nished him, were improved by study and experience.
When I was in England the king depended much on his counsels, and the
government seemed to be chiefly supported by him; for from his youth he
had been all along practised in affairs; and having passed through many
traverses of fortune, he had with great cost acquired a vast stock of
wisdom, which is not soon lost when it is purchased so dear. One day
when I was dining with him there happened to be at table one of the
English lawyers, who took occasion to run out in a high commendation of
the severe execution of justice upon thieves, who, as he said, were then
hanged so fast, that there were sometimes twenty on one gibbet; and upon
that he said he could not wonder enough how it came to pass, that since
so few escaped, there were yet so many thieves left who were still
robbing in all places. Upon this, I who took the boldness to speak
freely before the Cardinal, said, there was no reason to wonder at the
matter, since this way of punishing thieves was neither just in itself
nor good for the public; for as the severity was too great, so the
remedy was not effectual; simple theft not being so great a crime that
it ought to cost a man his life, no punishment how severe soever being
able to restrain those from robbing who can find out no other way of
livelihood. 'In this,' said I, 'not only you in England, but a great
part of the world imitate some ill masters that are readier to chastise
their scholars than to teach them. There are dreadful punishments
enacted against thieves, but it were much better to make such good
provisions by which every man might be put in a method how to live, and
so be preserved from the fatal necessity of stealing and of dying for
it.'--'There has been care enough taken for that,' said he, 'there are
many handicrafts, and there is husbandry, by which they may make a shift
to live unless they have a greater mind to follow ill courses.'--'That
will not serve your turn,' said I, 'for many lose their limbs in civil
or foreign wars, as lately in the Cornish rebellion, and some time ago
in your wars with France, who being thus mutilated in the service of
their king and country, can no more follow their old trades, and are
too old to learn new ones: but since wars are only accidental things,
and have intervals, let us consider those things that fall out every
day. There is a great number of noblemen among you, that are themselves
as idle as drones, that sub