Fourth Court Maxim: Monarchy is not secure unless the nobility be suppressed, effiminated, and corrupted

Philalethes: one of our principal maxims is to bring the nobility very low, never thinking monarchy well secured till they be suppressed, effeminated, and corrupted.

Eunomius: I am much amazed to hear this, for we that live farther from court do believe that monarchy and nobility so strictly hang together that one does not well subsist without the other. And nothing is more unreasonable than that monarchy should endeavour to weaken that order which does principally support *its* greatness.

Philalethes: though you seem a good examiner of things, I see you sometimes take up opinions upon trust | as well as others. You hear us speak much of men of honour and quality, and you believe all those to be noble men that have great titles and blue ribands about their necks. These are for the most part creatures of the court, men of low birth and lower fortunes.

Eunomius: what use can you make of such?

Philalethes: very much, for by raising them to the highest places who can pretend to no other merit than extreme obsequiousness to his majesty and absolute devotion to his interest, we show to the ancient nobility and others what course they must take if they will arrive at preferment.