iligence, not to cause their great men
to fall into desperation, and to content the people, and so to maintaine
them: for this is one of the most important businesses belonging to a
Prince. Among the Kingdomes that are well orderd and governd in our
dayes, is that of France, and therein are found exceeding many good
orders, whereupon the Kings liberty and security depends: of which the
chiefe is the Parliament, and the authority thereof: for he that founded
that Kingdome, knowing the great mens ambition and insolence; and
judgeing it necessary there should be a bridle to curbe them; and on the
other side knowing the hatred of the Commonalty against the great ones,
grounded upon feare, intending to secure them, would not lay this care
wholly upon the King, but take this trouble from him, which he might
have with the great men, in case he favourd the Commonalty; or with the
Commonalty, in case he favourd the great men; and thereupon set up a
third judge, which was that, to the end it should keep under the great
ones, and favour the meaner sort, without any imputation to the King. It
was not possible to take a better, nor wiser course then this; nor a
surer way to secure the King, and the Kingdome. From whence we may draw
another conclusion worthie of note, that Princes ought to cause others
to take upon them the matters of blame and imputation; and upon
themselves to take only those of grace and favour. Here againe I
conclude, that a Prince ought to make good esteeme of his Nobility; but
not thereby to incur the Commons hatred: It would seeme perhaps to many,
considering the life and death of many Romane Emperours, that they were
examples contrary to my opinion, finding that some have liv'd worthily,
and shewd many rare vertues of the minde, and yet have lost the Empire,
and been put to death by their owne subjects, conspiring against them.
Intending then to answer these objections, I shall discourse upon the
qualities of some Emperours, declaring the occasions of their ruine, not
disagreeing from that which I have alledgd; and part thereof I will
bestow on the consideration of these things, which are worthy to be
noted by him that reads the actions of those times: and it shall suffice
me to take all those Emperours that succeeded in the Empire from Marcus
the Philosopher to Maximinus, who were Mercus and Commodus his sonne,
Pertinax, Julian, Severus, Antonius, Caracalla his sonne, Macrinus,
Heliogabalus, Alexander, and Max