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here is
nothing gains a Prince such repute as great exploits, and rare
tryals of himself in Heroick actions. We have now in our dayes
Ferdinand King of Arragon the present King of Spain: he in a manner
may be termed a new Prince; for from a very weak King, he is now
become for fame and glory, the first King of Christendome, and if
you shall wel consider his actions, you shall find them all
illustrious, and every one of them extraordinary. He in the
beginning of his reign assaild Granada, and that exploit was the
ground of his State. At first he made that war in security, and
without suspicion he should be any waies hindred, and therein held
the Barons of Castiglias minds busied, who thinking upon that war,
never minded any innovation; in this while he gaind credit and
authority with them, they not being aware of it; was able to
maintain with the Church and the peoples money all his soldiers,
and to lay a foundation for his military ordinances with that long
war, which afterwards gaind him exceeding much honor. Besides this,
to the end he might be able hereamong to undertake greater matters,
serving himself alwaies of the colour of religion, he gave himself
to a kind of {340} religious cruelty, chasing and
dispoyling those Jewes out of the Kingdome; nor can this example be
more admirable and rare: under the same cloke he invaded Affrick
and went through with his exploit in Italy: and last of all hath he
assaild France, and so alwaies proceeded on forwards contriving of
great matters, which alwaies have held his subjects minds in peace
and admiration, and busied in attending the event, what it should
be: and these his actions have thus grown, one upon another, that
they have never given leisure to men so to rest, as they might ever
plot any thing against them. Moreover it much avails a Prince to
give extraordinary proofes of himself touching the government
within, such as those we have heard of Bernard of Milan, whensoever
occasion is given by any one, that may effectuate some great thing
either of good or evil, in the civil government; and to find out
some way either to reward or punish it, whereof in the world much
notice may be taken. And above all things a Prince ought to
endeavor in all his actions to spread abroad a fame of his
magnificence and worthiness. A Prince also is well esteemed, when
he is a true friend, or a true enemy; when without any regard he
discovers himself in favor of one against another; which course
shall be alwaies more profit, than to stand neuter: for if two
mighty ones that are thy neighbors, come to fall out, or are of
such quality, that one of them vanquishing, thou art like to be in
fear of the vanquisher, or not; in either of these two cases, it
will ever prove more for thy profit, to discover thy self, and make
a good war of it: for in the first case, if thou discoverest not
thy selfe, thou shalt alwaies be a prey to him that overcomes, to
the contentment and satisfaction of the vanquisht; neither shalt
thou have reason on thy side, nor any thing else to defend or
receive thee. For he that overcomes, will not have any suspected
friends that give him no assistance in his necessity: and he that
loses, receives thee not, because thou wouldest not with thy armes
in hand run the hazzard of his fortune. Antiochus passed into
Greece, thereunto induc'd by the Etolians, to chace the Romans
thence: and sent his Ambassadors to the {341} Achayans,
who were the Romans friends, to perswade them to stand neuters; on
the other side the Romans moved them to joyne armes with theirs:
this matter came to be deliberated on in the council of the
Achayans, where Antiochus his Ambassador encouraged them to stand
neuters, whereunto the Romans Ambassador answerd; Touching the
course, that is commended to you, as best and profitablest for your
State, to wit, not to intermeddle in the war between us, nothing
can be more against you: because, not taking either part, you shall
remain without thanks, and without reputation a prey to the
conqueror. And it will alwaies come to pass that he who is not thy
friend, will requite thy neutrality; and he that is thy friend,
will urge thee to discover thy self by taking arms for him: and
evil advised Princes; to avoyd the present dangers, folow often
times that way of neutrality, and most commonly go to ruine: but
when a Prince discovers himself strongly in favor of a party; if he
to whom thou cleavest, overcomes; however that he be puissant, and
thou remainest at his disposing, he is oblig'd to thee, and there
is a contract of friendship made; and men are never so openly
dishonest, as with such a notorious example of dishonesty to
oppress thee. Besides victories are never so prosperous, that the
conqueror is like neglect all respects, and especially of justice.
But if he to whom thou stickst, loses, thou art received by him;
and, while he is able, he aydes thee, and so thou becomest partner
of a fortune that may arise again; the second case, when they that
enter into the lists together, are of such quality, that thou
needest not fear him that vanquisheth, so much the more is it
discretion in thee to stick to him; for thou goest to ruine one
with his assistance, who ought to do the best he could to save him,
if he were well advised; and he overcomming, is left at thy
discretion; and it is unpossible but with thy ayd he must overcome.
And here it is to be noted, that a Prince should be well aware
never to joyn with any one more powerfull than himself, to offend
another, unless upon necessity, as formerly is said. For when he
overcomes, thou art left at his discretion, and Princes ought avoid
as {342} much as they are able, to stand at
anothers discretion. The Venetians took part with France against
the Duke of Milan, and yet could have avoided that partaking, from
which proceeded their ruine. But when it cannot be avoyded, as it
befel the Florentines when the Pope and the King of Spain went both
with their armies to Lombardy, there the Prince ought to side with
them for the reasons aforesaid. Nor let any State think they are
able to make such sure parties, but rather that they are all
doubtfull; for in the order of things we find it alwaies, that
whensoever a man seeks to avoid one inconvenient, he incurs
another. But the principal point of judgement, is in discerning
between the qualities of inconvenients, and not taking the bad for
the good. Moreover a Prince ought to shew himself a lover of
vertue, and that he honors those that excel in every Art.
Afterwards ought he encourage his Citizens, whereby they may be
enabled quickly to exercise their faculties as well in merchandise,
and husbandry, as in any other kind of traffick, to the end that no
man forbear to adorne and cultivate his possessions for fear that
he be despoyled of them; or any other to open the commerce upon the
danger of heavy impositions: but rather to provide rewards for
those that shall set these matters afoot, or for any one else that
shall any way amplifie his City or State. Besides he ought in the
fit times of the year entertain the people with Feasts and Maskes;
and because every City is devided into Companies, and arts, and
Tribes, he ought to take special notice of those bodies, and some
times afford them a meeting, and give them some proof of his
humanity, and magnificence; yet withall holding firme the majestie
of his State; for this must never fail in any case.
{343}
Touching Princes Secretaries.
t is no
small importance to a Prince, the choyce he makes, of servants
being ordinarily good or bad, as his wisdome is. And the first
conjecture one gives of a great man, and of his understanding, is,
upon the sight of his followers and servants he hath about him,
when they prove able and faithful, and then may he alwaies be
reputed wise because he hath known how to discern those that are
able, and to keep them true to him. But when they are otherwise,
there can be no good conjecture made of him; for the first error he
commits, is in this choyce. There was no man that had any knowledge
of Antonio of Vanafro, the servant of Pandulfus Petrucci Prince of
Sicily, who did not esteem Pandulfus for a very discreet man,
having him for his servant. And because there are three kinds of
understandings; the one that is advised by it self; the other that
understands when it is informed by another; the third that neither
is advised by it self nor by the demonstration of another; the
first is best, the second is good, and the last quite unprofitable.
Therefore it was of necessity, that if Pandulfus attaind not the
first degree, yet he got to the second; for whenever any one hath
the judgement to discerne between the good and the evil, that he
does and sayes, however that he hath not his distinction from
himself, yet still comes he to take notice of the good or evil
actions of that servant; and those he cherishes, and these he
suppresses; insomuch that the servant finding no means to deceive
his master, keeps himself upright and honest. But how a Prince may
throughly understand his servant, here is the way that never fails.
When thou seest the servant study more for his own advantage than
thine, and that in all his actions, he searches most {344} after his
own profit; this man thus qualified, shall never prove good
servant, nor canst thou ever relie upon him: for he that holds the
Sterne of the State in hand, ought never call home his cares to his
own particular, but give himself wholly over to his Princes
service, nor ever put him in minde of any thing not appertaining to
him. And on the other side the Prince to keep him good to him,
ought to take a care for his servant, honoring him, enriching, and
obliging him to him, giving him part both of dignities and offices,
to the end that the many honors and much wealth bestowed on him,
may restrain his desires from other honors, and other wealth, and
that those many charges cause him to fear changes that may fall,
knowing he is not able to stand without his master. And when both
the Princes and the servants are thus disposed, they may rely the
one upon the other: when otherwise, the end will ever prove
hurtfull for the one as well as for the other.
That Flatterers are to be avoyded.
