AS in Naturall things, the Head being cut off, the rest can­not be called a Body; no more can in politique things, a Multitude, or Communalty, without a Head, be incor­porate: Therefore a people desiring to live in society, and willing to erect either a Politique Body or a Kingdome, must of necessity chuse one to govern that Body, who in a Kingdome of Regendo, is called Rex, and so by the People is established a Kingdome: which Government is absolutely the best. And as the head of the Physicall body cannot change the reyns and sinews, thereof, nor deny the members of their proper strength and nece­sary nutriture: no more can a king who is head of the polliticke Body, alter or change the Laws of that Body, or take from the people their goods or Substance against their willes; for a king is chosen (and bound) to maintain the Laws of His Subiects, and to defend their Bodies and goods, So Brute arriving in this Iland, with His Trojans, erected here a regall and polliticke goverment, which hath for the most part continued ever since: for though we have had many changes, as first the Romans, then the Saxons, then the Danes, and Lastly the Normans, yet in the time of all these na­tions, and during their Raignes, the kingdom was for the most part governed in the same manner as it is now, Plutarch faith, that all at first that governed were called Tyrants, but afterward the good governours called Kings. For though a man by force do sub­due Cities & Countreys, yet he ought to rule according to reason; and if he know God, according to the Law of God: but when he is admitted King by the people, and hath his power from them, He may not Subiect the people to any other power, yet He hath a great and large Prerogative, which He may use at His pleasure.

And here I thinke it not a misse to set down some few Lawes and Customes of other Common-wealths, whereby their good governement may appeare, they not being Christians, Prolmaeus [Page]King of Egypt feasted one day seven Ambassadours, which at his request shewed unto him three of their principall Laws and cus­tomes. And first the Ambassadour of Rome said, we have the tem­ples in great Reverence, we are very obedient to our governours, and we doe punish wicked men severely: The Carthagenian Am­bassadour said our Noble men never left fighting, the Atificers ne­ver left labouring, nor the Phylosophers never left teaching, The Cicilian said, in our Common-wealth justice is exactly kept; marchandice is excercised with truth, and all men account them­selves equall: The Rodians said, that at Rodes, old men are honest, young men shamefast, and women use very few words: The A­thenians said, in our common-wealth rich men are not suffered to be divided into factions, nor poor men to be idle, nor the gover­nours to be ignorant: The Lacedemoninas said, in Sparta envye reigneth not, for all men are equall, nor covetousnesse, for all goods are common, nor sloth, for all men labour: in our common­wealth said the Ambassadour of the Siconians, voyages are not per­mitted, because they should not bring home new factions: Phy­sitians are not suffered, lest they should kill the sound: nor Lawyers to take upon them the defence of causes and suites. And to these may be added Anatharsis letter to the Athenians, wherein He councelleth them to chuse a king that is just in his sentence, true in His word, constant in his act, secret and liberall, for these be the principall morrall vertues most necessary in a prince.

A prince ought to be just in His sentence according to the words of Solomon Wisd. 1. saying, A Prince ought to be just in his sen­sure. Who fit­test to go­verne. love justice you that judge the Earth, for a just king doth advance his country: and the king that judgeth the poor rightly his throne shall be established forever.

Now to shew what manner of man is fittest to govern. I read in Livie, that men borne in armes, great in deeds and rude in elloquence ought to be chosen Councelors, and that men of quick spirits, sharpe wits, learnd in the Law, and eloquence; should be for the city for a prince ought to be a martial man stout & couragious to defend his subjects, and offend his enemies, not to be curious to Speak eloquently, but to deliver his minde plainly, and wisely, it being more necessary for a prince to doe well, then Speak well, Paucimas saith, those are to be hated, who in their acts are fools and in their words Phylosophers: for wise words are not commendable, if the deeds be not answerable, they therefore [Page]saith Plato. that will have glory in this life, and attain to glory af­ter death, and be beloved of many and feared of all, let him be ver­tuous in good works, and deceive no man, with vain words. All good and worthy Princes, have Laboured to attain to this wisdom and to exact justice most exactly in so much that some have not spared their own children so sacred a thing they ever held justice to be: as for example. Brutus, who understanding that his two sons were of the conspiracy for Tarquinius superbus. Alexander Magnus was so far from being transported from Justice, as when any man made complaint to him of another, he stopped alwayes one eare, saying, he must keepe that for the party accused. King Edgar of England had likewise that care to doe justice, as in win­ter time he would ride up and downe the Countrey, and make enquiry of the misdemeanours of his Officers and Governours, and punished them severely that offended the Law. And as the followers of Justice shall not onely be glorious on earth, but live in eternall glory; so the Princes that minister injustice, and doe not judge rightly, shall reap infamy on earth, and undergoe the high displeasure of God; for the royall Prophet saith, that God is terrible to the Kings of the earth, Psal. 75. which doth very well appeare by the strange punishments which he oftentimes inflicts upon them, as upon Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Ozias, Ioram, Anti­ochus, Heroa, Memprisius King of Britaine, who was devoured by Wolves, Seldred a Saxon King of England, who was killed by the Divell as he was banqueting with his Nobillity. And many more for their injustice have beene very strangely punished, and oftimes lost their Kingdomes, as appeareth by Ecle. Chap. 11. being transferred from Nation to Nation for injustice and injuries, ther­fore it behooveth a Prince to take speciall care hereunto.

Next it is requisite that a Prince be true of his word, A Prince to be true of his word. both to­wards God, and man, for Soloman, saith, that a lying lip doth not become a Prince, Pro. 17. many examples might be given touch­ing severall Princes who have beene severally punished for breach of faith: As for example, Charles the 70. King of France, when he was Dolphin, made Iohn Duke of Burgundy beleeve that hee would make peace with him, whereupon they met at a place ap­pointed, where Charles caused the Duke to bee presently killed, but Charles after this was forced to aske Phillip forgivenesse open­ly [Page]by his Embassadors. Charles the last Duke of Burgundy having given safe conduct to the E. of St. Paul Constable of France, took him prisoner, and delivered him to the French King, who put him to death for his treachery, and set the said E. free. Thus you may see how honourable it is to keepe their word, and what they deserve that falcifie their faith; for, a faithlesse Prince is beloved of none, but hated of all, suspected of his friends, not trusted of his enemies, and forsaken of all men in his greatest necessity.

Also a Prince ought to be religious, for Solomon saith, A Prince ought to be religi­ous. God pre­serveth the state of the righteous and is a child to them that walke up­rightly, Pro. Cap. 2. and in Deut 17. a King is commanded after he be placed in his Kingdome to read the book of Deuteronomy, that he may learne to feare God and to Keepe his words, for so doing a Prince shall prosper.

It is also expedient that a Prince have speciall care that he put not his hand in innocent blood, neither by tyranny, malice, A Prince ought not to shed in­nocent blood. am­bition, policy, or false reports or imformations, for to be a Tyrant is odious to God and man, and to bring himselfe to an evill end. As for example, K. Iohn of England murthered his Nephew, and in the end was murthered himselfe. Richard Duke of Glocester murthered his two Nephewes, Sons to Ed, 4. to make himselfe King, and after was slaine in Bosworth by Hen. 7. for blood re­quires blood, and let a bloody Prince never looke for a better end.

But many Princes have beene mightily abused by false reports and rong informations, A Prince to be cir­cumspect in giving credit to reports. David therefore prayed God to deliver him from wicked lips and a lying tongue, Psal. 119. and in Eccles. 6. it is said, Separate thy selfe from thy enemies, and beware even of thy friends, for where a man doth trust the most there a man may be soonest deceived, as was Francis Duke of Britain who put his brother Giles to death upon the false report of those who went messengers betwene them & after put them to death also, there­fore a Prince should duly examine every report whether it be true or not, before he give credit thereunto, and especially if it con­cerne life, for innocent blood doth cry to God for revenge, as ap­peareth in the Apoc. 6. saying, how long Lord holy and just judgest thou not, and revengest not our blood upon them that dwell upon the earth.

I have read that Appalles drew the picture of a king (which he sent to Prolmaeus set in a chaire of state with great hands, A Prince to beware of Para­sites. great eares, and besides him ignorance, suspition a taleteller, and flat­tery: these will labour to be about a Pr. therefore a Prince must la­bour to avoid them. It is therefore a happy thing for Princes to have those about them that will not flatter but tell the truth. If therefore the Emperour Gordean said, that Prince was very unfor­tunate who hath not about him those that may plainly tell him the truth, for a King knoweth not what passeth, but by relation of those who converse with him. Theopompus being asked how a Prince might preserve his Kingdome, said by giving his friends liberty to speake the truth, and by keeping his Subjects from op­pression.

A Prince should be very carefull in making choice of his coun­cellors, What kind of persons are to be of a Princes counsail. for Plato saith, that many Princes are undone for want of faithfull friends and servants to councell them, therefore Alfred K. of England sought out the wisest & most learnedst men to bee of his Counsail. The Emperour Constantius to make proofe of his friends, made shew to abandon Christian Religion, and to turne to Idolatry, he was instantly applauded by a great number whom presently he banished the Country, for a Prince shall ne­ver want followers, I wish that our gracious Soveraine would make this his president, but to my former discourse. Councellors saith Iulius Cesar in one of his Orations to the Senate, should not be lead by malice, friendship, anger nor mercy, and if they concur in one lawfull opinion, though the Prince be opposite yet it is fit­ting he should yeeld to them, for so did the Emperour Marcus Antoninus saying, it must be as you will, for it is greater reason that I being one should follow your opinion, then you being ma­ny; wise, and learned should yeeld to mine.

If a Prince take aid of a stranger stronger then himselfe, Dange­rous for a Prince to take aid of a stranger. he may thereby endanger his State, as for example Heruls, Goths, and Lumberds came into Italy for succor became Lords thereof, so did they of Franconia, with their King Pl by Pharamon the Galls, now France, and the Saxons, did the like to England.

A Prince to the end he may be strong at home, and neede no forraine Forces, should alwayes expect his own subiects, (especially men of worth and service) as well in peace as war, that he may win the love and hearts of his Subjects, the meanest whereof may doe him service, in some Kind at one time or other: For Seneca saith, the onely inexpugnable force of a P. is the love of his subjects; Antonius Pius would say that he had rather preserve one of his Subjects, then kill 1000. of his enemie; and Pythagonas affirmeth that Subjects are to the Prince as the winde to the fire, for the stronger the wind the greater the fire, so the richer the Subjects be, the stronger the Priece, but where Matchovells Principles take effect, there the Subjects must be made-poore, by continuall subsedies, exactions and impositions, that the people may alwayes beekept vnder as slaves, and feare their Prince, which course extinguisheth the love of the people towards the P. and ingendereth hatred (the actions of the Clergy, evill Coun­sellors of the State, monopolies and other, and other machavilian practises of some great ones in authority, has almost procured the same effect in England) Phillip Commines greatly blameth such Princes, as seeke not to compound and end discords and quarrels, a­mongst their greatest subjects, but rather nourish the one part, wherein they do but set their own house on fire, as did the wife of Henry the 6. taking part with the Duke of Somerset, against the Earle of Warwick, which caused the war betwixt York and Lancaster. Augustas the Emperour made a Law concerning ex­actions, which hee called Augusta, that no payment should be exacted of the people, but for the profit of the Common-wealth. And when Marcus Antoninus laid a double tax upon the people, they answered, that if he would have two taxes in one yeare, he must give them two summers, two harvests, and two vinta­ges, for the people cannot endure to be overcharged, if they be, great inconvenience may grow thereby, (our later times give ap­parent testimonies of the truth of this particular.) A Prince there­fore should love and cherish his Subjects, but not oppresse them; [Page]for Tiberius Nero, when some perswaded him to take great tri­butes of the Provinces, said, that a good Shepheard should sheare his sheep, but not devoure them; and that State (saith Thales) is best ordered, which hath in it neither too wealthy nor too poor Citizens.

It is not for a Prince to make war upon every sinal occasion, A Prince ought to bewell ad­vised how he beginn Warre. but to be sure the cause be good and just, which then will bring honour to his person, safety to his soule, and encouragement to all his souldiers: yet according to the saying of Octavus Caesar, nei­ther Battaile nor War is to be undertaken, unlesse there may be e­vidently seene more hope of gaine, then feare of dammage; but above all, a religious Peace is to be embraced by a Prince, and so to be offered to his enemie: for Blessed is the Peace-maker, for he shall inberit the kingdome of heaven: which that we may all doe, let us endeavour to purchase a peace by our timely repentance, and hearty prayers. When the Israelites had sinned, and that God had resolved to destroy them, Moses rose up, and by his prayers became a Mediator betwixt God and them, so that Gods Justice was converted to Mercie. Is there not in all this spacious King­dome one Religious Moses to stand betwixt Gods Justice and our sins, by his prayers to purchase a pardon, and remove this threat­ning mischiefe which hangs over our heads? O that God would put it into the hearts both of Prince and People, to joyne with one heart and one voice, and cry unto the Lord, for who knowes what an effect such an union might produce? who knows whe­ther the Lord will repent him of his wrath, and turn this destru­ction from us?