intollerable pride by the depression of others 6. That the Vice-kings Officers and Governors have ingrost all the riches of all the Provinces Ibid. 7. By how much the severer an Officer professes himfelf in the kingdome of Naples especially towards the Nobility in so much the more favour and esteem is he with the Spaniards by whom he is advanced in Court and exalted to higher degrees and titles 8. The aforementioned Author also complains of other burthens imposed and daily to be imposed upon that kingdome as of an extraordinary Donative of certain * Granos Granos is as I remember about an English penny or somwhat more in value which every Fire or Family is bound to pay for the quartering of Souldiers and for salaries to the Vice-kings Train of seven Granos for the guard of the Towers of five Granos for the Field-Sergeants of nine Granos for the reparation of the wayes of the tax for five foot Souldiers upon a hundred fires of yearly pensions of the new tribute put upon wrought and unwrought silk of the tax upon Cards which is farmed at 20000 Crowns a year and other emunctions of this kind 9. He complains that the King of Spains Vice king commanded the Neapolitans once to make and eat the bread of a certain root called Panis porcinus or Hoggs bread which proclamation was nevertheless forthwith suspended under pretext that it was commanded onely to try whether in time of need that bread would suffice 10. He complains that the Vice-king would needs crown a certain fellow called Catinario who was rich indeed but not considerable otherwise in despight of the Order of Knighthood 11. He complains that he took the Princes daughter out of a Monastery by force under pretext to try whether she had a mind to marry or no when the true reason of it was because he resolved to match her to his own son 12. He complains that when the States of the kingdom intended to send the Donative of the kingdome to the King by their own men the Vice-king would needs send it by his men and forced them to deliver it to him 14. He complains that he got in a short time seven thousand pistols a year for his wife and as much for his son Bernardino out of the Church Revenewes c. That Dispute was written An. 1579. in the beginning of April and it is to be seen in Thesauro Politico Casp Ensi part 3. Apothegmate 62. CHAP. XIII The Praevarications of the Spaniards against Italy and the Common-wealths thereof IT would be a business of too much length for me by going through a series of Histories to pick out all the prevarications of the Spaniards against Italy and the Princes and Republicks thereof and insert them into this Narration especially since some of them against the Pope are already alledged and other are to be alledged Cap. de Praevaricationibus c. And yet in regard that though there be so various Principates and so various Common-wealths there is yet scarce any which complains not of the Spanish domination and ambition it seems fit to alledge at least some of them and omit the rest to avoid prolixity 1. What monuments of their ambition they have exprest towards the Pope and his dominions is said above What intention they have towards the Republick of Venice is very well known to the said common-wealth though she think fit to dissemble it and yet she hath not forgotten how craftily they carried themselves in the Confederation or vvar against the Turk and in the Controversie between Paul the fifth and Her Nor do I think the Genuezes have also forgotten what their designs were against them both in and after the time of Dory How they seized upon the Dutchy of Milan Sleiden shewes In the Countreys of Piemont and Savoy and other territories they have erected very many monuments of their prevarications and are daily erecting more What the Sienneses and Florentines have suffered by the Spaniards is taught by the Historians both of this and the former Age. I willingly pass by the Dutchys of Mantua Montferat Ferrara Appulia and Calabria nor will I touch the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily because every body knows by what tricks they got those how unworthily the Spanish Ministers treat the Noblemen and subjects thereof insomuch as that according to Histories and Relations for never so slight a cause as sometimes for an inconsiderate word their lives and fortunes are in danger 2. How the king of Spain invited Charles the eighth king of France to make vvar upon Italy Comines 5. lib. Belli Neopolitani neer the end 3. Anno 1617. Whilst the vvarres yet lasted between Ferdinand of Austria and the Common-vvealth of Venice the Vice-king of Naples invited and encouraged the Turks to make vvarre upon the Venetians but the Turks made an impression into Sicily and carried away great booty Baudart lib. 38. Vt etiam Epistola ipsa 4. It is written also in the same book how the Embassador of Savoy complained to the Princes of Germany at the Dyet at Hailbrun of the breach of Articles 5. Anno 1618. in the beginning of May vvas discovered a dangerous plot and treason of the Spaniards against Italy and the Republicks thereof vvhen they intended by their Emissaries to set Venice in many places on fire and kill the Senators but the business being detected many of the Conjurators were hanged many stifled and many executed other wayes Baudart lib. 38. 6. At the same time the Spaniards attempted to surprize Cremona but the business had the same issue vvhich the plot upon Venice had Ibid. CHAP. XIV The Praevarications of the Spaniards against other Kingdoms THe King of Sweden smelling the Catholick Kings designs howbeit he could hope for nothing from the house of Orange yet he despised all the said Kings great promises and refused him the use and loan of his great Vessels whereof he hath good store and for that reason the Poles several times rejected the Austrians lest by the addition of so vast a kingdom to Bohemia and Hungary the City of Dantz by the benefit thereof should forbid commerce and force the Hollanders to submit Thuan. lib. 107. 2. Nor was it without some remorse of conscience that when Philip the second and his Father were a dying they desired that the business of the kingdom of Navarre might be looked into by Lawyers and learned men to wit because they were convinced that they held it unjustly by the exclusion of the right heir Thuan. lib. 120. 3. The reason why the Spaniards gape for the possession of Saluces and the Territories adjoyning is because they can most conveniently send Souldiers from thence into the Low-Countreys and therefore Fontano Anno 1600. earnestly urged the Popes Nuntio that the King of France might yeeld up the County of Bress Thuan. 125 Anno 1605. Don Pedro Guzman Fontano vice-Vice-King of Lumbardy summoned most of the Princes of Italy by the President and Treasurers of the
out the Inhabitants and making them slaves and planting new Colonies therein and depriving the Free Cities of their Priviledges c. 16. These things may also be referred to the 22. chap. of the hatred of the Spaniards towards the Germans 19. It is also shewed by the same Author c. 1. to what end the Goths Italians and Spaniards together ought to conspire against them i. e. the Protestants in Germany utterly eradicate their Sects after having subdued them and place new Colonies in their stead Thuanus lib. 28 in his History De Concilio Possiaceno in Gallia shews that the hatred of the Spaniards against the Reformed Religion is more then Odium Vatinianum CHAP. II. The Praevarications of the Spaniards in order to the Pope and his Election IT may chance to seem strange to thee Reader that in the Catalogue of the Spanish Praevarications amongst all the Powers and Kingdoms of the world the Pope of Rome should also come into the number yea and that in the second place and as it were in the Front But thou must know that such is the ambition of this Nation and the conception of its Monarchy that they cannot forbear their most Holy Father when there is question of their own ends having no respect â—o his Holiness nor considering at all that he uses to stile them his most Catholick most Beloved and First begotten sons And this is the very cause why I thought fit to put and shew the Spanish Praevarications against his Holiness in this second place Let my kinde Reader therefore know that the Spaniards at the choosing of a new Pope employ all their studies and labours that either a Spaniard by birth or a Favourer of the Spanish Party may be elected This may be shewed by many examples and first in the year 1591. when after the Death of Pope Vrban the 7th there grew a great contention amongst the Cardinals about a Pope the Spaniards desiring forsooth one who was a sworn friend to their Party yea and they at length prevailed for the Election of Nicholas Sfondrato a most sworn Crony of theirs Thuanus 2. The same thing hapned in the year 1592. after the death of Innocent the 9th when the Free Election was again hindred by the Spaniards through the assistance of Ludovico Madrucus who was of their party and when Antonio de Columna King Philips Embassador went into the Conclave himself with resolution that before the said Conclave were shut Antonio Sanctio should be nominated and created Pope and yet he was stoutly opposed by Francisco Sfortia and Columnio Sfortia who threatned and prepared force against force and added that before that should be blood should be seen run out of the Conclave down the stairs to St. Peters Church Many reproaches were thrown upon Sanctio and the Cardinals being divided grew into a long dispute till yet at length by the intervention of some pecuniary corruptions from the Spanish Faction Hippolito Aldobrandino was elected Pope Thuan. lib. 103. 3. The Spaniards at present by their Factions reign in the Popes Court and however they make not what Popes they will because their too much greatness is much suspected yet do they hinder such as they will not have by their ambitious Courtships from rising to that dignity and they of the House of Austria are in such a degree of favour at Rome that it is believed by the Senate of the Holy See that the conservation of Religion and the dignity of the said See depends upon them Thuan. lib. 134. Therefore after the death of Clement the 5th the Spaniards fearing least Noble Cardinal Caesar Baronius the writer of the Ecclesiastical Annals should be chosen Pope revoked a complaint which was begun against him during the life of the said Clement by certain Letters supposed to be written by Lorenzo Suarez Figuera Duke of Feria and Viceroy of Sicily brought into the Congregation by Ptolemaeo Gallo Cardinal of Coma and Dean of the Colledge and recited by Don Francisco Mexia Avila a Spanish Cardinal because they were written in that language at the reading whereof Baronius who was present was not a little troubled and taking his grounds after his fashion out of the holy Scripture suddenly answered Et melius est mihi mori quà m ut evacuetur gloria mea It is better for me to die then lose my honour Now there was a place in the eleventh Book of his Annals where he had written that the Right which the Kings of Spain claim to themselves in the Monarchy of Sicilie was grounded upon false and suspected testimonies c. See Thuan. lib. 134. and though Baronius excused himself yet afterwards when his Works were Printed at Antwerp the eleventh Tome was prohibited and those Copies which were set forth at Rome were also prohibited in the King of Spains Territories 4. The stupidity of some Catholicks is to be wondred at who refuse to do nothing in favour of the Spaniards when in the mean while nothing is more familiar to the Spaniards then to make a stalking horse of the very Pope himself as it clearly appears in the Controversie of Portugal An. 1579. when the Pope by Philippo Sega his then Embassador with King Philip willing to interpose his Authority and desiring that the composure of the business between him and Henry might be referred to his arbitration King Philip at first by the advice of Juan de Sylva made a shew of relishing the Popes kindness very well and till he had transacted with Henry baffled Sega with various shifts and protractions Thuan. lib. 69. 6. But was not Rome it self taken pillaged and vext the Pope and Clergy forced to yield themselves in the Capitol and then to ransom themselves with a huge summ of money viz. Four hundred thousand Ducats in gold besides a certain gratulatory coyn which was made with this Motto In spem prisci honoris Luckius p. 64. And this was the fourteenth seizure of that City Erasmus in his Epist 26. lib. 22. says that Pope Clement was most inclemently treated The Emperour indeed excused himself that it was done without his knowledge but it is ordinary with the Spanish Nation either to deny their wicked actions or to stuff and palliate them with specious pretences 7. That the Spaniards do not much value the Pope of Romes authority if by any means they could work their ends otherwise it is apparent by that war which the Duke of Alva in his Kings name waged against his Holiness in Italy 1556. of which Thuan. lib. 17. 18. where it is related how the said Duke had a designe to take Rome it self 8 When the Spaniards had pulled Perez out of the Church wherein he had taken Sanctuary the Popes Nuncio for the maintenance of the Priviledges of the Church urged that the said Perez might be restored to the Church from whence he was taken but could effect nothing See In relatione rerum Perezii p. 31. 8. The Vice King of Sicily or Naples put to death a
both to him and his Kingdom Philip King of Spain seemed forsooth at first to disapprove and disswade it but it was observed by the wiser sort that he was not reall in the business as promising much and performing little yea and somtimes instantly denying his promises Thuan. lib. 65. 2. King Philip of Spain by his Emissaries the Jesuits deterred Henry successor to Sebastian aforesaid as well by menaces as other perswasions from his purpose of subrogating John Duke of Braganzia in his place in respect of his age howbeit all the Nobility of Portugall favoured the said Duke yea and he also wrote Letters to the common people of Lisbon to debauch them and gain them to himself which he at length in his Npehew Anno 1640 atchieved Thuan. lib. 65. sub finem 3. None have ever more sharply resisted free election for want of Male-issue and in a dubious right of succession to the Crown of Portugall then King Philip and his adherents Thuan. lib. 69. 4. Philip by Ferdinand of Castile deterred Henry King of Portugall from marriage that by his dying a Batchelour he might more easily come to the Crown of Portugal Thuan lib. 69. 5. Thuanus saith that Philip intended to prosecute his right to the Kingdom of Portugall by way of Arms as putting more confidence in his might then in his right or in the opinions of his Lawyers 6. Philip made many large promises to King Henry and the Portuguezes by the Duke of Ossuma his Embassadour to make him King which afterwards were not half performed Thuan. lib. 69. 7. Whilst the suit was still depending and King Henry yet living King Philip armed himself against Portugal which Henry perceiving began to boggle as being perswaded by Leo Euric a Jesuit that he would merit heaven if he would appoint Philip for his Successour Thuan. lib. 69. 8. The matter being come to blowes Philip referred the businesse to the Divines the Jesuits and the Franciscans to be discust at leasure A fine way of proceeding and proving his cause For they excluding the Popes authority because it was a meer earthly business c. gave their votes for Philip. Thuan. lib. 69. And howbeit the Pope indeed first by Sega his Nuntio and afterwards by Alexander Riario were urgent with Philip to desist from war til the business were composed yet could he effect nothing at all with him See Thuan. lib. 70. Anno 1580. but put off the Conference with various reasons delayes and excuses 10. The Duke of Alva took Cascaio by force and although before it were done the besieged put forth a white Colour and desired a Parley the Spaniards notwithstanding in hope of prey stormed the Town and put Diego de Meneses whom they found there together with Enric Perei ra Governour of the Castle with some others to death Thuan. lib. 70. 11. An. 1581. King Philip of Spain at his coronation gave the Nobility of Portugal a general pardon for what was past but the event answered not their expectation for not onely Antonio Prior Francisco Portugallo Count of Vimioso and Bishop Juan Garda brother to the said Count together with fifty more principal men of the contrary faction and all religious men were excluded from it Thuan. lib. 73. 12. Philip readily granted the Portuguezes all such of their requests as were of almost no moment but such as were of any concernment he either flatly denied or answering them ambiguously in the margine eluded Thuan. lib. 73. In the same manner he also denied the requests of the Nobility 13. How Philip gul'd the demands of such of the Portuguezes as had rendred him faithfull service in the acquest of the Crown Thuan teaches lib. 75. saying That either the Kingdom of Portugal in right belonged to him and then they were bound in justice to help him get it or not and so they were traytors to their own Countrey but whethersoever it were of both he owed them nothing and that it ought to suffice them that he had given them their lives 14. How inexorable and severe Philip shewed himself to some sacred persons who were against him in his acquisition of Portugal see by the Letters above Chap. 2. for two thousand of them perisht in that war Thuan lib. 72. 15. Immediatly after Philip got the Kingdome of Portugall he utterly outed the Portuguezes and preferred Spaniards in the government thereof Whereupon Thuan. lib. 78. Anno 1583. It troubled the Portuguezes that Francisco Villefanga a Castilian and not a Portuguez was made high Treasurer of Portugall 16. Michael de Vasconcellis the Spanish Kings Secretary shewed himself so proud and insolent in the said Kings Councell at Lisbon that he forbore not to strike some prime persons who came to him upon businesse Others of the chiefe Nobility he condemned and sent to the Gallies and used other insolencies Ex Relationibus Portugalliae Anno 1640. 17. Comines neer the end of his fifth Book of the Neapolitan warre sayes that the Spaniards do naturally hate and contemn he Portuguezes CHAP. IX The Praevarications of the Spaniards against the Low Countreys TIme the greedy Readers expectation require me now to return out of forraign parts into our Low Countreys and shew what things have been cruelly perfidiously trecherously and lecherously both done suffered then by the Spaniards before and after this war which hath already been begun and with no lesse variety then heat and courage of the parties contending continued since the year 1566. But in regard there is so great a cloud and bulk of them that one my sooner grasp the sky in ones hand then relate them either with tongue or pen Besides that there be many other Authors extant of both Religions who have collected them with as much faith as care and have inserted them in their Histories according to the series of years I will forbear to tire my pen with setting them down There are few who have not seen the History of Emanuel Metterano together with the continuation of William Baudert written in Low-Dutch as also the Relations of P. Boorn of the same War besides the History of Eberhard Raid to be silent of the noble Historian Jacobo Augusto Thuano the Livies of the French Kingdom by whom both the beginning and successe of the Low-Countrey-war are written with great elegancy and integrity where we may also see what plots were contrived against the Noblemen and especially against them of the house of Orange both Father Son how many Towns taken and miserably plundred and the Inhabitants more then barbarously treated how many rebellions raysed by the Spanish Souldiers and how miserably the subjects and Citizens especially they of Antwerp and Mecklin were abused and pillaged yea how many thousands died by the Hangmans hands excluding such as perisht in the warres To which may also be added the Martyrology of Corvinus and the Apologie of the Prince of Orange besides the speech of Ansellus to the German Princes together with other Apologetick writings
Extraordinary Revenews of the Dutchy of Milan and for that cause a proclamation was made by the said Fontano's authority in King Philips name which was smartly answered and opposed by the Family of the Malaspines and had almost given an Alarm amongst the said Princes had not most of the Embassadorâ— in King Philips Court interceded with him and at length obtained that the prosecution of the businesse might be protracted and suffered to vanish Thuan lib. 134. 5. Anno 1606. there arose a controversie between Pope Paul the fifth and the State of Venice about certain Priviledges vvhich when it was almost brought to a friendly composition by the endeavour of Henry the fourth of France the Spanish faction the chief vvhereof were Cardinall Pompeio Arrigovio Paulo Sfondrato and Ferdinando Pacero Duke of Ascalonia by the pravalency of King Philips Embassador with the Pope the businesse was not onely frustrated but also brought to open war and the Pope excommunicated the Venetians and Philip forthwith by lettters artificiously pen'd offered his service to the Pope to that end Fontano listed Souldiers apace and yet nevertheless he sent Francisco de Castro as Extraordinary to Venice with intention that if the matter inclined to a peace which he having kindled the war at first began already to suspect he might praecept the honor of the pacification from the King of France or at least have a great share in it by his intervention But the common report in the Court of Rome was that Philip according to the Rule of his Ancestors was glad to hear of such Disputes amongst other Princes concerning the Popes Supremacy as in relation to Civil Government yea and to have them agitated up and down in Spain it self by connivencie as conceiving them not to belong to him at all he being very potent and using to quash the Popes attempts in all his dominions with a word well knowing that his Holinesse dares not so much as hiss against him which was sufficiently demonstrated afterwards in the businesse of Sicily yea and the Spaniards boyling with the heat of ambition convert such wars and feditions as spring from thence to their own privat advantage as lying in ambush in the mean while to see if any of the weaker Princes be prescribed that so they have an occasion to invade their Dominions as it hapned in the seizure of the kingdom of Navarre even in our parents dayes Thuan. lib. 137. 7. When Ferdinand King of Spain and Arragon Anno 1501. attempted the Kingdom of Naples and took the Citie of Tarento with Ferdinand son to Frederick King of Naples in it he swore to him by Gonsalvo before the Altar that he would leave him the liberty of a King but yet he slighted his oath sent him prisoner into Spain and reserved the kingdom for himself 8. By the exhortation of Ferdinand called the Catholick Henry the eighth King of England sent 6000 English into Spain to joyn with the Spaniards in the invasion of the Dutchy of Chira but Ferdinand who had a quite other designe sent them against John Albert King of Navarre by the right of Catherine de la Fosse who being wholly unprovided for Ferdinand carried his business with high dissimulation towards him fled into France and so Ferdinand seized the kingdom of Navarre without any cost or pains Speculum Tragicum Anno 1612. 9. It is no newes for the Spaniards to sow sedition in divers kingdoms at one and the same time as they did Anno 158â— in France and England Thuan. lib. 179. 10. Anno 1581. The Spaniards sowed discord amongst the Knights of Maltha by setting Matuirno Scuto Romaegassio against John Bishop of Casserio Avernio chief of that Order and casting him in prison from whence he was cited to Rome to his triall whither he came and stoutly acquitted himself howbeit he dyed during his abode there Thuan. lib. 74. 12. The Spaniards raised seditions in Scotland and sollicited with vain promises some Noblemen to a revolt some of whom were beheaded for it The States to the Letters of Ernestus Anno 1594. Thuan. lib. 109. 13. Antonio de Laeva a Spaniard and Governor of Lumbardy for Charles the fifth being besieged at Milan thought fit to spare neither things Humane nor Divine for the maintenance of his own honor and Caesars dignity and in stead of pay granted every Citie and every Citizen thereof to be most inhumanly plundred by the Souldiers that by the ejection of the Duke of Milan Sforsa might enjoy the command of so great a Principate Paulus Jovius lib. 6. Elogiorum 14. Hugo de Moncada governed Sicily after such a fashion that he left many monuments of avarice and cruelty behind him for he put many Sicilian Gentlemen to death and amongst the rest the Lord of Camerata for that he lived somewhat seditiously according to the ancient loosness of that Nation Paul Jov. lib. 6. Elog. 15. How cruelly did they use the Hussites in Bohemia as beating them dragging them cutting children in two and throwing them to their mothers saying Jam habes sub utraque Now thou hast it under both alluding to the ceremony of the Hussites who took the Sacrament under both species 16. Thomas Campanella in his Discourse of the Spanish Monarchy Chap. 26. faith That the King of Spain must take care that none but a Catholick king be elected to the Crown of Poland And therefore wise noble Embassadors must be sent to Câ—achoven to give weight and authority to the Spanish union amongst the Electors and prevail to have one of the King of Spains younger sons chosen King of Poland And the people of Scandinaven and Dantzick must also be moved to set forth a Fleet to sea against the English c. CHAP. XV. The Spaniards ardent desire of Monarchy and Rule IF that old saying Semper imperare superiorem esse aliis Alwayes to command and be superior to others be innate to any Nation it is certainly so more to the Spaniards then to any other since all their actions cogitations and consultations tend to that end and therefore they may most clearly consent and say with Caesar Si violandum est jus regnandi causa violandum If right must be wrong'd it must be wrong'd for Powers sake For this reason they are not afraid by publick writings to admonish and exhort their king yea and to shew him the wayes and means how he may arrive to the universall Monarchy amongst whom Thomas Campanella is the Ring-leader Nor did Charles the fifth seem to have laid slight foundations for this Monarchy when besides those kingdoms which he possest by right of succession in the West and elsewere he was also made Emperour of the Romans to which were yet added other titles afterwards and it hath been hitherto the onely business of the Spaniards to be alwayes in warres that so they may be ready upon all occasions to produce that Monarchy of the whole Christian world which they have long since
conceived For to this end were there so many matches proposed for the Infanta Isabel and the Crown of France so impudently as it were put to sale to this end were the seditions raysed in Scotland c. The same craft was used in the Bishop of Strasburghs cause and in the Dutchy of Cleve Gulick and the Imperial Citie of Aquisgrane Ordines ad Ernesti Lit. anno 1594. apud Thuan. lib. 109. 5. The Spaniards hold this as a Delphick Oracle and most infallible prophesie That the last Monarchy shall be fixt in Spain and that for this reason that in regard it came in order from the East to the West out of Asia into Greece and returned for a few years into Asia again under Alexander and his successors at length out of Greece to Rome therefore it necessarily followes that it must be establisht in Spain as being the most Westward of all other Countreys Thuan. lib. 133. 6. The Spaniards for the setling of their Monarchy by warres fraud and other plots destroy as many as are able to oppose them as Anno 1584. when Andino according to most mens opinions was poysoned whereof he being dead the Prince of Orange was also forthwith killed by one hired of the Duke of Parma and the Queen of England aimd at by the same Arts at the same time lib. 79. 7. That the kings of Spain labour for nothing more then by subduing all other Kings and Princes to make themselves Monarchs of the whole Christian world Ancellus teaches in his speech to the Princes of Germany Anno 1597. apud Thuan. lib. 118. 8. At the election of Charles the fifth Anno 1519. one of the Episcopall Electors said That the Spaniards having once gotten the Empire would hardly restore it again to its liberty Sleidanus 9. The Spaniards for the better security of their Monarchy do not only permit but allow and perswade even incestuous marriages lest by the division of kingdoms forsooth their Monarchy should suffer an eclipse Thuan. lib. 107. 10. Moreover for the greater assurance of their said Monarchy they labour to destroy the Noblemen of their Provinces to streighten their priviledges liberties to impose new taxes and to reduce the inhabitants from their old plenty and riches to poverty and misery Ordines Belgici in responsione Schwartzenburgio Legato Caesario data anno 1575. Thuan. lib. 60. 11. Another earnest endeavour of the Spaniards is to take off all free Elections which was done Anno 1570. in the kingdom of Portugal and at present in the election of the Emperours and in the kingdomes of Bohemia and Hungary yea and by the exclusion of the right heirs to advance their own Kings to kingdoms as in the said kingdom of Portugal Thuan. lib. 69. 13. When Philip the second had married his daughter Isabel to the Archduke Albert and had assigned him the seventeen provinces for a portion his son Philip was troubled at it as if he had not had kingdomes enough even without those Provinces which when the Father observed he comforted him saying Quidvis promittas quid enim promittere laedit That he had indeed promised those Provinces but that there were many by-wayes and tricks to be found out to shun the performance Speculum Hisp Tyran in Belgio p. 108. 14. The Duke of Larma heretofore made a speech to an Assembly of the States of Spain in Arragon wherein he told them in most eloquent words That the King of Spain had free power either by right or wrong to get and occupate other kingdomes that so he might come to the long hop'd for Monarchy For it was fâ—r that since there was but one Head namely the Pope in spiritual affairs so there should be also but one namely the King of Spain in temporal and that he was therefore called Catholick because he ought to be the universal Monarch of the world Now the wiser sort do justly conceive these are the words of Ancellus to the Princes of Germany Anno 1597. That the inexpleble covetousnesse of the king of Spain was not to be contained within the limits of the Rhine and that they were reputed his enemies by him whosoever should endeavour to stop or hinder his designe to fix the Monarchy of the whole world in his family Thuan. lib. 118. 15. The Spaniards are so much inflamed with desire of Power that they never fail in all their kings dominions to change their Native Officers and Ministers of the said dominions with all kinds of calumnies and lies to the King till they work him to deprive them of their employments and offices and substitute Castillians in their places which more disgusted the Catalonians then any thing else as may be seen up and down in their complaint anno 1640. where they beseech the king to be more circumspect in this point and especially chap. 34.35 16. Antonio de Leva charged Francisco Sfortia with various grievous calumnies to the Emperour and used all means possible to get him thrown out of the government of the Dutchy of Milan and himself put in his place Paul Jovius lib. 6. Elog. 17. Charles the fifth was excessively earnest with his brother Ferdinand to abdicate the Roman Empire and transfer it upon his son Philip or at least to make him his Deputy of Italy and the Low Countreys But Ferdinand answered him That he was called Augustus or the enlarger of the Empire and therefore he could not grant ought thereof to any other Zniegrefius part 1. Apotheg p. 112. 18. It being asked why the king of Spain had an ambition to be preferred even before the Emperour and answer being made That Europ was like a mans Body and that Spain represented the Head And for this reason the King of Spain would go before the Emperour Livius Fink Graecensis replied If so then Germany wins the day for she is like the Belly and it is clear that the Belly rules all and all obey the Belly Znicgrefius p. 1. Apotheg p. 309. CHAP. XVI The Ambition Arrogance Boasting and Scorn of the Spaniards AS it happened to C. Caesar and Cn. Pompeius that the one could not endure a Superior and the other an Equall so is it also with the Spanish Nation For conceiving themselves only to be Eagles and to fly above the clouds they look upon all others as Dolopes or creepers as they frequently testifie both by their words and deeds When Anno 1579. the difference arose about the Successor to the Crown of Portugall the Spaniards to terrifie the Portuguezes boasted thus That there was no power equall to that of the Spaniards who as often as they had had warres had vanquisht France led the Princes of Germany in triumph put the Turk to flight and freed Maltha from the Barbarians Thuan. lib. 97. 2. King Philip the second after the seizure of Portugall whether justly or unjustly I say not caused money to be coyned with this Inscription Non sufficit orbis Luckius in Nummis p. 279. 3. When the