our Author much commends him, and hee had attaind
neere the pitch of his hopes, and had provided
for each misadventure could befall him its remedy;
Policy shewd it selefe short-sighted; for hee foresaw
not at the time of his Fathers death, he himself should
bee brought unto deaths doore also. And me
thinks this Example might have given occasion
to our Author to confesse, that surely there is
a God that ruleth the earth. And many times God
cutts off those cunning and mighty men in the
hight of their purposes, when they think they
have neare surmounted all dangers and difficulties.
’To the intent that the living may know, that
the most high ruleth in the Kingdome of men, and
giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up
over it the basest of men.’ Daniel.
4.
17.
Concerning those who by wicked meanes have attaind
to a Principality.
But because a man becomes a Prince of a private man
two wayes, which cannot wholly be attributed either
to Fortune or Vertue, I think not fit to let them
passe me: howbeit the one of them may be more
largely discoursed upon, where the Republicks are
treated of. These are, when by some wicked and
unlawfull meanes a man rises to the Principality; or
when a private person by the favour of his fellow Citizens
becomes Prince of his countrey. And speaking
of the first manner, it shall be made evident by two
Examples, the one ancient, the other moderne, without
entring otherwise into the justice or merit of this
part; for I take it that these are sufficient for
any body that is forc’d to follow them.
Agathocles the Sicilian, not of a private man onely,
but from a base and abject fortune, got to be King
of Siracusa. This man borne but of a Potter,
continued alwayes a wicked life throughout all the
degrees of this fortune: neverthelesse he accompanied
his lewdnesse with such a courage and resolution,
that applying himselfe to military affaires, by the
degrees thereof he attained to bee Praetour of Siracusa,
and being setled in that degree, and having determined
that he would become Prince, and hold that by violence
and without obligation to any other, which by consent
had been granted him: and to this purpose haveing
had some private intelligence touching his designe
with Amilcar the Carthaginian, who was imployd with
his army in Sicily, one morining gatherd the people
together and the Senate of Syracusa, as if he had
some what to advise with them of matters belonging
to the Commonwealth, and upon a signe given, caus’d
his souldiers to kill his Senatours, and the richest
of the people; who being slaine, he usurp’d the
Principality of that City without any civill strife:
and however he was twice broken by the Carthaginians,
and at last besieged, was able not onely to defend
his own City, but leaving part of his own army at the
defence thereof, with the other invaded Affrique,
and in a short time freed Siracusa from the siege,
