No cross, no crown

by William Penn

IV. Vespasian was a great and an extraordinary man, who maintained something of the Roman virtue in his time. One day seeing a young man finely dressed, and richly perfumed, he was displeased with him, saying, "I had rather smell the poor man's garlic, than thy perfume:" and took his place and government from him. A certain person being brought before him, that had conspired against him, he reproved him, and said, "That it was God who gave and took away empires." Another time conferring favour upon his enemy, and being asked why he did so, he answered, that he should remember the right way.

V. Trajan would say, "That it became an emperor to act towards his people, as he would have his people act towards him." The governor of Rome having delivered the sword into his hand, and created him emperor; "Here," saith he, "take it again: if I reign well, use it for me: if ill, use it against me." An expression which shows great humility and goodness, making power subservient to virtue.

VI. Adrian, also emperor, had several sayings worthy of notice: one was, "That a good prince did not think the estates of his subjects belonging to him." He would say, "That kings should not act the king:" that is, should be just, and mix sweetness with greatness, and be conversible with good men. "That the treasures of princes are like the spleen, that never swells, but it makes other parts shrink:" teaching princes thereby to spare their subjects.—Meeting one that was his enemy before he was emperor, he cried out to him, "Now thou hast no more to fear:" intimating, that, having power to revenge himself, he would rather use it to do him good.

VII. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, a good man, (the Christians of his time felt it,) commended his son for weeping at his tutor's death, answering those that would have rendered it unsuitable to his condition, "Let him alone," says he, "it is fit he should show himself a man, before he be a prince." He did nothing in the government without consulting his friends, and would say, "It is more just that one should follow the advice of many, than many the mind of one." He was more philosopher than emperor: for his dominions were greater within than without. And having commanded his own passions by a circumspect conformity to virtuous principles, he was fit to rule those of other men. Take some of his excellent sayings, as followeth: "Of my grandfather Verus I have learned to be gentle and meek, and to refrain from all anger and passion. From the fame and memory of him that begot me, shamefacedness, and manlike behaviour. I observed his meekness, his constancy without wavering, in those things, which, after a due examination and deliberation, he had determined. How free from all vanity he carried himself in matters of honour and dignity! His laboriousness and assiduity: his readiness to hear any man that had ought to say, tending to any common good. His moderate condescending to other men's occasions as an ordinary man.—Of my mother, to be religious and bountiful, and to forbear not only to do, but to intend any evil. To content myself with a spare diet, and to fly all such excess as is incident to great wealth.—Of my grandfather, both to frequent public schools and auditories, and to get me good and able teachers at home; and that I ought not to think much, if upon such occasions I were at excessive charge. I gave over the study of rhetoric and poetry, and of elegant, neat language. I did not use to walk about the house in my senator's robe, nor to do any such things. I learned to write letters without any affectation and curiosity; and to be easy, and ready to be reconciled, and well pleased again with them that had offended me, as soon as any of them would be content to seek unto me again. To observe carefully the several dispositions of my friends, and not to be offended with idiots, nor unreasonably to set upon those, that are carried away with the vulgar opinions, with the theorems and tenets of philosophers. To love truth and justice, and to be kind and loving to all them of my house and family, I learned from my brother Severus: and it was he that put me in the first conceit and desire of an equal commonwealth, administered by justice and equality; and of a kingdom, wherein should be regarded nothing more than the good and welfare, or liberty of the subjects. As for God, and such suggestions, helps, and inspirations, as might be expected, nothing did hinder, but that I might have begun long before to live according to nature: or that even now, that I was not yet partaker, and in present possession of that life, I myself (in that I did not observe those inward motions and suggestions; yea, and almost plain and apparent instructions and admonitions of God) was the only cause of it.—I that understand the nature of that which is good, that it is to be desired; and of that which is bad, that it is odious and shameful: who know moreover, that this transgressor, whoever he be, is my kinsman, not by the same blood and seed, but by participation of the same reason, and of the same divine participle, or principle: how can I either be hurt by any of these, since it is not in their power to make me incur anything that is reproachful, or be angry or ill affected towards him, who by nature is so near unto me? For we are all born to be fellow-workers, as the feet, the hands, and the eyelids; as the rows of upper and under teeth: for such therefore to be in opposition, is against nature."—He saith, "It is high time for thee to understand true nature, both of the world, whereof thou art a part, and of that Lord and Governor of the world, from whom, as a channel from the spring, thou thyself didst flow. And that there is but a certain limit of time appointed unto thee, which if thou shalt not make use of, to calm and allay the many distempers of thy soul, it will pass away, and thou with it, and never after return.—Do, soul, do abuse and contemn thyself yet awhile, and the time for thee to repent thyself will be at an end. Every man's happiness depends upon himself; but, behold! thy life is almost at an end, whilst not regarding thyself as thou oughtest, thou dost make thy happiness to consist in the souls and conceits of other men. Thou must also take heed of another kind of wandering; for they are idle in their actions who toil and labour in their life, and have no certain scope to which to direct all their motions and desires. As for life and death, honour and dishonour, labour and pleasure, riches and poverty, all these things happen unto men indeed, both good and bad equally; but as things, which of themselves are neither good nor bad, because of themselves neither shameful nor praiseworthy. Consider the nature of all worldly visible things; of those especially, which either ensnare by pleasure, or for their irksomeness are dreadful; or for their outward lustre and show, are in great esteem and request; how vile and contemptible, how base and corruptible, how destitute of all true life and being they are. There is nothing more wretched than that soul, which in a kind of circuit compasseth all things; searching even the very depths of all the earth, and, by all signs and conjectures, prying into the very thoughts of other men's souls; and yet of this is not sensible, that it is sufficient for a man to apply himself wholly, and confine all his thoughts and cares to the guidance of that Spirit which is within him, and truly and really serve him. For even the least things ought not to be done without relation unto the end; and the end of the reasonable creature is, to follow and obey him who is the reason, as it were, and the law of this great city, and most ancient commonwealth. Philosophy doth consist in this, for a man to preserve that spirit which is within him, from all manner of contumelies and injuries, and above all pains and pleasures, never to do anything either rashly, or feignedly, or hypocritically: he that is such is surely indeed a very priest and minister of God, well acquainted, and in good correspondence with him especially, that is seated and placed within himself; to whom also he keeps and preserveth himself; neither spotted by pleasure, nor daunted by pain; free from any manner of wrong or contumely. Let thy God that is in thee, to rule over thee, find by thee, that he hath to do with a man, an aged man, a sociable man, a Roman, a prince, and that hath ordered his life, as one that expecteth, as it were, nothing but the sound of the trumpet, sounding a retreat to depart out of this life with all readiness. Never esteem anything as profitable, which shall ever constrain thee, either to break thy faith, or to lose thy modesty: to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to dissemble, to lust after anything that requireth the secret of walls or veils. But he that preferreth, before all things, his rational part and spirit, and the sacred mysteries of virtue which issue from it, he shall never want either solitude or company; and, which is chiefest of all, he shall live without either desire or fear. If thou shalt intend that which is present, following the rule of right and reason carefully, solidly, meekly; and shalt not intermix any other business, but shalt study this, to preserve thy spirit unpolluted and pure: and as one that were even now ready to give up the ghost; shalt cleave unto him, without either hope or fear of anything, in all things that thou shalt either do or speak, contenting thyself with heroical truth, thou shalt live happily: and from this there is no man that can hinder thee. Without relation to God, thou shalt never perform aright anything human; nor on the other side anything divine. At what time soever thou wilt, it is in thy power to retire into thyself, and to be at rest: for a man cannot retire any whither to be more at rest, and freer from all business, than into his own soul. Afford then thyself this retiring continually, and thereby refresh and renew thyself. Death hangeth over thee, whilst yet thou livest, and whilst thou mayest be good. How much time and leisure doth he gain, who is not curious to know what his neighbour hath said, or hath done, or hath attempted, but only what he doth himself, that it may be just and holy. Neither must he use himself to cut off actions only, but thoughts and imaginations also that are not necessary; for so will unnecessary consequent actions the better be prevented and cut off. He is poor that stands in need of another, and hath not in himself all things needful for his life. Consider well, whether magnanimity rather, and true liberty, and true simplicity, and equanimity, and holiness, whether these be not most reasonable and natural. Honour that which is chiefest and most powerful in the world, and that is it which makes use of all things, and governs all things: so also in thyself, honour that which is chiefest and most powerful, and is of one kind and nature with that; for it is the very same, which being in thee, turneth all other things to its own use, and by whom also thy life is governed. What is it that thou dost stay for? An extinction or a translation; for either of them, with a propitious and contented mind. But till that time come, what will content thee? What else, but to worship and praise God, and do good unto men?" As he lay dying, and his friends about him, he spake thus: "Think more of death, than of me, and that you and all men must die as well as I." Adding, "I recommend my son to you, and to God, if he be worthy."

VIII. Pertinax, also emperor, being advised to save himself from the fury of the mutineers, answered "No: what have I done that I should do so?" Showing that innocence is bold, and should never give ground where it can show itself, be heard, and have fair play.

IX. Pescennius seeing the corruption that reigned among officers of justice, advised, "That judges should have first salaries, that they might do their duty without any other bribes or perquisites." He said, "He would not offend the living that he might be praised when he was dead."

X. Alexander Severus having tasted both of a private life, and the state of an emperor, had this censure; "Emperors," says he, "are ill managers of the public revenue to feed so many unuseful mouths;" wherefore he retrenched his family from pompous to serviceable. He would not employ persons of quality in his domestic service, thinking it too mean for them and too costly for him: adding, "That personal service was the work of the lowest order of the people." He would never suffer offices of justice to be sold; "For," saith he, "it is not strange that men should sell what they buy;" meaning justice. He was impartial in correction: "My friends," says he, "are dear to me; but the commonwealth is dearer." Yet he would say, "That sweetening power to the people made it lasting. That we ought to gain our enemies as we keep our friends:" that is, by kindness. He said, "That we ought to desire happiness and to bear afflictions; that those which are desirable may be pleasant; but the troubles we avoid may have most profit in the end." He did not like pomp in religion: for it is not gold that recommends the sacrifice, but the piety of him that offers it. A house being in contest betwixt some Christians and keepers of taverns, the one to perform religion, the other to sell drink therein, he decided the matter thus: "That it were much better that it were any way employed to worship God than to make a tavern of it." Behold! by this we may see the wisdom and virtue that shined among the heathens.

XI. Dioclesian would say, that there was nothing more difficult than to reign well: and the reason he gave was, that those who had the ears of princes do so continually lay ambushes to surprise them to their interests, that they can hardly make one right step.

XII. Theodosius the younger was so merciful in his nature, that instead of putting people to death, he wished it were in his power to call the dead to life again.

These were the sentiments of the ancient grandees of the world, to wit, emperors, kings, princes, captains, statesmen, &c. not unworthy of the thoughts of persons of the same figure and quality now in being: and for that end they are here collected, that such may with more ease and brevity behold the true statutes of the ancients, not lost or lessened by the decays of time.