46 BACON'S ESSAYS 



This is true, that the wisdom of all these latter times in 

 princes' affairs is rather fine deliveries and shiftings of 

 dangers and mischiefs when they are near, than solid and 

 grounded courses to keep them aloof. But this is but to 

 try masteries with fortune. And let men beware how they 

 neglect and suffer matter of trouble to be prepared ; for no 

 man can forbid the spark, nor tell whence it may come. 

 The difficulties in princes' business are many and great ; 

 but the greatest difficulty is often in their own mind. For 

 it is common with princes (saith Tacitus) to will contradic- 

 tories, Sunt plerumque regum voluntates vehementes, et inter se 

 contrariae. For it is the solecism of power, to think to 

 command the end, and yet not to endure the mean. 



Kings have to deal with their neighbours, their wives, 

 their children, their prelates or clergy, their nobles, their 

 second-nobles or gentlemen, their merchants, their commons, 

 and their men of war; and from all these arise dangers, if 

 care and circumspection be not used. 



First for their Neighbours; there can no general rule be 

 given (the occasions are so variable), save one, which ever 

 holdeth ; which is, that princes do keep due sentinel, that 

 none of their neighbours do overgrow so (by increase of 

 territory, by embracing of trade, by approaches, or the 

 like), as they become more able to annoy them than they 

 were. And this is generally the work of standing counsels 

 to foresee and to hinder it. During that triumvirate of 

 kings, King Henry the Eighth of England, Francis the 

 First King of France, and Charles the Fifth Emperor, there 

 was such a watch kept, that none of the three could win a 

 palm of ground, but the other two would straightways 

 balance it, either by confederation, or, if need were, by a 

 war ; and would not in any wise take up peace at interest. 

 And the like was done by that league (which Guicciardine 

 saith was the security of Italy) made between Ferdinando 

 King of Naples, Lorenzius Medices, and Ludovicus Sforza, 

 potentates, the one of Florence, the other of Milan. 

 Neither is the opinion of some of the schoolmen to be 

 received, that a war cannot justly be made but upon a 

 precedent injury or provocation. For there is no question 



