Of Nobility. SECT. VIII.

WHen wise Prometheus had his fine Clay drest
To fashion Man, he nothing more did shun
Then Natures uniformity in Beasts,
Of which by Art there can be nothing won,
Whence in these creatures frame he did comprize
Many both strong and strange varieties,

That as there divers kinds be of complexions,
So in them there might be preheminence,
Divers of spirit, vigor, and affections;
To keep up which degrees of difference,
Reason, of Life the Guardian, was ordain'd,
As Conscience to Religion was chain'd.

And to confirm this inequality
Have not the feigned Gods in Orbs above
Gloriously plac'd that specious Hierarchy
Whose influence doth inferior spirits move;
And in slack, or swift courses, high or low,
The divers honours of each being show?

So that of force he must a stranger be,
To their Republick that will not confess
The supream Synods of this Deity,
To be compos'd of differing Nobleness;
And partially who can be placed there,
Where they that cleerest shine, most honor bear?

By birth and worth that Hercules high-priz'd
Shines he not over Cassiopea's head?
Justice she being onely Canoniz'd
For Perseus sake who did her Daughter wed;
And he that for anothers sake doth rise,
His merit not in worth, but favour lies.

Would it not be an aukeward consequence
To see that Virgin frail Erigone
Who by compassion got preheminence,
Adored by our Mariners to be
Far above those two brothers saving light,
Whose Twinn-like Glory makes the Zodiack bright?

Doth not Orion worthily deserve
A higher place, even for the constant Love
Wherewith he did the chaste Diana serve,
Then frail Bootes who was plac'd above
Onely because the Gods did else foresee,
He should the Murtherer of his Mother be?

Let therefore no man mutine, when they see
Pow'r borrow patterns of creating Art
Out of these Thrones wherein the Majesty
Of Nature is maintain'd through every part,
By their well-laid distinctions of degree,
Which grow confus'd again by parity.

For as the Harmony which sence admires
Of discords (yet according) is compounded,
And as each creature really aspires
Unto that Unity, which all things founded;
So must the Throne and People both affect
Discording Tones united with respect.

By which consent of disagreeing movers,
There will spring up Aspects of reverence,
Equals and betters quarrelling like Lovers,
Yet all confessing one omnipotence,
And therein each estate to be no more,
Then instruments out of their Makers store.

From whence Nobility doth of Creation
A secret prove to Kings, and Tyranny:
For as the the stamp gives Bullion valuation,
So these fair shadows of authority
Are marks for people to look up unto,
And see what Princes with our Earth can do.

In whom it is great wisdom to reward
Unequal worth with inequality;
Since it doth breed a prosperous regard
Aswel to Princes as to Tyranny:
When People shall see those men set above,
That more with worth then fortune seem in Love.

Yet must this brave magnificence be us'd
Not really to dispossess the Crown,
Either of Pow'r or Wealth, but so infus'd
As it may rather raise then pull it down;
Which frugal Majesty in growing Rome
Gave her above all States a lasting doom.

For fhe discern'd, although her wealth were vast,
Yet People, and desire did far exceed it,
So as what spread too far, could never last,
And for a State to give away, and need it,
Shadows for bodies she saw were to choose,
Which must both strength and reputation loose.

The way she therefore did observe to prise
Well doing subjects, and encourage merit,
Were Titles, Trophies, which she did devise,
Costless, and yet of force to quicken spirits,
Thus unto Africanus Scipio's name,
Hannibals and Carthage eccho'd were by Fame.

His Brothers Sirname Asiaticus
The Story was of Asia subdued;
Perseus captiv'd by Macedonicus:
To Iugurth straight Numidicus ensued:
By which course as each conquest brought forth more
So they by giving still encreast their store.

Besides, proud Princes must in their Creations
Of Form, Worth, Number keep a providence,
For if too many; that wains reputation,
Bought worth, or none, lets fall their reverence,
With men, that think hability to do,
The scope creating-pow'r is bound unto.

For farewel publick Stiles and Dignity
When Nero's dark thoughts shall communicate,
Unto his fellow Minstrels levity
Triumphal Statues, offices of State,
Or honour to such spirits, as though in age
Never serv'd Mars, nor Muse but on a stage.

Nor must this specious body rise so high
As it short shadows may on people cast,
Or by reflexion dim the Princes Eye
Who Creatures over-greatness cannot taste:
But live like Clouds in middle Regions blown
Which rise and fall to make their mover known.

Slaves with the Romans were not justice-free,
If all but Nobles should stand so confin'd,
What wretched state were our humanity?
As if Step-mother-like, Nature combin'd
With Pow'r, not only to make most men slaves,
But in a few Lords to prepare them Graves.

Such Laws in Poland set so easie rates
On mean mens lives, rate great mens lives so high,
As they may murther all inferior States,
Yet subject to no other justice lie,
Then (as for Dogs) a senceless Money fine,
As if men were not Images Divine.

Against this can it strange or wonder be,
Where Creatures their Creators overgrow,
If Princes hold their Crowns by curtesie?
Poland and Germany are ballanc't so,
As Scepters glory is in both these lost,
And nothing left Kings but a name to boast.

Fair Albion, when she swel'd with subjects worth,
And by her Princes merits gather'd Fame,
Examples then did to the World bring forth,
That over-greatness often sways great frames;
Instance her active Barons Martial pride,
Which helpt the Royal issue to divide.

Likewise while glorious Naples did enjoy
Of home-born Princes the felicity,
Yet even then, Peer-greatness did annoy
That dainty Scepter with strange mutiny,
As oft as to the Pope it seemed good.
To serve his turn by hot aspiring blood;

Till at the length this waving course of theirs
Under a great Lord wrought their servitude,
Who now curbs all their mutiny with fears,
And yet that fear again with hope deludes,
Keeping men like Reeds, to his self-ends bent,
By making new Rome with her'own content.

Kings therefore that would not degenerate
Their Scepter Arts to Artless Anarchy,
To many, few, or any other State
Must wisely bound their own Nobility,
Not raising men by charge, but specious shew,
Nor yet so high as they may overgrow.

In Scotland their hereditary sheriffs
(Each is a Vice-roy in his native shire;)
Add oft to Princes dangers Peoples grief;
Justice so like to Faction looking there,
As men are sometimes forc't to fall from Kings
For shadow, under subalternate wings.

Princes, then know it to be ominous
For you; to spread, or to participate
That Pow'r creating, which doth govern us,
Either to baseness, still unfortunate;
Or else to such a strengthned Corporation,
As easily cannot wave her reputation.

The Lustre wherein Pow'r is magnified
Being only to command that tame wild Beast,
People I mean, who oft prove dangerous tides,
And love equality undistinguisht best;
Against whose rage there is no better fence,
Then well advised pow'r may have from hence.

Where else, while both Nobility and Kings
To poize themselves, as neither can be great,
The People pulling feathers from both wings,
Will first like equals, not like subjects, Treat
Of all prerogatives, and then aspire
To be the doom, or standard of desire.

Wherefore this great and little Corporation
Should be so temper'd as they both may give
Unto their head a strengthning reputation,
And thence that freedom take in which they live;
People not rackt, exhausted or made proud,
But to be kept strait, evermore kept bow'd.

For Soveraign pow'r, which cannot stand alone,
Must by her subalternness supported be,
Keeping a distance between every one,
To shun contempt even in authority;
Whose little springs unto that Mother sea,
Whence they derived are, must tribute pay.

Nor were these humane gods so prodigal
Of given Honours, but they did reserve
A power to curb their Citizens withal;
Phaebus well did his banishment deserve
By offering to these Thunder-workers wrong,
Cyclops, which to his Father did belong.

Now when these ebbing, or still flowing states,
Thrones wisely have with bounds established;
Then that this frame prove not unfortunate,
Foe to it self, and doubtful to the head;
Pow'r must with constant stern of government,
Suppress dividing humorous discontent.

Especially that brutish ostentation
Of private courage, which sets life and soul
Not only at a trivial valuation,
But lifts a Subject farre above his Roll,
Into the Princely Orb of making laws;
As Judge and Party in his private cause.

Which confident assumings, if they be
Suffred, do much allay the Soveraign right,
Since all the moulds of Fame and Infamy,
Pow'r of mans life, and death, be acts of Might,
And must be form'd by Majesty alone;
As Royalties inherent to a Throne.

Whose delicate complexion is such,
That if in any member it be wounded,
It Gangrenes all; nay when man doth but touch
Her Mysteries, then is her state confounded:
Besides, who as a King, dare kill a man?
As Man again will kill Kings, if he can.

Lastly, where many States become united
Under one Throne, though not one Government,
Civil dissentions easily are invited,
And in mans nature (ever discontent)
Under the colour of a private feud,
More mischief stirr'd up is, then understood.

Thus absolute pow'rs that will respected live,
Must govern greatness, with a greater mind,
And care their actions may no scandal give,
As unto change or littleness inclin'd;
But with a constant universal care,
Make them good Subjects that ill people are.