a heart neither is their tongue their hearts true interpreter.
Counsell in the heart of man is like deepe waters; but a man of
understanding will draw it out. _Prov._ 20. 5. This
understanding is most requisite in a Prince, inasmuch as the
whole Globe is in his hand, and the inferiour Orbes are swayed
by the motion of the highest. And therefore surely it is the
honour of a King to search out such a secret: _Prov._ 25. 2. His
counsellours are his eyes and eares; as they ought to be dear to
him, so they ought to be true to him, and make him the true
report of things without disguise. If they prove false eyes, let
him pluck them out; he may as they use glasse eyes, take them
forth without paine, and see never a whit the worse for it. The
wisdome of a Princes Counsellours is a great argument of the
Princes wisdome. And being the choyce of them imports the
Princes credit and safety, our Authour will make him amends for
his other errours by his good advice in his 22 Chap. whether I
referre him.
CHAP. XXIV
Wherefore the Princes of Italy have lost their States.
When these things above said are well observ'd, they make a new Prince
seeme as if he had been of old, and presently render him more secure and
firme in the State, than if he had already grown ancient therein: for a
new Prince is much more observd in his action, than a Prince by
inheritance; and when they are known to bee vertuous, men are much more
gaind and oblig'd to them thereby, than by the antiquity of their blood:
for men are much more taken by things present, than by things past, and
when in the present they find good, they content themselves therein, and
seeke no further; or rather they undertake the defence of him to their
utmost, when the Prince is not wanting in other matters to himself; and
so shall he gaine double glory to have given a beginning to a new
Principality, adornd, and strengthnd it with good lawes, good arms, good
friends, and good examples; as he shall have double shame, that is born
a Prince, and by reason of his small discretion hath lost it. And if we
shall consider those Lords, that in Italy have lost their States in our
dayes, as the King of Naples, the Duke of Milan, and others; first we
shall find in them a common defect, touching their armes, for the
reasons which have been above discoursd at length. Afterwards we shall
see some of them, that either shall have had the people for their
enemies; or be it they had the people to friend, could never know how to
assure themselves of the great ones: for without such defects as these,
States are not lost, which have so many nerves, that they are able to
maintaine an army in the feld. Philip of Macedon, not the father of
Alexander the Great, but he that was vanquished by Titus Quintius, had
not much State in regard of the greatnesse of the Romanes and of Greece
that assail'd him; neverthelesse in that he was a warlike man and knew