the first decade that a prince Romayn clepid Camillus, whiche did so many
victorioux dedis, and loved so welle the comyn profit of the cite of Rome,
that he was called the second Romulus whiche founded first Rome, besieged a
gret cite of Falistes, whiche is nowe as it is saide called Florence, to
have hem undre the governaunce of the Romayne lawes. And as he had leyne
long at the siege, and after gret batailes and scarmysshes it fortuned that
a maister of sciencis of Falliste called now Florence, the whiche had all
the enfauntes and childryn of the gouvernours and worshipfulle men of the
saide citee in his rule to lerne hem virtuous sciencis, thought to wynne a
gret rewarde and thank of the noble prince Camillus, and by the umbre of
treson ayenst justice that the said maistre wolde wirke to cause the
senatours of Faliste [the rather[149]] to deliver up the cite to the
prince, the said maister by flatering and blandishing wordis meoved his
clerkis to desport bethout the cite in the feeldis, and so fedde hem forthe
withe sportis and plaies tille he had brought hem withyn the siege and
power of Camillus, and came to his presence, saiyng to hym that he had
brought to hym the sonnes of the chief lordes and governours of the cite of
Falliste, {54} whiche and he wolde kepe the said chyldryn in servage, the
faderis of hem wolle deliver hym the cite bethout any more werre making.
Than saide that just prince Camillus that it was not the Romayns condicions
to werre and punisshe such innocentis as never offendid in werre, ne knew
not what werre meoved; and wolde not suffre that the Falistes be defrauded
of here contre and cite by unjust menes of treason or fals covyn or undew
alliaunce, but as naturalle werre wol fortune by manhod and just dede of
armes to take the cite. And there the saide prince comaunded the
scolemaister for his gret deceite to be dispoilid and to be betyn nakid
withe baleese and sharpe roddis withe his owne clerkis into the cite ayen;
than the governours and maistres of the cite, havyng consideracion of the
gret justice and manhod that he used in his conquest, sent to Camillus
ambassatours withe the keies of the cite, and purposid unto him, saieng, O
ye fathir and prince of justice, wher as the welle honoure and renommee of
justice and of victorioux dedis reignithe among you Romaynes by using of
justice, and that for asmoche they perceyved that princes Romayns used
feithe and justice, and peyned theym to kepe theire peple conquerid hem to
be subgettis to Rome by justice, they were fulle joifulle and glad to lyve
undre theire lawes, and so delivered hym the [keys and the[150]] citee, to
the gret renomme of the saide prince and to alle the Romayns gretly to be
magnified.
Historie of dame Cristyn, declaring how a prince and a ledar of peple
shulde use prudence and justice by example of the noble cenatoure called
Fabricius.
[Sidenote: Res publica.]
And also as dame Cristyn[151] in the .xv. chapitre of the first partie of
hir seid booke of Tree of Batailes leiethe a noble example that {55} among
alle vertues that shulde long to a prince, a duke, a cheveteyne, or to a
governoure of a contre, citee, or towne, or a leder of peple, rehersithe
how it is necessarie that he shulde be a prudent man and a wise and of gret
trouthe, as by example it is write of the noble and trew senatoure
Fabricius, leder of the Roman oostis, the whiche for his gret trouthe,
vailliaunce, and manhod, and wise governaunce, king Pirrus his adversarie
offred to gyve hym the .iiij^{the}. part of his roiaume and of his tresoure
and goodis, so that the saide Fabricius wolde yelden and turne to his
partie and become his felow in armes. To whiche Pirrus the said Fabrisius
answerd, that a trew man might not to over moche hate and dispreise
tresoure and richesse by treason and falshed evylle getyn, where as by
possibilite and alle liklinesse may be honourable and truly vanquisshid and
wonne bye armes, and not in noo maner wise by untrouthe and falshed. In
whiche matier verifieng, saiethe Vigecius in his booke of Chevalrie, to a
chiefteyne, to whome is commytted so gret a thing as is deliverid hym the
charge and governaunce of noblesse of chevalrie, the dedis and entreprises
of a prince is office is principally comytted hym for the governaunce of
comon publique of a roiaume, dukedom, erledom, barnage, or seignourie,
castelle, forteresse, citee, and towne, that is clepid vulgarlie the comon
profite, the suerte and saufegarde of alle the saide contreis. And if by
the fortune of batailes he might not only have a generall consideracion and
cure of alle his ooste or over alle the peple, contree, or citee that he
hathe take the charge of, but he must entende to every particuler charge
and thing that nedithe remedie or relief for his charge; and any thing
myssfortune to a comon universall damage in defaut of oversight of remedie
of a particuler and singuler thing or charge, thoroughe whiche might grow
to an universall damage, than it is to be wited his defaute. {56} And
therefore in conclusion of this, late it take example to folow the noble
and fructufulle examples of the noble cenatours. And we ought so to kepe us
frome the offending and grevyng of oure sovereyne Maker not to usurpe
ayenst justice as hathe be doo, in suche wise that thoroughe oure synfulle
and wrecchid lyvyng ayenst his lawes he be not lengir contrarie to us,
suffring us this grevouslie for oure offensis to be overthrow, rebukid, and
punished as we bee, but lyve and endure in suche clene life, observyng his
.x. preceptis, that he have no cause to shew on us the rod of his
chastising as he dothe.
[Sidenote: Deploracio contra iniquos malefactores prevalentes.]
Another exhortacion to kepe the lawes of God, for in doubte that ellis God
wulle suffre oure adversaries punisshe us withe his rodde.
[Sidenote: Nota optime.]
O mightifulle God, if it be soo as holy scripture seiethe, the whiche is
not to mystrust, have not we deserved cause this to be punished, seeyng so
many wrecchid synnes as among us dailie uncorrectid hathe reigned, for
whiche we ought know we be righte worthy of moche more chastising and
grettir punishement of God, he being just and not chaungeable; for it is
wretyn in the booke of Paralipomenon that for the gret synnes used be theym
of Israelle, God of his rightwisnesse suffred the Phillistyns that were
they never so eville ne in so eville a quarelle to be persecutours and
destroiers of the lande of Judee and of Goddis peple, and the rathir that
the saide Israelites had a law gyven hem by Moises and kept it not.
[Sidenote: De republica augmentanda.]
How every officer spirituelle and temporelle shulde put hym in his devoire
to the avaunsing of the comon profite.
[Sidenote: Tullius in nova rethorica.]
And it is for to remembre among alle other thingis that is made mencion in
this Epistille that every man after his power and degre shuld principallie
put hym in devoire and laboure for the {57} avaunsment of the comon profit
of a region, contre, cite, towne, or householde; for, as alle the famous
clerkis writen, and inespecialle that wise cenatoure of Rome Tullius in his
booke De Officiis [de Republica, that Novius Marcellus makyth mencion of yn
dyvers chapiters,[152]] and in other bookis of his De Amicicia, Paradoxis,
and Tusculanis questionibus, that Res publica welle attendid and observed,
it is the grounde of welfare and prosperite of alle maner peple. And first
to wete the verray declaracion of these .ij. termys Res publica, as seint
Austyn seiethe in the .v. booke and .xxviij. chapitre of the Cite of God,
and the saide Tullius the famous rethoricien accordithe withe the same,
saieng in Latyn termes: "Res publica est res populi, res patriae, res
communis; sic patet quod omnis qui intendit bonum commune et utilitatem
populi vel patriae vel civitatis augere, conservare, protegere, salva
justicia intendit et rempublicam augere et conservare." And it is forto
lerne and considre to what vertues Respublica strecchithe, as I rede in a
tretie that Wallensis, a noble clerk, wrote in his book clepid Commune
loquium, C^o. 3^o. p^e partis, seithe quod, "Respublica ordinatur hiis
virtutibus, scilicet, legum rectitudine, justiciae soliditate, equitatis
concordia, unanimitatis fidelitate mutua adjuvante, concilio salubri
dirigente, morum honestate decorante, ordinata intentione consumpnante." As
for the first partie it is verified by Tullie in his Rethorik the first
booke: "Omnes leges ad commodum reipublicae judicis referre oportet, et lex
nichil aliud est quam recta racio et anima justa, imperans honesta,
prohibens contraria." And it is right expedient that alle tho that be
justices, governours, or rulers of contrees, citees, or townes, to a comon
profit, must doo it by prudent counceile and good avise of auncien approved
men; for a governoure of a comon profit were in olde tyme named amongis the
Romayns, havyng the astate that at this daies bene used [by] alle tho that
bene called to highe digniteis, the emperoure, kingis, princes, dukis,
marques, erlis, vicountes, barons, baronettis, consules, chevalers,
esquiers, and aldermannes, justices, {58} baillifis, provostis, maires, and
suche othirs officers. And Tullius in the first booke of Offices seiethe:
"Parva sunt foris arma ubi consilium non est domi."
How auncient men growen in yeris be more acceptable to be elect for a
counceilour, or for to gouverne a cite for a comyn profit, than yong men.
[Sidenote: Tullius de Senectute.]
[Sidenote: Examplum amplum.]
[Sidenote: Experiencia, &c.]
[Sidenote: Job.]
Tullius in his book De Senectute saiethe that auncient men that bene growen
in age bene more profitable in gyvyng counceile for the avaunsing and
governyng a comon profit of a citee, towne, or village, as to bere offices,
than othirs that bene yong of age, althoughe he be [of] mighty power of
bodie. For an example he puttithe, as there be men in a ship som that be
yonge of mighty power halithe up the ankirs, othirs goithe feersly aboute
the ropis fastenyng, and some goithe to set up the saile and take it downe
as the govenoure the maister avisithe hem. Yet the eldist man that is halde
wisist among hem sittithe and kepithe the rothir or sterne [of] the ship,
and seethe to the nedille for to gide the ship to alle costis, behofefulle
to the savyng of the ship frome dangers and rokkis, whiche dothe more
profit and grettir avauntage to the vesselle than alle tho yong lusty men
that rennen, halithe, or clymethe. Wherfor it may be concluded that the
auncien approved men by long experience, made governours and counceilours
of roiaumes, contrees, citeis, and townes, done grettir dedis by theire
wise counceile, than tho that labouren in the feelde, cite, or towne by
mighty power of her hand. And it is saide by Job, .12^o. that Roboam,
whiche forsooke the counceile of olde men, and drew after the counceile of
yong men, lost the kingdom [of] whiche he had the gouvernaunce; and whiche
example is right necessarie to be had in remembraunce in every wise
governoure is hert. And so wolde the mightifulle God that every governoure
wolde have a verray parfit love to the governaunce of a comon wele by wise
and goode counceile, and to folow the pathis and weies and examples {59} of
the noble senatours of Rome, how they were attending to the commyn profit,
setting aside singular availe. So tho famous region and citeis aboute undre
theire obeissaunce reigned alle that tyme by many revolucion of yeris in
gret worship and prosperite, as I shalle in example put here in
remembraunce, and is founden writen in divers stories, as of one among
othir ys
[Sidenote: De preferramento rei publice.]
How Fabius the noble cenatoure set by no worship of vayne glorie, but only
laboured for the comon profit of Rome.
[Sidenote: Fabius cenator dexspexit vanam gloriam.]
[Sidenote: Quomodo Romani gentes fuerant divinatores et auguriste pro
conservacione rei publice.]
Tullius de Senectute the first partie maketh mencion of a noble prince
Romayne clepid Fabius, whiche had gret batailes and journeis withe Hanibal
prince of Cartage, to kepe the conquest of Romayne contreis, and to see
theire libertees and fraunchises observed and kept for the wele of alle
maner peple; whiche Fabius despraised renommee and vayne glorie, but onlie
gafe his solicitude, thought, and his bisy cure about the comon profit of
Rome; for whiche cause the saide Fabius after his dethe was put in gret
renomme and more magnified among the Romayns than he was in his liffe tyme.
And the saide Fabius, after the right and usage was in tho daies, did gret
diligence to lerne and know by augures and divinacions of briddis and by
other causes naturell after the ceasons of the yeris and in what tymes
prosperite, welthe, and plente, derthe, or scarsite of cornes, wynes, [and]
oilis shulde falle to the contre of Romayns, to his grettist comfort for
the avauncement of the comon wele. And he delited gretly to rede actis and
dedis of armes of straunge nacions, to have a parfiter remembraunce and
experience to rule a comon wele, that was moche bettir than before his
daies ne sithe was no consulle like to his governaunce except the worthy
Scipion's. And it were fulle necessarie that princes and lordis shuld know
by naturalle cause of philosophie the seasons and yeris of prosperite or
adversite falling to the region that he is of, to th'entent he might make
his provision thereafter; but more pite is few {60} profound clerkis in
this lande ben parfitelie grounded in suche workis or they fauten her
principales in scolis, so they have no sufficient bookis, orellis they
taken upon them the connyng of judicielle mateiris to know the impressions
of the heire and be not expertid, and be this maner the noble science of
suche judicielle mater in causis naturelle concernyng the influence of the
bodies of hevyn ben defamed and rebukid.
How Lucius Paulus Fabricius and Curius Cornicanus, cenatours, in her grete
age onlie studied and concellid for the proferring of the comon wele.
Also to bring to mynde for to folow the steppis of the full noble consulle
of Rome Lucius Paulus, whiche the wise Caton is sonne maried the doughter
of the saide Lucius Paule. Also the senatours clepid Fabricius and Curiois
Cornecanois, that they aswelle as the forsaide Fabius in her grete age did
none othir bisinesse but only by theire counceile and by theire auctorite
counceiled, avised, and comaunded that that shulde bee to the comon profit
of the saide cite of Rome.
How Appius the highe preest of the tempill of Mynerfe, albeit he was
blinde, of good corage purposid tofore the Romains to make werre withe king
Pirrus then to be com subjet to her auncient ennemy king Pirrus.
[Sidenote: Tullius de Senectute.]
[Sidenote: Ennius poeta.]
In like wise the [hyghe[153]] preest of the tempille of Mynerve of Rome
clepid Appius, after he was for gret age blinde and feble, whan king
Pirrus, king of Epirotes, werrid so ayenst Rome that he had [febled
and[153]] werried them so sore and wan upon hem so gret contreis, that the
Romains ayenst theire worship wolde have made pease and alliaunces withe
hym to her uttermost dishonoure, {61} but the said Appius purposid tofore
the noble senatoures Romayn and required hem to doo after the counceile of
Ennius the wise consul, that the Romains shulde take good hert to hem, and
not to abate here noble courages, to become subjet to theire auncient
adversarie Pirrus; and that they shulde take new entreprinses upon Pirrus
and destroie his gret armees; whiche the saide senatours were revived in
theire courages thoroughe the wise exhortacions of Appius, and had the
victorie of Pirrus.
[Sidenote: De Officiis Catonis.]
This chapitre declarithe how many gret offices of highe dignite Caton was
called and auctorised for his gret manhode and wisdom, and how he in his
age couraged the yong knightis to goo to feelde to venquisshe Cartage or he
died.
Also the noble senatoure of Rome Caton, that was so manlie, prudent, and of
holsom counceile, whiche in his yong daies occupied the office of a knight
in excersising armes, anothir season he occupied the office of tribune as a
chief juge among the Romayns, another season was a legat as an ambassatoure
into ferre contreis, yet anothir tyme in his gret auncien age, that he
might not gretlie laboure, was made consul of Rome to sit stille and avise
the weies and meenys how the Romayns might alway be puissaunt to resist
ayenst Cartage, whiche he hopid verralie or he died to see the saide cite
destroied. And the said Caton, in presence of yong Scipio and Lelius, .ij.
noblest yong knightis of Rome that visited Cato to here of his wise conduit
and counceile, he being then of full gret age, tendred so ferventlie the
well of comon profit of Rome, that he required and besought the immortalle
godis[154] of licence that he might not die till he might know Cartage
destroied by victorie of bataile, and to be avengid of the servage and
miserie of the noble Romayns whiche were prisoneris withe Quintus Fabius in
Cartage xxxiij yere passed.
{62}
[Sidenote: Doctor militum in armis.]
Of a semblable noble condition of Quintus Fabius according to Caton.
And Quintus Fabius, albeit he might not in his gret age laboure, left the
usage that he in his youthe taught yong knightis, as to renne, lepe, just
withe speris, fight afoote withe axes, yet he had in his olde age alway
gret solicitude and thought for the avauncement of the comon profit of the
citee by counceile, by reason and by inure deliberacion of hymsilf and of
the wise senatoure.
The diffinicion of the office that belongithe to the senate.
[Sidenote: Tullius de Senectute.]
And whiche terme senate is as moche for to say a companie of aged men
assembled togither.
How Caton writithe that citeis and contreis that were governed by men of
yong age were destroied, and they lost also theire lifelode wastefullie.
[Sidenote: Ita Officia danda juvenibus.]
And Caton saide that who so wolde rede in auncien histories he shulde finde
that citeis whiche were conduit and governed by men of yong age, were
destroied and brought to desert, as well Rome as othirs, and it was not
revived ne encresid ayen, but onlie be the counceile of auncien men. And
the saide Cato makithe a question to tho saide yong joly knightis, Scipion
and Lilius, demaunding them why they and suche othir yong counceilours had
wasted and brought to nought theire inheritaunce callid patrimonie, and the
comon profit of theire cite and countre destroied. And Nennius the poet
made answere for hem and saide, tho that were made counceilours for the
{63} comon profit of the towne, also suche that were of Scipion and Lilius
counceile, were but new [not expert[155]] drawen maistris, ignoraunt
advocat[gh] and pledours, yong men not roted ne expert in the law ne in
policie [of] governaunce, whiche by theire fole-hardiesse and be the
proprete and nature of grene age causid the patrimonie of Lelius and
Scipion to be lost, and also the countreis that they hadde to governaunce.
And he that wolle have prudent avise and sure conceile must doo by
counceile of men of gret age, aswelle in counceile of civile causes as in
conduct of armees and oostis of men of armes in werre, for the defence of
the comon publique.
[Sidenote: Agamenon.]
Of the answere and reson of Agamenon duke and leder of the Greekis hoost
ayenst the Troiens.
For Agamenon the noble knight that was leder and governoure of the Grekis
batailes ayenst the noble Troiens,
[Sidenote: Nestor.]
Of the wisdom of king Nestor a Troian.
[Sidenote: De conciliis antiquorum militum in experiencia preferrendorum.]
when he herde of king Nestor, how he was holden the wisist lyvyng of
counceile yevyng and of gret eloquence in his auncien age,
[Sidenote: Ayax.]
Of the recomendacion of the prowesse of Ayax a knight of Grece.
and in like wise one Ayax a knight of Grece was halden the best fighter
amonge the Grekis ayenst the Trojens; in so moche that the Grekis desired
of the immortell goddis to have only but .xl. suche batellous knightis as
Ayax is to fighte withe the Grekis ayenst the Troyens,
{64}
How duke Agamenon trusted so gretlie in the counceile of agid men, that he
required the immortelle goddis to have suche .vj. olde kingis as Nestor is,
doubted not to wynne Troie in short tyme.
but that noble duke Agamenon required of the goddis six suche wise viellars
as was Nestor, that then he doubted not within short tyme that Troie shulde
be take and destroied.
[Sidenote: Publius Decius.]
How that most noble centoure Publius Decius, so hardie an entreprennoure in
the bataile, whan the Romains were almost overthrow, he avaunsid hym silfe
so ferre in the bataile, to die to th'entent to make the Romains more gret,
and felle for his dethe in fighting tille they had the victory.
[Sidenote: Nota bene diversitatem militum.]
[Sidenote: Publius Decius non est recomendandus in hoc negocio.]
In semblable wise Tullius writithe of that vaillaunt citezin Romayne
Publius Decius, at a tyme he was chosen consulle and as a chiefteyne among
the Romayne ostes, he saw how the Romayne oost was almost bete downe to
grounde, he thought in his soule that he wolde put his bodie in jubardie
frely to die, forto make the Romains more egir and fellir in that bataile
to revive hem silfe thoroughe cruelte of his dethe. He tooke his hors withe
the sporis, and avaunsing hym silfe among his adversaries, and at the last
was so sore charged withe hem that he was fellid to grounde deede. The
Romayns, havyng consideracion in theire courageous hertis how knyghtly he
avaunsid hym in bataile fighting and suffered dethe for here sake, tooke
courage and hert to hem, and recomforting hem foughten so vigorouslie
ayenst theire adversaries that they hadde the victorie.
[Here is added in the margin the following anecdote:]
Hyt ys to remembre that I hafe herd myne autor Fastolfe sey, whan he had
yong knyghtys and nobles at hys solasse, how that {65} there be twey maner
condicions of manly men, and one ys a manlye man called, another ys an
hardye man; but he seyd the manly man ys more to be commended, more then
the hardy man; for the hardy man that sodenly, bethout discrecion of gode
avysement, avauncyth hym yn the felde to be halde courageouse, and wyth
grete aventur he scapyth, voydith the felde allone, but he levyth hys
felyshyp destrussed. And the manly man, ys policie ys that, or he avaunce
hym and hys felyshyp at skirmysshe or sodeyn racountre, he wille so
discretely avaunce hym that he wille entend to hafe the ovyr hand of hys
adversarye, and safe hymsylf and hys felyshyp. And therfore the aventure of
Publius Decius ys not aftyr cristen lawes comended by hys willefulle deth,
nother hys son.
How the son of the said Publius died in the same case.
And the sonne of the said Publius, that was foure tyme electe and and chose
consul among the Romains, put hym in so gret jupardie of bataile, for the
helthe, prosperitie, and welfare of the Romains, that he died in bataile in
like wise.
Here folowithe the historie of the most noble recommendacion in
perpetuite of Marcus Actilius, a chief duke of the Romayne hostes, of
his gret providence using in hostes ayenst derthes and scarsetees[156]
of cornes, wines, [and] oilis; and how he of fortune of werre, being
prisoner in Cartage amongis his dedlie adversaries, albeit he was put
to raunson, suffred wilfullie for to die in prison, because he was so
gretly aged and wered in bataile, then to the Romains to pay so
infenite a somme for his finaunce and raunson.
[Sidenote: Autor rei publicae.]
Hit is historied also of worshipfulle remembraunce how that verray trew
lover of the comon wele of the Romains, Marcus Actilius, that first yave
hym to labouragis and approwementis of londes and {66} pastures, to
furnisshe and store the saide countre withe plente of corne and vitaile;
after, for his gret policie, wisdom, and manhod, was made consulle and
conestable of the Romayne batailes, and fulle often sithis discomfited
theire adversaries of Cartage. And he, at a tyme, by chaunge of fortune in
bataile, was take prisoner into Cartage, being of gret age than. And for
deliveraunce of whiche Actilius the governours of Cartage desired hym that
he shulde laboure and sende to Rome forto deliver out of prison a gret
nombre of yong men of werre of Cartage that were prisoneris in Rome, and he
shulde goo frank and quite. And the saide Actilius denyed and refused it
utterly, but that he wolde rather die in prison than to suffre the werrours
of Cartage to be delyverid for his sake, for he loved the comon wele and
proffit of Rome; and becaus that noble Actilius wolde not condescende to
deliver the prisoneris of Cartage, they turmentid hym in prison in the most
cruelle wise to dethe; that, and it were expressid here, it wolde make an
harde hert man to falle the teris of his yen. The voluntarie dethe of
whiche Marcus Actilius, for the welfare, prosperite, and comon profit of
Rome, causithe hym to be an example to alle othir, and to be put
perpetuelly in remembraunce for worship.
How the noble duke Scipion Affrican put hym in so gret aventure in his gret
age ayens the Cartages, that he died upon,[157] rathir than to life in
servage.
[Sidenote: Scypio Affricanus.]
[Sidenote: Scipio Asyanus.]
[Sidenote: Scipio Affricanus.]