This emblem shows a harpy, which has a bird body and the head of a woman, placed on a table, and this creature causes fear in everybody it encounters. The explanation under it reads:

Of virgins face, with wings, and talents strong,

Upon the table, Phones here behold,

A monstrous Harpy, that has prayed long,

Upon the meats, while you are blind, and old,

And at all times, his appetite doth serve,

While unreguarded, thou the self doth starve.

The courts of kings, are said to keep a crew

Of these still hungry for their private gain

The first is he, that carries tales untrue,

The second, whom base bribing does maintain,

The third and last, the parasite I find,

Who bites the worst if judges were blind. (Peacham, Minerva Britanna, 115).

The harpy is described as having a "virgin's face", "with wings", and "talents strong"(115,1). This animal in actuality is "monstrous" (115, 3), and comes to "serve" (115,5) her appetite with the worthless people in the king's court. This group consists of three categories: those "that carry stories untrue"(115, 9), those that participate in "bribing"(115, 10), and those "parasites" (115, 11) that leach off of others. All of these individuals "hungry for their private gain" (115, 8) will make a harpy appear. At the end Peacham says that these types of people are more common if "Princes will be blind" (115, 12).

The Basilicon Doron was the inspiration for Peacham's emblem about the corrupt individuals in government, and although the harpy is not mentioned in King James I's writings, the warning of a corrupt government is prevalent. Kings James I wrote:

Only remember, that as parliaments have been ordained for making of laws, so you abuse not their institution, in holding them for any men's particulars: For as a parliament is the most honorable and highest judgment in the land (as being the kings head court) if it be well used, which is by making of good laws in it; so is it the unjust judgment -seat that may be, being abused to men's particulars: irrevocable decreits against particular parties, being given therein under colour of general laws, and oft-times th'Estates not knowing themselves whom thereby they hurt. (James I, Basilicon Doron, basil 19)

James is concerned with people in the court becoming greedy and only looking out for their own "particulars" (James I, basil19) or desires. He described parliaments as being used for law making, but this institution can easily be corrupted with some selfish men. Peacham lists bribers, liars, and parasites as the types of corrupt officials, but James I just refers to the dishonest officials as those taking the "unjust judgment seat" (James I, basil 19). This type of official goes against particular parties by following "general laws" (James I, basil 19). This means that this type of official will twist the laws to satisfy his desires, and perhaps use bribery as a means of accomplishing this. It then says that the officials do not even know whom they hurt from their mischievous deeds. This is often the characteristic of a liar, since it is easy to lie if we do not know exactly whom we are offending. Peacham says that this creature will only confront those who lie, bribe, or live off the hard work of others, and he was able to condense James' view of a corrupt government by briefly summarizing the evil harpy. Although Peacham does not go into detail about how the institution of government can easily be corrupted, he gets the basic point of the type of person who will commit these sins. Peacham borrowed James' reference of the type of people in a corrupt government for his emblem.

The Basilicon Doron is again seen when Peacham mentions the responsibility of princes to set an outstanding example for the people to follow. James wrote:

And therefore (my son) since all people are naturally inclined to follow their princes example (as I showed you before) let it not be said, that you command others to keep the contrary course to that, which in your own person you practice, making so your words and deeds to fight together but by the contrary, let your own life be a law-book and a mirror to your people; that therein they may read the practice of their own laws; and therein they may see, by your image, what life they should lead. (James I, basil 29-30)

He is saying that the prince's duty consists of being a good example because his subjects will follow his lead. In a sense, right behavior is contagious "since all people are naturally inclined to follow their princes example." In this passage, the king is telling his son, the prince, to live "your own life like law-book and a mirror to your people" (James I, basil 30), and then right behavior will be put into action. Peacham was able to show this idea by saying the only reason these worthless individuals are able to exist is because the "princes will be blind" (James I, Basil 30).

The Basilicon Doron was a text that inspired Peacham to write his emblem of the harpy. In our government today, we have plenty of senators that were put in such a high position from tobacco and forestry lobbyist. Perhaps we should be listening to Peacham's emblem and King James' writings. Peacham got his ideas of what kind of people will bring down the government from James I. Peacham also got the inspiration from James I that these incompetent people could be avoided if a prince sets an example that will cause others to act appropriately.

-Scott McDonald

Bibliography

James I. Basilicon Doron, 1599

http://www.stoics.com/basilikon_doron.html#amitie1

Peacham, Henry. Minerva Britanna, 1612.