which we bear to the See of Rome and thereby to take away all cause of strife we as we have ever desir'd and procur'd Unity and good correspondence with the sayed See of which we are loving and obedient children do receave likewise this contentation to have at last obtain'd the accomplishment of our holy desire therfore we thought good by our Declaration to advertise you herof giving you besides to understand that whatsoever did belong herunto hath bin faithfully perform'd on both parts and the Censures and Interdiction remov'd the Protestation likewise we made against them hath bin and is revok'd we being desirous that herin as well as in all other our actions the Piety and Religion of our State may still more and more appear which we will carefully observe as our Predecessors have ever done Given in our Ducall Palace the 21. of Aprill 1607. Sign'd Marco Ottobon Secretary The Duke having publish'd this Declaration the Senat was not a little perplext with a doubt of no mean consequence which was that the Pope for his part having made no mention at all concerning books and writings publish'd in the behalf of the sayed Decrees nor of the Authors of the sayed books which were two very important points and which did threaten â—… breach of the whole reconcilement the State doubting that the Pope by this silence and Omission had an intent to proceed afterwards against the Authors of the sayed books by the ordinary way of Ecclesiastical Justice and thinking it dishonorable to abandon those that had done them so good and faithfull service after mature consultation the Senat made a very notable and honorable Decree that the Signory shold protect them against all dangers and assign them a perpetuall Pension A particular Narratif of the notable Contestation 'twixt Paulus Quintus and the Republic of Venice 1606. c. NOw in regard that ev'ry Corner of Christendome did ring aloud and sounds yet to this day of that high Contestation 'twixt Pope Paulus Quintus and the Republic I shall spend a little more oil and labour to acquaint the judicious Reader with the circumstances therof Paulus Quintus having ascended to the Pontificat the bent of all his consultations were to advance the Priviledges of the Church and mortifie the presumption those were his words of such secular Princes and States that seem'd to bandy against them specially of the Signory of Venice wherupon he employed thither in quality of Nuncio Horatio Maâ—…hei Bishop of Gâ—…erace a man so fervent in this cause that in full Assembly he told the Duke of Venice That Almes and other works of piety the frequenting of the Sacraments with all other good and Christian actions ad nihilum valent ultra were nothing available if men did not favour the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction In privat Communication he also sayed That he had heard the piety of the City of Venice often and amply magnified yet he himself could perceave but little considering that Christian perfection doth not consist in deeds of charity and devotion as much as in exalting the Ecclesiasticall Authority which is the true Câ—…ment of that perfection Ther happen'd a little difference betwixt Paul the V. and the Republic of Luca at this time who in regard that many of her Citizens having chang'd their Relâ—…gion had retir'd themselfs to Protestant Countreys She publish'd an Edict by which all her Subjects were forbidden to have Comerce or to correspond any way with such persons This Edâ—…ct being come to the Pope he highly approv'd of the Law but he sayed That the State of Luca had no Authority to make any such Ordinance of her self because it concern'd Religion therfore he commanded that the sayed Edict shold be raz'd out of the Records promising to form another which shold be the same in substance but to be publish'd by his Pontificall Authority Ther happen'd about this time another clash 'twixt him and the Republic of Genoa who being inform'd that the Governors of certain lay-Fraternities instituted by devotion had not dispens'd the revenu with requisit fidelity She resolv'd to examin their accounts to which effects the books were commanded to be brought before the Duke but this was not well accepted by Paul the V. therfore he gave the Republic of Genoa to understand that these proceedings were against the Liberty Ecclesiastical So he expresly enjoyn'd them to revoke their Edicts otherwise he wold proceed to the Censure of Excommunication both these States complied with the Pope but the State of Venice was more stiff-neck'd and constant in the maintenance of her Decrees The first cloud of discontent 'twixt this Pope and the Venetians appeard when he having solicited the Republic for a contribution of summs of money to aid the Emperor in the warrs of Hungary against the Turk he receav'd from her a complementall deniall He afterwards propos'd the revocation of an Ordinance made by the Senat a little before forbidding the Subjects of the Signory to set forth any Vessells by Sea or to make any assurances or Companies for the traffic of any Merchandize whatsoever to be exported out of the State of Venice into any other Countreys unlesse it pass'd first by Venice alledging that this wold hinder the Commerce in the State of the Church and was against the Ecclesiasticall Liberty The Republic answer'd herunto That ev'ry Prince commands his Subjects in that which may serve for the commodity of his own Estate without considering what may follow therupon to neighbour Princes who cannot justly be therwith offended howsoever they may be in some sort incommoded therfore whensoever his Holines shall command his Subjects any thing which may turn to the profit of his Government the State wold not take it in ill part nor esteem it against their Liberty The Pope perceaving by this Essay that he could not compasse his ends these differences being not within the bounds of things spirituall and finding that his desires were so little prevalent with the Venetian thought to be quit with him som other way and an opportunity was offer'd a little after touching one Scipio Sarraceno Canon of Vicenza and upon the complaint of a young gentlewoman his cosen whose doore and ring therof which is a common kind of revenge in Italy he had besmear'd with excrements and don her som other wrongs she herupon complain'd to the Senat who therupon cited and imprison'd the Canon complaints herof being made to the Pope the Republic answer'd That the just Title and Authority which She hath to judge Ecclesiasticall persons in causes criminall were founded on the power of a naturall Prince and on custom never interrupted by the space of a thousand years and upwards which hath bin approv'd of by the Popes Breve's themselfs yet extant in the public Archives This being deliver'd by the Venetian Ambassador to Pope Paul he receav'd it with som impatience saying That the reasons alledg'd were frivolous that to judge of an affair it was to no purpose to ground it upon
secular Princes in such sort that one may not intermeddle with that which appertains to either Therfore the Pope hath no power to abrogat the Laws of Princes in civill matters nor to deprive them of their estates or free their Subjects from their alleageance which they owe unto them That to depose Kings is a new thing never attempted but within these five hundred years it is against the Holy Scriptures the examples of Christ and his Saints That to teach that in case of conscience 'twixt the Pope and a Prince 't is lawfull to poursue him with fraud and force and that the Subjects therby do obtain remission of sins is a Doctrine seditious and sacrilegious That Church-men by Divine Law are not exempted from their secular power neither in their persons or goods whensoever his necessities constrain him to serve himself of them that the Pope ought not to think himself infallible unlesse wher God hath promis'd him his Divine assistance which must be understood only in the fundamentall points of Faith that the Authority of binding and loosing ought to be understood with this caution Clave non errante seeing that God hath commanded the Pastor to follow the merit and justice of the cause and not his own inclination that when the Pope thunders out any Censures it is for the Doctors to consider whether they have proceeded Clave errante aut non errante That the new name of blind obedience invented by Ignatius Loyola is a Psudodoxall tenet c. On the contrary the Doctrine of the Roman Writers or Papalines as they term'd them was that the civill power of Princes is subordinat to the power Ecclesiastic and subject unto it therfore the Pope hath authority to deprive Princes of their estates and honors for their faults and errors which they commit in Government yea though they have committed no fault when the Pope shall judge it fit for the common good of the Church That the Pope may free Subjects from obedience and from their Oath of Fidelity which they owe the temporall Prince in which case they are to shake off all subjection and even to poursue the Prince if the Pope command it som of the modester sort held that this Authority did not reside in the Pope because Christ gave him any temporall Authority but because this was necessary for the spirituall Monarchy Divers Tretises were imprinted and publish'd pro con 'twixt the Pope and the Republic to this effect and Bellarmin was very busie in upholding S. Peters Chair at last ther was a strict inhibition ther shold be no more writing on this point so the Treaty began to advance wherin the French Ambassador was very active therefore he propos'd two things to the Senat. The first was That the Duke and Senat wold suspend the execution of the Laws and the Protestation publish'd against the Monitory of the Pope upon condition that his Holines wold do the like to his Censures for five moneths during which time they might treat of the merit of the Laws that were question'd The second was That the Ecclesiastic Prisoners might be rendred without prejudice to the cause of the Republic That the Religious gon out of Venice by reason of the Interdict might return he concluded that it was not the intention of his Christian Majesty that any thing shold be don against the Dignity and Justice of the Signory and if either of these proposalls were to Her prejudice he was content to let them passe in silence He desir'd them further to consider that it was necessary to give som apparent occasion to his Holines to induce him to a retractation because it was never heard that a Pope had revok'd his Bulls excepting at the Councell of Constance The Senat did fall to deliberat of things with more maturity then was usual at last they resolv'd with one joynt consent to prefer the conservation of their Liberty before all other respects together with the Authority of their Laws But for yeelding up the prisoners in gratification to his Christian Majesty they thought this did not trench much upon their Liberty in regard it was a particular fact which drew not with it any consequence that the like ought not to be don in time to come therefore the Senat answer'd the Ambassador thanking his Majesty for his mediation adjoyn'd it was easie to perceave wherat the designs of the Pope aim'd who seeing that the Justice of the Republic for the merit ground of the cause was known and confess'd by all wold therfore find out som error in the form of proceeding wherin the Justice of the Republic was so clear that it was manifest to all and the errors of the Pope so grosse that they could not be excus'd wherfore it was not consentaneous to reason to correct the faults of another with their own detriment and dishonor They added further that these proceedings of the Popes were of such pernicious consequence that they might have hurl'd the whole Signory into flames of civil combustions The Senat at last granted that when the King shold be assured and have the firm word of the Pope that he wold totally take away the Censures the two prisoners shold be render'd unto him although they were guilty of foul Crimes They wold also let fall their protestation yet saving their public reasons and their power to judge Ecclesiastics when it shold be expedient for the State this was all the French Ambassador could wring from the Senat wherof when the King was advertis'd he writ a Letter wherin he thank'd them for their fair respects in which Letter he took occasion to renew the memory of the favour they did him to co opt him into the body of their Nobility After this Don Innigo de Cardenas the Spanish Ambassador earnestly sollicited the Senat for an accommodation but he could hardly prevail as much as the other In the interim ther was a new kind of Councell erected at Rome cal'd la Congregation de Guerra the Congregation of War which consisted of fifteen Cardinals and this was don to strike som apprehensions of fear into the Signory The Senat inform'd the French and Spanish Ambassadors of this strange news from Rome touching a Councel of War they also impaâ—…ed to the English Ambassador telling him that he might now publish the Declaration of the King his Master and think upon the succours he promis'd Cavalier â—…tton then Ambassador testified very much contentment to do this office affirming that it was to publish the glory of his King He pass'd further and sayed that ther were but three ways to compound this difference either by yeelding or referring the matter to Princes or by Warr he saw well the Signory had no mind to the first and if they resolv'd to make a reference to any they could not make choice of any fitter then his King who marvailously well understood how much it imported him to maintain the Authority given by God to Princes but if the matter
his Ministers to co-operat accordingly and particularly had commanded him to pray the Senat accordingly c. The Duke much extolling the good inclinations of the Catholic King answer'd That the Republic could not do more then what they had done already that it was more proper to begin with him who had bin the cause of all these broils that it was not for them to open the way which had bin stopped up by others that the Pope by dismissing their Ambassador and revoking his Nuntio had broken off all means of Treaty which could not be set on foot unlesse the Censures were taken off with which the Republic thought her self much injur'd The Ambassador replied asking the Duke Whether his Serenity were content that he shold pray his Holines in the name of the Catholic King to take off his Excommunication The Duke rejoyn'd that it was necessary to remove the impediment but that this shold be don by this means or that by the free-will of the Pope or at the instance of another it little imported for the substance of the thing and that his Majesty might do what pleas'd him The Ambassador answer'd Your Serenity may well be content that the Pope be entreated by your Name the Duke sayed That for the repose of Italy if the Catholic King were certain that the Pope being thus mov'd wold do the thing he wold not hold it any inconvenience to be so contented He sayed further that neither himself nor the Senat had given any occasion of disgust to the Pope if he had taken any of himself they could not help it that in voluntary discontents ther is no other remedy then a voluntary acknowledgement besides he desir'd him to consider that the King his Masters Interest and of all temporall Princes besides was involv'd in the cause of the Republic The French Ambassador du Fresne being then also in the Senat sayed That the Pope could not be induc'd to revoke the Censures unlesse ther were som assurance given what the Republic wold do in point of correspondence that it was needfull for her in some sort to submit for no temporall Prince could be disparag'd to yeeld unto his Holines it being a jus commune to humble ones self to the Soveraign Bishop The Duke answer'd That it was necessary to apply the remedy to the part whence the evill proceeded therfore since his Christian Majesty desir'd a pacification it was meet that he shold make his addresse to the Pope c. While these Traverses happen'd at Venice the Pope by the predominant advice of som Cardinalls and relying much upon the foresayed Letter which the King of Spain had written unto him made a shew of arming wherunto the Conte de Fuentes Governor of Milan was very forward therfore it did not stand with the prudence of the Republic to be idle Herupon She sent to Her Ambassadors abroad to acquaint the Princes wherwith they resided to inform them accordingly She imparted the businesse likewise to those Ambassadors that lay at Venice and among the rest to the English who having thank'd the Senat for this communication of affairs He prayed their generosity and resolution to defend their honor assuring them that upon so important occasion they shold have from his King all furtherance and aid as well in good offices as in arms and succours he sayed further That he had particular commandement from the King his Master to oblige him under the word of a King to a neer Union with the Signory to assist Her with councell and forces as also to labour that all his friends shold do the same not for any base ends or privat interest or to foment division or com into concurrence and opposition with any other Prince but specially for two reasons First for that acknowledging himself oblig'd to God for infinit favours receav'd from him he thought it his duty to defend his cause that is to conserve the power which his Divine Majesty had establish'd upon earth Secondly in regard of that Bond of Amity which he renew'd with the Republic c. The main knot in the businesse was whether upon a promise of the revokement of the Ecclesiasticall Censures by the Pope the Signory wold also promise an abrogation of the foresayed Decrees touching Church-Lands which She could not be induc'd to do but somthing shold be don if a Treaty were comenc'd wherof the Senat was thought incapable while they lay under the sayed Censures The French Ambassador a few daies after came to the Senat where he made a long discours for an accord But he was advertis'd from Rome that the Pope had receav'd som new offences from the Signory for hindring Navigation into the places of the Church and for the eternall Ban against the Jesuits Wherunto the Senat made answer that touching that point of Navigation it appertain'd to ev'ry good Government to provide that the State may be well furnish'd with things necessary for her self and provide that they be not carried away to others that in order to this the Republic had stayed all Vessells at Sea wherin ther were provisions necessary for the State wherupon if the State Ecclesiastic was in want this was not their fault but the order of human things so requir'd Concerning the Jesuits it was alledg'd that they were not banish'd but rather were gone away of themselfs as refusing to obey the Commandements sent unto them to continue Divine Service but after their departure having notice of an infinit nomber of injuries machinations and treasons contriv'd by them the Senat ordain'd as Justice requir'd that they never more return Whilst these things were in agitation the Spaniards were like to have imbroil'd the Signory in a war with the Turk in regard the Marquis of Santa Cruz with a Fleet of Napolitan and Sicilian Gallies had sack'd and burnt Durazzo a Town of the Turks in Albany som thought this was done of purpose to make the Turk fall upon the Venetian and so impell him to make his addresse to the Spaniard for aid therefore at Constantinople the Gran Visier perceaving well the Artifice of Spain herein and that the taking of Durazzo had bin attempted to no other end then to set them at odds with the Signory Letters were sent to the Captain Aga the Admirall that he shold still keep good union and intelligence with the Venetian Forces to the domage of the Pope and the Spaniard This year ther were divers Libells Pasquills flew up and down in ev'ry corner of Italy some in favour of Rome som of Venice ther were also many Books and Tractats came forth on both sides The Doctrine of the Venetian Writers was That God had establish'd two Governments upon Earth the one Spirituall the other Temporall each of them being Supreme and independent one from the other the one is the Church Regiment the other the Civill Of the first he gave charge to his Apostles and their Successors Of the temporall the charge is put in the hands of
busines of himself without the adjunction of other Senators nor can he leave the Cittie or marry any forrener without the knowledg and consent of the Senat Insomuch that we read of Duke Falerio that was putt to death for marrying a Stranger without the suffrage of the Senat In fine this high politicall Magistrat hath only the presence of a Soverain Prince but nothing of the power In the old records of Venice the reasons are yet extant which inducd the Republic to elect this formall Prince for her Head wherof these are the remarkablest We have observd that in this vast Universitie of the World bodies according to their severall natures have multiplicity of motions yet they receave vertu and vigor but from one which is the Sun All causes derive their originalls from one supreme cause We see that in one Creture ther are many differing members and faculties who have various functions yet they are all guided by one soul c. The Duke for his Salary hath 100. Zecchins which coin wants above twelvepence of ten shillings English brought him every Wensday to his Palace Among all these restraints which keep him from trenching upon the Common Liberty and doing injustice ther is another and that a shrewd one which is that Lex repetundarum may be executed upon his Heir after his death for there is a Iunta appointed to make a scrutiny of the actions of the deceased Duke and if any can prove he was wrongd by him he shall have reparation out of the Heirs estate Of the Venetian Senat. THe Senat consists of 120. grave men wherof ther are threescore calld Ordinary Senators and threescore of the Junta they are calld all together the Pregadi because being taken for wise men they are prayed to be assisting the Commonwealth with their Counsells The sixty ordinary are created yeerly by the suffrages of the great Councell in the months of August and September observing this order that at every meeting six be chosen of the sayed Senators untill the whole nomber be compleated The other sixty Senators of the Junta are ascribd unto these other sixty but there is one caution observd that ther may be but two of a kinred chosen among these sixty but the other allow three of a kinred To these 120. Senators are adjoind the Duke and Decemvirs with other Orders the 40. Judges of Capitall Causes the Provosts of Salt and Corn the Sages of health the Prefect of the Arsenal and Proctors of Saint Mark with other Magistrats and these in effect have the management of the whole Republic They treat of peace and warr their power extends to lay taxes to make extraordinary levies and erogations of moneys They make choice of Ambassadors to be employd to forren Princes they have power allso to summon the Sages of Land and Sea with all the chief Magistrats Of the Decemvirs and their Colledg THe Colledg of Decemvirs is composd of 17. Senators ten of these are chosen by the great Councell and are in Ordinary having this priviledg that he who is in that Magistracy may not procure in two yeers that any mention be made of him in other meetings and conventions Of these evry month three Senators are chosen to be of the quorum these are the chief of the Colledg are commonly calld Capi di dieci the Heads of ten and have power to summon the Decemvirall Colledg and referr matters unto it They have a privat Conclave where they daylie meet having Oâ—…icers of sundry sorts to attend them They read the Letters addressd to the Decemvirat Colledg and make relation unto them of the substance therof and ther must be two of them which must do it To these Decemvirs is adjoind the Duke in chief and six Councellors whose peculiar priviledg is to be chosen out of the six Precincts or Sextaries of the Citty this order observd that three be chosen this side of the Rialto and three on the other They are to be assistant to the Duke eight months with Him they are to take care of all things that concern the Wellfare of the Republic and Citty It is sufficient that fower of them subscribe all public Orders Touching matters of moment they are to make relation to the great Councell The Prince therfore with the Decemvirs and six sayed Councellors do constitut the Decemvirat Colledg which is the supremest authority and hath a kind of Dictatorian power They are to take care that no discord or any public quarrells happen which may disturb the peace of the Citty and draw after them any insurrection They are to have an eye that no factious or fantastic Cittizen introduce any dangerous innovation That no counterfeit coyn be stamped or brought in That Sodomy and all other flagitious crimes be enquird after which they have inappealable power to punish Of the Colledg of Sages or Preconsultors THis Colledg consists of 16. Senators which are of the chiefest Cittizens and they are calld Savii or Sages because they are presumd to antecell others both in dignity and experience These use to preconsult of generall matters tending to the administration of the Commonwealth as allso of peace and warr with other the most important affairs and make relation therof to the Senat. This Colledg is divided to three Orders the first containes 6. Senators which are calld Savii grandi the great Sages who consult of all things touching the honor of the Republic in generall specially of Sea matters and other requisitts reflecting upon peace or warr and make reports of their Consultations to the Senat. The second Order consists of 5. Cittizens or Gentlemen of Venice commonly calld Savii de terra firma the Sages of the Continent who allthough they have the like authority to make report of matters to the Senat yet are they much inferior to the former in dignity and trust Their chiefest duty is to have care of the Militia by Land and of salaries of such soldiers that are entertaind by the Republic whether Forreners or Natives The third degree consists of 5. Cittizens or Gentlemen of Venice who are commonly young men primae lâ—…nuginis of the first shaving of the razor as they say but learned and well versd in the Sciences which are inferior to the other two and make report of all Sea businesses to the Senat and these are calld Savii de gli ordini and they are culld out of the choicest Witts to be made capable for future employments To this Colledg of Sages or Preconsultors are adjoind the Prince the six Councellors the Triumvirs of the forty who preside over Criminall Causes So that the whole Colledg may be sayed to consist of 26. Senators or Cittizens of the Patrician Order The maner of the convention of this Colledg is thus the Prince sitts in the middle mounted upon a high Seat and about him those Councellors who were chosen out of the six Precincts of the Cittie three on the right and three on the left hand and after
Martiall Law Don Iohn being a little too indulgent of his Countreymen the Spaniards complain'd That his authority was more contemn'd by Venieri then Venieries by Tortona for which if ther were not honorable satisfaction given he wold take it himself and teach Venieri that though he respected the honor of the Republic he wold not neglect his owne Venieri protested on the other side that he did it not to derogat from the Authority of the Generall any way but to preserve his own and prevent the sudden confusion of the mutiny looking upon the offender not as a Spaniard but as a mutâ—…neer he affirm'd further that if the Generall shold take this necessary peece of justice as an occasion to break the League which was applied as a means to keep it it would be manifest that not devotion but ambition diverted him from this honorable action as for violence he shold find him as dangerous an enemy as otherwise a necessary friend Colonna the Popes Admirall fearing what this might grow unto us'd his intercession to atone the difference conjuring Don Iohn in whom he found great obstinacy of discontent and estrangement and telling him the act was just though sudden like the occasion and that suddennesse is necessary in dangers of so swift extension which having once got the start remedy could hardly overtake them That mutiny in an Army was of as instant conveyance as a gangrene in the body if the party infected were not presently cut off it endanger'd the whole that this was no intrusion on the Generals authority for an under-Admiral in his own Squadron to execut a privat offender that indeed he had no cause of offence if he had cause he had no leasure to entertain it that the enemies strength could not so much endanger them as their own division weaken them that as nothing could heap more honor upon him then the suppressall of the enemy so nothing could lay fouler aspersion then to lose this oportunity of doing it therfore if he could not casheer his passion he shold employ it against the common enemy These perswasions strong though not bitter mov'd Don Iohn then to abstain from the effects of choler but not to extinguish it so that by reason of this distast with Venieri he communicated all things afterwards to Barbarâ—…co From Coâ—…fu the whole Fleet held her course to Cephalonia and thence to the Gulph of Lepanto and drawing nere to the place and discovering the enemy and resolv'd to assail him Don Iohn commanded the decks to be clear'd chests stowed those Cabins which might be an impediment to the Combatant taken down the rest that might be receptacles to cowards lock'd up leaving neither excuse for his men nor advantage for the enemy and as he prepar'd all essentialls so he neglected no â—…maginary or opinionat part of defence or offence therfore knowing that strength was the beauty of an Army but bravery the Ensigne of that strength his men were richly arm'd and his Gallies sutable to his men both carrying the badge of triumph and the face of victory displaying magnanimity and confidence like a bright though dreadfull flame And because he might husband the small remainder of time to the utmost miâ—…t he caus'd victualls to be proportion'd to his men modeâ—…atly not superfluously far from the swinish custom of some Northerly Nations who as if wine were the nurse of valâ—…r as oyl to a lamp against any fight knock out the heads of their barrells and drink reason out of their own heads and so reel aboard somtimes tumbling upon victory but seldom upon honour which ever derives her self from vertue This Noble temperat Captain then not taking intemperance to be the Fountain of resolution did therfore distribut as much to his soldiers as might strengthen their bodies not weaken their judgement and breed coâ—…age in them not rage which being with more speed then ceremony ended he with a countenance and habit becoming such a place and person descended into his Barge wherin he pass'd through the body of the Fleet being rang'd in form following It consisted of four principall distinct parts viz. two wings the main battalion and the reserve of succours In the right wing were contain'd fifty three Gallies wherof Doria was Admirall bearing in his main top a green flag the left wing was compos'd of an equall nomber of Gallies commanded by Augustino Barbarico with a yellow flag on the starboard side of the top In the main battail were included sixty one Gallies wherin Don Iohn himself was distinguish'd by a sky-colour'd flag the two wings and the main battail were 167. Gallies strong so plac'd that the two wings carried forward the body in equall part the one not forsaking the other yet twixt all three ther was sufficient distance to admit three or four Gallies a brest without falling foul either on themselfs the wings or the main battail as well to give way to those supplies of rescâ—…es which shold be needfull in any part as to transform the whole battail it self into any figure without confusion The Marquis of Santa Cruz bearing a white flag in his Poop conducted the reserve for succours consisting of thirty eight Gallies out of which were deducted eight commanded by Don Iohn de Cardona Precâ—…sor of the whole Fleet who running about twenty miles before the rest by swift Frigots signified unto the Generall whatsoever was necessary to be known in their discovery with commandment when they descryed the Turkish Navy to retire and imp themselfs to the two wings in equall division Cardona to the right wing The Gallâ—…sses and Argozies were half a mile before the Gallies two before the right wing two before the left and two before the middle battail ev'ry Galleasse a mile before each other the first were commanded by Ambrosio and Antonio Bragadini the second by Iacomo Gâ—…ori and Antonio Duodi the third by Andrea Pisara and Pietro Pisano the use of these greater vessells being fortified with plenty of Ordnance and lin'd with multitude of small shot was to receave the first fury of the enemies Fleet passing by that being weakned and disordred by them the next charge might be more safe and easie and in respect they were huge and unweldy Vessells unapt for oars ev'ry Galeasse was rowed by two severall Gallies whensoever they were becalm'd and had lost the use of their sails the Galeasse of Antonio Duodi was tow'd by the Generall and Colonna the Galeasse of Giacomo Guori was tow'd by Venieri and Christophoro Lieni the Galeasse of Ambrosio Bragadini by Augustin Barberigo the Galeasse of Antonio Bragadini by Antonio Canali the Galeasse of Andrea Prsano by the Prior of Messina the Galeasse of Pietro Pisano by Andrea Doria The General like the heart in the body was seated in the midst of the battail garded on the right side by Marc Antonio Colonna the Popes Admirall and on the left by Venieri Colonna was flank'd by the Admirall of Genoa wherof Hector Spinola was
any sort subject to the secular Jurisdiction or he who foundeth a Church were worthy of so rude a chastisement as if he had committed som great Crime moreover that in the moneth of May last the Senat having regard to another Law made in the year 1536. wherby was prohibited the perpetuall alienation of Lay-mens possessions within the City and Signory of Venice to Ecclesiasticall persons without permission of the Senat under certain penalties instead of revoking that Law as their duty requir'd they had renew'd it and extended the penalty to all their Dominions as if it were lawfull for temporal Princes to ordain any thing for the exercising of any Jurisdiction or to dispose in any sort without the Ecclesiastics and particularly of the Pope of the goods of the Church specially of such goods as have bin given to the Church of persons spirituall and other places of devotion granted by the faithfull for remedy of their sins and discharge of their consciences That these Ordinances tending to the damnation of souls to public scandalls and also contrary to the Ecclesiasticall Liberty were of themselfs void and of no validity as furthermore he declar'd them to be such no man being oblig'd to observe them on the contrary that they who had made the Statutes or any like or they who had further'd them had incurr'd the Churches Censures and depriv'd themselfs of all such possessions as they held of the Church as also their estates and demains were subject to other penalties in such sort that they could not be absolv'd unlesse they revok'd all such Laws and re-establish'd all things in their former estate That therupon being plac'd in the Soveraign Throne and not being able to dissemble or indure these things he admonish'd the Republic to consider well the danger wherinto they had cast their souls upon this occasion and to seek remedy betimes otherwise in case of contumacy he commanded under pain of Excommunication latae sententiae that the afore sayed Lawes ancient and modern shold be abrogated That this Monitory shold be publish'd in all places throughout the Republic expecting from them an account herof if not upon notice had from his Nuntio he wold proceed to execution of the Penalties and to such other remedies that were meet remembring the reckoning that he was to give to God at the day of Judgment and that he could not in duty dissemble when the Authority of the See Apostolic was diminish'd Ecclesiasticall Liberty trod under foot the Holy Canons neglected the right of the Church and Clergy violated Of all which the charge lay upon him affirming that he was not induc'd hereunto for any worldly consideration for he desir'd nothing els but the glory to acquit himself of his Apostolicall function and as he intended not to usurp anything upon the secular Authority so he wold not permit the Ecclesiastic shold be diminish'd he concluded that if the Republic wold conform they wold deliver him from much pain which he endur'd in their behalf and they might still retain the Lands which they held of the Church That the best means wherby she might prevent the incommodities that might fall upon her from Infidells were to conserve the Church-men in their rights who watch in perpetuall prayers to God for her conservation The Senat with much maturity ponder'd these Breves and therupon sent to confer with their learnedst Counsellors in the Civill Lawes amongst whom they admitted Paul of Venice of the Order of the Servites an eminent Divine and Canonist with other Padouan Doctors to consult what answer they shold return the Pope The Republic also sent to consult other Doctors themost renowned of Europe for sound knowledge as Henry the VIII of England had don touching the legality of a divorce with Katherine of Aragon Having receav'd the judgments of the learnedst men in France and Spain specially of Giacomo Monochio President of Milan a man much cried up in those daies for learning the Senat fram'd the Answer to the Popes Monitory as followeth That with much grief and wonder they understood by the Letters of his Holines that their Laws observ'd carefully through so many Ages and never question'd by any of his Predecessors the revokement wherof wold shake the very Foundations of the Republic were reprehended as contrary to the See Apostolic and that they which made them having bin persons eminent for merit and well deserving of that See who are now in heaven were noted for Violaters of Ecclesiastic Liberty that according to the admonition of his Holines they had examined with much exactnesse their Laws Old and New but had not found anything which a Soveraign Prince might not have well ordain'd without any just offence to the Popes Authority it being a thing evidently belonging to a secular Prince to have regard what Companies are erected in hâ—…s Dominions as also to prevent the building of such Edifices as in time to com might be hurtfull to the public safety and though their State abounds with Churches and places of piety as much as any other yet when they saw it convenient they never refus'd to permit new Foundations themselfs contributing liberally therunto That in the Law against perpetuall alienation of lay goods unto Ecclesiastics the question being of things purely temporall they could not be tax'd to have don any thing contrary to the Canons or Decrees That if the Popes have power to forbid the Clergy to alienat any goods of the Church unto persons secular without leave Princes may do the same and take Order that the goods of seculars shall not be alienated to the Clergy without permission nor do the Ecclesiastics lose any thing bequeath'd unto them herby seeing they receave a price answerable in value to the immoveable adjoyning that it tends to the great prejudice not only of the temporall State but also of the spirituall to weaken the Forces of the Republic which by such alienations is depriv'd of necessary services and which in effect is a vangard or fortresse for all Christendom against Infidels That for these reasons the Senat could not perswade themselfs to have incurr'd any Censures since secular Princes have by Divine Law from which no human Law may derogat a power to establish Laws in things temporall as also that the admonitions of his Holines have here no place wher the question is not of any thing spirituall or any way trenching upon the Papâ—…ll Authority much lesse yet could they beleeve that his Holines so ful of Piety and Religion wold persist without knowledge of the cause in his Comminations This was the substance of the Senat 's Answer remitting themselfs further to their Ambassador extraordinary Ther happen'd a businesse in Savoy about this time which might have scatr'd the Venetian being much of the same nature for Pope Paul hahaving notice that the Duke of Savoy had commanded the Bishop of Fossano to depart out of his Dominions the Pope being incens'd therat did so menace the Duke with Excommunication
by an extraordinary way of balloting or lottery wherin choice and chance have a hand Her formes of justice with the cautious authority and moderation of Her Judges The prudence and maturity of Her Senat in all deliberations Her matchles Forces by Sea Her vast provisions and preparatifs for all kinds of Warr wherin that Signorie surpasseth all other Potentats of Christendom That no Navall Warr can be made against the Ottomans the common Enemy without conjunction with Her That this Republic is calld the Shield and principall safegard and as Paul the 3. sayd the Bullwark of Europe The mighty Forces She employed against Cyprus against Selym for Her defence The generosity She hath shewed not to refuse the Warr The deliberations She holds before She engageth in any fight and Her most celebrous exploits in the great battail of Lepanto in the yeer 1571. And not to extend my self further I say you will extremely plese the Venetians in elevating the achievments ancient and modern of the Signorie Moreover t will be very gustfull unto Her if you speak of Her piety and munificence to the Church and to have oftentimes bin the Protectresse of Saint Peters Chaire renewing the memory of what passd twixt Frederic the second and Her with the Negotiations and Protestations made by Her before the Duke of Alva in the Warr against his Holines and all things els that you can alledg conducible to this purpose Lastly remember well to extoll the royal and sincere proceedings of the Republic upon all occurrences in public treaties commending Her that She useth to negotiat frankly without any artifice or disguise but really and without palliations I will not name heer the Princes that are belov'd or hated by the Signorie for it will tend to little purpose The Republic of Ragusa and Genoa are no great friends to this Signorie yet They hate Her not but use to be sensible of her dangers and troubles because that whosoever growes to be master of any of these Republiques will have the greater strength which is just contrary to the aymes of the Republic of Venice whose policy tends that the state of Italy receaves no alteration but be allwayes at a constant stand And for this cause She wold be contented that the Dominions which the Spaniard hath in that Countrey were equally divided twixt Spain and France that the power of those two great Kings might be counterpoisd and that neither of them were so powerfull in Italie Wherupon the Signorie of Venice extremely desireth that Rome with the State Ecclesiastic and the Apostolic Seat might be preservd in regard that beside the affair of Religion She observes the excellent Regiment of the Church wherin all the vigor and reputation of Italie consists And touching the holy Father were he reducd to any extremity or danger this pious Republic would employ all Her power to protect Him being wisely perswaded that all the domage which wold fall upon his Sanctity wold rebound upon Her I have forborn to observe hitherunto that the principall object of the consultations of this noble Signory is the repose of Italy and to preserve her from revolutions of intestin broyles You must allso take it among your instructions that in the Discourses you shall hold with the Venetians or others you must not shew your self inclinable to make a new league against the Turk but rather when you fall upon this subject you shall appeer rather for peace and approve of the prudence of the Signorie in her cariage towards this huge Potentat to have no actuall hostility with him In which Discours you must be mindfull of the three reasons which the Venetians use to alledg that it is necessary for that state to have peace with the Turk The first is in regard that all the Iles Coasts and Maritime places which the Signorie possesseth do confine with som part of the Ottoman Empire therupon She may be easily surpriz'd and invaded that way The second is in regard that the Citty of Venice being the best peepled of all Italy She hath not territory enough to maintain and support Her-self or afford her all sorts of necessaries therfore She must be oblig'd to other Countries for Her sustentation now ther is no Prince upon Earth that lieth so oportunely to furnish Her as the Turk Thirdly if a War be declar'd in the Levant all traffick will cease by Sea as also commerce by Land therfore the Citty of Venice being one of the greatest Mercantile Towns in the World her Cittizens will grow poor and want employment You must add to these considerations the form and institution of the Republic being from the first time of her foundation ordained and born as it were for peace and plenty as She hath found by experience Therfore the Venetian Senators are alwayes pleas'd when any motion is made of Peace and when any mention is made of the Turk they will not be discontented to heer him extoll'd for a mighty great Prince implying thereby that the Signorie is the wiser to be at good termes with him The Reasons whereby the Venetians did justify their proceedings when against the capitulations of the league they did accommode themself with the Turk are so known to the World that it were a peece of impertinency to insist upon them here but in your Discours among the Venetians you may make use of them as ocasion shall invite you I finish these Instructions with this necessary Rule that evry Ambassador or public Minister of state ought to render himself agreeable to the Prince with whom he negotiates which may tend much to the happy conduct and advancement of all his Negotiations A Review of the Navall strength of Venice IN regard the main strength and incolumity together with the principall defence and glory of this Neptunian Damsell is derived from the Sea it will not be amisse to make inspection once more into her waters and fadom the depth of her navall power Now to treat of her strength this way it will not be amisse to give a little touch once more at Her Arsenall which strikes an admiration into all men that are curious to survey it and may be rank'd one of the wonders of the World in that kind It is sited and encompass'd with a great chanell of the Sea It is girt about with strong walls three miles in circuit Ther have been counted there at one time 300 Gallies besides those that were in cours to secure the gulf whereof ther were above 22 Galeasses which in comparison of the other Gallies may be call'd men in compleat Armes or Cuirasses because they' are not so nimble in their motion neither for Sayle or Oar as others but they give a far greater shock and if they have a rowsing gale of wind and favorable 20 of these are able to encounter 100. of other Gallies besides they have the advantage of Galeons because they have Feet as well as Wings For Timber to build all sorts of sayling Vessells