ESSAYS CIVIL AND MORAL. 31 



like manner fatal to his house ; for both Constantinus and Constans, 

 his sons, died violent deaths ; and Constantinus his other son did little 

 better ; who died indeed of sickness, but after that Julianus had taken 

 amis against him. The destruction of Demetrius, son to Philip the 

 second of Macedon, turned upon the father, who died of repentance. 

 And many like examples there are ; but few or none where the fathers 

 had good by such distrust, except it were where the sons were up in 

 open arms against them ; as was Selymus the first against Bajazet : and 

 the three sons of Henry the second, king of England. 



For their prelates, when they are proud and great, there is also 

 danger from them : as it was in the times of Anselmus and Thomas 

 Ijeckct, archbishops of Canterbury, who with their crosiers did almost 

 try it with the king s sword ; and yet they had to deal with stout and 

 haughty kings, William Rufus, Henry the first, and Henry the second. 

 The danger is not from that state, but where it hath a dependence of 

 foreign authority ; or where the churchmen come in, and are elected, 

 not by the collation of the king or particular patrons, but by the 

 people. 



For their nobles ; to keep them at a distance it is not amiss ; but 

 to depress them may make a king more absolute, but less safe ; and 

 less able to perform anything that he desires. I have noted it in my 

 &quot; History of King Henry the seventh of England, who depressed his 

 nobility ; whereupon it came to pass that his times were full of diffi 

 culties and troubles : for the nobility though they continued loyal unto 

 him, yet did they not co-operate with him in his business. So that 

 in effect he was fain to do all things himself. 



For their second nobles ; there is not much danger from them, 

 being a body dispersed. They may sometimes discourse high, but 

 that doth little hurt : besides, they are a counterpoise to the higher 

 nobility, that they grow too potent : and lastly, being the most imme 

 diate in authority with the common people, they do best temper popular 

 commotions. 



For their merchants, they are venaflorta; and if they flourish not, 

 a kingdom may have good limbs, but will have empty veins, and 

 nourish little. Taxes and imposts upon them do seldom good to the 

 king s revenue, for that that he wins in the hundred, he loseth in the 

 shire ; the particular rates being increased, but the total bulk of trad 

 ing rather decreased. 



For their commons, there is little danger from them, except it be 

 where they have great and potent heads ; or where you meddle with 

 the point of religion, or their customs, or means of life. 



For their men of war, it is a dangerous state where they live and 

 remain in a body, and are used to donatives, whereof we see examples 

 in the janizaries, and pretorian bands of Rome ; but trainings of men, 

 and arming them in several places, and under several commanders, 

 and without donatives, are things of defence and no danger. 



Princes arc like to heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times ; 

 and which have much veneration, but no rest. All precepts concern 

 ing kings are in effect comprehended in those two remembrances : 



