Of Honour and Reputation

The Winning of Honour, is but the Revealing of a Mans Vertue and Worth, without Disadvantage. For some in their Actions, doe Wooe and affect Honour, and Reputation: Which Sort of Men, are commonly much Talked of, but inwardly little Admired. And some, contrariwise, darken their Vertue, in the Shew of it; So as they be under-valued in opinion. If a Man performe that which hath not beene attempted before; Or attempted & given over; Or hath beene atchieved, but not with so good Circumstance; he shall purchase more Honour, then by Effecting a Matter of greater Difficulty, or Vertue, wherein he is but a Follower. If a Man so temper his Actions, as in some one of them, hee doth content everie Faction, or Combination of People, the Musicke will bee the fuller. A man is an ill Husband of his Honour, that entreth into any Action, the Failing wherein may disgrace him more, then the Carying of it through can Honor him. Honour, that is gained and broken upon Another, hath the quickest Reflection; Like Diamonds cut with Fascets. And therefore, let a Man contend, to excell any Competitors of his in Honour, in Out-shooting them, if he can, in their owne Bowe. Discreet Followers and Servants helpe much to Reputation. Omnis Fama à Domesticis emanat. Envy, which is the Canker of Honour, is best extinguished, by declaring a Mans Selfe, in his Ends, rather to seeke Merit, then Fame: And by Attributing a Mans Successes, rather to divine Providence and Felicity, then to his owne Vertue or Policy. The true Marshalling of the Degrees of Soveraigne Honour are these. In the First Place are Conditores Imperiorum; Founders of States, and Common-Wealths: Such as were Romulus, Cyrus, Cæsar, Ottoman, Ismael. In the Second Place are Legis-latores, Lawgivers; which are also called, Second Founders, or Perpetui Principes, because they Governe by their Ordinances, after they are gone: Such were Lycurgus, Solon, Justinian, Eadgar, Alphonsus of Castile, the Wise, that made the Siete Partidas. In the Third Place, are Liberatores, or Salvatores: Such as compound the long Miseries of Civill Warres, or deliver their Countries from Servitude of Strangers, or Tyrants; As Augustus Cæsar, Vespasianus, Aurelianus, Theodoricus, K. Henry the 7. of England, K. Henry the 4. of France. In the Fourth Place, are Propagatores or Propugnatores Imperij; Such as in Honourable Warres enlarge their Territories, or make Noble defence against Invaders. And in the Last Place, are Patres Patriæ; which reigne justly, & make the Times good, wherein they live. Both which last Kindes, need no Examples, they are in such Number. Degrees of Honour in Subjects are; First, Participes Curarum; Those upon whom Princes doe discharge the greatest Weight of their Affaires; Their Right Hands, as we call them. The Next are, Duces Belli, Great Leaders; Such as are Princes Lieutenants, and doe them Notable Services in the Warres. The Third are, Gratiosi; Favourites; Such as exceed not this Scantling; To be Solace to the Soveraigne, and Harmelesse to the People. And the Fourth, Negotijs pares; Such as have great Places under Princes, and execute their Places with Sufficiency. There is an Honour likewise, which may be ranked amongst the Greatest, which happeneth rarely: That is, of such as Sacrifice themselves, to Death or Danger, for the Good of their Countrey: As was M. Regulus, and the Two Decij.