LETTERS OF THE EMPEROUR TRAIANE.

_Letters of the Philosopher Plutarch to the noble and vertuous

Emperour Traiane, and from the sayd Emperour to Plutarch: the lyke

also from the sayd Emperour to the Senate of Rome. In all which be

conteyned godly rules for gouernment of Princes, obedience of

Subiects, and their duties to common wealth._

Bicause these Letters ensuinge (proceeding from the infallible

Schoole of Wisedome, and practised by an apt Scholler of the

same, by a noble Emperor that was well trained vp by a famous

Philosopher) in myne opinion deserue a place of Recorde amonge

our Englishe Volumes, and for the wholsome errudition, ought to

Englishmen in english shape to bee described, I haue thought

good in this place to introduce the same. And although to some

it shal not peraduenture seeme fit and conuenient to mingle holy

with prophane, (accordinge to the prouerbe) to intermedle amongs

pleasaunt histories, ernest epistles, amid amorous Nouels,

learned Letters, yet not to care for report or thought of sutch

findefaults, I iudge them not vnseemely, the course of those

histories. For amid the diuine works of Philosophers and

Oratours, amongs the pleasaunt paynes of auncient Poets, and the

Nouell writers of our time, merry verses so well as morall

matters be mingled, wanton bankets so wel as wise disputations

celebrated, tauntinge and iocund Orations so well as effectuall

declamations and persuasions pronounced. These letters contayne

many graue and wholesom documents, sundry vertuous and chosen

Institutions for Prynces and Noble men, yea and for sutch as

beare offyce and preferment in commonwealth from highest title

to meanest degree. Theese letters do vouch the reioyce of a

Schoolemayster for bringinge vp a Scholler of capacity and

aptnesse, to imbrace and Fix in Memory sutch lessons as he

taught him. These Letters do gratulate and remembre the ioy of

the disciple for hauinge sutch a maister. These letters do

pronounce the minde of a vertuous Prince towardes hys subiects

for choyse of him to the empire, and for that they had respect

rather to the vertue and condition, than to the nobility or

other extreme accident. To be short, these letters speake and

pronounce the very humblenesse and fealty that ought to rest in

subiectes' hearts: with a thousand other excellent sentences of

duties. So that if the Emperour Nerua had bin aliue agayne to

peruse these letters and Epistles of congratulation betweene the

Schoolemayster and Scholler, he would no lesse haue reioysed in

Plutarch than king Philip of Macedon did of Aristotle, when hee

affirmed himself to be happy, not so much for hauinge sutch a

sonne as Alexander was, as for that he was borne in sutch a

time, as had brought Aristotle to be his maister. That good

Emperor Nerua, shewed a patern to his successor by his good

vertuous lyfe and godly gouernment, which made a successor and a

people of no lesse consequence than they were trayned,

accordingly as Herodian voucheth, that for the most part the

people be wont to imitate the Life of their Prince and

soueraygne Lord. If Philip deemed hymselfe happy and blessed for

hauing sutch a sonne and mayster, then might Nerua terme

himselfe threefolde more happy for sutch a Nephew and sutch a

notable Schoolemayster as Plutarch was, who not only by doctrine

but by practise proued a passing good Scholler. Alexander was a

good Scholer and for the time wel practised his maister's

Lessons, but afterwards as glory and good hap accompanied his

noble disposition, so did he degenerate from former life, and

had quite forgotten what he had learned, as the second Nouell of

this Booke more at large declareth. But Traiane of a toward

Scholler, proued sutch an Emperour and victor ouer himselfe, as

schoolinge and rulinge were in him miraculous, and surmounting

Paragon of piety and vertue: wherefore not to stay thee from the

perusinge of those Letters, the right image of himselfe: thus

beginneth Plutarch to write vnto his famous Scholler Traiane.

_A Letter of the Philosopher Plutarch to the Emperor Traiane,

wherein is touched how Gouerners of Common wealths ought to be

prodigal in deedes and spare in words._

My most dread soueraygne Lorde, albeit of longe tyme I haue

known the modesty of your mynde, yet neyther I nor other liuing

man did euer know that you aspired to that, which many men

desire, which is to be Emperour of Rome. That man should

withdrawe himselfe from honour, it were cleane without the

boundes of wysedome: but not to lycence the heart to desire the

same, that truely is a worke diuine, and not proceedinge of

humayne nature. For he doeth indifferently well, that represseth

the works which his handes be able to do, without staying upon

his owne desires, and for good consideration wee may terme thine

Empire to be very happy, sith thou hast so nobly demeaned thy

selfe to deserue the same without search and seekinge

industrious pollicy to attayne thereunto. I haue known within

the city of Rome many great personages, which were not so mutch

honored for the offices whych they bare, as they were for the

meanes and deuises whereby they sought to be aduaunced to the

same. May it please you to vnderstand (most excellent Prince)

that the honor of a vertuous man doth not consist in the office,

which he presently hath, but rather in the merites that

preferred him thereunto: In such wise, as it is the office that

honoreth the partye, and to the officer there resteth but a

painful charge. By meanes wherof, when I remember that I was

your gouerner from your youth, and instructed your vertuous mind

in letters, I can not chose but very much reioyce, so well for

your soueraigne vertue, as for your maiestie's good fortune,

deming it to be a great happinesse vnto me that in my time Rome

hath inioyed him to be their souraigne lord, whom I had in tymes

past to be my scholler. The principalities of kyngdomes some

winne by force, and maintayne them by armes, which ought not so

to be in you, nor yet conceiue opinion of your selfe, but rather

to thinke that the empire which you gounerne by vniuersall

consent, yee ought to entertayne and rule with general iustice.

And therfore if you loue and reuerence the Gods, if you bee

pacient in trauels, warie in daungers, curteous to your people,

gentle to straungers, and not couetous of treasure, nor louer of

your owne desires: you shall make your fame immortall, and

gouern the common wealth in soueraign peace: that you be not a

louer of your own desires, I speake it not withoute cause, for

there is no worse gouernement than that which is ruled by selfe

wyll and priuate opinion. For as he that gouerneth a common

wealth ought to lyue in feare of al men, euen so mutch more in

feare of him selfe, in so mutch as he may commit greater errour

by doinge that which his owne luste commaundeth, than if he were

ruled by the counsell of other. Assure you sir, that you can not

hurt your selfe, and mutch lesse preiudice vs your subiects, if

you do correct your selfe before you chastise others, esteemyng

that to bee a ryght good gouernment when you be prodigal in

workes, and spare of speache. Assay then to be such a one now,

that you do commaunde, as you were when you were commaunded. For

otherwise it would lyttle auaile to do things for deseruing of

the empyre, if afterwards your dedes be contrary to former

deserts. To com to honour it is a humane worke, but to conserue

honour it is a thing diuine. Take hede then (most excellent

Traiane) that you do remembre and still reuolue in minde, that

as you be a Prince supreme, so to apply your self to be a

passing ruler. For there is no authority amongs men so high, but

that the Gods aboue be iudges of their thoughts, and men beneth

beholders of their deedes. Wherfore sith presentlye you are a

mighty Prince, your duety is the greater to be good, and leisure

lesse to be wycked, than when you were a pryuate Man. For hauing

gotten authority to commaund, your lyberty is the lesse to bee

idle: so that if you bee not sutch a one as the common people

haue opinion of you, and such againe as your maister Plutarch

desireth, you shall put your selfe in greate Daunger, and myne

Ennymyes wyll seeke meanes to bee reuenged on mee, knowynge wel

that for the Scholler's faulte the Mayster Dayly suffreth wronge

by slaunderous checke imputed vnto hym (although withoute

cause.) And for so much as I haue ben thy maister, and thou my

scholer, thou must indeuour by well doyng, to render me some

honour. And lykewyse if thou do euyll, great infamy shall lyght

on me, euen as it did to Seneca for Nero his cause, whose

cruelties don in Rome were imputed to his mayster Seneca. The

like wronge was done to the Philosopher Chilo, by beyng burdened

with the neglygent nouriture of his Scholler Leander. They

truely were famous personages and greate learned men, in whom

the gouernemente of myghty Princes was reposed: notwithstandyng,

for not correcting them in their youth, nor teachying them with

carefull dylygence, they blotted for euermore theyr renoume, as

the cause of the destruction of many common wealthes. And

forsomuch as my pen spared none in times paste, bee well assured

Traiane, that the same will pardon neither thee or mee in tyme

to come: for as wee bee confederate in the fault, euen so we

shal be heires of the pain. Thou knowest well what lessons I

haue taught thee in thy youth, what counsell I haue gyuen thee,

beeying come to the state of man, and what I haue written to

thee, sithens thou hast ben Prince, and thou thy selfe art

recorde of the wordes which I haue spoken to thee in secrete: in

all whych I neuer persuaded thyng but that intended to the

seruice of the gods, profite of the common wealthe and increase

of thy renoume: wherfore, I am right sure, that for anye thing

which I haue written, sayd, or persuaded there is no cause I

should feare the punishment of the gods, and much lesse the

reprochful shame of men, verily beleuing that al which I coulde

say in secrete, might without reproch be openly published in

Rome. Nowe before I toke my pen in hand to write this Letter,

I examined my lyfe, to know, if (during the time that I had

charge of thee) I dyd or sayd in thy presence any thing that

might prouoke thee to euill example. And truely (vnmete for me

to say it) vpon that searche of my forepassed life, I neuer

found my selfe guilty of facte vnmeete a Roman Cytyzen, nor euer

spoke woorde vnseemelye for a Phylosoper: by meanes whereof I

doe ryght heartely wyshe, thou wouldest remember the good

educatyon and instructyon whych thou dyddest learne of mee.

I speake not thys, that thou shouldest gratifie me againe with

any Benefite, but to the ende thou myghtest serue thy selfe,

esteemynge that no greater pleasure there is that can redounde

to me, than to heare a good report of thee. Be then well assured

that if an Empyre bee bestowed vpon thee, it was not for that

thou wer a Citizen of Rome or a couragious person descended of

noble house, rich and mighty, but only bicause vertues did

plentifully abounde in thee. I dedicated vnto thee certaine

bookes of old and auncient common wealth, which if it please

thee to vse, and as at other times I haue sayd vnto thee, thou

shalte finde mee to be a proclaimer of thy famous workes, and a

chronicler of all thy noble facts of armes: but if perchaunce

thou follow thine owne aduise, and chaunge thy selfe to bee

other than hitherto thou hast ben, presently I inuocate and cry

out vpon the immortall Gods, and this Letter shall be wytnesse,

that if any hurt do chaunce to thee, or to thine Empire, it is

not through the counsell or meanes of thy maister Plutarch. And

so farewell most Noble Prynce.

_The aunswere of the Emperour Traiane to hys mayster Plutarch._

Cocceius Traiane Emperour of Rome, to the Philosopher Plutarch,

sometimes my mayster: salutation and consolation in the Gods of

comfort. In Agrippina was deliuered vnto me a letter from thee,

whych so soone as I opened, I knew to be written wyth thine owne

hand, and endited with thy wysedom. So flowing was the same with

goodly woordes and accompanied with graue sentences, an occasion

that made mee reade the same twice or thrice, thinking that I

saw thee write and heard thee speak, and so welcome was the same

to me, as at that very instant I caused it to be red at my

table, yea and made the same to be fixed at my bed's heade, that

thy well meanyng vnto me might be generally knowen, how mutch I

am bound vnto thee. I esteemed for a good presage the

congratulation that the Consul Rutulus did vnto me from thee,

touchinge my commyng to the empire: I hope through thy merites,

that I shall be a good Emperoure. Thou sayest in thy letter,

that thou canste by no meanes beleue that I haue giuen bribes,

and vsed meanes to buye myne Empire, as other haue done. For

aunswere thereunto I say, that as a man I haue desired it, but

neuer by solicitation or other meanes attempted it: for I neuer

saw wythin the City of Rome any man to bribe for honour, but for

the same, some notable infamy chaunced vnto hym, as for example

wee may learne of the Good old man Menander, my friende and thy

neyghbour, who to be Consul, procured the same by vnlawful

meanes, and therfore in the end was banished and died

desperately. The greate Caius Cæsar, and Tiberius, Caligula,

Cladius, Nero, Galba, Otho Vitelius, and Domitian, some for

usurpyng the Empire, some for tyranny, some for gettyng it by

bribes, and some by other meanes procuryng the same, lost

(by the sufferance of the righteous gods) not onely their honour

and goodes, but also they died miserably. When thou dydst reade

in thy schole, and I that time an hearer of thy doctrine, many

times I hearde thee say, that we ought to trauel to deserue

honour, rather than procure the same, esteemynge it vnlawfull to

get honour by meanes vnlawfull. He that is without credite,

ought to assay to procure credite. Hee that is with out honour,

ought to seeke honour. But the vertuous man hathe no neede of

noblenesse, ne hee himselfe, ne yet any other person can berieue

him of due honour. Thou knowest wel Plutarch, that the yere

past, the office of Consul was gyuen to Torquatus, and the

Dictatorship to Fabritius, who were so vertuous and so little

ambitious as not desyrous to receyue such charges, absented

themselues, although that in Rome, they might have ben in great

estimation, by reason of those offices, and yet neuerthelesse

without them they bee presently esteemed, loued and honoured:

and therefore I conceiue greater delight in Quintius Lincinatus,

in Scipio Affricanus, and good Marcus Portius, for contemning of

theyr offices, than for the victories which they atchieued: for

victories many times consist in fortune, and the not caryng for

honorable charge in onely wisedome. Semblably, thou thy selfe

art witnesse, that when myn vncle Cocceius Nerua was exiled to

Capua, he was more visited, and better serued, than when he was

at Rome: whereby may bee inferred, that a vertuous man may bee

exyled or banished, but honour he shall neuer want. The Emperour

Domitian (if you do remember) at the departure of Nerua, made me

many offers, and thee many fayre promises to entertain thee in

his house, and to send mee into Almayne, which thou couldest not

abyde, and much lesse consent, deeming it to be greater honour

with Nerua to be exiled, than of Domitian to be fauored.

I sweare by the Gods immortall, that when the good olde man

Nerua sent me the ensigne of the Empyre, I was vtterly ignorant

thereof, and voyd of hope to atteyne the same: for I was

aduertised from the Senate, that Fuluius sued for it, and that

Pamphilius went about to buy it. I knew also that the Consul

Dolobella attempted to enioy it: then sith the gods did permit,

that I should be Emperour, and that myne vncle Nerua did

commaund the same, the Senate approued it, and the common wealth

would haue it to be so: and sith it was the generall consent of

all men, and specially your aduyse, I haue greate hope that the

Gods will be fauorable vnto me, and Fortune no ennimie at all:

assuring you, that like ioy whych you do saye you had by

teachyng me, and seing me now to be Emperour, the lyke I haue to

thynke that I was your Scholler: and sith that you wyll not call

mee from henceforth any other but Soueraygne Lord, I wyll terme

you by none other name, than Louyng father. And albeit that I

haue ben visited and counselled by many men since my commyng to

the Empyre, and by thee aboue the rest, whom before all other I

wyll beleue, consideryng that the intent of those which counsell

me, is to draw my mynd to theyrs, your letters purportyng

nothyng else but mine aduauntage. I doe remember amongs other

woordes, which once you spake to Maxentius the Secretary of

Domitian, this saying: that they which doe presume to gyue

counsell vnto Prynces, oughte to bee free from all passions and

affections: for in counsell, where the wyll is moste enclined,

the mynde is more prompte and ready: that a Prince in all thyngs

doe his wyll I prayse not: that he take aduise and counsell of

euery man I lesse allowe. That which he ought to doe (as me

thinke) is to doe by counsel, forseeing for al that to what

counsel he applieth his mynd: for counsel ought not to be taken

of hym whom I doe well loue, but of hym of whom I am well

beloued. All this I have wrytten (my mayster Plutarch) to

aduertise you that from henceforthe I desire nothyng else at

your handes, but to be holpen wyth your aduise in myne affayres,

and that you tell me of my committed faults: for if Rome do

thinke me to be a defender of their common wealth I make

accompte of you to bee an ouerseer of my life: and therefore if

you thinke that I am not thankfull ynough for the good aduyse,

and holsom warenings that you gyue me: I am to intreate you

(myne owne good mayster) not to take it in ill part, for in such

cases, the griefe that I conceiue, is not for the good lessons

you gyue me, but for the shame that I fayle in followyng them.

The bryngyng of me vp in thy house, the hearyng of thy lectures,

the folowyng of thy doctryne, and liuing vnder thy disciplyne,

haue ben truly the pryncipal causes that I am commen to this

Empyre. This mutch I say (mayster) for that it were an vnnatural

parte in thee not to assist me to beare that thing, which thou

haste holpen me to gayne and winne: and although that Vespasian

was of nature a very good man, yet his greatest profite

redounded to him by entertayning of the Philosopher Appolonius.

For truelye it is a greater felicity for a Prince to chaunce

vpon a good and faythfull man, to be neare about him, than to

atchieue a large realme and kingdome. Thou sayest (Plutarch)

that thou shalt receiue great contentation, from henceforth, if

I be such a one now as I was before, or at lestwise if I be no

worse. I belieue that which thou doest say, bicause the Emperour

Nero, was the first fiue yeares of hys empyre good, and the

other nine yeares exceedyng euill, in sutch wyse as he grew to

be greater in wickednesse, than in dygnity. Notwithstanding, if

thou thinke that as it chaunced vnto Nero, so may happen vnto

Traiane, I besech the immortall Gods rather to depriue me of

life, than to suffer me to raigne in Rome: for tyrantes bee

they, whych procure dygnytyes and promotyons, to vse them for

delighte and filthye luste: and good Rulers bee they which seeke

them for profite of Common wealthe: and therfore to them whych

before they came to those degrees were good, and afterwardes

waxed Wycked, greater pity than enuye ought to be attributed,

consideryng specyally, that Fortune did not aduaunce them to

honour, but to shame and villany: beleue me then (good maister)

that sith hitherto I haue ben reputed vertuous, I wyl assay by

God's assistance to aspire to be better, rather than to be

worsse. And so the Gods preserue thee.

_The Letter of the Emperour Traiane to the Senate of Rome, wherein

is conteined, that honour ought rather to be deserued than

procured._

Cocceius Traiane Emperour of the Romanes, euer Augustus, to our

sacred Senate health and consolation in the gods of comfort. We

beinge aduertised here at Agrippina of the Deathe of the

Emperour Nerua, your soueraigne Lord and my predecessour, and

knowing it to be true, that you haue wept and bewailed the losse

of a Prince so noble and ryghteous, we likewise haue felt like

sorow, for the death of so notable a father. When children lose

a good father, and subiects a good Prynce, eyther they muste dye

wyth them, or else by teares they must rayse them vp again, for

so much as a good Prince in a common wealth is so rare, as the

Phoenix in Arabia. My lord Nerua broughte me out of Spayne to

Rome, nourished me vp in youth, caused mee to bee trained in

letters and adopted me for his sonne in mine olde age: which

graces and benefits truly I can not forget, knowyng that the

ingrate man prouoketh the Gods to anger, and men to hatred. The

death of a vertuous man is to be lamented of all men, but the

death of a good Prince, ought to be extremely mourned: for if a

common person die, there is but one dead, but if a god Prynce

die, together with him dieth a whole Realme. I speake this (O ye

Fathers) for the rare vertues abounding in myne vncle Nerua: for

if the gods were disposed to sell vs the liues of good Prynces

already departed, it were but a small ransome to redeeme them

with teares: for what gold or syluer may be sufficient to buie

the lyfe of a vertuous man. Truely there woulde be a greate

masse of money gyuen by the Greekes for Alexander, by the

Lacedemonians for Lycurgus, by the Romanes for Augustus, and by

the Carthaginians for Annibal. But as you knewe the gods hauing

made all thynges mortall, so haue they reserued onely themselues

to bee immortall. How eminent and passing the vertue of the good

is, and what priuiledge the godly haue, it may easily bee

knowne: for so mutch, as honour is carried euen to the very

graues of the dead, but so it is not to the greate Palaces of

the wycked. The good and vertuous man, without sighte or

knowledge we loue, serue, and aunswer for him: wherein the

wycked we cannot beleue what he sayeth, and lesse accepte in

good part the thyng whych he doeth for vs. Touchynge the

electyon of the Empyre, it was done by Nerua, it was demaunded

by the people, approued by you, and accepted by me. Wherefore I

prayt the immortall Goddes that it may bee lyked of theyr

godheades: for to small purpose auayleth the election of

Prynces, if the gods doe not confyrme it: and therefore a man

maye knowe hym whych is chosen by the Gods, from him that is

elected by men, for the one shal declyne and fal, the other

shalbe vpholden and preserued: the choyse of man so vaynely

exalted doth bowe and abase, but that which is planted by the

gods, although it bee tossed to and fro wyth seuerall Wynds, and

receiueth greate aduersitye, and boweth a lyttle, yet the same

shall neuer fal. Ye know right wel (most honorable Fathers) that

I neuer demaunded the Empyre of Nerua my Soueraigne Lorde,

although he broughte me vp and was his Nephew, hauing heard and

wel remembring of my Mayster Plutarch, that honour ought rather

to bee deserued than procured. Notwithstanding I wyll not deny

but ioyfull I was when my Lord Nerua sent me the ensigne of that

greate and hygh dignity: and yet I wyll confesse that hauing

begon to tast the trauailes and cares which that imperiall state

bringeth, I did repent more then a Thousand times for taking

vppon mee a charge so great: for Empire and gouernement is of

sutch quality that although the honor be mighty, yet the

gouernour sustaineth manifold paines and miserable trauailes.

O how greatly doth he bind himself, which by gouernment bindeth

other! for if hee bee iuste they call hym cruell, if hee bee

Pitifull, he is contempned, if liberall, he is esteemed

Prodigall, if he keepe or gather together he is counted

couetous, if hee be peaceable and quiet, they deeme him for a

coward, if he be couragious, he is reputed a quareller, if

graue, they will say he is proude, if he be easie to be spoken

to, hee is thought to be light or simple, if solitary, they will

esteeme him to be an hypocrite, and if he be ioyfull, they will

terme hym dissolute: In sutch wise as they wil be contented, and

vse better termes to al others what so euer, than towardes him,

which gouerneth a common wealth: for to sutch a one they recken

the morsels which he eateth, they measure his pases, they note

his words, they take heede to his companies, and iudge of his

works (many times wrongfully,) they examine and murmure of his

pastimes, and attempt to Coniecture hys Thoughtes: consider then

the trauayles which bee in gouernement, and the enuy which many

times they beare vnto him that ruleth. We may say, that there is

no state more sure than that which is furthest of from Enuy. And

if a man cannot but wyth great payne gouerne the wyfe which hee

hath chosen, the children which he hath begotten, nor the

seruaunt which he hath brought vp, hauing them altogether in one

house: how is it possible that he can still conserue in peace a

whole commonwealth? I praye you tell mee, in whom shall a poore

Prince repose his trust, syth that many times hee is most

slaundered by theym whom he fauoureth best? Prynces and great

Lordes cannot eate without a Garde, cannot sleepe without a

watch, cannot speake without espiall, nor walke without some

saufety, in sutch wise as they being Lords of al, they be as it

were, Prisoners of their owne people. And if we wil beholde

somewhat neerely, and consider the seruitude of Princes, and the

liberty of Subiectes, we shall finde that he which hath most to

doe in the Realme, or beareth greatest swinge, is most subiect

to Thraldome. So that if Princes haue authority to geue liberty,

they haue no meanes to be free themselues: the gods haue created

vs so fre, and euery man desireth to haue hys liberty so mutch

at wyll, that a man be he neuer so familiar a freende, or so

neare of kin, we rather haue him to be our subiect, than our

Lorde and mayster: one man alone commandeth all, and yet it

seemeth to him but little: ought we then to marueile, if many be

weary to obey one? Wee loue and esteeme our selues so mutch, as

I neuer saw any which of his owne good wil would be subiect, ne

yet agaynst his will was made a Lord, a Principle by dayly

experience proued very true: for the quarrels and warres that be

amongs men, are not so mutch for obedience sake, as for rule and

commaundment. I say moreouer, that in drinking, eating,

clothing, speaking, and louing, al men be of diuers qualities:

but to get lyberty, they be all conformable. I haue spoken thus

mutch (O Fathers conscript) vpon occasion of mine owne Empire,

which I haue taken with good will, albeit afterwards I was sory

for the great charge. For the waltering Seas and troublesome

gournement be two things agreeable to beholde, and daungerous to

proue. Notwithstanding sith it hath pleased the Gods that I

should be youre Lord, and you my subiects, I beseech you hartely

to vse your obedience, as to your soueraygne lord, in that which

shall be right and iust, and to aduertise me like a father, in

things that shall seeme vnreasonable. The Consul Rutulus hath

sayed mutch vnto mee in your behalfe, and hath saluted me for

the people, hee himselfe shall bring aunswere and shal salute

you al in my name. The Allobrogians and the inhabitaunts about

the riuer Rhene, be at controuersie for the limittes of their

countrey, and haue prayed me to be their Arbitrator, which will

stay me a little there. I require that this letter may be red

within the Senate house, and manifested to the whole people. The

Gods preserue you.

_An other Letter of the Emperour Traian to the Romayne Senate,

contayning how gouerners of Common wealths ought to bee friendes

rather to those whych vse traficke, than to them that gather and

heape together._

Cocceius Traiane Emperour of the Romaynes to our holy senate

health and consolation in the Gods of comfort. The affayres be

so manyfolde, and businesse so graue and weighty, which we haue

to doe with diuers Countries, that scarce we haue tyme to eate,

and space to take anye rest, the Romane Prynces hauing still by

auncient custome both lacke of tyme, and commonly want of money.

And bicause that they which haue charge of common wealths, to

the vttermost of their power ought to be fryends to traficke of

marchandise, and enimyes of heapynge treasure together, Prynces

haue so many people to please, and so greate numbre of crauers,

that if they keepe any thing for them, the same shall rather

seeme a spice of theft than of prouidence. To take away an other

man's goodes, truly is a wycked part: but if it bee permitted to

take Treasure, better it were to take it out of the Temples,

than to defraude the people: for the one is consecrated to the

immortall Gods, and the other to the pore commons. I speake this

(right honorable fathers) to put you in remembraunce, and also

to aduise you, that you take good heede to the goodes of the

common wealth, howe they bee dyspended, howe gathered together,

howe they bee kepte, and howe they be employed. For ye ought to

vnderstand, that the goodes of the Common wealth be committed to

you in trust, not to the ende yee shoulde enioy them, but rather

by good gouernement to vse them. We do heare that the Walles be

ready to fal, the Towers be in decay, and the Temples in great

ruine, wherof we be not a lyttle offended, and you ought also to

be ashamed, for so mutch as the damages and detryments of the

Common wealth, we ought eyther to remedy, or else to lament. Ye

haue wrytten vnto mee to know my pleasure, whether the censors,

pretors, and ediles should be yearely chosen, and not

perpetuall, as hitherto they haue bene: and specyally you say,

that the state of the Dictators (which is the greatest and

highest dignity in Rome) is onely but for sixe moneths. To that

I aunswer, that we are wel contented wyth that aduyse: for not

wythout cause and iust reason our predecessours dyd abolyshe the

fyrst kynges of Rome, and ordayned, that the Consuls should

yearely be chosen in the Common wealthe. Whych was done, in

consyderation that hee whych had perpetuall gouernement, many

tymes became insolente and proude. And therefore that the

charges and offices of the Senate, should be yearely, to auoyde

danger, which if they should be perpetual there myght ensue

great hurt and damage to the common wealth: for if the Officers

beyng yerely chosen, be good, they may be continued: and if they

bee euyll, they may be chaunged. And truely the officer, whych

knoweth that vpon the end of euery yeare he must be chaunged and

examined of his charge, he wyll take good heede to that whych he

speaketh, and first of all wil consider what he taketh in hand.

The good Marcus Portius was the first that caused the Officers

of the Romane Common Wealthe to bee thus visited and corrected.

And bycause that these Almayne Warres doe styll increase, by

reason that kyng Deceball wyll not as yet bee brought to

obedience of the Romanes, but rather goeth about to occupy and

winne the Kingdomes of Dacia and Polonia, I shall be forced

through the businesse of the wars, (so long continuing) to

deuyse and consult here vppon the affayres touchyng the

gouernement of the common wealth of Rome. For a lesse euyll it

is for a Prynce to be neglygent in matters of Warre, than in the

gouernement of the Common Wealth. A Prynce also ought to think,

that he is chosen, not to make wars, but to gouerne, not to kyll

the Enimies, but to roote out vices, not that he goe in person

to inuade or defend his foes, but that he reside and be in the

Common Wealth, and not to take away other men's goodes, but to

do iustice in euery man, for so mutch as the Prynce in the

warres can fight but for one, and in the publyke wealth he

committeth faults against a numbre. Truly it liketh me wel, that

from the degree of captaines men be aduaunced to bee emperors,

but I think it not good, that emperours do descende to be

captains, considering that, that realm shal neuer be in quyet,

where the Prince is to gret a warrior. This haue I spoken

(fathers conscript) to the intent ye may beleue, that I for my

parte if these warres of Almayne were to begin, I being at Rome,

it wer impossible that I should be brought vnto the same, for

that my principal intent, is to be estemed rather a good

gouerner of a common wealth, than a forward captain in the

field: nowe then principally I commend vnto you the veneration

of the temples, and honor of the gods, bicause kings neuer liue

in surety, if the gods be not honored, and the temples serued.

The last words which my good lord Nerua wrot vnto me were these:

"Honour the Temples, feare the gods, maintein Iustice in thy

commonwealth and defend the pore: in so doing thou shalt not be

forgotten of thy friend, nor vanquished by thy foe." I do

greatly recommend vnto you the vertues of amity and fraternity,

for that you know how in great common wealthes, more hurt and

damage do ciuile and neighborly wars bryng vnto the same, than

those attempted by the enimies. If parents against parents, and

neighbours against neighbours had not begon mutuall hatred and

contention, neuer had Demetrius ouerthrowen the Rhodes, neuer

had Alexander conquered Thyr, Marcellus Syracusa, Scipio

Numantia. I recommend vnto you also the poore people, loue the

orphanes and fatherlesse children, support and help the widowes,

beware of quarrels and debates amongs you, and the causes of the

helplesse se that ye maintaine and defende: bicause the Gods dyd

neuer wreake more cruell vengeance vpon any, than vpon those

which dyd ill intreate and vse the poore and neady: and many

times I haue heard my Lord Nerua say, that the gods neuer shewed

themselues so rygorous, as agaynst a mercilesse and vnpitifull

people. Semblably, we pray you to be modest of woords, pacient

to suffer, and ware in your forme of lyfe. For a great fault it

is, and no lesse shame to a Gouerner, that he prayse the people

of his common wealth, and gyue them occasion to speake euill of

him: and therefore they which haue charge of the common wealth,

ought rather to repose trust in their workes, than in theyr

woords, for so mutch as the Citizens or common people, do rather

fixe theyr iudgement vpon that which they see, than on that

which they heare. I would wysh that (touching the affayres

appertinent to the Senate) they might not know in you any sparke

of ambicion, malice, deceipte, or enuy, to the intent that the

iust men might not so mutch complain of the commaunding of the

common wealth, as vpon the entertainment and profite of the

same. The Empire of the Greeks putting theyr felicity in

eloquence, and we in well doing. I speake this (ryght honorable

Fathers) to Counsell and Exhorte ye, that when ye be assembled

in Senate, ye do not consume tyme in dysputing and holding

opinions for the verification of any thynge. For if you will

iudge wythout parciality and affection without great

disputation, ye may come to reason. I do remember that being at

a lesson of Appolonius Thianeus, I heard him say that it was not

so expedient that Senators and Emperors should be skilful and

wyse, as if they suffred themselues to bee gouerned by those

that were of great experience and knowledg: and verely he said

truth: for by that meanes he prohibited and forbad them, not to

arrest and stand vpon their owne opinion, whereof they ought to

be many times suspicious. Lykewyse we recommend vnto you the

censores, who haue charge of Iudgement, and the Tribunes, whose

office is to attende the affrayes of Common Wealthe, that they

bee wyse and learned in the Lawes, expert in the Customes,

prouident in Iudgementes, and ware in theyr trade of lyfe: for I

say vnto you, that a wyse man is more availeable in gouernement

of a common wealth, than a man of ouermutch skyll and

experyence. The forme then whych ye shal obserue in matters of

Iudgement shall be thus: that in ciuile processe you keepe the

law, and in criminall causes to moderate the same, bicause

haynous, cruell, and rigorous lawes be rather made to amaze and

feare, than to be obserued and kept. When you giue any sentence,

ye ought to consider the age of the offendaunt, when, how,

wherefore, with whome, in whose presence, in what time, and how

longe ago, forsomutch as euery of these thyngs may eyther excuse

or condempne: whych you ought to beare and vse towards them in

lyke sort as the gods towards vs, who giue vs better helpe and

succoure and correct vs lesse than we deserue. That

consideration the Iudges ought to haue, bycause the offenders

doe rather trespasse the Gods than men: if then they be forgiuen

of the gods for offences whych they commit, reason it is that we

pardon faultes don by those rather then by our selues. In like

maner we commaund you, that if your enimies do you any anoiance

or iniury, not incontinently to take reuenge, but rather to

dissemble the same, bicause many wrongs be don in the world,

which were better to be dissembled than reuenged. Wherin ye shal

haue like regard, touching offices in the Senate and Common

Wealth, that they be not giuen to ambicious or couetous persons:

for there is no Beaste in the World so pestiferous and Venomous,

to the Common Wealth, as the Ambicious in commaunding, and the

couetous in gathering togither. Other things we let passe for

this tyme, vntil we haue intelligence howe these our

commaundements be fulfilled. This Letter shal be red in the

chyefest place within the Senate, and afterwards pronounced to

the people, that they may both know what yee commaunde, and see

also what ye doe. The Gods keepe you, whome we pray to preserue

our mother the City of Rome, and to send vs good successe in

these our Warres.

_A notable Letter sent from the Romane Senate to the Emperour

Traiane, where in is declared how sometimes the region of Spayne did

furnish Rome wyth golde from their Mines, and now do adorne and

garnish the same with Emperours to gouerne their Common wealth._

The sacred Romane Senate, to thee the great Cocceius Traiane new

Emperour Augustus, health in thy gods and ours, graces

euerlastyng wee render to the immortall Gods, for that thou art

in health, which wee desyre and pray may be perpetual. We

signified vnto thy maiesty the death of Nerua Cocceius, our

soueraigne Lord, and thy predecessor, a man of sincere lyfe,

a fryend of his Common Wealth, and a zealous louer of Iustice,

wherein also we aduertised, that like as Rome did weepe for the

cruell lyfe of Domitian, so mutch the more bitterly doth she

bewayle the death of thine vncle Nerua, whose councel (although

hee was very olde and diseased) which he gaue vs lyinge on his

Bedde, we loued better, and imbraced with greater comforte, than

all the enterpryses and deedes don by his predecessors, when

they were in health and lusty: and besides the ordinary mourning

vsed to bee done in Rome for Prynces, wee haue caused all

recreation and pastime to cease, so wel in the common wealth as

with euery of vs particularly. We haue shut vp the Temples and

made the Senate vnderstand, how displeasantly we accept the

death of good men. The good old gentleman Nerua dyed in hys

house, and was buried in the fielde of Mars: he died in debte,

and we haue payd hys debtes: he dyed callyng vppon the Gods, and

we haue canonized him amongs theyr numbre, and that which is

most to be noted, hee died commending vnto vs the common wealth,

and the Common wealth recommending it self vnto him: and a

little before his latter gaspe, to the principall of the holy

Senate, and many other of the people, standing about his

bedside, he sayde: "O ye fathers, I committe vnto you the common

wealth and my selfe also vnto the Gods: vnto whom I render

infinite thankes, bicause they haue taken from me my children,

to bee mine heires and haue lefte mee Traiane to succede." You

do remembre (most dread soueraign lord) that the good Empereour

Nerua had other successours than your maiesty, of nearer

alyance, of greater frendship more bound by seruice, and of

greater proofe in warfare: notwithstandyng amongs other noble

personages, vpon you alone he cast his eyes, reposinge in you

such opinyon and confidence, as to reuiue the prowes and

valyaunt facts of the good Emperor Augustus, he suppressed in

oblivion the insolent facts of Domitian. When Nerua came vnto

the Crowne, he found the treasure pilled, the Senate in

dissentyon, the people in commotion, Iustice not obserued, and

the Common wealth ouerthrowen: which you likewyse presentlye

shall finde, although otherwyse quiet and wholy reformed:

wherfore we shalbe right glad, that you conserue the Common

wealth in the state wherin your vncle Nerua left it, consideryng

specially that new Prynces vnder colour to introduce new

customs, do ouerthrow their common Wealths: fourtene Prynces

your predecessours in the Empyre were naturally borne in Rome,

and you are the firste straunger Prynce. Wherefore we pray the

immortall Gods, (sith that the stocke of our auncient Cæsars is

dead) to send thee good Fortune. Out of the countrey of Spaine

was wont to come to this our Romane city great abundance of

gold, siluer, steele, leade, and tinne, from theyr mines: but

now in place thereof, she giueth vs Emperours to gouern our

common wealths: sith then that thou commest of so good a

countrey as Spayne is, from so good a Prouince as is Vandolosia,

and from so excellent a citty as Cales is, of so noble and

fortunate a Linage as is Cocceius, and aduaunced to so noble an

Empire, it is to be supposed that thou wilt proue good and not

euil: for the Gods immortall many times do take away their

graces from vngratefull men: moreouer (most excellent prince)

sith you wrote vnto vs the maner and order what we ought to doe:

reason it is that we write to you agayne what you ought to

foresee: and sith you haue tolde vs, and taught vs to obey you,

meete it is that we may know what your pleasure is to commaunde:

for that (it may come to passe) that as you haue bene brought vp

in Spayne, and of longe time bene absent from Rome, through

followinge the Warres, that not knowing the lawes whereunto we

are sworn, and the customes which we haue in Rome, yee commaunde

some thinge that may redound to our damage, and to your

dishonor: and therefore we accoumpt it reason that your Maiesty

bee aduertised hereof, and the same preuented, for so much as

Princes oftentimes be negligent of many things, not for that

they wil not foresee the same, but rather for want of one that

dare tell them what they ought to doe: and therefore we humbly

beseech your most excellent maiesty, to extende and shewe forth

your wisedome and prudence, for that the Romanes hearts bene

drawen and made pliant rather by fauourable diligence, than by

prouoked force. Touchinge the vertue, Iustice, may it please you

to remembre the same: for your olde vncle Nerua was wont to say,

that a Prince for all his magnanimity, valiaunce, and felicity,

if he do not vse and maintayne Iustice, ought not for any other

merite to be praysed and commended. Semblably we make our humble

Petition, that those commaundements which you shal send and

require to be put in execution, be thoroughly established and

obserued: for the goodnesse of the lawe doth not consist in the

ordinaunce, but in the fulfilling and acomplishement of the

same: wee will not also omit to say vnto you (most famous

Prince) that you must haue pacience to suffer the importunate,

and to dissemble with the offenders: for that it is the deede of

a Prince to chastise and punishe the wrongs done in a common

wealth, and to pardon the disobedience done vnto him. You send

vs word by your letters that you wil not come to Rome, vntyll

you haue finished the Germaine Warres: whych seemeth vnto vs to

be the determination of a vertuous and right noble Emperour, for

so mutch as good Princes such as you be, oughte not to desire

and chose places of delite and recreation, but rather to seke

and win renowne and fame. You commaunde vs also to haue regarde

to the veneration of the Temples, and to the seruice of the

Gods: whych request is iuste, but very iuste it were and meete

that your selfe should doe the same: for our seruice would

little preuaile, if you should displease them. You wil vs also

one to loue an other, whych is the counsel of a holy and

peaceable Prince: but know ye that wee shal not be able to doe

the same, if you wil not loue and intreat vs all in equall and

indifferent sorte: for Prynces chearyshinge and louing some

aboue the rest, do raise slanders and grudges amongs the people:

you likewise recommend vnto vs, the poore and the widowes:

wherin we thinke that you ought to commaund the Collecters of

your Tributes, that they do not grieue, when they gather your

ryghtes and customes: for greater sinne it is to spoyle and pill

the needy sort, than meritorious to succour and relieue them.

Likewise you do persuade vs to be quiet and circumspect in our

affayres, which is a persuasion resembling the nature of a

worthye Prynce and also of a pitifull father. In semblable maner

you require vs not to be opinionatiue and wilfull in the Senate,

ne affectionate to self wil whych shal be done accordingly as

you commaund, and accept it as you say: but therwithall you

ought to think that in graue and wayghty matters, the more

depely things be debated, the better they shall be prouided and

decreed: you bid vs also to beware, the Censores be honest of

lyfe and rightful in doing iustice: to that we aunswere, that in

the same we will haue good respect, but it is expedient that you

take hede to them whom you shal name and appoint to those

offices: for if you do chose such as they ought to be, no cause

shal rise to reprehend them. Item wher you say, that we ought to

take hede, that our children committe no offences to the people,

wherein the aduise of the senate is, that you do draw them awaye

from vs, and cal them to the Almayne warres, for as you do knowe

(right souerain prince) that when the publike welth is exempt,

and voyd of enimies, then the same wil begin to bee replenyshed

wyth youthfull vices. Notwithstanding when the warres bee farre

of from Rome, then the same to them is profitable, bicause there

is nothing which better cleanseth common wealths from wicked

people, than warres in straunge Countries. Concernyng other

things which you write vnto vs nedefull it is not now to recite

them, but onely to see them kept: for truely they seeme rather

to be the lawes of God Apollo him selfe, than counsels of a

Mortall man. The gods preserue your Maiesty, and graunt you good

successe in those your warres.

These Letters and Epistles, although besides the Scope and

Nature of a Nouell, yet so worthy to be read and practysed, as

no History or other mortall Precepte more: expressing the great

care of a maister towards his scholler, that he should proue no

worse being an emperor, than he shewed hymselfe diligent when he

was a Scholer: fearing that if he should gouerne contrary to his

expectation, or degenerate from the good institution, whych in

hys yong yeares hee imbraced, that the blame and slaunder should

rest in hymselfe: that was his tutor and bringer vp. O careful

Plutarch, O most happy maister, as well for thine owne industry,

as for the good successe of such a Scholer: and O most fortunate

and vertuous Emperor, that could so wel brooke and digest the

blissed persuasions of sutch a maister, whose mind wyth the

blast of promotion, was not so swolne and puffed, but that it

vouchsafed to cal him father and maister, stil crauing for in

instigation of reproofe, when he slid or slypped from the path

of reason and duety. And happy Counsel and Senate that could so

wel like and practyse the documents of such an Emperour.