OF SEDITIONS AND TROUBLES.           105

shot out of their secret hitentions ; for, as for large
discourses, they are flat things, and not so much
noted.

Lastly, let princes, against all events, not be without
some great person—one, or rather more—of military
valour near unto them, for the repressing of seditions
in their beginnings ; for, without that, there useth to
be more trepidation in Court upon the first breaking
out of troubles than were fit. And the State runneth
the danger of that which Tacitus saith : Atque is
habitus animorum ficii ut pessimum facimts audercnt
panci plures vellent omnes paterentur. But let such
military persons be assured and well reputed of,
rather than factious and popular, holding also good
correspondence with the other great men in the
State, or else the remedy is worse than the disease^