[Sidenote: Plato.]
Read Plato in his booke, int.i.teled of the common wealth who sheweth the state of the Prince, and whole Realme, to stande and consiste by the vnitee of partes, all states of the co[m]- [Fol. vij.v]
[Sidenote: A common wealth doe consiste by vnitie of all states.]
mon wealth, in office diuers, for dignitee and worthines, bea- ring not equalitee in one consociatee and knit, doe raise a per- fite frame, and bodie of kingdome or common wealthe.
[Sidenote: Aristotle.
What is a co[m]- mon wealth.]
Aristotle the Philosopher doeth saie, that a co[m]mon welth is a mult.i.tude gathered together in one Citee, or Region, in state and condicion of life differing, poore and riche, high and low, wise and foolishe, in inequalitee of minde and bodies dif- feryng, for els it can not bee a common wealthe. There must be n.o.bles and peres, kyng and subiect: a mult.i.tude inferiour and more populous, in office, maners, worthines alteryng.
[Sidenote: A liuely exa[m]- ple of commo[n]
wealthe.]
Manne needeth no better example, or paterne of a common wealthe, to frame hymself, to serue in his state and callyng, then to ponder his owne bodie. There is but one hedde, and many partes, handes, feete, fingers, toes, ioyntes, veines, si- newes, belie, and so forthe: and so likewise in a co[m]mon welth there muste be a diuersitee of states.
-- The reasonyng of the thynges conteined in this Fable.
THus might the Wolues reason with them sel- ues, of their Emba.s.sage: The Wolues dailie molested and wearied, with the fearce ragyng Masties, and ouercome in fight, of their power and might: one emong the reste, more politike and wise then the other, called an a.s.semble and counsaill of [Sidenote: The counsail of Wolues.]
Wolues, and thus he beganne his oracion. My felowes and compaignions, sithe nature hath from the beginnyng, made vs vnsaciable, cruell, liuyng alwaies by praies murthered, and bloodie spoiles, yet enemies wee haue, that seeke to kepe vnder, and tame our Woluishe natures, by greate mightie Bandogges, and Shepeherdes Curres. But nature at the firste, did so depely frame and set this his peruerse, cruell, and bloodie moulde in vs, that will thei, nill thei, our nature wil bruste out, and run to his owne course. I muse moche, wai- yng the line of our firste progenitour, from whence we came [Fol. viij.r]
firste: for of a man wee came, yet men as a pestiferous poison doe exile vs, and abandon vs, and by Dogges and other sub- [Sidenote: Lycaon.]
till meanes doe dailie destroie vs. Lycaon, as the Poetes doe faine, excedyng in all crueltees and murthers horrible, by the murther of straungers, that had accesse to his land: for he was king and gouernor ouer the Molossians, and in this we maie worthilie glorie of our firste blood and long auncientree, that [Sidenote: The firste progenie of Wolues.]
he was not onelie a man, but a kyng, a chief pere and gouer- nour: by his chaunge and transubstanciacion of bodie, wee loste by him the honour and dignitee due to him, but his ver- tues wee kepe, and daily practise to followe them. The fame [Sidenote: The inuen- cion of the Poet Ouide to compare a wicked man, to a Wolue.]
of Lycaons horrible life, ascended before Iupiter, Iupiter the mightie G.o.d, moued with so horrible a facte, left his heauen- lie palace, came doune like an other mortall man, and pa.s.sed doune by the high mountaine Minalus, by twilighte, and so to Licaons house, our firste auncestoure, to proue, if this [Sidenote: Lycaon.]
thing was true. Lycaon receiued this straunger, as it semed doubtyng whether he were a G.o.d, or a manne, forthwith he feasted him with mannes fleshe baked, Iupiter as he can doe [Sidenote: Lycaon chau[n]- ged into a Wolue.]
what he will, brought a ruine on his house, and transubstan- ciated hym, into this our shape & figure, wherein we are, and so sens that time, Wolues were firste generated, and that of manne, by the chaunge of Lycaon, although our shape is chaunged from the figure of other men, and men knoweth [Sidenote: Wolue.
Manne.]
vs not well, yet thesame maners that made Wolues, remai- neth vntill this daie, and perpetuallie in men: for thei robbe, thei steale, and liue by iniurious catching, we also robbe, al- so wee steale, and catche to our praie, what wee maie with murther come to. Thei murther, and wee also murther, and so in all poinctes like vnto wicked menne, doe we imitate the like fashion of life, and rather thei in shape of men, are Wol- ues, and wee in the shape of Wolues menne: Of all these thynges hauyng consideracion, I haue inuented a pollicie, whereby we maie woorke a slauter, and perpetuall ruine on the Shepe, by the murther of the Bandogges. And so wee [Fol. viij.v]
shall haue free accesse to our bloodie praie, thus we will doe, wee will sende a Emba.s.sage to the Shepeherdes for peace, [Sidenote: The counsail of Wolues.]
saiyng, that wee minde to cea.s.se of all bloodie spoile, so that thei will giue ouer to vs, the custodie of the Bandogges, for otherwise the Emba.s.sage sent, is in vaine: for their Dogges being in our handes, and murthered one by one, the daunger and enemie taken awaie, we maie the better obtain and en- ioye our bloodie life. This counsaill pleased well the a.s.sem- ble of the Wolues, and the pollicie moche liked theim, and with one voice thei houled thus, thus. Immediatlie co[m]muni- cacion was had with the Shepeherdes of peace, and of the gi- uyng ouer of their Bandogges, this offer pleased theim, thei co[n]cluded the peace, and gaue ouer their Bandogges, as pled- ges of thesame. The dogges one by one murthered, thei dis- solued the peace, and wearied the Shepe, then the Shepeher- des repented them of their rashe graunt, and foly committed: [Sidenote: The counsail of wicked me[n]
to mischief.]
So of like sorte it alwaies chaunceth, tyrauntes and bloodie menne, dooe seke alwaies a meane, and practise pollicies to destroye all soche as are G.o.dlie affected, and by wisedome and G.o.dlie life, doe seke to subuerte and destroie, the mischeuous [Sidenote: The cogita- cions of wic- ked men, and their kyngdo[m]
bloodie.]
enterprise of the wicked. For, by crueltie their Woluishe na- tures are knowen, their glorie, strength, kyngdome and re- nowne, cometh of blood, of murthers, and beastlie dealynges and by might so violent, it continueth not: for by violence and blooddie dealyng, their kyngdome at the last falleth by blood and bloodilie perisheth. The n.o.ble, wise, graue, and goodlie counsailes, are with all fidelitee, humblenes and sincere har- [Sidenote: The state of counsailours worthie chief honour and veneracion.]
tes to be obeied, in worthines of their state and wisedome, to be embraced in chief honour and veneracion to bee taken, by whose industrie, knowledge and experience, the whole bodie of the common wealth and kyngdome, is supported and sa- ued. The state of euery one vniuersallie would come to par- dicion, if the inuasion of foraine Princes, by the wisedom and pollicie of counsailers, were not repelled. The horrible actes of wicked men would burste out, and a confusion ensue in al [Fol. ix.r]
states, if the wisedom of politike gouernors, if good lawes if the power and sword of the magistrate, could uot take place.
The peres and n.o.bles, with the chief gouernour, standeth as [Sidenote: Plato.]
Shepherds ouer the people: for so Plato alledgeth that name well and properlie giuen, to Princes and Gouernours, the [Sidenote: Homere.]
which Homere the Poete attributeth, to Agamemnon king of Grece: to Menelaus, Ulisses, Nestor, Achillas, Diomedes, [Sidenote: The Shepe- herdes name giue[n] to the of- fice of kyngs.]
Aiax, and al other. For, bothe the name and care of that state of office, can be t.i.teled by no better name in all pointes, for di- ligent kepyng, for aide, succoryng, and with all equitie tem- peryng the mult.i.tude: thei are as Shepeherdes els the selie poore mult.i.tude, would by an oppression of pestiferous men.
The commonaltee or base mult.i.tude, liueth more quietlie [Sidenote: The state or good counsai- lers, trou- blous.]
then the state of soche as daily seke, to vpholde and maintaine the common wealthe, by counsaill and politike deliberacion, how troublous hath their state alwaies been: how vnquiete from time to time, whose heddes in verie deede, doeth seke for a publike wealth. Therefore, though their honor bee greater, and state aboue the reste, yet what care, what pensiuenesse of minde are thei driuen vnto, on whose heddes aucthoritee and regiment, the sauegard of innumerable people doeth depend.
[Sidenote: A comparison from a lesse, to a greater.]
If in our domesticall businesse, of matters pertainyng to our housholde, euery man by nature, for hym and his, is pensiue, moche more in so vaste, and infinite a bodie of co[m]mon wealth, greater must the care be, and more daungerous deliberacion.
We desire peace, we reioyce of a tranquilitee, and quietnesse to ensue, we wishe, to consist in a hauen of securitee: our hou- ses not to be spoiled, our wiues and children, not to bee mur- [Sidenote: The worthie state of Prin- ces and coun- sailours.]
thered. This the Prince and counsailours, by wisedome fore- see, to keepe of, all these calamitees, daungers, miseries, the whole mult.i.tude, and bodie of the Common wealthe, is without them maimed, weake and feable, a readie confusion to the enemie. Therefore, the state of peeres and n.o.bles, is with all humilitee to be obaied, serued and honored, not with- out greate cause, the Athenians were drawen backe, by the [Fol. ix.v]
wisedome of Demosthenes, when thei sawe the[m] selues a slau- ter and praie, to the enemie.
-- A comparson of thynges.
WHat can bee more rashly and foolishly doen, then the Shepeherdes, to giue ouer their Dogges, by whose might and strength, the Shepe were saued: on the o- ther side, what can be more subtlie doen and craftely, then the Wolues, vnder a colour of frendship and amitee, to seeke the [Sidenote: The amitie of wicked menne.]
blood of the shepe, as all pestiferous men, vnder a fained pro- fer of amitee, profered to seeke their owne profite, commoditee and wealthe, though it be with ruine, calamitie, miserie, de- struccion of one, or many, toune, or citee, region and countree, whiche sort of men, are moste detestable and execrable.
-- The contrarie.
AS to moche simplicitie & lacke of discrecion, is a fur- theraunce to perill and daunger: so ofte[n]times, he ta- [Sidenote: To beleue lightly, afur- theraunce to perill.]
steth of smarte and woe, who lightly beleueth: so con- trariwise, disimulacio[n] in mischeuous practises begon w[ith] fre[n]d- ly wordes, in the conclusion doeth frame & ende pernisiouslie.
-- The _Epilogus_.
THerefore fained offers of frendship, are to bee taken heede of, and the acte of euery man to bee examined, proued, and tried, for true frendship is a rare thyng, when as Tullie doth saie: in many ages there are fewe cou- ples of friendes to be found, Aristotle also co[n]cludeth thesame.
-- The Fable of the Ante, and Greshopper.
-- The praise of the aucthour.
[Sidenote: The praise of Esope.]
ESope who wrote these Fables, hath chief fame of all learned aucthours, for his Philosophie, and giuyng wisedome in preceptes: his Fables dooe shewe vnto all states moste wholsome doctrine of vertuous life. He who- ly extolleth vertue, and depresseth vice: he correcteth all states and setteth out preceptes to amende them. Although he was deformed and ill shaped, yet Nature wrought in hym soche [Fol. x.r]
vertue, that he was in minde moste beautifull: and seing that the giftes of the body, are not equall in dignitie, with the ver- tue of the mynde, then in that Esope chiefly excelled, ha- uyng the moste excellente vertue of the minde. The wisedom [Sidenote: Cresus.]
and witte of Esope semed singuler: for at what tyme as Cre- sus, the kyng of the Lidians, made warre against the Sami- ans, he with his wisedome and pollicie, so pacified the minde of Cresus, that all warre ceased, and the daunger of the coun- [Sidenote: Samians.]
tree was taken awaie, the Samia[n]s deliuered of this destruc- cion and warre, receiued Esope at his retourne with many honours. After that Esope departyng from the Isle Samus, wandered to straunge regions, at the laste his wisedome be- [Sidenote: Licerus.]
yng knowen: Licerus the kyng of that countree, had hym in soche reuerence and honor, that he caused an Image of gold to be set vp in the honour of Esope. After that, he wanderyng [Sidenote: Delphos.]
ouer Grece, to the citee of Delphos, of whom he beyng mur- thered, a greate plague and Pestilence fell vpon the citee, that reuenged his death: As in all his Fables, he is moche to bee commended, so in this Fable he is moche to be praised, which he wrote of the Ante and the Greshopper.
-- The Fable.
IN a hotte Sommer, the Grashoppers gaue them sel- ues to pleasaunt melodie, whose Musicke and melo- die, was harde from the pleasaunt Busshes: but the Ante in all this pleasaunt tyme, laboured with pain and tra- uaile, she sc.r.a.ped her liuyng, and with fore witte and wise- [Sidenote: Winter.]
dome, preuented the barande and scarce tyme of Winter: for when Winter time aprocheth, the ground cea.s.seth fro[m] fruict, [Sidenote: The Ante.]
then the Ante by his labour, doeth take the fruicte & enioyeth it: but hunger and miserie fell vpon the Greshoppers, who in the pleasaunt tyme of Sommer, when fruictes were aboun- dauute, cea.s.sed by labour to put of necessitee, with the whiche the long colde and stormie tyme, killed them vp, wantyng al sustinaunce.
[Fol. x.v]
-- The Morall.
HEre in example, all menne maie take to frame their owne life, and also to bryng vp in G.o.dlie educacion their children: that while age is tender and young, thei maie learne by example of the Ante, to prouide in their grene and l.u.s.tie youth, some meane of art and science, wher- by thei maie staie their age and necessitee of life, al soche as do flie labour, and paine in youth, and seeke no waie of Arte and science, in age thei shall fall in extreme miserie and pouertee.
-- The nature of the thyng.
NOt without a cause, the Philosophers searchyng the nature and qualitee of euery beaste, dooe moche com- [Sidenote: The Ante.]
mende the Ante, for prouidence and diligence, in that not oneie by nature thei excell in forewisedome to the[m] selues, [Sidenote: Manne.]
but also thei be a example, and mirrour to all menne, in that thei iustlie followe the instincte of Nature: and moche more, where as men indued with reason, and all singulare vertues and excellent qualitees of the minde and body. Yet thei doe so moche leaue reason, vertue, & integritee of minde, as that thei had been framed without reason, indued with no vertue, nor adorned with any excellent qualitee. All creatures as nature hath wrought in them, doe applie them selues to followe na- ture their guide: the Ante is alwaies diligent in his busines, and prouident, and also fore seeth in Sommer, the sharpe sea- son of Winter: thei keepe order, and haue a kyng and a com- mon wealthe as it were, as nature hath taught them. And so haue all other creatures, as nature hath wrought in the[m] their giftes, man onelie leaueth reason, and neclecteth the chief or- namentes of the minde: and beyng as a G.o.d aboue all crea- tures, dooeth leese the excellent giftes. A beaste will not take excesse in feedyng, but man often tymes is without reason, and hauyng a pure mynde and soule giuen of G.o.d, and a face to beholde the heauens, yet he doeth abase hymself to yearth- [Sidenote: Greshopper.]
lie thynges, as concernyng the Greshopper: as the Philoso- phers doe saie, is made altogether of dewe, and sone perisheth[.]
[Fol. xj.r]
The Greshopper maie well resemble, slothfull and sluggishe persones, who seke onely after a present pleasure, hauyng no fore witte and wisedom, to foresee tymes and ceasons: for it is [Sidenote: A poincte of wisedome.]
the poinct of wisedo[m], to iudge thinges present, by thinges past and to take a co[n]iecture of thinges to come, by thinges present.