446 ADVICE TO SIR GEORGE VILLIERS. 



The other did properly concern the king, in his 

 royal capacity, as &quot; pater patriae ;&quot; this more properly 

 as &quot; pater-familias :&quot; and herein, 



1. I shall, in a word, and but in a word only, put 

 you in mind, that the king in his own person, both in 

 respect of his household or court, and in respect of 

 his whole kingdom, for a little kingdom is but as a 

 great household, and a great household as alittle king 

 dom, must be exemplary, &quot; Regis ad exemplum, &c.&quot; 

 But for this, God be praised, our charge is easy ; for 

 our gracious master, for his learning and piety, justice 

 and bounty, may be, and is, not only a precedent to 

 his own subjects, but to foreign princes also ; yet 

 he is still but a man, and seasonable &quot; mementos&quot; 

 may be useful ; and, being discreetly used, cannot but 

 take well with him. 



2. But your greatest care must be, that the great 

 men of his court, for you must give me leave to be 

 plain with you, for so is your injunction laid upon me, 

 yourself in the first place, who are first in the eye of 

 all men, give no just cause of scandal ; either by light, 

 or vain, or by oppressive carriage. 



3. The great officers of the king s household had 

 need be both discreet and provident persons, both for 

 his honour and for his thrift ; they must look both 

 ways, else they are but half-sighted : yet in the choice 

 of them there is more latitude left to affection, than 

 in the choice of counsellors, and of the great officers 

 of state, before touched, which must always be made 

 choice of merely out of judgment; for in them the 

 public hath a great interest. 



