The excellency of Monarchy compared with Aristocracy and Democracy joyntly. SECT. XV.

NOw, though I know our books are fill'd with praise
Of good mens vertues, freedoms popular;
Yet he that will not Audit words, but ways,
And over-look the dreams of time with care,
In smart succession, he shall cleerly find
No long liv'd state hath been of either kind.

For whatsoever stile these men affect
Of Optimates, or of Democracy,
Their courses basely practice, and effect
A servile Oligarchal Tyranny;
A swell in Laws as in establishment,
Like ill mixt humours, never well content.

So that such onely have escap'd mischance,
As luckily, by publick opposition,
To ballance Consuls, Tribunes did advance,
Or by a more refined composition,
Have rais'd (like Venice) some well bounded Duke
Their self-grown Senators to overlook:

So managing the whole in every part,
As these vast bodies valetudinary,
May, in the native Feavers of the heart,
Yet some degrees of good complexion carry;
And while they keep their forrain foes at rest,
Win time thier own confusion to digest.

Besides, if either of these States do choose
Their Magistrates, or Officers by Lot,
And chance instead of worth, and knowledge use;
What strange confusions then beget they not?
So that no wise man will himself commit,
Much less wise State to be dispos'd by it.

Again, if they by suffrages elect,
Then, what scope that doth unto practice give;
The old Comitia, and the new erect
Conclave of Rome pregnant examples live;
To shew worth there must be abandoned,
Where real grounds are passion-governed.

Nay more, let us consider if it be
Easie at once of good men to find many;
Since we with odds of birth and breeding see,
Even among Kings, how rarely time yields any
That out of Conscience, or for Countreys sake
Will hazard, care, restrain or undertake?

But grant such may be found, yet States thus peaz'd
Must of necessity (as fortune-bound)
Either by Princes have the ballance rais'd,
Or loose to undertaking Princes ground:
In which the thanks they offer to a Crown
Is often thankless Mines, to pull it down,

And foolishly; since union contains
All native strengths of Soveraignity;
As bearing over nature meekest rains;
Whereby all other forms of Policy
Must either freely yield to her subjection,
Or else at least crave under it protection.

Whence to conclude, since in this abstract view
Of these estates, the multiplicity
Proves apt to over-wrest, or loose their due
As onely true friends to extremity;
Can mankind under any Soveraign
Hope to find rest, but in a Monarchs Raign?

Out of which ground, the Poet, making Fates,
Hath Registred Three thousand Deities,
The least of whose powers govern'd many States,
And yet acknowledg'd Joves supremacy,
A work of supernatual succession,
Deriv'd from God heads of the first impression.

Again, who looks down from these Chrystal spheres,
To view the Ocean where Jove's brother Raigns,
Shall he not find the water Nereid's there
In Office subaltern, not Soveraign?
Yet us'd to stirre, or calm the Ocean's race,
As Royalties of his three-forked Mace.

Whence, if these lively Images prove true,
It must be 'alike true, that the best times priz'd
That old Monarchal form, before the new
Confused Moulds, by error since devis'd:
For else their Types of ruling providence,
Absurdly, will seem far excell'd by sence.

Let Man then weigh, whether this strange excess
Follow the nature of each mortal frame
As time-born, with her to grow more or less;
And like her, never to remain the same?
Or whether this relaxe or over-bent,
Spring from the Subject or the Government?

And he shall find the ground of change to be
A wandering, and unmeasured affection
Of Pow'r to bind, and People to be free,
Not in the Laws, Church Rites, or their Connexion;
But practice meerly to raise, or keep down
Crowns by the people, people by the Crown.

In which misprision, while each doth suppress,
That true relation, by which States subsist,
They first loose names, then make their natures less,
Growing deform'd, by forming what they list:
For they that still cast old foundations new,
Make many shapes, but never any true.

And as we do in humane bodies see,
Where Reason Raigns in chief, not the affection,
Order is great, not wanton liberty;
Man to himself, and others a direction;
Where if too much abstracted or let fall,
The tares of passion there run over all.

So when men fall away from Monarchy
Whether it be to States of few or more,
Change leads them neerer unto Anarchy
By divers Minutes, then they were before;
Since unity divided into many,
Begets Confusion, never friend to any.

For in each kind of humane government,
Where Custome, Laws, or ancient Constitutions
Serve as true scales, to weigh out pow'rs intent,
Honour and Wealth there find no dimunitions,
But where Will Raigns, and over-leaps those bounds.
What can establish, but that which confounds?

Therefore to end this point, if any one
(According to our natures) fond os new,
Into more Rulers would translate a Throne,
Let him at home this Paradox find true;
Or else yield, that unfit for publick states,
Which in his private every creature hates.

Thus have we view'd the spirit of Government,
Shew'd both her ends, and errors in some kinds,
And by comparing yet made excellent
This brave Imperial Monarchy of minds,
Not making Tyrants Gods to unmake Kings
With flattering air for over-soaring wings.

And though the ways of wit be infinite,
Not to be cast in any Mould or Art,
Like shadows, changing shape with every light,
Ever and, never, still the same in part;
Yet by this Model, wiser men may see,
That there is choice even in the vanity.

And forms establisht, which must be obey'd
As levels for the world to guide her own
Foundations against Anarchy well laid,
Whose Being is but Beings overthrown;
Where Thrones (as mortal shrines) with mortal fear
Must be ador'd and worshipt every where.

Therefore I thus conclude this fruitless dream,
That if the body have imperfect features,
Or swim (like AEsops wife) against the stream,
Each age must adde to all the works of Creatures,
And perfect things unperfectly begun,
Or else in vain, sure, I have roul'd this Tun.