MOST no­ble Lord, your Lord­ship shall follow on your voy­age with such Orders [Page 2]and Advertisements as you haue already, and you shall write from every place as hither to you haue done, to the end that by every Poste that commeth to Rome, it may bee knowne where you arriue from place to place; if betweene the day of your Lordships Arrivall at the Campe, or wheresoeuer the [Page 3]Prince is, and the dis­patch of the next mes­senger for the parts of Italy, you can be more then once in the Com­pany of the Payma­ster of the Armie, you shall endeavour to learne the state of this Warre, and what is done, and what is meant to be done for the Kings service.

For by these meanes [Page 4]in your first Letters you may giue some Advertisemēts of mat­ters that passe in that Province, you shall be a great Comfort to these most Honou­rable Lords, and your Allegiance shall breed great Honour to your selfe. Howbeit your Lordship must beware that you write not a­ny thinge which in [Page 5]case your Letters should miscarry, might hurt either you, or any other. And in this manner I pray you proceed, vntill such time as some Cipher be appointed between vs.

Let it not greiue your Lordship to write: for it will profit your selfe, and serue and satisfie their turnes, whom it [Page 6]doth concerne: Note breifly in leafe of Pa­per such things as you shall learne, or come into your minde to write, or make a re­membrance of them; when you write set that lease before you, and when you haue written your Letters, deface your note.

Make also a Liste of their names, to whom [Page 7]you write from time to time: For so you shall not incurre the want of memory. In your Letters, which are to be shewed vnto others, insert no mat­ter, or advise, or any other thinge that may not be shewed: Your Letters that containe diverse matters, write distinctly in severall branches or heads, and [Page 8]doe not make your writing a continued draught. Keepe Cop­pies of such Letters as seeme to be of impor­tance: Keepe your Letters by you when they are written, and neuer close them, till the Poste hath his dis­patch: for so you shall not be cloyed with too much matter; and be­sides, you may adde [Page 9]if need be.

If you write many Letters to one man, which are to be read in order, marke them in the Endorsment thus 1 ^a, 2 ^a, 3 ^a, &c: and so let them be tied vp orderly in the pac­ket.

Your Lordship must Answere Letters and satisfie every man; except no person, al­though [Page 10]he be a man of no accompt.

Reade and reade a­gaine the Letters more then once which you shall receiue; marke the words and such things as are to be no­ted in them; Lay them before you when you Answer them; Reade them over againe and trust not your memo­ry.

Keepe Letters of importance, for at some time or other they may serue either for justification, or for a warning; Burne those that cannot bee kept without danger.

There shall be sent to your Lordship a Cy­pher with the declara­tions thereof, and the points to be obserued therein; to the end you [Page 12]may write euer with securitie.

Get the familiaritie and good will of the Post-master by making much of him, & some times presenting him with somewhat: for you shall haue great vse of him & particularly you shall bee partaker of divers Advertisements that come from many Countries, and shall be [Page 13]one of the first that shall knowe them; He will giue you intelli­gence daily when there is any dispatch; His Packets will carry cre­dit, and so your Let­ters shall haue safe and speedy delivery.

Your Father at your Lord (hips going into Flanders, did write to the Kings Majestie, and his Letter was to [Page 14]this effect; That now it is thirteene yeares agoe, since he dedica­ted his service to his Majestie with a pur­pose to purchase of him the name and de­sert of a Servant, for that till then he could not serue him but only in very small matters. That every day he did feele more and more the sting of devotion [Page 15]and dutie. That to supplie the defect of fitt occasions, he did send Peter his eldest Sonne into Flanders, to the end, hee should serue his Majestie in the warre vnder the Or­der, and Obedience of the Prince, the gover­nour of those Provin­ces. That aboue all things hee desireth to his goodwill, and his [Page 16]Sonnes, there want no occasion to Fortune; Beseeching his Maje­stie to Vouchsafe the admittance of this his resolution, which though it neuer availe any other, yet it shall at the least make ma­nifest, that in the services of his Majestie, he hath pawned the person of his Sonne as a gage of his Faith. To [Page 17]this effect your Lord­ship shall speake and write to the Kings offi­cers, to the end that both with his Maje­stie and them, there may be a Correspon­dence of speech and writing, and so they may bee perswaded, that you are gone thi­ther to serue and de­serue.

The Prince (as your [Page 18]Lordship knowes) is his Catholique Maje­sties Lieutennant in the Lowe Countries and Commandeth the' Kings forces, and hath Soveraigne Authority in all things; and there­fore it is to be presup­posed that if you will serue the King, you must serue the Prince, and that serving his excellency you serue [Page 19]his Majestie.

And for as much as to serue, and not satis­fie is a kind of not ser­ving; your Lordship must resolue with your selfe, so to doe, that the Prince may be serued by you to his satisfaction; and think with your selfe that he will then be satisfied with your service, when you shall serue [Page 20]him well, and well you cannot serue him, vn­lesse you make your selfe actiue & of good capacitie: In this point therefore it is necessarie for you to bestowe all your travell and in­dustrie, and to learne that which you doe not yet knowe; which in my Opinion is of two sorts: One belong­ing to the exercise of [Page 21]warre; the other to the honour, and particular manners of his Excel­lencie.

For it is not enough for a Captaine to know the Arte of war­fare, but it behooveth him also to know how to vse it according to the Honour and plea­sure, and proper man­ner of his Generall.

This being presup­posed, [Page 22]your Lordship shall seeke to haue full information of the Province of Flanders, and to learne vpon whom it boundeth, of what Compasse it is, on what side it may be avoyded or not, in­to how many parts it is divided, by what name or Title every part of it is called; what Sea, what Haven, what [Page 23]Mountaines, what Ri­vers, what Lakes, what Marishes it hath, and such other places of marke or note. The things likewise where­with it aboundeth, what it wanteth, to whom it yeeldeth any thinge, and of whom it receiueth any thinge, (I meane of such things as the Countrie breedeth or breedeth [Page 24]not, as Cattle, Fruits of the earth, and mines, and moreover their Trades, & Labourers; Also their Citties, and Especially their prin­cipalls; how bigg they be, how well built, how stronge, how popu­lous, how rich, their noble Families, and their wealth; their Adherents; in what repu­tation and credit, and [Page 25]how affected one to­wards another, the na­tures and conditions of the men; to what they are most apt, and to what they are vn­apt; and to what things they applie themselues most and least; their Religion, their Iudge­ments, their Customes and the manner of their government. The Kings revenue in what [Page 26]it consisteth; whether it may be augmented or no, and how, and how much;

To the knowledge of these things your Lordship must Adde the Originall & cause of this Warre, the true causes, the pretended causes of it, the princi­pall causes and the se­cundary, how Flanders was governed by the [Page 27]Duke D'alua, how by the great Comman­der of Castile, how by Don John of Austria, and how it is now go­verned by this Prince; The diversities and the likenesse of their go­vernments, their errors which they haue com­mitted, which are a­mended and which not; and how they were amended; the profita­ble [Page 28]provisions & con­sultations that haue bin put in execution, or not, with their good, or evill successe; The forces of the Rebells, the aide and reliefe which they haue, how sound, how durable it is; The expenses that runne vpon the King, and the Warre, whe­ther it may be finished or not; if it may, why it [Page 29]is delayed; if not, what they expect, and what it is they feare;

Your Lordship must vse all dilligence to know the situation of the Fortresses, that are of greatest name and importance, in all the Prouince; whether they be held by the King, or by his Re­bells; vnderstanding [Page 30]the wants of euery one of them, how they may be woone and kept, what number of Souldiers is necessary for offence & defence; what Artillery, what Munition, what Vic­tualls, what Succors, & what impediments, and such other things besides, that may be Learned by men of practice & experience.

These obseruations are to be noted either vnder your designe­ment, or vnder the Si­tuation of the fortres­ses, or else in some o­ther conuenient leaues.

Euery art or profe­ssion that a man lear­neth, is nothing else but a collection of Lessons and rules, seruing to some Certaine end, which are found out [Page 32]and drawne forth of practise and discourse; And therefore if your Lordship will learne the Art of warfare, you must learne it of them that haue it, and marke how they put it in exe­cution, noting their Precepts and obser­uing their Actions;

It shall be good for your Lordship at all times to be talking of [Page 33]it, and yet not with e­uery body, but onely with such as are cun­ing and expert, endea­uoring your selfe to be eapable and resolued in such things as they shall tell you, and in such other things as you shall heare of day­ly in your ordinary dis­courses which shall happen: For it is very likely that you shall of­tentimes [Page 34]heare such matters; but it will not be any profit to you to heare and conceiue them; if when you haue heard and conceiued them, you should not dispose them in some order and make a re­membrance of them.

And therefore, I would greatly Com­mend your Lordship, if you would herein [Page 35]vse your pen, and write the Cases & rules which you shall haue heard; And so by little and lit­tle you shall make your selfe a rich Treasure-house of Military pro­positions;

The manner that I would obserue herein, should be to haue my leaues and euery one of them noted with a word, signifiing either [Page 36]a person, or an instru­ment or an Action, or some other thing con­cerning warre; Vnder which word as vnder a generall terme, or head, I would write all the Maximes, the Say­ings, the Opinions, the Iudgments, and Con­ceipts, that I 2hould learne belonging to such things, Actions, Instruments, Persons.

As for Example. If I should vnderstand that the Pike should be Sixteene foote long, and that it was inuented to keepe out horses, I would referre this saying to the leafe that is noted with the word, Pike. And if I should heare that in fight the Arquibusier after he hath discharg­ed his peece, must giue [Page 38]place to the shouldier that standeth next be­hinde him, and so re­tire himselfe to the taile of that rowe, I would place this say­ing in the leafe that is noted with the word Arquibusier. The like I would doe generally in all other matters that I should happen to heare, appertaining to a Captaine, a Searjant, a [Page 39]Standerd-bearer, a Ge­nerall of the Armie; & others; also to Artille­rie, to Arquibusiers, to Pikes, and other wea­pons of defence and offence.

Likewise for Victu­alls, for Munition, for Bagage, and such like; for Lodging, for mar­ching, for fighting, and other actions of warrefare; and also [Page 40]for the seige of a city; for the releiuing of it, for Trenching, for Vn­dermining, for Bate­rie, and such other workes: To which heads and generall Tearmes, many others may be added;

Notwithstanding all this it will not be sufficient to learne and write, and make a re­membrance of these [Page 41]things, vnlesse your Lordship take a delight also to see them put in practice, and to exer­cise your selfe in them.

And therefore you may not omit to be at euerie muster, and at euerie Action, and you must endeauour your selfe to be alwaies one of the first at them, that you may see the beginning, the mid­dle, [Page 42]and the end of all still demanding a rea­son of all that you 2hall see done; and wh it is rather thus done then otherwise, and whe­ther it be alwaies so done or not, together witht he differences of places, and times:

You shall also en­deauour your selfe to yeeld your aide and helpe to the Officers, [Page 43]so that you haue leaue so to doe, in matters that doe not slacken, or hinder the Action of the Officers, or engen­der a confusion or disorder; but aboue all, that you doe not trou­ble the mindes of the said Officers, and that you haue the good will and leaue of the Prince to doe what you doe.

I did put your Lord­ship [Page 44]in minde here at Rome to keep a Dia­rie. I doe now againe put you in minde of it; for your owne bene­fit: you may make a booke to write such things in, as happen from day to day; wherein you shall write not only the Successes, but also the manner and causes of them; For (as you [Page 45]know) euery Action hath its originall vupon some aduice, and he that putteh in execu­tion, keepeth or at least ought to keepe with­in certaine bounds. And thus may your Lordship by all this your paines and tra­vailes with speede ob­taine the Habilitie & Vallour, which yet you want.

Touching the man­ner how you are to serue the Prince, in matters of warre, I can say no more vnto you, but that you must en­deauour to learne it, and vse all the dili­gence you can to learne it of those that have notice thereof, and so put it in execu­tion.

Your Lordship [Page 47]must not only serue the Prince well in those things that con­cerne the Kings ser­uice, but in your pro­ceedings with him you must please him, and applie your selfe to the humour and fashi­on of his Excellency; thereby to get his loue and fauour. The re­port is, that the Prince standeth vpon termes [Page 48]& keepeth a great Ma­iestie, so that it is like­ly (as some thinke) that he will vse with your Lordship termes of great grauitie; But be­cause I am of a contra­ry opinion from them, I must tell you that in this your beginninge, the Prince will either make much of you, and talke familiarlie with you, and so fa­uour [Page 49]you, and bestow some charge vpon you, or he will doe cleane contrarie, or else he will keepe meane betweene both.

In the first case I must put your Lord­ship in minde, that in all your Actions you constantly obserue one perpetual cause of obe­dience, and reuerence, and the more you shall [Page 50]be honoured, and fa­uoured by the Prince, so much the more must you shew your selfe reuerent and mo­dest towards him; not fore-slowing in any sort throughly to per­forme your dutie; nor in any case taking to your selfe too much li­bertie, or license by it.

In the second case your Lordship must [Page 51]not take any offence, neither yet distrust him, nor disdaine him; Serue him as you ought to doe, and in your seruice shew your good will and con­stancie, and be not dis­maied at any accident, that may peraduen­ture breede your dis­like. Consider with your selfe, that the Haughtinesse of the [Page 52]Prince, is either in him by nature, and so it is the more excusable, or else it proceedeth from his owne will, his Ex­cellencie thinking with himselfe that it is ne­cessarie for him so to doe, both in respect of the qualitie of his bu­sinesse, and of the Go­uernment which hee hath; and also because he sustaineth the Au­thoritie [Page 53]and person of the King there in Flan­ders: from whom we may well say also, that he hath receiued order and commandment so to doe: these two ad­vertisements may de­clare to your Lordship what course you should keepe in the third case.

The Prince is Cou­ragious, and some [Page 54]thinke, that he is more venturous then is re­quisite for a person, that hath vpon him such a charge as he hath; Considering that the Kings reputation leaneth vpon him, and the safetie also of so much as his Maiestie possesseth in Flanders; And therefore he was reprooued by the King, when he was [Page 55]wounded at Tornay, for that (Like a Pri­uate Souldier) Hee would venture him­selfe to winne the ditch of the fortresse, with such danger as every man knoweth. In this respect the Prince lo­veth resolute men, re­gardeth them much, and maketh great ac­compt of them;

His Excellencie plai­eth [Page 56]neither at cards nordice, and it is likely that such as are like him should conse­quently be the more in his favour.

The Prince loveth one Lady of good qua­litie, and taketh great pleasure, that shee should bee Courted & serued by those which esteeme his favour. It will become your [Page 57]Lordship also to doe your best to that end, lest otherwise you dis­please the Prince; And for the same respect you must likewise ab­staine from doing too much, and alwayes re­member that a woman is a fraile Creature & a very dangerous thing.

Other matters that touch the minde and honours of the Prince, [Page 58]you must learne of those that vse his com­panie, wherein your Lordship must imploy your diligence. And although it shall bee your office and dutie to serue and attend the Person of a Prince, yet you must vnderstand, that too much conti­nuance in so doing, will hurt, and engen­der a loathing; for it [Page 59]maketh the superiour to be a servant as it were, & breedeth him much hinderance and incon­venience. And there­fore informe your selfe well, how the Prince disposeth of his time, at what houre he is bu­sie, when he would be alone, and when he desireth Companie to passe away the time, and with whom; to [Page 60]the end, that while you studie to please him, you doe not impor­tune him, or molest him;

In the presence of the Prince speake but little, and speake onelie what you know, and that vpon good occa­sion. Premeditate be­fore hand, what you meane to speake to his Excellencie. And doe [Page 61]it resolutelie, and in good order

To such discourse as shall passe in the pre­sence of the Prince, or when his Excellen­cy doth discourse him­selfe, shew your selfe to bee very attentiue, otherwise it will bee thought that you re­gard neither who spea­keth nor what he spea­keth.

Shew your selfe also capable of such things as are discoursed vpon, that thereby you may breed a good opinion of your sharpnesse and witt. Likewise giue some token of your o­pinion and affection touching that which you shall heare, to the end that it may bee seene, that you either like, or dislike that [Page 63]which in truth is to be liked, or disliked.

In all these shewes, you must bee farre from all shadowe of Cunning, but doe it in silence.

In the presence of the Prince doe not shew your selfe Me­lancholy, nor thought­full; for sadnesse, and musing offend great Personages, who doe [Page 64]attribute it to the little reuerence that is borne to them, when a man is present in bodie, and absent from them in minde.

Such things as the Prince shall tell you, keepe to your selfe, and if you chance to heare them of any other, make you as though they were newes to you, and bee you al­waies [Page 65]the last man that shall talke of them.

There will not want some, that either for their owne priuate in­terest, or for their freinds sake will re­quest your Lordships intercession for them to the Prince: I must here put you in minde, it will be noe easie matter for you to please them herein; [Page 66]For if you obtaine the grant of his Excellen­cie, he will keepe a rec­koning of it; if you doe not obtaine it, he will think your Lord­ship is discontented with the repulse. And in truth euery day to be a requesting for other men, may breed a great trouble. And therefore it shall be­hooue you in milde [Page 67]to answer those, for whom you de­nie to make interce­ssion, and to vse some reasonable excuse, that they may goe from you with good con­tenment.

If you doe make in­tercession for others, (which by my aduise you shall take vpon you but seldome) let the things which your [Page 68]Lordship shall desire, be iust and fit for you, and conuenient for the time, not vnusuall to be granted; and if it be possible; let them be a greeable to the Ser­uice of his Maiestie, and the honour of the Prince.

The Persons for whom you shall make suite, let them not be o­dious, nor of ill name.

Before you resolue with your selfe to in­treate any grace or fa­uour for other men, first see, and learne throughlie, whether the Person that desi­reth your Mediation, hath any competitour or no; and who it is; And if his competitour be supported either by any great person, or by some seruant that is [Page 70]fauoured of the King, or of his Excellencie;

In case your Lord­ship obtaine his suite, you must shew that you make great ac­compt of it; but in case you doe not obtaine, yet you must shew your selfe to be con­tented, and make the Prince beleiue also, that it is so.

If the Prince shall [Page 71]commit any seruice to your Lordship, take your comission plaine & distinct; reade it and read it againe to his ex­cellencie, and depart not from him with a­ny doubt. If it be long, or if there bee many, or if any importance, take their declarations, and Interpretations in writing, and resolue with your selfe rather [Page 72]to importune his Ex­cellencie, then to run into any danger of committing any error.

In publique Acti­ons haue no regard of degree, or prece­dencie, and Venture vpon euerie thinge; Accompt euerie place honourable, & euerie Action worthie of you, and put things in execution in the pre­sence [Page 73]of the Prince, as though it were in the presence of the King himselfe; and in the ab­sence of the Prince, as though it were in the Eye of his Excellencie.

If any man come to complaine himselfe of his greifes to your Lordship, giue him the hearing for once; and make as though you were moued with [Page 74]compassion towards him: put him in good comfort and extenuate the Iniurie that he pre­tendeth, but euer ex­cuse the Prince, and ex­horte the partie to hold his peace, and be patient; especiallie and aboue all, be very wa­ry in offering or Mi­nistring any Counsell to such Persons; For such kinde of men doe [Page 75]not vse alwaies to speake the truth, and oftentimes are very full of infirmities, and commonlie we doe not knowe who is their Aduersarie, nor what they report of vs in se­cret.

If your Lordship be aduised to vse but little Speech in the presence of the Prince, I doe re­ply and add that your [Page 76]Lordship shall obserue that aduise in the pre­sence of euerie man; For silence is aboue all vertues, and saueth a man from infinite errors, But yet I would wish your Lordship so to keepe silence that it may be knowne it is wisedome for the most parte you shall vtter.

In your demaunds [Page 77]and answeres be mo­dest; In all your que­stions obserue oportu­nitie, and in your an­sweres be breife and sensible.

Question with those that know more then your selfe, for so you shall put in execu­tion those aduertise­ments that serue for your learning.

Tell noe Tales; [Page 78]Vse no discourses, op­pose not your selfe a­gainst others; Giue your iudgment or sen­tence against no man; Speake well of euerie bodie, Especiallie of those which are in fa­uour with his Excel­lencie.

Finde fault with no man, vnlesse it be more then necessarie so to doe; Blame the [Page 79]Action not the Per­son: Speake Honoura­blie of all Nations, and learne what is proper and peculiar to euerie one, and what euerie one seeketh and de­sireth.

Giue charge to your seruants that they keep their tongues to them­selues; and prattle not too much of any bo­die; For oftentimes it [Page 80]is attributed to the master which is spo­ken by his familie;

Of the Pope and his fellowes giue good speeches, shew your good contentment & reuerence towards him. Perswade your selfe that you shall be marked and noted in all things whatsoeuer you say, or doe; and doubt not but that [Page 81] Campes are full of Spies, and the Prince him­selfe hath some to­wards him for that purpose; and therefore he will accept in good parte that which they shall tell him, as his good and louing ser­uants. And will encou­rage them to aduer­tise him of such mat­ters as are for his Ser­uice.

Be familiar with euerie man, but especi­allie with such as are of vertue and Vallour; for they will not only instruct you, but also they will breed your credit: with others keepe familiaritie: for so you shall not of­fend them, nor haue a­ny enimies;

You shall be ac­compted wise by [Page 83]fitting your selfe to e­uerie mans humour, and practising with the Italians after the I­talian manner, with the Spaniards after the Spanish, and with the Flemings after the Fle­mish manner.

You must be ad­uised that the people of that Nation are ve­ry credulous, suspici­ous, giuen to Nouel­ties, [Page 84]and vnthankfull They speake & drink liberally, & doe hard­ly bridle the infirmi­ties of the body, much lesse the passions of the minde.

Giue courteous en­tertainment to all but especially to the Prin­ces servants; Aboue all, procure the friendship of his Favorites, & of all his servants and offi­cers [Page 85]both publike, and private, that are in the favour and good grace with his Excellencie;

Disdaine no man though he be neuer so base, remembring with your selfe, that in time and place one man may be worth a thou­sand, especially in oc­currents of warre;

Giue no eare to such as report other mens [Page 86]actions, and make a profession of it; nor to such as by that meanes seeke to purchase your fauour; Especially if they be reporters of naughty matters, and of such as shall touch great Lords or the per­son of a Prince; In which case your Lord­ship must not only be loath to heare them, but also reiect them [Page 87]and cause them to a­uoide your presence.

To those that shall conuerse with you, doe not imparte the e­vill speeches, that other men shall vtter to you of them; or at least conceale the Authors name, to the end that through your default there arise no hatred, where none is; or if there be any, that it be [Page 88]no farther enkindled; and so your Lordship shall not be noted for lightnesse.

If any iealous or en­uious Person seeke to slaunder or preiudice your Lordship privily, know him throughly, and be not deceaued, Obserue his demea­nor, & make as though you did not heed him; Especially beware you [Page 89]behaue your selfe well, and goe beyond him in that point; Enter­taine him with all ho­nour, be often in his company, ouercome him in curtesie, and comfort him. To such as he is a friend vnto, doe all the seruice and fauour you can; yea e­uen vnto such as know it, and perad­uenture set forward [Page 90]his euill conceipts. To be breife, auoyd all oc­casion of breach with him, and if there must needs be a breach, let it be seene, that your Lordship doth it of necessity and iustice, and that the fault and default is in him.

With such like Per­sons and euery body else, though it be your open enemy, keepe [Page 91]good intelligence al­wayes when there is any matter in hand touching the seruice of the King, or of the Prince: and for the ser­uice of his Maiesty, or of his Excellencie, lay downe all priuate pas­sion or rancour; and in case such a Person either for want of knowledge, or of pow­er, or for any other [Page 92]cause what soeuer should runne into danger to commit some error, to the preiudice of the King, or the Prince; your Lordship may not suffer the error to be committed by any meanes, although your Aduersarie thereby might fall into the dis­pleasure of his M ^tie or of his Excellency; but lend your hand vnto it, [Page 93]although it were a common danger.

Dissimulation is ne­cessary for euery man, specially in Armes and in Courts; yet is not e­uery Dissimulation good and honoura­ble; but that onely which tendeth to a good and honest end, and which with the obseruations of due circumstances, denieth [Page 94]not the truth nor go­eth against that which is right: Such kind of Dissimulation is a part and kind of prudence and consisteth for the most part in silence or holding your peace, and that for these cau­ses following:

Videlicet, not to publish that which a­nother man hath com­mitted to our trust, not [Page 95]to bring any thing to light, vpon knowledg whereof some scan­dall may ensue; not to discouer any design­ment, which being dis­couered should not at­taine to his purpose; not to let others see that wee know the de­fects of other men, or any euill deeds of o­thers. For men of euill imperfections & guil­ty [Page 96]of any defaults, when they are knowne to be such Persons, doe commonly hate them that knowe them to be so; Not to make knowne that we know the thoughts of other men; or the hard conceipts which other men haue against vs, or against such as wee loue; or the good af­fection which other [Page 97]men beare towards those which are our e­nimies; Not to giue any notice that wee know an offence committed against vs, or that wee doe make so great ac­compt of it; nor to put our selues in any necessity, danger, or destruction by con­tending to answere, when neither the mat­ter, nor the Person, nor [Page 98]the Place, nor the time doth require it.

Lastly not to bring any hurt or shame vp­on our selues or o­thers, but to the bene­fit and honour of our selues and others.

In all these causes to dissemble with silence is thought to be good, and is not reproue­able: And although it seemeth to be a very [Page 99]hard matter to deale thus with our friends in not telling them such things, as being told them would doe them pleasure and ser­uice; yet in the cases presupposed, reason would that the greater respect should not be neglected, and so we doe our selues the more wrong.

But sometimes it [Page 100]falleth out, that wee must also dissemble with speech: and that falleth out, when wee are driven of necessity to answer: And if a man demande of vs whe­ther a matter be so, or not so; and what is purposed or conceiued, It is not fit to dis­semble with silence, but we must dissemble with answere; and this [Page 101]dissimulatiō requireth more Art. For in such cases speech can­not be avoided, and we are commonly as desirous to keepe our selues from danger in telling a lie, as from danger in telling a truth;

Some there are, that in such a case doe vse to dissemble by cutting of their speech, and lea­ping [Page 102]into another mat­ter; but this doth not alwayes sort to good effect, or at least will not serue the turne.

Others there are, which answer they cannot tell; and this is a fault, because they de­nie the truth, and say that which is not; And therefore the answer must be like to the re­treat, which is both [Page 103]without flying, and al­so without fighting, goods and persons sa­ved;

In making answer three things are wont tobe obserued: first not to deny the truth, se­condly not to tell that which wee should not; thirdly not to leaue the mind of him that maketh the de­mande, in the same [Page 104]termes, wherein we found him. And the answer is so much the more commendable, if it be restrained with­in these limits;

Although some­times it is also lawfull to note the demander for his impertinent de­mands; which may be done either covertly or openly, according to the degrees of the [Page 105]persons, and the quali­ties of the circumstan­ces.

There is a dissimu­lation likewise permit­ted by exterior shews and by deeds; and that is, when for the reasons and ends aforesaid, we abstaine from shew­ing either gladnesse, or sorrow, or hope, or feare, or any other af­fection that is in vs; [Page 106]and also from making men to thinke that we doe see those things which we doe see, & perceiue those things which we doe perceiue, and finally that wee doe know, deale in, and desire, that which indeed we doe know, deale in and desire.

And be it knowne vnto your Lordship that in the whole life [Page 107]of man, and all his ac­tions and businesse, dissimulation is no lesse profitable then Counter-poysons; and true preseruatiues are in Phisicke: for euen as things doe preserue and keep vs from poy­son, and many other euills; so doth dissimu­lation saue vs from many deceipts, and er­rors, and from infinite [Page 108]other hurtfull things:

You must know al­so, that dissimulation being not well vsed, doth discouer your selfe, & bringeth forth an effect quite cōtrary to your meaning, and the present businesse: And therefore your Lordship must take heed, that when you keep silence with your tongue, you doe not [Page 109]speake by the motions of your countenance, nor by other gestures of your body.

Secondly, that when you dissemble by spea­king, you doe not dis­couer your selfe by such meanes touching the matter you should leaue in doubt; And lastly, that if you dis­semble by action or outward appearance, [Page 110]you doe it covertly and with great warinesse, and that you doe not runne into any extre­mity.

But for as much as in matters which we handle, Fortune hath a great stroke, and in warre especially hath her principall domini­on, your Lordship must watch opportu­nity, which indeed is [Page 111]the matter and conve­niency of your actions, & maketh those things possible, which before could not be brought to passe, & those things easie, which before were hard, and those things safe, which be­fore were dangerous, and thosethings good and profitable, which before were hurtfull & naught. And there­fore [Page 112]keepe these things in your mind alwaies, that you entertaine oc­casion and opportuni­ty, and waite for them, and not prevent them, And doe not as others doe who being impa­tient in their desires, doe, snatch before their time, and being desi­rous to prevent oppor­tunity, doe venture their evill fortune and [Page 113]overthrow them selues.

And in case oppor­tunity not offering it selfe, your Lordship be disposed to seeke it, then you must seeke it wisely, and with good meanes, because such opportunities as are forced, and as it were begged, are for the most part neither hap­pie nor commodious, But if opportunity be [Page 114]offered, your Lordship must take knowledge of it. And because it is a hard matter to know it, for that it is a hard thinge which is not seene, and hath no shape when it doth come, it is compre­hended by your mind, if you marke all acci­dents, and be attentiue to the end.

And for as much as [Page 115]all occasions that are offered are not al­waies to purpose; your Lordship must vse great iudgment, which will measure and compare things toge­ther, and will discerne and, determine vpon the conueniency there of: vse all your iudg­ment herein, and take hold of oportunity, & be alwaies ready to [Page 116]take hold of it. For fortune commeth and goeth according to the motions of time, and that offer which is made now, (if it be not accepted of vs) a little while after it will proue nothing.

In the execution of any thing, your Lordship must be, both considerate, and also hardie: for he that fea­reth, [Page 117]performeth lesse; and he that vseth no consideration, perfor­meth more then is conuenient; which is the originall of all danger:

In execution two things among others are especially reproued; one is, to execute vnperfectly by not bringing your action to end, and then [Page 118]you shall not with pro­fit finish the oportu­nity you tooke hold of; The other is, that oftentimes an occasi­on well taken and well executed engender­eth another occasion which is better; And he that either knoweth not this second, or hath no iudgment of it, or taketh no hold of it, defraudeth the pub­like [Page 119]interest of a good seruice, and himselfe of great glory.

The last and chiefest Aduertisement, which I haue to giue your Lordship, is this; That when you shall come to any townes, or coun­tries, either of friends or enemies, where Armes and violence shall haue supreme au­thority, for the reue­rence [Page 120]of God take care that your people ab­staine from Churches and Monasteries; that they haue great re­spect to Ecclesiasticall Persons; and that they lay no hands vpon sa­cred things. In all wars it must needs be a great fault not to doe so; much more in this, wherein the cause of religion is handled, [Page 121]and the Iustice of the Catholique King. And this to doe beseemeth you farre more then a­ny other, because you are a subject of the Ho­ly Church, and of an house that hath many Cardinalls and Pre­lates; and because you haue not only deser­ved well of the See A­postolique, but also you haue receiued and [Page 122]acknowledged many benefits and honours for the same.

The Lord God blesse you, and grant vnto you so much of his grace, as you shall feare and honour him, and shew it in your Actions.

Amen