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t now
remaines that we consider what the conditions of a Prince ought to
be, and his termes of government over his subjects, and towards his
friends. And because I know that many have written hereupon; I
doubt, lest I venturing also to treat thereof, may be branded with
presumption, especially seeing I am like enough to deliver an
opinion different from others. But my intent being to write for the
advantage of him that understands me, I thought it fitter to follow
the effectuall truth of the matter, than the imagination thereof;
And many Principalities and Republiques, have been in imagination,
which neither have been seen nor knowne to be indeed: for there is
such a distance between how men doe live, and how men ought to
live; that he who leaves that which is done, for that which ought
to be done, learnes sooner his ruine than his preservation; for
that man who will professe honesty in all his actions, must needs
goe to ruine among so many that are dishonest. Whereupon it is
necessary for a Prince, desiring to preserve himselfe, to be able
to make use of that honestie, and to lay it aside againe, as need
shall require. Passing by then things that are only in imagination
belonging to a Prince, to discourse upon those that are really
true; I say that all men, whensoever mention is made of them, and
especially Princes, because they are placed {314} aloft in
the view of all, are taken notice of for some of these qualities,
which procure them either commendations or blame: and this is that
some one is held liberal, some miserable, (miserable I say, nor
covetous; for the covetous desire to have, though it were by
rapine; but a miserable man is he, that too much for bears to make
use of his owne) some free givers, others extortioners; some
cruell, others pitious; the one a Leaguebreaker, another faithfull;
the one effeminate and of small courage, the other fierce and
couragious; the one courteous, the other proud; the one lascivious,
the other chaste; the one of faire dealing, the other wily and
crafty; the one hard, the other easie; the one grave, the other
light; the one religious, the other incredulous, and such like. I
know that every one will confesse, it were exceedingly praise
worthy for a Prince to be adorned with all these above nam'd
qualities that are good: but because this is not possible, nor doe
humane conditions admit such perfection in vertues, it is necessary
for him to be so discret, that he know how to avoid the infamie of
those vices which would thrust him out of his State; and if it be
possible, beware of those also which are not able to remove him
thence; but where it cannot be, let them passe with lesse regard.
And yet, let him not stand much upon it, though he incurre the
infamie of those vices, without which he can very hardly save his
State: for if all be throughly considerd, some thing we shall find
which will have the colour and very face of Vertue, and following
them, they will lead the to thy destruction; whereas some others
that shall as much seeme vice, if we take the course they lead us,
shall discover unto us the way to our safety and well-being.
The second blemish in this our Authours book, I find in his
fifteenth Chapter: where he instructs his Prince to use such an
ambidexterity as that he may serve himselfe either of vertue, or
vice, according to his advantage, which in true pollicy is neither
good in attaining the Principality nor in securing it when it is
attaind. For Politicks, presuppose Ethiques, which will never allow
this rule: as that a man might make this small {315}
difference between vertue, and vice, that he may indifferently lay
aside, or take up the one or the other, and put it in practise as
best conduceth to the end he propounds himselfe. I doubt our
Authour would have blamd Davids regard to Saul when 1 Sam. 24. in
the cave he cut off the lap of Sauls garment, and spared his head;
and afterwards in the 26. when he forbad Abishai to strike him as
he lay sleeping. Worthy of a Princes consideration is that saying
of Abigal to David 1 Sam. 25. 30.
'It shall come to passe when the Lord shall have done to my Lord
according to all that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall
have appointed thee Ruler over Israel, that this shall be no grief
to thee, nor offence of heart unto my Lord, that thou hast forborne
to shed blood, etc.'
For surely the conscience of this evill ground whereupon they
have either built, or underpropped their tyranny, causes men, as
well metus as spes in longum projicere, which sets
them a work on further mischiefe.
Of Liberality, and Miserablenesse.
eginning
then at the first of the above mentioned qualities, I say that it
would be very well to be accounted liberall: neverthelesse,
liberality used in such a manner, as to make thee be accounted so,
wrongs thee: for in case it be used vertuously, and as it ought to
be, it shall never come to be taken notice of, so as to free thee
from the infamie of its contrary. And therefore for one to hold the
name of liberal among men, it were needfull not to omit any
sumptuous quality, insomuch that a Prince alwayes so dispos'd,
shall waste all his revenues, and at the end shall be forc'd, if he
will still maintaine that reputation of liberality, heavily to
burthen his subjects, and become a great exactour; and put in
practise all those things that can be done to get mony: Which
begins to make him hatefull to his subjects, and fall into every
ones contempt, growing necessitous: so that having with this
liberality wrong'd many, and imparted of his bounty but to a few;
he feels every first mischance, and runs a hazard {316} of every
first danger: Which he knowing, and desiring to withdraw himself
from, incurs presently the disgrace of being termed miserable. A
Prince therefore not being able to use this vertue of liberality,
without his own damage, in such a sort, that it may be taken notice
of, ought, if he be wise, not to regard the name of Miserable; for
in time he shall alwaies be esteemed the more liberal, seeing that
by his parsimony his own revenues are sufficient for him; as also
he can defend himself against whoever makes war against him, and
can do some exploits without grieving his subjects: so that he
comes to use his liberality to all those, from whom he takes
nothing, who are infinite in number; and his miserableness towards
those to whom he gives nothing, who are but a few. In our dayes we
have not seen any, but those who have been held miserable, do any
great matters; but the others all quite ruin'd. Pope Julius the
second, however he serv'd himself of the name of Liberal, to get
the Papacy, yet never intended he to continue it, to the end he
might be able to make war against the King of France: and he made
so many wars without imposing any extraordinary tax, because his
long thrift supplyed his large expences. This present King of Spain
could never have undertaken, nor gone through with so many
exploits, had he been accounted liberal. Wherefore a Prince ought
little to regard (that he may not be driven to pillage his
subjects, that he may be able to defend himself, that he may not
fall into poverty and contempt, that he be not forced to become an
extortioner) though he incurre the name of miserable; for this is
one of those vices, which does not pluck him from his throne. And
if any one should say, Cæsar by his liberality obtained the
Empire, and many others (because they both were, and were esteemd
liberal) attaind to exceeding great dignities. I answer, either
thou art already come to be a Prince, or thou art in the way to it;
in the first case, this liberality is hurtful; in the second, it is
necessary to be accounted so; and Cæsar was one of those that
aspired to the Principality of Rome. But if after he had gotten it,
he had survived, and not forborne {317} those expences, he would
quite have ruined that Empire. And if any one should reply; many
have been Princes, and with their armies have done great exploits,
who have been held very liberal. I answer, either the Prince spends
of his own and his subjects, or that which belongs to others: in
the first, he ought to be sparing; in the second, he should not
omit any part of liberality. And that Prince that goes abroad with
his army, and feeds upon prey, and spoyle, and tributes, and hath
the disposing of that which belongs to others, necessarily should
use this liberality; otherwise would his soldiers never follow him;
and of that which is neither thine, nor thy subjects, thou mayest
well be a free giver, as were Cyrus, Cæsar and Alexander; for
the spending of that which is anothers, takes not away thy
reputation, but rather adds to it, only the wasting of that which
is thine own hurts thee; nor is there any thing consumes itself so
much as liberality, which whilest thou usest, thou losest the means
to make use of it, and becomest poore and abject; or to avoid this
poverty, an extortioner and hatefull person. And among all those
things which a Prince ought to beware of is, to be dispised, and
odious; to one and the other of which, liberality brings thee.
Wherefore there is more discretion to hold the stile of Miserable,
which begets an infamy without hatred, than to desire that of
Liberal, whereby to incurre the necessity of being thought an
extortioner, which procures an infamy with hatred.
{318}
Of Cruelty, and Clemency, and whether it is better to be
belov'd, or feard.
