L I B. VII. Of the Advancement of Learning. 22q 



may fee more than a Gamefter; and there be a common proverb, 

 more arrogant than found, proceeding from the cenfure of the vul- 

 gar, touching the adtions of Princes, That the vale beji difcovereth the 

 mill--, yet it could be efpecially wiQied, that none would intermed- 

 dle or engage themfelves in fubjeftsof this nature, but only fuch as 

 are well experienced and and praftis'd in the particular cuftoms of-. . 

 men. For the labours and vrgilancies offpeculativc men^in A&ive Mat- OQtore!^* ^ 

 ters, do fee/ft to men of experience^ little better^ than the dijcourfef of 

 Thormio of the tvars, feented to Hannibal^ which ejieemed them but 

 dreams and dot age. Only there is one vice which accompanies them, 

 which write books of matters pertaining to their own profeffioniand 

 Art, which is, that they magnifie and extol them in excefi. 



^ In which kjnd ofBookj^ it were a crime Piacular, not to mention, 

 Hoaoris caufa,TtfHr Majejiic's excellent worl^ touching the duty of a dorqn^' 

 Kiag: for this writing hath accHntnlated and congejied withinit many "^.K^iL. 

 treafitres as well open asfecretofr)\vmny,Moxz\ny, and Policy,with 

 great afperfion of all other Arts 5 and it is in my opinion one of the moji 

 found and healthfnl writings that I have read. It doth not float with 

 the heat of Invention -j nor freez, and fleep with the coldne^ of negli' 

 gence : it is not now and then ta^en with a wheeling dizzineff, fo to con- 

 found and lofe it felf in its order j nor is it dijiraBed and difcontinu- 

 ed by digrejjions, as thqfe difcourfes are 5 which by a winding expatia^ 

 Hon, fetch in and encloje matter thatfpeakj nothing to the purpofe 5 nor 

 is it corrupted, with the cheating Arts of Rhetorical perfumes and paint- 

 ings, who chuje rather to pleafe the Reader, than tofatisfie the nature 

 of the Argument, Bnt chiefly that work^ hath life andfpirit, as Body 

 ttndBulk^, as excellently agreeing with truth, and moli apt for uje and 

 a&ion: and likewife clearly exempt from that vice noted even now, 

 (which if it were tolerable in any, certainly, it were fo in Kings, and 

 in a writing concerning Regal Ma] efly"^ namely, that it doth not excef- 

 fively and invidioufly exalt the Crown and Dignity of Kings. For Your 

 Majefty hath not defcribed a King of Perfia or AlTyria, radiant, and 

 fhining in extreme Pomp and Glory 3 but really, a Moles or a David, 

 Paiiors oj the People. Neither can I ever lofe outfjfmy remembrance, 

 a Speech, which Your Majtiky, inthefacredSpirmfwherewithyouare 

 endowed to govern Tour people, delivered in a great caufe of ludicature, 

 which was. That Kings rul'd by the Laws of their Kingdoms, as God Jacob, r; 

 did by the Laws of Nature; and ought as rarely to put in u(e that ''^'^^h "*° 

 their prerogative, which tranfcends Laws, as we{ceGodputin ule 

 his power of working Miracles. And yet ttotwithjianding in that 0- delib. 

 therbook^, written by Your Majefty, of a free Monarchy, Tou give a/l^^^^^'^ 

 men to underiiand, that Your Majefty, knows and comprehends the 

 Plenitude oft he Power of Kings, and the Vltimities (as the Schools fpeak 

 of Regal Rights ^ as well ai the circle and bounds of their Office, and 

 Royal Duty. Wherefore I have prefumed, toalledge^Arf/ book, writ- 

 ten by Tour Adaje^y, as a prime and moft eminent example of Tra- 

 ftates, concerning fpecial and refpe&ive Duties. Of which Book, 

 what I have now (aid, I fhould in truth have faid as much, if it had 

 been written by any King a thoufand years fince. Neither doth that 

 kind of nice Decency move me, whereby commonly it isprefcribed 



»oi 



