e.[218] Is anything more common, or more
useful, than to caution wise men in high stations against putting too
much trust in undertaking servants, cringing flatterers, or designing
friends? Since the Asiatic custom of governing by prime ministers hath
prevailed in so many courts of Europe, how careful should every prince
be in the choice of the person on whom so great a trust is devolved,
whereon depend the safety and welfare of himself and all his subjects.
Queen Elizabeth, whose administration is frequently quoted as the best
pattern for English princes to follow, could not resist the artifices of
the Earl of Leicester, who, although universally allowed to be the most
ambitious, insolent, and corrupt person of his age, was yet her
greatest, and almost her only favourite: (his religion indeed being
partly puritan and partly infidel, might have better tallied with
present times) yet this wise queen would never suffer the openest
enemies of that overgrown lord to be sacrificed to his vengeance; nor
durst he charge them with a design of introducing Popery or the Spanish
pretender.

How many great families do we all know, whose masters have passed for
persons of good abilities, during the whole course of their lives, and
yet the greatest part of whose estates have sunk in the hands of their
stewards and receivers; their revenues paid them in scanty portions, at
large discount, and treble interest, though they did not know it; while
the tenants were daily racked, and at the same time accused to their
landlords of insolvency. Of this species are such managers, who, like
honest Peter Waters, pretend to clear an estate, keep the owner
penniless, and, after seven years, leave him five times more in debt,
while they sink half a plum into their own pockets.

Those who think themselves concerned, may give you thanks for that
gracious liberty you are pleased to allow them of "taking vengeance on
the ministers, and there shooting their envenomed arrows." As to myself;
I neither owe you vengeance, nor make use of such weapons: but it is
your weakness, or ill fortune, or perhaps the fault of your
constitution, to convert wholesome remedies into poison; for you have
received better and more frequent instructions than any minister of your
age and country, if God had given you the grace to apply them.

I dare promise you the thanks of half the kingdom, if you will please to
perform the promise you have made of suffering the _Craftsman_