IT is needfull to treate here briefly of rewards and punishments, for he that would discourse thereof at large should make a great volume, for that these two points concerne all Commonweales, so as if punishments and rewards be well and wisely distributed, the Commonweale shall be alwaies happie and florish, and contrariwise[*](The two principall foundations of every Commonweale.) if the good be not rewarded and the bad punished according to their deserts, there is no hope that a Commonweale can long continue. There is not any thing that hath bred greater troubles, seditions, civill warres, and ruines of Commonweales than the contempt of good men, and the libertie which is giuen to the wicked to offend with all impunitie. It is not so necessarie to discourse of punishments, as of rewards, for that all lawes and bookes of lawyers are full of them, but I find not any one that hath written of rewards: either for that good men are so rare, and wicked men abound; or for that it seemes more profitable for a Commonweale to restraine the wicked with the feare of punishment, than to incourage the good to vertue with rewards. But for that punishmēts are odious of themselves,
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and rewards favourable, therefore wise Princes have accustomed to referre punishments unto the Magistrate, and to reserue rewards unto themselves, to get the loue of the subiects, and to flie their hatred: for which cause Lawyers and Magistrates have treated amplie of punishments, and but few have made any mention of rewards. And although the word merit is taken in the best sence, as Seneca saith, Altius iniuriae quam merita descendunt, Iniuries make a deeper impression than merits, yet we will vse it indifferently and according unto the vulgar phrase. every reward is either honorable, or
[*](Difference of rewards.) profitable, or both together, else it is no reward, speaking popularly and politikely, seeing we are in the middest of a Commonweale, and not in the schooles of the Academikes and Stoikes, which hold nothing to be profitable that is not honest; nor honorable which is not profitable: the which is a goodly paradoxe, and yet contrarie to the rules of policie, which doe neuer ballance profit with the counterpoise of honour: for the more profit rewards have in them, the lesse honourable are they, and alwayes the profit doth diminish the beautie and dignitie of the honour. And euen those are most esteemed and honoured, wherein they imploy their goods to maintaine the honour. So as when we speake of rewards, we vnderstand triumphes, statues, honourable charges, estates, and offices, which are therefore called honors: for that many times the priuat estates of famous men are wasted thereby: the rest have more profit than honour in them, as benefices, militarie gifts, immunities of all or some charges; as of taxes, imposts, wardship, exemptions from the warre; and from ordinarie judges, letters of estate, of freedome, of legitimation, of faires, of gentrie, of knighthood, and such like. But if the office be hurtfull, and without honour, it is no longer a reward, but a charge or burthen. Neither may wee confound a reward and a benefit; for a reward is giuen
[*](Different of reward and benefit) upon good desert, and a benefit upon speciall favour. And as Commonweals be diuers, so the distribution of honours and rewards is verie different in a Monarchy, and in the other two estates. In a Popular estate rewards are more honourable than profitable: for the common people hunt only after profit, caring little for honour, the which they
[*](The difference of giuing rewards in a Popular estate and a Monarchy.) doe willingly giue to them that are ambitious. But in a Monarchie the prince is more iealous of honour than of profit, especially if he be a tyrant, who takes nothing more disdainefully, than to see his subiect honoured and respected; fearing least the sweet intising bait of honour, should make him aspire and attempt against his estate: or els for that a tirant cannot endure the light of vertue: as we read of the emperor Caligula, who
[*](A tyrant cannot endure to have the subiect honoured.) was iealous and enuious of the honor that was done to God himself: and the emperor Domitian, who was the most base and cowardly tyrant that euer was, yet could hee neuer endure that any honour should be done unto them that had best deserued, but hee put them to death. Sometimes princes in stead of recompencing of worthy men, they put them to death, banish them, or condemne them to perpetuall prison, for the safetie of their estates. So did Alexander the Great to Parmenio his constable, Iustinian to Bellisarius, Edward the fourth to the earle of Warwike; and infinit others, who for the reward of their prowesse have bene slaine, poisoned, or ill intreated by their princes. And for this cause, as Tacitus writes, the Germans did attribut all the honour of their goodly exploits vnto their princes, to free themselves from enuie which followes vertue. And therefore we neuer see Monarches, & much lesse tyrants, to graunt triumphes and honourable entries unto his subiects, what victorie soeuer they have gotten of the enemie.
[*](The honour of the souldiors victory is due unto the captaine.) But contrariwise a discreet captaine, in stead of a triumph at his returne from victorie, humbling himselfe before his prince, he saith, Sir, your victorie is my glorie, although the prince were not present: for hee that commaunds deserues the honour of the victorie, euen in a Popular estate: as it was adiudged betwixt the Consull Luctatius and Valerius his lieutenant, upon a controuersie they had for the triumph, the which
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Valerius pretended to be due unto him, for that the Consull was absent the day of the battell. So we may say, that the honour of the victorie is alwayes due unto the prince, although he be absent the day of the battell: as Charles the fift, king of France was, who gaue his armes unto one of his gentlemen, and retired himselfe out of the fight, fearing to fall into his enemies hands: And for this cause he was called wise, remembring how preiudiciall his fathers captiuitie was unto Fraunce. The like we may say of Popular
[*](Why Popular estates have more famous men than Monarchies.) estates, that the generals victories belong unto the people under whose ensigns they have fought, but the honor of the triumph is giuen unto the Generall: the which is not obserued in a Monarchy. Which is the chiefe, and it may be the onely occasion, why in Popular estates well gouerned, there are more vertuous men than in a Monarchy: For that honor which is the onely reward of vertue is taken away, or at the least much restrained from them that deserue it in a Monarchy, and is graunted in a lawfull Popular
[*](Preferments to honour breeds men of desert.) estate, euen in matters of armes. For as a generous and noble minded man doth more esteeme honour than all the treasure of the world; so without doubt he will willingly sacrifice his life and goods for the glorie he expects: and the greater the honours be, the more men there will be of merit and fame. And therefore the Commonweale of Rome hath had more great Captaines, wise Senators, eloquent Orators, and learned Lawyers, than any other Commonweale, either Barbarians, Greeks, or Latines: For he that had put to rout a legion of the enemies, it was at his thoice to demand the triumph, or at the least some honourable charge; one of the which could not bee denied him. As for the triumph, which was the highest point of honour a Roman citisen could aspire vnto, there were no people under heauen where it was solemnised with more state and pompe than at Rome: For he that triumphed, made his entrie more
[*](The description of a triumph at Rome.) honourable than a king could doe in his realme, dragging the captiue kings & commaunders in chaines after his chariot, hee sitting on high attired with a purple robe wrought with gold, and a crowne of baies accompanied with his victorious armie, being braue with the spoyles of their enemies, with a sound of trumpets and clarons, rauishing the hearts of all men, partly with incredible ioy, and partly with amazement & admiration: and in this manner the Generall went upto the Capitoll to doe sacrifice. Aboue all (saith Polybius) that which did most inflame the youth to aspire to honour, were the triumphall statues or images lively drawne of his parents and predecessors, to accompnie him to the Capitoll. And after he had done the solemne sacrifice, hee was conducted home to his house by the greatest noble men and captaines. And those which died were publikely praysed before the people, according unto the merits of their forepassed lines. And not onely the men, but also the women, as we read in Titus Liuius, Matronis honor additus, vt eorum sicut virorum solemnis laudatio esset, There was honour giuen unto matrons, that there might bee a solemne commendation of them as of men. I know there are preachers which will say, That this desire of honour is vaine, which euerie good man should flie: but I hold that there is nothing more necessarie for youth (as Theophrastus said) the which doth enflame them with an honest ambition; who when as they see themselves commended, then do vertues spring and take deeper root in them. And Thomas Aquinus saith, That a prince must bee nourished with the desire of true glorie, to giue him the taste of vertue. We have no reason then to maruell, if neuer any Commonweale did bring forth such famous men, and so many, as Rome did: For the honours which were graunted in other Commonweals, came nor neere unto them which were giuen in Rome. It was a great reward of honour
[*](The honours giuen at Athens.) at Athens, and in the Olympike games, to be crowned with a crowne of gold in the open theatre before all the people, and commended by an Orator; or to obtaine a statue of brasse, or to be enterrained of the publike charge, or to be the first, or of the
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first rank in places of honors, for himselfe & his house; the which Demochares required of the people for Demosthenes, after that he had made a repetition of his prayses, wherin there was no lesse profit than honour. But the Romans (to giue them to vnderstand that they must not esteeme honour by profit) had no crowne in greater estimation,
[*](The Romans esteemed honour more than profit.) than that of grasse or greene corne, the which they held more pretious than all the crownes of gold of other nations. Neither was it euer giuen to any, but to Q. Fabius Maximus, surnamed Cunctator, with this title, Patrie seruatori, To the preseruer of his countrey. Wherein the wisedome of the auntient Romans is greatly to be commended, hauing thereby banished couetousnesse and the desire of gainefull rewards; and planted the loue of vertue in the subiects hearts, with the price of honour. And whereas other princes are greatly troubled to find money, to emptie their coffers, to sell their reuenewes, to oppresse their subiects, to forfeit some, and to spoile others, to recompence their slaues and flatterers (although that vertue cannot bee valued by any price) the Romans gaue nothing but honours, for that the captaines respected nothing lesse than profit: and euen a priuat Roman souldiour refused a chaine of gold of Labienus lieutenant to Caesar, for that he had hazarded his life couragiously against the enemie, saying, That he would not the reward of the couetous, but of the vertuous; the which
[*](A worthy saying of a souldir.) is honour, that we must have alwayes before our eyes. But vertue must not follow, but goe before honour: as it was decreed by the auntient high Priests at Rome, when as Consull Marcus Marcellus had built a temple to Honour and Vertue; to the end the vows and sacrifices of the one should not be confounded with the other, they resolued to make a wall to diuide the temple in two, but yet so, as they must passe thorow the temple of Vertue, to enter into that of Honour. And to speake truely, the auntient Romans onely did vnderstand the merits of vertue, and the true points of honour. For although the Senator Agrippa left not wherewithall to defray his funerall, nor the Consull Fabricius nor the Dictator Cincinnatus wherewithall to feed their families, yet the one was drawne from the plo
---gh to the Dictatorship, and the other refused halfe the kingdomes of Pyrrhus, to maintaine his reputation and honour. The Commonweale was neuer so furnished with worthy men, as in those dayes, neither were honours and dignities better distributed than in that age. But when as this pretious reward
[*](The refuse honours when they are giuen to the vnwothy.) of vertue was imparted to the vicious and vnworthy, it grew contemtible, so as every one scorned it, and held it dishonourable: as it happened of the gold rings which all the gentlemen of Rome neglected, seeing Flauius a libertine to Appius and a popular man, created Aedile, or chiefe ouerseer of the victuals; the which they were not accustomed to giue to any but gentlemen, although he had deserued well of the people. And the which is most to be feared, good men will abandon the place wholly to the wicked, for that they will have no communication nor fellowship with them: as Cato the younger did, who being chosen by lot with diuers other judges to iudge Gabinius, and seeing that they pretended to absolue him, beeing corrupted with gifts, hee retired himselfe before the people, and brake the tables that were offered unto him. So did the chast women in this realme, who cast away their girdles of gold, the which none might weare that had stained their honours, who notwithstanding did weare girdles, & then they said, Que bonne renommee valoit meux que ceinture doree, That a good name was better than a golden girdle. For alwaies vertuous men haue impatiently endured to bee equalled with the wicked in the reward of honour. have wee not seene that the onely meanes that king Charles the seuenth found to make a number of vnworthy men, who had gotten the order of knights of the Starre, by women or favour, to leaue it, he decreed, That the archers of the watch at Paris, should weare a star upon
[*]( naturall der of honour and vertue.) their cassockes, which was the marke of Saint Owen: whereuppon all the knights of
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this disorder left the starre. As in like case the people of Athens disanulled the law of Ostracisme, by the which the best men were banished their countrey for three yeares, when as Hyperbolus one of the worst and wickedest men of Athens had bene condemned by that law.
It is a daungerous and very pernitious thing in every Commonweale, to grant honours and rewards without any difference, or to sell them for money; although that they which thinke to win honour in buying their offices, abuse themselves as much as those which thought to flie with the golden wings of Euripides, making that which should be the lightest of all others, of the heauiest mettall: for then the precious treasure of honour turnes to dishonour; and honour being once lost, then do they exceed[*](The reward of honour turnes to infamie, if it be giuen to the vnworthy.) in all vice and wickednesse: the which shall neuer happen if the distribution of rewards and punishments be ordered by a harmoniacall iustice, as wee will shew in the end of this worke. If a Consull be allowed a triumph, it is reason that captains and lieutenants should have the estates and offices, the horsmen the crowns and horses, and the priuat soldiors also should have part of the arms & spoils. And in the bestowing of offices they[*](Harmonicall proportion in the distribution of rewards.) must also have a respect unto the qualitie of persons: to Gentlemen the offices of Consull, and governments; to the Plebeians the Tribunes places, and other meane offices fit for their qualities and merits: and if the vertue of a meane man or of a priuate souldier be so great that hee exceeds all others, it is reason that he have his part in the greatest dignities, as it was decreed by the law Canuleia, to appease the seditions betwixt the nobilitie of Rome and the people: but he that would make a Consull, a knight of the Order, or a master of the horse, of a base fellow that had neuer caried arms, without doubt he should blemish the dignitie of rewards, and put the whole estate in danger of ruine. In old time there was more difficultie to create a simple Knight, than is now to make a Generall: they must have deserued well, and prepare themselves for it with great solemnitie. And euen Kings children and Princes of the bloud were not admitted[*](The estimation of honours in old times.) to be Knights but with great ceremonies: as we may reade of Saint Lewis, when he made his sonne Philip the 3. Knight, who afterwards created Philip the faire Knight in the yeare 1284 and he his three children in the presence of all his Princes: and which is more, king Francis the first after the battaile of Marignan caused himselfe to be dubbed knight by Captaine Bayard, taking his sword from him. But since that cowards and housedoues caried away this price of honor, true knights neuer esteemed it: so as Charles the sixt at the siege of Bourges made aboue fiue hundred knights banerets, & many other knights, which had not power to raise a banner, as Monstrelet said. In like sort that militarie girdle which the Roman Emperours did vse to giue as a reward of honor to them that had deserued well of the Commonweale; as the coller of the order, the which they tooke away in reproch, as Iulian the Emperour did from Iouinian and other christian Captaines; and the honor of a Patrician, the which the Emperours of the East did esteeme as the highest point of honor and favour: in the beginning it was not giuen but unto the greatest Princes and noble men. As we read that the Emperour Anastasius sent the order of a Patrician to king Clouis in the citie of Tours, but after that it was imparted to men of base condition and vnworthie of that honor, it grew contemptible, so as Princes have bin of necessitie glad to forge new honors, new prizes, and new rewards. As Edward the third king of England made the order of Saint George, or of the Garter: and soone after the 6 of Ianuary 1351 king Ihon did institute the order of the Starre in the Castell of Saint Owen: and long after that Philip the second[*](The orders of England, Franc, and Bourgongne) duke of Burgogne erected the order of the golden Fleece: and 40 yeres after him Lewis the II king of France made the order of Saint Michaell; as also after him the dukes of Sauoy have instituted the order of the Anonciado, and other Princes have
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done the like, to honor with the title of Knighthood those that deserued well, whose seruices they cannot otherwise reward. By the first article of the golden Fleece, the
[*](The law of the Golden Fleec.) which was instituted the tenth of Ianuary 1429 no man might be Knight of that order, vnlesse he were a Gentleman of name and armes, and without reproch: by the second, he might not carrie any other order of what Prince soeuer, but with the priuitie & consent of the chiefe of the order: the seuenth article wils, That all personall quarrels and dissentions of Knights among themselves shall be decided by Iudges of the order, the which is a bodie and Colledge, with a Chancellor, Treasorer, King at armes, Register, a priuat Seale of the order, and soueraigne iurisdiction, without appeale or civill request. Lewis the II imitating the example of Philip Duke of Bourgogne, who had entertained him in the time of his disgrace with his father, instituting the order of Saint Michell into a Colledge, the first day of August in the yeare 1469 he set downe those articles whereof I have made mention, and all other articles specified in the institution
[*](The law of the order of Saint Michael.) of the Fleece: and besides in the 37 article it is said, That when any assemblie shall be made the life and conuersation of every Knight shall be examined one after an other, during which examination they shall depart out of the Chapter, and be called againe to heare the admonitions and censures of the Chancellor of the order: and in the 38 article it is said, That an examination and censure shall be made of the soueraigne and head of the order, which is the King, as of the rest to be punished and corrected, according to the aduice of the brethren of the order, if he hath committed any thing against the honor, estate, and dutie of Knighthood, or against the statutes of the order: and in the 42 article it is decreed, That any Knights place being voyd, the Chapter shall proceed to a new election, and the Soueraignes voice shall stand but for two: and both he and all the Knights of the order shall be bound to take a solemne oth at their entrie into the Chapter, to chuse the worthiest that they know, without respect to hatred, friendship, favour, bloud, or any other occasion, which might▪ diuert them from the right: which oth shall be made in the Soueraignes hands from the first unto the last: and in the last article there is an expresse clause, That neither the King nor his successors, nor the chapter of the order may not derogate from the articles of the institution. Behold briefly the institution of the order and Colledge of honor, the goodliest and the most royall that euer was in any Commonweale, to draw, yea to force mens minds unto vertue. It may be some one will say, that the first institution of 31 Knights in the order of the golden Fleece, of 36 in the order of France, and of 24 in the order of the Garter instituted at Windsor, cuts off the way to vertue, for that it is expresly defended in the last article of the ordinances of Lewis the II, not to increase that number, although the Soueraigne Prince and the whole Chapter were so resolued; but in my opinion it is one of the chiefest articles that ought to have bene dulie obserued: to auoid the inconueniences which we have seene by the infinite number of the order of Saint Michell,
[*](The excessiu number of Knights of the order, have ruined the order.) for the number is sufficient to receiue them that shall deserue that honor: and the fewer there are, the more it will be desired of all men: as at a prize, the which is the more greedily desired, for that every man hopes for it, and few carrie it. And in this number soueraigne Princes are not comprehended, to whom they present the order only for honor, for that they cannot be tyed to the lawes of the order, and retaine the rights and prerogatives of soueraigntie. And although the number were small, yet were there but foureteene Knightes at the first institution of the order, the which are named in the ordinance: and in the time of King Francis the first the number was neuer full. So it is most certaine, that there is nothing that doth more blemish the greatnes of the honor, than to impart it to so many And for this cause many seeing the smal account was held of the order, procured to haue their Seigneuries erected into Earledomes, Marquisats,
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and Duchies, which number hath so increased in a short time, as the multitude hath bred contempt, so as Charls the ninth enacted by an edict, That after that time all Duchies, Marquisats and Counties should be vnited unto the Crowne, if the Dukes, Marquises and Earles dyed without heires males issued of their bodies, although the said Seigneuries had not in former times belonged unto the Crowne: the which is a verie necessarie Edict to restraine the insatiable ambition of such as had not deserued these titles of honor, whereof the Prince should be iealous. And generally in all gifts, rewards, and titles of honor it is expedient (for the greater grace of the benefi) tthat he only which holds the Soueraigntie should bestow it on him that hath deserued; who will thinke himselfe much more honored, when his Prince hath giuen him his reward, seene him, heard him, and graced him. Also the Prince aboue all things must be iealous that the thanks of his bountie may remaine, banishing from his court those sellers of smoke, or punishing them as Alexander Seuerus did, who caused one to be tyed
[*](Sellers of smoke dangerous to an estate.) unto a post, as Spartian saith, and smothered him with smoke, causing it to be proclaimed by the trompet, So perish all such as sell smoke. He was fauored by the Emperour, who as soone as he knew the name of any one whom the Emperour meant to grace either with honor or office, he went unto him, promising him his favour, the which he sold at a high rate, and like a horseleech of the Court he suckt the bloud of the subiects to the dishonor of his Prince, who should hold nothing more deere than the thanks of his gifts and bountie; else if he indure that his houshold seruants steale away the favours of his subiects, it is to be feared that in the end they will make themselves masters, as Absolon did, who shewing himselfe affable and courteous to all the subiects, abusing the charges of honor, offices, and benefices, giuing them under the favour of the King his father to whom he pleased; he stole from him (saith the scripture) his subiects hearts, and expelled him from his royall throne. We read also of Otho, who hauing receiued 2500 crownes for a dispensation which the Emperour Galba gaue at his request, he gaue them among the Captaines of the guards, the which was a chiefe meanes for him to vsurp the State, after that he had caused Galba to be slaine. This gift was like unto the Eagle which the Emperour Iulian caried in his Standard, the which pulled off her owne feathers, whereof they made arrowes to shoot at her. For
[*](It is the ruine of princes to giue too great authoritie to his subiects.) the same occasion the last kings issued from Meroue and Charlemaigne were expelled from their estates by the Maiors of the pallace, who gaue all offices and benefices to whom they pleased without the kings priuitie or consent: and therefore Loup Abbot of Ferrieres did write unto Charles the 3 king of France, aduising him to have a speciall care that his flatterers and courtiers did not steale from him the thanks of his liberalitie. Some will say, that it is impossible for a Prince to refuse his mother, brethren, children, and friends: I must confesse it is a hard matter to auoid it, yet I have seene a King who
[*](Charles the ninth to Henry.) being importuned by his brother for another, said unto him in the presence of the sutor, Brother, at this time I will do nothing for your sake, but for the loue of this man who hath deserued well, to whom he graciously granted what his brother had demanded. But if the Prince will wholie yeeld himselfe to the appetite of his followers, we may well say that he is but a cipher, which giues all power unto others, & reserues nothing to himselfe: he must therefore know which be good and vertuous men, and that have well deserued. And least the Prince should be forced to denie many importunate beggers, he must make choise of wise and faithfull masters of requests, to receiue every mans petition, who may dissuade such as demaund any thing that is vniust or against the good of the State, or at the least they must acquaint the Prince therewith that he may not be surprised in his answer: By this meanes importunat beggers shall be kept backe by goodmen, neither shall they have any cause to bee discontented with the
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Prince, who they will thinke vnderstands not thereof, or else he will satisfie them with
[*](Tranqud. in Tit.) pertinent reasons, wherein the Emperour Titus is greatly commended, for that he neuer sent away any man discontented, whether he granted or refused what he demanded, and therefore they called him, The delight of mankind. Moreover an impudent begger knowing that his petition shall be viewed, red and examined by a wise Chancellor, or an understanding master of requests will not presume to pursue a thing that is vniust; for Princes neuer want flatterers and impudent beggers, the which have no other end but to drinke the bloud, eate the boanes, & suck the marrow both of Prince and subiect: and those which have best deserued of the Commonweale, are commonly
[*](Why good and vertuous men want rewards.) most kept back, not only for that their honor forbids them to flatter, and to beg the reward of vertue, which should be offred unto them: but also for the charges and expences of the pursuite, and many times without all hope. And if their petitions be once reiected, they will not make a second attempt, no more then Callicratidas a Lacedemonian Captaine (one of the most vertuous of his age) who was mockt of the Courtiers of yong Cyrus, for that he had not the patience to court it long: and contrariwise Lisander a flattering courtier, if euer any were, obtained whatsoeuer he demaunded.
[*](Plut. in Lisand.) A modest and bashfull man is amazed in this case, where as the impudent preuaile, knowing well the humor of Princes, who alwaies loue them to whom they have done most good, and the most part hate them to whom they are most bound: and to say the truth, the nature of a benefit is such, as it doth no lesse bind him that giues, than him that receiues it: and contrariwise thanks and the acknowledging of a benefit is troublesome to an ingratefull person, and revenge is sweet, wherof Tacitus giues the reason,
[*](Why we are more prone to revenge than to requite.) saying, Proniores ad vindictam sumus quàm ad gratiam, quia gratia oneri, vltio in questu
---betur: We are more prone to revenge then to giue thanks, for thanks is held a burthen, and revenge a gaine. And although that many Princes neither pay, nor giue any thing but words, yet the least promise that is made unto them they hold as a firme bond. There is yet an other point which hinders and cuts off the rewards of good men, which is, that if a wise Prince bestowes any office, priuiledge, or gift to whom soeuer, before he can enioy it, he must giue the one halfe in rewards: and oftentimes their promises are sold so deere, as they carrie away little or nothing at all, the which is an incurable disease but by seuere and rigorous punishments, for the which they must of necessitie
[*](Punishments & rewards, the two supports of a Commonweale.) prouide, seeing that punishments and rewards are the two firmest supports of a Commonweale. The best meanes to preuent it is for the Prince to cause the gift to be brought and delivered, and if it were possible to be present thereat himselfe, specially if it be to a man of worth: for the gift comming in this sort from the Princes own hand, hath more efficacie and grace, then a hundred times as much giuen him by an other repiningly, or curtalled for the most part. The like censure is to be made of praise or commendations, which the Prince delivers with his owne mouth to him that hath deserued it, the which hath more effect then all the wealth that he can giue him: and a reproch or blame is as a stabbe unto generous minds to force them to do well. But it is impossible euer to see a iust distribution of punishments and rewards, so long as Princes shall set to sale dignities, honors, offices, and benefices, the which is the most dangerous and pernitious plague in a Commonweale. All nations have prouided for it by
[*](The sale of offices and benefices most dangerous in a Commonweale.) good and wholesome lawes; and euen in this realme the ordinance of S. Lewis notes them with infamie that haue used the favour of any man to procure them offices of iustice, the which was reasonablie well executed vntill the raigne of king Francis the first, and in England it is yet rigorously obserued, as I have vnderstood by M. Randall the english Ambassador; the which was also strictly decreed by an edict of Ferdinand, great Grandfather by the mothers side to Philip, made in the yeare 1492 where as the
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forme of choosing of offices of iustice is set downe: Que no se puedan vender, ny trocar officios de Alcaldia, ny AlquaZiladgo, ny regimiento, ny veyntes quatria, ny fiel executoria, ny iuraderia. It is not needfull to set down the inconueniences & miseries that a Commonweale is subiect unto by the sale of offices, the labour were infinite being so well knowne to all men. But it is more difficult in a popular State to perswade them that this trafficke is good, then where as the richest men hold the Soueraignetie. it is the onely meanes to exclude the poorer sort from offices, who in a popular estate will
[*](Sale of offices least used in a Popular estate.) have their parts without paying any money, and yet hardly shall they obserue these prohibitions, when as the common people shall reape some benefit by choosing of ambitious men. As for a Monarke, pouertie sometimes forceth him to breake good lawes to supplie his wants, but after they have once made a breach, it is impossible to repaire it. It was forbidden by the law Petilia to go to fayers and assemblies, to sue for the peoples favour & voyces. By the law Papiria no man might weare a white gowne. The law Calphurnia declared him incapable for euer to beare any office that had been condemned of ambition, vnlesse he had accused and conuicted an other, and he that had caused his competitor to be condemned of ambition, he obtained his office; afterwards punishment was made greater by the law Tullia, published at the request of Cicero, whereby it was decreed that a Senator condemned of ambition should be banished for ten yeares, but it was not obserued by the rich, who sent their broakers into the assemblie of the States with great sommes of money to corrupt the people, so as Caesar fearing to have one ioyned with him in the Consulship that might crosse his designes, he offred his friend Luceius as much money as was needfull to purchase the peoples voyces: whereof the Senat being aduertised, they appointed a great somme of money for his competitor Marcus Bibulus to buy the peoples suffrages, as Suetonius doth testifie. This was upon the declining of the popular estate, the which was ouerthrowne
[*](The inconueniences which grow by the sale of offices.) by this meanes; for vndoubtedly they which make sale of estates, offices, and benefices, they sell the most sacred thing in the world which is Iustice, they sell the Commonweale, they sell the bloud of the subiects, they sell the lawes, and taking away all the rewards of honor, vertue, learning, pietie, and religion, they open the gates to thefts, corruption, couetousnes, iniustice, arrogancie, impietie, and to be short, to all vice and villanie. Neither must the Prince excuse himselfe by his pouertie, for there is no auailable excuse, or that hath any colour to seeke the ruine of an estate, under a
[*](Pouertie no lawfull excuse in a prince for the sale of offices.) pretence of pouertie. And it is a ridiculous thing for a Prince to pretend pouertie, seeing he hath so many meanes to preuent it if he please. We reade that the Empire of Rome was neuer more poore and indebted then under the Emperour Heliogabalus that monster of nature, and yet Alexander Seuerus his successor, one of the wisest and most vertuous Princesse that euer was would neuer indure the sale of offices, saying in the open Senat, Non patiar mercatores potestatum, I will not indure these marchants, or
[*](A worthy saying of an emperour.) buyers of dignities: and yet this good Emperour did so abate the taxes and imposts, as he that paied one and thirtie crownes under Heliogabalus, paied but one crowne vnder Alexander, resoluing, if he had lived, to take but the third part of it, but he raigned but foureteene yeares after that he had freed his predecessors debts, and defeated the Parthians and the people of the north, leauing to his successor an Empire florishing in armes and lawes. But his court was wisely ordred, excessiue prodigalities were cut off, rewards were equallie destributed, & the theeves of the publike treasure were seuerely punished. He was called Seuerus, by reason of his seueritie. He hated flatterers as a
[*](The disposition of the emperour Seuerus.) plague to all Princes, neither durst the horseleeches of the court come neere him. He was very wise in all things, but especially in the discouering of mens humors, and of a great iudgement in decerning of every mans merits; being reuerent with a seuere kind
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of maiestie. We have shewed before, that the softnes or simplicitie of a Prince is dangerous to an estate. After that the great king Francis the first became (through his old age) austere and not so accessible, the flatterers and horseleeches of the court came not
[*](The good husbandry of king Francis the first.) neere him, so as the treasure was so well husbanded, as after his death they found seuenteene hundred thousand crownes in readie money, besides the quarter of March which was readie to be receiued: and his realme full of learned men, great Captaines, good Architects, and all sorts of handicrafts, and the frontires of his estate extending euen unto the gates of Milan, being assured by a firme firme peace with all Princes. And although that he had been encountred with great and mightie enemies, and had been taken prisoner and paied his ransome, yet did he build Cities, Townes, Castles, and stately Pallaces: but the facilitie and too great bountie of his successor Henry the second brought
[*](The prodigality of king Henrie the second.) the estate indebted within little more than twelue yeares after, foure millions three hundred fortie eight thousand three hundred nintie three pounds eighteene shillings starling (as I learned out of the accounts) and the countries of Sauoy and Piedmont, with all that which they had conquered in thirtie yeares before, lost, and the rest much ingaged. I omit to speake how much France was falne from her antient dignitie and beautie, how worthie men were kept from their degrees, vertuous men troden under foote, and the learned contemned: and all these miseries came upon the realme, for that
[*](The cause of the calamities of Fraunce.) he did prodigallie giue dignities, offices, benefices, and the treasure to the vnworthie, and suffered the wicked with all impunitie. That Prince then that will enioy a happie estate let him refer the punishment of offences to the Magistrate, as it is expedient, and reserue rewards unto himselfe, giuing by little and little according to every ones merit, that the thanks may be the more durable; and commaund punishments to be done at an instant, to the end they may be the lesse grieuous to them that suffer them, and the feare deeper grauen in the harts of others, terrifying them from their wicked and disordred lives. These lawes of punishments and rewards being dulie obserued in a Commonweale, vertue shall be alwaies honorablie rewarded, the wicked shall be banished, publick debts shall be paied, and the State shall flourish with all aboundance. But for that the frauds of courtiers are so many, and such infinit deuises to rob the treasurie, so as the wisest Princes may be circumuented, a law was made by Philip of Valois, and
[*](In the yeare 1333. 11. May.) verified in the court of Parliament, and chamber of accompts, whereby it was enacted, That all gifts giuen by the king should be void, if his letters pattents did not containe whatsoeuer had been giuen to him or to any of his predecessors in former times by the Princes bountie: which law although it were most profitable, yet was it abrogated two yeares after by their meanes that were interessed, finding how much it did preiudice them, so as it was enacted that it should bee sufficient to have the derogatorie annexed to their pattents, as I have seene in the auntient registers of the court: but that also was taken away, least any remembrance of benefits should hinder the Princes bountie.
There was another law made by Charles the 8. whereby all gifts aboue ten pounds starling should be enrolled: but since they have used so much fraud, as one in this realm was not ashamed to bragge in a great assembly, That he had gotten (besides his offices) five thousand pounds starling a yeare of good rent, and yet there was not any one gift made unto him to be found in all the registers of the chamber, although it were apparant that he had nothing but from the king. We must not therefore wonder at great debts, seeing the treasure is exhausted after so strange a manner, as hee that hath most[*](In what sort the prince should giue.) receiued, makes a shew to have had nothing. For to giue so much to one man, although he deserue well, doth not onely waste the treasure of the Commonweale, but also stirre up the discontented to seditions and rebellions. And one of the best meanes to preserue
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an estate in her greatnesse, is to bestow gifts and rewards on many, to continue euerie one in his dutie, and that they may ballance one another. Also an aduised prince must giue sparingly to the importunat, and offer to them that beg not, so as they bee of good desert, for some can neuer aske, nor yet take it when it is offered them. As Antigonus king of Asia said, That he had two friends, whereof the one could neuer be satisfied, & the other could neuer be forced to take any thing. To such men Dionisius the elder, lord of Siracusa, behaued himselfe wisely, For to vs (said Aristippus) which demaund
[*](A safe kind of giuing.) much he giues little, and to Plato who craues nothing, he giues too much. This was a safe kind of giuing, retaining both the money and the thankes. Yet princes have many other means to grace and reward a seruant, than with mony, the which is lesse esteemed by men of honour, than a good looke, an alliance, a marriage, or a gracious remembrance. And sometimes the gift is such, as it brings more profit to him that giues it, than to him that receiues it. Charles the fift, emperour, being come into Spaine, to
[*](An excellent policie of the emperor Charles the fift.) requite the well deseruing of the duke of Calabria (who had refused the crowne and kingdome of Spaine, which was offered unto him by the estates) being then a prisoner, he freed him out of prison, and married him to one of the richest princesses that was then liuing, widow to king Ferdinand: with the which deed the people receiued great content, the duke great honour, wealth, and libertie, and the emperour the loue of the duke, the loue of the people, and the assurance of his estate, without any charge: And moreover by this meanes hee kept the widow from marrying with any forren prince: giuing to the duke a wife that was aged and barren, to the end that the dukes line (which made a pretence to the realme of Naples) should be extinct with him.
It is a principal point which a prince ought to respect, That his bountie and rewards be giuen with a cheerfull heart: for some are so vnpleasing, as they neuer giue any thing without reproach, the which taketh away the grace of the gift, especially if the gift be in stead of a reward or recompence. But they do much worse, which giue one & the same office, or one confiscatton to many, without aduertising either the one or the other: the which is no benefit, but an iniurie. This is to cast the golden apple among subiects[*](It is pernitios to giue one thing to many.) to ruine them. And oftentimes we see them consumed with suits, and murder one another with the sword: whereby the prince shall not onely loose the fruits of his bountie, but the loue of his subiects, and reape for thankes eternall hatred. The which is a grosse errour in matters of state, and yet vsuall among princes; not so much through forgerfulnesse of that which is past, but of set purpose, being falsly instructed from their youth, That they must be liberall and refuse no man, thereby to win the hearts of all men: and yet the end is quite contrarie to that which they have propounded, giuing one thing to many. And to refuse no man, is not to be liberall nor wise, but prodigall and indiscreet. I would not onely have the prince liberall, but bountifull, so as he proue not prodigall: for from a prodigall he will grow to be an exactor, and of an exactor a tyrant: and after that he hath giuen his owne, he must of force pull from others to giue. The laws ofliberalitie[*](The law of libertie.) commaund, That he should obserue well to whome he giues, what hee giues, at what time, in what place, and to what end, and his owne abilitie that giues. But a soueraigne prince must withall remember, that rewards must goe before gifts, and that he must first recompence them that have well deserued, before he giue to such as have nothing deserued; and aboue all, let him measure his bountie according to his abilitie. The Romans to releeue the pouertie of Horatius Cocles (who alone had withstood the enemies armie, and saued the citie from sacking, and the citisens from ruine) they gaue him an acre of land, or little more; the which was much at that time, hauing but two leagues compasse about the citie. But Alexander the Great gaue kingdomes and empires, and thousands of talents: if he had done otherwise it had beene against his maiestie
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and greatnesse. Alphonsus the fift, king of Castile, gaue the kingdome of Portugall
[*](The beginning of the kings of Portugall.) to Henrie of Boulogne of the house of Loraine, from whome are issued the kings of Portugall for these five hundred and fiftie yeares: it was for a reward of his vertue, marrying him to his bastard daughter. But yet was he blamed, to have giuen away so goodly an estate, his owne not being at that time much greater. In like sort wee may say, that the custome of the auntient Romans was commendable, to nourish upon the publike charge three children borne at one birth, for a reward of the memoriall victorie obtained by the three Horatij against the Curiatij. But Solons law, which would haue their children which had beene slaine in the warres for their countrey, maintained by the publike, could not continue, although it were practised throughout all Greece, as we read in Aristotle, for it did quite waste and consume their treasure.
If any one suppose, that the bountie and greatnesse of a prince shall not appeare, if he giue to none but to such as shall deserue; I will yeeld vnto him. I know that bountie &[*](Bountie will besits a great prince) magnificence is well befitting a great prince: neither must wee thinke it strange if the prince aduance one of a poore and base condition to honour and wealth, so as there be vertue and merit in him: else if the prince shall raise an vnworthie person aboue good men, or equall him in ranke with great personages, in doing good to the one hee shall wrong all the rest. That worthy saying of Chilo is extant, one demanding of him what God did, He casts downe the proud (aunswered he) from aboue, and raiseth the poore and deiected to the highest degree of honour. A good prince should imitat God, aduancing the poore and vertuous to honours and riches. But when as the colledge of Cardinals did admonish Pope Iulio the third, hauing created P. M. du Mont Cardinall, being a young boy whome he loued, saying, That it was a great dishonour to blemish so honourable an order with so base a man, hauing neither vertue in him, nor learning, neither nobilitie nor goods, nor any marke which might merit (as they said) to approach to such a degree: But the pope (who was verie pleasant) turning unto the cardinals, What vertue, (saith he) what nobilitie, what learning, what honor,[*](A pleasant aunswere of pope Iulius the third.) did you finde in me, to make me pope? It is most certaine, that a vicious and vnworthy prince, will alwayes have his friends and followers of his owne humor: as it appeares by the emperour. Heliogabalus, who gaue the greatest offices, and inriched the most detestable villaines in all the empire: wherewith his subiects and guard being incensed, they slew that monster of mankind, with his mother, and threw them into the common priuies. But without any further search, we have seene the proofe before our[*](Aduancements bestowed on the vnworthy incense the subiects) eyes, how disdainefully it hath bene taken to see the due rewards of good subiects, and vertuous men, giuen to the vicious, to straungers, and to the vnworthy, the which hath put the goodliest realme of Europe in combustion. For wee find, that the gifts in the yeare 1572 amounted to 270000 pounds starling: and the yeare following to 204400 pounds: and in the yeare 1574 there was giuen 54700 pounds: and in the six moneths following they gaue 95500 pounds starling, besides pensions which were not lesse than twentie thousand pounds starling: and the greatest part of all this treasure grew by the sale of offices, & by confiscations, which was the cause of all our miseries: and yet by the law of Fraunce, England, and Spaine, such buyers should be held infamous: which lawes should be reuiued, and that commendable custome which was practised vnder[*](A commendable custome of Alexander Seuerus.) Seuerus maintained, who caused his name to be set up in all publike places, whome hee meant to preferre to any government, giuing leaue to all men to accuse him, yet with the paine of death to him that did it falsely, saying, That it was great shame to bee lesse carefull of the life and conuersation of a gouernour, than the Christians were of the qualities of their bishops and ministers, whome they examined with all rigour before they were admitted. The which is much more expedient than the manner of examination
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which the Venetians, Genouois, Luquois, and Florentines, do vse, after that the officer hath left his charge. For a bad and corrupt magistrat growne rich with thefts, will not sticke to corrupt a judge, to saue both his life and his goods corruptly gotten. It is better therefore to preuent a disease, than to labour to cure it, and better late than neuer, that the feare of this search might keepe officers within the bounds of their dutie. But yet Solons law was farre better, by the which the life of the officer was examined both before his admittance to the office, and after he had left it: as we read in the
[*](. in or at. de fals legat. & contr Timrchum.) pleadings of Demosthenes. Hauing then examined the life and manners of such as aspire to dignities, offices, benefices, knighthoods, exemptions, immunities, gifts and rewards. If their lives be polluted and wicked, they are not onely to be reiected, but also to bee punished. And rewards are to be distributed to good men, according to euerie mans merit: and by an harmoniacall proportion you must giue the purse to the most loyall, armes to the most valiant, iustice to the most iust, the cenfure to the most upright, labour
[*](A true distribution of offices and charges.) to the strongest, the government to the wisest, the priesthood to the deuoutest: yet hauing respect to the nobilitie, riches, age, and power of euerie one, and to the qualitie of the charges and offices. For it were a ridiculous thing to seeke a judge that were a warrior, a prelat couragious, and a souldiour with a conscience. We have treated of Rewards, Triumphes, and Honours, which are for the most part giuen unto men of warre: Let vs now see if it be fit to exercise the subiect in armes.