A Looking Glass for Princes and Peoples Delivered, Book 1 · Section
Of Succession in a Monarchie. THE KINGS SONNE.
THis is King Solomon: For David was a King, but not a Kings Sonne, and Absolon and Adonijah were Kings Sonnes, but not Kings; so according to the Letter, this Text is proper to Solomon and his Posteritie, whereof two things arise: Gods designation appointing him to be King, and the Prophets acquiescing thereto.
Gods designation was that Solomon among all Davids Sons Gods designation of Solomon.should succeed him in the Throne: Behold, a Sonne shall bee borne vntounto thee, who shall bee a man of rest: Hee shall bee my Sonne, and I shall bee his Father, and I will establish1. Chro. 22. 8 9. 2. Sam. 7▪ 13. 1. Chro. 28. 5 the …hrone of his Kingdome over Israel for ever. Wherevpon King David said to his people. The Lord hath chosen my Sonne Solomon among all my Sons, to sit on the Throne. Hee was not a stranger, but knowne, and neere to David▪ not a friend or Cousing, but his Sonne, whereby God established the Kingdome in Davids Line by Succession.
Herein we hauehave a cleare Doctrine for Succession in Kingdomes: Great disputs hauehave beene made about these three wayes of comming to a Kingdome, Election, Succession, Three ways to come to a Kingdome.and Conquest, but God here concludeth for Succession. Everie one of these hath both the owne good and ill, but that is best, which hath least ill and most good, and that is Succession. Man by nature is desirous to reigne, and oftimes the least worthy are most ambitious to conquer. Therefore the ordinarie remeeds against Conquest are1. Conquest is violent. Election and Succession: Conquest is nothing but violence, and a formall tyrannie, it beginneth with blood, it growes, and is keeped with blood; Pride and feare in the Conquerour, and Hatred in them that are conquered, are the due relations of it. Their subiection is not of louelove, but constraint; and while their bodies are awed, their wills rebell with a continuall wishing and waiting of oportunitie, to oppresse their oppressours: As it beginneth with violence, so it must stand, and the vsuall …illers for that standing, are the destroying of the Race of former Rulers, and the making of new Lawes, that their new Bodie may hauehave a new life, and new sinews,Machiavell de principe. Conquerors abuse Providence. and may liue by the death of former Lawes, and Races.
But two things seeme to warrand Conquest, Providence and Prescription: Providence putteth such a people vnderunder the Conquest of such a King; and Prescription in civill matters seemeth to mend the errour of a faultie right. But concerning Providence, mens faults should not bee fathered on it; GOD is ever just, in punishing a Nation by oppressing her liberties, when the cup of their sinne is full: And vet the Instruments of that oppression doe sinne grieuouslie; for while God is in the worke of his Iustice, they are serving their owne ambition: They hauehave neither Gods end before them, nor the disposition that hee requireth, but in their Conquest are like Nimrods mightie Hunters, and oppressers, while GOD is a iust Iudge, So hee speakes of Ashur. O Assyrian! the rod of mine anger, and the staffe in their hand is my indignation: I will Esa. 10. 5. 6.send him against an hypocriticall Nation, and against the people of my wrath will I giuegive him a charge to take the spoile, & to take the prey, and to treade them downe like the myre in the streetes. Howbeit hee meaneth not so, neither doeth his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations, not afew: They looke neither to Gods glorie, nor mans good, but to the satisfying of their owne humour.
Prescription is not a full and iust right, it can neither denudePrescription alone is not sufficient. the lawfull Possessour of his right, nor invest the Vsurper with a sufficient right before God, or in conscience, It is rather tolerate, for eschewing endlesse pl…a…s then allowed: Though it make a fashion of right before men, yet with GOD it is nothing, but a long vsurpation (except consent of people follow) for what is not valide from the beginning, cannot bee made valide by processe of time. GOD indeede hath ever iust cause to punish Nations for sinne, but if wee aske Conquerours, wherefore they trouble peaceable people, and destroy men, women & Children? we shall finde no other thing written in their heart, but Pride in a burning desire of reigning. Inferre bella …in. timis qu…d aliud quam grande latro einium nomi… nandum est. Aug. de C…. lib. cap. 4. 6.They trouble the peace of mankinde and shed blood for this onelyonly end, that they may bee called Conquerours, whereas more iustly they may bee called the Pests of mankinde. To make warre on Neighbour Nations, and tread downe innocent people for no other end but desire of reigning, what should it bee called else but a great Robberie.
Therefore that Pyrate aElegante… enum & veraciter Alexandro Magno Pirata respondit. Aug. C…vit 4 c. 4is …ustlie commended for his wittie answere, hee gaue Alexander, who den anded, Why hee troubled the Seas with Pyracie?? Hee answered. And why doest thou robbe the world? for there is no difference betweene vsus, but that I doe it with a little Shippe, and thou doest it with a Navie. So slaugh er committed by one, is counted a Crime, but don▪ by Armies is counted Courage. bImpunt …itatem sceleribus ac quirit, &c Cyp. ad D…na.And the greatnesse of the cruel…ie: and not Innocencie makes great sinnes vnpunished. There is no difference betweene a Brigand and such Conquerours, but that the one is lyable to the Lawes, and is punished, because hee is weake; the other is counted a Conquerour, and makes Lawes of his owne, because hee is strong.
This Prescription is now the maine ground wherby thePrescription the maine ground of the Popes Vsurpation over Princes Pope maintaines his vsurpation over Kings. He sees that Reason hath beaten him from his three olde pretended grounds, of divine right, Tradition of the Apostles, and Donation of Princes. Therefore hee is come now to this fourth ground of prescription the last refuge of oppressours: But it is as weake as it is new and kindlie to such a new Vsurper. They should remember their owne lawes. He who alledgeth Prescriptiō ought also to prooue a iust Title, Dur and, spe cul lib. 4. 2. 25 marta de lurisdict part, 1. cap. 33. num. 13.because Prescription without a title is but corruption. They could never as yet proue a Title, but a late Vsurpation, as is manifest in their vsuall sophistrie; for when we require a reason from Scripture and antiquitie of their vsurpation over Princes, they giuegive vsus the fact or deede of some vsurping Pope.
Concerning Election to Kingdomes, if men were patient to suffer Providence rule the matter: Or they whoElection to Kingdomes is tumultuous. hauehave voycetherein, were so iust as to giuegive it where they see God hath given worth▪ surelie it were a good way to enter to a Kingdome: But since all men are corrupt, and the most vn worthie are most ambitious, they supplie that want of worth by the purchase of voyces: They also who hauehave suffrage, are vsuallic caried more with Hope and Feare than with Conscience, therefore it commeth to passe that Election makes oft-times Butcheries in Kingdomes: and what difference is there betweene foreraine invasion by Cōquest, & factions within by Election? but that the one is from without, and the other at home. Election is both the occasion and matter of tumults: And it is as hard to finde manie Electors agree in one, as it is to finde their agreement in good. But Succession is ruled of God, who provydeth himselfe of Princes in the wombe, and thereafter blesseth them with a more princelie Education than if they were elected: It is not so much free election that caries the matter as the force of a prevailing Faction: Even as in the factious choosing of Popes, hee is not inrolled as an lawfull Pope, who was Canonicallie elected, Satiut esse exist…mabant eos intrusot qualescunq, tolerandos. Baron. An. 897. num. 1.but hee who had the strongest faction: And his Competitor, though both more worthie, and chosen Canonicallie, if hee could not make his cause good by force, is called the Anti-Pope: They giuegive vsus the reason heereof, that though they came by tyrannie, yet it was better to tolerate them, than to rent the Church with a Schisme.
This also brought on the ruine of the Impyre, forIt hastened the ruine of the Impyre. Augustus invented a Praetorian band of 1200 olde Souldiours, in shew to strengthen the Impyre, but indeede it ruined it; and that by the occasion of Election, making themselues master of Armies, Senate & Emperour: For after that Iulius race ended, they took too much on them, and afterward caried the matter absolutelie, and set vp, and cast downe Emperours at their pleasure. In so much, that they cared not to change Emperours everie day, that they might finde daylie Donatiues and Rewards. So the wayTertul, apol. to come to the Impyre, was neither mens worthinesse, nor the Election of the Senate, but the violence of the Pretorian band, who beeing altogether saleable, preferred them, who gaue largest money. In like manner doe the Ianisars, the Turkes Pretorian band; and so will the Iesuits, the Popes Iamsars doe, when they hauehave hanked vp the affaires of Poperie in their hands.
But Succession is better than either Conquest or Election: It3. Succession is the best way. wants the tumults of Election, and the violence of Conquest, and is most acceptable to people, beginning with birth, and confirmed by education. It burieth the seeds of changes, but Election keepes them greene and fresh as a tusked wall in building, makes more way for building. It relieveth Kings of many cares how to come to a Kingdome, and how to gaine the louelove of their people. Their birth prevents these cares, and at once possesseth them both in their Kingdome and their peoples heart. It is also most pleasant to people, because it secures them from feare of changes, that come of Conquest or Election and settleth their Affections sweetely on their natiue Prince. They delight rather to bee vnderunder a knowne Lord, than a stranger. The Sons of their Kings are brought vp amongst their; they know their dispossion and manners, and how to deale with them in their afaires: They neede neither an Interpreter for language (a great band of humane Societie) nor a Mediator to the louelove of a natiue Prince: They count them their Fosters and Consorts in a manner, and from the verie wombe their hearts imbrace them as their desired Heads. What is the great Ioy at the birth of Princes? such as (blessed bee God) I see in you all this day, bot the hand of God wedding the hearts of people to their new borne Princes, and the earnest & ingaging of a constant louelove to them heereafter. That bond is natiue and strong that beginneth at the Birth, yea, and sooner in the great desire that people hauehave of natiue Princes before their Birth, and God who beginneth so soone, confirmes it by time to the mutuall comfort of Prince and people.
Moreover, both Election and Conquest yeeld to Succession Election and Conquest yeelde to succession.as the best way to come to a Kingdome: For Conquerors beeing settled, doe labour to stablish it to their Posteritie by Succession. And many Kingdomes sometimes Electiue are turned to Succession, and it is likelie that the remanent will doe so be times: And so both Conquest and Election by an open consent doe acknowledge Succession to bee the best way in that they affect to be changed in it.
Some (good men otherwise) hauehave spoken harshlie of womens Womens governement lawfull.Governement as an inconvenient of Succession; But that was more from some particular, than the matter it selfe: They distinguished not betwixt the faults of some persons, & the equitie of Gods ordinance. They wrested the These to their owne Hypothese, and in a preiudicate manner determined the cause by some badde accidents of theirScripseram cum resinter nos turbulentissima essent. time, as though the matter were so in itselfe, and had ever been so as they saw it practised in some. This was to giuegive Lawes to God, and not to expone his Providence as it runs in the owne libertie and latitude, but to force vponupon it such a construction as pleased them. But others speak more moderatly, that there was nothing more vniust, than the bLata est illa Lex Vocon…a, nequis haeredem faeminam faceret, nec unicam siliam. &c. Aug. Ci…it. lib. 3. cap. 21 Numb. 7. 8.Law of the Romans, that discharged men to mak their Daughters their Heires. And God giues this Law in the case of Zelophehads Daughters, that they succeede in their fathers portion of Canaan as they were Sonnes. If a man die, and hauehave no Sonnes, then hee shall cause his inheritance to passe to his Daughter.
This Yland in our time hath seene two great instances Q. Elizabeths instance.in the right of Succession: The first in the Reigne of Queene Elizabeth (of happie memorie) in whom God refuted reallie that Objection that is taken from womens governement: Hee blessed her fourtie fiue yeares Reigne, with such prosperitie, both spirituall and worldly, as few Kings could equall. Of former times onelyonly Zenobia seemes to striue with her, but shee is nothing like: for what shee did was by borrowed forces; and after shee had proven valorous for a time, was taken captiue to Rome, led in triumph, and died private: But Elizabeth did all (vnderunder God) with her owne Forces; shee lent Armies to others, as this Land, France, and the Low-Countries can testifie: and after a long prosperous Reigne, dyed in her owne Palace, in a true Religion, in peace with God, louelove of her Subiects, commendation of her enemies,Thuan. and admiration of the world.
The other was in the succeeding of K. Iames (of happyK. Iames his instance. memorie) In his Youth Papists fedde themselues with a conceit of the possibilitie of his turning and that without any occasion of that fansie offred by him: But when hee expressed his louelove to the Truth by his Letters to Q Elizabeth, and by the Monuments of his ingrne, and speciallie in that Basilicon Doron; they turned their hopes in dispaire, & took them to plot his debarring from England: and when the Pope had written Brieues for that end, and all men looked for wars, God in merciemercy according to the right of Succession, gaue him a peaceable entrie to that Kingdome, and keeped this Yland from the invasion of strangers, and factions within: They found their former peace continued when God had provyded him one, who could as well by his Tongue and Pen mainetaine the Truth as by his Sword.
But wee neede not dispute where God hath determined, heeGods determination. promised to the King of Israel, that if hee would adhere to him in his governement, hee should prolong his dayes▪ and the dayes of his Sonnes in the midst of Israel. And whenDeut. 17. 26 hee had sette David on the Throne, hee stablished the Crowne in his Line by Succession, & put it in a promise as a blessing. When thy dayes shall bee fulfilled, and thou shalt sleepe with thy Fathers, I will set vp thy Seede after thee, 2 Sam. 7. 12.which shall proceede out of thy Bowels, and I will establish his Kingdome. Therefore (all things beeing duelie considered) Succession is the best way to come to a Kingdome.
The next point is Davids acquiescing to Gods designation, David rests on Gods designationtestified by this prayer for his Sonne: Heerein hee found sure grounds for rest: Hee had obtained a great blessing, hee reioyced and prayed for the continuance of it, and thankes God for giving him such a Sonne as was able for so great a Kingdome: Shall not a soule rest in the sense of Gods merciemercy, in a ioyfull praising and confident praying for moe? It is kindlie to a Father to reioyce in his Sons succeeding and a worke both of sound Nature and of grace: Nature maketh them louelove the Child who is another themselues, and Grace maketh them reioyce in Gods ordinance: Where can it fall more pleasantlie to them, then in their Sonne, who is not so much another person as themselues, and that not decaying or dying, but waxing and surviving.
Some Kings hauehave beene so vnnaturall as to cut offBarbarous Princes cruel against their Children. their Sonnes in …ealousie, as Solyman did to Mustapha, and some write, that Constantine moved with Calumnies killed Crispus his Sonne, though other deny it; but let that crueltie byde with Barbarians. Barbaritie is the dreg and vre of Humanitie, till it bee refined by Letters, and Sustition, and false Religion makes them more vnnaturall. So soone as the father dyes, the most powerfull Brother embrues his Funerals in the blood of all the rest of his Brethren; but there the father bathed himselfe in the funerall of his sonne. Gods feare teacheth Christian Kings to rejoyce, when they see their Sonnes in their Thrones; but Tyrants, as they desire none to reigne with them, so they wish that the Kingdome and world ended with them.
Of all this second point, is manifest, that a Kings Son A Kings Sonne is a great Blessing.is a great blessing; hee is a pledge of Gods louelove both to his Parents and people, and a band to tye all their hearts to God, and amongst themselues: Kings are the more bound vntounto God that giues them that fruite of their Body, and the more tyed to their people also, because a Sonne is the best Pawne of their louelove to people: Hee is also a strong motiue to moue them to a loving & peaceable Governement, that thereby they may endeare him in the peoples affection: The Sonne of a good King is pretious to a good people, and what ever louelove his personall worthinesse deserues, it is doubled for his Fathers cause: There is no such Rhetorick to perswad a people to louelove the Kings Sonne, as the good governement of his Father: Their louelove to the Sonne diminishes not their louelove to the Father, but rather augments it; and the increase of the Obiect increaseth loyalty. It was the error of some to worship rather the Sunne rysing, than going to: But Christian Subiects are taught of God, not to make them opposite Obiects of their affection, but in a Christian loyaltie, to louelove each of them the more because of other.
Our new borne Prince then is Gods great Blessing to this The Line of this Kingdome▪Yland: Hee is a Guarde to his Father, and a comfort to the Subiects, in stopping their perplexities about Succession, and the plots of factious and ambitious men. This Land for almost eleven Ages was ruled by electiue Kings: Thereafter for some eight Ages it hath beene ruled by Succession: And the race of Stewarts aboue two hundreth yeeres hath succeeded one another, and the newHector▪ Boeth Les…ns. A Zorius Tom 2, lib. 10 1. borne Prince (whom God preserue) is the eleventh of that Name, and the hundreth and ninth of the never interrupted Line of Fergus the first.