AmongthebestorderedandgovernedkingdomsofourtimesisFrance, andinitarefoundmanygoodinstitutionsonwhichdependthelibertyandsecurityoftheking; ofthesethefirstistheparliamentanditsauthority, becausehewhofoundedthekingdom, knowingtheambitionofthenobilityandtheirboldness, consideredthatabittotheirmouthswouldbenecessarytoholdthemin; and, ontheotherside, knowingthehatredofthepeople, foundedinfear, againstthenobles, hewishedtoprotectthem, yethewasnotanxiousforthistobetheparticularcareoftheking; therefore, totakeawaythereproachwhichhewouldbeliabletofromthenoblesforfavouringthepeople, andfromthepeopleforfavouringthenobles, hesetupanarbiter, , , thatprincesoughttoleaveaffairsofreproachtothemanagementofothers, , Iconsiderthataprinceoughttocherishthenobles, butnotsoastomakehimselfhatedbythepeople.
Itmayappear, perhaps, tosomewhohaveexaminedthelivesanddeathsoftheRomanemperorsthatmanyofthemwouldbeanexamplecontrarytomyopinion, seeingthatsomeofthemlivednoblyandshowedgreatqualitiesofsoul, , therefore, toanswertheseobjections, Iwillrecallthecharactersofsomeoftheemperors, andwillshowthatthecausesoftheirruinwerenotdifferenttothoseallegedbyme; atthesametimeIwillonlysubmitforconsiderationthosethingsthatarenoteworthytohimwhostudiestheaffairsofthosetimes.
ItseemstomesufficienttotakeallthoseemperorswhosucceededtotheempirefromMarcusthephilosopherdowntoMaximinus; theywereMarcusandhissonCommodus, Pertinax, Julian, SeverusandhissonAntoninusCaracalla, Macrinus, Heliogabalus, Alexander, andMaximinus.
