Thus then by the concurrence of these, it appeareth that vnto euerie secrete there is required a Closet, and the proper vse of that Closet, is onelie for the couertnesse, saftie and assurance of the secrete: all which considered, let vs nowe see, if you will, what analogie or proportion they haue with our Secretorie.
It hath beene alreadie before alledged, that by the verie etimologie of the worde it selfe, both Name and Office in one, doe conclude vppon secrecie: If so, then in respect of the couertnes, safetie and assurance in him reposed, and not otherwise, the partie seruing in such place may be called a Secretorie. The Closet in euerie house, as it is a reposement of secrets, so is it onelie (as I saide before) at the owners, and no others commaundement: The Secretorie, as hee is a keeper and conseruer of secrets, so is hee by his Lorde or Maister, and by none other to bee directed. To a Closet, there belongeth properlie, a doore, a locke, and a key: to a Secretorie, there appertaineth incidentlie, Honestie, Care, and Fidelitie.
And forasmuch as by the concurrence of these twaine, both Name and Office doe seeme in vsage and account to be of so great waightinesse, and that our Secretorie, as wel in title, as place standeth by such declaration, ioyntlie tied vnto so district an obseruance: let vs now a little further enter into the function and place he beareth in such kinde of seruice, and consider that being in one condition a seruant, he is at the pleasure and appointment of another to be commanded: and being in a second respect as a Friend, he is charilie to haue in estimate, the state, honor, reputation and being of him whom he serueth.
Touching the first of these, in that he is (I meane) a Seruant, it is to be intended, that thereunto belongeth a Superiour, by whose absolute direction, his actions of seruice, are to bee ordered and commaunded. And notwithstanding the reputation, credite, and estate of beeing, to him giuen and allowed by his Lorde or Maister, hee is yet to consider, that the weight and summe thereof acrueth from his onelie fauor, countenance, and good opinion, and that by howe much the more, hee liberallie and of an honourable minde affoordeth vnto him the respectes thereof: by so much the more seriouslie ought hee by all possible endeuours of seruice and industrie, as farre forth as in him is, to studie to conserue and vpholde the same.
And herein seemeth it not fruitlesse to oppose vnto such a ones remembrance, some part of the considerations pertinent and annexed to the state of a seruant, and what dependancie in common reckoning resteth betwéene him, who beareth in his sway the authoritie and rule of a Maister, and the other, who in account that he is to be commanded, carieth a maner of subiection to that partie, who for the time of such seruice, is at his hands to bee reuerenced and obeyed.
In regard of which, wee are to see, that by the title and prerogatiue which euerie maister hath generallie ouer his seruant, there is a certaine linke of dutie, wherewith each one that serueth is strained to his obeysance. There is also by that very name of seruant a kind of fidelitie and trust required, more speciall then that betwéene the sonne and the father, and that of so great efficacy, as whereon (peraduenture) may rest not alonely this disposition of the goods, estate, & principall affairs, but also oftentimes yᵉ life, hazard or vndoing of the person of his said maister.
A Son cannot be saide to owe fidelitie to his parents, for which cause there is also no breach of trust on him to be imposed. If he deale contrarie to the condition of a son, the bond by which he is strained proceedeth of nature, and so are his actions accordinglie held for vnkind, or vnnaturall. But the seruant not linked by nature, is tied in trust, and by contrarying of such trust, or not performing thereof, is held treacherous or vnfaithfull. Besides, so great a predomination hath this name of fidelitie in the harts of a number, that many haue refused to commit themselues in times of hazard to their Children, but rather haue relied themselues wholie on the assurance of their seruants.
And howbeit, most certaine it is, that Nature woonderfullie swaieth manie times in her proper features, yet in this case hath she commonly lesse efficacie then in any others. For as a currant of water loseth his power in being turned backwarde, from his straightened course, but hath forcible passage in the waie that it holdeth: so is Nature in this action of parentes and children, which running forwards from issue to issue, hath mighty operation, but when it should be returned backwarde, hath seldome anie power at all.
Contrariwise, whether it be the honestie of the name that leadeth it, or the common reputation that each faithfull vsage carieth in the eares of good men, or a feruencie of affection, linked properlie to the place where anie trust is reposed, I will not now dispute vpon, but questionlesse, of so charie regarde hath fidelitie alwaies beene accounted, as immediatlie vpon the name of a seruant taken, it seemeth not alone to be vnto the selfe title appropriate, but it is in a manner by the proper allowance thereunto giuen, seuerelie exacted.
Now, albeit this kind of exaction and charge, seemeth in the deliuerie thereof to bee indéed verie great, yet when hee that serueth hath performed all that in such case is to be required: he cannot for this or that alledge, that hee hath effected anie more then whereunto by the verie loyalty of a seruant he was enioyned, nor can hee rightlie or properlie affirme, that by an extraordinarie respect more then he ought, he hath accomplished the same. For that in things whereunto a man is bounde, there can be no gratuitie opposed: but where a man aboue that hee is charged hath further endeuoured, or more worthilie attained, therein of troth, and not otherwise, shineth the greatest praise and glorie vnto him that maie be.