A very briefe and profitable treatise declaring hovve many counsells, and vvhat maner of counselers a prince that will gouerne well ought to haue The book speaketh. ... — Consejo i consejeros del principe. English. Abridgments

A very briefe and profitable treatise declaring hovve many counsells, and vvhat maner of counselers a prince that will gouerne well ought to haue The book speaketh. ... — Consejo i consejeros del principe. English. Abridgments

Table of contents

Title page

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To the ryght Noble Erle of Leycester, one of hir highnesse most Honorable, wise, and graue Counselers.

With what order and methode the Institution of a Prince ought to be written.

VVhat a counsell is, and hovv many counsells a Prince ought to haue.

VVhat a counseler is, and vvhat qualities he ought to haue.

Of the Princes choyse.

The effect of my Authors Peroration or conclusion.

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A very briefe and profitable Treatise declaring hovve many counsells, and vvhat maner of Counselers a Prince that will gouerne well ought to haue.

The Booke speaketh.

All you that Honors woulde atcheeue,

And Counslers eke desire to bee,

Of selfe loue flee the false beleeue,

And learne my lore that you may see

What worthynesse in you doth reygne,

Such worthy state thereby tatteyne.

IMPRINTED at London by William Seres.

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Firmo Appoggio.

1570

To the ryght Noble Erle of Leycester, one of hir highnesse most Honorable, wise, and graue Counselers.

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FOR LACK OF BETter habilitie, I am bolde after my olde wonte, to presēt your Honor with Inke and Paper, more to doe my bounde dutie in shewing my selfe thankfull towardes you, for your great benifites bestowed on mee: than for any profite or pleasure, that I know your Honor can reape any waye of my rude wryting. And yet amongst al the tryfles that euer I wrote, there was none in mine opinion that ought to please you better than this little Treatise, representing vnto you as it were in a glasse, manye of those good vertues and qualities that do raigne in you, & ought to raigne in cuery other good counseler. Which Treatise was first written in the Spanishe tongue by a Spanyard called FEDERIGO FVRIO, and afterward trāslated into the Italian tongue by [Page] another Spanyard called ALFONSO D'VLLOA, but not with so good grace as I beleeue it had in the Spanishe, which in deede I neuer sawe, and therefore though my very friend May ster Iohn Baptist Castiglion one of the Gromes of hir Highnesse priuie chamber, vpō good zeale he had to profite many, deliuered me the saide booke at my last being at the Court, earnestly requesting me to put the same into our vulgar tong, yet I would not altogither trāslate it, but thought it best to make a briefe collection of the substance thereof, cutting of all superfluous talke, and yet leauing nothing out (I trust) that was necessary to be spoken. But how soeuer it be I most humbly beseech your Honor to take it well in worth, and in pervsing the same to conceyue of my labour bestowed therin, with that fauourable iudgement, which you haue alwayes vsed towardes mee, in all my other doings, and therwith to continue still my good Lord, euen as I think my selfe bounde to continue your faythfull seruant. Thus leauing to trouble your Honor any further: I pray God to graunt you helth & long lyfe, with much prosperitie. From Newton Flotman the first of Aprill. 1570.

Most bounde to your Honor

Thomas Blundeuill.

With what order and methode the Institution of a Prince ought to be written.

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WHO so vvill write the Institution 1 of a Prince, ought to deuide hys vvorke into fiue partes. The first vvhereof vvould containe three Bookes, and the first Booke must shevv vvhat a Prince is, hovv he vvas first ordained, & to vvhat ende, vvhat povver hee hath, vvho gaue it him, & vvho may take it from him. The second booke muste declare vvhat Artes and Sciēces are required in a Prince that vvill gouerne vvell. The [Page] thirde booke must shewe vvhat morall vertues a Prince should haue, and hovv to vse them.

The seconde part must treate 2 of the Princes education, of his Schoolemaysters, gouernours, seruantes, friendes and louers, of his house and householde: and therefore as the Phisitians doe deuide mannes lyfe into seauen ages or times, so this part would be likevvise deuided into seauen bookes, the first treating of the Princes infancie, the seconde of his childehood, and all the reast of hys other ages or times.

The thirde part vvoulde contayne 3 three Bookes, the one vvhereof must shevve the dutie of the subiect in euerye poynt tovvardes the Prince, and the other, [Page] the dutye of the Prince tovvards the subiect: vvhereby it shall plainely appeare, vvho is a Traytour, and vvho is a faythfull subiect, and also vvho is a iust Prince, & vvho is a tyrant.

The fourth part vvould shevv hovve a Prince ought to rule 4 and raigne, so as he may escape and ouercome all diffycultes that may chaunce any maner of vvaye, vvhich are not easily knovvne, by cause they are diuers, according to the diuersitie of the kingdome, or principalitie: vvhich is gotten & possessed by one of these foure waies: That is, either by inheritaunce, by election, by forcyble conquest, or else by pollicye: it is requisite therefore that this part [Page] be deuided into foure Bookes, euery one treating of ech of the sayde kindes of possession.

Finallye, bicause the Prince 5 can not heare all, see all, knovve all, and prouide for all, alone of himselfe: the fift part therefore ought to treate of the councell, and counselers of a Prince teaching him hovve to make hys counsell, and vvhat maner of counselers to choose, of vvhich part mine Aucthor aboute nine yeares past tooke vppon him to vvrite, deuiding the sayde part into eyght bookes: but as yet he neuer set forth more (that I knovve) than the fyrst Booke, the effect vvhereof hereafter folovvith.

VVhat a counsell is, and hovv many counsells a Prince ought to haue.

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A Counsell is an assembly of vvise and discreete persons chosen by the Prince to counsell him in all his affayres, both of peace and vvarre, in such sort as he by their helpe maye gouerne hys Realme vviselye, and foresee all daungers that may bety de, so as in all his doings and enterprises, he maye haue good successe, or at the least, as little euill successe, and as seldome as maye bee. And though that the Counsell and the Prince maketh in deede but [Page] one entyere thing, in that it hath but one heade vvhich is the Prince, yet it is necessarye that the saide counsell be deuided into manye partes, vvhich though they haue dyuers offices, yet they shall make but one body, no more than the seuerall partes of mannes bodye, seruing to dyuers purposes. VVherefore it is meete, first to shevve hovve manye seuerall counsells a Prince that vvil gouerne vvel ought to haue. And than to euerye one of those counsells, hovv many counselers, hovv manye Presydents, hovv manye Secretaries, and hovv many Clarkes be needefull, and also vvhat qualities be requyred in those men, that [Page] they may be able and sufficient to serue the turne. Also vvhat prerogatiues, preheminences, and authorities they ought to haue: Againe, hovv they ought to bee assembled, vvhere, in vvhat tyme, and vvhat houre, then vvhich matters ought to be first propounded, to vvhom the Bylls of remembraunce for dispatch and al other vvritings ought to bee delyuered, vvho ought to solicet the matters, and hovve they should be entred into the bookes, and many such lyke things. Furthermore to shevve hovve one counsell ought to ansvvere another orderly, to the intent there be no confusion nor mingle mangle of matters. And lastly, to shevv [Page] them vvhen they haue all determyned vppon some matter, hovve and in vvhat sort they shall make relacion thereof vnto the Prince before they make any final resolution or conclusion. Follovving then this order, mine author sayth, that if the Prince minde to gouerne his state vvell, and to dispatche manye matters speedilye, hee ought to haue seauen counsells euery one differing from other in affayres, offices, and in authoritie.

And first he beginneth vvith the counsell of reuenevves, The Eschequer. not for that it is first by vvorthynesse, but (as I take it) for that it is first by order of nature, taking here perhaps the [Page] Princes reuenevves to bee the matter, vvithout the vvhich nothing can be done, to vvhich counsel belongeth these points here follovving.

To gather vp his reuenevves.

To see that they bee not vvasted.

To encrease them by all conuenient meanes.

To consider from vvhence, hovv and in vvhat tyme extraordinary These thinges belong to our high Courte of Parlament. reuenevves maye bee best leuyed, to appoint taskes, and subsedies, tolles, and customes, and to reforme them vvhen they be eyther to much or to little, vvithout dammaging the vveale publique, to abridge superfluous, and to encrease necessary expences.

[Page] The seconde is the counsell The priuie counsell which for worthinesse woulde be first placed. of the state, vvhose office and dutie consisteth in these points here follovving. First, to see vvhether such officers and gouernours as serue vnder the Prince as vvell in peacible as in vvarlike affayres, doe their dutye or not. To knovve hovve long their tyme of seruice endureth, vvhyther they ought to be chaunged or not, & vvho ought to be chosen to serue in their roomes. Moreouer, to see that all charges both ordinary and extraordinarie, as vvell for matters of peace, as also of vvarre, be payde in due tyme by vertue of their vvarrant directed to the counsell of the reuenevves, vvhich haue authoritie [Page] to receyue, but not to disburse one penny vvithout speciall vvarrant from this counsell, vvhich onely hath povver to distribute the Princes money. Also to consider vvyth vvhome eyther peace, vvarre, league, or truce, is to bee made. Agayne, vvyth vvhome the Prince ought to ioyne in true, or fayned friendship, and hovv farre, hovve much, in vvhat sort, and at vvhat time, vvhither secretelye or openly hee ought to ayde his friends. And therefore this counsell hauing so great matters in charge, deserueth vvell to bee the heade and chiefe of al the other counsells.

The thyrde counsell is for The counsell [Page] of war, whereof Englande hath most neede. matters of vvarre, and therefore mine author calleth it the counsell of vvarre, vvhose office is to see that the Prynces Tovvnes, Portes, & Frontiers, be vvell fortifyed, and to vnderstande the vvhole Arte and Discipline of vvarre, to the intent the Prince and his realme maye not onely bee defended from all forreyne povver, but also get the victory of his enimies, vvith vvhome he shall hap to ioyne in battayle. And therefore this counsell besides being skilfull in Fortification, in taking of musters, in trayning of Souldiours, and in setting of battayles ought also to haue in prompe memory al the former vvarres of the Prince [Page] and of his predicessors, and to knovve hovve and vpon vvhat occasion those vvarres vvere first begonne, follovved, ended, and vvhat successe they had, and hovve those vvarres differed one from another by reason of tyme, and vvhat condicions of peace haue bene offered or receyued, & vpon vvhat causes. Also to consider as vvell the force of the enimy and of his allyes and confederates, as of the Prince and his confederates, and to compare them togither, that they may knovve vvhyther they bee equall in povver, or that the one excelleth the other, & vvherin, as in men, armor, discipline, vittails, same, credit, money, friends, allyes [Page] and such lyke, vvythout due consideration of vvhiche things, he that beginneth anye vvarre, endeth the same for the most part to his great losse, shame, and reproche, and therfore hovv necessary this counsell is to a Prince, it is easie ynough to see.

The fourth counsell is for Purueyours prouision of vittailes, and therfore it may be vvell called of vs the counsell of vittelers, or purueyours, vvhose charge is to furnishe the vvhole state vvith vittailes both in time of peace, and vvarre. And therefore this counsell had neede to knovvc euery part of the Countrie, and vvhat it is able to yeelde and to keepe bookes of remembrances [Page] that maye shevve them at all tymes vvhat store of vittaylc there is, and vvhat is lacking, vvhat commeth in, or goeth out by sea or by land, also from vvhence they are brought and vvhyther they are caryed, by vvhat vvaye, by vvhome, in vvhat sort, hovv much, and at vvhat tyme, and such like matters appertayning to their office. And to this counsell the Prince shall doe vvell to referre al matters touching lycences of carying out corne, or other vittayle, graunting lycence to no person to carrye oute of the realme any vittayle, vvithout the consent and aduise of thys counsel, vvherby the state shall not onely haue sufficient alvvayes [Page] for themselues, but also many tymes such aboundance as they may helpe their friends and louing neighbors, in their neede, vvhereas contrarivvise for lacke of this counsell hauing this authority, the realme many times suffereth great famine by meanes that a fevv couetous persons preferring their ovvne priuate lucre before the profite of the vvhole common vvealth, by money and friendship doe procure licences of the Prince, to cary out into forrein places that vittayle, vvhereby the common vvealth at home should be susteyned. Yea, and many tymes for vile lucre sake and hope of greater gaine, doe rather relieue the enimies, than [Page] the friendes of the state, vvhich through vnkindenesse by them conceyued causeth offence, yea and sometime breach of friendship. Moreouer for lack of this counsell, vvarres are made many times in Countries, vvheras no meate is to be had for man, or beast, so as the armye is no sooner in the fielde, but it suffereth extreeme hunger, and is therby forced to returne immediately home agayne vvyth shame ynough, or to make peace, or truce, eyther oute of tyme, or else vvith such condicions, as are not meete, nor honorable, vvhereby the Prince loseth his estimation amongest straungers, and getteth the hatred of his ovvne people. For [Page] tvvo thinges makes the people to loue the Prince, that is, to be defended from the oppression of the mightye, and to bee in league vvyth those Nations, vvithout vvhome they can not vvell traffique.

The fifte counsell is touching matters of lavve, vvhose The cōmon place. charge is to appoint as manye and as fevve officers as shall seeme requisite to minister iustice These pointes also doe belong to our high Courte of Parlament. in ciuill causes throughout the vvhole state, and thys counsel must haue authority to make lavves, to repeale lavves, to reforme lavves, and to interprete lavves, for lack of vvhich counsell great vvrongs are suffred, and many disorders committed in all common vvealths [Page] to the great decay of the state, and setting vp and aduauncing of a fevv Lavveyers and aduocates, vvhich in these dayes may boldly rob and spoyle the poore commons, vvithout any feare of punishment or correction.

The sixt counsell is touching The kings bench. cryminall causes, and therefore it may be called the counsell of correction, thys counsell must haue authoritye to iudge and giue sentence of all crymes cō mitted any maner of vvay, and to punishe the offenders according to the lavves of the countrie.

The seauenth counsell is touching The Whitehal, or court of revvards. revvardes to be giuen by the Prince to such as deserue, [Page] and therefore it maye be verye vvel called the revvarding coū sell, for the office of this counsell is to knovv vvho deserueth vvell, and vvho doth not, and to enforme the Prince thereof, to the intent the Princes benifites be not euill bestovved: and therefore the Prince shall doe vvell, not to giue any tevvarde vvythout the aduice of thys counsell. And for lack of such a counsell, vve see for the most part in Princes Courts that the vertuous sort vvhich commō ly be no crauers, are sildome or neuer considered, and such as least deserue, are alvvayes best revvarded. The Prince being thus furnished vvith these dyuers counsels shall bee able to [Page] dispatch more matters, than vvhen the vvhole charge lyeth onely vpon tvvo or three persons, by vvhose long delayes the Princes subiectes are novve forced to consume themselues in continuall vvayting, for dispatch of businesse, and yet as mine author sayth, the ambition and couetousnesse of some counselers is such, as they can not suffer to haue any partiners in their doings, bicause they vvill haue all the honor, and all the gayne to themselues, esteeming more their ovvne priuate lucre, than the profite of the common vvealth, vvhich kinde of men are vnmete to be counselers, bee they neuer so vvise. And to the intent that these [Page] seauen counsells before mentioned, may not be reduced all to one, in such sort as tvvo or three persons should rule all, as commonlye is seene in most places novv a dayes. It is requisite therefore that no counseler be suffred to be of diuers counsells at once, but to tende one alone, medling vvith no matters of any other counsell, but onely vvith those, vvhich appertayneth to that counsell, vvherevnto hee is called. But novve, to order these seauen coūsells rightly, it vvere needefull to vvryte seauen Bookes, declaring al the particuler parts and circumstaunces that belong vnto euery one of the said coū sells, but for so much as it vvere [Page] a superfluous thing to repeate in euery one of those bokes, all the qualities that be requisite in those counselers that are to bee admytted into any of the foresay de counsells, and speciallye such qualities, not differing verye much one from another. I thought it best therefore to spende this booke in making one discourse of that matter for all, vvhich here follovveth.

VVhat a counseler is, and vvhat qualities he ought to haue.

A Counseler is a sufficiēt person, chosen by the Prince, [Page] meete to serue in some one of the foresaide counsels, and able to discharge hys dutie therein. In vvhich definition tvvo thinges are to be considered, that is, the sufficientcie of the manne, and the choyse of the Prince, of both vvhich things vve minde to speake: but first of the sufficientcy of the manne, vvhich consisteth in tvvo poynts, that is, in the qualities of the mind, and in the qualities of the bodye.

The qualities of the minde requisite in anye counseler in generall, are in number as mine Author sayth. XV. that is,

1 To be vvise.

2 To be eloquent.

3 To speake dyuers languages.

[Page] 4 To be a good Hystoriographer.

5 To be a good Morall Philosopher.

6 To be politique.

7 To be a traueler.

8 To knovve the force as vvell of hys Prince, as of his enymies and neyghbours.

9 To loue hys common vvealth, and to preferre the profite, and honor thereof before his ovvne gaine and estimation.

10 To haue a right iudgement in all thinges vvithout partialitie, esteeming honestie and truthe more than friende or kinsman, and to be no maintainer of any sect or faction; vvhich be perillous members in anye common vvealth.

11 To be iust in correcting the [Page] euill vvithout rygour, and in revvarding the good according to their due desertes.

12 To be liberall.

13 To be benificiall tovvards his common vvealth.

14 To be affable, that is to saye, courteous and gentle, in hys speech and behauiour tovvards all sortes of men, both poore and ryche.

15 And finally, to haue a noble, stovvte, couragious, and constant minde, not fearing to lose both lyfe and goodes for the truth sake. All vvhich qualities mine author might easily haue reduced into these fiue generall kindes: that is, Prudence, Scyence, Iustice, Fortytude, and Temperaunce, For vnder Prudence [Page] are comprehended the first, the sixt, seauenth, & eyght quality, for there is, PRVDENTIA, MONASTICA, DOMESTICA, and POLITICA. The first vvherof, teacheth a man to gouerne himselfe, leading a sole lyfe, the seconde, to gouerne a familye, and the third, to rule a common vvelth, vvhich requireth suche pollicie and experience as he talketh of. Vnder Science may be comprehended the seconde, the thirde, the fourth, and fift qualitie: and vnder Iustice, the ninth, tenth, leauenth, tvvelfth, & thirteenth qualitie: vnder Temperaunce, the fourteenth: and vnder Fortitude the fifteenth, and manye others, vvhich mine Author as I suppose leaueth out of purpose, [Page] thinking these sufficient (as I take it) yea, and perhaps more than are to bee founde in some counselers in these daies, and therefore though I haue a good vvyll to treate of these thinges in another order, yet for his sake that delyuered mee the booke, I vvill follovv mine Authors order, briefely declaring the vses of the foresayde fifteene qualityes, and vvhat causes mooued hym to thinke them most necessary for a coū seler, & finally hovv the Prince shall knovve by tryall, and not by relation, vvhither his counseler hath such qualities or not: VVherby it seemeth that mine Author supposeth, the Prince to bee endued vvyth all these [Page] qualities hymselfe, for othervvise I see not hovv he should bee able ryghtlye to iudge of them.

VVell then the first qualitie A liuely vvytte. is, as he sayth, to haue a quicke and liuely vvytte, vvhich is the beginning, meane, and ende of all noble enterprises, vvithout the vvhich all other vertues do little preuayle. For vve see by experience that the rude vvytte vvith great labor & dilygence, sildome or neuer, attayneth to that knovvledge or iudgement, vvhich the fine vvyt getteth in short space, & vvith little paine. Neyther doe rude vvyttes euer attempt anye vvorthye enterprise: vvherefore to haue a fine vvyt is a thing most needefull [Page] to anye counseler. VVhiche, vvhyther he hath so or not, the Prince ought to knovve by tryall of the manne, and not by information or relation of others. And such tryall is to bee had tvvo maner of vvayes, by his vvordes, and by his deedes, for the vvise man commonlye doth not talke of such matters, nor in such sort as the common sort doth, neyther be his vvordes or phrases lyke vnto theirs, his talke is graue and vvise, hee is readye in aunsvvering, and quick of vnderstanding, and easie to bee vnderstoode in declaring any thing. He is pleasaunt in matters of sport, and in earnest causes graue and circumspect. And finally, he is able to [Page] vse talke meete for all companyes, vvythout breaking the bounds of comelynesse, due to his calling. Novve as touching his deedes they are knovvne by his actiuitie, and by hys dilygence vsed in reading, vvriting, and conferring vvith vvise and learned men, and in practising vvyth men of experience, and vvith men of dyuers nations. For vvith suche the vvise man vvill acquaint himselfe, to the intent he may knovv all things and bee ignoraunt in nothing. But the dull and grosse vvytted man doth cleane contrarye, for he giuing himselfe to sloth, to belly cheere, to levvd company and to vaine pastimes, abhorreth the companye of the vvise [Page] and learned sort & vtterly neglecteth all vertuous exercyses.

The seconde qualitie, meete for a counseler is to be eloquent Eloquence. to the intent he may be able to persvvade or disvvade, to accuse, or to defende, to prayse, or disprayse, to reioyce or to sorrovv vvith others, to entertaine Ambassadours vvyth pleasaunt talke or to doe any message, or Ambassage from the Prince, also in time of tumults and commotions, the eloquent counseler vvith his authority & good persvvasion, maye cause much quietnesse, and profite the common vvealth dyuers vvayes. Novve vvhy ther the counseler be eloquent or not, the Prince maye knovve partlye by hys [Page] vvords, and partly by his deeds, for by oft talking vvith him, he shall knovv his order of speech, vvhat vvordes and phrases hee commonly vseth, and he maye cause hym to tell some tale or Hystorye, marking him hovve he beginneth, deuideth, follovvith, and endeth the same, and vvith vvhat grace & proprietie of vvords, also hovv he delateth or abridgeth the same. Againe, the Prince may knovv hym by his deeds, by considering vvhat Maysters he had to teache him, also vvhat diligence he vsed, & vvhat time he emploied therin, vvhyther he made anye vvorke or not, & to examine the same: or fayning that hee hath some Ambassage of importaunce to [Page] sende somevvhyther, he maye cause him to endight the same in his ovvne presence.

The thirde qualitie of the Knowledge of tongues. minde meete for a counseler is to haue dyuers tongues and languages, to the intent that vvhen hee is sent in message to any forreyne Prince, hee shall not neede the helpe of anye trussheman or Interpreter to tell his tale. VVhich Interpreters many tymes by adding to, or taking fro, doe hynder the same, or else do not tell it vvith such grace, nor to so good purpose as he hymselfe vvoulde. Moreouer, by hauing the tong of the countrie, vvhere he serueth, he shall the better vnderstande the maners, rightes, and [Page] customes, and all the secretes of the same, and Spies vvill more gladly conferre vvith him, and reueale to hym alone, that vvhich they vvould not vvyllingly doe in the presence of a thirde person. And the Prince of the country vvill delight the more in him, vvho sometyme shall haue occasion to declare some secret to the Ambassador or messenger, vvhich he vvould haue no other man to knovve, therefore hovv needefull thys qualitie is to a counseler, it is easie ynough to see, vvhiche quality, vvhither the counseler hath or not, the Prince ought to knovve by tryall, as by making him to vvryte or speake some thing in those tongues [Page] vvherein he should be skilfull. The tongues necessarye for an English counseler in mine opion are these. Latten, Frenche, Spannishe, Flemmishe, highe Dutch, and Italian, for vvith all these nations vvee haue manye tymes to doe.

The fourth qualitie belonging Reading of Hystories. to a counseler, is to bee a good Hystoriographer, that is to saye, to haue seene and redde as vvell the Hystories of olde tymes as of late dayes, and specially those that appertayne to the state vvherein he serueth. And also the Hystories of the friends, neighbors, and enimies to the same state, vvhereby more knovvledge and experience is to bee gotten, than by [Page] any thing else, for Hystories be no other thing but a collection of dyuers experiences of all tymes, and of all sortes of men. VVherfore, a dyligent Hystoriographer, vvhich readeth to further his knovvledge, and not to please his eares, can be ignorauut in nothing that appertaines to gouernement, be it in time of vvarre or peace. For he seeth & knovveth al the sleytes & fine pollicies that hath beene vsed in eyther of both tymes. Neyther is it possible for anye man, liue hee neuer so long, to get by hys ovvne experience, the tenth part of that knovvledge vvhich a diligent reader of Hystories shall obtayne in fevve yeres. For vvhereas the [Page] man of experience in his tyme perhaps seeth a small number of battayles, skirmishes, besiegings, sedicions, tumults, breaking vp of vvarres, leagues, peaces, and such lyke matters, the Hystoriographer knovveth an infinite number of such things, togither vvith the beginning, proceeding, and ending of the same. Also he knovveth the best vvaye of gouernment, belonging to a common vvealth or kingdome, and hovve to maintaine the same, and to encrease the povver thereof, by reason that he hath redde of so manye common vvealthes and kingdomes, and knovvne by vvhat meanes they haue increased or decayed, therefore nothing is [Page] more necessary for a counseler, than to bee a diligent reader of Hystories, vvhich vvhither he be so or not, the Prince maye knovve by tryall, as by asking hym suche questions as these are, hovv many chaunges hath the crovvn of England, Fraunce or Spayne suffred? vvhat families hath possessed it? by vvhat meanes, hovv long time, and vvhat vvas the cause of euerye chaunge? and hovve manye of euerye familye raygned, and vvhich of those had most or least fame? hovv many vvarres euery one of them made, for vvhat cause, vvith vvhom, and in vvhat time, and hovve such vvarres vvere first begonne and ended? also to aske hym vvhat [Page] notable battayles hath beene euer since the birth of Christ, eyther in Englande, Fraunce, or Spayne, vvho hath vvonne, & vvho hath lost, & to shevv the cause thereof. Also to aske him vvhat seditions and tumultes hath bene in any of those coū tries, vpon vvhat cause such seditions vvere made, vvhat hurt or good they dyd, and hovve they vvere appeased, to vvhich and such like questions, if the counseler can aunsvvere readily, there is no doubt but he is a good Hystoriographer, and can vse hys knovvledge to good purpose, vvhen tyme and occasion shall serue.

The fifte qualitie is to bee a good Morall Phylosopher, to Morall Philosophy. [Page] the intent hee maye perfitely knovve the ende and true vse of euery vertue, vvherin it consisteth, and hovve farre it extendeth, for lack of vvhich knovvledge, many doe accompt rudenesse & ignoraunce to be plaine dealing, pride to bee magnanimitie, modestye to be covvardlynesse, and foolishe hardinesse to be fortitude, and to be short, doe take vertue for vice, & vice for vertue. In all counsells and deliberatiōs, the first thing that men doe consult of, is vvhither the thing they go about, be honest or not, & if the counseler knovveth not vvherein honestie consisteth, and hovve farre it extendeth, he can neyther make vvise deliberation, nor good resolution. [Page] Moreouer, in appointing offices to meete persons, & in revvarding euery man according to his deserts, the knovvledge of the vertues is so necessary, as a counseler can not bee vvithout it. The Prince maye knovve vvhyther his counseler hath suche knovvledge or not, by demaunding hym such lyke questions as these are. VVhat things bee needefull to the obtaining of the chiefe felicitie in thys lyfe? vvhat is Prudence? vvhat is Iustice? vvhat is Fortytude? and vvhat partes they haue, vvhyther it be better for a Prince to be couetous or prodigall, and vvhich of those extreemes dravve nighest to the vertue of liberalitie? vvherein [Page] clemency doth consist, & vvhither it be better to be ouer mercyfull, or to seuere, and hovve many vvayes a man maye offend against Fortitude? Againe, vvherein magnificencie doth consist, and vvhat contraries it hath. The Prince also maye knovve hys councelers skill in these matters by hys doinges, studies, and trade of lyfe.

The fixt qualitie is to be pollitike, that is to say, to be practised Pollicie. in gouernement, both in time of peace and vvarre, for the office of the Prince, is not onely to gouerne vvell his people, but also to defende them from all violence. And therefore the counseler had neede to be skilfull as vvell in martiall [Page] affayres, as in cyuill gouernement. And first as touching cyuill gouernmēt, he must knovv that euerye common vvealth consisteth of tvvo parts, vvhich I maye call here for difference sake, the body and the soule. By the body I meane the habitations or dvvelling places, vvherin the aire first is to be considered, as vvhyther it bee hote, colde, or temperate, then the scyte thereof, as vvhyther it be neare to some Sea, running streame, or standing vvater, also vvhyther such scyte be high, or lovv, dry, or moyst, in fruitfull soyle or barren grounde, nighe to, or farre fro the enimie. Also to vvhat vvindes it is most subiect, for according to these [Page] considerations, the streetes in Cities or tovvnes ought to bee made, vvyde, or strayte, open to one vvinde, and shut to another, according as they be good or hurtfull, the market places aptly placed, and the houses built in such order, and hauing such shape, as is most necessary and conuenient to serue al purposes. VVherby it seemeth by my Authors vvordes, that the counseler had neede to be skilfull in Architecture, vvhich in deede is a noble Scyence, and necessary to all men, but speciallye to counselers and Magistrates. By the sovvle of the common vvealth, is ment the gouernmét of the same, vvherin first is to bee considered, of [Page] vvhat maner of forme it is, as vvhither it be gouerned by one onely King or Prince, as the Kingdome of Spayne, Portugale, and Castyll: or by noble men onely, as Venice novve, or as Sparta in olde tyme past: or by the cōmon people, as novv in oure dayes the Cyties of Svvyzerland, called the Cantovvnes: or by the king and his nobles, as the Kyngdome of Denmarke, and as Rome vvhen it had kings: or by the king and his commons, as for a certayne tyme the Empire of Persia vvas gouerned: or by Nobles and commons togyther, as Rome after they had put dovvne there kings and chosen Consulls and Trybunes: & the lyke gouernment [Page] vvas in Lacedemony and Athens, & in our tyme in Floraunce and Seane, and dyuers other common vvealths in Italie: or vvhither it be gouerned by a king, his nobles, and commons, all three togither, as the Empire of Almanie, the kingdome of Pollonia, of Arragon in Spayne, and also of Englande, and in euerye one of these gouernments, the counseler ought to knovve hovve, and by vvhat meanes the state may be preserued, augmented, or decayed, vvhat perilles maye happe, and hovv the same may be remedyed vvith lest trouble, coste, and expences. VVhat lavves and Magistrats are most meete and necessary for euerye [Page] gouernment. For it is vnpossible for the counseler that is ignoraunt in these thinges, to remedy all such disorders as may chaunce. Neyther can he counsell his Prince hovve to behaue himselfe vvyth this friende, or that confederate, vvith this or that foe, nor knovv hovv much the one may further hym, and the other hynder hym. Thus muche of cyuill gouernment. Novve as touching Marshall affayres or vvarlyke pollicye, the counseler ought to knovve such circumstaunces as doe belong to a good Souldiour, Captaine, or generall, as hovv Souldyours are to be leauied, mustred, and armed, hovve they should Marche, hovv to be encamped, [Page] hovv to fight, hovve to retire, hovv a Campe should be fortified, and hovv a tovvne should be besieged or defended, and finally, all such thinges as doe appertayne to the Arte of vvarre. But novve to knovve vvhyther the counseler be thus pollitike or not, the prince may trye hym, by asking these or such like questions here follovving. As vvhyther it be better to builde a Citie in a ferty ll or barren soyle? vvhich vvinds are to be barred from an habitation or dvvelling place? hovv manye vvayes a state or kingdome is vvoont to bee lost? by vvhat meanes the good gouernement of anye common vvealth is decayed? of vvhat [Page] causes seditions and rebellions doe spring? hovv they may be oppressed? vvherin the povver of a Prince doth consist? vvhyther in riches, or in good Souldiers? hovv manye vvaies one Prince vvythout slaunder may make vvarre vppon another Prince, that hath giuen no iust occasion therevnto? vvhyther it be better to tarie the enimye at our ovvne home, or to seeke him at his home, hovv manye things a Prince hath to consider before he enter into vvarre? and being entred, hovve many before he fight anye battayle? and hauing fought, hovv many things he hath to consider after he hath vvonne or lost the victorie. To vvhich and such like [Page] questions, if he can rightly and readily ansvvere, he is vvorthy to bee called a pollitike counseler.

The seauenth qualitie belonging to a counseler is to bee a Traueling of Countries. traueler and to haue seene not onely all the terretories of hys Prince, but also manye other Countries, and specially those that bee eyther friendes or enimies to his prince, so as he may vnderstande their gouernment both in time of peace & vvarre, and their reuenevves as vvell ordinary as extraordinary: also hovv the Princes and the subiects of those countries do like one of another, and hovv they agree or disagree amongest themselues, of vvhat povver [Page] they be, vvhat Forts & Holdes they haue, hovv they are maintayned and kept, vvhat trade of lyfe and trasfique the common people vseth, of vvhat nature, disposition and manners they be, and such like things necessarie to be knovvne. VVythout consideration of vvhich things, vvho so traueleth into straunge countries spendeth his tyme in vayne, as the yong Napolitan that had beene at Rome, and at hys returne, coulde render no good accompt of his trauelle to the Prince that gaue him leaue to go abroade, but onely hovv he had seene vvalles, tovvers, cvties, tovvnes, hvlles, dales, floudes, trees, and busshes, of all vvhich things he had plenty at [Page] home, and therefore vvas commaunded by the Prince from thencefoorth to tarye styll at home. But the vvise traueiler obserueth such profitable thinges as are before tolde, and many more very diligently, & by comparing the straunge countries first one vvith another, & then all those vvith his ovvne, is able to iudge of the gouernment of hys ovvne countrie, hovve good or euill it is, and knovveth hovv to roote out all abuses and euill customes, and to plant good in their stead. He knovveth hovve to entertayne straungers, be they friends, foes, or nevvtralls, by reason that he is acquainted vvith their manners and conditions, & can apply [Page] his vvordes, vvryting, and deedes, according as the condition of the men, of the matter, of the tyme, and of the Prince shall require, knovving both the commodities and discommodities of tymes and places, vvherby the Prince or his coū sell can neuer bee decey ued in any thing, by vvrong or false information of straungers, neyther shall hee neede to depende vppon their iudgement. The Prince to knovve vvhy ther his counseler bee a traueiler, and vvhat profite hee hath reaped thereby, maye question vvyth him in this vvise. Hovv many myles contayneth the length of Fraunce, and hovv many in breadth, and also hovv manye [Page] in circute, vvhat notable cities, tovvnes, and Vniuersities it hath? & specially vvhat holdes and Fortes? And on vvhat side the countrie is most easie to be inuaded, vvhat floudes and streames it hath that bee not vvádable, vvhat vertue or vice is most proper or peculyer to the French men, and in vvhat thing they most delyght? also vvherin the nobilitie of Fraūce differeth from the nobilitie of Englande? and vvherein their people differ from oures? hovv much their buildings differ frō oures? vvhich of the tvvo kings of Fraunce and Englande hath most absolute povver? vppon vvhat occasions and hovve the people of Fraunce is vvont to [Page] vvithstande their prince? And vvherein their seruitude differeth from the seruitude of our people? hovv the king of Fran̄ce leauyeth his Souldiours? hovv they are exercised and trayned? And in marching through the countrie, vvhat order is taken and vvhat prouision is made, that the poore countriemen be not spoyled nor molested by them? The like questions may bee demaunded of anye other countrie, or vvythout asking these questions it is easie to perceyue by his ovvne talke of the countries vvhere he hath bene, vvhat profite he hath gathered. For if he be alvvayes ready eyther to condemne straunge coū tries and their customes or gouernment [Page] and to prayse hys ovvne, or else contrary vvise to prayse the others & to dispraise his ovvne, vvithout due consideration or comparison had: it is an euident signe that hee maketh no distinctiō of things, and vvhereas is no distinction, there can be no choyse or election, and vvhere election vvanteth, there is no vvisedome nor iudgement, and vvhere vvisedome and iudgement fayleth, all things fayle.

The eyght qualitie requisite in a counseler, is to knovve as Knowledge of the Princes power. vvell the strength and povver of his Prince, as also of his allyes, friendes, neyghbours and enimies, for vvant of vvhich knovvledge, manye tymes the [Page] Prince is counseled to vvarre vvith those, vvith vvhome he ought to lyue in peace, and to make peace vvith those vvyth vvhome he should rather haue vvarres. And the Prince maye try the knovvledge of his coū seler in thys behalfe, by asking him these or suche lyke questions. As vvhat ordinary or extraordinarye reuenevves hys friendes or foes haue? vvherof such reuenevves do rise? vvhat Souldyours they are able to make? hovve they are leauyed, armed, trayned, and exercysed? vvhat Captaines they haue? of vvhat thinges necessarye to maintaine vvarre, their countries haue eyther plentye or lack? and such lyke.

[Page] The ninth qualitie requisite in a counseler, is to loue hys The zeale and true loue of the Counseler towardes his country. common vvealth, so vvell as he doth alvvayes regarde the profite and honour thereof, more than his ovvne, esteeming in respecte thereof, neyther hys goodes, dignitie, lyfe, nor fame, vvithout vvhich loue, he can neuer bee so carefull, for the preseruation of hys common vvealth, nor so diligent in doing his duetie, as hee ought to be, vvhich loue or zeale, vvhyther the counseler hath or not, the Prince may knovve, partly by hearing his opinion in such matters as doe redovvnde more to the Princes peculier profite, than eyther to his honor, or to to the profite of the common [Page] vvealth. As vvhyther vppon some fained cause, it be good to breake a league or truce made vvyth some Prince? or to depryue Cyties or tovvnes of their liberties? or to charge the commons vvith some extreme subsedie, taske, loane, beneuolence and such like. And partly he may knovv him by his conditions. For if he be eyther an hipocrite or dissembler, a couetous person or a flatterer, ready to vpholde the Princes vvordes vvith yea and naye, affirming alvvayes that the Prince maye doe vvhat him lysteth, and that he can not erre: it is vnpossible that such one can loue his common vvealth, but must needes be a great enimy thervnto.

[Page] The tenth qualitie is to haue a right iudgement in all things, Vpright iudgement. and to heare al men indifferentlye, vvythout partialitie or respect of persons, and to thinke hymselfe more bounde to right and Iustice, than to Lorde or Duke, to friend or kinsmā. For the counseler is a publique person, and therefore ought to bee voyde of all priuate affection, louing in general all good men for their vertue, and hating the euil in like maner for their vice, of vvhat countrie or nation soeuer they be. For though there be many nations, yet there bee but tvvo sortes of people, that is eyther good or euil. Notvvithstanding of those that be good, vvee are bounde both by Gods [Page] lavve and mans lavve, to preferre in some respectes, our Parents, kinsmen, and countrymen before others. The Prince may knovv vvhither his counseler hath this qualitie or not, by obseruing his doings, and marking vvhyther he be a procurer of fauour, lyuing, office, or dignitie for his kinsmen, or others that bee not vvorthye therof. Agayne, vvhyther he be factious, that is to saye, fauouring and maintayning one part of the state more than another, as the Nobles more than the cōmons or contraryvvise. And vvhyther he vpholdeth the Ecclesiasticall povver, more than the lay povver, vvhich kinde of men are perillous in all commō [Page] vvealthes. For so as their faction may stande, be it by right, or by vvrong, they care not vvhat mischiefe they doe, hauing no regarde to the commō vvealth at al. Neither is it good for a Prince to admyt into hys counsell, anye man that hath beene knovvne to bee an open enimie to any dominion, Prouince, Citie, or tovvne, that is subiect to the Prince, or to suffer any such to beare rule in any of those places. For man being naturallye vindicatiue, hauing once gotten povver to execute his desire, vvill vndoubtedly vvhen he seeth his tyme, vnder the colour of Iustice, reuenge his priuate vvrong, vvith the publicke svvorde. Neyther [Page] is it good to put anye man that is the heade of any faction, in authoritie, or to make more accompt of hym, than of the contrarye part: for that breedeth disdayne and hatred in that part, not onely against the partie so promoted, but also against the Princes ovvne persó, for his partialitie shevved therin, vvhich thing hath brought many Princes to their destruction.

The leauenth qualitie belonging to a counseler, is to bee a Iustice. iust man, vvylling to giue euery man his ovvne, according to his desartes, that is to saye, to chastice the euill vvithout crueltie, and to revvarde the good vvith such revvarde as is due to [Page] their vertue. The iust manne is faythfull and perfite in all hys doings, and therfore is beloued of both yong and olde, of rich and poore, and all men dare boldly commyt to hym themselues, their vvyues, their children, their goods, their honor, and their lyues. The Prince may knovve vvhyther his coū seler be a iust man or not, partly by his vvordes, and partly by his deeds, for his talke is graue, vvise, and full of truth, he alvvaves speaketh plainely, euen as his heart thinketh, he is no tatler, no tale teller, nor carryer▪ of nevves, no euyll reporter, slaunderer, or backbyter of the absent. For to carry tales proceedeth of a vile and base courage, [Page] and they that vse it, are neuer faythfull. He is no hypocrite or dissembler, nor double of hys tongue, speaking one thing in presence, and another thing in absence, neyther vvill he report anye thing out of the mouth of hearesay, that lying Author, but onely that vvhich he hath seene or felt, he reprooueth the euill courteously, and praiseth the good vvithout flatterie, for he vvill neyther flatter nor be flattered, yea rather hee louing nothing but truth, hateth all lyers, flatterers, scoffers, iesters, & raylers. Novv as touching the deedes of the iust man, they are easily knovvne. For hee lyueth quietly contented vvyth hys ovvne, seeking [Page] neyther honour nor ryches by any other meanes than by vertuous trauell: VVhereby if he did not seeke preferment, hee should shevve hymselfe to bee vniust. For as it is ambition in him that is vnvvorthy to seeke honour or dignitie by fauour, money, or by anye other vnlavvful meanes, so is it covvardlynesse of courage in hym that vvell deserueth, not to seeke by vertuous meane hys due revvard. Moreouer, the iust mans house and family is vvell ordered, and his seruaunts are modest, he dealeth vvith all men iustly, he payeth his dettes truly, he is no maintainer of busie bodies, nor byer of other mens dettes or doubtfull tytles, he is [Page] no vvrangler in the lavve, but fleeth all occasion of sute, contention, quarrell, stryfe, & sedition, and finallye he is louing, kinde, faythfull, friendly, charitable, and thankefull. VVhich vertues togither vvith the rest before mentioned, vvho so hath not, is no perfite iust man.

The tvvelth qualitie requisite in a counseler is to bee liberall, Liberalitie. that is neyther to be couetous, nor yet prodigall, but to vse the meane betvvixt them bothe, vvhereby hee shall procure the loue and good vvill of the people, vvhereas the couetous coū seler is hated of all men. For he hath al things to be solde, in so much as hee vvill neyther heare suters nor speake for suters [Page] vvithout revvarde, & such one vvith money is easily corrupted, to betraye both Prince and Countrie, so as he maye doe it couertly and safely, he is also readie at all times, to agree to the confiscation of another mans goodes, be it by right or by vvrong, bicause his parte is therein. Againe, the prody gall coūseler on the other side vvith vvastfull spending, by little and little consumeth himselfe, and so looseth his reputation, and at length becommeth as euill or vvoorse than the couetous counseler. The Prince maye knovve vvhyther his counseler be liberall, couetous, or prodygall by his doings, for if he bee lyberall, he keepeth good hospitalitie, [Page] and he is good to the poore, and readie to relieue the necessitie of such as vvant, as in helping vvyth hys money and friendship to bestovve honest maydes in mariage, to redeeme poore prisoners and captyues, and also to pay the dettes of his honest friendes, that are falne into decaye, and to helpe such as are like to deserue vvell of the common vvealth. But if he be couetous he doth none of these thinges, for all is little ynough for himselfe, hath he neuer so much, he lyueth miserablye scratching all to himselfe, and in any seruice of the Prince seeketh his ovvne gaine, & not the honor of his Prince, or the profite of the common vvealth, [Page] he is euer crauing of the Prince and putting in billes of remembraunce eyther for himselfe, or for some of hys. Agayne, the prodigall counseler vvasteth his substaunce in making superfluous bankets, in gaye and costly apparel, in Iustings, Torneis, in Musike, dauncing, on Havvkes and Hovvndes, on flatterers, iesters, and scoffers, and in keeping a rable of ydle seruauntes vvithout any purpose, vvhich things vvhen hee is no lenger able to maintayne vvith his ovvn goods, then he is ready to take of other mens, and spareth not to rob both Prince & common vvealth, so as he may haue vvherevvith to feede his vaine delightes. VVhereby it appeareth [Page] that both the couetous & prodigall counseler haue regard onely to themselues, and not to the Prince, or to the common vvealth. But the lyberall counseler contraryvvise regardeth onely the profite and honor of his Prince, and therefore it is the Princes part to make much of such, and to enriche them by giuing them both lands, fees, & offices, to the intent that they hauing sufficient to maintaine their callings, neede not to feke any bie meanes to enrich themselues, and thereby fayle in doing their dutie eyther tovvards him, or the common vvealth.

The thirteenth quality requisite in a counseler, is to be beneficiall Beneficialnesse. to his countrie, vvhich [Page] vertue diffreth from liberality, for liberallitie consisteth in gyuing money or moneys vvorth as it ought to be giuen. But beneficialnesse, called in Latten BENEFICENTIA, consisteth in doing good turnes and friendly pleasures, as in helping the comon vvealth and all the members thereof vvith his good aduise and counsell, by procuring the profite thereof, by comforting the afflicted, by praysing the good, and reproouing the euill, by defending, helping, and furthering vvyth hys fauour, povver, and authoritie suche as deserue vvell, vvhyther they require it or not: finally, hee is alvvaies ready to traueile vvith the Prince & his officers about [Page] anye thing that is needefull to the common vvealth, & therefore he is vvell vvorthy to bee called a father of the common vvealth. Thys man is easely knovvne to the Prince by hys doings, and therfore there needeth no further tryall to bee made of him.

The fourteenth quality requisite in a counseler, is to be affable, Affability. that is to saye, gentle and courteous both of speeche and behauiour. For such one is easie to be spoken vvith, and receyueth both poore and riche vvith a chearefull countenance, ready at all times to heare their sutes vvith a pacient and attentyue eare, vsing no frovvning lookes, nor frovvard ansvvers, [Page] he vvill not be offended vvith euery vvorde that shall be vnaduisedly spoken by the suter, or by his inferior. Neyther is he captious, taunting, disdainefull, scornefull, or ouer seuere in his speeche, he commendeth vvithout flatterie, and reprooueth vvithout villanye, he promiseth vvith grauitie, and denyeth vvith such curtesie, as the suter departeth thervvith vvell satysfied. The Prince shall knovve him by his conditions and behauiour in this sort. For the courteous man is alvvayes merrie and pleasaunt, vvatchfull, diligent and circumspect, he goeth cleanly apparelled and loueth good companye, hee is not factious or partial, but vniuersall [Page] and friendly to all men, he is free of speech, and a great enimy to all dissimulation and hypocrisie, he is neyther coloricke nor provvde, for the colericke man is vvhote and hastie, and vvil be offended vvith euery little trifle, and in his fuerie vvyll neyther heare reason, nor speake reason. Againe, the provvde man is spitefull, and full of disdayne, esteeming no man but himselfe: vvherefore neyther of these men can be affable or courteous, and therfore vnmeete to be counselers.

The fiftenth quality requisite in a counseler is Fortytude, or valyaunt courage, vvhereby he is made stovvte and constant in the defence of right, & truth, [Page] esteeming in respect thereof, neyther goods, lyfe nor honor. Againe, he is able to beare both prosperitie & aduersitie, vvith a contented quiet minde, so as he vvill not be puffed vp vvith the one, nor oppressed vvith the other. For hee contynueth alvvayes one, and is Lorde of himselfe, and therfore the more able to prouide a ready remedy for a soden mischiefe, as vvell in his ovvne behalfe, as also in the behalfe of his Prince and common vvealth in tyme of seruice, and to encourage both Prince and people vvhen neede requyreth. The Prince shall knovv him by tryal in this maner. For the valyant man is alvvayes an earnest louer of the [Page] truth, and a cruell enimie to all lyers, flatterers, scoffers, & tell tales, vvhich are the corruption and plague of all Courts, for by their meanes, the Prince syldome or neuer heareth the truth, vvhereas contrarivvise, this man letteth not to speake the truth to the Prince at all tymes vvythout respect of fauour, or feare of displeasure, & boldly reprooueth the abhominable lyes of the false flatterers, for this man is no hypocrite or dissembler, but free of hys speech, and iust in his dealings. Let the Prince therefore chose suche a man to be of his counsell, and vtterly refuse him that is a friend to flatterers, and iesters, or that vvill hide the truth [Page] from him, let him also bevvare of the couetous man that loueth money, for he in hope of gaine vvill sell both his ovvne freedome and other mens. And finally let him neuer admyt into his counsell a covvarde, or faynt hearted man, that is not able to suffer the losse of things transitory, as of vvyfe, children, friendes, ryches, or suche lyke, but vvill mourne and sorrovve vvithout measure. For suche one is an effeminate and chyldishe person, and not vvorthy to serue in that place.

Hauing hytherto treated sufficiently Qualities of the body. of the qualities of the minde that bee requyred in a counseler, vvee come novve to speake somevvhat of the qualities [Page] of his body, not of all, but of those that be most needefull, to bee considered. VVhich as mine Author sayth be in number fiue, hys age, complexion, stature, making, and countenance, vvhich some call fauour or feavvter of the face.

And first as touching his age, Age. as he had neede to bee no lesse then thirtie yeres olde, so is it not good, that he be more than three score, for before thirtie yeres of age, mans vvytte for the most part is not stayed, his experience is small, and his presumption great, he is hote and high minded. Againe, hee can not be so graue as he ought to be, neither vvil the people haue any great credit in hym, yea, [Page] rather they vvill mourmour against him, and saye that hee is a verye yonge counseler. And therefore suche had more neede to go to schoole, and to follovv their learning, and to traueile coūtries to get languages, to follovve Campes and Courtes, and to see the diuersitie of customes, lavves, and gouernments, that they may haue knovvledge, iudgement, and good experience of things, before they bee made gouernours or rulers. Againe, vvhen a man passeth three fcore, then his memory faileth, his vvyttes vvander, and through his experience hee becommeth vvylfull frovvarde and obstinate, he is also colde in all his doings, and taketh [Page] not occasion vvhen it is offered. Also his body is vveake and feeble, and not able to traueile in the Princes causes, and to be short, he is rather a burden and trouble to the Court, than othervvise. And therefore it is meete for such one to bee discharged of all seruice, and to be sent home revvarded by the Prince according to his deserts, to the intent he maye quietly spend the rest of his olde yeres at his ovvne home in the seruice of God. And yet I vvyll not denye, but that there bee some of greater age, vvhiche haue both liuely vvyttes and strong bodies, and that there be yong men also not arryuing to thirty yeres, that be both graue, [Page] vvise, and of good experience. But I speake of the most part, vvishing the Prince alvvaies to chose those that be of a meane age betvvixt both, vvhich being neyther to greene nor yet to drye, are the stronger and the more stayed, and the better able to serue the Prince, both vvith spirit & body at al assayes, yea, and the people also vvyll conceiue the better opiniō of them, and haue them in the more reuerence.

The complexion of the coū seler, is a thing not lightly to be Complexiō, regarged, for most commonly as men bee eyther vvell or evill complexioned, so are they vvel or euill conditioned, of complexions there be foure kindes, [Page] that is, sanguyne, colerique, flegmatique, and melancolique, of vvhich mine Author only praiseth the sanguyne & colorique, affirming suche as bee of that temperature, to bee most seruiceable, eyther vvith spirite, or body. For in such do naturally raigne great gifts of the minde, as vvytte, memory, discourse, iudgement, iustice, loue, affabilitie, fidelitie, bounty fulnesse, magnanimitie, and fortytude. Againe, their bodies are healthfull, liuely, nymble and strong, and able to endure traueile and payne, vvhich kynde of men as they are partly knovvne by their doings: so mine Author vvould haue the Prince also to consult vvyth his learned Physitians [Page] touching that matter. Fot to iudge vvel of complextions is a thing chiefely appertaining to their Arte. And as for the flegmatique and melancolique persó he vtterly reiecteth, saying, that the flegmatique man is rude, dull, heauie, and ignorant, and as for the melancolique man he is vvorst of all the rest, for he according to the nature of the humor, vvhich chiefely raineth in him, is cold, drie, and earthly, and therefore base and vile of courage heauy, sorovvful, miserable and vaine, an enimye to all noble deuises and vvorthy enterprises and so superstitious as those vvhich haue beene of that complexion haue vvith their dreames, false [Page] visions and foolishe fantasies, confounded all the religions of the vvorld. And besides all this, the melancolique man is superstitious out of measure, and very enuie it selfe. For hee is a member of the frovvarde Planet Saturnus, vvhereof suche complexioned men are called Saturnij, vvhiche bee most abhorred of the Astrologers, in so muche as Apolonius Tianeus did not let to vvryte, that hee once founde in the Citie of Ephesus a melancolique manne, vvho vvith his presence corrupted the vvhole Citie in suche sort, as there grevve thereof a most terrible pestilence: vvherfore suche complexioned men are farre vnmeete to bee of a [Page] Princes counsell.

The meane stature in a counseler is most laudable, that is to Stature▪ say, to be neyther to highe, nor yet to lovve, to fatte, nor yet to leane, for the long and leane man, and speciallye if he haue therevvith a long neck, is vtterly condemned of the Phylosophers, and iudged to bee some great lovvte and good for nothing Againe, to be ouer lovv, is as great a deformitie, for the lovve men bee they neuer so vvise, yet the people vvill haue them in no reuerence at all, but ieast of them, and call them dvvarffes. And most commonly such little men be also hasty, provvde, and presumptuous▪ vvherefore it is good that the [Page] Prince chose for his counselers men of a meane stature, and therevvith neyther to fatte, nor yet to leane. For the ouer fatte man bellyed lyke a barrell, and likewise the ouer leane mā shaped like a dried Congre, besides gyuing vvyth their presence cause of laughter, are thervvith sildome seene to be seruiceable.

The body of a coūseler ought to bee vvell proportioned, hauing Proportion of body. all his partes and members aunsvverable one to another in due proportion, so as there be no lack nor superfluitie in any part, as for example hys head maye not be to great, nor to small for his bodye, or one shoulder hier than another, nor one arme longer than another, [Page] nor he maye not by defect of nature be crooke backte, splaye footed, squynt eyde, or lacke an eye, an arme, a hande, a legge, or foote, or any other part, nor likevvise haue more than hee ought to haue, for such defects of the bodye as come not by misfortune, but proceede eyther of the vvant or superfluitie of nature, do betoken great imperfections of the minde, vvhich hath bene so much obserued of the naturall Phylosophers, as thys Prouerbe Cauc, asignatis did rise thereof, and is obserued of al men euen at this daye, in so much as no man almost vvyll take a common seruaunt vvith anye suche defect, hovve much more then ought [Page] a Prince to bevvare hovve he chooseth any such to be of hys counsell.

A good visage and comblye countenaunce is verye requisite Vysage. also in a counseler. For that maketh him to bee both loued and reuerenced. His head therfore vvoulde be rounde and of meane bignesse, and hys face vvould be somevvhat long, rather than altogither round, and therevvith neyther to blovvghtye, nor yet to shrympe, his forhead vvould be high, large and playne vvithout any vvrincles, his eyes neither to great nor to little, but in a meane betvvixt both, and therevvith not heauye or dull, nor yet vvanton or often rolling to and fro, but [Page] quick, liuely, and steadie, hys nose neyther to long nor to short, to great nor to small, nor ouer flat, or turned vpvvard, but playne and smooth, and to bee somevvhat hooked is no euill grace, for it betokeneth vvisedome and stovvtnesse of courage, his lippes vvould be neyther to thick nor to thinne, nor hang ouer lovve dovvnvvarde. And to be short, all the parts of his face vvould be so proportioned, as his countenaunce may bee alvvayes both graue and amiable. And thus vvee ende vvith the qualities of the body requisite in a counseler, vvherin vvee maye seeme perhappes to some folkes to be more curious than is needefull, thinking manye [Page] of those thinges that vvee haue spoken, to be but tryfles and thinges of small vvaight, and yet suche tryfles are not to be passed ouer vvith silence: For truely vvhosoeuer vvill treate of any matter absolutely, must leaue nothing out, but must expresse euery little part. And vve daylie see that if any man bieth a house, hee vvyll not onely vevve the bevvtiful places therof, as Hall, Parlour, chambers, and such lyke, but also all the houses of offices, yea euen those that are not meete to be named. Againe, if a Prince be desirous to buye a horse, hee vvill thorovvly vevve euerye parte and member of him, yea, and vvill not let to open his mouth vvith [Page] his mouth, vvyth his ovvne handes, to see his teeth, and to knovve his age, hovve much more carefull then ought he to be in choosing of his counseler, into vvhose handes hee must commit both his goodes, hys lyfe, and his honor.

Of the Princes choyse.

WE say de in the beginning, vvhen vve defined vvhat a counseler vvas, that tvvo things in that definition vvere to bee considered, that is to saye, the sufficientcy of the man, and the choyse of the Prince, and that suche sufficientcy did consist in the qualities of the minde, and [Page] in the qualities of the bodye, of both vvhich qualyties hauing hy therto sufficientlye treated, vve minde therefore novve to speake somevvhat of the Princes choyse. Touching vvhich matter mine Author hath set foorth nine remembraunces or aduertisementes to be obserued by the Prince vvhen he choseth a counseler, vvhereof bicause some bee rather confirmations of those that go before, than nevve precepts: And againe, bycause some are to be considered by the Prince before hee choseth, and some to be obserued after he hath chosen: I thought good therefore to reduce them into a lesser number, and to make no more seuerall precepts [Page] but sixe, declaring those first that are first to be considred, and then the others consequentlye, vvherein though I shall somevvhat differ from mine Author in order, yet in matter nothing at all.

First, then the Prince hath to The first aduertisement. consider, that all the honor, and dishonour, fame, and infamye, profite and losse, preseruation and destruction, as vvell of himselfe, as of all his people, vvholy dependeth vppon the good or euill choyse, of his counselers, for if they be vvell chosen, the Prince is iudged as vvell of straungers as of his ovvne subjectes to be vvise and carefull of his common vvealth, and for that, they extoll him vvith infinite [Page] prayses, and his subiectes are readye at all tymes to obey both him & his counsell, thinking themselues to bee in great safetie, vvhilste they are gouerned by suche vvise counselers, assuring themselues that all things must needes prosper that they take in hande. But contrarivvise if the counselers be euill chosen, then they condemne the Prince of great follye, they bee vnquiet and alvvayes murmuring against the counsel, saying, that all vvyll come to naught. And if there be anye noyse or likelyhood of vvarre, they trē ble and quake for feare, bicause they mistrust the vvisedome, manhoode, and pollicie of their gouernours, saying, that they [Page] haue not one man able to defende them, and if anye thing succeede vvell, contrarie to the peoples expectation, they impute it rather to chaunce, than to anye vvisedome or foresight of the counsell: vvhereas on the other side, if the counselers be vvise men, the people cōceyueth such an opinion of them, as they vvill not beleeue that they erre, vvhen they erre in deede, for vvise men sildome erre. VVherefore, sith so many euils doe rise of the euil choise, and so many good things of the good choyse, the Prince therefore in mine opinion can not be to choyse in his choyse, and so let this suffice, for the first aduertisement.

[Page] Secondly, the Prince to the The second aduertisement, intent he may haue a plentyfull choyse of men meete to serue his turne had neede not onely to consider of suche as keepe in his Court, and be nigh about him: but also to seeke to be informed of so manye as hee can besides, giuing charge and commission to his Lieutenants and chiefe officers abroade in euery Sheere, to learne by diligent inquirie, vvhich men in their lymittes, be knovvne to be most sufficient to such purpose, and to sende vp Kalenders of their names vnto the Prince, to the intent that hee maye sende for such as hee shall thinke good, pretending onlye to knovve them & to be acquainted vvith [Page] them himselfe: appointing some reasonable allovvance to beare their charges in iorneying to & fro. By this meanes the Prince shall haue choyse of many, amongst vvhom it is more likely to finde out some one excellent man, than amongst a fevv. And besides that, he shal vvinne great loue, and fame of his people, and encourage all estates, to endeuour themselues, to get vvisdome and knovvledge, and to folovve such vertuous exercises, as they may deserue therby to be named and numbred amongst those, that are thought meete for such purpose. And by this meanes also, the Prince shall knovve vvhat able men he hath vvithin his realme, of [Page] vvhat skill they be, and vvherin they are most meete to serue hym, at any time that he shall haue neede to employe them. And though hee shall sildome haue neede to chose aboue one, or tvvo, to serue him as counselers: yet he must shevv himselfe courteous tovvards all the rest, & praise their vvell doing, exhorting them to contynue still therein, and therevvith put them in good hope of preferment in tyme to come, revvarding some vvith offices, some vvith fees, and some vvith money, and some he maye retaine in his Court, and discharge the reast, vsing himselfe in such sort tovvardes them all, as they all may haue cause to bee satisfied [Page] and contented.

Thirdly, if the Prince bee a Lorde of dyuers countries and The thirde aduertisement. nations, I vvoulde not vvishe him to bee altogyther vvedded vnto his ovvne natiue countrimen, but rather to choose some of euery one of those countries to be of his counsell. For the Prince is a publique person, and therefore ought to be vvithout priuate affection and respect, or partialitie, yea he ought to bee a naturall father to all his true subiectes, of vvhat countrie soeuer they be, and stepfather to none, to vvhose counsell, if any of the subiects be vvronged or grieued, they haue onely to repaire for redresse. But if none of their ovvne countriemen be of [Page] the counsell: hovv or vvhen I pray you shall they bee harde? for vvho knovveth their customes, their humors, desires, commodities, discommodities, gaynes, and losses so vvell as they? or vvho vvill be so ready to heare their causes, sutes, and complaints as their ovvne coū trymen, vvhich are forced by lavve of nature to loue them, and to tender them. Besides this if the Prince shoulde haue no counselers, but of hys ovvne countrymen, all the other coū tries vvould thinke that eyther hee did not esteeme them, or counted them as slaues, or at the least did not truste them. VVherof the first vvould breed hatred in them tovvardes the [Page] Prince and the counsell, the seconde vvoulde cause them to seeke libertie, and to make conspiracies and rebellions, and the thirde vvoulde make them to become vnfaythfull, disobedient, and obstinate subiectes. VVherefore these things being vvell vvayed and considered, I beleeue the Prince shall finde it muche better to choose hys counselers out of all such domynions as are subiect vnto him, then out of one, or tvvo onely.

Fourrhly, the Prince maye not be to hastie, but take good The fourth aduertisement. deliberation in making hys choyse of suche men as are named vnto him, resoluing vpon none of them all, vntill he hath [Page] thorovvly tryed them, as vvell by report of the counttye from vvhence they come, as also by his ovvne examination. And first as touching the report of the countrie, it shall be necessarie for the Prince, as vvell to auoyde the fauourable, as slaunderous tales that maye be tolde hym, to giue euerye man leaue to accuse the persons vvhome he mindes to make his counselers, subpenatalionis, that is to say, that the accuser shall suffer the payne or penaltie of the cryme, vvherof he accuseth the partie, if hee can not duely prooue it. And the Prince on the other side must take such order as the defendant may not hinder, or stop by his authoritye, povver, [Page] or friendship, anye accusation that may be made against him. And sith all men are subiect to affects, the blinders of all truth: I vvoulde vvishe the Prince in these causes, before due try all had, to giue no credit to the report of anye man, be he noble, or vnnoble, spiritual or temporall. By this meanes the Prince shall be sure to haue none but good men to bee of his counsell, for the cuill vvill not bee ouer hastie in seeking aduancement by suche kinde of try all. Truely the Romaines in olde tyme did verie straightly execute this kinde of discypline in choosing theyr Magistrates, vvhereby as theyr common vvealth greatly then florished: [Page] so aftervvarde for lack thereof, it quickly decayed and came to naught. Novve as touching the Princes examination to bee made by hymselfe, I saye by himselfe, and not by his Deputie, he hath to examine vvhat sufficientcie is in the person to be elected, by considering and measuring euery part of hym, both soule & body. To vvhich ende mine Author hath made and discribed vnto him heretofore tvvo apt measures to measure vvithall, the one of fiftene partes, & the other of fiue, that of fiftene partes serueth to measure the soule, and the other of fiue parts to measure the body. To vvhich measures thoughe very fevve are to he found, that [Page] are aunsvverable in euery condition: yet let those that are more aunsvverable be alvvayes chosen before those that be lesse aunsvverable, and let those that haue more giftes of the minde and lesse of the body, be preferred before those that haue more of the bodye, and lesse of the minde. And if anye tvvo that stande to be elected, be equall in both giftes, and yet be not of like birth, povver, and authoritie, or if the Prince perhaps fauoreth the one more then the other vpon some affection, or for some seruice done, then it is good reason that suche person bee chosen before the other. VVherfore sith such things are to be considered, vvhen comparison [Page] is made, mee thinkes mine author should haue done very orderly, to haue added also vnto his tvvo measures before descrybed. A thirde measure, briefly contayning some of the chiefe giftes of Fortune, as noble lynage, honors, ryches, fauoure of the Prince, and suche lyke. VVhich kinde of measure mine Author left out as I suppose, bicause hee thought that such as vvere aunsvverable to the tvvo first measures, ought of duty to be promooted by the Prince to honours and lyuing, and that they deserue to bee loued as vvel of the noble men, as to be honored of the common people. But sith noble birth, is a gifte that hath beene alvvayes [Page] much esteemed, and that vvofthily, so long as the successors doe not degenerate from their Predicessors: And that suche giftes comes not immediately from the Prince, but requy reth contynuaunce of time, to bee perfite in his kinde: (for it is an olde saying, that the Prince may make a noble manne, but not a Gentle man): Also sith there be manye other giftes of Fortune vvhich man maye obtayne, vvithout the Prince: as honors gyuen by straūge Princes, ryches, goodlucke in anye thinge that he taketh in hande, be it in seruice of the Prince or othervvise, also friendship, loue and fauour, as vvell in straunge countries as in his ovvne, and [Page] many such like: It had bene necessary, I say to haue added also this thirde measure, to the intent that the Prince might haue a trinitie of measures to measure both the length; breadth, and deapth of hys counseler. vvhiche three measures, if the Prince do righly vse in making his choyse it shall vvell appere that hee chooseth vvith judgement, and not for fauour or vpon any vvyll or povver. For all offices, as mine author saith, are vvoont to bee giuen but three maner of vvayes, that is eyther for the deserts & sufficientcy of the receyuer, or for tho fauour & affection of the Prince borne tovvards the partie, or else for that the Prince of his owne povver [Page] vvill haue it so vvhereof the first belōgeth to the iust prince, and the other tvvo to the vniust tirant. And truely he did very vvel in saying that offices bee gyuen but three manner of vvayes, for othervvise it might haue beene obiected, that offices manye times doe passe by a fourth vvaye, vvoorser than all the rest, and that is, by vvay of sale for filthy lucre sake, vvherby for the most parte, iustice is bought & sold, the Prince euill serued, & the poore people pilde and povvld. Thus then hauing shevved hovve the Prince should choose no man to be of hys counsell, before due try all had, and also hovve such try all is to be made, I leaue to speake [Page] anye further, touching this aduertisement, the last of those that are to be considered by the Prince, before he chooseth any man to be of his counsell: for the other tvvo aduertisements here follovving, are to be put in execution after he hath chosen.

Fiftly, then the Prince hauing made his choyse in suche The fift aduertisment. sorte as is before taught, shall doe vvell vvithin tvvo or three dayes after, to call the nevve elect vnto hym, and in open presence of his Court & housholde, briefly to tell him hovv hee hath chosen him onely for his vertues and good desertes, and vvhat credit both hee himselfe and all his people hath in him, & vvhat shame it vvould [Page] be vnto him, if he shoulde not vvith his doings ansvvere both his and their expectation. That done, he must commende vnto him both the honor and profite of his state, friendly requiring him, yea, and straightlye charging him to admonishe hym, and vvith all due reuerence to correct him, vvhen hee seeth it needefull, and in anye vvise to be playne vvith him, and to tell him the truth vvithout all flatterie or dissimulation, bicause he vvas chosen chiefely for that purpose. For as it is not meete that euery man should tell the Prince of his faults: so is it requisite that some should admonish him vvhen he erreth. For othervvise, Princes should be [Page] in vvoorse case than all men, being vtterly destitute of faythfull friendes, vvhose office is to speake the truth, & to tell their friends friendly of their faultes at times conuenient, and not to flatter at any tyme. Neyther let the Prince bee vnvvylling to heare the truth modestly tolde, and in due tyme, at his counselers handes: Yea rather let him encorage him thervnto though it be against the stomake, for othervvise he shal be ouervvhelmed vvith lies, and forged tales, and neuer heare the truth. Frnallye, as the Prince must put him in feare of harde punishment, if he shal leaue to doe his duetie so must hee lykevvise put him in hope of due revvard, [Page] if he contynue in his vvell doing. VVherby the Prince shall both vvynne to hymselfe the prayse and loue of his people, and also make his nevve chosen counseler, the more careful and diligent in his vocation.

That done, let him be solemly The sixt aduertisment. svvorne to be true and faythfull to the Prince, and to promise before God to be diligent and carefull in procuring the vvealth, profire, and honour of hys Prince, and of the common vvealth, and to deale truely and iustly vvith all estates, vsing indifferencie vvithout corruptiō, svvaruing from iustice at no time, either for meede or dreed, for loue or hate, for friende, or foe. Moreouer, neuer to haue [Page] priuie conferēce vvith the Ambassadors or messengers of forreyne Princes, vvithout speciall commission from the Prince, nor to recey ue revvarde, fee, or yerely pention, of any forraine Prince. For by such meanes the princes secretes are many times reuealed, and the causes of forraine princes more fauoured, than the princes ovvne causes, or those of the cōmon vvealth. The coūseler being thus sworne the prince shal be assured of him and may the better trust hym. And if the counseler shoulde chaunce to fayle in his dutye, after he hath taken his othe, the Prince maye the more iustly punish him as a contempnor of God & of his soueraine. Again, [Page] the counseler vvill be the more circūspect in his doings, & the lesse bolde to commit any treachery. Furthermore, by meanes of his oth he may the more safely & boldly denie the vnrightfull & vnreasonable requests, of his parentes, kinsfolkes, friends, and seruaunts: yea, rather both they, and all others knovving him to be svvorne, vvill be afray de to make anye sute vnto him, that is not iust or reasonable. And here endeth the sixt and laste aduertisement, the vvhich togither vvith the other fiue before declared, doe comprehende the full effect of the nine aduertisements or memorialles set foorth by myne Author.

The effect of my Authors Peroration or conclusion.

[Page]

THus you haue heard vvhat a counsell is, and hovv the Prince that vvil gouerne vvell, ought to haue seauen counsels, differing one from another in offices, officers, and in authoritie. You haue heard also vvhat a counseler is, and vvherein his sufficientcy consisteth, that is to say, in hauing fifteene qualities of the minde, and fiue of the body. Finally, there haue bene declared vnto you certaine necessary aduertisments to be obserued by the Prince, vvhen he chooseth his counseler. And [Page] this is the somme and effect of all that mine Author thought meete to treate of in this his firste of those eyght Bookes, vvhich he hath promised to set foorth touching thys matter, vvho vvisheth that he had bene as able to frame such a counsell in deede, as hee hath heare descrybed in vvryting, for then he vvoulde haue set foorth to the vvorlde a visible example of the goodnesse thereof, to bee seene and felt, rather than this imagined patterne, to be considered onely vvith the minde. And bicause he doubteth not but that some vvyll bee readye to finde faultes vvith this his vvorke: he briefely aunfvvereth to such obiections as maye be lay de against [Page] him. And first vvhereas it maye bee obiected, that it is not a meete thing for a Prince to take such paine, and to trouble himselfe in making so precyse a choyse. He aunsvvereth that it is no trouble or paine at all, in respect of the great ease, rest, and quietnesse, that he shall thereby purchase to hymselfe, vvhen he shall haue to deale in great affayres, and matters of vvayte: be it eyther in time of peace or vvarre, for be they neuer so troublous or vvaytie of themselues: yet to him hauing such counsells and counselers, they shall seeme very easie and light. Some againe vvill obiect that the Prince is free, & that he maye giue & dispose his offices [Page] as him pleaseth best. VVhervnto mine author ansvvereth that the freedome or libertie of the Prince is no freedome, vvhen it passeth the bounds of reason, and that in preferring vvill before reason, he ought rather to be called a tyrant than a Prince. Thirdly, it may be sayde, that it behooueth Noble men & Gentlemen, to bee revvarded according to their birth and calling, vvhich mine Author denyeth not, and yet therevvith sayth, that it is not al one thing to revvarde a noble man & to make him a counseler, sith there bee meanes ynough to revvard him vvythout that, vnlesse he bee meete for it. Fourthly, it may be obiected, that there are no [Page] such counselers as he hath descrybed, to hee founde in all the vvorlde. VVherevnto he aunsvvereth, that there are a number of good men and verie sufficient in all conditions to bee had, if the Prince choose them for their vertue and deserts, and not by his ovvne affection, fauour, or povver. And thoughe there were not, yet if the Prince vvould doe as he ought to doe, he might make men of stones. For to vvhat soeuer the Prince is giuen, be it to vice, or to vertue, all men vvill follovve the same. And therfore if the Prince delight in vvise, learned, and vertuóus counselers, mine Author sayth, that he dare aduenture his heade that a number of [Page] Barrons and Knightes in fevve yeres, vvoulde become most sufficient counselers. And for proofe thereof, vvisheth that some Prince vvoulde put these his preceptes in vre, not doubting, but that in so doing, hee should quickly see such an alteration in his Courte, as those that doe novv leavvdely spende their tyme in ydlenesse, vayne pastymes, and in vvantonnesse of life, vvould giue themselues to lavvdable exercises, and therby make the Court to become a schoole of vertue, and knovvledge. VVhich should be to the great honour of the Prince, to the profite of the common vvealth, and to the glorye of God, vvho giue grace to all [Page] Christian Princes, so to order their courtes, and to giue such ensample themselues, as the cō mon people may learne therby, to liue in the feare of God, & to doe that vvhich is acceptable in his sight, and thus I ende thys treatise.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

A very briefe and profitable treatise declaring hovve many counsells, and vvhat maner of counselers a prince that will gouerne well ought to haue The book speaketh. ...Consejo i consejeros del principe. English. Abridgments

Furio Ceriol, Fadrique, d. 1592.

Edition statement

1570

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-07 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01365

ID [STC]

STC 11488

ID [STC]

ESTC S105670

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99841396

ID [PROQUEST]

99841396

ID [VID]

5977

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01365)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 5977)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 243:08)

Source

— A very briefe and profitable treatise declaring hovve many counsells, and vvhat maner of counselers a prince that will gouerne well ought to haue The book speaketh. ..., Consejo i consejeros del principe. English. Abridgments, Furio Ceriol, Fadrique, d. 1592., Blundeville, Thomas, fl. 1561..

Extent

[128] p.

By William Seres,. Imprinted at London :: [1570]. (An abridged translation from Alfonso d'Ulloa's "Il concilio et consiglieri del principe", an Italian version of: Furio Ceriol, Fadrique. El concejo i consejeros del principe.) (Translator's dedication signed and dated by Thomas Blundeville, 1 April 1570.) (Signatures: A-Q⁴.) (Running title reads: Of counsells and counselers.) (Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.)

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