CHAP. V. Of the power of a Lord or Maister over his
 Slaues, and whether Slaues are to be suffred in a well ordered
 Commonweale. T He third part of the government of a Familie
 dependeth of the power of the Lord oues his Slaues, and of the Maister over his
 seruants; and in their mutuall duties one toward another. For the Whereof a Familie tooke name. very name of a Familie,
 came of Famulus and Famulatio, 
 for that it had in it a great number of Slaues: and so of the greatest part of
 them that are in subiection in the Familie, men call all the whole houshold a
 Familie; or els for that there was no greater meanes to gather wealth than by
 slaues and seruants, which the Latines call
 Famuli, the auntients not without cause have called
 this multitude of Slaues and seruants a Familie. And Seneca willing to show of what moderation a Master ought to be toward
 his Slaues, saith our ancestors to have called the head of a Familie, Father of
 the Familie, and not Lord. And for that the whole world is full of Slaues,
 excepting certaine countries in Europe (which since also by little and little
 receiue them) it is needfull here to reason of the power of Lords and Maisters
 over their Slaues, and of the profits and disprofits which may redound unto a
 Commonweale, if slauery should againe be called into vse: a question of great
 moment not for Families and societies onely, but for all Commonweals also in
 generall. Now every Slaue is either naturall, that is to wit, begotten of a woman Slaue,
 or made a Slaue by law of armes; or by some
 crime committed (whome men call a slaue The diuision of
 Slaues. to punishment) or one which hath for money departed with his
 libertie, or hath plaid away his libertie, as did in auntient time the Almans:
 or else such an one as hath voluntarily vowed himselfe to be a perpetuall Slaue
 unto another man; as was the manner of the Hebrewes. The prisoner in warre was
 Slaue unto the vanquisher, who was not bound to put him to his ransome, if it
 were not otherwise agreed upon; as it was in auntient time in Greece, that the
 Barbarian prisoner taken in warre, might bee put to the chayne, and kept as a
 Slaue; but as for the Greeke, that he should be set at libertie in paying for
 himselfe a pound of gold. The like law almost was made amongst the Polonians,
 Cromer in hist. Polon. & in statutis
 Pol. where it was decreed by the States, That all enemies taken
 prisoners in iust wars, should remaine Slaues
 unto the vanquishers, except the king would pay two Florins for every head. But
 he that had paid the ransome of any prisoner, was bound to set him at liberue,
 hauing againe receiued his money: otherwise he might keepe him, not as his
 Slaue▪ but as his prisoner; according to the most auntient law of the Greeks,
 which from them deriued unto the Romans▪ was afterward in vse with all nations.
 As for debtors, prisoners unto their creditors, although it were lawfull by the
 law of the twelue Tables, to diuide them in peeces amongst their creditors,
 giuing to some more, some lesse, according to the proportion of every mans
 debt, if they were not able to A cruell law against
 debters. pay: yet for all that so it was, that if he had one
 creditour, he could not take from him his life, and much lesse his libertie, a
 thing much dearer than life. For the father might well sell, chop, and chaunge his children, yea and take away
 their lives also, but yet could not take away their liberue: for the good and
 noble hart would alwaies rather chuse to dye honestly, than vnworthly to serue
 as a base Slaue. And that is it wherfore the law of the twelue Tables (which
 adiudged the debtor not able to pay, unto the creditor) was shortly after at
 the request of Petilian Tribune of the people, taken
 away, and a decree made, That from that time forward the debtor should no more
 bee adiudged unto his creditor, or divided in peeces among his creditours,
 neither by them for his debt be detained; yet reseruing unto the creditor power
 to ceise upon his goods, or by other way of iustice to
 come by his debt, so as he saw he might by reason: which law continued firme and inuiolat 700 yeares, unto the time
 of Dioclesian, who caused the same law afterward to be
 published upon paine of death. And thus much concerning all sorts of slaues: for as for them which are taken
 by theeves or pirats, or by false titles are sold for slaues, they continue
 neuerthelesse free, and in tearms of right may do all lawfull acts. As for
 other domestical seruants, which for wages or without wages do their seruice,
 they cannot by contract or agreement Domestical seruants
 cannot make themselves slaues by any contract that they make with their
 macters. whatsoeuer, doe any thing preiudiciall to their libertie:
 neither in receiuing any legacie upon condition be it neuer so little seruile:
 neither can the slaue himselfe when hee is manumised, promise unto his lord
 that hath set him at libertie, any thing preiudiciall unto his libertie, other
 than the seruices ordinarie & agreeable unto all such as are
 enfranchised. And this is it for which the
 Arrests of the Parlement of Paris have oftentimes disanulled the contracts of
 seruants free borne, which have bound themselves upon a paine to serue certaine
 yeres: which neuertheles they yet do in England & Scotland, where the
 maisters after the terme of seruice expired, comming before the Iudges Prentises of England by couenant, for a time slaues. of
 the places, enfranchise their seruants, & giue them power to weare their
 caps; which was the auntient marke of a slaue newly enfranchised, to cover his
 shauen head vntill his haire were growne: which gaue occasion unto Brutus after that Caesar was
 slaine, to cause certaine money to be coined * with the impression of a cap
 upon it; as hauing set Plutar in vita Caesaris. at
 libertie the people of Rome. And after the death of Nero, the common people went up and downe the streets with caps upon
 their heads, in signe of their libertie. And 
 king Eumenes after the death of Mithridates, comming to Rome, and with his cap on his head entring the
 Senat, acknowledged himselfe to hold his libertie by the people of Rome. Now
 albeit that domesticall seruants be not slaues, and that they may do such acts
 of libertie as free men may, bee it in iudgement or out of iudgement; yet are
 they not as simple mercinarie men which labour for their daies wages, ouer
 whome Mercinarie labourers no slaues he that hath
 hired them hath neither power nor commaund, nor any manner of correction, as
 the maister hath over his domesticall seruants, who owe seruice, honor, and
 obedience unto their maisters, so long as they are in his house, and may with
 moderat discretion chastice and correct them. For domesticall seruants ought to
 reuerence their maister, and do them all honest seruice and duties: wherof, for
 that they have a mutuall comportment one of
 them towards the other, and belong unto morall discipline, we will not in this
 place reason. But as concerning Slaues, there are two great difficulties, not yet resolued
 upon: the Two notable questions concerning slauerie. 
 one, Whether slauerie be naturall & profitable to a Commonweale, or
 contrarie unto nature, and vnprofitable? the other, What power the lord of
 right ought to have over his slaue. Concerning the first point, Aristotle is of opinion that the seruitude Slauerie in the opinion of Aristo tle, a thing naturall, but
 not so in the iudgement of the Lawyers. of slaues is of right
 naturall: and to proue the same, We see (saith he) some naturally made to serue
 and obey, and others to commaund and gouerne. But Lawyers, who measure the law
 not by the discourses or decrees of Philosophers, but according to the common
 sense and capacitie of the people, hold seruitude to be directly contrarie vnto
 nature; and do what they can to maintaine
 libertie, still interpreting such things as are obscure and doubtfull (whether
 it be in the lawes, or in testaments, in couenants, or iudgements) so in favour
 of libertie, as that they giue no way either to lawes or to testaments: And if
 so be that the force of the lawes be so great and so plaine as that they may
 not swarue from them▪ yet do they protest that bitternesse of the lawes to
 displease them, calling it hard and cruell. But of these two opinions wee must
 chuse the better. Now many reasons there bee to proue that seruitude is
 profitable unto the Commonweale, and also agreeable unto nature: For every
 thing that is contrarie unto nature, is of no long
 continuance: and if you would force it against nature, yet will 

 Reasons to proue that seruitude or slauery is profitable
 unto a Commonweale: as also agreeable unto nature. it of it selfe
 againe returne unto the naturall course thereof; as is plainly seene in all
 naturall things. But seruitude seemeth to have taken the beginning thereof
 immediatly after the generall deluge; and euen so soone as any forme of a
 Commonweale was to be seene, and so hath alwaies euer since continued: and
 although seruitude in these latter times was left off, for about three or foure
 hundred yeares, yet is it now againe approued, by the great agreement and
 consent of almost all nations; yea the people of the West Indies, which are
 three times greater than all Europe, who neuer heard speech of the lawes of God
 or man, have alwaies bene full of slaues; neither hath there bene any
 Commonweale in the world, which hath not had slaues in it: yea the holiest men
 that euer lived have used them: yea and that more is, in every Commonweale
 the lord had power over the goods, the life
 and death of his slaue, except some few, where the Princes and lawmakers haue
 something moderated this power. Now like it is not, that all people and nations
 in euerie place, so many kings and princes, so many lawmakers (men for their
 vertue and experience most famous) would with so great consent, and so many
 worlds of yeares, have receiued slaues, if it had bene a thing repugnant vnto
 reason and nature. And what can be more agreeing unto curtesie and naturall
 reason, than after victorie obtained, to saue them whome thou hast taken
 prisoners in iust warre, to giue them meat, drinke, and cloathing, & with
 great charitie to releeue them? & for so great benefits to exact of them
 only their seruice & labor? is it not much better than in cold bloud to
 kill them? And this was the first beginning of 
 slaues. Now whereas it agreeth also with the lawes of God and man, that he that
 hath not wherewith to pay for the fault by him committed, should be punished in
 his bodie; is it not better and more curtesie to have him kept to labour in the
 publicke works? whereof such were also called seruants to paine, another kind
 of seruitude. In like sort, he that shall vniustly lie in wait for another mans
 goods, life, or state; what doubt is there but that he is a verie theefe and
 robber▪ and deserueth death? Then is it not contrarie unto nature, to saue him
 for labour, in stead of putting him to death: for the word Seruant, commeth of
 sauing, albeit that some vnskilfull Grammarians reprehend Iustinian in so saying. Now if it were contrarie unto nature, that one
 man should have power of life and death over another, there should be neither
 kingdoms nor seignories, which were not
 contrarie unto nature, seeing that kings and monarches have the same power ouer
 their subiects, be they lords or slaues, if they once fall into any capitall
 crime. These arguments have some good show to proue that seruitude is naturall,
 profitable, How seruitude i 
 agreeable unto nature: and how not. and honest, but it may well be
 answered. I confesse that seruitude is well agreeing unto nature, when a strong
 man, rich and ignorant, yeeldeth his obedience and seruice unto a wise,
 discreet and feeble poore man: but for wise men to serue fools, men of
 understanding to serue the ignorant, and the good to serue the bad; what can
 bee more contrarie unto nature? except a man should thinke it reasonable for a
 wise counsellour to be ouertuled by his foolish Prince; or a sober and temperat
 seruant to bee gouerned by his bedlem and
 riotous Maister. As for them that thinke it a charitable courtesie, in The former reason answered: and
 slauerie proued not to bee a thing agreeable unto nature: vniust
 warres to have saued the lives of their prisoners whome they might have killed,
 it is the charitie of theeves and pirats, who brag themselves to have giuen
 life unto them whome they have not depriued of life. For oftentimes it commeth
 to passe in vniust warres, (as are for most part those that are made by the
 mightie) that good men are most miserably and shamefully enforced to serue the
 wicked. And if the vanquished have wrongfully and without cause (as theeves)
 made warre, why then put they them not to death? why take they not of them
 exemplarie punishment? why take they them then vnto
 mercie, seeing that they are theeves. As for that which is said, That
 seruitude could not have continued so long
 if it had bene contrarie unto nature: true it is in things meerely naturall,
 which according to their naturall proprietie follow the immutable ordinance of
 God: but hauing giuen unto man the choice of good & euill, it chaunceth
 oftentimes to the contrarie; him to chuse the worse, contrarie to the law both
 of God and nature: in whom his corrupt opinion hath so great power, that it
 passeth in force of a law, of greater power than nature it selfe; in such sort,
 that there was neuer so great impietie or wickednesse, which hath not bene
 esteemed for vertue and godlinesse. Let one example serue for many. We know
 right well that there can be no more cruell or detestable a thing than to
 sacrifice men, and yet there are almost no people which have not used so to
 doe, who all for many ages couered the same with the vaile of pietie and religion: as yet unto this our age they of Peru and
 Brasiles doe, and certaine other people upon the riuer of Plat; unto which so
 prophane sacrifices our auncestors for all that with great deuotion resorted.
 With like pietie and deuotion the Thracians also used to kill their fathers and
 mothers, growne weake with age, and so afterwards did eat them, to the end they
 should not languish with sicknes, nor being dead become meat for wormes; as
 they aunswered the Persian king. Neither must we say that there were none but
 the auntient Gauls that sacrificed men; which indeed they did unto the time of
 Tiberius the Emperour: for long time before, the * Caes. lib. 6. Belli Gallici. Amorits and Ammonits vsed
 to sacrifice their children: neither was it a solemnitie among the Barbarians
 onely, as generally among the Scythes (as Plutarch 
 writeth) but also among the Greeks (in whome
 ciuilitie nor onely rested, but euen from whome it was unto all other nations
 deriued): for Achilles (as Homer 
 reporteth) sacrificed unto his dead friend Patroclus 
 with the slaughtar of men Plut. in Themist. &
 Artax. 

 Themistocles also in the Persian warre, sacrificed three
 men; as did the Persian king at the same time twelue: neither could Iupiter Licius (as is reported) be otherwise appeased but
 by the slaughter of man, led by the ambiguitie of an old Oracle, and of the
 Greeke word , which
 without accent signifieth either Light, or a Man. M.
 Tullius detesteth our auncestors, for that they sacrificed with mans
 blood: but that he spoke as an Orator, and as best serued his cause: for M. Varro attributeth it to all the people of Italie: as also the manner of vowing in the sacred spring time to haue
 bene, that whatsoeuer man or beast was that 

 

 yere first borne should be sacrificed. A man might also
 bring for example Iud. 11. 

 Iephte general of the armie of the Israelites, who is
 reported to have sacrificed his daughter unto almightie God, much about the
 same time that Agamemnon king of the Greeks sacrificed
 his daughter Iphigenia 

 Euripides. (whereof some well learned men haue
 made Tragedies) although that he sacrificed nothing unto God but the virginitie
 of his daughter; as the Hebrew text plainly declareth; and as Rabbi Leui, and the other Hebrew interpetors all agree. How beit other
 people did the like with great pietie and deuotion: which proueth well that we
 must not measure the law of nature by mens actions, bee they neuer so old and
 inueterat: neither thereof conclude, that the seruile estate of slaues is of
 right naturall: as also much lesse to attribute it to charitie, or to
 courtesie, that the people in auntient time
 saued their prisoners, taken in warres, whome they might have slaine; to draw a
 greater gaine and profit from them as from beasts. For who is hee that would
 spate the life of his vanquished enemie, if he could get a greater profit by
 his death than by sparing his life? Of a thousand examples I will produce but
 one. At the siege of Ierusalem under the conduct of Vespasian, a Roman souldier hauing found gold in the entrails of a Iew
 that was slain, made his companions therwith acquainted, who forthwith cut the
 throats of their prisoners, to see if they had also swallowed any of their
 crownes; so that in a moment there were slaine Ieseph▪
 in bello Iudaico. aboue twentie thousand of 
 those Iewes. O faire example of charitie towards captiues! But say some, they
 are nourished, they are well entreated for
 their seruice: but how I pray you are they nourished? and for what seruice
 doing? Cato the Censor (reputed the best and wisest man
 of his time) after that he had drawne all the seruice and profit he could from
 his slaues, euen vntill they were growne crooked with age, so that he could
 wring nothing more from them, set them then to sale to such as would giue most
 for them, to draw yet from them the verie price of their blood which yet
 remained in them, least he should be enforced to nourish them for nought, now
 growne impotent with age, or else bee faine to kill them, or to set them at
 libertie; in such sort that the poore slaues in recompence of all their seruice
 made, were drawne to the gallows by their new masters: not yet so happie as Pallas her mule in Athens, which growne old went about
 whither she list vnhalt ed, no man daring in her old age to load or charge her.
 And whereas there is nothing more holy or more naturall giuen by God vnto
 mankind, than mariage; yet so it is, that it was not permitted unto slaues: yea
 in case that a free man taken captiue had a child lawfully begot by his wife;
 if the father died in the hands of the enemie, although the mother returned
 into her libertie, yet neuerthelesse was the child reputed illegitimat. What should I rehearse the execrable and profuse filthinesse of both sexes,
 which The miserable estate and condition of slauer. 
 the poore slaues heretofore were and yet are enforced to endure and suffer? But
 as for crueltie showed upon them, it is incredible that we read, and that a man
 might speake of, if but the thousand part thereof were written: for Authors
 would thereof say nothing, if good occasion
 were not giuen; and we have not but the histories of the most civill people
 that euer were in the world. For they were enforced to till the ground in Colum. lib. 1 chaines (as yet they do in
 Barbarie,) and to lie in dungeons, the ladders being drawn up from them, as
 they yet do in all the East▪ for feare they should be lost, or that they should
 set fire on the house, or otherwise kill their maisters. Now as for euerie
 light offence of the slaue, except he were of great price, it was so rigorously
 punished, as that to have broken a glasse was unto him death: as for example,
 the Emperour Augustus being at supper in the house of
 Vedius Pollio, it chaunced one of the slaues to
 breake a glasse; who hauing done no other fault but that (as saith Lib. tertio de fra. 

 Seneca ) was forthwith drawn unto a pond of Lampreis,
 which were fed with mans flesh: whereat the poore slaue crying out, fled unto the feet of Agustus, entreating him, not for his life, but that hee might not
 after he was put to death be eaten up of those fishes, for hee found himselfe
 worthie of death for the glasse he had broken: but the common opinion was, that
 the soule of the drowned neuer passed over into the Vir. 6. Aeneid Elysian fields; or els that it died together with the
 body: as Synesius writ of his companions sailing to
 Alexandria, who in a tempest sodainly risen, seeing the outragious violence of
 the Sea, drew their swords to cut their owne throats, so to giue way unto the
 soule, which they thought otherwise to be in daunger to be drowned together
 with the bodie: so much the poore slaue feared to be eaten up of the fishes.
 But Augustus moued with compassion (as saith Seneca ) pardoned the slaue, causing all the rest of the
 glasses to be broken, and the pond to bee 
 filled up. Yet Dion the Historiographer, reporting the
 same historie, saith that Augustus could not obtaine
 pardon of Pollio for his slaue, neither to haue
 commaunded the pond of Lampries to have bene filled up, than which nothing was
 more pretious amongst the Remans: which for all that seemeth to have bene more
 probable, seeing that Seneca confesseth Augustus to have bene therwith contented, neither to haue
 bene therefore angrie with his friend Pollio. And to
 shew that this was no new matter more than two hundred yeares before, Plut. in▪ vita Titi Flaminii. 

 Quintus Flaminius a Senator of Rome, caused one of his
 slaues to be slaine, for no other cause but to gratifie and please his Bardache, 

 which said that he had neuer seene a man slaine. Now if
 it chaunced the maister to be flame in his
 house, by whomsoeuer that it was, all the slaues that at the same time were
 under the same roofe, were put to death euerie mothers son. As chanced at the
 murther of Pedanius great Pretor of Rome▪ when question
 was made of putting to death al his slaues, following (as saith Tacitus ) the auntient custome, the common people being
 for * Lib. 14. the most part men enfranchised, fell
 in mutinie, for that they knew well the murtherer was but one, & yet
 neuerthelesse there must be put to death 400 of his slaues, all innocent of the
 fact: neuerthelesse the matter being debated in the Senat, it was there
 resolued, That the antient custome shuld be kept, & so accordingly al the
 slaues were put to death. Her passe the murthering of slaues, enforced to kill
 one another in the lists, or to be torne with wild beasts, so to giue pleasure
 unto the people, and to breed in them a 
 contempt of death. And although the law Petronia had
 forbidden slaues without cause to be cast unto the wild beasts: yet was it
 neuer obserued, no more than the edict of the emperour Nero, who was the first that appointed commissioners to heare the
 complaints * Sene. lib. 3. de Benefic. of slaues:
 and after him the emperour Adrian ordained that
 inquisition should be made against such as had maliciously without cause slaine
 their slaues: how beit that long time before they were culpable as murtherers,
 by the law Cornelia: but that was holden in no regard,
 and all that the poore slaues could do to saue themselves from the fury of
 their maisters, was to flie unto the images of the gods, or of the emperours.
 For neither the temple of Diana in Rome, which king Seruius (himselfe the sonne of a slaue) had appointed as
 a sanctuarie for slaues; neither the image of Romulus, 
 which the Senat had of long time appointed for
 the selfe same purpose; neither the Sepulcher of Theseus 
 at Athens; neither the image of Ptolemee at Cyrene;
 neither the temple of * Plu. in Thes. 

 Diana at Ephesus, could defend the slaues from the furie
 of their angrie lords and masters. Howbeit that by the law of the Ephesians the
 slaue which without iust cause had fled unto the temple of Diana, was againe restored unto his master, being before sworne not
 therefore to entreat him euill: but if the cause of his flight were iust, then
 was he taken from his master and made seruant to Diana: 
 except women, who might not enter into her temple. But Tiberius of all other tyrants that euer were, the most craftie in his
 old age, appointed his image for a sanctuarie, propounding capitall punishment
 unto all such as should by violence draw any slaue from the same; to the intent
 that by that meane the slaues might for the
 least occasion come to accuse their masters, yea euen of high treason. Insomuch
 that as Seneca writeth, a certaine Senator fearing to
 bee bewraied of his slaue, craued pardon of Tiberius for
 that he had but bene about to touch his chamber pot with a ring upon his
 finger, wherein the image of Tiberius was engrauen. In
 such sort, that the images of the emperours, but especially of tyrants were as
 snares to entangle the magistrats in, who oftentimes secretly murthered their
 slaues, for hauing recourse unto the images, so soone as they were returned
 thence. But the law of God had therefore much better prouided, appointing
 euerie mans house for a sanctuarie unto the slaue flying from his master,
 forbidding to restore him againe unto his maister whilest he was yet in
 choller. For all masters are not of like discretion to 

 Plato, which said to his slaue, That he would sharply
 have corrected him, but that hee was angrie: whereas the Germans (as Tacitus saith) neuer punish their seruants or children
 but in their rage, and that as if they were their enemies. Thus we see the
 lives of masters not well assured against their slaues; and the lives of slaues
 much lesse against their masters. For who could assure himselfe of his life, or
 of his goods in the time of the tyrannie of Sylla, who
 had proposed thirtie Sesterties unto free men, and unto bond men liberty, as a
 reward if they should discover their masters, or bring in the head of any one
 of them that were by him proscribed? In which feare the citisens were, vntill
 that threescore thousand of them being slaine, and so
 the state in a manner againe appeased, a
 certaine slaue yet presented unto Sylla the head of his
 lord & master, whom Sylla for so doing according to
 his promise set at liberty, but by and by after caused him to be cast headlong
 from the rocke Tarpeia. At such time also as persecution grew hot against the
 Christians, there was no Christian master but was in daunger of his life, or
 els glad to set at libertie his slaues. But the feare of persecution once
 ceasing, the lords and masters themselves became tyrants over their slaues. So the state of Families and Commonweals is alwaies in daunger of trouble and
 ruine, To great a multitude of slaues daungerous in a
 Commonweale. by the conspiracie of slaues combining themselves
 together: all Histories being full of seruile rebellions and warres. And albeit
 that the Romans were right great and mightie, yet so it was that they could not
 let the slaues to rise against the state in al the townes of Italie except Messana: and afterwards for all the
 lawes they could make, they could not preuent but that threescore thousand
 slaues rise in rebellion under the conduct of Spartacus, 
 who in set battaile ouerthrew three armies of the Romans. For it is most
 certaine, that in euerie country whatsoeuer, there was at least ten slaues for
 one free man: as it is easie to iudge by the musters taken in Athens, where for
 twentie thousand citisens were found ten thousand strangers, and foure hundred
 thousand slaues. And Italie (victorious over all nations) had many moe, as a
 man may perceiue by the Oration of Cassius the Senator,
 whereby he persuaded the Senat for the confirming of Sylla his decree: We have at home (said he) whole nations of slaues
 much differing among themselves in manners, fashions, language, and religion.
 And namely M. 

 

 Crassus alone had five hundred slaues, who daily brought
 in unto him the profit of their gainfull arts and trades; besides them whome he
 imployed in his ordinarie and domesticall seruice. Milo 
 also in one day set at libertie 300 slaues, least they should have bene put to
 torture to depose concerning the death of Clodius 
 Tribune of the people. And that multitude of slaues was it for which the Roman
 Senate, desirous to put a difference in the habit of slaues, to the intent to
 have them knowne from free men: one of the grauest Senators dissuaded the same,
 showing the daunger like to ensue thereof, if the slaues should begin to enter
 into the number of themselves; for that so they might easily dispatch
 themselves of their maisters, for the easinesse of their rising into rebellion,
 and the difference of their habits. unto which daunger Africke & some
 part of Spaine should be subiect, if there
 were such a multitude of slaue as in times past: for that they marked their
 slaues in the face, which they did not in auntient time, except such of them as
 were villanous and sturdie knaues, who were thereof called Stigmatic; who at any time beeing manumised, could for all that neuer
 enioy the full fruit of their libertie or the priuelege of citisens: marking
 the rest upon their armes. And this was it for which the Lacedemonians seeing
 their slaues to multiply exceedingly aboue the citisens (for the hope their
 masters gaue them of libertie which could get most children, and for the profit
 every man drew out of them in particuler) made a decree that three thousand of
 them such as had the most able bodies should bee taken up for the warres: whome
 so pressed out, they forthwith caused to be all in one night slaine, and that so sodainly and secretly, as that no man knew
 what was become of them, more than they which had the doing of the matter. Now this feare that Cities and Commonweals had of their slaues, was the
 cause Why slaues were not suffred to beare armes. 
 that they neuer durst suffer them to beare armes, or to be enrolled in their
 musters, and that upon paine of death: and if by necessitie they were
 constrained to take their slaues, they at the same time freely set them at
 libertie. As did Scipio Africanus the Greater, who after
 the great ouerthrow of Cannas manumised 300 of his slaues, al able bodies.
 Howbeit that Florus writeth, That arms were giuento 8000
 slaues; which we also read to have bene done in the
 confederat warre. But Cleomenes king of Lacedemonia
 finding himselfe vnable to withstand the
 multitude of his enemies, as also of his slaues, his citisens being for the
 most part slaine; in his so great necessitie proclaimed libertie to al such
 slaues as were able to pay fiftie crownes for their heads: in which doing he
 prouided himselfe both of souldiors and money. Yea not so much as the effeminat
 people of Asia used their slaues in warres, except the Parthians, who might not
 by their lawes manumise their slaues, whom they made almost as much of as of
 their children: wherby they grew into such a multitude▪ that in their armie
 wherwith▪ they put to flight the power of M. Antonius, 
 consisting of fiftie thousand men, there was but 4500 free men, as we read in
 Iustin: yet had they no cause to rebell, being of
 their masters so well entreated. But as for other people they were so
 mistrustfull of their slaues, as that sometimes they would not have them to serue in their gallies before they were
 enfranchised: as did Augustus, who at one time set at
 libertie twenty thousand to serue him in his gallies. And for feare they had▪
 least they should conspire together against the state, to keepe them alwaies
 busied in other mechanicall arts, Lycurgus amongst the
 Lacedemonians, and Numa Pompilius in Rome, forbad their
 owne citisens to vse any manuall occupation. And yet they could not so well
 prouide, but that euer there was some one or other desperat man, who
 propounding libertie unto slaues, still robbed the State. As Viriatus the Pirat, who made himselfe king of Portugall: Cinna, Spartacus, Tacfarinas, 

 * Appian. in bellis ciuilib. * Ios. in bello Iudaico. 
 and Simon the son of Gerson, 
 captaine of the Iewes, who all of base companions made themselves great lords,
 by giuing libertie unto the slaues that followed them. And the civill warres yet continuing betwixt Augustus and M. Antonius, was not to be seene
 but fugitiue slaues stil on the one side or the other: in such sort, as that
 after the discomfiture of Sex. Pompeius, there were
 found thirtie thousand slaues which had taken part with him, whome Augustus caused to be apprehended through his dominions,
 and by a prefixed day to be againe restored unto their masters, commaunding the
 rest to bee hanged that had no masters to lay claime unto them; as we read in
 Appian. And in truth the power of the Arabians grew
 by no other meanes. For as soone as Homar one of Mahomets licutenants, had begun to raise warre in Arabia,
 and promised libertie unto the slaues that should follow him, he drew such a
 number after him, that in few yeares they made themselves lords of all the
 East. The fame of which libertie, and the
 conquests made by those slaues, so encouraged the slaues of Europe, that they
 began to take up armes, first in Spaine in the yeare 781, and afterward in
 Fraunce in the time of Charlemaigne, and of Lewes the godly; as is to bee seene by their Edicts then
 made against the conspiracie of slaues. And after that also Lothaire the sonne of Lewes, hauing lost two
 battels against his brethren, called the slaues unto his aid with promise of
 libertie: who afterwards gaue the ouerthrow unto their masters in the yere 852.
 When sodainly this fire took such hold in Germanie, where the slaues hauing
 taken up armes, so troubled the state of the German princes and cities, that
 Lewes king of the Almans was constrained to raise all
 his forces to subdue them. And this was the cause that the Christian princes by little and little released
 their 

 The cause why Christian princes by little and little
 released their slaues. seruitude, and enfranchised their slaues,
 reseruing onely unto themselves certaine seruices, and the auntient right of
 succession, if their enfranchised slaues should chance to die without issue: a
 custome yet in vse in all the lower Germanie; as in many places in Fraunce, and
 England also. For as yet many remembrances of bondage remaine in the Christian
 Commonweale: as is to be seene in the lawes of the Lombards & Ripuaires
 whereby slaues could not have their iust libertie, or alienat their goods,
 vntill they had bene twice manumised: and oftentimes the lord or master ioyned
 unto the act of infranchisment, That it was done for the health of his soule.
 For they which first laid the foundation of the
 Christian Commonweale, had nothing in more regard, than to find the means how Christian slaues might be set at liberty:
 so that in hope therof many of them oftentimes became Christians; & their
 masters for the health of their souls were content so to enfranchise them. Wee
 also read in the Histories of Africk, how that Paulinus 
 bishop of Nolo, after hee had sold all his goods to redeeme Christian slaues,
 at last (which a man would wonder at) sold himselfe also unto the Vandales for
 his brethren. And hereof came the manumission of slaues made in churches before
 the bishops. Whereof, in the raigne of Constantine the
 Great, ensued such a multitude of poore and needie men, who had nothing but
 their libertie to live upon (of whome the most part would do nothing, and the
 rest could do nothing) as that cities were with nothing more charged than with
 them. Hereof, began the almes-houses, and 

 The beginning of a mes houses and
 hospital . hospitals, for the reliefe of
 little children, of the aged, of the sicke, and of them that could not labour,
 to be erected and endowed by the Christian princes, at the requests of the
 bishops. Hereof S. Basil in his sermons complaineth,
 that the cries and gronings of the poore and weake were in the Churches
 confounded and mingled with the songs and prayers of the Priests. Much about
 which time Iulian the Apostata in despite of the
 Christians Nicephorus. exhorted the Pagan
 bishops by the example of the Christians to the building and endowing of
 almes-houses and hospitals for the reliefe of their poore. And for that poore
 men set at libertie, did oftentimes lay forth their children to bee brought up
 of the charitie and liberalitie of the Christians: Gratian made a law, That the children so exposed and left unto the
 world, should be slaues unto them that had so
 nourished and brought them up. And not long after, Valens the Emperour by an Edict gaue power to euerie man to take up
 the vagrant and idle persons, and to cause them to serue them as slaues;
 forbidding also and that upon paine of death, any to goe into the woods or
 deserts there to live as Her ts; of whome he caused a
 great number which had contrarie to his Edict so gone out, to be executed; to
 the intent to cut off idlenesse, and to draw euerie man unto labour. But after
 that Idolatrie began to decay, and the Christian religion to encrease, the
 multitude of slaues began also to diminish; and yet much more after the
 publishing of the law of Mahomet, who set at libertie
 all them of his religion. To the imitation of whome, the Christians also so
 frankly set at libertie their slaues, as that all seruitude and slauerie seemed
 in that age to have bene shut up with the West
 Indians, wherein the Christians had shaken off from their necks all bondage,
 about the yere 1250: yet for all that, that there were slaues in Italie in the
 yeare 1212, it is euident, as well by the lawes of William king of Sicilie, and Frederick the
 second Emperour; as also by the decrees of the bishops of Rome, Alexander (I say) the third, Vrban 
 the third, and Innocentius the third, concerning the
 marriages of slaues, which the Lawyers call Contabernia, 
 or keeping of companie together: which Alexander was
 chosen Pope in the yeare 1158, Vrban in the yeare 1185,
 and Innocentius in the yeare 1188. Whereby it is
 euident, the Christian Common▪ weale to have bene cleere of slaues since the
 yeare 1250, or there about. For Bartholus 

 A time wherein there were no in the
 Christian Commonweale. who flourished in the yeare 1300, writeth that
 there were no slaues in his time; and that by
 Christian lawes men might no more sell themselves, understanding the Edicts
 made by the Christian princes: which when Nicholas the
 Sicilian, otherwise called the Abbot of Panormo had learned of Bartholus, he thought it a thing well worth the noting.
 Neuerthelesse we read in the Historie of Polonia, that euerie prisoner taken in
 good warre, was then and long time after slaue unto him that had taken him, if
 the king would not pay two Florins for his head, as I have before said: and yet
 at this present the subiects bound unto the soyle whereon they were borne,
 which they call Kmetos, are in the power of their lords,
 who may at their pleasure kill them, and not bee called 
 into question therefore: and if so be that they kill another mans subiect, then
 are they acquited by paying ten crownes; the
 one moitie to the lord, and the other moitie unto the heires: so as we read in
 the lawes of Polonia; which are the like in the kingdoms of Denmarke, Sweden,
 and Norway. But it is more than 400 yeares agoe, since that Fraunce suffered in
 it any true slaues. For as for that which we read in our histories, that Lewes Hutin, who came to the crowne in the yeare 1313
 (the selfe same time that Bartholus lived) set at
 libertie all slaues for money▪ to defray the charges of his warres; When slaues ceased in France that is, as I take it, to
 be vnderstood of manumised men, which we call Mort-maines, whome we euen yet at
 this present see to be set at libertie by the kings royall letters patents,
 from that bond of seruitude wherby they are prohibited to marrie a wife, or to
 alienat their goods out of the territories of their Patron. So also we are to
 vnderstand the edict of Charls the fift the French king, wherin in cities every 70 families,
 in country villages euerie hundred families, and every 200 heads of slaues,
 were be charged with a man at armes; which they should not have done if they
 had bene in the possession of another man, & accounted as another mans
 goods. So it is also to be vnderstood that is written of Humbert Dauphin, who at the same time by one edict enfranchised all
 the slaues of Dauphine, and commaunded the same to be enrolled in the publick
 acts and lawes of the countrey. The same curtesie used Theobald countie d'Blois towards his slaues, in
 the yeare 1245. To this also belongeth that which wee read of Sugerius abbot of the couent of S. Dionyse, who
 set at libertie his manumised slaues, so that they chaunged their dwelling. And
 also the auntient decree of the Parliament of Paris, whereby it was permitted to the bishop of Chalons, by the
 consent of his Chapiter, to enfranchise his slaues. Charles the seuenth also comming to the crowne in the yeare 1430
 enfranchised diuers persons of seruile condition. And in our memorie king Henry the second by his letters pattents enfranchised
 them of Burbonnois, in the yere 1549. By whose example
 also the duke of Sauoy did the like in all his countries, in the yeare 1561.
 All which we see done in the great favour of libertie. Whereas otherwise the
 Prince, of his owne lawfull power could not enfranchise another mans slaue, and
 much lesse the magistrat, what intercession soeuer the people should make:
 neither could he so much as giue unto him that was by another man enfranchised,
 so much as leaue to weare a ring of gold, without the consent of his patron.
 For Commodus the Emperour by his edict tooke from all them their rings of gold, who had obtained that
 priueledge of the prince without leaue of their Patron: neither would he haue
 it any thing preiudiciall unto the Patron, that his enfranchised slaue had
 obtained of the prince this priueledge, albeit that the prince had restored him
 to the state of a free borne man: which was a far greater matter than to haue
 obtained the priueledge to weare a ring of gold: which albeit that it belonged
 unto the prince onely to grant, yet so it was neuerthelesse in the time of Tertullian, that the patrons had in a manner got that
 power unto themselves, * Tertul. in de resurrection. 
 giuing unto their enfranchised slaues a ring of gold and a white gowne, in
 stead of yron giues and whips, causing them so attired to sit downe at the
 table with them, and to beare their name. And at last Iustinian himselfe by a generall edict restored all them that had bene slaues enfranchised unto the state of
 free borne men; so that for the confirmation thereof they needed not afterwards
 any the princes charter. Which law for all that we vse not: for in viz. France. 

 this realme he must of necessitie obtaine the prince his letters
 patents, which have alwaies used to restore unto manumised men and of seruile
 condition, the state of free borne men, and to blot out all the staine of their
 old slauerie; which letters were woont to be both requested and obtained
 without the leaue of the patron: who for all that may lay hands upon such goods
 of his enfranchised slaue as were got before he was set at libertie wheresoeuer
 they be; as not long since was adiudged by the court of
 Paris: as for such things as they get afterwards they may hold them to themselves; and hauing no children, by their
 testaments bestow them upon whome they please. I have seene the lord of the
 White Rocke in Gascongue claime to have not onely a right over his manumised
 subiects, and also that they were bound to trimme his vines, to till his
 grounds, to mow his meddows, to reape and thresh his corne, to carrie &
 recarrie whatsoeuer he should command them, to repaire his decayed house, to
 pay his ransome, and also the foure accustomed payments used in this realme;
 but also that if without his leaue they should chaunge their dwelling places
 wherein they were borne, or depart out of his land, hee might lead them home
 againe in an halter: unto all which the aforesaid seruices his manumised people
 yeelded, sauing unto the last, which by a decree of the Parlement of Tholouze
 was cut off, as preiudiciall unto the right of
 libertie. Truly they whome the Polonians call Kmetons, are not compelled to do
 their patrons so great seruice; but yet suffer things much grieuous: for that
 any man may kill them for the small paiment of ten crownes, and their lord may
 so doe for nothing. And in former time it was lawfull amongst the Indians by
 all meanes to tyrannise upon their seruants, which were in number infinit, yea
 and to kill them also; vntill that Charles the fift by a
 law which he made commanded then all to be free. But in Fraunce, although there
 be some remembrance of old seruitude, yet is it not lawfull there to make any
 slaue, or to buy any of others: Insomuch that the slaues of strangers so soone
 as they set their foot within Fraunce become Slaues by
 comming into France become free. franke & free; as was by an old
 decree of the court of Paris determined against an ambassador of Spain, who had broght a slaue with him into France. And I
 remember that of late a Genua marchant hauing brought with him unto Tholouze a
 slaue whome he had bought in Spaine, the hoast of the house understanding the
 matter, persuaded the slaue to appeale unto his libertie. The matter being
 brought before the magistrats, the marchant was called for; the Atturney
 general out of the records showed certaine auntient priueledges giuen (as is
 said) unto them of Tholouze by Theodosius the Great,
 wherein he had granted, That slaues so soone as they came into Tholouze should
 be free. The marchant alledging for himselfe that he had truly bought his slaue
 in Spaine, and so was afterward come to Tholouze, from thence to goe home to
 Genua, and so not to be bound to the lawes of Fraunce. In the end hee requested
 that if they would needs deale so hardly
 with him, as to set at libertie another mans slaue, yet they should at least
 restore unto him the money hee cost him: whereunto the Iudges aunswered, That
 it was a matter to be considered of. In the meane time the marchant fearing
 least he shou d loose both his dutifull slaue and his
 money also, of himselfe set him at libertie, yet couenanting with him that he
 should serue him so long as he lived. Yet for all that, those priueledges which
 they of Tholouze boast to have bene granted them by Theodosius, seeme not to have bene so, seeing that Narbona a true
 Colonie of the Romans, and the most auntient that was in Fraunce, Lectore,
 Nysmes, Vienne, Lyons, Arles, Romans, and many others, which were also Roman
 Collonies, no nor Rome itselfe the verie seat of the Empire, had not any such
 priueledge. And thus much concerning the
 enfranchising of slaues. But now here might a man say, If it be so that the Mahometans have enfranchised
 all the slaues of their religion, which hath course in all Asia, and almost in
 all Africke, Now it commeth to paste tha 

 es be so many in the world. with a good part of Europe also;
 and the Christians have semblably done the like (as we have before showed:) how
 commeth it to passe that yet the world is so full of slaues and slauerie? For
 the Iewes may not by their lawes have any slaue of their own nation, neither by
 the lawes of the Christians may they have any Christian. Truely all in that
 swerue from the law of God: For the law of God forbiddeth any slaue to be made by the order of the Israelites amongst
 themselves, except that any of them shall of
 his owne accord giue himselfe in bondage to another, and suffer▪ his eare to
 be * Exod. 2 . bored
 through to a post with an aule: truely it adiudgeth the debtors vnto Deut. 5. the creditors, and
 suffereth the Iewes to bee sold for pouertie: yet the same law commaundeth them
 at the seuenth yeare to be set at libertie. And although a man have enthraled
 himselfe, and suffered himselfe to be thrust through the eare with an aule,
 insomuch that he be bound to perpetuall seruitude: yet neuerthelesse all the
 interpretors of the law affirme, That in the yeare of Iubiley he shall againe
 recover his libertie, except he had rather againe serue than become free. But
 such bondslaues as were borne of those kind of slaues which had of their owne
 accord giuen themselves into bondage, they were in the fiftith yeare to be set
 free: at which time the law by Leuit. 2 . Herom. 32. Num. 13. the sound of trumpet denounceth libertie unto all manner of slaues.
 Yet doth the law permit them to have straungers, of another nation and religion
 than their owne, in perpetuall bondage; and that their posteritie and nephews
 might vse the same right against straungers, that straungers might against the
 Isiaelites: than which kind of slaues Iulian the
 Emperour writeth none to have bene better. You see (saith he) how willingly the
 Syrians serue other nations: and contrariwise what a loue of libertie is in the
 people of the Celtes. But the Iewes when they had bought any straunge
 bond▪slaues of the Christians, or of the Pagans, they instructed them in their
 owne religion, and so circumcised them: which thing Traian by a speciall law forbad: and albeit that they had yeelded vnto
 their lords or maisters religion, yet neuerthelesse they enforced them
 still to serue: Whereas by Exod. 12. Numer. 49. the law it was prouided, that such
 straungers as being circumcised had receiued the law of God, should enioy the
 same priuiledges and benefits that the natural citisēs did. The same law
 (saith it) shal be unto the stranger & the citisen. That is it that God by
 the Prophet Ieremie 

 Hier. 34. complaineth of, Slaues not to be set
 at libertie according to the law: and therefore a most heauie bondage to hang
 over the maisters heads from their enemies. Hereupon also Philip the French king draue the Iewes out of his kingdome, confi cating their goods, for that contrarie unto the law
 they circumcised Christians, and tooke them unto themselves into bondage for
 slaues. The like deceit we see the Mahometans to vse, whose manner is to
 circumcise and to instruct in their religion such Christians as they have taken
 in warre, or bought of pirats, or at leastwise
 their children, whome neuerthelesse they compell to serue with all their
 children and posteritie. Whose example the Portingals following, compell the
 bondmen whome they have bought out of Africke, to abiure the Mahometan
 religion, and instructing them in the Christian religion, cause them
 neuerthelesse with their children and ofspring to serue them in perpetuall
 slauerie: so that now whole droues of slaues are sold and that openly in all
 parts of Portugall, as if they were beasts. In like manner the Spaniards hauing
 brought the Neigros unto the Christian religion, keepe them neuerthelesse and
 all their posteritie for slaues. And albeit that Charles 
 the fift had by a generall edict made in the yeare 1540 set at libertie all the
 slaues of the West Indies, neuerthelesse a sedition there rising through the
 couetousnesse and insolencie of them that were
 in greatest power, Gonsales Pizzare gouernor of that
 prouince reuolted from Charles: whose power when Lagasca had discomfited, and for publike example had
 caused him to be beheaded together with the chiefe men of that rebellion, hee
 according to the edict, set at libertie all the slaues; yet with condition,
 that they should still serue their patrons. And yet for all that it could not
 be brought to passe, but that Lagasca returning into
 Spaine, these late enfranchised men fell againe into their slauerie: and
 especially for the profit which their lords and masters were▪in hope to have by
 the selling of them: to the imitation of the Portugals, who first called in
 againe Seruitude, now for many worlds of yeares buried
 in forgetfulnesse in Europe; and are in 

 The Portugals the first that called in slauery againe into
 Europe. short time like enough to disperse the same over all Europe,
 as it is now alreadie begun in Italie. For now a good while ago Africa and
 Asia, and the Easterne part of Europ also have accustomed to nourish and bring
 up in every citie, stocks of slaues, in like maner as if they were beasts, and
 of them to make a great marchandise and gaine. For within this hundred yere the
 Tartars (a kind of Scythian people) in great number with fire and sword entring
 into the borders of Moscouia, Lituania, and Polonia, carried away with them
 three hundred thousand Christians into captiuitie. And not long ago euen in our
 memorie, Sinan Bassa hauing taken the Ifle of Gozo neere
 unto Malta, led away with him 6300 Christians, and all the inhabitants of
 Tripolis in Barbarie, which he sold in Graecia. So that it is not to be
 maruelled that the captaine of the Turkes
 Ianizaries, and either of his Chauncellors (whome they call Cadelesquiers) vse
 euerie one of them at their entrance into their office to receiue of the prince
 three hundred slaues. For as concerning the Turkes Pretorian souldiors, and
 those youths which are taken from the Christians as tribute, and are called
 tribute children, I neuer accounted them for slaues; seeing that they are
 enrolled in the princes familie, and that they alone enioy the great offices,
 honours, priesthoods, authoritie and honour; which nobilitie extendeth also
 unto their nephewes in the fourth degree, and all their posteritie afterward
 beeing accounted base, except by their vertue and noble acts they maintaine the
 honour of their grandfathers: For the Turkes almost alone of all other people
 measure true nobilitie by vertue, and not by discent or the antiquitie of
 

 No man noble among the Turkes but for his valor or his
 vertue. their stocke; so that the farther a man is from vertue, so
 much the farther hee is (with them) from nobilitie. Wherefore seeing it is proued by the examples of so many worlds of years, so
 many inconueniences of rebellions, seruile warres, conspiracies euersions and
 chaunges to have happened unto Commonweals by slaues; so many murthers,
 cruelties, and detestable villanies to have bene committed upon the persons of
 slaues by their lords and masters: who can doubt to affirme it to be a thing
 most pernitious and daungerous to have brought them into a Commonweale; or
 hauing cast them off, to receiue them againe? Now if any man shall say, That
 the rigour of the lawes may by forbidding, and seuere punishment moderat the
 cruelty of maisters over their slaues: What law
 can there be more iust, more strong, and indifferent, or better than the
 laws Reasons for the bringing in againe of slauery
 answered. of God, which hath so wisely prouided as to forbid to
 chastise slaues with whips (which the Roman lawes permitted) and willeth the
 slaue to be enfranchised, if his maister shal breake any lim of him? which law
 Constantine the Emperour afterward approued. But who
 shall prosecute the suite against the lord for the death of the slaue? who
 shall heare the complaint? who shall exact due punishment therefore? shall hee
 that hath nothing to do therwith? considering that tyrants hold it for a rule
 in policie, That one cannot be too seuere unto his subiects, so to keepe them
 low and obedient. But the Spaniards (some will say) entreat their slaues
 courteously, teach them, and bring them up, yea and that much more kindly than
 they do their hired seruans: and they againe 
 on their part serue their lords and masters with all chearefulnes and loue
 incredible. But concerning the Spaniards it is a common saying, That there are
 no maisters more courtious than they at the first; as generally all beginnings
 are pleasing: so also it is most certaine, That there is no greater loue, than
 the loue of a good slaue towards his lord: prouided that it meet with an humor
 agreeing with it selfe. For which cause the law of God (in mine opinion) hath
 so wisely prouided that no man should serue a perpetuall seruitude, but he
 which hauing serued seuen yeres, and so well tasted the humor and disposition
 of his master or creditor, had consented to bee his slaue for euer. But sith there are so few men one like unto anothe and contrariwise the varietie and naturall disposition of them infinit, what law giuer can
 unto them all prescribe one generall edict, law, or rule. The auntient prouerb,
 which saith, So many slaues, so many enemies in a mans
 house, showeth right well what friendship, faith and loyaltie a man may
 looke for of his slaues. Of a thousand examples of antiquitie I will recite but
 one, which happened in the time of Iulius Pontanu , who reporteth, That a slaue seeing An horrible example of the crueltie of a faithlesse
 slaue. his lord absent, barred the gates, and hauing shamefully
 abused his mistresse, bound her, tooke his maisters three children, and so
 going up to the highest place of the house, seeing his maister comming home,
 first cast downe unto him upon the pauement one of his children, and after that
 another: the wofull father all dismaid, and fearing least hee should throw
 downe the third likewise, with prayers and teares besought the slaue to
 spare him that was yet left, promising him
 forgiuenesse for that hee had alreadie done, and libertie also if he would but
 saue that third. Which his request the slaue yeelded vnto, upon condition that
 he should cut off his owne nose: which he chose rather to doe; than to loose
 his child. But this done, the slaue neuerthelesse cast downe the third child
 also; and so at last to take that revenge of himself, which his lord thought to
 have done, cast headlong downe himselfe also. And not to be tedious, I omit
 poysonings, murders, burnings, and many other mischiefes oftentimes euerie
 where done by slaues. But these inconueniences, you will say, are counteruailed
 and recompensed with other mutuall profits; for that by receiuing in of slaues
 we cut off the infinit number of vagabonds and bankrupts, who after they haue
 deuoured al, would pay their creditors with 

 Reasons for th maintaining of
 slauerie in a Commonweale. bils: & that by that means might be
 driuen away such a multitude of rogues & naughtie doers, which eat up whole
 townes, and as drones sucke the hony from the bees: ioyne also unto this, that
 of such idle mates, theeves and pirats furnish themselves; besides that, famine
 and euil prouision for the poore, draw into townes all populer diseases; for
 the poore we must nourish and not kill, although it be in a sort to kill them,
 to refuse to nourish them (as saith S. Ambrose. ) These
 reasons beare some show of truth. The same reasons
 answered. For as concerning debtors, if they be not able to pay, God
 his law commaundeth them to be adiudged to their creditors for seuen yeares,
 but yet not into perpetuall bondage▪ howbeit that the law of the twelue tables,
 practised in all the West Indies, and in the greatest part of Africke, will
 that they remaine still prisoners unto the creditors, vntill they be fully satisfied. For they which have taken away from
 debtors in ciuil cases the benefit, to leaue unto their creditors all such
 goods as they had, and command them to be committed not to their creditors, but
 to prisons, as the Turkes do; seeme to mee to take away not onely from the
 creditors, but also from the debtors, all power to keepe themselves, yea and
 their lives also, as taking from them the meane for them to trauell, and to
 gaine to acquit themselves. But as for theeves and pirats, there was neuer in
 any time moe than when the multitude of slaues was encreased: For that the
 slaue not able to endure slauerie, and at length breaking from his maister, was
 alwaies constrained to be a theefe or a pirat, not being able to endure his
 maister, neither to show himself being marked, nor to live hauing nothing to
 live upon. A better example whereof cannot be
 than that of Spartacus the fensor, who at one time
 assembled out of the verie bowels of Italie three score thousand slaues; when
 as at the same time aboue fourescore thousand pirats with nine hundred saile of
 ships were rouing over all the Mediterannean, and had with so great forces
 taken 400 cities upon the sea coast; as that the Roman Empire was both by land
 and sea as it were beset with theeves and robbers. But the wise law giuer is
 not hee that driueth robbers out of the Commonwealth, but he that suffereth
 them not therein to enter: which may easily bee done without that direfull
 slauerie, so dreadfull unto states and cities; by erecting in every towne and
 citie publick houses for poore children, where they may
 learne diuers trades and occupations, as they
 do Paris, hio s, and Venice,
 and other well gouerned towns, where Seminaries of Artiz are brought upto the great benefit of the Commonweale.
 But in such places as wherein slaues are now alreadie receiued, I am not of
 opinion to have them altogether and pone time set at
 libertie, as Charles the Emperour did at Peru: for that
 so they hauing nothing to live upon, nor occupation to gaine by, and delighted
 with the sweetnesse of idlenesse and libertie, would take no paines: in such
 sort that the most part of them died for hunger: but the best way is, by little
 and little to enfranchise them, hauing before their enfranchisement taught them
 some occupation whereby to releeue themselves. Now if some shall say, That no
 man is a good master, but he that hath before bene a good seruant: I say that
 to be an opinion euill 

 The old saying, That no man can be a good master, but he
 which hath before bene a good , refuted. 
 grounded, although it be right auntient: for there is nothing that doth more
 discourage and ouerthrow, (and if I may so say) a bastardise a good and noble
 mind, than seruitude; or that doth more abate the naturall maiestie of good
 natures to commaund over others, than to have bene once a slaue. Salomon also the maister of wisedom saith in his
 Prouerbs, That there is nothing more intollerable, than when a slaue is become
 a maister, or a handmaid a mistresse: which he referreth not only unto a more
 misticall sence; as when our intemperat desires beare rule over our reason: but
 unto him also which so dainly passeth from one extremitie to another; as from
 seruitude to commaund. But if it be true that reason and the law of God is
 alwaies and euerie where to take place, and that it was not shut up only within
 the bounds of Palestine: why should not that
 law so profitably & so wisely made by God himselfe, concerning slauerie
 & libertie, stand in force, rather than that which was by mans wisedom
 deuised? Howbeit that the Tartars (which are by many thought to bee descended
 from the ten tribes of Israel) have alwaies enfranchised their slaues at the
 end of seuen yeres: yet with condition that they should depart out of their
 country: which condition was first by Papinian (the
 great lawyer) reiected, but afterwards by him againe receiued; but beeing
 ioyned unto enfranchisments; is accounted as if it were not written at all. And
 thus much concerning the power of a maister over his slaue, and whether slaues
 are to be suffered in a well ordered Commonweal. But now that we haue
 sufficiently, & yet also as briefly as was unto vs possible, entreated of a
 Familie, & of all the parts therof, which is the foundation of the whole cōmonweale; let vs now likewise also
 speak of a Citisen & a City.