THE FIRST CHAPTER Of profit and honesty O man living is free from speaking CHAPTER Næ iste magno conatu magnas nugas dixerit. This fellow sure with much a doe, Will tell great tales and trifles too. That concerneth not me; mine slip from me with as little care, as they are of smal worth; whereby they speed the better. I would suddenly quit them, for the least cost were in them: Nor do I buy, or sell them, but for what they weigh. I speake unto Paper, as to the first man I meete. That this is true, marke well what followes. To whom should not treachery be detestable, when Tiberius refused it on such great interest? One sent him word out of Germany, that if he thought it good, Ariminius should be made away by poison. He was the mightiest enemy the Romans had, who had so vilely used them under Varus, and who onely empeached the encrease of his domination in that country. His answer was; that the people of Rome were accustomed to be revenged on their enemies by open courses, With weapons in hand; not by subtill sleights, nor in hugger mugger: thus left he the profitable for the honest. He was (you will say) a cosener. I beleeve it; that's no wonder; in men of his profession. But the confession of vertue, is of no lesse conse VOL. III. A 1 I Of profit and honesty I CHAPTER quence in his mouth that hateth the same, forsomuch as truth by force doth wrest it from him, and if he Of profit and will not [admit] it in him, at least, to adorne himhonesty selfe he will put it on. Our composition, both publike and private, is full of imperfection; yet is there nothing in nature unserviceable, no not inutility it selfe ; nothing thereof hath beene insinuated in this huge universe, but holdeth some fit place therein. Our essence is cymented with crased qualities; ambition, jealosie, envy, revenge, superstition, dispaire, lodge in us, with so naturall a possession, as their image is also discerned in beasts: yea and cruelty, so unnaturall a vice: for in the middest of compassion, we inwardly feele a kinde of bitter-sweet-pricking of malicious delight, to see others suffer; and children feele it also: Suave mari magno turbantibus æquora ventis, -LUCR. ii. 1. T'is sweet on graund seas, when windes waves turmoyle, The seed of which qualities, who should roote out of man, should ruine the fundamental conditions of our life: In matter of policy likewise; some necessary functions are not onely base, but faulty: vices finde therein a seate, and employ themselves in the stitching up of our frame; as poysons in the preservations of our health. If they become excusable, because wee have neede of them, and that common necessity effaceth their true property; let us resigne the acting of this part to hardy Citizens, who sticke not to sacrifice their honours and consciences, as those of old, their lives, for their Countries availe and safety. We that are more weake, had best assume taskes of more ease and lesse hazard. The Common-wealth requireth some to betray, some to lie, and some to I honesty massaker leave we that commission to people more CHAPTER obedient and more pliable. Truly, I have often beene vexed, to see our judges, by fraude or false hopes of of profit and favour or pardon, draw on a malefactor, to bewray his offence; employing therein both cousenage and impudencie. It were fit for justice, and Plato himselfe, who favoureth this custome, to furnish me with meanes more sutable to my humour. T'is a malicious justice, and in my conceit no lesse wounded by it selfe, then by others. I answered not long since, that hardly could I betray my Prince for a particular man, who should be very sory to betray a particular man for my Prince. And loath not onely to deceive, but that any be deceived in me; whereto I will neither furnish matter nor occasion. In that little busines I have managed betweene our Princes, amid the divisions and subdivisions, which at this day so teare and turmoile us, I have curiously heeded, that they mistake me not, nor muffled themselves in my maske. The professors of that trade hold themselves most covert; pretending and counterfeiting the greatest indifference and neerenes to the cause they can. As for me, I offer my selfe in my liveliest reasons, in a forme most mine owne: A tender and young Negotiator, and who had rather faile in my businesse, then in my selfe. Yet hath this been hitherto with so good hap (for surely fortune is in these matters a principal actor) that few have dealt betwene party and party with lesse suspition, and more inward favour. I have in all my proceedings an open fashion, easie to insinuate and give it selfe credit at first acquaintance. Sincerity, plainenesse, and naked truth, in what age soever, finde also their opportunitie and employment. Besides, their liberty is little called in question, or subject to hate, who deale without respect of their owne interest. And they may truely use the answer of Hyperides unto the Athenians, com CHAPTER plaining of his bitter invectives and sharpenesse of his speech: Consider not, my masters whether I am free, but Of profit and whether I be so, without taking ought, or bettering my honesty state by it. My liberty also hath easily discharged me from all suspition of faintnesse, by it's vigor (nor forbearing to speake any thing, though it bit or stung them; I could not have said worse in their absence) and because it carrieth an apparant show of simplicity and carelesnesse. I pretend no other fruit by negotiating, then to negotiate; and annex no long pursuites or propositions to it. Every action makes his particular game, win he if he can. Nor am I urged with the passion of love or hate unto great men; nor is my wil shackled with anger, or particular respect. I regard our Kings with an affection simply lawfull, and meerely civil, neither mooved nor unmoov'd by private interest: for which I like my selfe the better. The generall and just cause bindes me no more then moderately, and without violent fits. I am not subject to these piercing pledges and inward gages. Choller and hate are beyond the duty of justice, and are passions fitting only those, whose reason is not sufficient to hold them to their duty: Utatur motu animi, qui uti ratione non potest, Let him use the motion of his minde, that cannot use reason. All lawful intentions are of themselves temperate : if not, they are altered into sedicious and unlawful. It is that makes me march every where with my head aloft, my face and heart open. Verily (and I feare not to avouch it) I could easily for a neede, bring a candle to Saint Michaell, and another to his Dragon, as the good old woman. I will follow the best side to the fire, but not into it, if I can choose. If neede require, let Montaigne my Manor-house be swallowed up in the publike ruine: but if there be no such necessity, I will acknowledge my selfe beholding unto fortune if she please to save it; and for |