The First Book 57 



jmanded: to have commandment over beasts, as herdmen 

 have, is a thing contemptible; to have commandment over 

 children, as schoolmasters have, is a matter of small honour ; 

 to have commandment over galley-slaves is a disparage- 

 ment rather than an honour. Neither is the command- 

 ment of tyrants much better, over people which have put 

 off the generosity of their minds: and therefore it was ever 

 holden that honours in free monarchies and commonwealths 

 had a sweetness more than in tyrannies ; because the com- 

 mandment extendeth more over the wills of men, and not 

 only over their deeds and services. And therefore, when 

 Virgil putteth himself forth to attribute to Augustus Caesar 

 the best of human honours, he doth it in these words : 



Victorque volentes 

 Per populos dat jura, viamque affectat Olympo.^ 



But yet t he commandment of knowledge is vet highe r 

 than the cnmmand m^"^ "^<=^^ ^^^ ^^^ ; for it is a command- 

 ment over the reason, belief, and understanding of man, 

 which is the highest part of the mind, and giveth law to the 

 will itself. For there is no power on earth which setteth 

 up a throne or chair of state in the spirits and souls of men, 

 . and in their cogitations, imaginations, opinions, and 

 * beliefs, but knowledge and learning. And therefore we 

 see the detestable and extreme pleasure that arch-heretics, 

 and false prophets, and impostors are transported with, 

 when they once find in themselves that they have a superior- 

 ity in the faith and conscience of men ; so great as if they 

 have once tasted of it, it is seldom seen that any torture or 

 persecution can make them rehnquish or abandon it. But 

 as this is that which the author of the Revelation calleth 

 the depth or profoundness of Satan : '^ so by argument of 

 contraries, the just and lawful sovereignty over men's 

 understanding, by force ^ of truth rightly interpreted, is 

 that which approacheth nearest to the similitude of the 

 Divine Rule. 

 4. As for fortune and advancement, the beneficence of 

 learning is not so confined to give fortune only to states and 

 commonwealths, as it doth not Hkewise give fortune to 

 •* particular persons. For it was well noted long ago, that 



» Georg. iv. 561, 562. • Rev. ii. 24. 



* Edition 1605 reads face. 



