her　time　fear　ofthe　cruelty　of　the　enemy；　then　preserving　himself　adroitly　from　thosesubjects　who　seem　to　him　to　be　too　bold。Further；　the　enemy　would　naturally　on　his　arrival　at　once　burn　and　ruinthe　country　at　the　time　when　the　spirits　of　the　people　are　still　hot　andready　for　the　defence；　and；　therefore；　so　much　the　less　ought　the　princeto　hesitate；　because　after　a　time；　when　spirits　have　cooled；　the　damageis　already　done；　the　ills　are　incurred；　and　there　is　no　longer　anyremedy；　and　therefore　they　are　so　much　the　more　ready　to　unite　withtheir　prince；　he　appearing　to　be　under　obligations　to　them　now　thattheir　houses　have　been　burnt　and　their　possessions　ruined　in　hisdefence。　For　it　is　the　nature　of　men　to　be　bound　by　the　benefits　theyconfer　as　much　as　by　those　they　receive。　Therefore；　if　everything　iswell　considered；　it　wilt　not　be　difficult　for　a　wise　prince　to　keep　theminds　of　his　citizens　steadfast　from　first　to　last；　when　he　does　notfail　to　support　and　defend　them。CHAPTER　XICONCERNING　ECCLESIASTICAL　PRINCIPALITIESIT　ONLY　remains　now　to　speak　of　ecclesiastical　principalities；　touchingwhich　all　difficulties　are　prior　to　getting　possession；　because　they　areacquired　either　by　capacity　or　good　fortune；　and　they　can　be　heldwithout　either；　for　they　are　sustained　by　the　ordinances　of　religion；which　are　so　all…powerful；　and　of　such　a　character　that　theprincipalities　may　be　held　no　matter　how　their　princes　behave　and　live。These　princes　alone　have　states　and　do　not　defend　them；　they　havesubjects　and　do　not　rule　them；　and　the　states；　although　unguarded；　arenot　taken　from　them；　and　the　subjects；　although　not　ruled；　do　not　care；and　they　have　neither　the　desire　nor　the　ability　to　alienate　themselves。Such　principalities　only　are　secure　and　happy。　But　being　upheld　bypowers；　to　which