Innovations the mishaped Births of Time. tors. I. A ESSAY XI. Of INNOVATIONS. S the Births of living Creatures appear ill-shaped at first; so do all Innovations, which are the Births of Time: and as the first Ennoblers of their Family generally out-fhine their Defcendants in Dignity; fo the first good Precedent is feldom equall'd by the Imitation of After-ages. For Evil in human Nature has a natural Motion, which grows ftronger by Continuance: whilft Good, as in all forced Motion, is strongest at first. Medicine and 2. Certainly every Medicine is an Innovation; and he who will not apTime Innova-ply new Remedies, muft expect new Diftempers: for Time is the greatest Innovator. And if Time, of courfe, alters Things for the worse, and Prudence and Industry fhall not endeavour to alter them for the better, what End will there be of the Evil? The Advan tages of Cuftom and Change. To be tenaci cious as Innovation. 3. It must be allow'd, that what is fettled by Cuftom, tho lefs good; yet at least is fuited to the Times; and that things, which have long rolled together, are joined as it were by Confederacy: whereas new things do not fo well fuit with old; but tho they pleafe by their Utility, yet disturb by their Novelty and Non-conformity. And furely Novelties are like Strangers; more admired, and lefs favoured. 4. All this is true, if Time ftood ftill; but on the contrary, it moves cious of Cu- conftantly round: whence a stiff and obftinate Retention of Custom is as fton: as perni- turbulent as Innovation; and they who fuperftitiously reverence ancient Times, become a Scorn to the prefent. It were therefore proper for Men in their Innovations to imitate Time, which innovates greatly; but quietly, by Degrees, and almost imperceptibly. And this is certain, that Novelty comes unexpected, and adds something to one Man, and takes away from another; whilft he who receives Advantage by the Innovation, thanks Fortune and the Times: but he who is hurt by it, accuses the Author of the Innovation. New Experiments not to be rafhly tried in States. 5. 'Tis proper alfo not to try new Experiments in the political Body; unless the Neceffity be urgent, or the Utility evident and take great Care that the Defire of Reformation may occafion the Change; and not the Defire of the Change plead for Reformation. Again, let all Novelty, tho it cannot perhaps be rejected, yet be held fufpected. And lastly, as the Scripture directs, Let us ftand upon the old Paths, and fee and ask for the good Way, and walk therein. ESSAY I. IT ESSAY XII. Of FACTIONS or PARTIES. ons. T is an erroneous Opinion, tho generally receiv'd, that a Prince in How to deal governing his People, or a great Perfon in conducting his Af- with Faltifairs, fhould have a principal regard to the prevailing Factions; as if this were a capital Point of Policy or Prudence. On the contrary, the prudential Talent is chiefly feen either in the Regulation of those things which regard all Men equally, and wherein different Factions agree; or in foothing, reconciling, and treating with particular Perfons. The Confideration of Factions is not however to be neglected. Men of low Fortune must, in their rising, adhere to fome Party: but the Great, who have Strength within themselves, had better preferve a Neutrality. And for Candidates to fide fo cautiously, as to seem of one Party without being obnoxious to the other, is finding a Way to Preferment thro the midst of Factions. ons. 2. The lower and weaker Faction proves, generally, the firmer and more The Procelafting in Conjunction: and it is often found, that a few who are obdure of Factiftinate and refolute, will in the end tire out and deprefs a more numerous moderate Faction. When one Faction is extinguished, the other fubdivides as the Faction of Lucullus and the Nobles continued vigorous for fome time, against that of Pompey and Cæfar; but when the Authority of the Senate and Nobles was funk, the Faction of Cæfar and Pompey foon broke. And the fame holds in Civil, as well as Military Factions. Hence those that are fecond in Factions, often prove Principals when the Faction fubdivides: But on the other hand, they frequently lofe all Power; for many a Man's Strength lies in Oppofition; and when that ceases, he presently flackens. 'Tis no lefs remarkable than common, for Men that have gained their Ends, and feated themselves in the Place they courted, to fide with the contrary Faction; thinking, perhaps, they are fecure of the former Party, and are now prepared to purchase the other. 3. The Traitor in Faction generally fucceeds best: for when matters Traitors in have long hung balancing, fome one going over to the contrary fide, cafts Faction often the Scale, and obtains all the Thanks. To carry it evenly between two Successful. Factions, does not always proceed from Moderation; but fometimes from Subtilty; (as a Man is constantly trueft to his own Ends) and expecting to make an Advantage of both Parties. In Italy they fufpect the Pope, when they have Padre commune frequently in their Mouths; and obferve it as a Sign that he is bent upon aggrandizing his own Family. with any 4. Kings fhould be very cautious of profeffing and making themselves Kings of any Faction or Party with their Subjects: for Leagues of Confederacy penly to fide within the State are always deftructive to Monarchies; as introducing an Faction. Obligation fuperior to that of Sovereignty, and making the King as one of us. Factions how to be govern'd by Princes. 5. When Factions are openly carried with a strong Hand, 'tis a Sign of a declining Power in Princes; and greatly prejudices both their Authority and Bufinefs. The Motions of Factions, under Kings, fhould be like the aftronomical Motions of the inferior Orbs; where each Orb has its own proper Motion; but in the mean time, they all quietly revolve with the higher Motion of the Primum Mobile*. The Prognof-1. ticks of StateTempefts. Rumours, ESSAY XIII. Of SEDITIONS and TROUBLES. HE Shepherds of the People should understand the Prognofticks of TH are State-Tempefts; which are commonly greatest when matters tend to an Equality as the natural Tempefts are greatest about the Equinox. And as hollow Blasts of Wind seemingly at a distance, and fecret Swellings of the Sea, often precede a Storm; the Cafe is parallel in the Storms of a State. Scandalous Libels; licentious and reflecting Difcourfes, flying thick and openly; falfe Rumours every where spread, and greedily receiv'd, to the Disadvantage of the Government, are certain Prognofticks of Troubles. Virgil, in giving the Origin of Fame, makes her Sifter to the Giants; as if Rumours were the Reliques of paft Seditions: but they are alfo Preludes of Seditions to enfue. It is however well obferved, that feditious Tumults, and feditious Rumours, differ but as Brother and Sifter, Male and Female; efpecially when Matters are at fuch a height, that the most meritorious Actions of the State, which fhould give the greatest Satisfaction, are misconstrued and traduced: for this fhews the Envy to be great. 2. But it does not follow, that because these Rumours are a Sign of how best fup- Troubles, therefore the fuppreffing of them with Severity is the Remedy; for pressed. they generally vanish fooneft when defpifed: whereas the earnest Endeavour to check them, makes them laft the longer. Farther Prog nofticks of Seditions. Viz. When Princes fide with Parties. 3. That kind of Obedience alfo, which, as Tacitus expreffes it, is readier to interpret than execute the Commands of the governing Power; should be fufpected. To difpute, canvafs, and cavil with Commands, is attempting to fhake off the Yoke, and offering at Difobedience: especially if in thefe Difputes, they who are for the Direction, plead timorously and tenderly; whilft they that oppofe it, fpeak obftinately and audaciously. 4. Again, (as Machiavel well obferves) when Princes, who ought to act as common Parents, fide with a Party; 'tis like the over-fetting of a Boat by too much weight on one fide. This appear'd remarkably in the Cafe of Henry * See more upon this Subject, in the Sapientia Veterum, Vol. I. ad finem. Sect. 3. passim. See alfo the following Effay. y Ille etiam cacos inftare Tumultus Sape monet, Fraudefque & operta tumefcere Bella. 2 illam Terra parens, ira irritata Deorum, Extremam (ut perhibent) Cao, Enceladoque Sororem Conflata magna Invidia, feu benè feu malè Gefta premunt. Erant in officio, fed tamen qui mallent mandata Imperantium interpretari, quam exequi. Henry the Third of France; who from the first, would enter the League for extirpating the Proteftants; when the fame League foon after turned against himself. For when the Authority of Princes is made but an Acceffary to a Cause, and another Bond arifes ftronger than that of Sovereignty, Kings begin to lofe their Authority. verence. 5. Again, when Difcords, Quarrels and Factions, fhew themselves open- When they ly and audaciously; 'tis a Sign that the Reverence of Government is loft: lose their ReFor the Motions of the Great Perfons in a Government, ought to be as the fuppofed Motions of the Planets; every one of them carried fwiftly by the highest Mover, and flowly in their own Motion. Therefore when the Great move violently in their own particular; or as Tacitus expreffes it, regardless of the ruling Power; 'tis a Sign the Orbs are out of frame. For Reverence is the Girdle of Princes, given by God, who threatens to unloose it: I will loofen the Girdles of Kings. Laftly, when any of the four Pillars of Government; viz. Religion, Juftice, Counsel, and Treasure, are fhaken or weaken'd, Men had need pray for fair Weather. But leaving thefe Prognosticks to be farther illuftrated by what follows; let us defcend to examine, (1.) the Matter; (2.) the Caufes or Movers; and (3) the Remedies of Seditions. 6. The Matter of Sedition is a Point to be well confidered; the fureft The Maiter of Sedition, means to prevent Sedition, being (if the Times will allow it) to remove the Matter of them. For if there be Fewel prepared, 'tis not easy to say from what Quarter the Sparks fhall come to light it. The Matter of Sedition is of two kinds; great Poverty and great Discontent. For certainly Poverty, there are as many Voices for Difturbance, as there are ruined Estates and broken Fortunes. Hence that Obfervation of Lucan, as to the State of Rome, a little before the Civil Ward: for when War is deem'd advantagious, this is an infallible Sign of a State difpofed to Seditions and Troubles. And if the Indigence or diminished Fortunes of the first Rank, be joined with the utmoft Want and Neceffity in the common People, the Danger is imminent and great: For the worft Rebellions are thofe of the Belly. 7. As for Difaffections and Difcontents, they are in the politick Body, and Difccnwhat malignant Humours are in the natural; apt to generate præternatural Heats, and to inflame. And let no Prince measure his Danger by the Juftnefs or Unjuftness of these Difaffections and Discontents; for that were to imagine the Vulgar too rational, who often fpurn at their own Good: nor again by the fmallness or greatness of the Grievances from whence they rife; fince those are the most dangerous Difcontents, where the Fear is greater than the Feeling: for Feeling has Bounds, but Fear has none : Befides, in great Oppreffions, the things that provoke, at the fame time abate the Courage but in Fears it is otherwife. Neither let any Prince or State c Liberius quam ut Imperantium meminiffent. a Hinc Ufura vorax, rapidumque in tempore Fanus; lightly tent. lightly esteem a Difcontent, for having raged long or often, without Prejudice to the Government: for as every Vapour does not turn to a Storm; fo Clouds, tho they often blow over, yet gather and fall in a Storm at laft. The Caufes of 8. The Caufes of Sedition are, (1.) Innovation in Matters of ReliSedition, gion; (2.) Taxes and Impofts; (3.) Alteration of Laws and Customs ; (4.) Violation of Immunities and Privileges; (5.) General Oppreffion; (6.) the advancing of unworthy Perfons; (7.) Admiffion of Foreigners; (8.) Dearths; (9.) the difbanding of Soldiers without a Provifion; (10.) Fa&tions grown defperate; and, (11.) in fhort, whatever offends the People, fo as to make them unite and confpire together in a common Caufe. Its Remedies. 9. As for Remedies, there are fome general Prefervatives, which we shall here mention; but the juft Cure is to be fuited to the particular Difeafe; and must therefore be left to Council, rather than Precept. The first Remedy or Prevention of Sedition, is, by all poffible means, to remove its The Preven- material Caufes, Poverty and Difcontent. To the removing of Poverty, tien of Po- tends, (1.) the opening and balancing of Trade; (2.) the introducing verty by regu and lating Trade, and fupporting of Artificers and Handicraftfmen; (3.) the banishing of &c. Sloth and Idlenefs; (4.) the fuppreffing of Luxury and Profufion by fumptuary Laws; (5.) the improving of Hufbandry; (6.) regulating the Prices of Commodities; (7.) moderating the Taxes, Duties, and the Preventing a 10. In general, Care must be had that a Surcharge of Inhabitants, in Surcharge of Times of Peace, when none are cut off by the Sword, do not over-grow the People. Stock of the Kingdom, which fhould maintain them. Nor are the People in this View to be estimated by Number only; for a smaller Number, that confumes much, and gains little, wears out a State fooner than a greater that lives fparing, and lays up Money. And therefore an Over-proportion of Nobility and Gentry, foon impoverishes a State: fo likewife does a numerous Clergy; for they bring nothing to the Stock. And the cafe is the fame when more are bred Scholars, than the Civil Employs can maintain. Trade confifts in three things. like. 11. We fhould not omit, that as all Increase of publick Treafure must of Neceffity arise from foreign Countries (for whatever is gain'd in one Place, is loft in another) there are but three things which one Nation can fell to another; viz. (1.) the natural Commodity (2.) the Manufacture ; and (3.) the Carriage or Freight. So that if these three Wheels go well, Riches will flow as in a Spring-tide. And it often happens, according to the Poet's Obfervation 8, that the Manufacturing and Carriage exceed the Price of the Material, and prove more enriching to a State: as we see by an eminent Example in the Dutch, who have the richest Mines above Ground of any Nation. f See above, §. 6, 7. 12. Above |