CHAPTER. I. That the vocation of men, hath beene a thing vn­knowen vnto Philosophers, and other that haue treated of the Politique gouernment: of the com­moditie that commeth by the knowledge thereof: and the Etymologie, and definition of this worde, Vocation.

SVndrie greate personages bothe learned and well acquainted with affaires, haue both learnedly, and wisely written of Politique mat­ters, which concerne the gouerne­ment, and Publique administra­tion: yea, and haue established moste necessarie and profitable lawes, ordinaunces, and statutes touching that sute: howbeit there is no one among them all, that hath once busied himselfe a­bout the ruling, or direction of the Publique estate, in that point, that apperteineth to the vocation of men, nor yet giuen any certeine lawe, or rule méete to ordeine, and appoint a conuenient number of per­sons in charges, and offices, occupations, conditions, and manners of liuing, according to the necessitie of eache Towne, Citie, or Assemblie of men, great, or small, to the common reliefe, and seruice of all men. The cause why auncient Philosophers haue not treated of vo­cation. And y ^t because (as it séemeth most probable) that they knew the same to be néedlesse: because that, in that be halfe, as euerie man may sée, daily experience giueth vs sufficiently to vnderstande, that in the vniuersall Publike estate, there is no one thing beter ruled, and [Page] guided for the ease and commoditie of men, then the vocation of euerie one distincte, and different, accor­dingly as the necessity, and common want requireth. And that this is true, marke any Towne, or place of assemblie you list, great or smal, and you shal not faile there to finde a sufficient number of artificers, men of occupation, officers, or of other manner, and condi­tion of life, for the interteinement, & common seruice of the people there assembled. But if you aske after the lawes, ordinaunces, or other reasons of this po­licie, doubtlesse you shall finde the same to be done without care, labour, diligence of man, or other poli­tique foresight. The singular prouidence of God, in the feate of voca­tion. Wherein we haue greate cause to maruel at the singular prouidence of God: who, euen as he hath by admirable Arte framed man, with sun­drie members seruing one another, eache one in his office: hath in likewise so preserued, and conduced the assemblie and societie of men, as that the same is, by a secrete vocation of eache one to his office, and manner of liuing, mainteined and conserued by com­mon succour, and mutuall ayde: a thing no lesse ex­cellent and admirable, then smally considered of, and lesse estéemed of all men.

That the knowledge of the feate of vocation, is more necessa­rie, then the knowledge of the course of the Heauens.And sith that men haue ben so diligent in séeking, and discouering the order of the Heauens, the course of the Sunne, and Moone, the mouings of the starres, and all other celestiall dispositions, béeing by y ^e know­lege thereof allured to the high speculation of God: what should be the cause why they haue béene lesse di­ligent in séeking of this politique order, passing it vn­der silence, although the same be no lesse excellent, and miraculously mainteined by meane of this vocation, which concerneth men, ech one in his calling? Especi­ally, seing that the knowlege of the heauens, & course therof, although it be much estéemed, is a great deale further off from vs, more difficult, and lesse néedfull: [Page 9] whereas this is at hand, familiar with vs, bringing with it a meruellous commoditie, for the entertein­ment of the conuinction of men. The Prince of Phi­losophers Plato, and after him Aristotle and other, The opinion of Plato, Ari­stotle, and o­ther, touching vocation. treating of the administration and gouernment of a Common weale, knowing our infirmitie and indi­gence to be such, as that it hath néede of common aide and succour, say that the same indigence or necessitie, hath caused the assemblie of men, and the building of townes and cities: but they reach not vnto the point of knowing, and celebrating of the effect from aboue, miraculous in the feate of the vocation (or calling) of all men, wherof we meane to speake: But confusedly attributing all to Nature, say, that we be borne thus vnlike one another, and be naturally inclined to sun­drie manners of liuing: The Astrono­mers opinion. As the iudiciall Astrono­mers, would haue the cause attributed to the planets and celestiall bodies, The opinion of Phisicians. according to the difference of their positions and aspectes: and the Physicians, ac­cording to the mixtion of humours, and difference of temperatures, euery one in his profession, Cicero his opinion. assuring him selfe to haue found the cause. And Cicero, going about to teach and instruct man in his office and du­tie, speaking of the deliberation euery man hath, in choosing of his manner of liuing, saith in the end, that the same dependeth on the force of mans spirite, his naturall inclination, and chaunce of fortune: No one of them all knowing ought that concerneth vocation. So that the auncient with one consent, haue in the ende, called mens seuerall manner and fashion of li­uing, by this word represented in Latine, Sors, Vocation, in old time, cal­led Fortune, or Hazard. signi­fying of it selfe, as much as, Hazard or Fortune, si­thence by them appropriated to the state and conditi­on of man, as subiect to the gouernment and vncer­teine guiding of Fortune, to whome they referre the ruling and issue of all thinges. But we knowing all [Page] things to be ruled by the only diuine prouidence, Why vocatiō is so called. re­ducing all therevnto, call the manner of liuing we be nowe in, Vocation, as holding for a thing most cer­teine, that it is by the ordinaunce and prouidence of God, Difference of giftes. that we be therevnto called, & not by Fortune: Acknowledging that there is difference of giftes, ad­ministrations, & operations, diuided to each one, ac­cording to his good pleasure, & one only spirit work­ing all in vs all: Wherein we wishe, that they which desire that an other beginning and néerer then God, who is the first generall cause of all, God is the ge­nerall begin­ning, the most certein of hu­mane actions, and the furthest distant, should be sought out, should first well consi­der the little certeintie that hath bene in al that, whi­che hath bene disputed by men in time past: and then we suppose that they will not mislike, if in the prolix­itie and confusion of the causes by them alledged, we, not following the direct way required in such a mat­ter, haue at the first entrie stayed our selues at a most certeine and true cause, and from the which, be the same neuer so farre off, more assurance and direction shall be had, then following the pathe other haue she­wed: This worde, Fortune, takē by some for God. the most of all which, for all that, to wit, they that haue committed all to Fortune, shall be founde all to be of one side, hauing by this worde, Fortune, meant God, in things they vnderstoode not the causes and reason of. It is then vocation, we meane to treat of, most requisite, profitable, and necessarie to be kno­wen: For there is no one place and part of humane life, be it in publique or priuate affaires, be it in the politique or domesticall estate, be it that a man deter­mine or deliberate alone by him selfe, or for an other man, where this vocation ought not to marche for­most as a rule of life, a guide, and assured direction in all actions and thoughtes. But our intention is, not to stay at the particular institution of each one, in his maner of liuing: for beside that, that the same is [Page 10] a thing amply ynough treated of by other, and out of our purpose, it should therewithall be too prolixe and tedious. So that it shall suffice, The diuision of this worke. that we shewe (rather truly, then teaching wise) what this vocation is, and the manner howe euery man ought to be called due­ly: And afterwarde speake of the diuersitie and mul­tiplicitie thereof: that we may also in the end, sum­marily and in general, describe how euery one ought for his part, to be intentiue, constant, and diligent, in following of that which belongeth to his vocation. Wherefore ye must first vnderstand, that this worde, What this word, Vocati­on signifieth. Vacation hath an other man­ner of mea­ning then vo­cation. Vocation, taken out of the latine tong, signifieth that wherevnto a man is called: which in déede is of an other manner of force then the common worde, Va­cation, which we vse, signifying the trade of liuing which each one commonly tendeth or plyeth. For be­side the same, is signified vnto vs by this word, Voca­tion, the expresse will and ordinaunce of God, corres­pondent to the state and condition of the life we be in, as thervnto called by him. And it is to be wished, that this worde were hencefoorth common, and printed in the hearts and mouthes of men: For the better vn­derstanding whereof, we will say once againe, as by way of definition, that the vocation or calling of man is no other thing, but the trade of life and man­ner of liuing, wherevnto each one is called, not by Fortune, but by the assured prouidence of God, to the conseruation of order, policie, and gouernment of the life, and societie of men: as contrariwise, by this word Reuocation, is signified the counter appeale, What Reuo­cation signi­fieth. or (to speake plainlier) the calling backe of the maner of liuing, whervnto a man was before called: no more casuall then vocation, ne yet lesse of the prouidence of God, and to the conseruation of the order, policie, and gouernment of life, and humane societie.

CHAPTER. II. That there be two wayes or means to be called to vo­cations: the one interior and secret, the other ex­terior or apparant, done by mans meanes: and first of the interior, which consisteth in the testimonie of the conscience, and naturall inclination.

NOwe to treate of the way (as the order of teaching requireth,) and meane how to enter orderly into vocations, and of­fices: it is not without great reason, & apparance, that our elders haue sayde, the beginning to be the halfe of the whole: Meaning therby to let vs vnderstand, y ^t in al things men ought chiefly, and with great diligence, to giue order, that the beginning be well established and ordeined. For to speake truely, the beginning is not only the halfe of the whole, but it hath beside that, a respect to the end. It being a very vneasie thing for him to make a good beginning, that hath not forecast, or comprehen­ded with him selfe the end of his enterprise. The begīning sheweth the end. Thus ha­uing presently to speake of the order that eache one ought to kéepe, to enter into his vocation, which is the beginning and principles of life and humane so­cietie: The chefe partie of the po­litique estate, resteth in the vocation of men. we suppose to haue the chéefe, yea, the totall partie of the politique charge, apperteining to the en­terteinement of Common weales, Kingdomes, Em­pires, and Monarchies, to treat of, be it that we looke to them that séeke to enter into vocations, or them that haue power and authoritie to receiue and call o­ther therevnto. Partition of the worke. Bycause that when the beginning and principles be not well established and ordeined, the rest of the enterprise shall very hardly haue good issue. Wherefore, treating of the way and meane, howe to to enter into vocations, we will speake as well of them that haue authoritie to call men, as of [Page 11] them which séeke to enter thereinto, the one as well as the other of them, being to be admonished, least the order and policie of gouernment of the publique, be by them disturbed, and brought into trouble and con­fusion: which can not but happen, They which enter and re­ceiue into vo­cations, cause either good order, or dis­order in Common weales. Two meanes to be called to vocations. when neyther the one nor the other taketh diligent héede, least the mea­nes requisite and necessarie in a matter of so greate importaunce, be not vtterly neglected and forgotten. The way and meane then, to be duely and orderly promoted to vocations, is double: the one interior & secrete, and the other exterior and apparant: As tou­ching the interior and not apparant, of the which we will first speake, the same consisteth in the assured te­stimonie of the interior, partly of the conscience, and partly of each ones naturall inclination. The testi­monie of the conscience hath his regard to God, and the profite of the Commonaltie of men: The meane howe to be called by the testimonie of the consciēce, and natural disposition. The testimo­nie of the naturall, regardeth each ones proper incli­nation, according vnto the which, each one ought to founde and aduise him selfe, by the testimonie of him selfe. And although the first triall, which lyeth in the good and wel ruled intention, be great: yet doth it not suffice alone, vnlesse that by the proper testimonie of our owne selues, we knowe our naturall inclination or sufficiencie, to be agréeable vnto the same: bicause that it is most certeine, that God distributeth his gi­ftes and graces, to each one as it pleaseth him. The giftes of God be diuers and different. And e­uen as we sée great varietie and difference in the bo­die of man, some light and nimble, readie and apt to runne, other strong and mightie méete to wrestle, in some beautie, in other comelinesse: so is it of wittes, each one hauing some naturall inclination, proper and particular to him selfe, very considerable in the feate of mans vocation. Cicero. The choice of the trade of liuing is a very difficult thing So that it is not without cause that Cicero concludeth, that the deliberation and choyce of euery mans manner of liuing, is one of [Page] the difficultest things in this life. For in very déede, there is not he (especially that is wel borne) who na­turally from his first vnderstanding, is not of him selfe giuen to speake, wish, dreame, followe, or doe some one thing willinglier then an other, and which he vnwillinglier leaueth and forsaketh also. That I meane, wherefore euery man may thinke him selfe ingendered, & wherevnto assuredly he is called out of heauen: yea, wherein he shall finde both heauen and earth more fauourable and beneficiall, and profite more then in any other: For God and Nature helpe, fauour, and aduaunce, that which they haue begun.

Plato his opi­nion touching the interior vocation. Plato, (to whome all antiquitie consenteth and a­gréeth) is of opinion, that man hath two good Angels destined by his planet, the one of his natiuitie and life, the other of his profession, which we call vocati­on: the which if it disagrée with him: he thinketh can not be other then painful, and of small profite. What so euer it be, we may well ynough say, that there be two sortes of people which be very vnluckie, and in­fortunate: the one of them be those, which neyther make profession of any honest office, nor yet do ought else that may profite, or auaile the commonaltie of men: the other be they, which make profession of some charge, disagréeing with their naturall inclination. Of which, Two sortes of people infor­tunate. the one may iustly be blamed of slouth and retchlesnesse, yea, of rebellion against God and Na­ture, who calleth them to some honest office, and wil­leth them to followe that which is appointed and be­gunne in them: And the other be worthie of great compassion, bycause they be so infortunate and vn­prouided of counsell, as that forsaking the guide of nature, they followe that wherevnto they be not cal­led. Prouerbs apt­ly applyed to the interior vocation. For the first, the auncient prouerbe hath bene made, which saith: that GOD is angrie with tru­ants or idle persons: and fauourable to them that [Page 12] applie them selues to some honest exercise. And for the second, an other that saith: that a man ought not to enterprise or do ought in despite of Minerua: that is to say, against his naturall instinct: A forced na­ture neuer thriueth. Seneca saying to this purpose, that of a forced nature or inclination, men reape small profite. Which is the reason, as me séemeth, why Iupiter is so importunately prayed in the Pythagoricall verses, to solace and ease men of the infinite toyles they daily liue in: or else to shewe them by some good Angel, the way they ought to kéep in their actions, during this life. As who should say, that all the euill which is in mankinde, procéeded from no whence else, but of the confusion and vncer­teintie of men in their vocation. But aboue al other, that secrete way, The interior vocation is cheefly to be considered in publique vo­cations. by priuie testimonie of man him selfe, ought to haue place in them that be called to a­ny publique vocation, be the same Ecclesiasticall, or Politique: that is to say, that men should not ambiti­ously through auarice, or any other lewd gréedinesse, accept any vocation offered vnto them, Zeale toward the publique, ought to be in publique per­sons. but of a good zeale, to the edification, profite, and common vtilitie, ready patiently to beare all hatred, iniurie, and losse, for maintenaunce of trueth and iustice: And to be short, that they moued with loue of the publique, and not with any particular, should enter into publique charges. For, as Pelopidas going to the warres, aunswered his wife, Pelopidas say­ing to his wife recommending vnto him the care and safetie of his owne person, that it was to priuate souldiers that the same was to be recom­mended, and not to Capteines, which ought rather to be mindfull to saue other mens liues.

So likewise is it not the part of such persons as enter into publique charges, to haue regarde to their owne particular, but onely to the publique. And beside this secrete testimonie of good zeale and in­tention, the other testimonie of sufficiencie, or at [Page] the least, of not insufficiencie selfe, ought to be in vs. Wherin it behoueth euery one to take good héede, Mistrust and presumption, are to bee es­chued in the interior testi­monie. lest ouer great feare, or distrust of him selfe, do on the one side hinder or make him slacke: or else on the other side, lest that ouer great arrogancie and presumption deceiue or hasten him on headlong. For they be two pointes, which ordinarily doe most abuse and deceiue them, that be in the way of entrie into vocations and publique charges, and the last more then the first, for as much as confidence and presumption, be I knowe not howe, a great deale prompter and more naturall to man, then distrust, as we shal hereafter shew more at large in place conuenient. It behoueth also to mea­sure abilitie, with the con­sideration of the enterprise. Who so also purposeth to enter into any vocation and charge, ought not on­ly to remember howe honest the thing is that he vn­dertaketh, but also must there with all principally consider and measure his capacitie and power.

CHAPTER. III. Of the exterior vocation, made by mans meanes: and first of the Ecclesiasticall, in all his degrees.

AS concerning the exterior and apparant vocation, made by the exterior and ap­parant testimonie: the same is also ve­ry necessarie and requisite for all per­sons, called to the publique vocation, that is to say: to the Ecclesiasticall and Ciuil vocati­on: but especially to the Ecclesiastirall, in the which each thing ought to be guided by decent and conueni­ent order: And therefore, least any man should in­trude him selfe into the handling thereof, it is expres­ly prohibited, and forbidden, not to intermeddle him selfe therein, without this exterior and apparant vo­cation. The authours intent. We will not speake here of the vocation of GOD simply, that is to say, of the vocation made by [Page 13] him, without other meane of man: As Moses, Aaron, Extraordina­rie vocation. the Prophetes, the Apostles, and many other sithens, were called, because it is a thing out and aboue our intente: hauing not taken in hande to treate (as we haue before saide) but of the Ciuil, and Politike vocation onely.

But comming to the exterior calling, made by the helpe of man, we will first speake of the apparant or Ecclesiasticall vocation, and then come to the Poli­tike, still obseruing the order we haue begone. Of the appa­rant Ecclesi­astical calling Wher­fore ye must vnderstand, that the Ecclesiasticall cal­ling was in old time made by the consent, and appro­bation of all men, not in vprores, and confusion, but at the instance, and request of the people, election of the Clergie, authoritie & approbation of the Prince: To the end, that he shoulde be placed, and preferred aboue all men, who shoulde be approued of all men. And there was no difference betwéene the vocation of Bishops, and that of the inferiours: The exterior vocation of Bishops, and inferiours. sauing that the Bishops were made by the Metropolitane, and other Bishops of the prouince present: and the inferiors, the Bishop of the diocesse alone present. As for Abbats, they were made by the Bishop of the diocesse also, The apparant vocation of Abbats. The auncient vocation of the Leuites. by consent, and election of the Monkes onely, and not of the people. And if we looke further to the time of the olde Testament, we shall finde the Priestes of the Leuitical lawe, not to haue bene consecrated, and or­deined, but after they had bene brought into the pre­sence of the people. Howbeit by succession of time, first the consent of the people hath bene put out, and then the Clergies also, and the election of Bishops, The calling of Bishops re­serued to the Chanons. reserued onely to the Chanons of cathedrall Chur­ches. As for inferiour benefices, the entier prouision hath bene lefte in the Bishops hande by collation, e­uery one in his diocesse: the Pope Bishop of Rome excepted, who hath reserued vnto himselfe this au­thoritie, [Page] to prouide, by concurrence, and preuention, in­differently in benefices of all diocesses, The vocation of bishops & Abbats in these dayes. as he doth yet at this present, as all the worlde knoweth. At this instant the prouision of Bishoprickes, is otherwise made in this Realme, because the king nameth such persons as him pleaseth to choose, in all the Bishop­prickes, and Abbies of his realme, and after his no­mination the Pope approueth. The exterior vocation of Popes is verie auncient. As touching the vo­cation, and maner of calling of Popes to their Pon­tificacie, it was was in olde time like vnto the ma­ner of calling of other Bishops, at the least wise, but little differing from the same: for, the election of the Pope was made in the presence of neighbours, and Bishoppes nexte at hande, whiche were then called Cardinalles, and the chiefe of the Clergie of Rome, by the consente, and at the postulation, and request, aswell of the Clergie, as of the Laitie, the authoritie, and approbation of y ^e Emperour: and that of the per­son of some Deacon, or Priest of Rome, who hadde passed the inferiour degrées, and not otherwise.

The vocation of Popes, gi­uen to Empe­rours.Sith that time, the Popes gaue the full power of e­lection to Charelemaine, and other Emperours, whi­che hath sithens bene by them renounced: so that at this present, the manner of calling of Popes to their Pontificacie, is onely reserued to the Cardinalles, duly assembled in the [...], according to the con­stitutions of Pope Alexander 3. Gregorie. 10. & Cle­ment. 5. Whiche to be shorte, be all the manners of calling to Ecclesiasticall vocations vsed in these days.

CHAPTER. IIII. Of the apparent Politique vocation: and firste of Magistrates, beginning from Moses dayes, and so consequently to the the Graecians, and Romanes vntill this day.

AS touching the politique, or ciuil vo­cation: if we looke backe to Moses dayes, vndoubtedly we shall find, Moses dayes. that the way of choosing of Magistrates, was ordeined by him, saying: I am not able alone to beare this burden, therefore choose ye out from among your selues such as be wise, of ex­perience and be knowen, eche one in his Tribe, and quarter, and I wil giue them charge to gouerne you. It appeareth also in many places, The Grecians dayes. that in the time of the Grecians, the people were likewise prouided of Magistrates by election. Aristotle saying to that purpose, that offices be, and ought to be offered, and proposed vnto them, whose sufficiencie, and industrie is knowen, and séene of all men: Although that in Gréece, béeing gouerned by sundrie Ciuil estates, di­uerse and different to eche other, according to the difference of Common weales, the Magistratts were also created in some places there by lotte, as in Pub­lique weales intermedled, & indifferently ruled, and gouerned by the people: And in other Common­weales better founded by election, but not altoge­ther without the casting of lottes, ioyned therevnto, to avoide the briggings, and practises of the ambi­tious, The Veneti­an estate. The time of the Romane Republique. as is yet to this day vsed in the Segniorie of Venice. In the Romanes dayes, they procéeded likewise to the election of Magistrates in full assem­blie of the people, by the pluralitie of voyces. And without séeking further, it appeareth sufficiently by the ordinaunces of this Realme, He manneth Fraunce. that the olde man­ner was, to procéede by election and nomination in all iudiciall seates, when so euer any office was vacant in the same: whereof the souereigne courtes doe yet to this day reteine the shadowe, and figure onely, without other effect insuing.

The reason of this election was great, and necessarie, founded vppon the insufficiencie of man, and impos­sibilitie to be able to aunswere alone to so greate a charge, as was well ynoughe knowen to Moses, a greate personage replenished with the spirite of God.

CHAPTER. V. Of the apparant vocation to the Royall digni­nitie, and incidently of the well founded Monarchie of France.

THere is in ciuil estates gouerned by a Monarchie, a vocation souereigne a­boue all other: to witte, The dignitie Royall: Wherevnto, it appeareth that in some places, they were called by the election, voyce, and suffrage of the people: and in o­thersome, by succession. And whether of these two, is the better, hath vene a question propounded by Ari­stotle in his Politiques, Aristotle. but left by him vndecided. We vse that, which (in my opinion) is the better: To witte, by succession, whiche is also founde the moste florishing, and the longest of continuance of al other: as y ^e kingdoms of the Syrians, The vocati­on to the Re­gall dignitie of Fr. The lawe Sa­like. Aegyptians, & Parthies beare sufficient testimonie. And to saue labour, they of Englande, Fraunce, and Spaine: especially of Fraunce, because it is not onely by succession, but simply by succession of Males, according to the lawe Salike.

Aristotle.Although it séeme that Aristotle, as it it were glan­sing by, woulde rather approue, and allow the voca­tion of kinges made by voyce, and suffrages, calling the same which goeth by succession, A barbarous do­mination, suche as of the maister, ouer the seruaunt. [Page 15] But that may not be vnderstoode of a kingdome, and Monarchie so well constituted as ours, fastened, and linked, not as Dionyse the tyrant said, The Monar­chie of Fr: wel founded. with a chaine of Diamants, with force, & feare, but with the chaine of beneuolence, and loue of subiectes, purchased by iustice, and vertue: The which, thoughe it be looser, The Monar­chie of France snaffled with two bridles. not so fast girte, and straightly stretched as the other, is for all that a great deale firmer, and of more force to kéepe, and enterteine a principalitie a longer con­tinuance of time. Hauing ouer this Monarchie, The Monar­chie, is moste durable, that is kept vnder bridle. two principall, good, and sure bridles, to temper, and kéepe the same from running riot, after the vnbridled af­fection of one man alone: to wit, religion, which hath always béene in singular recommendation with our Princes, and by the neglecting whereof, authoritie, Theopompe king of Ma­cedon. and obedience easily waxe cold. The other, is iustice, whereby their lawes, ordinaunces, giftes, pardons, and alienations be moderated, and tempered. The Ephores, were certeine counsellers in the Lacedae­monians common weale, which had the controllment (among other things) of the kings doings, if hee did ought amisse contrarie to the lawes, and without whose aduise the king could do no­thing, &c. And the which the bountie, and wisedome of our Princes hath not béen accustomed to accompt so much bridles, as firme pillers, vpon the whiche their authoritie is the surelier stayed, to be thereby the firmer, and more durable. As Theopompe said vnto his wife, who was offended, because he endured himselfe to be bri­deled, and kept vnder by the Ephores, and reproched him, that through his cowardize, he should leaue the kingdome of Macedon the lesse vnto his successours, yea greater (saide he) because it shalbe the more du­rable, and farre surer.

CHAPTER. VI. Of the exteriour vocation to the Imperiall dignitie, as well of the East, as of the West.

BEside the Royall vocation, there is the Imperiall calling, whereof we haue not yet spoken, wherevnto, it appea­reth, that men haue entred by diuers meanes. For it is moste certeine, that the first vsurped that authoritie by force, and vio­lence: As Iulius Caesar, Augustus, and sithens them, some of their successours, partely by consent of their souldiours, and authoritie of the Senate, and parte­ly by the only election of their souldiours: but in sun­drie manners, some violent, and forced: the other vo­luntarie, and agréeable.

The Em­pire diuided into two, the East and the West.And this Imperial authoritie growing in the end to suche féeblenesse, and decay, as that it helde no more title in Italie, and the West Countries, the Romanes were constrained in the time of Constan­tine, sonne to Leon the fourth, eight hundred yeres si­thens, or there about, to addresse themselues to the Frenche: so that the Imperiall maiestie, was diui­ded parte in the West, The West Empire. and parte in the Easte. The West was put into the handes of Charlemaine, and his successours, almoste all Almans vnto this pre­sent day. The East Em­pire. The Empire of the East, through the o­uer greate cowardize, and negligence of the Empe­rours of Greece, is fallen into the Turkes handes, and deteined in extreame tyrannie by them of Otho­mans house, and race: the whiche beganne to growe in greatnesse, & estimation, thrée hundred yeares si­thens, or there about, during the Empire of Albert of Austriche. But to returne to our West Empire, and the manner of calling therevnto, Charlemaine first Emperor of the West, after it was diuided from the East & the manner how Charlemaine (as we haue saide) was the first called to that digni­tie, seuered and diuided from the East, béeing at Rome, and hauing there restablished Pope Leon, into his pontificacie, or bishops sea, whence the Romanes had expelled him: (as it is written) vpon Christmasse [Page 16] day in the Euening, the Pope with a lowde voice proclamed Charlemaine Emperour of the Romanes, alwayes August and prosperous: and that Charle­maine refused to accept the Imperiall title, without the consent and fauour of them of Constantinople, then chiefe seate of the Empire, and of the Em­perour him selfe, who was then there with his mo­ther Irene. Sithens that, The Imperi­all vocations in these dayes. by reason of sundrie trou­bles happened while the West Empire was vacant: as wel by meanes of diuers Princes, as of the Pope, either of them pretending right and authoritie in the same, Otho. 3. it was thought good in the time of the Empe­rour Otho. 3. Gregorie. 5. and of Pope Gregorie the first of that name, (about fiue hundred yeares ago,) that thence­foorth the Empire should be prouided for, by voyce of election. The seuen e­lectors of the Emperour. And that there should be seuen Electours made, and created of the greatest Princes of Almain, who should haue power, and authoritie to choose him, To wit, the Archebishops of Mayence, Coloigne, and Treuers: the king of Boheme, the countie Palatine of Rhene, the Duke of Saxonie, & the Marquis of Bran­denburge: which is the manner obserued euen to our dayes, in calling Emperours to that authoritie, and dignitie.

CHAPTER. VII. Of the exteriour vocation of them, whiche ought to gouerne during the nonage, & minoritie of a king.

IT commeth to purpose to treate here of an other vocation, no lesse necessarie then the Royall: to wit, of them, vn­to whom the gouernement of a realme ought to be giuen, the King being vna­ble to commaunde and rule, by reason of his tender­nesse of age, that is to say, being vnder fourtéene [Page] yeares: and consequently, to knowe vnto whome it apperteineth to call men therevnto. Some be of opi­nion, Legitime vo­cation. that (as we haue said) the Royal vocation to be legitime in this realme, that is to say: ruled by suc­cession, introduced by the lawe, and not electiue: that so likewise the calling to that gouernement, & charge ought to be iudged legitime. But the question hath béene, whether the same ought therefore to be ruled according to the disposition of the ciuil lawe, whiche calleth the next of kinne to sucéede, and before him, the mother, Women de­barred from all administration by the Emperour Iustinians constutions. according to the Emperoure Iusti­nian his institution: because it hath béene called a­gaine in doubt, whether the same constitution may and ought to reache in a case of administration of so great importance, as the same of a realme: the in­firmitie of the sexe hauing béene found suche, that all other administration (the same of her owne children excepted) hath béene prohibited, and defended her. Howbeit it is certeine, if we will herein followe ex­amples, that we shall finde infinite wiues, aswell of Kinges, Emperours, and other Monarchies, whi­che haue gouerned and ruled, bothe prosperously, and wisely, to the well liking, and contentation of their subiects, during the Nonage of their children. But it séemeth to many, that the particular disposition of the law Salike for this realme, The lawe Sa­like. doth not in any case per­mitte, that the female should be admitted to the same. Wherevnto a man might aunswere, that the lawe Salike doeth in déede exclude women, but it is from the Royall title, and not from tuition, and gouerne­ment: Feodarie cu­stomes. no more then the lawes, and chiefly our feo­darie customes, doe debarre women from the admi­nistration of fieofie, although they exclude them in di­uers places, from the segniorie, or souereigntie of the same. And whereas it may be saide, that there is greate difference betwéene the administration of a [Page 17] kingdome, and the administration, and gouernement of a fieofe: for answere therevnto, among other par­ticular examples of our histories, the example of S. Loys mother is alledged: which in déede euerie man indeuoureth to wrest to his owne sense and purpose.

But there be some, whiche leauing this legitime vocation, will contrarily mainteine, The electiue vocation. that the same ought to be electiue, according to the vniuersall cus­tome of this realme, He meaneth Fraunce. by the whiche all tutelages be e­lectiue, commonly called datiues, and not legitime: and that it should belong to the states of this realme to prouide the same by election, because the Roy­all, and moste auncient lawe hauing transferred all the right of commaundement, and administration, whiche belonged to the people, to one alone, and the exercise of that power, and authoritie ceassing for a time in the person of him that can not exer­cise it, the same ought in the meane while to returne whence it came first, and remaine there vntill suche time as there be, by their consente, méete and suf­ficient persons prouided and deputed, to exercise the same authoritie: allowing for all that, that the legitime, ought to bee preferred before all other. But thoughe this opinion were veritable, yet may menne alleadge to the contrarie thereof, the tu­multe, and confusion of a popular voyce, and of the Commonaltie of a whole Realme, chiefly in time of suche troubles.

Among all these reasons, Conclusion vppon the example of these dayes. and meanes of the one side, and other, I can not finde a better resolution then the same, that we may gather of the order helde in the prudent and wise gouernemente we sée at this present in this Realme, He meaneth Charles the ninth his dayes. throughe the sin­gular prouidence, and goodnesse of the moste ver­tuous, and wise Quéene Mother, and of the wel­beloued King of Nauarre, chiefe of the Princes, [Page] (in line collaterall:) with the sage aduise, and coun­sell of all the other Princes, assisted by many other great personages well experimented in the affaires of estate. All and euerie of them, according to their de­grées, and preeminence, called to the same admini­stration, as well by meane of the legitime, as of the electiue vocation: not by the voyce of a Commonal­tie, whiche in déede is bothe vncerteine, and confu­sed: but by the gratification, and approbation of all men.

The odious name of Regencie, in the meane while, being buried, and kept vnder silence: and all commaundementes, and ordinaunces made vnder the title Royall: Of the go­uernement after Alexan­ders death. as we read after the death of Alex­ander the great, that to auoyde, and appease the con­trouersies, and contentions risen betwéene sundrie greate personages, it was by them wisely deuised, to cause one of Alexanders faire and riche pauillions to be sette vppe, wherein their assemblies of counsell should be made, to deliberate of the affaires of estate, and to ordeyne and commaunde, vnder the name and title of king Alexander, then alreadie deceassed, (as we haue said,) and of none other.

CHAPTER. VIII. Of them that ought to be called to the gouerne­ment of the Empire, when there is any law­full impeachement, to rule and gouerne, hap­pened.

AS for them, vnto whome the charge and gouernement of the Empire ought to be giuen, when as any like distur­bance shall happen, speaking onely of our West Empire: there is verie great difference betwéene the same, and that we spake last [Page 18] of: because the same is prouided by election, (as we haue saide,) and not by the lawe of succession: so that they whiche be chosen, be alwayes of approued, and competent age, decent qualitie, and sufficiencie. And therefore, if there happen any impeachement, it must returne againe to the first way of election. Thus much touching the wayes, and meanes, whiche we haue before declared, ought necessarily to be obser­ued, to enter orderly, and by due meanes, into voca­tions. Adding further, The exteri­our testimo­nie required in some pri­uate vocati­ons. that though we haue before saide, that apparant testimonie is onely required, and necessarie in Publike, and Common vocations: that, yet notwithstanding, it letteth not, but that the selfe same testimonie is also required, and neces­sarie in priuate vocations: as we sée by experience in sundrie Townes, and well ordered Cities, where no man is admitted to the Publike exercise of diuers Artes, Sciences, Professions, and Occupations, be­fore he haue made due proofe of his sufficiencie.

CHAPTER. IX. Of the best forme, and manner of all apparant Vocations: and incidently of three kindes of ciuil estates, and of the best, and moste perfecte maner to gouerne a Common weale.

HAving hitherto recited sundrie meanes and wayes of calling vnto Ecclesiasti­call, and Politique vocations, inferi­our to the Royall estate, and dignitie, and that, without declaring whiche of them we like best: it shal not be amisse before we fall frō the matter, briefly to shew our opinion. Two kindes of politique estates. Wherfore ye must vnderstand, that there be in number, thrée sortes & manners of ciuil estates, to wit, thrée man­ners [Page] of gouerning of Common weales, assemblies, and societies of men: of the whiche, the first is by a Lorde alone, as by a King: the other, by the do­minion of many, as the segniorie of Venice is: and the thirde by a Commonaltie, as Swicerlande is. So that to tell presently whiche of these kindes of vocations séemeth best vnto vs, the aunswere shalbe diuers according to the diuersitie of gouerne­mentes: to witte: That in respecte of a popular es­tate, (I meane) well ordeined, the best way, and manner to call men vnto vocations, shall be that, whiche shall be made by the voice, and consent of all. And as touching the domination of many, likewise well ruled, that whiche shall be made by the voyce, and approbation of many, be it by lotte, or by them bothe ioyned together, as Aristotle rehearseth trea­ting of the election of Magistrates. And as for a Monarchie, likewise well founded: that is to say, prouided of a wise and discréete gouernour, complete in vertue and iustice: that whiche shall also be made by the aduise of one alone: accommodating the way of calling vnto vocations, in eache ciuil estate, accor­ding vnto the sundrie manners of gouernemente of the same, presupposing alwayes the same to be ruled, and gouerned, by eache one in his perfec­tion.

Euerie poli­tique estate apt to fall in­to the vice nexte at hand.But for that eache one of these estate, béeing by himselfe alone, hath béene found imperfecte, and easie to varie, and fall into a vice whiche is his fa­miliar, and verie nighe neighbour, by reason of the frailnes and imperfection of man. Monarchie. Tyrannie. Aristocracie. Oligarchie. Republique. Democracie. As the simple Mo­narchie, into a gouernment called, Tyrannie: the do­minion of many, called Aristocracie, into a Monopole, or faction of certeine ambitious, and gréedie persons, called Oligarchie: & the popular gouernement, called a Common weale, or Republique, into an vnbridled [Page 19] licence, and abandon, called Democracie. All diffe­ring in this point, that some, whiche be the good, haue no other bootie, and respect, but to the weale-publique: and the wicked, to their owne particular profit: The one like vnto the gouernment of the fa­ther, towarde his children: the other of that of a maister, towarde his seruant. Those thrée kindes of Publique gouernmentes, that béeing eche by him­selfe alone imperfect, by reason of the vice, imperfecti­on, and in sufficiencie of men, (as we haue declared,) they that haue wisely treated of Commonweales, haue bene of opinion, that to render a publique estate verie perfect, and complete, The most perfect publike state is the same, that is mixed with the three. it is necessarie to com­pounde, or at the least, to mixe the same with the thrée together, that the one might serue for a bri­dle, and counterpeise to the other. In the whiche Ci­uil gouernment so framed of the thrée, we will say likewise, that the most perfecte, and best established manner of calling vnto vocations, shall be by those thrée wayes also aboue saide, conioyned toge­ther.

As, to make our meaning the better, and more fa­miliarly to be vnderstoode, we will nowe shewe as for an example of a Politique, and Royall estate well ordeined, the same of the Realme of Fraunce, because it hath in the firste place, a King, sole, Example of the most per­fect estate ta­ken vpon the realme of Fraunce. Aristocracie. and souereigne Lorde aboue all other: and in the whiche, by reason of the weaknesse of counsell, gouernement, and wisdome that consisteth in one man alone, there is a forme of a Senate instituted, that is to say, a good, and notable companie, and assemblie, of excellent per­sonages, to mainteine the lawe (whiche onely ought to commaunde,) and iustice, in their force. The whi­che doeth ratifie, and approue the lawes, statutes, or­dinaunces, pardons, giftes, alienations, graunts, and other thinges of like importance in the Publique: and in the whiche the people is mainteined in mode­rate [Page] libertie, to be hearde at the prouision of offices: yea, and in possibilitie, by vertue, to be participant of the chéefest and souereigne handling of the Pub­lique, and in so doeing, to ascende to the greatest ho­nours and dignities, The perfect e­state is mix­ed. aswell Politique, as Ecclesiasti­call. For in such a Politique estate, we finde the thrée Ciuil formes of gouernment to be kept, and equally reteined: I say equally reteined, according to the Geometricall proportion, and not the Arithmeticall: that is to say, according to the dignitie, and pree­minence of eche Ciuil estate, the one aboue the other, as it ought, and as we sée to be in the composition of mans bodie. Because that in the firste place, we find a Monarchie, Of the Monarchall estate. in the institution of a King alone, to honour, obey, and reuerence aboue all other: Nei­ther more nor lesse, Artabanus & Themistoles. (saide the Persian Artabanus, to Themistocles, then the image of the liuing GOD ruleth and gouerneth this worlde. Aristocracie. Then finde we, that this Monarchie holdeth of the Aristocracie, in that the same is ayded and tempered, by the forme of a Senate, we haue spoken of, the cause of the long continuance of kingdomes, Theopompe. as Theopompe, King of Macedone saide and we haue before declared: And the authoritie of the which Senate, Plato. A conterpeise. is called by Pla­to, a counterpeise to the Royall power, and autho­ritie, profitable and salutiferous to the vniuersall bo­die of the Common weale.

And beside all this, we finde also, that this Pub­lique estate doth participate of the Republique, in that, that moderated libertie is reserued to the peo­ple, whereof is ingendred an obeisant amitie of men, whiche neither be bonde slaues, ne yet excluded from honours, and dignities, no not from those whiche be the greatest.

Then, to come to our pointe, we saye, that euen as that hath bene esteemed the best manner [Page 20] of gouerning of a Common weale, The Realme of Fraunce: compounded of three poli­tique estates. whiche is made by this Politique estate, partely compounded of the thrée, as the realme of Fraunce is, whiche in déede is better then any other: That euen so, the best ma­ner, and forme to call vnto vocations, is the same whiche is participant, and composed of the thrée wayes, we haue before spoken of: howbeit according to the excellencie, and prerogatiue of eche estate, vn­to the whiche we haue accommodated his forme, and manner of calling vnto vocations in the same. The best way to call to vo­cations. And in so doeing, that the best manner of calling vnto vocations, shall be the same, whiche shall be made, firste at the instance and request of the people: vnto whome the prerogatiue holding of the right of a Re­publique shall be reserued, to haue power to de­maunde, and propose some such, as they shall thinke to be the honestest men, & most worthy of Publique, Po­litique, or Ecclesiasticall offices, and charges, ech one in his owne Countrie, Citie, or Prouince. Then shall the right of election be referred to the iudici­all seate, Chapter, or other Publique order, Ec­clesiasticall, or Politique, established aboue the other. And to the king the souereigne authoritie to approue and authorize one of them that shall be thus first du­ly chosen, and then presented vnto him. And this fa­shion and maner of calling vnto vocations, which be Ecclesiasticall, is the moste auncient, and expresly spoken of by the ordinances of the Church, made in the time of Boniface 3. of that name. As also for the Ciuil estate, it is written many dayes agoe, that the Romane Emperour followed the manner, and forme, the Christians obserued at the choosing of their Clergie, as we will streight declare, speaking of their office, and dutie, whiche haue authoritie to call vnto vocations. So that we can giue no better aduise, then to reduce thinges to their originall, [Page] and first beginning.

And to procéede further, we say that not onely in the feate of vocations, and the respecte of the manner of calling therevnto, that consideration is best, whi­che hath regarde to the thrée Politique estates, inter­mingled as we haue saide: but that also euerie good, wise, and politique man, in euerie acte, or counsell, whiche toucheth the Common commoditie, The ciuil man ought al­wayes to haue respect to the three politike estates toge­ther. ought still to haue this consideration laide before his eyes: and doe as the good Physician, who to conserue the bodie in health, doeth not onely looke vnto certeine members, or some one parte of the fame, although it be the greater, but vniuersally to the whole bodie. For so vndoubtedly ought euery good counseller of the Publique to conserue equally the bodie of the Cō ­mon weale, in his perfection.

A meane power well conserued in euerie estate, preserueth the vniuersall bo­die of a Realme.Because it is a point fully resolued in the Poli­tique gouernment, that there is no one thing, that so much conserueth and mainteineth the same, as the mediecritie of authoritie conserued in his meane, by iust counterpeise of ech of the Ciuil estates together. As contrarily there is nothing y ^t so soone causeth the ruine thereof, as excessiue authoritie: enterprised be­yonde measure, The power of authoritie is not restrai­ned within his limites, but by force. by one or other of those Politique estates, and gouernmentes of the Publique. Because that greatnesse and authoritie doe not willingly con­teine themselues within their measure, or limites, vnlesse it be by force and constraint, whiche once taken away, it cannot otherwise be, but all must come to a disorder, and abandon.

For proofe hereof, leauing a parte sundrie Real­mes, Examples of ciuil estates perished by excesse of au­thoritie. as that of Assyria, Persia, and other, and also diuerse Common weales, and Gréeke Aristo­cracies, perished by this excesse of authoritie, in vnequall gouernement enterprised by one of the Ciuil estates before rehearsed? Let vs onely goe [Page 21] goe to the citie of Rome, and we shall finde, The royaltie of Rome. that the royall dignitie tooke end by no other thing, then by the arrogant authoritie the Kings vsurped, despising the Senate and popular libertie. The Romane republike. And sithence the people being gouerned by Consuls and a Senate, we shall finde also, that the whole Ciuil estate was sun­drie times in great peril, somtimes, bycause the Se­nate tooke too much on them, and otherwhile, by be­ing too soft to the people: So that in the end, the ex­cesse of power caused the change that insued, by mea­nes of a number of flatterers and clawbackes, Flatterers abuse them that be in au­thoritie. which incontinently, to aduaunce them selues, gathered a­bout the same, causing it to abuse his authoritie. As we may ordinarily sée about Kings, which to the like end, ceasse not to persuade them, that they alone may do all, and that they néede not to submit them selues to any other: following the counsel of Theopompe, (of whome we haue before spoken) his foolish and vn­discrete wife, vntill such time as they haue brought them into ruine and losse of their estate. Séeing not, or if they sée it, desiring that it should not be séene, that there is no better meane to commaund, then the latter, conioyned and tempered with the thrée poli­tique estates: ne yet better way to call vnto vocati­ons, thē the same which hath such equall respect vnto them, as we haue before declared. But it is time that we nowe speake of the office and duetie of suche, as haue authoritie to call vnto vocations.

CHAPTER X. Of their dutie and charge, which haue power and au­thoritie to call to vocations, Ecclesiasticall, or Publique: of what importaunce their charge is: how hurtfull the sale of offices is to the Common weale.

IT followeth nowe to speake as well of their dutie, which haue the charge and authoritie to call and prouide, as of thē which desire and intend to enter. Much good and euill de­pendeth on them that haue power to call men. And to beginne with them that haue power to call, be it eyther to Ecclesiasticall or Ciuil charges: vndoubtedly, there is no one thing of so great impor­taunce in the Ciuil administration, ne yet whereof more good or harme dependeth, then of the diligence and negligence of those, that haue power and autho­ritie, The principal partie in go­uernement. as being the principall point, and most requisite in the Ciuil gouernment, well to discerne and choose the very nature and sufficiencie of euery man, that is by them called and receiued into any publique ser­uice. As it is saide of the good husbandman, that the knowledge he may haue of the windes, of the qualitie and disposition of the aire, A comparison betwene them that haue power to call, and the husband­man. and other thinges, which be in very déede most necessarie in husbandrie, be to small purpose, vnlesse he first be wel acquainted with the nature and propertie of each soyle, & knowe what it may beare: as Virgil writeth, saying:

So it is vndoubtedly of the nature and propertie of wittes, inclinations, and sufficiencies of men, each one in his degrée, chéefly to be vnderstoode by them, which ought to make choice and election in the Com­mon weale. For euen as there is no member or part of man, be the same neuer so small or secrete, which [Page 22] hath not his vertue and seuerall propertie, greatly seruing to the conseruation of the whole body: So is there no one witt, the which, so the same be well cho­sen and imployed, may not serue, and bring some fruite to the Common vtilitie. But to speake true­ly, such care and knowledge resteth not in the heade of one alone, be he neuer so able: so great, and notori­ous is the weaknesse of man. Aduertisment to them that vndertake a­lone the auto­ritie to call. And they that enter­prise this charge and authoritie alone, ought to take good héede to that they doe, and not to be easie and light in prouiding, before they haue well and néerely inquired, and diligently considered thereof. For, sith it is so, that one of the difficultest things to man, is to picke out, and choose some kinde of liuing, fit and con­uenient for him selfe, yea, though he be ayded by the knowledge of his owne proper nature and inclinati­on: Vocation to offices, is a difficil thing. howe much more difficult a thing must it néedes be, alone to prouide for offices, men méete and wor­thie of the Common gouernement? Truely it is a thing surpassing the abilitie and capacitie of one a­lone, be he neuer so excellent. Vertue is to be sought out where e­uer it abide. So that the only vertue and sufficiencie of men, méete for the exercise of Ec­clesiasticall or Politique callings, must be only that, which must be sought out, in what habitation so euer it harbour, be it eyther in yong or olde, poore or rich, noble or common person: as if offices and publique charges were the rewardes of vertue, & not of bloud or race, or yet of wealth and riches.

But to come particularly to Ecclesiasticall and Ciuil vocations: men had such care in olde time, Diligence vsed in olde time in the vocati­on ecclesiasti­call. to perfourme that which belonged to the Ecclesiastical, that not contented with the politique election (wher­of we haue spoken,) they beside that, declared and pu­blished the name of him that was chosen, that eue­ry man might be receiued and hearde, that knewe ought worthy of blame and reproche by him.

And the Emperour Alexander Seuere, who reigned about the birthe and first foundation of the Christian Church, The Empe­rour Seuerus ordinance. séeing the singular diligence Christians vsed, in the prouiding of Ecclesiasticall charges, made a constitution and ordinaunce, by the which, following their example, he ordeined, that the like should be ob­serued for the estates and offices of his Empire: say­ing (as Lampridius testifieth of him, Lampridius.) that sithe the Iewes and Christians kept and vsed that most com­mendable fashion, in purueying of their offices, by greater reason he also ought to kéepe the same. And to speake more fréely, sith it is so, that they which haue this souereigne authoritie of God, Against retch­lesnesse in the ecclesiasticall vocations. to be as his vicars and lieuetenants, be most diligent and carefull, in sée­king and finding of people méete and excellent for their particular seruice, as Cookes, Barbars, Musi­cians, Faulconers, and other like, what excuse can they alledge or pretend, being lesse diligent in proui­ding persons sufficient and capable for the publique seruice, and in séeing that offices be prouided of per­sons méete and capable, and not the persons of offi­ces. Plato. If it so were, saith Plato, that the helme and go­uerning of a ship were giuen by fauour of friends, or solde for monie, without consideration of sufficiencie, (as Sylla saide of young Marius: Sylla, and Ma­rius.) or that the rudder were giuen to him that knoweth not howe to handle an oare: in what daunger and inconuenience should they of necessitie be ere long, that be in the same? So vndoubtedly is it of euery Realme or Cōmon weale, gouerned by persons established in the same, without regard of the weale publique, and respect to vertue & sufficiencie. Nothing being more certeine (as the Emperour Iustinian saide) then that the beginning of all iniquitie and iniustice, Iustinian Em­perour. procéedeth of the sale of publique charges and offices. The spring of al iniustice cō meth of the sale of offices, Alexander Seuerus saith. For (as the Empe­rour Alexander of whome we spake right now, said) [Page 23] it is requisite that he that buyeth, sell againe after­ward. I will neuer suffer (saide he) that there be mer­chandize of offices in my Empire: for, if I permit the same, I may not afterward punish, A custome obserued at Rome, by them that de­sired to enter into offices. nor condemne men for selling, hauing before bought of me. There­fore the auncient Romanes, while their Common weale florished, in token and testimonie, that no mā ought to present him selfe, & much lesse be receiued by buying, especial suit, monie, or corruption, but by ver­tue, and for deserts sake: had a custome, when their assemblies were made, to procéede to the election of Magistrates and officers, to decke and clothe them selues in a white and single loose garment, vngirt, & without iacket, and in this apparell to present them selues to the place appointed, and simply by them sel­ues, and not by other, to request the citizens to haue them in recommendation.

So that there neuer entered into mens heades a greater errour nor fonder opinion, It is an ab­surditie to hope for pro­fite, of the sale of offices. concerning poli­tique affaires, then to haue beléeued that the sale of offices should bring commoditie to a common weale: As if the principall force of a kingdome, depended on the almes or gathering of monie. As in our dayes, some which haue bene greatly abused haue thought. Not séeing that, quite contrarily: it is the meane to ouerthrowe and destroy the principall foundation of the same: as present experience doth but ouer well teach vs. Aratus. Which is the most assured treasure a Prince may haue. The same being farre truer that Aratus said to Philip sonne to Antigonus king of Macedon, that there was no treasure or profite more assured to a Prince, then the gouernment of a Common weale, and the conduction of men, well ordeined: ne yet a stronger and better fenced fortresse, then the loue, fi­delitie, and good will of subiectes. For, as Plato saith, Plato. it is not the scepter of massiue golde, that is to say, wealth and riches, that maketh Princes to prosper, [Page] but the obedient amitie of their subiectes.

Oh, I would to God that we had hitherto had the force and vertue of men in more estimation, The vertue of men more re­commēdable, then that of monie. then the force and vertue of monie: and then had we not séene the trouble and disorder in all estates that we nowe sée, the Publique estate and zeale being conuerted in­to gaine and merchandize, not without great shame and dishonour to them chéefly, that haue set the shop open to al men, making offices no lesse common, then a harlot in the stues. So that it is a difficult thing in these dayes, to find one, vnto whome a man may not say, Iulius Caesars saying, to Sil­la. as Iulius Caesar sayde merrily vnto Sylla, vaun­ting in choler, that he would vse against him the au­thoritie and power that his office gaue him: Thou hast reason (saide he) to call that same thine owne of­fice, for it is thine in déede, sith that thou hast bought it. A detestable thing, and by the which the studie of vertue hath bene sore decayed, euery man séeing the same auayle so little to the obteining of offices, and aduauncing to degrées of honours. For euen as (saith Marcus Cato. Marcus Cato.) Diers for the most part die the colour which they sée is most sought for, Vertue quai­leth by sel­ling of offi­ces. & leaue the same y ^t hath lesse cost: So men naturally giue thē selues to y ^t, which they sée most estéemed and honoured, be it ver­tue or vice. And ye must not thinke that the vtter de­struction and ruine of the Romane Republique, The ruine of the Romane Republique by sale of of­fices. a­boue all other that euer were, the most excellent and renowmed, hath taken his beginning from elswhere, then from this merchandize and traffique of offices: and when as the people made account thereof: as an ordinarie gaine, selling offices openly without shame or feare, for readie monie. Whereof they fayled not to make their profite, which coueted no other, but the mutation and chaunge of the state.

Discommoditie and hurte comming by the sale of of­fices.So that he spake most wisely in my iudgement, that sayde, that he that first gaue monie to the peo­ple [Page 24] of Rome to enter into offices, tooke from them their authoritie, and was therewithall, cause of the vtter ruine of their Common weale. Bycause that this corruption being once entered in the prouision of offices, is of such nature, that soudenly it passeth from hande to hande, vnto the Iudges sentences, and in the end perceth so déepe, that it spotteth and soy­leth all cleane thinges, after it haue once made the chéefe of the Common weale bondslaues to monie. So that for conclusion, as Paule Aemile sayde, that, Paule Aemile for a man to vanquishe or be vanquished in the war­res, was but an accident of well or euill choosing and raunging of his people in battell: All inconue­niences happening to com­mon weales, come by fault of due vocati­on vnto offi­ces. we may well y­nough also say, that euen so likewise the prosperitie and decay of a Common weale, is no other, but an accident of a good or euill election, and prouision in offices, of persons méete and necessarie for the same. Which shall suffice for that which concerneth them, that haue authoritie to call vnto vocations. Let vs nowe come to them that be desirous, and intend to enter into the same.

CHAPTER. XI. Of their dueties which seeke to enter into vocations: and how that no man ought to intrude him selfe.

NOwe to come to them, which intend and haue desire to enter into publique and Ecclesiasticall vocation: we will first say, that no man ought to enter, or intrude him selfe into any vocati­on: that is to say, vnlesse he enter by the wayes and meanes here before declared, being therevnto called by him, that hath power and authoritie to do y ^e same. Example of the Paininies. Of Cato and his Sonne. A point in déede streightly kept and obserued by the Ethnickes, witnes y ^t which is left vs writen of Cato, [Page] writing for his sonne, to Pompilius chéefe of the Ro­mane armie, bycause he had cassed certeine ensignes, vnder the which his sonne, as then vnwilling to re­tire him selfe, was. I pray thée (wrote he) that it may be vpon a newe othe, y ^t my sonne may follow thée: for being discharged of his former, it is not lawfull for him to fight, vnlesse he be first duely receiued by thée, and by the way he ought to be. And he wrote as much to his sonne, and commaunded him expresly, that he should beware, otherwise of his owne head, to pre­sent him selfe to the combate. Wherein we haue in our dayes séene diuers ouershoote them selues fowly, and also full euill befall them, bycause that of their owne head, and without other commandement they entered, and left them selues be shut vp in townes & castels besieged, exposing their persons vndiscréetly, to the perill and danger of the enimie, without being otherwise at all orderly and duly, as they ought ther­vnto called.

Furius Camil­lus. Furius Camillus in like manner, at that time that Rome, (all sauing the Capitole, wherein certeine of the inhabitants were retired) was taken by the gal­lies, being chosen by common consent of al them that had abandoned the citie, to be their Capteine: sayd, y ^e he might not accept that charge, vnlesse he were first lawfully chosen, and confirmed by the voyce and suf­frage of them that were then besieged in the capitole: Bycause (saide he) that they be those at this pre­sent, which may represent the body of the citie, by whose commandement & consent, I may enter into y ^e charge, and not otherwise. Aratus a valiaunt and fa­mous personage among the Grecians, Aratus bla­med for intru­sion. being deputed Capteine of the Achaians, was blamed and openly re­prehended, bycause that he had of him selfe seised the office of a Magistrate, and anticipated the time, al­though but of fiue days only, yea, though it was done [Page 25] to succour the territorie of Messia, left in pray vn­to the enimies, by Timoxenus, then Lieutenante generall.

And truely it falleth ordinarily so out, They that in­trude them selues be re­iected of God that he that beside his lawfull vocation, desireth the gouern­ment of the Publique, and of his owne motion in­trudeth himselfe into affaires, is reiected of God, as we will shew herafter, speaking of the constancie that is to be reteined in eche mans vocation. There is an old Romane lawe made by V. Publicola, Valerius pub­licola. by the whiche he was condemned to loose his life, that durst vndertake to exercise any charge, A law against intrusion. whiche had not bene lawfully giuen him: As if the Romanes had estéemed that there was no iniustice greater, or more detestable, then to vsurpe an authoritie, or power, of himselfe. If we will marke the Epistles of Sainte Paule, Saint Paule witnesseth his vocation: and so doth our sauiour Christ also. we shall not sée him in any one thing more diligent, then in testifying his vocation to be legi­time. And also, if we must néeds come to the Sonne of GOD, hath he not alledged the manifest testimo­nie of his father, and of S. Iohn, teaching vs there­by, what and howe great reuerence we ought to beare vnto vocation, being impossible otherwise to prosper in the same.

CHAPTER. XII. That neither the good intent or zele, or yet the suffi­ciencie of him that intrudeth him selfe, or yet the verie want or need of those that exercise vocations: may serue for excuse to them, that enter vncalled: And howe that it behoueth to attende patiently vntill we be called

AND a man may not stande or stay vp­pon a good intent or zeale, nor yet vp­pon his owne sufficiencie, thinking by that meanes to enter of his owne head vncalled: Although, whiche is more, that the facte enterprised were of it selfe greatly to be estéemed, The deliuerie of a countrie from tirannie. and prayse worthie. For (as for exam­ple,) there is nothing more commended among men, be they Historians, Orators, or Philosophers, thē the deliuerance of the Citie or Countrie from Tyran­nie: And yet he is manifestly condemned, who vncal­led, that is to say, vnappointed to the office of a Ma­gistrate for redresse of Publique wronges, and with­out lawfull authoritie, dare of himselfe doe suche an enterprise. And to procéed further, is there ought not onely before men, The preach­ing of the gos­pell. but also before GOD, more to be estéemed, then the preaching of the Gospell? And yet, thoughe thou were the moste sufficient Diuine that euer was, if thou be not therevnto called, (as hath here before bene saide,) vndertaking the same of thy selfe, thou art culpable, and blame worthie. And it sufficeth not to say, that necessitie, and the want of good Preachers moued thée thervnto: for God is the Lorde of the haruest, (saith Iesus Christ,) who will sende haruest folke, when it shall please him. Tea­ching vs, that our office in the mean while, is to pray vnto him, that it may please him to sende vs them.

The Magi­strates faulte.As we may in like case say, of that whiche concerneth the Publique estate, that the faulte or rechelesnesse of Magistrates, Iulius Caesar rebuked. may be no sufficient cause, for a priuate man, of himselfe, to take vppon him the punishement of offenders. So did Iulius Caesar, ouer rashely, hauing neuer before had any Publique charge, when he, of his owne priuate authoritie, caused certein Cilician Rouers and Sea Pirates, whiche he had taken, to be hanged and set [Page 26] on the Crosse at Pergamus, vnder colour, that Iu­nius, Praetor (or Shirife) of Asia, vnto whome he went to craue iustice, had shewed himselfe colde and slacke in doing of punishment: which coulde not giue him authoritie io doe it of him selfe. Nasica repro­ued. No more then before him, vnto Nasica, who hauing requested the Consul president of the Senate, Tiberius Graccus slaine because Tiberius Graccus faction raised a tumulte in Rome, that he woulde succour the weale Publique: and hauing re­ceiued this wise and well aduised aunswere of the Consul, that he would not beginne by force, and lay­ing of hands, before condemnation pronounced: For all that, rising in choler, vnder pretexte (saide he) that the souereigne Magistrate made no accompte of succoring of the Republique, furiously tooke armes, & by force, seditiously slue Tiberius. Wherin, as the Consul shewed himselfe a verie wise man, so did the follie and rashnesse of Nasica, appere verie great, vndertaking that, whiche by no meanes was per­mitted him.

And it behoueth, that euerie man, in the meane while kéepe himselfe patiently and constantly in the place and estate he is in, Men ought to abide pati­ently in their places tarry­ing vntill they be called. (as shall more amply be de­clared hereafter) without hasting himselfe hedlong, or fearing that God doth not sée him, in what place so euer he be, or may be, be the same neuer so base. For God loketh downe, euen to the basest and lowest things: no place being so hid and secret, in the which he findeth him not, and out of the whiche he draweth and taketh him not, whensoeuer it be his good plea­sure to serue his turne with him.

As we reade of Marcus Curius, whome he founde out well ynoughe, Marcus Curi­us. sitting in the Countrie by his fire side, to place him in the Senate of Rome. And Quintus Cyncinnatus at the ploughe, Quintus Cyncinnatus. to aduaunce and promote him to the supreame degrée of Dictator. [Page] Ioseph also a long time before, Ioseph. Moses. Saule. Ionas. was wel inough found out in prison, & made gouernour generall of Aegypt. Moses amiddest his shéepe, to be prince ouer the peo­ple of Israel. Was not Saule also founde out séeking his fathers Asses, to be promoted to the Royall digni­tie? And to be short, Ionas, in the verie whales bel­lie, to be sent to the Niniuites? And thus of other.

CHAPTER. XIII. That the suing for an office, by honest meanes, is not to be reproued.

BVt in thus disuading eche one from entring into vocations, by any other meane or way, The pursuite of an office by honest meanes allowed. then by orderly calling onely, without intruding himselfe: I meane not for all that, to reproue, as a pernicious or euill thing, their intention, whiche moued with good zeale, doe of their owne motion present them selues to some vocation and charge, and especially whiche by honest meanes sue for the same: rather because that they deserue it well, Plutarche. then of set purpose to obteine the same by am­bitious brigging, (as Plutarch saide writing to Tra­iane: Example of Cato of Vtica) and more in respect of the Common profit, then of any particular. As it is written of Cato of Vtica, who had oftentimes bene solicited by his friendes, to aske the office of Tribune of the Romane people, & would neuer giue eare vnto them, although he might easily haue obteined the same, Metellus. vntill suche time, as certeine yeares after, he was aduertised that Metel­lus, by the incouragement and instigation of Pom­peie, meaning to raise parcialities and factions, made friendes to gette the same: saying then, An honest [Page 27] man ought to séeke to enter into offices, A notable saying. for the Com­mon weales sake: and that though he might oftimes verie easily haue gott that office, he would neuer re­quire the same, while there was nothing a doe, but had reserued himselfe to pursue it, when as it beho­ued, not without great daunger, to fight for the com­moditie, and weale of the Common estate, Pompeie and Crassus. and pro­tection of libertie. As within a while after to resist Pompeies, and Crassus rash enterprises brigging for the Consulshippe, he did in déede present himselfe, and asked the office of Pretor, to the end, said he, that the same might serue him as a fortresse, to make head a­gainst their Consulship: & that being no priuate per­son, he might haue the more authoritie to resist them, whiche helde the first and principall place of com­maundement. Whiche vndoubtedly be considerati­ons worthie of a vertuous man, séeking to enter into the administration of a Common weale.

It is written, He that desireth the charge and func­tion of a Pastour and Bishop, desireth a good worke. And Esaie being asked of God, The Prophet Esaie. what he should be whō he should send, said straight, Send me Lord, Loe I am here. The good in­tention excu­seth not the pursute made by corruption The Romane lawes haue not condemned or reproued the honest suing or séeking of an office, or gouernement, so that it were without presentes, mo­nie, or corruption, for that which ought to be purcha­sed by vertue, should not be bought with monie, no, thoughe his meaning who pursued, Example of Bibulus obteining of the Consulshippe. The ambiti­ous pursuite, of Themisto­cles. tended to a good end. As theirs was, whiche ment, by the consent of Cato, (a vertuous and well renowmed personage,) to bring, or labour to gette Bibulus Consulshippe by corruption, to hinder the ambitious election of Luci­lius, laboured for by Iulius Caesar. And as Themisto­cles meaning was also, who fearing least al should be lost, if Epicides, sonne to Euphanides, were chosen ge­nerall, to conduct the warres against the King of [Page] Persia: Epicides. because he was a coward, and subiect to mo­nie, bought with readie coine Epicides ambitious pursuite, of sette purpose to preuent and make him leaue off his enterprise.

The honest compassing of offices com­mended in the citie of Sparta Plutarche.It is most certeine, that by the Graecian lawes and customes, this vertuous & honest acquisition of Pub­lique charges, was not prohibited, no, not in the citie of Sparta, which hath ben the best policied, & ordeined of all the townes of Greece, chiefly in the time of Ly­curgus, of whō Plutarch speaking, saith, that the same was as then, the most honourable pursuite, and the moste honorable combate that might haue ben séene among men, that was made, (if it so happened y ^e Se­nator died,) for his place, in the which the law would that the honestest man of the towne should be substi­tuted. For he (saith he) bare away the price from all pursuers, not that was the swiftest among the swift, or the strongest among the strong, or the richest a­mong the riche: but who was the moste vertuous a­mong the vertuous, reaping for rewarde of his ver­tue, full power, and souereigne authoritie, in the go­uernement of the Common weale.

He that presenteth himselfe ought to be well prouided and instructedBut he also that wil present himselfe to demaund and sue for any charge, ought to prepare himself, & be wel instructed in al that apperteineth vnto the exer­cise & sufficiencie of the same, & by good reason: much more then he that determineth with him selfe to tar­rie vntill he be called, Example of Cato. without making other meane or sute. As it is written of the same Cato, of whome we spake right nowe, that he being determined to de­maund the office of a Questor, would neuer attempt the same, before he had diligently ouerread y ^e decrées and ordinaunces which concerned the charge and of­fice of a Questor: and whiche is more, vntill he had particularly inquired of all the points therof, of those whiche had longer experience to knowe summarily, [Page 28] what the power and authoritie, of that office was, Against them that present themselues ill instructed and prouided. Euribiades. that he might be fully capable and sufficient, before he opened his mouth to aske the same. And to him, whatsoeuer he be, that would otherwise aduance him selfe, might that iustly be saide, that Euribiades said to Themistocles, that in games of price, and of run­ning, they that rise and make their course, before the time appointed, ought to be chastised, & sent backe a­gain. Thus, the honest pursute, as before, Pursuit ought to be made without doing wrong to o­thers. shal not be to be reproued, so it be made without doing wrong, iniurie, or damage to any other person, althoughe he were a competitour, & laboring or suing for the selfe same thing: A good com­parison. Crysippus. for nether more nor lesse (said Crysippus) then they that runne, & séeke to win the price in wa­gers of running, doe but their indeuour, when euerie of them doth what he can with slight, might, & maine, to be former, and win, so that it be without shouing & thrusting with his hande, tripping, or other lette of his cōpanions race: so is it a thing blamelesse in this life, if euerie man séeke to get that he thinketh decent, profitable, & conuenient for himselfe, Lucius Lucullus. so that he doe it without wronging any other bodie. The honest mo­destie of Lucius Lucullus in this point, Marcus Lucullus. was greatly estéemed of the Romane people, because that, séeing his yonger brother Marcus Lucullus suing for an of­fice in Rome, he would neuer demaund or accept any before him, but tarried his brothers time, & oportuni­tie, and let slip his own: by which his courtesie, he en­tered so muche into the good grace of the people, that being absent he was chosen Aedile, & his brother also with him, for his sake, both at one time.

CHAPTER. XIIII. That we ought not to be offended, if we cānot atteine vnto the vocation sought, or sued for: and whence the great griefe of a refuse proceedeth.

BVt if there hap a repulse or refuse of y ^e vocation laboured for, I am of opini­on also, that he that hath failed of his purpose, ought not to enter into any sorrowe or trouble of minde, A fonde cu­stome. Cassius offen­ded with Bru­tus, because because he was preferred be­fore him. as they did in times past at Rome, not onely the refused, but also their Parentes, Friendes, and Alies, with a dis­grace whiche continued certeine dayes: nor yet to fall at debate and contention with his competitor, as Cassius séeking to be Praetor Vrbane of Rome, did with his brother in lawe Brutus, because that Iulius Caesar, preferred Brutus in the same: and with there­with all, He that is put backe ought to thinke, that he hath sped aswell as he that is recei­ued. that he should thinke himselfe to haue recei­ued no lesse then he that hath spedde.

As it is written of the gatherers of Manna from heauen, that he that had the moste, had no more then he that had least. And muche lesse ought he to estéeme himselfe reiected of GOD, but rather to thinke that he is in singular fauour with him, because that refuse is more to his commoditie, then if it had hap­pened otherwise, sith he hath declared his good plea­sure to be suche. For if it had not pleased him so, it had not ben in the power of man that it shuld haue chan­ced otherwise. At the least he ought to do no lesse then the Painime Grecian Paedaretus, Paedaretus re­ioyceth be­cause he could not obteine an office he sued for. who fayling to be of the number of the thrée hundred of Sparte, retur­ned iocund and merrie vnto his house, because (saide he) I haue this day knowen the towne of Sparte most happie, to be so wel prouided of men, that it hath thrée hundred more worthie and sufficient then my selfe. And the Romane Cato, was he not maruelously com­mended for his modestie toward his competitor Pub­lius Sulpicius, Cato bare patiently the re­fuse of an of­fice he labou­red for. after he had ben vanquished by him, in the pursuite of the Consulshippe? because he said no­thing else, but that men shuld not maruel, if he would not yéeld or giue to any other, that, which he estéemed [Page 29] the greatest blisse that might happen vnto himselfe, although that Sulpicius had receiued greate honour and aduauncement by his meane? Whence the griefe of a re­fuse procee­deth. Truely to take at the heart a deniall or refuse of any honour, procée­deth of no other thing, but to haue too egerly & beyond measure desired the same. And euen as we ought not to be proud of any honour, so likewise ought we not to abase or trouble our selues for any denial what so­euer that may happen: The office of a good Citi­zen. because it is the part of a good Citizen, to kéepe himselfe alway alike readie, and to offer his bodie and witt, to serue the Common weale.

CHAPTER. XV. Whether a man being disorderly and vnduely ente­red into any vocation, may lawfully brooke and abide in the same: and whether the administrati­on in the meane while, done by him that is vndu­ly entered, ought to holde or be of force.

AND the pursute made by suche honest meanes as we haue spoken of, is so farre from blame, as that althoughe it so fel out, that a man were entered in­to any Publique charge and admini­stration, be the same Ecclesiasticall or Publique, by a dishonest meaning, yea, by vnlawfull meanes, (al­though that suche a thing be an euill example, Whether his administrati­on that is vn­duly entred, ought to be approued or not. and hard to prosper, for that verie seldome or neuer com­meth an euil beginning to a good end:) yet for al that, if such a one reforme his former intentiō, & conforme himselfe as he ought to doe to his vocation, I dare boldely say, that he of himself doth not amisse, (where there is a superiour, who hath power ouer him,) to a­bide in his office: for all vocations of themselues con­tinue alwayes good, and there is nothing but the per­uerse intention of man corrupted with disobedience, [Page] that is to be reproued. Yea, though he that is vnlaw­fully admitted, continue stil in his peruerse inten­tion, men holde opinion, that, that whiche hath béene done during his gouernment, ought not therefore to be disanulled, because of the cōsequence of that which hath ben done during the same: as for this only occa­sion Cicero was resisted, Cicero resis­ted. Example of Clodius. going about to haue made void all y ^e had béen done by Clodius, during his Tri­buneship: not for that, that Clodius was not known to be a wicked man, & vnduly admitted to y ^e Tribun­ship, as a Patrician and noble man: but for the con­sequence and inconuenience only that might haue in­sued. Sylla, and Caesar. For the which respect, al that Sylla, & Caesar had done, was approued by the Senate, although the one of them had declared himself Dictator, & the other v­surped by force the Monarchie of Rome. But though this treatise asketh a longer discourse, yet because it is somewhat from our purpose, we will leaue the fame, and returne whence we came fro.

CHAPTER. XVI. That men may sometimes intrude themselues into offices.

ALthough this rule be moste true and certeine, that no man ought to enter of his owne head into any Publique vocation: yet for all that, such neces­sitie may sometimes happen, that it ought to haue no place. As for example, in the Com­mon gouernment, although the Publique reuenge & defence apperteine onely vnto Magistrates: yet, if in place, out of the presence and succour of Magistrates, any man be assailed by robbers or théeues, so that power and resistance be required, he may, and ought without feare, to helpe and defende him selfe, & vse the force and authoritie of the sworde, whiche otherwise apperteineth to Magistrates onely. As the Diuines [Page 30] say likewise in the Ecclesiasticall estate, if it so hap­pen that there be néede and want of Church men, and in al other like cases, led by the necessitie of brotherly charitie, y ^t then the same is permitted to euerie one, whiche belongeth to the Ecclesiasticall duetie and of­fice, although that otherwise it be prohibited.

CHAPTER. XVII. Of them whiche will not intrude themselues, but ra­ther drawe backe, & take away all occasions that might cause them to be called, or being called re­fuse the same.

THus haue we hitherto séene, howe that it is not lawfull for vs to intrude our selues, or enter into vocation, vnles we be therevnto duly called. But there be some that be so far off from presenting, or intruding of themselues, that thinking to doe bet­ter, they contrarily flée, and as much as in them lieth take away all occasions which may cause them to be called: of the which this is a méet place to speake. Vocations exposed to many dan­gers. The state of marriage. Menander. The politique estate. Be­cause there be many, whiche séeing vocations to be things of great charge, & exposed to many perils, dan­gers, & aduentures: be it that we looke on the domes­tical state of marriage, whiche the Poet Menander likeneth vnto a nauigation amiddest waues and tempests: or else on the politique estate, exposed to so ma­ny ingratitudes and slaunders, wherewith so many great personages haue béene oppressed: Notable ex­amples. as among the Graecians, Lycurgus, Solon, Aristides, Themistocles: a­mong the Romanes, Camillus, Scipio, Lentulus, Ci­cero, & infinite others, Themistocles dissuaded his sonne from medling with gouernment. which haue ben constrained to say that honours, dignities, and publike administra­tions, were no other thing, but funerall pompes. Wherefore Themistocles father, séeking to dissuade his sonne frō intermedling himself with the gouern­ment [Page] of the Cōmon weale, The ecclesia­sticall estate. went along the sea coaste, shewing vnto him the bodies or hulles of olde gallies cast here and there without any count made of them, telling him, that men did the like of gouernours: when they were able to serue no longer. Or be it al­so that we consider the Ecclesiasticall estate, wherein through al ages, there haue béen so many disturbers, wicked ministers, vessels of wrath, sowers of here­sies and dissentions.

Considering then so many inconueniences, suche seruitude and subiection in vocations full of sweate & trauel, The cause why sundry haue forsaken their vocati­ons. Thales to So­lon. some haue kept them selues from marriage: as among other, Thales, who séeing Solon sore trou­bled with the newes that were brought him of his sonnes death, saide thus vnto him: Thou must vn­derstand, Solon, that the feare of the selfe fortune, that is happened vnto thée, disturneth & kéepeth me from marriage, and desire to haue children.

Other haue forsaken and giuen ouer all charge, and administration of the Weale Publique, and other subiection: Diocletian, & Maximian: Metellus, and Lucullus: Crates and Diogenes. and in stead thereof, haue giuen themselues to the following of their pleasures & de­lightes, preferring their particular ease, before the publike profite: as it is written of Diocletian & Max­imian Emperours: & before them of Metellus & Lu­cullus. Other (as Crates and Diogenes) laughed and scorned all worldly thinges, yea, all order & gouerne­ment also, as thinges not onely vncerteine & subiect to the whéele of Fortune, but also accompanied with infinite care and trauell, hindering the fruition of the true felicitie. Other haue through feare and want of courage fled the medling in affaires, Nicias. as the Athenian Nicias, who did always eschue the honors & charges of the Commonweale, although he were oftimes cho­sen therevnto by his Citizens, as the honestest and worthiest man of the Towne. Other because they [Page 31] be called to meane offices, thinking them selues worthie of greater and better: or else because they had before had and exercised worthie charges: fol­lowing not therein the example of Quintus Fabius, Quintus Fa­bius. who after he had bene Consul, and aboue all other, disdained not to march in the wars vnder other Con­suls. The contem­platiue life. Other preferring the contemplatiue before the actiue life, haue retired themselues out of Common weales, and companie of men, founding themselues vpon this sentence, that there is no better thing for a man, then to liue to himselfe, and in such sorte as it be not knowen that he hath liued: and therefore haue forsaken and refused their vocations they were cal­led vnto: as it is written among other, Amonius. in the Eccle­siasticall historie, of a Monke named Amonius, who séeing himselfe called to the function and dignitie of a Bishop, cut off his owne eares, threatening also to cut out his tongue, if they pressed him any néerer to accept such a charge. And other moued, I knowe not with what kinde of contempt, hatred and disdaine of the conuersation of men, Conon. Gabrias. Timon. Alcibiades. haue lefte and abandoned their societie: as among other, Conon, Gabrias, and one named Timon, who fléeing the frequentation of all men, woulde conuerse with no one, but with Al­cibiades alone, and that because (said he) that he alone should one day be cause of the total ruine and distruc­tion of the Athenian Common weale: so much did he abhorre the companie and frequentation of men.

Of all whiche, to aunswer truely, They that flee vocatiō shoot at the selfe same marke that kinges doe. me thinketh néedelesse to say ought else, but that whiche Cicero speaking of this manner, saide, that it is greatly to be feared, least that those kinde of people shoote at the selfe same Butte and ende, that Kinges, Princes, and great Lordes doe: that is to say, to liue at their plea­sure, without paine, care, and trouble, out of all sub­iection [Page] and seruitude, not béeing able to endure and supporte the molestations, necessities, iniuries, re­proches, and slaunders, ingratitudes, and persecuti­ons accustomed, and whiche the parties called to vo­cations and Publique charges receiued ordinarily, but béeing ouercome with impatience and indigna­tion, to sée before their eyes so many euils, confusi­ons, disorders, and wickednesses, in the assemblies of men.

Contemplati­on is lame, without the action.And as for speculations and the contemplatiue life: knowledge and contemplation onely (as we will shewe hereafter) is a lame and vnperfecte thing, vn­lesse the same be so accompanied with the action, vse, and handling of affaires to the Common profite and seruice of men. And yet will I not denie, but that in some vocations and professions, Contemplati­on more necessarie in some professions, then in other some. contemplation is more néedfull and necessarie, then in other some, and therewithall, the restrainte of the action verie com­mendable in them, which by excellencie of witte and vnderstanding, haue wholy giuen themselues to ler­ning and writing, for the instruction and erudi­tion of others, or otherwise to doe some thing benefi­ciall to the societie of men: As Plato and his Schole­maister Socrates, Plato and So­crates. who béeing on a time asked (as Xe­nophon writeth,) why it was, that he hauing tra­uelled so much to make good gouernours, and admi­nistratours of Common weales, did himselfe not­withstanding, so earnestly flée the administration, and gouernement of the same, without euer hauing vouchsafed to vndertake the rule of any: asked for aunswere, whether of the two were the better, and most beneficiall to a Common weale: to gouerne the weale Publique himselfe, or to teache, and learne to doe the same well. And yet was Isocrates in the like case, Isocrates. greatly commended, because he abstained by the space of the foure score and eightéene yeares of [Page 32] his life, from al charge and publique administration, It is a robbe­ie of the com­mon weale, to frustrate the same of the seruice due by all men. it being for all that most certeine and assured, that it is no lesse iniurie to a Common weale, to frustrate and disappoint the same of the common seruice due by nature according, vnto the gifte, grace, and abili­tie that euerie man hath receiued, to be employed to the Publique commoditie and profite of all men, then to robbe and spoyle other men of their goods.

So that we say, It is a wicked parte to refuse the gouerne­ment of a common weale. that euen as it is not lawfull for a man to intrude himselfe into any vocation, be­fore he be therevnto duly called: so to refuse the same, or else to take away such occasiōs as might cause him to be called therevnto, is a wicked, cowardlie, lewde, and peruerse thing. The girde Sa­turninus gaue vnto Marius. Wherefore Saturninus spake vn­to Marius like a vertuous man, calling him Traitor, because he refused the Consulshippe in time of trou­ble and necessitie: saying, The reproche the Athenians gaue to Ara­tus. that to refuse such a charge in time of perill and néede, was nothing else, but to betray the Common weale. As the Athenians did in likewise reproche Aratus, refusing to be their Cap­teine generall, in the most distresse of their troubles, that he did as the Mariner, who abandoned and for­sooke the helme of his shippe, euen when the tempest was most vehement and outragious. As also may be saide of euery Publique charge, vnlesse there be a verie iust cause and consideration, which dissuadeth him that he is called. For it is not saide, that it is al­wayes necessarie for a man to accept the vocation he is called vnto, because he may sometimes haue iust and reasonable occasion to refuse the same.

As the secret and assured testimonie, Iust causes why to refuse publique charges. The time. of his owne vnabilitie, or infirmitie, be it of the bodie, witte, or age, causing insufficiencie, or else some other occasion grounded on the time, which peraduenture wold not suffer him y ^t should receiue y ^e office to exercise y ^e same [Page] with such diligence and libertie as he ought to doe. Example of Cato. Whiche was the cause why Cato (whome we haue so oft remembred) béeing carefull of the Cōmon weale, dissuaded his son to intermingle or intangle himselfe with the gouernement of the Republique, in time of tyrannie: Because (saide he) that to doe as it shoulde behooue the dignite of Cato his sonne, the qualitie of the time and affaires would not permitte, Pompeius Atticus would neuer sue for any publique charge, and the cause why and to doe otherwise, was neither decent nor honest. As it is likewise written of Pompeius Atticus, that he woulde neuer aske or sue for any charge or office, because the manners of his time could not per­mitte him to enter therevnto, with the sinceritie required by the lawes. An honest man in a cor­rupt time re­sembleth vn­seasonable fruite. And to speake truely, an honest and sounde man in a corrupted time, is verie like vnto fruites comming out of season. For euen as men sée them gladly, and praise them with admi­ration, without vsing them: So the auncient inno­cencie béeing once growen out of vre, and after long distance of time comming to shew it selfe againe, a­middest the corrupte liues and depraued manners of men, purchaseth assuredly great glorie & renowme: But otherwise, the same is not founde sortable to be sette aboute any woorke, méete to be employed in affaires: because that the grauitie and perfection of vertue, is disproportioned to the corruption of the time.

The knowe­ledge of a more suffici­ent man, is a reasonable cause of refuseFurther, if he that is called to any vocation known in his conscience any one sufficienter or méeter for the aduauncement of the Common seruice then him­selfe, he ought to be déemed to haue iust cause of re­fusalls, as it shall more amply be declared hereafter, when we shall speake of the constancie that is to be reteined in vocations. There be many circum­stances to be well considered of, by him; that is cho­sen to beare any office, before he refuse the same. [Page 33] Which for al that come al to one point, which is, that his refusall ought to be more founded vpon the consi­deration of the common profite, then vpon his owne particular, wherein vndoubtedly a man may easily erre. And if we wil narrowly examine the foolish and vndiscréete, ambitious, and extreme auarice of our time, we shal finde that the example of late hapned in the person of Mounsier de Moruillier, Mounsier de Moruillier. bishop of Orle­ans, is both monstruous, miraculous, and also worthy of memorie: Bicause that after that he had bene cal­led to be of the kings priuie counsell, as one who had handled the affaires of Fraunce, both abroade and at home, in great reputation, knowne of all men to be of no lesse experience then learning, good life and con­uersation: being chosen to be Chancellour of France, which is the souereigne dignitie, yea, if a man might so cal it, the Solstice of the honour of iustice, he would not accept the same. Wherein truly his great wise­dome and integritie may not suffer him to be taxed, as hauing more respect to his owne particular, then to the publique, or else that any one should say, that by so doing, he loued him selfe better then the publi­que, or yet reproch him of pusillanimitie: for he hath giuen sufficient proofs of his magnanimitie, always accompanied with zeale and labour, employed for the Common weale. So that I can not impute the cause of the same his refusal, but to one of these two points, or else peraduenture to them both at once: that is, to the time, (which I dare boldly affirme to be such, as the like whereof hath not bene many yeres sithence:) or else to the charge of his Ecclesiasticall vocation, estéeming him selfe vnable to beare two so great bur­dens at once. But such considerations, worthie in déede of a most honest man, fall not commonly into e­uery mans braine.

Neyther do I meane to reproue the modestie and [Page] reuerence, The humble and modest refusall of pub­lique charges is not to be reprehended. Moses. Saule. Examples. Numa Pom­pilius. procéeding of the humble acknowledging of him selfe, whereby offices haue oftentimes bene and may, with some honest excuse, be refused. As Mo­ses called of God, to retire his people out of Egypt, aunswered, Lord, who am I? And Saule séeing him selfe chosen king of Israel, moued with a commenda­ble shamefastnesse, hid him selfe, and retired out of the companie of them that had chosen him. And Numa Pompilius king of Rome, who beganne his answere with an honest refuse: and so in likewise infinite other. But for al that, without approuing or allow­ing of their saying, Of them that say that we ought to ac­cept any publique charge vncompelled. Plato. Conclusion, vpon thē whi­che desire or refuse pub­lique charges. which thinking to speake modest­ly, haue affirmed, that a man ought not to accept or enter into any publique vocations, but by constraint, or vnlesse he be compelled. For that which is volun­tarie in vertuous thinges, is much more to be com­mended, then that which is forced: vnlesse that with Plato, we will vnderstand, constraint to be a modest refuse, tarrying for commaundement and intreatie. For conclusion, euen as it is the part of a wise and vertuous man, not to extol him lightly in vaine hope and opinion of him selfe, and lesse to be dazed at the brightnesse or excellencie of an honourable office or dignitie: So after he be once orderly called, & that he haue modestly excused him selfe, to stande or striue any further, is the part of an vndiscréete man, bea­ring but small reuerence to the authoritie of vocati­on: nor yet such respect as he ought to do, to the com­moditie of the common societie.

CHAPTER. XVIII. Whether one man may duely be called to two voca­tions: and first, of sundrie domesticall, and other priuate vocations at once.

AND sith it is so, that we diligently search out all that apperteineth vnto vocation, meaning to leaue no one thing behinde, if we can possibly, as certeinly we desire and séeke to doe to our power: It is not out of purpose to aske in this place, whether one man may be duely called to two vocations and manners of liuing, and consequently intermeddle him selfe, in the exercise of them both at once. And to answere the same, it is very cléere, Domesticall vocations be compatible in one person. that the domestical vocation in it selfe, which consisteth in fathers, mothers, children, maisters, and seruaunts, doth tollerate y ^e office of father, sonne, maister, & ser­uant, al at once. And also, Domesticall vocations compatible with the priuate. that the same is not incom­patible with priuate vocations: as with a domesti­call, to be an husbandman, artificer, or merchant: for though those callings be vnlike, Of sundrie priuate vocati­ons together. Plato. yet doth y ^e one bring no impediment to the other: but that one man may exercise many priuate vocations together. Plato in his treatie of lawes, sayth, That the imbecillitie of mans nature permitteth not, that two arts sciences, or occupations, may be at once exercised by one man: although that in an other place he telleth, (but as it were for a wonder) of one Hippias, Hippias. who being in good aray, vsed not the help of any other workmā, to make his clothing and apparell, but his owne hands: Plato his lawe. wher­fore (sayth he) it shall stande for a lawe in euery citie, that no workman or artificer, shall vse two occupati­ons at once, but euery artificer shall plie his owne art, & séeke to gaine his liuing by the same: and if any man do the cōtrarie, let him be compelled to cleaue to one & no more, either by imprisonmēt, penaltie, or ba­nishment. And vndoubtedly, there is great apparance in this lawe & ordinance that Plato made, bicause the same is grounded on the infirmitie & weaknes of mā: which hath since that, Aristotle. ben folowed by Aristotle in his [Page] Politikes, saying: That nature had giuen to euery one of hir creatures, Man resem­bleth not the Delphike sworde. his particular office and charge: and hath not made man, like vnto the Delphike sword, which serueth to many and sundrie vses.

CHAPTER XIX. Of domesticall vocations ioyned with the Publique. Politique, and Ecclesiasticall: and of the domesti­call vocation of marriage, with the Ecclesiasticall.

THe difficultie hath ben estéemed great, for the domesticall & priuate vocations before rehearsed, ronioyned with the Publique, Ecclesiastical, or Politique. And to speake first of the domesticall by marriage, The vocation of marriage with the poli­tique. The vocation of marriage with the Ecclesiasticall. the coniunction thereof with the politique, as to be married, and therewithall placed in office or publique charge, was neuer misliked. But to be in wedlocke and the Ecclesiasticall estate both at once, the Romane and Gréeke Church be entred in dispute and discord about the same: bycause that the Greci­an Church allowed them both ioyned together, affir­ming the same to be founded vpon the institution of marriage, for procreations sake, and to serue for a remedy against incontinencie. Agreing in that point with the opinion of Crysippus, Crysippus opinion touching marriage. who sayd many dayes before that, that euery wise man ought to marrie, vnlesse he would incurre the indignation of Iupiter Gamelius, and Genethlius, that is to say, of God the authour of marriage and generation: In considera­tion whereof, Lycurgus called thē infamous, whiche woulde not marrie. Lycurgus noted them of infamie, which refused to marrie. But the Romane Church contra­rily hath prohibited the same, bycause that men shuld the better giue themselues to prayer and Ecclesiasti­call seruice, least that through the continuall cares, and daily charges that be in marriage, they should be [Page 35] withdrawne, Marriage a meane to trouble man. Plautus. Cicero. Nircius. and distracted from the seruice they be bound vnto: The same being not without reason that Plautus saith, that he that wold find some meane to trouble him selfe, néed but to take vpon him to go­uerne a shippe or a wife. Cicero after the deceasse of Terentia his wife, being requested by Nircius to take his sister in marriage: aunswered, that it was not possible for him to tend to marriage, and the studie of Philosophie at once.

CHAPTER. XX. Of priuate vocations, with the Publique Ecclesi­asticalll.

AS touching priuate vocations, that is to say, not established in publique offices: there is an other doubt, whether the same may be exercised with the Publique. For first, if we consider the olde lawe of Moses, Moses. euery kind and sort of people, may not be receiued and admitted, to that which apperteineth to the Ecclesiasticall vo­cation: And Aristotle agréeing therevnto, Aristotle. namely excludeth Artificers, and men of occupation. But sith the comming of Iesus Christ, this difficultie hath sée­med to ceasse, bycause that men of occupation, and base condition, haue bene called by him selfe. But for the decencie of Church men, that they might haue the better meane and leasure, to apply and giue them sel­ues to their function and charge, and tend to studie, and continuall prayer, it hath bene thought best, that they should haue some reuenue and meane to liue: Not for all that, that the vocations aboue said, should otherwise be of them selues incompatible.

CHAPTER. XXI. Of priuate vocations, with the Publique Politique.

AS for the Politique vocation, to knowe whether the same may be communicated vnto them which be in the exercise of pri­uate liues: the ancient which haue writ­ten of Politique gouernment, Phileas. Hippodamus, Lycurgus. Plato. Xenophon. Aristotle. as Phileas, Hippoda­mus, Lycurgus, Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle, and other haue vtterly reiected from all degrée of honour and dignitie Publique what so euer, of a common weale well ordered, all those that exercise vile and base arts, as vnméete and incapable of the Publique estate. Which (as I haue saide) is vnderstoode of a Politique estate well consituted. Difference be­tweene the Monarchall e­state, and the Popular. For in the simple estate of a popular Common weale, not so well instituted, it is necessarie, that such folkes be called to offices, if not to all, at the least wayes to some, for feare least other­wise, there might some change of state or sedition in­sue: Cautons be townes, which haue set them selues at libertie and ioyne all in one communaltie. as we sée it stil at this present practised in Suys­se, throughout all the Cautons, that be mainteined by this popular estate, in the which all offices be tempo­rall, so that the time of their charge being expired, & ended, they returne to their priuate life. But in the Monarchall estate, vnder the which we be, it is an o­ther thing: bycause that Magistrates be in the same perpetuall, distracting, and occupying a man suffici­ently, without tending any other thing: and therfore y ^e two vocations by good reason, be not receiuable at once, Artes and oc­cupations be the giftes of of God. as we sée is practised among vs: Not that we e­stéeme artes and handicraftes, not to be the gifte of God, and no lesse in their respect seruiceable and commodious, for the weale of humane societie, and to the exercise of vertue, then the greatest & most apparant vocations: yea, which is more, y ^t from the one a man may clime to the other, if he hap to be found capable: but only bicause (as I haue saide) y ^t our offices be of perpetuitie, & such as require such a one, as from his youth hath ben giuē to y ^e exercise of y ^e same & no other.

CHAPTER. XXII. Of many Politique vocations together.

IT foloweth nowe to speake of many politi­que callings together, whether they may be exercised by one alone, to satisfie y ^e same also: if it so be, y ^t in priuate charges, the imbecili­tie of mā be such, y ^e one alone can not be perfect, & suf­ficient for two, there is farre more apparance to say, y ^t much lesse shal he be found capable, or sufficient to take on him y ^e handling of many publique charges at once. And in déed, Aristotle treating of Magistrates, Aristotle his opinion, touching many poli­tique vocati­ons together, in one weale publique. is of this opinion also, saying, y ^t each one may farre better discharge y ^t which belongeth to his office & du­tie, when he imployeth himself but about one, & is not impeached with many. But he meaneth, & restreineth his saying, to great towns & cities only, bicause (saith he) y ^t in smal, it is not possible by reason of y ^e few num­ber of citizens, y ^t offices may otherwise be chaunged from one to an other as they ought to be: speaking of cōmon weales, in the which Magistrats be temporal: howbeit, if our former proposition, of y ^e imbecilitie of man, & y ^t he cānot be as a Delphike sword, seruing to sundry vse, abide true, me thinkes it should be out of purpose, y ^e Aristotles meaning should reach more to a little then a great towne. For to say, y ^t the necessitie of changing of temporal offices require it so: it is cer­tein, y ^t to y ^e proportion of y ^e lesser nūber & assemblie of men, fewer Magistrates shuld also be required: & ther­fore shuld y ^e difficultie of changing offices also ceasse, were it not that Aristotles saying (by al likelyhood of truth) is to be vnderstood, Interpetation of Aristotles opinion. to reach no further then the termes of a Republique, & not of a simple town or ci­tie: & in y ^e which Repub. although the same were but meane or little, there shuld for al that, be required the like number, & sufficiencie of Magistrates, as in the greatest. For vndoutedly, to euery Repub. he speketh [Page] of, there is indifferently a certeine and like number of Magistrates by him ordeined, necessarie for the same: In the Monar­chall estate many poli­tique vocati­ons, be not compatible together. be it great, meane, or little. But being in the termes of a simple towne or citie, gouerned vnder a Monarchie, as we be, not composed in forme of a Re­publique, in the which all offices be perpetual, I durst say and auow it for a thing most certeine, that many Magistrates and Politique estates, may not be ex­ercised by one person alone.

CHAPTER. XXIII. That the handling of many vocations together is a daungerous thing, and that wherevnto a Prince ought to haue an especiall good eye: as also of ma­ny Ecclesiastical vocations together, and of the Ec­clesiasticall and Politique vocation and admini­stration.

ARistotle him selfe imitating the same, numbreth in another place the handling of many offices by one man alone, a­mong the chiefe vices of a well ordeined Common weale, The Carthagi­ans reproued. reprouing the Cartha­gians, which contrarily estéemed such maniment or handling to be very honourable and prayseworthie. As we sée also ordinarily about Kings and Princes, Our dayes. some of that opinion, which thinke their authoritie, credite, and renowme, so much the more extended, by vndertaking of many charges, and sundrie affaires. A thing no lesse daungerous and full of perill, then the insufficiencie of man is euidently knowne, and whence we sée great and fowle faultes ensue. A Prince ought not to admit many charges to one man alone. Wher­fore the Prince ought aboue all other things, to take good héede not to commit to one man alone, be he ne­uer so excellent, many charges and Politique, or Ec­clesiasticall administrations at once, were it for no­thing [Page 37] else, Marcus Cato. but that the so doing (as Marcus Cato said) is either to make small accept of offices, The daunger that commeth of giuing ma­ny offices to one man. or else not to haue many men whiche be thought worthie to exer­cise them. And, to speake vprightly, to commite so many charges and offices to one man alone, is no other thing, but to restraine the honour, reputation, and estimation desired of euerie man, to a verie fewe persons, and in consequence thereof, so much more to discourage and diuert men from the loue and stu­die of vertue: whence it happeneth, that we sée Prin­ces by that meane oftentimes, haue néede of men, e­uen in the handling of their greatest, & most vrgent affaires. And so subiectes abide bondslaues to one or two, to the great vetriment of their estate. Where­as alluring eche one by all meanes to the studie of vertue, and presenting to all men gouernementes, and offices, in reward thereof (as they ought to do,) they shoulde as well abounde in vertuous and ho­norable personages, It is a great treasure for a prince to haue wise mynisters. as in aboundance of prosperous successe in their affaires. For neither is there trea­sure more precious, nor yet defence more to be desi­red of a Prince in his Realme, then a good number of wise and graue Counsellers about him. As it is written of Darius kinge of Persia, Darius saying to Zophyrus. who presen­ting a Pomegranate vnto Zopyhrus his wise and most trustie seruaunt and counseller, saide these wor­des: I cannot wishe ought in this world more excel­lent, then to haue with me, as many Zophyres, as there be graines in this Apple. On the other side al­so, he that is well aduised, ought not take vpon him sundrie offices, and charges at once. For as there be in mans bodie sundrie members, hauing diuerse offi­ces: so by reason ought the politique bodie of man, A good com­parison. to haue difference of members, degrées, and offices, in diuerse persons: otherwise if the whole bodie were the eye, where should the hearing be? And as it is [Page] an vnséemely thing in mans body, to sée one member do, and vndertake, the office of an other: so it is a very daungerous, and an vndecent thing, to sée one person take vppon him many, and diuerse charges, & offices.

Of two eccle­siasticall voca­tions at once.And that not onely in Politique, but also by great reason, in Ecclesiasticall vocations. For it is moste certeine, that by all auncient constitutions of the Church, no man may or ought to intende two, as be­ing a thing streightly defended, and which at the first beginning, was inuiolably obserued, and in no case admitted: sauing that within a while after, it was permitted in case of necessitie, and euident vtilitie to the Church, (if it so happened that any bishop died, and vntill such time as some other were prouided in his place,) that an other Bishop might visite and pro­cure the benefice of the Bishops sea vacant: but with­out taking either the title or fruites thereof, or yet being absent from his owne Bishopprick about that visitation, and procuration, (which is commonly cal­ly a Commaund,) aboue sixe monethes. A thing vn­doubtedly founded vpon a good consideration, as ma­ny other likewise instituted to good purposes, but si­thens drawen to an euil, The right of a commaunde drawen to an euill conse­quence. and pernicions consequence and breache, as euery man maye sée, without née­ding longer to trouble or stay our selues aboute the same. As also beside that in succession of time an­other gappe hath béene opened in case of eminent, or excellente learning, or greatnesse of house, or familie, whiche is no lesse pernicious: Although I meane not to deface, Eminent learning and greatnesse of bloud maketh not a man ca­pable of two charges. or diminish that which apperteineth to the excellencie, and greatnesse of Nobilitie, knowing, right well, that in consideration thereof, many lesse worthie haue ben preferred before the most worthie: It being most resonable, that the vertue of those whi­che profite also after they be deade, be also recognised and honoured in their successes. And euen as dimme, [Page 38] and darke places be lightened by reuerberation of the Sunne: so ought likewise the lighte, and bright beames of predecessours, to make their followers, and aftercommers to shine. But this fauorable consi­deration may not extend to the taking away of the insufficiencie, and impediment of that mans imbecil­litie, who is well knowen to be vnable to discharge the dutie, and exercise of two Publique charges, Briares were Giantes with a hundred handes. Gerion. A notable ex­ample of pope Clement the fourth. as it is said: vnlesse so were, that yet at this present there were some Briares to be founde, whiche as the fable telleth, had an hundred hands: or else a Gerion, who as men feine, had two, or thrée bodies, & as many suf­ficiencies. And it is not without gret cause, that Pope Clement the fourth of that name, is gretly renowmed & extolled, for that being aduertised that one of his ne­phewes had thrée Prebendaries, streight compelled him to renounce two of them, and kéep but one, what soeuer his friendes coulde alledge to diuerte him, de­claring them to be but small benefices, and without charge of soules: And that considering he was his nigh kinseman, he ought not onely to dispense with the thrée Prebendaries, but also prouide him of bet­ter and greater benefices. Wherevnto for answere: I woulde to GOD (saide hee) that all Prelates, and Popes, woulde imitate, A vertuous saying. and followe the step­pes of our Lorde Iesus Christe, and not their Pa­rentes, Cousins, and Nephewes: for he is not wor­thie to be successor vnto the Apostles, who is néerer or maketh more accompt of his owne, then he doeth of the poore of the sonne of God his Church. Let eue­ry man therefore take héede, how he intrude himselfe into two Publique, Politique, or Eccesiasticall vo­cations: & let them also that haue power to call men thereto, sée y ^t they be diligent in preuenting the same.

We would treat yet further of the Ecclesiasticall vocation, ioyned with the Politique: to wit, if one [Page] person might exercise them both: were it not that, by that which we haue before discoursed, it appeareth sufficiently, that they ought not in any case to be ioy­ned together in one person, but to be ruled, and ad­ministred by seuerall persons. As it was wisely de­clared by Fabius Maximus, Examples of Fabius Maxi­mus: Aemilius Re­gulus. who then being about the election of Consuls at Rome, he did what he could to hinder the choosing of Aemilius Regulus, a Quiri­nall Prieste: because (saide he,) we may not with­drawe him from his sacrifices, and chéefly from the diligent care he ought to haue of Gods seruice.

Agréeing in that point with Aristotle, who re­iecteth, Aristotle sun­dereth two vocations. and sundereth the one administration frō the other, saying, that they ought to be altogether dis­tinct, and seuered. And vndoubtedly with great dif­ficultie may both at once be executed, and discharged by one person, King Philip de vellois his ordinance. without greate preiudice of the one of them, and most commonly of both at once. There­fore was it ordeined in King Philip de Vellois his time, that no Priest, or Ecclesiasticall person, should be deputed to assiste at the parleament, where the af­fairs of state were then treated, & determined of. And the cause of that ordinaunce is thus penned: Because the Kinge maketh conscience to disturbe, and diuerte Prelates busied about their spirituall gouernement, and will haue such in his parleament, as may amply and continually, without departing, attende vppon the same. These be the termes of the statute, the whiche vntill this present, that the parleament is restrained, and sith king Iohn his dayes in the particular affaires of iustice, hath bene diligently obserued. (:)

CHAPTER. I. Diuision of the vocation in generall, or common to all men: the particular vocation concerning euerie man seuerally: and first of the generall.

NOwe after that we haue defined vocation, and the meane to enter duly into the same: it behoueth to knowe, how euerie man ought to behaue himselfe, and what dili­gence is to be vsed in the exercise of that which belongeth to his vo­cation. That there be two sorts of vocations: Two sortes of vocations. the one is generall, & perteineth equally, & indifferently vn­to all men: the other particular, which belongeth dis­tinctly, & seuerally, vnto euerie man: the one contem­platiue, & the other actiue: for asmuch as man is cre­ated to liue, not as hearbes, & plants, or yet as brute beastes in all sensualitie: but according to the reason placed in his vnderstanding, apt partely to specula­tion, and contemplation: partly to the action partici­pant of bothe liues: Man is not created to liue like beastes. the one of the whiche resteth in contemplation of thinges, altogether separated from the bodie, and the other in the action of the same: whereof we drawe this general diuision of vocation, by the which we beginne: terming the one generall, & the other particular. Not that we be not equally, and in generall called, and méete aswell for the one, as the other: but because that we be all indifferently called to the knowledge, speculation, and contempla­tion [Page] of God, and distinctly, and differently to the ac­tion, according vnto the difference of euerie particu­lar vocation. Comparison of two voca­tions with the members of mans bodie. The perfect rule of life consisteth in the loue of God. For euen as all the members of the bo­die be appointed particularly eache one to his office, & yet for all that, all created to one end, to wit: to the preseruation of the bodie in generall: So we, being all particularly appointed eche one to our manner of liuing, be therewithall called to one generall voca­tion, belonging to the vnion, and coniunction of vs all together with God, as being eache of vs called to the knowledge of him, to loue and vnion with him, to the end each one of vs should afterward here in earth guide and rule his vocation, and particular kinde of life, according to the gouernment prescribed vnto vs all by his lawe, wherein onely the true, and perfect rule of life, and humane societie, consisteth. And the which vndoubtedly, if it might once throughly enter into vs, all particular vocations, which concerne the institution & reformation of mens maners, whereof we haue to treate hereafter, should ceasse, as néedlesse and superfluous: so that it should be in vaine to speake of them. For, what néede should there be of Doctors, Preceptors, Magistrates, and Superiours, or other publique, or domesticall policie, if the minde, and life of man, Aristotle. were so ruled, and of it selfe gouerned, by the vnion, and perfection of loue, and charitie? This say­ing of Aristotle being most true, The office of iustice. that where amitie abideth, there néedeth no iustice: because that the of­fice of iustice, is no other, but to render to eache one, that whiche belongeth vnto him, which we sée amitie executeth of it selfe sufficiently.

Disorder proceedeth of the vice of man.But it is most certeine, that all confusion procée­deth of our owne imperfection, because that in stead of vniting of our selues vnto God, (as it is saide) and also reporting of our manner of liuing, wherevnto we be called, to the common profite: we will neither [Page 40] know, obey, nor loue any other, but our owne selues, putting our confidence and trust in our selues: that is to say: in our owne wisedome, strength, force, and vertue. Wherehence, all contempt of the Common weale, and disorder in humane societie, springeth: e­uerie one going about to rauish, or take for himselfe, that whiche belongeth to God alone, and the Com­monaltie of men. Wherefore, it hath béene moste necessarie, to represse, and conteine mans furie, and arrogancie by lawes, preceptes, instructions, disci­plines, doctors, magistrates, swordes, penalties, and punishmentes, and to induce vocations in diuers sortes, and manners, verie néedefull for the necessitie and infirmitie of man, and therefore ordeined vnto him, as an exercise méete to raine him to order, and diuine gouernement.

Wherein we haue greatly to consider of the sin­gular bountie of God toward vs: who, The goodnes of God seene in the feate of vocation. although that of himself, (if his blessed wil had ben such,) he had ben able by him self, his Angels, or otherwise to haue go­uerned, and ruled all things: for all that, hath vouch­safed that notwithstanding, so much to honour man, as by him, as his owne instrument, to do his worke: meaning thus, by mutual office, industrie, & meanes distributed to eache one, according to his pleasure, to reteine vs in the bonde of amitie, least the eye should say to the handes, or the head to the feete, and so the o­ther: I haue no néede of you. For else, if eache one had béene sufficient for himselfe, and had known to haue had no néede of other, the pride, and arrogancie of man is suche, that we should haue séene no other things but enuie, disdaine, and arrogancie reigne, and consequently al dissipation, and disorder of nature, in worldly things. And thus much bréefly touching the generall vocation.

CHAPTER. II. Diuision of the particular vocation into a calling, whiche consisteth in the priuate office, or else in the Publique charge: and first of that which con­sisteth in a priuate office, as the Oeconomicall vo­cation, and Domestical wedlock.

AS for eache mans particular vocati­on, ye must briefly vnderstande, that euerie vocation consisteth either in a priuate office, that is exercised by pri­uate persons: or else in publique of­fices, exercised by publique persons: the priuate cōsisteth partly in y ^e Oeconomical charge: that is to say, domesticall: as in the rule, and gouern­ment of wife, children, house, and familie: partely in an other office and manner of liuing in generall, of priuate persons, and no whit at all publique: as in the exercise of Mechanical artes, and occupations, as hereafter shalbe saide. The Publique office, consis­teth partely in the well ruling of the interiour, partly of the exteriour: to wit, of the Ecclesiasticall estate, to rule the interiour, Order neces­sarie to treate an argument. and conscience of men: and in the Politique estate, instituted for the exteriour, and corporal peace, and tranquillitie: the Politique estate exercised partely with armes, and partely without armes. Of all the whiche vocations we must speake summarily, and by order. For hauing hearde the first parte in order, that is to say, what the vocation we meane to speake of, is, order will, that we afterward knowe what the same is, and wherin it consisteth, ac­cording to the varietie, and multiplicitie of the same: desiring not to be thought troublesome therein, if at the first entrie, we stay somewhat in writing of thin­ges, which be in verie déede both common, and easie: but yet for all that profitable and necessarie, for con­tinuance [Page 41] of the argument we haue enterprised to treate of. Because that to proue any argument, or matter whatsoeuer, by methode and good order, it be­houeth to beginne with the easier, and moste famili­ar thinges.

We will then beginne with the Oeconomicall vo­cation, as that whiche is the mother, The Oecono­micall voca­cation is the mother of all other. and nurce of all other, and wherehence aswell Magistrates, Gouer­nours, & administrators of the Publique, as Church­men, Doctours, and teachers of good manners, and sciences, and all other whatsoeuer, yea, al assemblies, and societies of men, do procéede. For, whereof be Towns, Cities, Countries, Prouinces, Realmes, & Empires compounded, but of housholds, and priuate families, by successe of time assembled together? The state of marriage. Thus shall the vocation of marriage (in déede gene­rall, and common to the other, if we looke to the onely coniunction made by the same, but yet for al that by vs placed in the rule, and number of the particular, as being a domesticall manner of liuing, which may be particularly, and by it selfe, in any one without the other) be the first of all other in order, as so insti­tuted euen from the firste creation of the worlde. Whiche (as Aristotle sayeth) is the chiefest societie, The societie of marriage. Aristotle. and companie of all: so made, not so much by the rea­son and counsell of man (as other be,) as by the com­maundement of a naturall appetite, and instigation to ingender his like, common to all creatures: and which companie once taken away, of necessitie all o­ther must decay, & consequently the whole worlde be­come barren, and desolate. Wherof it followeth that they which haue ben of this opiniō, (as among other, Symonides. Symonides was) that y ^e same societie is a captiuitie, a shipwracke, & necessarie euill, from the which, if we coulde absteine, we should be happie, be greatly to be blamed: euen as they be also, which haue for gaine, & [Page] lucre sake, take vpon them to counsell, and persuade men to the same, Antigorus. Demetrius. as a good thing: as Antigonus did his sonne Demetrius, rehearsing these verses vnto him.

Aptly encountring these verses of Euripides:

Vocations comprehen­ded vnder the Oeconomi­call vocati­on. The husbands and wiues du­tie.Vnder this Oeconomical, & domestical calling, be comprised, the vocations of husbands, and wiues, fa­thers, mothers, children, maisters, & seruantes The office of all whiche consisteth principally, to wit: the husbands and wiues, in a mutuall & reciproke loue and amitie, and the common care of housholde af­faires, howebeit according to the difference of na­ture: the which because it is found more indued with strength and vertue of bodie and witte in man, then in the woman, it is reasonable that vnto the man also, as the more excellent, and for the commoditie of the societie of them both, the superiour authoritie should apperteine, and remaine recognised of the wife, The fathers and mothers office. Plato. by an obeysant amitie.

As touching Fathers, and Mothers, their of­fice lieth principally in the good education, and institution of their children. For, euen as (sayth Plato) vnto them that plante in the earth, the dif­ficultie consisteth not in planting, but in the well husbanding of the plante hauing once taken roote, and life in the earthe, and beginning to take nou­riture and growth: Plato. Lycurgus. So likewise is it of the institu­tion of children: whiche is so muche recommended, that the auncientes them selues (as Plato, Lycur­gus, and other,) would not that the same should al to­gether [Page 42] be vnder the puissance of their fathers, but vnder the publique power, and authoritie: because the Publique hath therein more interest then the fathers. Therefore fathers be particularly taught, to bring vppe their children in learning, correction, The Fathers office. The Mothers office. and obedience: the mothers to be carefull of their nouritour, and interteinement, giuing all exam­ple of sobrietie, chastitie, and modestie in manners, & behauiour: and diligence in that, which concerneth their meanie and housholde. Children also must be aduised on their behalfe, to reuerence, Childrens du­tie. and obey their Fathers and Mothers: no one thing being, whiche after the Poet we owe vnto God, is more to be recommended to man: Plato. Plato saying to this pur­pose, that there is no image, or remembraunce of GOD in earth, so much to be reuerenced, as our Father, Mother, and Graundfathers. As for Mais­ters, The Maisters office. and seruauntes belonging also to the domesti­call vocation, they be likewise admonished: to wit, Maisters, to call to minde that there is a Lorde, and Maister aboue all, with whome there is no accepti­on of persons: and therefore must courteously vse, and intreate their seruauntes, as those whiche be the tooles, and liuing instruments of houshold, and by the whiche they must gouerne, and rule all other thin­ges, and the seruantes by themselues.

Seneca doeth iustly therefore reproue the olde Prouerbe, whiche sayeth, As many enimies, as ser­uauntes: For they be no enimies (sayeth he, An olde Pro­uerbe repro­ued by Seneca The seruants duetie.) vn­lesse it be vnto them that make them suche, by sée­king to be serued more by feare, then by loue. Ser­uauntes also must be aduertised to obey their Mais­ters in all fidelitie, and simplicitie of heart. Whi­che shall suffice for this time, for the institution of the Oeconomicall vocation, most seruiceable to the Politique. Because that the Oeconomicall science, [Page] that is to say: the Arte of well ruling of a housholde, is one of the principall parts of the politique science, whiche consisteth in the abilitie of well ruling, and gouerning of a great multitude of men, and suche as we sée in a Citie. For, a Citie is no other thing, but an assemblie of many housholds, and houses together. And therefore, it is not without verie great appa­rance, if the ciuil, and domesticall vertue of the Ro­mane Marcus Cato, The vertue of Marcus Cato his ciuil and domesticall rule, preferred before Aristi­des. hath béene by some preferred be­fore the same of Aristides y ^e Grecian, both great per­sonages in the feate of Publique administration. Be­cause that Marcus Cato was knowen to be no lesse good husband, then wise gouernour of the Publique: whereas Aristides hath in this point ben found faul­tie, because he had not the foresight to leaue vnto his daughters, onely wherewith to marrie them, but left his posteritie in extreame pouertie & néed: rendering iustice by that meane somewhat odious, and the lesse to be estéemed, as if it impouerished men, ruined fa­milies, and were more beneficiall to all other, then to them that minister, and haue the same. But this is no place of further discourse on this matter: let vs then procéede to the other vocations following.

CHAPTER. III. Of an other priuat vocation beside the Oeconomical, and of the diuision thereof, into diuers kindes.

Plato his opi­nion touch­ing vocations. AS touching other vocations whiche be priuate & not publique, Plato, as we haue heretofore said, hath espied mens necessitie to be such, as that it hath ben the cause of their assemblie y ^t they might continually succour, & [Page 43] helpe each other by reciproke aid: and therfore saith, that nature hath produced men in varietie, & diuer­sitie of wits, & inclinations, conuenient for humane societie: the one to commaunde, the other to obey: some for husbandrie: some also for merchandize and traffike: some for artes and sciences: and so of o­ther. Making a distinction of mens wittes, A distinction of mennes wittes accor­ding to me­talles. according to metalles, and accommodating eche mans maner of liuing, vnto them, according to the propertie of the inclination thervnto most conuenable: to the end that he that shoulde be founde participant of golde, might serue, and be accommodated, and applied to the most excellent estate, and manner of liuing: and he that should be founde participant of yron, might be pla­ced in some inferiour & meaner office, hard, & pain­full, and so consequently of other. The indi­gence of man proceedeth of his owne vice. But we passing be­yonde the reach & knowledge of nature, say, that this necessitie, and want procéedeth of mans imperfection, and vice, for punishment of y ^e which vice, he is inioy­ned to liue in trauell and sweat of his bodie, eche one according to the grace, gift, and manner of liuing im­parted him, to the Common reléefe, and profit, not by fortune, but by the certeine pleasure of God, whiche we call vocation

And of this imperfection, and imbecillitie of men, be the Particular and Priuate vocations (we haue nowe treated of) issued: parte of whiche, Diuision of priuate vocations. apperteine to the nouriture, decking, and health of mans bodie, parte to his abode, and recreation or pleasure. Those which béelong to mans nouriture be they, which con­siste in husbandrie and tilthe of the grounde, traffike and sale of the fruits thereof, and therewithall in the bringing vp of beastes created for his foode: husban­men and merchantes béeing therevnto ordeined and appointed in sundrie manners. As also for his appa­rell and interteinement, there be sundrie vocations, [Page] and occupations: yea, almost as many, as there be members in him, beginning from the head to the foot. For his health there be Physicians, Surgians, Bar­bars, and other like, instituted. For his habitation, or dwelling place, all Architectes, and other whiche serue for vtensiles, mouables, and housholde stuffe: For his recreation, Chaunters, Musicians, and other, ordeined to giue honest pleasure, and recre­ation vnto man: Not comprehending a great many moe, whiche be for the commodite and ease of man, impossible al to be writen. Pointes to be recommended in priuate vo­cations. To al which aboue reher­sed, eche one in his degrée, ought in generall, and chéefly to be recommended, to witte: To them that be dedicated to labour, and tilth of the ground, atten­dance, diligence, and trauell: To merchantes, and handicraftes men, good delight, truth, and loyaltie: To them which be for health, and cure of men, lear­ning, experience, and fidelitie: And to the last, whi­che be for recreation, a readie and pleasaunt grace, without fantasticalnesse.

CHAPTER. IIII. ¶Of the Politique vocation, whiche consisteth in Publique office: of the diuision thereof into spirituall, and secular: and firste of the spiritu­all or ecclesiasticall and also of the same, whi­che belongeth to Maisters and Rulers.

THe Publique vocation ensueth nowe, whiche we call so, because it consisteth in the conduction, administration, and gouernement of the Publique in generall: and is as the head of a mans bodie in respecte of other members of y ^e same, which is ordeined partly for the interiour or secret gouern­ment of man, and partly for y ^e exterior or apparant: [Page 44] The one called Spirituall, and the other Secular. The spiritual vocation. The Spirituall vocation, whiche we call Ecclesias­tical, is that, which is instituted for the gouernement and inwarde peace of conscience, and reformation of the minde, Plato. whiche is the chéefe and principall part of man: this béeing most certeine, that Plato saithe, that all good, and euill, procéedeth and commeth of the soule in the bodie. The Secular, The secular vocation. whiche we call Politique, respecteth corporall & temporall things, which apperteine to the policie, rule, & gouernment of this present life among men. The Empe­rour Valenti­nian. Saint Am­brose B. of Milen. That whiche me thin­keth the Emperour Valentinian giueth sufficiently to vnderstand, speaking of the promotion of S. Am­brose (being before a secular Iudge) vnto the Bishop sea of Milen. We giue thankes vnto GOD, for that (saide he) that it hath pleased him to giue the gouern­ment, and charge of soules vnto him, into whose handes it had before vouchsafed to committe the go­uernment of bodies. We wil then speak first of y ^e Ec­clesiastical vocation, and then come to the Politique.

The Ecclesiasticall vocation, The Ecclesia­sticall vocati­on. is Minister of the word of God, guide of all wisdome, enseigne of ver­tue, purgation of vice: and without the whiche the knowledge of man is ignorance, his light darkenes, his life eternall death. To begin then to speake firste therof, the same consisteth in Doctours, and Pastours of the Church: Doctours Pastours. The Doctours be appointed for the interpretation of scriptures, & the Pastors for Eccle­siastical discipline, for y ^e administration of Sacramen­tes, and exhortatiō to the word of God. Vnder which name of Pastours, be comprised Bishops, Priestes, and other like, hauing the cure of Churches. As for Archedeacons, Deacons, Subdeacons, Lectours, Chaunters, Acolites, & other, their constitutiō is infe­rior, destined & appointed to y ^e Ecclesiastical seruice. Al which Bishops, Pastors, & other superiors haue thus ben [Page] appointed by the degrées, not to vse the dominion, or power reserued to the Politique estate of Magistra­tes, The order of Ecclesiasticall vocation, not appointed to rule and commaund. The ecclesia­sticall vocati­on ought not to be intan­gled with the politique. Aristotle. The Church hath her iuris­diction seue­rall from the politique ma­gistrates. The ecclesia­sticall office. The dutie of them which be taught. The vocation of Magi­strates. Socrates. Preceptors ought to be reuerenced as Fathers. Alexander. whereof we will speake streight, but for the con­seruation of Ecclesiasticall discipline, and aboue all thinges it be houeth to take diligent héede, least those two vocations he confounded, or intermedled the one with the other. For Aristotle himselfe saith, expresse­ly in his Politiques, that the order of people institu­ted for the religion, is to be reiected, or put out of the number of Magistrates, as from them, vnto whome power and authoritie, to ordeine, iudge, & command, is reserued. And yet for all that, the Church hath her proper iurisdiction for the discipline, and policie of manners, and spirituall thinges, though altogether distinct, and other then that of Magistrates, but how­beit verie auailable for the succour and aide of the same: whereof here is no place to speake further. And al persons called to this vocation, be admonished to instruct the people well, & to liue vertuously with­out reprehension. As they also, that be instituted by them, be taught to beare honour vnto their Pastors, as vnto them that watch for their flocke.

The vocation of Preceptors, Maisters, and those whiche teache sciences, and manners, commeth in good time to be spokē of here, because it is ioyned with the Ecclesiasticall, and discharged by the selfe meane, either of the tending to the institution, instruction, and interiour reformation of the mind: Socrates spea­king whereof, saide: that he that would institute, or conforme many to the Publique gouernement, was to be preferred before them whiche gouerned the Common weale them selues: Preceptors being no lesse to be honoured, and respected, then our owne fathers: because that of the one (saide Alexander the great, speaking of his Schoolemaister Aristotle,) we receiue life, and of the other, well liuing.

CHAPTER. V. Of the Publique vocation, and of the diuision there­of: and first of the Royall vocation and dignitie.

IT resteth to speak of the Politique vo­cation ordeined for them, vpon whome the Ecclesiasticall power can doe no good, by doctrine and exhortation: to the end that by the Magistrats sword, they may at the least wise, be reteined & withholden from euill doing, as the wilde beast is let and restreined by the collar and mousel. This vocation is no lesse neces­sarie and profitable, then the very elements by the which we breathe and liue. For beside that, that by this vocation we be mainteined and conserued in life as well as by those elements, religion, peace, amitie, and the common societie of men, is thereby the more conserued among men. And without Magistrates, it should not be possible that men could indure together without prompt and souden dissipation and disorder. Wherefore, Obedience due to Authoritie. euery man is admonished to yeald him selfe obedient vnto the superior powers, which be or­deined by God: the Magistrates them selues being called Gods. Plato sayth after Horace, Plato. Horace. to this pur­pose, that the Princes and gouernours of men, be as if they were rauished, and surprised with diuine furie, not vnderstanding the one halfe of that they doe, as if they were sometime transported, and beside them sel­ues: and that therefore they ought iustly to be called diuine men, as being inspired and guided by diuine motions. For euen as (saith he, in an other place) shéepe, oxen, and kine, be not gouerned by their like, but by a more excellent nature, to witte, man: so mans nature of it selfe is too féeble and weake, to go­uerne it selfe, vnlesse it be assisted and guided, by the [Page] diuine nature. And therefore is it that Lycurgus, Nu­ma Pompilius, Wherefore diuers ancient men, feined to haue confe­rēce with the Gods. Moses. Dauid. The royall dignitie. Sertorius, and diuers other, feigned to haue conference with the Gods: that which a good Prince ought to doe, not feignedly or by dissimulati­on, but by true religion, and certeintie of faith, and hope, in the conduction of God: as Moses, Dauid, and other like did.

The royall dignitie comprehending summarily in it selfe, the authoritie and power of all Magistrats at once, is the same which is also consecrated with greater and holier ceremonies, as that which appro­cheth néerest to the diuinitie, and vnto the which, it is the more earnestly and in particular signified to do iustice: for there is nothing so séemely and decent in a Prince, or yet that maketh his life so celestiall & diuine, as to doe and exercise iustice: as contrarily, there is nothing that rendereth the same so beastly and brutish, Mars. Timotheus. Pindarus. Iupiter. Themis. as iniustice: bicause that Mars, who sig­nifies force, is a tyrant (as Timotheus saith:) but law and iustice (as Pindarus saith) is Quéene of the vni­uersall world. And Iupiter (as Poets feigne) hath the Goddesse Themis, that is to say, Right and Iustice set by his side: which signifieth, that a Prince ought to doe nothing, Traians say­ing ful of ius­tice. but that which is holy, righteous, & iust. And therefore the Emperour Traiane, procéeding to the creation of one of his Liuetenants generall, put­ting a sword into his hande, sayde right wisely vnto him: Vse this sword in iust causes: and when I do iniustice, draw it against my selfe. Likewise the wise Poet Homere sayth not, Homere. that Princes & Kings haue receiued of Iupiter the kéeping and custodie of engins and artillerie, ne yet strong shippes, to ruine and o­uerthrowe townes: but holy lawes, and Iustice: and therefore calleth he not that king, the disciple and familiar frend of Iupiter, which is most bloudie, most violent, or greatest conquerour: but rather him, that [Page 46] is the most vpright and iust Prince. Agesilaus. King Agesilaus sayth, that men ought to mete the difference of a worthie and vnworthie king, by the measure of iu­stice, as well as by the measure royall. And in my o­pinion, Charles the fift king of France of that name, A moste iust acte done by Charles the fift of France. among other, did one act right worthie of the meting by this great measure, and is to be remembred in this place: he had vniustly and without desert, discharged and depriued sundrie persons of their charges and of­fices, the which he hauing soone after espied, he pro­nounced his owne sentence against him selfe, in ma­ner following: We of our pure and noble office roy­all, vnto whome it apperteineth to correct, as well our owne doings as others, as oft as we sée that iu­stice hath bene thereby wounded and peruerted, espe­cially in gréeuing & oppressing of the innocent: haue declared the depriuation by vs made, and that which hath insued, only to haue procéeded of our especiall or absolute power, and not of right, reason, or iustice. And vndoubtedly, the true and firme glorie of a king, The true roy­all glorie. is to submit his highnesse and maiestie vnto iustice: and he can not doe a higher, more royall, and diuine thing, surpassing common vertues, then to conforme him selfe as much as in him lyeth, to God, in the ad­ministration of the same: considering that the execu­tion of iustice, without comparison, is far more roy­all, then to make warre: bycause that the making of warre, is an enterprise no lesse common to the good Prince, then to the tyrant, and so is not the doing of iustice. And yet for all this, I would not but that a good Prince or King, as is sayde of the Goddesse Pal­las, should be both Polemike and Politike, A king ought to be both Polemike and Politike, and howe. Wise counsel. that is to say, hauing properties requisite to gouerne as well in peace as warre: Prouided alwayes, that the same be made and guided to the cōmoditie of his subiectes: following therein the propertie of a good Pilote and [Page] Shipmaister, who hath a continuall regard to the life and securitie of them that be in his vessell: or else of the good shepheard, who hath nothing in more singu­lar recommendation, then the defence and safe kée­ping of his flocke.

A wise saying of the Empe­rour Adrian.The Emperour Adrian reaped great commenda­tion for a sentence worthie of a good Prince, spoken to this effect at his first entrie into his Empire: to wit, that he ruled and gouerned his Common weale in such sort, as euery man should sée, and knowe that the same should be to the common profite, and not to his owne priuate. Difference betweene a good Prince and a Tyrant. No one thing being, wherein the good Prince may better be discouered from a tyrant, then by an administration like vnto the same of a good steward, I meane, redounding to the profite and cōmoditie of them y ^t be gouerned by him, & not to his owne particular, as the tyrant doth, following the ex­ample of a maister toward his seruant. Wherefore, this admonition of Antigonus (a king in Asia) sée­meth vnto me both worthy of prayse and memorie, Antigonus. when that to represse the insolencie of his sonne to­ward his subiects, he saide vnto him: Doest thou not knowe my sonne, A kingdome is a noble seruice. Agamemnon. Luripides. that our kingdome is no other thing, but a noble seruice? Confirming that which king Agamemnon had before sayde of him selfe, in the tragedie of Euripides, who in his Aulide, nameth himselfe Iphegenia.

To the which purpose the Shepheardes also in a tragedie of Sophocles, Sophocles. speaking of their flockes, say thus: ‘We serue them though we be maisters.’

Men in olde time gaue thrée titles to Kings, Three Royall titles. King. to wit: of King, Iudge, and Priest: King, to rule and commaund, as the father ouer his children, to their commoditie and profite that be vnder him: As he hath bene called Iudge, Iudge. bycause it is he who ought to yealde right and iustice to euery one: there being no greater blisse for mankinde to hope or looke for, (as Plato saith) then when the souereigne authoritie vni­ted and coupled with wisedome and iustice, Plato. shall re­counter and méete in one selfe person: And Priest, Priest. bi­cause of the care he ought to haue of religion, that the same may aboue all things, be wel & purely cōserued in his realme: as we sée the same to haue bene the first and théefe thing, that was had in recommendati­on with the Kinges of Israel, and for the which, Kinges in times past, haue obteined the title of most Christian, as the most excellent and royall title they could haue taken. And in déede, The title of most Christi­an King. there is nothing that so much conserueth and maketh kingdomes to pros­per, as religion: as in like case, there is nothing that bréedeth so much mischiefe and miserie, Religion ma­keth realmes to prosper: & the contempt thereof bree­deth their ruine. as the con­tempt and neglecting of the same: as we may sée, and well learne by an infinite of examples of our time. And it is not to be beléeued, that God hath raysed this mightie and cruell nation of Turkes against vs Christians, for any other cause, but for the little res­pect of religion that hath bene, and yet is in vs. A Scepter gi­uen vnto Kinges in re­membrance of their oth. Therefore ought Kinges diligently to call to minde the thrée titles aboue rehearsed, for the effect of which they haue giuen their othes, at their admission and entrie: In memorie wherof, and bicause they should haue no occasion to forget the same, there hath of all antiquitie a scepter bene giuen vnto them, hauing vpon the vpper end thereof, in signification of the same, a hand stretched out.

CHAPTER VI. Of the vocation of Iustice.

THe vocation of Iustice, very commodi­ous & requisite for the societie of men, consisteth in many most necessarie de­grées, prouided that the number of thē be not excessiue: It being most certeine which Plato saith: Plato. that there is no greater signe and coniecture of a corupted Common weale, then when there is a great number of Iudges & Physicians in the same: bycause that thereby it appeareth, the ma­ners of men to be sore depraued, and their liues very vntemperate and dissolute. Lawes and magistrates ought to be cut off, and mainteined in sufficient number only. Ecprepes E­phore. For certenly these be two points: the lawes and Magistrates, by the which the administration of a citie, realme, or Common weale, receiueth as much or more hurt then good, when they be not cut off, and maintained in a more necessarie, then superfluous number. Ecprepes Ephore the Lace­daemonian was much commended, bycause he cutte a sunder with an axe, Cythera. the two strings which Phrynis the Musician had added to the harpe, more then the seuen ordinarie: as if this wise man would a farre off haue preuented the superfluitie of vices, lest the same should procéede to the corruption of life. Howe much more were he to be estéemed, who in a Cōmon weale perished through the excessiue number of Magistrats, lawes, and ordinaunces, should be the authour of the cutting off, and reducing of y ^e number and vnbridled multitude, to a moderate and necessarie number? Further, they that be of this vocation, ought especi­ally to be well wakened with this sentence: Warning to Iudges and Lawyers. Take héede to that ye goe about to doe: for it is not mans iudgement that ye exercise, but Gods. Certeinly it behooueth, that euery minister of Iustice, be in the ex­ercise [Page 48] of his vocation, voyde of fauour, acception of persons, auarice, hatred, and vengeance, hauing no o­ther thing before his eyes, but y ^e simple veritie, & iust iudgement, which of it selfe representeth a manifest pietie and equitie, alwayes ready to deale vprightly, as often as occasion shall be presented. And especi­ally to take héede, Lawes may not serue for cobwebbes. Iustice must not be delay­ed. least the lawes and ordinances be made cobwebs, where nothing but flyes be caught: and that iustice be not so delayed, as that the parties trauell and expences surmount the cause, more pro­cesse arising of a sentence or decrée then before: as it hath oft happened, and many good houses thereby vt­terly vndone. Therefore Cato, surnamed Censorius, Cato Censo­rius. vppon a time as they determined in the Senate to cause the court and auditorie of Rome, to be richly ad­orned, and some would haue had galleries built to kéepe suters vnder couert: impugning the same (said) I am of opinion, that the entries of all courtes and auditories should be paued with galthrops, to kéepe men as farre off as may be, and that they should ap­proch the same no more, then if it were a daungerous rocke: Meaning thereby, that it was not the part of a good Iudge, to allure and nourish men in processes or sutes, but rather by all meanes, to dissuade and di­sturne them. All ministers of iustice bound to the law of veritie. Panetius. Cicero. Vnder the Iudges be many other mini­sters of iustice, as Aduocates, Atturnies, and other, which be bound to the lawe of veritie: although that Panetius, a man much renoumed among the Stoiks, and followed by Cicero, was wont to say, that it be­longeth to Iudges to followe the veritie, but that it sufficeth for Aduocates and Proctours or Atturnies, to haue the colour of likelihoode of truth.

Thus may you sée, Power giuen to Magi­strates. how that the authoritie of the sword, is giuen vnto the chéefe Magistrates and e­states of the Politique vocation, for the punishment of offences, and tuition and defence of subiectes: and [Page] to that end, power to make warres, and beare armes against all seditious persons, disturbers of the com­mon rest and tranquillitie, to make lawes and ordi­nances, and beside that, power and authoritie to im­pose, raise, and leuie taxes and impostes, for mainte­naunce of Publique charges, and not otherwise: A good King being therin knowne from a tyrant, The diffe­rence betwene a good king and a tyrant. when he imposeth nothing on his people, vnlesse the same be for the vtilitie of the Common weale. Whereof it followeth, Obedience due vnto the superiours. the inferiors for their part, owe due obe­dience vnto their superiours, as ministers and execu­ters of Gods authoritie, and that not only for feare of authoritie, as of necessitie: but also for conscience sake. This obedience is so much recommended by ho­ly scripture, as that to backbite, or say euill of our su­periours, is streightly prohibited: yea, although they were wicked, as we be taught by sundrie examples. Men (saith Cornelius Tacitus) haue to honour things past, A graue say­ing of Corne­lius Tacitus. and to obey the present. And as they ought to de­sire to haue good Princes, so ought they, what so euer they be, to indure and support them. Euen as (sayth Aristotle) wisedome is the vertue of all other méetest for him that commandeth: Aristotle. euen so the good opinion, estimation, and reuerence of subiectes, and inferiors toward their superiors, A king ought not to be of­fended to heare his falts Alexander. Loys. 12. is that which is most necessa­rie and requisite for them. A Prince ought also to vnderstande, that it is a thing worthie of a King (as Alexander the great sayde) to suffer him selfe to be blamed, and to heare euill for well doing: King Loys 12. of famous memorie, saying to this purpose, that a king ought to take pleasure in hearing nowe and then Enterludes and Comedies, playde with li­bertie, (as he did often times:) bycause, sayde he, that thereby he may perceiue and learne many thinges done in his realme, which otherwise he should not knowe.

Certeinly, superioritie, and inferioritie, comman­dement, and obedience. be thinges produced, Superioritie and inferio­ritie thinges both necessa­rie and natu­rall. and in­gendred at once, and naturally lincked, knit, and ioy­ned together, for the commoditie, and profite of all men, and whereof all thinges be participant, and conserued: yea, euen the verie elementes, and whi­che is more, alone in himselfe: Because that superi­oritie, and commaundement, lieth in the soule and reason: and inferioritie, and obedience, in the body and senses. So that if the inferiour order be con­founded with y ^e superior, of necessitie soudeine disor­der, & ruine must néedes ensue: and that incouenience néedes happen, A fable of a Serpent. whiche is spoken of in the fable of the Serpent, whose taile came one day to quarell with his head, saying: that she woulde goe her torne for­moste, and not alwayes lagge behinde: which when her heade had graunted her, shée founde her selfe sore troubled, not knowing howe, nor whiche way shée ought to goe: and so was the cause that her heade being constrained against nature to follow that part whiche had neither sight, nor hearing to guide her­selfe, was all to torne. Such is the vertue of these two pointes well vnited, and ordeined, as contrarily the harme is gret by y ^e confusion of them. Wherfore, Phocion, of many Cap­teines & fewe souldiers. Phocion hauing ledde the Atheniens to the warres, and séeing sundrie resorting to him, whiche intruded, and intermedled themselues with his office, & charge of Capiteine, exclamed saying: O Hercules, what a confusion is this, where there be so many Capteins, and so few souldiours? Demades, Demades of Alexanders armie after he was dead. Cyclops Polyphemus the Giant after the deceasse of Alexander the great, aptly compared his licentious, and disobedient armie, vnto Clyclops Polyphemus, after his eye was out: As likewise may be saide of euerie Citie, assemblie, or societie of men, when these two pointes of authoritie, and obedience, be not corre­spondent and vnited.

Superioritie and inferiori­tie, be the firme bandes of all vocati­ons.And that this is true, behold for example all vocati­ons, wherof we haue spoken, and ye shal not find that there is any thing seruing so much to the vnion, and interteinement of y ^e same, as this reciproke superio­ritie, and inferioritie, authoritie, and reuerence, be it betwéene the husbande, and the wife, the father, and the sonne, the maister and the seruaunt: and specially betwene the superiour and the inferiour. Because it correspondeth to the firste, The first lawe of Nature. and souereigne lawe of Nature, that he who of him selfe is lesse then suffici­ent to gouerne, Authoritie and obcisance must be mainteined within their limites. Solon. rule, and defende himselfe, shoulde submitte himselfe vnto him, that hath more abi­litie to doe the same. To this purpose Solon being as­ked whiche was the best ordeined, and moste happie Common weale: the same (saide he) that best obey­eth the Magistrates: Prouided alwayes, that the o­bedience of subiectes be not seruile, nor yet the au­thoritie of superiours ouer much afféeblished. For aswell the one, The king­dom of Perse. The Athenien Republique. as the other bréed troubles, mutati­ons, and chaunge in Common weales: witnesse (a­mong other) the kingdome of Persia, extinguished, and decaied by holding the people in ouer greate ser­uitude: and the Athenien Republique spoyled, and destroyed by the excessiue libertie and licence of the people. The happie Common weale (saith Plato) is the same, The happie common weale of Spart in the whiche the Prince is obeyed of all men, and he himselfe obeyeth the lawes. Spart a­mong all other Cōmon weales, hath bene worthie of great honour, and praise, as that wherin the best sci­ence that men can learne, was taught: to witte, to obey, and to commaunde: and whither therefore, the Philosopher Xenophon, being familiar with Agesilaus, persuaded him to sende his children, to be brought vp and instructed. Xenophon.

CHAPTER. ƲII. Of their vocation, which deale with the Finances or princes treasure.

VNder this Politique vocation wée speake of, there is an other particular, whiche beareth no small wooke, espe­cially in this realme: That is, the cal­ling of them that be chosen, and appointed both Finances, of the which some be called to han­dle and receiue, other to ordeine, and other to heare the accomptes of the handling and administration of the same: All the which offices concerning the ma­niment of Finances, (that is to say of the Princes reuenue, and therefore) were instituted as Plutarch rehearseth, in the life of Valerius Publicola,) to the ende that the souereigne, The first in­stitution of these that deale with Finances. Plutarche. and principall Magistra­tes shoulde not be diuerted by so light a matter, from the tending of greater and weightier affairs. And also (if they were wicked, & lewdly bent) that they should not haue the meane to execute their wicked determi­nations, hauing in their handes, and disposition, both the handling of the principall affaires, and the mo­ny also. Also least they should peraduenture in the end be forced to vse the counsell that Alcibiades gaue to Pericles, Alcibiades. Pericles. when they told him that Pericles was trou­bled about the rendring of his accomptes: what (said he) were it not better that he troubled himselfe not to render any at al? Or else be constrained by despaire to do as Laches, who tooke the Isle of Lesbos, Laches. and be­ing called in iustice to render accompt of his charge, which consisted in the two maniments, drew out his sword, and slue himselfe openly before the world. To al those aboue said, fidelitie, & loialtie ought chéefly to be recōmended, & to them so much the more, because y ^t this treasure more thē any other, Aristides. Princes trea­sures subiect to thefte. Plato. (as Aristides said speaking of medling with y ^e Finance of Athens, wher­of he had ben Tresurer) is willingly subiect to theft, & euill demeanor. Wherfore Plato said, that in y ^e feat of election, & approbation of Tresurers, there néeded [Page] no lesse circumspection, and diligence, then in the choyce, and approbation of a head, or generall of an armie. Because that the Sinewes of warre (that is to say) the principall force is deposed, and put into their handes.

CHAPTER. VIII. ¶Of the warrelike vocation.

THe warlike vocation (that is to say) of men of warre, comprised also vnder the Politique vocation, and yet diffe­ring from that we haue hitherto spo­ken of, in that it is exercised by armes, and the other without armes,) is not, as it is shewed in many places, reproued, but allowed, and commen­ded: prouided there be no iniurie, molestation, or op­pression done to any one by them that be called to this vocation of armes: but that they content themselues with their pay and wages: so that, béeing called by the King, Prince, or Magistrat, hauing authoritie to doe the same, to goe on warrefare, to mainteine sub­iectes in peace, and repulse iniurie, outrage, and se­dition, we may not thinke that the simple obedience to such vocation, be other but greatly to be estéemed, and necessarie, what soeuer may happen thereof, be it that we kill, or be killed: This being most certeine, that it is a good, & commendable act, to sley an enimie disturber of the peace, weale, and publique rest: be it either in open warre, or else by laying in waite, surprise, Iesus Naue. or ambushe: God himselfe willing Iesus Naue to prouide himselfe of spialles & vse ambushes.

A man of warr ought not to aske or in­quire, after the cause, why he is employed.And, although it so fell out, that the warres were euill, vniustly, and for trifling cause enterprised: yet for all that, he that is called to that vocation, ought [Page 51] not to inquire the reason thereof, ne yet, vnder that pretext, to refuse the obedience due vnto his Prince, vnlesse the cause were notoriously knowen to be vniust, and vnreasonable: as to mainteine, or sette vppe a false religion, or other wise. For, the naturall and due order to conserue peace among men, requi­reth that the authoritie, aduice, & enterprise of warre, should apperteine to kinges, and Princes, and not to particular persons. The authori­tie and aduice of warre be longeth, to the Prince. The Prince also vndoubtedly ought consideredly, by good aduice, and not throughe ambition, glorie, and gréedines, reuenge, or other pas­sion of minde, entring into the highe path of kinges, (as the Oratour Cineas saide to Pyrrhus) named in­satiable desire to reigne, and without great occasion, Cineas. to come vnto this extreame meane and remedie of warre. To be short, men of warre ought to be suche, Pyrrhus. What kinde of men soul­diers ought to be. Plato. as Plato in fewe wordes aduertiseth them: to wit: like vnto good watching dogges, whiche be curst and daungerous vnto such, as come from without to doe hurt: and courteous, gentle, and tractable to them whiche be within: and not, as the Gréeke prouerbe saith: ‘Lyons at home, and Foxes abroade.’

And I would to God, that they of our time had this lesson well in mind, Themistocles and would shew themselues such, that men might not iustly vpraid them, as The­mistocles did some of his time: That they were like vnto Casserons, because (saith he) that ye haue a knife in déede, but ye haue no heart.

CHAPTER. IX. Of the comparison of vocations one with an other: and first of the Contemplatiue, with the Ac­tiue.

WE haue séene what the vocation parti­cular and generall, is, that is to say, the vocation contemplatiue, & actiue, and the actiue vocation aswell Priuate as Publique, with all their kindes, and differences: without omission (as we thinke) of ought that may belong to the politique, ciuil, and humane declaration. The authour meaneth not to speake but of humane vocation. For, as touching the highest se­crete, and especiall vocation of God, and chéefly, that which ought not to be drawn to example, as of many called to diuers actions, whiche be not to be brought in consequence, here is no place méete to speake of them. Now to make the excellencie, & vtilitie of all y ^e vocations, aboue rehearsed y ^e more cleare, & euident, we must next come to the comparison of ech of them, aswell of the contemplatiue with the actiue, as of e­uerie of the actiues also together one with an other: The case standing so, that aswell of the one parte as of the other, there be verie great, and apparant rea­sons, & also that oftentimes suche comparisons come in question. We will then beginne by the compari­son of the contemplatiue vocation, The contem­platiue vocati­on resteth in the noblest parte of man. with the actiue calling: and speaking first of the contemplatiue, it is without al doubt, that the same lieth in the noblest and most excellent parte of man, which is the minde: whereby also, as by the noblest instrument of all o­ther, the highest, and greatest actions, yea, the nea­rest approching vnto God, be exercised. For there is nothing wherein a man may approche so nighe, and which is more to conforme himself wholy vnto him, then by this contemplatiue, and speculatiue vocati­on: because that the action of this contemplation, is no other thing, but a familiar conuersation with God, accompanied with the fruition, and continuall inioying of a pure, and firme delight in all tranquil­litie, [Page 52] contentation, and accomplishment of al felicitie. Contemplati­on consisteth chiefly in the vertue of wisedome. And because that sapience is, of all other, the chiefe vertue, as that which resteth in the knowledge of di­uine thinges, so muche also is this contemplatiue vo­cation, (which consisteth in this vertue,) more excel­lent then the actiue, which resteth onely in prudence, and other inferiour, and baser vertues.

Furthermore, the highest vertue, The greatest vertue is that which causeth a man to haue leaste neede of other helpe. and action of man, is that whiche procureth him the lesse néede of other aide, and meane, and in the whiche, the point of felicitie consisteth: whiche is séene in the contem­platiue vocation, the whiche hauing, as it were, no néede of worldly thinges, is contented, and satisfied in it selfe: whereas the actiue vocation standeth but in humane actions, exercised by the lesser, and inferi­our parte of man, mortall, and transitorie, no wayes sufficient of it selfe, but hauing néede of al things tre­ated: being therewithal in continuall care, toyle, and desire to atteine the point, and butte of felicitie, (ne­uerthelesse vnperfect,) proposed in euerie action. Wherof insueth that the actiue vocation, is as much different from the vocation contemplatiue, The excellen­cie of the contemplatiue life. as there is difference betwéene the vnderstanding, and the bo­die, betwéene heauen, and earth, betwéene the superi­our who commaundeth, and the inferiour who ser­ueth, & obeyeth, and betwéene that, whiche is immor­tall, and that whiche is mortall, and perishable. And there is nothing so séemely, and worthie of man, as the contemplation, and trying out of the trueth, guide & light of mans life, which otherwise should be but a confusion, and darknesse, yea, an eternal death. How­beit, comming now to the actiue vocation, Of the actiue vocation. if we doe well, diligently, and throughly consider that whi­che is to be considered of, that is: what is moste de­cent, naturall, and méete for the weale, profite, and continuance of humane societie, we shall not finde [Page] any thing so conuenient as the actiue life: all actions being reported to the benefite of the commonaltie of men, The excellen­cie of vertue resteth in vo­cation. Man is com­pounded of vnderstanding and bodie to contemplate, and doe. neither more nor lesse, then the actions of euerie member of mans bodie be referred to the conseruati­on, and interteinment of the same. And as it is said, that the principall praise, and excellencie of all ver­tue lyeth in the action, so the principall blisse, profite, and commoditie of this humane life, lieth in this vo­cation. For to what ende should man be compoun­ded of a bodie, and members to the same, aswell as of reason, & vnderstanding, but to serue his owne turne, and to vse his action, & consequently to do that which belongeth to the conseruation of the vniuersall bodie of man, by meanes of sundrie, and diuers actions, ac­cording to the varietie, and diuersitie of euerie mans particular vocation?

Certeinly, euen as there is nothing so great to na­ture (as we haue said,) as this common, and reci­proke exteriour action of euerie one, redounding to the maintenance of a bonde, and vniuersall coniunc­tion of all men: So is there nothing so monstruous, and against nature, as the abandoning of this com­monaltie, The abando­ning, and lea­uing of the action is mon­strous and a­gainst nature. by neglecting the action: I meane the ap­parant action (as I haue saide,) knowing right well, that in the contemplatiue vocation, there is also an action but interiour, (whereof I haue spoken) which is not communicated to an other bodie: and there is nothing more lame, nor vnperfect, then contempla­tion aboue, Examples of two Cities. and sequestred from the same. For proofe hereof, looke, for examples sake, vpon a citie, or other assemblie of men alone, as perfect in sciences, know­ledge, and speculation, as you would wishe: and one other also aparte by it selfe, no lesse accomplished in prudence, other vertues, and humane actions: and you shall finde by experience, within a shorte space, whether of these two vocations, and manners of li­uing, [Page 53] shalbe be best, and moste conuenable for man­kinde: without doubt ye shall sée the citie, or assem­blie giuen to speculation faile, and the other florishe, growe, & increase. For what could the state of mans life be, what the generation, what the nouriture, what the education, and institution of children, what the order, and gouernement of townes, howe should artes, and sciences be exercised, and to be shorte, what should the society of man be, without the action, that is to say, when men be wholy giuen to contemplati­on? And doing neither more nor lesse then is written, among other things, of the Philosopher Anaxagoras, Anaxagoras rauished by the contemplati­on of celestial thinges, had suffered him­selfe to perish, had not Peri­cles succou­red him. Pericles. who by the contemplation, & rauishment of the loue of celestiall thinges, fell in suche disdaine, and con­tempt of earthly thinges, that he forsooke his house, lefte his landes lye barren, and therewithall fell in suche rechelesnesse of himselfe, that neglecting his owne life, and nourishment, he was in daunger of death, had he not béene succoured, and relieued by Pericles, vnto whome praying him instantly that he would desire yet to liue, he sayde, they that haue to do with light, O Pericles, let them powre oyle to main­teine the same: thus leauing the whole care of his life in Pericles handes.

If we will yet procéede further, Beastes that liue alone, be daungerous and hurtfull. Tame beastes be profitable. and looke not one­ly on men, but also on brute beasts, we shall likewise sée those whiche liue by themselues alone, to be more hurtfull, and damageable, then beneficiall: as on the contrarie side, those that be tame, and accompani­able (that is to say, liuing in flockes, as shéepe, bées, doues, and other like,) to be altogether commodious, Against them which abandoning the com­mon manner of liuing flee the companie of men. and profitable for the vse of man. That whiche Homere doeth sufficiently witnesse, saying for re­proofe, and iniurie to a certeine person:

As if he would say, him to be a rebell, and diso­bedient to the lawe of nature, The Actiue vocation is the nursse of mans life. He that seue­reth himselfe from men is either more or lesse then man. and to doe against the dutie of an honest man, who forsaketh the common trade, and manner of liuing, and abandoneth (asmuch as in him lieth) the state of mans life, of the whiche, the actiue vocation is nurse, and conseruatrix: Aris­totle saying of him that seuereth himselfe, and fléeth the companie of men, that he is either more then a man, sufficient alone to himselfe without néede of any other: or happily lesse then a man of his sociall nature: who is not onely borne for himselfe, no more then all that whiche the earth produceth, but for the vsage of men, one for another by mutuall office, and reciproke duetie or indeuour: that which Nature teacheth vs sufficiently, though it so were, that there were no other thing to learne vs the same. The fruite of contemplati­on is nothing vnlesse it be communica­ted to some other bodie. And what better testimonie can a man giue of the plea­sure he receiueth of his contemplation, then to com­municate the same to some other bodie? And, euen as by the contemplation of Gods workes, he knoweth, and séeth his infinite, and admirable bountie toward mankinde: so, to doe in like manner, by actions, and workes of iustice, and charitie toward men. The true point of felicitie, being no other thing (as Philoso­phers define) but an action, The true point of felicitie. and operation by vertue: which certeinly be the greatest reasons, and conside­rations, that may be brought either of the one parte, or other. But men cannot, (you will say) take from y ^e contemplatiue life, but that it is the chéef, as the most approching vnto God. It is true: But also you shal not be able to denie, A verie apt comparison between both vocations. but that without the action, the same is lame, and vnprofitable to mankind: and that therefore the actiue vocation alone, is not more pro­fitable, and beneficiall vnto him, then the contem­platiue alone without the action. But therevnto might be replied, that the action ruled by prudence [Page 54] onely, and other inferiour vertues, not reaching to the degree of sapience (which is the knowledge of di­uine, and humane thinges, and of that which is iust, and vniust) cannot be also other, but mancke, & vn­perfect without contemplation: yea, a verie blinde confusion, and trouble of all thinges, that men liue in the darke ignorance of God, and of that which is iust, and reasonable: those being the principall guides, and lightes of all necessarie actions, to mainteine hu­mane societie in his perfection.

So that in the ende we shall of necessitie be con­strained to confesse that aswell the one, as the other vocation by itselfe, and seuered, is manck, vnperfect, Either vocati­on is vnper­fect, alone, and seuered. and of no auaile to the commonaltie of men: the acti­on alone, and by it selfe seruing the same nothing at all without the guide of contemplation, ne yet con­templation alone, vnlesse the action insue: it béeing no lesse requisite for mans néede, and necessitie, that eache one exercise here in earth his particular vocati­on openly, and to the commoditie of all men, then to knowe, and contemplate that which is aboue. And e­uen as the loue of veritie desireth, and coueteth con­templation: so vndoubtedly, the bonde, and vnion of humane societie, séeketh and requireth also the worke and action.

That whiche the moste holie, The lawe of God, instruc­teth man in both vocati­ons ioyned together. The contem­platiue vocation is preferred before the ac­tiue, contrarie to Cicero his opinion. and moste perfecte lawe of God teacheth vs sufficiently, made no lesse for the actiue, then for the contemplatiue vocation, but instructing man equally in them bothe, & yet for all that, beginning first by that whiche apperteineth to contemplation, and then descending to that which concerneth the action, sheweth vs sufficiently, that it is vnto the vocation contemplatiue, that the first place apperteineth: although that Cicero in his trea­tise of offices, would haue mainteined the contrarie.

CHAPTER. X. The cōparison of actiue vocations one with another: & first of the publique vocation, with the priuate.

NOwe to come to the comparison of ac­tiue vocations, one with another, and to beginne with the Publique, and the Priuate, it séemeth at the first entrie, that there is no proportion at all be­twéene the one, and the other, nor therefore any ap­parance why to enter into the comparison of them. For, what proportion is there of a house to a towne, citie, province, or Realme? Or what comparison may be made [...] the art, and science of ruling of a familie: and the arte, and science of gouerning a great num­ber, and infinite together, no more then to exercises Mechanicall, in respect of exercising of liberall artes, sciences, and morall, and Publique doctrines? Cer­teinely to enter into the comparison of those two vo­cations, séemeth that it is to doe neither more nor lesse, then who so woulde make comparison of the head to the féete, of riuers to the sea, or else of the state, health, and disposition of the whole bodie, to the state, health, and disposition of one member alone.

The publique calling is the band of other priuate voca­tions.The Publique vocation being a sure band, & accord of sundrie thinges, otherwise, and without the same, dissioynted, and discording together, and consequent­ly exposed to many daungers, and of small durance. So that it behoueth that the one command, and the other is expressely inioyned to obey. And asmuch dis­tance as is betwéene commaunding, and obeying, so muche difference séemeth to be betwéene the one vo­cation, and the other: whiche sheweth well, that the Publique vocation, is the same of all other actiues, vnto the which, without difficultie, the first place is due.

But yet for all that, The priuate vocation. (to come to the Priuate voca­tion) the comparison of these two vocations, is not without controuersie, ne yet so easie that a man may well déeme thereof at the firste sight. For the Pub­lique vocation must néedes confesse, that without the Priuate vocation, it can doe nothing at all. Because it is most certeine, The priuate vocation mo­ther of all o­ther. that the Priuate calling is the Mo­ther, and spring of all vocations: and of the whiche all be ingendered, aswell Magistrates, Gouernours, and Administratours of the Publique (as we haue before saide) as Priestes, Preceptors, Teachers, and Doctoures, and other whatsoeuer: yea, all compa­nies, and assemblies of men, as Townes, Cities, Prouinces, Realmes, and Empires: So that the Priuate ceassing, and failing, of necessitie all other ceasse also. Futher, most true it is that the Politique art that is to say, The politique art dependeth of the Oeco­nomicall. the arte of well ruling and gouer­ning of a Commonweale, dependeth principally on the Oeconomicall that is to say, on the science of well gouerning of a housholde and familie. Because that it is impossible that he should gouerne sundrie fami­lies, that is not first skilled in the well ordering and gouerning of one alone: And it cannot be otherwise, but that he that is vnable to the one, must be also vn­able to the other. And which is more, it is requisite that euerie gouernement and Publique administra­tion resemble, and take his paterne of the Oecono­micall.

For, where the Kinge, or other souereigne Ma­gistrate shall gouerne more to the respecte, The Oecono­micall calling serueth for a paterne to the publique. and profite of them he ruleth, then of his owne, then shall the same be no other but the gouernement of a good Father of a housholde, towarde his children: or else contrarily, if he gouerne with more regarde of his owne particular, then of them whom he commaun­deth, then shall the same also be no other, but the go­uernement [Page] of a maister, toward to his seruant. So that the domesticall gouernement to say vprightly, is nothing, but an example, and paterne of the Publique, whether we haue regard to commanding or obeying whiche is the principall and chéefe lincke, and bande of Publique gouernement. For in the one and other you shall find one selfe fashion of cōmaunding, aswel in asking, as in a father of housholde, and in a Ty­rant, as in a maister: as also one selfe fashion of obey­ing that is to say, in children, and them that be well ruled, and gouerned, in seruantes, and them that be tyrannized: The obedience of the one béeing filiall, and louing: and of the other, seruile, and forced.

And to say that the Publique administration is the health, The vniuersal health is the soundenesse of euery member. Publique richesse, is the wealth of ma­nie. and vniuersall disposition of all the bodie, in respect of the health, and disposition of one member alone, represented by the domesticall gouernement: what is the health, and disposition vniuersall, but the soundnesse, and disposition of euerie particular mem­ber? No more then Publique richesse, is any other thing, but the wealth, and richesse of sundrie parti­cular persons. So will we alwayes come to this point, that the Publique can not be ought without the Priuate vocation, It booteth not, meaning to di­minishe the dignitie of Priuate vocation of so much, to say, that the fame is inioyned to obey, because that commaundement belongeth to the Publique vocati­on: For put case it were so, it is a lesse matter, or lesse apperteining to the gouernement, and the ad­ministration of a Common weale, to knowe howe to obey well, then to know how to commaund well? Certeinely the vertue of obeying well, To knowe howe to obey is no lesse then to know to commaund is no whit inferiour to the same of commaunding well, if it be not greater: For hardly shall he commaund well, who hath not firste learned to obey well: And there shall more Common weales be founde decayed, and [Page 56] destroyed by want of obedience, then by want of com­maundement. Besides that this vocation consisteth asmuch in the exercise of vertues, sciences, The priuate vocation sur­passeth the publique in the exercise of Artes and Mechanicall sci­ences. and mo­rall doctrines, as the Publique: but true it is, that it consisteth not in y ^e exercise of the Politique, no more then the politique in the exercise of the oeconomicall. And the Priuate hath also therwithall, more then the Publique, the exercise of artes, and Mecha­nicall sciences, wherein the nouriture, cloathing, harbouring, and lodging of man consiste. And beside that, the care of his health, and disposition, The excellen­cie of the publique vocation in respect of the priuate. of his plea­sures, and pastimes, with infinit other commodities, no lesse necessarie for mankinde, then one of the ele­mentes, without the whiche mans life cannot dure. And yet for all that, we may not say, but that the pub­lique vocation, hath this point, and aduauntage of the priuate: The scope of Publique vocation, compre­hendeth in it the drifte and end of all o­ther vocations that it serueth to mainteine the greatest and most perfect societie, and companie of all, and whiche comprehendeth vnder it selfe, all other soci­eties, and commonalties together. Further, that the scope, and drift of the Publique vocation, (whiche is blisse, and felicitie,) comprehendeth in it selfe all the endes whervnto eche Priuate vocation tendeth sepa­ratly & by it selfe. All their drifts ending, and resting in this scope of vocation publique, whiche Philoso­phers say to be an action, and operation by vertue, wherevnto all Priuate vocations tend, neither more nor lesse, then all springes, and Riuers doe to the sea.

And, albeit that the finall ende of eche one in par­ticular be all one, and like vnto that of a Citie, or Common weale: yet for all that, the same of a Re­publique is so muche the more to be estéemed, The moste common feli­citie, is the moste diuine and perfect. as the blisse and felicitie thereof is the more common to many: Of all felicities the same being the most per­fecte, and néerest approching to the diuine vertue, whiche is most common, and dispersed among many.

This Publique vocation hauing besides that, al­together conformitie to the reason of Architecture, in respect of other actiue vocations, because that it hath authoritie, and eye ouer them all, ordeining to eche one of them what it ought to doe: neither more nor losse, thē the Architectures, or Maister workmen ouer all the workemen which be néedefull for the raising and construction of a building.

The publike vocation was before the priuate.Furthermore, to say that the Priuate vocation is the chéefe, & which may stande without the Pub­lique, and not the Publique without the Priuate: is cleane contrarie, if a man consider more exactly ther­of. This being most certeine that the thing, whiche is whole entier, and perfect, is naturally before the partes thereof. As for example, the Architect mea­ning to builde a house, hath sooner conceiued in his imagination, the whole building that he will make, then euerie parte thereof: So will we say of a Pain­ter, of that he will paint, and of euerie other worke­man going about to vtter his conceite, he beginneth by one part, & endeth by an other, all still for all that remaining vnperfect, vntill the entier perfection, con­summation, and total accomplishment of the worke, before wholy conceiued: and the totall béeing once destroyed, Partes be no­thing without the whole. of necessitie all the partes thereof muste come to nothing. And the partes may not be es­téemed ought, I meane, in vertue, efficacie, & power, in respect of the whole, vnlesse the same totall be ac­complished in his entier, no more then the foote, or hande of a mans bodie without the coniunction of the whole bodie: So is it of seuered houses, and families, not ioyned, and incorporated to the entier, and perfecte bodie of a Towne, Citie, or Common weale.

CHAPTER. XI. ¶Of the comparison of Priuate vocations together.

THus much touching the first compari­son of actiue vocations, that is to say, of the Publique with the Priuate, by the which we haue begunne. It follo­weth nowe to enter into the com­parison of Priuate vocations together: and after­warde, to come also to the comparison of Publique vocations one with an other. As for the Priuate cal­ling, y ^t is to say, the domesticall, & Oeconomical, with the Mechanicall trade of merchandize, and other, ex­ercised by Priuate, and not Publique persons, we haue alreadie touched the most parte of that which may belong to the conference of them, in the likening we right nowe made of the Publique vocation, with the Priuate. Wherefore, we wil not stay any longer about the same, hauing sufficiently giuen to vnder­stand (as we suppose) that although that the Priuate calling, which is not domesticall, be very necessarie, and peraduenture as much as the domesticall, the same being no lesse requisite to nourish, interteine, and conserue, then to ingender: that yet for all that, the domesticall is to be preferred before the other. For euen as some partes of men, The Domesticall ought to be preferred before other. no whit inferior for his necessitie, be for all that hid, and lesse estéemed then the other: And as yron for vsage is estéemed no lesse néedefull then golde, but yet for the value, the golde more accounted of then yron: so is it of the domesticall vocation, the which though it be not in respect of the necessitie, more to be estéemed then the other Priuate: yet for all that, for the respect of dignitie and ornament, it is more to be praysed, for sundrie reasons we haue here before deduced, which to auoyde prolixitie, and troublesome rehearsall, we will not repeate.

CHAPTER. XII. Of the comparison of Publique vocations together: [Page] And first of the conference of the Ecclesiasticall, with the Politique: & of the Politique caling with out armes, to the same that is exercised with armes.

WHerefore comming to the conference of Publique callings together, which cō ­sist in the Ecclesiasticall and Politique calling: it séemeth also, that in confer­ring here before the contemplatiue & actiue vocation, we haue treated that which apper­teineth to the dignitie and excellencie of the one and the other: The ecclesia­sticall calling preferred be­fore the poli­tique. and by the selfe reasons that we haue placed y ^e contemplatiue in the first ranke, we wil ad­iudge the same also to the Ecclesiasticall vocation. For though we respect y ^e Ecclesiasticall as an actiue, vndoubtedly there is no action so excellent, as that which instructeth and informeth the interior, which is the principall part of man, where hence all the good or euill of y ^e exterior procéedeth. Or else if we account therof as participant of the contemplatiue (as it be­hooueth of necessitie, that al actiue vocations be so: as we haue before said,) in y ^e case, it is also most certein, that there is no vocation wherevnto contemplation is more proper & necessary, ne yet which is more com­posed of the same also: & therfore, to the which the first place & degrée of all other actiues, doth better apper­teine. There resteth then only the last comparison of politique vocations, Comparison of the Poli­tique vocati­on exercised by armes with the same without armes. The vocation exercised by armes, is roy­all and excel­lent. which consist in offices, & estates exercised, some by armes, and other some without ar­mes: the one for warre, and the other for peace. Of the which also to speake our opinion summarily, be­ginning first with the vocation exercised by armes: without al doubt, the vertue militarie hath alwayes bene estéemed more excellent and royall then any o­ther, as that whereby men haue purchased more re­putation and glorie, more ample dominion and obey­fance, then by any other else. As it may easily be pro­ued [Page 58] by the example and good testimonie of the migh­tiest Empires, Realmes, Monarchies, and Common weales, inlarged & growen to their high renoume & glorie, onely by exploytes of armes: wherevnto all lawes, ordinances, Magistrates, and affaires of state and iustice, submit them selues: all artes and scien­ces also: yea, all things, at the only brute of warres & armes, retire them selues, be whist, and kéepe silence. To be short, by armes peace is purchased and main­teined, where from, as from a spring, all wealth, all blisse and felicitie do procéede. So that it is not with­out cause, if the warlike calling hath in all ages bene estéemed worthie & meriting great honour & praise.

Howbeit, this Politique vocation without armes hath alwayes bene the same, The politike vocation ex­ercised with­out armes, thought bet­ter then the o­ther. and good cause why that hath ben iudged the chéefe, as the most profitable and necessarie, and by the which greater things haue ben atchieued, then by that which hath bene exercised by armes. For proofe whereof, we néede but to come to the néerest and most particular comparison of certein of the greatest and most excellent personages Politi­que and Militarie that haue ben, and thereby we shal more perfectly vnderstand, whether of y ^e two vocati­ons is preferred, and more renoumed then the other. Among other, it is writen of two notable personages in the Athenien Common weale, which were very famous, the one professing armes, Comparison betweene Themistocles and Solon. and the other Po­litique gouernment, to wit: Themistocles and Solon: the first renoumed aboue all other Atheniens for ex­ploits and feates of armes, & the other for good lawes, ordinances, & other institution of the Common weal: the one vndoubtedly extolled, and approued to be ve­ry valiant, The Isle Sala­mine. Xerxes. Areopagites. by the famous & so much spoken of victory he got in the Isle of Salamine, against the great king Xerxes: and the other no lesse renoumed by the esta­blishing of the Senate of Areopagites, so beneficiall [Page] to the Publique: and the one of the which, did once stoutly succour the Atheniens by force of armes, but the other by good lawes, and wise and well establi­shed counsell, hath not onely in his life time, but also many dayes sithence profited them. Themistocles Themistocles can not shewe wherein he hath ayded Solon, and So­lon may proue he ayded Themistocles, with a good and wise counsell, and a Senate he instituted in his Common weale: Comparison betwene Pau­sanias, Lysan­der, and Lycurgus. by the aduice whereof, the warre was enterprised and conducted. As much may be said of Pausanias, and Lysander also greatly renoumed, and by whose warlike vertue, the Lacaedemonian Empire was greatly inlarged, the which for all that, may not in any case be compared, or approche any thing néere vnto the lawes, discipline, and institution of y ^e Republique, made by Lycurgus. And if they will alledge for them selues their force, valiantnesse, good and wise conduction, it will be tolde them that they had nothing but that which Lycurgus had left, and put into their handes. And, not to be tedious, as much may we say of euery other Common weale, well and wisely instituted. Comparison betweene Marcus Scau­rus, and Caius Marius. Comparison betweene Quintus Ca­tulus & Pom­peius. It is therefore that Cicero (speak­ing to this purpose) doth no lesse in his time prayse the eloquence and learning of Marcus Scaurus, then the armes and forces of Caius Marius: nor yet Quin­tus Catulus his Politique skill and experience, lesse then Pompeius the great his prowesse and valiaunt actes, saying: that armes serued to small purpose a­broad, without good counsell at home. Yea, he cōmeth thus farre foorth, that he produceth the daungerous coniuration of Catiline, suppressed and extinguished by him selfe being Consul, Catiline his coniuration suppressed without armes. without armes, or other meane and ayde, but only good counsell and diligence. Wherfore he was afterward had in such reputation with Pompeie, (hauing wonne so many and so great victories) that he said vnto him openly, that the glory [Page 59] of his victories had serued him to small purpose, if Rome, wherein he might haue triumphed, had not bene conserued by the wisedome of Cicero.

And sith we must néedes come to our particular examples of this realme: Comparison betweene the Court of Par­leament and the glorie of Armes. the court of Parleament hath it in any respect, giuen place to the glory of ar­mes? the reputation therof hauing ben such through out all Europe and Christendome, that the greatest Lordes, Earles, Dukes, and Princes thereof, haue voluntarily come to submit themselues, their contro­uersies, and armes vnto the iustice of the same: yea, (to auoyde prolixitie) Popes and Emperours: Frederick the seconde. as we haue read of Frederick the second of that name, being fallen at debate and deadly contention with Pope In­nocent the fourth, Innocent the fourth. bicause he had depriued him of his Empire in the Counsell of Lyons. Suche reuerence hath ben borne to this sacred and honourable iustice, neyther more nor lesse, then in times past vnto the Oracle of God: yea such, as that of late, in the yeare of our saluation 402. 402 certeine Spanish Knightes brought thither a treatie made and passed betwéene the Kinges of Castile and Portugal, A treaty made betweene the Kings of Ca­stile and Por­tugal broght to the Court of Parleamēt. concerning the state of their realmes, to cause the same to be there o­penly proclamed: which was done, and they carried with them the act of the publication, thinking not to haue had sufficient assurance of their pactions and co­uenants, for the tranquillitie of their countries, vn­lesse this most famous and renoumed iustice, did au­thorize and approue the same. And in good sooth, there is neyther vertue, or glorie of armes, to be conferred to this religion of iustice, the which causeth weapons to fall out of mens fistes, without stroake striking. True it is, that the vertue militarie requireth a va­liant heart, strength, and constancie: but if we doe well consider of Politique affaires, & their accidents, we shall finde that they require no lesse vertue at all: [Page] And to speake plainly, The politike vocation re­quireth no lesse vertue then the mili­tarie. that it is by counsell at home, that all warres haue bene enterprised, & for the most part executed. Furthermore, to what purpose be warres enterprised? Is it not to haue peace? Peace then, as the end of warre, is more to be praysed then warre is: euen as health, which is the end of Phy­sick, is without comparison, more to be estéemed then Physicke it selfe. To the Politique vocation then, ex­ercised without armes to obteine peace, Two maners of fighting a­mong men. the first de­grée is due. And truely, considering that there be a­mong men, two manners of contesting and debating, of that which falleth in question and controuersie: the one by reason, and the other by force: it is certeine, that the one manner is humane and honest, and the other brutishe and dishonest, wherevnto men ought neuer to come, but when they haue first assayed all o­ther possible meanes, by counsell and reason.

CHAPTER. XIII. That all vocations be so commodious and necessarie, for the entertainment of life and humane societie, that which so euer we looke on, or consider of, the same seemeth still the most necessarie.

NOwe hauing spoken of all vocations, and manners of liuing, and then con­ferred the one with the other, making comparison of euery of them, there is no man (as I thinke) who séeth not clearely, how necessarie and profitable they be, for the coniunction and vnion of humane societie: yea, so ne­cessarie, that one can not stande or continue without the other. And which is more, such is the vertue and efficacie of eyther of them, that pondering each of thē seuerally, one after an other, it séemeth the same still, vpon the which we cast our eye, to be the principal, & more necessarie then y ^e other. As for example, looking [Page 60] vpon the contemplatiue vocation, what thinke ye, I pray you, of all other actions wandering here & there, in the ignorance of diuine thinges, and of that which is iust and reasonable, Cyclops Po­lyphemus. but that they be as blinde Cy­clops Polyphemus? Also on the other side, consider of the actiue vocation only, what would ye estéeme of al contemplation and speculation, without the action, other then as of a body without soule and life? And comming particularly to the actiues, if ye happen to weigh the Ecclesiasticall by it selfe, what would ye iudge, that all actions could serue the interior of the man, motiue of y ^e exterior, being neither wel instruc­ted nor yet reformed? Then passing to the Politique, what may ye thinke of all other seuered and discor­ding, without the vnion, accord, order, or gouernment of the Publique? Likewise, procéeding to the war­like, what contemplation, doctrine, preaching, policie, science, iustice, houshold, familie, merchandize, occu­pation, Physick, Cheirurgerie, Musicke, or other pri­uate vocation so euer is it, which retireth not, and gi­ueth place at the onely terrour of armes, and which standeth not in néede of them, to be maintayned in peace, safetie, and defence against the enimie, and ho­stilitie? Then comming to Priuate callings, & first to the domesticall, what vocation may we name, that may want the same, considering that all take their beginning and originall thereof. And finally, descen­ding to Priuate, which be not domestical, what voca­tion hauing taken essence, may liue, and dure in this world without the same? And thus still considering of each of them a part, and by them selues, ye shal not fayle to finde the same to be such, as all other in com­parison thereof, shall séeme nothing vnto you. So ad­mirable, artificial, diuine, and pleasaunt a thing it is, to marke this bond of humane societie, by meanes of those vocations, most necessarie and méete ioynts and [Page] members of the same: and yet for all that, very rare­ly or not at all considered of by most men.

CHAPTER. XIIII. That there is not one man who is not called to some vocation, and hath not sufficient matter in the same, to keepe him selfe occupied in the exercise of vertue.

OF the which treating hitherto, I shall not thinke to haue wrought a small feate, if I haue atteined vnto the point whereat I haue a long time leueled, & sought to come vnto, which is, that eue­ry man may know, that there is not he, who is with­out a vocation, and who is not called to some one. Then that there is no calling, wherein is not suffici­ent adoe, for a man honestly to imploy him selfe in the exercise of vertue: nothing being worse, then to think the contrarie. As many doe, bycause they be not pla­ced in state, dignitie, office, or else some other occupa­tion, or Publique and apparent charge: which cau­seth them to say, that they be not called to any thing in this world, and that they haue nothing to doe: or else, if it so happen, that any of them thinke and know wel, that it can not otherwise be, but that he is called to some charge, yet is he for all that yrked, and discō ­tented with the same, as of smal value in respect of o­ther more excellent or apparent, which he setteth be­fore his eyes: whereof procéedeth great negligence, & discontentment to each one in his manner of liuing, being thus induced into suche an opinion which is méere false, and most necessarie to be cut off.

Euerie man ought to be persuaded that he is called to some vocation and sufficien­cie to excer­cise himselfe in vertue.For first it is necessarie that euery man persuade him selfe, & be assured that it is not possible that he be otherwise in this worlde, then called to some vocati­on, [Page 61] and such as sufficeth to holde him honestly occupi­ed, (wherein I meane not in any case to comprise suche manners of liuing as be vicious, and reproued, as to be a Cosiner, Bawde, Théefe, Vsurer, Iuggler, and suche like,) it béeing so, that euerie person is by necessitie in some Publique, or priuate charge, The vicious kinde of li­uing is not comprised vnder the name of vocation. and that it can not otherwise come to passe, but that at the leaste, the one must be either a Father, Mother, Sonne, or Daughter, Maister or seruaunt, superior, or subiect: all manners of liuing being vniuersally, and in generall comprised therein. And there is no one constituted in any of them, whiche hath not the meane duely to busie, and exercise himselfe in vertue (as we haue saide,) at the leaste, if he will acquite himselfe well. And for proofe hereof, is it to haue no­thing on hande, to be in marriage, to haue the charge, and gouernement of wife, children, and familie? Marriage. The sonne, or daughter be they bound to no charge, being called to obedience, temperance, chastitie, Sonne, or Daughter. Seruant, or subiect. and good manners? The seruant or subiect, shall they say, that they haue cause to be idle, diligence, fidelitie, seruice, and obedience béeing commaunded them? And may Magistrates, and superiours say they haue no great charge? To be shorte, is there any one liuing, vn­lesse he be either wholy impotent of witte, or of bo­die, especially, if he purpose to be a commodious and beneficial member to y ^e Cōmonaltie of men, that can say that he wanteth occasion & meane, to employ him selfe, in doing of some good thing auaylable to y ^e same, in what estate, fashion, and manner of liuing so euer he may be, be it in the publique, or Priuate life? For (as Aristotle hath in his Ethickes,) there is no lesse meane to doe well in the Priuate life, then in the Publique. It followeth then, (for conclusion,) that there is not one whiche is not called to some vocati­on, [Page] and whiche hath not meanes ynough honestly to employ himselfe in the same, There is no lesse meane to doe well in the priuate then in the Publique vo­cation. to the common profite. And without all doubt, iustly ought he to be repu­ted accurssed, & ingendered against nature, who (ser­uing but as a burden, & vnprofitable charge here on earth, should say that he knoweth, or féeleth not him­selfe called to any one thing, and woulde not employ himselfe in this life about some honest, He is accursed that knoweth not himselfe to be called to some good and profitable vocation. and profitable office. It resteth then, onely to haue alwayes before our eyes, this societie of men, whiche we so often­times repete and to purpose ech man in his vocation constantly to obey the same. Of the which constancie to be obserued by such, as (being therevnto or­derly called) doe vertuously practise their vocation, it is now both time, and place to beginne to speake.

CHAPTER. I. ¶ That inconstancie, especially in the feate of voca­tion, is common and naturall vnto men: And that therein he surpasseth all creatures: of the cause of this inconstancie: and the opinion of diuerse per­sons vppon the same.

IT is said, Three things requisite for the accom­plishment & perfection of any thing. that there be thrée thin­ges chéefly necessarie for y ^e perfect accomplishement of mans inten­tion, ioyned with the worke, and action which ensueth thereof: to wit, The way and meane (as the first in order, and before all other required and necessarie) how to be able to atteine vnto his intention, and his action also: The seconde, the knowledge of the thing where­vnto man séekes to come: The third and last, the con­stancie, and perseuerance that ech man ought to haue after he hath compassed the same. We haue hitherto spoken of the two first, declaring (as the chéefe, and principall pointe by vs propounded) which is y ^e way to enter, and orderly to come vnto offices, and vocati­ons, afterward the meane to vnderstande and knowe them, that he may the better gouerne, and mainteine himselfe in the same. Now resteth the thirde & last, without the which all that hath hitherto bene by vs said of the other two, shoulde be to small purpose. For what canne knowing of a thing, be the same neuer so great and excellent, or yet the obteining [Page] thereof profite, if a man streight wayes will leaue, and rashely forsake the same againe? Constancie, a­boue all other things neces­sarie in mans actions. So shoulde it assuredly be a thing of small effect, and lesse auaile, to haue vnderstoode by vs what the vocation of man is, and the meane to obteine the same, vnlesse a man would, after he is placed, constantly behaue himselfe, and resist impechement, lettes, or occasions to the contrarie.

The misliking of the conditi­on of a mans owne life is a naturall thingAnd so muche the more necessarie is this latter parte for ech one, as it is an assured thing, that there is no disease more frequent, and common to man, then easily to discontent himselfe, and mislike of his owne condition, and gladly to delight in that which apperteineth to an other: Shewing him selfe therein farre more ingrate, and worse of condition, and na­ture, then all other creatures. For as the Ecclesi­asticke saith, we sée the Sunne rise, and fall in his place, by his course, and accustomed mouing: flou­des runne to the sea, and yet the sea not ouerflowe, but still kéeping it selfe within his bondes and limi­tes: and then the floudes take their course, and re­turning to their first springes, afterward to reflowe againe into the sea: The mouing of the Sunne, Starres, and Planetes, and to be short, all creatures kéeping their order, and conteining themselues with­in their limites of nature, Man excedeth all other crea­tures in in­constancie. and in that whiche God hath ordeined vnto them. But man alone contrarily, always to be inconstant, & looking an other way, not content with the condition of the life he is established in, wherof procéedeth all cursse and affliction of mind yea, and whiche is more, great ingratitude towards him, who placeth and appointeth each one in the vo­cation he is in. A man is ne­uer the better for changing his calling. And yet is it so, that if it were per­mitted man to change his calling, & condition of life with any other, we should vndoutedly sée, y ^t he would find euen asmuch annoyance & discontentmēt therin, [Page 63] he found not more, as in the former that he had for­saken, Example of Vulteius Me­na. Horace. and in the ende desire to returne therevnto a­gaine. As it béefell Vulteius Mena, of whome Ho­race writeth in his Epistles, concluding that euerie man ought to holde himselfe to the condition of life, he is called vnto. Example of the fable, spea­king of an Asse. Whiche is also represented vnto vs by the fable of the Asse, whiche complained of his estate, and condition, desiring now to be a horse, now a dogge, and still finding worse then before. Whiche hath caused some to say, that if all euils and troubles were on an heape together, to be distributed equally vnto all men, that there is not he, which shoulde not take his owne euill againe, because he hath no parte with any other: Euill recom­pensed with the good. the worlde being gouerned in suche sorte: the euill is recompensed with the good, and di­uided to eache one according to his vocation, by iust and equall proportion.

It is certeine, Man natural­ly regardeth his euil rather then his good that mans nature is alwayes incli­ned sooner to haue regard to that which harmeth him then to that whiche doeth him good, whiche he easily forgetteth: & contrarily prompt to that, which by ap­perance séemeth to doe good to another man, without consideration of the euill, he séeth not. And we sée wel inough, when a shooe sitteth well vppon an other mans foote, but we féele not where it pincheth him. Wherehence this light and mutable inconstancie procéedeth in the minde of man, whereby he forsaketh his owne vocation, straight to runne to an other: whereas, if he regarded, as he ought to doe, the com­moditie is giuen him in this manner of liuing, he is in, and considered well of other mens euils, he should liue in greater contentation, and constancie: exempt from ingratitude, and affliction.

We sée by experience the newfanglednesse, Man is soone annoyed with his own trade of life. and va­rietie of man to be such, in the mamment of his vo­cation, that almoste assoone as he is placed in any [Page] state, or fashion of liuing, he is by & by yrked therw ^t, & di­sliking of y ^e same, streight desireth an other: as by exam­ple, we sée him y ^t is married, think him happie y ^t is not: & contrarily, him that is frée, praise his life that is wedded: euen as they whiche leade a priuate life, couet no­thing more, then to haue some Publique charge: & they that be in the same, Horace. praise nothing more, then to be pri­uate: Horace saying, in his Epistles to this purpose:

So displeasant (as Terence saith) are we of ourselues, & discontented with our present estate, stil aspiring to y ^t which passeth our capacitie. The Romane people yrked with the Monarchal estate, Terence. Example of the Romanes. & gouernment of one alone, would néeds be cōmanded by many, first by Consuls, & then by Tribunes in diuers mutations, & changes: as y ^e Israelits before them, annoied to be gouerned by ma­ny, asked a king, where they found worse then before: & thus hath it always ben, & shal be of the inconstancie, & instabilitie of man, most manifest, & apparent in the ex­ercise of his vocatiō. The famous & wise Philosophers espying this varietie, The opinion of diuerse which haue searched out the cause of this incon­stancie. & inconstancie of man, prompt & inclined to all disorder, & yet for all that, séeing in natu­rall things, so permanent, & measured an order, be it in the mouing of heauen, of starres, & planets: be it in the so well according discorde of the Elements, & so equall counterpoise of the earth: flowing & reflowing of flouds & riuers: be it in al other creatures, great & smal, all ke­ping their naturall order, haue béene maruelously (and not without cause) amased, whence it shold come y ^t such disorder, & confusion should be in mankind, y ^e most excel­lent, & noble of all other creatures. And in the end haue imputed al the fault & cause therof, partly to the matter wherof men be compounded, as fraile & caduke: partly to mans will so light, & variable of it selfe: & ascending higher, be come to euerie ones fatall destinie, saying: y ^e [Page 64] there is a certeine connexion, & coniunction of the first cause, with the second, naturall, & of the will of man, so constreined y ^t it is not possible to be able to auoid them. And in y ^e end, there were a sort, & maner of people, The Maniche­is opinion. whi­che were named Manicheis, ingendred of a depraued, & corrupt Philosophie: which passing further, dreamed, & imagined that there were two Gods, the one good, & the other euil, to whom they imputed the cause of all this confusion, & disorder. But we must confesse that al this fault cōmeth no whence else, but of the corruption, The corrupti­on of man causeth his newefangled­nesse. and deprauation of mans wil, & iudgment, (a point not suf­ficiently known by the ancient Philosophers) from the which there procéedeth a blind confidence, & presumptiō of himself, which is the spring of al errour. Euerie man coueting to be a God to himselfe, y ^t is to say: to vnder­take whē so him listeth y ^e gouernment, & administratiō of men, & Cōmon weales, w ^tout attending vntil they be otherwise called. So sore be they infected, & peruerted by this malign, & false persuasion: You shalbe as gods. Witnes Caesar, Sylla, Pompeie, M. Antonie, Gene. 2. Example of Sylla, Pompeius, Caesar, and others. Brutus, Cassi­us, Cinna. & infinite other, which led by this arrogancie, leauing their voca­tions, haue procured, & raised infinite seditions, & disor­ders. As also Brutus, Cassius, Cinna, & their companions conspirers, & murtherers of Iulius Caesar: y ^e which blin­ded by their own particular, & arrogant counsel, in sted of restoring the Ro. Republike (as they were not asha­med to promise) stirred vp parcialities, & nūberles trou­bles. In recompense wherof they receiued in y ^e end most miserable death, A good lesson for rebelles. no one of them remaining within thrée yeres after vnslain by the sword, either by others, or by their own hands: which is the ordinarie fruite of their rashnes, which passing out of limits, The rewarde of them whi­che aduaunce themselues vncalled: is to be reiected of God. & bounds of their owne vocation, ouer vnaduisedly, and audaciously take vpon thē, y ^e which perteineth to God onely, whose will & pleasure is, that euerie one should kéep, & contein him selfe within that, whervnto he is called, without stray­ing elsewhere.

CHAPTER II. Of the three chiefe aduersaries, and enimies to mans cōtancie in the exercise of his vocation: & first of ambition of glorie and honour mixed with emu­lation: and of the opinion of them that thinke am­bition, and gealousie necessarie among Citizens.

THere be thrée principall plagues, eni­mies, Three capitall enimies to the constancie of man. Example of C [...]imon, Peri­cles & other. Nicias, Alcibiades, Aristides, Themistocles. and aduersaries to al constancie, procéeding from one selfe spring: to wit, ambition, enuie, and impatience, as may daily be séene by experience: and from the which they that haue ben greatest, and the moste renowmed among men, haue not béene able to warrant themselues. As he may easily sée that will take some paines to consider aswell of Cimon, and Pericles, of Nicias, and Alcibiades, their behauiours in the administration of their publique: as also of the same of Aristides surnamed The iust, who was so transported with the ambition of glorie, and honour intermedled with emulation, & enuie, hauing The­mistocles for his concurrent, and competitor, that he feared not franckely, & publiquely to propound vnto the Atheniens, that vnlesse bothe himselfe and The­mistocles were by them chased away, and cast into the Barather, (which was a déepe dongeon wherinto malefactors, and suche as were condemned to death were cast headlong,) it were not possible that the af­faires of their common weale should euer prosper, or yet that their citie should be but in greater perill, and daunger. As Dion in like manner, hauing cau­sed Heraclides his concurrent in the exercise of the gouernemente of Syracuse, Of Dion and Heraclides. in the end excusing him­selfe, shewed vnto the people, that otherwise it should not haue béene possible to haue giuen order to the se­ditions, [Page 65] & troubles (whiche incessantly sprang vppe among them) as long as they two had béene ioyntly in authoritie.

Thus farre were they sundred from the loue, Pelopidas, & Epaminondas vertuous companions in gouernement of the publique. ho­nour, and amitie, that Pelopidas, and Epaminondas (whiche were in déede right brethren in armes, and companions in publique charges) bare still continu­ally one to another. Neither of them séeking ei­ther glorie, or riches for themselues: (vnto the grée­dinesse whereof, quarelling, and seditious enuie, is alwayes lincked:) but referring eache other others actes, and prosperous exploites vnto the publique ho­nour, and seruice. Plato his saying being moste true: Plato of them that striue for the souereigntie. that they that fought, and contended to haue soue­reigntie in the gouernement, and the administrati­on of Common weales, put the Publique estate in no lesse perill, and daunger, then Mariners doe their shippe, striuing among themselues, who shal gouerne and stirre the same. Marius and Sylla bothe sore ta­ched with the selfe vices, Marius, and Sylla. hauing taken a light and friuolous foundation of capitall enimitie, because of the victorie of Iugurtha, the which either of them at­tributed vnto him selfe, by their so doing, so intangled the Common weale with ciuil warres, parcialities, and irremediable dissentions, that finally the same ended it selfe in a violent tyrannie, and confusion of the whole state, and Empire of Rome, whiche doeth right well declare, The Poet Eu­ripides touch­ing ambition. and approue that the Poet Euri­pides was a wise man, and well acquainted with the mischéefes that fall vpon Common weales, when he counselleth gouernours to flée ambition, as the most intollerable passion wherewith mennes mindes be chiefely vexed, and as a moste present, and mortall furie to them that acquainte themselues with the same: and whereof we may say that whiche is feig­ned, the Foxe saide vnto the sicke Lion mentioned [Page] in Horace Epistles.

The fable of Ixion against the ambiti­ous. The CentaursAnd it is not without cause, that men take the fa­ble of Ixion to haue ben made against the ambitious. For, euen as the Poets feigne that he had to doe with a clowde, thinking the same to haue ben the Goddesse Iuno: and that of this imbracing the Centaures were ingendered: so the ambitious imbracing vaine glo­rie, as an image of true vertue, neuer doeth acte whiche is iust, or worthie of a vertuous man, but produceth effectes, wherewith some bastardises is alwayes intermingled, according to the diuersitie of the windes, whiche driue and tosse them: now stirred by enuie and gealousie, and then I knowe not by what desire to complée, hauing no other intent: but to accomodate themselues, and be agréeable vnto the appetites, and affections of them that may ad­uance their ambitious attempts: no other thing res­ting them, by this meane, but the onely title, and ap­parance, of Magistrates, gouernours, and admini­stratours of the Common weale: committing (vn­der the cloke, and shadowe thereof) foule faultes, and manifestly furious, as if they were folke out of their wittes, as if they would haue honour shoulde not procéede of vertue, but the same to bee vertue it selfe.

Example of Tiberius & Caius Grac­cus.As thereof, among infinite other examples, the same of the two Romane brethren, Tiberius, and Caius Graccus ought to suffice vs, bothe the whiche being nobly borne, verie well brought vppe, and with a good and vertuous intent entered into the [Page 66] maniment of Publique affaires: were for all that in the ende loste, and spoyled by the gréedie ambi­tion.

And in like manner Marcus Crassus hauing the second time by practises, and slightes: Marcus Cras­sus. forceably at­teined the Consulshippe, with the gouernement of Syria: burning with a miserable flame of ambition, because that, among many millians of men, he was not, as a man would say, estéemed the chéefe, or most worthie, but rather by common opinion, déemed to be inferiour, and not comparable with Caesar, and Pom­peie, as if all had failed him, committed so many foule incongruities throughout his gouernment, and chéefely in the voyage he made against the Parthies, that in the ende, (throughe his greate defaulte,) his honour, and almoste all the huge armie he ledde thi­ther, was miserably, (not without greate damage of the Common weale,) ouerthrowen, and cutte in péeces.

Wherein a man may clearely sée, Of them that allowe of ambition and gealousie a­mong citizens Lycurgus. how farre they be from the trueth, whiche be of opinion, that ambi­tion, and gealousie, in the gouernement of a Com­mon weale, ought to be sowen among Citizens, as a sting of vertue. As it séemeth to be the opinion of him that established the Lacedaemonian lawes, wil­ling that honest men should always haue some thing to cleare, and debate one with another. Homere. Agamemnon. Vlysses. Achilles. And the o­pinion of Homere also, hauing made Agamemnon reioyce to sée Vlysses and Achilles at fowle wordes together: whiche he would not haue done, vnlesse he had thought that debate, & enuie amōg principal per­sonages, did serue to cause one to haue an eye ouer an other, to the aduauncement of the Common weale: as there be naturall Philosophers also, Discorde cau­seth the life, and harmony of this worlde whiche holde opinion, that if a man depriued this worlde of dis­corde, and debate, the course of the Celestiall bo­dies [Page] would stay, that the generation of the worlde should ceasse: for that (as they say) that is the cause whiche mainteineth all the harmonie of this worlde. Vicious dissentions betwene wicked Magi­strates. But certeinely the same ought not to extend to vici­ous and excessiue bralles, and dissentions betwéene Magistrates passing the bounds of contention of ver­tue, (whereof we speake) moste daungerous, and da­mageable to Common weals. Neither more nor lesse then as we sée in Elementes, and contrarie humors, of the whiche mans bodie is composed, that the dis­temperature, and vnequall power of the one ouer the other, is the cause of daungerous sickenesses, and ac­cidentes chauncing to mans bodie.

CHAPTER. III. Of ambition, and vaine glorie mixed with auarice, and of impatience in sundrie manners.

TO speake of the ambition of glorie, & honour medled with the ambition of goodes, and auarice: beside the exam­ple of Marcus Crassus we of late alled­ged, Example of our time. the excesse of examples of our time ought to be more then sufficient, without néeding to haue recourse to other. Because that euerie man eui­dently séeth what varietie, and inconstancie the same hath ingendered vnto vs, in all estates aswell Eccle­siasticall, as Politique: whether we list to discourse by it selfe the change that is made in euerie of them: or else throughly consider of the mutation, and varie­tie whiche is made from one estate to another, that is to say: from the Ecclesiasticall, to the Politique, or frō the Politique, to the Ecclesiastical: by the change of habite, Horace. Priscus. and manner of life, from houre to houre: as Horace sayth in his Satyres, speaking of the incom­parable vnconstancie of Priscus. For I dare bold­ly [Page 67] say, that there shall no Politique estate be founde, before our time, where so many examples of inconstancie, and lightnesse in vocations, and pub­lique estates, may be espied, as we might haue kno­wen in our dayes: A thing greatly to be blamed, not onely in them whiche shewe themselues so newfan­gled, and variable, but also much more in those whi­che receiue them, thereby cherrishing the greatest e­uill, and inconuenience that may be brought, or in­duced into a Commonweale.

And as touching impatience, Of impatience in sundrie kindes. whereof we haue also spoken, as ingendered of y ^e selfe spring: it is most certeine that man is no lesse easily induced therby to leaue, and forsake his vocation, and runne a contra­rie course. Take it so, that we speake of impatience, and vnabilitie to beare a refuse, or ingratitude. Example of Coriolanus. As Martius Coriolanus at Rome, who seised, and pro­uoked by y ^e same, tooke armes against his own coun­trie, béeing vnable vertuously to beare, as it became him to haue done, the ingratitude of the Romane people, hauing refused him the instance, and sute he made for the Consulshippe, whereof indéede he was the worthiest of all them, that coulde haue then de­maunded the same. But the honest man called to the handling of a Publike charge, ought rather to desire (as Marcus Cato saide) to be depriued, Marcus Cato. or putte by a good turne, then once to giue occasion of an euill. Whether it be that we speake of the impatience of the time and attendaunce, Absalon. as Absalon who béeing vnable patiently to tarrie so long to reigne, rashely, Dauid. and vniustly tooke by force, king Dauid his fathers dominion from him: or else of impatience of labour, as Lucullus and Diocletian, Lucullus, and Diocletian. who forsooke their pub­lique charges, preferring their particular ease, & rest, before the weale publique: Or else also of the impati­ence to beare, and suffer reproches, iniuries, or other [Page] aduersities, whiche ordinarily be presented vnto eue­rie Publique person. Timolion. As it happened vnto Timolion, who (hauing caused his owne brother Timophanes to be slaine, Timophanes. therein vertuously preferring the weale publique of his countrie, before the loue of his bloud: because that Timophanes, contrarie to dutie and ius­tice, went about to haue vsurped the tyrannie of Co­rinth, whereof his brother Timolion had giuen him the charge and custodie), coulde not beare, or by force of reason vanquishe the passion he receiued of the la­mentations, Cleomenes vertuous opi­nion. iniuries, and reproches his mother and other gaue him, but was so danted with remorse, and impatience, that he obstinately, and contrarie to y ^e ad­uise of all men, vtterly quited the medling with the maniment of Publique affaires: wherein the opinion of Cleomenes King of Lacedaemon, was much bet­ter, saying when he was driuen out of his countrie by King Antigonus, that he that abandoned himselfe, and yelded to trauelles, and labours, or yet to the re­proches, and praises of men, must néeds confesse that he is vanquished by his owne cowardise. For as it be houeth a man to kéepe himselfe warily, and be asha­med of fowle, dishonest, and euill actions, so also to be aferde of all kinde of blame, reproche, or euill opinion of the world is a fault of magnanimitie.

CHAPTER. IIII. ¶ Of remedies against inconstancie: and of the two pointes cheefly necessarie for him, that wil reteine constancie in the exercise of his vocation.

WHerfore hauing hitherto treated of the inconstancie and varietie naturall and proper to man, specially in the executi­on of his vocation, and the chéefe cause therof, of y ^e which an ignorant blinded: [Page 68] yea, an arrogant, and presumptuous opinion, & confi­dence of himselfe, backt with ambition, enuie, & impa­tience, is ingendered: It followeth nowe to come to the remedies and meanes, by the whiche, notwith­standing so many impediments, and aduersaries, we may still constantly perseuere in our vocations. For euen as (saith Plato) the cloth which we meane to die good Scarlet, A good com­parison made by Plato. least the same shoulde afterward loose his colour, ought first to be diligently washed, and prepared by the Fuller, and afterwarde died, and re­died in the selfe colour: So he that determineth con­stantly to perseuere in his vocation, & calling, ought firste to be well prepared by good institution, and di­scipline, and then confirmed, and resolued in the pursuite of his enterprise. Thus then to enter thereinto, we thinke that he that purposeth with himselfe constantly to followe that, Two pointes necessarie for him that me­neth constant­ly to perseuere in his calling. wherevnto he is called, ought chéefly, and first of all, to haue two pointes in singular recommendation. The firste of whiche lyeth in moderately thinking, and estéeming of himselfe, and not otherwise, if we must néedes say so, then of a small and fraile instrument, tarrying the workemans hande, to dispose and employ it to such workes as he shall like best. The other, Notable say­inges. and seconde is, the obedience and reuerence due to vocation: that is to say, to the Politique order, instituted for euerie man to be called vnto, according to his manner of li­uing, not by chaunce, or vnwares: but by the cer­teine prouidence of God, as we haue before saide, without otherwise enterprising any other of himself, although that he knowe him selfe both sufficient and worthie of the same: yea, which is more, though the wayes to enter therein were both easie, and also open for him.

Solon (to this purpose) being by reason of great trouble risen in Athens, betwéen the poore, & the rich, Example of Solon. [Page] by generall consent chosen mediatour, & reformer of the lawes, and Publike state, was, for his great ver­tue, aduised, and solicited by the chéefest of the Citi­zens, séeing the hurlie burlie verie difficil to be ap­peased by the lawe of reason, to take vppon him the principalitie and souereigne authoritie: alledging, to induce him therevnto, Apollo. an Oracle of Apollo, spea­king of him, whiche serued to that ende euery man then spake of: and that if he refused the authoritie presented vnto him, he should but openly declare him selfe betrayer of the Common weale, in the troubles and néede it then stoode in: further, that a Monar­chie once accepted, incontinently looseth the name of tyrannie, and becommeth a iust kingdome, when he that taketh the same is an honest man: as in time past Timondas, Timondas. Pittacus. who by their consent made himselfe king of Negreponte: and Pittacus, sithens King of the Corinthians, with diuerse other considerations: But for all that, they coulde not preuaile so muche, as once stirre him from his resolution, whiche was constantly to perseuere in his charge, wherevnto he was duely chosen, and called, without euer con­senting in any cause, to vsurpe the charge, which he thought not to be in all respectes iustly offered vnto him, whiche vndoubtedly he woulde not haue done, if he had not ben reteined by these two bridles, whi­che be, the humble and the modest opinion of him­selfe, with obedience, and reuerence to Politique ordinaunces.

For else, who is he, be he neuer so vertuous, the bridle béeing once loosed to arrogancie, contempt, and irreuerence to the weale Publique, that would not easily haue giuen eare to such persuasions, and so ap­parant reasons? Indéede it is written of Lycurgus, (who established the Lacedaemonian lawes,) that he in like manner refused to be Kinge of Sparte, the [Page 69] kingdome belonging by right to Polydectas his bro­thers sonne, of whome his widowe remained with childe, bycause that, although he were in very déede a personage most sufficient and worthie of such a royal dignitie, he would not consent to marrie her, who, to that end, would haue destroyed the fruite she had in her wombe. Difference betweene So­lon, and Ly­curgus case. But this differeth much from Solon his doing, bicause that it séemeth, that that which the one could not accept without iniquitie & euident crime: the other contrarily might not refuse without repre­hension and manifest blame.

We will adde vnto the Gréeke by vs here alled­ged, an other Romane example, Example of the Romane Virginius. which is neither lesse excellent, or lesse worthie of memorie. It is of Virgi­nius the most renoumed Capteine, who had done as much or more seruice to his Common weale, then a­ny other of his time: he being exhorted, Nero. when Nero was chased out of his Empire and slaine, to take the Empire to him selfe, as the most estéemed, and best worthie of the same, being as then chéefe of the stron­gest legions, and hauing vnder his power a good part of the Empire, which was all Gaul: for all that, not­withstanding the necessitie and extremitie he was then put to by his souldiers, whiche earnestly reque­sted him to accept the same, yea, so solicited and pres­sed him, that a Colonel of a thousand footemen presen­ted a naked sworde, and tolde him, that he should ey­ther deliberate with him selfe to accept the Empire, or else to receiue the naked sword through his body: would not giue eare thereto, but persisted in his reso­lution to abide in the state and charge he was in, say­ing: that he was neyther determined to accept the same him selfe, ne yet to suffer it to be giuen to any o­ther, but to him that should be duely chosen, and cal­led therevnto by the Senate, vnto whome onely the authoritie of election apperteined. Sith it is so then, [Page] that Pagans haue borne such reuerence to this Poli­tique order, The Christi­an hath more occasion to be constant in his vocatiō then the Pa­gan. what sufficiencie so euer hath ben in thē, and what néede or necessitie so euer hath happened: we that haue an other manner and more cleare light and knowledge of the effect, vertue, and authoritie of vocation, howe can we inconstantly, and through arrogancie and vnreuerentnesse, forsake or leaue the vocations wherevnto we be called, to intrude our selues into any other?

CHAPTER. V. That the wrong persuasion of them that enter into of­fices, causeth their impatience in the same: and of the true persuasion and admonition that they ought to receiue, which in fleeing impatience, en­ter into the same.

AS concerning impatience, whether the same come of ingratitude, attendance, labour, reproch, aduersitie, or any suche like thing, commonly receiued, (as we haue said) by them that meddle with the Publique: the same procéedeth ordinarily of a fond and blinde persuasion, which for the most part occu­pieth their heads, which aspire to Publique charges, purposing with them selues an other end and issue, then they ought to doe, as of wealth, honours, plea­sures, authoritie, and greatnesse: for if the contrarie happen, as of necessitie it can not otherwise doe, vnto him that meaneth to acquite him selfe honestly and vprightly: Symonides. No more (said Symonides) then Larks can lacke and want creastes vpon their heades: streight in steade of resisting by vertue and patience, they en­ter into choler and impatience, wherby they streight abandon and forsake their charges, or else abide in them with annoyaunce and gréefe. And it befalleth them (as Plutarch saith in his Politiques, Plutarch.) as vnto [Page 70] those which for plesure and recreation sake, when the weather is faire and cleare, and the sea calme, be en­tered into a ship, hoping to haue an easie and pleasant nauigation: for afterwarde being driuen by souden tempest into the maine sea, looking stil vpon the firme lande whence they parted, they abide forced & compel­led in the ship, but not without great displeasure. It is not therefore with this persuasion that it behoueth to enter into vocations in expectation or hope of par­ticular ease and gaine: but contrarily, The true per­suasion a man ought to haue entring into Publike charges. with assurance to be exposed, (as it were in the maine sea) to infinite daungers, waues, and tempestes. For otherwise, vn­lesse that mans wit and vnderstanding be confirmed, and fortified by reason, and the knowledge especially, of the reuerence due to vocation, it is impossible but that he must easily wauer and stray, through the in­finitie of occasions that be presented, though often­times, but very slight: whereas it behooueth that the resolution be not only good and honest in it selfe, but also firme, & not subiect to change: lest it happen vnto vs, as it doth to likerish & deintie mouthes, which of­tentimes, with most feruent appetite desire a meate: and when they once haue their fill thereof, be streight glutted therewith. For so hapneth it to many, which after they haue instantly sued and laboured for an of­fice and trade of liuing, be incontinently anoyed with the same, by reason of y ^e weaknesse of their imagina­tion, & apprehension of the publique respect, transpor­ted for the most part, with their owne particular.

And therefore (sayde the Philosopher Panetius, Panetius.) they that be called to dealing in affaires, being expo­sed to many dangers very difficult to preuent, ought to do as wrestlers, which being called to the combate, and vpon the point of wrestling, do plant them selues strongly vppon the ground, with both their armes raysed alofte, and set right vppe before them, for [Page] a rampire, readie and prouided to defend and assayle. For euen so, sayde he, the man constituted in a Pub­lique charge, ought to be prudent, and fortified with constancie against all assaultes, wherevnto he is con­tinually exposed, lest that by chaunce he be taken vn­prouided, and forced by impatience in the end to say that which Demosthenes saide, Demosthenes ouercome with impati­ence. hauing experimented the troubles men receiue in gouernment and admi­nistration Publique: that if two wayes were layde before him, the one to the gouernement of Publique affaires, and the other to hell, that he woulde sooner choose that which led to hell, then the other.

Vndoubtedly, this impatience we speake of, aboue all other to be eschued by the Publique man, ordina­rily is accompanied with, I knowe not what kind of obstinate selfwill, the which the impatient doth fond­ly estéeme to be stoutnesse of courage, The impati­ent account obstinacie, stoutenesse of courage. Plato. Obstinacie is solitarie. and magnani­mitie, ignoring that obstinacie is the thing in the world, that he that wil meddle with the gouernment of a Common weale, and conuerse with men, ought chéefly to eschue: As that which (as Plato saith) dwel­leth with solitarinesse, that is to say: that they which do obstinately stand to their owne opinion, and will not at any time accōmodate thē selues to any other: dwell in the end alone. Who so euer therefore will liue in this world, especially in charge and Publique administration, must of necessitie be a louer of pati­ence, and not for any accident, mischance, or aduersi­tie that happeneth vnto him, abandon that which be­longeth to his office and dutie, but rather so much the more to fortifie him selfe, and perseuere in his vocati­on. Metellus. For, to do well (saith Metellus) in place where is no daunger, is a thing common ynough: but to doe well where daunger is, is the very office of an honest and vertuous man.

Neither may a man ceasse to perseuer, though he sée [Page 71] many complaints & lamentations procéeding, Complaintes and lamenta­tions, ought not to hinder a publique man from perseuerance. bicause of good and vpright administration: as it chaunceth most commonly vnto them, that by nature be honest and iust men, which for the most part, be not agréea­ble to the common people, bycause that indeuouring themselues ordinarily to reforme them, they displease them, euen as the bandes and ligatures of Physici­ans and Cheirurgions do them that be wounded and hurt: For although the same be to put, or restore loose and displaced members into their naturall ioyntes a­gaine, yet for all that, A man cannot gouerne with out commit­ting some fault. they put the patient to muche paine. Ne yet ought he to leaue the perseuerance in his vocation, although he now and then commit some faults in the same, as he can not other wise choose but doe: bycause that, not to fayle in the handling of af­faires, is a thing surpassing mans nature: but to learne by faultes, to beware in time to come, is the point of a wise and vertuous man. Or although he sée no happie issue of his well doing, bycause that it suf­ficeth to haue testimonie with him, that he hath faith­fully acquited him selfe in his vocation: in this as­surance to fortifie him selfe in the same: The Catoes more wise then happie. as the ver­tuous Catoes, which were more wise then happie in their counsels, did alwayes. Truely inconstancie and lightnesse, make the acte euill, which otherwise of it selfe is good: and the choyce founded vpon an assured knowlege and firme discourse of reason, neuer chan­geth, although that the thing enterprised, succéed not alwayes to a good end.

CHAPTER. VI. That vocations ought to be esteemed as an exercise and triall of vertues: and howe detestable a thing inconstancie is, and contrarily, how commendable constancie is in any vocation.

WHerefore vocations, specially the Pub­lique shall be presented to all persons, which meane constantly to perseuere, and acquite themselues in them, as ex­ercises and proofes of vertue, by the which (as Bias sayde) a man is soone discouered what he is: Bias. no one thing being, which more trieth or be­wrayeth the nature of man, then the licence and au­thoritie of a Magistrate, which stirreth all the passi­ons that be harboured in the bottome of mans heart, and causeth all secret vices hid therein, to appeare. Wherfore Cato of Vtica, Cato of Vtica seeing him self chosen Que­stor of Rome, protested that he was not come to in­termeddle him selfe in the affaires by chance and ad­uenture, nor yet to enrich him selfe, or else to satisfie any particular passion, but that by méere deliberatiō he receiued the administration of that charge, as the very exercise of an honest man.

Socrates a­gainst incon­stancie. Socrates did so much detest and abhorre this incon­stancie, that he sayde, that euen as it is naturally re­commended to each one to kéepe his owne, and not to haue an eye vppon others: that so likewise each one ought to be no lesse diligently aduised, well and care­fully to doe that which belonged to his owne charge, without enterprising ought vpon an other mans of­fice: and that it was no lesse iniustice to abandon and forsake his place, then to abandon the defence of him, that should be committed to our guard. And with­out doubt, to forsake his vocation, to enter into an o­ther of his owne authoritie, is to doe as the man of warre, who leaueth the rancke his Capteine appoin­ted him: or else to doe as the Capteine, who leaueth the forte or castell committed to his charge, of him selfe, and without licence of his Prince, to goe to an other, vnder colour of meaning to succour the same: bycause that it is a thing most certeine, that for the [Page 72] daunger and perill of any other place what so euer, but the same which is committed to his tuition, he ought not to departe from his charge: Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes saying to this purpose, that the man forsaking the place he ought to kéepe, doth as the bird that abando­neth his nest. A saying vsed in olde time. And therefore the men of old time sayd wisely, Couet or desire to be that thou arte, and no more: Meaning by this most worthie sentence, to re­teine and kéepe each man in his calling, without per­mission to chaunge or abandon the same, at his owne fond appetite or fantastical motion. And if so be, Iesus Christe obserued his vocation. y ^t all that is before sayde content vs not, let vs then looke vpon the example of the sonne of GOD, and we shal sée, that though he were Lorde of heauen and earth, that yet for all that, being a man in this worlde, he kept him selfe so precisely within the boundes and li­mits of his vocation, that he refused there, to exercise the office of a Iudge or other Magistrate, and Pub­lique authoritie.

Numa Pompilius, Numa Pom­pilius of the chaunging of his condition of life. when the Romanes sent for him to be their King, sayde, that among all the mu­tations dangerous to man, the alteration and chang­ing of his estate and manner of liuing, was that, which was most to be feared and eschued. A good com­parison. And indéed, if it to were, that mans members had this sense, to knowe the greatnesse or smalnesse of each others worke and action, was there euer any greater con­fusion, if vnder colour thereof, the one would forsake the office wherevnto he is deputed, to vndertake the same of an other? A familiar example. Or else to shewe the same yet by a more familiar example, if we should sée in the dome­stical house, that seruant which is deputed to one ser­uice, forsake the same, & vndertake at his pleasure, his companions: as the secretarie, the barbars: y ^e bar­bar, the stewards: y ^e steward the pages: & so of other, would we not say, y ^t such were greatly to be blamed, [Page] bycause they went but out of their offices, and diso­beyed their maisters pleasure? So it is assuredly of euery of vs, in the feate of his vocation, towarde the souereigne maister of all, who hath giuen vnto eache one of vs his office, faithfully to stay and imploy our selues therein, without permission to goe out of the same of our selues, be it vpon neuer so good an intent, occasion, or particular opinion, might the same by ap­parance neuer so much tickle or flatter our spirites.

Loys the e­leuenth of France.King Loys the eleuenth, a most wise Prince, and aboue all other skilfull in the choyce of men méete for his seruice, gaue also vpon a time sufficiently to vn­derstand, howe recommendable a thing each ones cō ­stancie in his vocation is: he had among other of his priuie counsel, a merchant, a man of good wit and ser­uice, by means of whose traffique, he had intelligence in sundrie straunge countries, and therfore fauoured him so well, that he caused him to sit at his boorde: it happened vpon a time, A good storie this merchant séeing him selfe thus in fauour, desired the king to make him Noble: whiche, in consideration of his seruice, was easily graunted him: wherevpon (thinking to haue, by so much the more aduaunced him selfe in honour and e­stimation,) apparelling him selfe streight in Noble mans attire, he came to present himselfe at the kings dinner, as he was wont to doe, looking that he should haue bene commaunded to sit downe as before, and that in a more honourable place then of custome, but he was well deceiued: for it chaunced quite contrari­ly, that he was left standing all the dinner time, and not once so muche as bid sit downe: whereof sore a­bashed, not knowing whether it were by chaunce or otherwise, that he was so forgotten, the king rising from the boorde, called, and said vnto him: If I haue heretofore accustomed to make you sit at my table, & doe no more so nowe, you must not maruell thereat, [Page 73] because that while you were chéefe of your sort and calling, I did no man wrong to honour you for suche a one: But hauing chaunged your estate, and putte your selfe into the same wherin you are not the thou­sandst in degrée, I shoulde doe wrong to many, if I now preferred you before them in that behalfe. A worthie saying of Loys the eleuenth of France. By the which saying, assuredly worthy of such a king, we be taught, that there is nothing more séemely for a Prince, then to conserue to eche one the degrée of ho­nour that apperteineth vnto him, and that it is bet­ter for a man constantly to kéepe himselfe chéefe in his owne place, though it be inferiour, then to leaue the same, to make himselfe seconde to a greater.

Numa Pompilius, Example for constancie by an auncient institution in the Romano sacrifices. Hoc age. of whome we spake righte nowe, instituted that in all sacrifices, ceremonies, and processions of Priestes, these wordes, Hoc age, whiche is to say, Doe this attentiuely, shoulde by some man be cried out with a lowde voyce: A cus­tome in déede both commendable, and right worthie to be imitated and followed in a better thing: as that which teacheth a man to gather his wittes together, and leaue all other workes and thoughtes to be at­tentiue to that he hath to do. For vndoubtedly mans negligent rechlessenes in the exercise of his vocation is so great, that euerie day, morning, and euening, the same selfe voyce, and wordes ought to be hearde of eache one, and cried with sounde of trumpet, to stirre man to be diligent, and attentiue to that wher­vnto he is called, and to doe nothing, as it were, in way of his discharge onely.

Also, sithe it is so, Philip king of Macedon. that Philippe King of Mace­done, after he had obteined victorie against the Athe­niens, was praised, because he ordeined that euerie morning at his vprising, one of his Pages shoulde with a lowd voyce pronounce these wordes to him: [Page] Philippe, thou arte a man: to serue him for an admo­nition, and kenuing of himselfe: howe muche more shoulde it be a thing estéemed praise worthie and ne­cessarie, if euery day, eache one in his owne behalfe were aduised to be carefull, & diligent in the discharge of his calling? And that therefore, to beginne with the greatest, to the meanest, it were saide to the king, Thou arte king, be attentiue therevnto: And to the Churcheman, Thou art Gods Minister, and dispo­ser of his worde: And so of other.

The Scythi­ans.To the end, that, as it is written of the Scythians, that when they sitte drinking, and making merrie together, they cause nowe and then the stringes of their bowes to twang, as if that the so doing serued to call againe, and reteine the force of their cou­rage, and hardinesse, which otherwise woulde glide, droppe away, and be destempered with the voluptu­ousnesse of the wine they take: Also, that by this voyce, and frequent admonition, resounding in all mens eares, euerie one might be reteined in his of­fice, and not be carried away, and distracted by the number of aduersaries, and enimies, among the whi­che we liue continually, altogether contrarie to the constancie required in the exercise of our vocation.

CHAPTER. ƲII. ¶Of them that say that there is a certeine reuolution, and praefixion of time, or place, in the whiche a wise man ought to leaue off the dealing in affairs.

MOreouer, I cannot be of their opinion, that say that there is a certen reuoluti­on, and prefixion of time, or place, in the whiche a wise man ought wholy to leaue off and forsake the administrati­on of Publique affaires, neither more nor lesse, then [Page 74] when the flower of age, and strength of bodie, be once passed, a man is no more méete to iuste, or yet to wrestle, or doe any other like exercise of bodie: in this respect praising Lucullus, Example of Lucullus, Metellus, and Scipio the Afri­cane. because he left the dealing in affaires in good time: and Metellus surnamed Pi­us, because that in his olde dayes he also retired him­selfe: As Scipio the Africane, who séeing that the glo­rie of his noble actes moued y ^e Citizens to enuie him, chaunged the remnant of his life, into rest, and aban­doning all Publique affaires, went to dwell in the countrie. Amuretus the Turke, not long sithens, Amuretus the Turke. after he had gotten a famous victorie againste King Vladislaus, whome he slue, moued with this con­sideration, dismissed himselfe of his Empire, Vladislaus King of Hun­garie. and qui­ting all affaires, made himselfe one of Mahometes Monkes: least (said he) that fawning Fortune should hereafter deceiue, & play him a slutishe tricke, wher­by possible the glory he had wonne in that conflicte, might vanishe, and be obscured. And contrarily they whiche heretofore reproued Marius, Marius. because that he coulde not retire, and content himselfe after a goodly and excellent exploytes of armes, the whiche he had atchieued to his great honour: hauing thereby at­teined the accomplishement of perfect felicitie, with­out béeing able for all that, to prefixe, or set an end of the course of his prosperitie: Saying also y ^e like of Ci­cero, Cicero. that he shoulde haue growen aged more happi­ly, if after he had suppressed Catiline his coniurati­on, he had retired him selfe to his house, without further giuing himselfe to the Publique. And thus of many other. For suche an opinion is rather foun­ded vpon a particular respect, then vpon the publike: according to the which we meane still, that the intent of all persons entring into, or going out of vocations, Marcus Cato his saying. should alwayes be ruled. And therefore Marcus Cato [Page] hauing continually this onely ende before his eyes, said, Dionysius of Siracuse. that euē as Dionysius the tyrant of Siracuse was told & aduised, that he could not be better buried, then in tyrannie: that euen so, he also could not better nor with more honour, growe aged, then in still in­termedling himselfe, euen to the verie ende, in af­faires of the Common weale.

CHAPTER. VIII. ¶ Of diuerse cases, in the whiche it is permitted, yea, necessarie for a man to leaue his vocation: and of the authoritie of Reuocation: equall with the same of vocation: and incidently of the honest rest of age, and of the wisedome, and discretion men ought to vse towarde the Prince, commaunding euill thinges: with many other purposes.

BVT although that it hath bene, and is our principall drifte, and intent, to pro­uoke, and exhort men constantly to fo­lowe, & applie that which belongeth to their calling, without leauing or aban­doning y ^e same in any wise: yet for all that, there may sometime such occasion be presented, y ^e it is permit­ted: yea, requisite & expedient for a man to leaue the same: whereof it behoueth vs also to speake in this place. As first of all, when a man is duely, and in such manner as we haue before debated, called from one vocation to another: Whether be­ing called from one vo­cation to an other, we may lawfully re­fuse the same. For in this case euery man is bounde streight to followe the voyce of God, who calleth him by their meanes to whome he hath giuen that power: vnlesse he haue some verie iust cause in himself, to disturne, or disuade him therefrō: as some secrete testimonie of his vnabilitie, and weakenesse, be it of bodie or wit, or else some other insufficiencie, & [Page 75] consideration, whiche may be in sundrie manners, according to the time, and occasion presented: Proui­ded alwayes, that the consideration be, as we haue still saide, rather founded vppon zeale towarde the Common weale, then vpon the loue of his owne par­ticular.

That whiche we say, Whether be­ing called from a higher to a lower place we may make any iust refuse. that being called from one vocation to an other, we must streight obey, leauing our former, receiueth no greate difficultie, being cal­led from a meaner to a greater vocation: but béeing called from a greater to a lesser, the question woulde séeme more doubtfull, and difficulte: to wit, whether there ought to be the like obedience in streight lea­uing the first, to receiue the last, and lesser, or baser. For vndoubtedly, there be but fewe, whiche raised in highe degrée of honour, would willingly come lower: & yet for all that, reteining the end we haue alwayes proposed, which is the consideration of the Common profite, without any particular respecte, there should séeme to be no difference, whether we be called from a meane vocation to a higher, or from a higher to a lower, why there ought not to be equal obedience, as­well in the one kinde, as in the other. As we read in the Romane histories of many, and among other of Quintus Fabius, a great personage, Example of Quintus Fa­bius. that hauing béene Consul of Rome, in souereigne authoritie, he refused not for all that, his Consulship being ended, although he came from being the chiefe, There is mo [...] trust to be gi­uen to him that cōmeth from a higher state to a low­er, then to the contrarie. and principall conduc­tour, to goe to the warres vnder other Consuls. And verily, there is farre greater trust, without compari­son, in a man comming from a greate, to a lesse: then vnto him, who from a base, is aduaunced to a higher: and the conduction of affaires, should also be farre su­rer, when the principall gouernour shall haue about him a number of excellent, and vertuous persona­ges, [Page] alreadie experimented, whiche by their wise­dome, and good counsell might supplie the vnexperte rawnesse of him that shold be aduanced from a base, to a higher: He meaneth France. howbeit, as we liue in this Realme, offi­ces being perpetual, I cannot say, but there should be iust reason to refuse the lesse office, and charge, com­ming from the exercise of a greater.

Reuocation is a sufficient cause, for a man to for­sake his charge.It is also lawfull, yea, expedient, to leaue his vo­cation, if there happen any reuocation, be it for any criminall cause, forfaiture, infamie, or other iust oc­casion happened: so that the reuocation be made by him that hath authoritie. For as it is reasonable, that he should be constituted in office, whiche is thought worthie: so is there nothing more reasonable, then that he should be depriued, that is declared vnwor­thie: Example of Tarquinius king of the Romanes. as King Tarquine for his iniustice, and vio­lent authoritie: when he was not onely reuoked, but also the royall dignitie wholy abolished, and disa­nulled by the people, whiche had called his predeces­sours to that preeminence, and authoritie: although the same were the moste auncient of all other, and by the which Rome it selfe had béene founded. And A­dulphe Emperour of Alomaine orderly chosen to the Imperiall dignitie, Of the Emperour Adulphe was for his insufficiencie after­ward reuoked by the selfe Electours, and depriued of the souereigne power: such is the authoritie of Re­uocatiō. So that it was not without verie iust cause, that Aristides, Of Aristides. so muche renowmed in Gréece, being reuoked, and dismissed of all charge, & publique admi­nistration by the banishment of Ostracisme (or popu­lar authoritie) was driuen out of y ^e Atheniens campe, against the Lacedaemonians, whither he was come to render himselfe, with intention to haue fought on his citizens side, because that it was during the time of his exile, and whiles his reuocation yet lasted, and [Page 76] also without being otherwise called thither, then of himselfe. Flaminius chosen Consul, Flaminius blamed for disobeying his reuocation. and dispatched to make warrs against the Milanois, being reuoked, by reason of sinister presages happened, was iustly bla­med, and reproued: because that he being then readie to giue the shocke, notwithstanding his reuocation, gaue battell: although that he defeated, & ouerthrew his enimies, and returned to Rome, laden with riche spoyles: so seuere obseruers were the Romanes of this vocation, what felicitie, or prosperitie so euer might haue insued, thinking it to be more expedient for the Common weale, that this reuerence, and obe­dience (which we so diligently recommaund,) should be kept, then to vanquishe their enimies in battell. Scipio Nasica, and Caius Marius, Scipio Nasion and Caius Marius, commended for o­beying vnto vocations. Agesilaus. being towarde the Prouinces allotted vnto them, and reuoked for like cause, were the better estéemed: because that they in­continently quited their Prouinces, and streight re­turned to Rome, where they voluntarily deposed thē selues of their estates. And Agesilaus king of Lace­daemon, was neuer so muche honoured for any acte he did, as because that he abandoned his great, and prosperous conquestes in Asia, assoone as he had re­ceiued a little billet sent him out of his owne coun­trie: by the whiche he was aduised to returne home. Leauing by that meanes, with Asia, a faire, and worthie example of obedience, Haniball disobeyeth his dismission. due to them that haue power to reuoke: far other then Hanibals was, who beginning to haue euill successe in Italie, neuer ment for al that, (vnlesse of mere force) to obey his citizens, which reuoked him to defend them frō the wars they had on hand, & in their own countrie. Alexander the great. And Alexander the great being for the self cause called backe into his own kingdom of Macedon, refused not only to return but also scorned, when he heard of the great battel his [Page] Lieuetenant had had against Agis, Agis. Darius King of Persia. The authori­tie of reuoca­tion nothing inferiour to that of voca­tion. A man may lawfully disobey the reuo­cation made by them that haue no au­thoritie. Henrie the fourth. Duke Rodul­phe. saying, that it sée­med vnto him, (hearing those newes while he defea­ted king Darius in those partes,) that they tolde him of a battell of Rattes, and Mice. In doing whereof, without al doubt, they were bothe worthie of blame. For the authoritie of Reuocation (made by them, as I haue saide, that haue lawfull power, and commissi­on to doe it:) is nothing inferiour to the same of vo­cation. I say, especially by them, that haue lawfull power to doe it: for if they were other, then should there be iust cause not to obey the same. As Henrie the fourth Emperour of Almaine of y ^e name, béeing duly chosen by the Electours of the Empire, and yet for al that reuoked or dismissed by Pope Hildebrand, who sent the Imperiall crowne, wherein these ver­ses were ingrauen, vnto Rodulphe:

Meaning, to say that the Empire was by our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe, conferred vnto the Pope, The reuocati­on made by parte, and no sufficient number of them that haue authori­tie to doe the same, is insuf­ficient. Example of Coriolanus. and that by Popes it ought to be giuen to Princes: of whiche enterprise, for all that, full euill befell him and Rodulph: because hée accepted the same, as the historie thereof beareth more at large. So should it be also, if the reuocation were made by some, and no sufficient number, or parte of them that had authoritie to call: as it happened vnto Coriolanus, hauing béene chosen Capiteine generall of the Volsques, by consent of all, & reuoked by Tul­lius alone, hauing as then in déede greater authori­tie then any other.

For, I will gladly dismisse my self of my charge, (said he) and remitte the same into the hands of the Lords of the Volsques, if they all commaunde me, as I haue by commaundement of them all, and not otherwise accepted the same.

If a man were called to some authoritie, charge, The time of charge being expired, the same ought to be giuen vp. Of them whi­che vsurped their vocati­ons. Sylla. In Caesar, M. Antonie, Le­pide, and Au­gust. Timolion lefte his charge. or Publique dignitie, for a certeine time limitted, or else by occasion of some souden accident onely: the time once expired, or the occasion ceassing, he should be more then blame worthie, who that notwith­standing, would continue and perseuere in the same: as for example, Sylla, Iulius Caesar, Marke Anto­nie, Lepide, and August, the whiche contrarie to the institution, and Publique ordinaunce of their offi­ces, ordeined onely for a time, did forceably, and by violence vsurpe, and deteine the same: and so con­tinued in their souereigne authoritie, or to say bet­ter, in their tyrannie. Wherefore Timolion, a­mong other, deserued great prayse, because that he, of his owne frée will, assoone as he had wrecked, and defeated them that would haue vsurped the go­uernement, and made an end of that whiche was committed to his charge, quited the state, and charge of Capteine generall of Siracuse. Pelopidas and Epaminondas kept their of­fices by force And con­trarily, Pelopidas, and Epimanondas, were iustly accused, and blamed, because they kepte their office, and gouernement of Boetia longer then they ought, although it was but foure monethes onely.

If he also that is entered into any vocation, Infirmitie of bodie or witte is a sufficient cause for a man to giue ouer his voca­tion. can­not any longer satisfie the Common weale, wherein he hath béene receiued, by reason of his infirmitie of bodie, imbecillitie of witte, féeblenesse of age, or else through some other impediment what so euer it be, happened vnto him, it shall be best for him to de­parte, or forbeare, and dismisse himselfe: because [Page] that Publique vocations be ordeined vnto men, to be vsed to the publique seruice, and not to be inioyed in respect of any interest, or particular profite. As, a­mong other, Appius Clodius a notable personage, who partely because of his age, Example of Appius Clo­dius. & partely because he had lost his sight, surceassed, & gaue ouer his charge, and neither went any more to the Senate, or yet in­termedled himselfe with any Publique affaires. And we haue in our dayes séene the Emperour Charles. The Empe­rour Charles the fifte. 5. vpon the like consideration of age, and imbecillitie or vnabilitie longer to susteine accustomed trauels, retire himselfe wholy from affaires, and Publique administration.

Honest re­traite and consolation for age.And in verie déede, a man féebled with age, and whome crooked yeares compell to withdrawe him­selfe from the maniment of affaires, aswell of warre as of peace, is not onely excusable: but muche to be commended when he retireth himself vnto some ho­nest consolation to passe the rest of his dayes quiet­ly: and especially, when he hath the meane to re­tire him selfe to the moste happie, and moste ho­nest contentation, of learning, full of rest, and tran­quillitie of mind: in the delectation thereof, conioyned with honest contemplation happily to ende his ver­tuous actions, all reported or referred to the onely butte of vertue, proposed to euerie good seruitour of the Publique and profitable member of humane societie. And verily it is a séemelie, and honest thing for age, to repose, and refreshe him selfe, after a number of toyles, and troubles, in the studie of Philosophie, in reuiuing of the parte contempla­tiue, and mortifying (at the least wise brideling) in good time, the parte ambitious, and actiue.

Hauing done his dutie in any charge, without pre­uailing, or profiting in the same, a man may re­tire him selfe. Example of Solon, and Pi­sistratus.We say the like as before, if that after a man hath done his full indeuour in any office, or char­ge, [Page 78] he sée that he cannot auaile, or profite there­in. As Solon, who, hauing done his vttermoste to resiste, and suppresse Pisistratus tyrannie at Athens, and séeing that no man would giue him eare, with­drewe himselfe to his house, where he tooke, and sette his armie in the streate before his doore, say­ing: As for me, I haue done what I haue béen able to doe, to succoure, and defend the lawes, and libertie of my countrie: and thence forth kept himselfe quiet, without any more medling with the gouernement of the Publique weale. For in the like case, I durst boldely say, that it should be lawfull for a man, to a­bandon his vocation. Example of Cicero. As we read likewise of Ci­cero, that during the seditious, and ciuil warres, and when that the gouernement of the Common weale ceassed, forced first by the tyrannie of Marius, then of Caesar, and other, he in the meane while ha­uing no meane to attend on affairs as he was won­ted, retired himselfe to the studie of Philosophie, sée­king to profite the Publique otherways, by teaching of young folke, or else busying himselfe in compoun­ding of sundrie moste vtile, and profitable discourses of Philosophie, vntill suche time, as the troubles be­ginning to ceasse, A charge may be forsaken, when a man man may not exercise the-same with a safe consci­ence. and the Common weale to recouer it selfe, he returned againe to the administration of affaires, as before.

Beside the cases before spoken of, there is yet an other worthie of noting, which is, that whensoeuer, & as often as he y ^t is called to any charge, cānot exercise the same as he is bound to do, and without offending of his conscience. As we will shewe for example, Example of Papinian. of Papinian a most eloquent, & renowmed lawyer, who being requested by the Emperour Caracalla, The Empe­rour Caracal­la. to excuse him by his learned eloquence, of the murther moste vnnaturally committed on his owne brother Geta, Get a brother to Caracalla. [Page] stoutly aunsweared: that he could not doe it: and that it was not as easie a matter to defende a mur­ther, as it was to committe it. Wherevppon he suffered moste cruell death, choosing rather to aban­don, and incurre the daunger of his life, then to approue a dishonest facte.

And therefore if a King, Prince, or superiour did commaunde any vniust, and wicked thing, it were better for a man to abandon his office, and vocati­on, Wisedome & discretion is to be vsed to­ward a prince commanding a wicked thing. then to be in them, a minister of iniquitie. But for all that, I meane after he hath prudently, and discréetely behaued himselfe toward his Prince, and superiour, that is to say, after he hath made some ho­nest excuses, or else giuen some better aduice, accor­ding vnto the matter presented, by all meane possi­ble, to dissuade him, or at the least to qualifie his commaundement: doing euen as the Sunne, which neither followeth the course of the firmament di­rectly, ne yet hath his mouing altogether opposite, and contrarie, but going somewhat byasse, and by an oblique way, maketh a disturned, or crooked line, whi­che is not too extreamely swifte, but goeth turning softly, and by his obliquitie, or crooked course, causeth the conseruation of all thinges, mainteining the worlde in good temperature. As men affirme it to be the manner of the GOD of nature, in the gui­ding, and gouernement of this worlde, not to force a­ny thing, but mollifying the same by gentle demon­strations, A man ought not to be pre­cise. and persuasions of reason, to constreine it to obey: for else, a man may not soudenly, and rash­ly forsake or leaue his charge, as some which be too precise, and scrupulous thinke they may, because they cannot abide, nor indure diuers faultes and wicked thinges, whiche be daily discouered and séene in the maniment of Publique affaires: and thereby [Page 79] oftentimes take soudeine occasion to make many al­terations, and chaunges, and in the end to leaue, and forsake their vocations: which procéedeth no whence else, but of lacke of knowledge, or rather of want of experience.

There be also whiche passing further, say, When a countrie is vtterly depraued, a man may leaue his of­fice. that if the state, and Publique gouernement of a countrie, were so depraued and corrupted, as that vice were publiquely approued in them for vertue, or a lye for trueth, iniustice for iustice, that then it should be best for a man not onely to abandon his Publike vocati­on, but also to depart altogether out of the countrie it selfe: alledging to this purpose an example writen, among other Grecian histories, of one call Amyris, Example of Amytis. who, because he had séene a maister, pursuing his ser­uaunt, bare more reuerence to his fathers tumbe, thē to the temple, and image of the Goddesse whither he was fledde for refuge, and the facte to be approued of all men, did abandon the Towne, whiche soone after was burnt and vtterly destroyed.

We wil here for the last, adde yet one other cause, no lesse vertuous, then rare and seldome frequent, When a man knoweth any one more suf­ficient then himselfe, he may wel giue him place. when it is also lawefull: yea, necessarie for a man of himselfe, and without offence to giue ouer and a­bandon his vocation. It is, when that he that is placed in dignitie, and Publique charge, knoweth that there is an other man, that canne better, and more to the aduauncement of the Common weale, execute the charge laide on him. For in this case it is a point worthie of singular prayse, and commen­dation, to giue his place to him, that shold be found & knowen by the opinion of men, better to deserue the same: preferring the Publique vtilitie, and profite, Example of Minutius and Fabius Maxi­mus. before particular affection. As Minutius did moste vertuously behaue himselfe towarde Fabius Maxi­mus, [Page] when he quited vnto him the Dictatorship: as one knowen more worthie to commande alone, and willingly submitted himselfe vnder his charge, and commaundement. The Satrapes successours to Alexander. Antigonus. Eumenes. Example of And lesse did not the greate Satrapes, or Princes, successours to Alexander, ha­uing warre with kinge Antigonus, when they all voluntarily yéelded the authoritie of commaunde­ment vnto Eumenes, and submitted themselues vn­to him, as one knowen to be the most worthie, and sufficient to be sole Capteime generall of the armie. Pope Coele­stine. Pope Coelestine did also in this pointe righte well shewe his greate modestie, when that being admoni­shed of his insufficiencie to beare charge of so great a Bishoppricke, he renounced voluntarily, hauing bene but sixe monethes Pope, shewing by his so do­ing, more respect to the Publique weale, then regard to any particular appetite. That which I repeate of­tentimes, because that this consideration fa [...]ing, his intention that giueth his place to an other man, cannot be but altogether lewde, and peruerse: As the same of Nicias the Athenien, Example of Nicias the A­thenien. a personage for all that of great value, was, who iustly receiued reproch and blame at all mens hands, because that he, of a de­sire to saue his owne person in time of daunger, re­signed the honour, and charge of Capteine, to one named Cleon, a rashe man, of no reputation, hauing in so doing respect but to his owne, without caring at all for the Publique: doing as a Mariner, who a­bandoneth the gouernement of the helme, to an other man, euen when the tempest is moste furious, and violent.

CHAPTER. IX. [Page 80] ¶ Finally, to what ende eache vocation ought to be referred.

NOwe to conclude, there néede not ma­ny wordes to make men vnderstand, to what ende euery vocation ought to be referred or reported, as a thing al­ready sufficiently shewed, and decla­red. For euen as we sée in Musicke, Harmonie plea­saunt, and agreable vnto the eare, to be compoun­ded of many distinct and different tunes: So haue we also séene the interteinement, and common accord of humane societie to be composed of many, and di­uerse vocations distincte and different: and their end to be put peace and vnion, neither more nor lesse vndoubtedly, then the end of trauell of euery mans members tendeth to the onely conseruation, and con­tinuance of the vniuersall body of the Communaltie of men.

In respect whereof Cicero saide most wisely, that to take away ought by force, To do against the societie of man, is a thing repug­nant to na­ture. Cicero. and vniustly to make his profite, and gaine, of the hinderance and dam­age of an other man, is a thing more repugnant to Nature, then death, pouertie, gréefe, exile, or any other thing, be the same neuer so gréeuous that may happen vnto man, either in his person, or goods. Ad­ding further, that if it so were, that eache member of the bodie, had the vnderstanding to thinke, that it were best for him to draw to himselfe the health and life of his companion, that it coulde not otherwise be, but that in short time we should sée the whole bo­die decay and die: that euen so among men, if eache one woulde rauish to himselfe the goods and commo­dities of other, it should not be possible, but that eare­long the cōmon societie should be dissipated & broken.

And this vnion, and mutuall commerce of men, saith Plato, The happie cōmon weale as Plato wri­teth. is so allowed of, as that it is impossible to deuise or imagine a more assured Common weale, and néerer approching to the immortalitie of the Gods, then the same wherein there is a Commonal­tie, and vnion, not onely of all goodes, but also of each thing that nature hath appropriated to ech one: as of the eyes, eares, & handes: to the ende that who­soeuer shoulde heare, or doe any thing, shoulde em­ploy the whole to the Common vse, and profite. And in the which Common weale in the end, there should be such a participation of ioye, and sorrowe, as that for one verie cause, and occasion, all shoulde by one common affection of mind be touched at once al mer­rie or al sad. Following therin y ^e saying of Solon, who being asked which was the Citie of all other, Solons opini­on. that sée­med vnto him the best gouerned: answered, The same where they that be not outraged pursue as egerly the redresse of an iniurie, as they them selues, that haue receiued the same: And Plato sticketh not to say, Plato his opi­nion touch­ing the com­monaltie of women and children. that the verie Commonaltie of women and chil­dren, was necessarie in a Common weale, and Citie well instituted, not in respect of any other commu­nication, or societie, as it is most likely, then of mu­tuall loue, and well ordeined charitie, minding to shewe, that there is nothing that ought to be so deare and precious, whiche by common affection shoulde not be common among vs. For euen as in the bo­dies of beastes, the partes of them liue, be nourished, and take the spirite of life, by the bonde they haue one with an other: So likewise the societie of men, ioyned and fast linked together, with the chaine of this common affection, and respecte to the common weale, is by common foresight conserued, and in­creased.

And truely this societie is the end whervnto each vocation ought to be directed: but yet for all that, The end of all vocations, is fellowshippe and societie. not grounded vpon I knowe not what peace, tranquilli­tie, and humane glorie, wherein the wisest and most renoumed among the Philosophers be falen on sléep: but referred to the place whence the same procéedeth, that is to say, to heauen, the honour and glorie of the Almightie. For as long as particular affection of glorie dwelleth and abideth in vs, it is impossible that the true vnion which we séeke, should be in the societie of men. This being a most certeine and assu­red thing, that all glorie is accompanied by a parti­cularitie, chéefe enimie, and aduersarie to Commo­naltie, the daughter of Charitie, who is méeke, hum­ble, curteous, and patient, not séeking her owne com­moditie: which is so high a point, that vndoubtedly it forceth and streineth our nature, yea, all humane Philosophie. For there is nothing harder and more gréeuous to mans eares, inclined naturally to his owne profite, then to heare that he must renounce the loue and good will he beareth to him selfe, A man to re­nounce him­selfe to serue other, is a tro­blesomething to heare. wholy to abandon him selfe, to procure an other mans pro­fite: yea, to quite his owne right: to leaue the same to his neighbour. But therein do we not also with the Philosophers, followe nature as our guide, but the spirite of God, who warneth vs in the scriptures, that the giftes and graces receiued of him, be by him fréely imparted vnto vs, to be againe by vs liberally imployed to common profite, and that therefore the right vse of the good liberalitie bestowed vppon vs, consisteth in a liberall communication to other. That which the members of our owne body teache vs suf­ficiently, no one of them being, which doth not imploy him selfe more to the commoditie of the whole body in generall, then to his owne particular.

Wherefore, Epiloge and recapitulati­on of all the booke. hauing nowe shewed what vocation [Page] is, and treated of the manner to come orderly there­vnto, and of the office and duetie as well of him that hath authoritie and power to call therevnto, as also of him that is called in generall and particular in sundrie maners: and hauing also spoken of the mul­tiplicitie and varietie thereof, so that it cannot be, but that a man must néedes knowe, that he is called to some one of them: then hauing done you to vnder­stand, the naturall inconstancie of man, in that which belongeth to his vocation, and the cause thereof, with the meane howe to mainteine him selfe constantly therein, and the end wherevnto each vocation ought to tend: Making an end of this worke, there where we haue begunne: we thinke to haue sufficiently shewed, that the vocation of man is a certeine man­ner of liuing, distinct and different in sundrie kindes, according to the necessitie of mans imbecillitie and néede, procéeding from the diuine prouidence, and not by chaunce of Fortune, to serue for mutuall succour, and reciproke ayde one to an other: wherevnto eue­ry man ought to be called duely, and constantly mainteine him selfe in the same, to the con­seruation of the order, policie, gouern­ment, and vnion of the life & societie of man.