is so wanteth no vertue or abilitie of the minde that can be imagined To the obtaining of which perfectioÌ„ though this be not the only meanes yet is it the aptest containing in particular and applyable examples what many sciences together in generall precepts and such as haue innumerable exceptions can hardly comprehend And besides though Morall Philosophy haue the same scope and ayme and hath beene anciently learned for the prudent and vertuous gouernment of a mans life and actions yet at this day the bookes of it afford matter rather to dispute of wisedome and vertue and to define and distinguish of their natures and sorts then to make a man either wise or vertuous And though heretofore they were accounted good Philosophers that could straine and slacke the bridle of their passions when and where they ought that fear'd turpitude most of all things and death least that in their deeds could distinguish betweene two vicious extremes and walke euenly in the midst not for feare of one Vice running backe as farre as to the other and finally that were able to master all their affections whatsoeuer yet now such pretend to that Title as can doe none of these but onely Syllogize of them as if they thought it were Summum Bonum to define Summum Bonum or Wisedome Valour and Vertue to know what those notions meant Whereas hee that by reading of Historie desires to learne the Art how to gouerne himselfe in the passages of this life shall finde no occasion to dispute but either to imitate or eschew It was the couÌ„cel of Demetriê° Phalerius to Ptolomy K. of Egypt Vt sibi pararet libros de Regno deque militari imperio bello gerendo tractantes eosque euolueret And what better bookes can a Prince haue for that purpose then good Histories Hee that would seeke such knowledge in bookes of Theory written by such as keeping themselues at home in their studies neuer once saw an Armie in the field nor the face of an enemy is as hee that would goe to the schoole of Phormio to learne the Art of Warre rather then to the campe of Hannibal But in Histories are those things written which King Ptolomy might apply to his owne vse and which none else durst tell him of And though a mans experience of his owne times may giue him much helpe and direction in all his actions yet the knowledge of former times applying those accidents which then past to the present occasions must needs be the greatest helpe to inable vs for action or councell and is of such profit that one saies Historia si adsit ex pueris facit senes sin absit ex senibus pueros The benefit that the Vnderstanding receiueth thence ariseth two wayes First it becomes enformed as it were with matter of fact by the direct Narration of things past in manner as they fell out And in this respect History is said to be Testis temporum Lux veritatis nuntia vetustatis Secondly it is enabled by particular examples and by the euents of humane counsell as by so many rules and patterns to take the wisest course in conducting our affaires to their right ends And for this effect it is called Magistra vitae For the will of man it is also enclined to goodnesse thereby when it heareth recounted the commendation and vituperation the reward and punishment the honour and ignominie the happy and contrarie estates and successes of good and euill persons and enterprises Now that the Vnderstanding touching the bare Narration may the better apprehend and the memory retaine what is recounted vnto vs of the men and matters of such times places as are remote from vs and the faces of things couered ouer and sullied with the dust of Antiquity may appeare brighter to our apprehension there must bee ioyned to our reading these helps First a good method as namely the Historie of what Age and Country you will begin with and with what follow In which point this is my opinion that a man shal with best successe begin at the beginning of time and so discend with it And for the principall reading to take the History of those Nations that from time to time liued in most flourishing most extended and most ciuill estates then as it were collaterally of those people that were the same age in ascent and lastly of such as were then declining and of lesse marke vntill one come to the beginning of the Chronicles of his owne Country And then it will bee best to make that his principall reading and the rest as secondarie or incident Withall if there be in the bodie of any generall Story some notable actions registred in volumes apart or described by occasion of writing the life of some great Captaine or States-man or particularized in the Letters of eminent and wise men these would bee especially and carefully read in the places where they fall in As in reading the second Punique warre written by Liuy I fortifie my knowledge by reading the liues of Hannibal and Scipio in Plutarch or strengthen the Story of Caesars time with the reading of Cicero's Letters to Atticus or in reading the volume of the French Story when I come to the life of Lewis the eleuenth I ioyne thereto that which is written of him by Philip Comines and the like in like cases being commonly more exactly and with more pertinent circumstances in these manners deliuered This beeing done recourse should againe bee had to the body of the History Notwithstanding I would not wish a man to bee so long abroad or a stranger at home till hee had read all that precedes the Records of his owne Nation but rather both in and besides the set course spoken of be conuersant in them at all opportunities As for Epitomes or briefe vniuersall Chronicles for one that meanes to goe through all the singulars they seeme quite vnnecessary and for my owne part I should lesse remember the Epitome which is for the most part a iuycelesse Narration then I should the actions with their needfull circumstances set down at large in a complete Historie which in the best Epitomes may rather be said to be lopped of their best parts then contracted in the totall Secondly there is required a due and diligent obseruation of the times and Chronologie when you finde it mentioned and the Histories of the same age one to be conferred with another in euery point of it otherwise there will want not onely credit sometimes to the Author but also light to the vnderstanding of that which is read For Relations concurrent if they agree on the time both strengthen and enlighten each other like diuers witnesses vpon seuerall occasions deposing one and the same truth And as the sense perceiueth nothing without the circumstances of time and place so the vnderstanding which is the more perfect as it hath more sensible information without the description of them conceiueth no businesse cleerely For they be such circumstances
Horae Subseciuae OBSERVATIONS AND DISCOVRSES LONDON Printed for Edward Blount and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Black Beare 1620. TO THE READER I Take not vpon mee to write either in the praise or discommendation of this Booke it belongs not vnto me but now it is abroad must wholly bee submitted to your iudgement and censure And I know it must bee the worth of a Booke and not the flourishing of an Epistle that causeth your approbation So that this must stand or fall in your opinion by the weight or lightnesse that you shall finde therein The Author of this Booke I know not but by chance hearing that a friend of mine had some such papers in his hand and hauing heard them commended I was curious to see and reade them ouer and in my opinion which was also confirmed by others iudicious and learned supposed if I could get the Copie they would be welcome abroad My friends courtesie bestowed it freely vpon me and my endeuour to giue you contentment caused mee to put it in print And therfore to keepe Decorum and follow custome in default of the Authors apparance I present it to you with this short Epistle The Booke you see is of mixt matter by the way of obseruations or Essayes and Discourses There haue beene so many precedents of this kinde and when they haue come out of the hands of good Writers alwayes so approued that there needs no Apologie for putting in one Booke so different Arguments If the Obseruations or Essayes seeme long to you because most that haue written in that way haue put them in lesse roome for that if the fault grow by multiplicity of words repetition or affected variation of Phrases then your dislike is well grounded But when you haue read and finde the length to haue proceeded from the matter and variety of it I know your opinion will easily alter I will hold you no longer from that to which this but introduceth But if the Booke please you come home to my Shop you shall haue it bound ready to your hand where in the meane time I expect you and remaine At your command ED BLOVNT OBSERVATIONS 1 OF Arrogance 1. 2 Of Ambition 11. 3 Of Affectation 30. 4 Of Detraction 52. 5 Of Selfe-will 74. 6 Of Masters and Seruants 85. 7 Of Expences 103. 8 Of Visitations 114. 9 Of Death 124. 10 Of a Country Life 135. 11 Of Religion 176. 12 Of Reading History 193. DISCOVRSES 1 VPon the beginning of Tacitus 223. 2 Of Rome 325. 3 Against Flattery 419. 4 Of Lawes 505. Of such errours as haue escaped in the Presse I haue thought good to collect onely those which may bee supposed likely to trouble the Reader in his way the rest being few and but literall I hope shall eyther passe vnobserued or excused Page line fault correction PAge 28. lin 20. for metire read metiri Pag. 32. lin 11. for obserues read obserue Pag. 39. lin 17. for English read English Pag 41. lin 20. for employments r. employments Pag. 43. lin 6. for least read most Pag. 96. lin 19. for he read they Pag. 112. lin 17. for it read and Pag. 126. lin 16. for a read A Pag. 128. lin 2. for naturally read naturall Pag. 133. lin 8. for reduced some r. reduced to some Pag. 142. lin 17. for aâ— read and Pag. 156. lin 11. for Nations read natures Pag. 173. lin 3. for altogether read all together Pag. 174. lin 18. for safe read safe Pag. 184. lin 14. for multi neglecta read multa neglecti Pag. 193. lin 11. for detraction r. detraction and Pag. 195. lin 11. for must read much Pag. 221. lin 4. for Mutius read Mutius Pag. 264. lin 13. for prescription read Prâ—scripâ—â—on Pa. 290. l. 12. for Tribunitiae read Tribunitiae Pag. 319. lin 5. for hath read haue Pag. 328. lin 14. for and those r. and 〈◊〉 thâ—se Pag. 422. lin 2. for vnseene read vnsâ—ene Pag. 495. lin 7. for anothey read another p. 517. l. 13. for soule to inanimate r. a soule to animate OF ARROGANCE ARrogance is the assuming to a mans selfe the Titles of Vertue Learning Honour Riches or the like without the possession or if with the possession without the euidence For not onely hee that speakes of himselfe more good then is true but hee also that sayes more then he is sure will bee beleeued iustly deserues the name of Arrogant This Vice is offensiue more to equals then to Superiors or inferiours because they be seldome the one sort or the other competitors with a man in praise And more when it concernes the gifts of the minde especially Wisedome and Valour then when it touches onely vpon the fauours of Fortune or abilities of the body Prerogatiue in these being lesse esteemed Nam cum omnis arrogantia odiosa est tum illa ingenij atque eloquentiae molestissima Quamobrem nihil dico de meo ingenio c. Whereas all Arrogance is odious that of a mans owne wit and owne eloquence is most tedious Wherefore I will speake nothing of my owne wit c. saith Cicero Likewise it is worse in mediocrity then extremes though in most vices it be otherwise because it becomes by excesse ridiculous rather then hatefull and so passeth with better toleration Pretending to sufficiencie argues the want of it The claime it selfe is a plaine conuiction that there wants right to the thing claimed For where Vertue is really her owne light discouers the owner Vino vendibili suspensa hedera non est opus Good Wine needs no Bush So that hee need not bee his owne Trumpet that is truely vertuous but rather hee that is not but onely in his owne conceit which opinion makes him also by not pursuing that which hee supposes he hath already obtained to bee out of all possibilitie of gaining the same Honour found out Cincinnatus digging in his Garden and made him Dictator And many that in their owne dispositions desired to liue obscurely haue been against their wils exposed to the toyle of great affaires by the lustre of that vertue which they neuer boasted If to admire any thing argue defect of knowledge much more to admire a mans selfe which al men ought best to know and are most familiar withall An Arrogant person if hee ioyne in the performance of any laudable action with men of modest natures deales with them in the sharing of the praise as the Lyon in the Fable did with the other beasts diuiding the prey they had taken who making of the whole foure parts pleades a title to three of them at least and if they yeelded him not the fourth of their owne goodwill he would bee no longer friends And such a nature can hardly hold friendship that admitteth not the Piller thereof which is Parity but thinks himselfe superiour to all if not in Fortune at which he therefore grudges taunts her with her blindnesse and rayles at her with
of a Country fortune were lesse subiect to declination and the cataracts of aduersitie then that whose onely foundation is built vpon the present fauour of the time They who raise their estates aboue the Hauen they striue for is a Countrey fortune that is the end of their ambition When a man therefore hath that which the Courtier onely aymes at why should hee fix himselfe in that spheare vpon purpose to looke after those things which hee hath alreadie If that be not his end and no other iust cause can bee alledged I cannot free him from the imputations of lightnesse and vanitie who besides the neglecting of that good he may doe at home offends first against his owne estate and next against the Crowne and state of the Kingdome in seeking reliefe there for that which he hath vainely and inconsiderately spent when neither his own abilities nor fauour of the Prince haue forced the necessitie of his attendance And writing now as well to honest as wise men if through their owne infirmities they finde themselues subiect to the temptations of high and ambitious desires and desire to abate them there is no such correctiue as a retyred country life For though in it selfe good and great places where they meete with men that be fit for them may out of honest ends and for good purposes bee both desired and kept yet when these be only wished for the greatnesse and dignitie of the place it is an inordinate and vnruly passion and ought to be suppressed If a man therefore in his owne arraignment finde himselfe guiltie of such thoughts and withall bee not ignorant of his owne inabilities let him auoid those occasions that may renue his desires Moreouer a man that liues in the Country is more out of the way and lesse obuious to the malice and enuy of busie and rauenous men such as build vp their owne fortunes vpon others decayes curious inquisitors into mens liues and false interpreters of their actions by that way to lay a ground for ruining them and so rayse a step to their owne aduancement And though a Country Life do not totally conceale a man from these that be so quick-sighted yet he that takes that course makes them seeke farther off and they often goe not downe when they finde worke neerer home And lastly this kinde of life giues a man more free houres for reading writing and meditation then the publike towne-liuers can possibly allow themselues their time in the Country being neither so taken away nor distracted as vnauoidably in towne it must often be both by seuerall occasions to which their owne wils inuite them and also by often bestowing themselues and time vpon others out of affection and respect which accidents of diuertion doe more rarely happen in the Country men being there more free masters both of their houres and disposing of them then they can be in the other place Many more aduantages might be found but it sufficeth me if I haue said enough though not all But seuerall formes and actions of our Morall life haue as well their disaduantages as commoditie and so hath this wherefore to deale and distribute my opinion equally my now search must be to set downe the disaduantageous inconueniences that accompany a Country Life As in the choise and reading of good Bookes principally consists the enabling and aduancement of a mans knowledge and learning yet if it be not mixed with the conuersation of discreet able and vnderstanding men they can make little vse of their reading either for themselues or the Commonwealth where they liue There is not a more common Prouerb then this That the greatest Clerkes bee not alwayes the wisest men and reason for it being a very vneuen rule to square all actions and consultations onely by booke precedents Time hath so many changes alterations and such varietie of occasions and opportunities interuening and mingled that it is impossible to goe new wayes in the old paths so that though reading doe furnish and direct a mans iudgement yet it doth not wholly gouerne it Therefore the necessitie of knowing the present time and men wherein we liue is so great that it is the principall guide of our actions and reading but supplementall Now this knowledge which is obtained by conuersation and acquaintance must bee sought where it is and that is in Cities and Courts where generally the most refined and iudicious men be likeliest to be found and as reading formes a iudgement so conference must perfect it or else it will be lame It must then follow that a meere Country life if men looke as well to the enriching of their minds as fortune is not the way to purchase abilitie and iudgement for it both secludes vs from the knowledge of the Court and gouernment there and also eclipseth from our acquaintance the Great men and guiders of the State which any man who desires to store his vnderstanding will finde to be as necessarie to be looked vpon and turned ouer often as the most vsefull bookes And this will appeare if any occasion or necessitie of businesse force them thither for they will be then so to seeke and imperfect so incongruous in their behauior and discourse that they scarce know how to doe their businesse nor they that they goe to what they would haue And in this negotiating such cannot possibly guide themselues by their owne iudgements but must submit to the direction of others who many times for want of iudgement be ill chosen or for want of honestie be worse aduisers So that if any occasion happen it is vnpossible for Great men alwaies to want them they be by this long absence both vnknowing vnknowne and vnable to dispatch their owne businesses when they happen Besides if a man by his experience and reading haue gotten much sufficiencie and abilitie in the knowledge of affaires then a totall sequestration in the Country doth not onely hinder him of that preferment and honor which in all likelihood he may arriue too but robs the State and Common-wealth where he liues of an able and fit minister to doe it seruice Wheras if a man in his own iudgement findes that hee may be vsefull and that his first looke is at his Countries seruice in that case the wilfull retyring and obscuring of a mans selfe must needs be accounted a fault for wee are not borne for our selues and to please onely our owne fancies but to serue the publike in that kinde and in those places we be thought most fit for So then as it is ill for men that know their owne strength voluntarily to conceale and hide it it is also certain that continuall absence from the face of the world causeth an impossibilitie in men though of neuer so good wits to haue capacitie iudgement or experience to vndergoe the charge of any publike employment either at home or abroad if they should be called thereunto which forceth the state oftentimes to fix their greatest places vpon
verified the Prouerbe Not to proceede is to fall backe Besides as no great vertue can be attained without labour and diligence according to Petrarch Non à caso è virtute anâ—ié bella arte Vertue is not obtained by chance but it is rather a great Art so in this particular it is so necessary that whosoeuer out of irkesomnesse or haste or impatience in expecting the issue of any Relation shall runne ouer a History in post-haste shall be sure to lose the best part of the profit which with attentiue consideration hee might otherwise reape He that reades as it were for a wager though he misse neuer a word shall misse almost all the matter whereas the studious and insisting Reader reades more then peraduenture a hundred others Another necessary helpe is the referring of those things that are worthy obseruation to certaine heads and common places in writing thence to bee sought againe with more ease as a man shall haue occasion to vse them In this case euery mans own Method commonly sorteth best to his owne profit and diuers men haue their diuers wayes As some considering that all humane actions fall vnder one of these three heads Thoughts Words and Deeds to them and to their subdiuisions doe referre all their obseruations And by this way no question may aptly bee comprized whatsoeuer there shall because to note except some Stories of strange effects of Nature or the like which no way appertaine to humane power which being rare may be referred to their places in the History of Nature or naturall Philosophy Or there may be made these three places for referring of Historicall obseruations Deliberation Execution and Euent Deliberation grounded vpon propositions certaine or coniecturall both concerning mens manners or actions In execution to distinguish whether it bee defectiue excessiue or equall compared to what was deliberated In the euent whether contrary or conformable to expectation Whether caused by the prouidence and execution precedent or by accident Which things vpoÌ„ euery story being noted a man shall straightwayes finde if a thing hath wel succeeded where was the councell or if euilly where lay the errour In this compasse also falleth all that can bee gathered out of Historie for the institution of a mans life But for more ease if neede be all these particulars may be subdistinguished diuersly and placed in a booke accordingly for that purpose Some thinke it vnnecessary to haue for the common places of Historie any particular booke by it selfe because they may bee all properly referred to their place in some part or other of Philosophy For how many rules of life so euer be fetched from History they are but so many Philosophicall precepts Philosophy deriuing authority from the matter and examples thereof as Grammar may doe from the language wherein it is written Lastly to compare the ages and places one reades of with that he liues in and when occasion is giuen to make in a mans minde application of things past to the present and to consider whether and why they hold or hold not is a kind of imaginary practice to confirme and make a man the readier for reall action though farre from the perfection that vse it selfe and imployment in great affaires would bring forth Thus much shall suffice to haue been said of the meanes to benefit the iudgement and vnderstanding by reading History The will of man comes to be enclined to vertue by the examples which are registred of good men and good acts and their commendations rewards and ends or of euill men and euill deeds with their reproches punishments and euents which beeing well deliuered enflame the minde with loue and desire to imitate or with detestation and horror according to the merit of the thing And though Philosophy be an Art that aymes onely at this scope yet all the precepts therein will not so soone teach a man fortitude and constancie of minde seueritie and militarie discipline temperance and all other vertues as will the examples of Mutius Scaeuola the Decij Manlius Fabritius and other such noble Romane Citizens But herein a man ought thus sarre to haue a care not to suffer his â—â—â—ection to cleaue too easily to euery thing that an Historian shall through humane frailety and peraduenture erroneously commend nor contrariwise presently hate what he reuileth driuing and cleauing to euery Rocke according as the tempest of the writer shal stirre him But to remember this not to think well of any thing how much soeuer extolled if it be contrary to Christian Religion For praising of things though neuer so euidently blame-worthy if it be done by an Author of regard either directly or indirectly by a magnificent relation in termes and words most receiued in the best sense will insensibly and secretly bring on a loue to the euill so praised likewise dispraising will nourish a mislike of such things as deserue commendations FINIS A DISCOVRSE VPON THE BEGINNING OF TACITVS A DISCOVRSE VPON THE BEGINNING OF TACITVS THis piece of Tacitus which I make the foundation of this Discourse and to which I haue here confined my selfe containeth 1. The enumeration of the seuerall formes of the Roman gouernment 2. The Authors digression touching the qualitie of one that is to write a History 3. The meanes Augustus vsed in acquiring and coÌ„firming to himselfe the supreme and Monarchical authoritie 4. The prouiding for succession 5. The plotting of Liuia for the aduancement of her children 6. The estate of the times after Augustus was fully settled And lastly the censure of such as when Augustus began to grow weake and toward his end might probably be thought to succeed him And therefore in this order I begin with my Author Vrbem Romam à principio Reges habuere The Citie of Rome was at the first gouerned by Kings The first forme of gouernment in any State is accidentall that is according to the condition the Founder happens to be of If one man of absolute power aboue the rest bee the Founder of a Citie he will likewise be the Ruler of the same if a few then a few will haue the gouernment and if the multitude then commonly they will doe the like And it is but iustice for euery man to haue his owne worke subiect to his owne will So here Romulus built and ruled was the founder and was the King The building of this Citie was about 800. yeeres before the Natiuitie of Christ and consequently from that time to this present about 2420. The Contemporaries of Romulus reigning in Iuda were Iotham in Israel Pekaiah amongst the Medes Artycas in Macedonia Thurimas in Athens Charops who began the ten yeeres gouernment there instituted in Lacedemon Polidorus and in Italy there were many petty States of might not much vnequal whereby this new Citie might the safelier grow vp amongst them and bee the soonerable to match the most of them For if any of those States had been of eminent power aboue the rest it is
money to get one of them away they hold them in so great estimation Neuerthelesse euery day amongst their Vineyards and in the ruines of old Rome they finde more which in whose ground soeuer they be found at a certaine price doe now belong to the Popes who distribute them in their own Palaces to their fauorites or kinsmen and somtimes as presents to Princes And this is the cause that the houscs of such as haue beene Nephewes or fauorites of the Popes bee best furnished with these ornaments If a man should make an exact relation of the Anticaglie in this kinde he must haue seuen yeares time to view and two mens liues to write them But for a tast and so away At the Popes Palace at Saint Peters the Statues of Commodus and Antoninus the Statue of Laocoon which is written of by Virgil in the second booke of his Aeneads and they say that his very seeing of that Statue was the cause of those verses the Statue of Apollo and in the middest of this place the thigh of a man done in Marble which the best workmen haue iudged admirable in the true proportions and they say that Michael Angelo stood two dayes by it in contemplation and the artifice was so excellent and beyond his apprehension that he had like to haue gone mad with the consideration of it In this place there bee many more Antiquities the great Pine Apple of brasse wherein were found Adrians ashes At the Popes other Palace vpon Mons Quirinalis before the Gate there be two other Statues done in full proportion of Alexander taming Bucephalus made by those two famous men Phydias and Praxiteles one in emulation of the other And from these two Statues being set heere this place is called Monte Caualli In the Garden of Cardinall Borghese without Porta Pinciana there is a Tombe which is said to be Alexanders In the Palace of Cardinall Fernese amongst an infinite number of other Antiquities there be the Statues of the twelue first Emperours two Tables of the Grecians Lawes which the Romanes brought from thence one of the gods which is said to haue giuen answers in the Pantheon a Statue of the two sonnes of a King of Thebes after the death of their father tying his Concubine to a Bull in reuenge of those wrongs shee had done their mother this Story is said to bee related by Propertius and Pliny brought to this City by the ancient Romans out of Rhodes found in the time of Paulus III. of the Fernesian family and by him left as a relique to this house Heere are besides the ancient Statues of the Horatij and Curiatij such another of Neroes Mother as I haue mentioned to be in the Capitoll but better expressed In one of the Palaces of Cardinall Borghese which in former times hath beene the Kings of England and giuen by Henry the 8. to Cardinall Campeio at his being heere now enriched by the best hands of Painters and the most ancient Statues you shall see amongst the rest a Gladiatore or Fencer admirably described in Marble and a Statue of Seneca in brasse bleeding in his bath to death with whom this part also of the Romane Antiquities shall dye Now from these ancient ruines of Temples Trophies Statues Arches Columnes Pyramides the rest there would be required in a curious pen a particular obseruatiō but I will only prescribe vnto my selfe some generall notes How venerable Antiquities both bee and haue been in all mens esteem is so generally known and receiued as I will not enter into a Laudatory thereof further then to shew the singular vse and profit that may bee gathered from the knowledge of them First they much illustrate Story and in some cases illuminate the vnderstanding of the Reader and serue as a confirmation of that he hath read When actions of note bee registred the bare after-reading of them without seeing the place whence they proceeded is by many men not so constantly retained in memory For euery man knowes that if in reading an History onely by a Mappe the place bee obserued as well as the action ones iudgement is better strengthened and consequently much more when a man sees that which others haue but by description They that haue read of Antoninus Traian and Vespasian and finde their acts which they haue read engrauen in Arches Pillers and the like it is hard to expresse what credit they giue to the History and satisfaction to the Reader And if in this respect any place in the world deserue seeing none can sooner claime it then Rome Secondly the ancient Statues of the Romanes do strangely immortalize their fame and it is certaine that the men of those times were infinitely ambitious to haue their memories in this kind recorded such was the benignity of that people that they willingly yeelded to honour their acts by publique expression and in a kind to Deifie the persons of their worthiest men which industry of theirs may bee gathered by the numbers of Statues of Cicero Seneca Brutus Cassius the Horatij and Curiatij Cato and many more whose vertue more then their greatnesse made them famous Otherwise if I had onely seen the Statues of the most powerfull men and ancient Emperours I should haue thought there had been in those times as great Time-seruers as there be now where power authority is more esteemed of then vertue or valour Yet I think if euer men of any place in any time desired to haue their names and actions to continue to Posterity not knowing any farther immortalitie these were they and this one consideration produced better effects of vertue and valour then Religion and all other respects doe in our dayes Certainly therefore if they had been as well instructed in Diuine as Morall precepts no man of any age had euer exceeded them Thirdly the multitude and riches of these Statues and other Antiquities do wonderfully argue the magnificence of those times wherin they haue exceeded all that went before or followed after them and yet this sumptuousnesse nothing diuerted their minds from a generous and actiue life but rather instigated them which now we most commonly finde contrary For greatnesse and goodnesse doe not alwayes agree together Fourthly the Architecture of many ancient Temples and Statues is so singular and rare that they that euer since haue beene esteemed the best durst neuer assume or vndertake to equalize them in that kinde of singularitie especially of the Statues which are so done that neuer any could come neere the originall for exquisitenesse in taking the Copie so that a man cannot but gather that in this place and those times there were conioyned all singularities together best workmen best wits best Souldiers and so in euery kinde Superlatiue But it may be there are some who will drawe ill conclusions from these Antiquities either tending to Atheisme or Superstition For Atheisme thus If men desire to immortalize their memories in this kind after their death it may seeme the
be set forth in painting the Martyrdomes as they call it of such as suffered persecution and death for their Religion in England And in this now amongst the rest are Campian and Garnet and the Hangman and Tyborne as perfectly described as if they were better acquainted with the place and person Here is also a Library consisting most of Controuersies To the maintenance of this Church and Colledge there bee some lands appointed besides other pensions that they receiue from the Pope and King of Spaine The persons here bee all English and were gouerned by a Rector of the Iesuites order called Father Owen lately dead They are al Priests and yong Youths sent thither out of England to bee brought vp in Philosophy and Diuinitie in number about 120. all going in the habit of Schollers and no sooner come thither but they take vpon them false and supposititious names as the Rector himselfe told mee This towne is full of Monasteries and Religious houses many publique Schooles where Diuinitie and Philosophy are read in Lectures and many publique Libraries Besides there be sundry Hospitals for strangers maymed poore sicke and madde folkes The number of the Churches be about 140. And so I will leaue this part Now for my obseruation it is this to shew the Policy that they vse for confirmation and establishing of their Religion and consists first in an outward shew of deuotion with strange expressions of humility set forth in the poore and austere life of many orders in their sundry acts of penitence in their dayly visitation of their Churches in their outward actions of griefe and repentance at the celebration of Masse Wherein is inserted all possible inuentions to catch mens affections and to rauish their vnderstanding as first the gloriousnesse of their Altars infinit numbers of images priestly ornaments and the diuers actions they vse in that seruice besides the most excellent and exquisite Musike of the world that surprizes our eares So that whatsoeuer can be imagined to expresse either Solemnitie or Deuotion is by them vsed Their next way is in their acts of Charitie wherein they exceed and imagine this a great argument to make the world beleeue the truth certainty of their Religion The third is their boasting of miracles with which they make such a noise and would haue them infallible arguments to vphold their faith but when a man sees the ridiculousnesse and finds proued the falsitie of them they are of great force to perswade the contrary For example if a man going down a payre of stayres by chance his foot should slip he would presently make a miracle of it and say that in that instant he called vpon Saint Francis or San Carlo or some other Saint by whose prayers hee was relieued that otherwise he had maymed himselfe or lost his life Or if in riding in a Coach it by chance be ouerthrown he presently attributes to some Saint whom he then inuoked the liberation of him froÌ„ an imminent danger and with the expressions of these miracles all the Churches be hung full But for others that be more straÌ„ge it is certaine hath been proued that many of them are false and broached onely to delude the people which may giue a great suspition to the rest But more it is the Iesuites doctrine and they labour to proue it lawfull to forge a miracle for the furtherance of their Religion By which Position if any thing happen which may seeme a wonder as in the recouery of some desperate sicknes wound or the like in the attribution of it to some particular Saint or extraordinary operation by their meanes they diminish the power and glory of God And if any signe should happen to confirme it of which they will nominate thousands as the bleeding of a Crucifix the speaking of an Image c. It may as well shew the now delusiue power of the Diuell still blinding the eyes of the world in this kinde as hee hath formerly done by Oracles Now the last policy is in the course of their teaching and disciplining which I will onely exemplifie by the practice of our English there First there shall no scandall passe that they will not be sure to lay vpon our Religion And this at the first they beate and insinuate into the eares of their Nouices Next they vse all possible Art to magnifie their owne in the meane time barring the reading of any defence of our parts and put them to studie such bookes as bee written against vs so that they will conclude a Iudgement before both parts bee heard But when they haue them more strongly grounded and they bee sure that their opinion is preiudicated they will suffer them then to reade some of our bookes but by the way this libertie is seldome giuen to Italians and then for our selues that be so strongly instructed of one side and strangely opinionated of the other hee is a rare man and receiues from God a great blessing that euer findes the true difference And thus being wouen in their nets they be in a manner destitute of all possibility of recouery And so much for this Now next in order it followes that somthing be said of the present strength of this place and of what force it is against forraigne or domestique enemies And in my opinion it is of no great power For examples haue shewed that it hath suffered diuers surprizes so that of necessity it must be of lesse ability now to withstand then before For place of strength it hath onely the Castle of Saint Angelo and that also very weake to withstand any strong assault But the truth is there be so many Princes in league with this Sea and â—yed in so diuers obligations vnto it that it is free from danger without the Turke should make a warre and then there is so strong opposition like to be made by the Princes of Italy and other forraigners that it will be hard to preuaile against it if the Emperour Italy it selfe the King of France and Spaine should not cast off their yoke and subiection if so then it were impossible for the Bishop of Rome by his owne strength to oppose or subsist Now for the gouernment of this place it is wholly subiect to the Pope which hee holds as a temporall prince but solely guided by spirituall Ministers all causes of iudgement in matters diuine are brought hither as to the last Court of Appeale for finall sentences For the Popes Reuenue that which hee receiues from his own principalities is the least part the rest consists in the Fayre of Indulgences liberation from Purgatory conferring of Church-liuings sale of Offices Pensions from other Princes and the like The treasure is neuer great in respect of the changes of their Gouernours who for the most part haue employed all the Reuenue of the Church to their owne priuate families and friends If vpon occasion they bee forced to make any great and suddaine supply they make bold with the