at imperiall state
bringeth, I did repent more then a Thousand times for taking
vppon mee a charge so great: for Empire and gouernement is of
sutch quality that although the honor be mighty, yet the
gouernour sustaineth manifold paines and miserable trauailes.
O how greatly doth he bind himself, which by gouernment bindeth
other! for if hee bee iuste they call hym cruell, if hee bee
Pitifull, he is contempned, if liberall, he is esteemed
Prodigall, if he keepe or gather together he is counted
couetous, if hee be peaceable and quiet, they deeme him for a
coward, if he be couragious, he is reputed a quareller, if
graue, they will say he is proude, if he be easie to be spoken
to, hee is thought to be light or simple, if solitary, they will
esteeme him to be an hypocrite, and if he be ioyfull, they will
terme hym dissolute: In sutch wise as they wil be contented, and
vse better termes to al others what so euer, than towardes him,
which gouerneth a common wealth: for to sutch a one they recken
the morsels which he eateth, they measure his pases, they note
his words, they take heede to his companies, and iudge of his
works (many times wrongfully,) they examine and murmure of his
pastimes, and attempt to Coniecture hys Thoughtes: consider then
the trauayles which bee in gouernement, and the enuy which many
times they beare vnto him that ruleth. We may say, that there is
no state more sure than that which is furthest of from Enuy. And
if a man cannot but wyth great payne gouerne the wyfe which hee
hath chosen, the children which he hath begotten, nor the
seruaunt which he hath brought vp, hauing them altogether in one
house: how is it possible that he can still conserue in peace a
whole commonwealth? I praye you tell mee, in whom shall a poore
Prince repose his trust, syth that many times hee is most
slaundered by theym whom he fauoureth best? Prynces and great
Lordes cannot eate without a Garde, cannot sleepe without a
watch, cannot speake without espiall, nor walke without some
saufety, in sutch wise as they being Lords of al, they be as it
were, Prisoners of their owne people. And if we wil beholde
somewhat neerely, and consider the seruitude of Princes, and the
liberty of Subiectes, we shall finde that he which hath most to
doe in the Realme, or beareth greatest swinge, is most subiect
to Thraldome. So that if Princes haue authority to geue liberty,
they haue no meanes to be free themselues: the gods haue created
vs so f