The historie of Philip de Commines, knight, lord of Argenton / [Philippe de Commynes].
- Philippe de Commines
- Date:
- 1614
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The historie of Philip de Commines, knight, lord of Argenton / [Philippe de Commynes]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![=e SRS SE and lined together in Britaine, being gouerned by the Lord of Lefeut their prin- cipall feruant. And diuers ambaffadors ran betweene the King and them, and between them and thé Earle of Charolois ; and ‘likéwife between the King and the Duke of Burgundie, fome to learne newes,fome to corrupt one anothers fer- uants and fubiects and fome for diuiers other euill purpofes,and all vnder colour of good faith. Some alfo went with good intent trufting to pacifie thefé trou- bles, which {ure was great fimplicitie in them to thinke themfelues wife and fufh- cient ynough by their prefence to appeafe Princes fo great, fo {ubtill, and {0 well acquainted with all forts of fine practiles as thefe were, efpecially neither partie inclining to reafon. But fomethereare fo blinded with vaine glory, that they thinke them({elues able to deale in matters that oftentimes they vnderftand not: for their Matters do not alwaies difcouer to them the bottome oftheir thoughts. To {rch it often happeneth that they go bit to furnifh the feaft, yea many times to their owne coft : for euer one by-fellow or other accompanieth them , that hath fome fecret practife apart, at the leaft thus haueI feene the matter ordered at all times and in all places where Ihaue been. Wherefore as] {aid before’, that Princes ought to be circum{pe& whom they imploy in their affaires : fo fay I now, that thofe thatare imployed ought to take heede how they negotiatein Princes bufineffes. And who {fo can fhift ofthe charge, vnleffe he vnderftand it throughly well, and perceiue his Mafter to be well affected thereunto, is to be ac- counted wile: for [haue knowne many a good man ina pecke of troubles with fuch affaires. Princes alfo I hauefeene oftwo contratie difpofitions , the one fo fubtill and {ufpicious, that a man can neuer be acquainted with their humor, for they thinkeall the world bent to deceiue them : the other truft their feruants well ynough, but themfelues are fo grofleand vnderftand {6 little of their owne af- faires, that they know not who doththem ‘good feruice or bad, whereby they alter their mindes in a moment from loue to hatred, and from hatred to loue. And notwithftanding that of either fort few are. good & conftant: yet Ifor my part had rather liue vnder the wife than the foolifh: becanfé there are more waies to auoide their difpleafure , and recouer their fauour loft : but with the ignoratit aman can deuilé no thift, for no man dealeth with themfelues in any matter, but altogether with their feruants, whom alfo they change as oft as the winde. Notwithftandingin thofé countries where {uch Princes raigne,all men are of - dutie bound to ferue and obey them. Wherefore all things confidered, | our only hope ought to be in God : for he alone is conftant, __ heonly is good : butthisleffon we learnetoo late: yea ) __ heuer before we neede his helpe, notwith- : ftandingitisbeteer late than neuer.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30320549_0064.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
