a man happy, and worthy to be
partaker of the diuinity. But aboue al, I wil prayse him which
not subiect to the law lyueth neuerthelesse like him that is
most thrall thereunto, or without respect of bloude or frendship
shall exercise Iustice vpon his dearest and best beloued: as in
olde time Manlius and Torquatus at Rome, the people of Athenes
towards one Timagoras, who beyond the duty of the Ambassador of
a frank citty, fel down on his knees and worshipped the Persian
king. And in our time the Marquize of Ferrara, by doing to death
his own son for adultry committed wyth his mother in Law. And
yet Iustice may fauour of some cruelty, which rather turneth to
shame than praise: as Ihon Maria Visconte Duke of Milan, when he
caused a couetous priest to be buried quick with the corps of
him whom he had refused to bury without money, the history
wherof is hereafter remembred. So as mediocrity of punishment
ought to be yoked with the rigor of law, for the mitigation
thereof. And beholde, wherefore the great Dictator Iulius Caesar
loued better to gayn the heart of his enemies with mercy, than
vanquish and bring them to obedience with massy manacles and
giues of Iron. Moreouer in our age Alphonsus of Aragon (the true
Sampler of a iust and Righteous Prynce) dyd not hee esteeme
(when hee strayghtly besieged Gaiette) the Vyctory to be more
Gloryous and better gotten, which is done by composition and
gentlenesse, than the bloudy conquest, colored wyth teares and
bloud of a poore simple people? And truly princes, and great
lordes, specially they which newly (without succession receyued
from their ancestors) arriue to the gouernment of some
commonwealth, ought continually to haue before their eies, an
honest seuerity for the holines of the law, and a graue
mildnesse, to moderat the rigour of their duety: For by that
meanes right is mainteined, the heart of man is won, so wel as
by violence: and the state of gouernment taketh so good footing,
as the winde of no sedition afterwards can remoue the same,
beinge founded vpon a sure stone, and framed vpon a rock durable
for a long tyme. Whereof wee haue an example of fresh memory of
a kinde act, full both of wysedome and of gentle seuerity, in a
prynce of our time, who wythout effusion of bloud punished with
rigor enough, a trespasse committed, and sweetely remitted the
payne vpon him, which merited grieuous, nay mortall punishment,
as at large you shall see by the discourse that followet