10. A king that setteth to sale seats of justice, oppresseth the people; for he teacheth his judges to sell justice; and " pretio parata pretio venditur justitia."

OF A KING.

1. A king is a mortal god on earth, unto whom the living God hath lent his own name as a great honour; but withal told him, he should die like a man, lest he should be proud and flatter himself, that God hath with his name imparted unto him his nature also.

2. Of all kind of men, God is the least beholden unto them; for he doth most for them, and they do ordinarily least for him.

3. A king that would not feel his crown too heavy for him, must wear it every day; but if he think it too light, he knoweth not of what metal it is made.

4. He must make religion the rule of government, and not to balance the scale; for he that casteth in religion only to make the scales even, his own weight is contained in those characters, "Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin," "He is found too light, his kingdom shall be taken from him."

5. And that king that holds not religion the best reason of state, is void of all piety and justice, the supporters of a king.

6. He must be able to give counsel himself, but not rely thereupon; for though happy events justify their counsels, yet it is better that the evil event of good advice be rather imputed to a subject than a sovereign.

7. He is the fountain of honour, which should not run with a waste pipe, lest the courtiers sell the water, and then, as papists say of their holy wells, it loses the virtue.

8. He is the life of the law, not only as he is lex loquens himself, but because he animateth the dead letter, making it active towards all his subjects promio et pœna.

9. A wise king must do less in altering his laws than he may; for new government is ever dangerous. It being true in the body politic, as in the corporal, that "omnis subita immutatio est periculosa ;" and though it be for the better, yet it is not without a fearful apprehension; for he that changeth the fun

12. That king which is not feared, is not loved; and he that is well seen in his craft, must as well study to be feared as loved; yet not loved for fear, but feared for love.

13. Therefore, as he must always resemble Him whose great name he beareth, and that as in manifesting the sweet influence of his mercy on the severe stroke of his justice sometimes, so in this not to suffer a man of death to live; for besides that the land doth mourn, the restraint of justice towards sin doth more retard the affection of love, than the extent of mercy doth inflame it: and sure where love is [ill] bestowed, fear is quite lost.

14. His greatest enemies are his flatterers; for though they ever speak on his side, yet their words still make against him.

15. The love which a king oweth to a weal public, should not be over-strained to any one particular; yet that his more special favour do reflect upon some worthy ones, is somewhat necessary, because there are few of that capacity.

16. He must have a special care of five things, if he would not have his crown to be but to him infelix felicitas.

First, that simulata sanctitas be not in the church; for that is duplex iniquitas.

Secondly, that inutilis æquitas sit not in the chancery; for that is inepta misericordia.

Thirdly, that utilis iniquitas keep not the exchequer; for that is crudele latrocinium.

Fourthly, that fidelis temeritas be not his general; for that will bring but seram pœnitentiam.

Fifthly, that infidelis prudentia be not his secretary; for that is anguis sub viridi herba.

To conclude; as he is of the greatest power, so he is subject to the greatest cares, made the servant of his people, or else he were without a calling at all.

He then that honoureth him not is next an atheist, wanting the fear of God in his heart.

A FRAGMENT OF AN ESSAY OF FAME.

The poets make Fame a monster. They describe her in part finely and elegantly; and in part gravely and sententiously. They say, Look, how many feathers she hath, so many eyes she hath underneath, so many tongues, so many voices, she pricks up so many ears.

This is a flourish: there follow excellent parables: as, that she gathereth strength in going; that she

A

use.

1. QUEEN ELIZABETH, the morrow of her coronation, it being the custom to release prisoners at the inauguration of a prince, went to the chapel; and in the great chamber, one of her courtiers, who was well known to her, either out of his own motion, or by the instigation of a wiser man, presented her with a petition; and before a great number of courtiers, besought her with a loud voice, "That now this good time, there might be four or five principal prisoners more released: those were the four evangelists and the apostle St. Paul, who had been long shut up in an unknown tongue, as it were in prison; so as they could not converse with the common people. The Queen answered very gravely, "That it was best first to inquire of them, whether they would be released or no."

2. Queen Ann Bullen, at the time when she was led to be beheaded in the Tower, called one of the king's privy chamber to her, and said unto him, “Commend me to the king, and tell him, that he hath been ever constant in his course of advancing me: from a private gentlewoman he made me a marchioness, and from a marchioness a queen; and now, that he hath left no higher degree of earthly honour, he intends to crown my innocency with the glory of martyrdom."

3. His majesty James the first, king of Great Britain, having made unto his parliament an excellent and large declaration, concluded thus; "I have now given you a clear mirrour of my mind; use it therefore like a mirrour, and take heed how you let it fall, or how you soil it with your breath."

4. A great officer in France was in danger to have lost his place; but his wife, by her suit and means making, made his peace; whereupon a pleasant fellow said, "That he had been crushed, but that he saved himself upon his horns.”

5. His majesty said to his parliament at another time, finding there were some causeless jealousies sown amongst them; "That the king and his people, whereof the parliament is the representative body, were as husband and wife; and therefore that of all other things jealousy was between them most pernicious."

6. His majesty, when he thought his council might note in him some variety in businesses, though indeed he remained constant, would say, "That the sun many times shineth watery; but it is not the sun which causeth it, but some cloud rising betwixt us and the sun and when that is scattered, the sun is as it was, and comes to his former brightness." 7. His majesty, in his answer to the book of the

cardinal Evereux, who had in a grave argument of divinity sprinkled many witty ornaments of poesy and humanity, saith; "That these flowers were like blue, and yellow, and red flowers in the corn, which make a pleasant show to those that look on, but they hurt the corn."

8. Sir Edward Coke being vehement against the two provincial councils of Wales, and the north, said to the king; "There was nothing there but a kind of confusion and hotch-potch of justice: one while they were a star-chamber; another while a king's bench; another, a common pleas; another, a commission of oyer and terminer." His majesty answered; 66 Why, Sir Edward Coke, they be like houses in progress, where I have not, nor can have, such distinct rooms of state, as I have here at Whitehall, or at Hampton-court."

9. The commissioners of the treasury moved the king, for the relief of his estate, to disafforest some forests of his, explaining themselves of such forests as lay out of the way, not near any of the king's houses, nor in the course of his progress; whereof he should never have use nor pleasure. "Why," saith the king," do you think that Solomon had use and pleasure of all his three hundred concubines ?" 10. His majesty, when the committees of both houses of parliament presented unto him the instrument of union of England and Scotland, was merry with them; and amongst other pleasant speeches, showed unto them the laird of Lawreston, a Scotchman, who was the tallest and greatest man that was to be seen, and said, "Well, now we are all one, yet none of you will say but here is one Scotchman greater than any Englishman ;" which was an ambiguous speech; but it was thought he meant it of himself.

11. His majesty would say to the lords of his council, when they sat upon any great matter, and came from council in to him, "Well, you have sat, but what have you hatched ?"

12. When the archduke did raise his siege from the Grave, the then secretary came to queen Elizabeth. The queen, having first intelligence thereof, said to the secretary, "Wot you what; The archduke has risen from the Grave." He answered, "What, without the trumpet of the archangel?" The queen replied, "Yes, without the sound of trumpet."

13. Queen Elizabeth was importuned much by my lord of Essex, to supply divers great offices that had been long void; the queen answered nothing to the matter; but rose up on a sudden, and said, "I am sure my office will not be long void." And yet at that time there was much speech of troubles, and divisions about the crown, to be after her decease; but they all vanished; and king James came in, in a profound peace.

14. The council did make remonstrance unto queen Elizabeth of the continual conspiracies against her life; and namely, that a man was lately taken, who stood ready in a very dangerous and suspicious manner to do the deed: and they showed her the weapon wherewith he thought to have acted it. And therefore they advised her that she should go

less abroad to take the air, weakly attended, as she used. But the queen answered; "That she had rather be dead, than put in custody."

15. The lady Paget, that was very private with queen Elizabeth, declared herself much against the match with Monsieur. After Monsieur's death, the queen took extreme grief, at least as she made show, and kept in within her bed-chamber and one ante-chamber for three weeks space, in token of mourning: at last she came forth into the privychamber, and admitted her ladies to have access unto her; and amongst the rest my lady Paget presented herself, and came to her with a smiling countenance. The queen bent her brows, and seemed to be highly displeased, and said to her, "Madam, you are not ignorant of my extreme grief, and do you come to me with a countenance of joy ?" My lady Paget answered, "Alas, if it please your majesty, it is impossible for me to be absent from you three weeks, but that when I see you, I must look cheerfully." "No, no," said the queen, not forgetting her former averseness to the match, you have some other conceit in it, tell me plainly." My lady answered, "I must obey you; it is this. I was thinking how happy your majesty was, you married not Monsieur; for seeing you take such thought for his death, being but your friend; if he had been your husband, sure it would have cost you your life."

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16. Henry the Fourth of France his queen was young with child; count Soissons, that had his expectation upon the crown, when it was twice or thrice thought that the queen was with child before, said to some of his friends, “That it was but with a pillow." This had someways come to the king's ear; who kept it till such time as the queen waxed great: then he called the count of Soissons to him, and said, laying his hand upon the queen's belly; "Come, cousin, is this a pillow ?"-The count of Soissons answered, "Yes, sir, it is a pillow for all France to sleep upon."

17. King Henry the fourth of France was so punctual of his word, after it was once passed, that they called him "The king of the faith."

18. The said king Henry the fourth was moved by his parliament to a war against the protestants: he answered, “ Yes, I mean it; I will make every one of you captains; you shall have companies assigned you." The parliament observing whereunto his speech tended, gave over, and deserted his motion.

19. Queen Elizabeth was wont to say, upon the commission of sales, "That the commissioners used her like strawberry wives, that laid two or three great strawberries at the mouth of their pot, and all the rest were little ones; so they made her two or three good prizes of the first particulars, but fell straightways."

20. Queen Elizabeth used to say of her instructions to great officers, "That they were like to garments, strait at the first putting on, but did by and by wear loose enough."

21. A great officer at court, when my lord of Essex was first in trouble; and that he and those

that dealt for him would talk much of my lord's friends, and of his enemies, answered to one of them, "I will tell you, I know but one friend and one enemy my lord hath, and that one friend is the queen, and that one enemy is himself."

22. The book for deposing king Richard the second, and the coming in of Henry the fourth, supposed to be written by Dr. Hayward, who was committed to the Tower for it, had much incensed queen Elizabeth; and she asked Mr. Bacon, being then of her counsel learned, "Whether there were any treason contained in it ?" Who intending to do him a pleasure, and to take off the queen's bitterness with a merry conceit, answered, “No, Madam, for treason I cannot deliver an opinion that there is any, but very much felony." The queen, apprehending it gladly, asked, "How? and wherein ?" Mr. Bacon answered, "Because he had stolen many of his sentences and conceits out of Cornelius Tacitus."

23. Queen Elizabeth being to resolve upon a great officer, and being by some, that canvassed for others, put in some doubt of that person whom she meant to advance, called for Mr. Bacon, and told him, "She was like one with a lanthorn seeking a man;" and seemed unsatisfied in the choice she had of a man for that place. Mr. Bacon answered her, "That he had heard that in old time there was usually painted on the church walls the day of doom, and God sitting in judgment, and St. Michael by him, with a pair of balances; and the soul and the good deeds in the one balance, and the faults and the evil deeds in the other: and the soul's balance went up far too light. Then was our lady painted with a great pair of beads, who cast them into the light balance, and brought down the scale: so, he said, place and authority, which were in her majesty's hands to give, were like our lady's beads, which though men, through any imperfections, were too light before, yet when they were cast in, made weight competent."

24. Queen Elizabeth was dilatory enough in suits, of her own nature; and the lord treasurer Burleigh being a wise man, and willing therein to feed her humour, would say to her; "Madam, you do well to let suitors stay; for I shall tell you, bis dat, qui cito dat;' if you grant them speedily, they will come again the sooner."

25. Sir Nicholas Bacon, who was keeper of the great seal of England, when queen Elizabeth in her progress came to his house at Gorhambury, and said to him, "My lord, what a little house have you gotten!" answered her, "Madam, my house is well, but it is you that have made me too great for my house."

26. There was a conference in parliament between the lords' house and the house of commons, about a bill of accountants, which came down from the lords to the commons; which bill prayed, That the lands of accountants, whereof they were seized when they entered upon their office, might be liable to their arrears to the queen. But the commons desired, That the bill might not look back to accountants that were already, but extend only to accountants

Why,

I

hereafter. But the lord treasurer said, pray you, if you had lost your purse by the way, would you look forwards, or would you look back? The queen hath lost her purse."

27. The lord keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon, was asked his opinion by my lord of Leicester concerning two persons whom the queen seemed to think well of: "By my troth, my lord, said he, the one is a grave counsellor ; the other is a proper young man; and so he will be as long as he lives."

28. My lord of Leicester, favourite to queen Elizabeth, was making a large chace about Cornbury-park; meaning to enclose with posts and rails; and one day was casting up his charge what it would come to. Mr. Goldingham, a free spoken man, stood by, and said to my lord, "Methinks your lordship goeth not the cheapest way to work." "Why, Goldingham ?" said my lord. "Marry, my lord," said Goldingham, "count you but upon

the posts, for the country will find you railing." 29. The lord keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon, was asked his opinion by queen Elizabeth of one of these monopoly licences ? And he answered, speak the truth? We are all the

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Madam, will you have me Licentia omnes deteriores sumus." worse for licences.

30. My lord of Essex, at the succour of Roan, made twenty-four knights, which at that time was a great number. Divers of those gentlemen were of weak and small means; which when queen Elizabeth heard, she said, "My lord might have done well to have built his alms-house, before he made his knights."

31. The deputies of the reformed religion, after the massacre which was at Paris upon St. Bartholomew's day, treated with the king and queen-mother, and some other of the council, for a peace. Both sides were agreed upon the articles. The question was, upon the security for the performance. some particulars propounded and rejected, the queenmother said, "Why, is not the word of a king sufficient security ?" One of the deputies answered, "No, by St. Bartholomew, Madam."

After

32. There was a French gentleman speaking with an English, of the law Salique; that women were excluded from inheriting the crown of France. The English said, "Yes; but that was meant of the women themselves, not of such males as claimed by women." The French gentleman said, "Where do you find that gloss ?" The English answered, "I'll tell you, Sir: look on the backside of the record of the law Salique, and there you shall find it indorsed:" implying there was no such thing as the law Salique, but that it is a mere fiction.

33. A friar of France, being in an earnest dispute about the law Salique, would needs prove it by Scripture; citing that verse of the Gospel; "Lilia agri non laborant neque nent:" the lilies of the field do neither labour nor spin; applying it thus: That the flower-de-luces of France cannot descend, neither to the distaff, nor to the spade: that is, not to a woman, nor to a peasant.

34. When peace was renewed with the French in England, divers of the great counsellors were pre