The Holy State, Book 4 · Chapter 1
CHAP. 1. The Favourite.
A Favourite is a Court-diall, whereon all look whilest the King shines on him, and none, when it is night with him. A Minion differs from a Favourite: for He acts things by his own will and appetite, as a Favourite by the judgement and pleasure of his Prince. These again are twofold: either such as relie wholly on their Kings favour, or such as the King partly relies on their wisdome, loving them rather for use then affection. The former are like pretty wands in a Princes hand, for him to play with at pleasure; the latter, like staves, whereon he leans and supports himself in State-affairs.
God is the originall Patron of all preferment, Maxime 1all dignities being in his disposall. Promotion (*Psal. 75.7. saith David) comes neither from the East, nor from the West, nor yet from the South. The word here translated South, in the Hebrew signifies the Desert; and such a course list bounded Palestine both on the South and *Tremelliu… on the verse.North, so that in effect preferment bloweth from no point of the compas. True, every man is, fortunae suae faber, the Smith to beat out his own fortunes; but God first doth give him coals, iron, and anvil before he can set up his trade.
2The first inlet into a Princes knowledge is half way into his favour. Indeed the heat of the sunne pierceth into the innermost bowells of the earth, but onelyonly the surface thereof is guilded with his beams: So though the influence of the Princes protection reacheth the utmost and obscurest man in his dominions, yet onelyonly some few, who lie on the top of the heap of his subjects, can be graced with his favour. He therefore that is known to his Prince, starts in the half way of his race to honour. A notable fellow, and a souldier to Alexander, finding this first admission to be the greatest difficulty, put feathers into his nose and eares, and danced about the Court in an antique fashion, till the strangenesse of the Shew brought the King himself to be a spectatour. Then this Mimick throwing off his disguize, Sr (said he to the King) thus I first arrive at your Majesties notice in the fashion of a fool, but can do you service in the place of a wise-man, if you please to employ me.
3'Tis the easier for them to leap into preferment, who have the rise of noble bloud: such get their honour with more ease, and keep it with lesse envie, which is busiest in maligning of upstarts. Nor is it any hinderance unto him, but rather an advantage, if such a Nobleman be of an ancient family, decayed in estate through the fault of his Ancestours; for such, Princes count the object as well of their pity as favour, and it an act as well of charity as bounty to relieve and raise them: But those are in some sort born Favourites, and succeed by descent to a Princes affection (rather as a debt then a gift) whose parents have formerly suffered in the Princes or his predecessours behalf. This made Queen Elizabeth first reflect on the Lord Norris, (for in the peaceable beginning of her reigne the Martiall spirits of his sonne were not yet raised) because his father dyed her mothers Martyr, to attest her innocencie in the reigne of King Henry the eighth.
Severall doores open to preferment, 4but the King keeps the key of them all. Some have been advanced for their Faces, their Beauty; their Heads, their Wisdome; their Tongues, their Eloquence; their Hands, their Valour; their Bloud, their Nobility; their Feet, their Nimblenesse, and Comlinesse in dancing; but all is ultimately resolv'd on the Princes pleasure.
Happy the Favourite that is raised without the ruine of another:5 as those which succeed in a dead place, who draw lesse envy of competitours, in keeping others out of the Kings favour, then those that cast one out of the possession thereof. Also he that climbeth up by degrees stands more firmly in favour, as making his footing good as he goes.
Sometimes the Princes favour is all the known worth in the Favourite. 6I say, known: for he is an Infidel that believes not more then he sees, and that a rationall Prince will love where he sees no lovelinesse. Surely Charles the ninth of France beheld some worth in Albertus Tudius (an Hucksters sonne, to whom in five years, besides other honours, he gave six hundred thousand crowns) though some affirm all the good the King got by him, was to learn to *Camerarius, med. Hist. cap. 4.swear by the Name of God. Except we will say, that Kings desire in some to shew as the absolutenesse of their power, to raise them from nothing, so of their will also, to advance them for nothing. But Princes have their grounds reard above the flats of common men, and who will search the reasons of their actions must stand on an equall basis with them.
Some Kings to make a jest have advanced a man in earnest. 7When amongst many Articles exhibited to King Henrie the seventh by the Irish against the Earl of Kildare, the last was, *Camb. Rem. pag. 271.Finally, all Ireland cannot rule this Earl. Then (quoth the King) shall this Earl rule all Ireland; and made him Deputie thereof. But such accidents are miraculous; and he shall sterve that will not eat till such Manna is dropt into his mouth.
8But by what lawfull means soever he hath gotten his advancement, he standeth but in a slippery place; and therefore needs constantly to wear ice-spurres, for he rather glides then goes, and is in continuall fear to be crush'd from above by his Princes anger, and undermin'd from beneath by his fellow-subjects envie. Against both which see how he fenceth himself.
9He prayseth God for preferring him, and prayeth to him to preserve him. His Greatnesse must needs fall which is not founded in Goodnesse. First he serveth his God in heaven, and then his Master on earth. The best way to please all, or to displease them with least danger, is to please him who is all in all.
10Next he studieth the alphabet of his Princes disposition: whose inclination when found out is half fitted. Then he applyes himself to please his naturall, though not vitious, humours, never preferring himself before his Prince in any thing, wherein he desires or conceiveth himself to excell. Nero, though indeed but a Fidler, counted himself as well Emperour of Musick as of Rome; and his Followers too grossely did sooth him up in the admiration of his skill in that Art. But the most temperate Princes love to taste the sweetnesse of their own praises (if not overluscious with flattery) where their own deserts lay the groundwork, and their Favourites give the varnish to their commendations.
11Bluntnesse of speech hath becom'd some, and made them more acceptable: Yea this hath been counted Freeheartednesse, in Courtiers; Conscience and Christian simplicity, in Clergiemen; Valour, in Souldiers. I love thee the better (said Queen Elizabeth to Archbishop Grindall) because you live unmarried. And I, Madam, (replyed Grindall) because you live unmarried love you the worse. But those, who make musick with so harsh an instrument, need have their bow well rosend before, and to observe Time and Place, lest that gall which would tickle at other times.
He leaveth his Prince alwayes with an appetite, 12and never gluts him with his company. Sometimes taking occasion to depart, whilest still his staying might be welcome. Such intermissions render him more gratious; yet he absents himself neither farre, nor long, lest he might seem to neglect. Though he doth not alwayes spurre up close to the Kings side (to be constantly in his presence) he never lagges so farre behind, as to be out of distance. Long absence hath drawn the curtain betwixt a Favourite and his Sovereigne, and thereby hath made room for others to step in betwixt them.
He doth not boldly engrosse and limit his Masters favour to himself. 13He is willing his Prince should shine beside him, but especially thorow him, on others. Too covetous are they who, not content to be sole heirs to their Princes favour, grudge that any pensions should be allotted to their younger brethren. Why should it not as well be Treason to confine a Princes affection, as to imprison his person?
He makes provident yet moderate use of his Masters favour. 14Especially if he be of a various nature, and loveth exchange, counting it not to stand with the state of a King to wear a Favourite thredbare. Too blame they, who thinking it will be continuall summer with them (as in the countrey under the Aequator) will not so much as frostnip their souls with a cold thought of want hereafter, and provide neither to oblige others, nor to maintain themselves: As bad they on the other side, who like those who have a lease, without impeachment of waste, speedily to expire, whip and strip, and rap and rend, whatsoever can come to their fingers.
He makes his estate invisible by purchasing reversions, 15and in remote countreys. He hath a moderate estate in open view, that the world may settle their looks on't (for if they see nothing they will suspect the more) and the rest farre off and hereafter. The eyes of envy can never bewitch that which it doth not see. These Reversions will be ripe for his heir, by that time his heir shall be ripe for them, and the money of distracted revennues will meet entirely in one purse.
16Having attained to a competent height, he had rather grow a buttresse broader, then a storie higher. He fortifieth himself by raising outworks, and twisting himself by intermarriages of his kinred into noble Families: his Countenance will give all his Kinswomen beauty. Some Favourites, whose heels have been tript up by their adversaries, have with their hands held on their Allies, till they could recover their feet again.
17He makes not Great men dance envidious attendance to speak with him. Oh whilest their heels cool how do their hearts burn? Wherefore in the midst of the Term of his businesse he makes himself a vacation to speak with them. Indeed some difficulty of accesse and conference begets a reverence towards them in common people (who will suspect the ware not good if cheap to come by) and therefore he values himself in making them to wait: Yet he loves not to over-linger any in an afflicting hope, but speedily dispatcheth the fears or desires of his expecting Clients.
18He loveth a good name, but will not wooe or court it otherwise, then as it is an attendant on honesty and virtue. But chiefly he avoydeth the sweet poyson of Popularity, wherewith some have swollen till they have broken. Especially, he declines the entertainment of many Martialists, the harsh counsell of souldiers being commonly untunable to the Court-way. The immoderate resorting of military men to a Favourite (chiefly if by any palliation he pretends to the Crown) is like the flocking of so many ravens and vulturs which foretell his funerall.
19He preserves all inferiour Officers in the full rights and priviledges of their places. Some are so boysterous, no severals will hold them, but lay all Offices common to their power, or else are so busie, that making many circles in other mens professions, they raise up ill spirits in them, and for every finger they needlessely thrust into other mens matters, shall find an hand against them, when occasion shall serve. As bad are they, who leaping over meaner persons to whom the businesse is proper, bring it per saltum to themselves, not suffering matters to run along in a legall channell, but in a by-ditch of their own cutting, so drawing the profit to themselves, which they drein from others.
If accused by his adversaries, 20he flies with speed to his Princes person. No better covert for a hunted Favourite to take to: where if innocent, with his loyall breath he easily dispels all vapours of ill suggestions; if guilty, yet he is half acquitted, because judged by the Prince himself, whose compassion he moves by an ingenuous confession. But if this Sanctuary-doore be bolted against him, then his ruine is portended, and not long after.
He is a fish on the dry shore when the tide of his Masters love hath left him; 21so that if he be not the more wise, he will be made a prey to the next that finds him. Severall are the causes of Favourites falls, proceeding either from the Kings pleasure, their enemies malice, or their own default: different the degrees and manner of their ruine: some when grown too great are shifted under honourable colours of employment into a forrein aire, there to purge and lessen; others receive their condemnation at home. But how bad soever his cast be, see how he betters it by good playing it.
He submits himself, 22without contesting, to the pleasure of his Prince. For being a Tenant at will to the favour of his Sovereigne, it is vain to strive to keep violent possession when his Landlord will out him. Such struggling makes the hook of his enemies malice strike the deeper into him. And whilest his adversaries spurre him with injuries on purpose to make him spring out into rebellious practices, he reins in his passions with the stronger patience.
23If he must down, he seeks to fall easily, and if possible, to light on his legs. If stript out of his robes, he strives to keep his clothes; loosing his honour, yet to hold his lands, if not them, his life; and thanks his Prince for giving him whatsoever he takes not away from him.
To conclude, A Favourite is a trade, whereof he that breaks once seldome sets up again. Rare are the examples of those who have compounded and thrived well afterwards. Mean men are like underwood, which the Law calls sylva caedua, quae *Lynwood lib. 3. cap. Quanquam exsolventibus.succisa renascitur, being cut down it may spring again, but Favourites are like okes, which scarce thrive after (to make timber) being lopt, but if once cut down never grow more. If we light on any who have flourished the second time, impute it to their Princes pleasure to crosse the common observation, and to shew that nothing is past cure with so great a chirurgion, who can even set a broken Favourite.
Now to shew the inconstancie of Greatnesse not supported with virtue, we will first insist in a remarkable pattern in holy Scripture. Next will we produce a parallel of two Favourites in our English Court, living in the same time, and height of honour with their Sovereigne, the one through his vitiousnesse ending in misery, the other by his virtuous demeanour shining bright to his death: for I count it a wrong to our Countrey to import presidents out of forrein Histories, when our home-Chronicles afford us as plentifull and proper examples.