ubjects, and
become a great exactour; and put in practise all those things that can
be done to get mony: Which begins to make him hatefull to his subjects,
and fall into every ones contempt, growing necessitous: so that having
with this liberality wrong'd many, and imparted of his bounty but to a
few; he feels every first mischance, and runs a hazard of every first
danger: Which he knowing, and desiring to withdraw himself from, incurs
presently the disgrace of being termed miserable. A Prince therefore not
being able to use this vertue of liberality, without his own damage, in
such a sort, that it may be taken notice of, ought, if he be wise, not
to regard the name of Miserable; for in time he shall alwaies be
esteemed the more liberal, seeing that by his parsimony his own revenues
are sufficient for him; as also he can defend himself against whoever
makes war against him, and can do some exploits without grieving his
subjects: so that he comes to use his liberality to all those, from whom
he takes nothing, who are infinite in number; and his miserableness
towards those to whom he gives nothing, who are but a few. In our dayes
we have not seen any, but those who have been held miserable, do any
great matters; but the others all quite ruin'd. Pope Julius the second,
however he serv'd himself of the name of Liberal, to get the Papacy, yet
never intended he to continue it, to the end he might be able to make
war against the King of France: and he made so many wars without
imposing any extraordinary tax, because his long thrift supplyed his
large expences. This present King of Spain could never have undertaken,
nor gone through with so many exploits, had he been accounted liberal.
Wherefore a Prince ought little to regard (that he may not be driven to
pillage his subjects, that he may be able to defend himself, that he may
not fall into poverty and contempt, that he be not forced to become an
extortioner) though he incurre the name of miserable; for this is one of
those vices, which does not pluck him from his throne. And if any one
should say, Caesar by his liberality obtained the Empire, and many others
(because they both were, and were esteemd liberal) attaind to exceeding
great dignities. I answer, either thou art already come to be a Prince,
or thou art in the way to it; in the first case, this liberality is
hurtful; in the second, it is necessary to be accounted so; and Caesar
was one of those that aspired to the Princ