the particular Rates being increased, but the total bulk of Trading rather decreased,

For their Commons: There is little danger from them,except it be where they have great and potent Heads, or where you meddle with the point of Religion, or their Customs, or means of Life.

For their Men of War: It is a dangerous State, where they live and remain in a Body, and are ufed to Donatives, whereof we fee examples in the Fanizaries and Pretorian Bands of Rome: But Trainings of Men, and Arming them in feveral places, and under feveral Commanders, and without Donatives, are things of Defence, and no danger.

Princes are like to Heavenly Bodies, which caufe good or evil times; and which have much Veneration, but no Reft. All Precepts concerning Kings, are in effect comprehended in those two Remembrances, Memento quod es Homo, and Memento quod es Deus, or Vice Dei; the one bridleth their Power, and the other their Will.

T

XX.

Of Counsel.

HE greateft truft between Man and Man is the truft of Giving Counfel: For in other confidences Men commit the parts of Life, their Lands, their Goods, their Children, their Credit, fome particular Affair: but to fuch as they make F 4

their

their Counsellors, they commit the whole, by how much the more they are obliged to all faith and integrity. The wifeft Princes need not think it any diminution to their Greatness, or derogation to their Sufficiency, to rely upon Counsel. God himself is not without, but hath made it one of the great Names of his bleffed Son: The Counfellor. Solomon hath pronounced, that in Connfel is Stability. Things will have their firft or fecond agitation; if they be not toffed upon the arguments of Counsel, they will be toffed upon the waves of Fortune, and be full of inconftancy, doing and undoing, like the reeling of a drunken man. Solomon's Son found the force of Counsel, as his Father faw the neceffity of it. For the beloved Kingdom of God was first rent and broken by ill Counsel; upon which Counsel there are fet for inftruction the two marks, whereby Bad Counsel is for ever beft difcerned, that it was young Counfel for the Perfons, and violent Counsel for the Matter.

The antient times do fet forth in figure, both the incorporation, and infeparable conjunction of Counsel with Kings, and the wife and politick ufe of Counsel by Kings; the one in that they fay, Jupiter did marry Metis, which fignifieth Counfel, whereby they intend that Soveraignty is married to Counsel; the other in that which followeth, which was thus: They fay, after Jupiter was married to Metis, the conceived by him, and was with Child: but Jupiter fuffered her not to stay till fhe brought forth, but eat her ups

whereby

whereby he became himself with Child, and was delivered of Pallas Armed out of his Head; which monftrous Fable containeth a fecret of Empire, how Kings are to make use of their Council of State. That first they ought to refer matters unto them, which is the firft begetting or impregnation; but when they are elaborate, moulded, and shaped in the womb of their Council, and grow ripe, and ready to be brought forth, that then they fuffer not their Council to go through with the refolution and direction, as if it depended on them; but take the matter back into their own hands, and make it appear to the World, that the Decrees and final Directions (which, because they come forth with Prudence and Power, are resembled to Pallas Armed) proceeded from themselves: (And not only from their Authority, but (the more to add reputation to themfelves) from their Head and Device.

Let us now speak of the Inconveniences of Counfel, and of the Remedies. The Inconveniences that have been noted in calling and ufing Counsel, are three: First, the revealing of Affairs, whereby they become lefs fecret. Secondly, the weakning of the Authority of Princes, as if they were lefs of themfelves. Thirdly, the danger of being unfaithfully Counfelled, and more for the good of them that Counfel, than of him that is Counfelled. For which Inconveniences, the Doctrine of Italy, and practice of France in fome Kings times, hath introduced Cabinet Councils; a Remedy worse than the Disease.

As

As to Secrecy: Princes are not bound to communicate all matters with all Counsellors, but extract and felect. Neither is it neceffary, that he that confulteth what he fhould do, fhould declare what he will do. But let Princes beware, that the unfecreting of their Affairs comes not from themselves. And as for Cabinet Counfels, it may be their Motto; Plenus rimarum fum : One futile Perfon, that maketh it his glory to tell, will do more hurt, than many that know it their duty to conceal. It is true, there be fome Affairs which require extream Secrecy, which will hardly go beyond one or two Perfons befide the King: Neither are thofe Counfels unprofperous; for befides the Secrecy, they commonly go on conftantly in one Spirit of Direction without diffraction. But then it must be a prudent King, fuch asisable to grind with a Hand-mill, and thofe Inward Councellors had need alfo be wife Men, and efpecially true and trufty to the Kings ends; as it was with King Henry the Seventh, of England, who in his greateft bufinefs imparted himself to none, except it were to Morton and Fox.

For weakning of Authority: The Fable sheweth the Remedy. Nay, the Majefty of Kings is rather exalted than diminished, when they are in the Chair of Counfel. Neither was there ever Prince bereaved of his dependencies by his ConnJel, except where there hath been either an overgreatnefs in one Counsellor,or an over-ftrict combination in divers, which are things foon found and holpen.

For

For the laft Inconvenience, that Men will Coun fel with an Eye to themselves: Certainly, Non in veniet fidem fuper terram, is meant of the nature of times, and not of all particular Persons. There be, that are in nature, faithful, and fin cere, and plain, and direct, not crafty and involved: Let Princes above all draw to themselves fuch natures. Belides Counsellors are not commonly so united, but that one Counsellor keepeth Centinel over another; so that if any do Counfel, out of faction, or private ends, it commonly comes to the Kings Ear. But the best Remedy is, if Princes know their Counsellors as well as their Counsellors know them:

Principis eft virtus maxima nosse fuos.

And on the other fide, Counsellors fhould not be too fpeculative into their Soveraigns Perfon. The true compofition of a Counsellor, is rather to be skill'd in their Masters Business, than in his Nature; for then he is like to advise him, and not to feed his humour. It is of fingular ufe to Princes, if they take the Opinions of their Counsel, both feparately and together. For private opinion is more free, but opinion before others is more reverend. In private, Men are more bold in their own humours; and in con⭑ fort, Men are more obnoxious to others humours: therefore it is good to take both, And of the inferiour fort, rather in private, to preferve freedom; of the greater, rather in confort,

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