42 OF RECEIVING THE K1NG*S MESSAGES. 



their safety is taken away. For the other point, of 

 weakening the council ; you know they are nothing 

 without the king : they are no body-politic ; they 

 have no commission under seal. So as, if you begin 

 to distinguish and disjoin them from the king, they 

 are &quot; corpus opacum ;&quot; for they have &quot; lumen de 

 &quot; lumine :&quot; and so by distinguishing you extinguish 

 the principal engine of the estate. For it is truly 

 affirmed, that &quot; Concilium non habet potestatem 

 &quot; delegatam, sed inhasrentem :&quot; and it is but &quot; Rex 

 &quot; in cathedra,&quot; the king in his chair or consistory, 

 where his will and decrees, which are in privacy 

 more changeable, are settled and fixed. 



Now for that which concerns ourselves. First, 

 for dignity ; no man must think this a disparage 

 ment to us: for the greatest kings in Europe, by 

 their ambassadors, receive answers and directions 

 from the council in the king s absence; and if that 

 negociation be fit for the fraternity and party of 

 kings, it may much less be excepted to by subjects. 



For use or benefit, no man can be so raw and un 

 acquainted in the affairs of the world, as to conceive 

 there should be any disadvantage in it, as if such 

 answers were less firm and certain. For it cannot 

 be supposed, that men of so great caution, as coun 

 sellors of estate commonly are, whether you take 

 caution for wisdom or providence, or for pledge of 

 estate or fortune, will ever err, or adventure so far 

 as to exceed their warrant. And therefore I con 

 clude, that in this point there can be unto us neither 

 disgrace nor disadvantage. 



