, yet in that I shall make a Conjecture also, and propound some things to you, whereby (if I am not much mistaken) you may advance the good of your Country and profit of your Master.

1. Let the foundation of a profitable Trade be thus laid, that the exportation of home Commodities be more in value, then the importation of Forraigne, so we shall be sure that the stocks of the Kingdome shall yearly increase, for then the bal­lance of Trade must be returned in money or bullion.

2. In the importation of Forreigne Commodities, Let not the Merchant returne Toyes and Vanities (as sometimes it was elswhere Apes and Peacocks) but solide Merchandize, first for necessity, next or pleasure, but not for Luxury.

3. Let the vanity of the times be restrained, which the neighbourhood of other Nations have induced, and we strive a pace to exceede our pattern; Let vanity in apparell, and which is more vaine, that of the fashion, be avoided. I have heard, that in pain (a grave Nation, whom in this I wish we might i­mitate) they do allow the [...] layers and Courtesans the vanitie of rich and costly cloaths, but to sober men, and Matrons, they permit it not, upon paine of infamie (a severer punish­ment upon ingenious natures then a pecuniarie Mulct.)

[Page 13]4. The excesse of dyet in costly meats and drinks set from beyond the Seas would be avoided, wise men will do it without a Law, I would there might be a Law to restrain fools. The excesse of wine costs the Kingdome much, and returns nothing but surfets and disseases, were we as wise as easily we might be, within a year or two at the most, if we would needs be drun's with wines, we might be drunk with half the cost.

5 If we must be vain and superfluous in laces and imbroyderies which are more costly then either warme or comely, let the Curiosity be the Manifacture of the Natives, then it should not be verifyed of us Nateriam superabat opus.

6. But instead of crying up all things, which are either brought from beyond sea, or wrought here by the hands of strangers, let us advance the native commodities of our own Kingdome, and imploy our Country-men before strangers, let us turne the woolls of the Land into Cloaths and Stuffs of our own groweth, and the Hempe and flaxe growing here into Linning cloth, and Cordage, it would set many thousand hands on worke, and thereby one shilling worth of the materials, would by industry be multiplyed to five, ten, and many times to twenty times more in the value being wrought.

7. And of all sorts of Thrift for the Publique good, I would above all others Commend to your care the encouragement to be given to Husbandry, and the im­proving of Lands for Tillage, there is no such Usury as this. The King cannot enlarge the bounds of these Islands, which make up his Empire, the Ocian being the unremoveable Wall, which incloseth them, but he may enlarge and multiply the revenue thereof by this honest and harmlesse way of good Husbandry.

8. A very great help unto Trade are Navigable Rivers, they are so many indrafts to attain Wealth, whereby Art and Industry let them be made, but let them not be turned to private profit.

9. In the last place, I beseech you take into your serious consideration, that Indian wealth, which this Island and the Seas thereof excell in, the hidden and rich treasure of Fishing: Doe we want an example to follow, I may truly say to the English go to the Pismire thou sluggard. I need not expound the text half a days sayl with a good winde, will shew the Mineriall, and the Miners.

10. To regulate all these it will be worthie the care of a subordinate Councell, to whom the ordering of these things may be committed, and they give an accompt thereof to the State.

VIII. Lastly for the affaires of Court, you are much better able to instruct your self then any man else can, muchlesse then my self, who have scarce steps within the Court gates but as by chance and at the most as a stranger, yet in this also I shall be bold to tell you my thoughts.

In the disposing of the Offices and Affaires of Court, the King hath a Latitude for his Affection, which in matters touching the Publique, He must deny to him­self; Here he is more properly Paterfamili [...]s, in the other he is [...] Patriae. There are many places in Court, which a meer formal m [...]n may perform, because they are but as the Services of a private Family, and in which the Publique hath little interest. And yet in these, the Choice had need be of honest and faithfull Servants, as well as of comely outsides, who can bow the knee and kisse the hand, and perform other services of small importance compared to this of Publique imployment. King David, Psalm 121. propounded a Rule to himself for the Choice of his Cour­tiers; [Page 14] he was a wise and a good King, and a wise and a good King shall doe well to follow such a good example, and if he finde any to be faulty (which perhaps cannot suddenly be [...];) Let him take on his, this resolution as King David did, There shall [...]o deceitfull person dwell in my house. But for such as shall bear Office in the Kings house, and mannage the expences thereof, it is much more requisite to make a good Choice of such Servants both for his thrift, and for his Honour.

For your part, I shall wish that you would not interpose your self much in these things, which are properly for the Officers of the Household, that may draw too much envy upon you, and this would be too low for your thoughts (who will finde enough to busie you about of a higher nature) Yet this will very well be­come you, and your general trust not to suffer the King to be too much abused, where your vigilance can prevent it. But then the way of doing it would be thus, to ad­vertise the King of the defects, and then himself to finde them out, rather as if it were by accident, then as prompted unto it.

In Court there are also some other Requisites, which in their seasons may be thought upon; Besides the serious Affaires pertaining to Government, which are many: Matter of Pastime and disport are fit in their seasons, but if they shall be too common, they will loose their repute, and become Arguments of Light­nesse rather then of Recreation. When there is a Queen and Lady of Ho­nour attending her Person, sometimes to entertain them with Revells and Masks, are ornaments fit for a Court. Otherwise for a King of a young Prince, who are active (and to be so, commends them) sports abroad, and of more manly and usefull deportment, as riding the great Horse, the T [...], the Bar­riers, the Tennis, &c. are more commendable. But neither in jest or earnest must that be countenance or care given to Flatterers or Sycophants, the bane of all Courts. They are Flies who will not onely buz about in every eare, but will blo [...] and corrupt every plate where they light.

Sir, I cannot flatter, I have dealt plainly and clearly with you, according to the freedome you have been pleased to afford me. I have but a word or two more to trouble you with.

You serve a gracious Master and a good, and there is a Noble and a hopefull Prince, whom you must not disserve; Adore not him as the rising Sun in such a measure, as that you put a jealousie into the Father, who raised you; Nor out of the Confidence you have in the Fathers affections, make not your self suspected of the Son; keep an equall and a fit distance, so may you be serviceable to both, and deservedly be in the favour of both.

If you finde in these, or in any other your Observations (which doubtlesse are much better than these loose Collections) any thing which you would have either the Father or the Son to take to heart, an Admonition from a dead Authour, or a Caveat from an impartial Pen, whose aime neither was, nor can be taken to be at any particular by designe, will prevaile more, and take better impression, than a down right advice, which may perhaps be mistaken, as if it were spoken magisterially.

Thus may you long live a happy Instrument, for your King and Country, you shall not be a Meteor, or a blasing Star, but stella fixa, happy here, and more happy hereafter. Deus m [...] sua te ducat, thats the hearty prayer of,

Your most obliged Servant,