Of Empire

    It is a miserable state of mind, to have few things to desire, and many things to fear： and yet that commonly is the case of kings； who being at the highest, want matter of desire, which makes their minds more languishing； and have many representations of perils and shadows, which makes their minds the less clear.

    And this is one reason also of that effect, which the scripture speaketh of； that the king/'s heart is inscrutable. For multitude of jealousies, and lack of some predominant desire, that should marshal and put in order all the rest, maketh any man/'s heart hard to find, or sound. Hence it comes likewise, that princes, many times, make themselves desires, and set their hearts upon toys： sometimes upon a building； sometimes upon erecting of an order, sometimes upon the advancing of a person； sometimes upon obtaining excellency in some art, or feat of the hand； as Nero for playing on the harp, Domitian for certainty of the hand with the arrow, Commodus for playing at fence, Caracalla for driving chariots, and the like. This seemeth incredible unto those that know not the principle； that the mind of man is more cheered, and refreshed, by profiting in small things, than by standing at a stay in great We see also that kings, that have been fortunate conquerors in their first years； it being not possible for them to go forward infinitely, but that they must have some check or arrest in their fortunes； turn in their latter years to be superstitious and melancholy： as did Alexander the Great；Dioclesian； and in our memory, Charles the Fifth； and others： for he that is used to go forward, and findeth a stop, falleth out of his own favour, and is not the thing he was.

    To speak now of the true temper of empire： it is a thing rare, and hard to keep： for both temper and distemper consist of contraries. But it is one thing to mingle contraries, another to interchange them. The answer of Apollonius to Vespasian is full of excellent instruction；

    Vespasian asked him； What was Nero/'s overthrow？ He answered；Nero could touch and tune the harp well； but in government, sometimes he used to wind the pins too high, sometimes to let them down too low. And certain it is, that nothing destroyeth authority so much, as the unequal and untimely interchange of power pressed too far, and relaxed too much.

    This is true； that the wisdom of all these latter times in princes/' affairs, is rather fine deliveries, and shiftings of dangers and mischiefs, when they are near, than solid and grounded courses to keep them aloof. But this is but to try masteries with fortune： and let men beware, how they neglect, and suffer matter of trouble to be prepared： for no man can forbid the spark, nor tell whence it may come.

    The difficulties in princes/' business are many and great； but the greatest difficulty, is often in their own mind. For it is common with princes （saith Tacitus） to will contradictories. Sunt plerumque./'region voluntates vehementes et inter se contrariae. For it is the solecism of power, to think to command the end, and yet not to endure the mean.

    Kings have to deal with their neighbours； their wives； their children； their prelates or clergy； their nobles； their second-nobles or gentlemen； their merchants； their commons； and their men of war, and from all these arise dangers, if care and circumspection be not used.

    First for their neighbours； there can no general rule be given （the occasions are so variable）, save one； which ever holdeth； which is, that princes do keep due sentinel, that none of their neighbours do overgrow so （by increase of territory, by embracing of trade, by approaches, or the like）, as they become more able to annoy them, than they were. And this is, generally, the work of standing councils to foresee, and to hinder it During that triumvirate of kings. King Henry Vffl of England, Francis I, King of France, and Charles V, Emperor, there was such a watch kept, that none of the three could win a palm of ground, but the other two would straightways balance it, either by confederation, or, if need were, by a war： and would not, in any wise, take up peace at interest And the like was done by that league （which, Guicciardine saith, was the security of Italy） made between Ferdinando King of Naples； Lorenzius Medices, and Ludovicus Sforza, potentates, the one of Florence, the other of Milan.

    Neither is the opinion of some of the schoolmen to be received； that a war cannot justly be made, but upon a precedent injury, or provocation. For there is no question, but a just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow given, is a lawful cause of a war.

    For their wives； there are cruel examples of them. Livia is enfamed for the poisoning of her husband： Roxolana, Solyman/'s wife, was the destruction of that renowned prince.

    Sultan Mustapha； and otherwise troubled his house, and succession： Edward the Second of England his queen had the principal hand, in the deposing and murder of her husband.

    This kind of danger is then to be feared, chiefly, when the wives have plots for the raising of their own children； or else that they be adulteresses.

    For their children： the tragedies, likewise, of dangers from them, have been many.

    And generally, the entering of fathers into suspicion of their children, hath been ever unfortunate. The destruction of Mustapha （that we named before） was so fatal to Solyman/'s line, as the succession of the Turks, from Solyman, until this day, is suspected to be untrue, and of strange blood； for mat Selymus the

    Second was thought to be supposititious. The destruction of Crispus, a young prince of rare towardness, by Constantinus the Great, his father, was in like manner fatal to his house； for both Constantinus, and Constance, his sons, died violent deaths； and Constantius, his other son, did little better； who died, indeed, of sickness, but after that Julianus had taken arms against him. The destruction of Demetrius, son to Philip the Second, of Macedonia, turned upon the father, who died of repentance. And many like examples there are： but few, or none, where the fathers had good by such distrust； except it were, where me sons were up in open arms against them； as was Selymus the First against Baiazet： and the three sons of Henry the Second, King of England.

    For their prelates； when they are proud and great, there is also danger from them：as it was, in the times of Anselmus, and Thomas Becket, Archbishops of Canterbury； who with their croziers, did almost try it, with the king/'s sword； and yet they had to deal with stout and haughty kings； William Rufus, Henry the

    First, and Henry the Second. The danger is not from that state, but where it hath a dependence of foreign authority； or where the churchmen come in, and are elected, not by the collation of the king, or particular patrons, but by the people.

    For their nobles； to keep them at a distance, it is not amiss； but to depress them, may make a king more absolute, but less safe； and less able to perform anything that he desires. I have noted it, in my history of King Henry the Seventh of England, who depressed his nobility； whereupon, it came to pass that his times were full of difficulties, and troubles； for the nobility, though they continued loyal unto him, yet did they not cooperate with him in his business. So that in effect, he was fain to do all things, himself.

    For their second nobles； there is not much danger from them, being a body dispersed. They may sometimes discourse high, but that doth little hurt： besides, they are a counterpoise to the higher nobility, that they grow not too potent： and lastly, being the most immediate in authority, with the common people, they do best temper popular commotions.

    For their merchants； they are venaporta； and if they flourish not, a kingdom may have good limbs, but will have empty veins, and nourish lime. Taxes, and imposts upon them, do seldom good to the king/'s revenue； for that that he wins in the hundred, he loseth in the shire； the particular rates being increased, but the total bulk of trading rather decreased.

    For their commons； there is little danger from them, except it be, where they have great and potent heads； or where you meddle with the point of religion； or their customs, or means of life.

    For their men of war, it is a dangerous state, where they live and remain in a body, and are used to donatives； whereof we see examples in the Janissaries, and Pretorian bands of Rome： but trainings of men, and arming them in several places, and under several commanders, and without donatives, are things of defence, and no danger.

    Princes are like to heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times；and which have much veneration, but no rest All precepts concerming kings, are in effect comprehended in those two remembrances： memento quod es homo/', and memento quod es deus, or vice da/', the one bridleth their power, and the other their will.

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