Thirty soure years he laboured in the study of holy Lawes to be well instructed in the knowledge of Iustice He affirmeth nothing which he doth not learnedly proue All his works were directed to his owne King and the Royall Councell before whom more then once hee appeared in person to entreat of this Businessa Who can then beleeue that hee durst say that which was not apparant truth Men vse not to speake ill of Princes to their owne faces Ignorance of the fact or of the Law cannot be obiected to him so much practised and who had so long studyed these matters Argument of affection or of passion cannot be imagined in a Prelat of most exemplar life who renounced his Bishopricke onely to assist in the Court of his Prince in the defence of a People from any interest in him as farre remoued as our world is distant from theirs From whence of necessity it must be said that onely the loue of truth did moue him and the inuincible reasons wherewith he maintaines all his Assertions doe most clearly demonstrate it So that your Maiestie who is as much a louer of truth as of God considering with a setled minde all the fore-alleadged discourses will in the sinceritie of your conscience 〈◊〉 that which 〈◊〉 beginning was declared That Enterprises vndertaken onely for Religion are often reduced to proper Interest and that Titles Dignities and Authorities granted with most holy zeale by the Vicar of Christ haue beaue peruersly abused It is very true that this good Prelatate hath indeauoured to excuse the Catholique Kings by saying that the aboue mentioned euills were against their Intentions clearely expressed in many orders and holy instructions giuen to those crooked ministers who obserued no part of them But this excuse is not admitted of wise men yea rather confuted with most strong Reasons First because it hath not beene found that the Catholique Kings did euer punish any of those Ministers vnlesse perhaps some for Rebellion notwithstanding their wickednesse was manifest vnto them which the foresaid Bishop doth more then once affirme Secondly because so many iniquities by them committed were neuer retracted in particular the Diuisions of the Commenda's vpon which the said Author doth exclaime euen to the Heauens Lastly because the immediate Dominions are encorporated vniuersally and particularly with the Supreme Dominions and this is euident in fact all faculty being taken from them which had it to choose their Prince and the inheritance from them to whom the estates by succession did appertaine of whom some miraculously escaping aliue in that destruction of the Indies lamentably by this Bishop described were transported into Spaine lest by the loue of their Naturall Subiects they should aspire to recouer that of which against reason they were depriued And yet to this day the Issue of that great Motezâ—ma Emperor of Mexico doe liue in the Court of your Maiestie prohibited vpon paine of life to goe out of Castile From which most true reasons the wisedome of your Maiestie may easily comprehend how little the aforesaid excuses doe pruaile and how great 〈◊〉 the Catholique Kings haue to render to God of the vsurpation of the immediate 〈◊〉 of the Indies vnder pretence of amplifying the Christian faith The religious zeale of the King Don Phillip the second father of your Maiestie cannot inconsiderately bee ouerpast when inurted by the Pope hee tooke Armes against Henry the fourth King of France The cause of Christ was in question against a publique Heretique and Enemy of Christ It was expedient that the facred Catholique King Protector of the Church of Christ should abandon his owne Affaires of Flanders to defend that of Christ The which Hereique Action the fruit of perfect vertue which is rarely found among Princes of the World did beget in many wonder and incredulity and in others it caused too malitious suspition Algunos saith the Spanish Bishop que juzgauan la virtud agena por la malitia propia Bauia Pentif par 3. vita di Griger 14. c. 9. no querian creer que el zelo de Rey Catholico fuesse tan grande che desamparando su bazienda propia con tan gran costa fuesse a remediar la agena That is Some who iudge the vertue of others by their owne malice would nor beleeue that the zeale of the Catholique King could be so great that leauing the care of his owne business hee should at so immence Charge relieue the necessitie of others Behold the wonder and the incredulity Otros as after followes in the history que no bien conocian la Religion y Christianidad del gran Filippo II. Bauia p. 3. vita de Innocentie 9. C. 9. fondauan en esta jornada un gran edificio diziendo que se queria hazer Rey de Francia ò ponelle de su mano assegurandosse ensus Estados comarcanos y sasando à bueltas no pequeno interes That is Others that did not well vnderstand the Religion and Christianitie of the Grand Phillip the second did from this vndertaking lay the foundation of a great building saying that he desired to make himselfe King of France or to place a King of his owne dependance hereby assuring his owne neighbouring States and drawing to himselfe no little aduantage Behold the malice and that truely very great against that most innocent Monarch who did clearely show to haue no other interest nor further desire then that the Catholique Religion should not be vtterly ruined as it was freshly threatned in the Kingdome of France But what cannot the Deuill doe Saints and Heremits are rarely secure much lesse Princes in Courts Scarcely hath Henry begunne inspired by the holy Ghost to shew himsefe willing to be reduced to the wombe of holy Church to be truely a most Christian King when the Catholique fell vpon a Councell by no meanes to consent that hee should bee King of France And yet to him the Rights of that Kingdome did appertaine nor for other cause was the opposition but for being an Heretique whence the impediment being taken away it was most vnrust any longer to withstand him But it was whispered in the cares of the Catholique King by certaine Machiauells rather then Disciples that the Coronation of Henry might bring some danger to his Maiestie for the kingdome of Nauarr and the County of Burgondy vpon which States the Crowne of France hath pregnant pretensions and that his Maiestie had cast away in vaine so much Gold and spent so much blood of his people in that warre Therefore La tarde antes so saith Rauia que hiziesse la absolution Pontif p. 4 vita de Cle. 8. Cap. 56 el Duque de Sessa Ambaxador del Rey Catholico de su parte hiza al Papa protestacion que la absolucion que su santitad pensau a dar à Enrico no perjudicasse al derecho de su Rey en lo teccante al Reyno de Nauarra y Contado di Borgona ui a los gastos que hauia echo
en la conseruation della feè Catholicho en el Reyno di Francia y a instantia y requesta del y que no pensaua dexar las armas hasta cobrallos O yo el pontifice atenta mente la pretestacson y tomò della el Duque instrumento publico Auertiò antes à sua Santitad de algunos inconuenientes che temia hauian de resultar de la absolucion que tenia determinado dar à Enrico That is The Euening before the Absolution should be giuen the Duke of Sessa Ambassadour of the Catholique King on his behalfe protested to the Pope that the absolution which his Holines intended to giue to Henry should not preiudice the Reasons of his King in that which concerned the Kingdome of Nauar and the County of Bourgundy nor in the expence which he had made for the Confernation of the Catholique faith in the Kingdome of France at his instance and request and that he determined not to depose Armes vntill he had recouered them The high Bishop attentiuely heard the Protest and the Duke tooke thereof a publique instrument hauing first aducrtised his Holinesse of some inconueniences which hee feared might result from the Absolution which was purposed to bee giuen to Henry These Protests did appeare to men of sound iudgement ill grounded prentencos the alleaged inconueniences false foundations of that great Building which those malicious aboue mentioned did figure to themselues They said it was requisite to the strict Christianity which the Catholique King professed all humane Interest deposed to aduance with all his spirits the conuersion of Henry and to exhort the high Bishop affectionately to receiue the prodigall Sonne seeing he was returned penitent to his fathers house and to take into his Armes the strayed sheepe which hee had now found to carry him to the Sacred sheepfold of Christ They did blame as a work very little Catholique but rather as a suggestion of the Deuill to attempt the hinderance of that Absolution which onely hee ought to haue procured for the quiet of France and the publique good of Christendome which if it had not succeeded might haue wholly alienated that Kingdome from the Church as the like had done in England They did consider that it was wide of the purpose to feare any preiudice in the kingdome of Nauarre and the County of Burgundy seeing the Absolution did not deriue any more right to Henry then that which any other which should be King of France might haue But aboue all the pretensions of the expence made in the warre did giue them greatest scandall They discoursed if only for the loue of Christ the Catholique King had disbursed that money why was he not content to haue Christ his Debtor But how a Debtor if hee doth enioy of the Patrimony of Christ aboue Three Millions yearely Reuenue granted him by the Vicar of Christ of Tenths Subsidies and Croysado's and other meanes with condition to employ them against the Enemies of Christendome why takes hee nor penne in hand and comes not to a distinct Account of the Receipts and Issues well balancing il dare conl'hauere and hee shall finde himselfe not Creditor of one Maranedi but certainely Debtor of many and many Millions spent not according to his obligation for Christianity but for the interest of his owne priuate Estates What then doth hee pretend Why then doth he not lay downe Armes Vpon what hath hee fixed his thoughts To what end doth he aspire If he prosecute this warre he prosecuteth an vniust warre How doth that correspond with the zeale of Religion for which onely at first he vndertooke it What change is this Certainely it proceedeth not from the right hand of the most High But bee it so let him follow the warre at his owne pleasure there is no remedy Henry shall bee absolued and shall bee King of France Doth the Catholique King perhaps hope with his owne forces and by strong hand to depriue him If he was not able with the vnion of so many other Princes to hinder him from taking possession of his Kingdome how shall he now be able to expell him hauing set sure footing in his Throne He attempts a dangerous Action Here they proceed with witty and politique Consideration that a good issue of this warre against Henry not ensuing hee should be sure to acquire a powerfull and perpetuall Enemy that might in time make Spaine to tremble within her owne bowels and the Prophesie had well neare beene verified the whole world knowes it if a violent death had not interposed to stay him But this yet which perhaps was foreseene they did iudge insufficient to free Spaine of the danger Seeing the offence of the father and with the offence the disdaine might descend to the Sonne his Successor as soone as hee came to ripe age and should fall into consideration that the Catholique King had done his vâ—most to keepe him from being King of France when hee indeauoured to take the Crowne from the head of his father and that if his father in despight of Spaine mainteined himselfe King he also in despight of Spaine might enioy his fathers Kingdome But all these considerations which certainely were very great before any other conceiued them were resolued by the most wise King Phillip who by common Iudgement was the Salomon of his time From whence for the same reasons that others did iudge it requisite to leaue the warre hee esteemed it necessary to prosecute it Seeing he knew he had so grieuously offended Henry that hee could by no other meanes secure himselfe from his disdaine but onely by opposing him to become King of France Wherefore seeing the cause of Religion did cease it was expedient to fasten vpon some other pretence to resist with his Holiness the absolution and in France the Corenation and to proue if it were possible already reason of State had insinuated that great building of the Malicious to make a King of his owne fashion as he had already caused to be propounded in Parliament Tarde se desengana el dessee de mandar Bauia p. 4. vita de Clem. 8. c. 30. y ser Rey Por este aunque con menos brie no desistian los pretensores Proponia el Duque de Feria al Serenissima Infanta de Espana Dona Isabel Affermaua denersele el Reyno porque hauiendo faltado la linea masculina de Hugo Capcto eraquien tenià meior derecho a la Corona como hija de hermana mayor de Eurico III vltimo Rey de Francia Y dezia con esto que el Rey Catholico su padre la ca sarsa con alâ—un principe Frances con que el nombramiento del tal quedasse en su elecion That is The desire to command and to bee King was slowly cleared from all doubt For this cause though with lesse boldnesse the Pretènders gaue not ouer The Duke of Feria did propound her highnesse Donna Isabella Infanta of Spaine He did affirme the Kingdom
and the heart which being cut off or wounded cause desolution so it is possible to find a way to weaken that Monster which cannot bee killed at one blow Great preparations at mighty expences giue too great warning are subiect to many accidents and hazard too much reputation And if one State know any one Designe that may much annoy the Enemy it is like the other is not ignorant of their owne weaknesses Wise Gamesters play not all at a Cast the By often helpes the Maine Therfore both rule example hath taught vs that Spaine is more easily wasted then any part of their Christian Dominion conquered while the streame of money is open and vndiuerted But if this long and sure course threaten also a reciprocall Consumption yet that warre in Europe will bee most profitable for vs which shall be made nearest our owne Kingdome both for the keeping our forces vnited and at hand and for the easinesse of supplies in all Euents and out of Europe by a Roiall Action it is not impossible at one stroke to behead the Indies To oppose them in their Counsels we must first obserue what they are Pierre Mat. Espagne practiquant tousiours sa vieille maxime de se maintenir par la querra de ses voisins Sedition separation and disunion are the dangerous weapons wherewith they prepare to themselues easie Conquests and these Arts haue their first efficacie vnder the pretence of Treaty then is the Spaniard most to be suspected because they know how hostibus prodere prima belli tempora Tacit. and if they can raise any iealousie or variance to remoue any one all are weakned rebusque turbatis malum extremum discordia accessit The contrary then which is a firme and constant League is onely powerfull and able to arrest them In the Colleagued warre of the Common-wealths of Greece against the vnited power of the Spartans some of the Confederates who lay next the danger beginning to wauer this sentence of their common safetie was giuen Pelib vnicam spem superesse video omnibus agnisui longum tempus possidendi si Epaminondae consilio vsi omnium temporum omniumque rerum societatem sinceram inâ—er se colant To hope to diuide indivisihile is lost labour the Designes of Spaine are one vnited in the head in genere generalissimo the House of Austria which cannot be distracted They haue no other maine and important adherent but the Pope and his Ecclesiasticall Dependents and these also make but one and meet in the Center concurring in common and mingled ends And they greatly erre who suppose that it is euer possible to finde a Pope vnpartiall for Spaine or to fauour any other Prince against them Let Vrban the Eighth serue for an example rais'd and fed by France yet fallen to their enemies per ragione distato One fresh and pregnant instance will discouer both this vnitie and the aduantage of Spanish Counsells When the Treaty of Madrid for the liberty of the Valteline was not performed and roundly pressed by the French some difficulties remaining to prolong the possession the Forts of that Vally were by consent deliuered to the Pope tanquam communi Patri in Depositâ— This seemed very equall but the French were ouer-reached For they hoped vpon the iustice of their Cause and that a sentence would timely be giuen for them which was impossible For the Spaniard was content that the Deposition should remaine for euer to his vse and he knew that the Pope by accepting it was engagâ—d neuer to surrender to the Grisons because the spirituall Father could neuer deliuer his Children behold another title to the subiection and will of Heretiques and if the French should at last vse force his Holinesse was doubly intangled both in honor and conscience to vnite with Spaine to maintaine his Depositation This the French did not foresee and fel vpon a disaduantage to recouer it from the Pope a matter of dangerous consequence Who at last takes Armes in the Cause as the World knowes But when both the Pope and Spaine saw such a generall storme and Colleguation and foresaw that there was no remedie but to lose it by Armes which being victorious might quarrell with Millan or finde new obiects of their disdaine they resolued rather to surrender it and to seeme to yeeld to Iustice But who must doe it The Pope by no meanes can consent to deliuer part of his flocke to wolues so his Ambassage protested in France therefore by secret conniuence and agreement the King of Spaine doth suddenly seale the old Articles and makes the Transaction before Barbarini shall arriue to saue the Popes honor For a temporall Prince may saluâ conscientiâ restore Heretiques to their temporall rights which the Pope a higher pretender ouer soule body and goods cannot doe By this cunning they hope to separate the Princes vnited the quarrell being in outward appearance ended and by this Intelligence it is euident that the Spirituall and temporall serue one another and take turnes and shift Interests for mutuall aduantage But if examples proue not categorically let it be considered that the spirituall and temporall Monarchies affected by Rome and Spaine haue such mutuall interest and affinitie and are so woven one within the other that though natural affection or other respects of gratitude may for a time retard perhaps striue against an open declaration yet when necessitie exacteth a resolution the essence and mystery of the Papacie will preuaile It must forsake father and mother and cleaue to this double supremacie for Rome and Spaine must stand and fall together To proceed when the Romans first transported their Legions into Greece they were called in by diuision to restore that shew of liberty to a part which they absolutely tooke from all Greece Separation and disunion by them fomented opened a Port to a Dominion which vnited was like their Phalanx not to be broken And certainly this day the Spaniards haue more hope to diuide the Princes colleagued then to vanquish them To which vse they haue two dangerous Instruments Money for the Traitor and a Pope for the Conscience It is obserued that Spaine will buy Treasons dearer then other Nations doe Faith Omne scelus externum cum laetitia habetur And another noteth Tacit. that with a bit of parchment the Pope will reduce any Kingdome to him disobedient to the State of Nauarre when the true King Iohn Albret and Queene Katherine were expelled Pierre Math. l'excommunication du Pape Iules 1. aquant eu plus de forces que les armes de Castille And they are not ashamed to glory with Philip of Macedon another oppressor that the victories gotten with words are more sweet then those of the Sword For euery Souldier can fight and share the honor but Arts and deceits of Treaties are onely proper to the Prince and his Counfell I will not enter into a search of the Treaties of Spaine nor how they are maintained
no cause to doubt seeing this is the way to riches and he that buyes an office pretends to haue right to sell it in felling Iustice as it was once said of that good Spanish Pope who by force of money ascended to the Chaire did dispence for moneyes all Rights of the Church Emerat ille prius vendere iure porost Here I could open the eies of your Maiesty with a like abuse in your own Court and tell you that los Alguaziles or as we call them Marshals or Captaines of Serieants pay for that charge fiue or six thousand Ducats Los Escriuanos or Notaties of Magistrates pay some eighteene some twenty thousand Crownes los Alcaldes or speaking in our owne Idioms the Criminall or Ciuill Iudges doe not pay a certaine summe but they neuer climbe to that degree without bestowing large donations vpon the Fauorits of your Maiestie What may then be said of Gonernours and Vice-Kings which you send into remoâ—e Prouinces All the Court doth know and the Prouinces are not ignorant that no man gratis doth obtaine these honours but they all passe in the Common way Your Maiestie may well beleeue that your Ministers are not so zealous of the weale publique profusely to expend their owne to goe and wearie themselues to gouerne others though in the most eminent dignitie Whence you may firmely collect that they propose to disburse at Interest and so prouide that the poore Subiects pay them an annuall Tribure not of fiue tenne or twenty but of a hundred for a hundred and sometimes a thousand and that at the end of their Gouernment they doe leuell the Capitall I could read in Cathedra vpon this matter as that which I haue seene with mine owne eyes and whereof in part to my great losse haue had experience But being a publique thing it behooues not that I wearie my selfe therein I returne then to the Tyranny of the Grisons Pompeio Planta aboue mentioned did vsurpe the power of Magistracie in the Praefecture of Forstenau binding all the officers not to intermeddle in any Cause of Importance without his knowledge or of Rodolpho Planta his Brother This man who was Prouinciall Captaine of the Valteline Criminall Iudg of Zernez of the bordering Communities did vsurp the power of Magistracy of the three Leagues exercising therein most great Tyranny in generall and against particular men and did arrogate to himselfe to iudge the lawes and to choose them onely Iudges who to him were pleasing and whosoeuer would not concurre with him was sodainly depriued In which course attempting to doe violence in the vpper Agnadina hee was the cause that six persons did loose their liues He did falsifie the Statutes and ordinances of the Countrey in his Iurisdiction adding and diminishing them as to him it turned best to accompt He did binde the Subiects in many Communities and free Prouinces with various corruptions and presents to elect into many offices men vpon him dependant Of which his followers he after made vse to breake the lawes to excite Commotions against honest men and to gouerne all with violent Tyranny at his owne disposition Vpon delicts of little consideration hee gaue most rigorous sentences Conuerting them after into great Ransoms to whosoeuer would redeeme his vexations When he had punished some Delinquent he found occasion to entangle many Innocents saying that the guilty had accused them of Confederacy or somewhat else and enforced them if they would anoide his persecution to compound with him in great summes of money In Agnadina he did sharpen the quâ—rrells and factions euen amongst Kindred fomenting them with men and Armes where of followed many wounds and many deaths What auaâ—â—gth it particularly to recount the Tyrannies vsed for many yeares by him and his Brother in Agnadina Valteline and other places And who is able to search the truth of infinite others practised by their adherents and followers In summe Pompeio and Rodolfo Planta haue beene Tyrants themselues and Heads of Tyrants From them and by them all those Cruelties of the people which in the Manifest written in the name of the Valtelines are exaggerated haue proceeded without contradiction they are too true we doe not deny them But let it availe to speake the Truth and who by your fauour are those but factious men and Dependents vpon the Ministers of your Maiestie From whom haue they receiued the monies to support their Tyrannicall Authoritie but of the Ministers of your Maiestie who hath constandy comforted them in their wicked Actions but the Ministers of your Maiestie Then it must necessitily bee concluded that the Ministers of your Maiestie are they who haue seated Tyranny in the Valieline and in other parts of the Grisons following the same designe aboue mentioned to breed Confusion Disunion and finall destruction of chose People to the enlargement of the States of your Maiestie and all these workings haue beene carried in a manner so artificiall that though the Grisons did see many things ill done they could not apply a remedie because they knew not from whence the euill did arise So great was the Tyrants power that there was none found who once durst witnesse a truth But at last when it pleased God to bring it to light the Grisons did not neglect to vse all diligence to dig vp the euill by the Roote The Brethren Planta's fled Conscions of their owne Iniquitie whereby not being able to apprehend them they were punished in such sort as was possible by most sharpe exile Looke vpon the writing so often alleadged of the Acts of the Grisons where more distinctly euery particular may be read But for a domonstratiue proofe of the aforesaid matters all the world doth know how these Brothers Plantds after their banishmont were alwaies sauoured and sustained by the Ministers of your Maiestie how at their Instigation and with their helpe they wrought the insurrection of the Valteline and how as yet they negotiate worse actions Here are three things fit to be aduised your Maiestie The one the Detript which is obtruded by your Ministera The other the Repreach which they bring to your Roiall name by insidious Complots which they alway extend to other Potentates The last is the Impudonce wherewith they seeke vnworthily to wound the name and reputation of good Princes against whom they haue often prouoked the Predecessors of your Maiestie and sometime your selfe and still doe attempt earnestly to induce you to actions little reasonable making you beleeue not that they are only lust but holy Vpon this first we shall haue little cause of discourse seeing from the fore alleaged matters it is euidently collected that the Grisons doe not nor haue not tyrannised their Subiects neither concerning Religion nor in the politike life That all the Tyranny which was vsed in their State was treacherously induced by the Ministers of your Maiestie and that the Rebellion of the Valtelines was not free and voluntary in them but practised procured and in a manner