British Library, Additional MS 11600
For his Most Excellent Highnes.
I began my bouldnes of this kinde (most Excelent Prince) in
tyme of that rare and (well I may say in soe younge yeares)
incomparable Prince my deare Master your brother, to whome
beinge there vnto by him selfe Comanded I deliu
my soule and thought
to the rectefyinge of his life, and Gouerment of his estate
The grace and favour it pleased your Highnes in his tyme to showe
vnto mee and your Continuance of it sithence drawes not only my
loue and dewtey to desend vpon yow but all my services and Indeavors
w
standinge it may bee thought in mee to beecome a deliu
in place where I haue noe Charge nor ordinarey dependance
Especially to your highnes. Whoe haue neare vnto yow of your owne
whoe can much better p
shall Couer that offence if aney it bee and Adventure it I will
as hee that both in his disposition & his practice in other thinges hath
given demonstracion that he hould
or generous . sperrites to omitt honest and ne
pr
God hath given vnto your highnes a p
your younge yeaires drawe vnto yow the affections of all those that
haue the happines to knowe or to see yow. It will therefore bee necessarey
that soe yow gouerne and dailey Improue them w
Vertue and princely behaviour as yow may rather goe beeyounde
then full shorte of the hopes that are had of yow in your dewtyes to
god . and his trewe Wor
doe, I knowe your highnes to bee Inclyned as therein there is noe
need of p
in his faith and his workes /
A Continued care and Constancey in the trewth will make yow beloued
of god deare to the subiectes of those kingdomes. and will fixe vnto
yow the Affections of all the trewe Christian Confed
Corespondencey and Conformitey in Religion beinge the stroungest
and shurest bounde of Amitey . that in this world is eath
had or hoped for /. Your highnes owne excample in this p
of religion and piettey will bee a great and forcable menes
to increase and Amplifie it in those that depend of yow. The
practize of princes is a Lawe of life and of much more force
then aney Lawe of letters what Princes doe them selues they seme
to Comand . to there people for dependyt
masters and Soueraignes the same that shaddowes and Accident
are to sun
If the Substance and obiecte bee streight the shaddowes and
Accedent
it may suffice to bee w
but princes are bound to externall demonstrations to the ende
the same may giue light & excample to others /
To the people it is naturall and proper to cast there eyes vpon
Princes and men Constituted in high and eminent places
and guide the course of there sailinge, If the prince bee a louer
and practizer of vertue euery man affectes it if of vice
and dessolutenes euery man Runnes after them /
A failinge of Princes and men of supreame place in there
duties to god & Religious observations offendes not only in
Respecte of them selues but of the Scandall and euiell
excample they giue to those they gouerne / the like may bee
trewly said allsoe of other vertues for the surest way for a
prince to make good those hee gouernes is to bee good himselfe.
To your highnes an obediance to the Kinge your father a desire
to giue him contentm
best actionsay haue
the honnor, needes not to bee either p
remembred /.
The knowledge I haue in that p
your noble deceased brother of your selfe and of that vertuous
Lady your sister hath euer moued mee to thinke and to say
that noe kinge nor prince vppon eairth hath bine more blessed
in his Children then the kinge your father /
Besides the promise of Longe Life annexced to the observan
of that Comandm
to your highnes owne hart a great coumfort and Assurance
that the like willbee done to your selfe in tyme to come
by those Children that it may please god to bleasse yow w
and by such as shall bee hereafter your subiect
dewtifully and vnfainedly yow haue p
that is both your kinge and your father and therefore to
bee obayed w
to him your highnes will I doubte not by readinge and
observation apt your selfe for gouerment hereafter.
Vertue is but one of the guides of a Princes life it
must bee a Cum
may as well be called the arte of Livinge as Phisicke
is called the arte of healinge Wisdome marcheth before
and Leades the way to all well dowringe and is to a mans
Life the same. that to the Artificer
Wisdome legitimate and naturall. must of force haue
for here parrent
is eather suppositiovs out of fancey or must bee Maraculous
w
assured, as that w
by excamples remote & receued only by hearinge /
Shee is towght by her owne harmes not by those of others
her only defaulte is that shee is not attayned by pr
and Rules but in the Last of a mans age by tyme
Memorey
in Assurednes and Certintey yet shee is in other thing
bee preferred as shee that extend
Carrieth both more thing
Her
the more tradden /
For much greater is the num
are made wise by other mens cases then those that are only
towght & Instructed by there owne / The most proper Starre
that gideth to this desirable port is historey / for in historey
is to bee seene as in a glasse howe a man may adapt and compasse
his life by the modell of the vertues of other men /
Historey is the wardrope of the worth and fame of men Illustrurou
and wickednes of the vile and the vitious / most necesarey shee
is in Counsailes where memorey of thinges passed doth much
a vale to the vnd
determined in thing
Your highnes beinge by god Constituted in place of soe high
and rare an eminencey shall haue conveyed vnto yow in a fewe
yeares that w
age/.
Euery man yealds to princes the best soun
and doe sacrifice vnto them the first frewt
and p
Springe tyme of there youth what is hardly to bee had by
otheires in the Autum
princes vppon earth was there a more apparent Demonstration
then in your highnes deare Brother that is w
applayinge him selfe to here what was said to him and to the
receuinge of that w
him became in soe very younge yeares as able in matt
gouerm
willinge and desirous. to receaue counsell. him selfe Your
highnes by well gouerninge your owne Familey now in the tyme
of the kinge your father shall prognosticate to those that
shall here after obay yow what your gouerment will bee when
yow shall haue succeded. him in his kingdome /
If yow shall bee pleased. to obsearue and Rememb
thought
directorey it will bee to your owne wayes and your workes
when yow shall bee a soueraigne Best should those knowe
howe to Rule and Comand. that by proufe in them selues
haue felte and vnd
and obedience
Gouerment is the band wherew
Wealth are knitte and the vitall sperrit
millions doe breath / Take away gouerment what becomes of
the people other then to bee a burthen and a spoyle fitted to
the hand
attayninge of this high and mistrious art of rulinge is to giue
a trewe temper and measure to your Affections and to become
an absolute master and gouernor of your passions / Measure
is the Salte and Soule of vertue and temper the only efectuall
Instrum
is best pleasinge to there owne fanceys, but vppon what
is best agreeinge the Iustice and the good of the people /
Princes before they Com
preroug
maturely to Consider wheath
or there Subifitt Apted to them /. There wande is to
bee like that of Sher Sirces. / w
men and beast
The Com
of Lawes and Authoritey Looseth grownd when aney thinge
by them required is denied them / of
are princes to bee more carfull and tender of there
authoretey / w
whereby multitudes are gouerned by one the Strounge
by the weeake and often tymes men by women /
To winne and Conserue Authoritey much doth conduce in
a prince a showe and representation of a kingly Ma
w
of Iustice & other vertues, out of coumlynes of p
behaviour, or out of sweetnes of Condition
To bee Iust Consist
of merrit
& offences. The prince that desires to bee serued w
faithfull hart
heedfull then of the matter and maner of his givinge /
It is trewe that liberalitey is as it were a Proprium to
kingly Condition but soe to bee vsed as w
destray not it selfe / All other vertues by practise are
ingreated and increased, only this of Liberalitey w
excercise becoumes deminished & in tyme desolued. / It is
trewe if the giue where there is noe visable merrit it w
draweth in others the will and heate of Indeuors to deserues
sithence they see that his hand is eather gided by fortune
that is blynd or by fancey that ou
If hee giue not to others whose Seruices in all menes eyes
haue merrited hee blunt
Worth & deseruinge would Studdey & Striue to rayse there
fortunes / King
ea
fore (soe fare as the menes & Stri
will p
God is not leade by fancey or p
trewe waightto euery one
to euery one accordinge to what hee deserveth hee doth it
allsoe of him selfe not Intreated by others and herein
giue me leaue (noble Prince) once agayne to putt yow
in mynde of your Incomparable brother whoe not lounge
before his death when little yow looked for it bestowed in
pattent
his owne hart discouered. desearte & most need of them yearly
pencions to the vallewe of eleaven or Twelue hundred
pound
Henery
the Seaventh. Your highnes An
the deseart
Comitted yt not to the Survay & Censure of others.
Reward
and passe the hand
the trewe grace of givinge w
and redy. or are soe parred and thin
to hand they appeare rather signes then substances /. Princes
are to take care that all thing
directly . from them selues / all denialls punishm
matter of sharpnes. or bitter nature from there offficers and
minist
King
in givinge soe is it as necessarey. that they hould an euen
hand in Chastisinge & punishinge
The prince that allwayes houlds his sword in his sheath is little
feared and severitey vsed Continually deminisheth Authoritey
Noe lesse dishon
Comittme
maney funeralls of his pacient
Offences Comitted against them selues wise princes shew
slownes and loathnes to pun
the Comma
The remissenes and Softnes in punishinge Treasons and
Consperiteys agre bee
reputed disregard of the publicke safitey And a kinde of
prodigall exsposinge of there owne Lives of of those
Subiect
and vnnaturaall Traytors.
The rod of a kinge ought to growe out of the roote of Iesse
that is out of the fowntyne of Iustice and soe moderated
& vsed. that allthough the punishm
excample may reach to maney. It is trewly said that goverm
that are Cruell & terrible are more bitter and greivious then
they that are durable & of Continuance For Impossable it is
that maney should stand in feare of one/ and that one not
stand in dowbte of all./ Well may a life of that Condition
bee tearmed a Continuall Warfare wun
dayes to fewe and quiett and Content to none at all.
The other towe part
Cumlynes of person and behaviour & sweetnes of Condition
(I speake it not to flatter yow) sweete prince / for all that
knowe yow will wittnes that I speake trewth god and
nature haue in a plentifull maner bestowed vppon yow only
it rest
increase them and this will bee easiley effected if in all
your Comportem
person.
That your Conti
of others be all such as may Correspond w
dignitey, the first to bee graue, the seconde moderate
the thirde in word
Loue to yow from others but loose to your selfe noe parte
of that Reuerence and respecte that belowngth to yow.
If a prince for Conservation of his p
nothinge more nesecarey then the loue of those hee goueraines
wa
much as the affections of theire Subit
and stringht
of hart
To: Attayne and Continewe this (besides what is aforesaid)
one speciall menes willbee soe to gouarne there estates.
as to euery man there bee adminestred Iustice w
and that by excesse in spendinge or p
the drawe not them selues into such necessityes as thereby
the bee inforced to an often demand. of rep
there subi
blud that is extracte out of the bodyes of men there passeth
away some p
that w
there evacuateth and passeth away some portion of the
Life & vigour of there Affections
As I p
Soe giue mee leaue (most excelent Prince) to beesech of
yow in the name of my Cuntrey & Cuntreymen an euenes
betweene vs & those of the Cuntrey wheare yow weare borne
in your Affections. Wee are all of one Continent all of one
Language of one faith & of one Subiection / Allthough
your highnes had your birth there yet yow haue drawne most
of your breath here Let servis & merrit therefore / not
a birth one that side or one this side tweede / moue the
diffrance of
If worth vertue and servis bee the markes and the white
that yow will here after propose to your servant
your highnes may assure your selfe that all will striue
to become good Archers and to exceed others in shootinge
nearest to that w
They will then seeke to Converse w
and vertue & of exsperience in Civell and martiall
gouerm
attaine abilityes to serue your highnes and theire
Cuntrey and will eather Leaue or haue lesse coresponde
ncey w
them what makes them. specious. w
there regard
make them servasable and Adorne them w
If the Court of England eather by Comandem
excample might in matter of Apparrell be conformed
to that of Spaine / it would yearly saue vnto his ma
Serva
million of pownd
him att there owne charge in some ymploym
ease the kinge him selfe of a great deale of
Importunitey and waste of his treasure vpon such
as are not other wayes able to liue in that extremetey
inforced to Rune into
Noe one thinge hath (in my Iudgm
soe lounge a Continuance of that famous Comon Wealth
of Venice / in wealth streinght splendor & stabilitey
behounde the line and measure of all the greatest Auncyentest
& best gouerned Repuplickes of the world then in those that
are noble theire puritey) in degree & equalitey & moderation
in apparrell & Attendances that harmoney of euenes in
Little and out ward exspences takes away envey & Ambitious
desires of steppinge beyond the bound
qualiteies
Merritt by servis or place & officeies given in regard of
abiliteyes to execute them doe in that comon wealth only
giue the pr
honnof of the force of fynd
fancey. / .
They haue no Herrialds that to mechaniques, to tounge
Traffiquers. to shoppe keepers & glassiares can sell
gentrey & genealogies For money they Iuggle not in respect
only of some neairnes in name the borne of base parrent
into the howeses of noble men & gent
w
then what only they can fetch from there first father
Adam /
The givinge & disposinge of honnor & titles are the greatest
& most precioust prerogatiues of princes matt
may bee given by men p
by those that weare the Diadem / . princes
are there
fore to bee more carfull of issueinge of honors then of
treasure to bee stowe them vpon men vnwortey gives
Satisfacion only to the Receuors. but discont
of others the nature of man beinge to looke w
greeved eyes vppon ym
not to Attayne them selves. though they haue deserued /
A distinguishinge and differencinge of euery severall degree
by Apparrell and other outward furniturs & Charges would
add much both to the authoritey vtilitey of a kinge From
whome only are to come those seuerall pr
& previleges & would take away a great deale of Confussion
& exceesse & thereby inable his Subi
to him in all Assistances w
That kingdome or Common Wealth that giues way to excesse
& prodigalitey in there Subi
w
desprate in there estat
of gouerment & of Intestine tum
either by rapine to Amend there owne causes or soe to
ruyne those of others as they shall not need to envy them
To your highnes & those of your supreame place is not
only requiset pietey. toward
perticuler I shall euer wish yow as good as greate /
Your word and your faith are alwayes to bee keepte
inviolable fame p
advise it for Where Agrement
there ceaseth as aswell betweene princes & private men in
all trust Com
brecking may be Coullard. & Coverred w
pr
& seldome or never escapes att god
desearued pubishment /
Pollicies there are out of the Common Rule of men
p
w
for Conseruinge of estat
to acquire them for substance princes may tr5ead vpon
the edge & verge of vice soe they passe not the Circle.
Princes are to Consider that allthough noe power or Iurisdicion
vpon earth hath Authoritey to call a kinge or prince absolute
to An accountt for his Acctions yet is there a kinge of all
king
exacte it /
The endeuor of a good kinge are to make his kingdomes
in Riches and victualls plentifull / in provisions of warre
abundant / in glorey & honnor large & magnifique and in
vertues honest One of the thing
Consist
Choyse of his Counsellers & ministers
I shall euer wish that your highnes in election of such
giue more beleefe & confidence to your eares & vnd
then to your eyes & your Affections noe one
all nor all men one /
It Conserneth princes to knowe & not to Coniecture the
honesteyes & abiliteyes of those by whome them selues and
there affeaires are to bee Advised & gouerned / this is
better to bee done by a generall Concurrance of the
oppinion & report of maney. that wish well to the puplicke
then of a fewe in Court that are only atentiue to there
owne end
bee estemed as puplique and lounge Continued fame
hath desiphred and made him
Counsell
there owne Cuntrey att home & the humors & Condition
of other nations abroad. & that haue in them selues had
proofe of the varietyes of fortune, for Adversiteyes &
Afflictions. searue for soe maney Instructions & pr
For place in Councell men in yeares are much more fitte
then those that bee younge tyme and age hath taken from
the one the force & violence of there Appitites and
& fortified them w
These of vnripe age are ordinarey of small foresight
more inventiue then Iudicious vnstable into those nettes
of deceipt wherew
vnwarrey feete /
To knowe the Scituacion & principall Comoditeyes of
euery province the Cheefe men of streinght as well in
regard of there revenews as of there Alliances & dependances
of euery of them / there Combinations & partialites. there
distast
may searue your selfe here after when occasion shall bee offred.
The like I wish of all your Neighbor kingdomes and Cuntreyes
to knowe the humors & Conditions. of the princes there Councilors
and principall gouernors of euery estate there streinght
there weaknes there Confedrat
there necessiteys As allsoe wherein & in what p
of those kingdomes by sea or by lande may most annioy them
and in what place & places they may giue them the fittest
Assistance to the ende that as the moveable globe of the
world shall turne & bee changed and accordinge to Accurrances
& occasions your highnes may out of these generall and
p
the levell of there your owne resolutions & acctions
A kinge that is desirous. w
couered and hiden intentions and designes of other princes
is not to take soe much into Considerations what in p
or discourse of reason a wise man would doe as what men
possessed w
hee desirors to knowe are lickly to doe
Princes doe not allwayes pr
doe in height of fortune & when they doe yet is
soe Couerred & ecclipsed w
growne upon them out of custome to bee adored and soothed
by those that are nearest them in whatsoeuer they say or set
there fanceys one as they become Impacient of Contradictions
And hereof ir proceedeth that oftentymes there Councells
being pr
Acctions come in like maner. to an infortunate & disastrous
end and Confusion
This world to a privat man cost a great deale of travile
to your highnes if yow shall bee knowen only to desire it / it
will bee brought w
yow euery yeare or at least euery three or foure yeares for
soe I would wish it in regard that tyme in this transitorey
world breed
I Cannot omitt
maner . vnto your highnes the disposinge of your tyme and
your Acctions. /
Princes are not as privat men whome only there frynd
and there neighbours take notice of / of king
in your highnes high place and hope all the world makes
Inquirey if they haue nothinge in hand that fame and report
takes hould of they are either thought to bee dead or buried
in disesteme & forgetfullnes
This ConsidLewis the
xjth of Fraunce beinge possessed. w
The kinge your father hath most wisly & Christianly shutt
vp the gates of Ianus Temple hauinge peaces w
neaighbours princes & Cuntreyes Likely it is by god
Soe it bee Continued as the quiett & Tranquilitey shall
defende hereafter to your highnes. if soe it shall please
god. yet shall yow not want meanes to ymploy your thought
and your Acction
weedinge the garden of these kingdomes att home of the vices
& extreme excesses & desolutions that are growen vppon them
And since the globe of a Com
w
w
of some what by lawes & ord
& Church. by drawinge it &
& vnion
The like care allsoe had abroad in forraigne p
& increasinge yow allies and Confedrat
minge them in your Amitie Will both bee a meanes to fortifie
your owne estate and to giue notice to the world that your
eyes are not closed & your tthought
To deliu
& Goverment I hould yt impossable for aney man much more for
one soe imp
Of soe large an extent is this noble & necessary science of Ruling
as w
Tymes seasons & humors are to bee considred the Shipp of Gou
is to bee apployed to the windes that blowe though the port
same yet is not the pilot
tyed to one way or one maner of Sailinge /
Pardon any pr
Prince) I accknowledge it to bee of little substance & much vn=
worthey your princely eyes / the woefull place wherein I writt
it & my most vnhappey fortune to haue incurred the heavey
displeasure of the kinge your father (then w
could bee vnto mee more grevious) hauinge made my mynd vn=
free & my thought
Howsoeuer I shall
betake my selfe to a private Cuntrey life
& remoue from the Courte / yet shall by god
and trewe vowed loue & dewtey to your highnes neu
aweaite vpon yow either in what soeu
your lounge & happie and healthfull life w
and euer enduringe fame as ever had aney of your royall
Auncestors /