A Looking Glass for Princes and Peoples Delivered, Book 1 · Part 3 · Part 5
Of three sorts of Kings,
1. Of GODS King.
BEfore I leaue these verses, suffer mee to present to you three sorts of Kings: Gods King: Machiavells Gods King.Tyrant: And the Pops Vassall: First a good King whom wee call gods King, comes to his Throne in Gods merciemercy, 1. His entrieboth to himselfe and to his people, as David and Solomon, &c. Secondly in his Disposition; hee is religious, to acknowledge2. His disposition. his placeing on the Throne not to come of man or Fortune, but of God: His exalting aboue man, maketh him not forget his subiection to God, but by heartie devotion hee doth homage to him daylie; both for the Crowne hee holdeth of him, and for gifts to vse it. His businesse is not with people alone, but withCuiplus licet qua… aliis▪ plerumq. plus libet▪ quam licet. God, to enable him for governement: Hee thinkes that a Tyrants verdict, si libet licet, if thou like it is leasome: and knoweth that to whom more is leasome than to others they can easelie will more than is leasome.
Thirdlie, in his governement, hee is wise by Rehoboams folie: Hee leaneth not to his owne wit, or to the counsell3 His Govevernement. of these who are of his owne yeares, but labour▪ th… to doe Gods worke with Gods wisedome: Therefore he… readeth and meditateth his Word, and with David maket… Ios…. 1. Psa… ▪ 119.his Commandements the men of his counsell: Hee knoweth nothing in his governement will bee acceptable to God …ut that which agreeth with his word: As hee holdet… his Kingdome of Gods will, so in ruling it, he followeth his revealed will, that hee may abide in his favour.4. His accompt of his people.
Fourthlie, in his account of his people; hee counteth them not slaues but free men, even Gods people, to iudge thy people; and that by Creation, Redemption, and Covenant: Hee knoweth that Gods right to them is first, and more than his; and that his power over them is not absolute, but delegat for which hee must bee countable1 Chro. 28. 2▪ to God: Hee counteth them as his Children, as David spake to Israel, Hearken my Brethren and people: Hee looketh not so much to that relation of domination and subiection, as to that sweeter relation of Father and Sonne. Hee rejoyceth as much in the name of a Father as of a King, and sweyeth the kinglie Scepter in a fatherlie louelove. Fiftlie in his ends: By all meanes hee seeketh the wealth 5. In his endsand peace of his Subjects as his joye and glorie: But hee counteth their divisions amongst themselues, or their hatered of him as greevous wounds: Hee craveth their hearts more than their goods, and counteth their louelove his best Guard vnderunder God.
2. Of Machiavells Tyrant.
BVt Machiavell, (or rather Sathan in him) hath drawne vp the Portrate of a Tyrant vnderunder the Name Machiavells Tyrant.of a Prince, and that contrare to all the pointes of my Text. First, hee directeth his Prince for his entrie, not1. His entrie to care how hee come to a Kingdome, so that hee may hauehave it: Truth or false-hood, right or wrong, craft or crueltie, Mach. pr…n. 18 disp 3 42blood or poyson, &c. All are alike to him, if they furder his end: Hee looketh not to God and Providence, but to Fortune and his owne fleshlie wisedome, not to the equitie or iniquitie of the meanes, but to their possibilitie to bring his evill purpose to passe: And commends to him joyntlie the crueltie of the Lyon and craft of the Foxe: BothMachiavel. principis …. 18 & 19. good and bad may possiblie bee alike in desiring dignitie; but they are not alike in the acquiring of it: The first goeth Gods way in righteousnesse and vertue: The other taketh him to by-wayes with craft and crueltie.
Secondlie, for disposition; Hee forbiddeth his Prince to2. His disposition. bee religions indeede, but to seeme so: the shew of it is enough to do his turn with man, whom he alone respecteth; and that onelie to deceiue him: Hee knoweth thatAntimach. 191. men are caried with outward shewes; and though they who are neere to him know his piety to be fained; yet they dar not resist the common opinion of people, who count him to bee godlie indeede. He counteth the Conscience and feare of God: the care to please him, and to bee approved in the last reckoning, and such other practicke pointes of Religion, to bee as many cut-throates of his politicke designes: If these thoughts fall in his heart, they but drowne him in perplexities; and suffer him neither freelie to intend his wickednesse, nor cheerefullie to follow it out: Therefore hee holdeth them all at the doore of his heart as odious stranglers of his spirit; and setteth vp Atheisme or deepe Hypocrisie in their place: Hee leaveth Religion to such as hee counteth base spirits, who delight (as hee thinkes profainelie) to terrifie themselues needlesselie with the conscience and reverence of a God-head.
Thirdlie, for his Governement, hee ady viceth him to3. HiS governement. hauehave sufficient wit of himselfe, at least to thinke that hee hath it; and so turneth him in a Pope with infallibilitie of iudgement: Mach, de privit. 23To bee jealous of all, and keep… close his intentions; that the imparting of them to other were they never so godly, wise, or trustie▪ may discover, and frustrateAntim. 482, 487. his purposes: If hee could bee another himselfe in another Person, hee would suspect and decceiue that Petrus Rex Arragonia.other himselfe, and hee would rent his inner Coate if it were privie to his plots.
Fourthlie, for account of his Subiects, hee directs him4. His account of his people. not to count them Gods people but his owne; and that not as free-men but as slaues: Hee is a slaue to his owne humour, and thinketh them for none other end, but to serue him in serving it, Hee taketh neither the relation, or affection of a Father, but his actions are full of tyranny.5. His end. Mach. Princ. 20.
Lastlie, for his end, hee adviseth to keepe his people in continuall discord, and to expone their concord a conspiracie against him: There is nothing so terrible to him, as good correspondence in the mutuall intelligence of their affaires: If the feare of God, and louelove of equitie keepe them in peace, hee will cast in the apple of strife, and put them in factions: Hee seeketh more their goods and service, than their hearts; and like Nero careth not they hate him, so they feare him: So hee filleth all with feare,Oderint dum metuant. and most himselfe, for hee that will bee feared of all, must feare all: that feare filleth him with suspition, and suspition drawes him to crueltie, which maketh his kingdome a tragicall stage.
This is Machiavells godlesse direction, whereof hee wasBorgia Machiavells Darling. not so much the inventer as a polisher; the pieces of that policie lay scattered in Histories, but hee put them together, in one forme as hee saw them acted at the court of Rome vnderunder Pope Alexander the sixt; and from the practice of such a father, directed Borgia his Sonne, an evill egge of an evill Crow: What could the world looke for of him, who was the Sonne of such a Father as Alexander, and the pupill of such a Tutour as Machiavell: aQuae enim meliora novo Principi Praecepta, &c. Machiavel. Prin. cap. 7.Hee tooke him as the object and Center of all his wicked devyses; and setteth him out to the world as a most perfect exemplar to bee followed. Italie was then desirous of some one Prince to restore her to libertie; and the Court dreameed that this one should bee Caesar Borgia: bSumma bonitas preces Authoris audivit. &c. Practic. Can. p. 233.Hee began his Monarchie with the killing of his elder Brother, and of a Cardinall would bee a commander of an Armie; and went on, till God made him and his father spectacles of his wra…h: They had plotted to poyson some Cardinalls for their estate, but God by the errour of a Cup-bearer, made them Paulus Iovius. Guicciardin.fall in the snare they had prepared, and drinke the poyson appointed for the other: Heere was a time to repent; but when hee saw all his devyces disapointed, hee blasphemed; and called that worke of Gods justice, an extraordinar malignitie of Fortune. Extraordinaria. quadam, fortun… malignitate. Machiavel. Princ. cap. 7. Borgia fortunes play foole.This is the temper of godlesse spirits, to plot wickednesse boldlie, and when they are disappointed, rather to raile against God vnderunder the name of Fortune, than to acknowledge his Iustice & repent: Such blasphemie is worse, than the calamitie it selfe.
Borgia was never so right placed, as when hee was put in the belly of a Mulet, to draw the poyson out of his body: Heere was a fit place for Machiavells darling: hee was never more sutable cled than with such a carkase; and that bellie was never worse filled, than with such a Monster. Heere was such lippes, such lat tuce, and a worse kernell, than the shell: Hee was a compleete circle of Fortunes turnings: First her darling in his exaltation, next her ludibrie or mocking-stocke in his downe-cast: And lastlie, a document of her futilitie and waikenesse. This was an example of Gods just Iudgement to all Tyrants, who will conquer and rule a state in contempt of God.
All this is called wisedome in the world, but it is extremeMachiavilian policie is madnesse. madnesse: For beside their sinne which they misregard, even in sound naturall wisedome, they procure their owne ruine by these same meanes, which they choose for their stablishment. Hee is a foolish builder who chooseth for the foundation of his house an hollow ground full of Caues, and these caues full of powder, and other matter meete for fire or earth quacke; then dobbeth the walls with Pitch or Brimestone: Such is the building of Machiavilians; they lay the grounds of pride and Atheisme in themselues; and of feare and Hatred in their people: They build vp their worke with Hypocrisie, crueltie, and craft: Therefore the least sparkle of Gods anger shaketh their building from the foundation. They beginne with impiety contemning God; they goeIob. 5. 13. 1 Cor. 3 19. on with iniquitie oppressing man; and in end some tragicall calamitie destroyeth them and their state. So the Lord catcheth the craftie in their craftinesse.He contemneth both Christian Princes and Religion.
But hee is not content to set out his Tyrannie to the world; but reflects also vponupon Christian Religion and Princes; as though it made them effeminate and brake their courage, because it teacheth them to seeke the heaven,Machiavel. Disput lib. 2 cap. 2▪ and contemne the glorie of the world: And so preferreth Pagans religion, and Princes to them both: Here hee playeth the Atheist in mocking the life to come, and bidding men range like beastes for present contentment: Hee knoweth not that Kingdomes are but common giftes, because God giveth them to good and evill, lest the godlie Regna mundi bonis & malis communiter praestat. Aug. Civit. lib 4. cap. 33 Qu… Augusto, ipse & Neroni Ibid. lib. 5. cap. 22. Aug. Civit. 5. 25.should seeke them as perfect happinesse: Hee who gaue the impyre to Augustus gaue it also to Nero, and hee who gaue it to Cōstantine, gaue it also to Iulian: Neither knoweth he that true courage or greatnesse standeth not in a brutish headinesse, but in true Faith, and the feare of God, directing them to enterpryse nothing but good, and to submit themselues to his will. All the Lines of Pagan Emperours hauehave nothing like, David, Charles, or Constantine the great, whom God blessed with greater blessings than any man lawfully may wish.
Iulius, Augustus, Antoninus &c. were great names indeede, and their fame the vmbrage of a great fancie; likeStat magni nominis umbra. these Gyants before the flood that were men of name▪ but not of worth: and all their greatnesse was to bring a deludge on the world. They were great scourges in Gods hand to plague man; and that not with a lent cure, butGen. 6. 4. with violence: Like a Paracelsian extract in a plethoricke body, to turne all vpside downe: The Romanes for 700. yeares oppressed the world; and Caesar in three yeares oppressed them, and overthrew their liberties. Titus called Delitiae humani generis, the dainties of mankinde, had no courage; at the approaching of death; hee weeped as a Boy in a Schoole, and complained that hee was pulled vntimously and vnservedly from his great Fortune. Traian was so iust, that the Senat call him Optimus, & honoured him with a Statue in his life time; his Vertues made some superstitious Monkes, to faine that Gregories prayers relieved him out of hell. They are as gouttish in their mind (who credulouslie belieue these fables) as they faine that Gregorie was punished with the Gout for his vndiscreetCiacconi…. But Bellarmine refuteth him, de Purgatorio. lib. 2. 8. devotion: but Traian ascryvedh…s Impire to Iupiter, and for a time was a cruell persecuter: Principalitie was never better harboured than in a Christian breast, it maketh them in their life couragious to fight against Sathan, and to rule and bridle these passions, which cōmanded heathen princes; and at their death, peaceablie to lay down their Scepters in Gods hand; that they may possesse an heavenly Kingdome. There is more true worth and valour in a good Christian King, than in all the heathen Conquerours.
Mankind hath not ever beene so happie in GovernementTyranny can not destroy Governement. as to bee free of Tyrants. Rashnesse in Counsels, and the swey of passions and factions, doe often preponder the best course; and yet not withstanding all these, God hath ever keeped in mankinde a forme of governement. These are like sicknes in the body, the blemishes in face, & heresies in the Church; as at the first they are evidences of their corruption who hauehave them, and punishments of the bodies where they are, so to the iudicious they are testimonies of a providence, over-ruling all. Though created speces of creatures by their mixture produced Mangrels, yet these Monsters could neither destroy, nor obliterate the created speces: These errours of Nature passe not further than the first degree, because they are not vnderunder the blefsing. Increase and multiplie, which was Gen. 1.given onelie to the created kinds. So right governement is Gods ordinance, and could never bee thrust out of the world by Tyrannie. They who tooke occasion of the miscarying of things, to doubt of Providence, were but short-sighted: They stood at the first steppe of disorder, and vnequall rewarding of humane merits, but they should hauehave looked to the finall event. For though God suffer the course and midst to play confusedly, yet at last hee never missed his good end. Mans imprudence is both a matter, and evidencie of divine Providence.
3. Of the Popes Vassall.
WEe hauehave heard of Gods King, and Machiavells tyrant, The Popes Vassals.the Pope also hath a Mould of his owne for framing of Kings: Hee differeth from them both, but inclineth most to Machiavells. Gods King is for the good of all, Machiavels tyrant for the hurt of all. But the Pope over reacheth his policie, & maketh a King for his owne ends; a snare to his Subiects, and most to himselfe, the reproach of authoritie, and as baselie obsequious to the1. Hee vsurpeth on their entrie. Pope as any Vassall. 1. For their entrie in the Kingdome, hee setteth vp and cast…h downe Kings, as though God had put them vnderunder him, as Chesse men, or Counters in a Merchants hand to bee changed in their place, and worth at his pleasure. 2. For their Taske, hee inioyneth them to serue him absolutelie in a blind obedience;2 prescriveth their taske. to maintaine Idolatrie and persecute the Truth: If they doe so, they are his beloued Children; and hee breathes on them his Apostolicke benediction, in recompence of kissing of his Feete: But if they vse their power against his tyrannie, and keepe their people in the Truth, then they are excommunicat as pushing Rammes that trouble the Flocke: Yea, though they were zealous Papists in superstition,Bellar. Rom. Pont. lib. 5. cap. 7. yet if they bee not forward to destroy Protestants, they shall bee killed as profaine Politicks by some Iesuited zelote.
3. For their Rule, hee keepeth them alwayes as Babes3 Appointeth their Lawes. vnderunder Tutorie; hee suffreth them not to rule according to Gods word, and the wholesome Lawes of their Kingdomes, but thrusteth vponupon them his Brieues, and Commands by his Legats: His dispensations & Non-obstantes are sufficient to remoue the Impediments of divine and humane Lawes, and his Mandamus is a warrant good enough to execute his tyrannie. 4. For the respect due to them hee thrusteth them out of their place, and bestoweth vponupon them, but the Latter▪ meate of publicke prayers, and in other places preferreth Presbyters to them, and the occasionall modestie or civilitie of Martyn, giving the Cup to a Presbyter at the Table of Maximus the Emperour, shal be called the iust valuation, & preferring of a Presbyter Sulp. Sever▪ de Vita. S. Martini. Bellarm. Apolog.to the Emperour. This is the point of his tyranous vsurpation ouer Princes, which hath tossed Europe these sixe hundreth yeares, and craues a fuller handling by it selfe alone, which God-willing I shall performe. See afterward the L. G. of Princes and Popes.