into Italy Forces that were able to maintaine the acquests they had made not that they could be sufficient to subdue the whole Thou speakest the truth sayd then Almansor but goe on and declare vnto me the prejudices which thy falling into the hands of the Spaniards brought vnto the Popes Know then replyed the Kingdome of Naples that whereas before the Popes were the terror of my Kings now it happeneth to bee cleane otherwise for they liue in a very great agony lest the Vnion of Milan with Naples should one day follow to which marke they obserue the Spanyards haue directed the scope of all their thoughts vvhereupon the Spanyards whose proper nature it is to make good vse of the feare vvhereinto they see they haue put the Princes their neighbours haue arrogated vnto themselves such authority in the Court of Rome that they vaunt they are the true arbitrators of all the most important matters vvhich there are handled Moreover when the Kings of Naples were not Kings of Spayne the Popes with every litle menace of denying the investiture obtayned of my Kings Principalities Dutchyes Earldomes and other great States in gift buying their friendships also with mariages and many other sortes of liberalitie but now the feare being ceased if the Popes vvil make their kinred great with titles of important States they must be glad to buy them with their ready mony and the advised Kings of Spayne besides the pretious Gold of entreaties which at any hand they will bee sure shall precede for a first payment sell them vnto them thoroughly sawced Important interests and grievous disorders are these sayd Almansor vvhich thou hast recounted vnto me but how cometh it that thou Kingdome of Naples which art the Magazine of Silkes the Granary of Italy shouldest goe so ragged and be so leane Seeing the Spanyards that come naked out of Spayne answered the Kingdome of Naples after they haue beene three or foure dayes in my house will needs cover themselves all over with gold it is no marvaile if I be spoyled to clothe so many Raggedemuffins besides if thou sawest the rapacitie of the Vice-roys that to recover them selves are sent vnto me or if thou knewest the rapines of Secretaryes of thousand Officers and other Courtiers which they bring along with them all thirsty of my bloud thou wouldest greatly marvayle how it were possible I should satiare the raging and greedy swallow of so many hunger-starved wretches As for the litle flesh thou seest on my back the Spanyards affirme that in the booke of a certaine Florentine who hath given rules of the cruell moderne Policie they find written that being a Kingdome conquered after the manner of those horses vvhich are kept only for races I ought to be maintayned low in the flesh I but sayd Almansor then the Milanesi how are they entreated They also replyed the Kingdome of Naples are bathed with the water wherewithall thou seest mee so wet only this difference is betwixt vs that in Milan are droppes in my house flouds The true occasion of the diversitie of these entreatings is the quality of the Lombards dispositions most vnlike to my Neapolitans for the Nobilitie of the State of Milan are naturally phantasticall free resolute and farre from that vice so proper to my Neapolitans of flattery and affectation but so bold and hardy that they dare say how if one only Cremonese spirit had beene found amongst my Neapolitan Barons it would haue hindered that same forced donatiue that hath brought me to eate Bread and Onyons the which although with great words it hath beene often demanded by the Spanyards in Milan they haue beene as resolutely answered that they should take care to liue Besides the confining of the Grisons of the Duke of Savoy and Venetians are the cause that the Kings of Spayne proceed with more diseretion in Milan for when the Popes managed Armes I my selfe also was for their occasion greatly respected But soft Almansor yonder commeth my most capitall enemy Don Pedro de Toledo wherefore I pray thee withdraw a litle for at any hand I would not haue him take notice that I lament my disgraces heere vvith thee and for this onely vvere it for nothing els may I tearme my servitude most wretched in that I am forced to call this miserable state wherein thou seest me the happy golden Age. CHAP. 8. Sigismund Battor learneth the Latin tongue YEsterday about eight of the clocke in the evening the ordinary Post of Germany arrived at this Court and brought very ioyfull newes how Sigismund Battor Prince of Transilvania was growen so inamored of the gracefull Latine tongue that to his great glory he spake and wrote with the puritie and eloquence of the Cesarean style whereupon all the Vertuous earnestly besought Apollo that for such good newes there might be made in Pernassus all those demonstrations of ioy which to incourage Great-men to the loue of Learning were wont to be made when any Prince became learned But his Maiestie that seeth into the vttermost secret of all things denied those Vertuous their request and told them that then only there should be feasting in Pernassus when out of the freenesse of a noble minde and meere election of studies not constrayned by any necessitie Princes applyed themselves to Learning and that they were to know how Prince Battor had gotten the elegant Latine tongue neither out of ambition to shew himselfe to bee learned nor out of a vertuous curiosity to know many things but onely out of necessitie for his reputations sake to correct the foolish and childish absurditie which he committed in Gender Number and Case at such time as in the warre of Hungary he tooke that fatall resolution to arme himselfe against the Turke for to adhere vnto the Emperor of Germany whom in regard of the strong and lively pretensions which he hath to the Principaliâ—y of Transilvania he was to haue in more horror then seventy Ottoman Emperours CHAP. 9. The Cardinall of Toledoes Summa is not admitted into the Library of Pernassus THe illustrious and reuerend Francesco Cordova Cardinall of Toledo a personage of exemplarie life an exquisite Divine and excellent Philosopher hee that in his owne person honoured the Word of God in the Pulpit more then any other Preacher whatsoever of his time some few dayes since arrived at Pernassus having beene received vpon the confines of the State by Alessandro d' Ales and Cornelio Musso Bishop of Bitonto and all the way entertayned at his Majesties charge This honorable learned man presented his Writings vnto the venerable Colledge of the Vertuous and those of Philosophie were not only commended but admired as also the Commentaries composed by him vpon the divine passages of all the sacred Writers were received with extraordinary applause and shortly after they were carried in a precious Vrne vnder a cloth of Estate into the Delphicke Library and with the name of the Author consecrated to Eternity Onely his Summa although
times the face of feare whereupon she seemeth more apt to maintaine then conquer States There are many singular men that laugh at her for ruling all her actions by such solide and mature counsels without ever venturing any in the hand of that Chance and Fate vvhich haue so favoured and made glorious the French when as on occasions they haue bene carried more by valor then discretion And some are of the minde how that only proceedeth from her being as sparing of her owne bloud as she is thirsty after others Whence it is that the most vnderstanding Captaines in the Art of warre deride her for aspiring to the Empire of the World and yet will neuer fight for this mighty Queene being resolved to make acquisition of great States by marriages she abhorreth that dreadfull custome of the French to buy others Kingdomes with the price of their owne bloud Being then more advised then couragious she is more dangerous to her friend in peace then to her enemy in vvarre wherefore the French that hitherto haue liued with her in a supine negligence haue at length after so many calamities learned to double barre the doore when once they haue concluded a peace with the Spaniards She is most carelesse of her owne but so greedy of others riches that she careth not to waste her owne patrimoniall estates so as thereby she may get anothers She is so close so reserved that it is not possible for any cunning of man to find out her ends but he that will iudge of the disposition and customes of such a Lady must be fully perswaded that in all the affaires which either she manageth herselfe or others haue to negotiate with her she is within quite contrary to that she appeareth without And albeit that amongst the aforesaid vertues she hath so notorious vices yet by the greatnesse of her fortune every thing in her is interpreted and admired for Vertue so that many wise Princes hold it an honor to imitate her even in vices She is of constitution very strong whereupon it is concluded that she is long-liu'd only she suffereth in the indisposition of the distraction of her members a matter that doth infinitely weaken so great a Body and although with the ayde of the liberty of Genoa and the alliance she hath with the Duke of Savoy she vseth many devises to vnite them yet by the diversity of the interests of those Potentates she prevaileth litle But such a Princesse by nothing receiueth so much preiudice as by her principall ministers the Spaniards whose services alone she vseth in the greatest Charges exercised by them with so much insolency odious pride 〈◊〉 they will not be honored as men but adored as gods an impertinence that hath made the Spanish Dominion distasifull not only to the Italians and Flemmings but euen to the very Spaniards themselves This mighty Princesse then appearing in the Royall Hall before the Maiesty of Apollo she caused her seruants to vnbinde her left arme and shewing it naked vnto Apollo and to all the sacred Colledge of the Learned she spake in this manner Lord and Father of good letters this vvhich you see is that same stinking Yssue of Flanders vvhich the French the Germanes and some Italian Princes vvhich seeme my friends and that in bowelled beyond Sea Renegada made me so many yeeres since out of the suspition they had of mee I grant that the Princes I haue named had iust cause to bee iealous of my power at such time as after the death of Henry the second they saw France falne into the calamity of infant Kings and that in their minority I sought to sow dissention in that Kingdome But now that those suspitions are vvanting and that in the great contention vvhich I had with the French and particularly vvith that same vnchayned Prince of Beaâ—ne I vvas condemned in costs I doe beseech of your Maiesty that so fastidious an Yssue may be stopped since every one seeth that by the great abundance of humors vvhich are there concurring it is become so raging a Canker that I pray God it doth not end vvith the ruine of the vvhole I did not passe into Italy through mine owne ambition nor had that ardent desire to possesse my selfe wholly of it as mine enemies affirme it is vvell knowne that I was called nay forethly haâ—â—â—… thither by the Princes of Italy themselues to deliuer them from the great feare they were in of the domination of the French And happy had it beene for my House of Spayne vvhich I had covered with Slate of silver and Tyles of massie gold if I never had had any thing to doe with the Italians a double dealing Nation full of deceits and interests and onely good to imbarke men in dangerous affayres vvithout Bisket and then to abandon them in the middest of greatest perils making profession of nothing more then to fare well at other mens costs And it seemeth marueylous strange to mee that Italy which as every man knowes hath suffered her selfe to be towzed by so many strange Nations should now make such profession of chastity to mee that if shee see me never so little to moue shee entreth straight into a jealousie that I vvill depriue her of the honour of her Liberty And albeit the greatnesse wherein the Kingdome of France standeth at this instant secureth Italy and all the Princes which I have named from the feare they are in of my power yet vvhen it shall so seeme good to your Maiestie I am ready to give security to every one of not offending so that this same fastidious Yssue of mine may be stopped By order then of his Maiestie the Yssue then was diligently considered by the politicall Physicians and having made an exquisite consultation thereupon they delivered That in regard the Spanish Monarchy was troubled with an ardent thâ—rit of Domination that Yssue was necessary for her whereby those grosse humors might be purged away which from Peru distilled downe into her stomacke and caused that vnquenchable thirst And those worthy Physicians considered that if the sayd Monarchy had not that Yssue there was manifest danger that the pernicious humors of Peru would mount vp into the head of Italy with apparant ruine of the principall members which now remaine free in her and that the said Monarchy of Spayne would fall into the Dropsie of an Vniuersall Monarchy to avoid vvhich inconveniences nothing was so proper said they as that same Yssue of Flanders which was to be kept open so long as Peru ministred those pernicious humors to the Monarchy of Spayne This resolution greatly displeased the Spanish Monarchy vvherevpon being much incensed she said thus Sir if through the malice of others I must so foully consume away my selfe in ministring oyntments to the Canker vvhich my enemies call a divertiue Yssue some peradventure that litle dreame of it shall haue their share in it This was presently apprehended by the English the French and Italians who replied
the Lyons jawes they would soon become absolute Masters of the World All which are insolencies that vvith daggers points not by you Italians but by the Monarchy of Spayne herselfe ought to be revenged vvith all kinde of crueltie on her Spanish Ministers who with their vanitie distaste the good servants of so great a Queene and make her government nothing acceptable to her subjects A disorder that bringing much difficultie to the substance of that Vniversal Monarchy wherunto it is not possible she can arrive vvith the publike hatred of all Italy hath high need of remedie With this answere Apollo returned the Lord Prospero exceeding well satisfied to his house after whom the Duke d'Alva appeared before his Majesty with all his family wonderfull melancholy vvhich cast such milke in their faces that the Spanyards seemed not so blacke as ordinarily those Moores that come out of Granada vse to be Then Apollo interrupting the complaint vvhich the Duke was about to make against the Lord Colonna said Duke I am much displeased vvith the disorder vvhich I vnderstand hath happened and so much the more by how much the cause of such an vprore is not very just nor vvithall very honourable on thy side And vpon this occasion it pleaseth me to remember vnto you Spanyards that to be not only niggards as to all men ye are knowen but not to vse prodigalitie in giving vnto others those Titles vvhich are desired is a manifest signe of malignitie because the ingenuous nobilitie of a Baron is knowen by shewing litle covetousnesse in receiving Titles and much liberalitie in giving them For even by over much not by due honour doth greater reputation accrew to him that giveth then to him that receiveth it And you Spanyards that vse such austeritie in desiring great Titles onely for your selves are not avvhit encreased in reputation but rather are become so odious and ridiculous to all men that the Italians in their Comedies haue deservedly introduced the personage of the Spanyard to represent vnto the World a perfect Braggadochia I wonder yee should not preceive that in thinking to arrive vnto the Dominion of the earth by abusing men is the vvrong way to the wood The mindes of men Duke are taken vvith the baite of humanitie vvith the whistle of gratitude of courtesie of gentlenesse and that Fowler would shew himselfe very ignorant that should goe with a drumme into a Dove-house for to take Pigeons as I see you Spanyards foolishly doe Moreover I tell you that if ever any Nation vvere to make a baite of dignities for to allure the Italians to fall into the nets of your Dominions and light vpon the Lime-bush of your servitude it is you Spanyards for the ends vvhich yee haue vpon Italy Withall yee are to consider that the States vvhich yee possesse of Naples and Milan are fastned vnto you with Waxe for yee shall command over those two members no longer then till the Italians resolve to chase you from thence who if they could be assured that after your ruine they should not fall into the power of the French ye should quickly know that only vvith a litle disturbance which they could give you in the Port of Genoua they would put you into a thousand intricate difficulties all matters that should admonish you to give satisfaction at leastwise in vvords to them whom in regard of your Interests in Italy yee are obliged to respect As for the injurie vvhich you say you have received from the Lord Prospero I tell you plainly that whatsoever affront shal be done you vpon any such like Titular occasion I vvill not onely be insensible of it but I vvill thinke you haue desirously sought it Then the Duke would have excused himselfe vvith saying that from his King he had instruction how to carry himselfe towards the Italian Barons in the particular of Titles vvhen Apollo told him that the Spanish abuses to the Italians were not to extend but only to the Neapolitans and Milanesi and his Majestie also added That if much passion did not blind the Spanyards they might easily see how their Grandes whom Spayne it selfe could not containe and that in Italy would play the Gyants compared with the Romane Barons and those of meane stature would prove but dwarsses Herevpon a cloude as white as snow beginning by litle and litle to cover the person of Apollo the Priests that were about him perceived how his Maiestie would prophecie so that every one falling prostrate on the ground and vvith the rest the Duke and his followers out of that hollow cloud proceeded the divine voyce of his Majestie which with a pleasing sound spake in this sort I fortell vnto you Spanyards that vvith your rough and odious manner of proceeding yee vvill one day compell the Italian Nobitie which is the Mistres of the cruell Sicilian Vespres to plot some bloudy Neapolitan Even-song against you it beeing the proper custome of the Italians with greater rage to revenge the abuses of words then the offences of blowes as they that having short patience and long hands are borne not only with an heart most inclined to great resolutions but that doe not vse to revenge injuries with all kind of crueltie before they are quite forgotten by those that did them And with your owne ruine you vvill then finde them with swords in their hands to be Paladine Orlandoes when ye shall perswade your selves they are become most suffering Asses The Poste of Pernassus to the Reader THese Papers comming by chance into my hands I perceived there was something in them that I could not perceive wherefore I thought best to communicate them with better vnderstandings for my part I could see no hurt in them but did imagine by that little good vvhich I saw there was much more that I could not see and therefore judged them fit for all mens eyes Yet finding the names of Spayne and Austria or Austria and Spayne pardon me politicke Reader for I am not certaine vvhich should have priority and I know in such Catholike points a little error is deadly so often inserted I durst not be too bold with sacred things For I well saw those two names joyntly considered are now growne of such estimation as all Nations and Kings bend their knees and doffe their Bonnets at the naming of them more superstitiously for destroying then reverently at the Name of Iesus for saving Therefore I could not resolve vvhether it were treason or sacriledge or I wot not what greater sinne to touch sacred things profanely with common and vnwasht hands especially when I saw all such as had done the like or lesse then thus made miserable examples of disobedience as if they had offended Adam himselfe or a house miraculously raysed vp by God or rather originally created in nature to rule over all the vvorld in Adams stead and that to be the sonne of a King could not protect an offendor in this kind from punishment yea from being cast out of his Paradise O thought I vvhen I saw this how worthy is he that doth thus to be counted onely the Catholique King for he is a King of kings indeed fit to be the executioner of his Holinesse divine Decrees and to consume all vvith Lightning vvhere the sacred fulminations vvent before Tremble all Princes and looke to your Crownes especially you perty ones in Germany that are but fatted to be swallowed one after another as his stomacke can digest or your turne comes to bee served vp You see it is safer beeing his servant then the sonne of any Potentate besides Therefore strive for place and preferment there and helpe vvith all the speed yee may to betray one another to ruine You that are Protestants or Lutherans it is no matter for Religion hold some the stirrop and let others lift Spayne into the saddle to ride one another like Poste-horses by turnes You see how honourably hee deales with that Prince whose peaceable patents made him easie entrance and how fauourably vvith the Palatinate vvhom hee rides in bloud and spur-galls on both sides vvhilst you stand laughing on and see not that your day is comming Thus I thought and thought withall to be silent and to keepe these Papers from flying abroad for feare of having my owne vvings clipt But vvhen I saw in defect of greater God had raysed vp petty Princes to defend the Faith and put that spirit into the Prince of Orange the Count Manâ—felt and the Duke of Brunswicke vvhich hee had taken from Saxony and Bavaria and others it made me resume courage beholding the immediate hand of God in this vvorke and to thinke surely God vvill have all the glory to himselfe that hee employes such instruments vvhose estates in comparison are but drops to the Spanish Ocean I vvill not therefore be guilty of so much cowardize as to reserve my selfe vvhere these men fight and seeme prodigall of their owne lives or at least not of so much dishonesty as to conceale what God hath sent into my hands perhaps to publish for the generall information and benefit of all Christendome Goe out therefore and prosper in Gods Name FINIS