English poetry -- History and criticism; Poetry -- Early works to 1800
And in gaming with a Prince it is decent to let him sometimes win of
purpose, to keepe him pleasant, & neuer to refuse his gift, for that is
vndutifull: nor to forgiue him his losses, for that is arrogant: nor to
giue him great gifts, for that is either insolence or follie: nor to feast
him with excessiue charge for that is both vaine and enuious, & therefore
the wise Prince king _Henry_ the seuenth her Maiesties grandfather, if his
chaunce had bene to lye at any of his subiects houses, or to passe moe
meales than one, he that would take vpon him to defray the charge of his
dyet, or of his officers and houshold, he would be maruelously offended
with it, saying what priuate subiect dare vndertake a Princes charge, or
looke into the secret of his expence? Her Maiestie hath bene knowne
oftentimes to mislike the superfluous expence of her subiects bestowed
vpon her in times of her progresses.
Likewise in matter of aduise it is neither decent to flatter him for that
is seruile, neither to be to rough or plaine with him, for that is
daungerous, but truly to Counsell & to admonish, grauely not greuously,
sincerely not sourely: which was the part that so greatly commended
_Cineas_ Counsellour to king _Pirrhus_, who kept that decencie in all his
perswasions, that he euer preuailed in aduice, and carried the king which
way he would.
And in a Prince it is comely to giue vnasked, but in a subiect to aske
vnbidden: for that first is signe of a bountifull mynde, this of a loyall
& confident. But the subiect that craues not at his Princes hand, either
he is of no desert, or proud, or mistrustfull of his Princes goodnesse:
therefore king _Henry_ th'eight to one that entreated him to remember one
Sir _Anthony Rouse_ with some reward for that he had spent much and was an
ill beggar: the king aunswered (noting his insolencie,) If he be ashamed
to begge, we are ashamed to giue, and was neuerthelesse one of the most
liberall Princes of the world.
And yet in some Courts it is otherwise vsed, for in Spaine it is thought
very vndecent for a Courtier to craue, supposing that it is the part of an
importune: therefore the king of ordinarie calleth euery second, third or
fourth yere for his Checker roll, and bestoweth his _mercedes_ of his owne
meere motion, and by discretion, according to euery mans merite and
condition.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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